Texas Is The Best Job Producing State - 1622 Words

Texas is known as the independent, friendly, wealthy, job producing state perfect to raise a family. Jobs are the main reasons for so many people moving to Texas, in fact in 2013, Texas has had a net gain of over 300,000. The numbers and stories of Texas growth sounds promising and is very understanding why so many would want to move here but is it all true? It’s time to look at all of the facts and numbers, to see what jobs, income, and wealth in Texas are really like. According to Cal Jillson, author of Lone Star Tarnished, Texas being known as the best job producing state is caused from the ever growing population, exceeding the population growth of the national rate, in Texas. In 1940 the national rate for increase in jobs was at†¦show more content†¦Texas currently ranks almost last with a 32.2 percent in jobs that don’t pay enough to support a family of four (Jillson 80). Many Texans are confused as to why income in Texas is at such a low when we are the best at producing jobs, they forget that a good portion of those jobs don’t pay enough to keep family oriented homes above water. Texas’s personal income (PCPI) and median family income are not improving, they’re just staying the same, below the United States’ ratings (Jillson 88-93). In fact Texas is ranked as one of the five poorest income states in America and fifth in income inequality. The main reason for such a high migration rate to Texas is for jobs, we are known as having plenty of jobs available for anyone who wants them, though our unemployment rate would say different. Since the 1970s, Texas and the United States have been almost back and forth on the rating of unemployment. During 1986 and 2006, Texas exceeded the United States in the rate of unemployment but by 2008 we were back under the U.S. by a good point to point and a half (Jillson 94). While some might find Texas having less of an unemployment rate than the U.S. a good thing, Iâ€℠¢d disagree, we still, as of 2010, have a high unemployment rate of about 8.2%. It’s no secret that wealth among the United States is unfair but it is also true in not being fair in Texas as well. Our poverty rate between 1980 and 2010 was

Causes of the Civil War Essay - 1354 Words

Causes of the Civil War Although some historians feel that the Civil War was a result of political blunders and that the issue of slavery did not cause the conflict, they ignore the two main causes. The expansion of slavery, and its entrance into the political scene. The North didnt care about slavery as long as it stayed in the South. South Carolina seceded, because Abraham Lincoln, a Republican, was voted into office. The Republican party threatened the Souths expansion and so Southerners felt that they had no other choice. The United States was divided into three groups by the time the Civil War began: those who believed in the complete abolition of slavery, those who were against the expansion of slavery, and those†¦show more content†¦If the South had been more divided they might have been more willing to compromise. The central cause of conflict between North and South was slavery, but it was only in its expansion that it became a reason for war. The entrance of slavery into politics made it into a public issue, and once the issue became public the conflict had to be solved. From the first years in American history, we have drank. Records of the first Europeans on America’s mainland tell about the colonists’ great thirste after their original supplies of European-made alcohol ran out. The settlers made their own wine. Eve Alcohol was imported from all over the world. Innovative colonists made alcohol from almost anything. One song from the 1700’s went like this: If barley be wanting to make into malt, We must be content and think it no fault, For we can make liquor to sweeten our lips Of pumpkins, and parsnips, and walnut-tree chips. Not everyone approved of drinking. Many Protestant groups, including the Methodists and Lutherans had strong antidrink traditions based upon religious teachings. Prohibition was first tried in America to protect colonial settlers from the attacks of I The earliest reformers called for moderation, not total abstinence, but as their movement gained strength it demanded a complete prohibition of all beer, wine, and liquor. The first temperance legislation was passed in Massachusetts in 1838. Called the ManyShow MoreRelatedCauses of the Civil War951 Words   |  4 PagesCAUSE OF THE CIVIL WAR In 1860, the world s greatest nation was locked in Civil War. The war divided the country between the North and South. There were many factors that caused this war, but the main ones were the different interpretations of the Constitution by the North and South, the Kansas-Nebraska Act, and the arrival of Lincoln in office. These factors were very crucial in the bringing upon of the destruction of the Union. They caused immediate war. In 1791, the tenth amendment wasRead MoreThe Causes Of The Civil War1016 Words   |  5 Pages In 1861, a Civil War broke out in the United States when the South declared their independence from the Union.  There is a great amount of reasons that people can argue how the Civil War was started. However, what most people don’t understand, is that most of the events leading up to the Civil War were related to slavery.  Slavery was the core of the North and South’s conflict, which led to a very vicious feud.   The immediate cause of the war was slavery. Southern states, including the 11 statesRead MoreThe Causes Of The Civil War1409 Words   |  6 PagesThe causes of the Civil War were complex and have been controversial since the country began. Some causes include; states’ rights, economics, and slavery. The most recognizable and popular cause is slavery. The freeing of the slaves was an important moral issue at the time and one of the greatest causes of the civil war. It was only by carefully avoiding the moral issue involved in slavery that Northerners and Southerners could meet on any common ground. (Goldston, 79). The time came in which ourRead MoreThe Cause of the Civil War800 Words   |  4 Pages The Cause of the Civil War Generally, it is thought to be the South’s fault for causing the Civil War. Contrary to popular belief, the Civil War was mainly provoked by the North; through using the federal government to overtake the South, removing slavery which would destroy Southern economy, and creating the moral issue of slavery. The North was the primary reason for the start of a war that ripped our country apart. The North had full control over the federal government and used that to suppressRead MoreCivil War Causes1382 Words   |  6 Pages Causes of the Civil War John Brown’s Raid vs. Industrial Revolution John Brown’s Raid was a more influential cause to the civil war than the Industrial Revolution. The Industrial Revolution caused incompability between the North and the South. The North relied on wage laborers with the new machine age economy while the South relied heavily on slaves. So, the North did not need slaves for their economyRead MoreCauses Of The Civil War1740 Words   |  7 PagesThe Civil War was not an event that erupted overnight or something that no one had seen coming. It was a result of long stemming conflicts. â€Å"The road to civil war was complex and multi-faceted† (Wells, 1). These conflicts kept creating a divide amongst the states in the nation. The divide finally became so great, that the United States split into the Confederacy (South) and the Union (North), and fighting erupted. â€Å" â€Å"The Civil War,† Randall Jimerson observes, â€Å"became a total war involving the entireRead MoreThe Causes Of The Civil War1238 Words   |à ‚  5 PagesGalindo Mr. Scheet AP U.S History 5 November 2017 Unit 4 Essay The initial causes of the Civil War have been previously discussed and analyzed by historians, but have remained one of the most controversial debates, due to its numerous causes that created the most devastating war in American history. The country had been avoiding the disputes that would later become the causes of the civil war for decades. The Mexican War is proof that the issue of slavery was put on hold by President James K. PolkRead MoreCause of the Civil War1296 Words   |  6 PagesHistory 11 12/17/2006 The root causes and precipitating events that led to the Civil War (1861-1865) The Civil War between northern and southern states was a consequence of contradictions of two social systems inside the country. At the basis of these contradictions was a question of slavery, completely determining economic and political interests of South. North strived to enforce Federal government power to protect their own economic stability. As a result the South wanted a separationRead MoreCauses of the Civil War1489 Words   |  6 PagesThe Causes Of The Civil War The Political War The North and South fought over politics, mainly the idea of slavery. Basically the South wanted and needed it and the North did not want it at all. The South was going to do anything they could to keep it. This was the issue that overshadowed all others. At this time the labor force in the South had about 4 million slaves. These slaves were very valuable to the slaveholding planter class. They were a huge investment to Southerners and if taken awayRead MoreThe Causes Of Civil War2004 Words   |  9 PagesGà ¶ksel What are the causes of Civil War? Do ethnic determinants play an important role? Why are certain parts of Africa characterized by ethnic conflict while other parts remain relatively calm? The conventional understanding on the causes of civil war especially within African countries, to a considerable degree, has being predominantly characterized to draw its root on ethnic divergences. However, such premise appear extremely difficult to be true, owing to the fact that civil war is a complex action

Business Plan Thailand Truck Chassis Production Facility free essay sample

Assesses market size growth potential for the creation of a production facility in Thailand for the manufacture of chassis suspension components for pickup trucks. INTRODUCTION The following is a business plan for the creation of a production facility in Thailand to manufacture chassis and suspension components for pickup trucks. Such a facility would be able to make use of the inexpensive and well-trained and motivated work force in Thailand, a work force that includes a large number of workers who have worked for other auto and truck manufacturing plants in that country and who are therefore already trained. The facility would also be well-situated for shipping these components to other parts of Southeast Asia and beyond, serving the growing market throughout that part of the world. The market size and growth potential in Thailand has been a magnet to auto makers from around the world, and the healthy automobile industry that already exists in Thailand would serve the. We will write a custom essay sample on Business Plan: Thailand Truck Chassis Production Facility or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page .

