Lisa Benton Case Essay

This case was interesting because it provided a few examples of the conflicts that are stated in organization behavior theories and models. The main issues that we see in this particular case are those dealing with perception, personality, and motivation. There seem to be both internal and external factors that are causing the issues. In specific, the internal issues derive from the personality of select individuals, which influence their behavior; but there are external factors that derive from the management and organization itself that are attributing to the individual’s negative behavior. In the following paragraphs, we will explore these issues further by identifying specific incidents that affected Lisa Benton’s performance. In evaluating the job choices that Lisa Benton, one can assume that she was a â€Å"Type A† achiever. We can see this because of the particular strengths and weaknesses that she evaluated per company to make her final job selection. Using McClelland’s theory, we can label Lisa Benton as having a Type A personality because the position she was seeking would require her to have personal responsibility, feedback, and moderate risks. Both job opportunities offered personal responsibly and feedback, however, the position at Right-Away was too visible, therefore, the risks of failing would have been more noticeable to the company’s upper management because it was a smaller organization. Thus, the risks were more than moderate and at that time Lisa Benton did not have sufficient self-efficacy to think she could qualify for the Right Away management position. Furthermore, we can have an idea about what motivates Lisa Benton and in examining the case, Lisa finds the intrinsic rewards more important than the extrinsic rewards. For example, the case states that even though the position at Right Away offered a better salary and upper management position, the learning and training opportunities, the recognition, and career development at Houseworld were more valuable. Linton makes it clear that she does not like or is impressed with Harvard MBAs, therefore, she is explicitly stating her personal bias against individuals with Lisa’s particular educational/ professional background. The specific perceptual process bias is the â€Å"stereotyping/ implicit personality theories and contrast error. Linton only familiarizes herself with Linton by reviewing her resume, but immediately generalizes Lisa with other MBA graduates that may have exhibited certain personality traits that Linton did not find favorable. Consequently, Linton is stereotyping Lisa before she has an opportunity to show her skill sets, to see that Lisa has a very approachable personality, and does whatever tasks are needed regardless of her role. Linton does not have an MBA and the case states that she was in Lisa’s previous position, so Linton’s approach to career development may be different from Lisa. This contrast error also contributes to their poor working relationship because Linton considers Lisa different from her, so perhaps an individual that she could identify with would have made her feel more comfortable. This may be the reason that Linton and Scoville, who both have similar backgrounds, work together effectively and share the same bias towards Lisa Benton. In respect to Scoville, he is also a personality Type A, however, unlike Lisa Benton his Type A behavior is more extreme. He displays a higher level of competiveness, time urgency, and anger. Interestingly, Lisa Benton and Scoville are both Type A personalities, however, Lisa Benton possess a higher sense of self-monitoring. Scoville also has high self-efficacy, but on the extreme side of the spectrum because his self-efficacy over rides his ability to work effectively in a team and does not seem to care on how he impacts the morale of his peers, in which ultimately impact their performance and perception on the organization. Lisa Benton has a Type A personality, but has an external locus of control. She feels that her performance and the drawbacks she is experiencing are solely caused by this particular management team. She is not considering that her direct lack of action (internal locus of control) is also contributing to the negative behavior from her management team. This can be seen in Scoville as well, when at the end of the case he expresses to Lisa how his behavior is due to his frustration with the organization and the lack of promotion opportunities; however, Scoville is failing to realize that perhaps his inability to self-monitor his negative behavior and inability to effectively interact with others are the reasons that the organization does not consider him for a promotion. One particular effect that we see happening in the case is the way that Scoville influences Lisa Benton’s performance. His constant reminder that she is on a â€Å"learning curve† and her performance is expected to stay at a minimal level, including her participation in projects, until she eventually receives sufficient training to perform at a higher level. This Pygmalion Effect that takes place does indeed impact Lisa’s performance as she hesitates to take initiatives on certain project tasks or provide more opinions and feedback during presentations. Scoville’s expectations of her limited performance, despite that she did have the ability to be a high performer, were believed and accepted by Lisa Benton. Additionally, another theory that we can see in this case is Kelly’s theory of casual attribution. Lisa Benton complains to other peers about her working relationship with Scoville and eventually her boss’s lack of managerial skills. This theory is relevant because it shows that Lisa’s statements about her current management team and their negative behavior is shared by other employees (consensus), her management team often exhibits negative behavior (consistency), and even in informal settings such as the lunch meetings she’s had with Scoville and Linton (distinctiveness). The negative performance review was also an issue with this case. The specific issues with the negative performance review can be seen in how it lacked the proper performance review cycle. During the beginning of the case, Lisa Benton’s boss failed to provide her with specific tasks, goals, and did not establish standards. Therefore, when Lisa requested her 3 month evaluation, Linton was not able to properly review her performance record. As a matter of fact, she was so focused on the negative aspects of what she perceived as being Lisa’s weaknesses, that she did not mention any of the strengths that contributed to the team’s performance. One of the few things that Lisa should have considered after the negative performance review is to schedule a follow up review immediately in a formal setting in order to properly document her strengths, weaknesses, and goals. The performance review would have also allowed Lisa to document the external factors that were contributing to her mediocre performance and force Linton to properly address them. If Linton would have refused to provide her with a formal performance review, then she should have approached the group product manager and address this issue with him. The negative aspect of this action is that it may have further alienated her from the current management team, since Linton may have felt that Lisa disregarded the chain of command by expressing her concerns with upper management versus addressing it directly with her. The pros of this approach may have been that the negative behavior of her current management team would have been brought to the attention of upper management or human resources and finally addressed to avoid future incidents. My recommendations for alternative solutions to the problems identified may have been to continue pursuing a formal performance review, and establish reoccurring one on one meeting with her boss in order to improve their working relationship. Perhaps by interacting with her boss more often (even if forced), her boss may have overcome her bias of Lisa due to her educational background. The weakness in this recommendation may be that it can alienate Scoville and contribute to his negative behavior. He may feel that Lisa is attempting to overshadow his role in the team. Further, I would have expressed my concerns about the negative behavior and its impact on my performance to the group product manager, so he would be aware of these issues. It is important that upper management is informed of this kind of behavior in order to quickly address them before valuable employees leave the company.

Brown Mackie versus Ivy Tech Essay

Brown Mackie College is better than Ivy Tech in some aspects; this is also reversed for other aspects. Depending on what you are looking for from either school will help to determine which school placement will be the best fit for you. This paper will compare and contrast on these two schools business management programs from its different aspects. Brown Mackie College Business Management Program Options Brown Mackie, (2012) â€Å"If you’re tech savvy and have always had a mind for business, the Business and Technology programs at Brown Mackie College can help you to prepare for a career.† Brown Mackie offers a much wider variety of programs in the field of business management than does Ivy Tech. With twenty-eight different business programs, Brown Mackie has something to offer to anyone seeking a degree in the business field. Some of the programs in business that Brown Mackie offers includes, but are not limited to, Accounting, Audio/ Video Technician, Bioscience Laboratory Technology, Computer Networking, Electronics, Bookkeeping Specialist, Business Administration, Office Management, Graphic Design, and of course Business Management. The business management programs are offered in twenty-eight out of thirty locations nationwide. The Cost for This Program According to Brown Mackie, (2012) website for an Associate of Applied Science in Business Management, â€Å"The institution cost for this program for a full-time student completing the entire program on time,† are as follows; books and digital resources: $0; program fees: $2000; room and board: $0; tuition: $28260. Brown Mackie, (2012) also noted, â€Å"All tuition and fees are subject to change.† The financing options available to pay for this program are as follows; according to Brown Mackie, (2012) â€Å"In addition to any grant and scholarship aid for which they are eligible, ninety-five percent of graduates used loans to finance their education. The median debt for program graduates: Federal Loans: $20966; Private Educational Loans: $0; Institutional Financing plan: $40.† Time Completion Although there are many factors to the time it takes to complete this program, for example, was the student in attendance full-time or part-time, did the student transfer into the program with prior approved credits, was the student required to take remedial courses, did the student fail or withdraw from courses, and these can all effect the rate of completion. Brown Mackie, (2012) reports, â€Å"The program could take as little as twenty-two months to complete. Seventy-one percent of graduates from this program finished in this time.† Post Graduate Employment Brown Mackie currently has no data available on their site for the percentage of students that find employment in their field or related fields. However, Brown Mackie, (2012) implies that, â€Å"information on this topic may be obtained by speaking with an admissions representative.† Ivy Tech Business Management Program Options Ivy Tech remains within the state of Indiana only, offering fourteen locations for attendance. Ivy Tech, (2012) states, â€Å"Ivy Tech Community College offers more than one hundred and fifty programs and concentrations statewide.† However, their site only reports eight options in the School of Business program. These programs include Accounting, Business Administration, Computer Information Systems, Computer Information Technology, Computer Science, Information Security, Office Administration, and Transportation, Distribution & Logistics. The Cost for This Program Although Ivy Tech does not offer a Business Management program, I will offer comparable cost information from their Business Administration field. Ivy Tech, (2012) reports, â€Å"Face-to-Face classes: for Indiana residents: $111.15 per credit hour; Out-of-State: $239.40 per credit hour.† This report is just for time spent in the classroom. Ivy Tech, (2012) gives further quotes for online courses, â€Å"Ivy Tech Online classes: for Indiana residents: $111.15 per credit hour + Online course fee of $20 per credit hour; Out-of-State: $144.50 per credit hour + Online course fee of $20 per credit hour.† Other expenses that will be incurred are reported by Ivy Tech, (2012) as follows: â€Å"Consumable fees apply for some programs and courses; Technology Fee: $60 per semester; Books and Supplies: cost average is $39.23 per credit hour (based on an average of thirteen credit hours per semester).† Ivy Tech, (2012) also notes, â€Å"Many types of financial aid are available, such as grants, scholarships and student loans.† Time Completion As with other colleges, an average is the best that can be offered for time completion. Ivy Tech is not an exception to this rule. Most courses require sixty-four credit hours for completion. Ivy Tech allots an average of thirteen credit hours to a course semester. Ivy Tech’s semesters are three months long. Post Graduate Employment No information is given as to what percent, if any, post graduates find gainful employment in their fields, or related fields, of study through Ivy Tech.

