ShantanuT01/DACTYL-Pretraining huggingface dataset:
The article “Text Messaging” by Thurlow and Poff (2013) has introduced the issue of messages’ sending, its mechanisms, and the linguistic peculiarities. The authors try to analyze the phenomenon of the “communication imperative” realized via modern technologies and to understand whether its language is as unintelligible as one claim (Thurlow and Poff 171). While examining the linguistic aspect, the authors have made a series of discoveries. First of all, modern texters do not use all the space provided for a message. Even though the number of words is not very limited, one tends to use abbreviations that are understandable by the majority of people. Secondly, the language applied to text messages is not as incomprehensible as one might suppose. In fact, the main distinctive trait of the texting language is an abundance of non-standard orthography and a particular typographic use – either the prevalence of exclamation points or, on the contrary, the complete absence of any punctuation marks. Finally, the authors agree that today, texting is one of the most efficient forms of communication. Users can develop their social identity through texting, and they feel more free due to the so-called “recognized anonymity” that allows them to express the thoughts they would not, probably, announce in a live communication (Thurlow and Poff 173). Works Cited Thurlow, Crispin and Michele Poff. ” Text Messaging.” Pragmatics of Computer-Mediated Communication . Ed. Susan C. Herring, Dieter Stein and Tuija Virtanen. Berlin: De Gruyter Mouton, 2013. 163-190. Print.
Introduction Today, we can observe drastic alterations in the way society functions. The rapid development of technologies promoted a significant shift in peoples mentalities towards the extensive use of digital technologies and the reconsideration of traditional approaches to increase their efficiency. At the same time, the availability of information and data related to different spheres of human activity demand enhanced skills from individuals for them to be successful and be able to function regarding new conditions. There are numerous claims to reconsider the approach to educating individuals because of its inability to meet modern requirements and provide learners with the knowledge and skills they might need in the future. Elimination of the bureaucratic approach and the creation of learning organizations/communities is one of the possible ways to solve this problem. Learning Organization In fact, the modern learning environment still preserves some approaches and patterns that are outdated because of the need for innovative ideas and methods. That is why a learning organization is one of the alternatives to bureaucratic forms. It can be determined as a unit that creates, acquires, and transfers knowledge in new creative ways that presuppose commitment, the participation of all stakeholders, and improved collaboration to attain success and guarantee appropriate results (Davidson, 2017). One of the basic distinguishing features of the learning organization is the utilization of innovative approaches that cultivate leadership and better collaboration with the primary aim to stimulate learners to generate knowledge in new ways that help to achieve success in the future (Davidson, 2017). Moreover, hierarchical patterns peculiar to traditional learning organizations are disregarded in this approach to create a new beneficial environment. Learning Community As for the learning community it is closely related to the previous term. It can be defined as a group of people who share the same academic goals and interests and who meet on the regular basis to collaborate with the primary aim to develop their skills and generate knowledge (DeWitt, 2017). These communities are a crucial part of the innovative approach to education as they contribute to the reconsideration of models that are used by educators and generate improved results (DeWitt, 2017). For this reason, the wide use of this practice is a key factor for the creation of a learning organization that will contribute to the improved results. Comparison When comparing the learning organization and community, there are several aspects that are similar. First, both these modes presuppose the use of collaborative practices to achieve better results. All stakeholders become the active participants of the process with the primary aim to attain better results and ensure that an im
Introduction The conflict in Yemen is one of the loudest events happening in the world these days, but very few people have a proper understanding of that this conflict entails and why it occurred. Yemen is known to be the poorest country in the Middle East with a very long history and a complex sociocultural situation. This country had been politically divided into South Yemen and North Yemen that used to function as two separate states prior to 1990 (Sharro). Today, Yemen is unified by is still torn apart by disagreements within its nation. Predisposing Cause For a very long time, the state of Yemen has been facing major cultural disagreements. These disagreements are mainly based on the cultural and religious differences that exist within the nation. To be more precise, most of the people living in Yemen are Sunni and about one-third of the country’s population are Shiite (Sharro). The two groups disagree with one another in terms of religion and cause the major inhomogeneity in the state. In addition, there are other communities functioning of the territory of Yemen that contribute to the aggravation