Outback Steakhouse †Customer Satisfaction Survey Essay

Outback Steakhouse is a multinational restaurant chain operating throughout the United States and in 18 other countries including Australia, Malaysia, Singapore and many more countries worldwide, (Outback Steakhouse, 2013). In most basic terms, Outback Steakhouse could be described as an Australian themed steakhouse. The restaurant offers a casual dining experience with menu offering a wide variety of selections that will fit most guests’ preferences. As common with casual dining restaurants guests are seated and served by wait staff and pay for their meal after eating. The casual dining restaurant industry is highly competitive business with many chain restaurants competing for the same customers. Research has shown that the â€Å"demand for casual dining is driven by personal income, consumer tastes, and demographics†, (Hoovers, 2013). It is important for all businesses in the casual dining industry to ensure they’re meeting and exceeding customer expectations and demands. In order to meet those demands the company must learn what their customers expect from their casual dining experience. One way of reaching out to customers for insight into their experiences and expectations is with a customer satisfaction survey. Customer satisfaction surveys are extremely important for all businesses selling a product or service to consumers. â€Å"Surveys get the pulse of your customers by revealing their satisfaction levels and preferences†, (Information Week, 2008). By implementing a customer satisfaction survey the managers of the local Outback Steakhouse will be better informed about the positive and negative aspects of their service directly from the customers themselves. â€Å"In an era of high competition and expectations, customer satisfaction surveys are essential tools for listening to customers about their satisfaction levels, and for developing strategies for improvement†, (eSurvey Pro, 2013). In this particular case a combination of closed-ended, multiple-choice and open-ended questions were used. This provides the surveyor an opportunity to collect data that is easier to analyze as with closed-ended and multiple-choice questions, but also allows the customer an opportunity to elaborate or branch if necessary. Method Recently a customer satisfaction survey was conducted at a local Outback Steakhouse restaurant (Appendix A). A group of 10 customers (10 tables surveyed; 1 survey per table) that had just finished their meal were approached to assist in a brief customer satisfaction survey about their experience dining at the restaurant. This afforded the surveyor the opportunity to collect data while the experience was still fresh in the customers mind. By giving customers an outlet to express their opinions and to vent possible frustrations you are able to gather a lot of valuable information. The customer satisfaction survey addresses many facets of their experience to gauge various satisfaction levels and to better identify areas that need the most improvement. The first step in the process was to develop the actual survey that would be distributed to customers. Research was done to compare other customer satisfaction surveys used by competitors in the restaurant industry. There were many similarities between the various surveys and the final survey for Outback customers is also written and compiled in a similar manner. There are also many resources available over the Internet to help develop effective customer satisfaction surveys for various fields of business. Developing the survey and writing the questions is an important step in the process because you must ensure that each of the questions serve a purpose and is written clearly and concisely. The customer shouldn’t feel burdened by the survey and if there are too many questions or the questions are confusing or seem irrelevant it may discourage some customers from participating. The customer satisfaction survey was conducted on a Friday evening between 6:30 pm and 8:30 pm and tables were selected at random. The surveys were placed on tables before the guests were seated so that the pool of customers was completely random and unbiased. This local Outback Steakhouse is located in a middle-class neighborhood and is located within a mile of the local interstate which increases traffic  near the restaurant and has the potential to improve business. There were a wide range of customers in the restaurant during the time the survey was conducted which resulted in a diverse group of participants. After collecting the completed surveys the data could be compared to find trends in responses (Appendix B). These trends could indicate a consistent problem that needs to be addressed and can also highlight areas where the business is thriving which can serve as a great motivator for the staff and management. Analysis The first question of the survey addresses the frequency in which the customer visits Outback Steakhouse. This can be used to differentiate between new customers or regular customers and can look for trends in the data. The survey results indicate that the restaurant often serves regular or repeat customers. This is extremely important for business because it is very beneficial for the company to increase loyalty and keep the customers they already have. â€Å"With the high cost involved in acquisition of new customers loyalty usually plays a critical role in the development of business and services that are provided†, (Bhaskaran, 2013). Many customers responded to the survey stating that they visit monthly and some even visit weekly, which is very telling of the consistency in the service offered at Outback Steakhouse. Another trend in the survey data was the overall satisfaction with the service and staff at this Outback Steakhouse. Based on the data collected (Figure 1) the overall satisfaction levels indicate that customers are generally very satisfied with the service they receive when dining at the restaurant. In addition to gauging their overall level of satisfaction the survey asked individual questions pertaining to the satisfaction with the wait time, their server, their meal and the overall environment within the restaurant. All questions returned satisfactory results with most responding with answers of ‘satisfied’ or ‘very satisfied’. There were very few negative answers in response to these four specific questions about their satisfaction with the different facets of their dining experience. These questions are important because they allow the surveyor or the management team with the restaurant to isolate different areas of service to identify areas that excel and those with room for improvement. Based on the data collected it appears that overall the  management and staff is doing a great job of providing great service and in many cases are exceeding customer’s expectations. Figure 1 The final questions of the survey asked respondents if they are likely to return to Outback Steakhouse, if they are likely to increase the frequency of their visits and also if they’re likely to recommend the restaurant to a friend. These questions are extremely important in forecasting future business and how it may be affected by customer satisfaction levels. The data collected indicates that overall most customers are satisfied with the service they receive (Figure 2). Despite some minor incidents reported on the surveys none of the respondents stated that they were going to start dining at Outback less frequently following their most recent visit. Many of the respondents provided answers that indicated that they’re very likely to return to the restaurant and would also recommend Outback Steakhouse to a friend (Figure 3). It is also very important to note that many customers would recommend this restaurant to their friends because that gives the surveyor and management and indication of what their reputation may be in the area. This also gives the impression that the company has the ability to possibly acquire new customers for free by utilizing this word of mouth concept. This is also great news for this local Outback Steakhouse because it indicates that they are not losing very many customers. Figure 2 Figure 3 Following the closed-ended questions that required customers to respond using only the choices provided on the survey there was one open-ended question where respondents were able to write any comments or suggestions they wanted to share. The closed-ended questions are important because they allow for the data to be collected and compared much easier because there are a limited number of possible responses you will encounter. With open-ended questions there are an infinite number of different responses you may receive which can be difficult to compare side by side with a large number of respondents. The benefit to this open-ended question is that it serves as an open forum for customers to vent their frustrations or sing their praises. The information the customer wants to relay may not fit well into  any of the close-ended questions provided so the open-ended question works to avoid losing out on any important information that could be useful. The respondents to the Outback Steakhouse customer satisfaction survey all provided additional notes regarding their experience. This is critical to the effectiveness of the customer satisfaction survey because it may introduce areas of concern that were not considered by management or the surveyor and could have been missed. The data collected from this portion of the survey highlighted areas of strength (friendly and effective staff) as well as areas of weakness (long wait time). The comments highlighted in Appendix B identify some of the most common themes across all of the surveys. The responses indicate that the staff at this Outback Steakhouse is friendly, knowledgeable and skilled in their job; this gives the restaurant a competitive advantage over the competition that has a sub-par staff. There were multiple comments that indicated some customers experienced a considerable wait time before being seated which could indicate problems with seating or serving delays. Recommendations There was a lot of important and useful data collected by the customer satisfaction survey at Outback Steakhouse. In order to