Anti Oppressive Practice in Social Work Essay

Anti Oppressive Practice in Social Work Essay I will demonstrate the role of the practitioner on Reflective Anti-oppressive practice. l will reflect upon the effect that my experiences had on me . In relation to supporting care housing will identify the underlying values of being a reflective practitioner. In the essay, I will explore and draw upon a range of Models and theory’s themes as shown: †¢ Thompson -PCS model †¢ Tuckman theory (1983) Banks (2001) explore oppression, discrimination and anti-oppressive practices are based on society that creates divisions and how people divide themselves. Conducting a session about sex education set targets to assess the young people is to treat people with respect and value each other, avoid negative discrimination(quote). Dalrymple et al, (1995) defines the anti-oppressive practice is about a process of change, ich leads service users from feeling powerless to powerful’ (Dalrymple andBurke, 1995). Empowerment links with anti-oppressive practice, in that the soci al worker can work with service users enables them to overcome barriers to solving problems. Braye et al (1997) identify the challenges faced in practice, it is about positively working to myths and stereotypes speak out and act against the way professional practices and the law itself discriminate against certain groups of people (Braye andPreston-Shoot, 1997). Case study: homeless pregnant young person Young person 18 years old sharing at her friend’s home. She is 3 week pregnant; her boyfriend has left her and both arguing all the time. There are no support from home as her mother on benefits and living off her. The organisation is run by supported housing is called Vincent de Paul ‘society SVP, which is an international charity Christian voluntary organisation. SVP aim to tackle poverty and disadvantages provides accommodation and support for clients through contact with supporting people between 16-25 years old(svp.org.uk, 2012). The types of vulnerable group who a re homeless are served females only Clients with learning disabilities and mental-health problems accommodated. SVP is a community based valued which is supported by the local authorities (svp.org.uk, 2012 ). Value based within the local community, especially in relation to the framework of occupation in supported housing these identified the service provided for young people. values of choice is to respects the rights from where they live as well as promote young people rights to make their own decisions choices. The aim of forming is to identify the boundaries on both interpersonal and task behaviours (Tuckman,1965). I have applied Tuckman’s theory in the workplace because this has helped to identify leadership within a group stage development. The stages are the following; , Forming, Storming, Norming and Performing. Tuckman’s (1965) approach as a linear model was applying to the group. The standards and norms of behaviour are establishing. Forming identified to wor k with group service users together. However not everyone does not want to engage From storming to norming stages, working with client P is recoded by doing key sessions weekly Client P have to make the choice to conform with, she is awareness breach her contract . Asking open and closed questions are the key to build a good rapport with the service user.

Family Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Family Law - Essay Example The professional license itself would not have separate value. However, if the license was acquired during the marriage to the other partner’s detriment, the court would likely seek to equalize the benefit accrued to the licensed partner. The court has adopted the rules pertaining to the dissolution of business partnership to apply to the division and distribution of property in divorce cases. See Gussin v. Gussin, 73 Haw. 470, 483–84, 836 P.2d 484, 481 (1992). â€Å"Under general partnership law, each partner is entitled to be repaid his contributions to the partnership property, whether made by way of capital or advances.† Tougas v. Tougas, 76 Hawai‘i 19, 27, 868 P.2d 437, 445 (1994) (internal quotation marks and citation omitted). Then, absent â€Å"agreement to the contrary, ‘partners share equally in the profits of their partnership, even though they may have contributed unequally to capital or services.’ â€Å" Id. (quoting Gardner v. G ardner, 8 Haw.

Greece vs Saudi Arabia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Greece vs Saudi Arabia - Essay Example tion of the country.1 The country has a huge workforce that is comprised of foreign nationals who work alongside the Saudi nationals and it has been estimated that this number of foreigners increased from 4,563,000 in the year 1985 to a total of 5,300,000 in the year 1990.2 The country is a kingdom and before the year 1932, the Arabs were divided into different geographical regions such as the Nejd, Hejaz and Al Hasa regions and it was Ibn Saud who conquered the various dis-united regions ad declared himself the king of the United Saudi Arabia in the year 1932. 3 The petroleum deposits that have taken Saudi Arabia to the heights of its current prosperity were discovered in the year 1936. Most of the population belongs to a strict sect of Islam known as the Wahhabis. The cultural and social conditions of the country seem to be much talked about, yet still veiled mystery as the people are extremely conservative and follow the Sharia (Islamic Law) with strict adherence. A very big reason that the Saudi workforce comprises of so large a number of foreign residents is the fact that until the last decade there were very few places where Saudi national could obtain higher education in their own country. Due to this reason, the country has a huge workforce which comprises of foreign nationals. Recently, in the last decade or so, the government has started spending huge amounts of money on developing its own national workforce, which is an avenue which was always neglected previously. The oil that the country produces plays a huge role in its economy. Statistics confirm that the budget revenue is derived mainly out of oil sales and it accounts for 80% of the over all budget. It also makes up a large chunk of the country’s GDP at a contribution of nearly 45 %. It can easily be said that with 90% of the its earnings coming out of oil export, Saudi Arabia is an economy which is highly dependent on its natural resources. Although the current falling prices of oil and the

Risk analysis related to information security and infrastructure Research Paper

Risk analysis related to information security and infrastructure protection - Research Paper Example ectives and goals of performing a risk analysis on infrastructure and security protection, the target audience for whom a risk analysis is performed, the steps necessary for performing a risk analysis including assessment and evaluation, threats and cost-effective security measures, the types of securities to be included in a risk analysis for recommendation purposes, and how to mitigate a security threat and address it accordingly. Risk analysis on infrastructure and security is can be performed at various levels and many degrees of detail. Risk analysis reports can cover every business aspect. Risk analysis may be performed by both big and small organizations, and even individuals. Informal decision making follows not a comprehensive step of an elaborate risk analyses. There is no clear standard in making decision on where to draw the line on depth of analysis of risk. The process of risk analysis illustrates that there is no particular, one solution to security, and therefore the required attempts and efforts to have all risks eliminated would overwhelm organizations. However, all identified relevant factors to an organization needs to be weighed in order to have a particular acceptable risk level that can be matched to the strategy of risk management. Risk analysis hence involves anticipating the most probable outcome and allocating the resources available in order to address that outcome (Hollinger, 1997). The objectives and goals of performing a risk analysis on infrastructure and security protection are to identify and determine threats to infrastructure and security, and to provide recommendations that address the identified threats. Another goal and objective may be to protect individual components such as hardware, software, and other connected devices. Although it may be easy to replace a hard drive, the information content may be irreplaceable and therefore loss may be a catastrophe to an organization. The target audience for whom a risk analysis is

The life of a Geriatric Person Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

The life of a Geriatric Person - Research Paper Example Although they were not poor, they did not enjoy the luxuries of life. Education was the most important thing for her mother. She said that if she wanted a new dress, her mom would ask her, â€Å"What is more important, the dress or being able to go to school?† This question has made her realize the value of education. Often, she said, she would ask the same question to her grandchildren who would ask for the latest gadget from their parents. She hopes that her grandchildren too would realize the importance of education. In order to graduate in college, she had to take odd jobs since her father passed away when she was just in high school. Her mother could not afford to pay for their schooling. She worked as a sales clerk at a bookstore. It was this job that developed her love for books. During lean hours at the store, she would often get a book to read. This job also was also instrumental in her pursuit for a college degree. At age 22, she married the love of her life, Roger who was a classmate from college. She had eight wonderful children from the marriage. Even with eight children, she was able to balance her time as a wife, mother and a supervisor at a multi-national company. She considered her life at that time difficult because financial problems would always set in. Her husband was an ordinary salesman and her earnings as an employee was not enough to feed eight children. It was not easy, but with God’s help, they always survived whatever crisis they faced. But in 1980, the greatest tragedy happened to her. Roger suddenly died of a heart attack. She said that was the lowest point in her life. She was left alone to support her children who were all still in school, except for one who was working already. But again, relying on God’s help and the support of her family, she was able to overcome that obstacle. She is now savoring the fruits of her labor. She now has eight professional ch ildren. All are happily married and

To what extent does misbehaviour in organisations represent a Assignment

To what extent does misbehaviour in organisations represent a challenge to managerial authorityDiscuss, with the aid of relevant examples and theories - Assignment Example From my personal experience during my group work assignment, there were instances where group members misbehaved and challenged the authority of the leader. When the group was being formed, as Schwartz (2005, pp. 1-2) advices, some ground rules were made and every group member was expected to adhere to these rules. However, one of the most common misbehaviors was concerned with some members failing to do contribute anything towards the group work (Borg et.al 2011, p. 113). For example, during group meetings, we would discuss the issues to be covered before the next meeting and every member would be expected to make a contribution. However, some of the members would fail to do any research and would come to the next meeting with nothing to show. We realized that the cause of such misbehavior was the failure by the group leader to assign specific duties to specific members. The theory of labor process analysis can be used to explain such an occurrence. As Braverman (1974, p. 52) writes, management is able to control productivity by ensuring that labor is well divided within the organization. Accordingly, in subsequent group meetings, we would discuss the issues to be handled before the next meeting and each member would be given a specific assignment to complete and present to the group. Consequently, it was much easier for the group leader to exercise control over the group’s productivity with everyone having a particular task to execute (Stewart, 2014, p. 14). In the course of working as a group, I also noticed that in some cases, some members were not willing to accept the individual weaknesses of others within the group. Clearly, group works bring together people with different personalities and capabilities and expect such people to work harmoniously. In our group, there were those people who paid more attention to detail than

