Critically analyse how the government debt problems initially faced by Essay - 4

Critically analyse how the government debt problems initially faced by a few relatively small economies could trigger such a wide impact in financial markets - Essay Example Though the amount of exposure of each country and each financial market to the financial market of another country varies but the fact remains that no country can be considered as isolated in respect of interconnectedness. This particular essay discusses the effect of financial crisis on two particular markets that is derivative market and foreign exchange market. The essay tries to find the possible reasons due which financial crisis started from a particular country with a small economy gradually effects the financial markets globally. In this respect of this analysis both fundamental and identifiable factors are tried to be identified. Throughout centuries there have been several financial crises that have had large scale impact on the overall financial system. Different crisis in different timers have been triggered by different factors. However although there have been various triggering factors for different crisis the impact levels of the crisis have also varied depending on their reach and spread. A few examples of such crisis in the past are Asian crisis, Japan Crisis, Crisis of the Nordic countries. However the financial crisis of the dimensions of European financial crisis is unprecedented. The massive scale of the crisis was caused by two related factors the banking crisis and the crisis of the bond market (Ullah and Ahmed, 2014). The crisis first broke in 2007 when the banks felt uncertain about their investments in certain complex financial instruments. They increased interbank lending rates and virtually stopped lending to other banks. This led to serious liquidity problems for the banks in the short r un. At that time it was felt that the problem was more specific particular institution and those particular institutions may face default risk. However after default of major banks like Lehman Brothers, and risks concerning AIG which in turn took more financial institution with them in their downward

5 Forces Model of Verizon Essay Example for Free

5 Forces Model of Verizon Essay Verizon’s wireline business, which includes the operations of the former MCI, provides telephone services, including voice, broadband data and video services, network access, nationwide long-distance and other communications products and services, and also owns and operates one of the most expansive end-to-end global Internet Protocol (IP) networks. Verizon’s domestic wireless business, operating as Verizon Wireless, provides wireless voice and data products and services across the United States using one of the most extensive and reliable wireless networks. The results of high competitive pressure could impact prices, margins, and hence, on profitability for every company in the industry. a. Sprint Nextel b. Cingular ATT wireless c. T-Mobile d. AOL e. Qwest f. RBOCs g. COMCAST 4. Bargaining Power of Suppliers – Low The term suppliers comprises all sources for inputs that are needed in order to provide goods or services. If there is a market with much choice supplier choice, bargaining power will be less. There are many network equipment suppliers, which are suffered from the down telecom market. Having mature technologies also commoditize the products. As such, the bargaining power of suppliers has been weak. 5. Bargaining Power of Customers – Low The bargaining power of customers determines how much customers can impose pressure on margins and volumes. Since most of buyers are small (residential and small business users), they do not have much buyer power. Big corporations are better positioned to negotiate for discounts but industry consolidations of SBC acquiring ATT and Verizon acquiring MCI have significantly reduced the available lternatives for these corporations and thus their negotiation power. PEST Analysis A PEST analysis is an investigation of the important factors that are changing which influence a business from the outside, these include: Political Factors †¢This includes government regulations and legal issues that define both formal and informal rules of the operation of Verizon. Economic Factors †¢This factor affects the purchasing power of consumers and the Verizon’s cost of capital. Social Factors †¢Cultural and demographics of the environment would affect the customer’s needs as well as potential market size. Technological Factors †¢This can lower barriers to entry, improve production efficiency and influence outsourcing decisions. ? PoliticalEconomicalSocialTechnology Stability of the internal/external political environmentEconomic growthPopulation growth rate Automation Trading agreementsInterest ratesAge distributionTechnology incentives employment lawsInflation rateCareer attitudesRate of technological change environmental regulationsBudget allocation Perception of technological change within the unit Trade restrictions and tariffsThe level of inflation

