Customer behaviour Essay Example for Free

Customer behaviour Essay What is Electronic Commerce? Commerce The exchange of commodities, buying and selling, of products and services requiring transportation, from location to location is known as commerce. E-Commerce From a communications perspective, e-commerce is the delivery of information, products/services or payments via telephone lines, Fax, computer networks or any other means. What is Electronic Commerce? From an online perspective, e-commerce provides the capability of buying and selling products and information on the internet and other online services. It refers to a wide range of online business activities for products and services. Any form of business transaction in which the parties interact electronically rather than by physical exchanges or direct physical contact. Difference between E-Commerce E-Business Electronic commerce or e-Commerce E-commerce covers online processes that touch customers, suppliers and external partners, including sales, marketing, order taking, delivery, customer service, purchasing of raw materials and supplies for production. More sophisticated system such as flight and hotel reservation system. e-Commerce breaks into two components: Online Shopping the scope of information and activities that provides the customer with the information they need to conduct business with you and make an informed buying decision. Online Purchasing the technology infrastructure for the exchange of data and the purchase of a product over the Internet. Online purchasing is a metaphor used in business-to-business e-Commerce for providing customers with an online method of placing an order, submitting a purchase order, or requesting a quotation. E-Business is a super-set of E-Commerce. E-business includes e-commerce but also covers internal processes such as production, inventory management, product development, risk management, finance, and human resources. E-business includes electronic mechanism to distribute information not directly related to buying and selling of goods. Examples: Product specifications, customer testimonials, and product reviews. Purchasing activities on your site, e.g., order forms, shopping carts, and credit card processing. Customers can’t interact directly with the firm. (territory barrier) History of EC The term e-commerce was originally conceived to describe the process of conducting business transactions electronically using technology from the Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) and Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT). These technologies, which first appeared in the late 1970’s, allowed for the exchange of information and the execution of electronic transactions between businesses, typically in the form of electronic purchase orders and invoices. EDI and EFT were the enabling technologies that laid the groundwork for what we now know as e-commerce. The Boston Computer Exchange, a marketplace for used computer equipment started in 1982, was one of the first known examples of e-commerce. Throughout the 1980’s, the proliferation of credit cards, ATM machines and telephone banking was the next step in the evolution of electronic commerce. The birth of companies such as eBay and Amazon (launched in 1994) really began to lead the way in e-commerce. Both eBay and Amazon were among the first to establish prominent e-commerce brands. The most prominent e-commerce categories today are computers, books, office supplies, music, and a variety of electronics. Dell.com,1997 Types of Ecommerce B2B( Business to Business E-commerce) or Inter-Organizational E-commerce B2C(  Business to Consumer E-commerce) C2B( Consumer to Business E-commerce) C2C( Consumer to Consumer E-commerce) or Ecommerce Involving Intermediaries Intra-organizational E-commerce  m-commerce(Mobile E-commerce) Business to Government E-Commerce B2B (Business-to-Business) or inter-organizational Ecommerce Companies doing business with each other such as manufacturers selling to distributors and wholesalers selling to retailers. Pricing is based on quantity of order and is often negotiable. B2B is used to improve business relationship among orgz. (invoices, cheques, purchase orders, financial reports) are in electronic for. For Example: Logistic companies Benefits: Supplier Management (reduce no. of suppliers, processing coast, and cycle time) Inventory Management (list of items/product, eliminate out of stock items) Distribution Management (list of ship’s cargo, purchase orders etc) Channel Management (reduce labour, time saving) Payment Management (electronic payment reduce clerical errors, lower transaction fee and coast) B2C Business to Consumer In B2C seller is a business organization buyer is consumer. In this case costumer directly interacts with company, i.e. books and cd’s buy online and internet used as a medium for transaction. Newspapers reading and weather forecasting are used as a B2C E-commerce. This type of e-commerce improve the flow of information between firm and customers. Examples are ebay.com, and amazon.com. C2B Consumer to Business A consumer posts his project with a set budget online and within hours companies review the consumers requirements and bid on the project. The consumer reviews the bids and selects the company that will complete the  project. Elance empowers consumers around the world by providing the meeting ground and platform for such transactions. Freelancing C2C (Consumer-to-Consumer) or E-commerce Involving Intermediaries In this type both seller and buyers are consumers. There are many sites offering free classifieds, auctions and forums where individuals can buy and sell. PayPal where people can send and receive money online with ease. Olx.com auction service is a great example of where person-to-person transactions take place everyday. Intra-organizational E-C The purpose of Intra-organizational applications is to help a company maintain the relationships that are critical to delivering superior customer value by paying close attention to various functions in the organization. Benefits: Workgroup communications Electronic Publishing Sales force Productivity Business to Government E-C A platform for businesses to bid on government opportunities. It refers to the use of the Internet for public procurement, licensing procedures, and other government-related operations. It reduces the risk of irregularities. Income Tax Department, Excise and Taxation Department M-Commerce Mobile commerce is the buying and selling of goods and services through wireless technology – i.e., cellular telephones and personal digital assistants (PDAs). Including mobile banking (when customers use their handheld devices to access their accounts and pay their bills). Bill payment and account reviews can all be conducted from the same handheld device. Delivery of entertainment, financial news, sports figures and traffic updates to a single mobile device. Advantages of e-commerce for businesses? Reduction of costs in the business E-commerce serves as an â€Å"equalizer†. It enables start-up and small- and medium-sized enterprises to reach the global market. E-commerce makes â€Å"mass customization† possible. E-commerce applications in this area include easy-to-use ordering systems that allow customers to choose and order products according to their personal and unique specifications. E-commerce allows â€Å"network production.