Childhood Obesity Essay

Childhood Obesity Essay Free Online Research Papers The United States is dealing with an increasing epidemic of childhood obesity in our society. In the past years, Americans have changed their eating and exercise habits drastically for the worse. Children become the victims of obesity because of the lack of a nutritional diet, and exercise. Some claim that the media is to blame for the epidemic while others feel it is the parents responsibility. This eating disorder should be taken as a serious matter especially when childrens health is at risk. The evidence suggests that childhood obesity has been linked to future medical and psychosocial disorders. The American people need to start taking preventive measures to help decrease the rate of obesity in our youth. According to the American Heritage College Dictionary, Obesity is the condition of being obese; increased body weight caused by excessive fat (Pg. 940). Being overweight is a large build-up of adipose tissue, which is stored cellular fat. Obesity was never a big issue until recently when studies have shown increasing rates in adults and children. The number of children who are overweight has doubled in the last two to three decades; currently one child in five is overweight (NIH Pg 1). These statistics are mind-boggling considering a large increase in such a short time period. These numbers are prevalent in predicting future statistics on obese children in the United States. One child in five translates into 15 percent of Americans aged 6 to 19 that are overweight (Greaser Pg 1349). These statistics will only increase in years to come if nothing is done about it now. Genetics do play a role in a person involving weight gain, but there is not much we can do to change our gene makeup. Now there are two potential explanations for this. Either 50 percent of the population has the genes that make them susceptible to obesity, and the environmental factors are acting on this 50 percent, or 50 percent of the population is exposed to specific factors that are driving obesity that is not shared by the rest of the population (Symp) Proc. Pg.16). Regardless of genetic makeup, we need to start changing the poor eating habits and lack of physical activities encountered in every household. Children look up to parents as role models. The environmental issue is also a huge concern for childhood obesity. Unsafe streets, parks, and neighborhoods keep kids from playing outside and detrimental to a childs ability to lose excess pounds. With this information, any child is susceptible to becoming overweight and threatens an unhealthy lifestyle. One major concern is the increase in Americans becoming a fast food society. McDonalds, Burger King, and Taco Bell to name a few have become an easy source of a quick food fix for the whole family. Today take-out food accounts for over 30 percent of a familys food expenditures on a daily, weekly, or annual basis; across all spectrums of socioeconomic class (Symp. Proc. Pg 18). This percentage is forever increasing every year with more variety of fast food restaurants to choose from. Whatever happened to preparing a nutritious homemade meal? It seems as though families do not have enough time anymore to make homemade meals. These fast food joints entice children by creating kids meals that come with toys. This is how they target the child to eat their meals. Some may call it smart target marketing and to others promoting poor eating habits. It should be up to the parent to put their foot down and create better diet choices for their children. Some critics feel that the environmental factor is also involved in child obesity. Not all children experience growing up in an unsafe neighborhood, but a good percentage of them does. Mostly inner-city children have limited resources to release their extra energy after school or during the summer. It is unfortunate for children to have to live in fear of playing outside, but is the reality for many. For children that live in better areas do have opportunities to play outside whether it is in a park or a yard. According to the National Recreation and Park Association, 75 percent of Americans live within a two-mile walking distance of a public park (NIH Pg2). Every year more children would rather stay inside instead of playing outside. Park and recreation departments and other community-based organizations receive assistance from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute on providing activities for kids and adults that encourage healthy lifestyle choices (NIH Pg2). This program wo uld provide a prevention method to help control childhood obesity. These programs help kids to become more physically active and a good way for children to stay healthy. Others are quick to blame the media for contributing to childhood obesity. They use special marketing techniques to target a specific audience. Almost all children shows have commercials for junk foods and fast food restaurants. These advertisements use vibrant colors and extra incentives such as free toys, to make the child believe they need the product. Excessive advertising of junk foods especially to children is exacerbating the obesity problem in the United States and requires further regulation, according to a new report by a group of health advocates (Higgins Pg11). These food companies do not care about the well-being of kids. All they have in mind is to sell their products to children. This type of propaganda needs to be regulated to a minimum so that children can have a brighter future with fewer health risks to be concerned about. Schools are also a deciding factor of childrens eating behaviors. Schools are always speculated on because it is supposed to provide structure for children. Most schools