Product Marketing Element in the Luxury Car Industry

Product Marketing Element in the Luxury Car Industry Preface This essay discusses the role of product (a marketing element) in the luxury car industry. Various frameworks of strategic marketing management are reviewed and applied to the context of the luxury car industry. The essay argues that product decisions should not be done in isolation, as they are rather complex concepts that transcends the physical products itself, so a comprehensive approach is necessary during the strategic marketing process. Many of the business functions, including but not limited to marketing, have received strategic relevance in contemporary business discussions (Olson et al. 2005). This means that marketing is viewed (i.e. strategic marketing) as a strategically important component in business decisions in order to better reach and satisfy customers and to improve organisational performance (e.g. productivity and profit). Therefore, marketing should not be considered as a distinct business function that is only involved in promoting the product and sensing customer needs (Caru, 2008). In reality, strategic marketing closely collaborates with other functions to effectively differentiate from competing firms in a particular market by answering three rudimentary questions, which are where, and how the organisation should compete. This means that if strategic marketing is applied, it is well probable that strategic planning will have a close and an intensive dialogue with the marketing department (Smith et al. 1999). This essay intends to critically analyse the role of the product marketing mix in the luxury car industry. The reason why the product marketing mix was chosen is that this element plays an elevated role for those industries where there is a physical product sold (Trott, 2011). This does not mean that in other more service orientated industries (such as the banking and financial sector) the product mix have a lower role, however, marketing managers may want to focus more on other elements of the marketing mix to deliver an enhanced customer experience. Generally speaking, the key criterion for product is that it must satisfy existing or emerging customer needs in competitive markets, so organisations must place an extra emphasis on communicating why their products are superior to that of their competitors (Grà ¶nroos, 1997). This could be particularly true in the luxury car market industry where the competition between existing brands could be intensive. Short overview of the industry and its trends First and foremost, a key distinctive factor of the luxury car market is that its performance (i.e. sales volume) is less affected by changes in the macro environment (Bordley, 1993). The recent financial crisis severely hit the car manufacturing industry, however, the demand fluctuation in emerging markets was offset by a growing desire for luxury cars in emerging markets, such as China and the Middle East (Rapoza, 2014). The luxury car market is dominated by three brands, which are Mercedes Benz, BMW and Audi, altogether controlling the majority of the sales in this sector (Behrmann, 2016). The industry is expected to grow in the future, however, manufacturers and resellers must ensure that they closely follow developments in their external environment. The aforementioned brands are expected to maintain their market leading position, however, many other brands (such as Vauxhall) are also trying to enter the luxury market, mainly through by changing their product mix (i.e. the use o f premium materials in the interior or including such design features (e.g. large diameter wheels) that used to be the hallmark of luxury car products (Morton, 2013). The relative importance of the product mix in the luxury car industry It is widely understood that organisations must first carry out an internal analysis if they are pursuing strategic marketing and if they want to ensure that their products will be successful in their selected market(s) (in this case the luxury car industry) (Stevens et al. 1993). According to the 5C framework, organisations should analyse their customers need, their resources to produce and distribute a particular product, their industry context, competitors strategy, performance and whether or not forming strategic alliances could be a rational choice (Kaynak, 2005). To give relevant examples to the luxury car industry, the following assumptions regarding the 5C model could be taken: exiting and unsatisfied consumer needs (need for safety, prestige, luxury feeling without compromising the automobiles functionality); company resources: does the organisation have access to luxury suppliers or does it possess the necessary skills and expertise to manufacture luxury goods in house (e.g. high performance engines for Mercedes Benz AMG performance line cars); context: the products must follow changes in the external environment (e.g. growing interest towards electric cars or other miscellanies changes); competitors: identification of competing firms and benchmarking against them to develop a differentiated product; collaborations: is there any opportunities to form strategic alliances with suppliers? Many luxury cars openly associate themselves with other brands (e.g. Brembo). Once an organisation has assessed the above mentioned constraints (and preferably devised strategies to overcome these), the constraints must be linked with the marketing mix. Although this paper solely focuses on the role of product in the marketing mix, it must not be forgotten that strategic marketing may only contribute to organisational success if an integrated approach is adopted (Keller, 2001). The STP process (segmentation, targeting, positioning) is also a critical part of this holistic methodology, so product decisions must also be consistent with the selected market(s)s needs. Therefore, achieving business success is done through the development of a close with between the product, the customer and the marketing (Mohr et al. 2009). As such, a luxury car must have those product attributes which are sought after by the luxury car customer and the external communication strategy (i.e. the marketing communication) should clearly set out a product that is highly valued by poten tial customers (Martin, 1998). The product levels in the luxury car industry Despite the fact that the author of this paper previously argued that products are often perceived to be physical items, the theory of product levels illustrate that successful organisations must address all layers of the of product level diagram (Kotler et al. 2016). These levels are hierarchical, so the suggested holistic approach is also recommended for product management in order to ensure that customers are provided with a consistent product experience, given that each level closely reflects the target markets (luxury car buyers) expectations. The core product (even if it name suggests otherwise) is an intangible element of the product. It essentially entails the realisable benefits from the product use. In general terms, people purchase cars to facilitate their transportation from point A to point B, as other alternative modes of transportation (e.g. bus, taxi, walking à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ etc.) might not satisfy customer needs. The basic transportation need is overly generic for luxury car manufacturers, so understanding the psychology behind purchasing a good that well exceeds realistic customer needs is of paramount importance (Shukla, 2012). Luxury cars are seldom purchased for their convenience other car makers could perfectly satisfy transportation needs too, so there has to be another rationale behind a high value purchase. Although this paper is too short to enlist the possible psychological factors influencing luxury car purchases, it is realistic to assume that these decisions are overly driven by emotions (Kapferer , 1998). People driving luxury cars intend to communicate their status or they want to leverage on state-of-the art technology and safety features that somewhat counterbalance the irrational choice of luxury cars. Correspondingly, luxury car manufacturers must convince prospective buyers of the presence of these attributes, and seemingly the three market leading brands are succeeding. BMW, Audi and Mercedes Benz are recognised as status brands and their technological advancement and safety features are well above the industrys standards. In essence, this is the first step that customers examine before they actually visit a luxury car saloon to discuss further details of the product with a sales associate. The next product level is more tangible in its nature, as it encompasses the actual product (the actual car model, e.g. BMW X5, S-Klasse or S6) and its visual aspects (such as colour, style, quality, chassis contourà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ etc.) (Kotler et al. 2016).   Even though it is hard to separate this level from the actual product, it is important to emphasise that the core and the actual product must complement each other, so if a luxury car is designed to offer buyers a status symbol, this should be reflected in the cars physical appearance and certainly in other parts of the marketing mix (e.g. price, place, people) to maintain consistency. Whilst it is tempting to categorise goods into either services are products, there is often a continuum between the two polar ends of the spectrum, so luxury car manufacturers should also focus on the augmented product level (Zimmerman and Blythe, 2013). The augmented product level is mostly composed of service elements, such as after sale warranties, the delivery of the luxury car, maintenance services, financing and a quality customer care to address any customer concerns before, during and after the purchase. The concept of product level shows that the physical product is often just a fraction of the product marketing mix, as successful sellers must address each level in their product management. As it was previously suggested, a concerted approach to marketing is necessary, so luxury car manufacturers must warrant that other components of their marketing strategy (e.g. other elements of the marketing mix) are consistent with their product decisions (Kotler et al. 2016). If these recommendations are adhered to, organisations are able to establish product leadership, which is essential to maintain anticipation and excitement towards the products and to increase the number of new and existing customers (Cooper, 2005). This must be accompanied by a continuous product innovation (instead of just adding variety to products without any value or inspiration) so that luxury cars superiority is maintained. Product Assortment Product Width, Length and Depth A final consideration for product management in the luxury car market is product assortment. Product assortment entails all products that the seller offers for consumers (Thompson, 2000). Product width refers to the number of different product lines a manufacturer carries (e.g. high performance hatchbacks, Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs), sedans, minibusesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ etc.); product length measures the number of product variants within one category (e.g. optional car features, such as GPS or blind spot monitorà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ etc.), while