† This refers to the parcelling out of the production process to contractors who are geographically dispersed but who are connected to each other via computer networks. What forces are fuelling e-commerce? There are at least three major forces fuelling e-commerce: Economic forces. One of the most evident benefits of e-commerce is economic efficiency resulting from the reduction in communications costs, low-cost technological infrastructure. speedier and more economic electronic transactions with suppliers. lower global information sharing and advertising costs. Market forces. Corporations are encouraged to use e-commerce in marketing and promotion to capture international markets, both big and small. The Internet is likewise used as a medium for enhanced customer service and support. Technology forces. The development of ICT is a key factor in the growth of ecommerce. What are the components of a successful e-commerce transaction loop? To maximize the benefits of e-commerce, a number of technical as well as enabling issues have to be considered. A typical e-commerce transaction loop involves the following major players and corresponding requisites: 1. The Seller should have the following components: A corporate Web site with e-commerce capabilities (e.g., a secure transaction server); A corporate intranet so that orders are processed in an efficient manner; and IT-literate employees to manage the information flows and maintain the e-commerce system. 2. Transaction partners include: Banking institutions that offer transaction clearing services (e.g., processing credit card payments and electronic fund transfers); National and international freight companies to enable the movement of physical goods within, around and out of the country. Authentication authority that serves as a trusted third party to ensure the integrity and security of transactions. 3. Consumers (in a business-to-consumer transaction) Form a critical mass of the population with access to the Internet and disposable income enabling widespread use of credit cards; and Possess a mindset for purchasing goods over the Internet rather than by physically inspecting items. 4. Firms/Businesses that together form a critical mass of companies (especially within supply chains) with Internet access and the capability to place and take orders over the Internet. 5. Government, to establish: A legal framework governing e-commerce transactions (including electronic documents, signatures, and the like); and Legal institutions that would enforce the legal framework (i.e., laws and regulations) and protect consumers and businesses from fraud, among others. 6. Internet, the successful use of which depends on the following: A robust and reliable Internet infrastructure; and A pricing structure that doesn’t penalize consumers for spending time on and buying goods over the Internet (e.g., a flat monthly charge for both ISP access and local phone calls).

Factors Contributing To Global Warming Environmental Sciences Essay

Factors Contributing To Global Warming Environmental Sciences Essay In the 21st century, negative environmental and economical effects have been experienced: due to global warming. Global warming is defined as warming of Earths surface and lower atmosphere; which tends to intensify with an increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide. Basically global warming is exactly what it sounds like; the warming of earths temperature. Global warming is increasing very rapidly, everyone has to take action against it; by considering how it occurs, how it impacts the normal personal life of people, and how it can be prevented. However, it is very important for everyone to know how they contribute to the causes of global warming. In the present day life global warming is caused in many ways, but the most important is air pollution. Firstly, carbon dioxide and other harmful gases: from power plants, are released into air which causes the toxicity of the air to increase. Nuclear power plants; which are old and unchecked can increase the carbon dioxide by 35% in year 2030. At the same time most of the power plants in North America emits carbon dioxide, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, and mercury pollution (Cleaner power plants, 2007). Half of the gases that are emitted from these power plants are dangerous to everyone. Second cause for increasing in global warming is carbon dioxide from vehicles. Burning the petroleum products to run automotive transport vehicles cause pollutants like SO2, CO, CO2 which are being released into air. In the year 2003 North America had over 236 million vehicles which is responsible for nearly half of all greenhouse gases emitted by automobiles globally (Bureau of Transportation Statics, 2009). Furthermore, air pollution is also caused by smoking cigarettes. When someone smokes the nicotine chemical flows into the air which cause air pollution. According to Vince (2004) of New Scientist air pollution emitted by cigarettes is 10 times greater than diesel car exhaust. Most people are responsible for the air pollution, which contributes to global warming. Another cause of increasing in global warming is use of fossil fuels. The burning of fossil fuels releases carbon dioxide into atmosphere. Vehicles are the highest forms of fossil fuels use. For every one million gallons of gasoline consumed by vehicles releases approximately 10,000 tons of carbon dioxide into atmosphere (Gable, n,d.(1)). Also the use of fossil fuels in power plants releases lots of toxic gases. In fact that human destroy the environment to obtain these fossil fuels and burn them releasing masses of carbon dioxide into atmosphere. It is also said that power generation plants accounts for about one quarter of total emissions of carbon dioxide (Carbon dioxide Emissions, 2007 (2)). Finally households hold a huge stock in contributing to the effects of global warming. House hold appliance that burn fossil fuels like natural gas, coal, as fuel produces carbon dioxide leads to global warming. In 2003, the average household produced 12.4 tons of carbon dioxide from its hous ehold operations.(Hinkle Charitable, n.d.