Virginia Colony in Colonial America

Virginia Colony in Colonial America In 1607,  Jamestown became Great Britains first settlement in North America, the first foothold of the Virginia Colony. Its permanency came after three failed attempts by Sir Walter Raleigh beginning in 1586 to attempt to establish a stronghold in the land he called Virginia after his queen, Elizabeth I. And its continued survival was very much in doubt for the first fifteen years. Fast Facts: Virginia Colony Also Known As: Colony and Dominion of VirginiaNamed After: Queen Elizabeth I (the Virgin Queen), named by Walter RaleighFounding Year: 1606Founding Country: EnglandFirst Known European Settlement: Jamestown, 1607Residential Native Communities: Powhatan, MonacansFounders:  Walter Raleigh, John SmithImportant People: Thomas West, 3rd Baron De La Warr, Thomas Dale, Thomas Gates, Pocahontas, Samuel Argall, John RolfeFirst Continental Congressmen: Richard Bland, Benjamin Harrison, Patrick Henry, Richard Henry Lee, Edmund Pendleton, Peyton Randolph, George WashingtonSigners of the Declaration: George Wythe, Richard Herny Lee, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Harrison, Thomas Nelson, Francis Lightfoot Lee, Carter Braxton Early Colonial Life On April 10, 1606, King James I (ruled 1566–1625) issued a charter creating two companies for Virginia, one based in London and one in Plymouth, to settle all of the land between the Passamaquoddy Bay in Maine and the Cape Fear River in North Carolina. Plymouth would get the north half and London the south.   The Londoners left on December 20, 1606, in three ships carrying 100 men and four boys, and they landed in what is today the Chesapeake Bay area. A landing party scouted for a suitable area, and the three ships worked their way up what they called (and is still called) the James River, landing at the site of Jamestown on May 13, 1607. The location of Jamestown was chosen because it would be easily defended since it was surrounded by water on three sides; the water was deep enough for the colonists ships, and Native Americans did not inhabit the land. Unfortunately, there were reasons the Native Americans did not inhabit the land; there was no potable water source, and the marshy landscape emitted great clouds of mosquitoes and flies. Disease, heat, and skirmishes with the Native Americans consumed both colonists and their supplies and by the time the first supply ship arrived in September, only 37 of the original 104 colonists were living. The Starving Time Captain John Smith assumed the colonys leadership in September 1608, and his leadership is credited with improving conditions and stockpiling stores. England continued to send supplies and colonists and in late Spring 1609, after the colony had been reorganized into a joint stock venture, London sent nine ships and 500 colonists. The ship bearing the deputy governor Thomas Gates wrecked off the Bermuda coast. The 400 survivors straggled into Jamestown in the late summer, too sick to work but fully capable of consuming the stockpile of stores. Disease and famine set in, and between October 1609 and March 1610, the colony population dropped from 500 to about 60. The winter became known as The Starving Time, and the colony became known as a deathtrap. During the early period of the colony, Jamestown was primarily a military outpost, populated by men, either gentlemen or indentured servants/ The servants who survived were obligated to work for their passage for a period of seven years. By 1614, those indentures began to expire and those who chose to remain became free laborers. Signs of Recovery Leadership of the colony by Thomas Dale and Thomas Gates kept the colony going between 1610 and 1616, and the colony began to grow strong after John Rolfe began his experiments with tobacco, Nicotiana rustica, to make it more palatable to the English taste.  When a royal family member of the Powhatan tribe named Pocahontas married John Rolfe in 1614, relations with the Native American community eased. That ended when she died in England in 1617. The first enslaved African Americans were brought to the colony in 1619. Jamestown had a high mortality rate due to disease, colonial mismanagement, and raids from Native Americans. The presence of women and family units encouraged some growth and stability, but factionalism and fiscal insolvency continued to plague Virginia. In 1622, a Powhatan attack on Virginia killed 350 settlers, plunging the colony into warfare that lasted a decade. Charter Changes Jamestown was originally founded from a desire to gain wealth and to a lesser extent to convert the natives to Christianity. Jamestown went through several forms of government in its first decades, and by 1624, they used a representative assembly known as the House of Burgesses, the first institutional instance of representative self-government on the North American continent. Threatened by the House of Burgesses, though, James I revoked the charter of the bankrupt Virginia Company in 1624, but his timely death in 1625 ended his plans for disbanding the assembly.  The colonys formal name was the Colony and Dominion of Virginia.   Virginia and the American Revolution Virginia was involved in fighting against what they saw as British tyranny from the end of the French and Indian War. The Virginia General Assembly fought against the Sugar Act which had been passed in 1764. They argued that it was taxation without representation. In addition, Patrick Henry was a Virginian who used his powers of rhetoric to argue against the Stamp Act of 1765 and legislation was passed opposing the act. A Committee of Correspondence was created in Virginia by key figures including Thomas Jefferson, Richard Henry Lee, and Patrick Henry. This was a method by which the different colonies communicated with each other about the growing anger against the British.   Virginia residents who were sent to the First Continental Congress in 1774 included Richard Bland, Benjamin Harrison, Patrick Henry, Richard Henry Lee, Edmund Pendleton, Peyton Randolph, George Washington. Open resistance started in Virginia the day after Lexington and Concord occurred, on April 20, 1775. Other than the Battle of Great Bridge in December 1775, little fighting happened in Virginia though they sent soldiers to help in the war effort. Virginia was one of the earliest to adopt independence, and its hallowed son, Thomas Jefferson, penned the Declaration of Independence in 1776.   Significance First permanent English settlement in the New World at Jamestown.It provided a source of fertile land and great wealth to England in the form of the cash crop, tobacco.With the House of Burgesses, America saw the first institutional instance of representative self-government. Sources and Further Reading Barbour, Philip L. (ed.) The Jamestown Voyages under the First Charter, 1606–1609. London: The Hakluyt Society, 2011.  Billings, Warren M. (ed.). The Old Dominion in the Seventeenth Century: A Documentary History of Virginia, 1606–1700, revised edition. Durham: The University of North Carolina Press, 2007.  Earle, Carville. Environment, Disease, and Mortality in Early Virginia. Journal of Historical Geography 5.4 (1979): 365–90. Print.Hantman, Jeffrey L. Monacan Millennium: A Collaborative Archaeology and History of a Virginia Indian People. University of Virginia Press, 2018.

