generalized anxiety disorder Essay -- essays research papers

Generalized Anxiety Disorder Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is a chronic and often disabling condition that is associated with uncontrollable worry and tension. The vicious cycle of anxiety and worry interferes with relationships, careers, and education, and often leads to depression. This disorder is much more than the normal anxiety that everyone experiences from time to time, and can be crippling in its severity. GAD is unlikely to disappear without proper treatment, and often worsens over time. Physical manifestations of GAD often include headaches, trembling, twitching, fatigue, irritability, frustration, muscle tension, and inability to concentrate. Sleep disturbances may also occur. Individuals suffering from this disorder may appear to be always tense and unable to relax, or may startle more easily than others. Often they might seem to be constantly moving or fidgeting, unable to sit comfortably through a movie without worrying about something else that needs to be done. Some research suggests that GAD may run in families, and it Generalized Anxiety Disorder may grow worse during times of stress. Symptoms can begin at any age, but the risk is highest between childhood and middle age. GAD affects about 4 million adult Americans. Women are twice as likely to be affected than men. The disorder usually comes on gradually, although it can be suddenly triggered by a childhood psychological trauma, the death of a loved one, divorce, and losing or changing a job. DSM-IV Diagnostic Criteria: 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Excessive anxiety and worry (apprehensive expectation), occurring more days than not for at least 6 months, about a number of events or activities (such as work or school performance). 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The person finds it difficult to control the worry. 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The anxiety and worry are associated with three (or more) of the following six symptoms (with at least some symptoms present for more days than not for the past 6 months). Note: Only one item is required in children. -  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  restlessness or feeling keyed up or on edge -  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  being easily fatigued -  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  difficulty concentrating or mind going blank -  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  irritability -  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  muscle tension -  Ã‚  Ã‚  &nb... ...he anxiety the patient is having. There are many studies pertaining to generalized anxiety disorder. The studies examine the genetic and environmental risks for major anxiety disorders, their course-both alone and when they occur along with other diseases such as depression-and their treatment. Like heart disease and diabetes, these brain disorders are complex and probably result from a combination of genetic, behavioral, developmental, and other factors. Much of the research of anxiety centers on the amygdale, an almond-shaped structure deep within the brain. The amygdale is believed to serve as a communications hub between the parts of the brain that process incoming sensory signals and the parts that interpret them. Other research focuses on the hippocampus, another brain structure that is responsible for processing threatening or traumatic stimuli. By learning more about brain circuitry involved in fear and anxiety, scientists may be able to devise new and more specific treatments for anxiety disorders. Researche rs are attempting to learn how genetics and experience interact in each of the anxiety disorders-information they hope will yield clues to prevention and treatment.

Experience as a Writer

My experience as a writer as another individual in society and being student in school writing is a part of life. Living in another state and being so far away from family I write my love ones back home because a letter can mean more than a phone call sometimes. Going to school writing is everyday thing between assignments and taken notes every time you write your writing skills get better. Certain jobs require written answer on their application in order to get hired. I’m pretty sure in the career I’m choosing ill encounter question that require writhing answer. Writing to me is a valuable ability. It plays s a major role in communication. Under certain circumstance an individual may person could be in the military away to basic training or overseas and don’t have access to electrical devices. To be honest I really don’t like writing because I had bad experience about not staying on topic or not making complete sentence. I have a hard time by you use punctuation in the right way. I don’t know how to grab people attention when I’m writing. I have a hard time staying on one topic. I love to learn more about it and have better experiences as a writer. My 10th grade year in high school, my English teacher gave us an writing assignment which was an essay before Christmas break the last day of school and to start Christmas break my teacher gave us our grad and mines was below passing. Focuses an advancing my writing in skills in which I did passed my English class for the year. I realized that in order to do better you have to put forth the effort and determination once success is made it only make you want to keep succeeding in away is motivation.

