Exploring the Lived Experiences of Deaf Entrepreneurs and Business Owners

This phenomenological study focuses on the description of the nature and the meaning of the experience of being a deaf entrepreneur/business owner. Very little is known of the nature of deaf entrepreneurs and business owners. Because of the growing numbers of deaf people becoming entrepreneurs, it is important that we gain a better understanding of the experience of being a deaf entrepreneur/business owner. To gain further insight into the nature of this experience, in-depth interviews were conducted with 14 participants. These individuals were selected in accordance to Crammate‘s definition of deaf and having had been an entrepreneur/business owner for at least 2 years. Through an coded analysis of the transcribed text from the interviews, six essential themes emerged: (1) pursuing their passion with experience and skill; (2) running their enterprise through collaboration, networking, strategy and understanding of the market; (3) reflecting on their identity as a deaf person and how it impacted their experience; (4) building bridges to the rest of the world using communication strategies; (5) having a support network; (6) desiring to make an impact on the world. These themes were present among deaf entrepreneurs/business owners in all types, sizes, and structures of businesses. The implications of this study take the form of the establishment of training and development programs for nascent and experienced deaf entrepreneurs/business owners; the expansion or the creation of networking opportunities for deaf entrepreneurs; the creation of formalized mentoring networks specifically for deaf entrepreneurs within existing programs; the exploration of use of technology to enhance entrepreneurial opportunities for deaf people; and the need to use deaf entrepreneurs as role models. Areas for recommendations for future research are to further explore: 1) the concept of ethnic enclaves or a deaf economy in the context of the deaf community 2) the role of networking and mentoring for entrepreneurial and career success among deaf people 3) the role of access in the search of funding and capital 4) the use of social media for networking for deaf people 5) the concept of motivating and success factors for deaf entrepreneurs 6) the role of inhibiting factors for success of deaf people, and 7) the use of technology for access purposes. As evidence shows, there is the increasing likelihood that entrepreneurship is becoming a more viable career option for deaf people, especially after they have gained some experience in a field of study of which they are passionate. Beyond the deaf community, there are possible concepts that may be transferrable to other marginalized groups

An economical analysis of farming in Overton county, Tennessee

This farm analysis was based on an economic analysis of fifty representative farms in Overton County. The material from this analysis was supplemented by United States Census reports, Climatological records, soil survey reports, and other data that would aid in a complete economic analysis of agricultural conditions and enable definite recommendations to be made for the improvement of agricultural conditions in this area. The objects of this economic study were: (1) To determine the factors that affect farm profits in that area. (2) To discover the most profitable and the least profitable farms, and to study their organization and management to determine the reasons for their success or failure. (3) To use these facts in making recommendations for changes in the organization and management of the farms in this county and of those counties on the northeast Highland Rim, having similar conditions

From the Big Five to the Big Four? Exploring Extinction Accounting for the Rhinoceros

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore a possible framework for extinction accounting which builds on but also extends significantly the existing GRI guidelines relating to species identified by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature Red List as under threat of extinction. Design/methodology/approach The paper analyses disclosures relating to rhinoceros conservation and protection produced by top South African-listed companies in order to assess the current state of “extinction accounting”. Following this analysis, the authors explore and discuss a potential framework for extinction accounting which may be used by companies to demonstrate their accountability for species and disclose the ways in which they are working alone, and in partnerships, to prevent species extinction. Findings Corporate disclosures relating to rhinoceros may be interpreted as emancipatory. The authors identify several disclosure themes dealing with rhinoceros in integrated and sustainability reports of large South African companies and on their websites. Contrary to initial expectations, there is evidence to suggest corporate awareness of the importance of addressing the risk of this species becoming extinct. Research limitations/implications The authors have relied on public corporate disclosures and would like to extend the work further to include interview data for a further paper. Practical implications An extinction accounting framework may be applied to corporate accounting and accountability for any species under threat of extinction. The framework may also be considered for use as a tool for institutional investors as well as NGO engagement and dialogue with stakeholder companies. Social implications The rhinoceros has, from the analysis, significant cultural, heritage, eco-tourism and intrinsic value. Developing and implementing an emancipatory extinction accounting framework to prevent extinction will have a substantial social and environmental impact. Originality/value This is the first attempt to the knowledge to explore accounting for extinction and a possible extinction accounting framework. It is also the first attempt to investigate accounting and accountability for the rhinoceros