What is Marriage Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

What is Marriage - Essay Example The first marriage is instituted by God in the Garden of Eden. After He created the heaven and earth and all creatures therein, He also created man. However, He also recognized that â€Å"It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.† Thus, He made Eve to complete Adam, to be his companion, to receive his love and share his dominion in all the earth. It should also be noted that as Eve is created from Adam’s ribs, she became the â€Å"bone of his bones† and the â€Å"flesh of his flesh† which signifies their union.Biblical marriage, as stated above has three important aspects which is contained in Genesis 2:24. The first is that â€Å"a man should leave his father and mother.† In a marriage, this is extremely important. It should also be noted that it is the man who should leave his parents as he is the head of the family. In the house of his parents, the father of the husband is the head of the family. Thus, the fir st phase of marriage requires him to put up his own dwelling with his wife apart from his parents. This is illustrated in the Bible in the case of Jacob. In the house of his father-in-law, he is considered as a servant. When he returned to his father’s camp, he did not live with them but build his own household. In our modern world, this aspect of marriage is still very important. A separate household is imperative for a family as it allows them to make their own decisions. This also helps prevent disputes arising from the disagreements among parents and children.... In the house of his father-in-law, he is considered as a servant. When he returned in his father's camp, he did not live with them but build his own household (Ptacek 4). In our modern world, this aspect of marriage is still very important. A separate household is imperative for a family as it allows them to make their own decisions. Also, a man and woman joined in marriage are considered to have a new life of their own and separating them to their parents will ensure this. This also helps prevent disputes arising from the disagreements among parents and children. The second phase of marriage in Biblical marriage is for man to "cleave to his wife." This aspect is better illustrated by using a simpler word for "cleave." Cleave means to "be joined" which connotes a close, intimate and inseparable relationship with his wife (Ptcaek 5). Being joined is more than just living together. A man and woman bound by marriage will have a meeting not only of mind and heart, but should also have one direction, one purpose, and one faith. This second aspect strongly indicates the eternal covenant between man and woman. A husband "cleaving" to his wife is an illustration of two individuals being joined for the rest of their lives amidst any situation. The third aspect of marriage is that husband and wife "shall become one flesh." Accordingly, there are three interpretations to this passage. The first one believes that it symbolizes sexual intercourse while the other is the wife's joining the family of her husband. However, a more favored interpretation is the reference to the "flesh" to the natural life (Ptacek 7-9). When God created man with soul, spirit, and body the two being eternal while the physical body perishes after death.

Eros, Thanatos and the Depiction of Women in “a Farewell to Arms” Essay Example for Free

Eros, Thanatos and the Depiction of Women in â€Å"a Farewell to Arms† Essay A career as distinguished as that of Ernest Hemingway cannot simply be condensed into a handful of words. If one were to make the attempt anyway, no choice seems to be more fitting than â€Å"love, death and women†. These topics are constant companions throughout all of his work and indeed, his life. His 1929 masterpiece, â€Å"A Farewell to Arms†, is a particularly good example of this. In this paper, I will show how these recurring subjects – the fascinating interplay between Eros and Thanatos and the depiction of women – help shape this seminal work. To fully appreciate the tale told in the novel, and to better understand the aforementioned, seemingly inadequate three-word summary of Hemingway’s life, some key events in his biography should be made known. Ernest Hemingway was born on July 21, 1899, in Oak Park, Illinois. In his high school years, he wrote for the school newspaper and would go on to work for the Kansas City Star; these early journalistic experiences would influence his distinctive writing style. In 1918, he signed on to become an ambulance driver in war-torn Italy. On July 8, he was severely injured by a mortar shell and received a medal for bravery. During his sixth-month recuperation, he fell in love with a Red Cross nurse; after deciding to get married, she left him for an Italian officer. This traumatic experience would decisively shape his view of women. (â€Å"Wikipedia†) Hemingway would endure further trials throughout his life; shortly after the particularly difficult delivery of his son in 1928, he received word of his father’s suicide, foreshadowing his eventual demise by his own hand on July 2, 1961. Until then, he suffered through severe alcoholism, multiple divorces, crippling accidents, bouts of depression and dangerous war coverage. (â€Å"Wikipedia†) Taking this eventful existence into consideration, the importance of both Eros and Thanatos and the noteworthy depiction of women in â€Å"A Farewell to Arms† come as no great surprise; it is the latter which I will first examine more closely. Hemingway and, by extension, his works, have often been accused of misogyny; â€Å"A Farewell to Arms† is no exception (Wexler 111). Catherine, the main female character, â€Å"defines herself in terms of men† (Fetterley 67). When her late fiancee goes to war, she joins him as a nurse because of the â€Å"silly idea he might come to the hospital where [she] was [,] [w]ith a sabre cut [†¦] [or] shot through the shoulder [;] [s]omething picturesque† (Hemingway 19). Later on, her stereotypical wish to nurse her lover back to health even comes true when Frederic is placed in her care (Fetterley 67). She also shows a significant need for reassurance: â€Å"You are happy, aren’t you? Is there anything I do you don’t like? Can I do anything to please you? † (Hemingway 105). Her self-loathing and unhealthy self-image also reveals itself in this telling passage: How many [girls] have you [†¦] stayed with? [†¦] It’s all right. Keep right on lying to me. That’s what I want you to do. [†¦] When a man stays with a girl when does she say how much it costs? [†¦] I do anything you want. [†¦] I want what you want. There isn’t any me any more. (Hemingway 95-96) This section is a particularly damning example of misogyny; in effect, Catherine is asking Frederic how to be a whore, demeaning both herself and her entire sex in her quest to please her beloved at any cost (Fetterley 68). Catherine is far from the only victim of the sometimes debasing treatment of women in the book. During the retreat, the â€Å"girls from the soldiers’ whorehouse† (Hemingway 168) are loaded into a truck; one of the soldiers present remarks: â€Å"I’d like to be there when some of those tough babies climb in and try and hop them. [†¦] I’d like to have a crack at them for nothing. They charge too much at that house anyway. The government gyps us. † (Hemingway 168-169) This stunning disdain of female dignity makes apparent the utter disregard the soldiers have for women as human beings. A passage later on exemplifies this victimization and objectification of women during war even more clearly; when the retreating convoy picks up two virgins, their fearful demeanor leaves no doubt: there are only two roles for them on the battlefield – â€Å"whores if they are picked up by their own side, victims of rape if they are captured by the enemy†. (Fetterley 50) The contempt of the fair gender does not stop at the disparagement of women themselves; the very thing that makes them female is attacked. When the â€Å"gray leather boxes heavy with the packs of clips of thin, long 6. 