ShantanuT01/DACTYL-Pretraining huggingface dataset:
Introduction This research paper explores the different between odd and even price endings. The treatise attempts to reveal the perception of customers as indicated in different literature and whether these perceptions may be related to several past researches on consumer behavior. The paper will address the existing realms and contribution of different literature to the current position of the research topic. It is apparent that consumers of low-end and high-end goods are directly influenced by different price endings. Besides, the impact of the odd and even pricing may be related to price interest and personal involvement, which controls the perception of different customers. Research questions  1. How do price endings of goods persuade customers’ perceptions?  2. How sensitive are the highly involved customers to the perceptional effects as a result of price endings as compared to the less involved customers?  3. How do prices that end in 9 magnetize price- interested customers in a higher proportion than the customers who are least interested in price? Research objectives Since this research paper attempts to review the differences between even and odd pricing, the primary objectives will be;  1. To establish the perceptions of customers towards products with odd and even price endings.  2. To establish the quantifiable differences between odd and even pricing.  3. To establish the possible reasons for the differences between the odd and even pricing. Specific price format The past literature indicates that several factors moderate the influence of odd pricing. This study will only concentrate on price interest and personal involvement by the consumers. As indicated by Baumeister, Sparks, Stillman, and Vohs (2008), consumers who are highly involved relate the different pricing mechanism to the quality of a good or service (Baumeister, Sparks, Stillman, and Vohs 9). However, the less involved customers would prefer to associate with a price they perceive as cheaper. Literature on price dispersion gives an insight into different heterogeneities for odd and even pricing. It is important to set a specific price format since businesses have the primary goals of price discrimination, product segmentation, and maintaining the competitive advantage. The past literature in price formatting suggests that price formats are chosen by companies to attract particular customers and position such a product in the market. For instance, prices that end in 9 (odd pricing) such as $4.99 or $4.59 have the potential of creating a price image in the minds of customers. The price image is that the product or service in cheaper. This fulfils the promotional and everyday low price (EDLP) formats (Kleinsser and Wagner 59). On the other hand, use of even pricing may be advantageous or disadvantageous, depending on the targeted customer. For instance, the high economic-end customer would not consider price image as the determinant factor
Situation 1 First of all, it should be mentioned, that it was extremely unethical on the part of the teacher to take part in the activities which could disgrace him/her. Moreover, it was extremely unwise to presume that none of the students would ever find the pictures in the Web. Secondly, it was no less unethical on the part of the student to report on the teacher and to divulge this information to other students and teachers. It would have been better if he/she told the teacher that he/she knew about the pictures, thus preventing the teacher from unpleasant consequences. The teacher is likely to be fired as soon as this information gets into the hands of the administration. The main reason for this is the incompetent behavior of the teacher and this reason is sufficient enough to get fired. As an option, the teacher may be asked to quit, though this will not change the essence much. This story will have a negative impact on the teacher’s further career, because this dismissal will be recorded in the teacher’s resume and the future employee will necessarily enquire about this teacher’s previous work. This situation may have another outcome if those are old pictures which have been taken before the teacher got this job. He/she will still be fired with the main reason being that the students are aware of the pictures and it would be hard for the teacher to handle the shame and manage the class as if nothing has happened. None of the outcomes is beneficial for the teacher, but the latter leaves him/her the chance to get a similar job in future. Situation 2 This situation presents an ethical dilemma for the school administration, because, on the one hand, it will be impossible to prohibit the freedom of speech and making the student take off the T-shirt with the abusive words will cause public resentment, especially if the number of students who commented on the situation positively was prevailing. On the other hand, ignoring the situation and not taking any measures would mean that the administration is discriminative and, moreover, encourages discrimination among the students. The factors to be considered in making the decision are behavioral factors, such as personality, personal values, potential for the decision being incorrect, the level of risk, etc, as well as legal ones, and a number of others. In this situation, all these factors should be taken into consideration. The most important for the education professionals is to take a neutral position in this situation and evaluate all the possible outcomes of the problem before making a decision. This student is likely to be asked to go home and change clothes; he/she will be punished for the teachers’ not to send the whole school to change the next day. It would be better for the educational professionals to act in this situation as soon as possible because, though the news will spread over the school rather quickly, the number of students who have seen the one in the abusive T-shirt should be limited. In order to prevent the situation from repeating, somebody from the school’s personnel will have to check the students’ clothes for several days after th