Planning and Goal Setting Essay Example

Planning and Goal Setting Essay S. Small Business Administration MP-6 PLANNING AND GOAL SETTING FOR SMALL BUSINESS Management and Planning Series ____________________________________________________________ __________________ While we consider the contents of this publication to be of general merit, its sponsorship by the U. S. Small Business Administration does not necessarily constitute an endorsement of the views and opinions of the authors or the products and services of the companies with which they are affiliated. All of SBAs programs and services are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis. ___________________________________________________________ __________________ TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION 1 MANAGEMENT BY OBJECTIVES 1 PREPARING FOR THE MBO PROGRAM Understanding the Requirements of an MBO Program 1 Defining Your Business 2 Setting Goals 2 Devising a Work Plan 2 Reporting Progress 3 Evaluating Performance 4 INSTALLING THE MBO PROGRAM 6 THREATS TO AN MBO PROGRAM 6 SUMMARY 6 APPENDIX: INFORM ATION RESOURCES 7 ____________________________________________________________ __________________ INTRODUCTION Many authorities on business management identify the five major functions of management as ! ! ! ! Planning. Organizing. Directing. Controlling. Coordinating. The planning and controlling functions of management often receive less attention from the small business owner-manager than they should. One way to more effectively fulfill these two functions is through effective goal setting. The success of a business will depend on its long-range goals for sales, profits, competitive position, development of personnel and industrial relations. To accomplish these goals, the company will need to identify intermediate goals that it can work toward each year. ____________________________________________________________ _________________ MANAGEMENT BY OBJECTIVES Traditionally, people have worked according to descriptions that list the activities or functions of the job. The management by objectives (MBO) approach, on the other hand, stresses results. Lets look at two examples. ! Suppose a credit managers job description states that he or she will supervise the credit operations of the company. This description simply lists the functions of the credit manager. Under the MBO approach, the owner-manager and the credit manager would identify five or six goals covering important aspects of the managers work. For example, one goal might be to increase credit sales enough to support the 15 percent increase in sales expected by the sales department. The traditional job description for a personnel specialist may include conducting a recruiting program for the company. Under the MBO approach, the personnel specialist would identify five or six appropriate goals, one of which could be, Recruit ten new employees in specified categories by July 1. ! With MBO, jobs are viewed in terms of achievements rather than simply functions. Activity alone is not enough; each activity must bring the worker closer to achieving his or her goals. ___________________________________________________________ __________________ PREPARING FOR THE MBO PROGRAM Understanding the Requirements of an MBO Program Management by objectives has been used by all kinds of organizations, but not every business has had the same degree of success. From examining MBO programs that have worked, it is clear that all met the following minimum requirements: ! ! ! Goals were expressed in specific and measurable terms. Each employee proposed 5 to 10 goals to cover those aspects of his or her job crucial to successful performance. We will write a custom essay sample on Planning and Goal Setting specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Planning and Goal Setting specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Planning and Goal Setting specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer A final written statement of each goal was prepared, including a statement of the goal, method of evaluating the goal, work steps needed to complete the goal and an estimated time needed to complete the steps. Progress was evaluated at regular intervals (at least quarterly) and compared with the original goals. Problems that hindered progress were identified and corrected. Goals were related to each level of management, both those above and those below. ! ! ! Defining Your Business The first step in developing an effective MBO program is to define your business. Ask yourself the following questions: ! ! ! What business am I in? Is my definition right for todays market? Do I need to change my business to meet emerging customer needs? A clear vision of your business is crucial for planning your marketing, product development, buildings and equipment, and financial and staff needs. For example, a drop in sales caused a small business manufacturer of metal trash cans to reexamine its product. To regain lost sales, the owner decided to redefine the product as metal containers and to develop a new marketing plan. Setting Goals Long-range business goals will be the cornerstone of your companys MBO program. To achieve these goals, you must have a method to communicate them to your managers and employees. One way is to bring managers and employees into the process by asking them to help formulate the companys short- and long-range goals. If they have a role in establishing the goals, they will be more committed to achieving them. All goals should relate to and support the long-range objectives for the company. In this way, you can ensure that the goals of all levels of management are consistent. If goals are incompatible, you may find that employees feel like the middle manager of a research and development company who exclaimed in a seminar, How can I set my goals when I dont know where top management wants to go? Types of Goals What areas of your managers work are suitable for goal setting? Ask managers to identify the most important aspects of their work. In each area, they should set both short- and long-term goals. Carefully developed goals, if attained, should give the manager better control of the job. Each manager should define one or two goals in each of the following categories: ! ! ! Regular work goals. Problem-solving goals. Innovative goals. Development goals. By asking your managers to set at least one goal in each of these four areas, you may open their eyes to new possibilities they had not seen before. The goal-setting process can be a very useful educational step. Regular Work Goals These include the major part of the managers responsibilities. For example, the head of production should focus on the quantity, quality and efficiency of production and the head of marketing should concentrate on developing and conducting the market research and sales programs. In defining their regular work goals, employees should include ways of ! ! ! Operating more efficiently. Improving the quality of the product or service. Expanding the total amount produced or marketed. Problem-Solving Goals These provide managers an opportunity to define their major problems and to set a goal to solve each one. There is no danger of ever running out of problems; new problems or new versions of old problems are always present. Innovative Goals Because of the push for new products and new methods in todays marketplace, innovation now gets much attention in seminars and publications for top managers. Managers and workers should seek new and better production methods, explore better ways to serve customers and propose new products for the company. Managers will need to use innovative approaches to make the company competitive in a fast-changing national and international economic environment. Development Goals In setting development goals, you and your managers recognize the importance of acquiring new skills. Managers should plan for the continued growth of each employee, both in technical areas and in work relations with fellow employees. Devising a Work Plan You and your managers should use a miniature work plan to develop goals that are complete and useful (see Exhibit 1). In developing the plan, the following five areas should be addressed: ! ! ! ! ! Goal Be specific and concise. Measurement What benchmarks will you use to measure whether you have achieved your goals? These usually can be expressed in quantitative terms. Major problems anticipated. Work steps List three or four of the most essential steps. Give completion dates for each. Supervisors goals Employees should identify which of their managers goals relate to their own goals. On the work plan, managers can show each of the major work steps (subgoals) necessary to reach a goal. If the work steps are completed by the indicated date, the goal is reached. Use the form in Exhibit 1 to discuss goals with your managers. By looking at the form, you can see not only the goal but also the plan for reaching that goal. This will allow you to (1) ask questions about the work steps and any potential problems; (2) decide the best way to evaluate progress on the goals and (3) help each of your managers understand how his or her goals relate to those of the company. All problems listed on the work plan should include a solution. For example, suppose the head of a supply department sets a goal to deliver all packages within one day after they are received. Because employees may have difficulty meeting the new deadlines, the work plan should include necessary steps to teach them the new procedures before the program goes into effect. _______________________________________________________ Exhibit 1 Plan to Achieve Objectives SUPERVISOR: ____________________________________ OBJECTIVE #1: Increase gross sales margin of my area by 12 percent by 9-1-92 and maintain at that level for remainder of 1992. ______________________________________________________ Major Action Steps January December J F M A M J J A S O N D 1. Decrease cost of serving small accounts. X a. Identify all customers not purchasing $5000 per month. X b. Determine sales potential of each target customer. X c. If potential is less than $5000,, transfer to jobber. X d. Inform customer and schedule jobber visit with customer. X e. If potential is $5000, develop cooperative sales promotion program. X f. Implement program. X g. Evaluate report results. X 2. Increase minimum calls per salesperson to 10 per day. X a. Analyze work methods of high call salespersons. X b. Identify salespersons with fewer than 10 calls placed. X c. Analyze territory and order of calls. X d. Determine best routing of calls. X e. Determine most effective realigning of all territories. X f. Implement plans. X g. Evaluate report results. X _______________________________________________________ Reporting Progress An MBO program must include a provision for regular progress reports. For this reason, the MBO concept is sometimes called MBO/R, where the R refers to results. You and your managers will only accomplish your goals or objectives if the MBO program calls for a regular review of progress. For example, one large organization issued nearly 100 pages of well-developed goals prepared by many of its managers. The document was very impressive, but it lacked a reporting system of any kind. You can imagine the skeptical reaction of those who set goals for the first year when they were asked the following year to draw up new goals. A monthly or quarterly review of progress toward goals will help you determine where progress is below expectations. For example, suppose that one of your goals is to reduce overtime work by 50 percent in one year, but you only reduce it by 15 percent in the first quarter. Based on this information, you can exert a special effort in the succeeding quarters to regain the lost ground. When progress is below expectations, you should identify the problems holding back progress and assign someone to resolve them. Failure to reach goals can result from ! ! ! The wrong objectives being established at the outset. Organizational restrictions being overlooked. Personal failure or a combination of factors. In order to solve problems and meet a goal, managers may have to adjust their time line or change the goal itself. All changes should be written as new goals and included in the MBO files. Evaluating Performance In contrast to traditional methods, which evaluate performance based on personal qualities such as leadership ability, the MBO method evaluates performance based on objective results. Such evaluation is a complex task that must be undertaken with care by someone who fully understands MBO. (See Exhibit 2 for a comparison of traditional and MBO evaluation methods. _______________________________________________________ Exhibit 2 Comparison of Traditional and MBO Evaluation Methods _____________________________________ Characteristic Traditional method MBO method _______________________________________________________ Frequency Emphasis Usually annually (if at all). Traits. Usually quarterly. Results versus objectives. Subordinates frame of mind Mental block. (doesnt know how tr aits will be evaluated). Poor receptivity (much has been based on employees traits). Rewards usually not directly tied in. Positive (feedback has told employee how well he or she is doing). Positive (much has been based on employees job performance). Rewards usually tied directly to results. Suggestions for improvement Tie in to rewards Summary Little connection Results oriented. to results. _______________________________________________________ Under the MBO program, you evaluate your managers performance based on whether they have achieved their five to eight goals. You also must determine how well they have performed the secondary duties that do not fall under goals. (See Exhibits 3 and 4 for examples of traditional and MBO performance evaluation forms, respectively. _______________________________________________________ Exhibit 3 Example of Traditional Performance Evaluation Form Factor Excellent Above Average Below Poor average average Degree of costconsciousness X Grasp of function X Initiative X Decision-making ability X Application X Judgment X Health X Appearance X Loyalty X Relationship with people X Ability to develop subordinates X Work habits X Contributi on to companys progress X Potential for advancement X ___________________________ Employee:_________________ Rated by: __________________ Date:_____________ Reviewed by: _______________________ _____________________ Acknowledgment: I acknowledge this performance appraisal has been discussed with me. This acknowledgment does not constitute agreement with the findings. Signed:____________________ Date: __________ ____________________________________________________________ _____ Exhibit 4 Results-Oriented Evaluation Form Results achieved Quarters Total year 1st 2nd 3rd O T Achieved in 97 percent of cases. Objectives 1. Improve by 10% number of qualified applicants referred for job openings. 2. Increase by 12% number of qualified welders during 19xx. Measure 1. At least T three qualified candidates referred for each job opening. 2. Number of O persons completing basic welding course #5. T T 17 completed course. Note: T = On target. No action necessary. O = Off target. Action necessary. ____________________________________________________________ _____ INSTALLING THE MBO PROGRAM When installing an MBO program, start by asking your managers to define their jobs, including their major responsibilities. Then, for each responsibility, you and your managers must decide the most effective way to measure performance in terms of results. The outcome of this exercise may surprise you. You and your managers may not agree on the major responsibilities of a certain position. Also, you may find that no one is performing some functions that you consider important. If the MBO system is to succeed, you must show interest from the beginning and set the example for your subordinate managers. The education of your managers may be a formidable task. Until this time, they have thought in terms of specific functions managing a sales department, directing a credit office, etc. rather than in terms of goals that contribute to the organization. One way to introduce the MBO system to your managers is in a seminar conducted by you or a consultant. However, if you choose a consultant, be sure that you are present for the entire seminar. In this way, you will communicate to your managers that the MBO system is a management priority. During the seminar, ask each participant to prepare an actual goal. Also, in small group sessions, have your managers review each others work plans and offer suggestions to improve them. The experience of setting and reviewing goals makes MBO a learning experience for all employees. Encourage your managers to express their doubts, reservations or opposition to MBO. They should get their feelings out in the open as soon as possible. You, the consultant or other participants can help to ease their concerns. In the beginning of your MBO program, your managers will have to learn to measure their own performance accurately, anticipate real problems that will thwart their progress and take steps to solve delays and other problems. During this learning period, your managers should set fewer goals than would usually be expected, perhaps three or four. After they develop and achieve these goals, they can extend the number and area covered by each goal. MBO may look simple on the surface, but it requires experience and skill to make it work effectively. If managers set annual goals, it may take three to four years before good results from this new system appear. ____________________________________________________________ __________________ THREATS TO AN MBO PROGRAM Not all MBO programs are successful. Some of the reasons why programs fail to reach their potential are ! ! ! Top management does not become involved. Corporate objectives are inadequate. MBO is installed as a crash program. ! It is difficult to learn the system because the nature of MBO is not taught. ____________________________________________________________ __________________ SUMMARY It is hard to get people to think in terms of results rather than the functions of their job; however, it can be done. The sequence of steps you use may not work for someone else. It is often an individual matter. No matter what steps you use, the final results are what count. If you feel that you are ready to introduce MBO to your company, why not set it as a goal for yourself? Turn back and follow through with the work plan. List your goals, method of measurement, anticipated problems and the work steps necessary to get your company managing by objectives. ____________________________________________________________ __________________ APPENDIX: INFORMATION RESOURCES U. S. Small Business Administration (SBA) The SBA offers an extensive selection of information on most business management topics, from how to start a business to exporting your products. This information is listed in The Small Business Directory. For a free copy contact your nearest SBA office. SBA has offices throughout the country. Consult the U. S. Government section in your telephone directory for the office nearest you. SBA offers a number of programs and services, including training and educational programs, counseling services, financial programs and contract assistance. Ask about ! Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE), a national organization sponsored by SBA of over 13,000 volunteer business executives who provide free counseling, workshops and seminars to prospective and existing small business people. Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs), sponsored by the SBA in partnership with state and local governments, the educational community and the private sector. They provide assistance, counseling and training to prospective and existing business people. Small Business Institutes (SBIs), organized through SBA on more than 500 college campuses nationwide. The institutes provide counseling by students and faculty to small business clients. ! ! For more information about SBA business development programs and services call the SBA Small Business Answer Desk at 1-800-U-ASK-SBA (827-5722). Other U. S. Government Resources Many publications on business management and other related topics are available from the Government Printing Office (GPO). GPO bookstores are located in 24 major cities and are listed in the Yellow Pages under the bookstore heading. You can request a Subject Bibliography by writing to Government Printing Office, Superintendent of Documents, Washington, DC 20402-9328. Many federal agencies offer publications of interest to small businesses. There is a nominal fee for some, but most are free. Below is a selected list of government agencies that provide publications and other services targeted to small businesses. To get their publications, contact the regional offices listed in the telephone directory or write to the addresses below: Consumer Information Center (CIO) P. O. Box 100 Pueblo, CO 81002 The CIO offers a consumer information catalog of federal publications. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) Publications Request Washington, DC 20207 The CPSC offers guidelines for product safety requirements. U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) 12th Street and Independence Avenue, SW Washington, DC 20250 The USDA offers publications on selling to the USDA. Publications and programs on entrepreneurship are also available through county extension offices nationwide. U. S. Department of Commerce (DOC) Office of Business Liaison 14th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW Room 5898C Washington, DC 20230 DOCs Business Assistance Center provides listings of business opportunities available in the federal government. This service also will refer businesses to different programs and services in the DOC and other federal agencies. U. S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Public Health Service Alcohol, Drug Abuse and Mental Health Administration 5600 Fishers Lane Rockville, MD 20857 Drug Free Workplace Helpline: 1-800-843-4971. Provides information on Employee Assistance Programs. National Institute for Drug Abuse Hotline: 1-800-662-4357. Provides information on preventing substance abuse in the workplace. The National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information: 1-800-729-6686 toll-free. Provides pamphlets and resource materials on substance abuse. U. S. Department of Labor (DOL) Employment Standards Administration 200 Constitution Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20210 The DOL offers publications on compliance with labor laws. U. S. Department of Treasury Internal Revenue Service (IRS) P. O. Box 25866 Richmond, VA 23260 1-800-424-3676 The IRS offers information on tax requirements for small businesses. U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Small Business Ombudsman 401 M Street, SW (A-149C) Washington, DC 20460 1-800-368-5888 except DC and VA 703-557-1938 in DC and VA The EPA offers more than 100 publications designed to help small businesses understand how they can comply with EPA regulations. U. S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) FDA Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition 200 Charles Street, SW Washington, DC 20402 The FDA offers information on packaging and labeling requirements for food and food-related products. For More Information A librarian can help you locate the specific information you need in reference books. Most libraries have a variety of directories, indexes and encyclopedias that cover many business topics. They also have other resources, such as ! Trade association information Ask the librarian to show you a directory of trade associations. Associations provide a valuable network of resources to their members through publications and services such as newsletters, conferences and seminars. Books Many guidebooks, textbooks and manuals on small business are published annually. To find the names of books not in your local library check Books In Print, a directory of books currently available from publishers. Magazine and newspaper articles Business and professional magazines provide information that is more current than that found in books and textbooks. There are a number of indexes to help you find specific articles in periodicals. ! ! In addition to books and magazines, many libraries offer free workshops, lend skill-building tapes and have catalogues and brochures describing continuing education opportunities.

