Raskolnikov V. Svidrigailov - 1393 Words

Gunnar Stoddard Ms. Spicer AP Literature and Composition 27 May 2011 We Are Not So Different, You and I Dostoyevsky’s Crime and Punishment is a psychologically charged novel in which the primary element that plagues the protagonist, Rodion Raskolnikov, is not a person but rather an idea; his own idea. Raskolnikov has an unhealthy obsession with rendering himself into what he perceives as the ideal, supreme human being, an à ¼bermensch. Raskolnikov forms for himself a theory in which he will live purely according to his own will and transcend the social norms and moralities that dominate society. Raskolnikov suggests that acts commonly regarded as immoral are to be reserved for a certain rank of â€Å"extraordinary† men. Raskolnikov’s faith†¦show more content†¦Keeping this in mind, it comes as no surprise that Raskolnikov would feel utterly abhorred when Svidrigaà ¯lov refers to them as â€Å"birds of a feather†(p.340; Part 4, Chapter 1). While Svidrigaà ¯lov is rather keen of their shared similarities, such as their status as murderers, Raskolnikov willingly fails to realize these associations. Raskolnikov’s better side objects to the hedonistic behavior of Svidrigaà ¯lov, decrying him as a man of the most abject nature. The dramatic irony lies in the fact that Raskolnikov desires to be an â€Å"extraordinary† man, the very epitome of Svidrigaà ¯lov, a man he holds in no high regard. Despite their superficial variances and dissidences, Raskolnikov had slowly rendered himself into a facsimile of the man he detested, Svidrigaà ¯lov. Although both men, whether knowingly or unknowingly, desire to transcend above the ordinary masses, it is only a matter of time before self-realization indicates the folly of their ways. Raskolnikov’s brusque affectation eventually yields to his predilection for salvation and redemption. He ultimately comes to the realization that he is not worthy of being â€Å"extraordinary† because of the crippling guilt that followed his murder of the pawnbroker. Raskolnikov reflects upon the implications of his crime on his psyche, â€Å"I murdered myself, not her! I crushed myself once for all,Show MoreRelatedRaskolnikov Internal Conflict1831 Words   |  8 PagesChloee Henley, Period 5 Part I: Reader’s Journal Part I: Comment on a Character I find it very interesting how suspicious of everything Raskolnikov appears to be at the beginning of the novel. Obviously in the first few pages of the novel readers can quite easily identify his internal conflict and the way he goes back and forth on whether or not he should commit his crime, but I find it odd that this intense level of suspicion comes before he has even committed the crime. Most would think that his

Leadership, Power and Politics Free Essays

Leadership is the process of influencing others to act to accomplish specific objectives. Leaders are the key movers of an organization and they are able to inspire and motivate their members to work towards the attainment of goals. In the past, leadership have been thought of as a quality that only the elite managers possess, however reality is, each one of us possess and may develop our leadership skills. We will write a custom essay sample on Leadership, Power and Politics or any similar topic only for you Order Now Being a leader is not an easy job, it takes creativity, innovativeness, discipline, passion and an open mind. It is said that leaders emerge in times of change and turmoil; it is a fact that when the going gets tough, leaders are there to get things done. Opportunities for change however must be sought out and seized by the leader. It is a necessary element in the exercise of leadership, for leadership is at its best when there is an opportunity to grow, innovate and to improve. A leader can accomplish this by treating every job as an adventure, by deciding that each day is an opportunity to learn something new or to discover better ways of accomplishing things, the leader is more able to initiate changes that would be for the greater good of the group. When a leader seeks meaningful challenges, it allows the leader to work with passion and commitment that is personally gratifying and hence is able to effectively work for the group. With that, the leader also find and create meaningful challenges for others, when members feel that they are valued and trusted by their leaders to be able to accomplish realistic and challenging goals, they become more committed and become better workers. This means that the leader provides his/her members too become intrinsically motivated to rise to the challenge. As a leader, it is important that he/she make the workplace fun, happy people are more productive and they like going to work everyday because it is a happy place. as such, when an organization is so used to doing things in the same way, it leads to complacency and even deterioration, thus a leader must be able to question the status quo, this would mean that as a leader he/she must actively look for systems or programs that have outlived its usefulness and be creative enough to provide new ideas. Renewing teams in any organization is necessary in order to breathe new life to the team, a shuffling of departments or the movement of positions would reenergize the team and possibly generate new ideas and opportunities. Lastly, the leader should adopt an open approach to searching for opportunities. It is an acceptance of the leader that he/she does not have the monopoly of ideas and it is necessary to be aware of what is happening outside and inside the organization. Being an effective leader also takes the ability to experiment and takes risks and to learn from mistakes. Leaders if for some twist of fate have always been thought of as someone who can transform any organization form the brink of death to greater heights. But in reality, it is the scientific and objective leader who is able to appreciate the importance of carrying out mini experiments of new processes that would in the end be more cost-effective than to rush and implement a program or process that have not been tested. Experiments are for introducing new products while creating or developing models in specific departments of new processes will give the leader an objective assessment of the possibility of success or failure of the new process. The leader is not the sole experimenter, he/she must encourage other to experiment also, but at times it is faced with fear and apprehension, thus the leader should assure the members that it is safe to experiment. When a person is so set in his/her ways then it is difficult to initiate change, the leader therefore must be able to break the mind set of its people, to become more open to new ideas and change. An enormous change may be anxiety provoking for members, the leader thus should break up the changes into small challenges that members can accomplish one at a time. People work better if they know that their ideas and feelings are respected and that if what they are doing is of their own choice, a leader should give each person the opportunity to make their own choices. A leader must learn how to say yes to the ideas and opinions of its members, by saying yes more frequently than but or no, it would be easier for the leader to also solicit the cooperation of its people. A leader is not a Greek hero who has supernatural powers, he/she can make mistakes and a true leader has the grace and humility to accept his/her mistakes and to learn from it. Lastly, a leader should also be able to evaluate the effectiveness of the new programs or changes that he/she has carried out in the company and this exercise should be a collaborative effort with input from the different members of the organization. Knowing what may cause the failure of an innovation would go a long way in improving that product or process. It is true that leaders emerge out of the difficulties or major changes in an organization, and being a leader is no easy job, and one can always make use of information that would help enhance or develop our leadership skills. I found this as the advantage of the concepts, it provides true-to-life examples of how a leader is able to seize opportunities for change and why it is important to experiment and learn from mistakes. The disadvantages of the concepts however is that it is too abstract and sometimes it is difficult to relate to a job as mundane as selling cigarettes and that most of the examples involve large organizations wherein leaders are often the head of the department or the organization. Although the chapters do provide pointers on what an ordinary person could do to become a leader and it is a practical guide. The chapters present the concept as a series of things to do or things to learn, and not all could be applied at the same time to a single organization. In my experience as a cigarette store owner, I am limited by the products that sell the most; I may provide my customers with new brands or novel cigarettes but since smokers tend to stick to one brand. I may be able to innovate probably in giving freebies to loyal customers or be creative by using bonus coupons that they could exchange for premium brands. Moreover, I do not have a staff and hence my leadership skills are not harnessed. On the other hand I work part time in a gasoline station and work with other people but again a gasoline station is one of the most normal and stable organization there is. Thus, unless if the gasoline station gets sold or merged with another store, then maybe it would be time for me to rise to that challenge. On the other hand, learning about leadership has been exciting and very challenging, it tells me that I can be a leader someday; it also made me become aware of some of my personal characteristics that is akin to leaders. I would like to share to others what I have learned about leadership, sometimes we do not know that we possess the ability to be leaders if other people don’t acknowledge it, I would also tell them of the things that a good leader should be able to accomplish. That said, there are different leadership styles which a person may favor and use in different situations. Leadership styles include autocratic leadership, bureaucratic leadership charismatic leadership, participative leadership, Laissez-faire leadership, relations-oriented leadership, servant leadership, task-oriented leadership, transactional leadership and transformational leadership. Personally, I think that participative leadership is the best among the styles because although the leader has the final say in the decisions concerning issues on organizational change; it allows the members of the organization to contribute their ideas and thoughts. This communicate that the leader value and respects its members and thus increase job satisfaction of members and cultivates a culture of collaboration and cooperation that every organization needs to get things done. Reference Kouzes, J. Posner, B. (2002). The Leadership Challenge.   California: Jossey-Bass       How to cite Leadership, Power and Politics, Essay examples Leadership, Power and Politics Free Essays Conflict,   Management and leadership Conflict is a natural outcome originating due to individual and group interaction. It is a ‘friction’ produced due to emotions and behaviors of people working closely rubbing against each other. When people from various backgrounds and beliefs work together, consciously or unconsciously they try to pass their own principles in work aspects creates conflict. We will write a custom essay sample on Leadership, Power and Politics or any similar topic only for you Order Now However, conflict is not always destructive or regressive. When well managed and directed, it has great utility in substantially improving an organization’s functional and production aspects, along with helping individuals to evolve a joint   philosophy of work and cooperation. However, poorly managed conflict situation impairs the organizational outcome, creating stress, introducing   dissatisfaction and reducing efficiency. Characteristics of Conflict The round the clock work schedules, trans-national nature of jobs, and strain in today’s world have worked together to make conflict an unavoidable part in life of people. Work related stress, with pressures of deadline, critical levels of responsibility, problems of resource allocation and management, setting, defining and achieving challenging goals, and all the time trying to coordinate with different individuals give rise to perfect conditions for   conflict to emerge within organizations (Bergman and Volkema, 1989). But before any attempt to resolve conflict it is important to understand the characteristics of conflict that an organization generally faces. According to Baron (1990), a study of various organizational parameters indicated towards five characteristics of conflict . These are 1. Conflict due to contrasting or opposing field of interests between or among individuals or groups. 2. Recognition of these opposing interests by the interested parties 3. Conflict centers on a perception by each side that its opposing party would injure its interests 4. Conflict is not a stage, rather a process and it results from the way individual and groups define their relations through the past interaction 5. Actions and efforts by each party with the intention of negating other’s goals. Conflict management and leadership Leadership has a great role to play in conflict resolution. A leader with qualities with excellent communication, understanding and negotiation can be instrumental in bringing the positive outcome through the issues involved in the conflict. As the business and corporate management has realized, leadership greatly helps to alleviate conflict situation due to its inspirational value. Leadership essentially about encouraging   people to pool themselves together towards achieving common goals and objectives (Rosenbach and Taylor, 1998, 1. Leadership further empowers individuals, helps them to rise above their rank and position within the organization to associate themselves and their colleagues with specific works, duties and responsibilities and enables them to identify and set their own directions, work on commitment and take challenges.   (Day and Halpin, 2004, 3). Its not surprising then that companies are ready to invest hugely in leadership development program, as a guaranteed way to emerge ahead than their competitors. Within every social, institutional or organizational structure, a leader is always looked upon the person with abilities to broach reconciliation and resolution in situation of conflict. Leadership entails elements of power and authority that are critical to acquire influence. There are five power bases for a leader, as identified by French and Raven (1959). They are 1. Legitimate power: the power that comes by virtue of the position and command to control behavior. 2. Coercive power: It is the leader’s control over persuasion and ability to take symbolic punitive actions in case of dissent 3. Reward power: It is the leader’s control over granting rewards 4. Expert power: These are the specialties that a leader attains due to knowledge and experience and that he is expected to possess and use in conflict resolution 5. Referent power: This is the power over over subordinate or group members to identify the leader Leaders may opt for one, some or   a combination or all of these power bases to attain conflict management and resolution by influencing the psychological and social dimension of conflict, trust, and authority (Johnson and Short, 1994 :Leadership (Power and Politics) Leadership is not a characteristic that exists in isolation. As it is defined, leadership implies establishing coordination, orientation, cooperation, and collaboration among the followers to accomplish designated objectives and goals. It is   possible when leaders can inspire their followers with respect, admiration, discipline, confidence in the abilities of the leader while being helped to envision themselves as empowered individuals (Brown and Lord, 2004, 2). A good leader has the ability to take over even most complex, demanding and otherwise impossible condition by exhibiting personal integrity, ethical and moral traits and values that other can relate to and aspire to imbibe in their own conduct (Laurie, 2000, 53). Here it is important to distinguish personal charisma from leadership, as personal charisma, being an person specific phenomena, can awe people but hardly give them impetus to follow in the footsteps of the leader. Leadership is also means natural acquisition of power and potential to change its equation affect over the leaders and their followers. There inherent dangers associated with power, and for most of the people, the timeless adage-‘power corrupts’ suits justly. Power contains a temptation that is hard to resist and has potential to become the ultimate goal for a person rather the tool that was designated in helping to achieve the goals.   But a genuine leader understands this irony of power and therefore believes that power should be shared with others so that it can grow. The real power of leaders is their   ability to inspire others with a sense of power and confidence (Champy and Nohria, 1999, 165). According to Reigel’s (1979) theory of development, the relevant categories to leadership practices and conflict management are: 1. Optimism-faith in goodness of humanity. It works on the principle of faith in inherent goodness of humanity with a sense that goals and objective are achievable. 2. Interconnectedness-responsibility for the whole. The principle is extension of sense of responsibility to greater issues affecting the world that connects individual with the entire humanity. 3. The contradictory nature of things. It teaches about recognizing and respecting that contradiction occurs in people, their experience and circumstances. 4. Life is characterized by crises. Recognition that crises and conflicts are inbuilt of component of life and progress is achieved by incorporating them in the philosophy towards life. 5. Kinship with others. It stresses on building associations and help in realizing that every one is important and deserves equal respect from others. 6. The opposition. It teaches about taking opposition as contradiction, instead of viewing it in negative perspective. 7. Acknowledging other’s contribution. It stresses on frank and appreciative acknowledgment of success and achievements of others Reference Baron, R. A. (1990). Conflict in organizations. In K. R. Murphy F. E. Saal (Eds.), Psychology in organizations: Integrating science and practice (pp. 197–216). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum Bergmann T. J., and   Volkema R. J. ( 1989). â€Å"Understanding and managing interpersonal conflict at work: Its issues, interactive processes, and consequences†. In M. A. Rahim (Ed.), Managing Conflict : An inter-disciplinary approach (pp. 7-19). New York: Praeger Brown DJ and   Lord, RG,   2004, Leadership Processes and Follower Self-Identity,   Lawrence Erlbaum Mahwah, NJ. Champy J, Nohria N, 1999, The Arc of Ambition: Defining the Leadership Journey, Perseus Books (Current Publisher: Perseus PublishingCambridge, MA. Day DV and Halpin SM, 2004, Leader Development for Transforming Organizations: Growing Leaders for Tomorrow,   (edit) David V. Day, Stanley M. Halpin, Stephen J. Zaccaro, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates,   Mahwah, NJ. French, Jr., J.R.P., Raven, B. (1959). The bases social power. In Dorwin Cartwright (edit.), Studies in social power (pp. 150-157). Ann Arbor, MI: Researc Center for Group Dynamics, Institute for Social Research, The University of Michigan Johnson, P.E and Short, P.M (1994). Exploring the Links among Teacher Empowerment, Leader Power and Conflict. Education. Volume: 114. Issue: 4. Page Number: 581+. Laurie DL, 2000, The Real Work of Leaders: A Report from the Front Lines of Management, Perseus Books (Current Publisher: Perseus Publishing, Cambridge, MA Riegel KF. Foundations of Dialectical Psychology. New York: Academic Press, 1979. Rosenbach WE and Taylor RL, 1998, Contemporary Issues in Leadership, (edit) William E. Rosenbach, Robert L. Taylor, Westview Press,Boulder, CO.                   How to cite Leadership, Power and Politics, Essay examples

