Gender Socialization And Gender Roles Essay - 2371 Words

Society has this unknown expectation for genders to have a type of distinction toward one another, attitudes and behaviors that males and females are required to have. Gender socialization is society’s way to categorize the propensity for males and females to be socialized differently. Media, violence, even politics has a large contribution to the division among genders in the 21st century creating by creating a new culture of independents. Media has been promoted very selectively and carefully, subconsciously teaching us the proper ways of conforming to the â€Å"ideal contemporary society† throughout one’s life, â€Å"gender roles† (a more simplistic term â€Å"sex roles†) including the set of socially defined roles and behaviors are assigned to the specific sex at birth. This can and in fact does vary from certain cultures. Our society has the identification skills to provide (some would say â€Å"biased†) criticisms to differ the two dist inct gender roles. One includes the â€Å"masculine,† having the qualities and characteristics attributed to males, and the other, the â€Å"feminine,† having the qualities and characteristics attributed to females. Media creates subliminal meanings about gender, and plays a role in which we understand as part of ones’ identity. Violence and the thought of it being involved with gender is often discussed but rarely seen. This plays a role in our society and creates negative thoughts in those who are confused then forced to conform to a conventional role. CulturalShow MoreRelatedGender Socialization And Gender Roles998 Words   |  4 Pagesattention to the gender equality issues many societies face. Is this increased awareness helping towards a neutral gendered socialization process which will inevitably eliminate the inequality? Gender socialization is the process where an individual is impacted by agents of socialization through their life stages which consequently creates the gender roles we see in today’s society. The only way to start working towards a gender equal world is by making changes towards the gender socialization process. GenderRead MoreGender Socialization And Gender Roles999 Words   |  4 PagesEarly gender socialization is perhaps one of the most relevant issues and debates of early childhood. The beginnings of stereotypes for gender roles are typically established at birth, and continue a process of learning specific cultural roles and standards in accordance with the sex of the individual. Gendered interactions begin early in the family and hence influence the process of gendered socialization, as was such the case for myself growing up. Socialization comes from a number of sources:Read MoreGender Roles And Gender Socialization985 Words   |  4 PagesForum 1: Gender Roles and Gender Socialization 1.   Explain why gender is not a property of individuals but rather a feature of social situations.   Give specific examples, including your own experiences, in which gender differences were assumed to be natural but were really social constructed. Note: It helps to distinguish between the concepts of sex and gender in answering this question (see definitions in Chapter 3 and lecture notes). Gender is not a property of individual because it providesRead MoreGender Socialization And Gender Roles1452 Words   |  6 Pages120 Professor Lessor 5/14/2016 Gender role in socialization Gender socialization and gender roles have always existed in society. Gender roles are playing major part in our way of living. As we grow, we learn how to behave and respect from those surrounding us as well as children learn at a young age what it means to be a boy or a girl in our society . there are certain roles placed on boys and girls in accordance with their gender. These gender roles are set on children from birth andRead MoreSocialization Of Gender Roles1524 Words   |  7 Pagesborn, we are born into a world of conformity and obedience. Early in our lives, we look at authority figures like parents or teachers as these sentinels of guidance, as omnipotent beings with unwavering precision in their lessons. The concept of socialization is very perplexed, and it’s difficult to identify the variables that shape our development as we grow. As children, we communicate with the world free of inhibition, and find no fault in any of our actions; we could throw a tantrum a nd no one wouldRead MoreGender Socialization and Gender Roles Essay1184 Words   |  5 PagesGender socialization and gender roles have always existed in society. When analyzing gender roles, they are not always equal or consistent when comparing cultures, however, the expectations of females and males are often times clearly defined with a little to no common area. The Japanese culture is an example of the defined gender roles that change over time. According to Schafer (2010), because â€Å"gender roles are society’s expectations of the proper behavior, attitudes, and activities of males andRead MoreThe Role Of Socialization And Gender Roles852 Words   |  4 PagesINTRODUCTIOn tell me what you are focussing on†¦..family and theirgender roles Socialisation is the process by which a child learns to respect his or her environmental laws such as norms, values and customs. Socialisation helps the infant gradually become self-aware and a knowledgeable person, skilled in the ways of the culture into which he or she is born. Children within the primary socialisation of the family learn a great deal from parents and other care givers such as grandparents, grandmothersRead MoreThe Role Of Socialization On Gender Identity2394 Words   |  10 PagesThe Influence of Socialization on Gender Identity Gender-Role Conformity As evident from the generalized patterns found in differences in behaviour and outlook observed between the sexes, it may be tempting, as has been done in the past, to conclude that gender is an unavoidable aspect of human existence as determined purely from one s genes. Indeed, human physiology is subject to sexual dimorphism; statistically significant differences in brain size and rate of maturation of specific substructuresRead MoreGender Socialization Is The Process Of Learning Gender Roles And Expectations1177 Words   |  5 Pagestradition of gender socialization that facilitates prejudicial practices within the work environment. Gender socialization is the process of learning gender roles and expectations. It is what determines which things are considered masculine or feminine. This process tends to reinforce traditional gender ideologies. The cult of domesticity, or the idea that a woman’s place is in the home taking care of children while the man works, is one prominent expression of traditional gender roles. During childhoodRead MoreHow Toys Play A Role On Gender Socialization1229 Words   |  5 Pagesunusual for their gender. Toys are a prominent factor in this socialization, because they are typically presented for one gender and are unacceptable for the other. To assess how toys play a role in gender socialization, I made a trip to Toys â€Å"R† Us in College Station and was surprised by how the store was organized. The first thing that went through my mind when walking into the store was to look for the Girls and Boys signs that would indicate to me which section was for which gender. There weren’t

Driving Forces for M-Commerce Success Free Essays

Driving Forces for M-commerce Success Jason J. Zhang, Yufei Yuan, and Norm Archer Michael G. DeGroote School of Business McMaster University Hamilton, Ontario, Canada Abstract Is m-commerce just an extension or a subset of e-commerce? Will it turn out to be just more hype? In this paper we discuss the realities of m-commerce and the major differences between mobile commerce and Internet-based e-commerce. We will write a custom essay sample on Driving Forces for M-Commerce Success or any similar topic only for you Order Now Based on this understanding, we identify key factors that must be taken into consideration in order to design valuable m-commerce applications. We emphasize that the success of m-commerce relies on the synergy of three driving forces: technology innovation, evolution of a new value chain, and active customer demand. Key words m-commerce, e-commerce, wireless communication networks Jason J. Zhang is currently a Ph. D. student in Information Systems at Michael G. DeGroote School of Business, McMaster University, Canada. He received his M. E. degree in Information System Engineering at the School of Management, Dalian University of Technology, and B. E. degree in Computer Science Engineering at North China Institute of Technology, P. R. C. He once worked as an IT consultant for Office Automation (OA) for the Chinese government. His research interests include e-commerce, e-government, supply chain management, m-commerce, and agent-facilitated decision support systems. Yufei Yuan is currently a Professor of Information Systems at Michael G. DeGroote School of Business, McMaster University, Canada. He received his Ph. D. in Computer Information Systems from The University of Michigan in U. S. in 1985. His research interests are in the areas of web-based negotiation support system, business models in electronic ommerce, approximate reasoning with fuzzy logic, matching problems, and decision support in health care. He has published more than 30 papers in professional journals such as International Journal of Electronic Markets, Internet research, Fuzzy Sets and Systems, European Journal of Operational Research, Management Sciences, Academic Medicine, Medical Decision Making, International Journal of Human-Computer Sys tems, and others. Norm Archer holds the Wayne C. Fox Chair in Business Innovation, and is a Professor of Management Science and Information Systems in the Michael G. DeGroote School of Business at McMaster University. His research interests are in topics that relate to eBusiness, including business-to-business implementations, intelligent agents, and the human-computer interface. He has published in a number of journals, including Internet Research, International Journal of Management Theory and Practice, IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics, International Journal of Human-Computer Studies, International Journal of Technology Management, and others. 