Marketing Strategy for Competitive Advantage Essay

Executive Summary Three friends – Lyndon Duke Hanson, Scott Seamans, and George Boedecker, founded Crocs Inc. in the year 2002 in Colorado, USA. As the firm grew, it acquired Foam Creations in Canada to own manufacturing operations, under the leadership of Ronal Snyder in 2004, and gained sole rights. Crocs is a designer, manufacturer and retailer of molded, casual footwear for men, women and children. All Crocs footwear feature a proprietary closed-cell resin called ‘Croslite’ that provides the wearer with extreme comfort by taking the shape of the feet of the wearer due to heat. The company boasts the footwear as being ideal for casual use as well as for professional and recreational uses viz. boating, hiking and hospitality. The product is claimed to be lightweight, slip-resistant, and odor-free, and is available in several bright colors. Crocs shoes are sold across 129 countries and come in 250 styles. The company has also diversified into apparel and accessories. One major acquisition has been of that of Jibbitz show charms, for which the company has also acquired  licensing agreements with Disney, Nickelodeon, Warner Bros. and DC Comics. The case discusses the phenomenal supply chain management of the company that has been a major reason for the success of the company, besides of course the popularity of the shoes. The achievement of an extremely flexible supply chain was the vision of Ronal Snyder, CEO, to meet customer’s demand based on the exact same principle followed by software giants. This supply chain provided Crocs with a competitive advantage in the footwear industry. Crocs had the highest profit margin in the industry at 56.5% in 2006, considerably higher than that of its competitors. Crocs created a blue ocean by creating differentiation and low costs and breaking out of the red ocean. This resulted in global expansion and quick growth. Profits increased from $10.9million in 2004 to $763.3milion in 2007. Later in the case study, we will see the Industry Analysis to understand the competitive scenario. This reveals that Nike is the market leader, followed by Adidas. A look at Porter’s Model shows that consumer’s bargaining power is a major threat in the industry. We also see the standard manufacturing practices in the industry compared to Crocs’ manufacturing techniques. The SWOT Analysis gives an understanding of the potential threats and rising opportunities. Customer’s changing tastes and threat of substitutes pose immediate threat to the firm, but it can capitalize on its unique product range and supply chain in order to gain a majority market share. Industry Analysis The global footwear market has grown from $153.2 billion in 2004 to $189.3 billion in 2007. Although the footwear industry is in the maturity stage, it is known that the demand for the product will not decline. Hence, global  sales are forecasted to reach $238 billion in 2013. Footwear industry is a highly fragmented market. The industry experiences intensive competition led by major firms such as Nike, Reebok, Adidas, and Converse. Nike is the industry leader, followed by Reebok and Adidas; Nike has a market share of 47%, Reebok – 16% and Adidas – 6%. Competitors Nike Nike is the world’s largest designer and marketer of athletic footwear and apparel. The stores are located over 180 countries. Nike is based in Oregon. It runs its manufacturing operations primarily in Asia. Nike’s footwear accounted for 60% of the company’s total net sales in 1999, after which the firm attempted to become more diversified. Nike’s largest share of sales comes from United States. Nike is one company to have crossed the $5 billion mark. Nike’s target consumers were 18-44 aged people, with six-digit income. Adidas Adidas is in the second position in the global market. It is based in Germany and sourced 97% of its footwear from Asian. Its main market is the Europe region. The firm had only a 3% market share in 2005, but after the acquisition of Reebok in 2006, the share jumped up to 9%. Footwear sales accounted for 45.5% of the total sales for Adidas in 2007. Adidas target slightly young aged, 18-44 and was especially popular among Hispanics and African Americans. Other competitors include Puma (Germany), New Balance (USA – largest privately held manufacturer), and C&J Clark (UK-based) nearing the $2.0billion mark. Porter’s Five Forces Model Threat from Existing Competition The industry is characterized by easy