Bad Influence of Television

Television is a bad influence Nowadays, almost each family has at least one television. Even when we grow up, we still have a cartoon in our memories. But we can see, more and more children indulge to TV shows, they pick up bad habits from the programs and they lost a lot of fun because of they spend too much time in watching TV. Not only to the children but also to the adults, watching TV is harmful to people’s health. Too often such cruel behavior can be seen on television programs. The children could not distinguish which behavior is right and which one is wrong.They even think some cruel behaviors are very cool. And when the children watch television programs, their parents do not have time tell them how to do is right. The programs or the films have many fighting and erotic actions to attract their attention. Young children could learn from them and do the same thing in their real life. That’s why young criminal are increasing in recent years. Watching television i s interesting in children’s eyes. This is how things are. Most children like watching TV rather than playing outside.But playing in the sunshine has better influences than staying at home. Because of staying at home, they have less chance to make friends or communicate with others. Social work skills should be learned from a kid. Maybe someone could say some programs are good for children to know more knowledge. But in fact, children are not interested in it. Learn knowledge from their own experiences can let them remember more clearly. For example, take the child to the zoo to see tigers would be better to watch tigers on a television.If you spend too much time in watching television, it’s harmful to your health. Many teens have shortsighted because of this. And it caused the problem like fat. Staying at home will let you become lazier. Our body needs to do sports. When people are watching TV, their brain actually doesn’t need to think, the images and the voice can give enough information to them. So, our brain could be stupid. In a word, television is a bad influence. Let’s read books or go outside to play to kill time. Do not let television to be harmful to us.

Film/novel “True Grit” Essay

Out in a middle of nowhere, a man rides a horse in haste as if it were chasing after something. This is the common image of the cowboy that we have all become familiar with. In fact, it is next to impossible not to recognize the image of the cowboy because it is so powerful in pop cultural myths. It is interesting to examine the myth and image of the cowboy in a comparison of the legendary film/novel â€Å"True Grit† and the unique paintings of Remington Remington. A sparse description is the hallmark of the style of Remington’s usage of blurry touches and specific colors on the painting as seen in â€Å"against the sunset† which portrays a man’s masculinity in the form of a mythical hero figure of west. In the previously mentioned painting, Remington emphasized a man’s masculinity by using the environment of the painting. There is nothing in the frame besides the land and many small bushes. Although these bushes are small as a group they seem like an obstacle for a man. Moreover, their dark colors emit a negative image and even evoke threatening obstructions for a challenger. However, as a man, he seems to be not hesitating to face challenges in front him, but rather to keep going forward even faster. Although it seems like sun is setting, a man still rides a horse and never looks down in twilight. Just like Mattie he must be not â€Å"scared of the dark† (True Grit 60). Also it seems like the unknown man’s image is similar to my opinion of LaBoeuf from â€Å"True Grit†. The unknown man is â€Å"wearing two revolvers† (True Grit 67) just like LaBoeuf. Also, his â€Å"belt [is] thick and wide and bedecked with cartridges† (True Grit 67). Additionally, his appearance matches with LaBoeuf although his face is blurry on the painting. Also he looks like he is â€Å"around thirty years of age† (True Grit 67). There are other similarities, In the novel â€Å"True Grit†, though LaBoeuf was not as good at shooting as Rooster, he did not fear chasing a criminal in Unknown Territory which can be very dangerous for strangers. Also, at the novel’s conclusion, he sacrifices himself for â€Å"little sister Mattie† proving that he is also a man with â€Å"true grit†. As a result, LaBoeuf-like image evokes an essence similar to the unknown man’s masculinity. On the other hand, â€Å"against the sunset† gives an image of changes through its back ground color and empty surroundings. The unknown man seems almost lonely in the painting with no buildings or people around. However, â€Å"An area of free land† (Turner 199) portrays this image of the west during the nineteenth century which was a period of sudden change. By the time when Eastern part of the United States became industrialized, the west still remained a wilderness. However, many people started to immigrate west because the west was the land of opportunity. Therefore, many immigrants and migrants were â€Å"compelled to adapt themselves to the changes†¦ involved in crossing a continent, in defeating a wilderness and in [developing the newly expanded territory] out of the primitive economic and political conditions of the frontier into the complexity of city life† (Turner 199). As Turner said, developing caused many changes in the west including economic status, surroundings, and political view. Now, the portrait â€Å"Sunset† makes distinguishable the day and the night. As sun goes down and the whole colors of surrounding changes. Shadow gets shorter and shorter and by the time the sun sets, it disappears. As visible in Remington’s piece, the background color remains very bright and looks like a strange mix of yellow and orange. It must be right when sun set started. However, if the artist was intended to capture one additional, the image would turn out to be whole different color. Also, it already seems to appear darker because the edges of painting depict themselves darker than the middle. Also, although it is not shown in the painting completely, we can imagine that soon the twilight will be gone. â€Å"Against the sunset† also evokes an image of mythical hero figure by cowboy-like dressed man. It is ironic that even though cowboy does not maintain a particular status and never was what is considered a â€Å"cowboy† by their stereotyped and commonly depicted appearance. Of course, what is real and what we expect are clearly not the same item, but it does not matter. What does matter is that our expectations in the image we have are met (that is, the cowboy wears a cowboy hat and not a derby) and that the character is presented in slightly dissimilar manner as well so that we are not treated to everything we expect. In other words, there must be some deviations and subtle if not outright differences present so we experience something new enough to pique our interested while staying within the framework of our expectations of the genre. For example, Rooster, the narrator from â€Å"True Grit†, never said that he is a cowboy, but we categorize him as a cowboy anyway. He is old, but tall, big, â€Å"one-eyed† man, and â€Å"wear[s]† a dusty black suit of clothes (True Grit 40). It is not described in the book in a detail, but it is clear in the movie that he wears cowboy hats and carries big rifles with him. Just as people categorize native Indians by skin color and appearance, cowboys are categorized by their way of dress, their status and masculinity. In a manner similar to Rooster, the Unknown Man seems to be a â€Å"cowboy† because he wears cowboy hat, leather vest, and dusty pants. By the mere fact that the Unknown Man looks like cowboy makes him very powerful because from the media and books we have always receive impression that cowboys symbolize justice, machism and a heroism. In a way, the novel â€Å"True Grit† portrays Rooster as a super hero who is not a mere human. When Rooster meets Lucky Ned Pepper’s gang, he faces a crisis because it was a showdown between him alone versus three relatively young men. However, by way of a miracle, Rooster stays alive and manages to kill all three of the other men. This determines Rooster’s character as a super hero because in reality such melodrama could never actually happen. (It is more akin to a RAMBO film than a serious treatise on life in the old west) This is similar in how the way of dress makes the Unknown Man’s image similar to the super hero Rooster. From this connection, we provide the Unknown Man with many known traits that we have come to expect from a cowboy. These expectations are overwhelming and they create an image that transfers our positive images from one source (cowboy films, novels, etc) to the portrait. In a way the portrait â€Å"air lifts† imagery from another area that is already established as having certain positive traits. The cowboy image is powerful enough to do this because the cowboy is a character that is the essence of independence and the American spirit. It is a difficult thing to depart from the collective and live the life of the individual. This is what the cowboy does and he gains massive respect and an eternal mythos because of it. The cowboy is a complex individual and this complexity manifests itself in different mediums that borrow from the cowboy’s rich history. This mythos of the cowboy can be seen in novels/films such as â€Å"True Grit† and in the amazing portraits of Remington. The mythos becomes even more interesting when one looks at the mythos and compares it to the portraits and â€Å"True Grit. † From this examination, we learn the mythos is more powerful than we ever imagined.

Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist: A Few Reflections Essay

All of us, no matter what our station in life, have dreams. These dreams may be vibrant and alive, pulsating in our entire being; or they may be dead, perhaps worn down by the weight of the years and the affairs of daily life. For the people who nourish great, expansive dreams in their heart, each day is full of meaning and direction. But for those who have let their dreams fade, life, no matter how pleasurable it may be, is empty of real fulfillment. Only those who chase their dreams, no matter what the difficulty, will be able make something of themselves, living a life of their own choice. In Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist, we have the story of Santiago, a young shepherd who dreams of buried treasure in the Pyramids of Egypt. He chases his dream, leaving behind all that he knew. He encounters difficulty after difficulty, and more than once comes face to face with his imminent death. Indeed, until the very end of the novel, it seems as if Santiago will perish in a distant land without having reached his goal. And yet, through circumstances that he could not have foreseen, he eventually obtains his treasure – both in gold and wisdom. The Religious Journey Called Life There are many parallels between Santiago’s experiences in the book and the spiritual journey that we all must take up. His journey, set off by a recurrent dream, speaks to us of the goals and aims that we hold dear to our hearts. And, like him, we may ignore the persistent voice of our inner self in order to pursue short-sighted objectives, being aware of our possibilities but afraid of leaving a familiar world behind. We all have a purpose in life that no one else can fulfill but us. We are put on earth to carry out particular mission, a task that we are well-suited to, in spite of our limited self-concept and our current circumstances. And, oftentimes, the most important thing we can do is to simply get started. Christians have no difficulty believing in a purpose set by God, and yet too many people shrink from what seems to be the Herculean efforts that will be required of them to see it through. When they do this, they show how little faith they have in the wisdom and grace of God. After all, would an all-knowing, all-powerful being set a task for a man that he cannot bear? In all actuality, it is man who doubts his capacity, seeking to make his life more manageable by circumscribing it, rather than making it the exquisite and meaningful adventure that it was meant to be. Like Santiago, we all have to be able to give up our day-to-day affairs in order to pursue a higher goal. In and by itself, the routine of daily life is not very meaningful, especially if we are aware that there is something greater that must be accomplished. The first time that we step out to do something about our goals, we will be hit by the fear of uncertainty, which will be aided in large part by the opinions of people around us. If, for instance, you feel called to travel the world for a few years, you will be hit by myriad concerns. Where will the money come from? Will I have a job when I get back? What will people think of me? These concerns, relatively trivial when beholding a one’s purpose in life, appear much more important to us than they should, in part because there will always be people around to convince us that what we propose to do is impractical – even crazy. Even Jesus’ injunction to â€Å"take no thought for the morrow,† though well-known by all who profess the Christian faith, has often easily been swept aside by more pragmatic considerations. The Alchemist: A Christian Book? Christian similarities notwithstanding, those who wish to see The Alchemist as a purely Christian book are bound to be disappointed. Indeed, the book makes as much out of Islamic principles as it does Christian ones. Also, the very title itself is suggestive of the occult, for established Christianity has historically viewed alchemy as little more than the work of the Devil himself. Putting these narrow considerations aside, however, anyone should be able to see that the true value of The Alchemist lies in the universality of its message. All religion, in it purest form, aims to transcend daily life and come into communion with the divine reality. In the end, connection with the divine cannot be distilled into practiced systems of moral behavior, or in the practice of rituals. One must learn to listen within, to get in touch with the divine spark that resides in each person. Only by persisting in this quest – this journey – can we gain the inner strength required to find our own individual â€Å"treasure. †

