Site Distance Equation for Crest Vertical Curves Research Paper

Site Distance Equation for Crest Vertical Curves - Research Paper Example The elevation of various points of the curve gives the relative difference in the level at different points on the curve. Also shown in the figure are length of the curve, start of the curve and also the end of the curve. To provide easy movement of vehicles and also to smooth out the vertical profile the vertical curves are introduced at the intersection of the grades. Usually two type of vertical curves are used in the geometric design of roads. They are crest curves or summit curves and sag curves or valley curves. The crest curves have the convexity upwards and when a fast moving vehicle travels along the curve, upward action of the centrifugal force against the gravity and would relieve a part of the pressure on the tyres. This phenomenon would eliminate the discomfort experienced by the passengers wouldn't feel the discomfort while passing over these curves (Garber and Hoel, 2001). The process of aligning the vertical curves along the road is influenced by various factors like the vehicle speed, acceleration, stopping sight distance and comfort in travel (Wright and Dixon, 2004). The design of the summit curve is governed only by sight distance considerations. Though the circular crest curve is an ideal choice as the sight distance available throughout the length of a circular curve is constant most of the designs prefer parabolic curve. This is because the deviation angles in the vertical curves of highways are very small and between the same tangent points a simple parabola is congruent with a circular arc. In addition, easiness in computation of the ordinates besides the better rising comfort given by crest curves gives preference to parabolic curves (DRMB, 1993). When the parabolic crest curves are adopted the equation is given as y=ax2 , where a = N /2L. The N in the equation is the deviation angle and L is the length of the curve. Since the crest curves are long and flat , the length of the curve L is taken as equal to the horizontal projection. During the process of the design of the parabolic crest curves it is necessary to consider the stopping sigh t distance and overtaking sight distance separately. As indicated earlier, it is essential to provide sight distances atleast equal to the stopping distances at all points on the highways to avoid the accidents due to inadequate sight distance (Garber and Hoel, 2001). Figure 2 : The length of the crest curve is greater than the stopping side distance Length of the summit curves for stopping side distance. The two situations that need to be considered in the determination of length of the curve for stopping side distance (SSD) are (i) When the length of the curve is greater than the side distance (L > SSD) and (ii) When length of the curve is less than the side distance (L For L > SSD (Figure 2), the length of the vertical crest curve is given as ------------------ (1) Where, L is the length of the vertical crest curve in metre, S is the stopping side distance in metre, N is the deviation angle which is equal to algebraic difference in grades, radians or tangent of the deviation angle, H is the height of the eye level of the driver above the road surface in metre, h is the height of the object above the pavement surface in metre. The value of H

A quote about the personal and professional significance of the Essay

A quote about the personal and professional significance of the leadership program - Essay Example The role of quality leadership program cannot be overstated. As such we must acknowledge that overall performance of an institution greatly depends on the level of leadership program that an individual has gone through. Putting ourselves on the accounts of leadership institutions such as Harvard business school or the graduate school of the United States, there is propounded evidence that a simple 18 months leadership program is substantial to strengthen both individual and organizational performances. Such types of leadership programs provide a broad range of skills essential to both the executive and managerial in execution of long roles that are beneficial for future economic development (Gove and Laws Para 2-10). My challenge to institutions offering the 18 months leadership program is that, managements should willingly enrich such programs by improving the number of graduates that benefit from the training programs. Besides, the curriculum should be enriched to improve on its relative impacts. Every institutional leader must, therefore, remain committed to improving their institutions by creating evidence about the relative importance of leadership program and showing outstanding leadership qualities through self-demonstrations (Gove and Laws Para