product depth shows the total number of variants available at a particular manufacturer. Serving all segments is seldom possible, so organisations must carefully analyse potential customer segments to target, while also maintaining the financial interest of shareholders (Crane and Northeastern, 2012). The luxury car industry (or a matter of fact, the luxury good sector in general) could be considered to be in a highly specific market, opportunities in increasing product width is not always possible. For example, as introduced during lectures, Dyson manufactures vacuum cleaners, air treatment equipment and hand dryers, which are seemingly completely different products, nevertheless exiting resources could satisfy production needs for all products and there are definitely cross selling opportunities (i.e. commercial vacuum cleaner buyers might also be interested in air treatment equipment). In case of the luxury car industry, such synergies could be more difficult to attain, since the deployment of capacities for different product lines could be difficult, although Mercede s has successfully diversified into the heavy truck industry seemingly without compromising its luxury perception in its consumer market. Product length assortment consideration is more common in the luxury car industry, as within the passenger car product category, a high number of variants has been developed (Kotler et al. 2016). As previously mentioned, luxury cars come in a variety of forms, satisfying varying customer needs. While this product decision satisfies customer needs, it is also a kind of product diversification that helps luxury car manufacturers to shelter themselves from economic cycles conceivably during the economic recession, large luxury cars were sold in lower volume, yet a cheaper model variant remained affordable to the target without compromising on quality. To conclude, the essay demonstrated the role of the product marketing element in the luxury car industry. It was gradually explored why careful product considerations are necessary in order to ensure a consistency in an organisations marketing strategy and marketing process. It was also highlighted that thinking of products as physical items is not advisable to fully understand what a product is instead, as the theory of product levels has shown, products must provide a holistic consumer experience in the luxury car industry. References Behrmann, E. (2016) Mercedes on pace to win 2016 global sales crown from BMW. Available at: http://www.autonews.com/article/20160811/RETAIL01/160819974/mercedes-on-pace-to-win-2016-global-sales-crown-from-bmw (Accessed: 15 January 2017). Bordley, R. F. (1993) Estimating automotive Elasticities from segment Elasticities and First choice/Second choice data, The Review of Economics and Statistics. 75(3), p455. Carà ¹, A. (2008) Strategic market creation: A new perspective on marketing and innovation management. Chichester, United Kingdom: John Wiley Sons. Cooper, R. G. (2004) Product leadership: Pathways to profitable innovation. New York, NY: Basic Books. Crane, F. G. and Northeastern (2012) Marketing for entrepreneurs: Concepts and applications for new ventures. London: SAGE Publications. Grà ¶nroos, C. (1997) Valueà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ driven relational marketing: From products to resources and competencies, Journal of Marketing Management. 13(5), pp.407-419. Kapferer, J.-N. (1998) Why are we seduced by luxury brands?, Journal of Brand Management. 6(1), pp.44-49. Kaynak, E. (2005) Marketing issues in western Europe: Changes and developments. New York, NY, United States: International Business. Keller, K. (2001) Mastering the marketing communications mix: Micro and Macro perspectives on integrated marketing communication programs, Journal of Marketing Management. 17(7-8), pp.819-847. Kotler, P., Keller, K. L. and Brady, M. (2016) Marketing management. Harlow, United Kingdom: Pearson Education. Martin, C. L. (1998) Relationship marketing: A highà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ involvement product attribute approach, Journal of Product Brand Management. 7(1), pp.6-26. Mohr, J. J., Sengupta, S. and Slater, S. (2009) Marketing of high-technology products and innovations. Boston, MA, United States: Prentice Hall. Morton, R. (2013) Insignia: Vauxhalls luxury company car. Available at: https://www.businesscarmanager.co.uk/insignia-vauxhalls-hidden-luxury-company-car/ (Accessed: 15 January 2017). Olson, E. M., Slater, S. F. and Hult, G. T. M. (2005) The performance implications of fit among business strategy, marketing organization structure, and strategic behavior, Journal of Marketing. 69(3), pp.49-65. Rapoza, K. (2014) Emerging markets to drive automotive comeback. Forbes. Available at: http://www.forbes.com/sites/kenrapoza/2014/09/01/emerging-markets-to-drive-automotive-comeback/ (Accessed: 15 January 2017). Shukla, P. (2012) The influence of value perceptions on luxury purchase intentions in developed and emerging markets, International Marketing Review. 29(6), pp.574-596. Smith, P. R., Berry, C., Pulford, A. and Baxter, M. (1999) Strategic marketing communications: New ways to build and integrate communications. London: Kogan Page. Stevens, R. E., Sherwood, P. K., Dunn, P. and Winston, W. (1993) Market analysis: Assessing your business opportunities. New York: Haworth Press. Thompson (2000) Strategic Management. New York, NY, United States: McGraw-Hill Education. Trott, P. (2011) Innovation management and new product development (5th edition). Harlow, England: Financial Times/Prentice Hall. Zimmerman, A. and Blythe, J. (2013) Business to business marketing management: A global perspective. London: Taylor Francis.