truly make the most of the survey it is important to compare and analyze the data to identify any common trends that effect business. The survey results indicate both positive and negative aspects of their service so there are some areas in which they could improve, but overall the results were optimistic. If Outback Steakhouse continues with providing the level of service they’re accustomed to than they should be on track for continued success. One common trend mentioned in the open-ended question indicated that many customers had to wait a considerable amount of time before they were seated at a table. While some wait time is expected in the restaurant industry it is important not to overlook any data that might indicate a bigger problem than just the typical wait time. Wait times are typically consistent over the same periods of time – weekdays/nights and weekends differ greatly so a wait time during the weekend is often expected whereas it’s very possible to avoid any wait time when dining during the week. This survey was conducted on a Friday night, which means some wait time is not unusual and overall the customers  seemed to agree that they expected to encounter a wait. An important recommendation is to continue monitoring survey data and customer comments to ensure the wait doesn’t extend longer than it needs to because that provides an opportunity to lose a customer. The data collected also indicates that this restaurant sees a lot of repeat business from customers who visit frequently. This is very beneficial to Outback Steakhouse because they have developed a relationship with the customer and hopefully they have a sense of loyalty to the restaurant, menu, staff, etc. Survey data also shows that the respondents plan to keep the frequency of their visits the same or plan to increase frequency. Increasing business is a great benefit but it is also important that there are no indications that these customers plan to visit less frequently. Since it appears the company is set to keep their existing customer base, it is important to try and reach out to new customers. New marketing campaigns, especially local spots, may be a viable option to attract new business. Local marketing such as sponsorships and teaming up with local groups can be a good choice because it focuses on customers from the area that are likely to visit this specific restaurant versus another location of the same chain. Conclusion Customer satisfaction surveys provide a great deal of useful information that can be critical to the success of the business. If a business is not satisfying their customers consistently they will eventually lose those customers and ultimately lose the business altogether. Research has shown that â€Å"customer satisfaction surveys are essential for continuous improvement of product, services, and/or support, as well as enterprise competitiveness and survival†, (eSurvey Pro, 2013). In order to continue and improve their level of service and satisfaction it is important that regular customer satisfaction surveys be conducted. Performing regular surveys allows for the company to identify any problems, develop strategies and to put those plans in motion. Once the improvements have been in place it would be beneficial to conduct another survey that could gauge how those changes have affected business. This is also an opportunity for the company to identify any new problems or suggestions that should be addressed. References Bhaskaran, V. (2013). Conducting an effective customer service program. Survey Analytics. Retrieved from http://www.questionpro.com/images/Conducting-Effective-Customer-Satisfaction-Program.pdf ESurvey Pro. (2013). Business Imperatives. Customer satisfaction surveys. Retrieved from http://www.esurveyspro.com/article-customer-satisfaction-surveys.aspx Hoovers, Inc. (2013). Casual Restaurants Report Summary. Casual restaurants industry overview. Retrieved from http://www.hoovers.com/industry-facts.casual-restaurants.1443.html Information Week. (February 14, 2008). Gauging customer satisfaction: The importance of the online survey. Retrieved from http://www.informationweek.com/gauging-customer-satisfaction-the-import/206504051 Market Research Methods. (2012). 5 Essential customer satisfaction survey questions. Retrieved from http://www.mymarketresearchmethods.com/customer-satisfaction-survey-questions/ Outback Steakhouse. (2013). Outback Steakhouse. Retrieved from http://www.outback.com Appendix A Below is sample of the customer satisfaction survey that was given to customers of the local Outback Steakhouse to gain insight into the quality of service they offer. Following each question is a brief rationale explaining why the question was included and how it would be useful to the company. The rationale information was not included in the customer’s survey. * * * Customer Satisfaction Survey Outback Steakhouse Please take a moment to complete this short survey. The information you provide will be extremely useful in identifying strengths and weaknesses in service as well as developing plans for improving the service you receive. Your time is greatly appreciated. 1. How often do you typically visit Outback Steakhouse, Inc.? a. 1 – 3 visits per week b. 1 – 3 visits per month c. 1 – 3 visits per year Rationale: – This question is useful in comparing data from regular customers against data from sporadic customers. 2. How satisfied are you with the time you waited to be seated? a. Very satisfied b. Satisfied c. Neutral d. Dissatisfied e. Very dissatisfied Rationale: – This question can help to identify specific areas of service that may need to be improved upon. 3. Were you satisfied with the friendliness and attentiveness of your server? a. Very satisfied b. Satisfied c. Neutral d. Dissatisfied e. Very dissatisfied Rationale: – This question can help to identify specific areas of service that may need to be improved upon. 4. Generally, how satisfied were you the taste and presentation of your meal? a. Very satisfied b. Satisfied c. Neutral d. Dissatisfied e. Very dissatisfied Rationale: – This question can help to identify specific areas of business that may need to be approved upon. 5. Were you satisfied with the cleanliness and overall appearance of the dining room? a. Very satisfied b. Satisfied c. Neutral d. Dissatisfied e. Very dissatisfied Rationale: – This question can help to identify if the servicescape is beneficial to the overall satisfaction of customers. 6. What is your overall satisfaction level with Outback Steakhouse, Inc.? a. Very satisfied b. Satisfied c. Neutral d. Dissatisfied e. Very unsatisfied Rationale: – It could be useful to learn more about the reputation and overall level of satisfaction of customers. 7. Based on your experience while dining at Outback Steakhouse, Inc. how likely are you to return? a. Very likely b. Somewhat likely c. Undecided d. Somewhat unlikely e. Very unlikely Rationale: – Ultimately it is important to know whether or not the company is at risk for losing customers because of poor service. 8. Based on your experience while dining at Outback Steakhouse, Inc. do you plan to visit more regularly? a. More often b. No change c. Less often Rationale: This could indicate if customers are satisfied enough to increase their number of visits and would show if things are going well for the business in terms of customer satisfaction levels. 9. How likely are you to recommend Outback Steakhouse, Inc. to a friend? a. Very likely b. Somewhat likely c. Unsure d. Somewhat unlikely e. Very unlikely Rationale: The highest compliment a customer can make is recommending the company to a friend. If a customer is likely to recommend the company to friends 10. Please provide any suggestions that you feel would improve your overall dining experience. ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ Rationale: – This will give customers the opportunity to freely voice their opinions. It is much easier to gain additional insight into customer satisfaction when customers are provided with a forum to share. Appendix B Customer Satisfaction Survey Outback Steakhouse Collected Data 1. How often do you typically visit Outback Steakhouse, Inc.? a. 1 – 3 visits per week (2) b. 1 – 3 visits per month (5) c. 1 – 3 visits per year (3) 2. How satisfied are you with the time you waited to be seated? a. Very satisfied (5) b. Satisfied (4) c. Neutral (0) d. Dissatisfied (1) e. Very dissatisfied (0) 3. Were you satisfied with the friendliness and attentiveness of your server? a. Very satisfied (3) b. Satisfied (5) c. Neutral (2) d. Dissatisfied (0) e. Very dissatisfied (0) 4. Generally, how satisfied were you the taste and presentation of your meal? a. Very satisfied (4) b. Satisfied (5) c. Neutral (0) d. Dissatisfied (1) e. Very dissatisfied (0) 5. Were you satisfied with the cleanliness and overall appearance of the dining room? a. Very satisfied (5) b. Satisfied (3) c. Neutral (2) d. Dissatisfied (0) e. Very dissatisfied (0) 6. What is your overall satisfaction level with Outback Steakhouse, Inc.? a. Very satisfied (4) b. Satisfied (3) c. Neutral (2) d. Unsatisfied (1) e. Very unsatisfied (0) 7. Based on your experience while dining at Outback Steakhouse, Inc. how likely are you to return? a. Very likely (5) b. Somewhat likely (3) c. Undecided (1) d. Somewhat unlikely (1) e. Very unlikely (0) 8. Based on your experience while dining at Outback Steakhouse, Inc. do you plan to visit more regularly? a. More often (4) b. No change (6) c. Less often (0) 9. How likely are you to recommend Outback Steakhouse, Inc. to a friend? a. Very likely (4) b. Somewhat likely (4) c. Unsure (1) d. Somewhat unlikely (1) e. Very unlikely (0) 10. Please provide any suggestions that you feel would improve your overall dining experience. Notable responses: â€Å"Great food! Great service! We’ll be back next week!† â€Å"Our kids loved Sarah! She was very friendly and was one step ahead of us throughout our dinner. Sarah made dining out with our young children a much better experience.† â€Å"Our steaks were cooked to perfection and Brian was an awesome waiter. We will definitely be back!† â€Å"We haven’t been to Outback in about a year and were interested in trying something new. Our waitress was very helpful with food and drink recommendations and made our experience

