ShantanuT01/DACTYL-Pretraining huggingface dataset:
Strategy In their operation, firms in different economic sectors have to deal with two main levels of strategic issues. These include the corporate and business strategy of the firm. According to Grant (2005, p.22), a firm’s corporate strategy gives a clear definition of its scope of operation within a specific industry or market. On the other hand, business strategy gives a clear indication of how the firm intends to compete in the market. Grant (2005, p.22) asserts that a firm’s strategy is aimed at ensuring that a firm survives in the long term. Therefore, it has to develop a high competitive advantage. In its operation, Palm Inc has formulated an effective corporate strategy which is aimed at ensuring that the firm becomes a global leader in mobile device industry (Rubinstein & Jeffries, 2009, p. 3). In order to achieve this, the firm emphasizes on smartphones as its key product. Currently, there is a high probability of the market for smartphones undergoing a significant growth. This arises from the fact that there are a significant number of customers who are considering smartphones as an effective mobile device. According to Rubinstein and Jeffries (2009, p.3), a large number of customer are changing their cell-phones which are voice centric by replacing them with smartphones. The main reason for this trend is that consumers prefer smartphones due to their characteristic of being full-featured and software driven (Rubinstein & Jeffries, 2009, p. 3). Palm Inc. intends to exploit the market opportunity. In an effort to exploit the market opportunity, Palm targets both individual and institutional customers. Generic strategy – Differentiation strategy According to Porter (1998, p.38), a firm’s competitive strategy entails either adopting an offensive or defensive mechanisms so as to position itself effectively in the market. There are three main generic strategies that a firm can use in order to attain competitive advantage. They entail cost leadership, differentiation as well as focus. Differentiation strategy involves developing products and services which are characterized by unique attributes. As a result, customers consider these products to be of high value compared to competing products. In its operation, Palm has incorporated differentiation strategy as the core generic strategy through which it can attain an effective market position. According to Rubinstein and Jeffries (2009, p.3), Palm differentiates its products via effective designing and integration of the hardware manufactured with superior software. The core objective is to offer delightful customer experience. The firm also ensures that its products are innovative and easy to use. The resultant effect is that the firm is able to establish la
Identify the specific recruitment methods from those identified above that will be used based on our specific job description and our rationale for choosing them The specific recruitment methods for this kind of job, which is available at Heineken USA, Inc., may be as given as follows: Through Internal referral system, this can be achieved by advertisements in job boards and intranet postings, as well as company newsletters. Internal referrals usually understand corporate cultures and have immense wealth of experience in company running and line of operation. This makes it easy to integrate as compared to recruitments from other sources. Other possible recruitment methods could be through executive hiring firms. These firms are credited with hiring professional of high integrity and skills. These include Price Water House Coopers and Delloite, among others. Employees recruited through this method are usually proven in same management capacities in other companies with immense wealth of experience as those in internal referral systems or even more. However, they have to get orientation in which makes internal referral more preferred (Cascio, 2010, p.1). The other method is through temporary agencies such as Kelly Services and Manpower, among others. Since the corporation strives to employ the most qualified candidates, with its line of business as well as responsibility to the public in mind, it is wise to recruit those who understand their line of production. This is because the position is at management level, and should foster organizational culture. In this regard, internal referral forms the best recruitment process although executive firms are also viable options (Cascio, 2010, p.1). Reference Cascio, W. (2010). Managing Human Resources . Phoenix University. Web.
