ShantanuT01/DACTYL-Pretraining huggingface dataset:
Introduction Costco Wholesale Corporation is a membership club founded in 1983 and headquartered in Issaquah, US. The company deals in a variety of merchandise including televisions, computers, camcorders and phones. In addition, the firm provides services such as website and online solutions, mortgage purchase and financing, business prescription insurance as well as payroll services. The corporation was formed with a mission of offering quality products as well as services to its members at achievable economical prices. Current Situation The company’s competitive advantages are the business strategies, customer approach and the diversified trade model. Strategy elements Low pricing as well as limited selection of products are the foundation of the corporation’s strategy. Further, Costco’s treasure-hunt merchandising is also an invaluable tactic applied by the firm in operations. Through treasure-hunt merchandising, the company is capable of purchasing high-end products and services on the gray economy from the vendors with the motive of eliminating surplus stocks. Competitive approach The company’s price leadership tactic attained through reduced handling and warehouse expenses, the utilization of just-in-time stocking principle and maintenance of in stock has proven invaluable in the reduction of prices and increased purchases. The corporation also maintains preeminent value packs that contribute hugely in attracting large numbers of customers. The company undertakes minimal promotional activities resulting in minimal number of expenses incurred. The business model The firm currently utilizes business model that focuses on the provision of restricted categories of trademarked national stock while anticipating high proceeds from vending as well as prompt stock returns. In fact, the company’s just-in-time stock, minimal handling of stock, volume purchases as well as efficient delivery channels has enabled the firm to generate higher revenues from its operations. Further, the corporation’s treasure-hunt merchandise has created a process that attracts large number of clients. Analysis The macro-environment Costco Corporation uses PEST analysis in the examination of the macro-environment in which it operates. Political aspects The corporation recognizes the significant roles played by both the political and the legal sectors in ensuring excellent status, success and trust in its operations. As such, the firm adheres to business morals as well as the legal provisions provided by the international business organizations. The company offers goods and services that meet the standards as well as gratifies the customers’ needs across the globe. Economic aspects The company’s repute appeals to large number of clients leading to increased sales. Additionally, the firm continues to offer superior goods and services to its clients.
Introduction I reviewed the May issue of Seventeen magazine. The obvious demographic for the magazine is girls in their mid to late teens, however I would broaden the targeted age group to 13 to 20. This ranges from girls preparing to enter the world of dating and make-up to girls beginning college and maintaining long-term relationships. The magazine features a colorful cover with a picture of actress Amanda Bynes. Just from the cover and headlines I think this magazine delivers general dating and beauty types for high school girls. The magazine is divided into four main sections: fashion, make-up/beauty, health/fitness, and dating. All of the sections offer ways to increase one’s attractiveness and sex appeal. Main text The most popular topics in this issue of Seventeen are boys, fashion, and appearance. The entire dating section is dedicated to ideas on how to flirt. It also debunks dating myths, a common magazine fixture, in which they point out dating tips of old that no longer work. Another traditional magazine article is the “what are guys really thinking” story, here called “Inside the Secret World of Guys” which provides girls with insight into what guys are thinking. The fashion section gives teens suggestions on how to emphasize their shape and recycle ideas from the runway or even their boyfriend’s closet. A predominant theme in the fashion section of this and almost every issue of teen girls’ magazines are tips for readers to save money. The magazine offers chances to win free merchandise, places to find extra cheap shoes and clothing, and ways to utilize the same article of clothing in numerous ways. The make-up section offers make-over and hair ideas to help girls conceal their perceived imperfections. This section employs a typical magazine concept of surveying products and offering suggestions, which they do for lip-glosses as well as fragrances. In general, articles focus on how to help readers build dating confidence with flirting tips and insight into the mental tendencies of the opposite sex. The focus on boys is evident even in the fitness and health section. This section offers sex advice and ways to diet and exercise that all contribute to sex appeal (like four moves to get toned legs) which denotes the fact that most readers are looking for help attracting and connecting with the opposite sex. These items are definitely targeted at female readers. Seventeen recognizes the fact that girls, more than boys of this age, are interested in receiving advice on improving appearance whereas boys might be more interested in reading about fitness or sports. Though the fitness section can be utilized by any gender the images and ideas are generally suited to a female readership. Also the advertisements and images are targeted towards girls because they depict beautiful, happy-looking women adv
