Short-run Estimation Of The Cost Structure Of A Canadian, Fully-integrated Steel Plant

This thesis has three objectives. The first objective is to discover the characteristics of production of iron and steelmaking. A unique data set allows hypotheses, which are frequently maintained in empirical work, to be tested. The second objective is to determine substitution between variable inputs. It can be learned if variable inputs are used in fixed proportions at the firm level in iron and steelmaking. The third objective is to learn if there are economies of joint production in iron and steelmaking.;These objectives can be achieved by estimating short-run or restricted translog cost functions separately for ironmaking, for steelmaking and then a joint cost function.;Two problems which must be tackled are the endogeneity of output and the absence of data on the quantity of capital services. Instrumental variables are used to deal with the endogeneity of output while capital services are estimated in a non-linear way in the estimation itself.;The estimated cost function for ironmaking is well-behaved. Residual diagnostics indicate no evidence of autocorrelation. Variables whose parameters are insignificant are eliminated in a logical manner to arrive at a reduced model. The reduced model indicates that production is not homothetic, that technical change is Hicks neutral, that capital reduces variable costs for the majority of the sample, and that capital has variable input biases. Labour and iron ore, and labour and coke are substitutes while iron ore and coke are complements from 1974-80. A number of alternative models were rejected.;The same type of analysis was carried out for steelmaking. However, the joint estimation indicated that it is not appropriate to estimate steelmaking on its own.;The joint cost function found that production was not homothetic and that capital has variable input biases. Evidence of economies of joint production was found. The marginal cost of steelmaking is reduced by increasing the output of iron

“Here we come:” The experiences of women enrolled in male-dominated STEM career technical pathway programs at a Midwestern community college

This research is an exploratory study that focused on describing the experiences of adult students who identify themselves as women enrolled in male-dominated Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) career pathway programs at a large Midwestern multi-campus community college. The study was undertaken to build on the research of women in community college STEM transfer programs and describe self-efficacy as women in male-dominated STEM career programs at a large Midwestern community college. An examination of the history of women in STEM helps one to gain an understanding of women in male-dominated STEM career pathway programs in community college programs as women are currently enrolling in college at higher rates than men and have earned more than 50% of associates degrees awarded in 2013-14 (NCES). Community colleges provide an accessible educational option and are well positioned to accommodate economic needs (Garza & Eller, 1998; American Association of Community Colleges, 2015). Historically, men have dominated the market for jobs in high paying STEM and CTE fields. Adding to the research about women who persist in these programs and field is important to increase equity in representation. This research explored the experiences of women in career and technical STEM programs within community colleges. Using qualitative methodology and phenomenological techniques, the researcher sought a social constructivist post-modern worldview that attends to student self-efficacy as grounded in social cognitive theory and social cognitive career theory with a focus on human agency and self-efficacy. Semi-structured interviews were employed for data collection and inductive analysis procedures. In Lester’s (2010) research, women in these areas indicated family influence, mentorship and self-efficacy impacted their decision to pursue education in male-dominated career and technical programs. The findings of this study also included family as a strong influence, strong belief in one’s ability and a desire to contribute the field of study and the world. This study further contributed to the literature about women in STEM career pathway programs within the community colleges to enhance completion initiatives for this growing student population

Women\u27s Control of Passion: Louisa May Alcott\u27s Revision of Charlotte Bronte\u27s Jane Eyre and Societal Restrictions of Passion in the Ninteenth-Century

Louisa May Alcott\u27s revision of the representation of passion in Behind a Mask, or a Woman\u27s Power (1866) in connection with Charlotte Bronte\u27s Jane Eyre (1847) is something that has not been widely discussed in scholarly studies since the reintroduction of these Blood and Thunder novels by Madaline Stern in 1975. Both Bronte and Alcott demonstrate in their novels that passion is a positive attribute, but, through Jane, Bronte demonstrates that hysterical passion must be sincerely controlled and internalized in order to positively contribute to a woman\u27s life. Alcott, on the other hand, suggests that women merely need to act as proper gentlewomen and use their passionate ways in assisting them to do so. Jane Eyre and Behind a Mask are two texts that represent women with very passionate personalities, which are portrayed as positive aspects of these characters. Alcott\u27s suggests through Jean, that passion should be a tool used by women to achieve happiness which is very different than Bronte\u27s demonstration of controlled passion and proper Christian, gentle behavior. Through the analysis of passion and the different representations of passion in these two texts we can see that Alcott\u27s work is revising the idea of passion compared to Bronte\u27s earlier representation of internalized control in Jane Eyr