1. Introduction What is mobile commerce? Is it just hype? Almost every company in telecommunications is trying to figure out what m-commerce really is, and how to exploit it. From the marketers’ vision, in the new world presented by m-commerce, consumers can use their cell phones and other wireless devices to purchase goods and services just as they would over the Internet using their personal computers (PCs). Specifically, m-commerce is about content delivery (notification and reporting) and transactions (purchasing and data entry) on mobile devices (Leung and Antypas, 2001). Unfortunately, in reality, m-commerce is often a highly frustrating experience. Industry observers attribute this drawback to the immaturity of mobile technology, but they believe 3G (third generation wireless digital cellular telephone technology) networks could change the situation (Cohn, 2001). While m-commerce is still in its infancy, enhanced devices and networks are irrelevant unless m-commerce applications are compelling and user friendly. Most often m-commerce is understood as mobile e-commerce (Donegan, 2000; Schwartz, 2000; Liebmann, 2000). M-commerce is supposed to enable us to buy everything from anywhere over the Internet without the use of a PC. Internet access and Web browsing is assumed to be the key to extending m-commerce to customers (Harter, 2000). In many ways, m-commerce is the continuation of e-commerce with the palm handheld, wireless laptops and a new generation of Web-enabled digital phones already on the market (Keen, 2001). Thus it was once believed that if you brought together mobile communications and the Internet, two of the biggest things in telecommunications, there would be an almighty explosion of growth. However, it has not happened yet. In many ways, m-commerce and the wireless Internet have been the victims of over-excited speculation (Darling, 2001). Among 1,700 people surveyed in Spring 2000 by Jupiter Communications, the majority said that they would not use nor pay for the wireless Web (Lindsay, 2000). WAP (Wireless Application Protocol) services were disappointing, particularly in Northern Europe countries, where mobile communications are most advanced and consumers know well the limitations of the wireless Web (Monica, 2000). Consequently, the enthusiasm that originally greeted the concept of the mobile Internet has waned. Contrary to conventional perspectives on m-commerce, forward-thinking marketers should not view m-commerce as e-commerce with limitations, but rather as wireless in its own unique medium, with its own unique benefits (Cotlier, 2000). Even though wireless technology is sometimes regarded as an enhancement tool rather than a brand new medium (Ramakrishnan, 2001), successful players in the m-commerce market space must take a much broader view of the technology, the market, and potential consumers. M-commerce is not simply a new distribution channel, a mobile Internet or a substitute for PCs. Rather, it is a new aspect of consumerism and a much more powerful way to communicate with customers. Obviously, people will not shop with their phones in the same way they shop with PCs. Unleashing the value of m-commerce requires understanding the role that mobility plays in people’s lives today. That calls for a radical shift in thinking (Nohria and Leestma 2001). In this paper, we will identify driving forces for the success of m-commerce. To clarify the nature of m-commerce, we discuss several fundamental differences between m-commerce and Internet-based e-commerce. Based on this new perspective of m-commerce, we identify a set of key factors that should be considered by marketers as well as consumers in making decisions concerning m-commerce applications. Finally, we propose that the synergy of three driving forces will lead to a greater likelihood of success for m-commerce. 2. Key differences between m-commerce and e-commerce As we argued, m-commerce is not simply an extension or a subset of e-commerce. In fact, there exist fundamental differences between m-commerce and e-commerce in terms of their origins, technologies and the nature of the services they can offer. 2. 1 Origin The emergence and development of e-commerce was due to the rapid growth of the Internet. The Internet originated from several U. S. government-sponsored programs (ARPANET, CSNET and NSFNET, etc) aimed at providing a networked computing environment for researchers (Kalakota and Whinston, 1996). Starting from the early 1990s, the Internet was extended to business community applications. With such great business potential and rapid growth to millions of users, the term â€Å"electronic commerce† was coined, and e-commerce applications expanded rapidly (Turban et al. , 1999). Because of widely-expanding networks and nearly free access to the Internet, e-commerce bridges distances and enables companies to display and sell goods and services cheaply to consumers and businesses around the world. In the Internet world, much is given away free or at a discount in the hope that a way will eventually be found (presumably through advertising income) to turn traffic into profits. Contrarily, m-commerce is rooted in paid-for service in the private mobile phone industry where business competition is stiff. In the telecom world, users pay for airtime, by the size of the data packet transmitted, and by the service used for what they get (Fox, 2000). Global wireless networks are segmented and owned by different mobile operators such as ATT, Pacific Bell Wireless, Vodafone, Orange, Deutsche, NTT DoCoMo, etc. Compared to almost free Internet access, high cost has been seen as a major characteristic of m-commerce (Shim and Rice, 2001). Mobile communication through cell phones is costly, and any additional services will attract extra charges. The reason is that establishing a mobile communication network requires heavy business investment with no government support (Ramakrishnan, 2001). M-commerce carriers therefore must look for a great deal of business activity to generate revenues that justify the huge infrastructure investments (Lamont, 2001). Due to their different origins, the customer bases of m-commerce and e-commerce are quite different. Researchers and university educators were the early users of the Internet. The Internet user population was originally dominated by highly educated people. As Internet household penetration increases, the demographics of users continue to shift closer to those of the population at large (Pastore, 1999). This growth pattern is clear in U. S. and tends to be repeating in the rest of the world (http://cyberatlas. internet. com/ big_picture/demographics). In contrast, other than business users, most cell phone users are young people or relatively less well-educated consumers. Over the next decade, billions of people will gain access to mobile devices, but many of them will be functionally illiterate and technologically unsophisticated users (Feldman, 2000; Barnett et al. 2000). Because of their differences in background, consumers tend to have quite different expectations for m-commerce, compared to e-commerce. For example, one reason for the low uptake of the wireless Internet in the U. S. is that most Americans already are familiar with the wired Internet and expect to pay for wireless Internet access as they do for wired access: unlimited access for a flat monthly fee (Fox, 2000). 2. 2 Technology The Internet, the fundamental infrastructure of e-commerce, adopted a well-established protocol, TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol), which solves the global internetworking problem and ensures that computers communicate with one another in a reliable fashion. Over the past everal years, the World Wide Web (WWW) has come to dominate Internet traffic, and the vast majority of e-commerce applications are Web-based. It is also easy to connect the Internet with existing business information systems. Uniform Internet standards significantly reduced e-commerce entry costs and helped fuel the rapid growth of e-commerce. In contrast, m-commerce services are constrained by a variety of wireless media communication standards ranging from global (Satellite), reg ional (3G, IEEE 802. 11a/b, DoCoMo I-mode), to short distance (Bluetooth) (Shim and Rice, 2001). Cellular carriers use different systems and standards such as GSM (Global Service for Mobile), TDMA (Time Division Multiple Access), and CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) to compete with each other (Leung and Antypas, 2001). M-commerce applications tend to be device and carrier dependent. The wireless applications today primarily use two technologies: WAP and SMS. WAP (Wireless Application Protocol) is the display language designed for cellular handhelds. It was created by Motorola, Ericsson, Nokia and Phone. com in 1997 when they founded the WAP Forum. WAP is a derivative of the XML/HTML language family, but it is designed to operate without a keyboard or mouse. SMS (Short Message Systems/Services) is a derivative of the old numeric paging network, with additional functionality for two-way communication and support for text and attachments. There are more users of SMS today than of WAP, thanks to cheaper service and the widespread availability of low-cost, two-way paging devices from companies such as Motorola (Leung and Antypas, 2001). Until now, there has been no generic world-wide framework and standard for application development using universal mobile connection and access. In fact, wireless technology is still in its infancy and hindered by limited coverage and a smorgasbord of competing standards, which can explain the slower-than-expected adoption of m-commerce in the United States (Shim and Rice, 2001). Choosing from conflicting standards, products and features, gives even hardened technophiles a headache. The pyramid of m-commerce applications thereby presents a much more complicated process, in which many pieces must fall into place before the mobile phone can be seen as a real revenue generator. In addition to underlying networking infrastructure and standards, it is the client devices that actually determine what specific services can be delivered. The boom in e-commerce applications is actually due to the widespread use of PCs, which have a complete text input keyboard, large screen, substantial memory, and high processing power. Contrarily, various m-commerce applications rely on the use of handheld devices. These devices range from pagers, cell phones, and palmtops, to pocket PCs. Mobile devices such as cell phones and PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants) have tiny screens, some of which display only three lines of text at once (Lucas, 2001). The displays are black and white with low resolution; there are no QWERTY keyboards, and no support for animation (Leung and Antypas, 2001). Although WAP devices support a limited graphics format called Wbitmap, because mobile devices have limited bandwidth and small screens, any application that is heavily graphic or animation driven would not be suitable at this time. In addition, software applications are relatively crude. There are no cookies or session controls, meaning that if the connection is lost, the application will restart rather than continue from previous screens (Leung and Antypas, 2001). Web browsers and drop-down menus are unavailable, so companies must plan on character-based terminal applications with cursors and key entry forms. Long selection lists or deep menu layers will wear out the fingers of even the most patient users (Moustafa, 2000; Jainschigg and Grigonis 2001). However, in contrast to PCs, cell phones do have their own unique features: mobile, portable (small size), smooth voice communication, and connected to persons (primarily because of portability) rather than to home or office. 2. 