offer junk food and soda through vending machines to children. An increasing number of schools are also encouraging healthy lifestyle behaviors. More nutritious choices in cafeterias and vending machines, such as salad bars and baked food rather than fried, encourage kids to try items other than sodas, candy bars, and French fries (NIH Pg3). The cafeteria food that provides children with meals follows a strict a dietary guideline. For the most part, these meals are nutritious and from the main food groups. Consuming nutritious healthy food has been reported to helping a child learn more throughout the school day. Since schools see children every day, they realize the major problem in overweight children and how it has become a serious public health issue. Most schools have stopped the sale of junk food and other item s that are high in calories and fat. It is a parents responsibility to set a good example and be a good role model for their children. While children can play ball at the local park and choose healthier foods in school, at the end of the day family support is what really counts. You are a role model for your kids. Children form habits from parents, and usually, maintain them into adulthood (NIH Pg3). Children learn mostly from their parents and need a platform for them to eat right and include daily activities in their normal routines. As a child grows they depend on a parent to nurture them and obtain a normal healthy lifestyle. The risks obese children face can be detrimental to their health. Overweight children can develop type 2 diabetes mellitus, which is when the pancreas cant secrete enough insulin to break down the high level of sugars. The combination of increased insulin and insulin resistance is the mechanism responsible for non-insulin-dependent or type 2 diabetes mellitus, a disease whose increase in frequency may parallel the increased prevalence of obesity (Gidding Pg2). This type of diabetes has been diagnosed for obese children and is believed to be a link to obesity. Type 2 diabetes mellitus is compared to be the same as diabetes found in adults. Overweight kids face the risk of heart disease from having high cholesterol levels and blood pressure (NIH Pg1). The bodys vital organs work a lot harder in an obese child rather than a healthy child. Any excess fat a body carries brings tremendous stress to an individuals physical health. Overweight children also experience sleeping problems. One of the most severe problems for obese children is sleep apnea (interrupted breathing while sleeping). In some cases, this can lead to problems with learning and memory (NIH Pg1). Sleep apnea is believed to have an effect on memory loss and learning disabilities in children. Maybe this accounts for increasing numbers of obese children in need of special education, but no studies have been reported on it. Overweight adolescents have a 70 percent chance of becoming overweight or obese adults (NIH Pg1). Of course, the percentage is approximate, but it reveals that obesity has become a problem in our country. Overweight children are also threatened with developing asthma, orthopedic problems, among other diseases they can easily contract with this type of eating disorder. These children risk having diabetic complications, including heart disease, stroke, blindness, limb amputation, and kidney failure, before they reach the age of thirty (Brownell Pg 47). These health risks will follow them into adulthood. They are more prone to these and other diseases as they grow older. The chances of living a long life decrease rapidly with these health risks. But perhaps more devastating to an overweight child than the health problems is social discrimination. Children who are teased a lot can develop low self-esteem and depression (NIH Pg1). Not only does it affect their health problems, but obesity also affects a childs psychological and social behaviors too. Children can be very mean to other kids that are different. Needless to say, these bullies only hurt the child more by their bullish actions with name calling, becoming physical, and countless other ways. A bullys behavior is the need to be the center of attention and feel accepted by their peers. An obese kid that is made fun of all the time already knows they have a weight problem and can develop many behavioral problems. Most overweight children develop low self-esteem about themselves. They become depressed from being teased about their weight. All kids want to feel accepted by their peers and be socially interactive amongst others. Many overweight children deal with feelings o f isolation, unwanted, and hatred towards their peers. When overweight kids feel depressed and alone their comfort is food, which makes it harder for them to lose the weight. It is difficult for younger kids growing up with this eating disorder. Some children may even act out or behave badly because it helps release their aggression. Being teased about a weight problem in childhood greatly impacts the childs mentality and will cause psychological problems later on in life. Children that feel out of place and unaccepted, often think about hurting themselves or others. Social exclusion, teasing, and anti-fat media messages are common, and their discrimination in education. As a result, poor self-esteem and other problems are very real issues for these children (Brownell Pg 47). These children do not always want to talk about their feelings and emotions to anyone. They will need family support and love to let them know how much you care for them. Hopefully, obese children do not develo p a mental complex from all of the cruelty they witness. Doctors are able to calculate if a child is obese by using the formula for body mass index. This formula helps determine the excess