5 mm. cartridges† are described as making the troops look â€Å"as though they were six months gone with child† (Hemingway 4), deadly implements of war are directly linked to pregnancy. This paints an unsettling picture of female biology itself as a source of death, not life, culminating in Catherine’s passing in the final chapter (Fetterley 62-63). This depiction of women as subservient to men, trying to fulfill their every need, is almost Puritanical in nature, hearkening back to the earliest, primary incarnations of the American myth. The fact that sexual gratification, not conception and childbirth – which is indeed presented as a â€Å"biological trap† (Hemingway 125) and, eventually, a death sentence – is extolled as the primary reason for a relationship shows, however, that Hemingway’s work is firmly in the subversive consummatory phase. Thankfully, the view of women presented in the novel is not wholly sexist. Catherine in particular manages to distinguish herself as a strong woman both in the beginning and the end of the novel, despite losing her identity to Frederic in the middle. Frederic’s courtship of Catherine starts with a literally stinging rejection; when he first tries to kiss her, he is rewarded with a â€Å"sharp stinging flash† of a slap (Hemingway 24). Thus, Catherine asserts her dominance, taking control of their early relationship. After Frederic manages to make her laugh, however, she quickly accepts his advances. (Wexler 114) Frederic’s intentions towards Catherine are less than noble to begin with: â€Å"I knew I did not love Catherine Barkley nor had any idea of loving her. This was a game, like bridge, in which you said things instead of playing cards† (Hemingway 29). Catherine, however, is not only aware of the deceptive nature of their faux-relationship, but actively addresses it: â€Å"This is a rotten game we play, isn’t it? [†¦] You don’t have to pretend you love me. † (Hemingway, 29-30) With the mutual acknowledgment of their pretense, Catherine is using Frederic just as much as he is using her – where he seeks to escape the horrors of the war with carnal gratification, Catherine needs someone to fill the hole left by her late fiancee. (Wexler 114-115) Despite the loss of self and neediness experienced by Catherine throughout most of the middle of the novel, her strong, confident side manages to reassert itself before her unfortunate demise in childbirth. Even though she faces her imminent death, the only thing on her mind is reassuring her husband: â€Å"Don’t worry, darling, [†¦] I’m not a bit afraid. It’s just a dirty trick† (Hemingway 292). This serenely selfless behavior is far removed from the desperate need to please she displayed earlier. As has hopefully become apparent, both death and life (or love, both physical and romantic) play a crucial role in â€Å"A Farewell to Arms†. In the following section, I will take a closer look at this compelling relationship between Eros and Thanatos. Since the novel takes place during the uncompromisingly brutal conflict that was World War I, Thanatos is always active. Eros always manages to weave its way into the proceedings, however, even gaining the upper hand at one point in the novel. In the beginning, however, Thanatos prevails (Flores 29). The reader is presented with uncompromising scenes of violence and carnage, but the horrors of war are met with stoicism by the protagonist Frederic Henry. The death of thousands barely qualifies for a single paragraph: â€Å"At the start of the winter came the permanent rain and with the rain came the cholera. But it was checked and in the end only seven thousand died of it in the army. † (Hemingway 4) Frederic also seems to have no particular reason for even being in the war; being in Italy seems to be enough (Flores 29). He is not driven by any particular ideological reason, either: â€Å"Abstract words such as glory, honor, courage, or hallow were obscene beside the concrete names of villages, the numbers of roads, the names of rivers, the numbers of regiments and the dates. †(Hemingway 165) Almost every character in the novel also engages in self-destructive behavior – excessive drinking. Seeking oblivion instead of actually facing the horrors of war, alcohol is a constant companion to all throughout the book (Flores 31). Even when Eros touches the characters in the beginning, it is only in its basest forms. The flirtatious Rinaldi seems incapable of real love, seeking only sexual gratification (Ganzel 587). And, as mentioned above, even the relationship of Frederic and Catherine starts out as a lie, filling a need in both of them not with love, but lust. As the story unfolds, however, the grip of Thanatos on Frederic begins to weaken. Following his injury on the battlefield, his stoicism and aloofness are only slightly fazed (Ganzel 594). During his extended period of recuperation in the hospital, Frederic and Catherine start developing real feelings for each other; learning about her pregnancy in particular shakes him to his core: â€Å"Her conception forces him into a continuum in which the death of another can subtract from his own life. † (Ganzel 579) During the Italian retreat, Thanatos tries to reassert its grasp on Frederic – but after not only witnessing, but being directly responsible for a number of deaths in a harrowing experience, he finally slips its grasp (Ganzel 595). Having truly fallen for Catherine, his new commitment to Eros is confirmed in his baptismal â€Å"farewell to arms† in the river. Frederic voices these new life-affirming thoughts after escaping the river: â€Å"I was not made to think. I was made to eat. My God, yes. Eat and drink and sleep with Catherine. †(Hemingway 206) Thanatos reclaims his power at the end of the novel after the deceptively light-hearted stay in Switzerland; in a cruel twist of fate, it is childbirth, the ultimate expression of Eros, that takes Catherine’s life, springing the biological trap and leaving Frederic to trudge out into the rain, forlorn (Ganzel 581). He poignantly laments his fate: â€Å"Poor, poor dear Cat. And this was the price you paid for sleeping together. This was the end of the trap. This was what people got for loving each other. † (Hemingway 283) Frederic is not the only one affected by an insidious turn of events like that, however; Rinaldi also becomes a victim of the biological trap, falling prey to syphilis (Hemingway 289). Thus, Thanatos is not only able to turn the lofty side of Eros – romantic love – against its followers, but even manages to turn its basest side into death. Thus, Frederic Henry is â€Å"the first completely developed example of what was to become Hemingways dominant motif: a man [†¦] who is forced to recognize the inevitability of death and the concomitant frustration of trying to secure something of value from its onslaught† (Ganzel 577). The â€Å"good soldier†, protected from feelings of loss and fear by an uncaring stoicism, loses his â€Å"gift† through love, only to reach the tragic realization that his newfound feelings can be turned against him. (Ganzel 578) This portrayal of life and death, distinctive of the â€Å"Lost Generation† of modernist authors, stands in stark contrast to earlier, romantic and playful depictions. Where Whitman is able to confidently boast â€Å"And as to you Death, and you bitter hug of mortality, it is idle to try to alarm me† (â€Å"Song of Myself† 1289), Hemingway’s view of death paints a much more sobering picture: If people bring so much courage to this world the world has to kill them to break them, so of course it kills them. The world breaks every one and afterward many are strong at the broken places. But those that will not break it kills. It kills the very good and the very gentle and the very brave impartially. If you are none of these you can be sure it will kill you too but there will be no special hurry. (Hemingway 222) Even spring, once the ultimate symbol of hope and life flourishing anew, is turned into a mockery of itself. As Eliot aptly puts it: â€Å"April is the cruelest monthâ€Å" (â€Å"The Waste Land† 1), bringing only death and desperation to Frederic and Catherine. Winter, on the other hand, once the harbinger of struggles and hardship for the first pilgrims that reached the shores of America, is shown as peaceful, quiet, serene: â€Å"It was a fine country and every time that we went out it was fun. † (Hemingway 269) The future, once viewed with optimism, a â€Å"Manifest Destiny† to look forward to, suddenly looked much bleaker, an outlook colored by a war that defied belief. Compassion and courage were nowhere to be found, but cruelty abounded, as illustrated in this passage: â€Å"’If there is a retreat, how are the wounded evacuated? ’ ‘They are not. They take as many as they can and leave the rest. ’† (Hemingway 167) In conclusion, I hope that the importance of the changing influence of Eros and Thanatos and the questionable portrayal of women in â€Å"A Farewell to Arms† has become obvious. These topics appear in all of Hemingway’s works, with varying importance. Much of the novel becomes clearer when viewed through the lens of Hemingway’s biography. Taking into consideration some of the key points of his life I mentioned in the introduction, the autobiographical tendencies of the book should emerge – perhaps helping to make his overt machismo understandable, if not palatable. Most importantly, â€Å"A Farewell to Arms† does an excellent job of showing the reader the sheer insanity and, through the author’s unique style, the stark reality of war. Hemingway himself put it quite succinctly: â€Å"Never think that war, no matter how necessary, nor how justified, is not a crime. †Bibliography: * Eliot, T. S. The Waste Land. Project Gutenberg. http://www. gutenberg. org/files/1321/1321-h/1321-h. htm (Last accessed: 13. 08. 2013) * Fetterley Judith. The resisting reader: A Feminist Approach to American Fiction. Bloomington, Indiana University Press, 1978. * Flores, Olga Eugenia. Eros, Thanatos and the Hemingway Soldier. American Studies International, Vol. 18, No. 3/4 (Spring/Summer 1980), pp. 27-35. * Ganzel, Dewey. A Farewell to Arms: The Danger of Imagination. The Sewanee Review, Vol. 79, No. 4 (Autumn 1971), pp. 576-597. * Hemingway, Ernest. A Farewell to Arms. London, Arrow Books, 2004. * Wexler, Joyce. E. R. A. for Hemingway: A Feminist Defense of A Farewell to Arms. The Georgia Review, Vol. 35, No. 1 (Spring 1981), pp. 111-123. * Whitman, Walt. Song of Myself. University of Toronto RPO. http://rpo. library. utoronto. ca/poems/song-myself (Last accessed: 13. 08. 2013) * http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Ernest_Hemingway (Last accessed: 13. 08. 2013)

