Outsourcing

Last week, I received a credit card offer from a bank. So, I decided to call the bank to apply for it over the phone. As soon as the call went through, I heard a man's voice greeting on the other side of the phone. His voice has a heavy indian accent which is not unusual. But later when I talked to him about the details of the offer, and I provided my information over the phone, I noticed there is an obvious delay on the other recieving end. And I cannot help asking him where his physical location is. And the answer from him is just what I expected. He told me he is in New Delhi, India. He works for an Indian company which has contract agreements with the U.S bank that offered me the credit card. And it made me think how many jobs are disappearing in the U.S. and the future of job market by the time I graduate would be very competive and demands skills that are specific and unique which means it cannot be easily attained from oversea workers with lower pay rate but can offer the same quality services. I guess outsourcing is necessary for business to compete in today's globalized market; on the other hand, it also puts lots of pressure on domestic labor markets. Jobs that are existed before is now permanently relocated in another country. People in the U.S. have to be aware of this trend, and be prepared for an ever competitive job market ahead.

Fast Food Industry and American Culture

Fast Food Industry is a billion dollar industry in American society. I can say it for sure that everyone in America has tasted fast food at one point in their lives. Fast food culture is so deeply rooted in American society that fast food restaurants are visible in every public facilities such as schools, airports, shopping malls, theme parks and museums. Americans love fast food because it is convenient, tasty and cheap. From the economic perspective, fast food is a very profitable economic avenue. On the other hand, from the social wellfare perspective, fast food is known to cause obesity in children and adults. Fast food contains high percentage of unsaturated fat which will clog arteries and thicken the blood in your body. And ultimately, you will suffer from sudden heartattack, diabetes and high blood pressure. So, for fast food industry, profit making is crucial for the survival of the industry; however, social responsibility is also essential factor to be considered in order to have a prosperousity and longevity for the fast food industry. History tells us that if a business is to be prospered, it has to take social responsibility into considerations. It is possible to make healthy fast food by selecting healthier ingredients and by improving the cooking method. Of course, these changes will increase the cost for the fast food industry, but in the long run, these cost will be recovered by increased sales volumes. And you will be smiling at the end. In fact, everyone will be smiling at the end. It is a win win situation for both consumers and businesses.

consumerism in college students

Consumerism has instilled into every aspect of college student's life. Students are crazy about those expensive brand name purses and clothing. The names often came up from students' mouth are LV handbags and fashion clothes, Chanel glasses and coach purses as well. Especially shocking to me is that a friend of mine, she would spend 5 weeks of her wage in order to get a LV handbag so that she won't look outdated among her friends. I mean peer pressure is a huge driving force for consumerism. And the real important thing for college student is to study and learn the necessary skills that would prepare them for the workforce in the future. So, it is kind of sad to see so many young student fell victoms to the influence of pop culture endorsed by these big businesses and lost sight of their true purpose in school.