Employee Motivation in Low Income Earning Jobs: Subway

Chapter 1 Introduction Background to the study A motivated employee works hard and effectively because of the satisfactory feeling of fulfillment. In business management, motivation is an important research field. Over the years, there have been many motivation theories developed. One of the most famous theories is on the basis of Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs. Maslow (1954) argued that individuals have a hierarchy of needs, and true motivation is achieved by fulfilling higher level of needs. Emphasized by various motivation theories, income (money) has been an essential factor which can affect motivation.Someone who has low income jobs tends to have low motivation. Consequently, low motivation will result in low effectiveness and high rate of staff turnover, which has a negative influence on company’s performances. As a multi-national company, Subway has achieved international success over the years. In the UK and Ireland, since the first store opened in 1996, Subway is continuing to expand at a substantial rate, with an average of five stores opening every week (www. subway. co. uk). During the past two years, Subway has provided more than 7000 jobs in UK and Ireland (www. ubway. co. uk). Therefore, the research based the case study of Subway will have a wide range of indications in terms of employee motivation. Statement of the problem Self motivation  only exists when people agree that there is a beneficial relationship between their behavior and their desired results. If an employee is only working in a low income working place because of money, it will be difficult to motivate them because it is very hard to convince them that they are staying in the best place for themselves.As a result, the rate of employee turnover is comparatively high. Motivation therefore has become a big issue to both employees and managers. From employees’ perspective, they have to find the factors which can keep them motivated. From managers’ perspect ive, they have to find the solutions which can help motivate their employees. Aims and objectives To identify the main factors that affect motivation in Subway employees To investigate the methods used by Subway managers in motivating employees To find out the problems of motivation in SubwaySignificance of the study Motivation is a powerful tool in the work places because it can compel employees to work at their most efficient levels of performances (Steinmetz, 1983). In order to achieve organizational objectives, managers have to motivate the right people to join in the organization and stay. The more motivated the employees are, the more empowered the team is. From this regard, this research can help to identify elements which affect employee motivations and the effective motivational ways. MethodologyThis project will be based on questionnaires among Subway employees, who receive the national minimum wage. The questionnaires will be designed to highlight all the factors regardin g motivation and distributed to various Subway stores in Birmingham. The data collected from the questionnaires will thereafter be analyzed. Plan of the Study The project encompasses five chapters. The first chapter is the introduction of this research, which briefly presents the background, importance, plan, scope and limitation of this project.The second chapter reviews the relevant literature and journals. In this chapter, the meaning of motivation, major motivation theories, the application of motivation, contemporary issues on motivation and usefulness and limitations of motivation will be discussed. Chapter three focuses on the methodology utilized by this project. Chapter four presents the research analysis on the basis of the data collected. The last chapter is the conclusion of the whole project, as well as the recommendation. Scope and Limitation The scope of this project is based on the Subways in Birmingham area.However, due to time constraints, the questionnaires are on ly distributed in 20 Subways stores. Chapter 2 Literature Review Meaning of motivation The term ‘motivation’ is originated from the Latin word for ‘movement’ (movere). In 1964, Vroom explained that motivation is ‘a process governing choice made by persons . . . among alternative forms of voluntary activity’ (Vroom, 1964). Similarly, Atkinson (1964) defined motivation as ‘the contemporary (immediate) influence on direction, vigor, and persistence of action’.Furthermore, Campbell and Pritchard also proposed that motivation is related with a set of independent/ dependent variables that explain the direction, amplitude, and persistence of an individual’s behavior, holding constant the effects of aptitude, skill, and understanding of the task, and the constraints operating in the environment. All these explanations have three common elements; that is, they are all concerned with factors or events that energize, channel, and susta in human behavior. According to various theories, motivation may be rooted in the basic need to minimize physical pain and maximize pleasure.It may include specific needs such as eating and resting, or a desired object, hobby, goal, state of being, ideal. It may be attributed to less-apparent reasons such as altruism, selfishness, morality, or avoiding mortality. There are two kinds of motivation: intrinsic and extrinsic. Intrinsic motivation is internal. It happens when people are compelled to do something out of pleasure, importance, or desire. Extrinsic motivation occurs when external factors lead the person to do something. A common place that applies motivation is work place. In