Introduction Widely popular now, electronic cigarettes exist as alternative forms of smoking traditional cigarettes or tobacco. According to Nguyen (2020), electronic cigarettes were invented in China in 2003 by a pharmacist named Hon Link. Manufacturers claim that electronic cigarettes help quit smoking and are less harmful to health than regular cigarettes. As explained by Ducharme (2019), 5.3 million young Americans among whom 10.5% are high school students claimed to use electronic cigarettes regularly or occasionally in 2017. The practice exploded in the matter of a few years, as per 2019, more than 20% of high school students declared vaping (Ducharme, 2019). A dangerous trend appears as adolescents are now much more likely to vape than to smoke traditional cigarettes. As noted by Ducharme (2019), in the summer of 2018, American healthcare system reported more than 2000 cases of lung injury as a result of vape-related respiratory illnesses. By early December, the number of deaths of vapers almost reached 50 (Ducharme, 2019). To address the issue, each school is groping for the best response. For example, as discussed in “Glen Rock HS to insta
Introduction Diplomacy refers to the act of conducting negotiations between parties or nations through professional interactions. Diplomatic relations covers subjects in relation to matters that include business, war, environment and human rights among others. With emergence of globalization and subsequent identification of particular issues as of global concern, international effort has been necessitated in even matters that occur within countries. Such has been the case of the Japanese nuclear crisis which has drawn international concern. This paper seeks to discuss the possible implications of the Japanese nuclear crisis to the future of nuclear power in Asia. The paper will look into international regulations over nuclear power, the Japanese crisis, reactions into the crisis and the implications that the crisis could have on future nuclear power in Asia. The nuclear technology Developments in nuclear energy started in the 1930s with discovery of nuclear fission and a subsequent testing in the year 1939 in Germany. The situation that was presented by the threat and the final occurrence of the Second World War then facilitated research into the nuclear field which led to the development of nuclear weapons. Following the impacts of the application of nuclear weapons during the world war, efforts were made to control the acquisition and use of nuclear facilities. The regulations however gave room for restricted and monitored use of such technology for peaceful purposes. The United States for example enacted laws for peaceful use of nuclear energy in the year 1946. Countries such as the Soviet Union, France and United Kingdom then later established plants for use of nuclear energy (ICJT, 2001). Regulatory measures over nuclear technology Following the adverse effects of nuclear weapons during the Second World War, initiatives were made for the control and even the spread of nuclear technology around the globe. A treaty, nuclear non proliferation treaty, was for example established for international regulation of the technology. Under the treaty, transfer or acquisition of nuclear weapons by any country was restricted with only regulated and supervised transfer of the technology form peaceful use such as in the production of energy (FAS, n.d.). The establishment of “international atomic energy agency” as a subsidiary to the non proliferation treaty was then undertaken to ensure compliance to the treaty with the motive of ensuring peace (United Nations, 2002). The agency’s role is stipulated to include promotion of interaction between countries with respect to peaceful application of the technology and at the same time prevent proliferation of nuclear weapons (U
Globalization has dominated international business discourse for more than a decade. Its impact on modern businesses is highlighted by the opportunities and threats it poses to companies, economies, and governments. Indeed, it is difficult to find a country today that has not been influenced by globalization. Based on the impact that this new way of doing business has on corporate strategies, multinational organizations have been leading other companies in exploiting the opportunities associated with global trade. Selecting the best market entry strategy is one area of operation that has influenced their global business strategies because MNCs have to examine how different market entry options augur with their organizations’ missions, goals, and visions (Gür, 2015). This paper evaluates the options available for a US multinational company to venture into the international marketplace. Emphasis is made to understand the company’s market entry strategies in the European Union (EU). Lastly, in this report, evidence will be provided to explain why a financial company may choose to provide credit outside its original country or invest in global financial markets. The aim of undertaking this research is to understand the implications of globalization for the financial sector. Here, there is a keen focus on evaluating the current challenges of internationalization with the goal of exploiting new market opportunities. Acquire a company within the EU or out of it The acquisition strategy is the most popular way for companies to expand their global operations (Gür, 2015). This strategy is adopted by many organizations because it offers new entrants an existing operational infrastructure that they can simply tap into (McCormick, 2014). Acquiring a company within the E