of the internal political and sociocultural divisions. For example, there are territories of Yemen where al-Qaeda can operate and the territories controlled by Houthis – the group opposing al-Qaeda (“The Crisis in Yemen: What You Need to Know”).These divisions create the potential of serious internal conflicts in the country able to tear apart the entire nation. Moreover, these divisions have been in place for a long time which has created a very tense political, cultural, and social environments. Principle Cause The principle cause of the conflict in Yemen was the onset of what is known as the Arab Spring that was supposed to be a positive political transition to the country. In particular, by the time the Arab Spring began, the people of Yemen were prepared to face change because they were exhausted by several decades of authoritarian ruling of president Saleh that brought a high rate of unemployment and financial struggles (Schuster). However, instead of stability and peace, the Arab Spring resulted in an uprising and the change in power dynamics as the long-time president Saleh gave power to his deputy Hadi who was faced with a number of crises and critical situations which he failed to respond to properly (“Yemen Crisis: Who Is Fighting Whom?”). As a result, the conflict emerged that included many smaller factions, but there are two main fighting sides as well. Specifically, the conflict is faced by the pro-government forces supporting Hadi as their president and the anti-government forces supported by the ex-president Saleh (Schuster). The latter forces are also known as the Houthis; they belong to a slammer branch of Shiite Muslims known as Zaydis and geographically are based in the north of Yemen. Precipitating Cause The unification of Yemen in 1990 served as a major cause for internal resentments within the nation. Prior to the unification, the country used to be divided
Introduction Commercial use of the Internet and the World Wide Web is expanding at an astounding rate (Barnes & Hunt 2012). As we move into the twenty-first century, the number of people using online services continues to grow. The same applies to the number of Web hosts. From a business perspective, nearly 90 per cent of all corporations now maintain a Web presence (Mills & Law 2005). Hundreds of thousands of companies have begun exploiting the commercial potential of the Web and the market has evolved into a multi billion dollar economy. In all these, the Web has proved to be the catalyst responsible for launching the Internet into commerce (Barnes & Hunt 2012). Evidence clearly indicates that in many areas, the Internet is having a positive impact on business competitiveness and profitability (Khosrow-Pour 2006, p. 954). So much attention is being paid to how the Internet is changing business, corporate relations, education, and work. This paper looks at how the Internet is impacting business operations, with specific reference to CPR Works which is an owner managed public relations company based in Birmingham, UK. Defining the Internet The Internet is a global network of interlinked computers operating on a standard protocol that allows information exchange. It is made up of computer networks, and individual computers throughout the world connected by phone lines, satellites and other telecommunication systems (Müller 2011, p. 3). The original users of the Internet were researchers in the government and universities. Full commercial connection to the Internet only became available in the year 1990. The most popular early commercial activities on the Internet were email, advertising, and promotion. Until the mid 1990s, applications were mostly text based and marketing involved sending plain text messages (Müller 2011, p. 5). However, the introduction of the World Wide Web completely changed things. The adoption of the Internet has been fastest in countries with high gross domestic products and in countries where English is the first language or a widely spoken second language. Impact of Internet on Business Operations in General The Internet and related technologies offer an unprecedented opportunity for firms to benefit from the ability to gather information, promote their operations, and offer improved services to customers (Fletcher et al. 2004). A number of possible effects of the Internet on the marketing environment suggest that firms will experience fewer barriers to achieve efficiency. The impacts of the Internet include reduced importance of economies of scale, lower marketing communications costs, greater price standardization, and r
Introduction Islam is the second largest religion on the globe. Admittedly, it has evolved throughout centuries. The religion is based on the texts of the Holy Qur’an which has been interpreted by philosophers and devout Muslims. At present, there is an ongoing debate on the necessity to return to the core values of Islam as many Muslims believe that the religion evolved in something new and something far from the original, i.e. something vicious and completely wrong. However, it is hardly possible to stop the change which has been taking place since the very first days of the existence of Islam. In this paper, I argue that Islam will continue evolving and I will single out some factors contributing to the change and examine a number of stories to justify this argument. It is necessary to point out that the change will not affect the core values of the religion. The change is more concerned with interpretation of the core values and attitude towards such interpretation. The practice may undergo certain changes though Muslims will still be able to manifest their devotion to God as the primary goal of righteous Muslims’ lives is to live properly to be “rewarded with the highest place in heaven, because of their patient constancy: therein shall they be met with salutations and peace” (Qur’an Surah 25:75). Therefore, Islam will evolve in a very specific way, i.e. this religion will fit the new era while remaining the same in central aspects. One of the Factors Contributing to the Change Changing World In the