Language policies are dynamic, as they tend to change under different regimes. The article by Todd Sandel explores the specific impact of the Mandarin Language Policy on family-based language practice in Taiwan. Historically, in 1945, the Nationalist Government introduced a language reform in Taiwan in order to promote the Mandarin language and restrict the use of local dialects (including Japanese forms). At the uneasy time of the 1940s-1980s, when the Communist threat was particularly strong, this step could be justified. In 1987, when the leader of the Nationalist Government passed away, the rebirth of local languages like Tai-gi began. The research question is formulated in the following way: “What has happened, and what is happening, in private fields of discourse, to the folk who have lived through these politicized and changing linguistic policies?” (Sandel, 2003, p.532). The author describes the research method in the following way: using the theoretical framework of folk approach to childrearing, the research team conducted a series of interviews, and the scholar analyzed the rules of talk and communication, used in two Taiwanese communities. The sample was composed of 25 participants: 17 adults, 5 seniors and 3 young adults, who spoke both Mandarin and Tai-gi. The two major sections of the interview were following: “personal experiences of learning to speak Tai-gi at home and Mandarin at school; 2) the languages parents use (or used) in the home with their children” (Sandel, 2003, p. 533), as well as the ideologies which underlie the particular language choice. As the study suggests, the earlier generation, which experienced the introduction of the Mandarin as official language, quickly became fluent in this language at school, but these memories appeared to them stressful and traumatic, as this speaking practice was obligatory at school and it was too sudden for children to come to class once and hear another language from the teacher. This language was also referred to “self-censorship” language (Sandel, 2003, p.535). This means, Mandarin was used for formal communication, whereas other languages or dialects – for joking or socializing with friends. The representatives of the so-called “second generation” (citizens who began their first grade not long before 1987) were thus taught Mandarin by their parents. Although the parents themselves were feeling bitterness, as they were forced to allocate much time for preparing their children for school and teaching the proper language, the children themselves willingly spoke Mandarin and used it sometimes even more frequently than Tai-gi. The third g
Introduction In the 1950s the United States involvement in Southeast Asia became more vigorous as the country offered military, financial and moral supports for different groups and countries in the region. As expected, the support offered by the United States generated repercussions in the country’s politics as various anti-war groups were formed in the country to discourage the country’s involvement. Figure 1. Map Showing South East Asia Southeast Asia Southeast Asia is a vast region covering an area of around a 4.1million square kilometers and is made up of several countries including Thailand, Burma, the Philippines, Indonesia, Singapore, Vietnam and Laos among others. It is part of the larger Asian region. Vietnam Vietnam is located in Southeast Asia and its stretch covers one area of Indochina. It is bordered by the South China Sea, China, Cambodia and Laos. The country is made up of two regions, which is the north and south, and was ruled by the French until the end of the Second World War which paved way for the French Indochina war involving the French and the Vietnamese, among other countries which were supporting different groups depending on their underlying agenda. Following the end of the war and the failure of communism around 1991, most western countries, including those involved in the war such as the United States, restored trade and diplomatic associations with the country. Why and How the United States became involved in the Politics of Southeast Asia in the 1950s Vietnam is one of the countries in Southeast Asia that experienced the United States involvement in its politics in the 1950s Some of the reasons that have been fronted as having led to the involvement of the United States in the country’s politics include the fight against communism and the need to support the United States’ long-time ally, the French, who were engaged in war with Vietnam. According to Errington and McKercher (1990, p. 59), the United States had asserted its support for the French in their rule over Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam and when it came time to show their support they did so by offering both military and financial support. In the years 1950-1954, the United States had provided financial support to France of more than 2.6 billion US Dollars in the form of military aid (.Hubbard, 2005. p. 104) The Domino Theory in the 1950s As part of the war against communism in Vietnam, the United States came up with a theory known as the Domino theory to show why they were against communism. According to the theory, if a country was allowed to be taken over by communists, then the next country would also be easily taken over and in no time, the whole region would be taken over and would be subject to the communist rule (Donaldson, 1996, p. 79). The military support offered by the United States was not only in the form of armed soldiers, but also in the form of air support, tankers and other ground forces. The United states involvement in the c
