Living with Rain

Living with Rain It rains a lot in Boston. There’s not much more you can say about that. Sometimes it drizzles, sometimes it pours, but there are weeks where it just rains. This week is one of them. It has been raining pretty consistently for the past two weeks, and I’ve realized that after 2 years, I finally feel prepared for the rain. I come from a place where rain means that you can wait inside for 10 minutes, and then it will stop. I had never seen it rain for more than an hour or so until the day before I left for college; since I’ve been here, I’ve seen it rain for three days straight. Although it has taken some time, I finally feel like I have this rain thing down. The first thing I’ve discovered is that umbrella’s don’t work. I have had many umbrellas destroyed by the wind in Cambridge and Boston, especially in the MacGregor wind tunnel. Umbrellas that are turned inside out, or have the metal bars bent don’t really work that well and so it finally became time to find a new solution. My solution for the rain involves three things: 1) Rain boots * I didn’t get rainboots until about halfway through my freshman year because I couldn’t find cheap ones in my size (I have big feet). When I finally did find them, they didn’t last very long because the cold ended up cracking the plastic. I learned this the hard way. I finally gave in and spent a little more for comfortable, warm, lined rainboots that keep my feet nice and dry (and allow me to splash those walking besides me). I’m not quite sure how guys do it, but rainboots are a very nice invention. Especially on MIT’s campus. For some reason, a school full of engineers has some serious problems with drainage. Very large puddles next to very large mud pits are common occurrences on campus, so sometimes you just have to tread through them. Rainboots make this all okay. 2) Rain coat *. I never really thought a raincoat would be necessary, but oh was I wrong. When your umbrella fails, it is nice to have something that is waterproof on underneath, and when you have that, you can forgo the umbrella. It keeps you dry, can look nice and is just an overall wonderful thing to have. It is nice to have it as a shell jacket too, because it can rain any time of year (as evidenced by the flooding that occurred in Boston this summer). 3) Backpack cover * So most people would not consider this essential, but I just got one this year and it is great to have. No longer do I have to worry about ruining my notebooks or searching for a big plastic bag before I venture outside. It makes me much happier walking or riding my bike home when I dont have to worry about the legibility of my notes when I get back, and mine is bright red. I don’t actually mind the rain much anymore, but it is definitely nice when you aren’t soaked head to toe just from walking from campus to home.