Introduction Contemporary issues in marketing and consumer research provisions are critical in the business contexts. This paper discusses Apple Inc. in the context of the contemporary issues it adopts in its marketing and consumer research provision. Such concepts have helped the company to remain competitive in the market and enhance its competitive advantages in the electronics industry. Precisely, contemporary marketing and consumer research refer to how organisations analyze, understand, and meet the needs of their respective customers in the current business world (Pride & Ferrell 2006). Apple Inc. produces and sells commodities that address the market needs with precision. In the contemporary market, Apple Inc. has managed to address the unique demands of its customers with various products including the iPhone 4, iPod, iPad, and other technological tablets demanded in the market. A stringent and appropriate marketing concept is a combination of values and considerations made explicitly to address customers’ needs (Kitchen 1986). Nevertheless, these have conformed to the aspects of market segmentation, targeting markets, marketing strategies, and positioning strategies adopted by Apple Inc. Contemporary Marketing Collectives Apple Inc. has selected its specific target markets in order to serve them exceedingly. Customers demands goods, which satisfy their needs with utmost precision and satisfaction (Lamb, Hair & McDaniel 2011). It is from this context that the entire business prospects lie in selecting the target market. Additionally, the need to have efficient production mechanisms has always helped Apple Inc. in delivering its business objectives as it addresses its targeted customers’ demands. In this regard, the company is aware that consumers usually go for products, which are of considerable quality and widely available at affordable costs. By understanding these contemporary provisions (Rohloff 1966), Apple Inc. strives to produce quality and affordable electronic products that address its targeted customers’ demands. It is possible to stay afloat in the market if a company considers the contemporary needs of its clients. This is an important provision in various contexts. Additionally, emerging with contemporary products, which embraces the aspects of technology among other provisions, is a considerable move. It is crucial to consider the production capabilities for such clients in the entire context. Importantly, the products namely iPhone 4, iPod,
Introduction Quality and environmental management have emerged as essential topics for all varieties of businesses in recent decades. As such, international bodies have emerged and created a unified set of standards for these matters, offering certification services to companies to help them prove that they follow the latest standards. The procedure is intended to enable the company to perform better through both better internal procedures and the public relations improvement that results from the confirmation. However, some managers still call the process into question, claiming that it does not improve the overall performance of the company. They tend to assert that companies introduce advancements in response to market demands and that an external authority is irrelevant and unnecessary. This literature review attempts to answer the question of the influence of accreditations on a company’s performance. Quality Management Accreditation Quality management standards are primarily represented by ISO 9000 and 9001, where the former is a family that includes the latter. The International Organization for Standardization updates them regularly to include the latest findings and respond to current developments. According to Berényi (2018), recent revisions add new paradigms such as stakeholder orientation and risk-based thinking, reflecting recent topics of interest for various businesses. These considerations reinforce the current framework that is based on a set of essential values. Tunjic, Kozina, and Primorac (2016) note that external auditors confirm the accreditation by ensuring that every employee actively participates in quality improvement regardless of the nature of their work. As such, they can see any lacking areas and provide the company with an impartial overview of its progress in the matter. However, the need for external audits may slow the process down and reduce the speed at which accreditation happens. The ISO 9000 family of standards emerged in the late 1980s in response to the needs of the nations with the most robust economies. They were the primary recipients of the accreditations, while everyone else was left behind and may remain so to this day. Berényi (2018) highlights the tendency by showing the rapid progress of wealthy Western European nations during the 1990s and contrasting it with the generally sporadic and disorganized nature of the process in Eastern Europe. Overall, the study shows that the ISO 9001 standard is becoming less popular, with North America finding it unattractive and the growth in applications in East and Pacific Asia motivated by Western companies’ move there. With that said, the study’s detailed overview is limited to Europe, and the analysis of global tendencies may be inaccurate. If companies benefit from the introduction of ISO 9000, they should reconsider this stance of general indifference. As such, many researchers have ventured to determine whether the certification improves company performance. Tunjic, Ko
