ShantanuT01/DACTYL-Pretraining huggingface dataset:
Introduction The economy of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is the second largest in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). It is also one of the rapidly growing economies in the world. In the last four decades, the economy has transformed from a poor country that depended on fishing, agriculture, and herding to a modern economy that boast of high per capita income and trade surplus (Nyarko, 2011, pp. 3-78). The main industries that contribute to economic growth in UAE include tourism, oil, services, construction, and manufacturing. UAE’s economy is highly integrated with the world economy, thereby making it susceptible to exogenous shocks. This paper examines the impact of the recent global financial crisis on UAE’s employment, banking, real estate, and tourism sector. UAE’s Economy In Terms of GDP Prior to the global financial crisis, which began in 2007, the UAE enjoyed rapid growth in its gross domestic product (GDP). Figure 1 (in the appendix) shows the country’s GDP growth rate from 2005 to 2012. From 2003 to 2006, the country’s GDP grew at an average rate of 7% (Zaki & Rao, 2011, pp. 304-320). This rapid growth was underpinned by strong economic activity, high domestic consumption, and increased earnings from oil exports. From 2005 to 2008, the country’s nominal GDP expanded at a CAGR of 21.9% due to high earnings in the tourism, oil, and real estate sector. The impact of the global financial crisis was realized from the second half of 2008. The UAE was severely affected by the crisis due to its openness to international trade, as well as, its reliance on tourism and oil exports. In particular, economic growth was adversely affected due to fluctuations in oil prices and reduction in aggregate demand in the countries that import UAE’s products (Nyarko, 2011, pp. 3-78). The decline in economic growth was reflected in the significant reduction in the country’s GDP. According to figure 1, GDP reduced from 6.6% in 2007 to 5.3% in 2008. This decline was attributed to significant reduction in oil prices, as well as, reduction in oil production in the country. In 2009, the country recorded its lowest GDP growth rate in the last five years. Concisely its GDP contracted by -4.8% (Bank Audi, 2013). The factors that accounted for the decline include the reduction in revenue from oil by approximately 32% (Nyarko, 2011, pp. 3-78). According to figure 2 (in the appendix), consumption, which is the third largest component of UAE’s GDP, reduced significantly as unemployment rate increased and expatriates and foreign investors left the country. In 2010, the government implemented an expansionary fiscal policy, which involved heavy investment in non-oil industries. The resulting increase in aggregate demand led to a GDP growth rate of 1.3% in 2010. In 2011, the GDP grew by 4.9% due to increased oil production and high oil prices. The government expects increased public expenditure, recovery of the real estate se
Introduction The Walt Disney Company remains a primary source of ideas, concepts, and insights for many Americans and other people across the globe. The founder of the company, Walt Disney, applied his ingenuity to produce diverse products and offerings that have transformed the United States for the better. The films, cartoons, theme parks, and animations associated with this corporation have had significant impacts on this country’s culture by encouraging more people to pursue the most appropriate values, behaviors, and practices that promote equality while at the same time presenting new concepts for engaging in rewarding entrepreneurial activities. The purpose of this paper is to give a detailed analysis of the Walt Disney Company’s contributions to the United States’ cultural and economic transformations. Cultural Influence For many years, the Walt Disney Company has presented superior products that meet the demands of many young people in America. This kind of process encourages more people to focus on specific activities and cultural values that can take them from point A to B. During the 1930s, the ideas associated with most of the cartoons and animations produced at the time presented castles and ambitious efforts to the viewer (Bohas 42). Such images and products encouraged Americans to pursue the infamous American dream. Over the years, many citizens consider such attributes in an attempt to relate positively with each other, address their common goals, and minimize conflicts. The insights and efforts of Walt Disney became a model for many people who wanted to live in better societies. The description of the American culture would be incomplete without focusing on the concepts of production and consumerism. The owner of this company delivered products that would eventually promote the use and adoption of media technology, thereby transforming the music and film industries in the country. These issues have become critical symbol of this country’s culture. The cartoons and animations present desirable values that are worth emulating in any given community, such as love, togetherness, and commitment (Chasma). Some famous characters created and designed by this company have become unique icons for this country, such as Mickey Mouse ad Disneyland (Bohas 56). These objects encourage people to live harmoniously, promote happiness, and focus on the most appropriate strategies to conserve the natural environment. Without bias or favoritism, Walt Disney was keen to create and establish a company that could deliver products to every household. While the problems of discrimination and oppression were common in different regions across the United States, such ideas and films took the dialogue to the next level. These achievements or developments would ev