Case Analysis John Mackey, Whole Foods Market Essay examples

Eric Smith Christine Hill Organizational behavior January 24, 2013 Case Analysis: John Mackey, Whole Foods Market 1. What role, if any, does McGregor’s Theory Y play at Whole Foods? Explain. According to Kreitner and Kinicki (2013) McGregor contrasted two views on human nature by insisting that Theory Y assumes that people are more positive at work, and believed managers could accomplish more by viewing employees as such (p.9). The other outdated theory, is Theory X, which is a more negative and pessimistic assumption about workers. Given the statements from John Mackey, it is his vision to create a positive working environment and Theory Y plays somewhat of a role at Whole Foods. Although Whole Foods wants to†¦show more content†¦There could be different situations that call for a different approach or management technique. Through conscious leadership, as Mackey suggests, managers at Whole Foods become aware of their knowledge and skills, and are able to be flexible in approaching various problems at the organization. Given the 21st century table in our text we can clearly see the differences of today’s managers in comparison with yesterday’s management styles. The 21st century manager is a more positive approach to dealing effectively with employees. In the past when the capitalist society and its capitalist factories and organizations were flourishing, the employees were pushed to their limits. Unions were subsequently formed to deter any potential wrongdoings and unfair labor practices. Today there are some unions, but are they necessary? Whole Foods Markets attempts to discourage employees from forming unions. Susan Mohammad notes that Mackey once compared unions to herpes, saying once you have them, you can never get rid of them,(Canadian Business 2009 p. 63). Mackey believes this because at Whole Foods they have implemented programs and pay scales that are already ideal for its employees. Whole Foods also has very strategic plans to promote its organic food lines. The 21st century manager is still about the profits. And some might say that even though Mackey and Whole Foods are good at managing people they areShow MoreRelatedBelief and Support of Human Capital: Case Study Analysis of Whole Foods1242 Words   |  5 PagesLella McLemore Duane Saari BME-214614-04 Organizational Behavior 18 February 2013 Belief and Support of Human Capital: Case Study Analysis of Whole Foods What role, if any, does McGregor’s Theory Y play at Whole Foods? Explain? The primary focus of this case study analysis shall be to examine the methods of Whole Food’s distinctive approach and development to the implementation of creative management strategies and how they can continue to successfully help them to maintain growth in theirRead MoreCase Analysis : Whole Foods1011 Words   |  5 PagesCase Analysis 2 Whole Foods Analysis Whole Foods is one of the largest organic food stores in the industry. During the years of 2007 – 2008, the company has been undergoing criticism and reluctance from the customers and the employees. There was tension between the financial growth, social value, and brand image of the company, the critiques argued. Their argument is that the CEO, John Mackey has forgotten the core values on which the firm’s foundation was laid, and that the organization is focussingRead MoreCase Study Whole Foods1155 Words   |  5 PagesCase Study assignment 1. What are the chief elements of the strategy that Whole Foods Market is pursuing? Fresh natural and organic foods and products with no preservatives or artificial ingredients. Promote healthier eating/lifestyle and increasing consumer knowledge/education of food safety, environment and how pesticides affect the land as well as the human body. 2. Is the strategy well matched to recent developments and conditions in the natural and organic foods segment of the food retailingRead MoreBusiness Case Study : Business Case Analysis7304 Words   |  30 PagesPurpose/Objective A major requirement of Principles of Management class is to research a Fortune 100 company and present the findings as a business case analysis. Business case analysis includes history of the company, management performance, SWOT analysis, corporate and company level strategies, code of ethics and appearance of organization in the news. From this research I expect to learn how an organization that started out as small corner store became a Fortune 100 company with hundreds ofRead MoreCase Analysis of Whole Foods Decides to Open in Detroit1092 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿Case Analysis of Whole Foods Decides to Open in Detroit Company Background Whole Foods Market, Inc. is an American foods supermarket chain specializing in finest natural and organic foods with locations in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. It was founded by John Mackey and his girlfriend Rene Lawson on September 20,1980, and today Whole Foods Market is headquartered in Austin, Texas. The current CEO is the founder John Mackey. Whole foods Market is the largest U.S. retailer of naturalRead MoreWhole Foods Market in 2008: Vision, Core Values, and Strategy2599 Words   |  11 PagesRunning head: CASE STUDY ANALYSIS FOR WHOLE FOODS MARKET Case Study Analysis for Whole Foods Market Abstract This paper is an analysis of Whole Foods Market’s vision, core values, and business strategy. It lays out the type of strategy that Whole Foods Market utilizes, what parts of this strategy work and what parts could use improvement. This case study analysis concludes that Whole Foods Market has a very good business strategy, has a strong, clear vision, and lives by its core valuesRead MoreWhole Foods Market in 2008: Vision, Core Values, and Strategy2921 Words   |  12 PagesCase question 1: What are the chief elements of the strategy that Whole Foods Market is pursuing? Whole Food’s chief elements of the strategy are to establish the company as a market leader of natural and organic super markets by differentiating its offering with highest quality naturally preserved food to the world market and become an international brand in every community. However the company is also determined to establish unique value chain activity by recruiting specialized and knowledgeableRead MoreWhole Foods Inc Case Study1200 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction Industry Overview The Whole Foods Inc was founded in 1980 by john Mackey, from a local supermarket store on safe grocery. Since then, it has grown into the world’s largest retail store all kinds of organic and natural foods. As of 2004, the annual sales were recorded as $8 billion. It has approximately 264 stores in the USA, 6 in Canada and 5 in the United Kingdom (Thomson, 2010). The headquarters are located on an 80,000 square feet flagship store in Austin, Texas. Over the yearsRead MoreWhole Foods Market: Changing The Shopping Experience. German1496 Words   |  6 PagesWhole Foods Market: Changing the Shopping Experience German A. Padilla Saint Leo University Abstract Whole Foods Market is probably the world leader in retailing natural and organic foods, with over 433 stores in North America and the United Kingdom (Whole Foodsmarket.com). With a commitment to provide the highest quality of natural and organic foods at competitive prices; they steadily continue to expand globally. This paper will provide some insight on the advantages and disadvantages of perhapsRead MoreAs The Name Suggests, Whole Food Market Deals With Organic1917 Words   |  8 PagesAs the name suggests, Whole Food Market deals with organic foods that have no preservatives added. The main aim of the store was to provide people with organic food free from toxins. At the same time, they also aimed at rewarding farmers who whose aim was to protect the environment as well as human health. While establishing the business, the founders’ motivation was to tackle the issues that faced agriculture. They wanted to reduce the usage of pesticide and inorganic manure. They also ho ped to

