ShantanuT01/DACTYL-Pretraining huggingface dataset:
Operations management relates to all processes that take place in an organization. These processes include management of purchases, inventory, logistics and human resources. Emphasis is placed on effectiveness and efficiency of these processes (Jones & Robinson 2012, pp. 3). Successful operations management result into efficiency and effectiveness of the overall strategy of an organization. Successful operations management result into improved competitive advantages of an organization. The management of Zara provides a perfect example of successful operations management. The company has operations in approximately 50 countries. Many organizations in the textile industry manufacture clothes in bulk and offer low prices for their products. However, Zara provides clothes that consumers desire as long as they feel that the clothes are fashionable and exclusive. Zara can design, produce and make a cloth available to consumers in two weeks. The rapid supply chain enables Zara to stock clothes faster than competitors. Zara is the main brand of Spanish retailer Inditex SA. Inditex SA is a leading company in the textile industry in the world. The company opened the first Zara retail shop in La Coruna, Spain in 1975. Currently, the company has its headquarters in La Coruna. It has shops in various cities in America, Europe, Asia and Africa. The company has experienced continuous growth in sales every year since its establishment. In the last five years, sales have increased by approximately 25%. Zara contributes approximately 80% of Inditex SA’s revenue (Ferdows, Lewis & Machuca 2003, pp. 63). However, its competitors, like Mark and Spencer, have experienced a reduction in profits. Operation strategies that Zara uses have enabled it to achieve success in business. This paper discusses the operation strategies in Zara that provide it with competitive advantages. Supply chain systems play pivotal roles in the success of companies. Supply chain strategies provide a company with methods through which it can differentiate itself. Supply chain management integrates all processes related to flow of information, materials and finance in an organized manner. Zara’s supply chain management considers control of product design, inventory, logistics and information systems (Caro & Gallien 2010, pp. 259). The company can design and provide fashionable clothes to consumers within a short time. The existence of a controlled and mixed process makes this possible. The company includes the commercial and procurement teams, stylists and market analysts in the entire production processes. Store managers are also included in the production processes. All the people included in these teams provide ideas collected from various sources. Designs that meet the needs of the market are then selected. This enables Zara to meet the fashion requirements of the clients that it has. The inclusion of all teams in the production process improves Zara’s competitive advantages. The strategy reduces de
Introduction Various psychologists and educationists have developed theories to explain various styles of learning. Different learners have different styles of learning. Although learning theories give explanation to learning styles, each individual has a preference for a certain style of learning. As an adult learner, I view learning as a bridge to a better life and an easier way of doing things. I have observed a tremendous change in my learning style when I was an adolescent up to now, as an adult. I make use of the learning styles that I find more comfortable to work with. Reflection Learning is a process through which we acquire information. Once acquired, this information is organized in such a way as to enable the learner solve their daily problems (Mackeracher, 2004, p7). As a student in business communication, I have learnt concepts of business communication. These concepts have enabled me to improve my communication skills. I prefer learning styles that relate concepts learnt in class to the actual business communication in practice. I know my objectives for learning and as such, aim at achieving these objectives through the learning process. Unlike in high school when my greatest motivators to learning were teachers, today I am more self-directed. I am more attracted to practical concepts. Most concepts taught in the education system are far removed from reality (Knowles, Holton & Swanson, 2005, p53). I find such concepts unattractive. However, concepts that connect to reality are more appealing to me. For this reason, I like to compare concepts taught in class with what I know. When taught a new concept I take time to relate it with reality. Concepts with logical structures are more appealing to me. When presented with a new concept I take time to find its logical structure. The intention in this case is to better understand such a concept. I am able to adequately concentrate on lecturers who use logical explanations in their lectures. On the other hand, I do not like lecturers who just mention concepts without relating them to other concepts on the subject or to reality. When presented with a new concept I take time to assimilate it and find its logical structure. Information acquired through this method is not easily forgotten. Business communication is, in fact, very logical. By undertaking certain activities in business communication, one in assured of what should follow. For example, it is logical that lack of communication channels in an organization would lead to suspicion, mistrust and lower productivity. Group discussions have been one of my strongest learning styles at University of Riverside. Discussion groups have allowed me to discuss concepts with my co-learners. Every person has their opinions over a subject, meaning that