Discussing Ethical Judgments in the Production of Knowledge in Both Art

Ethical judgements limit the methods available in the production of knowledge in both the arts and the natural sciences. Discuss. To a certain degree, ethics can be considered a matter of one’s heart, the source of emotional life, as well as their head, the center of a human being’s faculty of intellect and reasoning. Ethics, or moral philosophy, is a set of ideas that are systemized, defended, recommended in differentiating behaviour as either right or wrong prescribed by social and cultural taboos. It is divided into three categories: meta-ethics (way of determining truth through origin), normative ethics (arriving at moral standard regulating right and wrong) and applied ethics (how moral outcomes are accomplished in specific situations) 1. Such divisions often halt the advancement in knowledge within the arts and natural sciences. These morality-based restrictions directed towards the particular two areas of knowledge can be best understood with Sigmund Freud’s belief that the ethical parts of an individual’s unconsciousness controls majority of their behaviours in life reflect s the collective unconscious mind of human beings . If it is human nature to be partially conscious of our whole identity, then this behaviour of ours largely limits us from attaining an extensive amount of knowledge that could more likely help us find the answers we are often searching for. The societal and individual ethics govern the methods and dimensions in distribution of knowledge in both arts and natural science, whether it is by means of excessive limitation of these areas of knowledge, unrestricted facilitation of their advancement, or limiting them in moderation. Nevertheless, this basic conclusion within the world of ethical judgem... ...ations on Scientific Research : Scientific Freedom: An Anthology on Freedom of Scientific Research : Bloomsbury Academic. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Dec. 2013. . "The Ethical Limitations on Scientific Research : Scientific Freedom: An Anthology on Freedom of Scientific Research : Bloomsbury Academic." The Ethical Limitations on Scientific Research : Scientific Freedom: An Anthology on Freedom of Scientific Research : Bloomsbury Academic. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Dec. 2013. . Tolstoy, Leo, and Charles E. Moore. Leo Tolstoy: spiritual writings. Maryknoll, N.Y.: Orbis Books, 2006. Print. Tom & Jerry. Dir. Phil Roman. Perf. Richard Kind, Dana Hill, Anndi McAfee. Warner Bros., 2013. VHS Discussing Ethical Judgments in the Production of Knowledge in Both Art Ethical judgements limit the methods available in the production of knowledge in both the arts and the natural sciences. Discuss. To a certain degree, ethics can be considered a matter of one’s heart, the source of emotional life, as well as their head, the center of a human being’s faculty of intellect and reasoning. Ethics, or moral philosophy, is a set of ideas that are systemized, defended, recommended in differentiating behaviour as either right or wrong prescribed by social and cultural taboos. It is divided into three categories: meta-ethics (way of determining truth through origin), normative ethics (arriving at moral standard regulating right and wrong) and applied ethics (how moral outcomes are accomplished in specific situations) 1. Such divisions often halt the advancement in knowledge within the arts and natural sciences. These morality-based restrictions directed towards the particular two areas of knowledge can be best understood with Sigmund Freud’s belief that the ethical parts of an individual’s unconsciousness controls majority of their behaviours in life reflect s the collective unconscious mind of human beings . If it is human nature to be partially conscious of our whole identity, then this behaviour of ours largely limits us from attaining an extensive amount of knowledge that could more likely help us find the answers we are often searching for. The societal and individual ethics govern the methods and dimensions in distribution of knowledge in both arts and natural science, whether it is by means of excessive limitation of these areas of knowledge, unrestricted facilitation of their advancement, or limiting them in moderation. Nevertheless, this basic conclusion within the world of ethical judgem... ...ations on Scientific Research : Scientific Freedom: An Anthology on Freedom of Scientific Research : Bloomsbury Academic. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Dec. 2013. . "The Ethical Limitations on Scientific Research : Scientific Freedom: An Anthology on Freedom of Scientific Research : Bloomsbury Academic." The Ethical Limitations on Scientific Research : Scientific Freedom: An Anthology on Freedom of Scientific Research : Bloomsbury Academic. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Dec. 2013. . Tolstoy, Leo, and Charles E. Moore. Leo Tolstoy: spiritual writings. Maryknoll, N.Y.: Orbis Books, 2006. Print. Tom & Jerry. Dir. Phil Roman. Perf. Richard Kind, Dana Hill, Anndi McAfee. Warner Bros., 2013. VHS