3 The Nature of Services The wide accessibility of the Internet makes any e-commerce service globally available. The Web enables search and delivery of rich information, and sophisticated electronic transaction processes can be integrated easily with backend enterprise information systems. In contrast, the delivery of m-commerce applications relies on private wireless communication carriers. These services are usually delivered to a specific region, and are rather simple, more personalized, location-specific and time-sensitive. Since a mobile device usually accompanies a person wherever he or she goes, mobile services can be delivered to a person anywhere and anytime rather than to a fixed office or home. M-commerce therefore creates more of a perception of enhanced intimacy with consumers than other office-based distribution channels. Time sensitive, simple transactions such as movie ticket purchases, banking, and travel reservations are believed to be the key applications that will stimulate m-commerce (Lucas, 2001; Swartz, 2001-2). Other key drivers to m-commerce growth are location-based applications such as traveler navigation, emergency response, etc. (Secker, 2001; Rockhold, 2001; Swartz, 2001-1). Finally, in general we categorize Internet based e-commerce into B2C (business to consumer) and B2B (business to business). The rapid growth of e-commerce started from the booming of dot. com companies aimed at online shopping and customer services. Gradually, the emphasis shifted to B2B, and more recently e-business, to take advantage of the real business value of the Internet. In contrast, mobile commerce started from person to person communication, and gradually more services were introduced through interactions between people and systems: checking the weather, finding a local restaurant, etc. M-commerce applications can be used to serve both consumers and business people. Rather than apply B2C and B2B classifications to m-commerce, P2P (Person to Person) and P2S (Person to System) would be more appropriate to address the nature and trend of m-commerce applications. The details of m-commerce applications will be discussed in the next section. The major differences between m-commerce and e-commerce are summarized in Table 1. Table 1. Major Differences Between M-commerce and E-commerce | | | | | |E-commerce |M-commerce | | | | |ORIGIN | | | |Sponsorship |Government-sponsored Internet |Private mobile phone industry | |Business entry cost |Low |High | |Customer access cost |Free or low cost Internet access |High mobile service charge | |Customer base |Highly educated computer users |Less educated cell phone customers | | | | | |TECHNOLOGY | | | |Message transmission |Packet-switched data transmission |Circuit switched for streamlined voice | | | |communication | |Protocol |TCP/IP, HTTPML |GSM, TDMA, CDMA, 3G | |Standardization |Highly standardized |Multiple incompatible standards | |Connectivity |Global |Mainly regional | |Bandwidth |High |Low | |Identity |URL with IP and domain name |Phone number | |Application development |General computer appli cations |Device-specific applications | |Interface device |Personal computers |Cell phones and PDAs | |Mobility |Fixed location |Mobile | |Display |Big screen |Small screen | |Main input mode |Keyboard for full text input |Voice with small key pad | |Main output mode |Text and graphics |Voice with small text display | |Local rocessing power |Powerful CPU with large memory and disk space |Limited processing power with small memory chip | |Software and Programming |Support a variety of programming languages |Java or specific script languages | |Trend |Towards sophistication |Towards minimization | | | | | |SERVICES | | | |Service range |Global |Regional | |Delivery destination |PC in office connected to the Internet |Person accompanied by a mobile device | |Transaction complexity |Complete and complex transactions |Simple transactions | |Information provided |Rich information |Simple and short messages | |Timing |Less time-critical |Time critical | |Location-based service |No |Yes | |Target mobility |Service to a fixed point |Service to a moving target | |Backend business connection |Strong connection to backend business information |Weak connection to backend business information | | |systems |systems | |Service classification |B2C (business to consumer) and B2B (business to |P2P (person to person) and P2S (person to system)| | |business) | | 3. Key Factors in Designing M-Commerce Applications Once we have identified the major differences between wireless mobile communication based m-commerce and Internet based e-commerce, we can identify the key factors that must be taken into consideration in designing useful m-commerce applications. 3. 1 Mobility M-commerce opportunities can be very significant, if investors understand consumer groups intimately and develop ubiquitous solutions that recognize the role that mobility plays in consumers’ lives (Nohria and Leestma, 2001). In business services, not being forced to be hardwired enables a company’s employees to remain connected while moving from office to office, or state to state; they can tap into the corporate network from airport lounges and hotel lobbies. For individual consumers, mobile devices basically allow them to keep in touch with their friends and families anywhere and anytime. For instance, videophone users can take pictures wherever they go and send them attached with short notes to friends while shopping, traveling, or simply hanging out (Kunii, 2001). Beyond person to person mobile communication, additional value can be generated by linking mobile consumers and existing services. Mobile consumers can access various services anytime and anywhere, presenting new marketing channels for businesses. While traveling, a user may use a mobile phone to control a home burglar or fire alarm system and to turn lights on or off as if at home (Fox, 2000). 3. 2 Personal identity and built in payment mechanisms Since mobile devices, particularly cell phones, are registered by their subscribers and normally accompany the person, it becomes possible to identify and deliver personalized services to the user. A cell phone with additional security information such as a PIN number or biometric identification technology can be used to identify a person. A payment mechanism may also be built into the cell phone system. It is then possible to allow consumers to use their wireless phones as devices to make or trigger a payment (bus ticket, vendor machine etc. ), similar to the use of a smart card or an ATM machine. And there are even a few vending machines that let users pay for soft drinks using their cell phones (Fox, 2000). Credit card numbers could also be replaced by cellular phone numbers for wireless transactions. Relying on a third party payment mechanism is always a big hurdle for Internet-based e-commerce because an IP address cannot identify a person. However, this difficulty could be easily overcome in m-commerce with the use of an identifiable mobile device. Hence, cell phones naturally support e-Wallet applications in m-commerce, which is crucial to the success of other applications. Certainly, systematic security solutions involving PKI (Public Key Infrastructure) and biometric services should be adopted as well (Young, 2001). As an example Obongo has modified its e-wallet software for use on wireless devices. A so-called m-wallet contains the cardholder’s account data, name, and mailing address, and is accessed with the push of a button. Once opened, the data within the wallet are transferred to the merchant to complete the payment (Lucas, 2001). M-wallets make micro-payments easier and help carriers charge for advanced services such as digital media and game applications that consumers cannot get any other way (Swartz, 2001-2). Besides financial services, personalization in m-commerce can migrate into entertainment (music and games, etc), content services and even personalized marketing. Since mobile operators maintain personal information on subscribers, a CD vendor, for example, could simply ask customers to verify payment information and a shipping address through their cell phone displays rather than have them fill out forms each time from scratch (Barnett, et al. 2000). Good potential applications of the content revolution are personalized software that deliver highly targeted offers for large- or small-ticket items that consumers can act upon, even while waiting in line (Lucas, 2001). 3. 3 Location-Based Services To date location-based services have been regarded as key enablers of m-commerce’s future success, according to the current hype (Swartz, 2001-1). Portable geographic positioning systems (GPS) are becoming smaller and more affordable, at costs in the neighborhood of only about U. S. $200. These systems can be used not only to identify locations, but also for business to deliver location-sensitive services to users. The ability to target rich and relevant information to end-users provides great potential value in location-based applications. For instance, it would be quite useful to provide driving directions and local commercial services where users happen to be, such as near specific restaurants, movie shows, bus schedules, weather reports and guided tours in museums (Shaffer, 2000; Taaffe, 2001). Hence, one of the selling points of m-commerce applications is proximity. Go2Systems, in Irvine, Calif. , one of a swarm of vendors eyeing the uses of ALI (automatic location identification) data, linked with Coca-Cola to steer wireless customers to stores selling Coke products (Jones, 2000). Coca-Cola, the world’s best-known brand, has ventured into the wireless world by providing its fountain clients (McDonalds, Burger King and more than 800,000 U. S. estaurants) with the opportunity to attract additional business by placing their names on Go2 Systems’ wireless services. Their 5-year, U. S. $30-million deal will allow customers to find the nearest Coke fountain location through their cellular phones with Go2 l ocation-based direction services, which include addresses, turn-by-turn directions and one-click calling (Swartz, 2001-1). CT Motion, a location-based services developer, provides an m-coupon application, by which the mobile user can receive an electronic coupon from a retailer in his or her specific location (Secker, 2001). Imagine that a young teenager is riding his skateboard through the park on a Saturday afternoon, when his cell phone beeps. It is a message from the Soda X portal that the local professional soccer team is playing tonight, and the store that he is approaching is offering him half-price tickets for the game if he buys a pair of jeans today. Privacy concerns are critically important while implementing location-based advertising. Pull mode may resolve the issue of privacy, when a mobile user requests information and is willing to receive an advertisement (Secker, 2001). However, many location-based applications are still to be developed; few carriers have a strategy, let alone a business model (Swartz, 2001-1). Location-based services would have to be targeted extremely well, in order to avoid damaging trusted relationships that merchants already have with customers. Location can be traced not only for people but also for other objects. Cellpoint, a supplier of location-based services (LBS) software, provides the applications used to track remote assets such as fleet vehicles and construction equipment, and also provides telemetric products that allow remote machine-to-machine communications (Secker, 2001). It is also possible to trace a stolen car or a missing child that is carrying a specially designed radio device. 3. 