Iowa National Guard Office of the Adjutant General Strategic Plan, 2010-2015

This report outlines the strategic plan for Iowa National Guard Office of the Adjutant General, goals and mission.

Office of the Chief Information Officer, Performance Plan, FY2015

Agency Performance Plan

Office of the State Public Defender Strategic Plan, 2014-2018

This report outlines the strategic plan for Office of the State Public Defender, goals and mission.

Office of the State Public Defender Agency Performance Plan, FY2015

Office of the State Public Defender Agency Performance Plan.

Office of the Chief Information Officer FY2014 IOWAccess Revolving Fund Annual Report, January 2015

This report highlights the Fiscal Year 2014 accomplishments of IOWAccess, including IOWAccess projects in development. Certain services offered through IOWAccess charge a value-added fee. Contained within this report are a description of the IOWAccess business model and the processes employed by IOWAccess to fund and monitor projects, along with a listing of projects funded during the reporting period.

Distribution systems of the food sector in Russia: the perspective of Finnish food industry

Finnish food producers' trade with Russia has experienced profound changes since the collapse of the Soviet Union. Simultaneously, the distribution systems of foodstuffs have changed remarkably. This study sheds some light into these changes and analyses the current situation in distribution systems of foodstuffs in Russia. In addition, the study discusses the possibilities of Finnish food producers to get more of their products to the shelves of Russian food retail stores. Before the 1998 financial crisis, the import of foreign foodstuffs was booming in Russia due to the overvalued rouble. As a result of the financial crisis, food import collapsed. The export of Finnish foodstuffs to Russia has been slowly recovering during the past few years, but in the most important product categories the pre-crisis levels have so far not been reached and maybe will not be reached. In certain product categories the growth has been only marginal. It seems that starting localproduction will become increasingly important in the future. This is further encouraged by the fact that Russian consumers favour domestic food products. Russian consumers are very price conscious and demand quality in food products. The perceived price-quality ratio is an important criterion in the purchase decision.The majority of foodstuff retail is still conducted via unorganised forms of trade (e.g. kiosks and marketplaces) but modern retail chains are developing at a fast pace in Russia. They are also expected to dominate the retail trade in foodstuffs over the unorganised forms of trade in the future. This will change the distribution systems as well. The retail chains are trying to shorten the distribution chain, similarly to what has been seen in the Western countries. This together with the strengthening of retail chains is likely to shrink the role of wholesalers, as the chains increasingly want to work directly with the producers. Many large retail chains are acquiring or have already acquired a distribution centre or centres in order to boost efficiency and control the flow of products. The strengthening of the retail chains also gives them power in negotiations, which the producers and distributors have to adjust to. For example store entry fees and retail chains' own private label products pose challenges to the food producers. In the food production sector the competition is fierce, as large Russianand foreign producers want to ensure their piece of the market. The largest producers utilise their size: they invest in big marketing campaigns and are willing to pay high entry fees to retail chains in order to secure a place on the store shelves and to build a strong brand in Russia. This complicates the situation from the viewpoint of small producers. Currently, the most popular type of distribution system among the interviewed Finnish food producers is based on a network of local distributors. There is, however, a strong consensus on the importanceof starting local production in order to be a serious actor in Russia in the future. Factors that hinder the starting of local production include the lack of local infrastructure and qualified staff, and the low risk tolerance of Finnish firms. Major barriers for entry in Russia are the actions of authorities, fierce competition, fragmented market and Finnish producers' heavy production costs. The suggested strategies for increasing the market share include focusing geographically or segment-wise, introducing new products, starting local production, andcooperation between Finnish producers. Smallness was one reason why Finnish producers had to cut down their operations in Russia due to the 1998 crisis. Smaller producers had fewer resources to tolerate losses during the period of crisis. Smallness is reflected also on trade negotiations with retail chains and distributors. It makes it harder to cope with the store entry fees and to differentiatefrom the mass of products propped up by expensive advertising. Finally, it makes it harder for Finnish producers to start or expand local production, as it is more difficult for a small producer to get financing and to tolerate the increased risks. Compensating for the smallness might become the crucial factor determining the future success of Finnish food producers in the Russian market.

The role of the tourism sector in economic development. Lessons from the Spanish experience

Tourism is one of the most important sectors in the global economy and is considered an efficient tool with which to promote economic growth. The case of Spain¿s economy is well known in this respect; in fact, widespread consensus exists on the part played by tourism in enhancing the industrialisation process in Spain and the part played by foreign currency receipts from tourism in financing the imports of capital goods, which made the expansion of manufacturing possible. This paper aims to assess the real role of foreign currency receipts from tourism in Spain¿s economy from 1960 to the present. The results of Spain¿s experience may well help to guide policy decisions in developing countries in similar circumstances.

The role of the tourism sector in economic development. Lessons from the Spanish experience

Tourism is one of the most important sectors in the global economy and is considered an efficient tool with which to promote economic growth. The case of Spain¿s economy is well known in this respect; in fact, widespread consensus exists on the part played by tourism in enhancing the industrialisation process in Spain and the part played by foreign currency receipts from tourism in financing the imports of capital goods, which made the expansion of manufacturing possible. This paper aims to assess the real role of foreign currency receipts from tourism in Spain¿s economy from 1960 to the present. The results of Spain¿s experience may well help to guide policy decisions in developing countries in similar circumstances.

