Current Ethical Issues Essay

Organizations must deal with moral and ethical issues that can include dishonesty, theft, and employee drug use. However, companies that have ethical guidelines and train their employees in ethical behavior will have exceptional employees. Therefore, organizations that create ethical policies and provide ethical training will encourage ethical standards in the company. Therefore, I will profile the Taylor Ambulance Company, Inc located in Kelsey. The Taylor Ambulance company has serviced Kelsey for 10 years and they are responsible for transporting individuals who needs emergency medical care and transport them to local hospitals. The ambulance company will also transport non-emergency patients to rehabilitation centers. Taylor Ambulance is dispatched by the Kelsey’s Fire Department and the city’s emergency transport contractor. Currently the Taylor Ambulance company has 70 paramedics and emergency medical technicians and has a fleet of 26 ambulances. The company receives emergency calls through the 911 system of Kelsey. The Taylor Ambulance company’s mission statement is â€Å"We will provide the people of Kelsey with quick and professional emergency medical care†. Donna Taylor and Phillip Embry formed the Taylor Ambulance company in 2000. The company started out small; however, the company grew over the years and as of 2009 the company staffs 95 employees. Also in 2009 the Taylor Ambulance company provided 57,000 ambulance transports for the city of Kelsey. Moreover, in 2009 Taylor Ambulance had a profit of $870,668. Furthermore, the Taylor Ambulance company receives their revenue sources from emergency and non-emergency transports and government subsidies. Additionally, Taylor Ambulance Company has an 8 year contract with the city of Kelsey which runs from March 1, 2008 until February 28, 2016. The Taylor Ambulance company provides an excellent service to the community and the company is very profitable. However, most businesses will face moral and ethical issues with their staff and employees. Some of the moral or ethical issues faced by the Taylor Ambulance company can include; †¢Dishonesty †¢Lack of Confidentiality †¢Privacy issues †¢Drug or alcohol abuse †¢Lack of patient sensitivity or compassion †¢With holding medical care †¢Don’t honor patients medical directives such as, Do Not Resuscitate †¢Patient Neglect Therefore, it is very important that the Taylor Ambulance company has an overall ethics program. The Taylor Ambulance company’s human resource department will assume the responsibility in developing an ethics standard policy. The ethics policy will include all moral and ethical issues that could present itself in the medical field. Therefore, the Taylor Ambulance ethics policy guideline will include how to act ethically in; †¢Honesty †¢Patient confidentiality †¢Patient sensitivity and compassion †¢Patient privacy laws †¢Drug and alcohol training †¢Patient medical care †¢Respective patients medical directives †¢Patient neglect Additionally, when the ethics policy is completed by the human resource manager the manager will work with the training supervisor to set up ethical training for the employees and staff. The ethics training will be supervised by the training supervisor who will document and perform the training. The initial ethics training will coincide with an employee’s new hire orientation. Therefore, after the employees new hire orientation they will be required to complete 8 hour ethics training. Moreover, after the ethics training the new employee will be required to take a short quiz to make sure they understand the company’s ethical guidelines. Once the employee receives their ethics training they will receive a certificate of training. Furthermore, the employee will be required to sign for a copy of the ethics policy for insertion into their employee file. Whereas, it is important to receive ethics training it is also important to monitor employees for un-ethical behavior. Therefore, during employment with the Taylor Ambulance company the employees will be monitored by their organizations supervisor or manager for un-ethical behavior. However, ethical behavior should be enforced by the company. Therefore, if an employee of the Taylor Ambulance company is reported as being un-ethical the employee will be sent to the human resource department to speak with the human resource manager. If the human resource manager believes the employee was acting un-ethical per policy guidelines the employee may receive a disciplinary action. Finally, the Taylor Ambulance company will encourage ethical standards by creating written ethics policy and provide employee ethical training. Therefore, the Taylor Ambulance company will utilize their human resource department to create the ethics policy and the training supervisor will conduct and certify the ethics training. Also the employee supervisor or manager will monitor the ethical behavior of their employees. Moreover, if an employee is acting un-ethical the human resource manager will manage the disciplinary actions. Therefore, creating a written ethics policy is essential for creating an honest work environment for the staff and employees.

The Effect of Globalization on Young People

As the degree of globalization is being strengthened in the present-day world, the issue of globalization has been a highly controversial topic, stimulating extensive attention among the economists and commentators. It is widely agreed that globalization produces widespread and profound impact on every field of the whole world, especially on the aspects of society, economy, politics and culture. However, there is a growing difference of opinion on whether the effects of globalization are beneficial or not. In spite of some negative effects that the anti-globalization groups point out, the positive impact produced by globalization is comprehensive and significant. Many economists consider the process of globalization as the main motivator for social progress, economic growth and cultural exchange. Thus, this essay will be mainly concerned with the beneficial effects of globalization on economy, education and world peace. From the economic perspective, economic globalization contributes to a higher growth rate in the developing countries which are involved in globalization. The positive effects should be attributed to openness associated with globalization. On one hand, according to Rappaport (2000), openness to international trade empowers these developing countries to develop their competitive advantages in manufacturing a certain products, thus making more profits. On the other hand, it is illustrated in Romer (1993) that opening to foreign direct investment can narrow the gaps between developing and developed nations by stimulating the flow of domestic capital and introducing advanced technology and equipment, thereby improving efficiency and productivity and speeding economic growth in developing countries. A good case in point is that economic growth rate in China significantly increased by 2. 3% from 1975 to 2000 due to implementing economic globalization (Dreher, 2006). In addition, from the educational standpoint, technological globalization is advantageous to the educational development. This is mainly based on the widespread utilization of information and communication technology around the world. It increases the availability of education and allows more students to engage themselves in various academic exchanges cross the borders. Kellner (2002) points out that the participation in academic communication at a global level is a perfect interactive platform for students living in different parts of the world to have access to and share information and knowledge. It is also argued in Kellner (2002) that more opportunities are offered to students to have access to those research libraries or institutions, which were inaccessible in the past. These positive effects brought by globalization can contribute to promoting the development of global education. Finally, globalization promotes world peace that is the prerequisite to accelerate the common development of all countries. For one hand, economic interchange at the global level encourages all the countries in the world to cooperate with each other. It is illustrated by Martin and Mayer (2008), it is extremely essential for nations who want to profit from global trade to establish friendly relations with other countries. For another hand, mutual interaction in international commercial activities contributes to strengthening their contacts between different countries. Martin and Mayer (2008) also believe that in order to further promote their prosperity, those countries which are involved in the globalization not only enhance their contacts with other countries but also tighten those ties. Consequently, global economic interchanges promote mutual comprehension, cooperation, and contacts between different states around the world, in turn, promoting the world peace. In conclusion, by analyzing the benefits brought by globalization to the three main aspects: economy, education and society, this paper presents the positive effects of globalization, supported by relevant evidence from academic materials. In particular, it is described in this paper that globalization is of significant benefits for economic growth in developing countries, educational development and world peace.

Human Resources and Technology Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Human Resources and Technology - Research Paper Example Entrepreneurial spirit in the business organization greatly emphasizes on the speed of change in planning, implementing and executing the task at hand and HR needs to move equally as fast as the business needs demand. Accordingly, the organization expects from the HR team that they move fast and "deliver high-value solutions that are executable at the speed of commerce" (Richards, 2013). While deploying HR models in new markets, it is important to keep in mind local cultures and work ethics. While a firm is ready with a new joint venture in an alien land, HR has to get ready with the employee-friendly, cost-effective new models and solutions that adapt to the new conditions quickly. Thus, HR’s role in the technology-driven globalized world has been even more relevant than ever before because mergers, alliances, acquisitions in the new international business environment will pose some of the serious challenges to HR managers on workforce deployment issues to provide maximum benefit to the

Mass media criticism - semiological analysis from ads Essay

Mass media criticism - semiological analysis from ads - Essay Example to their audience by shaping and lending significance to their â€Å"experience of reality† through the use of â€Å"non-verbal semiotic messages† (Najafian & Ketabi 64-65). The ad under discussion also uses images and text effectively to lure its audience to the product through its appeal to their sense of semiotics and aesthetics. The ad is set in pitch black background that highlights both the red font of the text message as well as the red jacket of the female in the picture. This tactic draws the viewer’s attention to the image and holds it there as he or she will feel intrigued to know what the whole story is about. On the other hand, the man’s face only is clear, which prompts the viewer to look closer and pay focused attention on the image. Once the audience gets a clear idea that the couple is attempting to kiss, leaning out of their cars going in different ways, it makes them think about the message. Obviously, what Diesel want to say is, â€Å"We even unite people from different levels through our product,† or â€Å"No matter where people head, our product makes them pause and take notice.† The image provides a sense that the man and woman, despite their different purposes and intentions, are united by the singularity of the brand’s appeal to them. The brand mostly targets youngsters and the image as well as message will immensely appeal to such an audience. The text message â€Å"Smart Listens to the Head, Stupid Listens to the Heart† challenges the popular notion that smart is better by appealing to the emotions of the audience rather than their intelligence. Besides, the image connotes to a carefree attitude and a liberal way of life, which will also have immense appeal to the younger generation as well as the older generation who think differently. Similarly, the ad also accentuates a passion for life, and Diesel’s motto of doing things â€Å"differently from others† (Saviolo & Marazza 100). Thus, while reflecting the lightheartedness of

A new health drink based out of fresh juices Assignment

A new health drink based out of fresh juices - Assignment Example However, Fruit-shots allows consumers to get a healthy bottle of juice in the most convenient manner. The new trend towards healthy is responsible for the rapid growth of the beverage industry but other factors also influence consumer demand. Consumer purchasing power is among the factors that influence consumer demand in the beverages market. The recent global financial crisis eroded consumer purchasing power and a significant number of consumers reduced spending on consumer products. Fruit-shots offer consumers the opportunity to consume healthy meals at the most affordable prices. Research statistics reveal a growing demand for fresh juice from low income as well as middle income households. Another factor that influences the demand and supply of fresh juice is seasonal changes. There is a high demand for fresh juice during summer because of the warm weather conditions. The emergence of fruit and vegetable diseases has a negative impact on consumer attitudes towards the consumption of Fruit-shots. Finally, the low shelf life of fresh juice influences the quantity of Fruit-shots t hat consumers will be willing to purchase from retail outlets. The operational purposes and overall goals of this marketing project are three-fold. First of all, this marketing project aims at assessing Fruit-shots’ current situations. Secondly, the marketing project identifies the company’s current market share and brand performance. Finally, the project summarizes the company’s decisions. The genesis of the marketing project involves an analysis of the company’s market size and brand profitability. The analysis yields information on the company’s market reach and performance of individual brands. Fruit-shots will prepare a line graph chart, which reveals that the company has recorded consistent growth in the last six quarters. The company has recorded gradual and consistent increase in market size since its inception in the

