Rethinking Strategy

Business Administratio

Symphony no. 1

A musical score prepared in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Master of Music degree

In Between the Dots and Dashes: Telegrams and the Mediation of Intimacy in The Golden Bowl

Using a poststructural and reader-response theoretical framework, the author explores competing ideas of interpretation, epistemology, and the problematic nature of truth and meaning in Henry James’s novel, The Golden Bowl. The author analyzes the ways in which emergent nineteenth century communication technologies, specifically how telegraphy both mediates and facilitates intimacy in a modern landscape. James anticipates modern forms of social media by exploring the nuances and the potential erotic nature of mediated communication and knowledge

Exploring Professional Development for Missouri City Police Department Sergeants

The purpose of this project was to explore creation of an organizational development program that prepares potential mid-level managerial candidates to effectively assume the responsibilities associated with the rank of Sergeant in the Missouri City Police Department (MCPD). To that end, the researcher sought to identify the Knowledge, Skills, Abilities (KSA) and/or resources, if any, perceived by internal stakeholders, more specifically holding the rank of Sergeant as well as those who supervise those holding the rank of Sergeant, to be beneficial to potential candidates who want to assume the responsibilities of the position or to those who already hold the position. Data was collected using focus group interviews with MCPD target population. The data collected will be used for creating MCPD\u27s first professional development program for potential and current Sergeants

Baraha af Ingirtiska: A Resource for Somali Teachers ff English

The following paper is a resource for Somali teachers of English as a Foreign Language. There are sections on the teaching of grammar, on communication actvities, on techniques for improving pronunciation, on the use of a tape recorder, and on the use of poems. Each section includes several classroom activities. The emphasis of the material is on oral communication. In addition, the paper contains a section which gives the locations in Mogadishu at which EFL material is available. Finally, a brief history of the teaching of English in Somalia is appended

Which Financial Measures Can Be Leveraged To Help Close The Unfunded Liability Gap For State Pension Plans?

The main purpose of this study is to identify the key determinants of the unfunded liability (UL) for state and local public Defined Benefit (DB) pension plans. The UL is a measure of pension debt in plans across the U.S. This debt continues to rise while pension obligations to current and future retirees must also be satisfied. The UL is derived by subtracting the market value of plan assets from its accrued liabilities. If assets are less than liabilities, it signals a lack of funds set aside to cover all pension benefits and generates what is known as an unfunded liability on the financial books of many states across the country. If assets exceed liabilities, a plan is considered fully funded. The pension and employee benefits committee noted that full funding does not usually imply that the pension plan has sufficient assets to cover its solvency liabilities (unless the funding objective is to achieve a solvency level of funding.)1 Throughout my manuscript, I will refer to the unfunded liability (UL) as the actual accrued liability and refer to the unfunded liability gap (ULG) as an expression of the financial factors that could help to reduce the liability. The contributing factors to receive a DB pension benefit, involves a combination of both the plan design and fiscal health of pension plans. Plan design can range from elements of retirement requirements such as age, years of service, average salary, service credits, mandatory employee contributions, while fiscal health includes parameters that measure the financial impact of the pension liability. Examples include and not limited to, employers’ contributions, tax revenue per capita, Gross Domestic Product (Real GDP) per capita, budget surplus, discount rates and other investment measures

Compressive behavior of masonry columns confined with steel reinforced grout (SRG) composite

In this study, a new type of composite comprised of steel fiber cords embedded in a natural hydraulic lime mortar matrix, known as steel reinforced grout (SRG), is explored for the use in confinement of masonry columns. An experimental study was carried out to understand the behavior of solid clay brick masonry columns confined by SRG jackets. Twenty-four confined and seven unconfined columns with a square cross-section were tested to failure under a monotonic concentric compressive load. Test parameters considered were the column corner condition, number of fiber jacket layers, and number of fiber overlapping faces. SRG confinement improved the compressive strength, ultimate axial strain, and energy absorption of the masonry columns relative to the unconfined condition. Results showed that increasing the number of fiber layers increased the confined compressive strength, however the increase in confined strength was not proportional to the number of fiber layers. Rounding the column corners slightly increased the confined compressive strength. Increasing the number of fiber overlapping faces also increased the confined compressive strength. Models from the literature for FRP-confined masonry were examined for their applicability to predict the strength increase from SRG jackets. Considering the specimens included in this thesis work and supplemented with others collected from the literature, it was found that the model for the Italian CNR-DT 200 provided the closest predictions of the increase in compressive strength provided by the SRG jacket (within 33% of the experimental values). More work is needed to improve the predictions of the increase in compressive strength provided by SRG jackets and to predict the ultimate strain in the jacket --Abstract, page iii

Developing Bible Lessons to Reach Hindu Youth

Problem The large number of non-Adventist youth who attend Seventh-day Adventist schools have a limited exposure to biblical teachings and, therefore, are unable to make a decision to accept Jesus Christ as their Savior. Method Bible study lessons were developed to provide youth with a more complete understanding of the Bible and lead them to take a decision for Christ. The lessons address issues relating to youth needs and topics that are common to the Hindu and Christian faiths. A survey questionnaire provided information about the needs, moral development, and Bible knowledge of the target group. A variety of teaching methods was used to present the Bible lessons. The evaluation survey revealed the opinions of the students about the implementation of the strategy and also furnished information that helped arrive at the conclusion and proposed recommendations. Result The survey questionnaire revealed that the target group was interested in religious teaching and recognized the role of religion in their development. The youth felt that their family had the greatest influence on them and they regarded family unity of utmost priority. The evaluation survey revealed that the implementation of the strategy had positive results. The youth expressed satisfaction concerning the methods of teaching and wanted to continue the lessons. Some of the young people were contemplating baptism. Conclusions The following conclusions emerged from the study. 1. Adventist education can realize its goal if its role is refocused. 2. Youth can be led to make a decision for Christ if their exposure to biblical teachings is supplemented by Bible lessons outside the regular Bible classes. 3. While teaching youth, a variety of methods should be used, particularly those which allow participation. 4. Teaching religion to a mixed religious group enables youth to be open, tolerant, and respectful to other faiths

Resource, Environment and Energy Considerations for Maine Food Security in 2050 and Beyond

This article discusses some of the expensive “externalities” produced by industrial agriculture and fishing. These include impaired watershed quality, soil degradation, pollution, reduction in biodiversity, and impacts on human health. The article also includes a discussion of transgenic crops and how these relate to sustainable agricultur

Nurse Cropping in Potato Systems

In the summer of 2016, a study was conducted at the Rogers Farm in Stillwater, Maine to study the effect of short-term nurse crops on potato yield and quality. The study was designed as a randomized complete block design with six replications. The study compared two sowing rates (winter rye at 100 vs. 200 lbs/ac) to 20 lbs of annual ryegrass or a check plot (no nurse crop). In addition, each of the winter rye treatments was either killed with an herbicide prior to one-pass hilling or just hilled. To address the question of how long to grow a NC, WR treatments were allowed to grow either three weeks or four weeks prior to being incorporated.https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/extension_ag/1008/thumbnail.jp