body fat on a person. In the early years of life, doctors use an age growth chart to plot a childs physical progression. They are not too concerned about overweight babies, but with under-weights. As a child grows older, the body mass index (BMI) indicates the percentage amount of excess fat and will determine if the child is obese or overweight for their age. This country needs to start taking preventive measures on controlling obesity in our children. Two main reasons that children become overweight are poor eating habits, and decreased physical activity. This intervention needs to start with the parents of overweight kids. The initial focus of our preventive efforts should be on the obese parents of the young child, regardless of the weight status of the child. But, increasingly, in order to effectively prevent adult disease, we are going to need to focus on the child and adolescent who is overweight, regardless of the weight status of their parents (Symp. Proc. Pg 17). The reality is that good nutrition needs to start in the home. These children need to have a good role model to look up to. A young child will imitate a parents actions, so its a good time to teach them how to eat healthily and stay active. A good way to get your child involved is to plan family activities that involve exercise. Instead of watching TV, go hiking or biking, wash the car, or walk around a mall. Offer the children choices and let them decide (NIH Pg 3). If the parent implements these strategies early enough, the child will less likely become overweight. If a child is involved in decision making on the types of activities and meal planning, it helps them learn about living a healthy lifestyle. Limit them watching the television and prohibit them from eating in front of the TV. This will create quality family time that all young children need in their lives for good structure. Spending time with your children and listening to them will give a parent great insight about their child. Both child and parent will learn from each other. Parents should refrain from buying un-nutritious junk food. A helpful guide for dietary intake would be to follow the food pyramid. The food pyramid is a guide, which lists what food the body needs and serving portions for intake. Parents and children should follow a di etary program that helps control their weight. We need to increase the physical awareness to our young children beginning in the classroom. Teaching a child the importance of exercise on a daily routine is essential in the efforts of staying healthy. Teachers need to encourage kids about living a good healthy lifestyle and making the right choices. Schools all around the country have been cutting back the time for the lunch period and recess. Some schools do not have recess anymore, which is a shame. Recess should be a very important part of a childs learning process. It is time, after lunch, to run around a playground and burn off the excess calories and fat. It is time the schools educate the children about nutrition. Health classes should give information on the importance of staying active and eating right. Most of these classes are curtailed because they feel it takes away from other subjects. These classes are just as important if not more. Physical Education classes are also being overlooked as taking time away from other classes. Gym classes are needed to teach children different sports and staying fit. The components of effective nutrition education include making nutrition fun and engaging; integrating nutrition across the curriculum, home, and community; and emphasizing behavior change (Symp. Proc. Pg 93). Nutrition education should play an important part in a young childs upbringing in schools and at home. Schools need to implement changes in their curriculum making nutrition and health classes’ top priority. Without these classes, children are more likely to succumb of poor dietary habits and uninterested in physical exertion. Children need to stay healthy to be able to learn other material at school. Numerous studies have shown that a well-balanced diet and physical activities play a big part in a child maintaining good grades. Exercise improves blood flow to the brain and spurs cell growth, leading some to compare the brain to muscle, which performs best when exercised (Brownell Pg 83) . This study should encourage schools to promote gym and health classes because it can affect the childs learning ability. To help control obesity, schools need to set regulations and standards regarding childrens health. All levels of government and community organizations must get involved in encouraging children to acknowledge the importance of good health. Many of the community programs and organizations rely on federal funding to help them educate the children. Local park and recreation departments help provide children with activities throughout the year. Their hopes are to create a mindset in children that doing physical activities are not only fun but vital for staying healthy. Many programs have been introduced in schools and communities. More recently, there have been two programs that proved to be essential of the awareness on this health issue. CATCH and SPARK programs have been implemented to incorporate activity into the school routine, to increase movement in PE classes and in school in general, and to encourage children to be active outside of school. The results have shown improvements in childrens physical activity, diet, and medical outlook, and in some cases have shown enduring effects that last for some years beyond the end of the programs (Brownell Pg 83). These programs are designed for intervention and prevention methods for child obesity. The government is well aware of how this issue has become a serious