Auditing Assests of Worth A$900

Question: Discuss about the Auditing for Assests of Worth A$900. Answer: Introduction: The banking industry in Australia is comprised of the forty-three banking groups and has assets of worth A$900 billion. Banks are the financial institutions and the regulatory authorities recognize them. The banking industry intends to promote the banking business, insurance, trading in the financial markets, and provide the platform to the consumers to manage the funds. The monetary policy in the country, issuing of the currency, and the financial system of the country is conducted by the banking industry. The other purpose of the banking industry is to control the risk in the financial system. The competition in the market for the payment of the services is promoted b y the bank and this has to be consistent with the financial system stability. The efficiency of the payment system is promoted by the banks. The system policy regarding the payment system of banks provides the greatest advantage to the citizens of Australia. The auditing of banks requires special consideration of audits because of the banking operation and the significant exposures for the short period, in order to process the transactions, the excessive dependence of banks on the computers. Another reason attributable to this is that there is banking practices and the continuous development of the new products that may not align with the concurrent development with the auditing practices (Carnegie, 2016). The main objective of performing the audit of banks is to render such opinion that is of the national standard or it is in accordance with the framework of financial applicable to the banks. The research has been conducted form the article published online. Discussion: Background of the banking industry: The background of banking industry of Australia has the four era that is the common wealth bank, private banks, reserve bank and the era of deregulation. The first bank opened in the Australia was intended to provide a sound currency. This bank was faced with the competition and this leads to the opening of the private banks. However there was no central bank. The emergence of the financial crisis led to the establishment of the common wealth bank and with the introduction of this, the issues concerning currency was solved and there emerged era when the power of the commonwealth bank was transferred to the Reserve bank. Many financial companies emerged with was introduced by the banks. The planning of audit covers several things such as performing the assessment of risk procedures, internal control and the operating environment of the banking industry. The procedure of risk assessment would require the auditor to have an in depth understanding of the banking industry and the environment of its operation. The market condition of the banking industry in which it operate has also to be well understood by the auditors. The auditors need to have a good working knowledge about the services and the products offered by the banks. In developing the audit plan, the auditors needs to have to seek insight into the materiality determination, assessing the risk related to the material misstatement, whether there is any related transactions with the party, representation of management and work of supervisors, the extent of EFT and CIS used by the banks (Bis.org.com, 2016). The portfolios of banks generally have high concentrations of credits to the specialized industries such as shipping, natural resources and the real estate. The auditors need to have knowledge about the reporting practice of these industries and business understanding in order to understand the nature of these businesses. The performance of audit depends upon the ability of the auditors to assess the business risks associated with the banking industry. This is regarded as fundamental because it would enable the auditors to assess the risk associate with the operations of the banks (Hay, 2015). Assessment of the risks associated with the banking industry: The assessment of risk is an important part of the auditing procedures and the auditor needs to include in the audit plan. The auditor has to assess several risks associated with the organization. The industry taken for which the auditor needs to prepare the audit plan is the banking industry. The risk associated with the banks is mainly attributable to the services and the products offered by them for which the auditors needs to prepare the audit plan to carry out the procedures. The risk, which is associated with the banks, is mainly related to the services and products offered by it and the operating risk. The banking industry is faced with some degree of inherent risk and the risk is mainly attributable to the services and the product that is offered by the bank, its entities and customers and the area of operation of the customer as well as the institution. The first step in the development of the audit plan is the identification of inherent risk. The assessment of such inherent risk of the banks is very essential for the planning of audit. The stability of the banking system is assessed form the probability of failure of individual banks due to the inherent risks associated with it (Khlif Achek, 2016). Some of the risks consider by the auditors in assessing the inherent risks of banks are as follows: A large portion of assessing the risk is contributed to the credit risk assessment. Such risk of banks is attached to commitments of off balance sheets, balances, investment apart from any loans. The credit risk is the most significant risk. There are operating risks also which is because of the marker risk exposure because of the financial information which is not available in an up to date form. There might be an interference of unauthorized data in to the system. Due to the resultant geographic dispersion of the transactions of the banks and the internal control involved in the conduct of operations and due to this the exposure of the banks by the products and the customers comes with the risks that it may not be adequately monitored (Lodhia, 2015). Due to the physical separation between the management and the person who handle the transaction may lead to the control breakdown and this may result in not correcting and not detecting the errors. Banks have risk of intraday payment and such risk is mainly due to the exposures of the transactions of the counterparties and the customers. The employees of the banks to the other related parties face the banks with the risk of loss arising from fraud and theft. The high gearing ratios used by the banks also expose them to the risks such as due to the loss in the value of asset by a small percentage due to the significant capital resources erosions. Another risk is the failure of the banks to adhere to the newly framed regulations and rules. This leads to the restrictions on operating part of the banks due to the exposure to transactions (Moradi-Motlagh et al., 2015). The materiality in the financial statements of the banks also needs to be assessed by the auditors and he has to keep several things in mind while assessing such risks. The points to be noted by the auditor in this regard are: The statement of earnings may be affected with small errors due to high gearing, though the balance sheet would remain unaffected. The auditor needs to set materiality level which would help in identifying the audit differences and the audit errors. Therefore, in assessing the risk of the banks, the designs of the internal control of the bank are need to be evaluated and their implementation is to be determined by the auditors. However, the auditors cannot control the material misstatement and it exists independently (Tadesse, 2015). The audit ability of the financial statements of the bank would be doubtful because of the understanding of the internal control by the auditors. The internal controls of banks are needs to be placed with the significant reliance and this is because he cannot solely depend on the substantive procedures. The source of revenue and the exposure of the banks need to be reviewed by the auditors. There might be risks with the transactions of the related parties and such risks are to be considered by the auditors (Gooneratne et al., 2013). Control environment: The management control systems of banks are required to be submitted to the APRA. The controlling of the credit risk, measurement, monitoring of the policies and procedures needs to provided. The control environment of the banking business ha to commensurate with the business activities which are being undertaken by the banks. In order to ensure that the policies of the banks are adhering to the framework, the internal control mechanism of the Banks has to be in proper place. The banks need to develop the control system to recognize the impaired assets. The lending activities of the bank also need to be aligned with the control system. All the internal control system controlling the baking activities has to be in compliance with the established policies. Recommendations: In order to mitigate the risks there needs to be adequate internal control which ensures effective implementation of policies. This includes the appropriate governance which would monitor and control the staff integrity and would test the efficiency of banks to identify and assess the risks. Several inherent risks while carrying out an auditing of the banking industry have been identified and there is a need to mitigate those risks to carry out the auditing to form a correct opinion about the banks in Australia. Some of the recommendations are the banking industry needs to commit itself to the highest standards of the business conduct and such standard is maintained through all of its operations. The reporting and the fraudulent activities should be resolved using supporting group policies. The hierarchical reporting and the process of control of self assessment need to be established for a documented trail of accountability. Conclusion: Form the above discussion, it is very clear that the auditors are faced with several issues and risk in carrying out the auditing of the banking industry. Some of the risks associated with the banks are inherent in nature and some of the risks arise from its operations and the auditors faces these risks in carrying out the audit procedures which needs to be mitigated in order to form a fair audit opinion. Reference: Bis.org. (2016)Retrieved 9 September 2016, from https://www.bis.org/publ/bcbs06a.pdf Carnegie, G. (2016). The accounting professional project and bank failures: the case of the early 1890s Australian banking crisis.Journal of Management History,22(4). Gooneratne, T. N., Hoque, Z. (2013). Management control research in the banking sector: A critical review and directions for future research.Qualitative Research in Accounting Management,10(2), 144-171. Hay, D. (2015). The frontiers of auditing research.Meditari Accountancy Research,23(2), 158-174. Khlif, H., Achek, I. (2016). IFRS adoption and auditing: a review.Asian Review of Accounting,24(3). Lodhia, S. (2015). Exploring the transition to integrated reporting through a practice lens: an Australian customer owned bank perspective.Journal of Business Ethics,129(3), 585-598. Moradi-Motlagh, A., Babacan, A. (2015). The impact of the global financial crisis on the efficiency of Australian banks.Economic Modelling,46, 397-406. Moradi-Motlagh, A., Saleh, A. S., Abdekhodaee, A., Ektesabi, M. (2012). Performance and stock return in Australian banking.Journal of Modern Accounting and Auditing,8(5), 616. Seamer, M., Choi, B. B., Doowon, L. (2015). Determinants of the rigour of enterprise risk management. Strategies: evidence from Australia. Tadesse, M. (2015).The Role of Internal Audit in Promoting Good Governance: The case of Dashen Bank(Doctoral dissertation, St. Mary's University).