Girls Primary Schools in United Kingdom Coursework

Girls Primary Schools in United Kingdom - Coursework Example This does not promote feminism or any related activities thereof but uses their works to relay situational analysis. This serves to focus change mainly in the designation of school curriculum basing on gender abilities, skills and intellect at still a very young formative age which is mostly subject to resigned domestic and weak place in society. This dissertation is an amalgamation of the work carried out over centuries by precursors of the feminist movement which abolished the sign of male dominated tactics where imparting equal education in qualitative and quantitative terms was concerned. This topic is a challenging one as it focuses on a specific area in gender philosophy. The parameters to be studied are now deeply rooted in the history of our educational system and thus hold a large amount of interest and fascination for a student of feminist issues. Further, the time period being studied is of utmost importance where revolutionary trends in feminist approaches are concerned. In this regard, the work of feminists was the foundation stone for modern day theories in a very subtle manner. Every change happens through education and the study of changing trends in education to show the elements of emerging feminist trends of the period is a challenging and fascinating subject. The dissertation progresses on the general hypotheses of social criticism and the trends that emerged thereof, in context of feminist and gender philosophy conceptions. In this way, the underlying model is a realistic one, unlike the predictable idealistic one due to the fact that Wollstonecraft's work demonstrates the fact that she had great foresight. This dissertation will basically focus on the Education Acts of 1870, 1902, 1944 and 1968. In this regard, the dissertation will analyze the various trends that were followed when these acts were formulated in context of pressures like the importance of women's education as well as the situation of young women. Further, the curriculum and activities revolving around primary education will be discussed in context of the three Rs - religion, reading and writing. The issues and questions are ones pertaining to the general climate for change and whether or not it facilitated the trends that emerged in the area of a change in curriculum for the primary education of girls in UK during that period. The work will also pose the question of how these kinds of changes in education tend to influence the general outlook of society over the years. In this way the acts will be analyzed to find evidence surrounding whether or not they were successful and the criticisms that demonstrate their failures and flaws. These acts in general brought about a climate for change and the emergence of a new feminist perspective. Also, it helped change the curriculum and include more women oriented studies that did not necessarily revolve around

MOTOROLA MOBILITY Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

MOTOROLA MOBILITY - Essay Example The decline at Motorola Mobility has been blamed in part to the many number of models that were produced to cater to particular geographical and demographic areas, which was met with limited appeal. In addition, Motorola Mobility shied away from investing in products that were riskier, but more innovative for the long term. According to Iqbal Arshad, who was head of the Droid and RAZR teams, the company saw an increase in commitments from stakeholders who ensured they released at least forty products every year (Gold, 2012: p51). This reduced their ability to focus and seek to make a more lasting innovative difference. Motorola Mobility should seek to cut back drastically on the models that they release, as well as seek to sell directly in only a limited number of countries. The company has to simplify its business in order to focus on specific innovative products. In addition, the company could bring in new engineers to supplement the current ones who know the culture of Motorola Mo bility (Goggin, 2012: p744). In order to reclaim Motorola’s market share, the organization could pitch Motorola Mobility as the underdog start-up of the industry and develop a model that is symbolic of the turnaround. The firm will only get one chance to re-define their product and, therefore, the themes they select must be innovative, viable, and iconic. The new flagship model should also be designed to appeal to a mass market, rather than the more limited target market of the Droid. The company should also improve on its personalization scheme that allows Motorola Mobility device users to customize their products (Goggin, 2012: p744). While it is still in its infancy, the innovative scheme portends one of the organization’s biggest opportunities. The customization process could be enabled as an app or on a website, allowing the customers to request their customized phone remotely from various colors and textures. The customization process should also last for a short er time in order to counter attempts by rivals to pick up on their innovation and differentiate it by making it faster (Goggin, 2012: p745). Finally, this customization scheme should also allow for customization of software, which will require the engineers at the firm to come up with innovative ways to enable this feature. Despite the takeover by Google Inc, it may be prudent to maintain Motorola Mobility as an independent firm that engineers products independently. This would be the best choice for Google Inc that supports other companies on its Android platform and for Motorola Mobility as it will give them the innovative freedom required (Ickin et al, 2012: p51). It is important that the Motorola Mobility brand remains live from the bottom to the top, including in its management. However, running the company as an independent entity may not portend any business advantage to Google Inc as the organization is losing money. Since Google cannot offer early access to Motorola Mobilit y of its Android platform due to its other smartphone partners, it should be left up to the firm to create their own signature product. Having lost money prior to its acquisition, Motorola Mobility should now focus on producing a flagship Motorola product without relying on Google’s Android platform. It is clear that innovation is not a problem for

For finance class Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

For finance class - Case Study Example The President had to meet with a few internal control requirements to take the company to the next higher level i.e. to go public. The internal control aspects that need to be considered by the President are planning, controlling and workforce maintenance. Planning is one of the major steps that should be taken in an effective way so that future problems can be identified easily and corrective measures can be taken to deal with bigger issues in the future. Controlling involves certain processes such as departments, policies and activities of the employee. For LJB Company, the entire unit should be segmented in departments with specific tasks assigned to each department to make the operations smoother. The President of LJB should take a strong step towards implementing the company’s terms and policies because they ensure that the employees perform under stipulated guidelines and provide their best as they are able to remain focused towards their responsibilities. 2. Advise the President of what the company is doing right (they are doing some things well) and also recommend to the President whether or not they should buy the indelible ink machine. When you advise the President, please be sure to reference the applicable internal control principle that applies. According to LJB Company’s operational process as a small firm, the President implemented certain appropriate internal controlling measures. In this context, it can be stated that the company has been able to attain certain positive outcomes which has facilitated them to the desire of taking the business to public. The terms and policies applied in LJB were quite strong because an employee was fired by the President when he was found guilty of wrongdoing within the company premises. This shows active involvement and ability to demonstrate proper control by the

The dilemma of managing continuous change in performance management Research Paper

The dilemma of managing continuous change in performance management - Research Paper Example The paper tells that in recent times, change in business environment has been inevitable as business strive to remain relevant and competitive. Bradford and Warner note that the need for change in business environment has been brought about by technological advancements, increased customers and shareholder’s expectations, new initiatives, competition, and the need to increase demand among other factors. Therefore, in order to meet the new challenges and attain the organizational goals and objectives, organizations have introduced several changes. However, introduction of change, whether small or big, to organizational functions and processes have often proved intimidating to some managers and have sometime not yielded the intended outcomes. This has resulted to adopting of change management strategies by managers in order to manage change successfully. According to Bradford and Burke, change management can be defined as the application of a set of principles, skills, processes , and tools for managing people and processes within an organization in order to transition or shift the organization from its current state to the desired or intended future state. Several researches have shown that in the modern competitive environment, it takes more than the known management strategies to realize organization’s full potential Bradford and Warner. There is need for managers to welcome change and manage it effectively in order to achieve organizational success in the long- run. Continuous management of change is critical in performance management. Louis (2004, p. 46) explains that the essence of managing change in the organizations is to improve performance and ultimately achieve organizational goals and objectives. As such, continuous management of change is related to performance management. Performance management refers to activities and processes that ensure that goals are met consistently in a manner that is efficient and effective (Aubrey, 2004, p. 95) . The focus of performance management is in regard to processes, departments, organization, and employees and aims at facilitating overall performance of the organization through attainment of organizational goals and objectives Bradford and Warner (2010, p. 18). 1.1 Purpose of the Study The purpose of this research is to foster an understanding of the dilemma of managing continuous change in performance management. The research purports to get deep insights on the dilemmas of managing continuous change and how they impact on performance management. 1.2 Problem Statement In the face of challenging business environment brought about by increased customers and shareholder’s expectations, technological developments, and competition, management are supposed to make continuous changes in their organizations in order to stay remain relevant and be successful (Bradford and Burke, 2005, p. 22). In the process of managing continuous change in order to improve the performance of organi zation, managers are faced with dilemma. The dilemma is on whether the intended change can lead to improved performance or

Milky way Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Milky way - Essay Example 324). As one looks at the night sky, they observe a hazy band of white light that they always infer to be the Milky Way. Apparently, this is not true because every star and celestial body seen by the naked eye in the night sky all belong in the Milky Way. However, the band of white light comes about as a result of the accumulation of unresolved stars and other materials. A dark region can also be observed within the white band. The shaded area corresponds to blocked light from the distant star by interstellar dust. The Milky Way mainly consists of a bulging center and a spiral disk. The spiral disk can further be classified into a thin and thick disk. The flat disk rises about a 1000 light years below and above the galactic mid-plane, and the thick disk extends to about 3500 light years on both sides of the plane. When one considers the flatness of the galaxy then the galactic disk is said to be 120,000 light-years across. Our sun is about 28,000 light-years from the galactic center within the thin disk. There is also a halo that surrounds the entire disk, but it is not visible because of its dark matter composition. The Milky Way consists of many stars. These stars vary in lots of ways, from their individual size to their composition. The stars also vary depending on where they are found within the galactic disk, for example, those in the halo differ from those found on the disk. Consequently, they are said to belong to different stellar population. The mass of a star also translates to its life span; their weight is usually measured in terms of solar mass. The lighter the solar mass the longer the stars life span. The Milky Way is just one galaxy in a collection of a group of galaxies called the Local group. The Milky Way moves at 300 km/sec in the direction of the constellation Virgo. The Milky Way is in constant movement with the other galaxies in the Local Group. The galaxies found within the local

Social Networking with Wal-Mart Essay Example for Free

Social Networking with Wal-Mart Essay The final assignment for this course is a Final Paper. The purpose of the Final Paper is for you to culminate the learning achieved in the course by completing a final research project on organizational communication processes. The Final Project represents 25% of the overall course grade. Focus of the Final Paper The final research project requires you to choose a specific topic relevant to organizational communication processes, research that topic incorporating sources (literature review), analyze the issue in a real world organization, and present your findings. The final paper should be 8-10 pages (excluding title and reference pages), double spaced, and formatted in APA. Identify an organizational communication concept that is particularly interesting to you and that you would like to learn more about. Potential topics include: international and intercultural communication, communication competence in the workplace, diversity and communication, leadership communication, communication and decision making, communication in groups/teams, and communication technology in organizations. Identify an organization with which you are familiar and apply your research on the communication concept you selected to the organization. What did you learn about the concept by applying it to your selected organization? What did you learn about the organization by applying the organizational communication concept? Propose a specific program, training or course of action that you believe could potentially improve communication in the organization. Be sure your recommendations are supported by analysis of your  research. Use at least six resources, three of them from Ashford’s online library databases Carefully choo Find needed answers here https://bitly.com/12BM3Or Carefully choose what you want to major in. Do not pick a major just because it is popular, or it is what your parents want you to study. You need to choose a market that you can see yourself in for years to come, as choosing the wrong major could lead to unhappiness. Business General Business Final Paper The final assignment for this course is a Final Paper. The purpose of the Final Paper is for you to culminate the learning achieved in the course by completing a final research project on organizational communication processes. The Final Project represents 25% of the overall course grade. Focus of the Final Paper The final research project requires you to choose a specific topic relevant to organizational communication processes, research that topic incorporating sources (literature review), analyze the issue in a real world organization, and present your findings. The final paper should be 8-10 pages (excluding title and reference pages), double spaced, and formatted in APA. Identify an organizational communication concept that is particularly interesting to you and that you would like to learn more about. Potential topics include: international and intercultural communication, communication competence in the workplace, diversity and communication, leadership communication, communication and decision making, communication in groups/teams, and communication technology in organizations. Identify an organization with which you are familiar and apply your research  on the communication concept you selected to the organization. What did you learn about the concept by applying it to your selected organization? What did you learn about the organization by applying the organizational communication concept? Propose a specific program, training or course of action that you believe could potentially improve communication in the organization. Be sure your recommendations are supported by analysis of your research. Use at least six resources, three of them from Ashford’s online library databases