Millennium Development Goals

In this twenty first century, one of the most widely discussed topics throughout the world is Millennium Development Goals (MDG). In September 2000, meeting at the United Nations Millennium Summit, the world leaders agreed to a remarkable document, the Millennium Declaration. The Declaration demanded that the world set its sights higher and aim for eight specific goals, most of which were to be achieved by 2015. What subsequently came to be known as the MDGs are – 1. Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger. 2. Achieve universal primary education. 3. Promote gender equality and empower woman. 4.Reduce child mortality. 5. Improve maternal health. 6. Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria and other diseases. 7. Ensure environmental sustainability. 8. Develop a global partnership for development. MDG and Bangladesh: Bangladesh is signatory of the MDGs and it has made noteworthy progress in the attainment of MDGs. Notwithstanding the relatively slow income growth and modest pace of income poverty r eduction, Bangladesh’s achievements in the broad area of human development were faster and in some respects remarkable. Although the level of social deprivations is still high, the pace of improvements has been encouraging.We are happy that our efforts in reducing child mortality in Bangladesh have been duly acknowledged by the United Nations at 65th General Assembly session 20-22 September 2010. The world body has presented Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and through her the people of Bangladesh This recognition of Bangladesh’s sincere efforts in trying to reach the MDGs set for 2015, while clearly encouraging for us, is also a reminder for us of what we must yet to do in order to tackle the remaining sense of the eight MDGs. Our success in reducing child mortality must now be followed by proactive efforts towards achieving the seven other MDG targets. As thePrime Minister pointed out in New York, Bangladesh will need $ 22. 1 billion if it has to attain all the MDGs. Sta tus of MDGs in Bangladesh: Goal-1: Bangladesh is well on track to achieving goal-1 with poverty coming down to 40% in 2005. The poverty gap ratio has also decreased dramatically to 9. 0. Goal-2: While a significant 87% has been achieved in terms of primary school enrollment,dropout rates remain high & therefore primary school completion rate low. Goal-3: Bangladesh has achieved gender parity in primary and secondary education together with being on track with respect to percentage of women employed in agriculture sector.Goal-4: The country is on track with regard to achieving this goal. Significant strides have been made and if the trend sustains, the country will meet the 2015 target well ahead of schedule. Goal-5: The maternal mortality ratio is on track but the percentage of skilled birth attendants is low. Goal-6:Bangladesh has made some progress in the spread of malaria and other diseases. Goal-7: While significant progress has been made in terms of access to safe drinking wate r and sanitary latrines in urban areas, the same remains a challenge in rural areas.Also maintaining wet-lands and bio-diversity is still a challenge. Goal-8: Penetration of telephone lines and internet, particularly cell-phone usage, has increased to a great extent but youth employment rate is still low. Overall, goal-3 has been already achieved. There is more than 50% progress in attaining goal-2. In case of other goals, attainment is possible if necessary changes are made in policy and strategies. Conclusion: Bangladesh had adverse initial conditions at the start of its journey three decades ago.With one of the most vulnerable economies of the world characterized by extremely high population density, low resource base, high incidence of natural disasters and extremely adverse initial circumstances associated with the inheritance of a war-ravaged economy, the implications for long-term savings, investments and growth were deemed extremely bleak. Bangladesh which was once termed th e test case of development may indeed represent a learning site for keeping the hopes alive for other equally less fortunate post-colonial societies with adverse initial conditions.

Technologys affect on the American Family essays

Technologys affect on the American Family essays Technologys affect on the American Family As a child, I remember seeing programs on one of the six channels we received on television. Sometimes it was animated, sometimes it appeared to be footage at some sort of inventors convention, but the shows featured the Products Of The Future. Most of the items were unrealistic, like robotic servants that would cook the meals and clean the house. Some of the products were actually believable. The theme of these more realistic products seemed to be miniaturization, automation and/or time minimization. The commentator promised that these innovations were going to forever change the lives of the American family. Little did we know that these products, that were supposed to change things for the better, would actually change things for the worse. Some of these technological advances are actually promoting the downfall of the American family. Though most of the advancements that have come about in the last thirty years have upsides and downsides, I feel that cell phones, micro waves, and the internet are three items that have a direct impact on the decline of the American family. Cell phones enable us to contact nearly anyone at anytime, given that they also own one. Who these days doesnt? Everywhere you look someone has one of those Star Trek-like communication devices stuck to their ear. For convenience, they definitely serve their purpose, but they also have negative effects on family interaction. Every cell phone company advertises their own version of a Family Talk plan where every family member gets their own phone and the rates are reduced between these phones. Parents buy these phones for their kids with the idea that if their child can call them at anytime, communications will increase. Actually the opposite occurs. Communication, or should I say, Real communication between parents and children decreases. These phones become ...