17 Best Fine Arts Colleges in the US

17 Best Fine Arts Colleges in the US SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips If you’re interested in attending a fine arts college, your college search may be trickier than the average student's. It’s relatively simple to compare standard undergraduate degree programs, but fine arts schoolscan be so different: they have different specialties, different facilities, and different curricula. How do you know which fine arts colleges are the best, and how do you know which ones would be good fits? I’ve taken the first step for you by compiling a list of some of the topfine arts colleges and bachelor's programs in the country. Each one offers something a little different, making this ranking list a bit more unique (and a bit more interesting) than your average college ranking list. Because it’s difficult and perhaps unhelpful to give these schools a definite ranking on this list, I’ve separated them into school type. I’ve also prepared some strategies for figuring which schools best meet your own personal needs. But before all that, I’ll answer a more basic question: what is a fine arts college, exactly? What's a Fine Arts College? Put simply;a fine arts college is a school that educates students in the visual or performing arts. These schools offera couple of different degree options: Bachelor of Fine Arts: If you get a BFA, or Bachelor of Fine Arts, the majority of your undergraduateeducation willconsist of practical studio work instead of more traditional lecture or discussion classes. For example, a typical BFA program might have students in fine arts courses 2/3 of the time and general education courses 1/3 of the time. Bachelor of Art: aBA, or Bachelor of Art, is the most common undergraduate degree - most people with BAs didn't study fine arts. If you choose this type of degree program, it just means that you'll take more general education courses than if you chose a BFA. For example, you might spend 1/3 of the time in fine arts courses and 2/3 of the time on general liberal arts studies. Once you choose your degree type, you'll most likelyhave to choose an arts specialty. This is like a major that helps you hone in and excel within a particular field or area. Many fine arts colleges have a wide variety of specialties to choose from, including acting, musical theater, ceramics, computer animation, creative writing, dance, sculpture, and drawing (just to name a few). The standard fine arts schoolonly offers degree programs that focus on, well, fine arts. But you can also getthe BA in fine arts, or even a BFA, at some liberal arts colleges or universities.I'll present the top degree programs at both fine arts colleges and other colleges and universities in the following rankings list. How Are These Schools Ranked? Fine arts colleges are generally either specialized stand-alone institutions orprograms embedded within a larger university. Because fine arts programscan come in various forms, they’re a bit difficult to compare - they’re not necessarily standardized.So,I used a combination of aggregated ranked lists and industry opinions to compile a list of the top fine arts colleges in the country. Because colleges thatspecialize solely in fine artsare pretty different fromlarger, liberal arts universities, I separated the schools into lists based on this distinction. Once I separated them into these two groups, I arranged them in alphabetical order. Although there are a few stellar, stand-out institutions (which I make note of at the beginning of each section), fine arts schools rankings are difficult to standardize because they can offer such different resources to students. Because of this, I encourage you to look for schools that best fit your own artistic goals and preferences when considering these lists. As for the actual factors deciding whether I included a school on this list? I considered things like quality of facilities, program faculty, alumni network, industry opinion, aggregated ranking lists, and program offerings. If you're interested in any of the schools listed below and want to get admissions stats, just click the school name. Let's get to the rankings! Fine ArtsSchools I imagine you'll be moving way beyond primary colors at any of these schools. The following schools are primarily dedicated to art and design education. The real standouts here - the schools that tend to be ranked at the top of lists year after year - are the Rhode Island School of Design, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and the Savannah College of Art and Design.You may notice when you review the list that these schools tend to be relatively larger than some others, with a wider variety of program offerings. California College of the Arts This school is primarily dedicated to educating students in the arts. It offers 21 undergraduate programs in fine arts, including an "individualized major" option for students who may have extremely niche interests. California College of the Arts alsoretains strong faculty members and supplements the offerings of core educators with a rotation of visiting artists, designers, and writers. Finally, the student-faculty ratio is an impressively low 8:1. Degrees offered: BA, BFA Read more about CCA's undergraduate offerings Maryland Institute College of Art Maryland Institute College of Art offers 16 different art majors, including several interdisciplinary options like "interactive arts" and "interdisciplinary sculpture." In addition to these options, students also get to choose from a wide range of studio concentrations. The school's faculty includes 219 professional artists, designers, art historians, poets, and writers. The student-faculty ratio stands at a low 10:1. This school is particularly strong in graphic design, painting, and drawing, so it may be a good option for students who wish to pursue any of those artistic concentrations. Degree offered: BFA Read more about MICA's undergraduate offerings Pratt Institute At the Pratt Institute, students can choose from degrees in Art Design Education, Digital Arts, Film, Fine Arts, and Photography. The school also offers several associate's degrees in fine arts if you're not sure whether you want to commit to a bachelor's program. Overall, this institution is ranked consistently well for their fine arts, design, and studioprograms. Degree offered: BFA Read more about fine arts at the Pratt Institute Rhode Island School of Design The Rhode Island School of Design, or RISD, is one of the most well-known and well-celebrated fine arts schools in the country. It offers16 undergraduate majors and state-of-the-art facilities and tools. RISD prides itself on providing students with opportunities towork collaboratively with faculty mentors. And the faculty it retains are impressive - many are renowned artists like Chris Van Allsburg, a famous children's book illustrator. One of RISD's most impressive appeals, though, is its location: Providence is one of the most artisticallycultured cities in the country. Degree offered: BFA Read more about RISD's programs RISD also comes with free natural inspiration. Savannah College of Art and Design SCAD is one of the most prestigious art and design institutions in the countryandhas an impressive variety of fine arts specializations for undergraduates. Students can get a degree inalmost anything you can think of, including animation, visual effects, fibers, and furniture design. The school also has an impressive faculty and alumni network, a big plus when it comes time for applying to grad school or jobs. Degree offered:Depends on your specialization Read more about SCAD's fine arts programs School of the Art Institute of Chicago The School of the Art Institute of Chicago is one of the largest art schools in the US. Because of its size, it can offer some more unique specializations, including things like art therapy, time arts, and visual communication. Ithas over 550 faculty members, which might make it easier to find a professor or mentor who shares your interests and passions. Finally, this school is affiliated with one of the best art museums in the country. Degrees offered: BA, BFA Read more about SAIC's program offerings The New School The New School is primarily dedicated to the arts; it offers many flexible degree programs to artistically-inclined students. ItsBFA program in fine arts is offered through the Parsons School for Design in NYC. Degree offered: BFA Read more about The New School's fine arts program Fine Arts Programs at Other Colleges Universities What could be more fun than a studio course? Some strong fine arts programs aren't offered at art-specific institutions, but instead through art departments at colleges or universities. The real standout on this list isYale,which offers one of the best art programs in the country as well as a top-notch general education. These