Leadership And Change Management In Tescos Zero Carbon Supermarket

Leadership And Change Management In Tescos Zero Carbon Supermarket Over the years a lot has been written about the change. Some of which, is not appropriate and then uncontrolled change results in chaos. Why do we or an organisation needs change? There are some points that are here written under. Personally or as groups we need to evolve, equipments has to be replaced, new products need to be developed , business process need to be modified due the threat of opportunities, events, culture etc. In nut shell, he who wants to progress, success, and achievements needs change. Change management means different things to different people and different companies. Why organisations required changing Various things cause companies change. These consist of: Growth challenges, particularly worldwide markets Economic challenges downturns and bitter trading circumstances Strategy changes hi-tech changes economical and competitor pressures, together with mergers and acquisitions client force, mainly changing markets to learn new organisation performance and skills Government law and legislation/initiatives. The big impact of failures to introduce valuable alteration can also be high loss of marketplace situation such as elimination of senior supervision, loss of key employees, loss of stakeholder reliability.   There are new theories regarding assured of these newer models, like effective and project based structures, permit enlarged litheness to react to change. Though such theories are not for all time introduced consistently, and in exercise frequently initiate other issues that also shock upon amend supervision, such as capacity to share information and to run efficiently. These may also impact usefulness of declaration or worker commitment, which themselves have suggestion for change usefulness.   Obstacles in the way of change such as resistance to modify can be defined as a person or collection attractive in acts to block or else interrupt an attempt to commence change. so we can say that resistance itself can take many altered forms from subtle damage of change initiatives or  custody of in order to active resistance,  it can strike. There are two types of resistance in broad sense: That the resistance on the content like introduction of a particular reward system or a specific change in IT. That the resistance in the process of change such as there are executive jobs re structure without prior conference to the effected employees. I am going to select Tesco supermarket as an organisation that has recently implemented a major change project as the Tesco the United Kingdom largest supermarket has opened the worlds largest and first Zero Carbon Supermarket, before I discuss upon Zero Carbon I would like to discuss Tesco as a supermarket. Tesco is the world third largest and the United Kingdom first biggest supermarket having around 2420 stores and employees over the 327000. TESCO is not operating in the UK but also in Asia and Europe. Through its subsidiary, Tesco.com, it provides the services through online. The companys largest and biggest market is UK as here they are operating under four banners such as Superstore, Extra, Express and Metro, Recently the UK largest supermarket has opened the Worlds first Zero Carbon supermarket that big step towards an organisational change. That the store has no net Carbon foot print and exports any further electricity generated back to national grid. This store is located in Ramsey, Cambridgeshire this Zero Carbon superstore boasts, recycle, eco friendly features that are here under: That the store has a combined power and heat plant that runs on bio fuels from renewable sources. There is the timber derived from sustainable source rather that steel its main and chief features is to reduce the carbon footprint of construction. when the daylight increases then interior lighting dims and that time skylight s allow daylight on the sales floor The Led that is the UKs first Led lit parking lot and on the gas stations. That the rainwater collection facilities on the roof that gives water for use of the flush for the store toilets and the car wash. Heating, refrigerant gases in the fridges, air condition systems and ventilation systems that have in effect no impact on the environment. That the crossing signals and solar powered. There is additional energy efficient equipment, such as low energy bakery ovens. The superstore that has been operating in the Ramseys town, Cambridgeshire, framed of timber rather than steel. It uses day lights from the sky and there are sun pipes to reduce the need for artificial lighting. That the store has also characteristics of combined power and heat plant by the renewable bio fuels that can export surplus electricity back to the national grid. That all the refrigerators those are notorious for the balck spots for retailers that are trying to boost their green credentials. Now they have doors to save energy and HFC the harmful hydro fluorocarbon refrigerant gases previously been used. The professional people have significant role in management and development and have vital role to play in the process of change management Tescos HR Involvement in various aspects through CIPD Research It is reported in the research that Human Resources participation in a variety of aspects of the change can create the dissimilarity between successful and less successful project Their contribution at the initial stage of the project team. They can instruct to the project leaders in skill available in the business, recognize any training requirements, skill gaps, new practices new posts etc. They can balance out the short term and narrow goals with the broader strategic need. They assess the impact of change in one or more than one area , site, department of their organisation. With the stakeholders, used to negotiating and engaging, and also concerns to anticipate the problems of the stakeholder. Always helping the people with the change, motivation, and performance management. Always understand the appropriate medium of communication to assess the various groups. Tesco Hr team to face change management challenges after Leahy retirement The HR of Tescos team has to face the important change management challenges following CEOs leaving, according to experts. He has been the wheel of the UKs largest market chain more than 13 years and was the organizer behind its rise to own a 30%of the UK market. He will retire in March 2011 at the age of 55 and be successful by present head of international operation. Philip Clark (Beth Holmes 09 June 2010) Clark will carry his own product of leadership to the 500,000 staff international, with 250,000 in the UK across approximately 25000 stores. Tesco, which made a pre-tax profit of 3.2bn pound in its last financial year. There are various organisation theories and models which all supermarkets are using to make change, their development and performance like TESCO SUPEMERKET big achievement on the first Zero Carbon supermarket that is boasting these changes and it the big step in the organisational change by using these organisational theories such as: The EFQM excellence model EFQM model was initiated at the commencement of the 1992 as the structure for Measure Company for the European Quality Award. This for the all organisations that is regardless of sector, stricter or maturity, size and need to be successful to the establish an appropriate management frame work. Now it is the most broadly used organisational frame work not only in the Europe but also in UK, US, and rest of the countries and we may say like this that it is the foundation for the majority of regional and national Quality Award. In the way to benchmark with other organisations inn change management. It can also use for the self assessment as the Tesco market made a change in the organisation that totally separated from the other organisations. There is complete guide for the areas for the improvement. And the main the structure for the organisations management system as from there all changes starts For the basis of an organisations common vocabulary and their way of thinking. There some valuable aspects that can narrate from the above given model these aspects of the model are very important for not only Tesco super market change but also for any organisation change and performance. Organisational Leadership For any organisational change is depends upon their leadership because its the leader who expands and facilitates the attainment of the mission and vision. They increase the values of the organisation and it s required system for the sustainable achievement and realize these through their activities and behaviours. While the change is in progress they maintain a constancy of aim, such leaders are being able for the change direction of the organisation. Strategy and polices Outstanding organisations put into practice their task and idea by budding a stakeholder purposeful approach that takes explanation of the marketplace, division in which it operates. Strategy, Policies, aims and processes are developed and deployed to convey organisation polices. Empoyees/People Brilliant organisations administer, expand, free the full possible of their people at an person, team-based and organisational level. They support justice and sameness and engage and sanction their persons. They heed for, commune, recompense and discriminate, in a method that motivates employees and construct promise to by earnings of their skills and information for the advantage of the organisation. Resources And Partnership among the Oraginsation or people Superb organisations graph to manage exterior partnership, suppliers and domestic possessions in order to hold up strategy and scheme and the useful operation of process. Through development and though managing partnerships and property, they balance the current and prospect needs of the government, the district, and the surroundings. Execelent Process Admirable organisations plan, run and get better process in instruct to completely suit, and produce rising worth for, consumers and other stakeholders.   Results from the customers Outstanding organisations carefully calculate and attain exceptional grades with respect to their consumers. Results from the people Exceptional organisations carefully determine and get wonderful results with admiration to their people. Result from the society Admirable organisations methodically calculate and attain exceptional result with high opinion to society. Performance result Brilliant organisations methodically determine and attain exceptional results with esteem to the key factor of their plan and policy. Choices for Change The Change Kaleidoscope Design Choices After the significant contextual characteristics are recognized, the design choices have to be set for the change process. Many alternatives are strong-minded by the contextual quality. 1.Change path 2.Change start point 3.Change style 4.Change target 5.Change roles DESIGN CHOICES: Objectives: To identify change choice open to leaders. To identify a range of tools and models that add further Clarity or perspective to the options that faces leaders when planning implementation of their proposed changed. Five Design Choices: Contextual features of the change situation should be considered before a change approach is selected. Change Path: This is driven by the extent of change and the speed of the change that need to be undertaken for the required change outcome to be delivered. the change path option seems to be between Revolutionary or Evolutionary. Leader may have little choice but to enforce may have little choice but to enforce change from the top using whatever tools, incentives are available: The need is pressing and there is no alternative. The cultural web Cultural web elements The Cultural Web recognize six joined basics which help to build up what Johnson and Scholes recognize the paradigm the representation or mould of the job environment. You can start to see the advanced representation of your culture that running and that is not functioning, what needs to be changed. Stories: The earliest times actions and people discussed about inside and external the company. By choosing what and who the business chooses to commemorate says a great arrangement about what it principles and perceives as vast performance.   Rituals and Routines:   Day today performance and activities of people that signal satisfactory actions. This verifies what is going to happen in given conditions, and what is appreciated by management.   Symbols: The company logos, how plush the offices are and the dress codes. Organizational Structure:   This contains both the organisation structure described by the organization chart, and the unwritten lines of authority and power that specify whose assistance are most valued.   Control Systems:   The traditions that the business is controlled. These consist of economic systems, quality systems and rewards. Power Structures:   The people who are holding the real power in the business. This may engage some key senior executives, a whole group of senior managers, or even a section. The main thing is that these people have the most amount of power on decisions, operations, and planned direction. Every business has selected a dissimilar way of achieving competitive advantage in a packed marketplace.   Michael Porter, 1985 in his book  Competitive Advantage, Creating and Sustaining Superior Performance. Says the generic strategies Cost Leadership (no frills), Differentiation and Focus (present a particular service in a niche marketplace). He then subdivided the Focus strategy into two parts: Cost Focus and Differentiation Focus.   The Cost Leadership Strategy, Porters generic strategies are paths of acquisition competitive advantage, in other language, creating the edge that gets you the trade and takes it left from your challengers. There are two main paths of attain this within a Cost Leadership strategy: Rising profits by dropping costs though charging industry-average prices. Growing market share during charging lower prices, at the same time as still making a logical profit on each business because you have decrease costs. For that reason need to be sure that you can attain and uphold the number one place before selecting the Cost Leadership path. Businesses that are victorious in attaining Cost Leadership typically have, Entry to the capital essential to spend in technology that will bring costs down. Well-organized logistics. A small cost base (labour, materials, and facilities) and a way of sustainably reducing costs under those of other competitive businesses. The Differentiation Strategy, This involves making your goods or services diverse from and better-looking those of your challengers. How you going to do this is depends on the nature of your business and of the goods and services themselves, but will characteristically involve durability, features, support, functionality and also image of the brand that your customers worth. To make a achievement of a Differentiation scheme organizations need, High-quality investigates expansion and novelty. The capacity to supply goods or services. Successful trades and promotion therefore the market get to know the advantages obtainable by the differentiated contributions. Big businesses follow a differentiation strategy require continuing with their new product development processes. Or else they risk assault on several fronts by contestant follow Focus Differentiation strategies in diverse market sections. The Focus Strategy, Businesses that use Focus strategies focus on exacting niche marketplaces and by consideration of dynamics of that marketplace and the exclusive needs of buyers within it, expand uniquely reduced value or well-specified goods for the marketplace. Since they treat their buyers in their market exclusively well, they tend to put up tough brand loyalty among their buyers. This creates their exacting market section less attractive to challengers. The porters five forces model Porters five forces analysis suppose that there are five significant forces that decide the power of competition in a business condition. These are, Supplier Bargaining Power:   This force you measure how simple it is for providers to raise up prices. This is handling by the amount of providers of each key input the individuality of their product/service, their power and control above you, the fee of switching from one to a new product and so on. The supplier selections you have and the extra you need providers help, the more authoritative your suppliers are. There are lot of suggestions for Tesco. Than smaller supermarkets Tesco has an advantage like they can dictate the amount the Tesco pay for their suppliers. If that provider did not support for that price they will be left much smaller markets for their goods. 1. Buyers Bargaining Power:   In this force ask from you how simple it is for purchasers to run prices down. Once more, this is carrying by the amount of buyers, the significance of each person to your business, the charge to them of switching from one product and service to another and so on. If you handle with few authoritative purchasers, then they are frequently able to say terms to you. As an example If Tescos beans price is high customers will switched to Sainsbury or Asda Competitive Rivalry:   The importance here is the amount and ability of your challengers. If you comprise with many challengers, and they propose evenly good-looking products and services, then youll mainly like to have little authority in the circumstances, because providers and purchasers will go somewhere else if they do not get a high-quality contract from you. Another thing is if anyone cant do what you do, then you can frequently have marvellous power. Threat of Substitution:   This happens due to the facility of your buyers to find a dissimilar way of undertaking what you do as an example if you deliver a unique software product that computerize an essential procedure persons may replacement by doing the procedure by hand or by outsourcing it. If replacement product is easy and substitution is feasible then these weaken your power. Threat of New Entry:   Here it says authority is also affected by the capability of people to come in your marketplace. If it charge little in time or money to come in to your market and struggle successfully, if there are few financial systems of scale in marketplace, or if you have tiny security for your main technologies, then new challengers can speedily come in to your market and reduce the power of your position. If you have tough and strong barriers to entry then you can protect a favourable location and take reasonable benefit of it. Other supermarkets give good challenge to Tesco plc. Tesco plc might have area the market place for some assured products; the new superstores will not be capable to find low-priced, dependable suppliers. Also Tesco has the benefit of  economies of scale. The sum it pays to providers per-item is a bunch less than the small shop.  