Racial Identity Struggles Among Multiracial Families and Children free essay sample

Many children commonly experience the social isolation of not belonging to a defined group. I will examine which factors influence these families to identify racially, the psychological effects of their well-being, and the importance of the education systems approach towards relating to multiracial children in the classroom. A major difficulty mixed-race families and children face are assumptions and misconceptions about their racial identity. One of the most common misconceptions is derived from the area of sports and its direct correlation between that of whites and blacks. The problem is that such scientific misconceptions about the â€Å"natural† athleticism of black person’s body feeds directly into the stereotypes common in racial differences. In the movie â€Å"White Men Can’t Jump†, Woody Harrelson and Wesley Snipes portray a good example that these stereotypes die hard yet linger in subtle competitions still today. In terms of racial identity, we should not have to ask blacks what special genes they possess that enable faster running or higher jumping, but rather why a general consensus regarding sports is so in-tuned with it not being of equal latitude or athletic ability with whites. We will write a custom essay sample on Racial Identity Struggles Among Multiracial Families and Children or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page How mixed children racially identify can depend on a number of factors, including physical features and family attachments. To a degree, a person’s feelings and behaviors are in fact a direct representation of the ethnic group they have identified themselves with. Therefore, it is critical for parents to have a positive outlook and a perceived general sense of acceptance about their child’s ethnic identity and realize it is an essential part of the developmental process (Herman 2004). Parents can however, influence children to understand that ethnic identity is more than what a person can see on the outside. The attitudes of multi-racial children are predominantly influenced by parents, teachers, peers, and extended family, all of whom have a major role in facilitating a childs acceptance and pride in his or her racial identity. Children, who are subjected to a lack of education regarding their ethnic culture or find themselves in an attempt to acquire more time with one parent or the other, can lose an identity and become `stagnant (Wardle 2000). Members of specific multi-ethnic groups often share common culture, traditions, values, and/or beliefs. Theories are developed through various ethnographic studies, in addition to conducted interviews amongst bi-racial and multiracial families (Herman 2004). Multiracial families have come to realize that it is quite difficult to fit into a specific ethnic group. Maintaining an ethnic identity is particularly relevant when ones ethnic group is the minority group in society (Herman 2004). Most commonly individuals begin to identify with their â€Å"master status†, which is their primary identities that overshadow their other status’. U. S. hildren of black and white parentage have additional difficulties due to the polarization of blacks and whites (Wardle 2000). In societies that fail to acknowledge their ethnic and racial backgrounds, biracial children often struggle as they attempt to merge their dual heritage without compromising either one. In the U. S. the extensive backgrounds and heritage of many multi-racial children is almost inconspicuous. It has been theorized t hat this invisibility occurs because society attempts to keep the races pure, in spite of the fact that such purity does not exist. Most often, children of multi-racial parentage are identified with whichever race their physical features most reflects (Wardle 2000). Unfortunately, children of multi-racial parentage suffer from the same racism and prejudice that taunts those of unmixed minority heritage (Herman 2004). Society often pressures mixed-race individuals to choose just one race because of the outdated â€Å"one-drop rule† which mandated that Americans with any African heritage be classified as black(Wardle 2000). This sort of colorism has long been an issue for mixed-race people and renders the individual incompetent of his/her complete heritage. Achieving a full sense of identity is an important psychological task for children at best, but forcing them to choose one or the other is a deliberate attempt to disregard the diversity and multi-cultural experiences they are entitled to. In such cases, second generation children born in America who only speak English, may find it challenging to communicate with relatives who speak their foreign tongue. In addition, children may lose an identity when significant areas of their heritage are not visited or explained to them in detail. Children who are culturally interconnected with significant makeups of their genetic heritage are very fortunate and less sanctioned than those who have not had the privilege. Identity development is a never-ending process. Many of the toughest problems multi-ethnic individuals and families face is choosing which part of their identity they want to emphasize. Ethel Branch, whose mother is Navajo and whose father is part Spanish-Mexican, part Basque and part French, went to an all Native-American grade school in Arizona. According to Branch she was referred to as a â€Å"white Indian† in her younger years due to this culmination of backgrounds she possessed. As she states, â€Å"It’s really hard coming to terms with your own identity, you just don’t have that validity that other people have† (Colby 1999). Sociologists have developed the term biracial children as â€Å"marginal man,† this is when an individual has to live in two types of worlds, not so much different, but two very opposing cultures. Biracial children’s ascribed statuses are scrutinized by society and scientists, their dual status is looked at as being in two parts. The scrutiny leaves children to choose or identify with, one race over the other. This uncomfortable circumstance is quite uneasy for biracial children to maintain. Research has shown that biracial children may be disregarded from single racial group categories and events. Campbell and Eggerling-Boeck (2006) have pointed out that biracial children are left isolated because they have no tools to use in learning how to assimilate within a specific group. According to Harris and Thomas (2002), have referred to â€Å"external race† as the race that an observer assigns to the individual’s identity, and â€Å"expressed race† refers to the â€Å"articulations of an individual’s identity through words and actions† (2004:4). Poor mental health and social adjustment are mere reflections of this stigma. Society labels biracial children by their outside appearance by associating their skin tone to a particular single race category despite the child being biracial. The rejection caused by social communities from both racial groups of the child may lead to poor mental health and inadequate social interaction. The constant challenge of being asked routinely who they are, where do they belong, who do you identify with, becomes stressful for biracial children (Campbell and Eggerling-Boeck 2006). The struggle to identify with who they are becomes confusing for multiracial children and individuals (Campbell and Eggerling-Boeck 2006). Society sets these roles for multiracial children, to choose a status and stick to that status. Multiracial children deal with constant role conflict as they are expected and at times forced to choose from only one of their specific races. Many biracial and multiracial children may have been raised on one particular side of their family and have become familiar with the ways and lifestyles of that race, ethnicity, and culture but society assumes that multiracial children will immediately also identify with the lifestyles, trends, and ways of their other half based on the physical characteristic stereotypes of their hair type and skin tone. Many schools celebrate specific events designed to highlight various minority cultures: Martin Luther King Day and Black History Month for African Americans, Hanukkah for Jews, Chinese New Year for Chinese Americans and so forth. The effort to include and celebrate the ever-increasing diversity of the student population in this country as well as others is slowly being reflected in curricula, content, practices and celebrations. Education plays a pivotal part in the way multiracial families are being recognized through these multicultural celebrations. Many educational tools such as diversity workshops, multicultural celebrations, multicultural children’s books, and curriculum content all help multicultural children to find their place in society. Curriculum provides information pertaining historical multiethnic Americans and multicultural antibias activities, in addition to the uniquely designed diversity workshops. With regards to biracial and multiracial children and families, their challenges of fitting into any single category of race continue. In order to keep up with the demand of racial categorization from society these families fight the battle by educating and exposing their children to traditional common cultures, beliefs, and religious spiritual upbringings. By passing on these traditions, it is less likely for multiethnic and multiracial children to struggle with the challenging and frustrating stigma and scrutiny brought upon by society. With a deeper understanding of identity, biracial and multiracial children’s capabilities to maintain pressure strengthen. With more community based projects and events that cater to multiracial children, resources for counseling for biracial and multiracial children, and opening doors to multiracial families will alleviate some of the challenges these families face. Forming biracial and multiracial support groups, within communities, for these families would also aid to strengthen and build the identities of biracial and multiracial children. In conclusion, the United States remains a racially divided and unequal society. Prejudices in society will not be lessened until people become more tolerant with regards to racial equality and the uniqueness each of us share as individuals. Contemporarily, we are trying to navigate a very complex racial terrain where multiracialism is discussed and debated, where race and racism is denounced and supposedly diminished, where, in the end, race still matters as an axis through which goods, services, opportunities and life chances are distributed unequally to members of the same society.