options arelikely better for students who are seeking more of a balance between a fine arts education and a general or liberal arts education. Columbia University Columbia offers a prestigious fine arts program that's located in the heart of the art world: New York City. The program boasts a long list of notable alumni and faculty members, which means it's easier for students to make and develop professional and personal connections in the field. Students who attend Columbia's School of the Arts can concentrate in Drawing, Painting, Sculpture, Photography, Printmaking, or Video. Degree offered: BA Read more about Columbia's fine arts program Cornell University Cornell offers a BFA program at its School of Art, Architecture, and Planning. The program emphasizes artistic training, contextual preparedness, critical thinking and expression, practical understanding of the contemporary art world, and sustainable practice. Because of the program's broad aims, you may get more of a liberal arts spin with this BFA. Degree offered: BFA Read more about Cornell's fine arts program CUNY Hunter College Hunter College offers a program that’s geared towards students who want to work professionally as an artist, particularly if they want to go on to grad school. This is a â€Å"fifth-year† program that gives students aprolonged, intense focus on studio practice, contemporary art, and theoretical issues - this extra year might help give you an extra boost in the professional world. Degree offered: BFA Read more about Hunter's fine arts program. Princeton University Princeton's Program in Visual Arts combines a liberal arts education with a fine arts education. Students can take courses in a range of subjects, includingpainting, drawing, graphic design, media, sculpture, photography, filmmaking, and film history criticism. Degree offered: BA Read more about Princeton's fine arts program Alfred University Alfred’s College of Ceramics provides an education that combines visual fine arts, design, and the science of ceramics, glass, and materials. It's more specialized than many of the other fine arts schools on this list, but an awesome choice if you’re interested in working with any of the above materials. Degrees offered: BFA, BS (in art history) Read more about Alfred's fine arts program Alfred: A great place for potters Tufts University A joint School of the Museum of Fine Arts and Tufts BFA program means you get the benefits of a top liberal arts education in combination with studio art training. Students are fully enrolled at both schools, with access to resources offered by both institutions. This program is a good option for students who prioritize flexibility: the studio curriculum is entirely elective, so you can pick and choose the courses that most interest you. Degree offered: BFA Read more about the SMFA/Tufts program UCLA UCLA, one of the best public schools in the US, is also home to one of the country's best art departments. Students encouraged to explore different mediums to discover the best way to express themselves, making this program pretty flexible. Courses are offered inpainting and drawing, photography, sculpture, ceramics, art theory, and new genres. Degree offered: BA Read more about UCLA's fine arts program. University of Pennsylvania UPenn offers an undergraduate fine arts program through its school of design. Its fine arts educationblendsstudio practice, seminar courses, and interactions with visiting artists and professionals. Degree offered: BA Read more about UPenn's fine arts program Williams College The art department at Williams is one of the largest at the prestigious liberal arts college, and the department itself shares space with the Williams Museum of Art. The school itself is pretty small, so the majors offered are broad and limited in number - they include art history, studio art, and art history practice. Degree offered: BA Read more about the fine arts program at Williams Yale University Last but not least, the School of Art at Yale offers a variety of art and media courses. It's also one of the top-ranked MFA programs in the country,which points to the strength of the school. The faculty ishighly lauded - most of them have been published and/or awarded for their work. Finally, the facilities themselves are sure to impress, as students have access to art galleries, a silk screening print shop, photo labs, several theaters, and a digital media center. Degree offered: BA Read more about the fine arts program at Yale How to Choose the Right Fine Arts Program These tips will help you think about which schools might be best for you. In order to be successful in a fine arts program, you should strive to make sure that the school closely matches your needs. Fine arts programs are often pretty small - you’ll be doing a lot of studio work, and will be collaborating closely with peers and faculty. Because of the collaborative nature of the work you'll be doing, it's important that you feel comfortable with the program, students, and faculty. Before you settle on target schools, here are some factors to consider when thinking about what schools may be right for you. Program Specialties and Curriculum If you work pretty exclusively with a specific medium, you’ll want to attend a school that has extensive resources available so that you can work with that medium. For example, if you work with ceramics you might not want to focus your attention on Columbia University because Alfred might be a better fit. Alternatively, if you’re open to exploring different artistic mediums, you might seek out a more flexible program - like the one Williams College offers, for example. Faculty You'll want to find a school with qualified faculty who can serve as knowledgeable mentors. Look into whether schools retain faculty members whose work you’re interested in. You might also consider whether a school brings in fresh and exciting faces via visiting artist programs. Finally, check out the student to faculty ratio: is it low enough that you’re confident you’d get individual attention? Location A big part of a degree in fine arts will often be working in the art world via internships. Is the school located somewhere that will facilitate these internships, or have programs that will help you get internships in art and cultural centers? Notable Alumni If you’re impressed with aschool’s alumni network and number of successful grads, that’s a good sign. This indicates that it'll be easier for you to make and utilize professional connections through the school. What's Next? If you're artistically inclined but aren't dead-set on a fine arts program, you should check out our list of the top 10 art schools in the US - these might offer a bit of a broader scope than the schools listed above. If you want to end up on the west coast, you'd probably be interested in our list of the top art schools in California. To prepare the best fine arts application possible, you definitely need to read about how to prepare a stellar art portfolio. Finally, you'll want to be able to pay for all of this, right? Check out the top art scholarships in the US. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

The Politics of Pacific Northwest Research Paper

The Politics of Pacific Northwest - Research Paper Example They include artifacts; collect art and primary sources so that the young generations can pass the traditions as recommended. The collections which are more than 68,000 objects from fine art and material culture from the America, Europe, and Asia are preserved to make sure that the young generation will have a chance to see and follow the traditions. Regional history includes the exploration, settlement, economic among others that the individual are required to follow. Many regions have relative liberal abortion laws, gender equality laws; others encourage the use of marijuana and other rights concerning the individuals. British Columbia has legal law that allows for gay marriage which was passed in 2003 while for Washington was legalized in 2001, the Oregon allows for same sex marriage this is because the urban size and voting impact has a lead and this make it easier for the passing of laws without any problem (Dublin 36). The region has a long history of political radicalism which means that general strike would be engaged thus combination of communes and socialist and thus an influence in the region. Every human being has right to life and that’s why the government has been fighting with terrorists. The region is productive in terms of economic since it has a long history involving the starting of cooperative and communal businesses and organizations. The Puget Sound has a history of publicly owned power utilities and thus some of the states that are around have public utilities that are personal. As a result they enjoy the lowest electrical power rates in the whole of the continent.