Homicide Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Homicide - Essay Example Most of the individuals who commit murder are males. In 2005, the males were ten times more likely to commit murder than females (U.S. Department of Justice 2007). Since 1976, the male individuals have been very dominant in committing murder and in 1980s and 1990s the males were 20 times more likely to commit murder than females. Since the early 1980s, the offending rates of the females declined and became constant after 1999 (U.S. Department of Justice 2007). In 1976, the homicide rate for male offences began at 16.3 per 100,000 (U.S. Department of Justice 2007) of population which remained constant till the next year. The rate increased to 20.6 (U.S. Department of Justice 2007) in the early 1980s and then fell to around 15 percent in 1985. These statistics for males and females offence rates are summarized in Figure 1. The biggest reason for the male dominance in homicide offence is that the males are largely involved in drug abuse and overuse of alcohol. When these individuals are drunk or drugged, their ability to make decisions is diminished and the risk of committing crime increases. Killing done by men, which related to drugs accounted to almost 95% offences while for females, it was only around 5% (U.S. Department of Justice 2007). This shows the correlation between drugged men and homicide is very high. Gang wars and gang related offences are big contributors to homicide. The victims of gang related homicides are 95% males and the offenders are about 98 percent (U.S. Department of Justice 2007), which shows us that most of the individuals who are part of gangs are males. Males are more likely than females to step into arguments with their neighbors, acquaintances and even strangers. Males are also more likely to become revengeful and lose temper than women. This causes them to take revenge from the victims in the form of murder. Therefore we can see a clear and

Fairy tale story Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Fairy tale story - Essay Example The story then moves on to narrate how Ali Baba was fortunate to find the secrets of forty thieves and their treasure store. As he was watching the forty thieves opening and closing a cave sealed by magic, Ali Baba was successful in gaining the secret codes to get access to the treasure is in the cave. Thus, Ali Baba managed to enter the secret cave with the words â€Å"Open Sesame† and found out rich bales of merchandise such as silk, stuff-brocades, gold and silver, and money in leather purses. He took hold of as many bags of gold as he could and closed the door behind him by saying â€Å"Close, Sesame†. Thus, the beginning section of the story recounts how Ali Baba got hold of immense wealth which he brought home to his wife. In the course of the fairy tale, Ali Baba’s sister-in-law and Cassim comes to know about the enormous treasure that Ali Baba got from the secret cave of the thieves. He is forced to reveal his secrets to his rich and greedy brother, who g oes to the forest to get hold of the secret treasures of the thieves. However, due to the excitement and greed of finding treasure inside the cave after he enters it, Cassim forgets the magic words to get out from the cave. Thus, he is found inside the cave by the thieves who kill him, and Ali Baba plans to present to the villagers the death of his brother as a natural one.

Does Machiavelli argue that people are we born either good or bad, or Essay

Does Machiavelli argue that people are we born either good or bad, or does he argue that a persons environment and experiences create his or her character - Essay Example The book is overall intended to be a guide for success for potential and acting leaders. Machiavelli is direct, to the point, and wastes little time on debating the morality and virtue of the judgments that a leader must be prepared to make, and, then, having made those judgment, must in fact act without hesitation. â€Å"A prince should have no other aim or thought, nor take up any other thing for his study, but war and its organization and discipline; for that is the only that is necessary to one who commands, and it is of such virtue that it not only maintains those who are born princes, but often enables men of private fortune to attain that rank (p. 421).† In this instruction, Machiavelli is offering the leader or potential leader – since he specifically says that following this advice can help a common man rise to the status of a prince – that in order to be a successful leader over the government, the armies that are governed, and the people, then a leader must be consistent and persistent in his study of the art of the war, because it is only a prince who is authorized to bring on and pursue war. What this specific instruction reveals about Machiavelli’s perceptions on human nature is that a leader must make a study of the art of war. That the leader must make a study of the art of war, is indicative that Machiavelli does not believe that the art of war, which some people may perceive as evil, comes natural to a leader or to a man. If Machiavelli believed that human nature was innately evil, he would not offer advice on studying the art of war because he would have concluded that the art of war was an art that would preoccupy the evil mind. In other words, that the art of war is destructive, deadly, and therefore warring would be a proclivity of a leader, who would therefore need no such instruction.

Collective Bargaining in US Professional Sports Research Paper

Collective Bargaining in US Professional Sports - Research Paper Example All the professional athletes employed under the NFL clubs and other clubs in the United States professional sports league are unionized to form a better bargaining power. This is in accordance with the requirement of the National Labor Relations Act that wants that any employer must unionize its employees in order to be able to bargain in good faith. The other terms and conditions of employment the bargain covers include division of league revenues, free agency requirements, players’ mobility restrictions, provisions regarding the drafting of players, disciplinary rules, among others. In this case, the employers are barred from making unilateral employment rules changes in regard to the issues required by the NLRA to be negotiated between the two parties-the employers and employees. Another issue that the National Labor Relations Board has found relevant to bargain about between the employers and the representative of the unionized employees are the drug policies that require testing. Therefore, for any setting or moderation of any drug policy, the union must bargain with the league. In this drug issue, it is reported that the NFL has a superior drug policy since it provides a comprehensive list of banned substances, keeps on testing players during the preseason, regular season, postseason and even during off-season, it gives the testing authority more discretion under the reasonable cause testing clause, applies beyond players to team personnel and provides harsher disciplinary to the violators of this policy.

Research design Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Research design - Essay Example Implication to professional application is included. RCT potentially prevents bias and reduces confounding Dauphin et al. (1999) were able to come up a significant result concering the bias and precision in visual analogue series (VAS) while successfully employing the RCT. In this study, they were able to investigate the characteristics of VAS especially in the measurement of symptoms’ intensity or frequency. Prior to finding this, the research investigation included study samples under a prevention trial involving supplementation by antioxidant vitamins and minerals of respondents who were 35-61 years gathered from the general population in France. There was inclusion of randomisation from samples prior to investigating the actual point of the study. the same process was initiated during the first and second trials. This means that the actual general data were assumed to represent the entire information obtained from the entire samples. This is a remarkable strength of the st udy because this will eventually reflect on the kind of data that will be used for the VAS. Thus, the study of Dauphin et al reflects the actual framework involved in RCT research design. The RCT in general is trying to create an inference of a particular intervention by randomly employing samples from the entire study sample from a population that should therefore be randomly identified as the treatment or intervention groups and control groups respectively (Bonita et al., 2006, p.50). Below is the actual diagram or framework showcasing the general flow involved in the RCT research design (Evidenced-Based Dentistry, 2013). One important strength in employing RCT as found in the study of Dauphin et al. (1999) is the presence of consistent result, as depicted by the... In some clinical studies, researchers may be looking forward to a specific treatment response of some certain illnesses to a given drug. In this reason, they may be able to compare treatment groups with control groups not receiving the medication. In employing a particular clinical study, the reliability of a certain drug may be proven effective or not because of the associated empirical evidence that one could generate thru the employed research design. Furthermore, there are some studies that would require precise measurement of the actual empirical evidence, so minimising the allocation of bias and other predictive factors has become necessary. One of the most important drawbacks in some studies is the inclusion of probable bias especially in generating data prior to the actual analysis and presentation of results. There are many statistical methods that could try to prevent this from influencing the reliability of the study. However, one common logical approach in statistics is to initiate random trials in response to selecting or acquiring of data. The RCT has relevant advantages and weaknesses, but the bottom line boils down to the skills of the users on how they should properly initiate the research design including its associated process. The RCT is so powerful research design for as long as it tries to represent a general idea about the impact of a certain prevention or treatments applied in a certain population. As a result, it could help determine a generalise conclusion of the general case. Although individual cases cannot be entirely determined, the RCT still proves to be an efficient research design that could be freely integrated within the clinical studies especially in ensuring precision of results and warding off probable bias.