the work place, motivation plays a key role in the success of leadership.A person who can’t understand the meaning and the importance of motivation will not become a leader. Also, to stay as a leader, he/she also needs to utilize motivation in the work place. Employee motivation is the psychologi cal feature that arouses an employee to work in an effective level, to accomplish organizational goals. It is necessary for organization to enhance motivation level of the employees to bring out the best performances from them. Major Motivation Theories Abraham Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs One of the most influential authors in the area of motivation is Abraham Maslow (1954).Abraham Maslow (1954) integrated various research related to human motivation. Prior to Maslow, researchers just focused on motivational factors separately, such as biology, achievement, or power to explain what energizes, directs, and sustains human behavior. Maslow proposed a hierarchy of human needs on the basis of two groupings: deficiency needs and growth needs (Maslow, 1954). Within the deficiency needs, every lower need must be met before moving to the next higher level (Maslow, 1954). The first four levels are: 1) Physiological: hunger, thirst, bodily comforts, etc. 2) Safety/Security: out of danger; 3) B elongingness and Love: affiliate with others, be accepted; and 4) Esteem: to achieve, be competent, gain approval and recognition (Maslow, 1954). According to Maslow (1954), an individual is ready to act upon the growth needs if and only if the deficiency needs are met. Maslow's initial conceptualization included only one growth need: self-actualization (Maslow, 1954). Self-actualized people are characterized by: 1) being problem-focused; 2) incorporating an ongoing freshness of appreciation of life; 3) a concern about personal growth; and 4) the ability to have peak experiences (Maslow, 1954).Maslow later differentiated the growth need of self-actualization, specifically naming two lower-level growth needs prior to general level of self-actualization and one beyond that level (Maslow, 1971). They are: 5) Cognitive: to know, to understand, and explore; 6) Aesthetic: symmetry, order, and beauty; 7) Self-actualization: to find self-fulfillment and realize one's potential; and 8) Self- transcendence: to connect to something beyond the ego or to help others find self-fulfillment and realize their potential (Maslow, 1971).Maslow's basic idea is that as one becomes more self-actualized and self-transcendent, one becomes wiser and knows what to do in a wide variety of situations (Maslow, 1971). He also recognized that not all personalities followed his proposed hierarchy (Maslow, 1954). Maslow published his theory over 50 years ago and it has since become one of the most popular and often cited theories in the field of human motivation. Frederick Herzberg’s two-factor theory Another significant motivational theory was developed by Frederick Herzberg, who had close links with Maslow.Frederick Herzberg believed in a two-factor theory of motivation. He argued that there were certain factors that a business could introduce that would directly motivate employees to work harder (Motivators) (Herzberg, 1959). However, there were also factors that would de-motivate an employee if not present but would not in themselves actually motivate employees to work harder (Hygiene factors) (Herzberg, 1959). Motivators are more associated with the job itself (Herzberg, 1959). For instance, how interesting the work is and how much opportunity it gives for extra responsibility, recognition and promotion (Herzberg, 1959).Hygiene factors are factors which surround the job rather than the job itself (Herzberg, 1959). For example, a worker will only go to work if a business has provided a reasonable wage and safe working condition (Herzberg, 1959). However, these factors will not make him work harder at his job once he is there (Herzberg, 1959). Herzberg (1959) believed that businesses should motivate employees by adopting a democratic approach to management and by improving the nature and content of the actual job through certain methods.Some of the methods managers could use to achieve this objective are: job enlargement (workers are given a greater variety of t asks to perform which can make the work more interesting; job enrichment (workers are given a wider range of more complexes, interesting and challenging tasks surrounding a complete unit of work, which can bring out a greater sense of achievement; empowerment (employees are delegated more power to make their own decisions over areas of their working life) (Herzberg, 1959). Douglas McGregor’s theory X and theory YTheory X and Theory Y are theories of human motivation created by Douglas McGregor in 1960s. Theory X and Theory Y are two distinct attitudes toward workforce motivation. According to McGregor, companies followed either one or the other approach, and the key to connecting self-actualization with work is determined by the managerial trust of subordinates (McGregor, 1960). In theory X, management assumes employees are inherently lazy and will avoid work if they can and they also inherently dislike work (McGregor, 1960).As a result, management believes that workers need to be closely supervised and comprehensive systems of controls developed (McGregor, 1960). (McGregor, 1960). According to this theory, employees will avoid responsibility whenever they can and so a hierarchical structure is needed with narrow span of control at each and every level (McGregor, 1960). A Theory X manager believes that his or her employees do not really