(10)), and even the construction and operation of residential units is the cause of 40% of all CO2 (Greenhouse gases, 2008). As one can see, everyone is responsible for increasing is global warming, everyone has to become more aware of the detrimental effects their lifestyle has on the rapidly increasing rate of global warming. Due to global warming, world is experiencing extreme changes in climate. There is no doubt that the earth climate is constantly changing. Some people feel that it is part of the normal cycle of events on this planet. Yet, most scientists agree that there are drastic changes occurring that are due to unnatural global warming. It is said that the average surface temperature may rise between 2o to 6o Celsius, by the end of 21st century (Riebeek, 2010(3)). Consequently, because of the changing weather pattern, there has been an increase in droughts throughout the world. Years are becoming drier in recent decades due to global warming.   This is caused by the heat that is building up around the earths surface. For instance: There will be an increase in drought in the next 100 years, that will threaten millions of lives and take over half of the land surface on the planet.(Douglas, 2006 (4)). A big enough rise of global temperatures would eventually melt the worlds glaciers, and indeed a retreat of mountain glaciers since the 19th century was apparent in some regions. That would release enough water to raise the sea level a bit. Also there has been an increase in floods because of raise in sea level. It is said that nearly 81 people died and 1.03 $ billion has been damaged in the flood in the year 1954 (Public Safety Canada, 2007(5)). Therefore, the effects of global warming cannot be denied; the increasing temperatures, extreme weather patterns and climate change are all visibly connected to global warming. Besides temperature, global warming has been linked to an increase in water problems. Water is habitant for several species. First, the depletion in ozone layer causes ultraviolet rays to fall directly on land and water without filter by ozone layer. When ultraviolet rays fall on water, those rays kill many organism such as plankton. For example, the penetration of increased amount of uv radiation has caused great health problems of marine plankton, which are density populate the top 2 meters of ocean water (Sparling, 2001). Secondly, the most important problem to the environment is due to acid rains. Acid rains affect the life on land as well as in water. It is worse in water than on land because organism that live in water need water to survive. When the water gets polluted due to acid rains then these organism cant survive in those conditions. For example hundreds of lakes in the adirondacls have acidity levels indicative of chemical conditions unsuitable for the survival of sensi tive fish species (Surface water, 1999)(13). Third important effect of global warming on water is increase in ocean acidification due to carbon dioxide that is being released into ocean. As the greater amount of carbon dioxide is being released into ocean makes it more acidic then its normal level. As ocean acidity increases, phytoplankton is reduced. This results in less ocean plants able to uptake greenhouse gases. For example increased ocean acidity threatens marine life such as plankton, carols and shell fish, which may become extinct later this century form chemical effects of carbon dioxide (Lindell, 2008 (14)). Since we have helped the environment to increase global warming there is only few ways to slow global warming. Firstly, global warming can be reduced by using public transport rather than personal vehicles. When people begin to make use of public transport instead of making use of their private vehicles, there will be a great reduction in the amount of energy supply that is being used.   For instance, public transport in US saves approximately 1.4 billion gallons of gasoline and about 1.5 million tons of co2 annually (West, n.d.(6)). Secondly, global warming can also be reduced by using new cars instead of old cars, If someone buy a new car that gets 10 more miles per gallon then their old car, the amount of co2 reduced realized in one year will be about 2500 pounds. The new hybrid cars using efficient gas electric engines, can cut global warming pollution by 30% or more (Seaman 2009)(7). Further more global warming can be prevented by reducing the amount of electrical power being consumed by everyone. This is a very critical problem because everyone has a dependency on electricity. Thats why this problem cant be solved but somehow it can be reduced by switching to energy saving light such as florescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs. For each CFL bulb replacement, one can lower the energy bill and keep nearly 700 pounds of co2 out of the air over the bulbs lifetime (Seaman, 2009). Using the Natural source of energy is also the best way to reduce global warming. Firstly, by keeping wind turbines in places that are always windy to produce electricity because they dont produce any pollution or green house gases. Some people say that wind energy is one form of energy that is rapidly improving and growing, use of wind energy reduces the environmental impact of generating electricity because it requires no fuel and does not produce pollution or green house gases (Natural Resources Canada, 2009)(8). Secondly, every country can use solar photovoltaic energy. It will help to reduce the amount of green house gases, For instant photovoltaic technology has become a favoured form of renewable energy technology due to a number of social and economic factors including the need to reduce green house gas emission, deregulators and the restructuring of electric power generating companies(Natural Resources Canada, 2010)(9). Thirdly, the most used form of energy, hydro energy, is one of the best options for replacing highly polluting and very costly diesel generation that currently provides electric energy in remote communities. For example a hydroelectric power plant doesnt emit any pollutants such as carbon dioxide or sulphur dioxide given off by fossil fuel fired power plants. In this respect, hydropower is better than burning coal, oil or natural gas to produce electricity, as it does not contribute to global warming or acid rain(citation 11). These are the some of the natural resource which can help to reduce global warming. In conclusion, everyone is responsible for an increase in global warming by destruction of forest and polluting the world. In addition to this everyones dependency on fossil fuels also contributed to the increasing rate of global warming. It is also due to increasing temperatures that everyones life is being affected due to air pollution. Finally, there are the environmental effects that global warming has brought; increased temperature, climate change and raising sea levels have all contributed to the effect of global warming. Therefore, everyone must acknowledge their contribution and the overwhelming evidence that global warming is occurring. Only then everyone will move toward to save the earth.