Spanish-American War Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Spanish-American War - Research Paper Example The war went smoothly for the Americans and proved devastating for the Spanish, which suffered defeat continuously. Although several drawbacks have been observed in the American military preparedness for this war, the same has been classified as â€Å"splendid war of short duration† by historians, even from outside America. Historian Harry Allen has described this event as â€Å"America’s swift and total defeat of Spain†(1). Due to lack of coordination between different wings of American defense forces, rivalry was visible between sailors and soldiers, while the war resulted in the charges of imperialism being levied against America, which still haunts the people of Cuba and Philippines. Michael Quinn, the author of this article has detailed the impact of this war on West Americans. According to Mormon theology, the church had a right to choose for participating or non-participating in an armed conflict, which the author refers as â€Å"selective Pacifism’. While Mormon Church lost its political and social power with the abolition of polygamy by the federal government in 1890, the option of selective pacifism became inapplicable in 1989, as a result of internal conflict within the Mormon Church on the participation issue. While â€Å"book of Mormon† has the evidences of pacifism, the internal conflict has been visible with one group refusing to participate in such defensive wars, based on religious and spiritual reasons.(1) Joseph Smith Jr discussed the theological aspects of pacifism, while proposing three essentials, which concern the Mormon participation in a war. These included the participating decision to be independent of secular government options, the Divine injunctions of war and peace being conveyed through a Mormon prophet, instead of any secular leader and the commands of the prophet to be given due respect in deciding on issues

News Release Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

News Release - Essay Example But just to allay the Chinese community’s concern, we conducted a test and the result is negative†. Also, as a conscientious company that is committed to delivering hightest possible quality of burgers to its Chinese consuming public, Burger King agrees with the Environment Secretary Owen Paterson said it was "completely unacceptable" that consumers were being sold food that contained horse in place of beef† of which Burger King will never consider of mixing horsemeat with its beef patties. Burger King initiated its own internal meat testing on all its meat components to verify if the company is affected by the horsemeat scandal that permeated in UK and Ireland. This is ahead and separate from the government’s mandate to test all processed beef products for authenticity to double check that indeed we only give 100% beef grade meat to our customers. To assure the consuming public about the quality of Burger King’s meat, we extended the checks to other components of the business and performed a thorough quality inspection among our process and suppliers. In the process, we also would like to inform the consuming public and the regulatory authorities that Burger King severed all business ties with suppliers who were accused of the horsemeat scandal. This is the company’s effort to remove any possible contamination of horsemeat among Burger Kings meat products that would undermine the company’s commitment to its consuming public that it will onl y offer 100% highest quality beef in its burger patties. It is unfortunate that there are several businesses that do not enforce the highest ethical practice in their business operations that prompted them to mislabel their products or defraud their customers with the quality of content of their products. Burger King condemned this to be fraudulent and misleading business practice

The Reflective Practitioner Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

The Reflective Practitioner - Essay Example Since its debut, the social site has grown exponentially, becoming the model for many other social sites. A week after the billion dollar winner was released; three other Harvard students proclaimed thefacebook.com was a joint venture. However, by then, the ingenious internet site could not be detonated. FaceBook had become one of the largest social media sites in the world. By 2010, the site traffic was in the millions and still growing (Carlson, 2010). The United States courts would have to decide who had a right to rake in the huge profits. Until Facebook, the most sophisticated social websites were chat rooms running blogs in real time. The only personal space for users was an inbox and a small picture profile. Zuckerberg introduced a ‘wall’ concept, where users were represented in a much larger space. News feeds were added to traditional inboxes and favorites links. As the concept grew socially, naturally, businesses began to take notice. The extra room made it poss ible for businesses to build virtual billboards. Today, businesses capitalize on the massive connections obtained through a Facebook business page. If a 24 hour connection to billions of people around the world will build your business; climb aboard and build a Facebook business page, too. 1. Facebook for Small Business At least one billion people log on and interact through FaceBook, every day, all day, over the world. That’s over one billion reasons why your business should have a Facebook page. Everyone from recording artists to cooking gurus have packed up and moved into the world’s largest Internet community. The website continues to grow exponentially, connecting people and businesses. Even non-profit organizations have jumped on board to gain more exposure. Retailers of both products and services instantly become global by obtaining a website address and providing product, service, and contact information. In 2010, FaceBook launched the Small Business Saturday F acebook page, which pronounces the first Saturday following Thanksgiving as a special day for shoppers. Partnering with Twitter and American Express, the application was developed to draw shoppers and to polish small businesses with awesome applications and tools designed for eCommerce. The occasion is to encourage ‘small shopping’. Today, the the Small Business Saturday Page has received almost 3 million ‘likes’. Although nothing can guarantee 100% success or increased activity consistently for a long period of time, a FaceBook business page comes pretty close. Smart entrepreneurs know that capitalizing on massive Internet traffic and superior marketing tools is a formula for success. When you register your small business with FaceBook, the high traffic is already established and marketing tools are already in place to guide you. And the beauty of the entire concept is: it’s free. 2. Setting up Your Business Page Resist the urge to hire a contractor to build your Page. Building it yourself is simple and will reflect your personality, rather than that of a contractor. FaceBook Pages may be embedded with photos, videos, flash presentations and graphs, and direct links to other sites. Much like building a traditional web site, Facebook software and the help centre provide steps to build a business page that will grab the interest of many (FB, 2012). You may always revise your Page by omitting or adding items to improve appearance and make it more practical. As your business changes, so will

An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis Psychology Essay