From the study of the Taketori pretexts, it was noted that when a narrating perspective failed to situate self-consciously itself, it ended up being separated from the story is narrated. In a text, not all that happens is told. However, a narration may clearly show that an important event was omitted in the text. Deriving meaning from a text, one is required to assess and address the text from all perspectives. A text narrates just a portion of the occurrences in the events described. However, it is expected that the text should cover all the notable events. The major events are simply those that have significance to the plot or are responsible for triggering a series of events described in the narration. As mentioned in the texts, the narrations continuously presented the narrator without involving reflexive statements. Reflexive statements are important in a text as they introduce a unique perspective of reasoning from the one that comes from the narration of real events as they occurred. When the narrator introduces reflexive statements, he or she makes the reader understand some of the events narrated. Reflexive statements are also important as they make the reader develop a critical analysis of the narrative. The entire text is considerably influenced by the beginning of a narrative. At the beginning of the narrative, the author may choose to use direct narration or involve the character’s direct speech. As noted in the text, the earlier was used in most of the earlier narratives. However, in Taketori’s narrative, the character’s words have been used to create a theatric-like performance. When such an introduction is used, the reader’s attention is attracted to the text, making it easier to understand the remaining part of the text. Narratives also require the use of some stylistic devices. For instance, Taketori’s narratives have used a lot of repetition to create rhythm. The rhythm makes the narrative have a musical tone, which breaks the monotony of listening to a continuous narration. In Taketori’s narrative, repetition has been used to describe vividly some of the events and occurrences. Repetition is indeed effective in breaking the monotony. However, repetition should be used within a certain limit. The excess usage of repetition fails to create rhythm and instead makes the important message of the narrative disappear. Also, when excess repetition is applied, a narrative appears to be fictional, and the reader may develop a negative perception of the text. When creating a narrative, name selection is important. In the Taketori’s narratives, the names used to describe people and places are based on historical characters, places, or events. The use of hi
Customers are sensitive when it comes to the type of service they are being given. This is true for all businesses in general and hotels in particular. Different factors influence customer behavior (Gale 2004, p.18). Factors such as age, recent experiences with family members or the authorities can interfere with customer attitudes and emotions thus making them sensitive. To be on the safe side, hotel staff needs to do its room assignment, room checkout as well as offer other relevant services within the shortest possible time and in the best way (Venison 2005, P.7). Hotel Escargo seems to be having a major quality issue. Which is this main quality issue that Hotel Escargo is experiencing? The major quality issue that Hotel Escargo has is a lack of fast customer service. The services given to customers are not carried out at the levels that are considered industry averages. This means they are of a lower value (Zimmerman 1997, p.98-99). From the information that is available, the industry or recommended time for checking in a guest who has come to a hotel should be four (4) minutes or less. This leaves the customer satisfied and the hotel’s image enhanced. But Hotel Escargo employees take an average of four minutes and fifty-one seconds or four-point eight-five minutes (4.85 minutes). This is nearly five minutes, making it one whole minute above industry standards. Under checking for customers or guests, some cases took ridiculously long moments. Lenox, S an employee of Hotel Escargo broke the record by the widest margin with five hundred and seven (507) seconds or eight-point four-five (8.45) minutes. This is a long time that can potentially enrage guests and make them swear not to come back. Tired guests seeking a place to rest can also collapse as they wait for the slow check-in process. If the checking-in process was that slow, was the checking-out any different? The results give us a saddening answer. The Hotel Escargo check-out time average was far above the industry average. The industry standards require two (2) minutes or less. Hotel Escargo went above this figure by one minute and seventeen seconds or seventy-seven seconds (77) to check a customer out. There was actually a unique case where an employee took four-point five-six minutes (4.56) or two hundred and seventy-four (274) seconds to check out a guest. The delay does not stop at check-in and check out for Hotel Escargo. It is also present in the handling of issues associated with the change of rooms. Compared to the industry standard of six minutes or less, the Hotel Escargo had its change time off the roof. It was recorded at ten minutes and 29 seconds or six hundred and twenty-nine seconds. The highest recorded time was a whopping thirteen minutes and twen