Human Resourse Management :: GCSE Business Marketing Coursework

HR UCTION The topic under review is strategic alliances. This particular form of non-equity alliance between firms in the same industry (competitors) is becoming an increasingly popular way of conducting business in the global environment. Many different reasons of why such alliances are occurring have been recognized. These include: the increasing globalization of the world's economy resulting in intensified global competition, the proliferation and disbursement of technology, and the shortening of product life-cycles. This critique will use Kenichi Ohmae's viewpoint on strategic alliances as a benchmark for comparison. Firstly, a summary of Ohmae's article will be provided. Secondly, in order to critique Ohmae's opinion, it will be necessary to review other literature on the topic. Thirdly, a discussion of the various viewpoints and studies, that have hence arisen, will be discussed in detail. Finally, conclusions will be drawn with implications for companies operating in today's glob al environment, together with suggestions for future research on strategic alliances. THE GLOBAL LOGIC OF STRATEGIC ALLIANCES The underlying argument or reasoning behind Ohmae's opinion that strategic alliances, or entente, are the only way forward for all companies competing globally. "Globalization mandates alliances, makes them absolutely necessary." (Ohmae, 1989). The author has supported this viewpoint, that globalization makes strategic alliances necessary as vehicles for customer-orientated value, with four issues facing today's companies: 1. The Californization of Need; 2. The Dispersion of Technology; 3. The Importance of Fixed Costs, 4. Dangers of Equity. The first issue, described by Ohmae as the Californization of Need, refers to the convergence of customer needs and preferences and the fact that the national identity of many high-quality products has virtually disappeared. Secondly, companies can no longer maintain a leadership position based solely on superior, advanced technology. This results because of the increasing number of critical technologies embedded in the majority of products, therefore, no one can keep the technology out of the hands of competitors around the globe. Thirdly, Ohmae emphasizes the importance of fixed costs. He believes that companies can no longer compete by keeping their variable costs lower than their competitors. The majority of costs incurred by companies these days are fixed costs, therefore, what matters is maximizing marginal contribution from fixed costs and a logical way to do this through forming strategic alliances. The final issue Ohmae identifies is dangers of equity.

The Supernatural in Shakespeares Macbeth :: GCSE English Literature Coursework

The Supernatural in Macbeth Displays of supernatural activities were used throughout Macbeth, and evidence of this was brought out in the appearances of the three Witches. In Shakespeare's day, special effects were not used in his plays. Therefore, the dramatic performances and the suspenseful scenes were the fundamental qualities to making a great play. Shakespeare used the element of the unknown to evoke fear in the minds of his audience. By allowing the Witches to see into the future, it made Macbeth more suspenseful. With their prophecies about Macbeth?s future, they intrigue the audience to see if they are correct. The Witches were a symbol of evil, and Shakespeare uses this fear of the devil to give his plays an additional eerie and haunting effect. Shakespeare also used an evil character that can easily influence the main character in his stories, in this case, it was Lady Macbeth. It is essential that   Lady Macbeth and the three Witches create the plot of Macbeth. Without the Witches powers of forete lling the future and the evil persuasions of his wife, Lady Macbeth, Macbeth would have never become king.   Ã‚  Ã‚   The expression "weird sisters", used from the 1400's, means "Fatal sisters". The word "weird" or in Old English Wyrd was a noun meaning Fate. In Act 1, Scene 3, The three Witches describe themselves as fore-tellers of   destiny, and they all introduce themselves to Macbeth and Banquo as "The weird sisters, hand in hand". The appearance that the three Witches possess is that of pure evil. In the starting of the scene, each of the three Witches describe their wickedness with a proud manner. For example, when they asked the Second Witch where she had been, she replied, "Killing swine". This statement shows how the Witches enjoyed being devilish. The impression that the audience gets of Witches is that they are hideously evil. In Shakespeare's time, witches were believed to have supernatural powers, they could transform themselves into other shapes, usually animals. When the First Witch describes where she had been, she referred to sailing across the sea in a sieve and tra nsforming into a rat without a tail, But in a sieve I'll thither sail, and like a rat without a tail, I'll do, I'll do, and I'll do?. Witches were also believed to   fortunetellers. The three Witches prophecies in Macbeth, foreshadow later events in the play.