4 Time-critical impulse purchasing Mobile phones are carried by their owners almost everywhere and kept switched on most of the time, especially in Europe, where mobile users are not charged for incoming calls. Consumers can thus not only gain access to wireless services wherever there is a network presence but also keep tabs on time-critical information such as stock market reports or urgent messages. Time-sensitive and simple transactions are another key to stimulate m-commerce. For some applications of m-commerce such as scanning news or purchasing books or other retail items, real-time transactions are not necessary. Nonetheless, there is a great deal of value in being able to monitor dynamic information through wireless handheld devices, such as aircraft flight status, shipping status, seat reservations or stock prices, and to alert the user when the information is updated (Shaffer, 2000; Schwartz, 2000; Leung and Antypas, 2001). There will be even more value in emergency situations such as medical care, traffic accidents, emergency road service, and crime reporting. Particularly with the mandatory ALI (automatic location identification) data supplied by a few key vendors such as Xypoint, U. S government emergency systems like E911 (Enhanced 911) could be improved (Jones, 2000). The United States’ FCC (Federal Communications Commission) mandates that the location of wireless callers be identified during a 911 emergency call. The MapInfo ® (www. mapinfo. com) Location Management Platform (LMP) is used to enhance a carrier’s 911 service by automatically routing 911 calls to an appropriate Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) for handling and dispatch. 3. 5 Special Market Niches Mass-market consumers will be the really big users of m-commerce applications. And the customer base is large enough for potential revenue in the medium to long term (Sweeney, 2001). A single killer application would not work for everybody and there is going to be a whole set of niche applications that are relevant to each target audience. The mobile industry believes that location-based service advertising will have stimulated m-commerce so much that operators would eventually offer free phone charges to subscribers who are prepared to have advertising on their screens on a permanent basis. In particular, youth has a very powerful influence on this market (Secker, 2001). Actually, young people have been a major target of various m-commerce applications, particularly SMS and DoCoMo iMode services (Herman, 2000). Besides focusing on youth, mobile operators also suggest marketing future mobile data technology much more aggressively to business users (Parsons, 2000). In any case, for new m-commerce opportunities, carriers should be cautious about implementing applications that require changes in consumer behavior. If many technology hurdles are to be overcome, along with a corresponding unreasonable change in behavior, the application is unlikely to succeed. Additionally, price marketing is by far the most important in creating m-commerce value (Lamont, 2001). Mobile carriers therefore need to develop unique offerings for each target market segment or services targeted, according to geographical location and demographics (Schneiderman, 2001). Learning about and analyzing customer psychology, and taking marketer perspectives would help carriers segment the mass-market and target specific to m-commerce applications. We actually need to shift our way of thinking to exploit the uniqueness of m-commerce applications that can be brought to bear in our lives, rather than to be confined to thinking within the limitations of mobile devices. The factors that need to be considered for m-commerce applications are summarized in Table 2. Table 2. Key Design Factors and Typical Applications | | | |Factors |Typical Applications | | |Mobile communications (for business and personal contacts) | |Mobility |Scheduling and coordination (: e. g. appointment arrangements, reminders, | | |teleconferencing, etc. ) | | | |Location-sensitive |Travel navigation (driving or walking directions) | | |Local tours (exhibitions, shopping malls, etc) | | |Locating local services (restaurants, gas stations, etc) | | |Locating moving objects (missing children, stolen cars, etc) | | |Short Message Services (SMS) | |Time-critical |Time-critical information (flight schedules, weather reports, traffic information, stock| | |prices) | | |Emergency services (medical care, accident and rescue services, crime stoppers) | | |Personal identification (secure entrance with biometrics check) | |Personal identity |Electronic payments (e-Wallet) | | |Personalized location-aware advertisement | | |Language-specific services (automatically switch to or t ranslate to desired language) | | |Demographic segmentation (oriented to young people or business people). | |Special market niche-targeted |Country segmentation (tailored to specific country) | | | | 4. Synergy of Three Driving Forces For m-commerce growth we identify three major forces that impel its growth: technology innovation, evolution of new value chains, and active customer demand. We propose that the synergy of these three forces will eventually lead to the success of m-commerce applications. 4. 1 Technology Innovation Technological progress is likely to bring about some novel applications for m-commerce. Here we identify several major technologies, improvements in which are expected to have a significant influence on m-commerce. The primary concern is with the capabilities of handhelds, the fundamentals of mobile networks, the accuracy of geographic location information, and security solutions. (1) Handhelds Low-cost, truly pervasive devices that present multi-modal information and perform transactions naturally can dramatically change what many people do and how they do it (Feldman, 2000). In the next several years, wireless devices will improve in interface design and information presentation. In countries like China and Japan, where the written language has never fit well with a Western keyboard, handhelds that employ handwriting or speech recognition seem ideal (Herman, 2000). Wireless keypad mnemonics can also make the entry of data easier for consumers (Young, 2001). Subscriber identity modules (SIMs) may take over due to their competitive advantage over voice or keystroke activation (Chanay, 2001). Newer devices will use expandable color screens capable of displaying up to 12 lines of text, more user-friendly keypads, and higher communication bandwidth (Lucas, 2001). Smart card memory capacity will reach 1MB by 2005. The processing capability of smart cards has increased and has given users the ability to enjoy more computationally intensive, high-value, transaction-based operations that require such features as digital signing and encryption (Moustafa, 2000). For those who crave the cutting edge, there are DoCoMo’s (in Japan) impressive third-generation handhelds, which can capture and send high-quality color movies almost in real time (Kunii, 2001). By using a DoCoMo camera-phone, it is possible to imagine being in a store shopping for a gift for a child and calling your spouse to show her what you are thinking of buying. Besides improvements in user interfaces, applications and underlying middleware configurations will allow for interactions to switch communication modes smoothly without losing clarity or the thread of conversation. The Java Card Forum has developed specifications for implementing Java on smart cards. Support of Java on SIMs will allow wireless terminals to reach the Java developer community, simplifying the development of new services (Carrara, 2000). Overall, next-generation devices are expected to combine the functions of Personal Digital Assistants or PDAs (data exchange) and cell phones (verbal communication). (2) Network infrastructure The current (second) generation of wireless networks and handhelds supports data rates of only 9. 6 kilobits per second, far below the 64 Kbps capabilities of landline copper wires. GSM (Global System for Mobile Communication), the most common cellular standard, is being extended by the GPRS (General Packet Radio System), which can support data rates of 112 Kbps, almost twice the rate of a standard computer modem and enough to support high-quality streaming audio. True third-generation (3G) networks, based on the UMTS (Universal Mobile Telephone System) standard, are predicted to raise the maximum rate to 2 Mbps — one-fifth of the bandwidth available on the standard Ethernet in today’s offices (Barnett et al. 2000) According to Ovum, 3G will first take hold in Asia and Europe, with the rest of the world trailing a year or two behind (Fitchard, 2001). Currently, the leader in the field is Japan’s existing second-generation, or 2G, digital networks that provide always-on connections for data transmission and support a wide range of online services – from news, weather, and ticket-booking to downloads of games and ring tones (Kunii, 2001). Therefore, in the next several years, hybrid elements of 2G, 2. 5G and 3G will be in play simultaneously on wireless operator infrastructure. Bluetooth is a short-distance, radio-based, point-to-point technology that, theoretically, can go up to 1 Mbps, and has already entered the market (Herman, 2000). It will be very useful for enabling location-based applications. It allows a wireless device to exchange data with PCs, laptop computers, point-of-sale devices and other wired devices without being physically connected by wires or adapters. Bluetooth is supported by more than 1,400 telecommunications and technology companies, including Motorola, Intel, and Lucent Technologies (Lucas, 2001). (3) Geographic location technology Location-based personalized services have been heavily touted as a major application for m-commerce. In order to deliver such services, mobile devices (particularly cell phones) should be able to keep track of an individual’s physical location as he or she moves about. Some companies are focusing on underlying technologies or services such as radio-based methods for determining where users are calling from, or software and systems that blend location data with other information (Shaffer, 2000). The FCC (Federal Trade Commission) has stringent requirements for location services, in which carriers have to offer network-based systems that deliver location information with an accuracy of 300 meters for 95% of calls and 100 meters for 67% of calls (Brewin, 2001). For instance, an FCC ruling requires all wireless carriers to find a way to pinpoint the location of the users dialing 911 emergency services. Although the requirements are meeting resistance from various carriers that say they cannot reach that level of accuracy or at least need more time to do so, some can meet the requirements with the portion of their networks that uses the GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) standard. (4) Security technology The lack of security is said to be one of largest barriers in delaying m-commerce implementation. In particular, security is a vital issue that affects the use of mobile technology in financial services, when account details and other confidential information move across the networks (Dezoysa, 2001-2). With regard to securing transactions, PKI (public key infrastructure) is believed to be the best method to secure end-to-end transactions (Moustafa, 2000). Besides securing wireless transactions from the cell phone to the m-commerce provider, the phone must also be secured from fraudulent use. Traditionally, the SIM card that stores the subscriber’s account information is used for identifying and authenticating the subscriber