Executive Summary The Australian government’s proposed change to 457 Visa Program has generated a lot of discussion. Companies such Management Foundations Construction is following the discussions keenly. The construction industry is likely to be most culpable owing to the many temporary immigrant workers it employs. The government claims that industry players employ such workers despite their lack of skills. The government’s aim to attach certain skill levels to possibility of employment and to keep Australians at the forefront in consideration for employment is seen by many as racist and xenophobic. Some of the possible short-term risks include go-slows and industrial actions. Long-term risks span from economic slowdown to perennial xenophobic attacks. In addition, this is likely to pitch one group of workers against another. The possible benefits of the 457 Visa Program include a permanent solution to labor problems in the country. It is also likely that Australia will solve problems associated with semi-skilled employees that companies hire to reduce costs. However, disgracing immigrants will also keep skilled immigrants away, which may create employee shortage in the future. Introduction The Australian Government intends to introduce a Bill in Parliament that seeks to regulate the manner in which companies located in the country hire workers. A cursory look at the Bill highlights a situation where native Australian workers will be given priority over immigrant workers. Currently, a number of organizations and companies based in Australia have more immigrant workers than native Australians. This is because these organizations find it easier to employ such workers. Immigrants do not demand too much. The 457 Visa Program aims to inject “fair play” in labor according to the Australian Government (Hurst, 2013). It follows that more immigrants are employed in the lower tier jobs compared to Australians despite the fact that they may be more qualified and skilled. The Australian Government is grappling with a rising level of unemployment and wants to keep that figure low. On the other hand, organizations want to increase shareholder value by reducing costs. Hence, the 457 Visa issue has generated a lot of debate in the media and civil society who vehemently oppose this move citing xenophobic and racist overtones (Migration Alliance 2012). The labor market and companies located in Australia are at a confused trance. Management Foundations Construction, a construction company with vast interests in Australia, is one such company. This report will advance this discussion and offer possible solutions to the CEO of Management Foundations Construction with regard to construction i
There was nothing wrong I could suspect when I was going to my friend’s birthday party one night last August. Indeed, one would ask, what can be so surprising about a birthday party? A big birthday cake with colorful candles, the traditional “Happy Birthday” song, lots of presents wrapped into colorful paper, games, fun, laughter – this is a standard list of expectations anyone would have going to a birthday party. However, in that particular case I should have known better. My friend is from the Netherlands, and it has appeared that the Dutch have a very different understanding of the way birthdays should be celebrated. A good company is the half of the success when it concerns parties. When I entered my friend’s living room, I saw quite a dull picture that made me wonder whether I would really have a pleasurable evening. Instead of a merry crowd of friends dressed in party clothes and fancy birthday caps, a group of rather grave-looking middle-aged people was seated in a neat circle around a low coffee table. Since I had never seen any of them before, the “newborn” introduced them to me, during which I had to shake a dozen hands and to smile politely. This prolonged exercise did not make me altogether happy, the more so because the chairs were set so closely to each other that I could hardly walk between them without brushing against another aunt or uncle. After the round was over, I struggled back to my seat and settled there in expectation of something more exciting. Since all the guests assembled, the party was ready to begin. And here came another distressing surprise: the presents. Traditionally, presents are something special you give to a person in order to emphasize how important he or she is for you. But this was not the case that evening. When my friend started opening the presents she
Art is an important form of culture; it creates the picture of ethnicity, acting as a symbolic expression of the inner being of culture. Unlike other forms of culture, art is more directly and closely related to mental life. The soul of the era can speak from the works of a great composer, artist, or photographer. As the result of either collective or individual creativity, outstanding works appear as an expression of the work of a common spirit. Art expresses the outer and inner sides of the soul of a culture, presenting it in fullness and integrity. This paper aims to discuss how a Latinx artwork or artistic presentation communicates Latinx ethnicity. Art is an evolving self-portrait of culture which can be seen from Oscar Castillo’s photos of Chicano life and protest. His photos of Mexican Americans protesting the Vietnam War during the Chicano Moratorium in 1970 have become iconic (Saldivar, 2015). These photos are realistic expressions of Latinx tradition and culture since they represent the Chicano movement, also known as El Movimiento, an extension of the Mexican American Civil Rights Movement. A major element of the Movement was the flowering of Chicano art, fueled by heightened political activism and aroused cultural pride. Latinx visual arts, music, literature, dance, theater, and other forms of expression flourished at that time. During the 20th century, the emergence of Latinx expression developed into a full-blown Chicano art movement. It has developed a wealth of cultural expression through media such as painting, drawing, sculpture, and graphics. Likewise, novels, poetry, short stories, essays, and plays have flowed out of the pens of contemporary Chicano writers (Montoya & Salkowitz-Montoya, 2019). Mexican-American and Latin American cultural centers, theaters, film festivals, museums, galleries, and numerous other arts and cultural organizations have also grown in number and impact since this time. So, this art movement has established Latinx ethnicity and cultural practices. Chicano artists created a bicultural style that included American and Mexican influences. The Mexican style can be found in their use of vibrant colors and expressionism. An example of a Chicano mural can be found in California called the Great Wall of LA or Tujunga Wash murals by Judith F. Baca. Another example is La Marcha Por La Humanidad, which is headquartered at the University of Houston (Montoya & Salkowitz-Montoya, 2019). During this time, Chicano artists and photographers were affected by political priorities and social values. They also became more accepted by society and more interested in creating artworks for museums (Saldivar, 2015). That is why Castillo’s photographs have become a part of exhibits. As it can be seen from the works of Oscar Castillo and Chicano artists, art can visually express the structure of the spiritual world, going far beyond the li