Media Thinness and Teenagers

The following paper will present a counterargument to the idea that body image is shaped by attitudes in the media.   Part of this counterargument will rely on the fact that thinness is cultural problem and not a media problem as will be examined using the peer reviewed article Ingrassia & Springen wrote The body of the beholder,   which examines attitudes of race in regards to body thinness and how Caucasian women are more strict on their bodies while African American women, due to culture, perceive their normal bodies to be normal.The other argument being presented in this paper will be on how models do not warp young girls’ minds to the ideas of thinness but rather it is an individual perspective that allows women to feel as though they are not thin enough.   Thus the paper’s main idea will be that media does not present a too thin body but rather it is in the perception of the culture that does this.Part A Body image in the media is used to represent a product and to sell that product, like coca-cola or something else.   The media giants choose thin models not as them saying to how women should look but rather as a way to how they want their product to appear to the audience; thus, the scope of this problem comes from teenagers, girls, who buy into the marketing media of supermodel thinness, and then become anorexic to fit this ideal.The idea of thinness is misconstrued on the idea that women’s bodies are too thin and thus those too thin bodies present to the advertising world what their body should look like, but this is not true.   Thinness is in the eye of the beholder, â€Å"When individuals evaluate their appearance, they can either concur or disagree with other evaluators.   If dissensus occurs its direction can be either self enhancing or self-denigrating† (Levinson 1986; 330).Women and men are sensible enough to know what is too thin to be realistic; often times media transform their model’s bodies and digitally improve or reduce the model’s body thus presenting a false image.   This is not done in order to tell young girls that their bodies should be thin but in keeping in mind with the best possible way to present the product of the advertisement, therefore the problem is affecting a mass amount of people, especially in the western society since marketing is targeting these countries.   The fact that such images are digitally ‘improved’ in one way or another is no secret and therefore the good reason that such images produce too thin body ideals does not hold against the argument that they indeed do,I mean we can alter that body shape definitely†¦I mean the computer can pretty much do anything.   You can alter it†¦they don’t tend to †¦but its kind of up to the model editor†¦You make ‘em†¦sort of squish them together to make them look thinner (Milkie 2002; 851).Another argument against the too thin body image present ed in the media is that this is more of a cultural attitude.   In The body of the beholder the authors stress that more often than not Caucasian women have poor images of themselves while African American women do not; this is due to culture and not to media; in other words, the body image is in the eyes of the beholder and not in the eyes of the media, â€Å"Quite commonly researchers restrict samples to white subjects or ignore race as an independent variable in their designs.   However, existing anecdotal and case studies report that blacks assign positive qualities of well-being and power to heavy-women† (Levinson et al. 1986; 331).Part B Culture teaches that thinness is the ultimate ideal; but whose culture?   The argument of this paper now becomes mingled with the fact that American culture is imitating African American culture in dress, song, and literature.   Rap, Hip-Hop and Gansta Rap are all becoming the values by which the culture focuses its appearance ri ght down to cars, jewelry, clothing, and body image.   It is now considered normal to have grills on one’s teeth, to wear ‘bling’ and to copy in whatever capacity possible the African American culture and nowhere is this seen more often than in suburban neighborhoods as rap sales are more than half sold to young white audiences.With this new found cultural thing alive in the American culture the other argument evolves into one that also mirrors the body image of African American women which is voluptuousThe minority respondents, in sharp contrast, did not emulate these images nor compare themselves as negatively with the models.   Even though most of the black girls occasionally read the mainstream publications, they considered the images less relevant, belonging to ‘white girls’ culture and not part of a reference group toward which they oriented themselves†¦The black girls indicated that they did not relate to the images and did not wish t o emulate the rigid white beauty ideal (Milkie 1999; 200).African American women present to culture their body image as counter to waiflike, with curves and in fact African American women are more content with their body image than white women and this goes against the media portraying real, curvy women.   Adolescence will impersonate whatever they see as ‘cool’ or popular and right now there are two conflicting things that arise; the ideal of the waiflike woman, and the ideal of the more voluptuous woman as seen in African American culture.An adolescent will turn to whatever is deemed as cool in their social clique.   This leads to the fact that since American culture has included into its ‘cool’ factor the images of African American women that soon the idea of thinness will be counter culture and African American women’s standards will be the normal standard, â€Å"†¦there’s growing evidence that black and white girls view their bo dies in dramatically different ways.The latest finding come in a study to be published in the journal Human Organization this spring by a team of black and white researchers at the University of Arizona.   While 90 percent of the white junior-high and high school girls studied voiced dissatisfaction with their weight, 70 percent of African-American teens were satisfied with their bodies† (Ingrassia & Springen 1995; 66).This study goes on to state that even when overweight black teenagers were interviewed they still viewed themselves and described themselves as happy.   This source of size in fact is somewhat of a source of pride, the study further emphasized other different facets by which white and black girls viewed themselves, â€Å"Asked to describe women as they age, two thirds of the black teens said they get more beautiful, and many cited their mothers as examples.   White girls responded that their mothers may have been beautiful—back in their youth.   Says anthropologist Mimi Nichter, one of ht study’s coauthors, ‘In white culture, the window of beauty is so small’ (Ingrassia & Springen 1995; 66).Part C Thus, the problems of thinness arrive from the culturally dishonest.   Black and white girls are exposed to the same media but their sense of self identity as seen in that media is quite different as the above statements have proven.   Thus, the ideals of beauty are the main contributors of what is considered to be normal.   White girls see 5 foot 7 inches and between 100 to 110 pounds to be normal while African American girls describe their ideal size as exhibiting full hips, thick thighs, and basically in the words of Sir Mix-A lot ‘baby got back’ (Ingrassia & Springen 1995; 66).   These African American teens also described ideal beauty has having the right attitude.†¦African American mothers must teach their daughters how to negotiate between two often confliction cultures: Black a nd white and must prepare daughters to cope with the racial and sexual dangers in the realities of the world that Black women must confront†¦Black mothers also play an important role in mitigating the dominant culture’s devaluing messages by providing more positive messages and alternatives to the white middle class ideal to their daughters to offset the negative reflections they see of themselves in the eye of the dominant culture (Lovejoy 2001: 253).This study only further exemplifies the argument in this paper that it is not the media that perpetuates the cult of thinness but rather this false ideal is found in the fact that perception is the ingredient in thinness.   Culture is the curse from which thinness arises,Underlying the beauty gap are 200 years of cultural differences. â€Å"In white, middleclass America, part of the great American Dream of making it is to be able to make yourself over,† says Nichter. â€Å"In the black community, there is the real ity that you might not move up the ladder as easily. As one girl put it, you have to be realistic-if you think negatively about yourself, you won't get anywhere.† It's no accident that Barbie has long embodied a white adolescent ideal-in the early days, she came with her own scale (set at 110) and her own diet guide (â€Å"How to Lose Weight: Don't Eat†).Even in this post-feminist era, Barbie's tight-is-right message is stronger than ever. Before kindergarten, researchers say, white girls know that Daddy eats and Mommy diets. By high school, many have split the world into physical haves and have-nots, rivals across the beauty line. â€Å"It's not that you hate them [perfect girls],† says Sarah Immel, a junior at Evanston Township High School north of Chicago. â€Å"It's that you're kind of jealous that they have it so easy, that they're so perfect-looking.† (Ingrassia & Springen 1995; 66).Thus, the black ideal can be argued to be less limiting, and less fo cused on something that is unrealistic.   Since white culture stresses the make-over then black culture stresses self respect and being happy with ‘you’.   In Ingrassia & Springen’s article they quote Tyra Banks, a supermodel who had said that in high school she was the envy of her white friends when she would repeatedly say that she wanted thighs like her black girlfriends; the split of culture is clearly found in this fact.The media centers on selling a product through presentation of an ideal body.   However, the media world is being taken over by Black culture from BET to Fox.   The ideals are changing with regards to body image.   The strongest signal that is competing for body image is peer pressure.   Since groups of teens are influential with their friends the black community is able to reiterate their ideals of body image to their friends and since they do not emulate the waiflike figures of supermodels so common in culturally white media (wh ich is diminishing) they are more able to disregard the unrealistic image presented to them in advertisements.White girls however are suffering from their own culture and the reiteration of this culture not only through media at times but through the concept that has been taught to them that their mothers are always on a diet.   White culture has taught these girls more than the media has that their daddies eat and their mothers are on diets (Ingrassia & Springen 1995; 66).Ingrassia & Springen further emphasize that white culture teaches that it is okay and even normal to have an eating disorder such as anorexia or bulimia, but in black culture these are even more of a phenomenon as black girls do not succumb to this masochism since their culture does not present it as a strong factor to be considered normal, â€Å"Black teens don't usually go to such extremes. Anorexia and bulimia are relatively minor problems among African-American girls.And though 51 percent of the black teens in the study said they'd dieted in the last year, follow-up interviews showed that far fewer were on sustained weight-and-exercise programs. Indeed, 64 percent of the black girls thought it was better to be â€Å"a little† overweight than underweight. And while they agreed that â€Å"very overweight† girls should diet, they defined that as someone who â€Å"takes up two seats on the bus.†Ã¢â‚¬ Ã‚   (Ingrassia & Springen 1995; 66).Ingrassia & Springen state in their study that 90% of white girls have some dissatisfaction with their bodies and that 62% of them are on a diet within the past year.   The study further states that 70% of black girls are happy with their body image and 64% say that it is better to be a little overweight than a little underweight (Ingrassia & Springen 1995; 66).This paper has stated that the media’s norms are changing with the introduction and focus on black culture that presents different body images.   The paper further s tated that media was not the only device by which white girls receive their dissatisfied approach to their own bodies but with their mother’s influence of dieting thinness became an ideal.   It is with the changing cultural norms of switching focus from white culture to black culture that new media images will begin to filter into society as is exemplified through programs on television such as Queen Latifah whose body image though overweight by white culture standards is considered to be beautiful with black cultures.   Thus, the focus of a more voluptuous body, with curves, and a larger ‘booty’ is becoming the American standard.BibliographyDittmar, Helga & Sarah Howard.   (December 2004).   Professional hazards? The impact  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   of models' body size on advertising effectiveness and women's body-focused  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   anxiety in professions that do and do not emphasize the cultural ideal of  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   thinness. British Journal Of Social Psychology, 43(4), 477-497.Dohnt, Hayley & Marika Tiggemann.   (September 2006).   The contribution of peer and  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   media influences to the development of body satisfaction and self-esteem in  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   young girls: a prospective study.   Developmental Psychology, 42(5), 929-936.Ingrassia, Michele; Springen, Karen.   (24 April 1995).  Ã‚   The body of the beholder.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Newsweek,  Ã‚   Vol. 125 Issue 17, p66.Levinson, Richard et al.   (Dec. 1986).   Social Location, Significant Others and Body  Ã‚  Ã‚   Image Among Adolescents.   Social Psychology Quarterly.   Vol. 49, No. 4,  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   pp330-337.Lovejoy, Meg.   (April 2001).   Disturbances in the Social Body:   Differences in Body  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Image And Eating Problems Among African American and White Women.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Gender and Socie ty.   Vol. 15.   No. 2. pp239-261.Milkie, Melissa.   (December 2002).   Contested Images of Femininity: An Analysis ofCultural Gatekeepers’ Struggles with the ‘Real Girl’ Critique.   Gender andSociety.   Vol. 16, No. 6.   pp839-859.Milkie, Melissa A.   (June 1999).   Social Comparisons, Reflected Appraisals, and Mass  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Media:The Impact of Pervasive Beauty Images on Black and White Girls’ Self Concepts. Social Psychology Quarterly.   Vol. 62, No. 2.   pp190-210.