An Overview of the Cleantech Sector - Evaluating Environmental Indicators

The purpose of the thesis is to give an overview of the cleantech sector and to give an answer how cleantech companies can evaluate the environmental sustainability of their business by utilizing various indicators and measures. The thesis is a literature study and it is based on a secondary data. Thesis presents the definitions to cleantech as well as its history and the main industries. Cleantech market overview in Finland and worldwide is also introduced. Furthermore, various indicators are presented in order to evaluate the environmental sustainability of companies' business. In the end, indicators used in cleantech sector are evaluated. As a result, the thesis presents the following methodologies that can be used in evaluating the environmental sustainability in the cleantech sector: Sustainability assessment framework, Environmental value analysis, COMPLIMENT - Environmental performance index for industries and Environmental assessment for cleaner production. More tools are still needed to evaluate environmental sustainability in the cleantech sector.

Liquidity levels of Finnish SME’s from 2007 to 2013 and a closer analysis of the IC sector

TAVOITTEET: Tämän tutkielman tarkoitus on tarkastella eri toimialojen likviditeettitasoja vuosien 2007 ja 2013 välillä. Se tarkastelee myös kassanhallinnan ja likviditeetin kirjallisuutta, erilaisia likviditeettiä kuvaavia tunnuslukuja sekä asioita, joilla on vaikutusta likviditeettiin. Tämän lisäksi se tutkii informaatio ja kommunikaatio sektoria tarkemmin. DATA: Data on kerätty Orbis tietokannasta. Toimialakohtaiset keskiarvot on laskettu joko kappaleen 2 esittämillä kaavoilla tai noudettu suoraan tietokannasta. Hajonta kuvaajat on tehty Excelillä ja korrelaatio matriisi ja regressioanalyysit SAS EG:llä. TULOKSET: Tämä tutkimus esittää toimialakohtaiset keskiarvot liquidity ratiosta, solvency ratiosta sekä gearingista, kuten monista muista likviditeettiä kuvaavista tai siihen vaikuttavista tunnusluvuista. Tutkimus osoittaa, että keskimäärin likviditeetti ja maksuvalmius ovat säilyneet melko samana, mutta toimialakohtaiset muutokset ovat voimakkaita. IC sektorilla likviditeettiin vaikuttaa katetuotto, työntekijöiden määrä, liikevaihto, taseen määrä sekä maksuaika.

Convocation Records, Office of the Registrar, 1967-2008, n.d.

University Archives

Office of the City Clerk, St. Catharines Records, 1928-1974, n.d.

The site of present-day St. Catharines was settled by 3000 United Empire Loyalists at the end of the 18th century. From 1790, the settlement (then known as "The Twelve") grew as an agricultural community. St. Catharines was once referred to Shipman's Corners after Paul Shipman, owner of a tavern that was an important stagecoach transfer point. In 1815, leading businessman William Hamilton Merritt abandoned his wharf at Queenston and set up another at Shipman's Corners. He became involved in the construction and operation of several lumber and gristmills along Twelve Mile Creek. Shipman's Corners soon became the principal milling site of the eastern Niagara Peninsula. At about the same time, Merritt began to develop the salt springs that were discovered along the river which subsequently gave the village a reputation as a health resort. By this time St. Catharines was the official name of the village; the origin of the name remains obscure, but is thought to be named after Catharine Askin Robertson Hamilton, wife of the Hon. Robert Hamilton, a prominent businessman. Merritt devised a canal scheme from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario that would provide a more reliable water supply for the mills while at the same time function as a canal. He formed the Welland Canal Company, and construction took place from 1824 to 1829. The canal and the mills made St. Catharines the most important industrial centre in Niagara. By 1845, St. Catharines was incorporated as a town, with the town limits extending in 1854. Administrative and political functions were added to St. Catharines in 1862 when it became the county seat of Lincoln. In 1871, construction began on the third Welland Canal, which attracted additional population to the town. As a consequence of continual growth, the town limits were again extended. St. Catharines attained city status in 1876 with its larger population and area. Manufacturing became increasingly important in St. Catharines in the early 1900s with the abundance of hydro-electric power, and its location on important land and water routes. The large increase in population after the 1900s was mainly due to the continued industrialization and urbanization of the northern part of the city and the related expansion of business activity. The fourth Welland Canal was opened in 1932 as the third canal could no longer accommodate the larger ships. The post war years and the automobile brought great change to the urban form of St. Catharines. St. Catharines began to spread its boundaries in all directions with land being added five times during the 1950s. The Town of Merritton, Village of Port Dalhousie and Grantham Township were all incorporated as part of St. Catharines in 1961. In 1970 the Province of Ontario implemented a regional approach to deal with such issues as planning, pollution, transportation and services. As a result, Louth Township on the west side of the city was amalgamated, extending the city's boundary to Fifteen Mile Creek. With its current population of 131,989, St. Catharines has become the dominant centre of the Niagara region. Source: City of St. Catharines website http://www.stcatharines.ca/en/governin/HistoryOfTheCity.asp (January 27, 2011)