Acme Mexico City Employee Essay - 1453 Words

Acme Mexico City Employee Assignme Executive Summary In effort to increase profits, Acme Home Improvement expanded operations into the international market. Acme Mexico City (AMC) opened a new store in Mexico City, Mexico and will be providing customers with all their home improvement needs. Acme Home Improvements operations analysts working with the AMC advance planners have proposed a standard day assignment schedule. The proposed schedule is complaint with Mexican law and corporate policy in scheduling part-time employees 50% of a days total scheduled hours. The proposal is also complaint with the advance planner’s imposition not to schedule 30 employees on the floor at any time in order to control costs and does not schedule†¦show more content†¦These different shifts depict the number of customer service employees and the time frames they are scheduled. The home improvement retail industry has two types of customers; the professional/contractor and the â€Å"do-it-yourself† individual. These customers differentiating shopping trends and support needs are taken into consideration when scheduling employees for the floor. In evaluating the proposed schedule, business trend, customer demographic and operating shifts were taken into consideration when allocating customer service employees during operating hours. Schedule Shifts The majority of professional/contractor customers shop during early hours of the morning which is known as the opening shift (7am-10am). Professional/contract customers are experienced and have knowledge of the merchandise that they need and where it’s located in the store given their visit frequency. Given these facets, the number of customer service employees on the floor is much higher than is needed. The proposed employee numbers are higher than needed and I recommend the AMC advance planners schedule estimates for the times between 7am and 11am be used. Using AMC advance planners estimated schedule provides lower staffing costs and gives you the ability to utilize the employees at a different time during storeShow MoreRelatedSustainable Supply Chain Management : A Fundamental Element Of Corporate Responsibility1257 Words   |  6 Pagessustainable practices and the benefits therefrom (Alzawawi, n.d., p. 4). As such, an organization is incapable of undertaking sustainable activities when decision makers lack the knowledge required to implement changes. A third limitation is a dearth of employee training in the supply chain cycle and sustainable practices (Alzawawi, n.d., p. 4). Without proper training, the organization is unable to harvest the full potential of this technique. Similar to data analytics, the organization’s technology limitsRead MoreWork Example1550 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction In the expansion of Acme Home Improvements to Mexico City, an information system management plan needs to be established in order to oversee employment and management, as well as meet the needs of Acme’s stakeholders including employees, customers, suppliers, shareholders and investors. The plan has a goal of improving aspects such as sales and marketing, budgeting, planning, hiring and training all while using technology to assist in the assignment of roles, and to discover correlationsRead MoreLinear Programming, A Data Analysis Decision Optimization Tool Essay856 Words   |  4 PagesLinear Programming Utilizing linear programming, a data analysis decision optimization tool, the recommended low-cost customer service employee daily assignment schedule, for a regularly schedule 16 hour work day, consist of 23 full-time employees and 41 part-time employees, at 348 hours, for a total burdened labor cost of MXN $45,800 (see Attachment 1). Type Time From Time To # Empl. Total # Empl. FT 7:00 16:00 11 FT PT FT 7:00 16:00 0 Hrs/Day 8 4 FT 14:00 23:00 7 Pay/Day $ 1,100 Read MoreAcme Home Improvements, Inc. 