Final Exam Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Final Exam - Article Example This implies that the approach offers a more holistic outlook of the presidency, noting that it takes different variables into account. The third advantage is that it explicates the historical changes in the boundaries of presidential power. The fourth advantage is that it explicates what the president is mandated to do – according to customs and law. The disadvantage of this approach is that the approach does not explain the activities and the roles that the president engages in, irrespective of the fact that it defines the roles that the president does not take. Secondly, this approach has little explanation of the reasons behind the roles of the president and the importance of the roles he takes – within the specified boundaries. This implies that the rationales underlying presidential duties are not explored under the model; therefore it limits the understanding of its audience. The psychological approach focuses on the psychological qualities of a president and the relationship between these qualities to his responsibilities. The advantages of this approach include that it explains what presidents do and the reasons behind these actions; it explains presidential conduct, decision-making; organization of staffs and outcomes, which expresses the importance of certain psychological qualities (Bowles, 1999). The second advantage is that it compels the audience to evaluate presidential candidates and office holders, on the basis of many areas, including their personal and personality attributes; this outlook offers a micro-perspective conception to the study of the presidency (Robert & Zeckhauser, 2011). The disadvantages of this approach include that it emphasizes the personality traits of presidents and does not offer attention to any other factors. The second disadvantage is that the approach does not pay any attention to the laws, the constitution, the customs and other significant sets of values and provisions, which are instrumental in the

Boeing and Mcdonnell Douglas Merger Essay Example for Free

Boeing and Mcdonnell Douglas Merger Essay Boeing and Airbus; two longtime rivals fighting over market share in an extremely volatile market due to high research and development costs and constant changes in market demand was the cause for Boeing to take drastic protective measures. Boeing which at the time was one of the largest commercial aircraft manufacturer and third largest aerospace defense contractor decided to merge with McDonnell Douglas. McDonnell Douglas also produces commercial aircraft but held much less of the market share than Boeing. The intent of this paper is to describe the search and screening process Boeing used which is broken down in to three categories: legal, financial and operational, discuss the valuation criteria, analyze the negotiation and bidding process and determine what kind of financing Boeing used to secure McDonnell Douglas. Legal Issues When Boeing announced they were planning on purchasing rival McDonnell Douglas, this sparked a great deal of concern not only with the Federal Trade Commission but with anti-trust authorities in Europe as well. â€Å"The belief was that by reducing the markets to only two players, such a merger would so reduce the competition that consumers would be forced to pay more for airline tickets and tax payers would be forced to pay more for jet fighters and space vehicles† (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/business/longterm/boeing/boeingtoo.htm). The goal addressing these concerns was to prevent Boeing and McDonnell Douglas from creating a monopoly of the aircraft and aerospace market. A monopoly is a situation in which a single company owns all or nearly all of the market for a given product or service (â€Å"Monopoly†, 2012). The concern in Europe was due to Boeing’s Practice of negotiating exclusive supply deals with major airlines such as Delta Airlines, American Airlines and Continental Airlines that prohibited purchases of Airbus planes (European Union Objects To Just About Everything In Boeing-Mcdonnell Merger, 1997). In the end, Boeing was forced to make concessions to ensure the merger would be allowed to go through. Andrews (1997) â€Å"Boeing agreed not to enforce the exclusive-supplier provisions of those deals, though analysts said that would have little effect on Boeings bottom line† (para. 3). Financial Status The commercial and defense aircraft market is extremely volatile and will change from extreme high demand in one or both commercial and defense to a decline in demand in one or both areas. At the time of this merger, Boeing had seen huge changes in defense spending that caused growth on the commercial side of the aircraft market. For Boeing this was a favorable change due to the fact that eighty percent of their products were for commercial aircraft rather than defense. Rolinitis (1997) â€Å"Although these factors heavily favored Boeing’s make-up, Boeing was still concerned with the severe cyclical swings that the commercial market faces† (Boeing’s View). Boeing’s main concern was to gain market share to better compete with the Airbus which was the second largest commercial aircraft manufacture that held most of its operations in Europe. At this time, McDonnell Douglas was structured exactly the opposite; two thirds of its revenue generated from defense products. Due to severe cuts in defense spending, McDonnell Douglas was consistently losing market share. This situation made an attractive opportunity for Boeing to merge with McDonnell Douglas and seemed that it would work out for both parties; Boeing would gain more market share in European markets and McDonnell Douglas would in essence not have to suffer large losses waiting for defense spending to increase. Operational Status The merger between Boeing and McDonnell Douglas was viewed by most a perfect match. The new company would have operations in the United States and Europe; maintain market share in both commercial and defense aircraft production markets. For Boeing, the only downside is they were forced to give up exclusive supplier relations with three airlines; however that did not seem to have that large of a negative effect on the new organization. Rolinitis (1997) â€Å"The merged company will have approximately 200,000 employees which included the recent Boeing merger of Rockwell aerospace and defense units. It will operate with estimated 1997 revenues in excess of $48 billion, making it the largest integrated aerospace company in the world† (The Deal). Valuation Criteria Negotiations Financing Conclusion The air craft production industry is one of the most volatile industries due to ever changing supply and demand and high research and development costs. As the air craft market changed moving towards more commercial demand and declining defense demand, it became in the best interest for Boeing and McDonnell Douglas to merge into one joint company making them the largest commercial and defense air craft production company. There can be quite a bit of issues concerning the merger of two companies; some concern what is in the best interest of one company and others may include the concern of not violating trade laws. The purpose of this paper was to describe the search and screen process and issues; specifically legal, financial, and operational status, discuss the valuation criteria, valuation and negotiation and bidding processes of the merger between McDonnell Douglas and Boeing. References Andrews, E. L. (1997). Boeing Concession Averts Trade War With Eurpe. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/1997/07/24/business/boeing-concession-averts-trade-war-with-europe.html European Union Objects to Just About Everything in Boeing-McDonnell Merger. (1997). Retrieved from http://www.prenhall.com/divisions/bp/app/phblaw/html/august/august5.html Monopoly. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.investorwords.com/3112/monopoly.html Rolinitis, S. (1997). The Boeing McDonnell Douglas Merger. Retrieved from http://economics.illinoisstate.edu/dloomis/eco320/downloads/papers/steve.PDF