Big Picture Questions in ACT Reading Whats the Main Point

Big Picture Questions in ACT Reading What's the Main Point SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips On ACT Reading, you'll encounter questions that ask you to be able to read large amounts of text and distill them down; we call these "big picture" questions here at PrepScholar. Big picture questions can ask about the entire passage, a series of paragraph, or even just one paragraph (as opposed to "little picture" questions, which will ask for specific information). Being able to answer these types of questions will prove very useful for college/university, where professors will expect you to use these skills with even more dense and academic writing. What are â€Å"big picture† questions on ACT Reading, and what are the best ways to approach answering them? I’ll start by discussing the two primary types of big picture questions you’ll encounter on the ACT, along with common ways the ACT will ask you about each. After that, I’ll give you some strategies to answer both types of questions, illustrated with examples from prose fiction and academic writing. feature image credit: The Bigger Picture by F Delventhal, used under CC BY 2.0/Cropped from original. Type 1: Main Point Questions First of all, what is the main point of a passage or paragraph? For Social Science, Humanities, and Natural Science passages, the main point is the central argument. It's a little more complicated for Prose Fiction or Literary narrative, since they don’t always have central arguments; for these passage types, the main point is often the central conflict and its implications. If you're stumped, it can also sometimes help to think of the main point of a Prose Fiction/Literary Narrative passage as a short summary of what happens, or even the â€Å"moral of the story.† Questions that ask you about the main point are not asking about the topic, or theme, of the writing, but are instead looking for something more specific. The main point should answer the question, â€Å"so what’s the author’s point in this paragraph/passage?† in a short sentence. Identifying Main Point Questions It’s usually pretty clear when you’re being asked about the main point of a passage. The wording will go something like the following (all extracted from and modified from actual SAT questions): â€Å"Which of the following statements best expresses the main idea of the passage?† â€Å"The primary focus of lines 65-92 is..." "The author’s main purpose in lines 54-69 is to show..." â€Å"The main theme of this passage concerns the...† â€Å"The main idea of the first paragraph is that the music of the video game Portal...† Main Point Questions: Examples Let’s take an example from a paper I wrote during graduate school (minus footnotes). I’ll even include introductory material, similar to what you might find on the ACT. This paragraph is excerpted from the paper â€Å"‘This was a triumph:’ Narrative and dynamic uses of music in Portal† by Laura Staffaroni ( ©2013 by Laura Staffaroni). This paper was written as the final assignment for a Research and Materials class. In general, because Portal is a puzzle game, it might be expected to lack a strong narrative; this, however, is not the case. While the gameplay is focused on the solving each level’s puzzle, you are also provided with tantalizing bits of story in the form of dialogue spoken to you by GLADoS, the AI directing the â€Å"tests.† Bits of the story are revealed over the course of the game in this way, picking up with the introduction of secret rooms with writing on the walls and the adorable but deadly turrets. So what’s the main point of this paragraph? If you just go with what the topic is, then your answer might be something like â€Å"games,† or even â€Å"the video game Portal.† *buzzer* EHHHHHH. WRONG. Remember, the main point should be able to answer the question "What's the author's point in this paragraph?" The answer to that question will be something like "The author is arguing that [main point]." So "the video game Portal" doesn't even make sense as an answer - "The author is arguing that the video game Portal" is not a complete sentence, which means "the video game Portal" cannot be the main point of this paragraph. Here's my short answer for what I think the main point of that paragraph is: Portal is a puzzle game that also has a narrative. This successfully answers the question "what is the author's point in this paragraph?" in a way that makes sense: the author is arguing that Portal is a puzzle game that also has a narrative. I will go into strategies for how to extract this information from a paragraph or passage in a little bit. For now, let’s take a look at another example, this time from prose fiction. This paragraph is excerpted from the short story â€Å"Writer’s Block† by Laura Staffaroni ( ©2009 Laura Staffaroni). This story was written as an assignment for a Creative Writing class. Emma gave her friend a glare that conveyed both her disbelief and annoyance. Really, sometimes Rachel could be a bit melodramatic, as shown by, oh, EVERYTHING she had just said and done. If anyone had trouble writing, it was her, Emma. When given a prompt, Rachel’s pen would start racing back and forth across the page like a ping-pong ball on a string, going to the right right right AND back to the left, where the metaphorical paddle awaited. Meanwhile, Emma would be sitting with her pen pushed into the paper, hoping for a few sentences or paragraphs in half an hour. It just didn’t seem fair. Now Rachel was worried about writing? It was probably a ploy, some kind of act she was putting on, so that when she ended up producing a three-page story in the space of fifteen minutes everyone would feel especially awed. What’s the main point, or primary focus, of this paragraph? If you go with â€Å"theme,† your answer might be along the lines of â€Å"jealousy,† or â€Å"writing.† Again, this is not specific enough to be correct. The answer to the question "What's the main point of this paragraph?" should be able to give a person who hasn’t read the paragraph a good idea of what goes on in it, not just what it’s about. So what’s the focus of this paragraph? Again, that can be answered with just a short statement: Emma’s jealousy of Rachel’s ability to write a lot quickly. What about the main point? The main point is that Emma is jealous of Rachel's ability to write a lot quickly. 1961 Triumph TR3A by The Car Spy, used under CC BY-SA 2.0/Cropped from original. Type 2: Perspective Questions Rather than asking about â€Å"what happened†, perspective questions ask â€Å"what is the perspective, attitude, or point of view of the [person, narrator, author], shown in this [paragraph, series of paragraphs, passage]?† These questions are a little different from main point questions (and occur less frequently than main point questions), but since answering them requires you to synthesize large amounts of information down into one central point, perspective questions are still big picture questions. It's a subtle distinction, but it is important to make a note of whether a question is a main point or perspective question, particularly if it is asking about a paragraph, rather than the whole passage. Why? Because it's entirely possible that a single paragraph is from a particular character/person's point of view, and that person's opinion may differ from the objective reality presented in the rest of the passage. Identifying Perspective Questions Here are a couple examples of how a perspective question might be phrased on the SAT: "The passage is written from the point of view of..." "Based on the passage, which of the following statements best describes the overall attitude of the narrator?" Perspective Questions: Examples Let’s use the example of my paper on Portal again. This paragraph is excerpted from the paper â€Å"‘This was a triumph:’ Narrative and dynamic uses of music in Portal† by Laura Staffaroni ( ©2013 by Laura Staffaroni). This paper was written as the final assignment for a Research and Materials class. In general, because Portal is a puzzle game, it might be expected to lack a strong narrative; this, however, is not the case. While the gameplay is focused on the solving each level’s puzzle, you are also provided with tantalizing bits of story in the form of dialogue spoken to you by GLADoS, the AI directing the â€Å"tests.† Bits of the story are revealed over the course of the game in this way, picking up with the introduction of secret rooms with writing on the walls and the adorable but deadly turrets. Question: â€Å"The passage is written from the point of view of...† Correct answer: This passage is written from the point of view of†¦a dispassionate narrator describing a component of Portal’s gameplay. True. The narrator doesn't appear to have particularly strong feelings about Portal, and the excerpt describes an aspect of the gameplay (that you get bits of story through dialogue). Incorrect answer: This passage is written from the point of view of†¦GLADoS, the AI. No. The passage mentions GLADoS, but isn’t written from her POV. Incorrect answer: This passage is written from the point of view of†¦a narrator unhappy that Portal is different from all other puzzle games. No. The narrator mentions that Portal is a puzzle game, but doesn’t mention that it is different from all other puzzle games, nor does the narrator seem unhappy about this. Here's a prose fiction example, again using the passage from before: This paragraph is excerpted from the short story â€Å"Writer’s Block† by Laura Staffaroni ( ©2009 Laura Staffaroni). This story was written as an assignment for a Creative Writing class. Emma gave her friend a glare that conveyed both her disbelief and annoyance. Really, sometimes Rachel could be a bit melodramatic, as shown by, oh, EVERYTHING she had just said and done. If anyone had trouble writing, it was her, Emma. When given a prompt, Rachel’s pen would start racing back and forth across the page like a ping-pong ball on a string, going to the right right right AND back to the left, where the metaphorical paddle awaited. Meanwhile, Emma would be sitting with her pen pushed into the paper, hoping for a few sentences or paragraphs in half an hour. It just didn’t seem fair. Now Rachel was worried about writing? It was probably a ploy, some kind of act she was putting on, so that when she ended up producing a three-page story in the space of fifteen minutes everyone would feel especially awed. Question: â€Å"Based on the passage, which of the following statements best describes the overall attitudes of Rachel and Emma?† Correct answer: Emma does not believe Rachel’s anxiety is real. True: Emma thinks that Rachel's worrying about writing is an an "act [Rachel is] "putting on", which means it is not a real emotion. Incorrect answer: Rachel likes writing, while Emma doesn’t. Possibly true, but not directly supported by anything in the paragraph. Incorrect answer: Rachel is manic and exuberant, while Emma is depressed and calm. Again, maybe true, but not apparent from this paragraph alone. Warning: Main Point and Perspective ≠  Function Warning by Stefano Brivio, used under CC BY 2.0. Main point and perspective questions are different from function questions. Instead of asking "what's the point," function questions usually ask "what does this [line, sentence, paragraph] DO?" Rather than asking "What is the perspective from which the author is arguing her point?" (a perspective question), you'll be asked questions about the author’s purpose: â€Å"why is the author writing this?