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The project includes the recruitment and training of the ten-member management team along with 58 store associates and support staff required to operate the facilityRead MoreAcme Home Improvements de Mà ©xico, Sa de Cv Charter Essay1488 Words   |  6 PagesAcme Home Improvements de Mà ©xico, SA de CV Project Charter AMBA640 Section 9044 Professor Jon-David Knode Team Two Joyce Buchanan Mamta Bumb Eugene Chung Tyler David Kalogeros-Treschuk Nico A Washington Project Title: Acme Home Improvements de Mexico City – New Construction Project Start Date: August 1, 2010 Project Finish Date: August 1, 2011 Budget Information: The budget will be initiated at $20 million, with the majority of funds going to land acquisition, the initialRead MoreAcme Home Improvements Inc.6728 Words   |  27 PagesEXECUTIVE SUMMARY ACME Home Improvements Inc. has made the decision to take their business internationally to Mexico City, Mexico. In doing so they will need to ensure they have a reliable and safe Information System Management plan or ISM. The headquarters office for ACME along with the Information Technology (IT) team for ACME Mexico City will consider an ISM plan that is suitable for the ACME Mexico City employees, the Mexican government and the stakeholders. The ISM plan must be able to ensureRead MoreSupply Chain Management : Acme Mexico City Management2021 Words   |  9 Pagesoperations management techniques that can be engaged by Acme Mexico City in an effort to increase its profits and expand operations globally. The three operations management techniques to be examined are Data Analytics, linear programming, and sustainable supply chain management. This report finds that data-driven decision-making involves the collection, mixing and examining of data received from multiple sources throu ghout the organization. Acme gathers information from its suppliers, customers, partnersRead MoreInformation Systems Management Plan for ACME Mexico City Store789 Words   |  3 Pagesï » ¿Information Systems Management Plan for ACME Mexico City Store External requirements I. Interface and reporting In order to be able to set up and maintain a consistent network of communication between all its subsidiaries, ACME will have to set up a secure and effective IT mode of communication. This is important both for clients (as per rapid communication, rapid delivery, and means of credibility) as well as on transmitting information and feedback to and from affiliate branches. The ITRead MoreOperations Management5704 Words   |  23 PagesOperations Management Project Ashwin Nandakumar, Mishel Chakkalakal,, Mithun Chacko and Shalwin D’souza Prof. Dr. Kaup Mohammed Operations Management Madonna University March 2011 Table of Content Pret A Manger – by Mithun Chacko 3 Acme Whistles vs. Pret A Manger – by Mithun Chacko 5 Touchwood Subway Vs. IKEA Pret A Manger – by Shalwin D’souza 6 Chilis McDonald’s Baskin Robbins – by Mishel Chakkalakal 9 McDonald’s Newspaper Review – by Ashwin Nandakumar 13 Read MoreOperations Management5696 Words   |  23 Pages Operations Management Project Ashwin Nandakumar, Mishel Chakkalakal,, Mithun Chacko and Shalwin D’souza Prof. Dr. Kaup Mohammed Operations Management Madonna University March 2011 Table of Content Pret A Manger – by Mithun Chacko 3 Acme Whistles vs. Pret A Manger – by Mithun Chacko 5 Touchwood Subway Vs. IKEA Pret A Manger – by Shalwin D’souza 6 Chilis McDonald’s Baskin Robbins – by Mishel Chakkalakal 9 McDonald’s Newspaper Review – by Ashwin Nandakumar 13 Pret A Manger