Disaster Management Planning For Earthquake

Disaster Management Planning For Earthquake The risk for disaster occurs when the social, physical, environmental and economic vulnerabilities are hit by hazards. The biggest volumes of disasters are mainly a result of events originating hydrometeorogically. Even in the face of gradual understanding of the significance of reduction of disasters and disaster response capabilities, disasters continue to be a global problem especially the one of disaster management techniques. It is now globally accepted that plans should be put in place to reduce the risk of a disaster. The plans should be conceptualised and brought into action in spheres such as policies, programmes for poverty reduction and should be assisted by international and regional cooperation. Poverty reduction, proper governing and sustainable development are mutually cooperative plans along with disaster management. Efforts have to be made at a rapid pace to put in place the required plans to counter any threats posed at the regional and international level by disast ers. Introduction The occurrence of such disasters has continued to increase in a rapid succession. More than three million lives were lost due to disasters in the last quarter of a century itself. This number does not stop as billions have been affected in some way or the other. The cost of rehabilitation from these disasters has run into thousands of billions alone. The increase in the population of the world only enhances the chance of disaster risk which could cause massive casualties and harm to the human life in large numbers. The six billion mark in world population was reached on the 16th of November in 1999. The annual growth rate was estimated at nearly 1.33 %( seventy eight million every year). There is a greater risk on account of the industrialization and vast urbanization since a lot of people are moving to urban areas which do not have sufficient health care and infrastructure in place. Energy is released after accumulation in the volcanic activity or geological faults which cause seismic waves to bring about movement of the crust which is known as an earthquake. Humans are able to only detect three thousand earthquakes from the total of five hundred thousand earthquakes that occur every year. 7 to 11 out of these 3000 earthquakes cause significant damage to property and human life though this figure has increased the past few years. The toll of death due to an earthquake can range from as less as five to higher than two hundred and forty thousand. One out of two cities in a developed country is susceptible to a natural hazard like earthquake. Seventeen of the twenty largest cities are situated in countries with low resources. Eighty percent of the population of the world will reside in developing countries by the year 2025 according to an estimate. The research on natural disasters is of a lot of significance in case of developing countries. What is a Disaster? Many definitions have been put forward regarding disaster. Samuel Henry Prince started the study related to disasters in 1971 in Canada during the worst disaster witnessed in Canada. The disaster in point is the ship explosion occurred in 1917 in the harbour of Halifax, Nova Scotia. His research and social exploration of the implications of the disaster paved way for further theoretical and empirical research that lasted through the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s. This saw a change in the way disasters were perceived. The focus shifted from the primary physical agent to the description and definition of disasters related to the social impact caused by it. Various academic disciplines were dedicated to the study of nature and disasters during the 1960s and 1970s. The definition of a disaster can be classified between the national and international level. The working definition of a disaster is designed in way to suit the professional background of the place where it is defined and is closely associated to the studies, work and research that is carried out. The World Health Organization has defined disaster on the base of the resultant health implications post the disaster. They have made use of the terminology called as Health Action in Crises. The International Red Cross has taken into account the factors that cause interference in human life. IN simple words, floods, earthquakes and hurricanes only acquire the status of a disaster when they leave behind a negative and disruptive impact on the living force. Al-Madhari et al in 1997 studied if a universal definition for the term disaster is possible and came up with a definition that takes into account both the factors of economic and health implications. The definition was as follows- an event localized in time and space with one or more of the following consequences occur: 1) Ten or more fatalities, 2) Damage exceeds $1 million, 3) 50 or more people evacuated. This is the basic essence that is found in most definitions of disaster which may carry different views. All the definitions accept disaster as a situation that is beyond the cope of control of the local community which warrants the need of external help. The disasters maybe a result of naturally occurring phenomena like extreme changes in climate or weather, technological and man made threats. Psychological stages of disaster Heroic stage The heroic stage is shown by the community and the individuals within that direct the various levels of energy in the tasks of help, rescue, shelter, clean up and repair. This behaviour is carried out in the span of a few hours to even days if required. Honeymoon stage The optimism characterized by the people in the community is the showcase of this stage in spite of the losses that occur due to the disaster. There is a wide media attention and, flow of resources inwards, and reassurances by personal visits by high profile personalities that look towards the rehabilitation process of the community. They provide the hope and belief that life will return to normalcy and no traces of the disaster will be seen. These resources though tend to exhaust by the third week of the aftermath of the crisis, there is reduced media attention and the real problems in the rehabilitation program start to develop. The energy shown by the survivors in the community gradually starts to fade away and gives way to the next stage of disillusionment. Disillusionment The hard experiences, the lack of necessities and the work needed to be done to restore normalcy creeps up on the person which leads to disillusionment among the survivors. Survivors find that the various types of financial help being offered are in the form of loans instead of grant, home insurance was not the best available option and that politics played a bigger role in the decision making. Signs of disgruntlement is how by means of complaints related to abandonment, betrayal and injustice, incompetency and bureaucracy. Stress is a negative aspect that troubles the survivors which slowly disintegrates any hope that may be left. Recovery All the work for which the base has been setup starts to show results. The applications are passed, loans are approved, and reconstruction is started. The individuals start to work at their normal capacities. People start regaining the state of normalcy with a period of six months after the disaster. Some individuals might take up to thirty six months. There is an overall sense of appreciation to aspects like life, relationship and morale towards tackling problems all owed to the lessons learnt post the disaster. Stages of Disaster Response Preparation stage The main objective of this stage is to improve the healthcare system and the general system that can be improved to the extent that future disasters can be tackled with ease and efficiency. Quick Reponses Stage The main objective of this stage is to make sure that there is a prober health response in case of a disaster strike that may create some needs. Counselling is provided during this stage which is present in the current health system. There should be help sought from external sources to boost the resources that are available in case they are not sufficient to fulfil all the necessary needs. In many cases the local supplies may not be enough to meet the requirement of the community which is why the stock has to be filled with the help of some additional commodities obtained from other external sources. Recovery Stage This stage has to be worked upon continuously and lasts more than a month after the disaster takes place. This stage could go on for years depending on the resources that are available for rehabilitation and the impact and type of the disaster. The needs of the survivors are taken care of by the local providers in this stage. Federal funds may flow in case the disaster is declared as a Presidential Declared Disaster. The funding is given to those in need of individual help. Disaster Management Definition of disaster management A lot of definitions have been put forward by authors on the topic of disaster management. A lot of these definitions merely explain the meaning of the term rather than completely stating the terms of preparation for a disaster. Christopolis, Mitchell and Liljelund regarded efficient and effective abilities and result of disaster response as the main themes of preparation for a disaster (2001). Creating a local response system and providing early warnings is also a big part of preparation (Integrated Regional information Networks, 2005). The definitions by United Nations Development program, McEntire and Twigg have definitions similar in theme with their own take on the preparation for a disaster. The program by United Nations holds hazard easing as the central source for disaster preparation along with the inclusion of planning in the description (2004). Similarly, McEntire and Twigg also consider hazard easing as a crucial aspect in disaster preparation saying that it should be a p art of it (McEntire, 2003 and Twigg, 2002). McEntire talks about different factors relevant for disaster preparation as a local government function that includes vulnerability and hazard evaluation. The lesser highlighted aspects of disaster preparation are also very important. Izadkhak and Hosseni point out education to be the foremost media in the preparation of a community for disasters (2005). The emergency plans, storage of food, securing furniture to walls and creating inventories of storage commodities are a part of this level (Paton, Smith, Johnston, 2003 and Siembieda, 2001). Review of preparation literature The disaster preparedness aspect is basically dynamic in nature which keeps changing constantly. The researches find out new facts with the occurring of new disaster even with respect to the community. The disasters and crisis are consistent but the practises applied in its management still lack the capacity to provide necessary results. McEntire has worked towards some crucial points in disaster preparedness and emergency management in his study. McEntire, Fuller and Johnston and Weber (2002) published an article reviewing the emergency management and the methods related to it. The main concern in the 2002 research was vulnerability while McEntire also finished his research related to disaster preparedness. Dynes also provide his view on emergency planning. His views were based on research instead of military models. The problem solving methods of Dynes emphasizes cooperation and coordination as the key aspects. (1994). This concept has been used in developing many other models as opposed to the earlier practice of using military models and instead switching to a research based and discipline specific model. The best methods of disaster preparedness incline towards discipline specific objectives as in the case of emergency management. A valuable amount of work has been spent for the identification and evaluation of the concepts and principles that are used in disaster preparedness. Some contributions have been made to development of disaster preparedness with the aim of creating a theory based practise and practise based theory (Gillespie and Streeter, 1987). The contributions from most individuals are not aimed at the creation of a complete disaster preparedness technique but individual research has helped immensely in making contributions towards building a complete disaster preparedness plan. A case in point is the research by Kirschenbaum (2002) article based on disaster preparedness from the point of view of Israel. The inferences drawn from his study were found to be applicable in a general environment. Perry and Lindell (2003) based their study on disaster management on the principles of perspective and planning and were able to identify 10 guidelines that should be used in the process of planning. Lindell was more focused on the planning while Kirschenbaum gave more importance to localized applications and principles. Each on his own was able to contribute an important aspect that led to the creation of a comprehensive disaster preparedness plan although none of the studies focused on all the aspects on the whole. Components of disaster management Earthquake Risk The risk of earthquake is a seismic risk to the environment and its habitats. The earthquake risk is inversely proportional to the capacity of resisting it. Research based on social learning by May (1994) shows that the more knowledge that is available, the less is the worry and lesser in the rationale for prevention. Knowledge and the use of the knowledge in the best way are required to improve the safety measures today. There is a process known as Earthquake Risk Management that works towards the prevention of threat or danger from an earthquake, reducing risk or consequences of an earthquake. It also deals on topics like preparation for dealing with a disaster, responding to a threat due to natural disaster, capacity building and knowing the effects of the natural disasters. There are the basic points of evacuation, rescuing, relief, rehabilitate and reconstruct that are covered. The population in India was marked at over a billion in 2001 and is estimated to be doubled by the yea r 2050. This calculates to a population growth of 1.61% per annum. The risk of earthquake increases by leaps and bounds in such a scenario. The urban areas are been populated to the extent of being overcrowded and figure in the highest density in the world of 237 people per square kilometre. This only worsens the situation. People in thickly dense areas have no alternative but to live in conditions like low lying areas situated closely near the rivers. This makes it mandatory to keep a full time alert and be ready with a disaster preparedness plan. Gillespie and Banerjee (1993, pp.242) have proposed there is a 5 stage plan which spirals upward with more refined levels including avenues, assessment, knowledge, preparedness and practise. The central point in these levels is considered to be knowledge. As pointed by Srivastava et al (2007), the reduction in disaster risks can be brought about by the proper use of information. Disaster management planning for earthquake In the past few decades, a high level of importance has been attached to the effective and efficient management of information and its use as a key component of disaster management in the regions of Asia especially Pacific Asia. Disaster management information systems have been setup by a number of countries according to their own calculations and needs. The applications include early warnings, reduction of disaster risks and emergency planning. The information plays an important part in disaster management and it should be used wisely. The needs of the information related to disaster management can be classified in two activity categories Pre disaster activities like research and analysis, prevention, risk assessment and preparedness. Post disaster activities like rehabilitation, response and reconstruction. The data related to disaster can also be classified into two categories- Pre disaster data consisting of the risks and the country Post disaster data showing the impact of the disaster and the resources available to counter the effects. National Disaster Management Information System The main aspects of a disaster management information system is a database containing the following- Mapping of hazard assessment Vulnerability Assessment Distribution by Demography Lifelines, Infrastructure and Critical Facilities Transportation Routes and Logistics Material and Human Response Resource Communication Facility The use of Disaster Management Information System is based on three aspects- Preparedness planning Response and mitigation Recovery Earthquake activities Preparation and Planning Identifying areas prone to earthquake Identifying problems Identifying and using Resources Control and command Advance Preparatory Action Post earthquake activities The relief activities needed to be performed by the government are- Maintaining uninterrupted communication Endorsing disaster preparedness and relief measures through media like newspaper and AIR. Evacuating and movement of commodities of essence such as petroleum should be facilitated in transport. Making sure that essential commodities are available at a reasonable rate. Providing adequate supply of drugs, vaccine and medicine. Restoration and preservation of physical communication links. Providing infrastructure such as latrines, shelter, electricity, road etc. On a temporary basis by making the necessary investment. Mobilising financial resources. In addition to these aspects, there are certain secondary functions that are needed by the relief efforts of the State such as Military aid should provide relief, restoration and rehabilitation services to the civil authority. Backup plans for cattle preservation, crops and health measures should be put in place. Technological and technical inputs for providing drinking water. Providing technical assistance for water management, water budgeting and several other uses. Coordinating activities of the voluntary and state agencies. Knowledge Management The knowledge related activities are dealt taken care of by the knowledge management procedure (Wiig, 1997: Civi, 2000). These activities include organizations and creation of knowledge along with share and use of the knowledge. Knowledge management can be more appropriately defined as the strategies and processes of identifying, capturing and leveraging knowledge. This definition was provided by the American Productivity and Quality Centre. Knowledge management is a field on the rise which has been able to collect considerable attention especially from the industrial community. A large number of industrial organizations have taken to knowledge management programs which serve as proof of its widespread use. These programs are helpful in making the industries more competent and improving their organizational performance. It is only a matter of time when all the companies will adopt such a program and the only factor to be accounted for is the way in which it has to be implemented to m ake optimum use of knowledge management and managing it properly at the same time. Implementation of Knowledge Management The Knowledge Management concept has caught a lot of attention due to its importance but there are only a few industries that have been able to make optimum use of the knowledge management techniques by managing the knowledge in their respective organizations. Stoney and Barnett (2000) suggest that a major number of Knowledge Management steps are bound to fail. This is due to the fact that the implementation of Knowledge Management is not an easy task that can be carried out by an organization. Technological infrastructure needs to be in place for the implementation of Knowledge Management along with change in the culture of the organization and managing knowledge of different types. Organizations that have made use of the Knowledge Management without making certain of the necessary resources at their disposal have mainly failed due to improper infrastructure and implementation. Implementation of the Knowledge Management is a tough task for any organization as pointed out by Drucker (1993) who is known as the father of modern management theory. He stressed on the fact the biggest challenge faced by an organization is the building of a systematic framework for the management of knowledge. Hence, it is imperative to build a perfect prototype or framework which helps the organizations before the implementation of Knowledge Management. Framework definition According o the Oxford English Dictionary, (2003), the framework is defined as a structure composing of parts that are framed together especially designed for enclosing or supporting anything like a skeleton or a frame. Popper (1994) has defined framework as a set of assumptions or fundamental principles of intellectual origin that form the basis for action. In accordance with these definitions, framework can be said to be a framework or a structure formed using a set of specific instructions or principles that is required to provide a base for carrying out necessary activities and actions. Knowledge Management Frameworks According to Rubenstein-Montano et al. (2001b), Knowledge Management frameworks are categorized as a mode of providing guidance in a specific discipline. This means that it shows the way towards the building of Knowledge Management in a specific discipline completely. Dale (1999) defines framework as a tool used for the development and laying out of plans, a guide that helps an organization to carry out a certain action that works best for their business needs at their own pace. The framework most importantly acts as a link between the practical and theoretical aspects of the Knowledge Management and eases its implementation during an emergency or disaster. Various Knowledge Management frameworks The frameworks that have been described in theory are made to focus on different parts of Knowledge management and achieving its various purposes. The most popularly known framework is the framework for knowledge creation created by Nonaka (1991, 1994) that explains the evolution and conversion seen between tacit knowledge (not easy to articulate) and explicit knowledge (can be easily put into words). This is not the perfect form of a framework since it is only concerned with the creation of knowledge which is nothing more than a part of the Knowledge Management. Another type of framework that is described in theory is the one that provides information on cyclic processes of the Knowledge Management. From the studies of Rubenstein-Montano et al. (2001a), it is evident that many of these frameworks only provide activities that stress on the knowledge cycle activities. They lay importance on phases of knowledge without providing supervision in the implementation of Knowledge Management. The examples of such frameworks are plenty including the framework by Bose and Sugumaran (2003) and many of the frameworks that were studied by Rubenstein-Montano et al. (2001a). A third type of framework is the one developed by researchers that is used to explain the performance of Knowledge Management in an organization. The framework provides reference to shoe the analysis, structure and evaluation of the Knowledge Management in various organizations belonging to different fields. They were developed by Apostolou and Mentzas (1998). Framework requirements The framework helps in understanding, improving awareness and gives the conceptual definition of the Knowledge management that informs the people about the processes involved in it. Al the components can be understood with the help of a framework and puts the Knowledge Management in perspective by providing the people with a clear and concise vision which helps in its implementation. Managers find framework as a beneficial and important tool since it helps to decide whether all the aspects related to the Knowledge management have been covered that may be easily overlooked without the framework. It also helps in enabling the implementation process and helps coordinate the efforts put in by the organization in a controlled and systematic way. System Approach Framework Holsapple and Joshi (2002) laid out a three layer framework which consists of three major building blocks known as knowledge resources, activities and influences. The resources pat highlighted the pool of the knowledge of the organization that can be classified into six main forms of resources namely participants knowledge, infrastructure, culture, knowledge artefact, strategy and purpose. The activities block represents the processes to be used by the organization for manipulating the knowledge resources. Holsapple and Joshi (2002) were able to identify 4 activities related to this aspect namely acquiring, selecting, internalizing and using the knowledge which means the generation and externalization of knowledge. The manners in which these activities are performed tend to be influence by a number of factors that can be seen in the next block called as knowledge influences. The implementation is greatly influenced by this block and is classified into three categories namely resource (human, financial, material and knowledge), managerial (coordination, leadership and measurement) and environmental (customers, competitors, suppliers, markets and other conditions). The three aspects when viewed collectively act as the main components in the operation of Knowledge Management. A framework was created with the idea of four stages namely review, concept, reflect and act by Wiig et al. (1997) in order to explain a number of Knowledge Management techniques and methods. Review is the first step and relates to evaluating and monitoring the performance of the organization to find out whether the desired results have been obtained. Conceptualize has two parts namely analysis of knowledge and inventory knowledge. The former is used to identify and assess the problems, weakness, strengths threats and opportunities related to knowledge. The latter is used to find out the state of knowledge in the organization by finding out the knowledge assets. TH reflect part is used for the following- Create teams for assessing. Find out the Knowledge management requirements. Collect knowledge by identifying. Design structure to knowledge in warehouse. Maintain technology. Test the technology again. Train the knowledge workers. Show the use of Knowledge management practises. Track the usage. Get the system to start. Measure the productivity and quality, measure Knowledge Management practices. Conduct assessment review of the processes. Hygoyo Protocol Framework of Hyogo The priorities, mission and vision of the National Framework were created in synchronisation with the Hyogo Framework of Action (HFA) 1005-2015 that was agreed upon by all the nations in January 2005 in the city of Kobe, Japan during the UN-World conference held for Disaster Reduction. The expected result of the HFA after ten years is significant reduction in the lives and economic, social and environmental assets of the countries and communities. The following objectives have been adopted by HFA to attain the desired results- Better integration of disaster risk considerations and accordingly makes development policies. Planning at all the levels with focus on disaster prevention, preparedness, reduction and vulnerability reduction. The strengthening and development of institutes, capacities and mechanisms at all the levels especially at the community level that can help in building resistance to hazards. Incorporation risk mitigation approaches in the implementation of recovery programs, response and emergency preparedness that is used in rehabilitation of the affected communities. Scope This particular framework relates to provision of guidelines and direction to the national, local and provincial institutions. Aspects such as capacity building and vulnerability reduction are the crucial factors that help the communities and institutions to counter disaster risks. The strategies, policy implementation are taken care by this phase and programs for the parts of disaster are provided for. There are certain challenges that are recognized in the five major areas as follows- Governance- legal, organizational and policy frameworks. Risk identification. Monitoring, assessment and early warnings. Knowledge education and management. Reduction of risk factors. Preparedness to improve response and recovery. The Yokohama strategy concludes in its review the discussions in the World Conference on Disaster Reduction and the desired result that was decided can be described into five priorities of action as follows- Make sure disaster risk is a local and national priority with a very strong institutional base for execution. Identify, monitor and assess the disaster risks and identify early warnings. Use innovation, knowledge to build a safety culture which is strong at all the levels. Reduce the risk factors Make the disaster preparedness strong for better response. Case study of earthquake in Pakistan with respect to Knowledge Management The earthquake in Kashmir in 2005 was a massive earthquake with its epicentre in Pakistan controlled Kashmir close to the city of Muzaffarabad that affected the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilbit Baltistan province of Pakistan. It took place at 8:52:37 PST on the 8th of October. It was similar in size to the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and 2001 earthquake in Gujarat with magnitude of 7.6. Tremors of this earthquake were felt in surrounding nations like western China and Tajikistan. Four people died in Afghanistan while close to fourteen hundred people died in India controlled Kashmir according to reports. The damage caused was blamed on poor construction and major up thrust. Infrastructure Network usage- the network usage was high throughout the phases of recovery. Data and voice communication was very good in Islamabad. The landline network was brought on track within a coupe of days in town hit by the earthquake and the cell network was extended post the earthquake. The areas that were hit the worst had no assistance and relief and were left with no communication. Some parts were wiped out entirely. The skills to manage the technology were available in Pakistan but the management was not properly planned. Network Availability- At first the network was very low during recovery and later was raised to a medium level. The inconsistency of connection was the main factor rather than low bandwidth. The connection would break consistently which proved to be disruptive. The limitations were known fully in the remote areas but the staff did not pay heed to the cell coverage problem. Cell phones are not adequate in such circumstances. Inter

Millays View on Death as Depicted in Renascence :: Millay Renascence Essays

Millay's View on Death as Depicted in Renascence As Edna St. Vincent Millay begins her second paragraph of Renascence, she describes herself as joyous of her coming death. Millay has been telling the reader of her frustration and anguish as she lies on the ground burdened by the sin of her life. She cries out in sheer pain, "Ah, awful weight!" She actually describes herself as "craving" death. The dying experience was becoming so painful for Millay, that she just wanted the process to be finished. The second paragraph welcomes Millay into her eternity and in turn she becomes relaxed and satisfied about her passing from life. Millay takes on a very difficult task of not only describing the final stage of death as a joyous thing, but also attempting to persuade her audience into believing the same thing. Millay is associating death with happiness. This unlikely comparison allows the reader to become relaxed about the hardships the author was facing in the earlier passages of the poem. As the earth gave way and Millay sank softly and perfectly six feet under the ground, the reader celebrates as if a runner was finally crossing the finish line. Comparing death to a successful situation is an unusual way of looking at the end of life. Yet, this view of death is a positive outlook and is quite wonderful as opposed to other literary views of death such as "death: the gatekeeper of hell who has conquered the Earth." Millay makes the reader believe that the sinking earth is more of a pair of open hands waiting to hold the weary soul of man. Death is a chance of catching up on that sleep that you never quite caught up on. Another image that Millay gives the reader is that of a mother embracing her child. Mother Earth welcomes home her tired child and allows him to rest his head upon her soft breast. She runs her hands through his hair and lays them on his brow as to cool him off. She whispers her tired child to sleep through the sweet and friendly sound of rain. Through persuading the audience to believe that death is a wonderful and relaxing thing, she takes on a very difficult task. A common thought of the end of life is that it is a ceasing of all things good.