Introduction Human beings and natural ecosystems are inseparable. People “use their natural environments to acquire various resources such as water, wood, and food” (Goudie 9). However, this kind of interaction affects the integrity of every natural environment. Many people use this environment to achieve their economic goals (Goudie 13). The government also uses the same environment to construct various infrastructures. Some of these infrastructures include dams, airports, and roads. These practices have affected the integrity of different ecosystems. This malpractice threatens every future generation. The concept presented in this paper encourages more people to safeguard their natural environments. Why Human Beings Should Maintain a Sustainable Environment Every person should embrace the idea of environmental sustainability. A “balanced ecosystem will ensure people live harmoniously with other creatures” (Friedman 3). Human beings should use various natural resources with caution. This situation explains why human beings should safeguard their surrounding environments. Many people have destroyed different forests and catchment areas. Such individuals “obtain wood and raw materials from such forests” (Friedman 4). That being the case, human beings should use such natural resources in a proper manner. Human beings should not overexploit different natural resources. This malpractice can affect the lives of many people. The concept of environmental conservation will also produce the best results. Many scientists have identified several practices that can conserve the environment. The first practice is planting more trees. This approach will reclaim many forests and natural habitats. Human beings “should also be ready to conserve every natural forest” (Ambrosius 6). Mankind should also introduce new plant species in every arid region. This practice will improve the level of environmental sustainability. Global warming is a major challenge affecting many communities today. Mankind is the main cause of this global problem. That being the case, human beings should deal with the problem of global warming. They should begin by reducing the level of pollution. Many industrial activities produce hazardous gases. Such “gases are currently depleting the ozone layer” (Friedman 4). This situation has “increased the global temperatures” (Friedman 4). Such temperatures have resulted in climate change. This fact explains why human beings should be ready to deal with the problem of global warming (Ambrosius 3). Every person should embrace the best sustainable pr
Introduction This report aims to perform a comprehensive environmental analysis to understand the threats and opportunities to the expansion of Perigord Bakery. Precisely, the purpose of the analysis is to evaluate global interconnectedness as it applies to marketing. Companies focused on pursuing global markets need to consider the nature and forces controlling the external environments. The points of concern consist of diverse threats and opportunities that can significantly affect the failure or success of a product, brand, or company. According to Lamb et al. (2021), several similar environmental forces associated with local or domestic markets also affect global markets. The paper is structured into sections with cultural, demographic, fiscal, political, and legal factors, technological factors, and geographic factors affecting businesses desiring to enter the Belgium food market. Cultural Factors By desiring to expand to Belgium from the United States, several cultural factors will affect Perigord Bakery, including, among others, the lifestyle of the people, time aspects, and behavioral patterns. Specific to Belgium, cultural elements include languages, society, family values, appearance, tipping, and etiquette. The culture and society of the country are unique because Belgium is not renowned as a homogeneous nation with no specific identity (CIA, 2021). As a result, the workers and proprietors of Perigord Bakery will experience difficulties trying to have a general overview of Belgians. The predominant cultures in Belgium have been classified into three units: the German-influenced northeast, the French-influenced Wallonia in the south, and the Dutch-influenced Flanders in the north. Considering the predominant cultures, Perigord Bakery has an opportunity to expand because it is not limited to cultural practices. Demographic Factors As other international markets globally, the demographic factors affecting businesses desiring to enter new needs include the age of the population, population density, growth, education, and population size of Belgium’s multifaceted demographics. The demographic overview of the country as of 2021 indicates the population as 11,778,842. The annual growth rate is 0.59%, density per square kilometer is 389.0, the fertility rate is 1.77, life expectancy is 81.7, and mortality under five years is 4.0 (CIA, 2021). The specific demographics outlined above, particularly the increasing size of the country’s population, present expansion opportunities by offering the company customers past the US market. A declining annual growth patt