A History of Total quality management

A History of Total quality management Total quality management is the integration of all functions and processes within an organization in order to achieve continuous improvement of the quality of products and service. Deming defined quality as a never ending cycle of continuous improvement(Allotey, 2003, p.7), Juran defined it as fitness for use (purpose) (Estafanous, Barash, Reves, 2001, p.951). Bearing in mind that TQM is a long term improvement process which requires significant resources. It is also important to realize that TQM is a dynamic process not a static process that is based upon continuous efforts to improve quality. Since there are no deadlines or targets to be met then TQM can never be considered complete which makes it to become a way of life. (Mehra Ranganathan, 2008) During the early years of manufacturing, inspection was used as a tool to decide if a workers job or a product met its requirements. In fact, at that time inspection was not done in a systematic way, yet it worked well when the volume of production was low. However, as organizations became larger and more complicated the need for more effective operations became obvious. (Montogomery, 2001, p.9) In the early 1900s, The Father of Scientific Management Frederick W. Taylor helped to satisfy this need. He proposed a framework for the effective use of people in industrial organizations through his book The Principles of Scientific Management which was republished yet again in 2008. One of his concepts was clearly defined tasks performed under standard conditions. Inspection was one of these tasks and was intended to ensure that no faulty product left the workshop or the factory, it also focuses on the product and detection of problem in the product, and testing every item to ensure that the product match as the requirements or specifications. This process is carried out at the end of the production process and requires specially trained inspectors. The need to performing this process was the reason that led to the emergence of a separate inspection department which resulted in the emergence of defect prevention concept which led to quality control. (Webb Gorman, 2006, P.32) (M ontogomery, 2001) The roots of Total Quality Management can be traced back to the 1920s when Dr W. Shewhart developed the application of statistical methods for the management of quality. He demonstrated that variation in the production process leads to the variation in the product, thus by eliminating the variation of the process a good standard of end product can be achieved. The theory of Statistical Quality Control focuses on the product and detection and control of quality problems that involves testing samples and statistically inferring compliance of all products. This process is carried out throughout the production process and requires trained production people as well as quality control professionals. Towards the end of 1920s the theory was further developed by Dodge, and Romig who developed statistically based acceptance sampling as an alternative to 100% inspection (Webb Gorman, 2006, P.32) (Montogomery, 2001). In 1940s, the quality guru Deming with his peer co-workers Juran and Feigenbaum continued with the improvement of the theory. However, instead of focusing just on quality of products the concept rapidly widened to evolve quality of all issues within an organization i.e. Total Quality Management. (Webb Gorman, 2006, P.32) During the 1950s, many Japanese products were low quality and viewed by the world as junk products. Industrial leaders in Japan recognized this problem and decided to produce high quality products. In fact, Japanese might have not been able to achieve the aim of high quality products unless they had had the help of quality gurus such as Deming, Juran, and Feigenbaum (Soin, 1999, p.1). Deming suggested that this aim could be achieved within just five years. As a matter of fact not many Japanese believed what Deming claimed. However, they followed his suggestion in order not to lose face and because they respected him (Deming, 1995, p.139). In the late 1950s, quality control management developed rapidly and became the main theme of Japanese management. Interestingly, the idea did not stop at the management level. In the early 60s the concept of the quality control circle was first introduced in Japan by K. Ishikawa (Montogomery, 2001, p.10). A quality circle is a group of workers who meet and discuss issues to improve all aspects of workplace and make presentations to management with their ideas for improvement. In this way workers were motivated because they felt that they were involved and listened to (Cole, 1979, p.135). Another advantage was the idea of improving not only the quality of product but also all aspects of organizational issues, which probably was the start of Total Quality. The term Total Quality was first used by Feigenbaum at the first international quality control conference in Tokyo in 1969. (Stephens Juran, 2004, p.77) During the 80s and 90s a new phase of management and quality control began, which became known as Total Quality Management (TQM). Zairi et al (1994) defined TQM as a license to practise. Although there are many other different definitions for TQM yet the concept is still the same. Nowadays, TQM may be called Business Excellence and has a more clearly defined approach (Montogomery, 2001, p.10). Quality movement in Saudi Arabia: Total Quality Management has caught the attention of organizations worldwide ever since its tremendous success in Japan. The term TQM (Total Quality Management) is a management technique in which customer satisfaction is given the prime importance, and the deliverables are made highly acceptable not just through Quality Control techniques but by focussing on the process, encouraging employees to pursue quality and reducing the cost of production. And just like other countries who wish to be world class, organizations in Saudi Arabia are also trying hard to keep up to pace by implementing TQM widely throughout the country. (Al-Sulimani, 1995) In 1973 Saudi Arabia established the Saudi Arabian Standards Organization (SASO), an independent organization concerned with implementation of standards, on the local and international levels. It is also responsible for overseeing quality aspects of locally produced products. SASO developed over time and became the most important Saudi organization concerned with formulating and approving national standards for all commodities and products as well as standards for other quality aspects such as metrology, calibration, marking and identification, methods of sampling, inspection and testing. In addition to this it is also responsible for setting the rules for granting certificates of conformity and quality marks and regulation of their issuance and use. During the early 90s the growth of the quality movement in Saudi enlarged and the first non-profit organization (NPO) in the form of Saudi Arabian Quality Council in the Eastern Province was established and was sponsored by Saudi Aramco. In 1994, with the increasing awareness of the importance of Total Quality Management as a powerful tool for improving the work culture Saudi Quality Council (SQC) established its branch in the Western Region of the country with only 4 members however this organization was later transformed into an independent organization that is operating under the sponsorship of Engineering Committee. In the year 2000, this society was renamed to become known as SQC (WR). The mission of this non-profit, nongovernmental society which has operated in the Western Region of Saudi Arabia over 15 years so far is to advance individual and organizational performance excellence through providing opportunities for learning, quality improvement, and knowledge sharing. SQC (WR) started its actions by executing a SWOT (Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) analysis of the status of quality in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The results of the analysis were then utilized to set up long term goals such as making quality a part of Saudi corporate Culture as well as setting short term goals for SQC (WR). King Abdulaziz Quality Award (KAQA): Since its establishment SQC (WR) has managed to organize 150 meetings with a quality theme and has had the participation of over than 7000 quality experts and more than 1700 members from different walks of life in its activities with Healthcare, Education, Construction and Engineering and Business Excellence Interest Groups. SQC (WR) also contributed in establishing and formulating the King Abdulaziz Quality Award (KAQA), a prestigious National Quality Award in Saudi Arabia that intends to maximize quality, efficiency and productivity in different sectors within the kingdom (Al-Amri, 2010). The award was approved in the year 2000 and has the objectives of: Increasing awareness of quality and the importance of its application. Motivating and gently pushing public as well as private sectors to adopt and apply the principles of (TQM). Increasing the quality in the production and services sectors to enhance their competitiveness in the global markets Improving organizational leadership to achieve the total quality management objectives and fulfil their responsibilities Ensuring Continuous improvement in the performance of all production and services processes Encouraging organizations commitments to national and international standards Awarding organizations which achieve the highest level of quality Increasing organizations participation in building and serving the society Building strong relationships with customers, employees, suppliers, and investors to satisfy them and gain their loyalty by applying the best methodology that help determine and deliver their requirements needs and expectations. Establishing a database for the King Abdul Aziz Quality Award Adopting quality strategic planning in order to set business plans and objectives and methods for implementation Training and developing the national workforce and creating a better work environment and improving the efficiency and technical skills of employees to enhance quality Making use of all available national resources to support operational and economic performance on the organizational level and on the national level Measuring performance level in different business areas and comparing it with the performance level of competitors and measuring results improvement Communicating the leading Saudi experiences in regards to quality and to make use of these experiences, and increasing the number of quality experts. (KAQA, no date supplied) According to Al-Amri (2010) the year 2008-2009 will always be remembered as a Year of Quality in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the great achievements that were achieved by the quality movement starting with the introduction and administration of (KAQA). However, without sustainability TQM initiatives usually fail because the main idea behind TQM is continuity over time and integration of quality management initiatives into daily organizational operations (Curry Kadasah, 2002).In support of this further Al-Turki Andijani, (1997) insist on the need for more programmes to be adopted in order to increase awareness of the importance of continuous improvement in Saudi organizations. Work Culture There has been an increasing awareness in Saudi on the importance of Total Quality management as a powerful tool for improving the work culture (Najeh Kara-Zairi, 2007) (Al-Turki Andijani, 1997). Lack of understanding about the concept of TQM by employees, limitation of information available on TQM, lack of support from senior management, focus on quick profit, and lack of documented policies and procedures appear to the author to be factors that hinder the implementation of TQM in Saudi organizations. In support of this (Ahmed Tannock, 2008) have highlighted the limited progress which has been made in quality management development in Arabic-speaking countries. People from different countries often do things differently according to their culture. Furthermore, the culture of the same country differs from one region to another and that individuals of the same culture have different beliefs and behaviours. One way to express these variations in behaviour is the idea of culture (Treven, Mulej, Lynn, 2008), referring to this Al-Sulimani (1995) mentions the difficulties and challenges of implementing the concept of Total quality management in Saudi because of the multinational workforce which is estimated to represent 60 per cent of the total labour force of Saudi Arabia (Woodworth Said, 1996). On the other hand he also argues that a workforce with experienced foreigners should improve the knowledge of the Saudi workforce. Hofstedes five Cultural Dimensions: According to Hofstede (2009) Culture is more often a source of conflict than of synergy. Cultural differences are a nuisance at best and often a disaster. (To be completed) Power distance index (PDI): This dimension represents the extent to which the less powerful member of organizations accepts and expects unequal distribution of power and wealth. The Geert Hofstede analysis of this dimension for the Arab word including Saudi Arabia suggests a large power distance in that region, a score of 80 was recorded for this dimension see figure (1). This is according to Hofstede due to the fact that Arab societies follow a caste system that disables any significant upward mobility of its citizens. Uncertainty Avoidance Index (UAI): This dimension indicates to what extent a culture programs its members to feel either comfortable or uncomfortable in unstructured situations. The Hofstede analysis of this dimension for the Arab word including Saudi Arabia suggests that Arab societies are highly rule-oriented with laws, rules, regulations, and controls to increase the amount of certainty. Individualism (IDV): This dimension represents the degree to which individuals are integrated into groups. The Hofstede analysis of this dimension for the Arab word including Saudi Arabia suggests that the Arab society tends to be collectivist society. The score recorded for this dimension is 38, which is considerably less than the world average ranking of 64. Masculinity (MAS): This dimension represents the distribution of roles between the genders. The Hofstede analysis of this dimension for the Arab word including Saudi Arabia suggests that women in the Arab countries are limited in their rights due to Muslim religion not due to cultural paradigm see figure (1). Long-Term Orientation (LTO): This dimension is said to deal with Virtue regardless of Truth. This dimension has not been applied to the Arab word. Hofstede does not report any results for Arab countries in relation to long and verses short term orientation.