want to work; therefore, it is the manager's job to structure the work and energize the employee (McGregor, 1960).In theory Y, management assumes employees may be ambitious and self-motivated and exercise self-control (McGregor, 1960). It is believed that employees enjoy their mental and physical work duties (McGregor, 1960). They possess the ability for creative problem solving, but their talents are underused in most organizations (McGregor, 1960). Theory Y managers believe that employees will learn to seek out and accept responsibility and to exercise self-control and self-direction in accomplishing objectives to whic h they are committed (McGregor, 1960).A Theory Y manager believes that, given the proper conditions, most people will want to do well at work (McGregor, 1960). They believe that the satisfaction of doing a good job is a strong motivation for employees (McGregor, 1960). For McGregor, Theory X and Y are not different ends of the same continuum (McGregor, 1960). If a manager needs to apply Theory Y principles, that does not prevent him from being a part of Theory X & Y (McGregor, 1960). David McClelland’s motivational needs theory David McClelland is famous for describing three sorts of motivational need, hich were proposed in his book The Achieving Society (1967). These needs are found to different degrees in all workers and managers, and this mix of motivational needs characterizes a person's or manager's style and behavior, both in terms of being motivated and in the management and motivation others (McClelland, 1967). The need for achievement (n-ach): The n-ach person is ach ievement motivated and therefore seeks achievement, attainment of realistic but challenging goals, and advancement in the job (McClelland, 1967).The n-ach person has a strong need for feedback as to achievement and progress, and a need for a sense of accomplishment (McClelland, 1967). The need for authority and power (n-pow): The n-pow person is authority motivated (McClelland, 1967). This driver produces a need to be influential, effective and to make an impact (McClelland, 1967). The n-pow perso has a strong need to lead and for their ideas to prevail (McClelland, 1967). The n-pow person also has motivation and need towards increasing personal status and prestige (McClelland, 1967).The need for affiliation (n-affil): The n-affil person is affiliation motivated, and has a need for friendly relationships and is motivated towards interaction with other people (McClelland, 1967). The affiliation driver produces motivation and need to be liked and held in popular regard. The n-affil pe rson is team player (McClelland, 1967). McClelland (1967) suggested that most people possess and exhibit a combination of these characteristics. Some people exhibit a strong bias to a particular motivational need and this motivational mix consequently affects their behavior and working/managing style (McClelland, 1967).McClelland (1967) proposed that a strong n-affil motivation undermines a manager's objectivity, because they want their need to be liked, which affects a manager's decision-making capability (McClelland, 1967). A strong n-pow motivation will produce a determined work ethic and commitment to the organization, while n-pow people are more focused on the leadership role, which means they may not possess the required flexibility and people-centered skills (McClelland, 1967). Other motivation theory related to business managementWorkers in any organization need something to keep them motivated. If no motivation exists, employee’s quality of work in general will deter iorate. According to the system of scientific management developed by Frederick Winslow Taylor (1911), a worker's motivation is only determined by payment, and therefore management doesn’t need to consider the psychological or social aspects of work. Essentially, in scientific management, human motivation is solely based on extrinsic rewards and it dismisses the idea of intrinsic reward.Elton Mayo (1933) found out that the social contacts a worker has at the workplace are very important and that boredom and repetitiveness of tasks will reduce their motivation. Mayo thought that workers can be motivated by acknowledging their social needs and making them feel important. Consequently, employees were given freedom to make decisions on the job and greater attention was paid to informal work groups. This model as named the Hawthorne effect by Mayo.At lower levels of Maslow's hierarchy of needs (1954), such as physiological needs, money is a motivator; however it tends to have a mo tivating effect on staff only for a short period, in line with Herzberg(1959)'s two-factor model of motivation. At higher levels of the hierarchy, praise, respect, recognition, empowerment and a sense of belonging are far more powerful motivators than money, as both Abraham Maslow(1954) and Douglas McGregor (1960)indicated. The assumptions of Maslow and Herzberg were challenged by a classic study at Vauxhall Motors' UK manufacturing plant (Goldthorpe, Lockwood,Bechhofer and Platt, 1968).This study introduced the concept of orientation to work and identified three main orientations: instrumental (where work is a means to an end), bureaucratic (where work is a source of status, security and immediate reward) and solidaristic (which prioritizes group loyalty) (Goldthorpe, Lockwood,Bechhofer and Platt, 1968). Other theories which expanded and extended those of Maslow and Herzberg included Kurt Lewin's Force Field Theory (1938), Edwin Locke's Goal Theory (1996) and Victor Vroom's Expecta ncy theory (1964).These theories tend to emphasize cultural differences