Childcare Center Director Essay

Do you enjoy working with children? Is a question that I like to think of when it comes to working in the field dealing with the responsibilities of taking care of children. Today, there are more needs for children to be taking care of and learning about why it is so important to have a good education. I can remember when I was about ten or eleven years old, I use to babysit children during the summer, I would teach them their ABC’s, how to count, and recognize numbers, shapes, sizes, and their colors. Being a Childcare Center Director is my dream career, because I wanted to ensure that my children will be taught and learn why it is so important in having a good education. I will not only have a Childcare Center to sit and watch children just to earn an income, I want to ensure the parents that my Center will benefit their child or children that this is an educational center as well. Today, Childcare Directors are among one of the highest paying job in the United States, according to the http://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/preschool-childcare-centers-directors.htm (visited December 19, 2012). Childcare Directors are expected to grow by eight percent between the years of 2008-2018. A Preschool and Childcare Center Directors is an institution of early childhood education for children between the ages of three-to-five year old. Directing a Preschool/Childcare Center is exhausting and can also be complicated at times when you have a problem that involves the matter with a parent and one of your employees. It is your responsibility to make that your staff understands the responsibility in handle and dealing with problems that have occurred. It is a dedicated job, but you must have the desire love and work with children’s. What do they do as a Director? Is one of many question people tends to ask and wonder about. Being a Childcare Director is not just a job sitting behind a desk, they have many responsibilities to tend to such as, providing a clean, safe and educational environment. For example, they have to hire and training staffs, communicate with the parents, employee and children’s on a day-to-day base. But the most important of their job is to ensure that the staff is well trained and that they are well qualified to meet and follow the center’s rules and guidelines. They have to make sure that they comply with the state and federal laws. To be a Childcare Director they also must meet certain requirements that are set among the state laws, depending on the location and state that you desire to work in. According to the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (www.dfps.state.tx.us) , that anyone serving as an administrator of a Childcare Center in Texas must hold a Childcare Administration License. Depending on the location or state, you have different requirements and standards to meet. The Directors are required to have at least a Bachelor’s Degree, some even required to have Master’s Degree. Being a Childcare Director you have the opportunity to earn a certification but you are not required to have one. According to the Bureau of Labor (www.bls.gov) the highest paying states in Childcare Center Director are District of Columbia, Massachusetts, New York, California, and Alaska. Comparing to others daycare positions a Daycare Directors have the highest wages, they have almost 20,000 more per year than just been a Daycare Center employee. You can at least expect to gross out between $39,000 to almost 43,000 a year, in which that means you making between $20.00 to $22.00 an hour. Since Childcare Directors have the responsibility of the financial management of the centers, with their salaries this means that they will be able to develop a budget, manage the accounting and over sees accounts, payable and receivable. Being a Childcare Directors plays a major role in the world today. As you can see working as a Childcare Director is not just a sit down or working behind a desk job, you have to be active, ensuring parents that your center is not only a Childcare center, but a center to where their child will be taught and learn the basic of what it will take for them to have a better education. You are the sole owner and responsible for whatever goes on in your facility under your care, rather it is setting up meetings, dealing with the parents or seeing about the children. You are responsible from the time your doors are open until closing. So as you can see that why I love to work with children, because I want to make sure that once they leave my daycare, they can have something to look forward the next and to their future. References Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2012-13 Edition, Human Resources Managers, on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/human-resources-managers.htm (visited December 19, 2012). Preschool and Childcare Center Directors [pic]. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2012-13 Edition. Preshcool directer: Job description and requirements. (2003-2012). Retrieved from http://education-portal.com/articles Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2012-13 Edition, the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/preschool-childcare-centers-directors.htm (visited December 19, 2012). http://educationportal.com/articles/Preschool_Director_Job_Description_and_Requirements.html © copyright 2003- 2012 Education-Portal.com. All other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners. All rights reserved. [pic] http://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/11-9031.00#menu

Syllabules

Copyright  © 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2001, 2000, 1999 by University of Phoenix. All rights reserved. Course Description This course introduces the fundamental, logical, and design considerations addressed during system and application software development. It provides a solid background in information systems analysis and design techniques through a combination of theory and application. The Systems Development Life Cycle will be fundamental to the course. PoliciesFaculty and students will be held responsible for understanding and adhering to all policies contained within the following two documents: †¢ University policies: You must be logged into the student website to view this document. †¢ Instructor policies: This document is posted in the Course Materials forum. University policies are subject to change. Be sure to read the policies at the beginning of each class. Policies may be slightly different depending on the modality in whic h you attend class.If you have recently changed modalities, read the policies governing your current class modality. Course Materials Blankenship, E. , Woodward, M. , Holliday, G. , & Keller, B. (2011). Professional team foundation server 2010. Indianapolis, IN: Wiley. Dennis, A. , Wixom, B. H. , & Roth, R. M. (2012). Systems analysis & design (5th ed. ). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons. Schiesser, R. (2011). IT systems management (2nd ed. ). Boston, MA: Pearson Education. Valacich, J. S. , George, J. F. , & Hoffer, J. A. (2012). Essentials of systems analysis and design (5th ed. ).Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education Software Microsoft ® Visio ® Microsoft ® Project ® (Recommended) Toolwire Personal Student Desktop All electronic materials are available on the student website. |Week One: Systems Development Life Cycle | | |Details |Due |Points | |Objectives |Define the systems development life cycle. | | | |Describe Roles of Systems Analyst and Others in System Develop ment Projects. | | | |Participation |Answer both DQ1 and DQ2 each week. Other DQs are optional and can be answered to meet required|DQ1 – Day 3 |4 | | |participation. Remember you are to post 2 substantive postings on 4 different days of the |DQ2- | | | |week.All substantive posts in Main count towards participation. |Day 4 | | |Learning Team |Resource: Learning Team Toolkit |Day 7 |1 | |Instructions | | | | |Team Charter |Complete the Learning Team Charter. One team member posts the Charter to their Assignments | | | |tab. | | | |Learning Team |Complete Service Request SR-kf-013. See the Team Paper Rubric posted in the Course Materials |Week 5 | | |Instructions |Forum. | | | |Service Request | | | | |SR-kf-013 Paper |Examine each stage of the SDLC for the Kudler Fine Foods Frequent Shopper Program. | | | | | | | | |Prepare a 12- to 16-page paper, due in Week Five. | | | | | | | | | |Post your team Project Plan and update it each week. | | | Week Two: Systems Analysis | | |Details |Due |Points | |Objectives | | | | | |Explain scope and feasibility. | | | | |Define systems analysis and systems requirements. | | |Participation |Answer both DQ1 and DQ2 and post 2 substantive postings on 4 different days of the week. |4 days of week|4 | |Learning Team |Continue working on the Service Request SR-kf-013 for Kudler Fine Foods. | | | |Instructions |Create a detailed outline for each section of the paper. | | | |Service Request | | | | |SR-kf-013 Paper |Post your Project Plan for SR-kf-013.List all deliverables, assign them equitably to team | | | |(Preparation) |members and add due dates for each | | | | | |Day 7 |5 | |Individual |As one of the program outcomes for the Bachelor of Science in Information Technology program, | | | |Service Request |students must apply the principles of systems analysis and design to fundamental business | | | |SR-rm-022, Part 1 |systems within the organization. | | | | | | | | | |The final individual paper for this cla ss includes three sections; the final section is due in| | | | |Week Four. One section of the paper is due each week. The rubric is posted in the Course | | | | |Materials Forum. | | | | | | | | |Complete Section 1 of the Service Request SR-rm-022 paper. Using the Service Request | | | | |SR-rm-022, analyze the HR system. | | | | |Prepare a 4- to 6-page paper that accomplishes the following: | | | | | | | | | |What key stakeholders in Riordan Manufacturing would you gather requirements from? | | | | | | | | |Describe the information-gathering techniques and systems analysis tools you would propose for| | | | |the project. | | | | | | | | | |Identify the key factors that help ensure the information required for the project is gathered| | | | |successfully. | | | | | | | | |Explain what project scope is and why it is important. Describe the areas of project | | | | |feasibility that are examined in the analysis phase of the SCLC. | | | | | | | | | |Cite and discuss 2 to 3 referen ces, in addition to the required readings, that are relevant to| | | | |the assignment. Include citations and references formatted consistent with APA guidelines. | | | | | | | | |Submit Section 1 of the final paper. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Day 7 |15 | Week Three: Systems Design | | |Details |Due |Points | |Objectives | | | | | |Define design specifications. | | | |Participation |Answer both DQ1 and DQ2 and post 2 substantive postings on 4 different days of the week. 4 days of week| | | | | |4 | |Learning Team |Continue working on Service Request SR-kf-013 Paper, due in Week Five. | | | |SR-kf-013 Paper | | | | |(Preparation) |Submit Updated Project Plan (Add actual delivery dates / comments) | | | | | |Day 7 |2 | |Individual |Complete Section 2 of the Service Request SR-rm-022 paper.This week’s assignment incorporates|Day 7 |15 | |Service Request |the transition from analysis to design. Revise Section 1 based on faculty feedback. | | | |SR-rm-022, Part 2 | | | | | |Prepare a 4- to 6-page paper that includes the following: | | | | | | | | | |Describe the application architecture and process design.Include a high-level description of | | | | |the security controls you recommend for the design of this HR system. | | | | | | | | | |Apply the tools of systems analysis to describe the information system’s architecture in terms| | | | |of data, processes, interfaces, and network. You can use a Microsoft ® Visio ® diagram to draw | | | | |examples of flow charts, data flow diagrams, and any other design tools. | | | | | | | | |Cite and discuss 2 to 3 references, in addition to the required readings, that are relevant to| | | | |the assignment. Include citations and references formatted consistent with APA guidelines. | | | | | | | | | |Submit Section 2 of the paper ONLY. | | | Week Four: Systems Development and Implementation | | |Details |Due |Points | |Objectives | | | | | |Identify the activities involved in sy stems development. | | | | |Identify the activities involved in systems implementation. | | | | |Identify the activities involved in systems operations. | | | |Participation |Answer both DQ1 and DQ2 and post 2 substantive postings on 4 different days of the week. 4 days of week|4 | |Learning Team |Continue working on Service Request SR-kf-013 Paper, due in Week Five. | | | |SR-kf-013 Paper | | | | |(Preparation) |Submit Updated Project Plan (Add actual delivery dates / comments) | | | | | |Day 7 |2 | |Individual |Complete Section 3 of the Service Request SR-rm-022 paper.This section incorporates the |Day 7 |20 | |Completed SR-rm-022 |transition from design to implementation. Revise Sections 1 and 2 based on faculty feedback. | | | | | | | | | |Prepare a 4- to 6-page section that accomplishes the following: | | | | | | | | | |Describe the implementation stage for this project. | | | |Include a discussion of the six major activities for the implementation stage as described in | | | | |the text: | | | | | | | | | |Coding | | | | |Testing | | | | |Installation | | | | |Documentation | | | | |Training | | | | |Support | | | | | | | | |Describe in the discussion of these six activities how each activity would be specifically | | | | |planned for the individual project situation. | | | | |Discuss the benefits of using defined and repeatable processes for accomplishing these | | | | |activities for the implementation stage. | | | |Cite and discuss 2 to 3 references, in addition to the required readings, that are relevant to| | | | |the assignment. Include citations and references formatted consistent with APA Guidelines. | | | | | | | | | |Compile and Submit Sections 1 through 3 into one final 12-18 page paper with any suggestions | | | | |and revisions completed to the previously submitted sections. | | | Week Five: Maintenance | | |Details |Due |Points | |Objectives | | | | | |Define systems maintenance and how it is performed. | | | | |Explain system configuration management. | | | |Participation |Answer both DQ1 and DQ2 and post 2 substantive postings on 4 different days of the week. |4 days of week|4 | |Learning Team |Complete Service Request SR-kf-013. Day 7 |20 | |Service Request | | | | |SR-kf-013 Paper |Submit your 12- to 16-page paper. | | | Copyright University of Phoenix ® is a registered trademark of Apollo Group, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. Microsoft ®, Windows ®, and Windows NT ® are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. All other company and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies. Use of these marks is not intended to imply endorsement, sponsorship, or affiliation. Edited in accordance with University of Phoenix ® editorial standards and practices.