The book selected for this review is The Globalization of Inequality , by François Bourguignon. In this book, the author focuses on the patterns of income inequality in the world. As pointed out by Bourguignon during his speech at the Australian National University, the main challenge of income inequality as a study is to take into consideration its dynamics in the domestic, international, and global settings (ANU TV). In the book, Bourguignon focuses on the cyclic nature of income inequality that goes into decline after each two-year increase and on the complexity of this phenomenon in terms of benefits and disadvantages from various perspectives. The author discusses the problem of opposition to the Globalization that currently is taking place in many countries all around the world. In addition to the work of Bourguignon, I would like to read two more books that focus on the economic impacts of globalization. The first one is The Globalization Paradox by Dani Rodrick, who concentrates on the role the world’s democracies play in the economics of globalization and the overall merge in the modern political systems with the economics on multiple levels. The second book is In Defense of Globalization by Jagdish Bhagwati that tackles the phenomenon of the opposition to globalization and attempts to provide detailed explanations of the causes and sources of the negative responses to the phenomenon of globalization (Complete Review, par. 9). All of the three books review the costs and benefits of globalization as a multidimensional happening, present the manifestations of the opposition to it, the outcomes, and prospects. I am interested in reading these books as they may have answers as to the future influences of globalization and the upcoming reactions and tendencies in the world. Works Cited ANU TV. “Francois Bourguignon – Globalisation and inequality.” Online video clip. YouTube . 2013. Web. Complete Review. In Defense of Globalization by Jagdish Bhagwati . 2011. Web.
Abstract This research paper explores different life situations in which an individual can apply human resource concepts and theories within the UAE. The paper illustrates different real world incidences where human resource methods or models can be applied in resolving business related difficulties. The study analyses contexts using human resource philosophies and ideas. It also adopts recommendations on the basis of the reviewed thoughts. The paper bases its findings on human resource theories, research articles and sources that can be found in the UAE. It identifies three significant real life instances in which one can apply the motivational theory. The contexts may include a transformation within the business, a disastrous event or an occasion of determination of salary. The research illustrates several applications of human resource concepts majorly through a review of relevant literature. In addition, it gives suggestions on how to apply human resource management ideas in real life contexts. The paper concludes with an explanation on the critical role of human resource management in enhancing organizational success. Introduction A systematic study of efficient management of compensation and benefits in organizations is crucial in human resource management. Ideas like strategic compensation planning, elements of the total pay mix, job evaluation systems, the compensation structure, and governmental regulation of compensation can be relevant to a human resource manager when discharging his functions. In addition, theories on employee benefits and service programs, administration of incentive plans, and other primary compensation issues like variables, skills and knowledge based pay plans, and linking pay to performance can also be necessary in human resource management. This paper explains different real life situations where the concept of strategic compensation can apply in the management of Human resources within the UAE. Real life situations where HR concepts apply Human resource management involves the control of associations among groups of people in their functions as employees, employers and managers. The control requires the use of relevant human resource approaches. The approaches can be utilized in different real life contexts within the UAE. The circumstances may include instances when an organization may be going through change and difficult experiences. Situation I: Migrant workers in Dubai protest against underpayments The first real life situation where the concept of strategic compensation can apply is the strike witnessed in Dubai of migrant workers over the issue of payment. In this case, several migrant employees working for leading organizations in Dubai staged street demonstrations to demand better salaries and wages. The workers were also seeking compensation for overtime. The strike was an unusual one. The government does not allow strikes in Dubai. It was the first major labour unrest since the historical Dubai economic crisis. During this strike, employees in Dubai’s leading shopping malls, in Deira District and the Industrial area, moved to the streets to complain over insufficient pay and lack of support by t