Study Habit Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Study Habit - Essay Example ts college because I plan my studying ahead of time, I no longer procrastinate, and I communicate with my teacher and peers regarding schoolwork, while in high school, I study only when there is an exam, I wait until almost deadline before writing, and I have communication anxiety with my teachers regarding schoolwork. I can do better with my college study habits by practicing more effective note-taking that fits my learning style as a visual learner and including study habits that can improve the originality of my writing. In high school, I do not plan ahead when studying, while in college, I schedule my studying activities. High school is more lax for me, where I study only when there are upcoming exams. As a high school student, my time is consumed through completing assignments, performing extra-curricular activities, and spending time with friends and family. College has changed my perspective in studying where I learned the role of planning to the efficient management of numerous class assignments and activities. I prepare myself for test days by seeing each piece of homework as an opportunity to study deeper. I study deeper through doing extra reading on the topic and asking and answering questions related to it. For example, in one of my classes, my teacher discussed writing strategies. I wanted to know more about punctuations that are used for rhetorical emphasis, so I studied that on my own. In order to study more comprehensively and intensively, I plan my studying schedule by breaking down r eading materials and assigning specific dates and times for reading and note-taking. I already have a mobile application for scheduling my studying activities that even remind me an hour before of that activity. This application helps me organize schoolwork more efficiently. I organize my life now according to studying needs and not organize studying according to social life needs. Through these activities, I am mentally and psychologically prepared of my future

Visual culture and society Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Visual culture and society - Essay Example This makes it evident that visual perception, as a tool, plays a major role in human’s approach to life. As per my observation, usage of visual perceptions as a tool to build made-up impressions has a negative impact on individuals’ lifestyles because it provides a fabricated sense of reality. There are a number of evidences that I can provide in order to back up my position about this issue in hand. For instance, in my opinion, advertisement of â€Å"Sting†, an energy drink, portrays a person to get energized after drinking it. However, in real terms, the drink contains a high level of sugar and toluene, which is harmful for human body. In the same way, I have noticed that advertisements of certain brands of cigarettes promote male sexuality, but in reality it harms the society and individuals smoking cigarettes. In addition, ramp modeling, cosmetic advertisements and other fashion industry platforms promote the concept of Barbie-like figure. Consequently, teenagers take harmful slimming pills to gain attractive and slim bodies, which in reality are hard to achieve and should not be considered as a benchmark for beauty because every person is different from other. In my opinion, while looking at certain images and other visual coverage, people thoughts and beliefs are subjected to change as the characters portrayed through images influence them. Vision consists of intangible properties which are invisible, disembodied and dematerialized. Though, not all beliefs can be regarded as negative but it has been seen that most of the cognitive development in individuals is hampered by visionary experiences. It is also seen that most of the general lifestyles of individuals are troubled as they are continuously comparing their lifestyles with those images and characters, which are presenting a luxurious life style. Many individuals or viewers are seen exposed to images, which may cause them to carry out behaviors, which may not be acceptable in the society they

Why is it important for Human Resource management to transform from Research Paper

Why is it important for Human Resource management to transform from being primarily administrative and operational to becoming more of a strategic partner - Research Paper Example Hence, many organizations strive to incorporate business strategy into HRM thereby giving it a strategic importance and perspective, especially from industrial relations and organizational behavior facets. This study focuses on understanding the evolution of HR function from basic administrative aspect to strategic integration as explained in literature and based on a specific organization’s adoption and contribution of strategic HRM before concluding with key findings. Personnel management has moved from mere care-taking function to strategic partner during last few decades, although this trend started post World War II according to the CIPD factsheet (2014). Throughout literature, the most probable triggering factor to this transformation has been associated with Hawthorne’s experiments leading to a new perspective of understanding related to human relations, which were reinforced by various other studies as shown in Table 2.1 (Armstrong, 2012). Strategic integration of HR function has been the next step that intensified its role in helping organizations gain a competitive advantage (Ulrich, 1997). Ulrich (1997) highlighted the key roles and responsibilities of HR department thereby underpinning HR department’s role in managing human resources, company infrastructure, and managing change and transformation as well as managing performance of employees and thereby the organization (pls see fig 2.2). Specifically, Ulrich (1997) has ide ntified that the HRM function in most of the successful organizations transformed from administrative function to more complex activities such as, strategic partner, employee advocate, change agent and administrative expert. Noe et al., (2007) point out many factors that could have triggered this transformation of HRM to strategic role such as challenges of sustainability and competition, changing expectations of customers, changes in markets, changes in economies etc. Owing to the factors highlighted by Noe et al.,

Refeeding syndrome Annotated Bibliography Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Refeeding syndrome - Annotated Bibliography Example The Press Ganey scores prior to POD service implementation were extremely low. Since implementation, scores have risen. However, we believe that with small improvements, the survey scores on the POD service floors have the potential to increase dramatically. Imagine this, you are lying in a hospital bed in pain and are unable to ambulate. All of a sudden, you hear a knock on the door, â€Å"Nutrition and dining services, may I enter your room?† You respond- â€Å"yes†. You are greeted by a smile and warm â€Å"Hello Mr. Kiley, right?†you respond â€Å"yes, that’s me†, â€Å"I just need to confirm your date of birth† â€Å"05/22/87†,   Ã¢â‚¬Å"Thank you, how are you doing today?, my name is Angelica, I will be your personal dining associate for this afternoon. I am here to go over your menu selections for today. I see you haven’t filled out your menu and I wanted to make sure your lunch is exactly what you would wanted. Today’s specials for lunch include veal parmesan and meatloaf with mushroom gravy. Veal parmesan is a lightly breaded veal cutlet topped with marinara sauce & mozzarella cheese served with a side of al dente rotini pasta and sliced zucchini. The second option is savory meatloaf topped with mushroom gravy, a warm baked potato and fresh cut green beans. If you are not interested in the specials, we also offer menu alternatives.† You place your order but before the dining associate leaves the room, she says â€Å"here is my card, with my name and the nutrition and dining services number, if you need anything during your stay, please do not hesitate to call.† Before you know it, your lunch is right in front of you with exactly what you ordered. â€Å"Here is your lunch for today, is there anything else I can get for you? Do you need any help setting up your tray?† You may be asking yourself right now â€Å"how can customer service like this be implemented at North Shore University Hospital?† or maybe â€Å"why isn’t

Australian Criminal Justice System, the Belief in Justice, an Independ Essay

Australian Criminal Justice System, the Belief in Justice, an Independent Judiciary and the Rule of Law - Essay Example For any criminal justice system to be accepted by everyone, it must not discriminate against the people of a certain race, ethnic background or social class. The legal system can only be fair if the necessary procedures that guarantee a fair trial are in place. Similarly, there must be a system of law for the purpose of fairness in the society or simply the Law of Equity. The society will continue to trust the legal system if justice is not only done but perceived to be done. The entire society more so the witnesses and victims should be made aware of steps that are made to ensure that those who are involved in criminal activities are arrested and prosecuted. Furthermore, the public should be able to witness, by the means of the criminal justice system, the law bringing about accountability. The legal system comprises some basic elements of justice which include unbiased judges, jury trials that are just and the provision of security to the witnesses whenever it is called for. The Australian Justice system is based on the belief in justice, an independent judiciary and the rule of law (Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, 2008). The people, in disregard of race and whether or not they are citizens, are given similar treatment before the law. The law also safeguards and ensures that the people are given fair treatment by officials and governments. There are some principles which are fundamental to the Australian legal system. These include the separation of powers, judicial precedent and procedural fairness. The Australian jurisprudence is based on the United Kingdom common law system. This law shows a great variation from the other civil law systems operating in Japan, South America and Europe that originated from Roman law (Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, 2008). The major feature of the common law is that cases that have been settled previously act as a precedent to the pending  cases.

Scholarship Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Scholarship Essay Example To make matters worse, soon after my divorce, I had to move back in with my parents only to have to face a family tragedy. My parents died within 18 months of each other soon after. They left behind a sizable debt which I now have to contend with paying. All of these amount to me coming to my wits end. How will it be possible for me to continue with my life and honor my financial obligations if I do not have the kind of job that will allow me the kind of income to do so? After much soul searching, I finally found the answer. I decided to quit my job of nine years in order to save what I could of the little money that my parents left me to spend on pursuing the completion of my Business Administration degree. I felt like I had no choice but to resign from my job because it was not really serving its full purpose as a significant source of income for my family needs and financial obligations now that my parents were no longer around to help me out financially. Some people may say I am stupid for leaving a job that was paying me, even if it was only a pittance. But then again, holding on to that job was preventing me from retraining myself in order to achieve a higher goal. My full concentration is now set on completing my college degree and eventually pursuing an MBA. However, my finances are still quite strapped, which is why I have come to the Neal, Thomas James, and Lynnie Rice Neal Scholarship foundation for help. With a GPA of 3.75, I realize that I will be in a cut-throat competition with the other applicants. But the foundation will not be sorry if the scholarship is awarded to me. I know the value of a good education because I am the only member of my family to ever attend college. And I fully intend to use every opportunity that I can in order to achieve the greatness in life that I know I was meant for. All I am asking for, is a helping hand. I am hoping that your foundation will be one to give me the leg up that I need to get

Discussion question only Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Discussion question only - Article Example The weakest finding is that within the strength portion of the test. Having participated heavily in activities and pushed my limits in the physical arena I expected that all results would register well within the excellent range. However, my ability to reach during the flexibility test was not as high as I would have expected to attain. Flexibility is important in lifelong maintenance of physical well-being. According to the Advanced Centers for Orthopedic Surgery and Sports Medicine: I was able to answer all of the questions correctly accept for the final question. I was surprised to find out that additional protein in a diet does not increase muscle building. With the plethora of protein supplements in the form of pills, powders, drinks, and bars, I was convinced that building muscle was directly related to protein intake. However, according to the test There is no evidence that excess protein will lead to bigger muscles. Eating more protein than you need is a waste, since the excess will be converted to fat or burned for energy. If you want to increase the size and strength of your muscles, try strength training. (Test Your Physical IQ: Answers) While I knew the answer to be moderate intensity when questioned as to which level of intensity was most beneficial for burning fat, I am always surprised the truth of that answer. One feels like one is burning more at a higher intensity - and one is - but in order to burn more overall, one must keep an increased level of activity over a sustained period of time which can only be realistically achieved at a moderate level. About 65% of Americans fall within the sedentary to moderate range. Its important to keep in mind that activity level does not mean the same thing as fitness level (as measured by another test). You could be very fit and still have a light activity level. Seems odd, doesnt it? This can happen, though, because the activity