Comparing Levine Conservation Model And Neuman System Model

Comparing Levine Conservation Model And Neuman System Model Introduction Since Florence Nightingale introduced Nursing profession, it is continuously evolving in order fit in modernized world. The outgrowth profession propels it into scientific enquiry, and diverted towards evidence base practice. All these artistic ideas draw bases for using theatrical framework. Although first theoretical framework was introduced by Florence Nightingale entitled as environmental theory to promote health of individual after the experience solders care during Crimean war (Florence Nightingale, 1860). Utilization of theories becomes more common, since nursing professional practice as it expand towards higher educational degrees, and get enrolled in administration and research fields. Up to date many theories are introduced. This paper presents the LCM perspective including the assumption, characteristic of concepts, sub concepts, and their statement of relationship. This paper then gives a brief review of NSM. Following this the paper will present compares and contrast for LCM theory and NSM perspectives including main concepts, nursing intervention and outcomes with practical application of interventions of each model. I select Levine Conservation Model as its nursing goal focus to achieve health for person using careful assessment and nursing intervention and matched to Neuman system model. Moreover this model was used in variety of setting including hospital and community. Few applications of LCM includes: Promotion for preterm Infants (Mefford, 2004), Ostomy wound management (Leach, 2009). Levines Conservational Model (LCM) perspective Myra Levine was the nurse to whom Loyola University president awarded the title of renaissance woman as an appreciation for using vast knowledge in nursing care (Alligood, 2010 Tomey). She developed conservation theoretical framework, as an attempt to teach medical surgical nursing concepts to undergraduate nursing students and to provide a new approach to associate degree students for daily nursing activities in 1973 (George, 2002; Alligood, 2010) by influencing scientific knowledge that she gained from Canon; fight and flight response, Selyes, stress work, and Gibsons, perception of environment. The goal of this theory was to promote adaptation and maintain wholeness using the principles of conservation (George, 2010). LCM framework constructed on three major concepts and few sub concepts the major concepts are explained explicitly but the sub concepts are remain implicit. Following section of paper will explain the major concepts and sub concept embedding within major concepts. The major concepts that form the basis of conservation Model are; conservation of energy, adaptation and wholeness, among these the conservation of energy considered most important. Levine (1971), describe conservation with four principles these includes; conservation of energy, conservation of the structural integrity, conservation of the personal integrity, and the conservation of the social integrity, of the individuals. Levine (1971) further says understanding of all these principles will help nurse as to keep living system together which promote wholeness. The first principle of energy conservation, depend on environmental stimuli that often become source for loss of energy consequently disequilibrium of whole. LCM talks internal and external environment. In internal environment includes physiological (temperature, blood pressure) and altered physiological process. Then she split external environment into three levels, off these three first is perceptual, take account of the individuals sense of world, second level in cooperate physical aspect such as microorganisms, and third level is conceptual and which is comprise of cultural pattern symbolized by way of life. While caring patient Levine emphasize nurse to assess individuals response and capability for adjusting with both environmental situations and help accordingly (Alligood Tomey, 2010). The second principle of conservation relates to structural integrity and focus on defense ability of the body, which nurse can recognize from functional abilities challenged by internal and ext ernal environment. Then the third principle conservation of personal integrity deals with personal protection by promotion of self actualization. The last principle; conservation of social integrity refers persons family, friends, community, and society which could be achieved using the nurses role by assisting in religious activities and using of interpersonal relationship (George, 2002; Alligood, 2010). The second concept in conservation theory is adaptation. Levine (1966) view adaptation as physiological and behavioral responses of individuals that changes as a result of internal and external environmental interaction to achieve balance in life. In Levine (1966) view a successful adaptation helps to achieve personal integrity consequently will helps person to move towards wholism. However in case of unsuccessful adaptation nurse can help individuals to achieve balance by promoting the environmental cleanliness, safety, and com-fort, both physical and mental. Furthermore George (2002) proposes three characteristics adaption process that appear implicit as sub concepts. These are historicity that focus the way of dealing life situation in past and the second specificity includes pattern of personal and genetic forces used to conserve energy The third sub concept that helps to assess adaptation is redundancy, means fail-safe bodys process available for survival. In LCM the third concept is wholeness, refers the health which is the pattern of wellbeing, and integrity. Well being is the goal of adaptive change (Alligood, 2010) All together the conservation of energy concept is viewed as an outcome, adaptation as process to achieve wholeness (see Appendix A for concept and sub concept). Neuman System Model (NSM) Review The NSM introduced by Betty in 1971, Known as identification stressors and management stress model. The aim of model was to promote the stability (health) in individual. This model is considered unique in nature as it uses the knowledge from various disciplines. The important one includes, general system theory which reflects the nature of living organism as an open system, but also incorporates knowledge from Selyes stress theory, Gestalt theory: of homeostasis, deChardin Philosophy wholeness of life and Caplans Conceptual Model of Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Levels of Prevention. NSM perspective is based on assumptions that are enclosed in four nursing paradigm these are person, environment, health and nursing. NSM perspective focused to assess stressors with its degree of reaction and promote health by using three level of prevention as nursing intervention. The central view starts from wholeness of person (consist of individual, family or community group) represent within boundaries of defense circles. Of these boundaries outer one is flexible line of defense (FLD), next to this is normal line of defense (NLD) following this there is line of resistance. Each of these boundaries viewed as a composite of physiological, psychological, sociocultural, developmental and spiritual variables. The function of these boundaries is to protect person from environmental stressor as person is constantly interact environmental stressors consist of intra, inter and extra-personal. Then environment viewed as internal, external and created. Health is denoted as stability, con sidered as dynamic in nature which can be achieved by successfully adjusting to environmental stressors. On other hand system is challenged by environmental situation despite of using energy in other means the three types of defense lines that exist around client, considered as protective barriers fails to protect system from stressors. The state then recognized as illness, which can be reconstituted by using of three level of prevention as nursing intervention that are used to strengthen the three lines of defense (George, 2002; Alligood Tomey 2010). For further understanding of concepts (see NSM in Appendix B). Compare and Contrast for NSM and LCM Completing the review of LCM and NSM, now this section will compare and contrast these models from the perspective of background, nursing goal, major concepts including nursing intervention. Starting from the background, both the models are developed by American nurses who had different background. Levine was from medical surgical and Betty Neuman belonged to psychiatric nursing. Both model published in 1973. And both used the knowledge from various disciplines, in which Selyes stress work is common. Including all above, both model set to achieve goal of health for individuals, families, communities, and populations at large using some similar and some different concepts, pattern of assessment and nursing interventions. Coming towards major concepts it is observed from literature (George, 2002; Alligood, 2010; Alligood Tomey, 2010) that LCM consist few simple concepts (see Appendix A) but NSM comprise of many complex concepts (see Appendix B). Upcoming few paragraphs will present co mpare and contrast for few major concepts that are common and take central place in each theoretical model. Wholeness Both, NSM LCM uses the concept of wholeness very explicitly attaching with component of person, environment, health, and nursing. Within NSM wholeness in connection to person viewed in link of five variables physiological, consist of structure of body and its function psychological, comprise of mental processes and internal and external environmental effects, socio-cultural, and include cultural aspects developmental, seen with stages of ages and spiritual beliefs and influences. In contrast LCM considers person as complete whole in the view of physiological variable only. But also includes patho-physiological condition as an assessment indicator. Following this Neuman and Levine both also see wholeness as a product of internal and external environmental interactions. This means all individuals are constantly interacting with internal and external environment and adjustment with its challenges, keeps person integrated whole, and failure takes person towards illness. As Alligood Tom ey (2010) state wholeness is viewed as oneness and described as integrity of person Furthermore Alligood (2010) Wholeness is health (p. 214). Next wholeness with nursing component is emphasized as an approach of assessment and consider for promotion. Assessing wholestic approach suggests including client variable in assessment. NSM include five variable, therefore it is believed that this model allow for comprehensive assessment. Opposite to this LCM focus on physiological including path- physiological condition, seems simple but set limitation and may leaves gaps in assessment. Coming to promotion of wholeness NSM include nursing intervention with three level of prevention. Reverse to this LCM model use conservation principle As Mefford,(2004) show example by health promotion for preterm infants. Conservation NSM take energy conservation concept viewed as a process of helping in promoting wholeness but presented in an implicit way using the term negentrophy and does not stand as central idea. In NSM energy and conservation of energy refers persons genetic makeup, strength and weakness and maintained in view of line of defense. Neuman 2002, 1995, 1989, 1982) cites negentrophy [is] à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ a process of energy conservation (Alligood, Tomey 2010, p.312). The characteristic of variable can boost the energy sources. But it could deplete if line of resistance fail to protect the basic energy resources, which may cause illness consequently death. Comparing to this in Levine model conservation concept appear as central phenomenon and it forms bases for its framework. Todaro-Franceschi (2001) state Levine defines conservation as keeping together. She use these words as she see person as patient who requires help to store energy. Furthermore Levine (1967) cites that all of fundamentally lif es processes dependent upon the production and expenditure of energy (Todaro-Franceschi, 2001). Furthermore Levine believes safeguard of energy sources is necessary to maintain the integrity of individuals and consequently health. To make its implication simple Levine gave four principle of conservation; these include conservation of energy, structural integrity, personal integrity, and the social integrity (George, 2002). Although both the model sees conservation of energy in deferent way, do invites nurse to study the characteristic of energy provide guide to plan appropriate activities for its conservation. Adaptation Again NSM talk about adaptation process implicitly embedded with wellness and illness concepts. Which in NSM depend upon the level of penetration of environmental stressors (Alligood Tomey, 2010) As George (2002) says when client interact with environment produce response to stressor help to adapt or control stressor. Adaptation is process which occurs with the help of line of defense. There are three level defense network laid around the person to protect the penetration of stressors. Among these first outer line is called flexible line of defense (FLD), which provide protection to normal line that is second outer line in case of stressors attack. Lacks of nutrition, fatigue or daily stress are the circumstances that make FLD to come in action. The second line is normal line of defense (NLD) that lies under the protection of FLD symbolize the normal wellness level of the client system. This line is consisting of coping patterns, lifestyle factors, developmental, spiritual, and cult ural matter influences. If the NLD is been attacked by environmental stressors, the LOR are activate to protect the basic structure. (Alligood, 2010). On other hand in Levine model the adaptation is second most central phenomenon of LCM and Levine (1966) states any processes that ascertain stability for life are regard as adaptations and George (2002) highlights that the conservation depend of process of adaption. Successful adaptation promotes health whereas failure of adaption introduces illness. For this situation LCM considers nursing to play role to promote adaptation (Alligood, 2010). Conclusion By comparing the perspective of NSM and LCM it has been learnt that both theorist focus on achievement of health through using uniqueness methodologies. Despite using different concepts and framework, these theories guide for nursing assessment and intervention. Moreover this comparison explains that the NSM is broad and provide rich content for comprehensive assessment and nursing care. On other hand LCM appear with energy conservation focus. From all this it is gained that nurse needs to understand explicit and implicit concepts of theoretical framework to assess and plan efficient nursing interventions.