† Example: "The main idea of the first paragraph is..." You can translate this to "What does this paragraph say,† a main point question. Compare to: "Which of the following best describes the way the fifth paragraph (lines 48–54) functions in the passage as a whole?" You can translate this to "What does this paragraph do," a function question. On the other hand, sometimes main point questions can masquerade as function questions. Take this example (1): "1. In terms of the passage as a whole, one of the main functions of the third paragraph (lines 13-19) is to suggest that... A. ER’ s successes in various professional pursuits helped prepare her to take action in the political world.B. ER had avoided the political spotlight in her personal pursuits.C. ER had competing and conflicting interests during her first year as first lady.D. while ER had many personal accomplishments, little could have prepared her for life as the first lady." Even though the question has the word "function" in its wording, it is actually asking about the main idea of the paragraph. How can you tell? Compare the above question to a similarly-worded function question (2): "2. The function of the first paragraph in relation to the passage as a whole is to: A. orient the reader to the subject of longitude by explaining how longitude is determined at sea.B. explain the political significance of developing an accurate way of determining longitude.C. establish that longitude calculations are necessary to determine time in two different places at once. D. introduce a discussion of how knowledge of Earth’s position relative to the Sun was gained in the process of advances in timekeeping. " The difference is in both the wording of the question and in the answer choices presented. If you reduce the questions down to their basic strucutre, example 1 asks "what does this paragraph SUGGEST (what does this paragraph say)?" By contrast, example 2 asks "What is this paragraph's FUNCTION (what does this paragraph DO)?" The answer choices are also telling: function questions often have answer choices in the form of "verb a noun" (in this case, "orient the reader," "explain the political significance," "establish that longitude calculations are necessary," and "introduce a discussion"). Main point questions, on the other hand, have answer choices that answer the question "what's the point?" For more on the distinction between big picture and function questions, check back soon for my ACT Reading function questions article. Now that you know what big picture questions are, though, how do you go about answering them? Strategies For Answering Big Picture Questions The strategy you use to answer big picture questions depends on how you read the passage. If you have enough time to read each passage in full and answer questions afterwards without feeling rushed, then you should be trying to figure out the main point and author perspective as you read. You can do a quick check to see if there will be any questions about it first, but even if there aren’t any questions that directly ask you about the main point, it can be helpful in answering other questions (more on that later). If you read the questions first, you may be able to get a sense of what the big picture is just by the questions asked. If you skim the passage, then attack questions, you should focus on just the key information the first time through But how do you know what the key information is? Read on to find out! Check The Introduction and Conclusion For questions about non-Prose Fiction/Literary Narrative passages, chances are that if the author’s done a good job, the main point and perspective should be clear in the conclusion, if not the introduction as well. This can, of course, be true for Prose Fiction/Literary Narrative passages as well, but since it isn’t as essential to the construction of a successful piece of prose fiction or literary narrative, an author won't always structure her writing that way. When finding the main point of a single paragraph, on the other hand, this rule gets a little fuzzy. Sometimes there will be direction-changing words in the middle of the paragraph that are essential to understanding the main point - words you might miss if you only focus on the introduction and conclusion sentences. Last sentences also often try to take the argument a step beyond what has been discussed in the article, placing it in a broader context. Still, the introduction and conclusion can be helpful as places to start. If the introduction and conclusion seem to contradict each other, that is a clear sign that you need to dig deeper into the passage/paragraph to find the main point. Use Key Words It makes intuitive sense that you’d want to note where the author says things like â€Å"important† or â€Å"significant† – those things probably are important (or even significant). You can also uncover key information, however, by paying attention to words and phrases that signal changes of direction, like â€Å"in contrast,† â€Å"while,† â€Å"however,† and so on; because the information associated with these words contrasts with what came before, it often is important. Key words can help you get to the meat of the issue by helping you avoid the trap of just reading the first sentence of a paragraph and assuming that is what it will be about. Let's take yet another look at my Portal paper for an example of this. In general, because Portal is a puzzle game, it might be expected to lack a strong narrative; this, however, is not the case. While the gameplay is focused on the solving each level’s puzzle, you are also provided with tantalizing bits of story in the form of dialogue spoken to you by GLADoS, the AI directing the â€Å"tests.† Bits of the story are revealed over the course of the game in this way, picking up with the introduction of secret rooms with writing on the walls and the adorable but deadly turrets. The beginning sentence of this paragraph basically says that Portal doesn’t have a strong narrative. The â€Å"however† later on in that same sentence should catch your eye....however, as should the following sentence that starts with â€Å"While†, because they indicate that something in contrast to the opening statement is being presented. Don't ever abandon a paragraph without double-checking for contrast words.  ©2013 Laura Staffaroni. Answer In Your Own Words If you come across a question that asks you a big picture question, try to formulate the answer using your own words before you look at the test's answer choices, relying only on what you read in the passage or paragraph, not on things that COULD BE true but aren’t supported. Then, when you go to look at the answer choices, see which one best matches the answer you came up with in your own words. If you use this strategy, however, you have to be careful not to oversimplify when you answer the question in your own words. Remember, the central argument is the specific point the author is making, not a general topic or theme. Use as few words as possible to write down your version of the answer – after all, you don’t want to waste too much time on something that won’t be graded – while still being precise. It can be a tough balance to maintain at first, but practice makes it easier. Putting Strategies To Use: A Final Big Picture Example Let’s end by taking a look at the conclusion paragraph of my Portal paper and seeing if we can extract the main point from it, using some of the strategies I mentioned above. This paragraph is the conclusion of the paper â€Å"‘This was a triumph:’ Narrative and dynamic uses of music in Portal† by Laura Staffaroni ( ©2013 by Laura Staffaroni). The paper was written as the final assignment for a Research and Materials class. Overall, the music of Portal tends to fit more within a narrative framework than it does the ideal of interactivity. The use of an ambient musical soundtrack, silences, musical dialogue, non-ambient music for dramatic effect and underscoring of characters’ psychological states, and thematic music for narrative continuity and as a way to transition in and out of the game world all serve narrative purposes. Yet, like many other current game music composers, the composers of Portal created a paradigm wherein â€Å"the music and sound effects are responding to the needs of the game and the gameplayer† by creating tracks like â€Å"Procedural Jiggle Bone† that are able both to loop back into themselves and to move on to other tracks without a problem. This dichotomy confirms that the best way to analyze the music in Portal is not by applying any one analytical schema to it, but instead to assess what the most important elements of the game are and decide from there wh at methods of analysis are most appropriate. Perhaps the way music functions in Portal is best summed up by Whalen’s description of how music should function in general when it comes to digital games: â€Å"By simultaneously enriching the worlds of video games and assisting the player’s navigating the syntagmatic structure of video games, music is essential to the semantic operations of a video game as an interactive story.† If the music in Portal did not both provide narrative structure and respond to each player’s interaction with the game, it would not have been nearly as engaging and successful a game. Whew, that’s a lot of words. Where should I start if I want to figure out the main point of the paragraph? Step 1: check out intro and conclusion sentences: Intro: â€Å"Overall, the music of Portal tends to fit more within a narrative framework than it does the ideal of interactivity.† Conclusion: â€Å"If the music in Portal did not both provide narrative structure and respond to each player’s interaction with the game, it would not have been nearly as engaging and successful a game.]† Do these sentences support each other or contradict each other? My thinking: First sentence says music in Portal fits better with narrative framework than interactivity (whatever I meant by that); last sentence says music in Portal has both narrative structure and interaction parts. Hmm. Better go deeper to double check. Step 2: Look for direction words. Here's a sentence that begins with "yet," a direction word: â€Å"Yet, like many other current game music composers, the composers of Portal created a paradigm wherein â€Å"the music and sound effects are responding to the needs of the game and the gameplayer† by creating tracks like â€Å"Procedural Jiggle Bone† that are able both to loop back into themselves and to move on to other tracks without a problem.† Yikes. This is saying that the composers for Portal’s music did†¦something†¦to make music that could loop and also go on to other tracks. This is sort of contradicting the opening sentence (responding to the needs of the game is interactive, but the opening sentence says the game isn’t interactive). Also, that seems way too detailed to be a main point. Are there any other direction words? Aha, next sentence! "but instead": â€Å"This dichotomy confirms that the best way to analyze the music in Portal is not by applying any one analytical schema to it, but instead to assess what the most important elements of the game are and decide from there what methods of analysis are most appropriate.† [bolding mine] This says you shouldn’t just analyze Portal in one way, which seems to support the conclusion sentence. Good sign. Step 3: Answer in your own words. My thoughts: Main point is that music in Portal is used in both narrative and interactive ways (can’t just go with one or the other). Time to look at the actual answer choices... The main idea of the last paragraph is that the music in Portal: A. was a key factor in the game’s success B. occurs as a way of maintaining narrative continuity C. can be analyzed from a narrative or interactivity perspective D. results entirely from interactions between player and game My thoughts: A: could be true, but not really what this paragraph is about B: true, but that’s not the main idea C: true, and that’s close to how I phrased the main idea D: no, that’s entirely wrong. So the answer must be C. (and so it is) August 25th "The Big Picture We've Done It_I'm a World Record Holder!" by Amanda Slater, used under CC BY-SA 2.0/Cropped from original. In Conclusion... Big picture questions require being able to scan a text and sum up â€Å"what’s the point.† Knowing the main point or perspective of a paragraph, series of paragraphs, or passage can be useful for answering other types of questions, especially function and author technique questions; on occasion, knowing the main point/perspective can also be helpful for little picture, vocab-in-context, and inference questions as well. No matter how you approach the passage, use the strategies of checking intro/conclusion, looking for key words, and coming up with the main point in your own words to help you answer main point and perspective questions. What’s Next? Are these strategies fine in theory...but in real life, you always run out of time when reading (especially on the ACT)? Discover how to avoid that terrible fate here. Want more in depth guides like this? Check out our articles on other ACT Reading skills types, starting with vocab-in-context questions! What are the other types of questions you’ll find on the ACT Reading, and what’s the best way to read the passage to answer them? We have ways of making you...read the passage effectively. Find out what's actually tested on ACT Reading here. Want to improve your ACT score by 4 points? Check out our best-in-class online ACT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your ACT score by 4 points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes what you study to your strengths and weaknesses. If you liked this Reading lesson, you'll love our program.Along with more detailed lessons, you'll get thousands ofpractice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. Check out our 5-day free trial:

One Word Can Mar Your Meaning

One Word Can Mar Your Meaning One Word Can Mar Your Meaning One Word Can Mar Your Meaning By Mark Nichol Each of the three sentences shown below contains a minor error that nevertheless muddles the intended meaning. The discussion following each example identifies the problem and sets up a resolving revision. 1. â€Å"Instead of focusing on rebuilding the Republican Party, she said that party leaders should focus on rebuilding the middle class.† This sentence implies that the person referred to opted to make the recommendation to party leaders in lieu of focusing on rebuilding the party; the action of focusing is erroneously assigned to her. What the writer meant to write is that the subject recommended that party leaders rebuild the middle class rather than the party. Omission of that after the attribution â€Å"she said† clarifies this meaning: â€Å"Instead of focusing on rebuilding the Republican Party, she said, party leaders should focus on rebuilding the middle class.† 2. â€Å"The project would cost $250 million to $300 million to build and receive a $400 million endowment upon opening.† According to this sentence, the project’s $250–$300 million budget would be used to build and receive an endowment. But two distinct facts are mentioned about the project: It would require $250–$300 million to build, and it would receive an additional $400 million as an endowment after completion of the building. To clearly state this meaning, the sentence’s parallel structure must be bolstered with a second use of would, between the conjunction and and the verb in the second clause: â€Å"The project would cost $250 million to $300 million to build and would receive a $400 million endowment upon opening.† 3. â€Å"If you’re interested in learning more about her work, the scholar who has delved most deeply into it is John Smith.† OK, this revision involves swapping in two words for one, but the mistake is as small and as easy to overlook as those in the examples above. This statement illustrates a subtle error known as a false conditional: The sentence is structured so that the identity of the most deeply delving scholar is contingent on your interest in learning more about someone else’s work; if you’re not interested, apparently, John Smith loses that distinction. By changing the way the sentence refers to your potential interest, this logical fallacy is erased: â€Å"In case you’re interested in learning more about her work, the scholar who has delved most deeply into it is John Smith.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Writing Basics category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Grammar Test 1225 Foreign Phrases to Inspire YouWhat Is a Doctor?