Ethical Traps Venturing into business is a complex process because various ethical considerations must be applied to ensure that moral conduct is embraced in all business activities. For instance, most businesses in the contemporary world have been forced to standardize their prices while enhancing the quality of their products. Retailing giants have been forced to bully their suppliers to continuously reduce the cost of manufacturing, and this has led to the development of sweatshops to facilitate cost-cutting. While this might enable the companies to have a competitive advantage in the market, it is quite unethical, and I will look into embracing utilitarianism as the core of the guidelines that will govern my conduct. Utilitarianism compels individuals and businesses to make decisions that have good repercussions for the greater society. The espoused values of my business will attain parallelism with utilitarian values to eliminate all ethical traps along the way. I will compel all my business partners to assume the values and to act accordingly when faced with ethical dilemmas. For instance, I expect the people around me to embrace whistleblowing as an ethical approach toward ensuring that the appropriate guidelines are followed by every entity in the business. Psychological Biases Psychological biases are common in business, whereby individuals might be compelled to make decisions guided by their emotions. Emotional intelligence is a major requirement in business because many situations can influence negative reactions on the part of an individual. For instance, dealing with suppliers and difficult customers can lead to agitation and anger, but it is always important to react without showing negative emotions. The emotional burden associated with business processes can be effectively controlled by enhancing emotional intelligence and thinking hard before making decisions. I will always look into eliminating emotions in all decisions in business to prevent psychological biases that might have negative influences on my goals. The most effective way of eliminating psychological biases in decision-making is consulting with trusted people to hear their opinion and consider aligning the final decision with their common sentiments. It is particularly important to refrain from being overconfident in the decision-making process because it is normally associated with psychological biases. I am committed to being a participative leader and a good follower, and I will always brainstorm with the people around me when facing an important decision. Failure Failure is one of the issues that one has to deal with in business. Most successful businesses are always associated with episodes
Summary of the case and primary problems The main case involved a company called IMVU that was experiencing poor returns due to low sales. As a result, its cofounders, Ries and Harvey, were on a fix regarding the future of IMVU. In addition, board members pressured them regarding an increase in sales growth. Three options were available for the cofounders to consider. The first was by collaborating with a company called IOM. However, a majority of the board members did not favor the IOM approach. They felt that the growth for the 3D-avatar-based instant messaging manufacturer was declining. Also, teenagers were the company’s primary target. The fact that only 0.4 percent of the target market paid for IOM’s service implied that the source of growth was too narrow. Furthermore, this proportion was way lower than the projected optimum of four percent for IOM. The fear of shifting to an adult-based market or a mixture of the two was also a major challenge for IMVU’s co-founders. Second, Winters’ idea of laying out a complete product strategy rather than beta products was still on the table. Lastly, the investment offers from ROC, PC, and Janga were tough choices to make given the need for increased growth. These events were the major sources of distress for IMVU co-founders whose focus was strictly on growth. Insights from the case and potential decisions To make a concrete strategic decision, Ries and Harvey had to analyze the three options. They considered Winters’ suggestion that the company completely abandon giving dummy products to customers. Instead, providing improved products was a better option. Winters believed that competitors would benefit from the lessons of IMVU. Moreover, ROC offered a lucrative deal by asking for a 33 percent stake coupled with $5.5 million extra investment. ROC did not see the need for having a change of strategy since the IOM approach had recorded a standard growth in the recent years of operation. However, unlike their main competitor PC, ROC lacked a good track record of desirable success levels. PC is renowned for its high-performance levels and a clean record of accomplishment that influences partner companies to achieve high sales revenues. As expected, the company pledged to help IMVU realize a massive sales growth through proactive marketing strategies. Although PC offered more for less with a $5.25 million investment for 35 percent of the company, the deal was an important game changer for IMVU. The problem was that PC required a professional management team and wanted IMVU to target adults rather than the teenagers. Furthermore, PC wanted IMVU to hire more engineers, buy servers, and employ proactive marketing initiatives. Most importantly, PC gave a stringent warning to the management that poor records would see them fired. Janga offered the last possible deal for IMVU. The online search engine company wanted an acquisition of the company. With $20 million for grabs, it was an enticing deal. Moreover, Harvey and Ries together with other