A1). This self-serving corporate generosity should come to no surprise, since the hours of free labor will quickly return the investment. .
The common North American expression not enough hours in the day has become a true phenomenon. A recent survey of 4,113 people conducted by Stanford University found a quarter of the respondents said the time they spent working at home had increased, while their hours at the office had either stayed the same or gone up as well (Stratified, 2000, p.A1). Americans are working more hours per year than any other country (Figure 1). There is no definitive answer as to why Americans are working longer hours, retiring later and taking less vacation time (Dean Schabner, 2001, Hard Work section, para. 1). The simplest answer is competition in the work place, thirst for status and recognition as well as the growing inflation rate. .
"We're moving from a world in which you know all your neighbors, see all your friends, interact with lots of different people every day, to a functional world, where interaction takes place at a distance" (Streitfeld, 2000, p.A1). As our lives become busier and as individuals pursue their own agendas multitasking and time-shifting activities take precedence over social interaction. Telephone conversations are becoming shorter and contain less content; often the call is merely a gesture to get in touch. A recent study conducted in Great Britain found the average duration of a conversation on a mobile phone is approximately two minutes (Vatsyayan, 2001, Customer is the Content, para 3 section tele-communications). It's safe to assume that most of these calls are made to re-schedule, alter plans at the last minute or to leave a voice mail message making excuses for our just-in-time lifestyle.
The use of mobile devices in public no longer elicits the stares and whispers they once did, however the behavior of the user is creating a social upheaval.