entry and exit. The market is competitive, with the industry being described as red ocean, often. The market has reached maturity stage, and the growth is slow-paced. Firms are  always attempting to lower costs and manage supply chain effectively to meet the changing demand. There is always a potential threat of a competitor eating into the market share. Threat from New Entrants The footwear industry is an easy market to enter for new players. Investments required are not huge, and raw materials are easily available. Legal policies are not strict, except in cases of imports in some countries. However, human rights issue is a major cause for concern in the footwear industry. Manufacturing/outsourcing decisions are used for low costs. Threat of Substitutes As entry is easy, substitutes are a major threat. Pricing becomes a key concern. Knock-offs also pose a great threat to companies even though certain designs are proprietary. Bargaining Power of Suppliers Shoes are mostly made from similar raw materials that are easily available. So, most firms manage to get materials at low costs. However, for Crocs, this is not a problem because it owns the manufacturing units and has a proprietary right over croslite. Bargaining Power of Consumers Consumers have the greatest power in the footwear industry due to availability of substitutes. Price and quality are major attributes of the product. Changing consumer taste is a potential threat. Changing fashion and trends and even fads are a problem faced by manufacturers. Competitors have come up with the concept of ‘Shoe Design’ to give the consumer the ability to custom design shoes that are delivered with two weeks. SWOT Analysis Opportunities Market penetration in the footwear industry is still considerably low, especially in Asia-Pacific region. Developing countries like India are emerging markets with huge population for firms to capitalize on.  Purchasing power of people in these countries is increasing, thus showing potential target consumer groups. Threats Substitutes and knock offs pose great threat to major players in the industry. Since pricing and quality are major concerns, low costs are the main objectives. Changing trends and consumer taste are also a serious threat. Strengths Crocs’ unique design that offers great comfort, odor-free, slip-resistant lightweight shoes at comparatively lower prices is a distinctive competency. Supply chain flexibility offers Crocs a competitive advantage over the other firms. Weakness Crocs is required to distinguish its product, especially with the usage of croslite in its footwear. This makes it difficult for Crocs to develop new products in the formal range. Financial Analysis While 92% of company’s revenues came from footwear, the remaining 8% was from the sales of accessories and apparels. Revenue has increased over the years and reached $354.7 million in 2006. There has been a tremendous increase in cost of the goods sold and was reported to be $154.2 million in 2006 from $47.8 million in 2005. Net profit margin has also been increasing and it was found to be 18.2% in 2006. Revenue was found to be $142 million in the year 2007 for Q1. Gross profit was reported to be 84.4% in the first quarter of 2007. In comparison with competitors viz. Nike and Deckers, gross profit margin of Crocs has been considerably higher. Debtor’s turnover ratio is the highest in the industry, indicating that Crocs is efficient at handling debts. Asset  management is also performed well at Crocs. But looking at the inventory turnover ratio, Crocs is one of the lowest in the industry. This shows that Crocs is unable to turn inventory into cash as effectively. It is seen that in 2006, Crocs has inventory worth $86.2million compared to $28.5million in the previous year. This shows that Crocs capital is blocked in its stock. About Crocs Inc. Mission Bring profound comfort, fun and innovation to the world’s feet. Brand Attributes Innovative Crocs shoes are distinguished from others by the following motive of the firm – Radical thinking, health-minded research, and providing solution to the Feet. Fun Colors and designs offered and the emotional experience served are important to Crocs to create its brand image. Comfort Crocs claims to offer profound comfort, ergonomic design, massaging foot bed, and lightweight. Simple Crocs believes in keeping its products simple with a versatile function. Crocs Shoes Clogs with Croslite Target Consumer Segment: Men, women and children