Details About HRM Free Essays

As human resource management is concerned with the people dimension in organization, at first, we should know organization in detail. Organizations are human associations in which two or more people seek to achieve a common goal or set of goals. In other word, organizations are established by the people and for the people. We will write a custom essay sample on Details About HRM or any similar topic only for you Order Now It consists of people working together through interrelationships and interactions. Organizations are created to achieve different goals. To achieve goals it should run various activities. Therefore an organization must consist of a structure, which defines jobs and relationships. In organization, different levels and division of jobs are defined to achieve specialization through division of labours. Organization design and job descriptions are the part of organizational structure, which limit the behaviour of the members in organizations. Organizations depend on people to make them operate. An organization is nothing without resources. If we remove the employees from the organization, there is nothing but a pile raw material, machines, and physical commodities. Organization consists of the combination of different resources, among which human resource is the superior. But how did these people come to be employees in the organizations; How were they found and selected? Why do they come to work on a regular basis? Hoe do they know what to do on their jobs? How does management know if the employees are performing adequately? It they are not, what can be done about it? Answers of these questions lie in the subject of human resource management. But before we attempt to understand how and organization should manage its human resources, we need to answer the generic question, what is management? Management is the process of efficiently getting work activities completed with and through other people. An organization consists of goals and limited resources. To achieve goals, different activities are to be done. As there is limited resources, to get activities completed, the resources should be allocated properly. Simply, management is the act of allocating scare resources to achieve goals and getting required activities completed with and through other people. The management process includes the planning, organizing, leading and controlling activities that take place to accomplish bjectives. Managing people in an organization is human resource management. Since every organization is made up of people, acquiring their services, developing their skills, motivating them to high levels of performance and ensuring that they continue to maintain their commitment to the organization are essential to achieving organizational objectives. This is true regardless of the type of organizat ion-government, business, education, health or social organizational objectives. This is true regardless of the type of organization-government, business, education, health or social welfare. Organizational effectiveness depends largely on the performance of people working in organizations. Management concerned to increase in performance of human resources is human resource management. It aims at achieving organizational goals through improvements in the productive contribution of people. It is concerned with philosophy, principles and practices related to human aspects of management. It keeps balance between the goals of organization and the goals of the individual. How to cite Details About HRM, Papers

The Physics Of An Earthquake Essay Example For Students

The Physics Of An Earthquake Essay Earthquakes are vibrations produced in the earths outer layer, or crust, when forces pushing on a mass of rock overcome the friction holding the rock in place and blocks of rock slip against each other. The vibrations can range from barely noticeable to verry destructive. There are six types of shock waves. Two are classified as body waves which means they travel through the earths interior and the other four are surface waves. The waves are changed by the rock types or formations they hit. Primary or compressional waves (P waves) send particles moveing back and forth in the same direction as the waves are traveling, secondary or transverse shear waves (S waves) send vibrations perpendicular to their direction of travel. P waves always travel at higher velocities than S waves. Three general classes of earthquakes are now recognized as tectonic, volcanic, and artificially produced. The tectonic variety is by far the most destructive. The most commen cause of tectonic quakes is stresse s by movements of the dozen of major and minor plates that make up the earths crust . Most tectonic quakes occur at the boundaries of these plates, in zones where one plate slides past anotherSubduction-zone quakes account for nearly half of the worlds destructive seismic events and 75 percent of the earths seismic energy. They are along the so-called Ring of Fire, a narrow band about 38,600 km long, that coincides with the sides of the Pacific Ocean. The points at which crustal rupture occurs in such quakes tend to be far below the earths surface, at depths of up to 645 km. Not all subduction zones are subject to frequent earthquakes. We will write a custom essay on The Physics Of An Earthquake specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now The frequency and magnitude of earthquakes around subduction zones are related to the direction in which the plates are moving. If two plates moving in the same general direction come close together, generally the edge of one plate will slide below the other at a sharp angle. This reduces the amount of area in which the plates touch, so the subduction zone does not produce many earthquakes and any earthquakes it does produce are not as strong. If two plates are sliding beside each other, one plate will often be forced under the other at a shallow angle, making a large area of friction. This produces more frequent, stronger earthquakes. Tectonic earthquakes beyond the Ring of Fire occur in a variety of geological settings. Midocean ridges the seafloor spreading centers of plate tectonics are the sites of numerous such events of moderate intensity that take place at relatively shallow depths. One other category of tectonic earthquake includes the infrequent but large and destructive quakes that occur in areas far removed from other forms of tectonic activity. Of the two classes of nontectonic earthquake, those of volcanic origin are not very large or destructive. They are of interest chiefly because they often herald impending volcanic eruptions. Such quakes originate as magma, molten rock from a layer in the earths mantle called the asthenosphere, works its way upward, filling the chambers beneath a volcano. As the flanks and summit of the volcano swell and are tilted, rupture of the strained rocks may be signaled by many small earthquakes. Earthquakes produce various effects for difrent types of land and depending where the tectonic platce. They can cause great loss of life by destroying structures such as buildings, bridges, and dams, and they can also trigger landslides. Another effect of earthquakes is the generation, usually by subsea tremors, of so-called tidal waves. Because such waves are not related to the tides, they are more properly called seismic sea waves or their Japanese name tsunamis. These big waves of water have struck coastlines with such violent strangth that entire towns have been destroyed. Seismologists have devised two scales of measurement to describe earthquakes quantitatively. One is the Richter scalenamed after the American seismologist Charles Francis Richterwhich measures the motion of the land surface 100 km from the epicenter, or focus, of the earthquake. It is a logarithmic scale; a magnitude 7 quake moves the land 10 times farther than a magnitude 6 quake, 100 times farther than a magnitude 5 quake, 1000 times farther than a magnitude 4 quake, and so

