ShantanuT01/DACTYL-Pretraining huggingface dataset:
The technological advancements of today have led to leaps and bounds in the improvement in human health and ways in which restoration of health can be achieved. Successful gene mapping has led to the identification of the various genetic causes and predisposition of diseases. Scientific knowledge was never this vast before. It can be called a dream come true for physicians and health professionals around the world, who can now inject the right sequences and codons into the genetic system of the host to generate a healthier gene, thereby remedying the disease as well as conferring the patient a lifetime of immunity to that condition. Background and significance The role of genetics in the causation and predisposition towards certain diseases has been well known for many years. Yet improper and incomplete knowledge led to gaps in understanding and utilizing this knowledge in practical means. With the mapping of the genes of the human genome, scientists now had a complete map with which to work on. This knowledge was perhaps the beginning of the true gene therapy procedures and the advent of this field. Now gene therapy procedures have created many possibilities. The most common is the placement of a normal functional gene to replace a nonfunctional gene. Other combinations include the swapping of an abnormal gene with a normal o
HMI is operating in a highly competitive market. The market has various forces that influence the performance of a firm. The music industry has a lot of potential as well as threats. For a clear understanding of the operations of HMI, a SWOT analysis would be of great importance. The strength of this firm lies in various factors. One of the major strengths of the project is its brand name. Although this brand has not managed to make a huge impact outside the home country, it is quickly gaining acceptance in the industry. The name is expected to attract the youth, who make the majority of the market share in the industry. This firm also has considerable financial strength due to the growth in its sales. As such, this project is in a position to implement its strategies, including those of research and extension. The firm is also expected to operate in various cities outside Spain and the United States. As such, it would be able to balance its production in such a way that when one section of its market would be experiencing recession, the other one would be experiencing an economic growth. Despite the above strengths, the firm has some weaknesses consisting in the fact that some of its competitors in this industry eat up a section of the market share. It is evident that one of the weaknesses that many environmentalists have repeatedly talked about is environmental degradation. The plastic materials that this firm uses in making the CDs and the cassettes are causing havoc to the environment. It is disappointing that this firm is yet to develop a solution to this problem because according to a simple market research, it is yet to replace completely the CDs with better alternatives. The firm operates in an environment with some opportunities, which can make it experience a massive growth in its market share. HMI has exploited a vacuum that existed in many countries in the world, especially in the developed countries. It is apparent that there was no competition for this firm in the overseas markets and this company was able to make enough profits; HMI was providing the market with a completely new product that was not comparable with any other in the market. HMI would find it easy to embrace change, which came about because of the changing technologies. This was accelerated by its size, unlike other organizations which would not adopt change due to their large sizes. Technological advancements will also enable the firm to conduct trade easily due to improved means of communication and transport. The economic boom that the US government and various countries in Europe experienced following the end of the recession is another opportunity that can help this firm in expanding its market. The threats that this product is forced to deal with include competition and piracy. The market is very competitive, which calls for the stakeholders to come up with new strategies to counter the effects of competition. It is apparent that many firms are likely to come up with products, which are close substitutes of the products of
Introduction Annuity is a contract offered by an insurer that is to pay investor money during or after the retirement age. The contract is concluded between an insurance company and the beneficiary. An individual contributes lump sum or periodic payments to the insurance company, which later pays the beneficiary the sum invested including the interests accrued either in lump sum amounts or periodically. The payment to the beneficiary may be a lump sum or periodic depending on the initial contract agreement between the investor and the insurer. According to Shapiro & Streiff, 26 annuities typically offer tax-deferred growth of earnings and may include death benefit that will pay one’s beneficiary specified minimum amount such as the total purchase payments. While tax is deferred on earnings growth, when withdrawals are taken from the annuity, gains are taxed at ordinary income rates, and not capital gains rates (Shapiro and Streiff 86). Essentially, it is during the withdrawal the savings are taxed. The essay critically evaluates the advantages as well as disadvantages of various types of annuities. This is very important since it guides a person to make rational decision when choosing the company to invest in. Different authors have different categories of annuities. According to Shapiro and Streiff, the annuity is classified as fixed, indexed and variable (156), whereas according to Williamson, the types of annuities are level increasing and investment linked (15). Generally, there are two broad categories of annuity, namely, deferred and immediate. Deferred Annuity This is the annuity when an investor deposits money to the insurer over an agreed period. The savings thereafter is ‘annuitized’ meaning that an investor will withdraw the saving over a long period (Shapiro and Streiff 186) Immediate Annuities This is the type of annuity according to which an investor invests a lump amount of money in a life insurance company, and in return, the first receives monthly payments. This type of annuity has a higher interest rate as compared to deferred annuity. Fixed Annuity This is the annuity which interest rate is fixed. In the contract, the interest rate with which the money will gain interest is specified. Alternatively, the payments may be made in an increasing trend but with a fixed rate (Williamson 122). Advantages of Fixed Annuities There is deferral of tax till the time of withdrawal. This annuity has high interests rate