Ideology Essay -- British Politics

Ideology has played an important part in British politics for centuries. It played a part in the setting up of the three major parties as we know them today. Ideology is difficult to define as it is such as widely and loosely used term. Andrew Vincent as well as many other authors, Vincent describes ideology as, ‘the term ’ideology’ was a neologism compounded from the Greek terms eidos and logos. It can be defined as a ‘science of ideas’ (Vincent: 2009:p.1). Even from this definition it is difficult to fully understand the term ‘ideology’ as it has such a broad definition. The changing nature of British politics in the post-war era contributed to the level of importance that ideology had during this period. The post-war period became none as an era of consensus politics, the post-war consensus has been described by David Marsh as, ‘a distinct policy paradigm which shaped the strategic choices of Britain's leading political actors as they sought to build and then to preserve a 'New Jerusalem' from the damage created by the war’ (Marsh: 1999:p.67) this so called post-war consensus definitely played a part in the removal of ideology from British politics. Although the post-war consensus did remove the importance of ideology in British politics, there were periods within the post-war consensus where new ideologies emerged. Ideology was important in Clement Attlee’s government, which had a socialist policy agenda through the creation of the NHS and the advancement of the welfare state, in the 1980’s through the emergence of Thatcherism, as well as the creation of ‘New Labour’ in 1997 and even the current government can be seen as ideological. This essay will first look at the important role that ideology does have to play, and has play... ...the war. Although there has been times when ideology may be seen as unimportant, such as the post-war consensus, this can be seen as an ideology in itself due to the ambiguity of the term, as Hickson writes, ‘both the Labour and Conservative parties accepted the ideology of social democracy’ (Hickson: 2004: p.143). Therefore it is only fair to say that ideology has been important in British politics in the post-war era. Thatcher, Attlee and Blair were clearly ideologically motivated as their policies showed, but the post-war consensus can also be seen as a period of ideology that the major parties agreed on, and even the current government can be seen as promoting a new kind of ideology of compromise, ideology has and will continue to play an important role in British politics for centuries to come as ideologies adapt and evolve to fit the political circumstances.

Negative effects of video games Essay

Claim: Negative effects of video games and results of overuse leading to many side effects I. Major idea: Video games promote unhealthy activity A. Opposing view: Video games may help children in following instructions, problem solving and logic Source: Raise Smart Kid. (2014). The positive and negative effects of video games. B. Refute: Children playing aggressive video games tend to have aggression programmed in their minds Counter-argument: Violent and aggressive video games users may connect violence to entertainment and pursue it as a solution in reality Source: Layton, J. (2014). Howstuffworks â€Å"do violent video games lead to real violence?†. II. Major idea: Fierce incidents are happening with children and teenagers and adolescence who have been proved to be putting a lot of hours playing video games affect. A. Opposing view: Not all incidents are connected to video games which means video games are not the sole contributor violence Source: LiveScience.com. (2014). Video games not to blame for violence. III. Major idea: Video games are bad  capable of confusing reality and fantasy for the  user A. Opposing view: Children playing video games may improve their inductive reasoning, logic and concentration in real life Source: Raise Smart Kid. (2014). The positive and negative effects of video games. Video Games Shaping the World’s Youth Humans are constantly on the pursuit of happiness, we have a habit of fulfilling this happiness with entertainment. People will do basically anything to satisfy this need, if its television, the internet or any kind of gaming, we will do it to entertain ourselves. However these come with consequences that may alter our life. While technology is evolving more and more video games are becoming more complicated, violent, and very realistic its are bad for you. Teens are caught in the middle of these new generation violent games which tend to influence them one way or another. Video games stand as natural educators; they provide a lot of practice and have rewards for success in the required action, meaning violent games include a lot of killing and being rewarded for it. These days it is hard to find a game that doesn’t contain violence, aggression or bad language. So overuse of video games is leading to mild and serious negative effects in children and adolescence. Video games promote unhealthy activity Addiction to video games really contributes to unhealthy activities. Bit by bit the gamer will stop putting hours into exercising and taking care of his priorities at his age and indulge in more and more gaming. (As cited in â€Å"The Harmful Effects of Video Games on Children†.  Ã¢â‚¬Å"According to CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), obesity rates for adults have doubled and the rates for children have tripled since 1980. Although we must admit that we cannot blame this fact on video games alone, however it isn’t just a coincidence that these rates are during the same years the market for video games began to boom†. Not to mention video-induced seizures; which are relatively common in children with past experiences with this condition. Additionally, although not as major, postural disorders may happen from all the time put into gaming, which turn into a problem into that persons future. Confusing Reality and Fantasy Our brain is like clay; we mold it and evolve it by the stimulus we give it. So if we expose our brains to constant fantasy, role-playing, and game violence it will definitely be embedded in the way we see the outside world. Today’s video gamers are so instilled in their games that they may even mistake fantasy with reality and vice versa. (As cited in John Walker’s ‘Fantasy and Reality: Can Gamers Tell?’) â€Å"Repeating a task many times in a game means your brain flickers on the idea of doing it in real life†. In my experience, I have seen many of friends get so attached and obsessive about a game that everything they talk about is connected to it. Adventure games that have many cut scenes and events happening have a habit of blurring out the users mind and making him/her eager to finish it as soon as possible. When I play a new game on my PlayStation I get so excited that I spend hours and hours without budging from my place, I obsess about it an d it becomes all I think about in reality. As a person gets addicted and plays hours consecutively he/she will eventually skip anything that comes their