Free Essays on German U-Boats

Each country in the war had an area which they excelled, and for the Germans that was the powerful U-boats with cannons, big guns and torpedos, sailing the Atlantic. There were many operations for U-boats during WWII. First we’ll discuss the Larconia incident. Larconia Incident A German U-boat (U-156) torpedoed a large target in the South Atlantic Ocean. A British liner (Larconia), carrying a 136-man crew, military material and personnel (268 men), about 80 civilians, and around 1800 Italian prisoners of war along with armed guards of 160 Polish soldiers sank at 2323 hours military time. Amazed to hear Italian voices, the commander, Kptlt. Werner Harenstien at once began a rescue mission for the people struggling in the sea and those in lifeboats. Offering to cease hostilities, he radioed an uncoded message to every vessel within hearing distance for help. In the days that followed Harenstien’s crew save about 400 survivors, half of which were brought on ship and the other half in lifeboats. Next U-506 arrived and began to help rescue the survivors and a little while later U-507 and an Italian submarine came to help. As the boats headed for shore, towing the lifeboats behind them, an American B-24 Liberator bomber operating from the Ascension Island, its pilot spotted the boats. The pilot radioed base asking for instructions. Following orders he attacked, forcing the rescue boats to cut the lines leading to the lifeboats, leaving hundreds of survivors in the water again. Because a French warship from Dakar appeared and began fishing people out of the water again, the US attack didn’t cause as many dead as it could have. Approximately 1500 people survived. Many times U-boats had helped their survivors with supplies, water and directions of which way to go. After this incident, an order was issued (called the Larconia order) that no U-boats were ever to take part in rescue operations again. They were to leave their sur... Free Essays on German U-Boats Free Essays on German U-Boats Each country in the war had an area which they excelled, and for the Germans that was the powerful U-boats with cannons, big guns and torpedos, sailing the Atlantic. There were many operations for U-boats during WWII. First we’ll discuss the Larconia incident. Larconia Incident A German U-boat (U-156) torpedoed a large target in the South Atlantic Ocean. A British liner (Larconia), carrying a 136-man crew, military material and personnel (268 men), about 80 civilians, and around 1800 Italian prisoners of war along with armed guards of 160 Polish soldiers sank at 2323 hours military time. Amazed to hear Italian voices, the commander, Kptlt. Werner Harenstien at once began a rescue mission for the people struggling in the sea and those in lifeboats. Offering to cease hostilities, he radioed an uncoded message to every vessel within hearing distance for help. In the days that followed Harenstien’s crew save about 400 survivors, half of which were brought on ship and the other half in lifeboats. Next U-506 arrived and began to help rescue the survivors and a little while later U-507 and an Italian submarine came to help. As the boats headed for shore, towing the lifeboats behind them, an American B-24 Liberator bomber operating from the Ascension Island, its pilot spotted the boats. The pilot radioed base asking for instructions. Following orders he attacked, forcing the rescue boats to cut the lines leading to the lifeboats, leaving hundreds of survivors in the water again. Because a French warship from Dakar appeared and began fishing people out of the water again, the US attack didn’t cause as many dead as it could have. Approximately 1500 people survived. Many times U-boats had helped their survivors with supplies, water and directions of which way to go. After this incident, an order was issued (called the Larconia order) that no U-boats were ever to take part in rescue operations again. They were to leave their sur...

Tempted by Addictive Shows Heres Why to Avoid Them.