Introduction A situation comedy is a comic television series composed of episodes or scenes involving similar group of characters dealing with an issue, abnormal situation and many other scenes that may arise 1 . The short form of situation comedy is sitcom. This is usually accompanied by jokes as part of a conversation. A successful situation comedy is one that has high frequency of laughter. The frequency can be three to four times in a minute. Therefore, situation comedies make us fulfill our desires to be happy. It is also concerned with the way we often lose the desire to be happy and lose our direction because of unreasonable fears and desires that are misled. They show how the central conflict of human life is played out by between people. Situation comedies give its audience several kinds of satisfactions 2 . Several ingredients make a successful situation comedy. These important components must all be present in any situation comedy that can be termed as successful. The ingredients are character creation, titles themes, situations and locations, pace, irregular expressions and epilogue. The strength or clarity of these ingredients may vary from one comedy to another 3 . These ingredients can be discussed as follows: Character creation This is the most important factor in a successful situation comedy. Development of the way in which a given character behaves and relates with other characters and their environment is called character creation (characterization) 4 . In a situation comedy, there are many, several facets of characterization. This comprise of: An individual character Each character is given different attributes describing their past and present behavi
Causes of outsourcing Outsourcing is significant in many industries’ supply and cost management strategy. In outsourcing, an industry relies on the services of another business or someone else who is not its employee. A company may decide to outsource due to excessive cost of running an industry. A company that needs to restructure its budget may also decide to go for outsourcing (Matejun, 2012). An industry may also outsource due to its willingness to establish key performance, which is realized without a vision in the development of its structures. Lack of technical and modern technology in manufacturing may force a firm to outsource services from businesses, which have the required skills and technologies (Matejun, 2012). An industry outsources services if it lacks resources, or needs to share uncertain risks with the outsourced firms. It may lack enough funds to develop key structures for its activities (Matejun, 2012). Effects of outsourcing Outsourcing leads to reduced levels of cost of production and improvement to infrastructures within the industry. Outsourcing of services also improves the company’s economic results hence increases its financial outcome. Solution to business causes of outsourcing makes an industry to focus on its activities and improve on the position of the business competitiveness in the market (Carbough, 2012). Argument against Outsourcing to Domestic Industry The positive effects described above may be short-lived as negative impacts of outsourcing to a domestic industry become apparent over a period
Introduction During the 1990s, most Latin America democracies enacted harsh neoliberal policies. Neo-liberalism aimed at ending the inefficiencies occasioned by the import substitution industrialization (ISI). Neo-liberalism involved drastic reduction of state involvement in businesses through privatization, creating a favorable business environment for foreign investments and reducing tariffs imposed on imports. Thus, neo-liberal policies intended to open up the economy for foreign investment, eliminate monopoly and increase efficiency through competition. However, these policies also included severe austerity measures meant to curb inflation. The ISI policies, on the other hand, were highly protective of the domestic markets from international competition. In the case of Brazil, the liberalization policies aimed at eliminating the monopolies established under the Import Substitution Industrialization. As a result, trade and inflow of foreign capital increased especially from 1995 under president Cardoso leadership (CIT). Additionally, following foreign investment liberalization, many foreign firms invested in public utilities and oil exploration, sectors that were previously a preserve of domestic firms. In contrast, the neo-liberal transition led to reduced economic roles of the Brazilian state, enhanced firms’ competitiveness and reduced market concentration. For a developing economy, conducting trade agreements with developed economies such as the United States and European Union would be beneficial. However, Brazil has expanded its trade interests with developing economies from Asia, Africa and the Middle East instead. Experts describe the Brazil’s relationship with the US as warm and friendly relative to the other states in Latin America. Major collaborations between the two nations are in the areas of energy, security, counter terrorism and fight against drugs. The prevailing political conditions in Brazil, a Latin American country, influence its economic policies and relationship with the US. The Neo-Liberal Policies Before the 1994 Real Plan, Brazil’s domestic economy was highly protected from international competition through both non-tariff barriers and