Abstract River restoration is often carried out by conservationists in a bid to reinstate a water course back to its initial state. Rivers are often polluted by human activities along and near the water bodies. Environmentalists tasked with reinstating rivers often cite increased human actions along the streams as the fundamental course of their dilapidation. Therefore, the perception of community living near polluted rivers often influences the success or failure of restoration efforts. One key lesson from the article is understanding the compromised rivers, human and natural activities that pollute the streams and the restoration process. Additionally, it is difficult to effectively restore a stream that has suffered from several years of pollution. Article Discussion River restoration is an activity that is conducted by the conservations in an attempt to reinstate a stream back to its original state. However, it only deals with the river’s physical appearance instead of the composition and the natural habitats. Many organizations and government entities across the world have developed measures to reclaim rivers in which their original quality is affected. Nonetheless, restoration is often unrealistic since the results may not correspond with the expected outcomes. Although rehabilitation is an essential aspect of conservation, river degradation occurs due to human activities and natural phenomena. Methods The researchers used historical analysis of land use changes in Colorado Front Range to conduct their study. The changes were mainly caused by human activities and some natural calamities. Human activities along river banks cause the degradation of streams. Although people may claim that they are exploiting the resource “sustainably,” the term is relative since what may seem to be a proper utilization of the river can be wastage for another person. Besides, the use of some materials to extract natural resources can also cause damage to the source. For instance, mining exposes streams to lose soil; thus, making it easy for the running water to carry the debris to the river. Additionally, the use of mercury to mine gold also pollutes the water. Mercury is a heavy metal that can cause death or interfere with the reproductive circle if consumed with aquatic life. Therefore, the actions of people contribute to the degradation of a river. Events of previous natural calamities were also studied to determine the extent to which they interfere with the original quality of the stream. Even though the catastrophes are not frequent, their effects can be both short and long term. For instance, flooding, landslides, and wildfires introduce sediments into the river. The upstream waters carry the loose soil into the water, thus causing siltation. As a result, the composition of water is changed, which can result in the riv
Investment appraisal A company invests fiancé to derive a return. This return is important because:   * It represents the reward the business stakeholders and owner of the business get in staking their money on the business currently and in the future   * It rewards the business creditors through payments   * It enables part of the earnings (savings) to be re-invested in the business As a financial manager one should be concerned with how the business funds are being invested to discover if the business is growing. There are a number of methods for analyzing an investment. These methods fall into the traditional and modern approach categories The traditional methods include:  1. Pay back period method  2. Accounting rate of return method The payback period method assesses the investment by looking at the inflows and outflows of cash over time to ascertain how soon the investment can pay back. These cash flows evaluate the period of time it takes a business venture to derive sufficient cash inflows equivalent to the cost of the investment. An assessment of the cash flows is a popular approach by traditional managers who use it to ascertain the time taken to recover in terms of cash from operations and the original cost of the venture. Cash flow analysis is an important preliminary screening stage to determine the viability of a venture and will also show clues on the venture’s profitability. Computing the pay back period can be achieved in two ways Under uniform annual incremental cash flows in which case the assets generate uniform cash flows and therefore the pay back period (PBP) can be calculated as:   * PBP = Initial cost of venture / Annual increment The shorter the PBP the more viable the investment Under non uniformity PBP calculations are cumulative whereby the net cash flows are accumulated each year until initial investment amount is recovered. About the Money tree financial software The money tree financial software is one of a kind enabling the user to carry out various financial obligations on personal on corporate level. The software is intuitive allowing the user to feed in data at defined user interface from which the financial reports can be generated ( see attached file of the cash flow report ). The software offers many reports and allows the user to set limits to some of the submitted data in order to generate customized reports (Money Tree Software 1). Basing on the assessment form its use, the money tree financial planning software is suitable for a user who intends to quickly derive their financial plan even when they have limited prior knowledge because it is simple to use and friendly. The cash flow report generated by the software ( as attached ) is based on a 30,000 annual income figure and an individual who is 23 year old. The software is bale to calculate the shortage or surplus and generate a desirable expense or budget. However, there is need to customize some parameters of the software to ensure that the reports and financial plan generated is suitable for the particular situation. Conclusion and recommendation The money tree financial software is just one of the severa