Hydrogen-Related Conversion Processes of Ge-Related Point Defects in Silica Triggered by UV Laser Irradiation

The conversion processes of Ge-related point defects triggered in amorphous SiO2 by 4.7eV laser exposure were investigated. Our study has focused on the interplay between the (=Ge•-H) H(II) center and the twofold coordinated Ge defect (=Ge••). The former is generated in the post-irradiation stage, while the latter decays both during and after exposure. The post-irradiation decay kinetics of =Ge•• is isolated and found to be anti-correlated to the growth of H(II), at least at short times. From this finding it is suggested that both processes are due to trapping of radiolytic H0 at the diamagnetic defect site. Furthermore, the anti-correlated behavior is preserved also under repeated irradiation: light at 4.7eV destroys the already formed H(II) centers and restore their precursors =Ge••. This process leads to repeatability of the post-irradiation kinetics of the two species after multiple laser exposures. A comprehensive scheme of chemical reactions explaining the observed post-irradiation processes is proposed and tested against experimental data.Comment: 25 pages, 7 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev.

Strong impact of light induced conical intersections on the spectrum of diatomic molecules

We show that dressing of diatomic molecules by running laser waves gives rise to conical intersections (CIs). Due to presence of such CIs, the rovibronic molecular motions are strongly coupled. A pronounced impact of the CI on the spectrum of $Na_2$ molecule is demonstrated via numerical calculation for weak and moderate laser intensity, and an experiment is suggested on this basis. The position of the light induced CI and the strength of its non-adiabatic couplings can be chosen by changing the frequency and intensity of the used running laser wave. This offers new possibilities to control the photo-induced rovibronic molecular dynamics.Comment: 4 pages, 7 figure

Phenological and structural linkages to seasonality inform productivity relationships in the Amazon Rainforest

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/149280/1/nph15783.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/149280/2/nph15783_am.pd

System-Oriented Runway Management Concept of Operations

This document describes a concept for runway management that maximizes the overall efficiency of arrival and departure operations at an airport or group of airports. Specifically, by planning airport runway configurations/usage, it focuses on the efficiency with which arrival flights reach their parking gates from their arrival fixes and departure flights exit the terminal airspace from their parking gates. In the future, the concept could be expanded to include the management of other limited airport resources. While most easily described in the context of a single airport, the concept applies equally well to a group of airports that comprise a metroplex (i.e., airports in close proximity that share resources such that operations at the airports are at least partially dependent) by including the coordination of runway usage decisions between the airports. In fact, the potential benefit of the concept is expected to be larger in future metroplex environments due to the increasing need to coordinate the operations at proximate airports to more efficiently share limited airspace resources. This concept, called System-Oriented Runway Management (SORM), is further broken down into a set of airport traffic management functions that share the principle that operational performance must be measured over the complete surface and airborne trajectories of the airport's arrivals and departures. The "system-oriented" term derives from the belief that the traffic management objective must consider the efficiency of operations over a wide range of aircraft movements and National Airspace System (NAS) dynamics. The SORM concept is comprised of three primary elements: strategic airport capacity planning, airport configuration management, and combined arrival/departure runway planning. Some aspects of the SORM concept, such as using airport configuration management1 as a mechanism for improving aircraft efficiency, are novel. Other elements (e.g., runway scheduling, which is a part of combined arrival/departure runway scheduling) have been well studied, but are included in the concept for completeness and to allow the concept to define the necessary relationship among the elements. The goal of this document is to describe the overall SORM concept and how it would apply both within the NAS and potential future Next Generation Air Traffic System (NextGen) environments, including research conducted to date. Note that the concept is based on the belief that runways are the primary constraint and the decision point for controlling efficiency, but the efficiency of runway management must be measured over a wide range of space and time. Implementation of the SORM concept is envisioned through a collection of complementary, necessary capabilities collectively focused on ensuring efficient arrival and departure traffic management, where that efficiency is measured not only in terms of runway efficiency but in terms of the overall trajectories between parking gates and transition fixes. For the more original elements of the concept-airport configuration management-this document proposes specific air traffic management (ATM) decision-support automation for realizing the concept