George Washington and Abraham Lincoln appear to be the most prominent personalities in the entire history of the United States. Their names are closely connected to the most significant changes in society, which had a considerable influence on the lifestyle of all Americans in the long run. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to compare and contrast these historical figures and present specific similarities and differences between them. Similarities First of all, it is essential to start with the characteristics, which are common both for George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. They are the most well-known presidents of the United States of different historical periods. While George Washington was the first qualified person at this post from 1789 to 1797, Abraham Lincoln was the sixteenth president served from 1861 to 1865. As it is mentioned in Diffen, “ they both served two terms in office during their own time and are memorialized in the present by statues, U.S. currency, and Mount Rushmore (“George Washington vs. Abraham Lincoln” para. 1). The portrait of the first American president is depicted on the 1-dollar paper currency, and the image of Abraham Lincoln is used on 5-dollar paper currency. Another feature, which could be common for both presidents, regards the topic of education. Although the ways they acquired essential and basic knowledge were different, it should be mentioned that George Washington and Abraham Lincoln were interested in broadening their minds (“Difference Between Abraham Lincoln and George Washington”). In addition, another part of their biographies is similar too. Both presidents completed military service and were leaders of the population during wars, which result in revolutions. Differences Considering the fact that George Washington and Abraham Lincoln lived in different historical periods, it is evident that the activity of the presidents has a great number of dissimilarities. For instance, as for their philosophies, which shaped their policy and slogans, the sixteenth president was convinced that it was essential to unite the entire country and prevent it from division (“George Washington vs. Abraham Lincoln”). Furthermore, he was absolutely opposed to slavery and attempted to supply the population with freedom and basic rights (“George Washington vs. Abraham Lincoln”). George Washington disapproved of partisanship and sectionalism, and he considered it unappropriated to participate in foreign wars. Moreover, Abraham Lincoln was a member of the Republican party, while George Washington did not refer to any political party. The biography of these historical personalities contains a significant number of differences too. The first American president was born in a wealthy family and lived in abundance for the entire life (“Difference Between Abraham Lincoln and George Washington”). In addition, he had an opportunity to be taught at home and receiv
Introduction Education is closely linked to politics because its roots are wide and it affects every facet of the society. Academic freedom has not been defined by the U.S. constitution. However, the federal and the state courts have addressed this issue, and it is strongly protected (Wilson, DiIulio and Bose 4). Formal education cannot be compared with any other factor in governance because it experiences minimal changes regardless of whether it is in private or public institutions. It acts as an instrument in the establishing the broader social order for those people who wish to experience change or even safeguard their status quo. In the United States, formal education has been changing over the last decades and the current education system is different from the one that was practiced early in the 20th century. K-12 operates in about fifty states, with five million employees and students exceeding 48 million. This system is very costly and takes close to 2 billion dollars daily. This is not standardized because it is very reliable on the political dynamics. Thus, it is bound to change very often. Schools and colleges are subjects of the increased politicization, glacial pace to change, and these institutions change and the changes are expected even in the future (Guthrie 1-2). Attention has also shifted to the post-secondary educational institutions to use these institutions as significant features in the political landscape. A lot of research has been done to establish how the economy can be preserved while offering quality education. Student financial aid is one of the tools that have been used in this process. There are concerns as to whether the lower schools have received adequate attention (Guthrie 3). This paper discusses about the governance of schools and the politics that accompany this process. Dynamics experienced in politics are significant in the quality of education offered in the society. The federal and State governments have overpowered the traditional, local system of school governance. Education efficiency In the U.S., education is an individual state’s responsibility. States have focused their attention on the outcome that they are likely to gain from the education systems that they establish (Adams and Rick, 2-5). The states embrace the outcomes to provide favorable processes to each district. The school managers, teachers, as well as students are involved in the process of making the procedures to ensure that the standards are followed. Each state balances its own local judgments with those of the state. This has prompted the authorities into taking this as an opportunity to introduce reforms and transforma