Strategics for Strategic Decision Making

Strategics for Strategic Decision Making What key lessons may be learned from any comparison of these two quite different accounts of the same strategic decision? Strategic decision Chosen alternative that affects key factors which determine the success of an organizations strategy. In comparison, a tactical decision affects the day-to-day implementation of steps required to reach the goals of a strategy.  [1]   From these two accounts there are key lessons which can be learnt as far as strategic decision is concerned. Strategy flexibility. Since strategy is not written on stones, sometimes it has to undergo some changes so as to be able to match with the real market environment at particular entry moment. Sometimes one strategy only fails unless a combination of both i.e. emergent strategy as well as deliberate strategy.  [2]   Ability to turn-on customer loyalty and tastes toward a product whose image is totally spoiled. While most motorcyclists were no doubt decent people, groups of rowdies who went around on motorcycles and called themselves by such names as Hells Angels, Satans Slaves, gave motorcycling a bad image. Some steps Hondas took were re-designing of their product to match with the market needs i.e. from larger machines to smaller lightweight motorcycles. The inevitability of proper and efficient market scanning. Its possible to enter the market with a very wrong strategy due to many reasons including failure to effectively scan the market needs. At start Hondas failed to know what US market needed and unfortunately they brought a wrong product of bigger machines while Americans needed smaller ones. Difficulties in the first entry to the market are not the end of business .Difficulties can be used as crucial mirrors for re-defining the strategy to a successful one. References: CASE STUDY 2: LAURA ASHLEY Question 1: Map Laura Ashleys stakeholders using a power/interest matrix. Stakeholders are those individuals or groups who depend on the organisation to fulfil their own goals and on whom, in turn, the organisation depends.  [3]  (Johnson et al, pp.132) Laura Ashley power-interest matrix is as follows: LOW POWER HIGH LOW INTERST HIGH Harmless stakeholders: THE 11 CEOs, Media Group Business Analysts Laura Ashley Customers Chief executive of Pearson Laura Ashley and the husband Bernard Ann Iverson a new CEO in 1995 Richard Pennycook a new FD in 1997 Shareholders like Malayan United Industries (MUI) LOW INTEREST LOW POWER: This is a harmless stakeholder group which requires less attention. This group is represented by the retired CEOs e.g. The 11 CEOs over the last 14 years. Id really rather focus on driving the business forward, he says. LOW INTEREST HIGH POWER: This group is not always bad but needs to be watched because when not satisfied it turns out to be harmful to the business. Laura Ashleys Customers; Customers have very high power to the business because without customers there is no business at all. HIGH INTEREST LOW POWER: This group is crucial to the business because it contains stakeholders with interest with what is done by the business including core customers of the business products and/or services. This group is represented by Media groups: likes to know about the operations but has got less power. Business Analysts: likes to get information for analysis although they have less power. HIGH INTEREST HIGH POWER: Here you can find all key business stakeholders whose expectations and interests are always in the higher side. This group is represented by Chief executive of Pearson Laura Ashley and the husband Bernard Ann Iverson a new CEO in 1995 Richard Pennycook a new FD in 1997 Shareholders like Malayan United Industries (MUI) its chairman Dr Khoo Kay Peng, David Cook, Lauras Finance director CASE STUDY 3: THE BALANCED SCORE CARD QESTION 1: Why do you think organizations often find the Balanced Scorecard difficult to implement in practice? Definition: The balanced scorecard is a strategic planning and management system that is used extensively in business and industry, government, and nonprofit organizations worldwide to align business activities to the vision and strategy of the organization.  [4]   Among various methods for measuring business performance, scorecard seems to be superior due to its advantages over other traditional financial methods. Balanced Scorecard incorporates future variables as well as multiple measures of performance compared to other methods. There are about four perspectives under this method which are financial perspective, Customer Perspective, Internal perspective and innovation Learning perspective. The following are reasons for organizations difficulties toward implementation of a balanced score card; The main problem facing organizations on implementing a balanced scorecard is the architecture and assumptions applied especially on selecting appropriate measures and number of measures to incorporate toward improving corporate performance as can be seen in the Shell crisis concerning overstatement of its oil reserves. Research from the Hackett Group shows a very small percentage of companies with mature and good mix of financial and operational metrics in their scorecards. There are processes in setting and implementing the scorecards known as translating the vision, communication and linkage, setting targets through planning and finally getting the feedback. Failing to follow this process organization faces the difficulty of failing to translate the strategic objectives to fit with measurements incorporated in the balanced scorecard which causes confusion than serving the purpose. The persuasion I would use to convince the organization to adopt balanced scorecard is to talk about its advantages over other methods which are as follows: Multiple measures of performance: incorporates a range of variables that measure performance against a multiple set of goals. Forward Looking: incorporates variables that are indicators of future performance including profitability. References: CASE STUDY 4-FIAT Question: Post at least 4 factors, ie a Strength, a Weakness, an Opportunity and a Threat, from one or both of your SWOTs (2004 or 2008). Briefly explain your analysis. SWOT analysis is a strategic planning method used to evaluate the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats involved in a project or in a business venture. It involves specifying the objective of the business venture or project and identifying the internal and external factors that are favorable and unfavorable to achieve that objective.  [5]   The following is the analysis using SWOT tool of a FIAT Company showing its different milestones in business within two periods of 2004 and 2008. SWOT 2004 2008 STRENGTHS Strong management team, e.g. CEO Mr. Marchione. Young and energetic personnel with strong experience. The kids are truly devoted to the cause. They are the heart of the success. Having cars with relatively lower average emissions Product innovation Fiat is the market leader in Brazilian market. WEAKNESSES Unappealing models or Odd cars which Mr. Marchione refers it as an arrogance of thinking. Limited resources. Licensing innovation to other manufacturers. A truck-making joint venture between Iveco and SAIC in China, it is weak in China, India and Russia. OPPORTUNITIES New products -Alfas immediate future i.e. the new MiTo, which is based on the Punto and has been designed to match the driving dynamics of BMWs Mini, and the 149, successor to the compact 147 hatchback. Divorce from a 5-years GM partnership and becoming an independent player. Partnership with other strong manufacturers like TATA and SAIC. THREATS Immergence of new Innovative brands in the car market by new rivals. Its five-year partnership with GM. It had not worked, for several reasons. Sharing platforms, engines and purchasing had not produced the expected economies of scale and Fiats ability to act independently. When new European Union rules on carbon-dioxide emissions come into force At the time when Marchione chipped in Fiat witnessed a clear future as can be shown through re-shuffle of very old workforce. CASE STUDY 6: THE NOVOTEL VALUE CHAIN Question 1: What are Novotels competitive advantages? competitive advantage is an advantage over competitors gained by offering consumers greater value, either by means of lower prices or by providing greater benefits and service that justifies higher prices.  [6]   Novotel Competitive advantages: Multi skilling: Multi-skilling is to develop staff as a team able to perform tasks and work as needed in a flexible manner, this would have many advantages for hotel management, especially in smoothing the need for certain types of staff at peak bottleneck periods of the day or evening. Standardized levels of its services: A system to monitor standard procedures was introduced in 1987 which became known as the 95 Bolts. This system was intended to be a template for learning whose standards was carried out by an internal team of inspectors who visited each hotel approximately twice each year. They worked as mystery shoppers in that they made reservations, arrived, stayed and departed unnoticed. Sophisticated marketing and distribution systems: Novotel operates within both the individual and corporate business and leisure markets. Novotel usually have special promotions and advertising themes done in different locations and in different countries with tailored promotions to local holidays and lifestyles. Partnership programs: Novotel linked programs strengthening relationship marketing; especially the supplier partnership programmes, linked with purchasing and learning efficiencies delivering both scale and scope economies. Staff exchanges: There was Exchange between countries, locations and type of customer mix which contributed to multi-culture is essential to getting customers. The exchange provides means for staff motivation especially in the industry whose labor turnover is critical. References: CASE STUDY 8: THE VIRGIN GROUP QUESTION 3: Does the Virgin Group, as a corporate parent, add value to its businesses? If so how? Corporate parent: Is a business which owns and controls the operations of other businesses by either possessing outright ownership or controlling a majority of the voting stock.  [7]   Virgin was founded in 1970 as a mail-order record business and developed as a private company in music publishing and retailing. However, by 2002, the group included over 200 businesses spanning three continents and including financial services, planes, trains, cinemas and music stores. The group succeeded on adding values to its businesses regardless of decentralization of decision making. How does Virgin group add values to its businesses? Standards: The group had standards which enabled the businesses to perform toward the same goals. There were performance reviews which made employees being held accountable for their performance as well as promotions from within. For example by using stock options, bonuses and profit sharing. Support services: This involves centralised support services. For example, providing HRM, marketing, financial, etc support services and human resource management systems were in place to keep people committed. Corporate development: Branson adopted his own personal style of management within units, boosting himself on effectively adding value to customers through employee involvement and taking their ideas. Managing linkages: In the early 1970s Branson spent his good time soliciting funds for the company to become solvent. References: CASE STUDY 11: RESTRUCTURING SONY Question 1: How many times did Sony restructure itself during the period covered by the case study? Restructuring is the corporate management term for the act of reorganizing the legal, ownership, operational, or other structures of a company for the purpose of making it more profitable, or better organized for its present needs.  [8]   Introduction: On 7 May 1946, Masaru Ibuka and Akio Morita (4) co-founded a company called Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Tokyo Telecommunications Engineering Corporation) with an initial capital of  ¥190, OOOin the city of Nagoya, Japan. By the 1960s, the company had established itself in Japan and changed its name to Sony Corporation. In its milestones Sony underwent several business restructuring aiming at improving the companys focus on high potential products and expediting the decision making process to make the company more responsive to changing market conditions. Restructuring of electronics business (1994): In this new structure, the regrouping of electronic businesses were adopted getting into eight divisional companies. These eight companies are the Consumer Audio Video Products Company, the Recording Media : Energy Company, the Broadcast Products Company, the Business Industrial Systems Company, the InfoCom Products Company, the Mobile Electronics Company, the Components Company, and the Semiconductor Company. Leadership by team of executives: Here the new framework required Sony to be led by a team of executives at the top management level. The Ten-Company Structure (1996): In January 1996, a new ten-company structure was announced, replacing the previous eight-company structure whereby the previous Consumer Audio Video (AV) company was split into three new companies the Display Company, the Home AV Company and the Personal AV Company. The Unified-Dispersed Management Model: In April 1999 another change was announced aiming at changes in its organizational structure. The new framework required the company to streamline its business operations to be able to exploit the internet technology opportunities. Restructuring Efforts in 2001: Once more in March 2001 Sony provided announcement about another round of organizational restructuring. This was about transforming itself into a Personal Broadband Network Solutions company by launching a wide range of broadband products and services for its customers across the world. References: CASE STUDY 12: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS Qustion 2 : How significant was Jong-Yong Yuns role in the change process? Change process It is an organizational process aimed at empowering employees to accept and embrace changes in their current business environment.  [9]   INTRODUCTION: Samsung is an Asian Electronic Company based in Suwon South Korea. The firm has experienced stiff competition from rivals such as Sony, Nokia, and Motorola on the basis of its revolutionary products. Jong-Yong Yuns role in the change process: Reorientation: This helped the firm to develop new capabilities. He recruited new capable employees such as managers and engineers, many of whom had developed considerable experience in the United States. Retrenchment: There was a layoff of a number of employees amounting 30,000, representing well over a third of its entire workforce. Reduction of number of factories. Discarding a Failing Strategy: Although the firm was making profits, Yun was concerned about the future prospects of a firm that was relying on a strategy of competing on price with products that were based .The success of this strategy was tied to the Samsungs ability to continually scout for locations that would allow it to keep its manufacturing costs down. Developing a Premium Brand: Having managed to cut down the losses, Yun planned to shift Samsung away from its strategy of competition which based mainly on the lower priced products. Consequently, he began to push the firm to develop its own products rather than to copy those that other firms had developed. Pushing for New Products: Through its new product development processes Yun struggled a lot to make it happen ensuring higher margins as compared to its rivals. Designing for the Digital Home: Yuns long term plan is to ensure Samsungs dominance in digital home technologies. He believes that his firm is in a better position to benefit from the day when all home appliances, from handheld computers to intelligent refrigerators, will be linked to each other and adapt to the personal needs of consumers. References: Case Study 10: Mantero Seta Spa: a strategy for China Question 1: Would you recommend Mantero Seta Spas entry into the Chinese market? Market growth An increase in the demand for a particular product or service over time. Market growth can be slow if consumers do not adopt a high demand or rapid if consumers find the product or service useful for the price level.  [10]   YES I would recommend Montero Seta Spas entry into the Chinese market due to the following scenarios: Market Growth: Chinese market promises for the stable growth of the fashion business as you can see In the mid 2000s, stable economic growth had brought substantial income to many groups of people, and with it a growing demand for the satisfaction of higher level needs. Also Upper-class and middle-class people became increasingly interested in their social life, and chose to spend money to better enjoy their spare time. There was a huge potential to sell luxury goods to these groups: 2 per cent of the 1.3 billion people living in China. Identifiable retail Distribution: The government of China had adopted a series of policies to propel the retail industry through a process of fundamental transformation. The move had sparked dramatic changes in Chinese retailing, with market growth reshaping purchasing habits. As a result in the mid 2000s there were many different types of retailing methods, based on different products and market strategy. Geographical Differences: The reasons for the differences were various. In northern China consumers made choices based on seasonal factors. Values and beliefs of people in north China were based on their imperial history and social traditions, with clear distinctions between different social groups and classes. The distinction was underlined in many ways, including clothing. People in the north were aware of their appearance, and wanted others to recognise their wealth and ability. In the south the climate was temperate; therefore consumers chose lighter, more comfortable and durable material for everyday wear. Marketing Communications: Communication processes in the fashion business focused on the brand image and the values embodied in the product, rather than on the product itself. Processes included photographs, shows, showrooms, models, displays, videos and sample collections. References: CASE STUDY 5: THE PROFITABILITY OF UK RETAILERS Question: Are British supermarkets more profitable than their European and US counterparts? Profitability is the ability to gain profit Profit is the positive gain from an investment or business operation after subtracting for all expenses.  [11]   Profitability = TR-TC ( TR = Total Revenue, TC = Total cost) Return on capital employed ( ROCE ) is the ratio that indicates the efficiency and profitability of company capital investments.  [12]   British supermarkets are profitable compared to US and other European countries because of the following reasons:- Cost of labor: Labor costs are lower in the UK due to lower social cost borne by employers. This reduces operation cost and makes the British firms to be more profitable. Technology: British companies have a lead in applying IT in their distributions systems with deliveries in small number of companies warehouses, the use of technology in distribution system reduce the cost of operation contributing to higher profits. Buying power: The British supermarkets have high buying power and tend to be more centralizing than some of the US and other European countries. This help them in reducing cost and also the British firm are more experienced and skillful in using their buying power to negotiate better terms or price from their supplier. Because they have dominated the market the British supermarkets impose the higher than a normal price to consumers (oligopoly power). Because the British supermarkets have high buying power and the use of oligopoly make them more profitable compared to the US and other European counterparts.