10 Steps on How to Get Your Finances in Order

10 Steps on How to Get Your Finances in Order When you’re just starting out on your career path, long-term financial planning and security might not be the first  thing on your mind. Paying rent and living expenses, whittling down student loans, being financially independent- those are the kinds of things at the top of the priority list. Thinking beyond that can be a major challenge, even after you score a full-time job and can start thinking about more financial stability. Why worry about this now? After all, you’re young and possibly just getting your career feet under you. Plenty of time until you need to worry about things like 401(k)s and buying real estate, right? The reality is that the better you set yourself up financially now, in terms of habits and nest eggs, the better off you’ll be later. It’s boring, but true. Life is pretty unpredictable. You can’t really take for granted that there will be plenty of time to settle things later. And starting some best practices now can help ins ulate you a little if your finances some rough patches (like job loss, personal life changes, or other big shifts).According to a survey done by personal finance app Acorns, about half of millennials surveyed felt like they were â€Å"treading water† financially. That doesn’t have to be you†¦if you’re in the happy position of having a stable, full-time gig, now is the perfect time to start thinking and planning and seizing control of your finances.There are things you can (and should!) be doing, even if you’re just starting out in your career. Let’s look at 10  ways on how to get your finances in order, and set yourself up years down the road.1. Create a budget.A budget is the key to financial health- there’s no way around it. If you don’t keep track of where your money’s going and where it should be going, it won’t take much for spending to get out of control. And it’s important to make it realistic†¦ if you know you won’t be able to quit your Starbucks habit, build it in and make sure it balances out with your other spending.You don’t have to deprive yourself of everything that doesn’t fall in the housing/food/utilities/life basics/car payment realm†¦you just need to be up front with yourself about how your spending works, and what you can afford to spend on things that aren’t life-or-death. (I know, sometimes that latte feels like life-or-death.)For more on building a budget, OnlineCollege.org has some great budgeting advice for the personal finance newbie: [via onlinecollege.org]2. Do your research.If you’re like me, the idea of money and personal finance might stress you out. My historical method (which is unequivocally not recommended) was to avoid dealing with any of it directly, which was a very dangerous game.If you’re not realistic about your debt and your options for dealing with debt and expenses on an ongoing basis, you r isk falling into unfortunate (and credit-damaging) habits. So my recommendation to you is this: be informed! You’re already looking for information here, which is great, but there’s a whole wide world of personal financial info out there to make you a more savvy saver, investor, and spender. Here are some handy books to get started:Smart is the New Rich: Money Guide for Millenials, by Christine RomansWhy Didn’t They Teach Me This in School?: 99 Personal Money Management Principles to Live By, by Cary SiegelPersonal Finance for DummiesSimple Money: A No-Nonsense Guide to Personal Finance, by Tim MaurerAnd some helpful web resources as well:S. News World ReportInvestopediaAcorns Grow3. Earn more, save more.When you get a raise, it’s super exciting- especially thinking about what you’re going to buy. But when you get the good news, also think about how you’re going to bump up your savings accordingly. If you work in that increased as soon as y ou get your raise, it’s easier to make the bigger chunk feel status quo.4. Beware of sandtraps (expensive habits).Things like going out with friends can make your expenses snowball. When you’re out and about, it’s so easy to lose track of what you’re spending and where- you’re having a good time! Plenty of time to worry about cash flow later, right? If you’re planning to go out, or have regular nights out, make sure you work this into your budget for the week/month, so that you don’t find yourself scrambling to cover other things when the credit card payment comes due.5. Know the score.Your credit score, to be exact. This can give you a baseline for your personal financial planning. If you have some work to do to get it up to snuff, this can help you work damage control into your budget. If you already have a healthy credit score, that’s great! You can work toward maintaining that- or even making it better.6. Think about your g oals.Do you want to buy a house or condo in five years? Are you thinking about settling down and starting a family with that special someone in the near-ish future? When working out your personal finances, your long-term goals are super important. The sooner you can start setting aside savings for these priorities, the more seamlessly it becomes part of your financial routine.If you’re the crafty type (or just need a visual reminder of your goals), consider building a financial vision board. Putting your goals down in one spot can make it easier to keep those priorities front and center in your head.7. Learn the art of the deal.Negotiation isn’t just for billionaire presidential candidates†¦it‘s also a tool that will serve you well at every step of your career. Having the first real job is great, but it’s also a starting point. Even if you stay in the job for a long time, you should take advantage of negotiation to increase your pay and benefits. This has multiple benefits for you: not only do you (hopefully) get more money, but you also build your professional confidence. You don’t have to be Donald Drumpf, you just need to be your own best advocate.8. Get a â€Å"money buddy.†This doesn’t mean you need to share your hard-earned cash with your friends (unless you’re feeling generous and want to pick up that bar tab)†¦rather, you should pick a friend or relative that has good financial habits, and talk openly about your personal finance goals and challenges. Studies show that good money habits rub off on close friends, so if you find yourself struggling with your budget while your friend always seems to have her expenses covered and accounted for, pick that friend as your money buddy.Having another perspective can also help you make better decisions. For example, if you and your friend are both trying to be more budget-conscious about lunches, you can make plans to eat your brown bag lunches toge ther instead of going out and getting expensive sandwiches down the street. Solidarity is key!9. Consider going cash-only.Credit cards are convenient, and very handy in a pinch when you need to cover a large expense immediately. However, they’re also kind of the devil. â€Å"Charge it,† they whisper from your wallet. â€Å"Buy it now, don’t think about it until later. Live beyond your means, friend!† And that’s how credit card debt inflates like those big yard decorations at Christmas.To avoid temptation and increase financial accountability, consider paying cash (or debit) for everything. That way, your credit card balances stay intact for emergencies, and you’re less likely to overspend.10. Pay down your student debt.If you took out loans to cover school tuition and costs, you’re certainly not alone. Seventy percent of grads carry loans, owing an average of $31,172. At this point, student loans are a trillion (trillion!) dollar indu stry. It’s a common issue that is becoming a unifying financial force for millenials: just about everyone starts out their professional life these days with a blank experience slate but a very full financial one.And even though the idea of taking your hard-earned money and scrimping on other parts of your life just to send checks into the void can be a tough one, it’s an important commitment to make. If you can’t afford huge payments, work with your lender to set up payment plans. It’s so important to future you to keep chipping away at the behemoth as best you can.Tools to Get You on TrackGood news: there’s an app for that! Many, to be specific. If you’re looking to take- and keep- control of your finances, you can manage the process from your phone or tablet as easily as you can check email.Mint – Provided by financial management company extraordinaire Intuit, this is a site that helps you track, manage, and plan your finances in on e place. It offers a free account, lots of advice on managing money, investing, etc., and a mobile app for iOS, Android, and Windows.Budget Simple – If you need help building your budget, this web app is a great place to start.You Need a Budget – The name makes it pretty clear, no? This software lets you create a budget, and uses its own saving and spending methodologies to help you find ways to meet your financial goals. Also available for iOS and Android.Spendee – This mobile app helps you track your spending in real time, and identify areas of concern- and potential savings! Available for iOS and Android.Once you have the fundamentals down and part of your routine, you’ve already done a lot of the hard work of getting into financial shape. It’s never too early to start planning for â€Å"later†- even for retirement. And it doesn’t have to be scary; if you make good money habits part of your daily and weekly routines, you can help a void (some of) the pinches of Life As an Adult.Good luck, and happy budgeting!