import tariffs. In the 1960s, the level of protection stood at an estimated 85% (Amann, and Werner 34). Even though, at the time, there were occasional efforts moved towards liberalization of the domestic market, Coes established that “the prevailing Brazilian trade policies particularly with regard to imports were severely restrictive in the1960s period” (71). During this period, the Brazilian trade regime essentially had exclusive administrative control over all imports. The trade authorities were able to reverse trends in domestic trade by regulating import flows to achieve greater trade openness. However, beginning in the 1990s, Brazil’s policy strategies increasingly conformed to trade liberalization as supported by US economic policies. In 1989, the average import tariff stood at 41% (Coes 132). After President Collor gained power in 1990, the tariffs began to reduce gradually and by 2002, the import tariffs stood at 13.5%. In 1990, the Collor ad
Introduction The battle of Tarawa refers to a war that occurred from 20 th to 23 rd November of 1943 during the Second World War in the Pacific Ocean. This is the second time the United States of America seriously provoked people and the peace in the central pacific areas. This was also the first time ever the United States was wagging a war against Japan’s opposition to a cold ending. The initial attempt by the United States to take over Japan was fruitless as the Japanese solders were well equipped and well trained so much so that they overpowered the American marine solders and won the battle. The battle was so fierce that hundreds of American solders were injured and seriously wounded during the war and many more bodies could not be sent back to their homeland. The images of the bodies taken when the film of this war was taken way back in 1994 were said to be distressing according to the people’s views. For this film to be availed to the public view the film maker had to obtain permission from the then president Franklin Roosevelt. This film to this very moment is considered the only film that has been given the most horrific pictures of the dead American solders. This paper discusses the war that took place between Americans and Japanese at the island of Tarawa. It explains every undertaking of both the groups involved, the type of weapons they used and the mode of attack. The paper provides details on how the war went on for the four days as well as the events that took place during the operations of the days and nights. Discussion The battle of Tarawa was fought in 1943 between Americans and Japanese along the pacific area from November 20 th to November 23 rd (Baldwin 1). In order to come up with air field that could aid in the operation successfully into Japan, the United States had to operate from Marinas Island. This was not possible as it turned out that the island was heavily guarded by the Japanese solders. To deteriorate the resistance, the U.S decided that they would use bombers. This could be done from the Marshall Island as it was the closest and the only one that could support such an operation. This attempt also failed as their communication was hindered from Hawaii. So it was concluded that to be able to attack the Marinas Island, the ballet had to be executed from Tarawa. Tarawa is a toll found in the Gilbert Island thus the name the battle of Tarawa came up. The Japanese solders were quite well informed about the activities that were to take place at Gilbert Island and decided to take their time to strengthen their wave of attack at that point. They placed a task force of over two thousand solders under the command of Takeo Sugai. This is said to have needed a well informed group of marines. They used technical equipment like tankers, coastal defense guns and Vickers guns. This they are said to have used during the Russo-
Abstract Evidence shows that military systems are often procured with hidden defects that often reveal themselves during system use. The call into question the reliability of the procurement process in determining the functional accuracy of the military systems in fulfilling their objectives as well as the veracity of the technical specifications and performance arises. The proposed framework is designed to solve the problem of scenarios where military equipment, procured with inherent defects not detected during the acquisition cycle leading to mishaps, expensive mistakes, and operational inefficiencies. A preventive approach defines the proposed framework, which is used for earlier detection of errors and corrective actions. Such actions are appropriate because of the decision making points in the system acquisition process phases of requirement analysis, systems architecture, system/subsystem design, systems integration and interfaces, verification and validation, life cycle support among other phases. An analysis of the data from case studies of system failures based on system acquisition concepts generates questions that need to be answered to avoid untested progression to the next phase, which is seen as an appropriate approach to preventing system failures. A mixed research method that factors both the qualitative and quantitative paradigms will be used as a research methodology. The qualitative approach will be used by analyzing existing literature while quantitative data will be collected using questionnaires and SPSS programs for data analysis to answer the research questions. How Topic Falls Into the Scope of the Problems This study falls into the scope of the topic by focusing on how notable system engineering failures among different defense products