The Idea of Free Market Economy A discussion on free market economy is interesting because it presents the views of various scholars. From classical scholars such as Thomas Ricardo and Adam Smith to recent scholars such as Karl Marx, the idea of demand and supply is believed to influence the prices of goods and services in the market. In this regard, free market economy means that the government should try as much as possible to keep off from economic activities of the country in case economic growth and development is to be achieved. This is amazing because the government is thought by many to influence each aspect of life yet economics scholars argue that the market should be allowed to exist according to its own logics. It is also fascinating to note that the market is self-regulating and self-checking implying that producers would probably manufacture goods that would suit the market. Manufactures would frequently check the buying power of consumers before producing goods (Sobel, 2002). The government does not have any power to set the price of a good. In fact, Adams Smith observed that the government should only provide an enabling environment for individual fulfillment. This means the state would only exist to offer important services that facilitate business activities such as provision of transport and communication networks, provision of security and advisory services. However, some scholars posit that the government should always be involved in economic activities. For instance, the state should regulate the activities of traders through licensing and approving products. This is because human beings have issues related to health. Businesspersons could perhaps offer any product to the market without considering the health and security of people. Some observe that the government should only intervene in the market whenever there is an economic turmoil or crisis, such as the one witnessed in 2007 in the US. In this regard, the government needs to withdraw immediately normalcy and constancy is restored in the market. The idea of market logics is very important since it would help an individual in making policies in future. The idea would be remembered because many people think that the government should always control the activities of businesspersons. Whenever prices go up, people put much pressure on their respective governments to lower prices. They do not understand that prices are affected by the demand and supply. Historical Schools of Thought in Economics Regarding the Relationships among Factors of Production Each school of thought had its own definition of the phrase factors of production. However, scholars have not been able to determine the most powerful factor among the four factors. What is surprising is that each continent has its own definition. For instance, the time of entrepreneur is perceived to be the most dominant factor among others in the Australian perspective. Time would therefore influence the performance of the organization. In other words, it would mean that production of goods and services
Introduction The ability to adapt to the changing environment, customer demands, and market forces is vital to the success of a business. The mindset and practices that have propelled a company to success are not necessarily the ones that would help stay successful in the future. It is often advisable to discard the elements that drag the company down, even if they have been a part of it for half a century. These elements can be regarded as metaphorical sacred cows, which are expected to be exempt from any form of metaphorical animal cruelty. This irrational reverence can make a business go bankrupt before giving up on the familiar but obsolete practices. That exact fate almost befell LEGO, one of the most recognizable toy manufacturers in the world. Only through cutting the unnecessary ideas and changing the litigious mindset could the company save itself from the brink of ruin. Background Lego has been a part of popular culture for decades. The company was started in 1932 by Ole Kirk Christiansen, a carpenter. In the beginning, he was producing buildings and furniture, but then an economic depression in Denmark made that business model untenable. He switched to making smaller objects, such as ladders, boards, and other small furniture. Christiansen was making toys for children on the side from leftover materials, but eventually, he made that his factory’s leading product and renamed the company to LEGO in 1934 (Lauwaert, 2008). They were making toys from wood until 1960 when a fire destroyed their stored stock. After that, they began making toys exclusively from plastic, as did many other toy manufacturers. The war effort required vast amounts of wood and metal, creating a shortage of these materials for other industries, which has made plastic a more viable alternative for toymakers. The shift to plastic as the primary material vastly broadened the possibilities of play. Although there was public prejudice against the use of plastic in the toy industry, LEGO got ahead of the criticism by employing higher-quality materials and devising a particular method of manufacturing that was not possible with wood. They began producing blocks with the stud-and-tube coupling system that is used to this day. The plastic blocks that appeared in 1958 were built with a very low tolerance, thus making the constructions sturdier and more rigid, while still capable of being disassembled. The use of wooden blocks necessitated using individual slots for windows and doors, but the new plastic blocks did not. While the wooden blocks could only be used to create simple and basic structures, plastic allowed for greater complexity and freedom of expression. Children could build not only simple houses, but also cars, planes, or even skyscrapers. The shift to plastic blocks with stud-and-tube couplings also meant interchangeability between sets. Any purchased collection of blocks united into one set would fit together with any other, allowing children to construct spontaneously, drawing ideas from their imagination. The