of all ages Diabetic patients and other ailments Crocs shoes are lifestyle products that exhibit personalities like trendy, fun, and high fashion, dressy, casual and active. Various models offered include mammoth, clogs, sandals, flats, heels, boots, slip-ons, flip flops, sport, work, Ocean Minded among others. Crocs started off as a company with about 25 models in 2004, and reached a point in 2007 when it offered 250 models. Original design was the clogs that kids could personalize with Jibbitz. Over time, Crocs extended its line by using usual raw materials like leather and suede with croslite soles. Supply Chain Management For consumer, Crocs designed an extensive distribution system so its shoes were available in a variety of retail outlets from specialty stores to department stores and large shoe store chains. Footwear companies have two alternatives to choose from in the manufacturing of their products; they can both own and operate the factories that produce their products, or outsource operations. Factories may be located internationally or locally. Most firm practice outsourcing of operations to enable reduced costs. Crocs believed in meeting customer demands in the current season. Supply Chain was Crocs main focus. Crocs had adopted the global logistics strategy. The firm was vertically integrated and by 2007, had acquired various units all across the world for its operations to cater to different consumers. Hence it was faced with large capital expenditure requirements and the management of the factories themselves. Yet Crocs did a tremendous job at supply management. Where its competitors followed the seasonal order placements, Crocs had a delivery time of two to four weeks for newly placed orders, indicating how Crocs understood the demand for the product. Crocs owned the manufacturing, warehousing and retails units in almost all countries. With its effective management, Crocs was able to maintain low costs. Any other company in the footwear industry did not achieve such a flexible supply chain. The firm maintained good professional relations with the retailers, and deployed its own personnel in stores and provided a store-in-store experience to customers. Core Competencies Unique Product Crocs is the only company that offers shoes made of croslite. This material ensures extreme comfort to the wearer. Crocs owns proprietary rights over  the material, and this becomes the firm’s distinctive competency. Since Crocs is the only firm with the sole right of manufacturing such footwear, it should ensure no knock-offs are sold in the market in its name. Flexible supply chain Crocs understood the dynamic footwear industry and built a revolutionary supply chain to meet the demands of it consumers. Crocs is able to replenish stocks within weeks at short notice. This gives the firm a competitive advantage over the rivals. Other than the core business activities, Crocs has initiated a program called Crocs Cares to provide the inhabitants of disaster affected areas with shoes in over forty countries. Conclusion Crocs has managed to develop an extremely flexible supply chain in order to meet customer and retailer demands, similar to none other in the footwear industry. The firm is extensively vertically integrated and has followed a pattern of a series of acquisitions for growth. Another advantage for the firm is the sole proprietary rights over the croslite material. However, Crocs has learnt the need to extend its product line and incorporating materials like leather and suede in its products. Crocs has also managed to lure its customers by acquiring the charm business, and also by diversifying into accessories and apparels.   Although the firm is showing year-on-year profits, it is seen that by following the model of semi-finished products to achieve quick delivery, it is faced by the problem of low inventory turnover. The important thing to understand is that the industry is dynamic, and the demand is quite unpredictable due to varying trends. Thus, Crocs will continue doing better by focusing on the end-user product. References www.packagedfacts.com Global Footwear Market Report http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com How Crocs Is Outpacing The Pack http://logisticsviewpoints.com Crocs Revolutionary Supply Chain http://www.blueoceanstrategy.com Crocs Review http://ezinearticles.com History of Crocs http://www.hoovers.com Factsheet of Crocs http://company.crocs.com About Crocs – Company Profile