Patrick Cleburne - Civil War - Confederate - Army of Tennessee

Patrick Cleburne - Civil War - Confederate - Army of Tennessee Patrick Cleburne - Early Life Career: Born March 17, 1828 in Ovens, Ireland, Patrick Cleburne was the son of Dr. Joseph Cleburne. Raised by his father after his mothers death in 1829, he largely enjoyed a middle-class upbringing. At age 15, Cleburnes father passed leaving him an orphan. Seeking to pursue a medical career, he sought admission to Trinity College in 1846, but proved unable to pass the entrance exam. Possessing few prospects, Cleburne enlisted in the 41st Regiment of Foot. Learning basic military skills, he attained the rank of corporal before purchasing his discharge after three years in the ranks. Seeing opportunity in Ireland, Cleburne elected to immigrate to the United States along with two of his brothers and his sister. Initially settling in Ohio, he later moved to Helena, AR. Employed as a pharmacist, Cleburne quickly became a respected member of the community. Befriending Thomas C. Hindman, the two men bought the Democratic Star newspaper with William Weatherly in 1855. Expanding his horizons, Cleburne trained as a lawyer and by 1860 was actively practicing. As sectional tensions worsened and the secession crisis began following the election of 1860, Cleburne decided to support the Confederacy. Though lukewarm on the issue of slavery, he made this decision based on his positive experience in the South as an immigrant. With the political situation worsening, Cleburne enlisted in the Yell Rifles, a local militia, and was soon elected captain. Aiding in the capture of the US Arsenal at Little Rock, AR in January 1861, his men were ultimately folded into the 15th Arkansas Infantry of which he became colonel. Patrick Cleburne - The Civil War Begins: Recognized as a skilled leader, Cleburne received a promotion to brigadier general on March 4, 1862. Assuming command of a brigade in Major General William J. Hardees corps of the Army of Tennessee, he took part in General Albert S. Johnstons offensive against Major General Ulysses S. Grant in Tennessee. On April 6-7, Cleburnes brigade was engaged in the Battle of Shiloh. Though the first days fight proved successful, Confederate forces were driven from the field on April 7. Later the following month, Cleburne saw action under General P.G.T. Beauregard during the Siege of Corinth. With the loss of this town to Union forces, his men later shifted east to prepare for General Braxton Braggs invasion of Kentucky. Marching north with Lieutenant General Edmund Kirby Smith, Cleburnes brigade played a key role in the Confederate victory at the Battle of Richmond (KY) on August 29-30. Rejoining Bragg, Cleburne attacked Union forces under Major General Don Carlos Buell at the Battle of Perryville on October 8. In the course of the fighting, he sustained two wounds but remained with his men. Though Bragg won a tactical victory at Perryville, he elected to retreat back to Tennessee as Union forces threatened his rear. In recognition of his performance during the campaign, Cleburne received a promotion to major general on December 12 and assumed command of a division in Braggs Army of Tennessee. Patrick Cleburne - Fighting with Bragg: Later in December, Cleburnes division played a key role in driving back the right wing of Major General William S. Rosecrans Army of the Cumberland at the Battle of Stones River. As at Shiloh, the initial success could not be sustained and Confederate forces withdrew on January 3. That summer, Cleburne and the rest of the Army of Tennessee retreated through central Tennessee as Rosecrans repeatedly outmaneuvered Bragg during the Tullahoma Campaign. Ultimately halting in northern Georgia, Bragg turned on Rosecrans at the Battle of Chickamauga on September 19-20. In the fighting, Cleburne mounted several assaults on Major General George H. Thomas XIV Corps. Winning a victory at Chickamauga, Bragg pursued Rosecrans back to Chattanooga, TN and commenced a siege of the city. Responding to this situation, Union general-in-chief Major General Henry W. Halleck directed Major General Ulysses S. Grant to bring his forces from Mississippi to reopen the Army of the Cumberlands supply lines. Successful in this, Grant made preparations for assaulting Braggs army which held the heights south and east of the city. Positioned at Tunnel Hill, Cleburnes division manned the extreme right of the Confederate line on Missionary Ridge. On November 25, his men turned back several frontal assaults by Major General William T. Shermans troops during the Battle of Chattanooga. This success soon was negated when the Confederate line further down the ridge collapsed and forced Cleburne to retreat. Two days later, he halted the Union pursuit at the Battle of Ringgold Gap. Patrick Cleburne - Atlanta Campaign: Reorganizing in northern Georgia, command of the Army of Tennessee passed to General Joseph E. Johnston in December. Recognizing that the Confederacy was short on manpower, Cleburne proposed arming slaves the following month. Those that fought would receive their emancipation at the end of the war. Receiving a cool reception, President Jefferson Davis directed that Cleburnes plan be suppressed. In May 1864, Sherman began moving into Georgia with the goal of capturing Atlanta. With Sherman maneuvering through northern Georgia, Cleburne saw action at Dalton, Tunnel Hill, Resaca, and Picketts Mill. On June 27, his division held the center of the Confederate line at the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain. Turning back Union assaults, Cleburnes men defended their part of the line and Johnston achieved a victory. Despite this, Johnston was later compelled to retreat south when Sherman flanked him out of the Kennesaw Mountain position. Having been forced back to Atlanta, Johnston was relieved by D avis and replaced with General John Bell Hood on July 17. On July 20, Hood attacked Union forces under Thomas at the Battle of Peachtree Creek. Initially held in reserve by his corps commander, Lieutenant General William J. Hardee, Cleburnes men were later directed to restart an offensive on the Confederate right. Before the attack could commence, new orders arrived instructing his men to move east to aid Major General Benjamin Cheathams hard-pressed men. Two days later, Cleburnes division played a key role in attempting to turn Shermans left flank at the Battle of Atlanta. Attacking behind Major General Grenville M. Dodges XVI Corps, his men killed Major General James B. McPherson, commander of the Army of the Tennessee, and gained ground before being halted by a determined Union defense. As the summer progressed, Hoods situation continued to deteriorate as Sherman tightened the noose around the city. In late August, Cleburne and the rest of Hardees Corps saw heavy fighting at the Battle of Jonesboro. Beaten, the defeat led to the fall of Atlanta and Hood withdrew to regroup. Patrick Cleburne - Franklin-Nashville Campaign: With the loss of Atlanta, Davis instructed Hood to attack north with the goal of disrupting Shermans supply lines to Chattanooga. Anticipating this, Sherman, who was planning his March to the Sea, dispatched forces under Thomas and Major General John Schofield to Tennessee. Moving north, Hood attempted to trap Schofields force at Spring Hill, TN before it could unite with Thomas. Attacking at the Battle of Spring Hill, Cleburne engaged Union forces before being halted by enemy artillery. Escaping during the night, Schofield retreated to Franklin where his men built a strong set of earthworks. Arriving the next day, Hood resolved to frontally attack the Union position. Recognizing the folly of such a move, many of Hoods commanders attempted to dissuade him of this plan. Though he opposed the attack, Cleburne commented that the enemy works were strong but that he would carry them or fall trying. Forming his division on the right of the attacking force, Cleburne advanced around 4:00 PM. Pushing ahead, Cleburne was last seen attempting to lead his men forward on foot after having his horse killed. A bloody defeat for Hood, the Battle of Franklin saw fourteen Confederate generals become casualties including Cleburne. Found on the field after the battle, Cleburnes body initially was buried at St. Johns Episcopal Church near Mount Pleasant, TN. Six years later, it was moved to Maple Hill Cemetery in his adopted hometown of Helena. Selected Sources Civil War Trust: Patrick CleburneNorth Georgia: Patrick CleburneCivil War Home: Patrick Cleburne

Critical Review of Chapter 1 and 2 of the book Globalization A Very Short Introduction, by Manfred B. Steger

Critical Review of Chapter 1 and 2 of the book Globalization A Very Short Introduction, by Manfred B. Steger The problem The world is facing a rapid growth in economic, social and political integration. Globalisation has resulted to movement of factors of trade among countries. Globalisation has been favoured by scientific invention and innovation of communication and transport networks. Globalization is a process of integration of regional economies and cultures into a global network of trade. In most cases, the term globalization is used in economic terms.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Critical Review of Chapter 1 and 2 of the book Globalization: A Very Short Introduction, by Manfred B. Steger specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Economic globalization refers to the increase in national interdependence of economies through an increment in international trade. It is the process of promoting economic integration between economies of different countries with the aim of establishing a global market. The main issue facing the wo rld is how to manage globalisation and litigate negative effects it brings to humanity (Schulte, 2000). Dimension of the problem Although globalisation has brought numerous advantages to the world, other areas are affected negatively. In the competitiveness of producing, resources have been over-exploited, secondly the availability of goods from other countries have resulted to slow growth of domestic companies especially in countries where the level of technology is lower. Developing countries are seen to be lagging behind because of globalisation since they lack the curiosity of developing means of producing better commodities since what they want can be gotten from the world market. With the differences in economic potential, some countries are lagging behind economically (Manfred, 2003). Evaluating the problem Globalisation is on a high rise with an increasing number of countries accepting to open its borders for trade with other countries. The move has created a larger market o f goods and services in the world domain. With an increased demand, countries and companies are working hard to produce goods that will feed the markets and remain competitive. The demand for goods in the world market have positive and negative gains, it has lead to more customer sovereignty since a customer has a large access to goods and services from different parts of the world. Globalisation started in the form of an F.T.A. (Free Trade Agreement), whereby international bodies like W.T.O. (World Trade Organization) discouraged restrictions to trade. Globalisation has made international trade easier through the removal of trade barriers and tariffs. Globalisation is not a current issue but can be traced from early days. Pre-modern globalization was evident in the 19th century; the era of industrial revolution that utilized economies of scale to produce low priced household goods. During the time, population grew rapidly and living standard reduced drastically; the situation of th e world triggered international and national policy makers to come up with strategies to cure the world’s economic problem.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More With the start of world war one, pre-modern globalization began to break and some economies believed that the financial forces that were as a result of globalization had led to the emergence of the war. In early 1930s, came the great depression that affected economies of many countries especially those which had embraced globalization (Schulte, 2000). Globalisation discourages protection of investors in order to promote their capital investments; it calls for economic integration where good and services, labour and capital find their way in the country where they can be put into maximum use. Today, the global economy has increased to significant levels and all this have been facilitated by trade agreement s. Several factors influence globalization that includes socio cultural, technological, economic and political factors. Globalization can also be used to refer to the national movement of culture, languages and ideas. This paper looks into the history of globalization, international trade, international financing and gives the merits and demerits of globalization (Manfred, 2003). What type of evidence is offered? The two chapters are introductory chapters in the topic of globalisation. They have considered historical trends in the world market and used textual information to explain the trend in the world. The writer tries to connect what was happening in yester years to what the world is going through. The uniqueness of the chapters is how simple they bring out the issue of globalisation in the current context deviating from past performances in the world. Interpolation of the chapters The chapters introduce the issue of globalisation in a starlight forward way, in chapter one, the writer puts much emphasis of macro or general explanation of the world situation and trade. As the chapter unfolds, he brings the trend that the world has come through to reach to the current position. In the second chapter, having given a background of the topic, the writer goes back in time to examine the situation from past occurrences in the world. The writer discusses some historical issues that might have been ignored but in real sense, they contributed to globalisation. Although people have different interpolations, what the chapters are bring out is the trend that globalisation has taken to bring the world to its current level (Manfred, 2003). Conclusion In both chapter one and two, the writer introduced the topic of the book that is globalisation. He creates background information from a macro perspective and explains the topic in a straightforward manner using historical and modern trend in the world. In the chapters, the writer discusses elements globalisation as well as their role in the world current economic, social and political situation.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Critical Review of Chapter 1 and 2 of the book Globalization: A Very Short Introduction, by Manfred B. Steger specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More References Manfred, B.(2003).Globalization: a very short introduction. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Schulte, J. A. (2000). Globalization: a critical introduction. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.