An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis Psychology Essay Organisations are struggling in the current competitive economic climate. Ensuring organizational survival may ultimately come down to attracting and recruiting skilled employees (Barber Roehling, 1993). Terpstra (1994) identified recruitment as an essential strategy for organisations to prosper and survive in the global economy, suggesting the initial attraction and selection of candidates may be the most important foundation for organisational performance. As the realisation of the link between human-capital and financial growth is now a shared knowledge across sectors, the crucial importance an employee holds is broader acknowledged (Gardner, 2002). Recruitment is a fundamental organisational activity defining who will constitute the organisation (Turban Cable, 2003). The difference between a mediocre and exceptional hire could mean momentous differences for organisational profit (Wicklund-Hansen Weyergang-Nielsen, 2007). Thus the benefits of efficient and successful recruiting are increasingly recognized in research and literature (Barber, 1998; Billsberry, 2007; Breaugh, 2008). Recognising the importance of employees, individually and as a whole, organisations are increasing their recruitment investments. Ralston Brady (1994) modestly suggested the average cost of recruiting and selecting to be over $2000 per individual. Given such large amounts are spent, there is both an expectation and a demand for recruitment to be of organisational benefit. The study by Terjesen, Vinnicombe and Freeman (2007) addresses the need for adapting recruitment practices to up-and-coming graduates, soon to constitute the labour force of the 21st century. Research findings by Ryan, Sacco, McFarland and Kriska (2000) emphasize also the importance of recognising the individual applicants choice in the recruitment process. However, Ryan and Tippins (2004) argue there are still large gaps between research and practice in this area. Recruitment in the current labour market Recruitment takes place in a wider societal context and shifts in the labour market will subsequently affect recruitment activities. In tighter markets potential candidates are likely to be less critical of the process as they are in desperate need for a job (Cable Judge, 1996). Contrary, in a flourishing economy where organisations are in demand of multiple hires, the on-going competition leads to a lack of high-quality candidates. Fernà ¡ndez-Arà ¡oz, Groysberg and Nohria (2009) claim organisations will face challenges when recruiting to replace the plentiful baby boomers. Some business sectors are especially prone to this and hence compete for the best candidates, also known as the war for talent (Ferris, Berkson Harris, 2002; Hiltrop; 1999). In contrast to much of Europe, Norway is a country where the economy is boosting (Takla, 2012). With an unemployment rate of 2.7% and increasing growth in the industry, Norway finds itself in a position where some occupations actually lack qualified workforce. Low unemployment rates will naturally increase competition for the best people (Ferris, Berkson Harris, 2002), but in Norway this is also combined with a strong economy and growing companies. Recent figures from the Norwegian labour and welfare administration revealed a need for 16.000 engineers in the imminent future (Kaspersen, 2012) The numbers are consistent with research predicting technical and engineering skills of particular shortage in the years to come (Dohm, 2000). Businesses in unrelenting demand of talent are consequently competing, all depending on qualified employers to survive (Tulgan, 2001). How recruitment is managed should be of essential value especially for organisations in such a position. A recent survey showed that 92% of organisations within the oil- and gas sector in Norway were in demand for graduate engineers (Vartdal Riise, 2012). One of the largest technical universities in Norway plans to expand their capacity for engineers by several hundred (Amelie, 2012a). An emerging job market consisting of desperate organisations and cohorts of new graduates triggers the need for further insight into attraction and recruitment. Defining recruitment Recruitment literature stretches over a wide spectre, thus claiming necessity to clarify a definition for the thesis at hand. Also, it must be distinguished between the two organisational activities recruitment and selection, tightly linked and often occurring simultaneously. Recruitment can be viewed as the initial and sustained attraction of candidates, whereas selection is the process of selecting among potential employees (Rynes Boudreau, 1986). Research on recruitment has often been subject to critique of having a static view of a process that is rather quite dynamic (Barber, 1998). In response this thesis views recruitment as an on-going process consisting of several stages (Saks Uggerslev, 2010) and will apply the following definition for recruitment: (à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦) the actions organizations take to generate applicant pools, maintain viable applicants, and encourage desired candidates to join those organizations (Dineen Soltis, 2011, p.43). This definition differs from B arbers (1998), critiqued for only focusing on attraction of candidates. Hence, it is desirable utilizing a definition that acknowledges the ultimate outcome of recruitment, namely a candidate ´s job offer acceptance (Ferris, Berkson Harris, 2002). Five dimensions of recruitment As the area of recruitment research is versatile, Barber ´s (1998) distinction between five dimensions of recruitment will be applied in the following paragraph. This serves as both a framework for organising a wide research area, as well as discussing previous work with its inevitable strengths and limitations. Clearly illustrated by these examples are how the dimensions are inextricably linked, underlining recruitment as dynamic and complex (Boswell, Roehling, LePine Moynihan, 2003). Context Rynes (1991) highlights the obvious fact that recruitment occurs in a wider contextual setting. The economic climate, labour market, organisational size and business-sector are all potentially influencing factors (Rynes, 1991; Rynes, Heneman Schwab, 1980; Taylor Bergmann, 1987; Turban, Campion Eyring, 1995). As the experience of recruitment inevitably will vary, it can be of value to have more specific recruitment research related to a given context (Derous Schreurs, 2009). Moreover, the need to recognise context as a variable in concrete research is much needed, as a great deal of recruitment studies is done in experimental settings. For example, Rynes and Miller (1983) manipulated recruiter knowledge, recruiter affect, and job attributes to measure effects of recruiter influence. Goltz and Giannantonio (1995) manipulated recruiter friendliness in an experimental video-condition study. Both studies found recruitment activities to have an effect on candidates, confirming the cont ributing value of experimental studies in the development of recruitment research (Chapman, Uggerslev, Carroll, Piasentin Jones, 2005). However, suggestions have been made that research designs using simulating job-applicants can lead to understated research claims (Rynes Miller, 1983; Uggerslev, Fassina Kraichy, 2012). Barber (1998) argues studies of experimental nature contribute to a simplification of the complexity the recruitment process holds. A simulated study does not necessarily capture the many variables and external occurrences that will influence a candidate in a real-world setting (Chapman, Uggerslev, Carroll, Piasentin Jones, 2005). Studies utilizing real job seekers in an actual recruitment setting might validate the strength of previous findings, if holding true to contexts where influence of a recruitment process truly has consequences both for candidate and organisation. On the other hand, manipulating variables in recruitment activities would be ethically challenging (Highhouse, Lievens Sinar, 2003). Therefore, studies done in a real-life setting must choose a method in line with strict ethical considerations. Players Naturally