An Analysis of Frida Kahlo and Carmen Lomas Garza Essay

Cultural Versus Opportunities: An Analysis of Frida Kahlo And Carmen Lomas Garza Words 1,715 Both of these paintings show the love and desire to hold on to ones heritage and family traditions which is extremely important in Hispanic families. Both with vivid colors and images. In Kahlo’s â€Å"Self Portrait on the Border Line Between Mexico and the United States†, even though she is a Mexican woman living in a non-Mexican country, she is able to accept both sides and hold on to her own Mexican heritage and culture which it seems she preferred. In Garza’s â€Å"Camas Para Suenos†(Beds for Dreams), Garza is showing the love and closeness she had with her sister and how her mother allowed them to dream and reach after those dreams as they kept in touch with their heritage and culture which is evident in her work. Holding on to ones own culture is important. It should not be forgotten. It should be embraced and tought to ones own children. As Kahlo’s painting depicts, learning of others heritage and culture can be another way of embracing your own and learning to appreciate and discover it all over. The loss of culture can be devastating to the identity of nations and families. Brief facts about artist Frida Kahlo’s childhood and adult years introduce her complex life of the mind and spirit. Frida. ( Dec 4, 2002) The Christian Century from Fine Arts and Music Collection via Gale) The artwork evokes magical realism without attempting to imitate the gifted Mexican artist, who painted â€Å"what she sees in her heart, on top of what she sees with her eyes. † Kahlo’s Self Portrait on the Border Line Between Mexico and the United States, painted in 1932, is a very revealing work that gives a glimpse into the heart, mind, and soul of Kahlo herself. The painting speaks of the connection, or the lack thereof, between Mexico and the United States. It is a very subtle, yet amazingly powerful painting. Kahlo did this painting while she waited for her husband, Diego Rivera, to finish painting his mural in Detroit. During this time she suffered a traumatic miscarriage and was admitted to the Henry Ford hospital. She felt very lonely and isolated from life and all that she knew. This painting is an expression of how Kahlo viewed herself stuck somewhere in limbo, in a place far away from her beloved Mexican homeland. P 34(1) In the front, at the bottom, of each side of the painting lies roots. On the side that is connected with the United States the roots are actually cables or cords that come from some industrial object. The roots of these objects are black and take different shapes such as long and reaching or curled. They are clearly like industrial cords and are not necessarily reflective of anything that is natural. On the other side, the Mexican side, the roots are actual roots of plants that grow out like natural roots, reaching into the ground. What makes these roots significant, aside from their obvious differences, lies in the fact that one of the cords reaches down, and under Kahlo, touching the roots of another plant. That plant appears to have brown pods which could well represent how the industrial unnatural reality of the United States is smothering and killing all that is natural, and in this case Mexico as well. It is pervasive and dark in nature. This is further emphasized by the fact that Mexico’s roots are very natural and organic, whereas the United States’ roots are dark, and clearly manmade and unnatural. In this painting, show Kahlo wearing an dress that is very reminiscent of an American dress. It is a simple dress but it is pink and has many ruffles along the bottom of the skirt. In some ways it seems reflective of the Civil War era, without the presence of a powerful hoop skirt underneath, or perhaps a dress of the old West days in the United States. Whatever the case it is not a dress that is reflective of Kahlo but of the United States . In addition, in the hand that is facing towards Mexico Kahlo holds a Mexican flag. In the hand that is facing towards the United States she holds a cigarette. Her hands are crossed. This all suggests influences she likes, dislikes, and is perhaps confused by. She is, in this picture, part of both worlds and clearly the side that is relative to Mexico is patriotic and very Mexican in spirit. But the hand that holds a cigarette clearly speaks of the industrial and damaging nature of the United States, perhaps suggesting the negative influence the United States has on Mexico. As it pertains to religious icons or images there are no obvious religious images on the side with the United States. However, when one asks that question, regarding religious, one may well argue that industrialization, manufacturing, and smokestacks, is the religion of the United States. On the Mexican side are many references to the history and the religion of Mexico. There is what appears to be a goddess statue with two infants, a statue from ancient Aztec religions perhaps, and the ancient architectural elements of Mexico. The entire natural presentation of Mexico is offered in a religious nature, even incorporating a skull which could well relate to the Day of the Dead, a religious holiday for Mexico. The religion of the United States, in this case, would be mass production, destruction of the earth, and money. The fact that Kahlo is in the center of the painting does not suggest any common ground, but rather speaks, it would seem, of some internal struggle within Kahlo as she sees her nation influenced and perhaps destroyed by the United States. She is clearly a part of the United States and if one looks at her life one can see that her involvement with Diego clearly put her in close relationship with the dealings of the United States. But, she is clearly sending an image that indicates she is not happy with the United States and finds far more peace and beauty in Mexico, her home. Schjeldahl, P. (Nov 5, 2007) Kahlo is authentically a national treasure of Mexico, a country that her work expresses not merely as a culture but as a complete civilization, with profound roots in several pasts and with proper styles of modernity. P (92) In Carmen Lomas Garzas painting â€Å"Camas Para Suenos† (Beds for Dreams), two children can be spotted, sitting on the roof of their home, gazing up at the full moon. Beneath them in the bedroom, their mother is making the bed ready for the children to sleep in, and a crucifix can be seen hanging on the wall behind her. This image recalls a time of simplicity, where children can peacefully sit and star gaze, while their apron-wearing mothers make the beds in which they will sleep in. The image is portrayed through the scope of a child, and its message calls for Mexicans to remember their culture. Roback, D. (July 13, 1990). In the midst of racism and discrimination, Garza tries not to draw upon any of that; instead, she looks to the family for resolution Mexican-American Garza has generously afforded readers a glimpse of her cherished childhood in a poor rural Hispanic community. Her daily activities and fond memories are related in paintings . Of the painting Garza stated â€Å"My sister and I used to go up on the roof on summer nights and just stay there and talk about the stars and the constellations. We also talked about the future. I knew since I was 13 years old that I wanted to be an artist. And all those things that I dreamed of doing as an artist, I’m finally doing now. My mother was the one who inspired me to be an artist. She made up our beds to sleep in and have regular dreams, but she also laid out the bed for our dreams of the future. P 54(2) This painting was inspired by youthful conversations with her sister and their desire to become artists and focuses on the joyful memories of everyday life with her family. The two sisters, Garza being one, are sitting on the roof close to the moon and stars, sharing their dreams with on another. The fact that they were Mexicans, in the United States did not change the fact that they had dreams they wished to accomplish.