can be prevented at different stages of the procurement stages. Such occurrences lead to serious mishaps and associate risks. Examples include the failure of the Patriot Missile Defense System (1991), Aegis Combat System, Iran Air Flight 655 (1988), Delta 180 powered space interceptor to the X-33 reusable launch vehicle and Hubble Space Telescope among others. However, according to Wasson (2015), addressing the problem of system engineering failures is critical to ensure acceptable mishap risk that lie within the constraints of operational efficiency in terms of system performance and effectiveness. Background and Rationale Despite the varied causes of system engineering failures being addressed from different perspectives, in accordance with Meier (2008), the proposed solution is to develop a framework that can be implemented to address failures that happen at each of the acquisition stages to prevent untested progression to the next phase without appropriately answering questions that arise in the current phase. Typically, it leads to program efficacy, cost effectiveness, and according to Piaszczyk (2011), the fielding of the system within the required time frame. A case study approach wil
Introduction Russia has extremely rich history with citizens being highly patriotic and proud of their state. Even the historical events which it has gone through, such as two World Wars, numerous revolutions, collapse of the Soviet Union, incessant war with Chechnya, recent war with Georgia, etc, were unable to subdue this state’s might and Russian people’s devotion and commitment to their motherland. These days Russia is a powerful state which actively participates in international affairs and has membership in numerous international organizations including the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, International Atomic Energy Organization, The Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism, World Trade Organization, and others. Despite all its power and the fact that it is “the EU’s largest neighbor” 1 , Russia has never attempted to enter the European Union. One of the main reasons for this is that the country does not share a strategic vision with the members of the European Union. 2 Main Body Russia is subjected to constant impact on the part of the rest of the world. Its relations with other countries and the impact of the international political economic system on the state’s foreign policy can be best of all traced through Russia’s participation in international organizations and its foreign policy objectives. The research discussing these issues is going to demand review and analysis of numerous sources. Some of the sources which seem to be relevant so far are Russia and the European Union: Prospects for a New Relationship by Oksana Antonenko and Kathryn Pinnick, The foreign policy of Russia: changing systems, enduring interests by Robert Donaldson, Joseph Nogee which provides description and explanation of Russia’s foreign policy, 3 as well as emphasizes that “in many respects, Russian foreign policy has been similar to that of other great powers, and in other respects it has been unique”, 4 and Russia between East and West: Russian foreign policy on the threshold of the twenty-first century by Gabriel Gorodetsky which investigates Russia’s “multipolar path for the evolution of international relations” 5 and evaluates the possibilities to pursue national interests which the world countries, including Russia, have obtained with globalization 6 . Other sources may also include Vladimir Putin and the evolution of Russian foreign policy by Bobo Lo due to its discussing Russia’s attitude towards world-concerning events, such as September 11 attack 7 and analy
The Great Gatsby is one of the most famous pieces of literature in the world. It explores the themes of the American dream, ethics and morals of the Roaring 20s, as well as the questions of love and loss. The Great Gatsby reaction paper below discusses these and more. Reflection of the Great Gatsby – A Summary Published in the mid-1920s, The Great Gatsby is often said to be a reflection of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s era, dreams, and ambitions. The book tells the story of Jay Gatsby, an extravagant man whose only desire is to reunite with his first love, Daisy Buchanan. It is told from the perspective of his new friend, Nick Carraway. Gatsby’s relentless pursuit takes him from poverty to riches, and eventually leads him to his death. Introduction The essay is a book reflection on the book Great Gatsby written by written by Scott Fitzgerald an American and published in April 1925. The story is during the happening of the First World War characterized by hard economic conditions. The novel works on various diverse levels, providing readers with memorable characters and events. The story tells of an event involving major characters as Nick, Tom, Daisy, Gatsby, the Wilsons and Jordan. It involves individuals who are trying to rekindle their relationship. For instance, Gatsby tried to win back the love of Daisy although the later is married to Tom. On the other hand, Tom has a mistress Myrtle who is married to George. The turning of events later led to the death of Myrtle who was hit by a car and the shooting of Gatsby by George Wilson after gathering information about the owner of the car that hit his wife. He also killed himself. Although Gatsby was reach and famous, his funeral arranged by Nick was attended by very few individuals (Fitzgerald, 43). Great Gatsby: Reflection Throughout the novel the major character Nick who was the narrator managed to b