The Outsourcing Industry Philippines Health And Social Care Essay

The Outsourcing Industry Philippines Health And Social Care Essay The outsourcing industry is currently a growing trend in the Philippines providing employment opportunities for many young professionals. The Philippine outsourcing industry has grown 46% annually since 2004 (Rivette, 2010) and is currently representing 21% of the $7.2 billion of total Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) revenues worldwide. With the increase in BPO employment opportunities, more and more young Filipino professionals are applying for and working as call center agents. Approximately 400,000 Filipinos are already employed as call center agents (Rivette, 2010) and with a growth rate of 46% annually, it can be estimated that another 200,000 Filipinos will be joining this work force next year. However, despite the economic benefits of the expansion of BPO in the Philippines, an increase in work-related diseases in call center companies have also been reported. The most researched work-related disease in call centers in the Philippines is on sexually transmitted infections, particularly HIV-AIDS. According to the study done by the UP Population Institute (2010), 20% of male call center agents are commercial sex workers while 14% of them give payment in exchange for sex. The study also showed that 1/3 of call center agents have had casual sex in the last 12 months. These statistics validate the increase in risky sexual behavior among call center agents in the Philippines. However, increase in risky sexual behavior is only a part of the lifestyle of most call center agents. Other poor lifestyle choices observed among call center agents is their patronage of fast food, smoking, consumption of alcohol, increased caffeine intake, decreased sleep, and decrease physical inactivity. Besides poor lifestyle choices, the nature of their work also predisposes them to stress and disturbances in their sleeping pattern. All of these factors predispose them to health problems particularly hypertension, obesity, and diabetes. A number of studies have already been condu cted on the incidence of sexually transmitted diseases and call center agents in the Philippines but there are currently no studies yet on the incidence of other diseases among call center agents. This study would like to bridge this information gap because knowledge on the development of other diseases like hypertension and diabetes are also as important as knowledge on the increased transmission of STIs among call center agents.    In this study, the researchers would like to explore the association between the development of Diabetes Mellitus Type II among call center agents in the Philippines. As mentioned above, call center agents and their lifestyle predisposes them to developing diabetes. The researchers would like to address the problem of potentially developing Diabetes Mellitus because of the long-term complications of this disease on the quality of life. The researchers would want to specifically address Type II Diabetes Mellitus for the basic reason that this type of Diabetes develops primarily because of lifestyle factors. The researchers believe that knowledge on the association between call center agents and the development of Diabetes Mellitus Type II is highly significant because of the health implications of this disease and its potential to be prevented. II. Significance of the Study The increasing trend of call center agencies in the country provides job opportunities to the increasing supply of graduates in the country. Being employed as a call center agent in a call center agency is assumed to increase the risk of predisposition to different disease entities because of the radical lifestyle changes one undergoes. With the increasing number of employed call center agents, there is therefore an increase in the number of people who are at risk of acquiring diseases. Few literature deals with call center agents that discusses the acquisition of certain diseases secondary to their occupation. This study aims to increase the fund of literature with regard to this. Diabetes Mellitus, Type II is a chronic and debilitating disease. Also, as said, this is a life-long disease. Once a person acquires this disease, he or she will forever be predisposed to the co-morbidities and effects of the disease; which in turn, will decrease ones number of productive life years.   Prevention is the most cost-efficient approach when targeting populations. If the results of this study will show an association between being a call center and acquiring Diabetes Type II, we would be able to address the gap in knowledge with regards to the association of being an employed call center agent and acquiring Diabetes Mellitus, Type II. Also this would provide additional data for policy makers to address measures with regards to the prevention of this disease. III. Scope of Limitations   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The study will only include employees in call centers in Ortigas, Philippines. The study will be done for a period of 5(?) years and will only determine if an individual will develop Type II Diabetes Mellitus (DM) or not. The study will not quantify the degree and severity of the disease upon diagnosis. Fasting blood glucose (FBG) will be used in the diagnosis of DM, as it is the most reliable and convenient test for identifying DM in asymptomatic individuals (Fauci et al, 2008) and part of the guidelines used by the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE Diabetes Mellitus Clinical Practice Guidelines Task Force, 2007). Individuals will be counted as cases if diagnosed with Type II DM through the course of the study. Cases will be provided with appropriate interventions (non-pharmacological, referral).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  The study will exclude those who have the following at the start of the study: Type II DM, history of Diabetes in the immediate family, body mass index (BMI) above or below the normal value as per Asian standard, and more than or equal to 30 years of age. These exclusion criteria are the factors that can be controlled in selecting the individuals within the population that may predispose them to be identified as cases. IV. Review of Related Literature Call Center Industry According to a review done by OMaley (2008), the Philippines has been a major player in the outsourcing industry over the past ten years. Six major factors were identified to be the reasons why the Philippines participate radically in the said industry. One is the increasing government support for information technology investment despite the erratic political climate. Second is the continuous pooling of college graduates with good English communication skills and proficiency. It was stated in the review that 75% of the total population in the Philippines (according to a United Nations data) speak English fluently with a 94% literacy rate which gives a relative advantage in the industry as compared to other countries. Third is high knowledge about Information and Communications Technology (ICT). Fourth is the easy establishment of a reliable and reasonably priced telecommunication infrastructure. Fifth are the low costs but high quality locations of call center agencies. And lastly, sixth, the increasing trends of outsourcing globally. In that same article written by OMaley, it was said that the Philippines consistently ranks among the top five Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) locations globally. This shares a five-year-compounded annual growth rate of 38%. The Philippine BPO system was also coined as the major player in the growth of the service sector in the country. The Philippines plays a major role in supplying the demand for more call center agents as an effect of the global trending of outsourcing worldwide. According to the Philippine National Statistic Office (2010), call center activities ranked first among all BPO activities covering almost half of the total industry with 219 (48%) call center establishments.    With the increasing number of call center agencies, it is logical to say that there is also an increasing need for call center agents to work for such industry. Call center activities employ majority of the workers among all BPOs. In 2008, call center agencies employed about 150,000 workers (Philippine National Statistics Office, 2010). There are about 400,000 Filipinos who are currently employed as call center agents according to Rivette (2010). Call Center Agents According to  a policy provided by the Employment and Immigration Department of the Government of Alberta (2008), call center agents are the ones who respond to questions and inquiries, build customer relationships, resolve customer problems and provide information about company policies, products and services over the phone and via electronic communication. Working conditions from one call center to another may differ. According to that same policy, call center agents usually work indoors but in a rather open environment to decrease privacy. Further, managers are allowed to record and monitor the conversations of an agent and his or her customer. Working shifts also differ from one agency to another. Some agencies provide services 24-hours a day, seven days a week. Lifestyle of Call Center Agents and Associated Health Risk Factors Because of the nature of their work, call center agents usually live a lifestyle that may put them at risk for development of certain diseases. First, call center workers remained in a static sitting position 95% of the time (Rocha, 2005) which makes them prone to physical inactivity that may lead to obesity. Development of obesity is of significance because it is a risk factor for the development of Diabetes Mellitus Type II according to the AACE Diabetes Mellitus Clinical Practice Guidelines Task Force of 2007. Second, call center workers are exposed to a highly stressful environment. Call center workers identified call-time pressures i.e., having to process a customer call within a specific number of seconds as having the strongest relationship to job stress (Di Tecco et al, 1992). Another study identified having to deal with difficult customers as the most significant source of job stress in 54.0% of call center agents handling inbound services and 54.4% of call center agents handling outbound services (Lin et al, 2010). High levels of stress can lead to increased cortisol levels in the body which is of significance because of its effects on body metabolism. Abnormalities in body metabolism can lead to metabolic problems such as stress-induced obesity which may give rise to hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and hyperglycemia (Andrews, 2002). Third, the usual diet of call center agents is high in cholesterol and fat and low in fiber which puts them at risk for dyslipidemia and hypercholesterolemia. In a study conducted by the UP Population Institute, they identified the usual lifestyle choices of young professionals in Metro Manila and Metro Cebu. They studied the economic, social and health status of 929 young professionals less than 35 years old working at call centers and non call centers. The study revealed that there is a high level of consumption of chips, burgers, fries and fried chicken among the workers and a few number consume instant noodles and street food regularly. It was found out that fried chicken was the most popular food choice among Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) workers with 78% saying that they consume it regularly. Chips were the next most popular food choice with 54% saying they consume it regularly, followed by fries at 53% and burgers at 49%. High caffeine intake was also reported in 2/3 of a ll young professionals drinking coffee daily. However, the study pointed out that call center workers drank more coffee than non-call center workers. Call center workers drank 2.3 cups of coffee daily while non call center workers drank 1.7 cups daily. Tea intake was also reported where 1/4 of all call center workers drank tea while only 1/5 of non-call center workers drank tea. The study also revealed that 50% of all young workers drink soda daily at an average of 1.5 bottles or cans daily. The study also explored leisure activities of call center agents. Based on the UP Population Institute survey, 72% of call center agents said that their most common leisure activity is drinking compared to partying (62%) or videoke gimmicks (59%). The study said that overall there is a very high level of current drinking among workers, 85% for call center agents and 87% for non-call center agents. Fatty food and consumption of alcohol can increase triglyceride and cholesterol levels which is a risk factor for the development of diabetes (AACE, 2007). Fourth, sleep deprivation is common among call center agents. In the same study, they also found out that instead of the recommended 8 hours of sleep, call center agents only get 6.2 hours of sleep each day. Sleep deprivation can lead to metabolic disturbances and hormonal changes causing obesity (Merck) and consequently diabetes. Fifth, due to fatigue and lack of sleep, call center agents resort to smoking to cope with stress. They reported that 43% of call center employees smoke while only 21% of non call center agents smoke. A call center agent who smokes usually consumes 9 sticks a day on average. Smoking is a known risk factor for the development of atherosclerosis leading to hypertension and cardiac disease. Since hypertension and cardiac disease are risk factors for the development of Diabetes Mellitus Type II (AACE, 2007), smoking may then predispose an individual in developing diabetes. Diseases Associated with Call Center Employees An increase in the turnover, absenteeism, and occupational diseases in call center employees resulted from lack of modernization of processes and organizational planning in call centers in Brazil (Rocha et al, 2005). A focused group investigation conducted in a call center employed with 200 individuals observed the presence of complaints of muscular pain, stomach aches, sleep alterations and irritability (Westin in Rocha et al, 2005). Work-related muscular disorders were found to be highly prevalent among the female than male call center employees, specifically on the neck/shoulder region (43%) and on the wrists/hands region (39%). It