receiving most attention in recruitment research has been organisational representatives and candidates. Recognising both parties is the social process paradigm with a view of recruitment as a two-way, inter-subjective interaction (Herriot, 2002). This perspective has progressively earned respect as an alternative to the dominating psychometric paradigm by allowing for the candidate ´s voice to be heard (Billsberry, 2007). The development towards a social process rather than a one-sided organisational choice leads to interesting interactions between candidate and organisation in the current economic climate. A number of recent studies have attempted to determine the best strategy for attracting and convincing candidates to accept job offers in a competitive market (Ferris, Berkson Harris, 2002; Turban, Forret Hendrickson, 1998; reference possibly Boswell et al, if not finding any other more about a competitive market). Extensively debated is whether recruiter characteristics and behaviour actually have an influence on candidates. Alderfer and McCord (1970) were among the first to explore the possible effect of recruiter characteristics; a continuing topic of interest as recruitment research has evolved. The meta-analysis by Chapman, Uggerslev, Carroll, Piasentin and Jones (2005) concluded that recruiter behaviour such as being personable influenced candidate attraction to organisations. By applying signalling theory (Spence, 1973) to recruitment, research has demonstrated how candidates view recruiters in the recruitment process as signals of unknown organisational characteristics and attributes (Turban, Forret Hendrickson, 1998). Rynes, Bretz and Gerhart (1991) found recruiters to act as a symbol of interpersonal relations in the organisation, indicating candidates use recruiter behaviour as images of interpersonal work relations. Chapman and Webster (2006) later concluded recruiter influence app ears more complex than anticipated. However, Breaugh (2012) points out that less attention has been devoted to recruiter effects over the last few years. Also, a majority of recruiter-candidate interaction research is built on experimental designs, possibly ignoring effects from a real-life human interplay (reference). It is further suggested that qualitative research could prove value beyond the majority of existing quantitative research (Breaugh, 2012). Activities Organisations facilitate recruitment activities such as campus career fairs, employment interviews and site visits to attract candidates (Arvey Campion, 1982; Turban, Campion Eyring, 1995). The review by Rynes, Heneman and Schwab (1980) and more recent research by Collins and Stevens (2002) both state that recruitment activities have the potential to influence candidates, possibly by signals of wider organisational attributes (Turban, 2001). However, there is still a need for a better understanding of how recruitment activities affect a candidate (Turban, 2001). Breaugh (2008) highlights the site visit as a recruitment activity given undeservedly little attention. An exception is the study by Turban, Campion and Eyring (1995) extending preceding research by demonstrating just how influential the site visit can be on actual job acceptance decisions. Another interesting aspect of the site visit is the possibility to meet future colleagues beyond organisational representatives often sent from the human resource department. Consistent with the suggestion by Rynes and Miller (1983), Rynes, Bretz and Gerhart (1991) found that meetings with any given organisational representative is less influential than meeting someone from the same functional area as the candidate. The site visit typically consists of several activities and Turban, Campion Eyring (1995) suggest future research continuing to investigate how applicants interpret and make meaning of attending one. Saks and Uggerslev (2010) critiques existing research for an exaggerated focus on single activities. Consequentially some activities can come across as having a very small or large influence, possibly limited by research methodology. Those who ultimately accept a job offer will have been through a more extensive process, very likely consisting of several activities. Whereas initial stages are critical to determine candidate ´s further pursuit, later stages have a profound effect on the final job acceptance decision. Recruitment activities do not occur in a vacuum. The overall experience of a recruitment process based on combined effects of activities must be acknowledged (Saks Uggerslev, 2010). Phases Experimental studies often break the recruitment process down to smaller units for investigation. This approach ignores that going through a recruitment process is not likely to be experienced as single events with a separate effect on the candidate, but rather as a process consisting of phases (Boswell, Roehling, LePine and Moynihan, 2003). The early stages of recruitment have been suggested critical, because this can decide candidates willingness to proceed with a given organisation. Critical contact theory addresses how applicants are influenced in their first meeting with organisational representatives (Ralston Brady, 1994). Rynes, Bretz and Gerharts (1991) study demonstrated the possible detrimental effects of a single interaction, showing a number of candidates actually chose to withdraw from recruitment based on a negative first impression. Due to the stress job search can hold as well as anticipation of evaluation, it has been suggested job applicants enter the process with uncertainty as a salient emotion (Proost, Derous, Schreurs, Hagtvet De Witte, 2008; Rynes, 1991). Moreover, uncertainty is likely to persist as candidates are faced with consistently limited information (Barber Roehling, 1993). Assessing levels of uncertainty is difficult in a simulated setting, unfortunately undermining a great deal of existing research (Breaugh, 1992, as cited in Barber Roehling, 1993). Studies have demonstrated that candidates weigh various information and organisational features differently throughout the recruitment process (Carless, 2005; Jaidi, Van Hooft Arends, 2011). The elaboration likelihood model (ELM) suggests peripheral processing is superior to central processing in the primary stages of a recruitment process (Larsen Phillips, 2002). The former type of information processing typically leads to a focus on environmental cues rather than relevant job characteristics. Saks and Uggerslevs (2010) study on college students found that rather focusing on the effect of a single activity or stage, the total combination of the whole recruitment process should be considered. Contrary, it has been suggested that various stages of the recruitment process in itself does not significantly influence a candidate final decision (Lawler, Kuleck, Rhode Sorensen, 1975; Powell Goulet, 1996). Findings from previous research thus prove conflicting; suggesting candidates may go through recruitment with or without a diverse range of perceptions, emotions and thoughts that influence their final decisions. Outcome For organisations to maximise utility, the ultimate end goal of a recruitment process is job offer acceptance from desirable candidates (Jackson Schuler, 1990). Nevertheless, much research has often studied candidate ´s reactions at a given point during the process. Attracting and maintaining candidates are obviously necessary requirements for a viable recruitment process. Yet, acknowledging the process inherent dynamic nature combined with the fact that organisations attempt to actively influence a potential candidate; the effects of this influence must be assessed. The study by Aiman-Smith, Bauer and Cable (2001) revealed that different factors lead to job attraction and actual job pursuit. An extensive amount of research measures only candidates attitudes, perceptions and