Sequestration is a procedure for limiting the federal government’s spending in the United States (Benson par.1). This procedure is entrenched in the United States’ constitution. Government spending in several of its departments are limited to a certain figure that is calculated based on the set principles. If the Congress passes an annual budget that is higher than the set value, automatic regulations are instigated in all the necessary departments to ensure that the limit is not exceeded (Benson par. 3). The effects of these cuts affect all government departments with equal magnitude. This process was reviewed and adopted through enactment of the budget control act of 2011. This was done iwithj the aim of averting the debt crisis that was looming in the United States. Although these measures have the capability of controlling the rate of growth of the debt, the harmful effects that accompany the regulations are lethal to the survival of the United States, its citizens, and the world economy at large. To begin with, cuts in government spending on defense have a capability of destroying the United States’ economic stability across the world. The department of defense is a vital driver of the American economy (U.S. Department of Defense par. 3). Apart from providing the necessary secure environment for economic development, it is a major employer in America. It is estimated that over 1.5 million Americans will be rendered jobless if the automatic cuts are initiated in this department (Brown par. 2). The American economy has just started recovering after a major global financial crisis in which America was worst hit with the highest levels of unemployment. During the time of recovery, it is estimated that over 4 million jobs have been created thereby lowering the unemployment rate in the United States (Brown par. 4). Budget cuts in the department of defense will result into massive layoff of workers. This will automatically increase the unemployment rate to alarming percentages. The amount of money that will be withdrawn from the economy because of automatic cuts in spending by the department of defense is well above $85 billion (Brown par. 6). This is a very large amount of money to be withdrawn from the economy. Consequently, the economic development will be slowed down by about 25%. This has a capability of pushing the American economy into another depression (Eaglen par. 12). Several manufacturing industries that are directly linked to the department of defense will be greatly affected. Apart from the destruction of millions of jobs, the revenues collected from the sell on the international market of these products will be greatly reduced (Eaglen par. 6). For instance, the American aerospace industry is the leading exporter in the world with up to $40 billion dollar profits annually (Eaglen par. 13). The majority of these industries, whether local or international, are fully or partly owned by the government. Limit
Introduction Company A is a US based engine product manufacturing company. The new product developed by the company is ensuring extended life for engines of heavy duty automobiles. In the introduction stage, company wants to develop appropriate marketing strategy for the product. It occupies 5000 employees and planning to expand within the next four years by doubling its size. Country Selection The market analysis revealed that China occupies a favorable market environment for automobile engines. Automobile industries are highly developed in China due to the economic development in the country. There exists huge growth potential for the automobile product in China. It had commenced open door policy in 1978 for attracting foreign investment. Foreign direct investment is highly attracted by the government with suitable policies for ensuring economic prosperity. Foreign investors have high opportunity in China. Chinese government attitude towards automobile industry if very supportive and they take policies for attracting investment in auto industries. Adequate policies are framed by the government for motivating growth of the industry. (China considers to save policies to save auto market, 2008). Cross cultural issues China is considered as the world’s largest market. Its population and geography factors are characterized by vast and diversity. The diversified market creates problem in business management in many ways. The selection of a single unified production and marketing strategy is not adequate in a diversified business environment. There requires mutual understanding between investors and the native community to establish better business relation. Communication is the main constraint in such mutual understandings. Cultural differences between the parties involved in business relation always creates challenging business environment. “In the Chinese business world, contacts are everything. The personal relationships that develop between individuals—termed guanxi (gwan-chee)—pave the way for business success.” (Doty, 2007). Major cross cultural issues in China China’s business environment is