was observed that a combination of high demands and lack of work control among the female call center employees   reflect a highly stressful job that predispose them to the increased risk of having musculoskeletal disorders (Theorell in Rocha et al, 2005). The limitations of the study done by Rocha et al (2005) are that the analyses were limited to on e call center linked to a bank, cross-sectional design, small sample size, and symptom-based diagnosis (such as pain, numbing, dizziness, tingling sensation, stiffening, burning sensation). In a study done by dErrico et al (2010), the presence of musculoskeletal symptoms in the same region was assessed using the following inclusion criteria to preserved the specificity of the outcome, although it likely decreased its sensitivity: a) presence of musculoskeletal symptoms (pain, burning, stiffing, numbness or tingling) at any time during the last 28 days and b) consultation to a physical and or self-medication because of the symptoms. Also, the presence of any disease known to be associated with musculoskeletal disorders such as hypertension, diabetes, systemic lupus erythematosus, gout, thyroid diseases, rheumatoid arthritis), previous injuries in the last five years, leisure physical activity, body mass index, smoking, marital status, educational level, gender, and age class were explored as potential confounders of the association between workplace factors and musculoskeletal symptoms. It was found in this study that 45% of workers reported musculoskeletal symptoms wher ein neck (39%) symptoms were the most prevalent, followed by the shoulder (22%), handwrist (10%), and elbow (4%). Neck/shoulder symptoms were associated with low job control, elevated noise, poor desk lighting and impossibility to lean back while sitting. Elbow/hand-wrist symptoms were associated with short intervals between calls, insufficient working space, lack of forearm support, job insecurity, and long seniority in the industry. Other study that reported the presence of musculoskeletal symptoms among call center employees were done by Halford and Cohen (2003) wherein computer use factors and individual psychosocial factors were significantly associated with self-reporting of musculoskeletal disorder symptoms. Sudhashree et al (2005) stated in a column letter that the call center industry in India ranked high for attrition due to health reasons such as sleeping disorders (83%), voice loss (8.5%), ear problems (8.5%), digestive disorders (14.9%) and eye sight problems (10.6%). Burnout stress syndrome, which includes chronic fatigue, insomnia, and complete alteration of biological rhythm of the body are routine cause for sickness absenteeism. Chronic level of stress also affects other systems of the body such as the cardiovascular and endocrine. In a study done by Lin et al (2010) in a bank call center in Taiwan, call center employees have had prevalent complaints of musculoskeletal discomfort, eye strain, hoarseness, and sore throat. Also, it was found that those who perceived higher job stress had significantly increased risk of multiple health problems, including eye strain, tinnitus, hoarseness, sore throat, chronic cough with phlegm, chest tightness, irritable stomach or peptic ulcers, and musculoskeletal discomfort. In the Philippines, there are no studies about the health risks and occupational diseases associated among call center employees. However, there is a report of a rise in the number of Filipinos infected with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and includes the call center employees (Ruiz, 2010). Diabetes Mellitus,Type II Type II Diabetes Mellitus and Epidemiology   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a group of metabolic disorders wherein there is an increase in blood sugar (hyperglycemia) resulting from absolute or relative deficiency of insulin, or both. There are many classifications of this disease entity based on the pathologic process that leads to hyperglycemia. In Type II DM, hyperglycemia resulted from a range of predominantly insulin resistance with relative insulin deficiency to a predominantly insulin secretory defect with insulin resistance (Fauci et al, 2008). It usually occurs among the older age group (> 30 years old) but there is an increasing diagnosis in the younger group (Tidy, 2009). Most symptoms of diabetes appear very late in the stage of the disease. A lot of diabetics do not have symptoms when their blood sugars are elevated for the first time (National Objectives for Health, 2005).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There is a dramatic increase in the prevalence of Diabetes Mellitus worldwide, from ~30million cases in 1985 to 177 million in 2000. Type II DM is increasing more rapidly because of increasing obesity and reduced activity levels as countries become more industrialized, as in the case of many developing countries in Asia (Fauci et al, 2008). A nationwide prevalence survey in the Philippines by the Department of Health showed that four (4.1%) out of one hundred Filipinos are diabetics, and the prevalence was higher in urban (6.8%) than in rural (2.5%) areas. The World Health Organization estimates that there will be a doubling of prevalence of diabetes in Southeast Asia every five to ten years. Using this as assumption, the prevalence of diabetes in the Philippines is around 8 to 16 percent (National Objectives for Health, 2005). Also, the death rate in diabetes has risen from 4.3 per 100,000 population in 1984 to 7.1 per 100,000 population in 1993. It is important to note that there is underreporting of deaths due to diabetes, as shown by local studies, because of misclassification as deaths due to cardiovascular or renal disease both of which are chronic complications of DM (National Objectives for Health, 2005; Fauci et al, 2008). Type II Diabetes Mellitus Risk factors and Diagnostics According to the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) Medical Guidelines for Clinical Practice for the Management of Diabetes Mellitus (AACE Diabetes Mellitus Clinical Practice Guidelines Task Force, 2007), there are several risk factors to developing prediabetes and Diabetes Mellitus. Such risk factors are (a) family history of diabetes, (b) cardiovascular disease, (c) overweight or obese state, (d) sedentary lifestyle, (e) Latino or Hispanic, Non-Hispanic black, Asian American, Native American, or Pacific Islander ethnicity, (f) previously identified impaired glucose tolerance or impaired fasting glucose, (g) hypertension, (h) increased levels of triglycerides, low concentrations high-density lipoproteins cholesterol, or both, (i) history of gestational diabetes, (j) history of delivery of an infant with a birth weight > 9 pounds, (k) polycystic ovary syndrome, and (l) psychiatric illness. To diagnose Diabetes Mellitus, any one of the three criteria is sufficient in diagnosis the patient according to the AACE. These criteria are: (a) symptoms of diabetes such as polyuria, polydipsia, unexplained weight loss and casual plasma glucose concentration of greater than or equal to 200 mg/ dL, (b) fasting plasma glucose concentration of greater than or equal to 126 mg/ dL, and (c) 2-hour postchallenge glucose concentration of greater than or equal to 200 mg/ dL during a 75-gram oral glucose tolerance test.    Diabetes Mellitus Prevention A study done by the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) showed that intensive changes in lifestyle, quantified as diet and exercise for 30min/day five times/week in individuals with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) delayed the development of Type II DM by 58%. (Harrisons, 2008). It was also found out that Metformin slowed down the progression or halted the development of Type II DM by 31% compared to placebo. People with a strong predisposition to diabetes due to family history or impaired glucose tolerance or impaired fasting glucose (IFG), are strongly advised to maintain a normal BMI and engage in regular exercise. According to the recent ADA Consensus panel, individuals with IFG and IGT who are at a high risk for progression to diabetes (age 35 kg/m2, family history of diabetes in the first-degree, elevated triglycerides, reduced HDL, hypertension, or A1C > 6.0%) could be appraised for Metformin treatment but not other medications. Acute complications of DM The acute complications of diabetes are diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) and hyperglycemic hyperoslomar state (HHS). Both disorders are associated with absolute or relative insulin deficiency, volume depletion, and acid-base abnormalities. These may lead to serious complications if not promptly remedied. Diabetic Ketoacidosis The usual signs and symptoms of DKA are   nausea and vomiting, hyperglycemia, hypotension, Kussmaul respirations, fruity oder on the patients breath, excessive thirtst, and polyuria. DKA is characterized by hyperglycemia, ketosis, and metabolic acidosis that is accompanied by secondary metabolic abnormalities. Hyperglycemic Hyperosmolar State HHS may usually be seen in an elderly individual with Type II DM, with symptoms of polyuria, weight loss, and lessened oral intake that preceded mental confusion or coma. Physical examination shows profound dehydration and hyperosmolarity with concomitat hypotension, tachycardia, and altered mental state. In contrast to DKA, HHS does not present with nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and Kussmaul signs. Chronic complications of DM The chronicity of the disease brings about systemic involvement that affects multiple organ systems. Complications may be divided into nonvascular and vascular complications. Nonvascular complications include gastroparesis, skin changes, and cataracts. Vascular complications can be further subdivided into micro and macrovascular. Microvascular changes, which result from long standing hyperglycemia include retinopathy, neuropathy, and nephropathy. Macrovascular changes include coronary artery disease and peripheral arterial diseases. (NIkki, Ill send you my draft. di ko lam kung tama. i Cant do the framework here.) Figure 1.Conceptual Framework V. Objectives   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   With the nature of the work and environment in a call center industry, the study aims to determine if working in a call center predisposes an individual to the development of Type II diabetes mellitus (DM). Specifically, it aims: a.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  To determine the incidence of Type II Diabetes Mellitus within the period of study. b.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  To determine the etiologic factors associated with the development of Type II Diabetes Mellitus. VI. References AACE Diabetes Mellitus Clinical Practice Guidelines Task Force (2007). American association of clinical endocrinologists medical guidelines for clincial practice for the management of diabetes mellitus. Endocrine Practice. 13:3-68 Andrews, R.C., O. Herlihy, D.E.W. Livingstone et al. (2002). Abnormal cortisol metabolism and tissue sensitivity to cortisol in patients with glucose intolerance. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology 87 (12): 5587-5593. Di Tecco, D., Cwitco, G., Arsenault, A., Andre, M. (1992). Operator Stress and Monitoring Practices. Appl Ergon 23, 147-53. dErrico, A., Caputo, P., Falcone, U., Fubini, L., Gilardi, L., Mamo, C., Migliardi, A., Quarta, D., and Coffano, E. (2010). Risk factors for upper extremity musculoskeletal symptoms among call center employees. Journal of Occupational Health. 52:115-124. Employment and Immigration. (2008). Alberta Occupational Profiles: Call Centre Agent. Government of Alberta. Retrieved September 10, 2010 from   http://alis.alberta.ca/occinfo/Content/RequestAction.asp?aspAction=GetHTMLProfileformat=htmloccPro_ID=71002991 Fauci, AS., Braunwald, E., Kasper DL., Hauser, SL., Longo, DL., Jameson, JL.., and Loscalzo, J. (2008). Harrisons Principles of Internal Medicine. 17th ed.   USA: The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Halford, V., and Cohen, HH. (2003). Technology use and psychosocial factors in the self-reporting of musculoskeletal disorder symptoms in call center workers. Journal of Safety Research. 34(2):167-173 Lin, YH., Chen, CY., HONG, WH., and Lin YC. (2010). Perceived job stress and health complaints at a bank call center: comparison between inbound and outbound services. Industrial Health. 48:349-356 Merck Manuals Online Medical Library (2010). Obesity. Retrieved September 11, 2010 from http://merck.com/mmhe/sec12/ch156/ch156a.html National Objectives for Health. (2005). Retrieved 9 September 2010 from http://www2.doh.gov.ph/noh/3-2-3.pdf National Statistics Office. (2010). 2008 Annual Survey of Philippine Businesss and INdustry: Business Process Outsourcing Activities. Manila Philippines. Retrieved September 10, 2010   from http://www.census.gov.ph/data/sectordata/aspbi08_bpotx.html OMaley, R. (2008). Special Report Call Centres in the Philippines. Retrived September 10, 2010 from: www.callcentrehelper.com/special-report-in-the-philippines-2231.htm Rivette, D. (2010). The Emerging Philippine Value Proposition. Trestle Group Consulting. Retrieved September 11, 2010 from http://www.bpap.org/bpap/publications/ TG_SDS_PhilippineValueProposition_March2010%5B1%5D(2).pdf Rocha, LE., Glina, DMR., Marinho, MdF., and Nakasato, D. (2005). Risk factors for musculoskeletal symptoms among call center operators of a bank in Sà £o Paulo, Brazil. Industrial Health. 43:637-646 Ruiz, J. (2010). HIV cases soar among Filipino yuppies, call center workers. ABS-CBN News. Retrieved 10 September 2010 from http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/lifestyle/01/27/10/hiv-cases-soar-among-filipino-yuppies-call-center-workers Sudhashree, VP., Rohith, K. and Shrinivas, K. (2005). Issues and concerns of health among call center employees. Indian Journal of Occupational and Environment Medicine. 9 (3): 129-132 Tidy, C. (2009). Diabetes mellitus. Philippine Medics. Retrieved 10 September 2010 from http://www.philippinemedics.com/diabetes-mellitus/ UP Population Institute (2010). Lifestyle, Health Status and Behavior of Young Workers in Call Centers and Other Industries : Metro Manila and Metro Cebu. Retrieved 11 September 2010 from http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/lifestyle/08/05/10/call-center-workers-diet-fast- food-caffeine-and-alcohol