Cultural Assimilation Essay -- United States, American society, ethnic

Many people come to the United States for change. Change they think will be given to them the moment they step foot on U.S soil, which happens to be incorrect. There is a process to undergo before an individual is able to experience change. A process which occurs once they allow it to begin. Cultural assimilation is â€Å"a process by which members of an ethnic minority group lose cultural characteristics that distinguish them from the dominant cultural group or take on the cultural characteristics of another group† (medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com). It is challenging to begin, that is why when deciding on weather or not to assimilate, â€Å"people usually weigh the benefits and costs† (Konya 2). For example, parents usually assimilate even if it â€Å"imposes very large costs for them, because they want the best for their children† (Konya 2). But, there are still ethnic groups that assimilate into American society at much lower rates than others because they refuse to until they finally decide to later in their lives. To be more specific, there is evidence to support that Mexicans in Los Angeles, CA are assimilating at lower rates than any other race: â€Å"Now, a new study lays bare what sociologists and others have long argued: Mexican immigrants are assimilating to life in the United States less successfully than other immigrants† (Schulte 1). The Madonnas of Echo Park by Brando Skyhorse portrays the terrible effects caused by the slow cultural assimilation of Mexicans in Los Angeles compared to other races. These effects such as poor income and daily struggles can be seen through Felicia Esperanza and remarks made by Freddy Blas as well as Efren Mendoza. Felicia Esperanza, a U.S born citizen was raised in a very Mexican concentrated... ...0 Nov. 2013. . Lazear, Edward P. "Mexican Immigration to the United States." Ed. George J. Borjas. Mexican Assimilation in the United States (2007): n. pag. National Bureau of Economic Research. Web. 20 Nov. 2013. . Schulte, Bret. "Mexican Immigrants Prove Slow to Fit In." US News and World Report. USNews.com, 15 May 2008. Web. 15 Nov. 2013. . Skyhorse, Brando. The Madonnas of Echo Park. New York: Free, 2010. Print. Teske, Raymond H.C., Jr., and Bardin H. Nelson. Acculturation and Assimilation: A Clarification 1.2 (1974): 351-67. Jstor.org. Jstor.org/journals, Feb. 2013. Web. 15 Nov. 2013.

Leonard?s Tattoos in Memento Essay -- essays research papers

Leonard’s Tattoos in Memento Memento is a film written by director Christopher Nolan, where Leonard Shelby, an overly confused man wants revenge after his wife's murder. Leonard suffers brain damage rendering him incapable of making new memories; her death is the last thing branded in his mind. Though his affliction keeps him from being able to form new memories, Leonard seeks revenge; to wreak this revenge he must keep notes on even his own life, tattooing himself with important clues. Told in segments that move backwards in time, the audience follow Leonard back through a series of events, learning in each segment what happened previously, things Leonard has already forgotten. To help him with his search, he has evolved a system. He takes Polaroid pictures, putting names to faces, marking which car is his, which hotel room is his. Moreover, to keep certain notes from being lost or changed, he has an elaborate series of tattoos slowly growing all over his body. The largest of these tattoos is written right across Leonard’s chest, written in backwards script so that when he stands in front of a mirror, the main fact is there for him to see: â€Å"John G. Raped and Murdered My Wife.† Below this is another tattoo that reads, â€Å"Find him and kill him.† Scattered across his torso and arms are a collection of facts he has gathered about the case, the points that Leonard thinks are most important. In addition, he has only one tattoo that is visible with clothes in which he is able ...

Jessie James :: essays research papers

Jessie James: Murdering Outlaw or American Hero There are two sides to everything. Coins have both heads and tales, the moon has a dark side and a face that we are so familiar with, and yes, the Lochness Monster has both a head and a tail. To every opinion, or story, there will always be one that contradicts it. This is the case with conceptions regarding Jesse James. Jesse Woodson James was born on the cold and early morning of September 6, 1847 in Kearney, Missouri. At the age of fourteen, Jesse joined the Confederate effort during the Civil War and fought until a Union bullet injured him in 1865. Instead of becoming a farmer like most of the rest of the beaten Confederacy, Jesse turned to crime. From 1866 to 1882, Jesse, his brother Frank, and other ex-Confederates robbed over fifteen different banks and trains. The James Gang operated in the Mid-west until a fellow gang member shot Jesse in the back of the head. There are two different schools of thought regarding James. Most people consider Jesse James a murdering outlaw who was driven by a greed for money, while others sympathize with Jesse and view him as an American hero who had no choice but to turn to crime. . Ironically Jesse’s father was a Baptist preacher, but he did not have much if any influence on Jesse considering that his mother married three times. Jesse’s childhood abruptly ended when he was 14 years old. During this time, Civil War had broken out, dividing the United States into two parts. Not wanting to be left out, Jesse joined a Confederate regiment led by Lieutenant Bloody Bill Anderson. Unlike most other confederate regiments, Bloody Bill Anderson’s regiment would "use small gang hit-and-run attacks" and raid mostly northern cities in Kansas and Missouri (Bruns 35). James rode with Anderson until he was wounded and sent home in 1865. After Jesse’s recovery, he and his brother Frank began to work on their family farm. As time wore on however, the James boys grew tired of this and living under the control of "Yankees". Thus, Jesse James, along with Frank, his cousins Bob, Cole, and Jim Younger, and about seven other ex-confederate soldiers, turned to crime. The "James" gang committed their first robbery on a cold February day in 1866. The gang masqueraded in Union Army issued uniforms and entered the bank in Liberty, Missouri.

How Overfishing has undermined the Quality of Life in the Atlantic Region Essay

The Atlantic region of Canada has been affected by many issues that influence communities in various ways. Overfishing is one of such issues and has caused the formation of dissimilar opinions from the Government of Canada and communities in provinces such as Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Labrador and Prince Edward Island. The government is constantly putting pressure on fishermen by implementing policies   that bar them from fishing certain species of fish such as the Atlantic cod (Gadus Morhua) and salmon (Blanchette, 1994). On the other hand, fishermen in the Atlantic region are usually stressed because they cannot accumulate enough money to support their families because of the limitations and quota on maximum catch and type of fish species caught as directed by the government (Hauser & Carvalho, 2009). Thus, there is a dilemma on whether to mitigate depletion of fish stocks by limiting fishing activities or allow the fishermen more catch to improve their welfare. Government efforts to stop depletion of fish The Government of Canada as been concerned that uncontrolled fishing leads to rapid depletion of fish stocks (Hauser & Carvalho, 2009). This is true in view of the fact that uncontrolled or unregulated fishing encourages fishermen to devise many techniques of catching fish, some of which may be harmful to fish stocks in the long run.   In addition, uncontrolled or unregulated fishing encourages fishermen to encounter a lot of bycatch since they may use gear that captures many fish of undesirable size or species that are not required and ultimately discard them (Rothschild, 2007). In an attempt to mitigate depletion, the Government of Canada has implemented other limitation measures such as requiring fishermen to venture into the ocean to a maximum of 100 kilometers from the shore and the fishermen are not allowed to catch salmon or cod (Hutchings & Reynolds, 2004). But fishermen are of the opinion that they are entitled to fish anywhere in the Atlantic Ocean because that is their mode of earning a living. It is now evident that the quality of life of people in the Atlantic region has deteriorated because of the limitation imposed on fishing and the decline in fish stocks due to overfishing. This is discussed in the following section. Implications of the decline in fish stocks in the Atlantic region There are concerns that the limitations imposed by the government on fishing and the general decline in fish stocks has caused major job losses since many fishermen   have been forced   out of the fishing industry (Lauck et al, 1998). This has been translated to other industries such as fish processing factories that have realized declines in productivity due to shortage of fish, thereby implementing massive job cuts. Whereas fishermen and other communities in the Atlantic region express their frustration at the government’s decision to limit fishing, there is evidence that indeed fish stocks have declined and if no corrective measures are taken the situation is bound to deteriorate. Marine biologists have expressed concern that the Atlantic salmon and cod populations have declined greatly and the two species are on the verge of extinction (Tegner & Dayton, 2000). The government has been discouraging fishermen from fishing the salmon and cod, instead advising them to target the seal (Tegner & Dayton, 2000). Although this may sound as a solution to the depletion of salmon and cod, it is not a very good idea since the seal is not very popular among the community and is equally endangered. Fishermen have argued with the government over this problem and no agreement has been arrived at yet (Tegner & Dayton, 2000). The government has noted that the high concentration of fishermen in the Atlantic region is the cause of overfishing and would like to discourage this by ensuring that the fishermen are dispersed (Lauck et al, 1998). But this move tends to discourage fishermen from their occupation since they are fond of going fishing as a community. This notwithstanding, the current situation is that fishermen continue to capture young salmon and cod (recruitment overfishing), which hinders continuity of the fish population. Case study: Newfoundland High rates of depletion of fish in Newfoundland (figure 1) have had major ecological and economic implications in recent decades. Many species of fish have been lost, thus posing a risk of collapse of the Atlantic fishery. Consequently, the Newfoundland region has lost a precious source of food, which was depended upon by people for dietary purposes, social values, and economic purposes. Newfoundland province is one of the areas that have recorded highest rates of job loss due to fishermen’s withdrawal from fishing. Singe 1992, Newfoundland has been identified as the region that recorded the worst collapse in the fishery industry, particularly the cod fishery. The collapse of the fishery industry was caused by a long period of mismanagement characterized by overfishing. The corollary of the collapse of the fishery was that as many as 40,000 people lost their sources of livelihood and the ecosystem went under a condition complete decay (Blanchette, 1994; Myers, Hutchings & Barrowman, 1997). Today, almost 17 years after the collapse of the Newfoundland fishery, fishermen are still waiting for cod stocks to stabilize; but the tussle between the government and fishermen remains. As a result, the Newfoundland community fish-eating culture has undergone a significant transformation. Many people have turned to eating crabs as a delicacy to supplant the cod, a contrast to the common opinion that the crab is a nuisance to many people in Newfoundland (Rothschild, 2007). The situation in Newfoundland presents major issues that need to be addressed. One is that overfishing changed the once economically vibrant Newfoundland fishing community to a state of dependence on other economic activities that are not as viable as fishing. Secondly, there is a slim chance that the fishery will improve since anglers still insist on having rights to access the fishery. The insistence by fishing communities to fish in unproductive waters shows how important the fishery is to the community; yet overfishing has increased the people’s dependence.