The glass menagerie Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The glass menagerie - Research Paper Example In the production notes , Tennessee Williams says that ‘The Glass menagerie’ is a memory play This statement refers to a major theme of the play , namely , all the characters getting stuck up in memories of their past. He himself confesses that the play is string of memories ‘of his own youth. It follows the events and people in William’s true life experience in St. Louise between the years of 1934 and 1936. His mother, his sister, his job in shoe factory, and the glass menagerie were all part of his’ earlier life†. Besides Tom Amanda also live in constant pursuit of her bygone youth. She was extremely well-liked and cute young lady but she lost her chances. Now the realities in front of her are consciously ignored y her. The way she treats Tom and Laura is another evidence of her fanciful life. She prevents these two from becoming responsible young people by treating them as children. Without accepting the reality, she insists Laura to imitate her youth and hopes to recreate what she missed in life through her daughter. Thus Laura is bound to her mother always. The glass menagerie Laura lulls the infantile world with the glass menagerie. Thus she is also not raised to the level of a woman. Another character hounded by his memory is the father, who had left the family to travel long distance. The whole family lacks a father who supports them. The absence of such a father figure adds something more to their memory, the love and care of a father is also a memory to the children . Thus memory prevents all the characters to live in present and also to lead a happy life. Through Tom Winfield, Tennessee Williams was portraying himself as a young man. According to Presley â€Å"No one has even reviewed the bare details of his biography can overlook the obvious similarities between the record of his early life and the events described in The Glass Menagerie†. There are many similarities between his life and Tom’s lif e. Tom says â€Å" I am the narrator of the play , and also a character in it. The other characters are my mother, Amanda, my sister, Laura (1147). Thus the first resemblance between Tom and Williams is, he stands for the writer, who tells the story. Tennessee dropped out of the school according to his father’s instruction. After that he went to work in a shoe factory. The reaction of Tom in the play is relevant here... Tom says, â€Å" Listen ! You think I am crazy about the ware house! You think I am in love with the Continental Shoemakers? You think I want to spend fifty-five years down there in that Celotex interior!! With Fluorescent tubes...†. Like Tennessee, To also liked to write poems and plays during leisure times. â€Å"He called me Shakespeare (1168). The mental stress that Tennessee suffered is shown by his narrator character Tom also, and that lead both of them to write poems and plays. Tennessee William’s father was a salesman who always tried t o keep away from home. The father character presented here was also a telephone man who loved to travel. The children were brought up by their mother. The place where Tennessee lives is similar to what Tom explains in the play.† The apartment faces an alley and is entered by a fire escape.’ (1146). Tennessee was unwilling to remain in St. Louise school. In the play we can see Tom’s mother advises him to attend night –school course in accounting at Washington –â€Å" U Just think what a wonderful thing that would be for you son(1162). Another similarity we can see is the relation between Tennessee

Discuss the ways in which Steinbeck explores the concept of the American Dream is central to the novel Essay Example for Free

Discuss the ways in which Steinbeck explores the concept of the American Dream is central to the novel Essay The American Dream was a dream that nearly everyone had throughout the twentieth century. It was hope for a better life and people believed strongly that it would come true. The main characters in Of Mice Men have a dream which was to get a plot of land and live on it and become self-sufficient. The American Dream was not an achievable goal for many people. Steinbeck shows this failure through the characters of Lennie George. The American dream was a great thing. We first heard about it when Lennie and George were sitting by the river at the beginning of the book. The dream was a hope that every rancher had an opportunity for a better life. Lennie and George, the two main characters, had such a dream, Some day were gonna get a little place and a couple of acres. The idea was to get a piece of land, grow crops and have an improved life there. They also new exactly what they were aiming for and what they wanted. They realised that their imagination should not be set too high for fear of disappointment. The two men also knew that they should not tell other people about the plot of land in case it was snatched from under their noses. This frequently happened then, as so many people were seeking the same desire., Well its ten acres said George. Got a little win mill. Got a little shack on it and a chicken run. Got a kitchen, orchard, cherries, peaches, cots, nuts, got a few berries. This shows that Lennie and George had ambition and again, knew what they wanted. It also shows that there were places where the dream had a chance of coming true, and that affordable land was for sale. Lennie and George intended to get the land by working extremely hard for a couple of months. They would earn standard migrant labour workers wages which was of course not very much, as the great depression was around at the time the book was set. The men hoped to save money and put it towards the plot of land, Look, if me an Lennie work a month an dont spen nothing well have a hundred bucks. Sooner or later people started to realise that the American Dream was turning into a nightmare. This is shown in the book by all the travelling and unemployment. Steinbeck shows that people were determined to get a job and willing to travel around to find one, he reinforces this through Lennie and George. At the start of the novel Steinbeck told us that they were walking, so we obviously know that they have had a nomadic life. During their rest they have a conversation about their travels The first thing you know is that they are pounding away at some other ranch. This backs up the fact that people travel around for jobs. We know how Lennie and George frequently lose their jobs, this is due to Lennie constantly getting the pair of them into trouble which jeopardises their current job. Because of this they have to travel from one ranch to another in search of another job. Also you can corroborate the fact that people travelled by George quoting, The hell with what I says. You remember about us going into Murray and Readys and they give us work cards and bus tickets. Murray and Ready are a typical work agency that sprung up in America during the Great Depression. In the 1930s the Great Depression spoilt the American Dream, it damaged everything that had a promising future, from buying food to making investments in the stock market. Through out the novel we do not see this very much. It is shown only as a high unemployment rate. George is very passionate about work as he wants to achieve his dream. As you read on through the book George comments on other people in his situation, They aint got nothing to look ahead to. Implying that George is fed up of losing his job to other people. He now knows you should not think about looking ahead to long term ambitions as anything can happen. The rate of unemployment was a serious issue at the time of the book, as the economy was decreasing rapidly. It is shown through various characters such as Carlson, Slim, Lennie, George and many more. We know that they all have been travelling from ranch to ranch in search of jobs during this time, they have started to feel like they do not have a home and dont belong anywhere. Guys like us, they got no family and dont belong no place. They come to a ranch an work up a stake then they go into town and blow their stake. This was quite normal for young and old men in their quest, not just for the dream, but for survival. Because of that, it made it hard for people to keep a job as other people who were as desperate, came along and accepted less pay to work at the same job, just so they could get some money. The idea of the American Dream was to be happy but just as well as the Great depression, racism also crippled the illusion. The dream was merely for the whites, as many of the blacks were unlawfully discarded from the opportunity or status to achieve it. Steinbeck shows this in the book through a character called Crooks, who was a crippled Negro stable buck and had suffered years of abuse in his life. Although Crooks could read and write, he was very lonely and because he was black, he could not join in with the usual endeavours of other men on the ranch. Suppose you had to sit out here and read books. Sure you could play horseshoes till it gets dark, but then you got to read books. This shows he only had books for company. It was still very racist in the 1930s so there was not much chance of Crooks achieving the dream by himself and certainly no one at that time would try to help. In the course of the book Crooks also tells us about his life in the past, how his father did actually achieve the dream, and how his family was the only coloured family in Soledad, which is where the book was set. There wasnt another coloured family for miles around. And now there aint no coloured man on this ranch. Crooks felt strongly about this, he was neglected by everyone and still felt as if he was being treated as an unequal by every other man. He wanted so much to be included in the games that everyone participated in. Suppose you couldnt go into the bunk house and play rummy cause you was black. Because Crooks was being denied these privileges he turned into a bitter man who was equally as malicious as the offenders. This portrays the dream in a bad way, which is unusual as the dream is usually portrayed as being happy and being the provider when it actually created tensions between different races and cultures and caused many tribulations between people. Although Crooks is abused by many people on the ranch there is one person in the book who does not discriminate him because he is black, that person is Lennie. Lennie does not understand or see the racism in the world and he sees everyone as being the same. Crooks feels he can talk to Lennie about many things, A guy can talk to you an be sure you wont go blabbin. Because of this it reassures Crooks and makes him feel better as he knows he can talk to some one instead of read books At first there was a chance of the dream coming true. One reason was because of Candy, willing to give his life savings so he would know that he had somewhere to go after he was incapable of working on the ranch, Tell you what suppose I went in with you guys thas three hundred and fifty bucks Id put in. This endorses the fact that he was willing to put every last coinage that he had, to assist him to have a happy finale to his life. Also Crooks, the negro stable buck, offers to help, If you guys would want a hand in work for nothing just his keep. He did this just so he could have a friendship with someone and feel liked. In addition no one else knew about this certain plot of land, which made it a secret of the group and easy to obtain. We know that the owners needed to get the money fast, The ol people that owns it is flat bust an the ol lady needs an operation. Because of all this Lennie, George and Candy stood a very good chance of achieving this reverie. The American dream ended due to a series of unfortunate events. Steinbeck shows this through Lennie and George not getting the land. They did not get it because of many things. The main reason for them failing was Lennie. He spoilt the dream for George, as he was constantly getting into trouble and destroying any chance that he had to achieve the dream. After a while other men on the ranch begin to question their past, for example, Slim, What happened in Weed. We know that they have been travelling around and losing jobs, but it was not just because of other men stealing their jobs only to get paid less, it was also Lennie destructively destroying their chances, because of this they, had to move on to another ranch. In the end they had no hope what so ever, of the dream coming true because of Lennie, once again, getting George into trouble, as he was responsible for Lennie, when he unintentionally killed Curlys wife. If given the chance most men on the farm would attempt the dream even if they thought it was impossible. A good example is Crooks, at one point in the story, he was putting down the fact of any one achieving their goal, Jesus I seen it too many time. Too many guys with land in their head. They never get none under their hand. When Crooks found out that there was a chance of it happening, he decided on trying to get in on it, If you guys would want a hand to work for nothing, just his keep, why Id come an lend a hand. You can see also that people always put down the achievement of the dream, but they all had a secret burning ambition to get it if the chance came around. Through out the book Steinbeck managed to portray the conditions of the Great Depression in the 1930s. He also gave us a glimpse of The American Dream that every one pursued and showed us that it was not an easy achievement. Steinbeck has managed to show the different levels of hardship and suffering that people faced during that period of time and also managed to show more hopeless situations of people from a minority. The concept of the American Dream is at the heart of the novel Of Mice Men and therefore allows Steinbeck to make comments on American Society and the time of the Great Depression.