Black Thursday :: essays research papers

The book ‘Hard Times’ takes you back to the early 20th century. This book also talks about one of the hardest times in American history. Hard Times talks about the causes of the great depression. This book gives original testimonies of people who lived during these hard times. Studs Terkel, prize-winning author and radio broadcast personality was born Louis Terkel in New York on May 16, 1912. Terkel attended University of Chicago and received a law degree in 1934. He chose not to pursue a career in law. Terkel credits his knowledge of the world to the tenants who gathered in the lobby of the hotel and the people who congregated in nearby Bughouse Square, a meeting place for workers, labor organizers, dissidents, the unemployed, and religious fanatics of many persuasions. In the roaring 1920s, the United States bathed in previously unheard of prosperity. Industry and agriculture alike profited from the thriving economy. Average income grew steadily throughout the decade and production soared. Levels of investment grew to new heights. However, the economy began to slow down in 1928, and the trend continued in 1929. Agricultural prices slipped, a result of production surpluses and a downturn in business activity. Despite this and other warning signs, patterns of investment continued much as they had in the mid-20s, giving little recognition to the economic slowdown. The stage was set for a major market correction. On October 24, 1929, dubbed Black Thursday, the stock market crashed. Investing froze. As a result, the national economy fell into an unprecedented period of depression. National income slipped lower each year from 1929 to 1932, and did not return to pre-depression levels until World War II. Unemployment became arguably the foremost problem of the depression. Hard Times talks such a major part of American History and was reviewed by many. Stud Terkel did such an excellent job when describing the depression and his accounts were so accurate according to the New Times, which states â€Å"In Hard Times, Studs Terkel captures the Depression in all its vast complexity, assembling a mosaic of memories as told by those who faced destitution as well as those who stayed rich†. The Saturday Review says, â€Å"It vividly illustrates the Depression's effect on those who lived through it, and shows how bitter memories can transform into a surprising nostalgia. The book ultimately serves as "a huge anthem in praise of the American spirit".

Untying the Knot :: essays research papers

Human beings have an unquenchable thirst for knowledge and an urgent drive for understanding. The further we go on our quest for absolute truth and the deeper we plunge into the heart of the ultimate reality, the more profound our questions become. Could there be something more to this world of ours than that which meets the eye? Is there some elaborate design behind the infinite galaxies, stars, and planets, or are we simply at the mercy of a chaotic and unordered universe? What is it that has given rise to the mysterious and unexplainable phenomenon that we have labeled the cosmos? Throughout history, we have attempted to answer these perplexing and ineluctable questions through myths, religion, or science. Apparent in many of these explanations is the idea of a unity, the â€Å"One†, or a single entity that comprises all of reality. To some, it is God’s presence. To others it is the Tao or simply â€Å"that which is, and, in the case of modern physics, it is infini tesimally small strings, oscillating and vibrating, like the strings of a violin, that comprise the fabric of our universe and â€Å"rhythmically beat out the laws of the cosmos† (18).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  String theory is a revolutionary way of explaining the complexity of the cosmos. It is the unified theory of physics that Einstein searched for but never found. It forces us to look at the world in which we live in a drastically different and beautiful way. String theory states that all aspects of our universe consist of infinitesimally small, vibrating loops of energy (14). Like Pythagoras’ idea of the â€Å"music of the spheres†, these universal strings vibrate and oscillate, producing different notes in a cosmic symphony. Strings are the most basic constituents of matter, â€Å"atoms† in the true sense of the word. According to physicists, string theory may hold the key to understanding the inner workings of the universe. As Brian Greene states in his book The Elegant Universe:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   String theory has the potential to show that all of the wondrous happenings in the universe--from the frantic dance of subatomic quarks to the stately waltz of orbiting binary stars, from the primordial fireball of the big bang to the majestic swirl of heavenly galaxies--are reflections of one grand physical principle, one master equation (5). String theory is the first theory able to combine the undeniable, yet conflicting truths of Einstein’s general theory of relativity and the newly emerging field of quantum mechanics.

MIB :: essays research papers

Summary:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Men In Black is a secret organization of people who do their best in saving the world. The people of MIB are specially trained to save the world from aliens who try to destroy the world. The story is about two people named, Kay and Jay, who save the world from an alien bug, named Edgar. Jay was recruited into the organization, after meeting Kay. The organization is made up of men, women, and aliens.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The book is about an officer named James Edward III (Jay) who meets a man in a black suit from an organization, the man name Kay. Jay meets Kay at a park after Jay gets into an incident with a disappearing man. Then Jay gets into the organization and is shown the headquarters.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Then Jay finds more about the plant and understands how the government is really lying to the people about the alien sighting. Jay goes on his first assignment with Kay to find out about more incidences that have occurred in the past few days. They both go to a newsstand and Kay picks up a new paper on tabloids and tells Jay that this was their resource.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Then the two go off to a farm to find out more an alien that stole her husband’s skin. Kay examines the place and the wreck that the alien left. They leave the farm and go to the city and find the man, but they could not do anything to stop him so the y let him get away. Then Kay meets a friend in a restaurant who dies, so Kay and Jay take the body to an autopsy to help his friend and then the lady that works there finds out who they are.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The next night Kay and Jay figured out what the alien, Edgar, was going to do and where he was going to do it. They both go there and stop Edgar from destroying the world with the help of the lady from the autopsy, El. They kill Edgar and Kay tells Jay the he was going to retire and that El was going to be his new partner. Character List: Kay:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A white male who is in his mid to late 40’s. Role in novel:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  He is one out of who save the world from Edgar. Jay:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A black male who is in his early 30’s. Role in novel:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  He is the other person who saves the world from Edgar.