The Evolution of the Existential Psyche of Raskolnikov through Crime an

The introspective and self-scrutinizing nature of Raskolnikov from Crime and Punishment, allows for us to delve into the existential rationales that warrant and influence the decisions and courses of action that he carries out. It is crucial to explore the workings of Raskolnikov’s mind, to understand the motives by which he is compelled by to perform the heinous murder of Alyona the pawnbroker. By examining Raskolnikov’s psyche, characterization, and decision making processes, which are characterized by his constant schisms and dichotomies, we can gain an understanding of how the portrayal of existentialist ideals as represented by Raskolnikov, evolve through the plot of the novel. The changing attitude of Raskolnikov, the environment by which he is surrounded by, as well as the relationships and encounters he has, influence and form the existential tendencies that Raskolnikov personifies. The existential philosophies portrayed by Raskolnikov range from embodying Nietz sche's ÃÅ"bermensch to Kierkegaard’s Christian existentialist theories. To further address and progress the points of emphasis in understanding the evolution of Raskolnikov’s existential psyche, it is crucial that the definitions of existentialism, Nietzsche's ÃÅ"bermensch, Nihilism, and Christian existentialism (as prescribed by Kierkegaard) are established. Existentialism will be defined with respect to the idea that â€Å"existence precedes essence† for consistency’s sake. According to existentialism, there are no established, innate set of truths, meaning there is no established innate sense of morality. Life is, therefore, inherently meaningless in comparison of the vast expanse of the universe that surrounds us (Holmes 146). The discussion of existentialism brings on... ...hat surround him. The schismatic nature of his mind follows him throughout the novel, giving a glimpse of his faltering, indecisive mind which only changes after Sonya humanizes Raskolnikov through her religiosity. In this way, Dostoevsky overtly communicates his belief that Russian ideals, as represented by Christian existentialism, supersede Western ideals, as represented by the nihilist overtones within Crime and Punishment. Works Cited Dostoevsky, Fyodor. Crime and Punishment. Trans. Constance Garnett. New York: Barnes and Noble Classics, 2007. Print. Holmes, Clellon John. Existentialism and the Novel: Notes and Questions. Chicago Review, Vol. McDonald, William. "Sà ¸ren Kierkegaard." Stanford University. Stanford University, 03 Dec. Pratt, Alan. "Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy." Nihilism . Embry-Riddle University, n.d.

Aristophanes Views :: Aristophanes Greek Theatre Plays Essays

Aristophanes' Views There have been many arguments as to Aristophanes views and politics. Some arguing that it is almost impossible to determine any serious view points Aristophanes may have being trying to say through his plays. While many others may argue, that points made in the Parabasis and through the various comic styles, are the key to what Aristophanes thought and believed. With so little evidence of Aristophanes himself, it is hard to prove a case either way. While taking into account the social climate at the time and what the main aims of the plays were, I will be looking into Thesmophoriazusae and whether Aristophanes was attempting to make any serious points through various styles of humour. In order to determine whether Aristophanes was putting forward a serious point, it helps to look at the back ground and context in which his plays were written. In Greek theatre the audience was made up solely of men. with the only women being those on stage, and even then only allowed to play silent parts such as slaves. Throughout the play, women are a common theme, at the time in which Thesmophoriazusae was written (411bc), attitudes towards them were much the same as in many societies. Women were inferior to men, in almost all parts of society. They were the property of men. Whether it be their husbands or their fathers, they could not vote, could not hold a position of office, and could not own any property. However in some parts of Athenian society they were considered to be almost the equals of men, religion is a prime example of this. In religious matters women were at times essential, in burials and civic sacrifice rituals. In contrast to this, Pericles’ citizenship law (451bc) raised their status to that of most prized possessions. The law stated that only an Athenian wife could produce a legitimate male heir. She became the only thing that could allow the husband’s family name to be carried on. It became a constant fear for the husbands, that their wives would be adulterous and produce a child, as the child would grow up and have a legitimate claim on the family possessions. Women became far more protected by their husband’s, than they ever had been previously. A wife with both an Athenian mother and Athenian father, became highly prized. This of course was more of a problem for a rich husband than a poor husband, as they had more to lose. However due to a lack of being able to afford help around the house, women of poor husbands had greater freedom, as they had to go out and fetch things needed for the