Correctional Officers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 3

Correctional Officers - Essay Example In many cases female candidates with many years of work experience and efficiency were not allowed to be promoted only because of the reason that they were females. The ability of the female correctional officers will often be questioned by the administration and they are always doubted by the male co-workers. The female correctional officers will have to work extra hard to prove themselves.    Because of the nature of work and the high stress level in the corrections, it will be difficult to leave work at the workplace and therefore it becomes difficult for them to relax at home. Women are mostly not hired in male prisons because of the growing concern about their security and safety and there is also a possibility of violation of privacy of the inmates. The male prison administrators and the male guards found the presence of women as a problem. The courts have often recognized that there is always a possibility of assault on female correctional officers. There is also inequality in job  assignments to the women correctional officers especially in cases where there is a need of direct contact with the inmates. â€Å"The ambiguous and contradictory court rulings have provided no clear, definitive direction for resolution of the conflict between the equal employment rights of women correctional officers and the privacy rights of male inmates† (Tewksbury & Collins, 2013). Some of the researchers are of the view that the amount of psychological stress faced by the female officers has caused health concerns for them. The experience of the women correctional officers is complicated and filled with broken barriers. The male superior officers also sometimes do not provide the important information with respect to inmate interaction, which can help them to succeed professionally. The amount of freedom provided to the female correctional officers is minimum and they are made to work for longer hours. Senior male officers also disregard them in the context of their training and their social interactions and they also tend to exercise excessive supervision on them. The environment in the  correctional system does not give the required trust and respect to female officers. The possibility  of   sexual harassment by the inmates as well as colleagues is also another problem faced by the female correctional officers. Question 28 of 30 Summarize the management problems that special need inmates pose for corrections officials?   For this study, the special â€Å"populations are defined as those prisoners who exhibit unique physical, mental, social, and programmatic needs that distinguish them from other prisoners and for whom jail and prison management and staff have to respond to in nontraditional and innovative ways† (Stojkovic, 2005, p. 3). Correction officials are most often unable to effectively manage and supervise special need population of prisoners. The methods of management of the special need prisoners by the correctio nal leaders are many times questioned. Traditional methods of treatment of prisoners will not suit special needs inmates. In the traditional method, the issues of physical and mental health are not primary consideration. If the special needs population has to be effectively managed, the existing policies will have to be altered and innovative methods adopted.

Leonardo Da Vincis journey to a master of art Research Proposal

Leonardo Da Vincis journey to a master of art - Research Proposal Example He was the dishonest son of Messer Piero Fruosino di Antonio da Vinci, a Florentine legal representative and Caterina, who was a peasant. Leonardo had no last name in the contemporary way, though ‘da Vinci’ plainly meaning ‘of Vinci’ was his family name given to him, â€Å"Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci†, which means â€Å"Leonardo, son of Piero from Vinci.† A little bit is acknowledged regarding his early days, which has been the focus of past speculation by a lot of historians. When Leonardo was five years old, he went to reside in the house of his father, along with his grandparents and uncle namely Francesco, in a little town of Vinci, where his father had wedded with a sixteen year old girl, Albiera. She loved Leonardo however unluckily she passed away in a young age3. Just two events of his early days are recorded. First one, which he observed as a portent, was when a kite crashed from the skies and floated above his cradle, its tail feat hers combing his face. The second confrontation took place while he was traveling around in the mountains. He found a cave and documented his feelings at being, on one hand, frightened that a number of huge monsters may wait there and at the same time, motivated by inquisitiveness to find out what was in the cave4. In 1466, when he was fourteen, Leonardo was trained by one of the most victorious artiste of his time named as Andrea di Cione, also identified as Verrocchio. The workshop of this famous teacher was in the mid of the scholarly currents of Florence, declaring the little Leonardo of an education in the subject of humanities. As a trainee, Leonardo would have been educated in all the innumerable talents that were engaged in a customary workshop. Though a lot of craftsmen concentrated in work for example frame-making, gilding and bronze casting. Leonardo would have been uncovered to a huge variety of technical abilities and had the chance to study drafting,

Finding the Exception Essay Example for Free

Finding the Exception Essay â€Å"I remember riding my bike to school every day and seeing those two men working on their bicycles in their garage, little did I know that they would be the founders of the Trek Bicycle Corporation.† My mother told this to me a few months back when we were reminiscing on the good ol days. Waterloo, one of the smallest towns I have ever been too, is home to the success of French history. Its Trek bicycles are now the Tour de France winning frames that brought Lance Armstrong his victories and brought the midwest its spotlight on making the first American bike frames to win the worlds most prestigious bicycle race. By 1984, Trek was at its peak and sales were around $20,000 with approximately fifty thousand Treks being sold in the United States (Burke, 2012). However â€Å"Trek had grown arrogant, and the problems were starting to show† (Burke, 2012). Within business success lies problems and for this company the early years presented many because Trek did not like the bicycle retailers that they were dealing with, they had no brand strategy, and they had no money to advertise It seems that the most successful businesses start with the passion of at least one person. For Trek it was the vision of Richard Burke and Bevel Hogg. Burke was a former accountant that took interest in investments. Hogg was the owner of a Midwestern chain of bicycle stores. While Burke spent 15 years perfecting his business skills with Roth Corporation in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Hogg was growing tired of the retail business while keeping his heart with bicycles. Burke had a passion for outdoor recreation which drove him toward the bicycle market. During a meeting between the two men in 1975 when they sought to solve the issue of foreign made product. Their main competitor at the time was Schwinn bu this company dominated the specialty retail market but their bikes were Japanese made. Burke and Hogg wanted to sell American-made product for the same specialty. The company began as a five-person operation in a barn and is now a globally oriented company with distribution in 65 countries and over 1500 employees worldwide. What made the Trek bicycle so unique? Their mission was and still is simple, build the best bikes in the world. The frame sets were handmade from steel. The style was adopted from a European brazing style with its own American flavor. Tim Issac, an early frame engineer, said that a Trek bicycle could be identified without any paint on it. The company was blessed with the right designers and tolling infrastructure to use exactly the right materials to create such unique frame sets. The company had successfully found a way to distinguish itself. â€Å"In order to succeed, you cannot just sell any brand; you need to produce something special† (Burke, 2012, p. 4). Once this is established its time to settle on a distribution channel to ensure customers are being reached. At the time, Penn Cycle, outside of Minneapolis, Minnesota was Treks dealer. What attracted this dealer to Trek was that not only did this bicycle manufacturer provide lightweight, advanced bicycles, but they were also made in the United States. Market shares were quickly gaining from the Japanese and European competitors and the company was gaining dealers from Madison to San Francisco and sales had grown to over $1,000,000. After expanding the facility to allow for assembly lines and paint factories, reshaping the entire business, the company was able to hire its first true sales representatives and there in lies its customer service foundation. In 1981, sales doubles and again in 1982. In 1983, the company was already building additions to the factory. The business growth inspired a movements on the West Coast in corporations like Gary Fisher. Then in 1985, sales were over $20,000,000 But, as with any fast lane growth, Trek was facing a net loss for the second year straight. The totals sales in 1984 did not meet expectations and quality control was lacking which angered retailers. The assembly line was built but   it seemed as thought the company didnt know how to keep it moving forward. On top of that the turn over rate was lacking. John Burke, the son of Richard Burke, who worked for his fathers business remembers writing orders and them showing up at the customer two weeks later but yet having other orders written on prior sales call that still were not arriving to the customers (Burke, 2012, p. 10). The quality in the company was deteriorating. There were paint problems, frames were out of alignment, credits that were promised were not going through, etc. â€Å"I worked hard and sold a lot of product but the problems from the home office kept mounting† (Burke, 2012). Retailers were becoming more and more upset which pushed Trek even harder and the company was falling apart. Customer services makes or brakes a company in the retail world and Treks mission was to make every customer happy. It was up to their customer service department to bring this company back up and that is exactly what John Burke did. He knew that they needed to regain their focus, and that he needed to take a more active role in the companies day-to-day operations. A lot of options were being faced which included closing the operation and liquidating the business, sell the company, or turn it around. â€Å"We decided to roll up our sleeves and get it done (Burke, 2012). There is one method in business that seems to always prevail and that is the back-to-basics approach. Build a quality product, at a competitive value, that can be delivered on time while maintaining a positive work environment for customers and employees. Most importantly, deliver profit. The company first needed to start shipping orders on the same day. Cross training is always an excellent tool and this was a perfect opportunity for the business-suited employees to start putting their hand in on the factory work. The factory would get backed up and so the office workers would go into the warehouse and make sure that orders were fulfilled. Saturdays may seem like a day of rest for some but for Trek to succeed it had to require work on the weekends. Not only were deadlines met but lousy product needed to stop making it out the door. This truly shows the customer that their needs are  being met no matter what it takes. Organizational buying process is such an important business practice. With the many years of developed partnerships Trek has established, the company now has suppliers around the world that allow the fulfillment of demands of the product line. In the 1980s, when Trek was struggling, they were overlooking one very important aspect of their customer relationships-what is the actual value of their product? They were not going to their buyers and simply asking if they could help them find a vendor based on the value they were proposing. One a vendor is found there is some research that is to be done as well. Does this vendor have good history? Who has worked with them in the past? Is there opportunity to save some money in the mean time? Reliable quality product is what businesses thrive on. Any product that is overpriced needs to be discontinued and new products need to be developed that hit the right price points. â€Å"When potential suppliers are identified, theyre evaluated on four criteria: quality, delivery, capability, price, and environmental impact of their production process† (Kerin, 2005). In an industry such as bicycle production, the operational approach to management is essential. This approach is dedicated to improving efficiency, cutting waste, and improving quality (Kreitner Cassidy, 2011). By staying in line with business ethics, the manager of Trek would have put more energy into building better product so that it would support the challenges faced today such as limited mobility, issues with the environment, and now more than ever, issues with health. Essentially the bike must work well. If the name Trek is one it then there is quality behind it and this quality needs to be adhered to in the warehouse during production. At the time, Trek probably could not have seen that the bicycle would become the simple solution to all of these things but just as we embrace the availability of such innovation, managers of any business should be at least two steps ahead as to almost predict the future, therefore focusing on sustaining the reputable quality product that the c ompany originated from. In 1988, Trek introduced the Model 1200 aluminum road bike. This was the turning point for the company. This was true quality at a very competitive price. The original dollar amount was $500. Originally the company planned to sell 3,000 of these models but at the end of the year 12,000 were sold. This is when a business needs to reevaluate its retail margin. What goals are being made to improve the amount of retailers and what is the target date? Buyer centers then need to help the company find vendors to find the right place to sell new product. New strategic visions for new models and components builds a better business. Trek was learning, slowly but surely, that they needed to look at their own processes, understand how they make their product, how they source their product, and how they will continue to bring their product to the market and maybe at the end of the day, saving a dollar or two. How could Trek build bicycles that last longer, maybe even use recycles tires. Every business has room for improvement. Business owners should always be looking for ways to bring new technology and solutions into the marketplace. By 1996 Trek was now over $300 million in sales. At this point in the time the company was expanded in Europe to include Japan. However, when there is sunshine expect rain and when there is rain expect for sun. After Trek ramped up their budgets by 20 percent in 1996, 20% more product was to be produced. Sales forecasts were starting to get missed which left inventory levels shooting through the roof. The company was yet again out of balance. There were more bikes in inventory than sales. Every year bicycle products are expected to change, therefore this high inventory of product needed to be discounted heavily in order for sales to continue. This only hurts profit margins. Basically what happened was that Trek grew too big too fast. Just about an hour away form Waterloo is the Whitewater Trek manufacturing plant. When this plant was first opened in 1995, the goal seemed to still be manufacturing low-price point bikes. â€Å"We got out of 1996 making a profit, but the future was no longer bright, and storm clouds were on the horizon† (Burke, 2012). Then numbers continued to look worse and worse as the years went on. Finally in 1998, Tim Callahan was hired on to Trek to take over manufacturing. He turned over Trek manufacturing that essentially saved the business, yet another time. The concept of Kaizen, Japanese for â€Å"continuous improvement† was used first to turn the Trek factories around. â€Å"In the gift-that-keeps-on-giving department, we took Kaizen to our dealer network and it has continued to make an amazing difference to this day† (Burke, 2012). Businesses to do not There was one other thing that added to Treks new found momentum in success. Trek signed a sponsorship deal with the US Postal Service to sponsor a bike team. Thanks to Lance Armstrong, who had a good group of riders, Trek appeared in the 1999 Tour de France. Lances winnings gave Trek the opportunity to show up on the front of Sports Illustrated and The New York Times, as well as on the Letterman show (Burke, 2012). Business was great until the year 2006. Production needed a facelift. How do you keep a product backed for years by consumers by maintaining its quality and reputation? For consumers of Trek bicycles, there is customer loyalty. Just like with Apple computer or Smart phones. Why such dedication from the customer? Trek figure out that to continue this relationship they would not only have to continue to build quality bicycles-the best in the world but they would provide their customers with quality products at competitive value that would be delivered on time. Just as with Apple computers, the product continues to prove itself in quality, never leaving the customer unsatisfied. IF there is a problem for whatever reason, dedication to customer sanctification shines the most by fixing whatever issue there may be in a timely fashion. When Senior Burke fired the management team and asked John to move back to Wisconsin to run Treks customer service department, he learned the value of maintaining relationships with retailers and customers.