Don`t Know How To Cite An Infographic Here We Go!

Don`t Know How To Cite An Infographic Here We Go! Proper Infographic Citing It is not a secret that visual information has a bigger influence on the audience and it is easier to remember. In addition, it makes the content of your text more colorful and vivid, and grabs attention even of the most demanding audience. That is why infographic occupies solid positions among various types of in-text materials. For the past years, illustrations with statistics and numbers have become an important part of texts. To grab the interest of the audience and to stimulate information mastering, writers and authors tend to transform words and numbers into colorful images. This approach was a real bomb in the world of content. It started occupying more and more web traffic, improving SEO and giving marketers a chance to deliver information in a more usable and comprehensive way. With time its popularity has decreased, and only a few years ago infographics became an important marketing instrument. Nowadays there are hundreds of various templates and designs, which can deliver quality and digestible content to different groups of users. As you see, an infographic is an essential part of any content, and it is necessary to understand what sort of information it is, how to create a quality infographic and how to cite it properly. To help you deal with such a complex task, we have gathered the most important information on a topic and spiced it up with the most powerful tips. Infographics: Definition and Importance Basically, an infographic is a combination of information and graphics. It was first mentioned in 2009 by McCandless, as he included data visualization to his book. However, in some cases, combining these two elements become a real headache. The first and the most important question you need to ask yourself is whether the data benefits from such visualization? Does infographic make your information easier to master? It shouldn’t be a pointless picture that is only occupying space. Moreover, Google is not able to analyze images and to use that text in promoting your works. To put it simply, infographic won’t contribute to the search ranking, although you may spend days on creating a stylish and useful image. If you still want to include infographic to your text in the form of a jpg file, you need to provide suitable information in the image. However, keep in mind that search engines will most likely not be able to read the data you include. Things to Know When Creating an Infographic Even if you are crazy with the idea of working on the infographic, you need to understand that the first thing to keep in mind is visibility on social media. To achieve it, you will need to know certain rules and instruments, which will allow your infographic to become a front content. With a proper approach, your infographic has great chances of gaining popularity, earning links, enhancing recognition and improving ranking in search engines. That is why before simply using a common template you need to explore the market, understand your audience and see what infographic tools exist. Get Familiar With the Audience Your infographic should render information that will interlink with the way your audience things. The best way to lead your text or product to success is to stir feelings of the audience. Such an approach is especially important if your niche is dry and filled with information. You need to explore what the audience thinks and feels, so that in future you will come up with something unique and engaging. To build a proper marketing image of yourself you need to know who the potential buyers are. For example, if your company creates software for security and encrypting, your buyers will probably be enterprises and brands that want to protect their data. That is why including information about safety, possible online crimes and the latest statistics will be a good idea. Tell the audience how your product, content or idea benefits them by combining both: statistics and information about your own company. Stick to an Engaging Topic Now, when you know who your audience is and what its main interests are, it is much easier to come up with an interesting topic. You can use Google Search or BuzzSumo to find topics that will make your infographics valuable. In addition, you can read articles on general topics and simply surf the internet, looking for non-standard ideas. Then you can gather them, creating your own templates for infographic. However, you should always choose an idea that is relevant to your issue and has enough space to include statistics or any other valuable information. Be Selective While you are still on a stage of building a concept, it is necessary to conduct thorough research on the topic before starting your work on an infographic. Make sure you use only authentic data that supports your idea. Such information must be relevant, modern and unique. Ideally, it shouldn’t be easily accessible. That is why you need to dig deeper, reading official reports, presentations, and multiple PDF files. Organize Your Data Readability is what predetermines the success of your infographic, so on the next stage, you need to organize and carefully filter all the information you have found. There is no need to include to your infographic all of the data you have found because it will make your images heavy and difficult to read. Remember that the majority of readers simply scroll the content without spending too much time on reading the whole template. Now, when you have chosen the things you want to add to your infographic, it is the right time to learn what the elements of a winning infographic are. Features of a Strong Infographic There are several features that may greatly influence the result: whether your infographic will reach its goals or not. Remember, an infographic is very time-consuming and requires lots of your efforts and energy. Below we have gathered the most important traits that a winning infographic should possess. Density of Data When you have filtered gathered information and kept only relevant data, it is the right time to think about how to present that data in an attractive way. Don’t forget to highlight the juiciest details, so that the readers will notice important elements at once. The density of data is crucial if you want your infographic to be successful. That is why choosing reliable, and up-to-date sources should take the first place when you work on your infographic. If your readers have doubts on the quality of provided information, you can always provide links and proofs from original sources. Keep It Simple Many people just want to stuff as much information as possible, thinking that it will make their infographic more attractive. However, if you simply add data to the image, it will become heavy to read, and you risk losing your audience. Your goal is to organize it and to make it appealing to the reader. Be Creative If you want to stand out from other content creators, it is important to generate something valuable and unique. If you are not sure whether you are skilled enough, you can hire a designer, who will help to work on the project. This will help to come up with a creative and personalized infographic, and you will additionally get a piece of advice on professional marketing. Only Relevant Information For most of the content creators, it is quite difficult to keep the balance of relevant and clear content. It is great that you have conducted profound research and collected a huge variety of information on the topic. However, you don’t need to include everything to your infographic. Unfortunately, this is one of the most common mistakes marketers make. While remaining precise, you need to include only the most important and relevant data. On the other hand, including little information won’t seem appealing. So you should find the right balance and stick to it! Do not Promote Yourself Many content creators make self-promotional graphics. However, it may have a negative impact on the audience and will lead your whole content to failure. Statistics show that such an approach is not effective at all and is not able to attract the attention of the audience. That is why it is much better to include information that talks about your company or website, and not about you as its creator. Always stick to the rule: your infographics must be focused on the industry, not on yourself. Market Your Brand Based on the previous point, you need to stick to the formal format of the infographic, including your company’s logo and name to the image. Do not include your personal details or name, because such information won’t have any value. If you are willing to sell your products or services, brand marketing is the key. You should also pay attention to the font, color scheme and style of the infographic to make it relevant to the brand and its format. Infographic Should Be Goal-Oriented This is probably the most important feature of your future infographic. Remember: not depending on the style or font, the content you provide must be goal-oriented. In addition, it should focus on one topic, not distracting attention on other issues. Moreover, your goal must be to explain what you offer in a clear and understandable manner. To achieve this, you should create an outline or a plan in order to organize the content properly. For example, you can focus on explaining how your brand is going to solve a certain problem. You can target the relevant audience by including data and statistics that show the importance of the discussed problem. In such a way your infographic will provide readers with a clear understanding of the goals you are planning to achieve and how you can be useful in solving a particular issue. Infographic Sourcing The sources you use for getting information are more than important. The more reliable they are, the more credible the infographics become. It helps to evaluate the quality of your content, so using non-reliable sources will make your infographics looks poor and uninteresting. Luckily, it is no longer difficult to find proper sources. Due to a variety of online sources, you can get access to official documents, websites of international organizations and even books of reputable scientists and researchers. In addition, there are hundreds of official research institutes, which regularly post information on their latest studies. You just need to know the right places to look for credible and trustworthy information for your infographic. A Right Source Always Tells a Story Infographic is a way to tell readers a certain story, so if this story is not present in the chosen sources, you won’t be able to create engaging infographics. Below the infographic, you can duplicate information in the form of a story so that it will explain the data you have included in the picture. Always Use Trustworthy Sources As you know, not all of the information online can be trusted. That is why you need to do your best to fill infographics only will reliable data. Always look for information on official websites - for example, various governmental agencies and bureaus. Even if you use a source from a regular website or forum, but it contains surveys and statistics from academic sources with proper citing, you can use it. If you don’t have time or energy to process only official data, here are a few questions that will help you to distinguish a reliable source: Does this website have any relation to a reliable organization? Who is the author of the article? Does the article contain up-to-date statistics? Does it include a bibliography? What’s the goal of the web site? Cite Your Sources Citing sources is not a common thing for infographics, so very often readers question themselves whether the information they see is reliable. If you want your infographic to be trustworthy, don’t be lazy and provide the audience with links to the websites you have taken information from. It is one of the simplest but yet effective ways to support the information you provide. Limited Number of Sources Used Even if you have used tens of various sources in the process of collecting data, it is better to stick to a few of them. This will help you to remain focused on more comprehensive and clear content. More than three sources may puzzle the reader, and they will find it difficult to track the reliability of the information. Conclusion It is obvious that infographic is a great way of grabbing and holding the attention of the reader. However, the provided information must be both interesting and stimulating. Hopefully, the tips above will help you to manage your infographic and to create powerful content.