way to play another hour, it may lead to sleep deprivation Sleep deprivation is a serious problem since almost anything we do in our lives requires a certain amount of concentration. Without concentration, the simplest achievements could turn into a complicated situation. Children and adolescence will start falling back in their school work, missing deadlines, and might even end up failing a certain subject. A decline in school achievements is inevitable since the main focus of the child is now their favorite video game. Author Andrea Norcia stated in her article (as cited in Parents and Teachers: The  Impact of Video Games) ‘students who play excessive video games are more likely to be more aggressive, more prone to confrontation with their teachers and may engage fights with their peers. Although some scientific tests done on gamers suggesting and enhancement in cognitive abilities and the capability to concentrate, other studies showed that games are harmful to the mind, can help children’s attention issues and damage long term concentration spans. Violent Incidents Regarding Video Games Violence is the main theme of many video games if not most, if you succeed in killing perfectly you will eventually receive awards and in the end finishing the game wanting so much more. Teens averaging 13 hours per week of continuous video games are really expected to display many aggressive behaviors. Game designers might or might not intend these large effects but both ways the children are caught in between. Basically violent games demonstrate aggressive behavior on repeat; humans tend to take in information clearer in a repetitive and continuous lesson. It’s not a surprise youths exhibit more aggressive behaviors and attitudes. Decrease in empathy for victims lead to a higher possibility of people to become more violent individuals. Aggressive delinquency is very common among students who play intense video games since authority is absent in video games, meaning a player is not punished for his action as in real life. Several incidents that were reported in the United Sta tes have been linked one way or another with the overuse of video games effecting teen’s minds. As Julia Layton specified in her article, â€Å"On April 20, 1999, two seniors walked into their Colorado high school carrying assault rifles, and they opened fire. They shot dozens of people, killing 12 students and one teacher, and the nation was floored. School shootings had happened before, but this was a new scope of carnage, and in the ensuing search for answers it came out the shooters had spent a lot of time playing violent video games.† (As cited in ‘Do Violent Video Games Lead to Real Violence?’). These incidents are the fatal ones, ones that hit from nowhere and cause great damage, and it is this problem that leads us to dig more and more about what these aggressive and violent games are doing to young minds. The miracle and importance of life is now taken for granted thanks to games which render the idea of someone losing his/her life and making a fun and entertaining storyline filled with aggression and gore. Video game users are more likely to feature hostile and aggressive behavior to others, exhibiting actions such as bullying, gender and other kinds of stereotyping, and reduction of understanding others. While not all incidents of violence are directly connected to video games, it is definitely worth taking a way one factor of violence and especially this factor since it starts so soon in children and teens. The disruption of the mind of players is numerous. Some video games teach the wrong values and undermine the worth of a person’s life being taken; which consequently takes a toll on teens and give them tenancies to deal aggressively in minor conflicts. Conclusion To conclude, video games have had a reputation of negative effects such as obesity, lack of social skills, addiction, aggressive and violent behavior, sleep deprivation, increase in possibility of hurting others, confusion between reality and fantasy, decline in academic achievements, and picking up bad language. To enhance the positive effects of video games while reducing the negative effects, we must limit the hours we play, and also take good care in choosing the right games for the right age groups. The content of the game is the major issue. Reports of Bullying, 1999-2005 (Rate per 1,000 Students) References Education.com. (2013). Negative potential of video games | education.com. [online] Retrieved from: http://www.education.com/reference/article/negative-potential-video-games/ [Accessed: 16 Dec 2013]. OverBlog. (2013). The harmful effects of video

The Digestive System

The Digestive System Why is it that 1 in 3 people perhaps even more regularly battles some kind of digestion problems? Understanding how the digestive system works will help to understand why digestive problems are so common. The digestive system is more than stomach and intestines. It is a system of organs that turns food into energy and is one of the most important functions the body performs. There are many reasons that cause so many people to suffer with digestive problems. Three of the most common reasons are the lack of knowledge of how the digestive system works, poor nutrition and undiagnosed medical conditions. Lack of knowledge of how the digestive system works is one of the many reasons that cause digestive problems. The digestive system is uniquely constructed to perform its specialized function of turning food into the energy and extracting nutrients necessary to sustain life. It does this by breaking down food into its basic nutrients, which include vitamins and minerals, fats, carbohydrates, proteins and water, before transporting them to the small intestine, where most of the nutrients are absorbed into the body. The digestive system takes place in the alimentary canal, a tube that runs from the mouth to the anus and includes the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, and large intestine, colon and rectum. The liver and pancreas also contribute to digestion, but are not part of the alimentary canal. Digestion begins in the mouth, where chemical and mechanical digestion occurs. Food inters the mouth and is chewed by the teeth, turned over and mixed with saliva by the tongue. The sensations of smell and taste from the food sets up reflexes which stimulate the salivary glands, saliva is produced by the salivary glands and is released into the mouth. Saliva begins to break down the food, moistening it and making it easier to swallow and contains a digestive enzyme called amylase which breaks down the carbohydrates (starches and sugars). One of the most important functions of the mouth is chewing. Chewing breaks the food into pieces and allows food to be mashed into a soft mass that is easier to swallow and digest later. Movements by the tongue and the mouth push the food to the back of the throat for it to be swallowed. A flexible flap called the epiglottis closes over the trachea to ensure that food enters the esophagus and not the wind pipe to prevent choking. Once the food is swallowed, it enters the