public health problem. They need to implement a plan of action to help curb and control this disorder before it gets out of hand. The government does fund programs and organizations involving obesity in children. These funds are usually not enough or cutback, so it becomes difficult to run the programs. The government is also hoping to regulate TV advertisements during children shows to limit commercials selling unhealthy foods. Public policy needs to be set into place and explore every aspect of preventing childhood obesity. The federal government does have a couple of good programs and need to continue on fighting this crisis because it will only get worse as the years progress. Everyone is quick to blame someone else with the discussion of obesity in children. The first change needs to begin in the home environment and if everyone does their part, we can take control of the situation at hand. Current research leaves the hope that the trend toward increased obesity can be reversed through a public health policy that encourages regular physical activity and a prudent diet (Gidding Pg 7). The public needs to accept the fact that todays youth are increasingly becoming overweight. Today, researchers have enough insight on all facets of obesity in children to render a decision on intervention and prevention methods needed to help reverse this public health crisis. Inevitably, obesity in children will drastically increase if nothing is done about it. List Brownell, and Katherine Horgen PH.D. Food Fight. New York: McGraw-Hill Co. 2004. Childhood Obesity: causes and preventions. Symposium Proc., 27 Oct. 1998. Washington: Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, 1999. Gidding, Samuel. MD., et al. Understanding obesity in youth. Journal of American Heart Association. 1 Nov. 2004. http://circ.ahajournals.org/cgi/content/full/94/12/3383. Greaser, and John J. Whyte. Childhood obesity: is there an effective treatment? Consultant. 1 Sept 2004. 27 Nov. 2004. http://web7.infotrac.galegroup.com/itw/infomark. Higgins, Marguerite. Junk food ads for children are targeted; researchers tie to obesity, seek tighter controls. The Washington Times. 10 Sept. 2004. National Institutes of Health. Childhood obesity on the rise. June 2002. 10 Oct. 2004. nih.gov/news/wordonhealth/jun2002/childhoodobesity.htm. Obesity The American Heritage College Dictionary. 3rd edition. 2000. Research Papers on Childhood Obesity EssayIs the Use of Psychotropic Drugs in the Treatment ofThe Broken FamilyLegalization of Same Sex MarriagesGenetic EngineeringA Marketing Analysis of the Fast-Food RestaurantInflation TargetingYear Round SchoolingProbation OfficersSexually Transmitted DiseasesMRSA Staph Bacteria

Beautyism in the Workplace Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Beautyism in the Workplace - Essay Example for their beauty and this knowledge comes to them by whatever means, they would have no reason to work as hard as they would have in the opposite circumstances. As is human nature, they focus more on being attractive and remaining in that state as that is what got them the position in the first place. Even though it is humanly impossible to overlook one’s attractiveness, it is important to try to analyze that in comparison to their skill set (Sartore, 2006). Hiring people based on their attractiveness does very little for the motivation of other employees. Employees should be made to direct their efforts towards increasing their productive ability. The observance that the management’s focus is in the opposite direction rubs off on them and sends them into confusion. The action of the one person in the management body affects the outlook of employees towards the entire body and not of that particular person. In the case facing the College of Business Administration, the chairperson’s action could be interpreted as the stand of the entire management body, inclusive of human resource. The staff body usually works in parallel direction with the management. Therefore, if they not that the management focus is on productivity in terms of skills, then they equally focus on that. However if they find that other aspects such as beauty are more important they shift focus to that rather than to improving and sustaining their skills. From the same management-employee relationship perspective, Beautyism damages the faith of employees in their management. In whatever circumstances, the management is meant to illustrate integrity in order to establish faith and goodwill (Commisso, 2012). In the event that beautyism becomes a management’s limitation, employees begin to question other aspects of that relationship. Employees begin to worry that they could be biased on other aspects as well leaving them on the losing side. For this reasons, it is important to avoid

MKT 251 Advertising and media in the marketing environment Essay

MKT 251 Advertising and media in the marketing environment - Essay Example After analysing the environmental factors, it has been identified that the usefulness of the products follows the necessity trend and technology advancement of the target audiences. Market competition analysis shows that though Apple operates in a competitive market but, its innovations are still makes substantial differences in terms of quality and benefits to the customers. Apple has been promoting its latest innovation Ipad through different advertisement campaigns named â€Å"we believe†, â€Å"we will never stop†, â€Å"we will always† etc. The company share different messages to target audiences through these adverts. But all are similar in terms of market segmentation, positioning and targeting. Therefore, there is little difference in the content of the advertisement but message is still the same. It tries to make the target