to the network. There are industry standards for SIMs used in digital wireless phones that help ensure that all SIM-based terminals can support any SIM applications and services a provider develops (Carrara, 2000). Dual chip phones even have an additional SIM-size slot for an independent multi-application chip card targeted at payment, such as a bank-issued WIM card (wireless identification module) or EMV card (a payment standard defined by Europay, Mastercard, and Visa International) and other banking solution applications (Dezoysa, 2001-2). In the near future, wireless biometric services will emerge as a common solution (Young, 2001). A biometric is a unique physical or behavioral characteristic of the human body, which may be checked automatically. The absolute verification of a user makes biometrics the highest security level. Biometrics come in many forms. In 2000, fingerprints were the most widely used biometric, accounting for 50% of the market, followed by hand geometry (15%), face recognition (12%), voice recognition (10%), handwritten signature recognition (8%), and iris scan (4%) (Biometric Industry Report, 2001). In recent years, biometrics have gone digital, and modern electronic systems are capable of distilling the arches, loops and whorls of conventional fingerprints into a numerical code. As an example, Champion Technology, a Hong Kong company, has launched a fingerprint recognition system, which takes only a few seconds to accomplish recognition (Leary, 2001). Biometric authentication offers some promise of strong and convenient security for cell phones, in which the subscriber’s signature or fingerprint can be thought of (mathematically) as a large random number (Crowe, 2001). These are easy for the owner to present to a machine but difficult for others to fake, and they cannot be lost, stolen or borrowed. The growing m-commerce industry eventually will settle on a set of solutions to all of the different security problems, building end-to-end solutions that are secure, cost effective and easy for consumers to use. However, successfully implementing good quality solutions relies upon the acceptance of standards (either de facto or negotiated) within the highly interdependent functions of this industry. 4. 2 Value Chain Evolution As we discussed above, m-commerce is primarily rooted in the cash-rich mobile phone industry. Therefore, equipment vendors and network operators have been dominant in the m-commerce world. And in some sense, the mobile operators own virtually all of the value chains (Donegan, 2000). Unfortunately, this operator-dominated value chain is not able to successfully deliver flawlessly integrated personalized services for mobile phone users, which is crucial to the success of m-commerce (Swartz, 2001-2). In theory, mobile operators could compete at all levels of the m-commerce value chain, from the provision of basic technical services to the supply of lucrative, customer-facing content, but this is simply not possible, since this will spread their skills and resources too thin. This has been abundantly demonstrated in the e-commerce marketplace, where different companies tend to invest and to focus on their specific expertise at particular levels of the value chain. There are some exceptions, where dominant companies such as Microsoft and General Electric attempt to extend their reach vertically. Companies normally should concentrate on areas in which they naturally hold a competitive advantage. In m-commerce, mobile communication operators thus need to make difficult decisions about which parts of the value chain to compete in – and how – and which parts to avoid. There are many critical roles that they may be able to play and a number of business models that may be suitable in these roles (Tsalgatidou and Pitoura, 2001). Some mobile data industry observers believe that, although Europe has a more advanced mobile communication infrastructure, the European approach to the m-commerce market will fail (Darling, 2001). They suggest that many European service providers want to own the customers and to support all the applications that customers want to perform. Some mobile operators may even want to become banks or content providers in their own right but, even though carriers have all the critical capabilities in place, including location, shopping, e-wallets, promotion and personalization, without partnerships with knowledgeable merchants and intermediaries, prospective customers will have nothing to access. Therefore, partnerships between -commerce providers, interested content providers, and other businesses are critical to the success of m-commerce. Providing complex data services is a very different business from running a voice network, so carriers have to choose partners to provide content, and dec ide which services to offer their customers. In pursuing value-added services, more entrepreneurial companies have the products and capability to get them integrated and delivered to handhelds (Goldman, 2000). Also, since capitalizing on the promise of m-commerce requires an in-depth understanding of consumer behavior, significant opportunities arise not just for providers of telecommunications services, but also for companies that have a rich and thorough knowledge of consumer behavior. However, from the merchants’ point of view, building m-commerce applications will present huge challenges, so companies need to leverage superior consumer insights to develop powerful branded solutions with value outside their traditional markets, particularly when forging alliances with telecommunications carriers (Nohria and Leestma, 2001). In a value chain, each party plays its specific role and gets its own benefits. Customer service charges depend on how much value the user receives, so there will be different pricing and business models for individual services (Secker, 2001; Darling, 2001). Revenue sharing in m-commerce value chains, particularly in those of location-based services (LBS), involving mobile operators, equipment vendors and application developers, will require a significant amount of negotiation. As an example, CT Motion is an LBS application developer and equipment vendor, providing operators with a platform to enable deploying and managing LBS. CT Motion licenses its platform to operators, with an initial fee to cover basic hardware costs and licensing. Additional payments to CT Motion depend on the revenue stream from application users. Thus, revenue share will essentially depend on the value of the application. For example, a company delivering a car theft recovery service is doing most of the work and so it might receive 95 percent of the revenue. For a simple application, the majority of the revenue will go to the operator and the platform enabler (Secker, 2001). In Table 3, we list the roles in an m-commerce value chain, the major players, and their corresponding sources of revenue. Table 3. Roles and Profit Sharing in the Value Chain | | | | |Role |Tasks |Major players |Sources of revenue | |Equipment Supplier |Manufacturing innovative handhelds and |Nokia, Ericsson, Motorola, etc |Selling phones, equipment, or | | |equipment | |sharing revenue with network | | | | |operators for discounted cell | | | | |phones | |Net work Operator |Developing and maintaining |Traditional carriers such as |Charges from increased network | | |infrastructure to support mobile data |Vodafone, Orange, Deutsche |traffic | | |communication |Telekom, AT and NTT DoCoMo | | |Service Hosting |Providing basic enabling services such |Existing Web-hosting companies |Shared revenue with application | | |as server hosting, data backup, systems|and system integrators such as |providers | | |integration and security control |Oracle | | |Portal Provider |Offering simple, categorized |Internet portal service providers|Fees charged to application | | |information search facilities crucial |such as Freeserve, AirFlash, |carriers and advertisers | | |to m-commerce applications. |Room33, Microsoft, Yahoo, AOL | | | | |Excite@Home. | | |Billing |Handling various sophisticated illing |Network operators such as |Transaction fees or interest | |Facilitator |mechanisms such as air-time-based, user|Vodafone, Orange, Deutsche |charged to merc hants or consumers | | |patterns-based, specific |Telekom, AT, NTT DoCoMo and | | | |application-based, location-based, etc |banks and credit card companies | | |Application Provider |Providing various end-user services |Existing Internet content |Revenue from customers for | | |such as ticket booking, e-mail |providers such as Yahoo, AOL and |services or products purchased | | |checking, news scanning, and |retail merchants (Coca-Cola, | | | |location-based services (LBSs) |PepsiCo, Procter Gamble, etc) | | To help observe the maturity of the various value chain components of m-commerce outlined in Table 3, and to understand where further development must occur, it is informative to consider the inter-corporate linkages of m-commerce. This can be done according to corporate contributions to required infrastructure, associated support services, and delivery of these services to customers. To this end, we have adapted the well-known University of Texas e-commerce model of Internet Economy Indicators (Whinston et al, 2001). In their model, there are four layers (Internet infrastructure, Internet applications infrastructure, Internet intermediary, and Internet commerce). M-commerce differs significantly from e-commerce, as we have pointed out, although there is some overlap in the functional nature of both. In our m-commerce value chain model, we also propose four layers: 1) Communications Infrastructure, 2) Applications Infrastructure, 3) M-commerce Intermediary, and 4) Mobile Commerce. Reading from the top of Table 3, the Communications Infrastructure layer includes equipment suppliers and network operators. The Applications Infrastructure includes service hosting, portal providers, and software companies that develop related software products and platforms. The M-commerce Intermediary layer includes billing facilitators, content providers, brokers, and market makers. Finally, the Mobile Commerce layer includes application providers that sell goods and services to customers. The interconnected and interdependent nature of these four layers of the value chain cannot be over-emphasized. Thus evolution in one layer will affect the other layers. For example, advances in the communications infrastructure, such as the widespread implementation of G3, will support new developments such as wireless video and bring more potential retail applications of mobile commerce that may be both time and location sensitive. But services to support these will require further evolution in both applications infrastructure and intermediaries. 4. 