The Great Gatsby and the Lost Generation

The Great Gatsby and the Lost Generation Nick Carraway, the tale’s â€Å"honest† narrator, is a small-town, Midwest American boy who once spent some time in New York with the greatest man he has ever known, Jay Gatsby.  To Nick, Gatsby is the embodiment of the American Dream: rich, powerful, attractive, and elusive.  Gatsby is surrounded by an aura of mystery and illusion, not unlike L. Frank Baum’s Great and Powerful Oz.  And, like the Wizard of Oz, Gatsby and all that he stands for turn out to be nothing more than carefully crafted, delicate constructs.   Gatsby is the dream of a man who does not exist, living in a world where he does not belong.  Although Nick understands that Gatsby is far from being who he pretends to be, it does not take long for Nick to be charmed by the dream and to believe wholeheartedly in the ideals that Gatsby represents.  Ultimately, Nick falls in love with Gatsby, or at least with the fantasy world that Gatsby champions. Nick Carraway is perhaps the most interesting character in the novel.  He is simultaneously the one person who seems to see through Gatsby’s faà §ade, but also the person who most adores Gatsby and who cherishes the dream that this man represents.  Carraway must continually lie to and deceive himself while attempting to reassure the reader of his honest nature and unbiased intentions.  Gatsby, or James Gatz, is fascinating in that he represents all aspects of the American Dream, from the tireless pursuit of it to the actual embodiment of it, and also, tragically, the realization that it does not really exist. The other characters, Daisy Tom Buchanan, Mr. Gatz (Gatsby’s father), Jordan Baker, and others are all interesting and important in their relationship to Gatsby. We see Daisy as the typical Jazz Age â€Å"flapper† interested in beauty and riches; she returns Gatsby’s interest only because he is so materially advantaged.  Tom is the representative of â€Å"Old Money† and its condescension to but vehement dislike of the  nouveau-riche. He is racist, sexist, and wholly unconcerned for anyone but himself. Jordan Baker, the artists, and others represent the various unspoken but ever-present notions of sexual exploration, individualism, and self-gratification that are indicative of the period.   What typically draws readers to this book, whether or not they come away with the traditional understanding of the novel (a love story, a censure on the American Dream, etc.), is its strikingly beautiful prose.  There are moments of description in this narrative which nearly take one’s breath away, particularly as they often come unexpectedly. Fitzgerald’s brilliance lies in his ability to undercut his every thought, showing both the positive and negative arguments of a situation within the very same paragraph (or sentence, even).   This is perhaps best demonstrated in the final page of the novel, where the beauty of the dream that is Gatsby is contrasted with the disillusionment of those pursuing the dream.  Fitzgerald explores the power of the American Dream, the heart-pounding, soul-shaking evocation of those early American immigrants who looked upon the new shores with such hope and longing, with such pride and eager determination, only to be crushed by the never-ending struggle to achieve the unattainable; to be trapped in a timeless, ageless, persistent dream  that never amounts to anything but the dream. The Great Gatsby  by F. Scott Fitzgerald is quite possibly the most widely-read piece of American Literature.  For many, The Great Gatsby is a love story, and  Jay Gatsby and Daisy Buchanan are the 1920s American Romeo Juliet, two star-crossed lovers whose destinies are intertwined and whose fates are tragically sealed from the beginning; however, the love story is a faà §ade. Does Gatsby love Daisy?  Not as much as he loves the  idea  of Daisy. Does Daisy love Gatsby?  She loves the possibilities he represents.   Other readers find the novel to be a depressing critique of the so-called American Dream, one which, perhaps, can never truly be reached.  Similar to Theodore Dreiser’s  Sister Carrie, this story predicts a bleak fate for America.  No matter how hard one works or how much one achieves, the American Dreamer will always want more. This reading brings us closer to the true nature and purpose of  The Great Gatsby,  but not quite all.   This is not a love story, nor is it strictly about one man’s striving for the American Dream. Instead, it is a story about a restless nation. It is a story about wealth and the disparity between â€Å"Old Money† and â€Å"New Money.† Fitzgerald, through his narrator Nick Carraway, has created a dreamy, illusory vision of a society of dreamers; shallow, unfilled people who are rising too fast and consuming too much.  Their children are neglected, their relationships disrespected, and their spirits crushed beneath the weight of soulless riches. This is the story of The Lost Generation and the lies they must tell in order to continue living every day when they are  so sad, lonely, and disillusioned.

The Hidden Content of Artwork Adam and Eve Created by Albrecht Durer Essay

The Hidden Content of Artwork Adam and Eve Created by Albrecht Durer - Essay Example Albrecht Durer wanted to demonstrate the importance of people’s decisions; some of them may be fatal and bring a lot of problems. The same situation happened to first people. The central focus of this picture is the representation of Adam and Eva under the tree. They are painted in the foreground surrounded by different animals – birds, hares, mice, and deer. We can see the snake on the branch behind Eva. It holds an apple in its mouth, and Eva is about to take it. Adam holds a branch with a bird in his right hand. Everything is beautiful around people, and they also attract the viewers’ attention at once. In the top right corner, a viewer sees a piece of sky with the mountains. The tree behind Adam and Eva is an apple-tree. It is rich in apples; they are almost on each branch. People are shown young in the picture. Naked images and an apple tree convince us that the characters described here are the first people in Eden. No doubt that the artist wanted to show the most important moment in people’s life – the turning point in the relationship between people and God. The characters’ facial expressions may tell much about their inner world and their thoughts. Moreover, Adam and Eva have different facial expressions. It is not very difficult to see curiosity and selfishness in Eva’s face. People knew that they could not take that apple, but Eva decided that it was possible for her to be as intelligent and powerful as God. Besides, she did not think about her husband. This fact proves that she was a rather selfish woman who followed only her own interests. A gentle smile on Eva’s lips reflects her satisfaction; as only several seconds separate her from the aim she wanted to reach. Adam’s face shows his surprise and grief. He seems to be very upset because of his wife’s action. Adam’s body is bent to Eva as if he wants to stop her.  

Strategic Management - Strategic Audit Format Essay

Strategic Management - Strategic Audit Format - Essay Example In other words, the computing sector is infinitely dependent on industrial growth. However, a contradiction arises as resources are not infinite in nature. There are also several sustainability issues which have always been a challenge for this industry. 3. Scarcity of fossil fuel: The computer industry relies on low-priced energy. Cheap energy sources generally come from fossil fuel. The scarcity of fossil fuel has always been a concern for the industry as availability of energy sources to power devices at reasonable price is vital. 4. Environmental Issues: The computer industry is one of the main reasons for the growing pollution in the developing nations. A huge amount of waste is generated and there have been challenges associated with the recycling and reduction of waste. Manufacturing of computers also involve the use of hazardous chemicals like lead and mercury which pollutes the environment. 1. Maintenance of confidentiality – Protection of privacy of the users has to be ensured by the computer industry. This is a major challenge for this industry as, with the increased linkages between network connections, it is important that computers are supported with tools that help to maintain privacy of the users. There are threats that arise from virus and malevolent software. Increased use of the internet has aggravated such threats. The industry needs to give protection against malwares which pose a threat during the use of confidential information over the net. 2. Technically support the customers – The computer industry not only needs to concentrate on manufacturing of computer hardware but also needs to ensure that all further technical difficulties faced by the customers are looked into and proper solutions are provided. There has to be a continuous link with the customers so that support and assistance can be provided at odd hours. This is a major challenge for the computer industry. 3.

External Analysis of Blackberry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

External Analysis of Blackberry - Essay Example The present 9000 series has extended the capabilities of blackberries (Baldauf and Stair, 180). The series is now able to receive RSS feeds, display full HTML web pages, and other networking abilities. This short paper will deal with the threats and opportunities of the Blackberry Company. Major threats faced by Blackberry The company faces a myriad of threats in which the leading is competition from companies producing similar products. Motorola gave a notable competition to the company in the year 2007 (Blackberry Product Fans, 2008). This occurred because Motorola had superior products that competed with then RIM blackberry phones. There are also other mobile phones capable of sending and receiving emails including Nokia and Ericson (Blackmore, 5). These have also offered competition to the Blackberry products. Nokia has been a dominant cell phone provider in the world. This has enabled Nokia to compete with Blackberry well in the world market (Evers and Johnston, 120). Motorola h as been able to establish a brand appreciation that is strong with its consumer market. The Motorola Company has made product promotion in the market successfully. The Motorola marketing staff has made extraordinary efforts in boosting this venture of promotional marketing (Cook, 3). Another advantage of Motorola lies in the relationship existing between the company and the National Football League. This makes the company products famous in the world market and stands a chance of making tremendous sales to consumers. Samsung is another competitor worth mentioning in this case. The weakness of blackberry cell phones in web interface is a weakness that creates a loophole for other companies to compete best in the market. Thus, with the recent improvements in the Blackberry Technologies, there has been a noted improvement in the company’s share of the world market. Most countries treat Mobile companies as experimental budget and cuts. There has been a drying up of funding for th e mobile marketing firms and mobile service providers. When the global market share of Nokia fell to around 38.9% that of Blackberry rose by about 5%, showing the impact of the improvements in Blackberry recent IT technologies (DATAMONITOR, 2010). Continuous improvements will bring many achievements for the company in the future. Opportunities for the Blackberry Company Despite the threats enlisted above Blackberry, have some crucial opportunities to help in boosting its future endeavors. Blackberry has recently developed exceptional products, which possess advanced technologies in Information Technology (Hislop, 22). The present world has had flooding of IT pursuits in small gadgets, and the company’s enhancement of its products is an excellent move. The present blackberry cell phones have numerous features, which is another opportunity that takes the company ahead of its competitors. Blackberry has been able to meet the needs and wants of customers in the world market. This is an opportunity, which if the company works to continue building on it, will yield tremendous achievements. The company has displayed a brand loyalty for its consumers thus establishing trust from its market (Mennecke and Strader, 123). Maintenance of this brand loyalty will help the company meet future challenges from the external environment. The blackberry phones at present bear a leading edge of radio technology, which is crucial, add on making the company’

Forecast of the Nature of Training 20 Years Hence Essay

Forecast of the Nature of Training 20 Years Hence - Essay Example The next step is to make augmented reality systems mobile (Macchiarella, 2005). In 1995, Gordon Moore, Chairman Emeritus of Intel predicted that computational power will double every 18-24 months. This would mean that in 20 years, computers would be able to handle data and processes at least 10 times of what it can do today. Having said that, we can let imagination run wild with the kinds of computer-based training systems that will be available 20 years from now. This author predicts that in 20 years time computing power would have multiplied ten times over, the physical size of devices would have shrunk 10 times its original size, and mobile facilities would have increased an unimaginable number. This means that limitless training can be had conveniently using a conveniently small computing device which can be carted around anywhere. Palm-sized computers equipped with electronic writing device, earpiece, internet access, and interactivity can replace conventional devices used for web-based training. Such devices can even be taken to the work area and can be used to provide a readily accessible reference "material" in case problems are encountered on the job. Macchiarella's prediction of making augmented reality training systems mobile could well be achieved in 20 years. Learning booths for various AR training would have been mass-produced and installed in convenient locations such as community centers, malls, airports or other places where p eople go to when they have spare time or where have to wait and needlessly waste time. Access cards to the training booths may be equipped with a payment facility for pay-per-use training or to logon to an organization’s training program. ... Access cards to the training booths may be equipped with a payment facility for pay-per-use training or to logon to an organization's training program. Trainer-trainee interaction may have become readily available after 20 years. In much the same way that 24/7 operations are conducted, trainers on shift would be able to interact with trainees from any part of the world who has accessed a training material over the internet. Using a mobile device with instant messaging capabilities would make this possible. According to Wexler (2008), different training technology modalities are on the rise and this is expected to continue for the next decades. These are podcasts, blogs, communities of practice, Wikis, LMS, online references, online assessment and testing, synchronous and asynchronous e-Learning, learning content management and portals. Moreover, the training profession is also forecasted to diversify and specialize in new areas such as aggregators of content who will sell access to t heir content to organizations which need them, developers of generic courses who will sell their courses on a pay-per-use basis, or developers of specific courses targeted to specific industry requirements (Heathfield, 2008). With technology advancing by leaps and bounds, the applications for training may well be limitless. If it can be imagined, it will most probably be possible. Assignment 2: Statement of Work Abstract Due to increasing diversity in the workplace, there is a need to level the field in terms of English language communication. Effective communication among community members is essential for peaceful coexistence and for solving many day-to-day problems. The constant flow of information from country to country in a globalized world has created the need to