Othello by William Shakespeare Essay

Othello by William Shakespeare is a tragic story of envy, hatred and giving trusting to a very iniquitous person. It tells a tale of two people who loved each other despite the fact that they are worlds apart in terms of race, age and experience. Othello was a Moor, and Desdemona was the prettiest woman. Envied by Roderigo and Iago, the latter devised a plan to deceive Othello that his wife is cheating on him with his most trusted lieutenant Cassio. Unfortunately for the main characters, the plan worked and Othello ended up killing his faithful wife. Learning about what a fool he had become, not believing his own wife, Othello killed himself and died in his wife’s embrace. Roderigo was killed by Cassio and Iago was tortured to death. I have chosen to discuss Act V, Scene II of the play Othello, where Othello was convinced his wife was unfaithful and made up his mind to kill her. For him, this was the only honorable thing to do. The first part showed Othello looking at his sleeping wife amidst a flickering candle. He states: It is the cause, it is the cause, my soul,– Let me not name it to you, you chaste stars! — It is the cause. Yet I’ll not shed her blood; Nor scar that whiter skin of hers than snow, And smooth as monumental alabaster. In this speech, Othello is trying to convince himself that it was Desdemona who was at fault that is why killing her must be done. He accuses his wife’s beauty as the cause of her infidelity. And because of this beauty that he will kill her with honor, and not damage any part of her splendor. He is obviously confused, hesitant, trying to make sense of what he is about to do. Yet she must die, else she’ll betray more men. Put out the light, and then put out the light: If I quench thee, thou flaming minister, I can again thy former light restore, When I have pluck’d the rose, I cannot give it vital growth again. It must needs wither: I’ll smell it on the tree. In these lines, Othello has affirmed reasons for him to kill his wife, and convinced himself that by killing her, he is relieving her of her sins, bringing back her purity and innocence, as if being born again. He then kissed his wife and this awakened her. Desdemona, quite feeling there is something wrong, tried to capture her husband’s love once again by inviting him to lay beside her but instead, Othello asked her whether she had already prayed because he does not want to kill an unprepared spirit. When Desdemona appeared confused, Othello told her that is has been proven that she has betrayed him by being with Cassio and that he has the handkerchief that Othello so lovingly gave her. Despite Desdemona’s pleadings of innocence, Othello’s mind has already been poisoned by Iago’s stories, and he killed his wife. This scene, I believe is the umbrella of the whole play. Even though it was not actually stated in Act V, Scene II, it was obvious that Othello was a great man but was blinded by jealousy. And this blindness is a solid proof of Iago’s cunningness in manipulating the different characters. It was also shown here how Desdemona truly loves her husband by admitting suicide and not revealing that it was Othello who killed her. The painting that I have chosen (above) somehow shows the entirety of scene II of Act V. By looking at it, one can clearly see the difference in Othello and Desdemona’s lives. She was almost a goddess, sleeping in her white wedding sheets, and he looks like a confused peasant wearing a suit that is fit for him. There was hesitation, uncertainty and doubt in his eyes. He was holding a dagger evidently implying that he is about to kill her (although this was actually used to kill himself). His pose seems like he was sneaking in to steal a look of his stunning wife. Desdemona on the other hand, looks so peaceful, almost illuminating in just a faint light of a flickering candle. Although the painting pretty much illustrated the scene from the play, it was still lacking of life and dimension. In a third person point of view, it would not be as effective in delivering the message unless the person really knows the story. Therefore, while I consider myself as a visual person, I still much prefer the written form of this particular scene. It is more dramatic and touching to be able to create a scene with your own imagination. A major factor for this choice is that I have always loved reading because it can really take me on a journey where I can be in control. Also, I can have my own interpretation of different chapters in a book or novel whereas in watching a movie to looking at a photograph or painting, you can only interpret up to the limit of what the artist or director. Written literary works can give you limitless possibilities, and that is the challenge I treasure in reading.

The Self in a Social World

L. I am but a mass of tanned skin, black-brown hair, intimidating eyes, relatively normal features, and limbs and extremities of regular length stuck onto a body of less than average height with a slight belly to match. I have never seen myself as physically fit, exactly, nor do I see myself as someone head-turning gorgeous like a lot of my friends are. There are a lot of things about me that I want to desperately change in a physical sense, because really, I am nothing above typical. Regular mood swings are a norm for me, hormonal imbalance or none, though I ant say I'm emotionally unstable.You might say I'm sensitive; I'm easily touched, easily ticked off, easily pleased, easily hurt. I tend to be intense and extreme with my emotions, and very vocal about it too. Without a venting outlet, my emotions may be easily displaced. My mood is often dangerous and difficult to control, like wildfire. Sometimes, I think of myself as a mirror; how I behave depends on the people I'm with. If h e's the shy type, I'm the shy type. If she's bubbly and talkative, then that's me as well. The only time this doesn't work is when the person I'm with is a loud and obnoxious ass.Normally when there are plenty of people I don't know, be it walking around the Magic complex or sitting in a classroom full of people I don't know, I'm very guarded and conscious of my actions, making me look cold and quiet sometimes. This stems from my intense fear of public embarrassment, I think. But once Vie settled in a little niche, especially with the people who are close to me, the loud, wild and sometimes shameless little monster inside of me comes out with a vengeance. He. I'm not exactly a socially-awkward person, nor am I totally socially-adept.I'm either mainstream nor hipster, trendsetter nor wallflower either. Truth is, I'm really just somewhere in between all that. And I like where I am. I'm not the type to be easily swayed by new trends, habits, practices and opinions, sans political opini ons because I am so pathetically apathetic on those matters. Only in recent years have I begun to be as friendly and cordial as I can to new people I meet. I often try to keep my mood and behavior in check when I'm with my friends as well, because even though they know about it, I don't want to show them the ugly side of me that I only how myself.Now, even if I didn't graduate as the class valedictorian and simply made it with a humble Honorable Mention medal, that hasn't stopped me from thinking of myself as fairly smart. I have intelligent parent's and relatives and I think that's influenced me plenty. I do read and write a lot. I pick up a lot of things from books and movies and my father to be able to do those well, so much that I was able to conquer my fear of public speaking. Although it doesn't apply all the time, I do pick up on things rather easily, making schoolwork lighter for me than most of my friends think so.Still, I don't think that highly of myself in this matter. I am not special, and again, nothing above typical. II. Physical: 1 . ) Physically fit 3. ) Attractive 4. ) Has dimples Emotional: 1 . ) Emotionally stable 2. ) Intense with her feelings 3. ) Short-tempered 4. ) Sensitive 5. ) Happy-go-lucky Behavioral: 1 Careful 2. ) Competitive 3. ) Energetic 4. ) Perfectionist Social: 1 Friendly 2. ) Sociable 3. ) May come off as intimidating and difficult to approach Cognitive: 1 . Above average 2. ) Intelligent 3. ) Witty 4. ) Competitive Ill.For the Physical aspect of the survey, to everything aside from the typical â€Å"average height, brown shoulder-length hair†, I say â€Å"WHAT? † I was honestly laughing at the number of people who responded with ‘physically fit' and ‘sexy, because not only is one of them awkward to read, I also don't find the other one true at all. I always berate myself for my thighs and my arms and my belly that seem to be growing a hundred miles per hour. The responses in the survey make me th ink one of two things: 1 . Maybe it's all in my head after all or 2. They're Just saying that because they don't want to make me feel bad. And to be honest, the second one seems a lot more plausible to me. Because, really, I can't see this body as ‘physically fit' at all. Other than that, almost everything else I read off the survey answers were pretty much things I'm aware of or I already knew about myself. It makes me think how transparent I really am of a person, even to people I haven't been friends with for over a year. This fact assures me somehow, and I seem to take it as a good thing.Since Vie always hated people who are fake and ‘plastic', two-faced people who only care about looking good in front of other people, it's good to know that people are seeing me as I really am, even the rough spots and the dark sides, and that I'm not one of those people I absolutely loathe. It's nice to know I haven't completely turned into the person I swore I'd never become. You'd probably expect me to say something like â€Å"This survey activity has opened my eyes and inspired me to change, etc. † but no, that's the exact opposite of what Vie realized.I realized that there's really nothing to change after all. I already like everything myself, my short-temperateness, my faux icy demeanor, and even my that. Lastly, I thank my friends who responded honestly to this survey. I got to see how other people saw me, something Vie always been curious about, and I learned, based on how fast I ran out of survey forms, how many people I actually consider as friends who also see me the same way. Also, based on the fact that I'm still friends with these people, I realized how much they've accepted me, despite all my shortcomings as a person and as a friend.