Gangs Research Paper Essay

Gangs have produced a culture of their own; surprisingly similar to many other groups in mainstream society. Religious, political, and special interest groups can all be compared to gangs and their ideology. Typically, groups are born through a shared idea or goal by similar individuals. Many ideas may be radical or may not follow the â€Å"norms† set by mainstream society. Conflicts between groups are neither rare nor uncommon because of the simple fact that not all ideas will be shared by everyone in society. In history, the basis of many wars has been mainly caused by religious differences. A similar comparison can be made between gangs and the other members of society. Different groups in society have different ways of achieving a variety of set goals such as money or status. Gangs do not have the same means of achieving wealth, happiness, respect or social status as mainstream society does. These ideas of innovation are a result of gang members rejecting socially accepted means but accepting the ends or set goals. Deviant behavior has developed in gangs because of their way of obtaining money and status. Mainstream society has set the example that a â€Å"successful† individual in life will conform to the idea that many years of education will lead to a career which will essentially provide a steady income. In theory, gangs resort to violence and criminal activity because of their rejection to socially accepted, mainstream goals. For example, as the unemployment rate increases, research has found that property crime increases as well. Gang members, as mentioned by Bobrowski’s studies, contribute mostly to Part II offenses such as property crime. In addition, Reiner mention’s that one of the three realities of life that drive gang crime is unemployment. With this evidence we can conclude that there is a positive correlation between gang crime and mainstream issues like unemployment rates. In conclusion, we can see how gangs are seen as a problem in society because of their lack of conformity to social norms. The prevalence of gangs Gangs have played a significant role in the criminal justice system and society overall. These groups overwhelm in numbers, according to the United States Department of Justice there are an estimated 800,000 members in over 24,500 gangs spread out over 3,300 jurisdictions. While most gang crimes occur on the streets, a 2006 survey conducted by the â€Å"National Gang Crime Research Center,† out of 212 U. S. schools, 25% of American schools reported a gang shooting near their school in the past year alone. In a more broad sense, gang activity was reported in more than half of state and local law enforcement’s jurisdiction. Most, if not all, gangs have been born in or around a big city like Los Angeles, California. These gangs root from these major cities but, often they â€Å"franchise† or branch out to increase in numbers. The relevance of theoretical explanations of gang behavior There are a myriad of theories that have been created to attempt to explain human deviant behavior related to gangs specifically. These theories are categorized according to their discipline; biological, sociological, psychological. Generally speaking, there are a number of theories used when analyzing criminal and deviant behavior such as: labeling, deterrence, anomie, strain, social learning and self-control theories. There are also classifications or levels of theories such as: systems, social and individual level theories. Criminal theorist and researchers join forces in an inductive process, in which they interpret quantitative data, make empirical generalizations then finally produce a theory, leading to a factual-based hypothesis. The emergence of criminal theories is extremely important, especially when attempting to explain gang crime. Given these assumptions, we can scrutinize theories carefully and develop policy implications to improve the criminal justice system. Different theories explain the wide variety of factors that contribute to deviant behavior within a gang. For example, the â€Å"labeling theory assumes that formal labeling of offenders motivates them to take on more serious criminal careers† (Criminological Theories 158). In addition, some theories such as strain theory explain how social â€Å"strain† or stress is experienced by an individual when they accept society goals but, experience blockages while attaining those goals. A theoretical explanation of gangs and gang crime Closely observing the strain and anomie theory we can see that it explains how gangs create their own socially disapproved means to obtain the goals that are promoted by mainstream society. Strain and anomie theories are complementary even though, strain theory is in the individual level and anomie theory is in a social level theory. Strain such as unemployment rates, housing availability, economic instability, and lack of educational opportunity enhance gang behavior in one way or another. Robert Merton explains 5 goals of adaptation to strain and these are conformity, innovation, ritualism, retreatism and rebellion. When analyzing gangs we classify them as innovators. They seek the approved goals society has publicized, yet they create a new way or new means to obtain that goal. Mainstream society and law abiding citizens accept the means they are given to obtain the ends that are promoted; this is considered conformity. Essentially anomie/strain theories, as stated in Criminological Theories, â€Å"perceive blocked goals as producing deviance-inducing strain. Gang members are typically lower-class members of society and as result, there is a lack of resources available. This strain will cause gang members to become deviant separating them furthermore from the middle and upper classes. Separation and peer rejection are other elements in strain theory even though there has been weak correlation between these deviant behavior and peer rejection. In addition, a big component evaluated in strain theory is the perspective an individual has towards the stressful event. The event must be seen as unjust and high in magnitude in order for the individual to act upon the stressful event in a deviant matter. For example, if an individual loses a close relative due to a gang related murder; the strain will be of greater impact than if the individual experienced frustration in school. In this case there is great probability that the individual will resort to gang violence. A review of the research on the theory’s viability Research supports general strain theory and prevention programs involving family therapy strengthen Merton and Durkheim’s theoretical contributions. Delinquent gangs continue to be concentrated in lower class and minority neighborhoods and empirical research has been consistently finding positive correlations between gender, social class and deviant behavior. These variables are important to analyze when researching gang crimes because they are unarguably causes of strain to individuals. Members of lower socioeconomic class will almost always innovate new, usually illegitimate, means to achieve the goals set by society and data gathered throughout the years has proven this statement. From Durkeim to Merton and, most recently Cohen, and Cloward and Ohlin, have all improved upon strain theory with research data and facts. Conclusion and recommendations I personally believe that the strain/anomie theory has very strong points, even though; I see no concrete separation between strain and anomie. Many argue these as two separate theories but, I see one large, information-packed theory. It can be overwhelming analyzing so much possible explanation for gang behavior and strain/anomie theory adds on to the bombardment of possible justifications. Fundamentally speaking, strain/anomie theory explains the different paths individuals take and what stressors affect them along the way. Many stressors affect individuals in a different way. Not all minorities and lower class members will deny legitimate means to obtain certain goals such as, not all gang members are searching for the same goal law-abiding citizens are. I believe policy implications arising from strain/anomie theory are more closely related to other theories like social bond theory and self-control.

Horror Film Genre Essay

The two movies I viewed were Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Poltergeist, which were both directed by Tobe Hopper. Both films displayed the general rules horror films generally follow through the use of horror film genre conventions. For instance, both movies follow the good verses evil story lines and in each the end does ultimately win. However, this is not entirely true in Texas Chainsaw Massacre. The friends represented the good and the chainsaw carrying monster and his family portrayed the evil. In the end on of the friends, Sally, ultimately does escape from being killed by the monster in the movie. However, her other four friends were taken down and gruesomely killed by the evil killer in the movie. So although in a bittersweet manner, the good ultimately prevails when Sally escapes in the back of a truck as the chainsaw yielding monster is left behind. In Poltergeist, the â€Å"good† family overcomes the â€Å"evil† ghosts of the house by rescuing their daughter from the other realm she was sucked into and by the whole family escaping the possessed house all together in the very end. The equilibrium outline in each film was questionable. In most, the daily motions of life are disrupted by some â€Å"evil† and in the end regularity is reestablished. The end where normality returns is what is in question in both movies. In Texas Chainsaw Massacre, the friends are enjoying a trip together and then they encounter the chainsaw killer and his cannibal family and their normal life is flipped inside out with each one getting brutally murdered except for Sally. In the end normal life is not restored, all Sally’s friends are gone and although she herself escapes and could live a normal life, what she was put through would not leave her the same as she was before. In Poltergeist, the Freeling family seems to portray the typical suburban family in the 1970’s going about their day as any other family would. That ends however when a host of ghosts possess their house and take their daughter to an unknown world. Normality could be said to be brought back when the family escapes from the house and the house is sucked into some portal. However, we are not left with a definite answer to if everything is restored to what was before for we have no clear understanding of what really happened to the ghosts. Therefore, in both films equilibrium is disrupted and equilibrium is brought back however questionably so. Moreover, one convention apparent in Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Poltergeist was the plot including a search for resolving the situation they are having trouble getting out of. In Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Sally was the main one that got so deeply involved in the situation after her friends were all gone. She went through everything trying to escape such as running from the killer, being at the verge of escape before being tied up and captured, and being tortured by a cannibal family. She never gave up until she hopped in the back of a truck bloody and exhausted but finally at an end to the horrid situation. A similar situation can be found in Poltergeist. The victims, the family, are fighting a number of ghosts in order to rescue their daughter, Carol. As a family would be expected to they do not give up the fight to get their daughter and escape the horrible situation they are in. By hiring supernatural experts and then finally taking matters in their own hands as the mother risks her life to save her daughters’ by entering the ghosts realm, the family finds an end to the situation and finally escapes from the haunted house. In relation to â€Å"The Nightmare World† most movies are thought to revolve around, the convention is relative to Poltergeist more than to Texas Chainsaw Massacre. In Poltergeist, the world of ghosts that jumps at the family is not one considered ordinary or one that would have any sort of rationale behind it. Many would not believe such a thing to be true no matter if they had a house built on top of a graveyard or not. Ghosts and the supernatural do not exist so this showing up in a film brings a sense of irrational thought which would likely keep the audience of the horror film guessing for they do not know what to expect. However, in Texas Chainsaw Massacre, mostly due to the fact the film was based on a true story, there is a rational world where the events taking place could be explained. An audience can believe that such a monster could exist because there are crazy enough people in the world that could be ruthless murderers and cannibals. It is not something that would be a pleasant thought even if it can be explained however rationale can be given behind it which is not typical in horror films. In addition, although being in the dark about something is more frightening Texas Chainsaw Massacre still did a good job of producing a scare in a rational horror film by still keeping the element of surprise and suspense throughout the movie. The timing of the appearance of the evil in each movie was just as similar to other movies, delayed. In Texas Chainsaw Massacre, it takes up to half way through the movie for the chainsaw killer, Leatherface, to appear and attack his first victim. In Poltergeist, the ghosts somewhat appeared throughout the movie but the revelation of the actual monster behind the whole rage finally appeared in the end to most likely build up anticipation and suspense leading up to the sight of the evil in the movie. The technical convention stated kept the audience suspenseful by delaying the appearance of the â€Å"evil† in each film.