customers aware about the unique benefits of the product through different representation. Apple Inc. was formerly named as Apple Computer Inc. It is an American multinational corporation which design and sell high technology electronic goods, personal computers and computer software. The company became worldwide popular because of its innovation in the product. Company’s best known products are the Macintosh line of computers, ipod, iphone and lastly the current ipad. The company was established on 1st April, 1976 in California and incorporated on 3rd January, 1977. The company removed the word ‘computer’ from its name from January 2007 and shifted from only computer business towards consumer electronics. By market capitalization, Apple Inc. is the largest public limited company in the world which beat ExxonMobil, Google and Microsoft by revenue and profit. Ipad is one of the best innovations of the company along with other innovations i.e. ipod, iphone, Macbook etc. Apple has been promoting this product through creative advertisement through different medium like print advert for

Teaching English as a second language Essay Example for Free

Teaching English as a second language Essay Language is said to be a system in which the combination of sounds form words and the combination of words form sentences for a representation of knowledge is determined by a system of rules. And these rules are applied in the construction of words and sentences. One of the basic principles of learning a second language is to use it as soon as possible in our everyday life activities. This is made clear to the learner and the teacher makes effort to see to it that the language is learned, despite the many interference phenomena in the process. Nigeria is a multilingual and multi-cultural country. It has been estimated that over 400 indigenous languages exist in the country. This multiplicity of languages in Nigeria was compounded with the advent of the colonial masters who introduced and implanted the English language in Nigeria. It has become part of the system to the extent that instead of the continous struggle required to meet up with the standard set by the native speakers , a Nigerian variety has emerged. It is now regarded as a Nigerian language. The English Language in Nigeria enjoys a prestigious status, having a high premium placed on it as the national Lingua franca, It is the Language of administration, trade, commerce and industry, inter-ethnic relationship. It is the language of integration and instruction in schools and above all the language of national Unity as well as international communication. Apart from functioning as the language of integration here in Nigeria, Yate (1992) has observed that ‘ of more notable importance is the increase in the international and technological function of English Language as the dominant language of the Cyber cafà ©, and the most used language in the internet. It is also an elitist language. We now live in an ICT globalised world in which English is the medium of interaction between individuals and nations. According to Babajide 2002: â€Å"For any nation particularly in the third world to be relevant and derive the maximum benefit from the opportunities that abound in every area of human need, for personal advancement and national development, English is a ‘sine qua non’. He further stated that up  till now the country is still faced with the dilemma of selecting an indigenous language that will foster national unity. As the debate continues, Prof. Afolayan bring s out the important place of English when he said that â€Å"It is unrealistic for anybody in Nigeria today to think that National unity can be forged in the country without recourse to the utilization of the English Language†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. It has been the language of political entity itself and also the language of its politico- economic unification and administration. Further more the fact that it is now functioning as the language of Nigerian Nationalism cannot be denied.† Multilingualism and English in Nigeria The first Nigerian National anthem acknowledges the existence of indigenous languages ‘though tribe and tongue may differ in brotherhood we stand†. Nigeria is a typical multi-lingual country in which minority languages which are very many live side by side with the major languages. The country is not only the melting pot of African socio-political and linguistic realities but also the meeting point of divergent and convergent views on minority languages and language policy. Multilingualism is a sociolinguistic phenonmenon that arises as a result of language contact. It is a situation in which two or more languages operate within the same context. Factors such as political annexation, marital relations, economic transactions, cultural association, educational acquisition and religious affiliation bring about multilingualism. All these factors underpin the socio-political landscape of Nigeria today even though the combination of political and economic transaction or exploitation originally brought the people referred to as Nigerians today in contact with the English people. The coming of English colonialist in the 18th Century brought about â€Å"Linguistic imperialism†a situation in which â€Å" the minds and lives of the speakers of a language are dominated by another language to the point where they believe that they can and should use only the foreign lanugauge when it comes to transactions dealing with the advanced aspects of life such as education,philosophy, literature,government and the administration of justice.† So inspite of the fact that English is foreign, it has become a language that has helped to weld together the many people that constitute Nigeria.