Introduction Peoples values and beliefs on how they behave and interpret experiences either in groups or individually make up their culture; therefore, culture is a “community or group of beliefs and practises with which you share common experiences that shape the way you understand the world” (Bibikova and Kotelnikov, 2002). One of the most notable figures in the field of social research who have extensively researched on the subject of culture and how it differs across regions and communities is Geert Hofstede. Hofstede’s study on the issues of cross-cultural differences in communities and organizations has been the culmination of several works of research notably, Cultures and Organizations: Software of the Mind (1991). It this Hofstede’s findings that provided the first ever most reliable framework of managing cultural differences and understanding cultures behaviours across regions that shall be our focus in this paper as we get to analyze and discuss several components of cultural differences for two countries namely United States and Germany. Hofstede’s Cultural Dimension theory In order to understand the wider context in which we shall analyze the cultural differences of the two countries mentioned above it is essential that we briefly discuss the concept of Hofstede model. Foremost, most of Hofstede research setting that formed the basis of his early findings was based on multinational organizations such as IBM from where he started investigating the phenomenon of cultural differences across regions. This is because business is one of the best environments under which culture of a community can best be examined in practice; besides this, family obligations, marriage and other similar experiences such as death and illness provides good forums in which cultural values and differences can be learned. In both circumstances cultural practices are formed by deeply held cultural values toward employment, trust, wealth, power and communication (Hooker, 2008). There are four distinct categories that Hofstede used to develop his framework of cultural differences; these are uncertainty avoidance, power distance, individualism vs collectivism and masculinity vs feminity (Hofstede, 1991). Power distance is the degree to which power is shared evenly in a community as well as the extent in which the community recognize and accepts this variation in power distribution among itself; this is notably one of the key findings of the Hofstede’s model (Hofstede, 1991). “A high power distance culture” opts for strong leaders and has high regard for authority and hierarchical bureaucracy such as in US which is a typical example of this, while “a low power distance culture” prefers autonomy and personal responsibility (Clearlycultural.com, 2009). We shall discuss this particular component of Hofstede’s cultural dimension model in a later section and how it differs in the context of US and Germany. The second component of Hofstede’s model is uncertainty avoidance; this is described as the degree to
Introduction E-procurement is basically computerizing the process of procurement for any business. In e-procurement, the business-to-business and the business-to-customer interactions for the procurement of supplies and raw materials for a business are conducted through online transactions and electronic data interchange, and enterprise resource planning systems. The model for the interactions conducted through the electronic data interchange for e-procurement can vary depending on the requirements of the parties and the business. They can range from bid-based transactions to the discounted offering and special rates for special clients and customers. E-procurement is supported by an electronic application that runs on the concepts of a supply chain/ value chain system. The procurement activities can be conducted through many types of e-procurement. The main six types however include options pertaining to using a web-based ERP system. In this, the procurement acquisitions and requisitions are conducted through the ERP system. The e-MRO option is similar to the ERP option but allows the business to order the management, repair, and operating supplies which are not relevant to the product. The e-sourcing option enables the business to identify new suppliers for different categories of purchases. The e-tendering allows for sending requests to the suppliers in the online market and receiving their proposals. The e-informing option allows the business to gather data and information from the internal as well as the external parties that are involved in the e-procurement. The main activities/ tasks that are associated with e-procurement pertain to indent management, tender management, auctions, vendor management as well as the management of contracts and catalogs. The Current Procurement System at Grant Group The Grant Group is a food products provider to the likes of supermarkets and food retailing companies. The company has about 20 buying specialists who operate using traditional and conventional procurement procedures. As a result in the dynamic and competitive market, the company has low margins to operate with. The procurement agents in the company operate on a face-to-face contract dealing basis most of the time. However, some form of technical expertise is used by the company. a fully established technology-based solution is not used as the staff at the company has varying degrees of competency in information technology and computer system skills. The data transfer currently in the company is performed invoicing manually for the market inquiries, the quotations, purchase orders as well as shipping and dispatch details. For this hard copies of the documents as well as softcopies on mails and facsimile are employed in the operations of the business. The business of the Grant Corporation is such that the business purchases materials from a range of suppliers. Some of the suppliers have very sophisticated management sys