Tactical Leadership Versus Organizational leadership Essay

Tactical Leadership Versus Organizational leadership - Essay Example Tactical and organizational leadership styles are two of these which are undertaken and adopted for similar aims and objectives. Each of these modes of leadership has one thing in common- achieving the defined goals and objectives, the difference is in the path following, procedures adoption, tools and techniques employment. Before understanding the two forms of leadership styles, it is imperative to define each and better understand the background and concept under which each is implemented and is most effective. The two have considerable differences between them, as well as similarities in functions, nature and execution. This paper looks into the overall relationship and individual existence and performance domain and style of each leadership style. Backed by intensive thinking and brain storming (Person, 2010, 46) and solid execution, while organizational leadership is supported by smooth decisions enforced by organizational observation and participation. The basic genesis of the concept of tactical derives from the previous experiences and observations. Based on all the knowledge and expertise gained, the leadership duties and responsibilities are performed accordingly. These actions may be the experience gained in individual capacity or experience based on the collective actions taken by the team and the organization which allows for experience derivation for future course of action. Certain variables are associated with this kind of leadership style; these are the time frame and constraint, the extent of participation of the leader and the element of charisma (Porter, Angle, & Allen, 2003, 246). As a result of the prior knowledge the steps are undertaken to solve the problems and devise a strategy according to the requirements. Such form of leadership still is highly effective when there is direct contact with the sub ordinates such as military on the field interaction and war

Managing Information in Toyota Motor Corporation Research Paper

Managing Information in Toyota Motor Corporation - Research Paper Example The objective here is to achieve optimum cost control so that it will reflect positively on the bottom - the line of the company’s profits and give maximum returns to the stakeholders of the company. Efforts at cost control, without compromising on quality, are an everyday effort within the company Cost control can be defined as â€Å"Application of (1) investigative procedures to detect variance of actual costs from budgeted costs, (2) diagnostic procedures to ascertain the cause(s) of variance, and (3) corrective procedures to effect realignment between actual and budgeted costs.† The type of information that is required to achieve cost control is wide-ranging and has to be acquired from a variety of sources. The types of cost that are incurred in a typical manufacturing concern include direct costs, indirect costs, hidden costs, future liability costs, intangible costs, external costs etc.a. Direct costs: Direct cost is costs that can be readily identified as those d irectly incurred in them the manufacturing process. It includes raw materials, wages depreciation etc.  b. Indirect costs: Costs, which cannot be attributed directly to production, are termed as indirect costs. These include salaries, rent, marketing expenses etc.  c.   An example would be where customers are not satisfied with the product which results in a fall in sales. â€Å"Some examples of hidden quality costs are customer dissatisfaction with a product or defects in a product that causes a loss of sales.

Television Commercials Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Television Commercials - Essay Example It is hard to argue with the belief that television commercials have a compelling effect on us. To best check this assumption, the cultivation theory is applied to discover the effects of television commercials on the attitudes and behaviors of the general public. According to Das, â€Å"Cultivation theory suggests that consumers’ perceptions of social reality are heavily influenced by how they see themselves and others portrayed in the media. Many researchers are of the opinion that television ads present idealized images of appropriate behaviors and roles for men and women, making television advertising an important factor in developing notions of what appropriate behaviors and roles are for each sex† (2011:208). Among mass media, television is the most widely used form of advertising, and the influence of television on the average American’s behavior and role are immense. We are repeatedly exposed to this influence, and we absorb it subconsciously and become naturalized with it. In many commercials, there is a large and consistent difference in the way men and women are portrayed. As observed by Water, â€Å"Women in commercials were typically portrayed as deficient in credibility, product users but not product authorities, most often situated in domestic locations, having no occupation except homemaker, and demonstrating a dependent role. This is in contrast with men, who were typically portrayed as credible, product authorities, and situated outdoors. Also, men were perceived to be powerful and thrived in independent roles† (2006:17). The role of gender application is imbalanced, with the female gender being represented in an inferior manner compared to their male counterparts; one is being served and is strong and independent, while the other is serving, and is weak and dependent.