Old-Age Pension Reform in China

-aAvailable online at www. sciencedirect. com Journal of Aging Studies 22 (2008) 74 – 87 www. elsevier. com/locate/jaging Old-age pension reform and modernization pathways: Lessons for China from Latin America Esteban Calvo ? , John B. Williamson Department of Sociology and Center for Retirement Research, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467 USA Received 31 July 2006; received in revised form 26 January 2007; accepted 26 February 2007Abstract While numerous Western countries first experienced cultural rationalization, next economic modernization, and then faced the challenges of population aging and pension policy reform, both Latin America and China, in contrast, are dealing with these challenges in the context of much less developed economies and stronger traditional cultures. In this article we analyze old-age pension reform efforts in eight Latin American countries that have introduced funded defined contribution schemes with individual accounts.We are searching for ins ights about the potential success of similar reforms being implemented in China. All of these societies are organized primarily around the principles of family, reciprocity, loyalty and poverty. Our analysis suggests that these distinctive characteristics have important implications for the likely success of the reforms currently being implemented in China, particularly in four interrelated areas: coverage, compliance, transparency, and fiscal stability.  © 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Keywords: Pension reform; China; Latin America; Social Security; Culture; Economy; Rationalization . Introduction Latin America is a pioneer with respect to the shift from old-age pension schemes based on pay-as-you-go (PAYG) defined benefit models to schemes based all or in part on funded individual accounts. In 1981 Chile became the first nation to make the shift with the introduction of mandatory fully-funded privately managed individual retirement accounts (IRAs). Today there are 12 L atin American countries that have shifted to schemes influenced by the Chilean model (Gill, Packard, & Yermo, 2005; Kritzer, 2005). ? Corresponding author. E-mail addresses: [email  protected] du (E. Calvo), [email  protected] edu (J. B. Williamson). 0890-4065/$ – see front matter  © 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. doi:10. 1016/j. jaging. 2007. 02. 004 On the opposite side of the earth, China is following a similar path, though the Chinese IRAs are currently publicly managed and remain largely unfunded (Jackson & Howe, 2004). Since 1995 China has introduced a number of reforms, the most important of which were promulgated in 1997 and 2000. By 2025, one quarter of the world's population aged 60 and over will be living in China (United Nations, 2005).For this reason the success or failure of the reform of China's old-age pension system will affect a major proportion of the world's elderly population (Williamson & Shen, 2004). In many respects the reforms in China have not been working out as had been intended. The major problems faced by the old-age pension reform in Latin America appear again in the newly introduced reforms in China. These problems include low coverage and compliance rates, poor transparency, and serious fiscal difficulties. E. Calvo, J. B. Williamson / Journal of Aging Studies 22 (2008) 74–87 5 Our analysis tries to obtain insights about the potential consequences of reforms currently being introduced in China based on evidence from eight Latin American countries – Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, El Salvador, Mexico, Peru and Uruguay – that introduced some form of funded IRAs (partial privatization) between 1981 and 1998. Four other countries – Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, and Nicaragua – are not included because their reforms are so new, because they are not yet fully implemented, or due to the lack of information.Many differences can be found between the Latin Ameri can countries, and perhaps even more between them and China. For example, Latin American countries have undergone a variety of political regimes, but none of them has been close to Chinese communism. Differences acknowledged, our analysis emphasizes the major cultural and economic factors shared by the countries analyzed. We argue that the eight selected Latin American countries and China are strong traditional cultures and low-income economies characterized by the centrality of: (1) the family, (2) reciprocal relationships, (3) rules of loyalty, and (4) poverty.Our analysis highlights the role of these factors in shaping the unfolding of the pension reform process with respect to four areas: (1) coverage, (2) compliance, (3) transparency, and (4) fiscal stability. The role of the cultural and economic factors considered in this article has been largely overlooked in the literature on pension reform. Much of this literature focuses on political factors, such as the welfare state, co mmunism, and the World Bank policies (e. g. Esping-Andersen, 1996; Fox, 1997; Frazier, 2004; Myles & Pierson, 2001).In this article our focus is on Latin America and China, but we find it essential to make some comparisons with the Western European nations. The latter will be characterized as rationalized cultures and affluent economies displaying centrality of: (1) the institutions supporting elderly, (2) individual financial planning, (3) legality, and (4) wealth. Although a detailed analysis of Western European countries is beyond the scope of this paper, the comparison has important advantages.A comparative perspective calls attention to the factors shared by Latin America and China. In addition, the Western European nations constitute a reference point that can be used to provide all observers with a common frame through which to assess the pension reform in Latin America and from which to speculate about some of the challenges China will face in connection with pension changes currently being implemented. But above all, the comparison to Western European nations helps to uncover some of the nderlying assumptions of these pension reforms that do not entirely hold for Latin America and China. In a somewhat oversimplified formulation, these assumptions are: (1) preeminence of formal-institutional support systems of the elderly, (2) emphasis on individual responsibility for financial planning, (3) zealous attachment to the law, and (4) perception of old-age poverty as an isolated problem. Formulated in a more general way, we will argue that the reforms fail to account for some of the major cultural and economic characteristics shared by Latin America and China.Fig. 1 and Table 1 provide a brief summary of a number of key points that we have briefly introduced above, but more importantly they also serve as guide to much of the analysis which follows. 2. Modernization pathways Population aging and with it the associated problems of reforming the old-age pensio n systems are taking place around the world. However, the challenge of pension policy reform is context-specific. In Latin America and China, this challenge is framed in the context of a traditional culture and low income economy.This claim should be understood in relative or comparative terms: Latin America and China contrasted to the Western European nations. In this section we will use the construct â€Å"modernization pathway† to describe broad historical transformations of the culture and the economy that precede the old-age pension reform and are common to a number of countries. We will consider two modernization pathways, one that fits a number of Western European nations and a second which better fits China and Latin America. Both can be viewed as Weberian ideal types (Weber, 1949, 1958).They are not meant to correspond to all of the characteristics of any particular country, but rather to highlight common elements that play an important role in the pension policy ref orm acceptance and effectiveness. The Western Pathway is limited here to the Western European countries, though it may be – carefully – extended to a few Western countries outside Western Europe. Southern European countries (e. g. Spain, Portugal and Italy) are more culturally similar to Latin America and for this reason were excluded from the pathway described here.The United States was also excluded because its exceptionalism adds unnecessary complexity to the typology (Lipset, 1996). However, the United States shares many characteristics of the Western European nations and is also influencing the pension reform in Latin America and China, as proponents of 76 E. Calvo, J. B. Williamson / Journal of Aging Studies 22 (2008) 74–87 Fig. 1. The challenge of population aging for the pension system has come through dissimilar modernization pathways. world system and dependency theories have pointed out repeatedly (Wallerstein, 2004).Culture is one important domain wh ere the Pathway of Latin America and China differs from the Western Pathway (Fig. 1). Latin America and China are both facing the challenge of population aging for their pension systems in the context of much stronger traditional cultures than found in the West. The Western Pathway, in contrast, is characterized by a deeply rationalized culture. According to Max Weber (1968) the process of rationalization tends to foster and to be associated with secularization and the view that everything is explainable by reason, at least in principle (Giddens, 1971; Kalberg, 1994; Lash & Whimster, 1987).In behavioral terms, rationality involves a second meaning: greater reliance on means-ends calculations designed to organize activity so as to more efficiently reach a particular goal. One indicator of the level of rationalization in a society is a strong and uncorrupt formal legal system which fosters a social order based in large measure on laws, not just traditional cultural practices. Fig. 2 s uggests that corruption levels are lower in Western European countries than in China and in most Latin American countries.Although a traditional culture may have a formal legal system, the social order may be less based on these laws than in Western countries (Sandholtz & Taagepera, 2005; Treisman, 2000). In China, for example, if there is a dispute between two families, rather than engage lawyers and courts, people may turn to spirit-mediums, respected in the community, familiarized with the parties involved and local history, and thus qualified to suggest solutions that are acceptable to both sides (Adler, 2002).Such evidence suggests that China and Latin America have not undergone as profound a rationalization process as have the Western European nations. Economy is a second important domain where the Pathway for Latin America and China differs from the Western Pathway (Fig. 1). In contrast to Western countries, Latin America and China are also facing the challenge of rapid popul ation aging before reaching high levels of national income. Despite rapid economic growth since the early 1980s, China is still a poor country.In 2001, more than 16% of the Chinese population was living on less than one dollar per day (World Bank, 2003). In Latin America, one-fifth of the total population lives in extreme poverty and almost half in poverty (ECLAC, 2004). Fig. 3 illustrates the recent trends in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita of the Western Pathway in comparison to the trends for China and Latin America. While this data covers a very recent time period, it is consistent with and lends support to the Weberian idea that in Western Europe the rationalization process is followed by a prosperous capitalist economic development.Summing up, only after becoming rational and affluent societies do the Western countries start facing the challenge of a rapid population aging and the associated need for pension system reform. Clearly this is not the case of Latin America and China, which have Table 1 Modernization pathways and areas of challenge for old-age pension system reform China and Latin America1 Family (xiao) Reciprocity (chung) Loyalty (zhong) Poverty 1 Western Countries Institutions Individual Planning Legality Wealth Old-age pension reform Coverage Compliance Transparency Fiscal stabilityThe pinyin system of Romanization has been used for Chinese terms for Confucian virtues. E. Calvo, J. B. Williamson / Journal of Aging Studies 22 (2008) 74–87 77 Fig. 2. Western countries are perceived as less corrupt than China and Latin America (Transparency International, 2005). much stronger traditional cultures and have not yet reached the Western European level of economic development (Fig. 1). However, these distinctive characteristics have received little attention in the design of pension reforms or in efforts to evaluate the efficacy of these reforms in Latin America and China (Gill et al. 2005; Holzmann & Hinz, 2005; Mesa-Lago, 2005; Wil liamson & Deitelbaum, 2005; World Bank, 1994, 1997). Many have argued that religion is one of the most important factors explaining the differences between Western Europe and China and Latin America (Cousino 1990; Cousino & Valenzuela, 1994; Morande, 1984; Weber , 1951, 1963, 2002). Chinese Confucianism and Latin American Marianism – the Catholic adoration of the Virgin Mary – have been said to lack the elements central to the Protestant ethic that would bring about an early and profound rationalization process and capitalist development.Max Weber posed the question: why did the modern West develop the way it did, and why did China not develop at the same time and in the same way as the West? He focused on a number of factors that distinguish European modernization from that of China arguing, for Fig. 3. The western pathway is characterized by wealth (International Monetary Fund (IMF), 2005). 78 E. Calvo, J. B. Williamson / Journal of Aging Studies 22 (2008) 74– 87 example, that Western European countries were characterized by the separation of the productive enterprise from the household, while China was organized on the basis of extended kinship clans (Weber, 1961).But the most important difference Weber (1951, 1963, 2002) highlights is that between European Protestantism and Chinese Confucianism. Protestantism is based on an ethic that prompts an active attitude to change the world and places an emphasis on the individual. Confucianism is an ethic of adjustment to the world; it accepts things as they are and promotes a contemplative, mystical and passive attitude that tends to prolong ancient traditions. In this sense, Confucianism lacks the active tension that exists between Protestant religion and the world.That is, it lacked a â€Å"mentality† or â€Å"moral energy† suited for the early emergence of modern capitalism and a rationalized social order. Similarly to Weber's comparison of Confucianism to Protestantism, Latin American Sociologists contrast Marianism with Protestantism (Cousino, 1990; Cousino & Valenzuela, 1994; Morande, 1984). The â€Å"ethic† of Marianism is that of grace and mercy rather than individual merit and responsibility. Mary is viewed as a mother-like figure with compassionate attitude towards offenders and willingness to grant favors. She recompenses devotion with clemency and unmerited divine concessions.Accordingly, Marianism – as is the case with Confucianism – lacks the â€Å"moral energy† that would bring about a profound rationalization process and early capitalist development. Note that this is an historical argument. Hence, we are not arguing that China or Latin America can not develop (or will not at some point in the future) a rationalized culture or modern capitalism; rather, we are arguing that they did not do so before and in the same way as the West. Actually, between the 1960s and 1980s, Latin America and China were actively trying t o rationalize their cultures, though the results of these efforts were modest.The rationalization efforts in China and Latin America were driven by the desire to emulate the Western countries and not the same differentiated culture that drove the rationalization process in Western Europe. We will use the term â€Å"differentiated culture† to refer to a culture in which people are confronted with conflicting world views (e. g. , Protestant vs. Catholic) and contrast it with a traditional culture in which everyone shares basically the same world views and assumptions.A differentiated culture was found on Western Europe during the sixteenth century, when the Protestant