Sociohistorical context of UFO conspiracism Cold War tensions :: Essays Papers

Sociohistorical context of UFO conspiracism Cold War tensions More than one analyst (e.g. Jung 1991, Peebles 1996) has noted that UFOs, whatever their true age, only really took off as reports, folklore, and entertainment during the Cold War. They fit into a general pattern of tension and confusion concerning such things as national identity, global security, and human survival. Carl Jung, writing when the contactee phenomenon was reaching a crescendo, emphasized the "space messiah" theme in UFO reports and entertainment. Our more evolved elders were here to save us from ourselves. In the 1970s, abduction reports began to bring home the idea that alien contact may be more for the aliens' benefit than anything. And now, from its position at the heart of US ufology and its firm position in contemporary entertainment, alien abduction exerts an influence making an alien and/or government collusion plausible to many people. Themes of literature and movies Tensions from the great global political contest of the second half of this century formed the subject of much news and academic output, but were also at the core of a great deal of entertainment. We can see this in sci-fi movies from this era: "The Day the Earth Stood Still," in which nuclear weapons testing provokes stern warnings from our galactic neighbors; "This Island Earth," where Earth scientists are forced to help their alien counterparts in a losing battle against an unseen enemy; "Invasion of the Body Snatchers," interpreted as either a McCarthyite warning of Communist infiltration of a denunciation of McCarthyism; and even the many monster movies like "Them" with its giant ants, comments on the destructive effects of heedless technological tampering with nature. Science fiction was not alone in discussing fears about invasions from outside or betrayals within, but it was perhaps the most effective genre in projecting these fears onto the increasingly vast and impersonal s creen provided by scientific views of the cosmos. Actual cover-ups It also bears repeating that, during this period, public confidence in institutional authorities was repeatedly shaken, not least by several actual government cover-ups. Projects of questionable ethical or pragmatic import undertaken by various government agencies under the cloak of "national security" did not always remain secret. A few, like the notorious MK Ultra and Cointelpro psychological control programs, confirmed fears that the government was not above experimenting on its own citizens to achieve its goals. But there were also such exposed cover-ups as the Watergate break-in, the Iran-Contra exchanges, and the eventual confirmation that atmospheric nuclear weapons tests in Nevada had deadly effects on uninvolved citizens downwind.

An Account of the Purchase of a Television Set in Singapore

CASE 5 : AN ACCOUNT OF THE PURCHASE OF A TELEVISION SET IN SINGAPORE Question 1 : What are the different stages in the buying process for a television set? What critical stimuli or events drive each stage? The buying decision process is a basic psychological process. This process plays an important role in understanding how customers make their buying decision. In this case, the consumer are planning to purchase a bigger television set, which can be placed in their living room, while the current television will be moved to their bedroom.Referring to the case, there are five different stages in the buying process for a television sets which are problem recognition, information search, evaluation of alternatives, purchase decision and post purchase behavior. STAGE MODEL| DESCRIPTION| a) Problem recognition| * The buying process is start with problem recognition. A need can be activated through internal and external stimuli. * As a consumer, they have to recognize a problem occurred and the needs of the new television set.In this, the external problem occurred when her parent in law decided to move in with them. The purpose of buying new television is to give more appropriate environment and to avoid conflicts with her parent in choosing the television programs. Besides that, it is to give a better perception to the relative. While the internal stimuli derived when * Their budget for the new television set is RM 1300 only. | b) Information Search| * After problem recognition, the consumer tries to solve it and gathers the sources and information about the television set.There are four consumer information sources which is : i) Personal sources ( family, relatives, friends, neighbors etc) ii) Commercial sources (advertisement, salesman, dealers) iii) Public sources (mass media, consumer rating organizations) iv) Experiential sources (handling, examining, using the products) * In this case, they have started browsing a newspapers and magazines, browsing an internet and website to compare the different models available in market. In order to get more information, they also get a recommendation from their friends and colleagues.Besides that, they also make a visit to the household shop to learn about the product specifically. | c) Evaluation of alternative| * After collected the information, the consumer have to clarify and evaluates the alternatives that they find out. First, they have to clarify a need of a new television set. * In this case, they plan to have a new television set when their parents decided to move in to their house. This is to avoid conflicts with their parents in choosing the television programs and to give a better perception to their family. Besides that, they have to look at the benefit from the product selected. As a consumer, they have to choose which television will give more benefit to them and can satisfy their needs. | d) Purchase decision| * Evaluation behavior leads the consumer to form a ranked set of preferences . In making buying decision, they will consider a few factors which is a) Attitude of others such as husband, family, relatives, friend. b) Anticipated situational such as expected family income, expected total cost of the product and the