The Knee Joint Paper Essay Example for Free

The Knee Joint Paper Essay Of the joints in the human body, the knee joint is the most susceptible to injuries. Because this joint carries much of the body weight, and beside the fact that it was designed to do much of the human activities, the knee joint accounts for the most common joint injuries. Its two primary motions are flexion and extension, and a little rotational and lateral motion. â€Å"It is also because of this design that the knee is so vulnerable to injury.† (M. Mullin and K. Stone)   The knee has basically five major parts: the bones, the muscles, ligaments, cartilage and tendons. It is the function of the bones to support the knee and give the joint a rigid structure. There are four bones that make up the knee: first, the femur, which is also referred to as the thighbone or the upper leg bone. (University of Utah, Heath Sciences Center, 2003) This large bone is attached by the ligaments and a capsule to another bone the tibia. Tibia is the larger bone of the knee which is called the shin bone. Parallel to the tibia is another bone called the fibula located below the tibia. The knee cap or the patella is another bone that consists the knee which â€Å"rides on the joint as the knee bends.† (Center for Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine, 1999)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It is the function of the muscles to move the joint. The knee joint consists of two kinds of muscles: the quadriceps and the hamstrings. The quadriceps muscles straighten the legs, and are situated at the front of the thighs. The hamstring muscles, which are located at the back of the thighs, are the ones bending the legs at the knee. All groups of muscles are connected to the knee bones by â€Å"thick fibrous cords† called the tendons. (Mayo Clinic, 2006) Patellar tendons connect the quadriceps muscles to the tibia, which are the ones prone to knee joint problems called, â€Å"tendonitis†.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The bones of the knee are connected by ligaments, which functions are basically to stabilize and hold the joint together. These elastic tissues also provide protection to the joint by limiting the backward and forward movement of the knee. At the center of the joint are the cruciate ligaments called the Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL), which is attached to the depression in front of the tibia and â€Å"passes upward, backward and lateral ward and fixed into the medial and back part of the lateral condoyle of the femur.† (H. Gray, 1918) It is considered the key guide wire in the knee joint and is crucial for guiding the tibia in a normal path along the end of the femur. (Mullin and Stone) The Posterior Cruciate ligaments (PCL) protect the joint by preventing the femur from sliding forward on the tibia, and the tibia from sliding backwards n the femur. The media Collateral ligament (MCL) provides protection to the inner part of the knee and the lateral Collateral ligament (CLC) on the outer part. The C-shaped tissue called the meniscus or the menisci cartilage allows the bones to freely slide on each other. They serve as shock absorbers and bone protector. Around the knee joint are little fluid sacs called bursa. These sacs â€Å"help the muscles and the tendons to freely slide as the knee moves.† (Center for Orthopaedics) There are five medial bursas and four lateral bursas.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The knee is prone to injuries and especially those who are engaged in activities that enable the knee to be overused. These people, most often athletes experience different kinds of pain in the knee joint as a result of injury, stress and wear of the joint. Common to athletes are the ligament injuries called sprain or the injury to the cruciate ligaments. This injury happens when the â€Å"ACL is stretch or torn by sudden twisting motion†, as when the feet are planted one way and the knees are turned another. (Healthlink 2005)   Football players often experience a PCL injury during a football tackle. Contact sports like hockey and football cause injury to the MCL and the CCL, where the said ligament is torn and stretch at the inner side of the knee due to a sudden blow to the outer side of the knee called a contact trauma.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Tendonitis or the jumper’s knee is caused by an overuse of the tendon. As the term implies, this injury is experienced by athletes who are engaged in sports like basketball, which require jumping and running causing a strain in the tendon. Dancers, cyclists, skiers and runners are as victims of this injury. With these activities, the tendon is stretched to the pint that it becomes like a worn-out rubber band and when this happens, it will swell. Muscle contraction happens after a jump or fall, and that repeated force causes strain to the tendons. What is worse is that such contraction, as when trying to break a fall, may tear the quadriceps muscles above and below the patella. Tendonitis causes a person to feel pain during running and jumping or even when in a hurried walking. Bending, extending and lifting the leg will also be difficult.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A pain arising between the patella and the femur is called Chondromalacia, which is characterized by the softening of the articular cartilage of the knee cap. (Mayo Clinic) With this injury, the knee cap rubs against the thigh bone which makes the cartilage rough. As a result, the person will feel pain in front of the knee when climbing the stairs or when sitting for a long period. This injury is common to skiers, soccer players and cyclists who, among other athletes are prone to having a blow in the knee cap resulting to a tear of the cartilage. Such contacts can also tear off a large fragment of the cartilage containing a piece of bone.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Injury to the meniscus typically results from â€Å"a twist or torque to the knee while the foot stays still.† (Mullin and Stone) A tear in the meniscus may cause the joint to lock especially when there is a flap of the torn cartilage. When there is only a small tear, mild pain and moderate swelling of the knee lasts up to 48 hours; however large lengthwise tear causes the joint to lock making hard for the person to straighten the knee.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Distance runners are prone to Illiotibial Band Syndrome which happens when the ligament in the illiotibial band becomes tight enabling it to rub against the outer portion of the femur. Pains caused by this injury are felt when waking and when going up and down the stairs. Also associated with running activities is the Osgood-Schatter Disease, where an inflammation of the patellar tendon is involved.   This injury happens when the tendon is stretch too much causing it to tear away from the tibia and in some cases takes a bone fragment. A pain just below the knee is experienced with this injury, and is however treated just with a rest.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Having the fact that the knee joint is susceptible to many injuries, experts advice that a person must always maintain strong and flexible muscles. The cartilage and ligaments must always be kept smooth and strong. Good diet and proper exercise are always on the list of preventive measures. Lastly, let us remember that anything that goes below and beyond normal causes problems, not only to the knee, but the body as a whole WORKS CITED    Gray, Henry 1918. â€Å"Anatomy of the Human Body† Retrieved on February 22, 2007 from http://www.bartleby.com/107/93.htm Mullin, Michael and Kevin Stone. â€Å"Athletic Injuries of the Knee and Shoulder† Retrieved on February 22, 2007 from http://www.stoneclinic.com/injuries.htm The Center for orthopeadics and Sports Medicine. â€Å"Knee Joint-Anatomy and Function† Retrieved on February 22, 2007 from http://www.arthroscopy.com/sp05001.htm The Mayo Clinic Staff. â€Å"Knee Pain† Retrieved on February 22, 2007 from http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/knee-pain/DS00555/DSECTIoN2 The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. â€Å"Knee Injuries and Problems: Symptoms Diagnosis and Treatment† May 01, 2001. Retrieved on February 22, 2007 from http://healthlink.mew.edu/article/92605352.html University of Utah Health Sciences Center â€Å"Knee Pains and Problems† November 2001. Retrieved on February 22, 2007 from http://uuhsc.utah.edu/healthinfo/adult/orthpaedics/kneepain.htm