Bosnia-Hercegovina :: World History Essays

Bosnia-Hercegovina Missing Works Cited The origin of the arms with the argent between 6 fleur-de-lys, which is now on the flag of the republic of Bosnia-Hercegovina, has long puzzled me, but they are in fact the arms of the Kotromanic family, which ruled Bosnia in the 14th and 1 5th centuries. Other arms have also been attributed to Bosnia in the 19th century. I finally thought of a way to get at this question of the origin of the current Bosnian flag: numismatics, of course. I found a book by one Ivan Rengjeo, Corpus der mittel-alterlichen Mnnzen von Kroatien, Slavonien, Dalmatien und Bosnien, Graz, 1959, which is as exhaustive as you can get on the topic (coins from those regions, that is). I have also consulted an article by Pavao Andelic on Medieval Seals of Bosnia-Hercegovina, in the monograph series of the Academy of Sciences and Arts of Bosnia-Hercegovina (Sarajevo, 1970),but it is in Serbo-Croat, so I can only look at the (numerous) illustra tions. What follows is a historical/heraldic account, pieced together from these sources, and a few encyclopedias. Bosnia was dominated alternatively by Serbia and, from the 12th c. onward, by Croatia (in personal union with Hungary) until the early 14th c. Typically, the king of Hungary and Croatia appointed bans, or local governors; and, in typical medieval fashion, these bans took advantage of any weakness of the central monarchy to carve out territories for themselves. In the early 14th c., the ban of Croatia was Pavao (Paul) Subic of Brebir or Breberio (a town in Dalmatia which was given to the family in 1222): his father and grandfather were counts or Trau or Trogir, his cousins were counts of Spalato or Split. This p owerful man titles himself ban of Croatia and dominus Bosniae, and appoints his brother Mladen I Subic (1302-04) and later his eldest son Mladen II (1312-14) as ban of Bosnia. His second son Georg was count of Trau and Split, his third son Pavao was count of Trau. By the third generation, however, the family had lost its power. This first dynasty of bans issued byzantine-style coins, with no heraldry. Their seals, however, show the Subic arms: an eagle wing displayed, and 5 flowers with stems as crest (mi sread by Siebmacher as ostrich-feathers). The style of the arms is very German, with the shield tilted to the left, a German helm, lambrequins, and a crest. There are no tinctures, but a junior branch issued from Pavao count of Trau, the Subic de Zrin, bo re Gules, two wings sable (an interesting violation of the s -called tincture rule).

Key Historical Developments in Nursing Research

IntroductionThe aim of this paper is to discus key historical developments in nursing research and nursing research utilization. The aforementioned events will be grouped into five categories, namely Nursing Research, Nursing Publications, Emergence of Nursing Schools, Establishment of Research Institutes, and Research Utilization. Two examples per category will be presented. Also, the paper will analyze how and to what extent the selected events have influenced nursing research.Nursing ResearchMany nursing theorists deserve being mentioned in this section, however, the selected ones produced the most significant impact on further nursing research and research utilization. Dorothea E. Orem, the author of Self-Care Deficit Nursing Theory, began its development in 1950’s. The theory holds that adults are generally expected to perform self-care themselves, but if they fail to do so, nursing should be provided. Another important theory, namely Modeling and Role-Modeling theory, wa s developed by Tomlin, Swain and Erickson. It was presented in a book, which was first published in 1983. Theoretical models exemplified the need for a new approach to nursing. They showed that nursing, like any other science, should be based onNursing PublicationsAmerican Journal of Nursing was first published in 1900. It is believed to be not only the oldest but also the most widely read nursing publication in the world. Slightly more than half a century later the first issue of Nursing Research, the official journal of the Eastern Nursing Research Society and the Western Institute of Nursing, was published in 1951. Professional journals are crucial for knowledge exchange among specialists from the given field. In addition, emergence of nursing journals legitimized nursing research as a separate field of study.Emergence of Nursing SchoolsYale School of Nursing established in 1923 was the first autonomous to teach and research nursing issues. In 1956 the Columbia University School of Nursing became first in the country to award a master's degree in a clinical nursing. All reputable nursing schools focus not only on teaching but also research. As the official website of Yale School of Nursing informs, the school â€Å"relies heavily on its deep tradition of excellence in research† and assures that at â€Å"one of the world's most distinguished research universities, scholarship reflects the interchange between practice and knowledge† (Yale School of Nursing, 2007, â€Å"Research and Scholarship†).Establishment of Research InstitutesWestern Institute of Nursing was established in 1957 as the Western Council on Higher Education for Nursing (WCHEN) and given its present name in 1985. It is best known as the organizer of the annual Communicating Nursing Research conference, the older event of such kind in the United States (The Western Institute of Nursing, 2007). The National Institute for Nursing Research (NINR) was founded in 1986 and playe d an important role in further advancement of nursing research by offering funding opportunities and coordinating the effort by many dispersed institutions. Both institutions offer small grants for nursing research and sustain a network of organizations and individuals involved in this research.Research UtilizationThere are different models of nursing research utilization, which were developed during the last four decades. Developed by the Michigan Nurses Association model referred to as Conduct and Utilization of Research in Nursing (CURN) advises determining the credibility of scientific studies before implementation (MacGuire, 2006). Historically, this method can be attributed to 1970s-1980s decades, since the most prominent works advocating this method, namely â€Å"Research utilization as an organizational process† (1978) by Horsley, Crane and Bingle, â€Å"Developing research-based innovation protocols: process, criteria, and issues† (1979) by Haller, Reynolds an d Horsley, and â€Å"Using Research to Improve Nursing Practice: A Guide† (1983) by Horsley, Crane, Crabtree and Wood appeared during these decades.The Stetler Model of Research Utilization and Iowa Model for Research in Practice appeared simultaneously in 1994 (Beyea & Nicoll, 1997). The first model establishes six-step model for nursing research utilization (preparation, validation, comparative evaluation, decision making, translation and application, and evaluation), while the latter is based on Quality Assurance Model Using Research (1987) and emphasizes multidisciplinary approach to evidence-based healthcare. The emergence of these models provided a clear framework for the implementation of nursing research findings into everyday nursing practice.ConclusionNursing research and nursing research utilization evolved over the centuries, yet the most important period in the history of nursing research started in the second half of the 20th centuries due to the emergence of sc ientific theories, specialized publications, nursing schools, and research institutes.ReferencesBeyea,  S.C., & Nicoll, L.H. (March 1997). â€Å"Research utilization models help disseminate research findings and ultimately improve patient outcomes.† AORN Journal, 65(5), 978-9.MacGuire, J.M. (2006). â€Å"Putting nursing research findings into practice: research utilization as an aspect of the management of change.† Journal of Advanced Nursing, 53 (1), 65-71.Yale School of Nursing. (May 25, 2007). Home Page. Retrieved June 17, 2007, from the World Wide Web: http://nursing.yale.edu/