Parental Decisions Impact Childhood Obesity Essay

Society, in general, has drastically changed over the past century. Growth and expansion have paved the way for new technological advances, but not with some downfalls to go along with it. One such downfall of new technology would be the â€Å"convenience factor† (convenient stores for junk food, convenient to watch television, play video games, watch a movie, talk or text on a cellular phone as opposed to physical exercise, convenient for parents to stop by fast food as opposed to healthy meals). Lack of parental controls in these areas in conjunction with the â€Å"convenience factor† has lead to childhood obesity. This is an increasingly growing disease and will continue to be so if society does not stop being so convenient. The American Society today has become â€Å"obesogenic’, characterized by environments that promote increased food intake, unhealthy foods, and physical inactivity (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2010). People (children and adults) spend more time in front of televisions or computers and less time exercising. We drive a car everywhere we go as opposed to walking or riding a bicycle. Children play more video games instead of playing hide and seek, which requires them to run around, being active and getting exercise. We lead busier lives so time does not allow for spending it in the kitchen preparing healthy meals. Parents live such hectic lifestyles which often lead to dining or getting take out at a fast food restaurant, making them guilty of contributing to childhood obesity. Children with obese parents are likely to follow in their parents footsteps and become obese themselves. Overweight and obesity result from an energy deficiency. This incorporates taking in too much food (too many calories) and lack of exercise; thus defining obesity. The imbalance between calories consumed and calories used can result from the influences and interactions of a number of factors, including genetic, behavioral, and environmental factors. Studies indicate that certain genetic characteristics may increase an individual’s susceptibility to excess body weight. However, this genetic susceptibility may need to exist in conjunction with contributing environmental and behavioral factors (such as a high-calorie food supply and minimal physical activity) to have a significant effect on weight. Genetic factors alone can play a role in specific cases of obesity. The genetic characteristics of the human population have not changed in the last three decades, but the prevalence of obesity has tripled among school-aged children during that time. Because the factors that contribute to childhood obesity interact with each other, it is not possible to specify one behavior as the â€Å"cause† of obesity. Behaviors include energy intake, physical activity, and sedentary behavior. Home, child care, school, and community environments can influence children’s behaviors related to food intake and physical activity (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2009). Parents in the workplace often lead demanding, hectic lifestyles that have a direct reflection on home life activities. Activities, such as eating habits for their children, are a casualty of their fast-paced environment. Such lifestyles lead to quick unhealthy meals, such as stopping at a fast-food establishment and consuming a high caloric meal. These types of meals are historically unhealthy with no nutritional value. Nutritional items, such as fruits and vegetables, are limited at these types of establishments. Healthy, home cooked meals are not the â€Å"normal† routine for parents to provide their children of this era. Time does not allow for parents to prepare healthy, home cooked meals. â€Å"The evidence is compelling that the obesity epidemic is largely caused by people’s eating unhealthy food and consuming bigger portion sizes. These unhealthy behaviors are not just a matter of poor decisions individuals make; rather, the environment in which people live determines behavioral choice† (Isaacs & Swarts, 2010). Parents’ workplace habits can directly affect their children’s daily eating routines. Children are relying on parents to provide them with healthy meals. There are many things parents can do to assist children in developing healthy eating habits. Offering fruits and vegetables, dairy products or whole grain items as nutritious snacks, as opposed to allowing them to submerge themselves in chips or sugar filled snacks, is a viable alternative to an unhealthy diet. The obesity rate for children would decrease if parents would make time to plan a healthy weekly menu. By doing so, parents are ensuring that their children get the daily recommended amount of fruits and vegetables in their diet, thus making for a healthier child. Parents should lead by example. Children need to see parents eating different things, to encourage the child to want to try new food items. â€Å"Children and adolescents are dependent on their parents for both economically and emotionally during much of this period of rapid growth† (Davies & Fitzgerald, 2008, pg. 25). One of the best ways to decrease obesity in children is to increase physical activity levels throughout the entire family. Parents, at home or at the workplace, are faced daily with busy schedules, long hours and time management issues (i. e. nsuring all required daily activities, such as household responsibilities, errands are completed). These tasks are direct contributors for the lack of time set aside for physical activity with their children. Also, parents’ daily work schedules do not allow much, if any, time to incorporate a daily physical exercise routine for their children, let alone to monitor such activities. Parents should act as role models by setting examples for their children, such as allowing their children to see them exercise and being active themselves. By â€Å"leading by example†, this should encourage children to emulate them. According to the American Heart Association and the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (Payne, 2010), children should get at least 20 minutes of regular vigorous exercise that makes them sweat and breathe hard. With the apparent lack of physical activity, parents need to create an environment that is conducive to building a daily regime of physical activities that slowly grow over time. â€Å"Minutes spent playing kickball with friends during recess count toward the hour-long daily goal, as does climbing trees in the backyard after school. It doesn’t have to be all at once,’ says Nancy Brown, CEO of the AHA. ‘Kids should be doing things appropriate for their age, so that [exercise] becomes a behavior and a natural part of what they do’† (Payne, 2010). Providing just small increments of daily activity that is geared towards the child’s age category can foster a lifetime of behavioral changes that could prevent the onset of obesity at a later age. Another factor in the saga of fighting childhood obesity is the issue of safety and having a safe environment in which to add physical activity. Advocate for well-maintained, safe sidewalks and bike paths in your neighborhood, and volunteer to supervise the use of school facilities after hours. Children are more likely to want to play outside—and you’ll feel more comfortable with them doing it—if it’s safe, so attend neighborhood association or city council meetings to request proper upkeep of nearby sidewalks and paths. Also, consider gyms and tracks at local schools as options for physical activity after hours and on weekends. Often, schools are willing to make gyms and equipment available on the weekends but simply need parents to volunteer to supervise, Brown says† (Payne, 2010). This avenue of taking facilities that already exist and adding in a safety factor so that they may be used more often could reach into a vast majority of neighborhoods and schools that are currently excluding physical education programs. This seemingly mundane action by a few sets of determined parents could catch on and create new and exciting ways in which physical activities could be introduced to children. In today’s day and age of electronics, technological advances in this area continue to rise at record numbers. Features and upgrades to many electronic devices are geared toward a more convenient, user friendly target market. Such markets, unfortunately from a health perspective, are focused on our children. Convenient and satisfying methods of entertainment, such as television, movies, video games, talking/texting on cellular phones, computers, etc. far outweigh pure physical activity and exercise. Parents’ lack of control in these areas, as opposed to physical exercise, is a factor in childhood obesity. Children would rather be sedentary playing electronic games on a television, cellular phone or computer, as opposed to playing games requiring physical exercise, such as hide and seek or kickball . â€Å"The media may shape children’s food choices and caloric intake, including exposing children to persuasive messages about food, cuing them to eat, and depressing satiety cues of eating while viewing. According to estimates by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), children between 2 and 11 years are exposed to 25,600 advertisements per year, of which 5,500 (or 15 per day) are for food or beverages. A 2009 content analysis of foods advertised during children’s television programming revealed that most foods marketed to children are high in salt, sugar, and fat and low in nutritional value, and that healthy food are virtually invisible† (Jordan, 2010). This barrage of brain-altering subliminal messaging towards newly forming minds lends credence to how other areas of technology are creating pathways to enter impressionable youths. We live in a world that is technology driven in which new devices are created frequently to make life more convenient. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that television viewing by children older than two years be limited to two hours per day or less avoided altogether for children younger than two years. Surveys of United States parents found that most families do not adhere to these recommendations† (Jordan, 2010). These families that provide this amount of television viewing for their children use it as a virtual nanny to keep the child entertained and distracted throughout the day. In today’s health conscious society, there are many reasonable alternatives to just keeping a child zoned out in front of various electronic devices. One such alternative that is catching on with many families is the Nintendo Wii. â€Å"The AHA and Nintendo recently teamed up to promote the use of the Wii Fit to help Americans meet recommended physical activity guidelines. The goal of the partnership is to teach people how so-called ‘active-play’ video games encourage regular exercise. If you’re having a tough time getting your child to play outside, consider buying a video game that requires the child to get moving, Brown suggests† (Payne, 2010). The use of this new video game device has provided many families with not only an opportunity to exercise, but to also interact as a family unit. Interacting together provides an environment that can create future positive habits that might help in the obesity battle. Following recent studies on childhood obesity, it has been found that â€Å"In the United States, childhood obesity is on the rise; the percentage of obese children aged 6 to 11 more than doubled in the past two decades, while the percentage of obese adolescents aged 12 to 19 more than tripled, during the same period as well† (Li & Hooker, 2010). Medical contributors to childhood obesity, such as genetics and/or heredity, are considered uncontrollable and unchangeable to the health and well-being of a child. The imbalance between calories consumed and calories used can result from the influences and interactions of a number of factors, including genetic, behavioral, and environmental factors. Studies indicate that certain genetic characteristics may increase an individual’s susceptibility to excess body weight. However, this genetic susceptibility may need to exist in conjunction with contributing environmental and behavioral factors (such as a high-calorie food supply and minimal physical activity) to have a significant effect on weight. Genetic factors alone can play a role in specific cases of obesity† (CDC, 2009). Battling all these convenience issues will prove to be a lengthy social problem to be solved, but for the sake of future generations of children that will probably be the first to not outlive their parents, it is one that should have the highest priority. Parents establishing controls over guidelines set forth and constant monitoring of such to decrease childhood obesity is not a â€Å"sprint†, but more comparable to a â€Å"marathon†. This requires lifestyle changes both for the parent and the child. Constant monitoring on the parent’s part, along with both parent and child â€Å"staying the course† now will produce dividends for the future of a healthy America. We are all creatures of habit. In the end, the goal should always be for these changes to become second nature. We live in a society driven by a constant; change. Growth and expansion will continue to generate new technological advances, with downfalls associated. One such downfall, the â€Å"convenience factor† (convenient stores for junk food, convenient to watch television, play video games, watch a movie, talk or text on a cellular phone as opposed to physical exercise, convenient for parents to stop by fast food as opposed to healthy meals) will have a direct correlation between parental decisions and the health of children for future generations. Lack of parental controls in these areas in conjunction with the â€Å"convenience factor† will produce childhood obesity cases at record numbers. This increasingly growing disease will continue to be so if society does not stop being so convenient.