Writing for children can prove to be a daunting task especially for an artist unarmed with the necessary skills of handling his or her work. The claim follows because childhood is a very sensitive stage in the development of human beings and it is one of the stages in human development where one gets to learn a lot. Shel Silverstein and Eloise Greenfield are two poets who have excelled in writing poetry aimed at developing the young minds of children. The two poets appear similar based on the way they portray the issue of childhood in several ways. For instance, the both focus on the role played by imagination, as seen in their depictions of children in their poetry. The two poets portray children as having minds that are active and able to get new concepts introduced to them with ease. The fact that their poetry aims at introducing these new concepts such as the theme of love in Greenfield’s poem and the meaning of sadness and other emotions in Silverstein’s work is clear indication that according to these poets, the child’s mind is ready to receive new concepts when they are able to read poetry. One can introduce weighty matters of social concern to children through poetry as revealed in the works of the two poets. The child’s mind is ready at this time to receive the new knowledge considering that some of the poems by the two poets have taught children advanced lessons such as philosophy. For instance, the nature of motherhood as a subject seems introduced to children using the poem ‘Karen” by Greenfield. In the poem, the little girl’s mother is not present to put her to bed a role that is taken by her sister who gives the persona “mama’s kisses” when she wants to sleep (Greenfield 45). Both poets write in free prose, which makes it easy to the children of that age to identify with the narrators in the poem. In order to understand clearly the happenings in the poem, the child readers need to identify with the persona such as to break the barrier that may exist in between them as suggested by the poets. The child reader easily discerns the messages conveyed in the poems upon the communication of matters in a manner that he/she un
Introduction The automobile industry in Saudi Arabia is complex. Drivers face diverse risks in their daily operations on the road. A driver’s risks may be related to prospects of something transpiring that may affect his normal operations. They underscore the probability of a driver making either an improvement or damage in the course of his work. A risk may be a consequence or likelihood of uncertainty. The effective management of a vehicle enables a driver to avoid risks and achieve his or her objectives during normal operations (Al-tukhi et al 1). This paper evaluates the various threats that drivers face in Saudi Arabia. The study explains the levels and different risk management remedies. In addition, it presents several causes of car collisions in the region and the major insurance companies available to provide covers for cars. Risks Drivers in Saudi Arabia face a multiplicity of risks. The most outstanding ones relate to overwork. Drivers in the region should not be on the road for a period exceeding 12 hours a day. Drivers need a rest of approximately six to eight hours in a day. In addition, they should only work for about six days a week. These aspects allow them maximum rest and rejuvenation of the body. They provide room for the drivers to refresh and regain energy before embarking on other assignments. Certain drivers in Saudi Arabia overwork themselves and drive fast to meet the objectives of their companies. This fact exposes them to great risks. They desire to deliver goods and services to several destinations within the shortest time possible (Al-tukhi et al 2). The second notable hazard that Saudi Arabian drivers face is that of a crash. This happening can lead to the death of the driver or passengers or body injuries. Drivers usually get involved in road accidents. Natural disasters may also be veritable threats to the automobile industry in Saudi Arabia. For example, the country is popular in the media for incidences like terrorist attacks and huge MVCs 1 . In addition, the country experienced floods and this aspect can threaten the work of drivers. Terrorist attacks comprise other forms of risks that Saudi Arabian drivers face. They can be key challenges in the country as the rise of war and rebel groups is high (Al-tukhi et al 3). Drivers also subject themselves to the threat of open windows. Studies indicate that drivers who spend a lot of time driving while their windows are open may be vulnerable to developing skin cancer. The researchers reveal that these drivers are most likely to develop left-side cancers. Drivers may be susceptible to the risk of harmful rays from the sun. Most windscreens constitute glass that can allow UVA 2 and UVB 3 light to penetrate. This aspect aggravates the risk of the drivers to these harmful sun rays. The long-term effects of these rays can be the development of cancer to the victim. Saudi Arabian drivers may be vulnerable to the carcinogenic impacts of toxic diesel fumes. In most cases, motor vehicles like buses, ta