Electrical Circuit

Electrical circuit  is a path which  electrons  from a  voltage  or  current  source flow. Electric current  flows in a closed path called an electric circuit. The point where those electrons enter an electrical circuit is called the â€Å"source† of electrons. The point where the electrons leave an electrical circuit is called the â€Å"return† or â€Å"earth ground†. The exit point is called the â€Å"return† because electrons always end up at the source when they complete the path of an electrical circuit.The part of an electrical circuit that is between the electrons' starting point and the point where they return to the source is called an electrical circuit's â€Å"load†. ————————————————- Electrical-circuits Electrical circuits usually use  alternating current  sources. The load of an electrical circuit may be as simple as the electrical appliances like refrigerators, televisions, or microwave ovens. But the loads for electrical circuits can also be quite complicated, such as the load upon the output of a hydroelectric power generating station. ———————————————— Electronic circuits Electronic  circuits usually use low voltage  direct current  sources. The load of an electronic circuit may be as simple as a few  resistors,capacitors, and a lamp, all connected together to create the flash in a  digital camera. Or an electronic circuit can be complicated, connecting thousands of resistors, capacitors, and  transistors  to create the  microprocessors  that make computers possible. ————————————————- Circuit-and-wiring-diagrams Electrical and electronic circui ts can be complicated.Making a drawing of the connections to all the component parts in the circuit's load makes it easier to understand how circuit components are connected. Drawings for electronic circuits are called â€Å"circuit diagrams†. Drawings for electrical circuits are called â€Å"wiring diagrams†. Circuit diagrams and wiring diagrams are usually drawn by skilleddraftsmen, and then printed. But they can also be simple pencil sketches drawn by  technicians  or other workers. Wiring and circuit diagrams use special  symbols  recognized by everyone who uses the drawings.The symbols on the drawings show how components like resistors, capacitors,  inductors, motors, outlet boxes, lights, switches, and other electrical and electronic ————————————————- Circuit-breakers The current flowing in an electrical or electronic circuit can be suddenly i ncreased when a component part fails. The increase in current can cause serious damage to other components in the circuit. Or the failure can create a fire hazard. To protect the other components, or to prevent a fire hazard, a device called a â€Å"circuit breaker† can be wired into a circuit.The circuit breaker will open, or â€Å"break†, the circuit in which it is installed when the current in that circuit becomes too high. ————————————————- [change]Ground-fault-interrupt-(GFI)-devices The standard return for electrical and electronic circuits is the earth ground. When an improperly designed electrical or electronic device fails, it may open the return circuit to the earth ground. The user of the device could become a part of the device's electrical circuit by providing a return path for the electrons through the user's body instead of the circuit's earth ground.When the user's body becomes part of an electrical circuit, the user can be seriously  shocked, or even killed by  electrocution. To prevent the danger of electrical shock and the possibility of electrocution, ground fault interrupt devices detect open circuits to earth ground in attached electrical or electronic devices. When an open circuit to earth ground is detected, the GFI device immediately opens the voltage source to the device. GFI devices are similar to circuit breakers, but are designed to protect humans rather than circuit components.

Mongolia Facts, Religion, Language, and History

Mongolia Facts, Religion, Language, and History Mongolia takes pride in its nomadic roots. Befitting this tradition, there are no major cities in the country other than Ulaan Baatar, the Mongolian capital. Government Since 1990, Mongolia has had a multi-party parliamentary democracy. All citizens over the age of 18 can vote.  The head of state is the President, but executive power is shared with the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister nominates the Cabinet, which is approved by the legislature. The legislative body is called the Great Hural, which is made up of 76 deputies. Mongolia has a civil law system that is based on the laws of Russia and continental Europe.  The highest court is the Constitutional Court, which primarily hears questions of constitutional law. Population Mongolias population rose above three million in the 2010s. An additional four million ethnic Mongols live in Inner Mongolia, which is part of China. Approximately 94 percent of the population of Mongolia are ethnic Mongols, mainly from the Khalkha clan. About nine percent of the ethnic Mongols come from the Durbet, Dariganga, and other clans.  An estimated five percent of Mongolian citizens are members of Turkic peoples, primarily Kazakhs and Uzbeks. There are also tiny populations of other minorities, including Tuvans, Tungus, Chinese, and Russians, which number at less than one percent each. Languages Khalkha Mongol is the official language of Mongolia and the primary language of 90 percent of Mongolians. Other tongues used in Mongolia include different dialects of Mongolian, Turkic languages (such as Kazakh, Tuvan, and Uzbek), and Russian. Khalkha is written with the Cyrillic alphabet. Russian is the most common foreign language spoken in Mongolia, although both English and Korean are used as well. Mongolian Religion The vast majority of Mongolians, around 94 percent of the population, practice Tibetan Buddhism. The Gelugpa, or Yellow Hat, school of Tibetan Buddhism gained prominence in Mongolia during the 16th century. Six percent of the Mongolian population are Sunni Muslim, mainly members of the Turkic minorities.  Two percent of Mongolians are Shamanist, following the traditional belief system of the region. Mongolian Shamanists worship their ancestors and the clear blue sky. The total makeup of Mongolias religions is above 100 percent because some Mongolians practice both Buddhism and Shamanism. Geography Mongolia is a land-locked country sandwiched between Russia and China. It covers an area of about 1,564,000 square kilometers, making it roughly the size of Alaska. Mongolia is known for its steppe lands. These are the dry, grassy plains that support the traditional Mongolian herding lifestyle. Some areas of Mongolia are mountainous, however, while others are desert. The highest point in Mongolia is Nayramadlin Orgil, at 4,374 meters (14,350 feet) tall. The lowest point is Hoh Nuur, at 518 meters (1,700 feet) tall. Climate Mongolia has a harsh continental climate with very little rainfall and wide seasonal temperature variations. Winters are long and bitterly cold in Mongolia, with average temperatures in January hovering around -30 C (-22 F). Capital Ulaan Bataar is the coldest and windiest nation capital on Earth. Summers are short and hot, and most precipitation falls during the summer months. Rain and snowfall totals are only 20-35 cm (8-14 inches) per year in the north and 10-20 cm (4-8 inches) in the south. Nevertheless, freak snowstorms sometimes drop more than a meter (3 feet) of snow, burying livestock. Economy The economy of Mongolia depends upon mineral mining, livestock and animal products, and textiles. Minerals are a primary export, including copper, tin, gold, molybdenum, and tungsten. The currency of Mongolia is the tugrik. History Mongolias nomadic people have at times hungered for goods from settled cultures - items such as fine metal-work, silk cloth, and weapons. To get these items, the Mongols would unite and raid surrounding peoples. The first great confederation was the Xiongnu, organized in 209 B.C. The Xiongnu were such a persistent threat to Chinas Qin Dynasty that the Chinese began work on a massive fortification: the Great Wall of China. In 89 A.D., the Chinese defeated the Northern Xiongnu at the Battle of Ikh Bayan. The Xiongnu fled west, eventually making their way to Europe. There, they became known as the Huns. Other tribes soon took their place. First the Gokturks, then the Uighurs, the Khitans, and the Jurchens gained ascendancy in the region. Mongolias fractious tribes were united in 1206 A.D. by a warrior named Temujin, who became known as Genghis Khan. He and his successors conquered most of Asia, including the Middle East, and Russia. The Mongol Empires strength waned after the overthrow of their centerpiece, the Yuan Dynasty rulers of China, in 1368. In 1691, the Manchus, founders of Chinas Qing Dynasty, conquered Mongolia. Although the Mongols of Outer Mongolia retained some autonomy, their leaders had to swear an oath of allegiance to the Chinese emperor.  Mongolia was a province of China between 1691 and 1911, and again from 1919 to 1921. The present-day border between Inner (Chinese) Mongolia and Outer (independent) Mongolia was drawn in 1727 when Russia and China signed the Treaty of Khiakta.  As the Manchu Qing Dynasty grew weaker in China, Russia began to encourage Mongolian nationalism. Mongolia declared its independence from China in 1911 when the Qing Dynasty fell. Chinese troops recaptured Outer Mongolia in 1919, while the Russians were distracted by their revolution. However, Moscow occupied Mongolias capital at Urga in 1921, and Outer Mongolia became a Peoples Republic under Russian influence in 1924.  Japan invaded Mongolia in 1939 but was thrown back by Soviet-Mongolian troops. Mongolia joined the UN in 1961. At that time, relations between the Soviets and Chinese were souring rapidly. Caught in the middle, Mongolia tried to remain neutral.  In 1966, the Soviet Union sent a large number of ground forces into Mongolia to face down the Chinese. Mongolia began to expel its ethnic Chinese citizens in 1983. In 1987, Mongolia began to pull away from the USSR. It established diplomatic relations with the U.S. and saw large-scale pro-democracy protests in 1989 and 1990. The first democratic elections for the Great Hural were held in 1990, and the first presidential election in 1993.  In the decades after Mongolias peaceful transition to democracy began, the country developed slowly but steadily. Source Mongolia Population. WorldOMeters, 2019.