3 Active Customer Demand What is missing from m-commerce is compelling content that will make people want to use their handhelds to buy something. Consumers remain unconvinced about the wireless Web and user apathy towards wireless data services is believed to be one of the main factors delaying m-commerce implementation (Kelly, 2001). We propose that it is current narrowly-focused m-commerce applications (mainly on mobile Web systems) but not the fundamental nature of m-commerce, that frustrates consumers. The great advantage to people of eliminating fixed attachments to physical space, allows more strategic, creative, and flexible decisions and actually getting things accomplished (Kalakota and Whinston, 1996). Instead of waiting for killer applications to stimulate passive consumers, we propose that fundamental consumer demand is the active force that can improve the chance of m-commerce success. The success of the cell phone industry has already proved the significance of this active driving force. Today there are an estimated 115 million cellular phone users in the U. S. (Schooler, 2001). Market growth has been quite encouraging. Compared to the U. S, in Asia and Europe mobile telephony adoption is even more advanced (Herman, 2000). In Japan, the number of cell-phone users has already reached 66 million (Kunii, 2001). 64% of the people in Finland have a mobile phone, while the rate in Sweden stands at 55. 2% (Kruger, 2000). In China, the enthusiasm for mobile phones has exceeded all forecasts, and the mobile subscriber base will probably reach 250 to 300 million in 2005, up from 68 million in 2000 (Sliwa, 2001). Recently, the population of cell phone users in China has reached 135 million, making it the world leader. Beyond enjoying the basic service of mobile verbal communication, consumers are beginning to demand much more from their cell phones. Two-thirds of Japan’s cell-phone users subscribe to one of many mobile data services offered by the country’s three cellular operators. Even though the actual demands vary according to different geographical locations and demographics, consumers have played a decisive role in the success or failure of m-commerce efforts. Most potential m-commerce successes will arise from consumer demand for additional value in their daily lives, and there is unlikely to be a single killer application that can spark m-commerce success. What consumers need is an adaptable package that can accommodate various m-commerce services (personalized location-specific and time-sensitive). It is the variety of cost justification criteria adopted by consumers (in turn determined by demographics, regional cultures, current fashions, etc. ) that fundamentally affect their decisions concerning specific m-commerce services. According to a Nokia research study that focused on m-commerce services in the U. K. South Korea, Italy, USA, Brazil and Finland, the proportion of respondents that would carry out a transaction of more than U. S. $25 using a mobile device, ranged from 24 to 54 percent (Dezoysa, 2001-1). Also, 90 per cent of all end-users surveyed that would consider using m-commerce, either now or some time in the future, would be willing to pay for its use. However, this is on the assumption that the mobile device is free. It is still uncertain whether the cost of next generation phones can be subsidized by operators and, if they are not, how the added cost of paying over $150 for a mobile phone might well affect this figure (Dezoysa, 2001-1). DoCoMo recently sold about 10,000 videophones at a U. S. $500 price, with service limited to Tokyo (Kunii, 2001). In Europe, the cost of providing advanced handhelds equipped with high tech features is also likely to be in the neighborhood of $500 or more (Carrigan, 2001). For the additional cost of high tech handhelds to be acceptable, consumers will expect to be able to access many additional services that are of value to them. In Europe, where mobile users are not charged for incoming calls, consumers can thus not only gain access to wireless services wherever there is a network presence but also keep tabs on time-critical information such as stock market reports or other urgent messages (Barnett et al. 2000). Such consumers are more likely to take advantage of these services. The focus in m-commerce needs to be on delivering simple, time-sensitive, and compelling applications that do not require a lot of training. If it takes too much time (e. g. more than 5 minutes) to conduct an m-commerce transaction, it might as well be done with a PC. One example is notification about tickets to entertainment and sporting events. A consumer can contact a ticketing agency, such as TicketMaster, to request notification of availability of tickets for sale for an upcoming concert. When tickets meeting the consumer’s criteria become available, TicketMaster sends a message to the consumer’s wireless device and asks if the consumer wants to buy them or not. This is a simple yes-or-no transaction (Lucas, 2001). Any applications that require consumers to input much information will not work, because of keyboard limitations. For example, a visit to Barnes Noble’s WAP site to enter credit card number, address, and shipping information requires more than 100 keystrokes (Swartz, 2001-2). 4. 4 Synergy of three driving forces The success of m-commerce relies on the synergy of three driving forces: technology innovation, value chain evolution and active customer demand. Technology innovation provides more useful functions with lower prices, creating value for customers and stimulating customer demand. Technology innovation also demands high-level collaboration through the value chain. Active customer demand provides rich revenue sources for the value chain and stimulates technology innovation and the development of new applications. Value chain evolution ensures the collaboration of multiple parties through appropriate profit sharing, which in turn supports more technology innovation. Through positive interaction loops the three driving forces will eventually contribute to the success of m-commerce. This synergy is graphically illustrated in Figure 1. 5. Conclusions Are we ready for m-commerce? Differing perspectives of m-commerce may lead us to opposite answers. But our research into the nature of m-commerce shows that m-commerce applications are fundamentally different from those delivered in the Internet- based e-commerce environment. Simply transforming e-commerce services to cell phones or PDAs will merely expose the limitations of wireless handhelds and result in frustrating end-user experiences. Therefore, as we examine any speculation about m-commerce applications, we must attempt to exploit the unique features of mobile devices as well as to avoid their weaknesses. Furthermore, the eventual success of any m-commerce strategy depends on the synergy of the three driving forces we have identified: technology innovation, value chain evolution, and active customer demand. Acknowledgement: This research was sponsored by the research grant from Natural Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada. The authors are grateful for the anonymous referees’ constructive comments and valuable suggestions on the improvement of earlier version of the manuscript. References: Barnett et al. (2000), Nick Barnett, Stephen Hodges, Michael J. Wilshire, â€Å"M-commerce: an operator’s manual†, The McKinsey Quarterly; New York; 2000, No. 3, pp. 162-173 Biometric Industry Report (2001), â€Å"2000 Market Review†, Biometric Technology Today, Jan. , pp. 9-11. Brewin, (2001), Bob Brewin, â€Å"M-commerce hits snag as cell carriers balk†, Com How to cite Driving Forces for M-Commerce Success, Essay examples

Unhealthy Lifestyles and Diet Essay Example

Unhealthy Lifestyles and Diet Essay An unhealthy lifestyle means more illness and more expense to treat those illnesses. This means a bigger burden on an already challenged healthcare system. Poor health also means more time lost at work, less quality recreational time, and even shorter lifespan. But the people in this modern day have a mindset that takes good health for granted. One can suffer from years of aches and pains, and would just ignore them, and then feel so surprised when one finds out one has developed a serious chronic disease. Majorities would usually leave their health to the hand of the doctors, relying on the advance medical technology, medical drugs when the fall sick. We have the choice to live a healthy lifestyle, but many chose to live just for today, enjoy life, and most of the time end up suffering in pain with chronic diseases and illnesses. Unhealthy Lifestyle There are many factors contributing to the degeneration of health among many people today. We live in a terribly polluted world. We are all exposed to thousands of toxins and chemicals every day at work, home, in the air, and in the food that we eat and water we drink. In addition, we are eating more processed foods than ever before in human history and we constantly abuse or bodies with pharmaceuticals We are constantly bombarded by fast food at every corner. And video games have led the majority of teens to spend countless hours in front of the television being sedentary. We will write a custom essay sample on Unhealthy Lifestyles and Diet specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Unhealthy Lifestyles and Diet specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Unhealthy Lifestyles and Diet specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer And, as a result of all of this, there exists a generation that is out-of-shape, overweight and obese. Many would spent hours on a couch in front of the picture box watching their favorite TV programs, together with several packets of snacks like potato chips and other junk food, and they don’t get up from your butt to move around for the next couple of hours, and that’s alright. Too much junk food being put into childrens hands. Children were introduced to fast food restaurant at a very young age by their parent, having been brought up in this environment, they grew up spending long hours of their free time there ,chatting with friends, galloping burgers, French fries and cups of Coke, without thinking of how nutritionally deficient foods would intoxicate their body, But do children understand that junk food or snacks like potato chips, burgers and fries have high levels of fat, sugar or salt and are simply unhealthy? Junk food which contains saturated fat increases blood cholesterol levels and therefore increases your risk of heart disease and some cancers. Smoking and drinking are two big habits that can affect your health and the way you feel. Smoking, in particular, is one habit to quit if you havent already because it greatly increases the risk of heart disease and cancer. Alcohol can be fine in moderation, but when you are with some good buddies in a party, you may drown yourself with glasses of them without realizing how intoxicated your body is, it also can contribute to sleep problems and suppress your appetite, preventing you from eating well. Life is full of stress. Modern life is full of hassles, deadlines, frustrations, and demands. Work can be a stressful place, whether in an office, a factory, or a school. For many people, stress is so commonplace that it has become a way of life. Stress isn’t always bad. Some stress is good, it can help you perform under pressure and motivate you to do your best. But too much stress is bad, when you’re constantly running in emergency mode, your mind and body pay the price. The stress response also helps you rise to meet challenges. Stress is what keeps you on your toes. But beyond a certain point, stress stops being helpful and starts causing major damage to your health, your mood, your productivity, your relationships, and your quality of life. Long-term exposure to stress can lead to serious health problems. Chronic stress disrupts nearly every