The Sociological Definition Of Family

The Sociological Definition Of Family At the outset itself, this quotation describes the position of women in practically most society. Women are there to make children, are mothers and wives, act as the house-maid, take care of their husbands and families, bear male authority, being deprived of high status jobs and position of power. So, there is this element of discrimination which has prevailed through time. 2.1.1 Definition of Family According to Sociologists, the family is an intimate domestic group of people related to one another by bonds of blood, sexual mating, or legal ties. It has been a very resilient social unit that has survived and adapted through time. So, the element of time referred to above, is again present here. The family acts as a primary socialization of children whereby the child first learns the basic values and norms of the culture they will grow up in. a child needs to be carefully nurtured, cherished and molded into responsible individuals with good values and strong ethics. Therefore, it is important to provide them the best childcare so that they grow up to be physically, mentally and emotionally strong individuals. Similarly, The United States Census Bureau (2007) defines the family as a relatively permanent group of two or more people who are related by blood, marriage or adoption and who live under the same roof. Stephen (1999) defines the family as a social arrangement based on marriage including recognition of rights and duties of parenthood, common residence for husband, wife and children are reciprocal economic obligations between husband and wife. The family is seen as the main pillar block of a community; family structure and upbringing influence the social character and personality of any given society. Family is where everybody learns to love, to care, to be compassionate, to be ethical, to be honest, to be fair, to have common sense, to use reasoning etc., values which are essential for living in a community. Yet, there are ongoing debates that families values are in decline. Moreover the same family is viewed as an oppressive and bankrupt institution. George Peter Murdock (1949) defines the family as a universal institution. According to him, the family is a social group characterised by common residence, economic corporation and reproduction. It includes adults of both sexes at least two of whom maintain a socially approved sexual relationship and one or more children owned or adopted of the sexually cohabiting adults. However, K. Gough (1959) criticises Murdock definition and argues that the family is not universal. The critics were founded in the Nayar society. 2.1.2 Women and the Family The main role of women according to John Bowlby (1953) is particularly to act as mothers and as such their places are at home to take care of their children in their tender age. He states that juvenile delinquencies among young children are the result of psychological separation from mothers. The mental stability of children rests solely on their mothers. Therefore there is a need for a close and intimate mother and child relationship. However, Oakley (1974) uses the example of Alor, an island in Indonesia to refute Bowlby statement. In small-scale horticultural societies, women are not tied to their offspring, and there is no apparent side effect to it. Moreover, she does not see the intimate and close relationship necessary. Research has proved that mothers return to work after childbirth and that the children of working mothers are less likely to be delinquent than non-working mothers. Crouch (1999) describes the benefits gained by wives and mothers as the mid century social compromise. Duncan et al. (year) argue that women who define themselves as primarily mothers are located at all points on the social spectrum. Patricia Day Hookoomsing (2002) states that, plans and projects are designed and implemented by men. It is assumed that if men as heads of the family will reap the benefit from projects designed, automatically women and children will benefit. 2.1.3 The Darker Side of the Family / Erosion of Family Life Earlier in this review of literature, it is shown that the family is warm and supportive. However, many writers have questioned the darker side of the family. The fact that women spend most of their time either at work or doing household chores can lead to emotional stress in the family. The twentieth century family is mostly nucleus and thus children at times feel isolated and lacking the support of their extended kins: grandparents, aunts, cousins etc. They become introvert and their stress level rise to such an extent that when explosion occurs, it can have dramatic results. This may lead to violence, psychological damage, mental illness, drug intake, crime etc. The breakdown of children may lead to quarrel between parents. In the long run, marriages may fail and consequently lead to divorce. Incidence that may appear trivial can blow out of proportions and cause drastic consequence within the family. The mass media is increasingly bringing to people attention the sexual, physical and emotional abuse of children through neglect. Similarly, The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (2000) parts that around 10% of children suffering from serious abuse or neglect at home by natural parents. Domestic violence is very prevalent in any society. It is estimated that one in four women are victim of domestic violence. 2.1.4 Conception about Family and Work Families and work have often been illustrated as separate entities, with women being linked to the home and men to the workplace. This separation unfortunately emanated by the sociology of the family being carried out as a separate domain from the sociology of work and occupations. However this assumption does not stand good in view of the increased participation of married women in the workplace. Early work by Rhona Raraport and Robert N. Raraport (1969) on dual-career families has talked about the benefits and strains of families with dual-earners. There are, however, many questions still to be answered concerning the interaction of family and work. Harkness and Waldfogel (1999) advocate that the formation of a family touches mostly female rather than male labour force behaviour. The withdrawal from labour after childbirth may lead to a depreciation of human capital. This may affect career commitment to employers and affect career progression. There are changes in family arrangements which prompt changes in production arrangements (Zaretsky 1976). Consumption was favoured to production within the household. Market relation became overruled by a capitalist market society and instead of economy being embedded in social relations, social relations are embedded in the economic system (Polanyi 1957). Dapne Johnson (1982) relates that the hours of work and schooling are organized at such time that it has become difficult to single-parent and dual-worker family. Moreover, school holidays add up to the problems of who will look after the child. Full-time married or cohabiting women generally have less time for leisure, as they are often expected to do two jobs their paid work and unpaid housework inside the family, Ken Brown (2008). 2.2.0 WOMEN AND WORK For most of us, work occupies a larger part of our lives than other single type of activity. In our modern societies having a job is important for maintaining self-esteem and to live in better conditions. According to Ken Brown (2008), work is the production of goods and services that usually earns a wage or salary or provides other rewards. The work may be effected in the formal or informal economy. He argues that work is an important element in occupying, directing and structuring the individuals time the demands of working life involve a high degree of self discipline if jobs are to be kept. It is, for most people, the single biggest commitment of time in any week, and it is perhaps one of the most important experiences affecting peoples entire lives. Work affects the amount of time and money available for family life. Work and family life have always been interdependent, but the increased employment of mothers just like nowadays the number of women working has risen from 66.2 million in 2009 compared to 1950 where it was 18.4 million. Pauline Wilson and Allan Kidd (1998) refer to work as a distinctive and clear cut activity. Work refers to the job or occupation undertaken. Work is both the place where one goes in order to do ones job and the activity that ones does. Sociologies increasingly recognize however that it is not easy to define work. The definitions concentrate solely on paid employment and are too narrow. Keith Grint (1991) also states the same thing and even presents a number of definitions to prove what he says:- Work can be seen as that which ensures individual and societal survival by engaging in nature. The problem is that many activities which cannot be seen are often regarded as work. Work cannot be defined simply as employment. Activities in which people are employed are also performed by people who are not employed. Examples include washing, ironing, etc., Work cannot be defined as something which can be done whether it is liked or not. Work can finally not be seen as non-leisure activities. Activities may be leisure for some but work for others. Work and leisure would be hard to separate if it goes together. 2.2.1 Reasons for working in paid employment Women work in paid employment for a number of reasons. These are as follows: Job satisfaction Money Company and friendship Status and identity To get out of the home and feel free To be independent 2.2.2 Functionalist Perspectives on Work and family Functionalist has given their views on the link between work and family and they argues that family meets the need of the workplace. The family adapts itself in the requirement of the society. They are living in a post modern way of living which is very good for the society as they prefer not to have children because of their career and some prefer to stay single and they are going according to the needs of the society. Functionalist like Talcott Parsons (1981) argues that women are proving the love care and affection to the family and men are maintaining order and security within the family. He also argues that it strengthens the conjugal bond between husband and wife and they complement each other. Young Willmott (1973) lay emphasis on how family evolved with the requirement of the society. Hence, both men and women are equal and they share the household work like for example man help in the kitchen when a woman is taking care of the child. P and B Berger argues that the bourgeois family already teach the child what the society want that is strict moral values and value economic success. Hence, how far does it apply in our modern society is highly debatable. On the other hand the functionalists have been criticized by E.Leach (1966) where he argued that the nuclear family is stressed. They are exploited by the capitalist and alienated; they work because they have no choice. Laing on the other hand argued that they are privatized they do not want people to know what is happening in their yard or house and they do not want people to come at their place without informing. Parents inculcate fear and suspicious in children so that they fear to revolt. 2.2.3 Feminist Perspectives on the work and family However, the Marxist feminists like Margaret Benston (1969) argue that capitalist pay women for their work at minimum wage scale. At present, the support of the family is a hidden tax on the wage earner that is his wage buys the labour power of two people. Thus, at work place women get jobs in the primary labour markets which are insecure, low wage income easily hired or fired. Even if women work they still have to act as a safety valve for the husband and men are still like a boss in the house. Hence, this lead to the work-family role conflict and tension are aroused by conflicting role pressures. Fran Ansley (1972) on the other hand wife still act as a safety valve and men are like boss at home. 2.3.0 WORK-FAMILY CONFLICT 2.3.1 Defining work-family conflict Howard (2008) in summarizing the definitions put forth by prior scholars (Greenhaus Beutell, 1985; Boyar, Maertz, Pearson, Keough, 2003) conceptualized work-family conflict as a type of inter-role conflict where both work and family issues exert pressures on an individual, creating a conflict where compliance with some set of pressures (family matters) increases the difficulty of complying with the other set of pressures (work matters). Work-family conflict has been shown to be related to negative work outcomes such as job dissatisfaction, job burnout, and turnover (Greenhaus, Parasuraman Collins 2001, Howard, Donofrio Boles 2004), as well as to outcomes related to psychological distress, and life and marital dissatisfaction (Kinnunen Mauno 1998, Aryee et al., 1999). Conflict occurs when the demands from one of these domains (home, work, personal, family etc) interferes with the other and causes imbalance (Frone et al., 1992, 1997). In todays hectic society, home and work are two colliding forces (Greenhaus and Powell, 2003) that has often lead to an imbalance, where women, lives to achieve fulfillment and satisfaction (Auster, 2001, Chalofsky, 2003). On the other hand, (Zedeck, 1992) suggests that a persons work experience influence his or her behaviour at home, influencing basic behaviors towards self and family members. Balancing the demands of work and the responsibilities of the family is an ongoing concern in organizational leadership. Today we are busier than ever. Gone are the days of the 40-hour work week, the two-hour lunch, leaving the office on time, and forgetting about office demands until the next business day. With todays advanced technology, such as cell phones with paging and instant messaging, wireless Internet access, and the mobile office following us wherever we go, it is easier to take the office on the road when we travel, even when the road leads home. Once at home, office responsibilities easily impose on family time with a quick call here and an email reply there limiting the amount of quality time available for the family. This incompatibility between the pressures of work and family concerns generates role conflict and stress on the follower. Researchers define the incompatibility between the domain of work and the domain of family as work-family conflict. Conflict between these domains occurs when participation in one role is more difficult due to participation in the other role. Today, work-family conflict (work interfering with family) is more prevalent than family-work conflict (family interfering with work) though both can occur. However, regardless of the direction of causation, when one domain is discordant with another domain, the result is conflict and increased stress on the individual. Current research focuses on the causes of work-family conflict, balance of time, involvement and satisfaction, quality of life, and the outcomes between the two domains. 