Life Transitions of Women in Their 50s-60's Research Paper

Life Transitions of Women in Their 50s-60's - Research Paper Example The physiological change, as well as the psychological effect brought about by menopause together with post parental experience, retirement and changing roles of women, can be better understood if taken together with the women’s context, family and social relations, career, society, gender, traditions, norms and the subjective individual attitude, personality and self-perception. As a counselor, the issue challenges me to take an extra care in not boxing women within the frame of theoretical assumptions but in understanding their paradigm within in their unique experience and context. Women’s lives are often understood neither from a distance nor from the pedestal, rather via the narratives of their experiences and their lived lives. In this way, women’s lives are made more concrete and no longer relegated in the periphery of the human story. However, as one looks into the title of this research, one immediately gets the gargantuan tasks ahead. This claim is based on the supposition that the research intends to delve into the combination of three important notions, namely, middle life, life transition, women and life. Individually considered, these notions are deemed as complex (Elder, 1994; Levinson, 1986; Lachman, 2004; Young, 1980). Complex since lifespan in adult development is considered as still in its neophyte stage. Since if compared with early lifespan, less attention, and studies have been conducted regarding this subject matter (Levinson, 1986; Elder, 1994). While, on the middle life on the hand, is perceived as a fluid concept that is not just defined by biological age which is normally set â€Å"between 40 – 64† (Levinson, 1986, p 5) but is influenced and affected by various factors such as tradition, culture, ethnicity, gender, society, norms and individual subjective personality, attitude and self –perception. All of these combines contribute in setting the parameters of what may be considered as middle life (Lachman, 2004).

Corporate Social Responsibility Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Corporate Social Responsibility - Essay Example This thought was advanced by economists of the free market school of thought into the neo-liberalism economics. This new school of thought emerged a century later following the burst of free market ideals, growing out of the existing liberalism economics theory. What therefore was this old liberalism theory all about? Economic liberalism prevailed in America in the 1800 and early 1900 granting individuals the right to make profit in an increasingly unregulated market. Profit was therefore pursuable at no restrictions; an anything goes analogy that would soon plunge the world into unfathomed crisis a few decades later. Subsequent to the economic crush of the 1929 occasioned by the crash of the stock market, the world was plunged into major turmoil; this lead to the emergence of two primary concerns as to how to restore balance to economies that had been into chaos. Firstly, that government had the duty and obligation to spend where others (largely the private sector) would not. Second ly, and in stark opposition to this was, that the intervention of state was both pointless in addition to being potentially dangerous in the long-run health of the aggregate economy (Wapshott, 2011). These early debates still linger till now striking strong and ferocious debates and reactions both within the government and amongst corporate bodies. The subsidence of this World crisis and the decline in profitability in industries prompted the elite to revive economic liberalism leading to the development of neo-liberalism economics (Roberts, 2010). The neo-liberalism economics propagated for the exclusive rule of the markets within the economy; deregulation of government role on any aspect that would cut back on enterprise profitability (including workers’ safety, environment safety and workers’ unionization); privatization of public amenities and resources and reduced public welfare expenditure such as healthcare and education. On the global scale, the spread of this new world order was halted by the World Wars. Subsequent to these was the United States’ Marshall Plan that once more made Europe a major trading bloc with the United States. The tide of independence and freedom of markets was meanwhile blowing across the Atlantics greatly positioning the new economic order to states that were alien due to prolonged socialism and colonization (Robbins, 2004). It is against this widespread neo-liberalism particularly by the United Sates (in its newly found capacity as the world’s superpower) that economists such as Polanyi forecasted the setting in motions events that are yet to lead to another world crisis. The blatant permission of free market forces to be a lone determinant of the fate of humanity and the natural environment would ultimately result in the destruction of society (Polanyi, 2001). However, in an apparent contradiction of his prophecy, Polanyi further went to argue that such a societal destruction could not abound since the developments within the system would guarantee the supremacy of society over the economic system.

Life Transitions of Women in Their 50s-60's Research Paper

Life Transitions of Women in Their 50s-60's - Research Paper Example The physiological change, as well as the psychological effect brought about by menopause together with post parental experience, retirement and changing roles of women, can be better understood if taken together with the women’s context, family and social relations, career, society, gender, traditions, norms and the subjective individual attitude, personality and self-perception. As a counselor, the issue challenges me to take an extra care in not boxing women within the frame of theoretical assumptions but in understanding their paradigm within in their unique experience and context. Women’s lives are often understood neither from a distance nor from the pedestal, rather via the narratives of their experiences and their lived lives. In this way, women’s lives are made more concrete and no longer relegated in the periphery of the human story. However, as one looks into the title of this research, one immediately gets the gargantuan tasks ahead. This claim is based on the supposition that the research intends to delve into the combination of three important notions, namely, middle life, life transition, women and life. Individually considered, these notions are deemed as complex (Elder, 1994; Levinson, 1986; Lachman, 2004; Young, 1980). Complex since lifespan in adult development is considered as still in its neophyte stage. Since if compared with early lifespan, less attention, and studies have been conducted regarding this subject matter (Levinson, 1986; Elder, 1994). While, on the middle life on the hand, is perceived as a fluid concept that is not just defined by biological age which is normally set â€Å"between 40 – 64† (Levinson, 1986, p 5) but is influenced and affected by various factors such as tradition, culture, ethnicity, gender, society, norms and individual subjective personality, attitude and self –perception. All of these combines contribute in setting the parameters of what may be considered as middle life (Lachman, 2004).

Domestic Violence Essay Example for Free

Domestic Violence Essay The Negative Results of Childhood Exposure to Domestic Violence The phrase â€Å"domestic violence† typically refers to violence between adult intimate partners. It has been estimated that every year there are about 3.3 to 10 million children exposed to domestic violence in the confines of their own home (Moylan, Herrenkohl, Sousa et al. 2009). According to research conducted by John W. Fantuzzo and Wanda K. Mohr(1999): â€Å"[e]xposure to domestic violence can include watching or hearing the violent events, direct involvement (for example, trying to intervene or calling the police), or experiencing the aftermath (for example, seeing bruises or observing maternal depression)† (Fantuzzo ump; Mohr, 22). The effects of exposure can vary from direct effects such as behavioral and developmental issues to interpersonal relationships, all of which lead to detrimental prospects on the child’s development. This paper will explore those effects and how it affects children. Exposure to violence in the first years of life brings about helplessness and terror which can be attributed to the lack of protection received by the parent. The child can no longer trust their parent as a protector (Lieberman 2007). This lack of trust early in life can bring about serious problems later in life, as there is no resolution to the first psychosocial crisis, trust vs. mistrust. For these children exposed to domestic violence, the imaginary monsters that children perceive are not only symbolic representations or a dream. The monsters that children who witness domestic violence have to deal with carry the reflection of their parents. Children who witness domestic violence face a dilemma because the children’s parents are at their most frightening exactly when the child needs them the most. The security of the child is shattered as their protector becomes the attacker in reality and the child has nowhere to turn for help (Lieberman 2007). â€Å"Exposure to family and community violence is linked with aggressive behavior. One of the theoretical perspectives that explains this link is social learning theory, according to which children learn from the aggressive models in their environments. Additionally, victimization may compromise childrens ability to regulate their emotions, and as a result they may act out aggressively† (Margolin ump; Gordis 2004, 153). â€Å"Posttraumatic stress symptoms and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are important consequences of exposure to violence because they can impair social and behavioral functioning† (Margolin ump; Gordis 2004, 153). Research has shown that children exposed to domestic violence demonstrate impaired ability to concentrate, difficulty with schoolwork, and significantly lower scores when their verbal, motor, and cognitive skills were being tested (Fantuzzo ump; Mohr). It seems as if the academic and cognitive difficulties from exposure affect the child possibly through its impact on psychological functioning. For example, PTSD and depression may hinder with learning and the ability to perform well in the classroom (Margolin ump; Gordis 2004). Researchers have found a positive correlation between externalizing (aggression) and internalizing (lowered self esteem, depression, anxiety) and domestic violence exposed children. Children exposed to domestic violence have been found to be four times more likely to develop internalizing or externalizing behavior problems than children who are not exposed to violence. The disruption of the development of basic competencies harms the child’s ability to manage emotions effectively and increases internalizing and externalizing behaviors (Martinez-Torteya et. al., 2009). This is particularly problematic for preschool aged children as younger children display more intense externalizing and internalizing behavioral responses to parental conflict than older children do (Ybarra, Wilkens, ump; Lieberman 2007). These responses are due in part to less mature cognitive skills. Because these skills have not advanced yet, there is an increase in the likelihood of the child expressing psychological vulnerabilities following the conflict because of cognitive errors. Exposure to domestic violence compromises interpersonal relationships that are the foundation of childrens daily lives in addition to having direct effects. â€Å"Social support is a key buffer against the negative effects of violence. Because parents are key sources of social support, the disrupted parenting associated with family violence may exacerbate negative effects of exposure to violence. More generally, children exposed to violence may be sensitized to hostile interactions and may have difficulty negotiating peer conflicts. These interpersonal difficulties can rob children of social support and increase their risk for associating with deviant peers† (Margolin ump; Gordis 2004, 154). In a study conducted by C. McGee, it was reported that many children found it difficult to develop friendships for reasons such as holding back from others as well as fear of inviting others to their home (Adams 2006). In conclusion, it is clearly shown that domestic violence has a negative effect on the children who witness it. An expanding body of research suggests that childhood trauma and adverse experiences can lead to a variety of negative health outcomes (Anda ump; Chapman ump; Dube ump; Felitti ump; Giles ump; Williamson, 2001, p.1). In fact, childhood stressors such as witnessing domestic violence and other household dysfunctions are highly interrelated and have a graded relationship to numerous health and social problems (Anda ump; Chapman ump; Dube ump; Felitti ump; Giles ump; Williamson, 2001, p.2). It is obvious and clearly shown that the children who witness domestic abuse have serious long term mental effects.