Introduction Child labour has been one of the most controversial issues for a long period of time. It is not only interesting but even urgent to discuss this topic as frequent as possible and consider various legal as well as ethical aspects. On the basis of ethical dilemmas concerning child labour, this paper aims at investigating employment methods and working conditions for children. There are many different ways of how people may earn for living, and the idea to use children as the main source of work cannot be ethically supported. Even if child labour is regarded as economic necessity, children’s rights should be considered. It is possible to believe that work of child may be good to a certain extent, and society has to define the extent properly to avoid misunderstandings, legal and ethical problems, and losses. In spite of its rich history, the question of child labour cannot be answered in a proper way; a number of issues like personal desire, necessity, and living conditions have to be taken into consideration; and even if child labour is considered as economic necessity, government and society should focus on the circumstances and prevent the development of child labour as unethical and frustrating aspect of human life. Body Child labour is not a new issue still a number of controversies take place . The phenomenon of child labour is now regarded as “a general equilibrium framework of growth and development” (Strulik 547). When people are asked whether they find child labour ethically justified, some people are ready to give their definite “No”, some part of interviewees admit that child labour is not that bad, and some people cannot find an appropriate answer. Gifford underlines that “children have worked for thousands of years on farms or as servants” (8). The conditions under which children have to work during the 19 th and the beginning of the 20 th century were terrible because no one want to devote their time and knowledge to protect children’s rights. The first legal attempt to define child labour and the conditions under which children could work was made in the 19 th century: “the 1833 British Factory Act provided a template for other early industrializers on the continent of Europe, most notably Germany and France” (Hindman 46). Taking into consideration such historical perspective, it is possible to forecast that the question of child labour would hardly be closed in the ne
It is possible to choose such an enterprise as British Petroleum to illustrate the use of performance measurement tools. In particular, one can apply the method that is known as the balanced scorecard (BSC). This approach is helpful because it incorporates some very important indicators such as financial performance, relations with customers, innovation, and internal efficiency (Kaplan and Norton 72; Neely, Adams and Kennerly 2). If the BSC is applied to assess the performance of this organization, one should consider several aspects. At first, the net revenues of this company increased in 2014. So, the management may continue to use the business practices that were previously adopted. Furthermore, this organization was able to eliminate the internal inefficiencies related to the work of the supply chain (Mohapatra 65). Moreover, the company has established very productive relations with its major clients such as large manufacturing enterprises. One should also note that British Petroleum can quickly develop and adopt new technologies that can minimize the impact of their industrial activities on the environment. As a result, the organization can effectively adjust to the regulatory requirements of different governments. Nevertheless, it is important to mention that the company still struggles with the effects of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill that posed significant environmental threats (Corn 1). The company had to incur significant financial losses. Moreover, its reputation was tarnished. It is the key problem that senior executives should address. There are several advantages of using the BSC. This method can cast a light on several important factors that can affect the sustainability of a company. For instance, it is possible to mention clients’ perceptions, production efficiency, learning, and ability to adapt to changes. So, the management can make more informed decisions while developing the future policies of the company. In contrast, many performance assessment tools focus only on financial results. However, they do not show how these financial outcomes are determined (Niven 4). Furthermore, the BSC is useful for explaining the views of important stakeholders such as clients or employees. Nevertheless, there are some limitations to this technique. In particular, it cannot be applied to assess the vulnerability of a company to external changes. For instance, companies can be profoundly affected by new technologies, regulations, economic crises, and so forth. In particular, the performance of British Petroleum is strongly dependent on environmental policies developed in different countries. Thus, it is necessary to apply other tools such as PESTLE analysis. Additionally, the BSC does not always explain how managers can solve the problems faced by businesses (Brown 192). So, one can argue that the use of the BSC is not sufficient for the needs of managers. Therefore, it must be accompanied by other tools. Overall, th