impressions, rather than actual choice (Rynes, Bretz Gerhart, 1991). Many studies approach recruitment from the organisations view, attempting to establish how an applicant can be persuaded to accept a job of fer (Jaidi, Van Hooft Arends, 2011; reference). Such studies operate with the implicit assumption of a candidate actually making a choice (Boswell et al., 2003). However there is less knowledge of how the candidate perceives this choice or decision-making. The perspective of a candidate who has been through a full recruitment experience with the result of accepting a job offer is less investigated and will inevitably provide knowledge of important aspects of recruitment (Saks Uggerslev, 2010). Graduates A large part of an organisations recruitment activities revolve around new graduates, of interest for the new skills and updated education they contribute with (Turban, Forret Hendrickson, 1998; Wayne Casper, 2012). The recent years have witnessed changes in recruitment practices as competition for graduates tightens (Branine, 2008). However, recruitment literature and research has often been criticised for overly emphasizing college graduates (Breaugh, 2008; Rynes, Heneman III Schwab, 1980). Nevertheless, multiple interesting aspects serve justice to focusing on this particular group of job seekers. Career theory refers to the transition from student to employee as an important one, significantly affecting a person ´s life (Super, 1980). Previous research has found inexperienced job seekers to be more likely influenced by recruitment practices (Feldman Arnold, 1978; Larsen Phillips, 2002). Walker, Field, Giles and Bernerth (2008) demonstrated how candidates limited job experience and job search influenced their perception of recruitment activities. Seeking full-time employment for the very first time might be a particular meaningful event where one is exceptionally aware of recruitment practices because of their novelty. Graduate recruitment is both voluminous in size and investments( Rynes Boudreau, 1986). In addition, the study by Terjesen, Vinnicombe and Freeman (2007) suggested the coming workforce, generation Y (1977-1994) differs from previous generations. As organisations are increasingly acknowledging human capital as a competitive edge, the need for educated workforce is not likely to decrease. Liden and Parsons (1996) points out that educated candidates approach job-searching differently than candidates seeking lower level jobs, where the former is more discriminating in the process. Collectively, this demonstrates new graduates as a sample of interest for further investigation. Rather than attempting to generalise across all job seekers, clearly quite distinctive, this study recognises and appreciates graduates as a separate target group for research. Aim and research question In summary, Barbers dimensions call attention to recruitment research in the field, where context and realistic human interaction is acknowledged. There is a need to further investigate how recruitment activities and recruiter behaviour are elements of a whole recruitment experience leading to the ultimate outcome of a candidates job offer acceptance. The current economic climate holds exciting times for new graduates. Indeed, Celani and Singh (2011) highlight the competitive benefit an organisation could gain from enhanced understandings of candidate ´s reaction and appraisal of recruitment practices. By acknowledging the individual as the organisations most valuable asset, an expectation follows to consider the individual ´s perspective, also in recruitment. Breaugh (2012) highlighted the valuable in-depth insight to the candidate ´s perspective from the previous qualitative work of Rynes, Bretz and Gerhart (1991) and Boswell, Roehling, LePine Moynihan (2003). Based on a person-centric approach, Weiss Rupp (2011) suggest the human subjective experience should guide more research. Insight from candidates own words about recruitment experiences has been of inspiration (Billsberry, 2007). Therefore, the study employs a phenomenological approach to address the following research question: How does a recent graduate experience the recruitment process? A phenomenological approach Phenomenology is concerned with exploring the richness of a real, concrete, daily-lived phenomenon (Finlay, 2009). The transition from graduating student to working professional has been proven a major one, additionally supported by life-stages theory and career theory (Ng Feldman, 2007; Schein, 1978, Super; 1980). Billsberry (2007) argue job-related events such as obtaining or changing jobs are of significance, but they are also a natural experience in the inevitable progression of life. Interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) is an approach of exploration of a lived experience (Clarke, 2009). Interpretative phenomenological analysis is therefore suitable to explore how a new graduate experience a recruitment process. Something about why not other qualitative methods? However, merely stating that a study is of phenomenological nature is not sufficient for methodological rigour. Adopting a philosophical stance underpinning the method of choice should be done to uphold methodological clarity (Lowes Prowse, 2001). The transcendental phenomenology as described in the original work of Husserl request suspending all presuppositions of a phenomenon through bracketing (Smith, Flowers Larkin, 2009). This standpoint has been critiqued for not recognising the cognitive aspect of a human being situated in a contextual world (Wilding Whiteford, 2005). Furthermore, the researcher ´s seminal role in identifying, defining and formulating research is consistent with Smith ´s (2004) recommendation to avoid a superficial attempt of bracketing. The philosophical foundations underlying IPA is simply not compatible with complete bracketing, as the interpretative component inevitably acknowledges the researcher ´s role. Heidegger advocates a hermeneutic phenomenology with interpretation at its core (Smith, Flowers Larkin, 2009). Utilizing a double hermeneutic acknowledges the dual role of the researcher, where one tries to make sense of the participants experience after the experience has been subject to sense making from the participant itself (Smith Osborn, 2003 double check book Uni). Rather than shallow bracketing, not adequate to its true form as proposed by Husserl, reflexive bracketing was done in resonance with Ahern ´s recommendations (1999). As being reflexive involves more than having an awareness of one ´s standpoint, but should be consciously exercised throughout the research process, a full reflexive account is given in section x.x (Finlay, 2002). A main goal in phenomenology is being able to understand what a particular experience is like for someone else (Creswell, 2007). Rooted in the phenomenological approach is the recognition that an experience takes place in a specific context (Willig, 2009). The contextual setting of the study will subsequently be addressed in the following section. Context To advocate high-quality research, Stiles (1993) advise explicit awareness of the social and cultural context of the research (as cited in Elliott, Fischer Rennie, 1999). IPA recognises that the individual is positioned in a context, inevitably influencing the individual sense-making process (Clarke, 2009). Furthermore, the aspect of context has often been overlooked in recruitment research, pointed out by Rynes (1991) more than twenty years ago. Erhart and Zieger (2005) continuously emphasize researchers to render the environmental context where organisational recruitment takes place. Several authors have highlighted the important factor of the current labour market (Rynes, Heneman Schwab, 1980; Turban, Campion Eyring, 1995). In response and in the belief of context-depending findings, the following paragraph will give