Millennial Financial Confidence and Social Media

Millennial Financial Confidence and Social Media The Millennial Generation and Social Media: How online relationships affect Millennials’ financial esteem Abstract One of the largest generations in history is moving into its prime spending years. The Millennial generation, as a technologically savvy culture, is looking to reshape the economy, taking their unique financial experiences into the way they look to spend their money. Having lived through the 2008 Great Recession, however, Millennials are haunted by the unexpected obstacles an inconsistent economy poses. They exhibit immense distrust with financial institutions due to struggles during their financial upbringing, and are the first generation to have accumulated excessive amounts of student loan debt. Therefore, the Millennial generation takes pride in practicing frugal spending habits, making sure to put money into their savings account each month. However, Millennials are also heavily influenced by their relationship with their peers via social media platforms. The self-presentation theory can be used to explain why social media influences millennials, as the desire to receive social acceptance drives millennial behaviors. As statistical evidence has proven, Millennials feel a heightened sense of social acceptance when physical symbols of social adequacy are shown through â€Å"like,† â€Å"favorites,† â€Å"retweets,† or â€Å"share.† Millennials also place an emphasis on experiencing live events rather than material items, explaining that these events are more enjoyable when shared through social media. Studies have also shown that the positive reinforcement Millennials receive from â€Å"likes,† â€Å"favorites,† or â€Å"retweets,† weighs heavily into their monetary decision making. Therefore, the argument can be made that the relationships Millennials pursue through social media negatively influences millennial spending as photos and posts on their newsfeed encourage reckless spending, relying heavily on funds received only through their increased debt accumulation. Introduction Millennials represent the largest living generation and more than a quarter of the population at 83.1 million, surpassing Baby Boomers at 75.4 million (Cutler, 2015). Because of the Millennial generation’s massive size, understanding and adapting to their spending tendencies is imperative to a company’s growth financially as the generation currently commands an estimated $1.3 trillion in annual consumer spending (Eventbrite, 2013) Many studies have been conducted between the Millennial generation and financial institutions, identifying their experiences and attitudes which in turn help to shape how they interact with one another. Millennials, having lived through both the 2008 Great Recession and the digital revolution, are making constant decisions involving their money allocation. However, they are experiencing greater financial struggles. Millennials are the first generation in the modern age to experience high levels of poverty and unemployment, causing many to lose faith in financial institutions, and experience high levels of stress when allocating money from small, seemingly insignificant paychecks (Cutler, 2015). Due to these struggles, the Millennial generation takes pride in their financial planning, prioritizing conscious spending in order to avoid financial problems in the future, and feeling confident in their education to land them a successful career. However, the emphasis Millennials place on maintaining a social media deemed acceptable by peers is translating into harmful financial behaviors. In 2015, almost 50 percent of Millennial purchases were influenced by social media (Pagliara, 2017). Therefore, the understanding of the necessity to spend consciously is distanced by social media’s created desire to spend recklessly due to the emphasis Millennial’s place on media â€Å"likes† as a visual representation of social acceptance. Through a brief overview of the general Millennials’ financial outlook com pared to generations prior, combined with both an analysis of how Millennials interact with social media and how social media influences their spending habits, an argument can be made and then supported that the relationship between social media and the Millennial generation negatively affects their financial stature. Literature Review The Millennial Generation’s Overall Financial Outlook To better understand the fundamental attitudes and beliefs Millennials hold regarding financial institutions, it is important to first compare the monetary characteristics of the Millennial generation to both itself as well as previous generations including Baby Boomers and Generation Xers. After comparing Millennials’ early-life economic experiences to those of Generation Xers and Baby Boomers, The Pew Research Center found that, while Millennials are the most educated generation in American history, they also serve as the first generation to have higher student loan debt, poverty, and unemployment combined with lower levels of wealth and personal income (Cutler, 2015). With the high cost of education, the Pew Research Center added that, as of 2015, two-thirds of recent bachelor degree recipients have outstanding student loans averaging near $27,000 compared to graduates two decades ago with student loans averaging only $15,000. A 2014 Wells Fargo Millennial Study conducted b y Harris Poll found 42% of Millennials describe debt as an â€Å"overwhelming financial concern† as compared to only 23% of Baby Boomers. Furthermore, the study concluded that Millennials list student loan debt as their top concern while Baby Boomers focus on saving for retirement. Due to the burden of piling debt combined with difficulties landing successful jobs right out of college, Millennials immediately perceive a disconnect between the money spent on education and future earnings, developing a deflated, negative financial self-image early in their careers. A 2014 survey conducted by Pew found that a mere 42% of Millennials identify as middle class, a significant fall from the same survey conducted in 2008 where 53% of Millennials claimed themselves as middle class. Most significantly, however, the same survey also concluded that, in 2015, 46% of Millennials identified as low-middle to lower class, a notable rise from 25% in 2008. Contradictory to this statistic, howeve r, the Pew Research Center found that 85% of Millennials are optimistic when asked about their future financially, saying they have enough to live comfortably now and plan to save enough to create a lifestyle they want in the future (Cutler, 2015). This statistic gives an insight to how Millennials view their future wealth, offering valuable information regarding their thoughts on how to spend their money today. While financial optimism is necessary for confident future spending, Millennials currently experience poor financial self-image, affecting their spending habits today as they are forced to make hasty decisions that will hopefully increase their savings so they will have enough financial support to spend generously in the future. These statistics can be better explained through an in-depth analysis of the basic attitudes of the Millennial generation, identifying why Millennials perceive low financial self-image. Another study conducted by the Pew Research Center suggested Millennials experience greater institutional distrust than generations prior. When asked about the level of trust Millennials have in authority figures, government and financial institutions, and the general public combined, only 19%, or one in five, felt as if they can be trusted, a statistic much lower than 40% of Baby Boomers who responded to the same question (Cutler, 2015). This institutional distrust Millennials experience may be due to both current and previous economic experiences that have frightened them into becoming an innate generation of thrifty savers, while simultaneously being impulse spenders, a topic which will be discussed in the following analysis. The Great Recession in 2008 influenced the Millennial generation’s perception of economic institutions as many either struggled through the recession themselves, or observed the financial turmoil their parents experienced. Many Millennials describe the Great Recession as a warning to save now in an effort to survive unforeseen economic problems in the future. The recession also caused many Millennials to graduate into an environment burdened by high unemployment rates and undesirable salaries as jobs gained during the economic recovery paid on average 23% less than jobs before the recession (Boberiene & McLeigh, 2014). Emily Pachuta, head of investor insights at UBA, explained that due to the recession, â€Å"[Millennials] have a Depression-era mindset largely because they experienced market volatility and job security issues very early in their careers.† (Boberiene & McLeigh, 2014). Millennials are also skeptical when discussing government funding, especially when planning for retirement. A Harvard poll found that 51% of Millennials believe there will not be any funding available in the Social Security System by the time they retire. Additionally, a Wells Fargo Millennial Study found that over 50% of Millennials have already started allocating anywhere between 1% to 10% of their paycheck to retirement funding. Another Harvard poll noted that young people feel a disassociation between their priorities and the priorities of elected officials as they view effective results from political involvement as few and far between (Rampell, 2014). A 2014 article from the Grand Rapids Business Journal argues the 2008 Great Recession made Millennials timid about investing in financial markets, creating this desire for transparency and authenticity when dealing with companies and organizations (Marsh Private Client Services, 2015). Adding to their fear of financial crisis in the future, Millennials also struggle with the pressure of debt. As previously mentioned, recent graduates have significantly more student loan debt than graduates two decades prior. Among all Millennials, Wells Fargo found 47% of working Millennials are allotting 50% or more of their paycheck to certain categories of debt including credit card debt (16%), mortgage debt (15%), student loan debt (12%), auto debt (9%), and medical debt (5%). Because Millennials are allocating a large sum of their paycheck to paying off their accumulated debt, many are living paycheck to paycheck, leaving little to no cash left to spend elsewhere. After reviewing the statistical analysis of the Millennial generation’s experiences, thoughts and feelings regarding financial institutions and their own personal finances, exploring generic personality traits may find a direct correlation to between millennials’ innate behavior and their desire to maintain a positive image on social media adding which, therefore, progresses their poor financial experiences. As mentioned previously, Millennials are money-conscious due to the economic hardships they’ve endured. However, Millennials are also heavily influenced by social media, and the pressure to maintain a noteworthy lifestyle sometimes overrides their instinct to save. Social Media has affected Millennials in such a way that theorist have discussed they have become sub-clinical narcissists. Clinicians do not see sub-clinical narcissists as pathological, however there are traits of self-centeredness and self-love through the eyes of a personality psychologist. The perception of Millennials are self-loving, ambitious, technology savvy, and family oriented. Vaidhyanatha Balaji (2015) oversaw a study of a group of Millennials through a survey about subclinical narcissists habits. The survey revealed that they did not show a developing problem of narcissism even though Millennial scores were just above global average of subclinical narcissism (Balaji, 2015). Balaji summed up Millennials as â€Å"complex individuals who are part self-centered, part-social human beings.† Millennials are greatly influenced by positive reassurance, their need for constant attention and feedback. They are concluded to be very independent and self reliable while being conservatively confident. The combination of both slightly narcissistic characteristics and ambitious characteristics argues that the Millennial generation has altered the definition of a career. Millennials are less committed to following the traditional corporate ladder, and more likely to seek business opportunities that accommodate their own personal values, including flexible hours, autonomy, and control, while simultaneously proving they have the maturity to support themselves independently (Boberiene & McLeigh, 2014). On the other hand, a study conducted by the Family Office Exchange (2015) indicated that Millennials working for corporations feel they must be able to relate to their advisors on a personal level before they trust them in a business setting. The 2015 study also indicated that Millennials are less likely to listen to supervisors who speak in a demeaning or condescending tone. Instead, Millennials respond to supervisors who focus on establishing a relationship by asking personal questions about their interests, goals, and opinions and then sharing personal stories of their own (Marsh Private Client Services, 2015). Because Millennials emphasize engagement, the study argues that Millennials are driven by personal relationships, with a desire to showcase independence on the surface, however, wanting collaborative attention in the form of both positive, constructive advice and feedback (Marsh Private Client Services, 2015). Theoretical Framework Researchers have warned Millennials regarding their reliance upon social networking sites to reinforce personal self-esteem through boosted â€Å"likes† or positive comments from close friends as this behavior can result in the reduction of self-control both on and offline. Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh and Columbia Business School found that users who are focused on close friends tend to experience an increase in self-esteem while browsing their social network (Stephen & Wilcox, 2013). Afterwards, however, these users display less-self control which is evidently correlated to these individuals having higher body-mass indexes and higher levels of credit-card debt (Stephen & Wilcox, 2013). A study conducted regarding the use of Facebook and its effects in its users self-esteem found that Facebook only increased participants’ self-esteem when they were focused on the information they were presenting to others (Stephen & Wilcox, 2013). Keith Wilcox, assistant professor of marketing at Columbia Business School and coauthor of this Facebook research experiment, explained that, â€Å"We find that people experience greater self-esteem when they focus on the image they are presenting to strong ties in their social networks. This suggests that even though people are sharing the same positive information with string ties and weak ties on social networks, they feel better about themselves when the information is received by strong ties than be weak ties.† Keeping this information in mind, the study continued with its investigation on the relationship between online social network use and offline behaviors associated with poor self-control (Stephen & Wilcox, 2013). The results suggested that greater social network use is associated with a higher body-mass index, increased binge eating, a lower credit score, and higher levels of credit-card debt for individuals with strong ties to their social network (Stephen & Wilcox, 2013). Therefore, this study can make the implication that self-control is an important mechanism for maintaining social order and well-being, however, the desire for positive reinforcement on social media outweighs rational, controlled decision making. To better understand the loss of control experienced through social networking site interactions, the self-presentation theory can be used to explain how influential social media has become during the management of an individual’s private and public self. Self-presentation is the process by which individuals represent themselves to the social world, occurring at both the conscious and the unconscious levels of cognition (International Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences, 2008). Self-presentation can be used as a means to manage the impressions others form of oneself, extending into strategic or tactical self-presentation, otherwise known as impression management, which occurs when an individual seeks to create a desired image of invoke a desired response from others (International Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences, 2008). Largely a prosocial event, self-presentation forces an individual to negotiate through social interactions in order to fulfill the psychological needs for social approval. Self-presentation is complex as it involves both the individual’s interpersonal cues such as the perceived responses of others, and the function of social situations in response to cues from the social environment (International Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences, 2008). Therefore, self-presentation is both an individual experience and a social phenomenon, highlighting the tensions between human interactions (International Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences, 2008). Much of the content produced on social media is photographs, links and information posts used to present one’s online self. Self-presentation theory, as discussed previously, is considered to be motivated by the desire to make a favorable impression on others, or an impression that corresponds to ones’ ideals, which an extend to the projection of an online identity (Herring & Kapidzic, 2015). Social media provides a platform for Millennials to explore the effects of their self-presented image on their peers. Generally, photo posts, as well as text posts occasionally, generate positive feedback and, thus, have a positive impact on self-esteem. Visual content is a central resource for creating an appropriate online impression, and an attribute many Millennials focus on when seeking social approval. Therefore, the self-presentation theory helps to support the hypothesis that Millennials participate in reckless spending in order to create an adequate online image when viewed by others. Methodology To determine the extent to which social media influences the Millennial generation’s financial stature, research will be focused on an analysis of statistical evidence regarding first, Millennials’ emphasis on the need to experience social acceptance on various social media platforms, then, on how social media influences the spending tendencies of Millennials’ frugal minds. The background information presented during the literature review was necessary to understanding how previous financial struggles have controlled