esophagus, a muscular tube that is located between the throat and the stomach. Food is moved by peristalsis which pushes the food down through the esophagus to the stomach. The stomach is the widest part of the alimentary canal and acts as a reservoir for the food where it may remain for between 2 and 6 hours. The stomach has 3 main functions: to store the swallowed food and liquid; to mix up the food with various hormones, enzymes, including pepsinogen which begins the digestion of protein, hydrochloric acid, and other chemicals; and to slowly empty its contents into the small intestine. The wall of the stomach is impermeable to most substances, although it does absorb some water, electrolytes, certain drugs, and alcohol. At regular intervals a circular muscle at the lower end of the stomach, the pylorus opens allowing small amounts of food, now known as chyme to enter the small intestine. Most digestion and absorption of food occurs in the small intestine. The small intestine consists of 3 parts: the duodenum, the jejunum, and the ileum. The small intestine has 2 important functions. First, the digestive process is completed here by enzymes and other substances made by intestinal cells, the pancreas, and the liver. Second, the small intestine absorbs the nutrients from the digestive process. The inner wall of the small intestine is covered by millions of tiny finger like projections called villi. The villi are covered with tinier projections called microvilli. The combination of the two allows absorption of nutrients to occur. Undigested material travels next to the large intestine. The large intestine is to remove water and salts from the undigested material and to form solid waste that can be excreted. Bacteria in the large intestine help to break down the undigested materials. The remaining contents of the large intestine are moved toward the rectum where feces are stored until they leave the body through the anus. The anus is the last part of the digestive tract. Accessory digestive organs which include the pancreas, liver and gall ladder are not part of the digestive tract or also known as the alimentary canal, but play an important role in the digestive process. The pancreas produces enzymes that help digest proteins, fats and carbohydrates it also makes sodium bicarbonate which neutralizes stomach acid. The liver produces bile, which helps the body absorb fat and it also regulates substances in the blood cells. The gallbladder store s bile until it is needed. The enzymes and bile produced by these organs move through ducts into the small intestine where they help breakdown food. The nutrients from the small intestine travel through the blood to the liver, which help process the nutrients. Digestive problems results from poor nutrition. Good nutrition is essential for maintaining proper functioning of the body systems especially the digestive system. Eating a well-balanced, nutritious diet and maintaining a healthy lifestyle are the best ways to prevent digestive problems and diseases (Lipski, 2005). The kinds and amounts of food a person eats and how the digestive system processes that food plays key roles in maintaining good health and preventing common digestive problems. Since the digestive system is responsible for breaking down food into nutrients that can be absorbed by the body and used for fuel, growth and cell repair. Good nutrition is essential for maintaining proper functions of the body systems. Generally, health experts recommend eating fiber to help prevent constipation and diarrhea. Reduce fats and oils which can slow down digestion. They also suggest drinking plenty of water which helps lubricate food waste so that it passes more easily through the alimentary canal, it helps soften stool which may prevent constipation. Water also helps dissolve minerals, vitamins and other nutrients, there by facilitating their absorption by the body’s tissues. Good nutrition is not only essential for maintaining proper function of the body systems it is also essential for maintaining homeostasis of the body systems. The body needs good nutrition for the body systems to properly function correctly. The digestive system does assist with homeostasis however; it can not accomplish it alone. All organs systems work together to maintain homeostasis. The digestive system provides the nutrients needed for the circulatory system. As the food moves through the stages of digestion (mechanical, peristalsis, chemical) it is broken down into simple water-soluble molecules that can cross cell membranes. Since the circulatory system is the transportation system of the body it transports wastes, gases, hormones, electrolytes and nutrients from good nutrition to and from the body cells. It also transports water to and from the tissues. So as these molecular-sized, water soluble particles pass through the cell membranes of cells in the digestive tract and pass through the walls of capillaries the nutrients are picked up by the blood for transport. Blood in the capillaries carries the nutrients to all the cells in the body. Red blood cells, White blood cells, and Platelets and Plasma all help to maintain homeostasis. Red blood cells transport oxygen and hydrogen ions throughout the body. White blood cells fights infections and platelets assist in blood clotting and the plasma transports the blood cells. None of these things can function without the nutrients supplied by the digestive system. Blood also maintains homeostasis of water, electrolytes and body temperature all by getting the nutrients necessary to function from the digestive system. The digestive system needs good nutrition to keep it functioning properly and all organs systems working together properly to maintain homeostasis. Undiagnosed medial conditions will cause digestive problems if left untreated and is one of the most common reasons that so many people suffer with digestive problems. Nearly everyone suffers from heartburn and indigestion now and then and these might be normal side effects of digestion, but when they occur often it might be signs of a problem and should have medical attention. Seeking medical attention or being seen by a medical doctor will help to establish if the heartburn or indigestion are from normal side effects of digestion or whether any mechanical factor such as a hiatal hernia or even silent ulcers of the esophagus, stomach, or duodenum maybe causing the digestive problems. A hiatal hernia and silent ulcers if left untreated could turn into a serious problem which can cause bleeding, pain, scarring and difficulty in swallowing and can cause a chronic condition with complications. Treatment of heart burn and prevention of its complications are almost always medical, not surgical procedures these days; and, if followed faithfully are very effective. Peptic ulcers is another serious problem that many people have and do not even know it, one might mistaken them for heartburn, indigestion and nausea. The pain and discomfort comes and goes and sometimes lasting for days or even weeks. An ulcer can be treated by medication and usually takes about eight