Introduction The fast-food industry has become extremely internationalized within the last three decades; such companies as McDonald’s or Burger King operate in countries that may have different political and legal systems, cultures, or even religions (Berberoglu 2002, p. 135). This essay is aimed at comparing and contrasting the human resource and employment relations strategies used in such countries as the United States, Australia, and Germany. These countries have been chosen because such examples can show how multinational corporations (MNCs) adapt to different legal systems, social values, and cultural environments. For instance, the United States can be seen as a country where the fast-food industry first achieved enormous success in terms of financial performance. By looking at it, one can understand the origins of HR practices used in the fast-food industry. In turn, Germany can be of great interest to business administrators because of its labour relations system that requires MNCs to develop more complex HR strategies and give more bargaining power to workers. Finally, Australia is a state which places much emphasis on the corporate social responsibility of private businesses and one should see how companies adapt to these requirements. Overall, it is possible to say that a MNC has to take into account such factors as the labour laws of a country, the degree to which workers are unanimous, and cultural values of a particular society. Although, it may not be possible to develop a model that can fit every country, business administrators can identify a set of best practices that are related to staffing, training and development, remuneration, management, and industrial relations. Theories related to HR practices in multinational corporations To a great extent, the success of international companies depends on their ability to improve or optimize every aspect of their performance. These organizations have to be concerned with the cost of their operations, especially labour expenses, and relations with customers. These aspects of performance are of crucial importance to the fast-food industry which can be defined as a group of firms specialising on “branded” convenience food prepared in a place and meant for direct sale to retailers (Royle Towers 2002, p. 2). Human resource management plays an important role for these organizations, because it ensures that a company can recruit and retain
Strategic issues concern vital policy choices or challenges that should be addressed to realize the desired objectives of a society. In this case, it is critical to evaluate means of optimizing available opportunities for future benefits. Cash Connection strategic issue concerns strategizing on the lending model and making the whole process ethical. This involves issues such as practices of an organization, lending rates, regulation of the industry, and knowledge of clients on the business value. Through this initiative, Cash Connection can improve its returns by winning the loyalty of most clients. In addition, business will flourish in the market since it will not hamper the development of the society. One of the critical issues that Cash connection has to evaluate is its lending policies and procedures. In this case, it should not exploit the clients by demanding substantial collateral due to the high rate of default. It is vital to formulate lending policies, which are convenient for clients and conforms to the regulatory requirements. In this regard, Cash Connection has to create policies that will limit the number of complaints and goes in line with its business objectives. This concerns the level of collateral that should be submitted, and the individuals suitable for the services. After the evaluation of the lending policies, lending rates should be reviewed. Based on the previous concerns raised by clients that Cash Connection exploits the low and middle-class people, an organization should erase this notion in people’s minds. As such, it needs to review its lending rates to suit the firm’s needs and make it convenient for its clients. This will reduce the level of complaints aroused in the public domain steering the business to new heights. Moreover, it will attract clients from a diverse society. As a result, there will be more returns since the firm’s customer base would be significantly larger. The alignment of policies and business strategies in conformity to the state regulations addresses the firm’s strategic issue. The regulations developed by the state to monitor and regulate loan providers should be considered in the firm. In this case, the state attempts to minimize the exploitation imposed by the loan providers on its citizens. Moreover, it addresses issues relating to the nature of collateral that should be requested, and the course of action in the event of default. If the organization complies fully with such demands, it will improve the level of business while preventing the risk of subjection to legal breaches. To counter the negative mentality of the public domain regarding its business activities, it is vital for the firm to educate on the value of its services. This involves the creation of awareness regarding the value of borrowing wisely. Through this process, the public would realize the benefits of the availability of such services. In addition, it would reduce instances of extravagant borrowing,