Tempted by Addictive Shows Heres Why to Avoid Them. Last Wednesday afternoon, I received a thought-provoking promotional insert along with my ATT phone bill. It reads: HBO INCLUDED FOR LIFE* ATT unlimited wireless plans come with entertaining movies and addictive shows on HBO. ® I interrupted my housemate’s lunch with my expression of shock: â€Å"Can you believe this? ATT is promoting addictiveness as a reason to get HBO?!! Shouldn’t that be a reason to stay away?† Personally, I have avoided purchasing DIRECTV and such because I am extremely susceptible to binge watching. I’m fine if I don’t start watching, but as soon as I do, I’m hooked. Therefore, the word â€Å"addictive† turns me off. I don’t want it. Do you want to be addicted? Take this 2-question survey. I’m curious. How would you answer these questions? (function(t,e,s,n){var o,a,c;t.SMCX=t.SMCX||[],e.getElementById(n)||(o=e.getElementsByTagName(s),a=o[o.length-1],c=e.createElement(s),c.type="text/javascript",c.async=!0,c.id=n,c.src=["https:"===location.protocol?"https://":"https://","widget.surveymonkey.com/collect/website/js/tRaiETqnLgj758hTBazgd4HXOA_2BAL8aRSL3LZJKxLaJ9EoTH45eK6fxmvPGgncNd.js"].join(""),a.parentNode.insertBefore(c,a))})(window,document,"script","smcx-sdk"); Drug Marketing vs. TV Marketing Historically, companies have attempted to promote products based on the claim that the products are NOT addictive. Perhaps the most apt example is the marketing of OxyContin, a drug introduced in 1996 by Purdue Pharma, which has become famous for its addictive properties. A 2009 paper in the American Journal of Public Health, The Promotion and Marketing of OxyContin: Commercial Triumph, Public Health Tragedy, points out that â€Å"a consistent feature in the promotion and marketing of OxyContin was a systematic effort to minimize the risk of addiction in the use of opioids for the treatment of †¦ pain.† This misrepresentation resulted in successful lawsuits against Purdue to the tune of $634 million. Can you imagine a drug company’s promoting a painkiller with â€Å"It comes with highly addictive properties!†? Probably not. Most people would choose a different drug. At least my phone company and HBO will not be sued for misrepresentation. They own the addictive nature of the TV and video â€Å"drug† straight out. But why would addiction be a selling point? To investigate more, I researched the phenomenon of â€Å"Netflix Addition,† which runs rampant and is growing with every season. It turns out that binge-watching shows like those on Netflix releases fairly substantial amounts of the pleasurable neurotransmitter, dopamine. And the sense of accomplishment from finishing an episode, or a season, releases another pleasurable neurotransmitter, serotonin. The combination is a sure recipe for addiction. The Perils of TV Addiction Why is this pleasurable cycle a problem? Sleep Deprivation Well, for one thing, it makes us spend more time than we know we can reasonably afford to spend watching TV. We say we will stop and then we don’t, often staying up until the wee hours of the morning. As if this sleep deprivation weren’t enough, the light from the shows can boost serotonin and make us feel wide awake, thus decreasing the quality of any sleep we do get. Relationship Strain We frequently ignore calls from friends and family when we’re in the middle of a show or a binge, thus missing out on real connections and distancing people we love. Maybe we even lie to them about how much we’re watching. In actuality, watching shows is a poor substitute for true emotional connection. But we forget that in our addictive haze. Health Consequences While caught up in addictive shows, we sit for long periods and maybe skip the gym, often eat low-nutrient easy-to-grab foods, and maybe even forgo basic self-care because somehow watching just a few more minutes of that show seems more important. Career Blocker – Don’t let this happen to you! Netflix, Amazon or HBO addiction is not conducive to top workplace performance or a successful job search. In addition to not sleep deprivation, there is a part of your brain that will be occupied with wanting to get back to that show you were watching instead of focusing on your job or other important tasks. If you find yourself indulging, how about taking a week off from all those so carefully crafted addictive shows that suck your attention and time? During that week, track whether you sleep more, whether your focus and job performance improve, and whether you stop avoiding the true priorities in your life. If you’re a job seeker, consider this: Getting a blast of dopamine and serotonin with the simple push of a button might seem like more fun than rewriting your resume or LinkedIn profile, but the results you’ll get are ultimately unsatisfying at best, and harmful at worst. While you might enjoy a temporary blast from that next episode of Stranger Things, doing something positive for your long-term goals will ultimately be way more fulfilling. 🙂 Log in to Reply