Robert Adams Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Robert Adams - Research Paper Example Adams was very an adventurous young boy. He joined the boy scouts, and also participated in church activities at the Methodist church, where his family prayed. He loved playing baseball and aiding his father with his carpentry. He accompanied his father on nature walk, hikes and rafting expeditions at the Dinosaur National Monument Park. When in his teens, he worked at Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado. During these years, Adams developed an interest in arts and began visiting the Denver Art Museum with his younger sister. In 1955, Adams joined the University of Colorado but only lasted a year before transferring to University of Redlands, Colorado. At the Redlands University, Adams met his wife Kerstin Mornestam and married her in 1960. He graduated with a B.A. in English in 1959. For his post graduate studies, he went to the University of Southern California where he received a Ph.D. in English. Adams began working as a teacher at the Colorado College in 1962. On the other hand, his photography began in 1963 after buying his first camera. He learned professional photography under Myron Wood, who was a professional then. During this time, he did photography as part-time activity but committed to it after the Museum of Modern Art bought four or his pieces. This was made possible by john Szarkowski, who was curator for the museum, and with whom Adams had met in New York. Some of the famous photographs by Robert Adams were the ‘East from Flagstaff Mountain’ in 1975, and ‘Burning Oil Sludge North of Denver’ in 1973. Some of his published books were; ‘The Architecture and Art of Early Hispanic Colorado’ and ‘White Churches of the Plains,’ published by Colorado Associated Press, Boulder, CO in 1974 and 1970 respectively. Pictures from his mid-career were displayed at the Philadelphia Museum of Art in 1989. The mastered works are displayed at the Yale University Art Gallery that put together ‘The Place We Live’. The Rencontres

Reflection On Crime Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Reflection On Crime - Research Paper Example Various crime theories have emerged assuming diverse perspectives ranging from psychological, biological, sociological and even patterns of interconnected scientific explanations. Criminologists have remained vigilant in discovering innovative points of views that could link outcomes of criminal behavior to their root causes. In this regard, the current reflective paper aims to proffer issues related to three specific topics, to wit: (1) the study of crime; (2) biological and psychological explanations of crime; and finally, (3) deterrence, incapacitation, retribution and rehabilitation. Significant applications related to the issues would be discussed. Likewise, the discourse would address how one can apply what is learned from the topics towards becoming a more valuable member of society. The study ultimately aims to determine how theoretical concepts learned from the modules would contribute to improving the peace and order by deterring crimes in society through an individual†™s proactive view. The Study of Crime A crime is a conduct forbidden by law for which punishment is prescribed. Thus, the ideas of crime and punishment are intimately connected. To commit a crime is to run the risk that punishment will be imposed. Diverse theories have tried to explain the origin of criminal behavior. In the article entitled Criminology: the study of crime and behavior, Aristotle identified poverty as â€Å"the parent of revolution and crime† (Criminology, n.d, par. 1) tracing the explanation to elements in the environment as contributory to the criminal behavior. The same discourse provided different criminology theories that were discussed in the modules, initially detailing the classical theory where â€Å"people choose to behave wrongly when they believe the benefits outweigh the costs† (Criminology, n.d, par. 5). Culen & Agnew (2002) have clearly illustrated variables and assumptions for theories of crime ranging from strain, routine, strain, co ntrol theories where factors as diverse as the facets of personalities and external influences attempt to provide meaning to their occurrences. Where poverty was identified by Aristotle providing the impetus for sociologists to examine both social and cultural forces that impinge on individuals to commit errant behavior, other distinct findings prove genetics and biological factors increase susceptibility to crimes. Theorists like Lombroso and Hoorten seek to find some patterns from individuals’ personal traits as evidence for stronger links to the occurrence of crime (Criminology, n.d, pars. 22 & 23). Aside from variables, assumptions, factors and the dominant groups of criminologists, psychologists and sociologists supporting these criminology theories, the study of crime also encompasses new professionals in the capacity of economists as interested in this field of endeavor. The study conducted by Bushway and Reuter (n.d.) emphasized a â€Å"focus on rational self-seeking behavior and analysis of the consequences of interactions among groups of actors that create equilibria in a system† (1). This just proves that the study of crimes is indeed a multidisciplinary approach that intrigues professionals from other fields to explain the rationale for their occurrence and existence despite sanctions and punishments prescribed by the legal