Reformation and related religious controversies split the traditional Catholic unity of the region. A differ- entiated culture does not provide an adequate level of social integration and requires the creation of rational arrangements to assure social order (Cousino & Valenzuela, 1994). In Latin America and China the rationalization effort took place in the context of a less differentiated culture and as a result the rationalization process has been less pervasive in these regions than in West.For example, during the Cultural Revolution (1966– 1976) the traditional culture was harshly attacked in China: temples were destroyed and Confucianism was declared an outdated ideology and popular religion mere superstition. However, starting with the 1980s there is widespread evidence of a strong revival of traditional religious practices and beliefs (Adler 2002; Lagerwey, 2004; Overmyer, 2003). Temples are being re-built and devotion to local deities continues to thrive. Festivals, rituals, dances, processions, communication with supernatural beings, fengshui, and popular medicine are now part of ordinary life for any Chinese people. Altars for ancestors and patron deities are found in many households. Confucianism remains at the core of the cultural unity of China, albeit more as an ethical philosophy or system of thought than as a formal religion. Similarly, Latin America has not experienced the level of cultural differentiation found in Western Europe. Latin American Sociologists argue that Latin American culture remains integrated by the values and norms underlying â€Å"Marianism† (Cousino, 1990; Cousino & Valenzuela, 1994; Morande, 1984).Just to remind, these claims should be understood in comparative terms: Latin America and China are strong traditional cultures relative to the West. It is also important to note that numerous factors other than religion may have influenced the modernization pathways. However, describing these factors goes beyond the scope of this article. The point that we want to stress here is the disparity between the modernization pathways of China and Latin America as opposed to Western Europe.To summarize, for the countries under consideration there is a difference in the type of cultural and economic transformations that have preced ed the challenge of rapid population aging and the associated need for pension reform. There has also been a difference in the timing of these processes. While numerous Western countries first experienced cultural rationalization, next economic modernization, and then faced the challenges of population aging and pension policy reform, both Latin America and China are dealing with these challenges in the context of much less developed economies and stronger traditional cultures (Fig. ). E. Calvo, J. B. Williamson / Journal of Aging Studies 22 (2008) 74–87 79 3. Pension reform in low-income traditional societies Latin America and China both have traditional cultures and low-income economies. As defined here, a â€Å"traditional culture† is organized around three principles: family, reciprocity, and loyalty. In comparison, a â€Å"rationalized culture† is organized around institutions, planning, and legality. In this case the traditional cultures are also low-incom e economies characterized by poverty while the rationalized cultures are developed economies characterized by ealth (Table 1). Note that the separation of traditional and rational does not imply that traditional cultures are irrational. Conflicting principles can coexist in the same culture, but typically one has preeminence over the other. Drawing evidence from Latin America, in this section we argue that the modernization pathway preceding the aging challenge in China will shape the challenge to the old-age pension system reform in four interrelated areas: coverage, compliance, transparency, and fiscal stability (Table 1).Coverage: old-age pension institutions and family The effects of the pension reform on coverage rates in Latin America have been largely discussed in previous literature (Arenas de Mesa, 2000; ECLAC, 2006; Gill et al. , 2005; Jimenez & Cuadros, 2003; Mesa-Lago, 2004; Packard, 2002). There is not much agreement about what measure of coverage should be used. Howeve r, regardless of the indicator used, for most of the countries analyzed a substantial fraction of the popula- tion is left without coverage (Table 2).For a detailed discussion of the reason for the discrepancies between these various indicators see Rofman (2005). As with Latin America, a large fraction of the Chinese population is left without coverage. About two-thirds of Chinese workers live in rural areas and in those areas only about 11% of these workers are covered by a formal-institutional pension system. Coverage goes up to 55% of the workforce in urban areas, although even this level of coverage is insufficient by Western standards. Overall, three out of four Chinese workers have no pension coverage at all (Jackson & Howe 2004).It is generally agreed by most Chinese policymakers that it is not feasible at this point in time to extend coverage by the formal-institutional old-age pension institutions to the vast Chinese rural population, despite the high level of rural old-age poverty (Williamson & Shen, 2004). Based on analogous pension reform efforts in a number of Latin American countries, it does not seem likely that current reform efforts in China are going to substantially increase coverage any time soon (Arenas de Mesa, 2000; ECLAC, 2006; Gill et al. 2005; Jimenez & Cuadros, 2003; Mesa-Lago, 2004; Packard, 2002). Today most Chinese rely heavily on family networks for support. According to the 2000 census data, about two-thirds of those age 65 and over live with their children (Table 3). This tendency is particularly strong for elderly women living in rural areas. The lack of formal-institutional pension coverage for most elderly Chinese and the evidence from Latin America suggesting that coverage may not substantially increase any time soon, leads us to the conclusion that in ChinaTable 2 In Latin America pension system reform has left a substantial fraction of the population without coverage a Country Coverage before the reform Coverage after the reform Contributors/economically active population (year) Chile Argentina Mexico Uruguay Colombia Peru El Salvador Bolivia a b Other indicators of coverage after the reform Contributors/economically Contributors/employed Contributors/wageBenficiaries/population active population b (2002) persons b (2000–2003) earners b (2000–2003) age 65+ c (2000–2003) 0. 58 0. 26 0. 33 0. 45 0. 18 0. 12 0. 22 0. 11 0. 63 0. 40 d 0. 39 0. 65 d – 0. 14 0. 32 0. 11 0. 77 0. 55 d 0. 2 0. 79 d – 0. 31 0. 53 0. 29 0. 64 0. 68 d 0. 19 0. 87 d 0. 19 0. 24 0. 15 0. 15 0. 64 (1980) 0. 50 (1994) 0. 37 (1997) 0. 32 (1997) 0. 32 (1993) 0. 31 (1993) 0. 26 (1996) 0. 12 (1996) Adapted from AIOS, 2005; Mesa-Lago, 2005; and Rofman, 2005. These measurements could overestimate coverage for workers doing sporadic contributions, or underestimate coverage for workers not doing contributions but covered by non-contributory pensions. c This measurement could underestimate coverage for sp ouses of beneficiaries, for individuals who continue working and delayed the benefits, and individuals receiving non-contributive benefits. Information for urban areas. 80 E. Calvo, J. B. Williamson / Journal of Aging Studies 22 (2008) 74–87 Table 3 The majority of Chinese elders live with their children1 Rural Urban Rural-urban combined Males Living alone 8. 7 7. 7 8. 4 With spouse only 26. 3 33. 7 28. 8 With spouse and other, not with children 0. 7 0. 8 0. 7 With spouse and children 36. 5 39. 0 37. 4 With children, not with spouse 25. 6 16. 8 22. 6 With others, not with spouse and 1. 9 1. 3 1. 7 children Institution 0. 3 0. 7 0. 4 Grand total 100. 0 100. 0 100. 0 Subtotal of living with spouse 63. 73. 5 66. 9 Subtotal of living with children 62. 1 55. 8 59. 9 Females Living alone 9. 8 12. 4 10. 7 With spouse only 17. 9 21. 3 19. 1 With spouse and other, not with children 0. 3 0. 6 0. 4 With spouse and children 22. 8 21. 7 22. 4 With children, not with spouse 48. 1 42. 6 46. 2 With others, not with spouse and 0. 9 1. 0 0. 9 children Institution 0. 2 0. 4 0. 3 Grand total 100. 0 100. 0 100. 0 Subtotal of living with spouse 41. 0 43. 6 41. 9 Subtotal of living with children 70. 9 64. 4 68. 7 1 of the family in the Latin American culture.There is no reason to expect a different outcome in China. The Confucian ethic of filial piety (xiao) involves respect, obedience, gratitude and the obligation to reciprocate for parents having given us life and, in comparison to the Western countries, this ethic remains very strong in China (Gu & Liang, 2000; Sung, 2000). It has been motivating children to take care of their elderly parents for centuries and will probably continue to play a role for care for the elderly long into the future (Zeng & Wang, 2003), though increasingly in combination with formal old-age pension institutions.The assumption made by some analysts that the family support system is going to break down places the Chinese case into a conceptual fram ework better suited to the Western Pathway. But that framework overlooks the fact that China continues to be a traditional culture and it limits policymakers to considering individualized ways to support retirees, relegating the family network of support to a secondary role in the policy debate about the reform. Compliance: individual financial planning and reciprocity Closely related to the coverage problem are low compliance rates and low contribution densities.One goal of the pension reform in Latin America has been to improve incentives for workers to participate in the system and to increase personal contributions to their funded accounts. A strengthened â€Å"equivalence principle† (a linkage between contributions and pension benefits) was expected to get workers to view their contributions as investments or savings rather than as a tax. This in turn was expected to increase the incentive for participating and contributing to the system (World Bank, 1994).However, the e vidence from Latin American does not point to any such trend (Gill et al. , 2005; Jimenez & Cuadros, 2003; Mesa-Lago, 2004; Packard, 2002; Rofman, 2005). Evidence presented in Table 4 shows that compliance rates have actually decreased in Latin America suggesting that IRAs are not having the expected impact on the incentive to contribute. It is generally agreed both in Latin America and in China that some segments of the population are particularly reluctant to contribute.For example, workers in rural areas, workers in the informal sector of the economy, and low-wage workers choose savings options other than IRAs, such as housing and the education of their children (ECLAC, 2006; Gill et al. , 2005; Kritzer, 2000; Mesa-Lago, 2004; Packard, 2001; Rofman, 2005). Living arrangements for Chinese population aged 65 and over, rural urban comparison, year 2000. Adapted from Zeng & Wang, 2003. family support is likely to remain the primary source of old-age security during the foreseeable fu ture, at least in rural areas, where there is virtually no pension coverage.On the other hand, the projected demographic change for China gives us reason to questions the efficacy of the traditional family support system for meeting the economic needs of tomorrow's Chinese elderly (Gubhaju & Moriki-Durand, 2003; Zeng & Wang, 2003). In 1970, the Chinese elderly were outnumbered by children six to one, but by 2040 there will be two elderly people for every child (UN 2003). This projected demographic change will place great strain in the traditional family support system and suggests that the need for old-age pensions is going to be increasing.It is clear that the Chinese elderly will not be able to rely solely on family arrangements (Friedman, James, Kane, & Queisser, 1996; World Bank, 1997). Nonetheless, it is also true that family support networks will continue to play a very important role for many of the elderly. Examination of recent pension reform efforts in Latin America sugges t that the family performs a crucial function as a source of support and protection for the elderly, given the limited coverage of the pension system in the region (ECLAC, 2004) and the centrality E.Calvo, J. B. Williamson / Journal of Aging Studies 22 (2008) 74–87 Table 4 Compliance rates have declined in Latin America a Country Argentina Bolivia Chile Colombia b El Salvalor Mexico c Peru Uruguay 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 48. 9 – 52. 8 – 67. 2 63. 4 45. 6 67. 4 44. 3 – 53. 4 51. 6 63. 8 60. 2 45. 7 58. 7 39. 1 – 50. 9 48. 5 53. 5 57. 9 41. 7 53. 9 29. 0 47. 0 53. 7 48. 7 53. 2 44. 7 41. 2 53. 2 33. 2 46. 9 51. 0 47. 6 47. 6 41. 7 39. 4 45. 1 35. 2 39. 0 51. 9 48. 7 46. 3 39. 3 41. 9 52. 7 35. 4 44. 9 50. 4 49. 5 41. 9 38. 39. 9 52. 5 40. 3 47. 5 51. 2 50. 6 39. 5 37. 6 36. 2 55. 7 81 a Percentage of affiliates who contributed in the past month to IRAs, December 1998–2005. Source: Mesa-Lago, 2005; and AIOS, 2005. b In 1993†“2003 contributor was an affiliate who had at least one contribution in the last six months. c In 1993–2003 contributor was an affiliate who had at least one contribution in the past two months. Why might these groups avoid contributions to a reformed old-age pension system if it is clearly strengthened with respect to the equivalence principle?We will focus on explanations connected to the modernization pathway preceding the reform. One potential explanation is that individuals are â€Å"irrational†; not contributing to the IRA reveals a myopic behavior or short planning horizon (Valdes-Prieto, 2002). Here we offer an alternative explanation: the preference for the education of one's children and housing over IRAs is a â€Å"rational† behavior for an individual in a traditional culture and in a low-income economy, where the family is a strong social unit organized around reciprocity and affected by poverty.What is considered rational in Latin America and Chin a may not be considered rational from the perspective of the Western Pathway. Numerous studies in Latin America conclude that contributing to the IRAs is too costly, particularly for low-income workers who struggle to meet immediate basic needs for survival and face the pressing consumption needs of their families (Barr & Packard, 2000; Gill et al. , 2005; Jimenez & Cuadros, 2003; Kritzer, 2000; Mesa-Lago, 2004; Packard, 2002). In Fig. 4 we present aggregate data that points to a similar trend.We see that compliance rates tend to increase as GDP per capita increases, despite evidence of some variation between nations in similar GDP per capita ranges (e. g. Mexico versus Uruguay). At the cultural level, contributing to an IRA could disrupt the cycle of reciprocity inside a family. By investing in housing and childhood education, wealth is shared and transferred among generations in a permanent cycle of giving, receiving, and returning (Bataille, 1998; Mauss, 1967), a dynamic that ass ures family support at older ages.Summing up, in a lowincome economy and a culture where reciprocity has primacy over individual financial planning, a strengthened equivalence principle is likely to have little impact on a worker's propensity to contribute to the system. As with Latin-Americans, the Chinese are severely affected by poverty and tend to show a lack of enthusiasm for IRAs (Zhao & Xu, 2002), but support for the principle of reciprocity inside the family (Bengston & Putney, 2000; Gu & Liang, 2000; Sung, 2000). Therefore, it is reasonable to hypothesize that a stronger equivalence principle is an insufficient incentive for Chinese workers to contribute.Two caveats should be mentioned when assessing ways to increase compliance rates in China. First, while the value placed on reciprocity is associated with what we call an â€Å"ethic of family savings† in China, in Latin American it occurs within an â€Å"ethic of ritual spending of wealth† (Cousino, 1990; Cou sino & Valenzuela, 1994; Fig. 4. Coverage is larger in wealthier countries (International Monetary Fund (IMF), 2005; Transparency International, 2005). 