weeks to completely heal. If left untreated it can cause internal bleeding and more severe damage that might need surgical repair (Monroe, 2000). The digestive system is a complex system. There is a lot of information that we know about this system and so much more that is still unknown. For example, for many years the American Heart Association has recommended taking aspirin to prevent heart attacks and strokes. Now, there appears to be a downside to taking a low dosage of aspirin daily. According to research taking a daily aspirin can cause serious problems in the digestive system. Research shows that people who take aspirin are at risk for excess gastro-intestinal bleeding or ulcers that perforate. So the question is does the risk balance the benefit? Through research they have found out that there are three factors that particularly affect developing gastro-intestinal complications they are the increased risk, male gender and ulcer history. All of those things are doubled when a person takes a daily low dose aspirin and the complications can be serious including death. In fact five to ten percent of people with these complications will die from it. Research has proven that the thing that is in aspirin that causes these problems is the same thing that prevents heart disease and the same prostaglandin changes are the ones that somehow enhance the probability of developing gastrointestinal irritation that can lead to bleeding, that can lead to perforation. So research has taught us that there is a high risk of developing gastro-intestinal complications including bleeding or ulcers that perforate, with the use of a low daily dosage of aspirin especially in the male gender and in those with a past history of ulcers. Through this research we still do not understand why the risk is much higher for the male gender than the female gender, that mystery is still unknown. Reasons that cause so many people to suffer with digestive problems are the lack of knowledge of how the digestive system works, poor nutrition and undiagnosed medical conditions. The most obvious solution to maintaining good health and preventing digestive problems would be getting to know the digestive tract and understanding how it works, maintaining a healthy diet and lifestyle and seek medical attention instead of letting the digestive problem turn into something much worse. The Digestive System The human body consists of number of organ systems which work collectively to execute functions of the body. The three most important human organ systems are circulatory, digestive and endocrine system. The main function of the digestive system is to process food in such a way that the energy molecules are absorbed by the body and the residues are left out. The physiological processes which are required for the digestive system are absorption, digestion, motility, secretion and excretion (Margaret E. Smith, 2001) Digestive System: Digestive system helps the body to maintain stability, equilibrium or balance.Digestive system contributes in homeostatic regulation of the body. The body would suffer if there is no regular supply of energy and nutrients from digestive system. The digestive system helps in absorption of ions, vitamins, organic substances and water that is necessary to the body. When the food is chewed and swallowed, the food is broken down in the digestive tract to very sm all nutrient molecules which can be easy to enter into the villi of small intestine. (Rebecca L. Johnson, 2004) Digestive enzymes are formed by the pancreas and the digestive tract.Besides this, the liver produces bile which is stored in the gall bladder to digest the fats. By the use of hepatic portal vein, blood passes from smaller intestine to the liver i. e. , in to the circulatory system. The liver is the vital organ of homeostasis and it monitors the blood. The liver produces urea by breaking down toxic substances like alcohol and other drugs. After eating, the liver stores glucose as glycogen and produces plasma proteins. Liver keeps the blood glucose concentration constant by releasing glucose in between eating. This is how the digestive system works along with the other systems which include circulatory system.Organs in the Digestive system: There are several organs in the digestive system. The digestive system can be divided in to two systems. They are upper gastrointestin al tract and lower gastrointestinal tract. The upper gastrointestinal tract consists of several organs like mouth, oral cavity, pharynx, esophagus and stomach. The lower gastrointestinal tract consists of small intestine, ileum, large intestine, anus and rectum. (Cheryl Jakab, 2007) The functions of some important organs include Oral Cavity: The oral cavity or the mouth is the first part of the digestive system. It accepts food by way of ingestion.Here, the food will be broken in to smaller pieces and get mixed with saliva. Saliva helps as lubrication for the food particles. The oral cavity consists of different parts which are helpful in the digestive system. They are tongue and teeth. Small Intestine: The small intestine is about 35 millimeteres in length and grayish purple in color. The small intestine is the longer intestine which is six to seven meters long. The small intestine has the general structure of the GI tract. The small intestine consists of exocrine cells in the muco sa which secretes peptidase, mucus, maltase, sucrose, lipase, maltase and enterokinase.Endocrine cells secrete secretin and cholecystokinin. The process of digestion is completed by the small intestine. It absorbs the nutrients and sends the residue to large intestine. The gall bladder, liver and pancreas are important organs in the digestive system which is closely related to the small intestine. Small intestine is divided in to duodenum, jejunum and ileum. The small intestine helps in several functions such as hormone secretion, intestinal juice secretion, ninety percent absorption, forward propulsion of contents and it is the major site of digestion.Rectum: The rectum can be found in the lowest portion of the large intestine which connects to the anus and it is a muscular tube like structure. The waste is stored here and permits expulsion when pressure on the rectal walls is caused. Anus: The anus is formed by the surface layers of the body, skin and the intestine. The anus is th e opening at the end of the digestive tract through which the waste matter is ejected from the body. There are many diseases which are caused due to the improper functioning of the digestive system. The most specific disease is the Ulcer.Ulcer is the disorder caused in the upper digestive tract. Ulcer can be developed in the duodenum, lower part of the esophagus and in jejunum. There are many causes for ulcer. Some of them include certain medications, infection and disorders caused by the over secretion of stomach juices. The symptoms of gastric ulcer include weight loss, feeling heart burn and indigestion and gastrointestinal bleeding. Most of the patients suffering from ulcer suffer from bleeding which results in vomiting blood, anemia or blood through rectum.