Women\u27s Control of Passion: Louisa May Alcott\u27s Revision of Charlotte Bronte\u27s Jane Eyre and Societal Restrictions of Passion in the Ninteenth-Century

Louisa May Alcott\u27s revision of the representation of passion in Behind a Mask, or a Woman\u27s Power (1866) in connection with Charlotte Bronte\u27s Jane Eyre (1847) is something that has not been widely discussed in scholarly studies since the reintroduction of these Blood and Thunder novels by Madaline Stern in 1975. Both Bronte and Alcott demonstrate in their novels that passion is a positive attribute, but, through Jane, Bronte demonstrates that hysterical passion must be sincerely controlled and internalized in order to positively contribute to a woman\u27s life. Alcott, on the other hand, suggests that women merely need to act as proper gentlewomen and use their passionate ways in assisting them to do so. Jane Eyre and Behind a Mask are two texts that represent women with very passionate personalities, which are portrayed as positive aspects of these characters. Alcott\u27s suggests through Jean, that passion should be a tool used by women to achieve happiness which is very different than Bronte\u27s demonstration of controlled passion and proper Christian, gentle behavior. Through the analysis of passion and the different representations of passion in these two texts we can see that Alcott\u27s work is revising the idea of passion compared to Bronte\u27s earlier representation of internalized control in Jane Eyr

Variability of nutrient limitation in the Archipelago Sea, SW Finland

Eutrophication is the most acute environmental problem in the Archipelago Sea, SW Finland. When analysing the factors behind this escalating eutrophication the determination of limiting nutrient at a given time is essential. Besides experimentations, nutrient limitation of plankton has been extensively studied by direct chemical analyses. We used the latter approach in this work. Nutrient limitation was studied by calculating different nutrient ratios - total nitrogen:phosphorus, inorganic nitrogen:phosphorus, and nutrient balance ratio. Results showed that phosphorus usually limited primary production only near the coast line. In the middle zone of the Archipelago Sea the limiting factor varied temporally. Outer in the open sea nitrogen limited primary production during most of the year. Phosphorus limited phytoplankton growth especially in spring and in summer and nitrogen in late summer and in autumn. Our results suggested that nitrogen is an important limiting nutrient in the Archipelago Sea. In recent years when the eutrophication has proceeded there has been a shift from.production limitation by both nutrients to limitation by nitrogen alone. But if we want to define and characterize the nutrient limitation of the entire ecosystem of the Archipelago Sea, budgets have to be calculated for both N and P and internal recycling must be taken into account as well as external supply of nutrients and loss processes.</p

Business Climate for Resorts in Otter Tail County

In the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, resorts started popping up among Otter Tail County’s wooded hills and 1,048 crystal clear lakes. Those early resorts are responsible for much of the County’s early infrastructure and economic development. Today, tourism and hospitality remain Otter Tail County’s second largest industry. However, resorts are disappearing. Since 1985, over 50% of Otter Tail County’s resorts have closed. Given the cultural and economic significance of resorts in Otter Tail County, it is important to better understand the implications of their decline. The Center for Small Towns worked with the University of MN Extension and Otter Tail County Tourism and Economic Development to survey and interview resort owners to 1) better understand why resorts are closing, 2) examine the economic impact of the declining resort industry in Otter Tail County, and 3) identify strategies for curbing the decline of resorts and/or mediating the impact of their disappearance.https://digitalcommons.morris.umn.edu/cst/1073/thumbnail.jp