the spending habits of the Millennial generation, training them to recognize the necessity to conscious spend in an effort to maximize a financial future. The statistical evidence will then support the argument that social media creates a divide between the understanding for frugal spending and Millennial actions as they are coerced into spending recklessly in order to achieve social approval from their peers via social media recognition. Findings Social Media and its Relationship to the Millennial Generation’s Social Acceptance After reviewing background information on Millennials’ financial experiences, it is evident that Millennials have established an inherent necessity to save due to their poor financial self-esteem created by an immense amount of debt accumulation and financial distrust. However, I make the argument that Millennials are distanced from their understanding of the necessity to save due to their overwhelming desire to portray an over-exaggerated, lavish lifestyle on their social media sites. As subclinical narcissists who showcase self-sufficiency on the surface while subconsciously craving positive reinforcement from their peers through social media acceptance, Millennials have prorized their online relationships, placing an emphasis on depicting a life of interest within the social realm, and, ultimately, altering how they think about real world friendships and relationships. To better understand the impact social media has had on Millennial relationships, a brief background on ho w online interactions has influenced the dynamics of young people’s social lives is explored in the following analysis. A 2016 study conducted by the Nielsen Norman group found that premature exposure to social media has influenced Millennials’ approach to friendships, relationships and self-image as their subtle online interactions have become explicit and visible, causing social contexts to become merged and entangled. In 2006, the Pew Research Center found that 55 percent of teenagers reported having at least one social media account. However in 2010, just four years later, 73 percent of younger Millennials, around the age of middle to high school adolescents, and 78 percent of older Millennials, college-aged young adults, reported having a social media presence (Meyer, 2016). Today, approximately 90 percent of Millennials, both teens and young adults alike, have at least one social media account, many of them updating an average of four or more accounts at a time (Meyer, 2016). With the attention Millennials place on creating and maintaining positive online interactions, social media has al so become a means of expressing the extent of personal relationships. For example in 2004, the social media site MySpace added a â€Å"Top 8† feature, which allowed for teens to manually choose their top 8 friends. They were soon after forced to remove the display feature because it became an anxiety-inducing decision for many young Millennials (Meyer, 2016). Other popular social media terms such as, â€Å"friending,† â€Å"Facebook official,† â€Å"likes,† or â€Å"favorites† are visible, quantitative expressions of the positive reinforcement Millennials feel toward a person, event, or opinion. A study conducted by researchers at UCLA explored the effects of social media â€Å"likes† on the Millennial brain. A â€Å"like† is a click made by a social media user that symbolizes an instant, outward expression of approval. The study found that, regardless of the basic qualities of the photo or post, Millennials revealed more excitement i n the reward center of their brains when they viewed a photo or post with many â€Å"likes† (Meyer, 2016). Therefore, â€Å"likes† symbolize augmented social proof and acceptance, representing the peer pressure Millennials feel to remain socially intriguing. One of the most widespread instances of social proof gained from social media is the number of â€Å"retweets,† â€Å"favorites,† â€Å"likes,† or â€Å"shares† received on a photo or post (Tate, 2018). Social proof can be used to explain why Millennials worry about straying too far from the pack, or looking inadequate to comparison to their peers. As mentioned previously, Millennials crave group acceptance more than they desire individuality. Therefore, social media serves as a resemblance of what the group is doing, allowing for Millennials to learn what is deemed socially acceptable, and then find comfort in the recognition that their actions are â€Å"normal† (Tate, 2018). Adriana Manago, an assistant professor of psychology at UC Santa Cruz who studies the social media tendencies of adolescents and young adults, explains that Millennials are using social media to establish their own agency and manage their relationships with their peers (Witte, 2017). Manago theorizes that Millennials use technology as a tool used to navigate their way into adulthood, explaining that young adults turn to social media to explore their place in the world around them (Witte, 2017). Therefore, social media helps Millennials feel more connected within the offline world as it provides a space for identity exploration, bridging the gap between the offline and online worlds. The online realm provides Millennials a platform to manage social contexts by practicing and participating in specific social behaviors without the pressure of visibly or physically backing their actions or remarks. When Millennials participate in social media activities, they are experiencing a context collapse, or the requirement to accurately perform varying social behaviors in order to appropriately manage different social media contexts (Boyd, 2014). For example, a Facebook post and an Instagram post may be the same message, however differ in the delivery depending on the platform’s audience or following. In other words, each distinct audience requires a different social behavior in order to interpret the post appropriately. Context collapse, as determined through various studies, is more complex for adolescent Millennials as they navigate an intense period of self-definition (Boyd, 2014). Millennials, therefore, have invented strategies to help them manage the merging of various social contexts, relying heavily on the approval of specific audience members on each social media platform they maintain. Boyd (2014) in her book, Its Complicated: The Social Lives of Networked Teens, found that Facebook is considered to be the most diverse in connections with audience members ranging from online seniors (65 or older) regularly operating their Facebook page to employers actively searching profiles for potential employees. Twitter was found to represent connections with special interests such as news, celebrities, musicians, or companies, and less with friends and family members (Boyd, 2014). Instagram was reported to be the most entertainment-oriented platform, primarily used for sharing photos of experiences or interests with friends and followers (Boyd, 2014). Therefore, Millennials’ decision on where to share photos or posts depends on the interests of the audience members following each platform, as well as the visibility of the post in order to render the most social interaction possible. When asked where to post a photo, one Millennial responded, â€Å"It depends on the quality of the picture, and who would see it. On Facebook it’d be primarily family, because those are the people who pay attention to my page. On Twitter, depending on the time of day, it might not be seen at all.† (Boyd, 2014). Therefore, the stress of managing multiple audiences across several social contexts puts pressure on Millennials to constantly maintain an acceptable social media presence. Social Media and its Relationship to the Millennial Generation’s Finances As discussed previously, the money habits of Millennials allude to the potential for a better financial position than previous generations, as Millennials instinctively understand the necessity to save. Millennials continue to take strides toward a strong, self-sufficient financial future, with 58 percent prioritizing saving for retirement as an essential necessity (Riley, 2018). Another 71 percent of Millennials reported using tricks encouraged by financial advisors to set aside money in an effort to achieve specific monetary goals, while an additional 41 percent said they always allocated money into their savings accounts each month (Riley, 2018). The â€Å"Generations Ahead† study conducted by the Allianz Life Insurance Company (2018) found that 77 percent of Millennials feel financially confident due to their ability to consciously save, a drastic difference compared to only 64 percent of Generation X respondents when asked the same question. Similar to the Allianz Life Insurance study, â€Å"Generations Ahead,† the Wells Fargo Millennial Study also found that seven in ten Millennials, or 69 percent, feel more financially stable than others in their own generation, and 68 percent see themselves with a better standard of living before retirement than previous generations. Therefore, it can be concluded that Millennials reflect a higher financial self-image when comparing themselves to their own generations rather than to generations prior. This indicates that Millennials may be more inclined to spend recklessly in an effort to showcase falsified high financial stature, even if it is financed primarily through debt accumulation. Additionally, the Wells Fargo study concluded that 84 percent of Millennials feel they have the skills to be successful in their chosen careers, and another 78 percent confidently believe if they were to lose their job, they could find a comparable career with ease. Therefore, as Millennials feel more successful with their financial planning through innovative ways to build financial strength, they are becoming more confident in their abilities to spend wisely. However, Paul Kelash, vice president of communication and consumer insights for Allianz Life, explains, â€Å"The most significant finding was the dichotomy between Millennials’ ability to be successful in financial planning yet so vulnerable to social media and spending beyond their means.† Therefore, the pressure social media places on Millennials to maintain an appropriate presence contradicts Millennials’ appreciation for frugal spending, thus proving the power social media maintains over the actions and decisions of the Millennial generation.   According to statistics and conclusions explained previously, an argument can be made that social media is influencing Millennial financial growth by indirectly encouraging them to spend recklessly. Contradicting prior statistical conclusions that the Millennial generation takes the financial planning lead when compared to other prior generations, the Allianz Life Insurance Company reports that 63 percent of Millennials consider themselves spenders, while 51 percent of Generation Xers and only 36 percent of Baby Boomers would consider themselves spenders (Riley, 2018). The following statistics help support the argument that Millennial financial growth is stunted by their exposure to social media. According to the Allianz Life Insurance Company’s â€Å"Generations Ahead† study, 88 percent of respondents believe social media creates more of a tendency to compare their lifestyles and wealth to others. An additional 57 percent said they spend money they had not yet budgeted for due to the influences from what they viewed on social media (Riley, 2018). Kelash explains that, â€Å"Millennials are more immersed in social media than past generations. Therefore, they could be swayed more than other cohorts by social media and the temptation to spend beyond their means. That could hurt them over the long term if they aren’t careful.† According to a 2013 survey conducted by Eventbrite, when it comes to money, Millennials value experiences over material items. Eventbrite’s study found that the Millennial generation not only values experiences, but is increasingly spending time and money on events in an effort to live a meaningful, happy life. Through statistical evidence, it can be concluded that happiness for the Millennial generation cannot be gained through a lifetime of accumulated material possessions. Rather, a happy life is determined by the ability to create, capture and share memories in an effort to gain the recognition of social peers. Approximately 78 percent of Millennials choose to spend money on desirable experiences or events, with 55 percent of Millennials saying they are spending more on events and live experiences than ever before (Eventbrite, 2013). Therefore, Millennials crave more experiences, increasing the demand for real-life interactions. With the emphasis placed on gathering experiences rather than material goods, Millennial spending is significantly different when compared to the spending habits of generations prior. More than 8 in 10 Millennial respondents, approximately 82 percent, said they attended or participated in a variety of live experiences over the past year, including parties, concerts, festivals, or themed sporting events (Eventbrite, 2013). Further, 72 percent of these respondents even said they would like to increase their spending on experiences rather than material items over the next year, alluding to the idea that materialism will be replaced by the demand for real-life experiences (Eventbrite, 2013). Millennials also explained that these real-life experiences help shape their identity, holding more social currency than physical items as these events create everlasting memories. Almost 8 in 10, or 77 percent, of Millennials say their best memories are from an event or live experience they attended or participated in (Eventbrite, 2013). Interestingly enough, however, Millennials also explain that capturing these events on photo sharing apps like Instagram and Snapchat actually makes the experience more enjoyable. 60 percent of Millennials explain that experiences are better shared through social media platforms (Eventbrite, 2013). 69 percent of respondents also explained that attending these live experiences makes them feel more connected to other people, the community and the world (Eventbrite, 2013). Therefore, just attending the live event does not constitute the entire experience for Millennials. Millennials, instead, finalize their overall opinion of an event based on their ability to share and gain the approval of others via various social media platforms as research has proven that Millennials tweet, share and post more about the events they attend than any other generation. One explanation for this necessity to spend money on life experiences comes from Millennials’ constant feeling of FOMO. Millennials are often critiqued for reckless spending and impulsive purchases due to what they describe as FOMO, or the â€Å"Fear Of Missing Out† on a situation (PR Newswire, 2016). Generated by the Millennial generation’s creative social media vocabulary, FOMO is a state of social anxiety an individual feels when peers or friends are enjoying activities without them, and is often triggered by social media postings (Meyer, 2016). The Allianz Life survey found that 55 percent of Millennials reported experiencing FOMO, while another 61 percent felt inadequate about their own lives and what they have due to the attention other users receive on social media recognized through â€Å"likes† or â€Å"favorites† (Riley, 2018). As previous statistics have proven, portraying a successful adult life on social media heavily influences Millennials’ decisions to spend recklessly. Millennials have been criticized for diving headfirst into financial situations, assuming responsibilities without proper financial support. Shannon Lee Simmons, a Toronto financial planner for many Millennials, explains, â€Å"Those people with the new house on Instagram? They’re miserable.† (PR Newswire, 2016). Being a Millennial herself, Simmons understands the pressure to live an interesting life in order to be deemed as attractive or intriguing on social media platforms. Simmons advises her clients to prioritize debt repayment, live only within the boundaries their paychecks allow, and continually put money into a savings account each month. However, most Millennials are not honest with themselves about the cost of living these extravagant, Instagram lifestyles. An online survey conducted by Go Banking found that Millennials find it difficult to resist the urge to spend recklessly, paying for social events by relying on credit cards, borrowing from friends or family members, or sometimes even neglecting to pay bills. Additionally, as a Millennial myself, I argue that because debt has become an expected part of consumer spending and an innate aspect of the Millennials’ financial experience, Millennials are more likely to spend money they do not have with the expectation of paying it off in the future. I believe this is largely due to Millennial optimism, or the confidence Millennials feel regarding many aspects of their personal lives such as the confidence they feel toward their expected success in their chosen career paths and, therefore, help to lower the stress surrounding debt accumulation. Because Millennials have a tendency to impulsively spend, however, I make the argument that financial optimism is categorized as wishful thinking, or a means of resolving conflicts between reality and desire through pleasing imagination instead of recognizing hard evidence and rationality, and remains financially unsupported. The combination of reckless, social media-encouraged spending, debt accumulation, and wishful thinking reveals the immature side of Millennial spending, a side driven by the pressures to create and maintain an intriguing image within the immense, extremely competitive social realm. Therefore, social media has influenced the emotional spending of the Millennial generation, bombarding them with information on what their friends and followers are doing to such an extent that their prior understanding for the necessity to practice conscious saving is pushed out of mind. Further Discussion / Conclusion Through the literature review’s analysis of the background of Millennials’ financial self-esteem and potential reasons why they resemble poor financial stature, it can be declared that the Millennial generation suffers from a lifetime of financial experiences causing predetermined feelings towards practicing frugal spending habits as a requirement for future financial wellbeing. However, as the content analysis provides expertise on how social media has influenced the way Millennials spend their money, convincing them of the necessity to achieve substantial social acceptance physically represented through their peers’ â€Å"likes† and â€Å"favorites,† an argument can be made and support that emphasizes the hypothesis that social media has negatively affected millennials financial reflection as attending live events only increases their debt accumulated. 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