system in your body. It can raise blood pressure, suppress the immune system, increase the risk of heart attack and stroke, contribute to infertility, and speed up the aging process. Long-term stress can even rewire the brain, leaving you more vulnerable to anxiety and depression. Public are generally dependent on medical drugs and are not aware that medical drug side effects are dangerous to their health. In the world today, Many people seems to think that they just want medicines and drugs to solve their health problems, they believe they can always seek medical assistance,. But what they are not aware of is that these pharmaceutical medications may have potential adverse reactions. Some of the most popular prescription drugs on the market are used for the treatment of arious conditions such as high cholesterol to depression to rheumatoid arthritis to sexual enhancement. Some of these pharmaceuticals drugs can cause serious problems such as liver damage, muscle pain and in some cases severe muscle breakdown and even death. When you go to a medical doctor and he gives you many packs of pills and capsules in various colours, shapes and sizes, drugs which are toxic to your liver and do crazy things to your health and metabolism, perhaps you obediently swallow t hose little poisons without considering what they are doing to your body. Polluted Environment The industrial revolution, technological advancement and modern transportation have seriously depleted oxygen levels in our atmosphere. Our obsession with carbon-based fuels for power generators, planes and automobiles consumes vast amounts of oxygen daily. Coupled with this is the huge reduction of our forested areas and all plant life as the need for timber and paper continues beyond our production capacity. At the present time, scientists have determined that our atmospheric oxygen concentration levels are being reduced by about 0. 8 percent every 15 years or so. Regrettably, at the moment, there is no reason to believe that this trend is going to change. Toxic stress, toxic chemicals and air pollution (all of which are becoming more prevalent in our industrialized cities), as well as increased use of antibiotics, emotional stress (which produces adrenaline and adrenal-related hormones that use more oxygen), physical trauma (reduces circulation and oxygen supply) and infections (the body uses oxygen to fight bacteria, fungi and viruses). Frequent use of drugs also depletes your oxygen supplies at the cellular level. A shortage of oxygen in the blood could very well be the starting point for the loss of the immune system and the beginning point of health problems like cancer, leukemia, AIDS, seizures, nerve deterioration and candida. Future research will clarify the links between poor oxygen levels and disease. Initial symptoms of oxygen deficiency may include overall weakness, fatigue, circulation problems, poor digestion, muscle aches and pains, dizziness, depression, memory loss, irrational behavior, irritability, acid stomach and bronchial complications. When the immune system is compromised by a lack of oxygen, the body is more susceptible to opportunistic bacteria, viral and parasitic infections, colds and the flu. Oxygen deprivation can also trigger life-threatening diseases, as underscored by Nobel Laureate Dr. Otto Warburg’s assertion that cancer and other infections or diseases cannot live in an oxygen-rich environment. Poisonous agents from the household items. Our bodies are absorbing the harmful chemicals surrounding the environment today. It is thus imperative that we clean up our living environment as much as possible. Those regular detergents, soaps, shampoos, toothpastes and perfumes that we uses today contain many chemicals which are toxic to our bodies, some even carcinogenic. Although we dont directly ingest them, these chemicals are absorbed by our skin, other harmful chemicals such as turpentine, arsenic, insecticides, paints, etc. Again, even though we dont ingest them, we are constantly breathing in their gaseous fumes. Lack of Exercise. You just put in a good 10 hour day in front of your computer screen, and the last thing you want to do is exercise. Lets see, exercise, and improve your fitness level, or sit down with a glass of wine and watch your favorite evening television show. What would you do? Seventy percent of individuals know they should exercise, but choose the wine and the television program instead. Do you know this simple daily decision can end up being detrimental to your health? Effects of irregular eating or skipping meals †¢ Mouth ulcers †¢ Acidity and heart burn †¢ Nausea †¢ Constipation †¢ Lowered blood pressure †¢ Elevated uric acid (kidney disease) †¢ stresses brain and body †¢ Fat Storage Eating breakfast primes your metabolism and helps set its pace for the day, says Michelle A. Gordine, M. D. , author of the book Reclaiming Our Health: A Guide to African-American Wellness. By contrast, skipping breakfast puts your body in starvation mode, an energy conservation setting of your bodys metabolic machinery that promotes fat storage and discourages calorie-burning. †¢ Blood Sugar Skipping meals, particularly breakfast, can wreak havoc on your blood sugar levels. After fasting overnight, your blood sugar levels may be at their lowest ebb of the day. Skipping this meal can result in hypoglycemia dangerously low blood sugar which can cause you to feel dizzy or sleepy and overeat to compensate. A spike in blood sugar from a large afternoon meal leads to a late afternoon blood sugar drop, sending you on a blood sugar roller coaster, according to Roberta Larson Duyff, author of the American Dietetic Association Complete Food and Nutrition Guide. Instead, try cutting back on dinner and shifting the bulk of your calorie intake toward the first half of the day. You may find that eating this way gives you more energy when you need it the most. After doing this for a few days youll naturally become hungry at breakfast time. †¢ Malnutrition Older adults who experience decreased appetite as a function of aging may be in danger of malnutrition from skipping meals, according to nutritionist Sari Edelstein, Ph. D. , R. D. , author of the book Life Cycle Nutrition: An Evidence-Based Approach. Aging also brings with it decreased nutrient absorption. The combination of the two is a recipe for potential nutritional deficiencies. Early intervention can prevent weight loss and other serious health consequences, such as osteoporosis and decreased immune function. Brain Function Maintaining even-keeled blood sugar levels ensures that your brain and muscles receive a steady supply of glucose, their preferred fuel source. Eating regular meals results in better mental acuity, learning and memory, improved work performance and better strength and endurance. Your attitude toward work or school may also improve and you might find that y our demanding boss or that irritating co-worker arent as unreasonable as you previously thought. †¢ Blood Sugar Drops and Spikes One of the most important reasons that skipping meals is unhealthy is due to the affect this has on your blood sugar. When you eat a meal, your body breaks up the food. Some of this food is stored as fat, while other parts of it enter your bloodstream as sugar, and work to provide you with energy throughout the day. When you skip a meal, your blood sugar drops dramatically. This not only can make you feel sluggish and tired, but it can also wreck havoc with insulin in your body. If you chronically skip meals, you can be setting yourself up for the development of diabetes later in life. †¢ Inadequate Nutrition Another important reason why skipping meals is unhealthy is due to the fact that you are more than likely not receiving adequate nutrition. Eating a diet that is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean meats helps not only to ensure that your body functions properly, but can also help in the treatment and prevention of a number of serious conditions. Some conditions that can be improved with proper nutrition include cardiovascular disease, strokes, and some types of cancer. You may believe that you can skip meals and still achieve optimal nutrition by supplementing your diet with multivitamins. And while multivitamins do have their place, research has shown that these pills arent as effective as real food at providing your body with what it needs. For good health, try to eat as naturally as possible. †¢ Altered Metabolism You  typically  skip meals for two main reasons. One,  you are ultra busy and dont have enough time to grab a quick snack, or two, you are trying to lose weight. If you are one of the people who are trying to lose weight, you may be actually sabotaging yourself by skipping meals. When you eat, your metabolism, which is one of your bodys functions, works to break the food down into smaller, usable parts. When you skip a meal, your metabolism has nothing to do. In a way, your metabolism is like a muscle. You must use it, or you will lose it. When your metabolism does not have to work to break down food, it begins to slow down. Then, the next time you do actually eat something, your metabolism is not able to break the food down as quickly, and as a result the food is stored as fat. Therefore, in order to maintain a healthy weight (or even lose weight), it is essential that you eat regularly throughout the day. Recent research has found that five to seven small, regularly timed meals eaten over the course of a day works best when trying to maintain a healthy weight. The Effects of Sleep Deprivation Neurologic Effects Sleep deprivation mimics the effects of drinking alcohol you may experience slurred speech and uncontrolled reflexive movements of the eye called nystagmus. You may also develop a slight shakiness or tremor in your hands. Some people even have a more pronounced droopiness in their eyelids, called ptosis. Various other neurological reflexes can change in sleep deprivation. These are unlikely to causes symptoms you would notice. However, if your doctor were to test them, you may have sluggish corneal reflexes, a hyperactive gag reflex, and hyperactive deep tendon reflexes. In addition, you may have a reduced threshold for seizures. As a result, people with epilepsy are at greater risk for seizures when theyre sleep deprived. One thing that you may notice right away is an increased sensitivity to pain. Studies have shown our sensitivity to heat and pressure pain is especially enhanced when we don’t sleep enough. Also, there is reported to be an increased sensitivity to pain in our esophagus, as might occur in the setting of nighttime heartburn Vital Sign Changes Research studies have demonstrated that sleep deprivation may cause subtle changes in your vital signs. Vital signs are important physiological markers that are often tracked as part of a general health assessment. These include: †¢ Body temperature †¢ Blood pressure †¢ Heart rate †¢ Breathing rate †¢ Reduced decision-making skills †¢ Poorer memory †¢ Reduced concentration †¢ Reduced alertness †¢ Shortened attention span †¢ Slower than normal reaction time †¢ Poorer judgment †¢ Reduced awareness of the environment and situation †¢ Reduced work efficiency smoking, poor diet, lack of exercise and drinking too much increased the risk of dying by such a large degree that it was the equivalent to being 12 years older.