Nutrition is a significant part of human life and a strong factor on which human health relies heavily. A person’s approach to nutrition is a mixture of eating habits and preferences and one’s relationship with food on different social levels, which, essentially, forms one’s food philosophy. In this paper I will be covering my relationship with food, eventually formulating my set of rules that guide my nutrition routine. To begin with, I should describe my relationship with food in general. I try to keep it healthy by avoiding strict limitations in terms of dietary choices as well as uncontrolled overeating. Most of the time I keep my approach to nutrition practical as a way to stay healthy and receive energy for various activities, studying included as academic success partially depends on a sufficient diet. The human brain’s functionality relies on the proper energy value of products that are being consumed. Apart from that, to perform physical activities, such as sports, efficient nutrition is of the essence. This statement perfectly correlates with the factors which are important to me about food. While looking for products to eat, I pay special attention to their energy value and the proportion of the contents about calories. Normally, I resort to dietary choices which are considered healthy and will provide me with enough energy value to sustain my everyday routine and not result in fat formation. As for the meals, in particular, I tend to choose a meal based on the principles stated above, since I believe that a good meal should be balanced. First of all, I make sure the components of a meal are not heavy on fat and sugar, as these aspects can strongly influence the overall calories consumption negatively. In the majority of my meals, I try to include a proportionate amount of vegetables and fruit to be able to eat the daily norm regularly. All in all, I try to keep my food reach in protein and fibers and the portions reasonable. However, once in a while I allow myself to have a treat consisting of refined carbohydrates. When looking for food products to buy, I pay attention to several different factors. Although a global food system is recognized as harmful to the environment and, to an extent, the economy, it is not always easy to find a local shop or local food in big chain stores. Furthermore, some local food products sometimes cost more than the average price in a global supermarket (Salisbury et al., 2018). This can be considered one of the reasons why I have to resort to non-local wares. Comparing potential items to buy, I make a note not only of the price and the quality but also the way the product is advertised on the shelf. The research shows that healthy food is more effectively advertised through single-sense advertisements which
Introduction Tragedy and comedy were the most widespread literary forms in Ancient Greek theatre. There exist several literary works in these genres even these days, but those which were written by the Ancient Greek writers are the most valuable. Apart from tragedy and comedy, the Athenian writers also composed satyr plays, but they have never been taken seriously by the population. Generally, tragedy was written for better than average people who spoke an elevated language (those could be kings, heroes, gods, and the like). Comedy, in its turn, was compiled for simpler people who spoke the everyday language and even for those who were below average. The main differences between tragedy and comedy are in their content and the effect they produce on the audience; Greeks used these literary forms as the embodiment of their faith, history, and culture; they are still a part of modern people’s lives and are used in movies and television as a source of wisdom and inspiration. Main body To begin with, comedy and tragedy differ in the effect they produce on the readers, as well as in content in general. Both tragedy and comedy have originated in Ancient
Conventional strategic management has many drawbacks, which can be fixed with the help of Islamic principles. Maximizing the number of cars, which drive safely (an Islamic perspective) instead of driving fast (conventional approach), we minimize the number of accidents and maximize public safety—translating it back to the language of management, the rate of success increases due to implementation of Islamic principles. Applying Islamic solutions does not mean wearing religious symbols, dressing differently, or changing your religion. All they affect is management, the principles, by which people work, not live. In the workplace, Islamic solutions can indeed make a difference by solving the problems, which lie at the very core of every organization. As an example, there is always a conflict between the needs of a company and the needs of individuals who work for it. The people who wield power within an organization usually have a hard choice – whether to benefit themselves or be useful for an organization. The employees guided by Islamic principles will hardly put their own interests above the interests of other people. Another great benefit of Islamic strategies is that they replace competition within an organization with cooperation. People who cooperate will not play political games or hide important information. They will contribute to the common cause, and their car will arrive at the point of destination safely. On the other hand, management from an Islamic perspective has at least one significant drawback. It is more theoretical than practical; its ideas are vague, and data is poor. However, many studies have been conducted to improve this situation. Soon, Islamic principles will be backed up by research and practice. Choosing between conventional strategic management and management from an Islamic perspective, we choose between driving fast and driving safely. Are people really willing to jeopardize their own safety to get to the point of destination quicker?