expected benefits from the product. ) Unanticipated situational as look or manner of the salesman * In executing a purchase intention, the consumer have to make up five sub decision : a) Brands, b) Dealer c) Quantity d) Timinge) Payment method (cash or credit card) * At this stage, the consumer has to choose either JVC 29† flat screen or Panasonic 29†. * For JVC 29† flat screen, the television set was came with four years warranty, special discounts of 15% and will get a free gift; JVC VCD worth of S$180. The model also has a futuristic look and matched with their furniture. However, the price was slightly higher than their estimated budget. While for Panasonic 29†, the television set was come with one year warranty, no free gift and the price was lower from their budget. * Finally, after evaluate and considering all the factors and recommendations, they have decided to purchase the JVC 29† flat screen model although the price exceeded their budget. | e) Post purchase behavior| * After buying and trying the product, the consumer will feel some level of satisfaction or dissatisfaction and the level of satisfaction depends very much on the expectation and the product’s perceived performance. In this case, the consumer is very satisfied and happy with the television set because it matches up to her expectations. | Question 2 : What are the social and psychological factors influencing the buying process for a television set? In the buying process of a television set, there are social and psychological factors that will influence the consumer. The social factors influences customer buying decision includes culture, subculture, social class, reference group and family. Culture is the set of beli ef, attitudes and behavior patterns shared by members of the society and transmitted form one generation to the next.For example, most of the Singaporeans will spend much of their free time at home watching television. So the television set is an important household appliance for every family. Reference group includes a variety of groups that effect consumer behaviors through normative compliance. In this case, reference group that influencing them in buying process are referring to family consist of husband, wife, parents and relatives. While the psychological factors influencing the buying process of a television set are motivation, perception, learning and memory.Motivation will drive a person to act in achieving their needs. In this case, the consumer has many needs such as privacy, esteem, belongings and discomfort. In achieving their needs, the consumer will collect all the information and evaluate the alternative that they find out in choosing the best television set. Questio n 3 : What lesson can be learnt for the marketing of television sets from understanding the consumer buying process and influences? Perception is the process when the consumer select, organize and interprets information.In this scenario, the consumer has been influenced by the salesman about the quality and performance of the television set after he explained the features and functions of the different models. The features of the message and the way it is communicated was influenced the consumer perceptions. Learning involves the changes in an individual’s behavior arising from the experience. In this case, the consumer has learned from the salesman/salesgirl behavior, such as when they went to the Courts, no salesperson entertain them and at the Electric City & Best Connection, the sales person failed to give the best services to her customer.These bad experiences have change the interest of the consumer to buy television set with them. Memory is all about the information an d experiences that have been encounter as they go through their life. In the stages of the buying television set, the consumer will influence with the famous and high quality brand of television in Singapore. In the marketing of television sets, understanding the consumer buying process is very important. As the marketer, they must identify needs, wants and demands of the consumers. They also have to consider all the buying process factors and try to provoke the feeling of risk in the consumer perception.

Essay on Why Homeschooling is Better Than Public School

Alternative to Public Schools Switch on the TV and you are sure to find a negative news item about public schools: violence, teenage crime and a low level of knowledge are often mentioned among the problems related to many public schools, especially in depressed areas of big cities. Terrified with the perspective of their child growing up in this kind of surrounding, many people seek for an alternative from of education. Homeschooling seems one of the options, but what are its advantages and disadvantages if compared to public schools? The main positive point of homeschooling is that parents can control the surrounding and eliminate negative influence. Not being bullied, many children find the educational process fascinating. Another positive point is that working with a child individually means the possibility to identify his/her preferences and talents. These areas can be developed with a bigger emphasis and provide a good basis for the future career. Moreover, the studying process is actually not so time-consuming, as it is easy to grasp the attention of a child and it does not involve so much stress, as there are no marks and the only thing that matters is the successful completion of tasks. However, homeschooling has its potential dangers. Limited communication opportunities can influence the ability to adapt to the society, make friends, learn compromising and negotiating. Moreover, parents may find it difficult to invite teachers with experience and a profound knowledge of academic disciplines to ensure high academic results. So, homeschooling is a good alternative for those parents who want to protect their children from the negative experience they may gain in public school, but are they really the ideal solution? Unfortunately, not, and the choice of the form of education must be made by each parent taking into account all pros and cons.