Ikea History and Swot Essay Example for Free

Ikea History and Swot Essay History Ingvar Kamprad, IKEA’s founder, has a very intriguing and impressive life story. Kamprad was a very intelligent young Swedish boy who quickly turned into the 5th wealthiest man in the world. His net worth is now $4.2 billion. At a very early age Kamprad started his selling knowledge. When he was just 5 years old he would buy matches in bulk at a cheap store in Stockholm and re-sell them around his neighborhood at low prices, but enough to make a hefty profit. Kamprad’s selling continued and expanded from flowers to greeting cards to pencils and pens throughout the 1920’s. As Kamprads business skills increased he began studying the retail prices of different items in Sweden. He recognized that furniture prices had increase by 41% in 1935 and realized how profitable this area of retailing could be. In 1943, at age 17 Kamprad received money from his father for his successful studies and used the money to create a business. IKEA was then formed, standing for Ingvar Kamprads initials (I.K.) and the first letter of the farm he lived on, Elmtaryd (E) and the first letter of the village he lived in, Agunnard (A.) Kamprad created his furniture line in 1948 aiming for furniture that would be affordably priced. He began only selling his furniture through magazine advertisements. In 1953 the first showroom opened in Almhult Sweden. This was the first time consumers could physically see and feel the IKEA furniture before ordering them. 3 years later the need for flat packs and self-assembly furniture gave rise; one of IKEA’s co-workers had to remove the legs of a table to fit into their car without damaging the surroundings. (â€Å"IKEA Official Page†) In 1958 the first IKEA store was opened in Almhult Sweden. It was the largest furniture store in Scandinavia at the time with 6,700 square meters. Two years after the opening the store Kamprad introduced the first IKEA restaurant which was located inside the furniture store building. Kamprad expanded his store outside of Sweden in 1963 by opening an IKEA store in Norway. Within ten years IKEA stores were being opened outside of Scandinavian countries and expanding into 3 more continents (â€Å"IKEA Official Webpage†.) One of the most recent expansions was into the Dominican Republic in 2010. IKEA is in the process of opening new stores and developing the most innovative furniture products of today. Store Locations After IKEA opened in Sweden in 1958, it quickly moved into other Scandinavian countries opening stores in Norway in 1963 and in Denmark in 1969. Throughout the 1970’s IKEA rapidly spread through Europe. The first store outside of Scandinavia opened in Switzerland and quickly after IKEA made its presence in Germany. In 1975 IKEA arrived in Australia and opened its first store in Sydney. Throughout the 1970’s IKEA also opened stores in Japan, Hong Kong, The Netherlands and Singapore. Germany has IKEA’s biggest market with 46 stores in the country. Following Germany is the United States with 38 stores across the country. As of right now, IKEA has not appeared in developing countries, but is still planning for more global expansion (Countries.) IKEA group has continued growing every year and is now a large retail experience with over 123,000 co-workers. IKEA’s employees help generate annual sales of more than 21.5 billion dollars. The stores locations are placed strategically. The location is near major roads, freeways and public transportation. Although the stores are not normally placed in densely populated areas, IKEA is still successful and reaps high traffic due to the Huff Gravity model. Since IKEA stores are so large and carry a wide range of products, people are willing to travel a further distance to their stores. The largest IKEA store is in Stockholm, Sweden with a size of 55,200 square meters and following behind it is the Shanghai, China store with a size of 49,400 square meters (â€Å"IKEA†) In 2011 IKEA announced a plan to build a wind farm in Sweden to help IKEA achieve its ecological goal of running on 100 percent renewable energy. The next year IKEA made another announcement about the company creating a chain of 100 economy hotels in Europe. However, these IKEA hotels will not follow the same IKEA brand name and will not be furnished with IKEA’s furniture. The list below contains the country and number of IKEA stores present in the country, ranked in order of their opening dates: Sweden (17), Norway (6), Denmark (5), Switzerland (7), Germany (46), Japan (5), Australia (7), Canada (12), Hong Kong (3), Austria (6), Singapore (2), The Netherlands (12), Spain (15), Iceland (1), France (28), Saudi Arabia (3), Belgium (6), Kuwait (1), United States (38), United Kingdom (18), Italy (20), Hungary (2), Poland (8), Czech Republic (5), United Arab Emirates (2), Slovakia (1), Taiwan (4), Finland (4), Malaysia (1), Russia (14), Israel (2), Greece (4), Portugal (3), Greece (5), Portugal (3), Brazil (3), Turkey (5), Romania (1), Cyprus (1), Ireland (1), Dominican Republic (1), Brazil (1), Bulgaria (1) and Thailand (1) . Target Market IKEA strives to have a wide target market, wanting people around the world of all different demographics and psychographics to purchase IKEA products. IKEA defines its global target market as â€Å"young people of all ages† including individuals, families, design exteriors, and hospitality businesses like hotels. IKEAs target audience includes but is not limited to age groups of 18 to 34 and 35 to 49 years old. IKEA focuses on college and post graduate aged individuals. IKEA’s target market contains both sexes. IKEA’s target market typically lives in urban college and metropolitan areas. The salaries of the target market can range from $15,000 to $50,000 and are usually spending their money on technology products (such as iPhones and iPads.). IKEAs target audience engages in a quick paced lifestyle that may include travelling and moving often, for example moving from apartment to apartment or to an upgraded home. Due to this â€Å"mover† lifestyle they are normally looking for a cheap, easy to build product that can be packed tightly. Because of their median income, the consumer is not very status conscientious and is not searching for expensive designer furniture. The shoppers’ personalities are relaxed and/or creative and artistic. They are considerably fashionable and search for trends, but love to get deals simultaneously. They want to do things themselves (which follows closely with IKEA’s do it yourself product attitude) and care about the environment (Rowe.) IKEA also focuses on budget conscious families. This target market is beginning to start a more domestic lifestyle. The families usually have young children. To satisfy this target market most IKEA stores include a daycare or child-watch section for the children inside the stores. Although this target audience is in a different stage in their life, they still hold similar habits and lifestyle as the previously described target audience (Rowe.) Product Assortment IKEA is a retailer of home furnishings. You can find anything you need for every room in your house at IKEA. From the IKEA official website, their departments include: Bathroom| Living room| Bedroom| Office furniture| Cooking| Outdoor| Decoration| Secondary storage| Dining| Small storage| Eating| Textiles rugs| Hallway| Youth room| Kitchen| Children’s IKEA| Laundry| IKEA FAMILY products| Lighting| | (â€Å"IKEA Official Webpage†) IKEA sells items ranging in these categories and they even provide customers with the service to help them create their own kitchen, closets and office with IKEA products. Their kitchen services include Total Project Management, Delivery, Installation and more. Their individual kitchen planning start at $199 and their measuring service start at $49. In IKEA retail locations, they also have IKEA Food. They have a restaurant where they sell their own assortment of Swedish food, located inside the IKEA retail store. Customers can sit down in a cafeteria style dining and enjoy IKEA’s famous Swedish meatballs and Lingonberry drink at amazingly low prices. In IKEA, there is also a Bistro/Exit Cafà © right at the checkout where they sell typical American food, ranging from 75 cents to $4, such as hot dogs, chips, soda, frozen yogurt and more. IKEA also has their own â€Å"grocery† section where they sell Swedish food. The IKEA official website states that the IKEA Swedish Food is â€Å"based on Swedish recipes and traditions, the wide choice of food and drink runs from frozen meatballs to sweets and coffee. You’ll save time and money whether you’re making a meal for your whole family or putting together the menu for a party† (IKEA). Their food categories include: Beverages, Easy to prepare, Meat, fish seafood, Pastries, desserts cookies, Sweets, chocolates snacks and Swedish celebrations. The last category has food items such as Swedish Christmas drink, cheese pie, Rhubarb crumble tart, and frozen Saffron rolls. SWOT Analysis Strengths * Low prices: IKEA has a strong concept based on offering a wide range of well, designed, functional products at low prices. They have created a design that is a balance between function, quality, design and price which appeals to customers in tough financial times. Their pricing strategy appeals to consumers both with limited financial resources and those with higher budgets searching for trendy, modern furniture. Due to Porter’s generic strategies, IKEA follows an integrated cost leadership and differentiation strategy. * Product’s ease of assembly: IKEA products come with clear instructions making it easy for anyone to assemble the product without the help of a professional. * Location and design of store (the IKEA store experience): IKEA locations are successful because of the Huff Gravity Model – due to the large size of IKEA, people are willing to go the distant locations where IKEAs are located. IKEA’s store design is very unique. The layout is designed in such a way that makes customers go through the entire store to get to their final purchase. A lot of customers go to IKEA for its unusual experience. * Global positioning: IKEA is available throughout the world and they cater their products to each country they go into. For example, they redesign the size of the beds for the different countries. American consumers need larger sized bedding differentiating from the European consumers who had smaller, longer beds. * Reputation for products and company: IKEA customers enjoy the modern look of IKEA products because the target market consists of creative individuals searching for trendy products. IKEA’s brand is ranked globally at number 28 and ranked number 1 for sustainable image by Ranking the Brands Overview (Brand Ranking.) * Large catalogue reach: IKEA’s yearly catalogue reaches several countries and easily advertises IKEA products to those customers. Their catalogue is distributed in 36 countries, in 27 languages and in 52 different versions. Weaknesses * Product quality: IKEA has been known for having poor quality products. But the need for low cost products means there has to be a compromise between quality and price. * Poor customer service: Because of IKEA’s do it yourself model and very straight forward instructions eliminates the need for a help desk and intensive customer service. Customer service is important to ensure complete shopping experience and ensure repeat business. * Massive store growth- IKEA is experiencing problems in a couple of their home markets. One example is the UK is expanding the number of IKEA store locations but the number of shoppers is not increasing. This means that there is a constant number of visitors divided by a larger number of retail outlets producing fewer shoppers per store. In the past consumers would travel large distances to visit stores and each store a had a large number of visitors, now the amount of consumers purchasing IKEA products has not increased in numbers but they are able to visit a more local store. These new store locations reduce the footfall per store and sales density (SWOT Analysis IKEA.) Opportunities * Financial condition: Because of the current financial condition, consumers are trading down from expensive stores to the low priced products offered at IKEA. * IKEA website: IKEA has an opportunity to grow through expanding their online shopping. IKEA website only has a few items you can purchase and IKEA will ship it to your house or you can pick it up at an IKEA location near you. IKEA could expand their online product offerings and services to increase product sales. * Smaller stores: IKEA store locations are distant and large and they can take advantage of opening smaller stores in more dense locations where people can buy small home products or buy their Swedish food. IKEA must only open these new store locations in places where the number of customers is increasing, to avoid a reduction in footfall per store like the UK market. * More stores in the U.S.: IKEA currently has only 38 stores across the country and they could possibly expand this market due to the high percentage of sales the United States gives IKEA. * Capitalize their Green efforts: IKEA can capitalize on their GREEN efforts. Customers’ desire to have less of an impact on the environment and due to the increased demand for cheaper and greener products, IKEA can take advantage of this and develop these products that the market wants. * Bonus/rewards services: IKEA can add bonus/rewards services to increase customer satisfaction as well as increase customer loyalty. Threats * Product quality: IKEA products are poorly made and people are willing to spend the extra buck to buy a product of better quality that will last for years. * Competitors: More competitors are entering the low price household and furnishing markets increasing the competition IKEA will have to face. * When the economy strengthens- The recession slows down consumer spending and disposable income reduces. However when the economy strengthens, consumers will be willing to purchase furniture products at a higher price in order to get better quality. IKEA needs to find a way to stay profitable when the economy takes this turn. Promotion Strategy IKEA promotes their retail through traditional advertising such as TV commercials, a yearly print catalogue as well as utilizing new ways of advertising such as social media and guerrilla marketing. In the past IKEA’s television commercials were characterized as funny and crazy often stating the slogan â€Å"they are crazy these Swedes†. This statement referred to the â€Å"crazy† low prices IKEA products were offered for. They would also often have a Swedish guy driving a yellow buggy loaded with IKEA boxes. Presently, IKEA commercials are more simple and modern. The new commercials focus on families in a household setting using IKEA products. These commercials continue with the humorous appeal, but only focus on a few IKEA items, to ensure the customers are more focused on the substance of the commercial. IKEA utilizes social media by holding contests on websites such as Facebook. When they were opening their new IKEA Malmo store in 2009, they created a Facebook campaign where a showroom picture was uploaded to their Facebook profile and the first people to tag an item won that item (How To? From IKEA). Through the speed of social media, IKEA was able to get their customers to personally promote IKEA. IKEA also has held several contests throughout the years. They have contests such as â€Å"What’s your story?†, â€Å"The Life Improvement Project†, â€Å"Dream Kitchen Giveaway† and several more. They really enjoy promoting their products by getting their customers involved. IKEA uses customer interaction in many of their promotion strategies. IKEA also has a yearly catalogue that can be sent to your homes or picked up at a local IKEA location. IKEA’s yearly catalogue takes up a large part of their marketing budget because the catalogue is used as a main channel for communication around the world. IKEA’s catalogue is distributed in 36 countries, in 27 languages and in 52 different versions. The catalogues distributed in different countries have the same Scandinavian names but differ in their product offerings which are highlighted on separate pages (Gustafson). IKEA caters to the different countries where they distribute their catalogues by trying to incorporate the different cultures into their catalogue. On top of sending paper catalogues around town, IKEA likes to go out of their way to show IKEA products in their normal settings but in extraordinary locations utilizing the concept of â€Å"guerrilla marketing†. This usually occurs when IKEA is opening new stores. Examples of IKEA’s guerilla marketing include redecorating bus stations with IKEA furniture, redoing a subway bus with IKEA furniture and mounting IKEA furniture off the side of buildings. They make it as extreme as possible because they want to draw in people’s attention and make them stop and have a look. To promote their store in Tampa, IKEA produced their take on a ‘message in a bottle’ by placing an IKEA playroom inside a giant plastic bottle. In Japan, IKEA transformed a gingko tree-lined boulevard in Tokyo’s shopping district of Aoyama into an open-air museum. They had fifteen box-like structures the size of typical Japanese rooms which were fitted out IKEA furnishings (Capell). IKEA alters their advertising to the match the different cultures and environment for each country, but continues to enforce their unusual extreme promotions to reach a large amount of people and hold their attention. . Works Cited Capell, Kerry. Ikeas New Plan for Japan. BusinessWeek. N.p., 25 Apr. 2006. Web. http://www.businessweek.com/stories/2006-04-25/ikeas-new-plan-for-japan. Facts Figures. IKEA. N.p.. Web. 21 Feb 2013. http://www.ikea.com/ms/en_US/about_ikea/facts_and_figures/facts_figures.html. Gustafson, Martin, and Eric Jonsson. Influence of Culture and National Image on Marketing: A Study of IKEA’s Promotion in Sweden and France. (2008): n. pag. Web. http://umu.diva-portal.org/smash/record.jsf?pid=diva2:158758. History . IKEA offical webpage. N.p.. Web. 21 Feb 2013. http://www.ikea.com/ms/en_US/about_ikea/the_ikea_way/history/index.html. How To? From IKEA. IGK Marketing RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Feb. 2013. http://igkmarketing.com/ikea/. IKEA. Advertisement. IKEA. N.p., n.d. Web. http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/categories/departments/cooking/16260/. IKEA. Countries with IKEA Stores. N.p.. Web. 21 Feb 2013. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_with_IKEA_stores. Marketing Teacher. SWOT Analysis IKEA . Marketing Teacher Ltd 2000. Web. 25 Feb 2013. http://www.marketingteacher.com/swot/ikea-swot.html. Rowe, C.. Scribd. IKEA Marketing Plan. N.p.. Web. 21 Feb 2013. http://www.scribd.com/doc/65014303/IKEAMarketingPlan. ADD BRAND RANKING WORKS CITED