a brief description of the context where this study took place. The region of Western Norway thrives on the oil business and a majority of workplaces originates within this sector (Boe Hornbug, 2012). Stavanger, one of the largest cities in the region is often referred to as the oil capital of Norway. Several large international oil companies base their Norwegian head offices in this part of the country. Due to constant development over the last years and a forecast of continuous growth there is a pressing need for qualified engineers. The present study was conducted in an oil company employing 70.000 across the world, whereby 2000 of these work in Norway (Taraldsen, 2012). A recent survey completed by engineering students from the largest University in the area demonstrated the company ´s high status; the company was rated among the top five most popular employers (Hult, 2012). The company still emphasizes advertising their vacancies through the most popular job-search base in Norway. In general, job advertisements underline the companys attractiveness by emphasizing their abilities and position in the market. The adverts also encourage potential candidates to apply by embracing the uniqueness of each individual employee. During winter 2011/2012, the company carried out a recruitment process for their graduate programme, hiring 25 trainees after receiving several hundred applications. On the basis of their recent recruitment experience, a number of the newly hired trainees were asked to participate in this study. Acknowledging the criticism of recruitment research ´s large focus on graduate samples (Rynes, Orlitzky Bretz, Jr., 1997), nevertheless this was seen as a factor adding to the interest of this study. The social, the cultural and the heavy media focus on the oil business sector may lead to both expectations and pressure for a new graduate. A survey of the labour market during spring 2012 demonstrated that 82% of engineer graduates already have a contract signed by completion of their education (Amelie, 2012b). Organisations are ambitious in their search for talented candidates and as a result initiate recruitment at early stages (Gjerde, 2012; Halvorsen Ellingsen, 2011). While the offensive approach of competing organisations can contribute to an awareness of the attractiveness of engineers, it can simultaneously force feelings of pressure, rush and st ress to the process of securing a job. Method Design To explore new graduates experience of a recruitment process, a cross-sectional study of qualitative nature was conducted. Interpretative phenomenological analysis was used to analyse semi-structured interviews. Procedure The researcher made contact with the organisation through a personal acquaintance in February 2012. Being aware of possible challenges in regards to organisational access, the researcher took several steps to ensure a smooth process (Johl Renganthan, 2010). Through mutual agreement between the researcher ´s area of interest as well as the organisation ´s need, a suitable sample for research was identified. The sample was chosen purposively to ensure all the participants had experienced the phenomena of interest, necessary to give insight into a particular perspective of the experience (Smith, Flowers Larkin, 2009). Striving for a homogeneous sample, sample criteria were set to be recent graduated engineers who through the process of obtaining their first job naturally had been through a recruitment process. It was established prior to commencement of research that participants had been exposed to various recruitment activities. To increase credibility for the study the human resource senior manager of the organisation sent out the first informative e-mail, encouraging participation. This was also done to ensure the participants felt comfortable sharing their experience, given they were recently hired at the organisation. Further, the researcher established contact per e-mail with the individual with thorough information (Appendix X: Information sheet). E-mail contact is considered efficient for both parties in establishing contact and to make further arrangements for the interview (Seidman, 2006). Given practical considerations and various start-dates, 14 individuals were contacted. As IPA is concerned with the quality and not the quantity of accounts, the researcher searched for a smaller sample as 3-6 participants is recommended (Smith, Flowers Larkin, 2009). However it was found useful to initially contact a larger number, being aware that some participants may withdraw (Seidman, 2006). All but one were initially positive, however situational factors led to a final sample of 6 participants. The researcher found this sample to fulfil the requirement of both suitable size and saturation (Kvale, 2007). Participants The sample consisted of Norwegian citizens, 3 females and 3 males (6 in total) between the ages 22-28. All participants had experienced various recruitment processes, including a site visit arranged by the organisation prior to being hired. The participants were all recent graduated engineers with a BSc or an MSc degree within various fields of engineering. All participants had their education from Norwegian universities where recruitment activities arranged by several companies had taken place in various forms. All but one participant resided in the greater area of Stavanger. Fictitious names were given to each participant to ensure anonymity. Interviews Inviting to a rich, detailed and personal account of the individual ´s experience, semi-structured interviews were chosen as method for this study. This is the preferred method for IPA as its flexibility allows for the experience of interest to lead the interview, rather than fitting it into pre-determined categories of a structured interview (Smith, 1995). Two pilot interviews were conducted early in the process, as strongly advised by Seidman (2006). This familiarises the researcher with the complexities an interview may hold. Although not identical with the actual sample, the volunteers for pilot interviews were also recent graduates having undergone recruitment processes in their search for jobs in the past year. Hence pilot interviews were useful to provide insight into possible important aspects of a recruitment experience and also led to changes in the interview structure such as fewer and less non-directive questions. The pilot was also seen as valuable training in interview technique, which according to Kvale (2007) is mastered through extensive practice. The interview guide was developed after wide reading around the topic of interest as well as inspiration from the pilot. Advised by Smith, Flower and Larkin (2009) it was attempted to approach the area of interest sideways. Rather than asking direct questions, which may be leading the participant, the questions attempted to facilitate a discussion around the topic of interest. The interview commenced by the open-ended question Could you tell me about how you got this job? (Appendix X). For an open-mind in regards to the participant ´s experience, open-ended questions were asked, allowing the participant ´s answer to steer the direction of the interview (Smith, Flowers Larkin, 2009). Although having prepared possible follow-up questions, the researcher exercised flexibility throughout the interviews to fully be able to attend to the personal experience of the individual. Probes and prompts were used as suited. The interview session was rounded off asking each participant if they had anything further to add which had not been addressed in the interview, but that was seen as important in their recruitment experience (Kvale, 2007). Interviews were held in the workplace during week 26 and 27 at the participant ´s convenience. The researcher made sure to be allocated a room in sufficient distance from the participant ´s department, to s