82 E. Calvo, J. B. Williamson / Journal of Aging Studies 22 (2008) 74–87 Morande, 1984).In Latin America, reciprocity is extended beyond the family to God and nature. For example, a profuse harvest is comprehended as a gift of nature or a favor from God. The spontaneous reaction of people is to greet the benefactor with sacrifices or to spend part of the wealth received in a celebration. The popular belief is that human efforts cannot succeed without luck or divine support. This belief is confirmed in Latin American semantics, where the concepts â€Å"earning† and â€Å"winning† are indistinct: you win a wage as you win a lottery.This example illustrates Latin Americans' predisposition to spend and share wealth as if it were a prize. Individual financial planning is not based on this type of reasoning where wealt h is often attributed to God or the earth. Such behavior is more typical in cultures that attribute the origin of wealth to human work. In Chinese culture this link seems to be stronger, perhaps because land is more highly regulated and is perceived as a particularly scarce resource.The Chinese more readily save wealth than Latin-Americans, though savings may be for children's prosperity and perpetuating the principle of reciprocity. Even Chinese individuals living in foreign countries, where changes in the family support patterns are more prevalent, tend to sacrifice part of their personal gain for the well-being of their family (Lan, 2002; Wong, Yoo, & Stewart, 2006). The fact that the equivalence principle could be strengthened a lot more in China constitutes a second caveat when assessing ways to increase compliance rates (Dorn, 2004; Zhao & Xu, 2002).China has formally based its old-age pension system reform, at least in part, on funded IRAs; but in actual practice these IRAs a re often closer to the NDC (notional [or unfunded] defined contribution) model than to the funded defined contribution model (Williamson & Deitelbaum, 2005). The NDC model (also referred to as the Non-Financial Defined Contribution model) is explicated in detail elsewhere (Holzmann & Palmer 2006; Williamson, 2004; Williamson & Zheng, 2003).IRAs have been set up and a record is being kept of what has been contributed, but the government routinely diverts money from IRAs to pay pensions to the currently retired. The discrepancy between pension policy as described in government documents and what happens in actual practice, has the unintended effect of contributing to distrust and discouraging both participation and compliance. Fig. 5 suggests that transparency and credibility (high CPI scores) are associated with higher compliance rates.Corruption levels in China are similar to those of Argentina and Peru, and most likely have a negative effect on compliance rates. Transparency: legal ity and loyalty The privatization reforms in Latin America were designed to provide pension systems with a high degree of resistance to political manipulation (World Bank, 1994). However, the economic crisis in Argentina that started in the late 1990s has been attributed in part to the deficit created by the old-age pension reform and poor management of the funds (Bertranou, Rofman, & Grushka, 2003; Matijascic & Kay, 2006; Mesa-Lago, 2004).Argentina deferred its debt by selling bonds to the fund management companies. This risky behavior illustrates that the new funded systems are not immune to political manipulation and that it is important to invest in asset classes other than just government bonds. The Fig. 5. Coverage is larger in countries with better CPI score (less corrupt) (International Monetary Fund (IMF), 2005; Transparency International, 2005). E. Calvo, J. B. Williamson / Journal of Aging Studies 22 (2008) 74–87 83 case of Bolivia is another good example.Loose reg ulations led to fraudulent interpretations of the rules for the transition, contributing to higher than expected costs (Dowers, Fassina, & Pettinato, 2001; Escobar & Nina, 2004; Gill et al. , 2005). On the other hand, Chile's better coverage can be attributed, at least in part, to its lower level of corruption. Fig. 2 shows the disparity in levels of corruption between Chile and other Latin American countries. Chile has a CPI score closer to Belgium and France, while Argentina and Bolivia have the lowest scores.China also has low CPI scores; this may foreshadow problems with corruption in the funded component of the Chinese pension system. As discussed earlier, a strong and clean legal system is an indicator of rationalization. A rationalized set of laws is needed when traditional behaviors are unable to provide sufficient social order. In traditional cultures, â€Å"loyalty† upholds order to a greater extent than â€Å"legality† and leads people to provide favors and preferential treatment to friends or relatives.When a morality based on personal relationships and favors is extended to public institutions, such as the pension system, corruption is a high risk (corruption is a judgment made from the reference point of legality). Accordingly, in a traditional culture, the shift from family support to the support of a formal-institutional pension system – either with or without IRAs – is prone to corruption. China is particularly vulnerable to corruption for several reasons (Sandholtz Taagepera, 2005).First, loyalty (zhong) is a longstanding Confucian virtue that permeates all social relationships (Adler, 2002). Second, mechanisms that facilitate regulation and supervision of the pension system have been slow to emerge (Holzmann & Hinz, 2005). Third, funds are typically invested with low public transparency in a context where there is too much money for too few opportunities (Holzmann & Hinz, 2005; Williamson & Shen, 2004). Fourth, th e money is collected, administered, and owned by the government (Dorn, 2004; Jackson & Howe, 2004; Holzmann & Hinz, 2005).Consequently, separating these roles, diversifying the investment opportunities, carefully establishing and legitimating the regulatory system, creating technical organizations of supervision, and enabling greater public access to information about fund management are all much needed steps in Chinese pension reform. Fiscal stability: economic growth and poverty reduction One of the major political selling points for the partial privatization of pension schemes has been governments' difficulty with financing the increasing pension burden associated with prior PAYG defined benefit schemes.Therefore, the fiscal stability of the new systems is fundamental to the credibility of the reforms (Dowers et al. , 2001; Gill et al. , 2005). In Latin America the fiscal burden has remained substantial, though it may have been even higher, particularly in future decades, without recent reforms. The shift to partial privatization typically calls for some form of â€Å"double payments†: payments associated to the new system, but also payments recognizing benefits and contributions for those participating in the old system (Jimenez & Cuadros, 2003; Mesa-Lago, 2000).The transition costs associated with these reforms have typically turned out to be much larger and are currently projected to last much longer than had originally been expected. Permanent costs may also increase: low rates of compliance could force the government to aid more people than initially anticipated through the minimum pension guarantee and social assistance pensions. For the region as a whole the cost of social security and social assistance taken together increased from 5. 2% of the GDP in 1990–1991 to 7. % in 2002–2003 (ECLAC, 2006). These costs are likely to be high in China as well. Fiscal difficulties have been a problem affecting the Chinese old-age pension syst em since the 1980s (Jackson & Howe, 2004; Whiteford, 2003; Williamson & Deitelbaum, 2005). Previously, State-Owned-Enterprises (SOEs) were responsible for providing pensions to their retired employees. In the 1980s the finances of the SOEs became deeply strained by the transition to a market economy and the governments' decision to stop subsidizing them.Without government support and with a declining number of workers, SOEs faced serious difficulties in providing pensions for their former workers. In response to this problem, the Chinese government has called for municipal pooling of pension obligations and contributions. This reform largely shifted the financial crisis from SOEs to the municipalities. With the 1997 reforms, the pension burden, previously shifted from the SOEs to the municipalities, was in part returned to the central government.China's long history of fiscal problems in its pension system and the evidence of pervasive fiscal problems associated with the new privati zation related reforms in Latin America suggest that the pension related fiscal burden will continue to be a major challenge for pension reformers in China. China's weak fiscal situation in the years preceding recent reforms raises concerns about how the nation will deal with the impending cost of the transition. Fig. 6 illustrates the fiscal situation of Chile, Argentina, and 84 E. Calvo, J. B. Williamson / Journal of Aging Studies 22 (2008) 74–87 Fig. 6.The fiscal strength prior to the reform is key to overstep its costs. China in the years preceding the privatization related reforms. Argentina dramatically underestimated the cost of the transition, and during its recent economic crisis paid a heavy price for this mistake. In Chile the transition cost was also very high (about 5. 7% of annual GDP during the 1980s and 1990s), but the general fiscal surplus was very helpful in dealing with this burden (Gill et al. , 2005; Mesa-Lago, 2000). Fig. 6 shows that China is in a comp aratively weak position to handle the fiscal pressures of the reform.Finding a way to finance the pension system is a problem for most countries around the world, but this problem becomes particularly acute for low-income countries, such as China and those in Latin America. However, there is an important difference between China and Latin America. The Chinese government has called for a new pension system that is based in part on funded IRAs, but due to lack of alternative ways to raise the money needed to pay promised pensions to those who are currently retired, these â€Å"funded† accounts are today for the most part unfunded.The money has been used, typically by the local government to pay pensions to those who are already retired, leaving little more than electronic records in the accounts of individual workers specifying that they have made specific â€Å"contributions† to their account and the level of the unfunded balances in those accounts. In practice, China i s using a variant of â€Å"notional accounts† as a financing strategy for the pension system (Williamson, 2004; Williamson & Shen, 2004; Williamson & Zheng, 2003).The discrepancy between the formal structure of the program and what is actually going on must be contributing to mistrust of the government and to a lack of confidence in the pension system. It must also be reducing the incentive to contribute and increasing the incentive to evade paying into the scheme. However, there are advantages to the NDC model when properly designed as the model does help to spread the transition costs over more age cohorts and it does tend to reduce administrative costs.Low-income countries face difficulties as they try to balance the aims of fostering economic growth and poverty reduction as they reform their pension schemes. It is generally assumed that the main objective for an old-age pension system is to provide at least some financial security for the elderly. In those countries with many elderly in or at risk of poverty, the need for income redistribution becomes particularly salient. Minimum and non-contributive pensions can be used to help with redistribution and poverty reduction, but they do not maximize the equivalence principle and do increase the cost of the system (Gill et al. 2005; Holzmann & Hinz, 2005; Jimenez & Cuadros, 2003; Johnson & Williamson, 2006; Matijascic & Kay, 2006; Mesa-Lago, 2004). 4. Conclusion While numerous Western countries first experienced cultural rationalization, then economic modernization, and after that faced the challenges of population aging, both Latin America and China are dealing with pension system reforms in the context of much stronger traditional cultures and less developed economies (Fig. 1).The analysis presented in this article suggests that these distinctive characteristics have shaped the consequences of the reforms in Latin America and will likely do so in China. Specific challenges arise in the context of a tr aditional culture and a low-income economy where society is organized around the principles of family, reciprocity, loyalty, and poverty (Table 1). One of the most predictable challenges will be the coverage problem. Most Chinese elderly are not covered by formal old-age pension E. Calvo, J. B.Williamson / Journal of Aging Studies 22 (2008) 74–87 85 institutions and currently rely only on traditional family support. There is no evidence from the Latin American countries that have introduced pension reforms calling for partial privatization suggesting that coverage for the Chinese system is likely to approach universality in the foreseeable future. Therefore, the family unit, the traditional source of well-being at older ages, seems likely to continue being the major pillar of the old-age security, particularly in rural areas.However, in the decades ahead the Chinese elderly will with increasing frequency find that their families are not in a position to provide the needed sup port. The need for formalinstitutional pension coverage will be increasing rapidly in the years ahead. A key question will be whether the recent reforms calling for partial privatization will in the end undermine or strengthen traditional family networks of support and filial piety. Low compliance rates are another major challenge for China. Although incentives to contribute have improved, the current low compliance rates point to a preference for old-age security based on reciprocity (e. . investments on children's education) rather than individual financial planning. Strengthening the equivalence principle that links contributions and benefits could stimulate compliance for some. Nevertheless, those used to living in poverty, particularly in rural areas, may resist efforts to encourage individual financial planning and may prefer to sacrifice part of their modest wealth for the family. It would make sense for policy makers to adjust incentives in such a way as to take into conside ration historical, cultural, and contextual factors.Corruption and lack of transparency aggravate the coverage and compliance problems and constitute yet another challenge for the Chinese reforms. Where loyalty has primacy over legality, corruption and lack of transparency are likely outcomes. Favors are expected in a traditional culture, but such favors are considered corruption in a modern institutional context. Carefully designing, fully legitimating, and cautiously implementing the regulatory system and supervisory institutions are important steps to improve transparency and credibility.Another foreseeable challenge for the Chinese reform is the fiscal burden. How to finance the reform and to balance the objectives of economic growth and poverty reduction are major questions almost everywhere, but low-income countries such as China face additional difficulties. The empty IRAs, which were supposed to accumulate funds, are likely to increase distrust of government and of governmen t sponsored old-age security schemes. It might make sense for Chinese policy makers to introduce a system based on unfunded defined contribution accounts at least until it is clear that ational financial markets and administrative structures are ready for the demands of a partially privatized social security system. The nations in Latin America under consideration here have not succeeded with respect to coverage and compliance. In addition, transparency and fiscal stability are far from certain. This evidence suggests that without some major changes in the current policy direction, China may be headed for potentially serious pension policy problems in these four areas. The modernization pathway preceding old-age pension reform in China will likely shape the process and outcomes in these four areas.Chinese policymakers might well benefit from a close analysis of the flaws that are starting to become clear in connection with the new partially funded pension schemes that have been intr oduced in Latin America in recent years. Acknowledgments The authors acknowledge partial financial support for this project from the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College. 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