Wal-Mart International Essay -- Business Management, Case Study, solut

Wal-Mart International Introduction In 1993, Wal-Mart had become America’s leading retailer, with net sales of $67 billion from its Wal-Mart stores, Sam’s Clubs, and Wal-Mart Supercenters. The Company had grown at a rate of 25% per year since 1990, and it was clear that to continue at its current rate of growth, Wal-Mart would have to seriously consider continuing its recent international expansion. During 1992, Wal-Mart had entered into a joint venture with CIFRA, Mexico’s largest retailer, which currently operated 24 stores in Mexico and had plans to open 70 new stores by 1995. The Company had also recently completed the acquisition of 122 Woolco department stores in Canada. Each of these expansions had presented unique challenges for Wal-Mart to adapt its operations to suit local market demands, but Wal-Mart had successfully risen to the challenge. Given the Company’s successful track record, it seemed logical to continue to expand internationally. If Wal-Mart didn’t expand internationally, David Glass, Wal-Mart’s CEO, felt that companies would start to come to the US and increase competitive pressures domestically. International expansion would drive growth and help in maintaining Wal-Mart’s dominant domestic position. Namely, entrance into foreign markets would force competitors to focus on their primary markets. If Wal-Mart planned to maintain its dominant position in the U.S., international expansion would not only drive growth, but it would also keep potential competitors trying to operate stores in their home markets rather than expanding into the U.S. Wal-Mart Company Background: Sam Walton began his retail career working at J.C. Penney while in college and later leased a Ben Franklin franchised dime store in Newport, Arkansas (1945). In 1950, he relocated to Bentonville and opened a Walton Five and Dime. By 1962, Walton owned 15 Ben Franklin stores under the Walton Five and Dime name. Walton felt that big supermarkets would eventually destroy the smaller, traditional five and dimes and in 1962, Walton opened his own supermarket discount store. Eight years later, the Company was trading on Wall Street and had 30 stores. Wal-Mart’s growth accelerated greatly during the 1970s. The Company aggressively marketed itself to middle class shoppers by advertising "Everyday Low Prices." Walton motivated his employees by impleme... ...ring Argentina with a local partner, analysts expected the new stores to be able to capture additional market share and initially achieve lower operating and administrative expenses than if Wal-Mart entered on its own. Martin wondered which of these alternatives would be most beneficial to Wal-Mart. Summary The annual shareholders meeting was coming up, and Bob Martin needed to make a recommendation to Glass on how to proceed. Although Glass agreed with Martin that international expansion needed to continue, he wasn’t convinced Argentina was the best choice. Glass wanted to be sure that they had considered all of the risks involved before making such a large investment in a new country. If Martin did decide that Wal-Mart should invest in Argentina, Martin wondered which alternative to recommend. He needed to finish his analysis and prepare a report for Glass that compared the alternatives. Whatever Martin’s recommendations, he knew they needed to be presented with a compelling argument. This was a critical year for Wal-Mart, and Glass would want to be able to demonstrate to Wal-Mart’s investors that the Company could overcome its slow down in growth during the last year.

American Art Project Essay

Declaration of Independence, John Trumbull Artist John Trumbull (1756-1843) of Lebanon, Connecticut painted the Declaration of Independence, which was hung in 1826. The painting is of a moment on June 28, 1776 when the first draft of the Declaration was presented to the Second Continental Congress, less than a week before the document was officially adopted (Architect of the Capitol website). The elegance of the room, the importance of the event, and the displayed captured British flags seemingly portray a moment of triumphant victory and success. I believe Trumbull was successful in portraying this in his effort to capture a legendary moment in American history. Part of Trumbull’s success possibly stems from the fact that he did not attempt to recreate accuracy of the scene painted. He instead thrived to attain preservation of the images of the Nation’s founders. There are men in the painting who were not present in the actual event, but were signers of the document. For this reason, I believe the message of the painting is the importance of the event to American history. Adopting the Declaration of Independence as an official document was a major step towards American freedom. Another clue is that the painting is often mistaken for the actual signing of the Declaration, which didn’t take place until over a month later. The artist’s intentions shown in the painting seems to affect the interpretation gained today, which shows that the artist was able to clearly depict the painting’s victory and triumph. Embarkation of the Pilgrims, Robert Weir The painting, Embarkation of the Pilgrims (1843) is considered to be Robert Weir’s (1803-1889) most famous work. It depicts the Pilgrims on the deck of the ship Speedwell on July 22, 1620 before they departed from Delfs Haven, Holland for North America, where they sought religious freedom  (Architect of the Capitol website). This journey must have been one of the many that populated the new land in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. The message in the painting portrays fear, hope, and new beginnings. In the painting, the people are in prayer and looking upward. This makes me believe that they were entrusting God with whatever was next for them, or wherever their path was taking them. The article paired with the painting points out the city on the right side that the Pilgrims are leaving. This city is the Pilgrims’ home; it was all they knew. The fact that is included in the picture could show that the Pilgrims feared the change, or represent the significance of the change. The fear of such a big move could explain the armor that was included in the painting. The Pilgrims had a need for protection from the unknown in the New World they were journeying to. The rainbow in the picture depicts their faith in God and His promise. They were leaving everything behind in search of religious freedom. Though they were in never ending prayer with a strong need of protection, their faith needed to be strong in order to actually go through with the journey. Landing of Columbus, John Vanderlyn The Landing of Columbus was painted by John Vanderlyn (1775-1852). The painting shows Christopher Columbus and members of his crew at the first landfall of their expedition to find a westward route from Europe to China, Japan, and other uncharted countries. The landing on the beach shown, in the West Indies, marks the beginning of the adventure that Columbus would be known of for the rest of all time. He is standing with his hat at his feet, sword towards the ground, flag in his hand and head held high as if he is declaring the land as Spain territory with much optimism about the future. The hat on the ground and flag mostly point towards claiming the land with the idea that wherever you lay your hat is home. His crew members do not seem to share the same optimism as Columbus, and appear sick and discouraged. The man behind him seems to have a look of disapproval on his face, while others seem fairly unhappy. In the background, there are more people who look to be in a state of rejoicing at the feel of land, an understandable gesture after being on the ship for so long. The Indians on the far right are standing behind trees as if they are hiding from the newcomers. I believe this may be out of fear, as they are unfamiliar with  the crew who, pictured in the painting, sport weapons. Commissioned in June 1836 and installed in January 1847, this painting leaves an unclear message full of mixed emotions among a hopeful sailor, his not so optimistic crew, and territorial Native Americans. Surrender of General Burgoyne, John Trumbull John Trumbull (1756-1843) of Lebanon, Connecticut also painted the Surrender of General Burgoyne, an event that took place at Saratoga, New York on October 17, 1777. It was a â€Å"turning point in the American Revolution† that â€Å"prevented the British from dividing New England from the rest of the colonies.† It was also the â€Å"deciding factor in bringing active French support to the American cause.† The painting, hung in 1826, pictures General Burgoyne handing over his sword in surrender with only one other member of the British Army among countless men of the American militia. To me, this shows America’s strength and victory compared to Britain’s weakness and loss. Despite their victory, General Gates declines the sword and is pictured directing Burgoyne to the tent, displaying America’s humble hospitality and good sportsmanship. America’s flag is flown high, blowing in the wind among a background of receding gloomy clouds and clear blue skies. This can be interpreted as a mark of hope in new beginnings for America due to their victory in the war against the throne. The content of this picture leads me to believe that the message is something similar to this: â€Å"Despite Britain’s numerous efforts, including taxation and war, America still stands while maintaining her bearing as a humble, yet free nation.† William Allen – Ohio William Allen was born in North Carolina on December 27, 1803. He moved to Ohio at the age of sixteen after his parents’ death in hopes of making a future for himself. His life from that point portrays ambition, determination, and success, which makes him a great choice for representation of Ohio. He studied at the Chillicothe Academy for two years before studying law with Colonel Edward King. He was admitted to the bar in Ohio at the age of 21. The Jackson democrats of Allen’s district nominated him as a congressional candidate in a Republican district, which he won. He served one term in the House of Representatives, lost the reelection, and  was appointed by the governor to finish out a term as a United States Senator for Thomas Ewing. He was reelected to this position for a second term. In 1873, William Allen was elected governor of Ohio. He died in his estate on July 11, 1879 after only serving one term. Throughout his career, Allen was a strong supporter of the United States territorial rights in Oregon, favored the incorporation of Texas, was not shy about his point of view towards Abraham Lincoln, and was an anti-war Democrat. James A. Garfield, Ohio James A. Garfield was the twentieth President of the United States before dying within six months. Born November 1831 as the youngest of five children, Garfield was the last president to have been born in a log cabin. He grew up influenced by religion, and finished his studies just under the age of 30. He was elected to the Ohio Senate in 1859, and was admitted to the bar in 1860. During the Civil War, Garfield fought tooth and nail for his officer commission and worked his way through the ranks to major general. From 1863 to 1880, he was a representative in the House for nine consecutive terms, and served on the Military Affairs Committee, as well as the Ways and Means committee. Although he was elected to Senate in 1880, he never served due to his presidential election. Garfield’s presidency was short lived after he was shot July 1881 on his way to Williams College to deliver a speech. Over the next few weeks, Garfield became extremely sick due to infection. On September 19, 1881, President James A. Garfield was pronounced dead after suffering a massive heart attack, a ruptured splenic artery aneurysm, blood poisoning and bronchial pneumonia. Reviewing his career and achievements, one finds that he became someone major despite his childhood shortcomings and setbacks. He is also a great candidate for Ohio, as his determination increased his ability to go far. Although he finished school later than others, he continued his studies well into his career. References Niehaus, C. (1886). James A. Garfield. Retrieved 25 Apr 14, from http://www.aoc.gov/capitol-hill/national-statuary-hall-collection/james-garfield. Niehaus, C. (1887). William Allen. Retrieved 25 Apr 14, from http://www.aoc.gov/capitol-hill/national-statuary-hall-collection/william-all