2.3.2 Types of work-family conflict Greenhaus and Beuthell (1985) identified three major types of work-family conflict: (a) Time-based, (b) Strain-based and (c) Behaviour- based conflict. Time-based conflict occurs when time devoted to one role makes it difficult to participate in another for example, when mothers have to do overtime at work with little notice might make it difficult for them to meet family obligations, like picking up children from school. Time-based conflict, is the most common types of work-family conflict when multiple roles reduce the time and energy available to meet all role demands, thus, creating strain (Goode, 1960) and work-family conflict (Marks, 1977). Strain-based conflicts suggests that strain experienced in one role intrudes into and interferes with participation in another role; for example, mother who is anxious about their childs illness might not be fully concentrate on her job and this can cause mistakes in her work. Behaviour-based conflicts occur when specific behaviors required in one role are incompatible with behaviour expectation in another role. That is, when work roles cause problems at home or when home role causes problems at work. All these three forms are formulated based on the role theory, which conceptualize conflicts as reflecting incompatible demands on the person, either within a single or between multiple roles occupied by the individual (Kahn et al., 1964). (Carlson et al., 2000) also argue that another form of work/ family conflict is the Worry-based conflict in modern industrial society. On the other hand, increasing living cost, marital distress and parental stress may erode the stability of the family life (Lu, in press), causing worries which interfere with work. (Carlson et al., 2000) thus, defined worry-based conflict in terms of pervasive and generalized worries experienced in one role into and interfering with participation in another role. In a study, Fu and Shaffer (2001) identified several family and work specific determinants of FWC and WFC conflict, respectively. Testing these across the three forms of conflict-time, strain, behaviour-based they found that the family- specific variables were only effective in predicting time-based FWC conflict. As a group, the work-specific variables had much stronger effects and role conflict, role overload and hours spent on paid work were especially influential in explaining both time-based and strain-based forms of WFC conflict. Family conflicts was to be strong risk factor for the onset of elevated need for necessary need for recovery from work and fatigue. 2.3.3 Theoretical explanation of work-family conflict Two of the theoretical explanations of work-family conflict are: Attribution theory, Compensation theory. Attribution theory states that there are internal and external explanations for work-family and family-work conflict. An internal explanation is the desire to be successful in multiple roles such as mother or father, brother or sister, leader or follower, and peer or subordinate. Internally, work-family conflict occurs when what needs to be accomplished at work interferes with personal values. Personal values may include spending daily quality time with family or simply rejuvenating after a hard day of work. Internally-generated conflict can also occur when family responsibilities such as attending a school function or taking care of a sick child spills over into the responsibilities of work and increases the time spent away from the job. External causes of work-family conflict may occur when your work assignment takes more time to complete than what you have to give or when your spouse is unwilling to support your endeavors both at home and at work. Conflict between these domains al so occurs when the amount of control followers have over their job is limited and flexibility is minimal. Compensation theory suggests that people add more to one domain than the other in order to balance what lacks in either. In other words, life balance is a direct result of the amount of time and psychological resources an individual decides to commit to both domains. If the individual commits more time or psychological resources to work, then work-family conflict may increase. If an individual decides to commit more resources to family than work, but work requirements increase, then family-work conflict also increases. While the conflict between work and family may be inevitable, researchers such as Friedman and Greenhaus (2000) suggest alternative methods for reducing the stress. For example, more autonomy in the workplace and networking with peers can increase the quality of work life. Their studies show that individuals who work for organizations that allow individuals to spend more time at home, work in virtual employment, and make flexible time arrangements, tend to perform better as a parent than those who do not have these opportunities. Maintaining satisfaction on both fronts is important for reducing the feelings of conflict. 2.3.4 Concept of childcare The concept of childcare does not refer to supervision and responsibility of feeding, clothing and other aspects of daily care for a child for a certain period of time. Infact, childcare includes the responsibility of maintain a healthy balance of love, affection and discipline, to help all-round development of the child. Child care is one of the biggest challenges for working families. Due to their work responsibilities, parents are not always able to stay with their children and take care of them, as they would like to. Parents would like to leave their children in care of such individuals whom they can entrust their precious kids without any worries or misgivings. For a long time, childcare was the responsibility of the extended family. With industrialization and modernization of the family has created rather serious childcare problems. As the extended family weakens, help from relatives before more difficult for women who cannot afford childcare services, may have no choice than to opt out of the labour market. (Situation analysis of women and children in The Republic of Mauritius October 2003). When childcare arrangements break down, employed parents are more likely to be absent, late, report being unable to concentrate on the job, to have higher levels of stress and more stress-related health problems and to report lower parental and marital satisfaction (Galinsky Hugues, 1987; NCJW, 1987; Shin et al; 1987). Whenever a child is sick, very often it is the mother who has to take leave to take care of the child. Women spend more hours per week on household and on childcare than men do. And motherhood is a career liability for women while for men, being married and having children are both associated with higher earnings and being in upper level positions. (Friedman and Greenhaus, 2000). For many women parents stress starts as school ends. Most mothers cope with their child-care needs by taking children with them to work; leaving children with relatives, neighbors or older siblings and for short period of time leaving them alone. Children who are too old for day-care must stay in an empty home for several hours after school before the parents return from work. Such children are sometimes called latchkey children because they are usually given a key of the house or apartment so that they can let themselves in when they get home. Although the recent practice of women working brings financial independence, it also exalts difficulties and stresses to the working womens lives. This stress damages not only the quality of life and health of those who are victims (Parasuraman and Greenhaus 1992; rice et al; 1992). It can drive to unsatisfactory behaviors at jobs: delays, absenteeism, lack of motivation, reduced output (Beuthell et al., 1991) and in more difficult relation within the family (Duxbury and Higgins 1991; Parasuraman et al., 1992; Frone et al., 1992) This increased participation of women in the labour force has changed the traditional roles of men and women within the two-parent family resulting in the phenomenon of the dual-career couples (Kirrane and Monks, 2004). Balancing work, housework, and child-care responsibilities can become strenuous which can result in work-family conflict. This can be very costly to both organizations and employees within them (Posig and Kickul, 2004). As highlighted by Allen, Herst, Bruck, and Sutton (2000), the increase of dual-career couples with young children and changes in the traditional family structural configurations have resulted in changes in home and family responsibilities for both men and women. Even for todays dual-career couples, the transition to parenthood tends to mark a reversion to a more traditional division role, with women doing the lions share of the household maintenance and child care planning (Carler, 1996; Hoschchild, 1989) Childcare is a conceptually distinct and especially burdensome aspect of household labour (Berk, 1985; Rexroat Shehan, 1987). Floge (1986) points out that one major problem facing dual-earner couples are arranging for child care. As the number of dual earner couples with children increases, responsibility for child care arrangements becomes an increasingly important aspects of household labour. In addition to bearing the responsibility of proving adequate child care to their children, women may also experience feelings of guilt if they do not at least devote some of their free time to this task. Some women may therefore reduce their amount of sleep of free time resulting in the accumulation of strain and stress (Sterwart D.Friedman, Jeffrey H.Greenhaus, 2000). In addition to globalization the other key that has affected dual-income working families is the dramatic change in the characteristics of labour force. We all know that that due to globalization there has been a change in the nature of work and this has resulted from long hours of working. We cannot just blame families especially women for not being able to provide enough care for their children we must also know why the situation is like this. Hence, families has no other choice because may be they fear from being unemployed and nowadays being unemployed is not a pleasant thing due to the high standard of living. Families may no choice except from working because of being a single parent who has to take up all the responsibilities alone or because of being poor. However, we do agree with the fact that parents are working for the benefit of the family but how far is it really benefitting the family? When both parent work especially for long hours of work it become impossible to take care of the house and children because of exhaustion, stress and sometimes office work is being continued at home. This usually creates conflicts at home like domestic violence, long disputes where it affects not only parents but children as well. Sometimes everything end up by a divorce, the child will not be able to say anything but it affect him mentally and are unable to cope at school. Moreover, even if children are grown up they still need care and affection of parents which parents are unable to provide them due to their work overload. In a recent research womens work burden and human development in Mauritius (Feb 2006), Miriam Blin found that most women from EPZ felt they could not give their children care and attention they needed. Many could not provide care their children required. This, is why sometime children does not work well at school just like (see, for example, Behrman et al., 1999 Lack of parental support and involvement, as well as the absence of early stimulation, together with the breakdown of the family structure have been found to be important factors affecting childrens performances. Therefore, parents should find time to know what children are doing at school. Nowadays, children spend most of their time on Facebook and due to the fact that there is no parental control they have access to other site like pornography. Children are sometimes infl uence by peer group and may be this is why there is juvenile delinquency, like school truancy, smoking. There is lack of communication at home and children are unable to communicate with parents. Parents take children for granted where they think that their values and way of thinking do not differ. In a way parent should be involve with children so that they know what their children are doing and build a close relationship between both of them because it is not money that count, love, care and affection are more important and we should not forget that todays children are future adults citizen whom lies the responsibility to ensure the social and cultural harmony. Seeing all this we can say that we cannot apply the functionalist view in our society but we should also know that all society and all family differ.