The analysis of Woodward in THE STRANGE CAREER OF JIM CROW 1955 essays

The analysis of Woodward in THE STRANGE CAREER OF JIM CROW 1955 essays The paper will analyze C. Vann Woodward's "The Strange Career of Jim Crow" (1955). "Woodward begin his series of lectures by nothing that, although an early form of Jim Crow-type legislation could be found in the cities of the antebellum North ("One of the strangest things about the career of Jim Crow was that the system was born in the North and reached an advanced age before moving South in force"), race relations in the nineteenth-century South were more often than not characterized by intermingling and close contact. (17) "In most aspects of slavery as practiced in the antebellum south," he notes, "segregation would have been an inconvenience and an obstruction to the functioning of the system. The very nature of the institution made separation of the races for the most part impracticable." (12) Similarly, while some elements of Jim Crow showed up during Reconstruction (such as the separation of churches and segregation of public schools), "race relations during Reconstruction could not be said to have crystallized or stabilized nor to have become what they later became. There were too many cross currents and contradictions, revolutionary innovations and violent reactions...for a time old and new rubbed shoulders and so did black and white in a manner that differed significantly from Jim Crow of the future or slavery of the past." (25, 26) In fact, Woodward, argues, even Redemption didn't herald the onset of Jim Crow. While "it would certainly be preposterous to leave the impression that any evidence I have submitted indicates a golden age of race relations in the period between Redemption and complete segregation," Woodward argues, "the era of stiff conformity and fanatical rigidity that was to come had not yet closed in and shut off all contact between the races, driven the Negro...

A Profile in Composition

A Profile in Composition A profile is a  biographical essay, usually developed through a combination of anecdote, interview, incident, and description. James McGuinness, a staff member at  The New Yorker  magazine in the 1920s, suggested the term profile (from the Latin, to draw a line) to the magazines editor, Harold Ross. By the time the magazine got around to copyrighting the term, says David Remnick, it had entered the language of American journalism (Life Stories, 2000). Observations on Profiles A Profile is a short exercise in biographya tight form in which interview, anecdote, observation, description, and analysis are brought to bear on the public and private self. The literary pedigree of the profile can be traced from Plutarch to Dr. Johnson to Strachey; its popular modern reinvention is owed to The New Yorker, which set up shop in 1925 and which encouraged its reporters to get beyond ballyhoo to something more probing and ironic. Since then, with the wacky proliferation of media, the genre has been debased; even the word itself has been hijacked for all kinds of shallow and intrusive journalistic endeavors.(John Lahr, Show and Tell: New Yorker Profiles. University of California Press, 2002)In 1925, when [Harold] Ross launched the magazine he liked to call his comic weekly [The New Yorker], he wanted something differentsomething sidelong and ironical, a form that prized intimacy and wit over biographical completeness or, God forbid, unabashed hero worship.  Ross told his writers and editors that, above all, he wanted to get away from what he was reading in other magazinesall the Horatio Alger stuff. . . .The New Yorker Profile has expanded in many ways since Rosss time. What had been conceived of as a form to describe Manhattan personalities now travels widely in the world and all along the emotional and occupational registers. . . . One quality that runs through nearly all the best Profiles . . . is a sense of obsession. So many of these pieces are about people who reveal an obsession with one corner of human experience or another.  Richard Prestons Chudnovsky brothers  are obsessed with the number pi and finding the pattern in randomness; Calvin Trillins Edna Buchanan is an obsessive crime reporter in Miami who visits the scenes of disaster four, five times a day; . . . Mark Singers Ricky Jay is obsessed with magic and the history of magic. In every great Profile, too, the writer is equally obsessed. Its often the case that a writer will t ake months, even years, to get to know a subject and bring him or her to life in prose.(David Remnick, Life Stories: Profiles From The New Yorker. Random House, 2000) The Parts of a Profile One major reason writers create profiles is to let others know more about the people who are important to them or who shape the world in which we live. . . . [T]he introduction  to a profile needs to show readers that the subject is someone they need to know more aboutright now. . . . Writers also use the introduction of a profile to highlight some key feature of the subjects personality, character, or values . . ..The body of a profile . . . includes descriptive details that help readers visualize the subjects actions and hear the subjects words. . . .Writers also use the body of a profile to provide logical appeals in the form of numerous examples that show that the subject is indeed making a difference in the community. . . .Finally, the conclusion of a profile often contains one final quote or anecdote that nicely captures the essence of the individual.(Cheryl Glenn,  The Harbrace Guide to Writing, concise 2nd ed. Wadsworth, Cengage, 201) Expanding the Metaphor In the classic Profile under [St. Clair] McKelway, the edges were smoothed out, and all effectsthe comic, the startling, the interesting, and occasionally, the poignantwere achieved by the choreography, in characteristically longer and longer (but never rambling) paragraphs filled with declarative sentences, of the extraordinary number of facts the writer had collected. The Profile metaphor, with its implicit acknowledgment of limited perspective, was no longer appropriate. Instead, it was as if the writer were continually circling around the subject, taking snapshots all the way, until finally emerging with a three-dimensional hologram.(Ben Yagoda, The New Yorker and the World It Made. Scribner, 2000)

Report on TESLA case study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Report on TESLA case study - Essay Example top managers, Tesla has been able to achieve success while at the same time adopting effective strategies such as the latest increment of more patents to more than 250. In addition, the partnership that the company has formed with companies such as Daimler makes Tesla to have a strong capital base. Tesla value chain analysis covers aspect such as inbound logistics, operations, and outbound logistics among others. Despite being a company with a strong support from the customers, Tesla was at one time involved in PR issue that involved poor batteries that lacked the information from the company on how to use them. Major business level strategies that are covered by the paper include use of extensive technology and innovation, formation of value-creating partnership, and production of cars that have different facilities as needed by the customers. Similarly, Tesla adopts corporate strategies such as expanding its market share, existing products into new markets such as Hong Kong, China and Australia among others, and production diversification among others. The major models that are covered to analyse Tesla operations include SAF and STAIR Models. Additionally, the paper provides some recommendation to the company such as penetrating emerging markets, establishing research and development centres in the developing countries, and continuing with product development among others. The purpose of using this analysis is to evaluate the risks and opportunities in the external environment that can have impact on the performance of Tesla. These include social, political, economic, environmental and technological factors. Tesla sells their cars in more than 17 countries in Asia, North America and West Europe. Protection laws are put in place for companies manufacturing cars to strictly meet the environmental laws on emission, thus the Tesla have to come up with the methods of dealing with the political pattern that can influence their business operations (Bernardez, 2005).

Clinical reflection paper exploring competencies in the transition to Essay

Clinical reflection paper exploring competencies in the transition to professional practice clinical block experience - Essay Example on gives scope for better understanding of oneself so that existing strengths can be used to build-up for future actions "(Somerville and Keeling, 2004). Every nurse registered under the Australian Nursing and Midwives Council or the ANMC needs to exhibit a certain degree of competency guided by the standard frameworks of competency standards designed by the ANMC (ANMC, 2005). High standards of competence can be maintained by the nurses through appropriate evaluation and examinations of ones own activities and performance, through clinical reflection. There are basically four domains of competency standards in nursing practice. They are professional practice, critical thinking and analysis, provision and coordination of care and collaborative and therapeutic practice (ANMC, 2005). In this essay, clinical reflection pertaining to critical thinking and analysis and provision and coordination of care will be discussed with reference to care of a a patient with diabetic ketoacidosis in a n emergency setting. While the domain of critical analysis and thinking refers to "self – appraisal, professional development, and the value of evidence and research for practice" (ANMC, 2005), the domain pertaining to coordination of care deals with "the coordination, organisation and provision of nursing care" (ANMC, 2005). Gibbs model of reflection will be used because the framework is straight forward and includes a cycle of clear description of the clinical situation, analysis of the feelings of the practitioner, evaluation of the actions during the situation, analysis of the various activities and experiences during the situation and a conclusion for lessons in future (Online learning, 2006). During my postings in the accident and emergency department, a 35 year old woman Mrs. X was brought to the emergency unit by her husband Mr.Y with history of fever since 2 days and abdominal pain and vomiting since few hours. The patient complained of easy fatiguibility and tiredness