and the fact that individuals tend to be motivated by different factors at different times In Essentials of Organizational Behavior, Robbins and Judge examined recognition programs as motivators, and identified five principles that contribute to the success of an employee incentive program (2007):recognition of employees' individual differences, and clear identification of behavior deemed worthy of recognition ;allowing employees to participate; linking rewards to performance ;rewarding of nominators; visibility of the recognition processChapter 3 Research Method This project is based on questionnaires among Subway employees, who receive the national minimum wage. The questionnaires is designed to highlight all the factors regarding motivation and distributed to various Subway stores in Birmingham. The data collected from the questionnaires is thereafter analyzed. 3. 1 The advantages and disadvantages of Questio nnaire Questionnaires are one of the most popular research methods because they provide a simple way of collecting information from a targeted population.It is easy to analyze questionnaires, by the help of most statistical analysis software. In the terms of cost, they are very effective as well, comparing to face-to-face interviews (Seitz, 1944). Most people are familiar with questionnaires. Many people have had some experience of completing questionnaires. ). Unlike other research methods as telephone or face-to-face surveys,, the respondent is not interrupted by the research instrument. When a respondent receive a questionnaire, he/she is free to complete it whenever he /she want to (Jahoda, et al. , 1962).However, questionnaires may not be suited for everyone. For example, to a group of poorly educated people, a written survey might not work because they don’t have enough reading skills. More often, some suitable group of people are simply neglected by written questionnai res because of misuse (Deutcher, 1956) Thanks to the uniform presentation of question, questionnaires can also reduce the bias of respondents (Jahoda, et al. , 1962). Many researchers have found that voice inflections and mannerisms of the interviewers can have a bias on responses (Barath and Cannell, 1976).Unlike face-to-face interview, there is no particular way of any verbal or visual clue to affect the reaction of a respondent. Since there is no interviewer, the questionnaire is not subject to this sort of bias. On the other hand, however, the researcher's ability to probe responses is limited by the lack of an interviewer. The â€Å"flavor of the response is often lost in structured questionnaires as respondents always try to keep their answers standard and easy to analyze(Walonick,1993). This advantages can be partially overcome by allowing space for other comments,.Another drawback of questionnaires is that they often results in low response rates (Robinson, 1952). Low rate of response is biggest problem to statistical analysis because it can dramatically lower the confidence of results and the credits of the research itself. However, response rates change widely among different questionnaires. A well-designed study can probably produce high response rates. Another problem is attributed to the credibility of the answer itself. When questionnaires are returned, it's assumed that the respondent is the same person you sent the questionnaire to.However, a number of researches have found that this may not actually be the case (Scott, 1961). It happen frequently those business questionnaires are passed to someone else for completion. For a variety of reasons, the respondent may not be who you think it is. For instance, housewives sometimes respond for their husbands. In a summary of five studies sponsored by the British Government, Scott (1961) reports that up to ten percent of the returned questionnaires had been completed by someone else other than the att empted person.To increase the response rate, the questionnaire of this research for this research have been designed to be simple and formatted. When distributing questionnaire, managers or employees are told about the purpose of this questionnaire and the way to post them back, in order to increase the response rate. 3. 2 Anonymity and Confidentiality Some studies have shown that response rate is affected by the anonymity/confidentiality policy of a study (Jones, 1979). Klein, Maher, and Dunnington (1967) reported that responses became more distorted when subjects felt threatened that their identities would become known.In this research, the name of the responses will be anonymous and confidential. Chapter 4 Research analysis 100 questionnaires have been distributed to 20 Subway stores throughout Birmingham. Within one month, 66 questionnaires have been returned. Within 66 respondents, 10 respondents are mangers, while 56 are crew members. 4. 1. The working lengths of employees in Subway Within 66 questionnaires, nearly half of the respondents have been working in Subway between 1 and 3 years. Others are either working less than one year or more than 3 years.Just a few people are working for more than 5 years Table 5. 1 Working lengths of employees in Subway 4. 2 Motivators of employees With all the motivational factors, money is still the determinable factor. The security of job and acknowledgement from managerial level are also influential to employee motivation. Aside the choices provided by questionnaires, there are some other elements mentioned. Relationship with colleagues and professional development are among those most popular. Table 5. 2 Motivators of Subway employees 4. 3 Motivation strategies used by Subway managerWithin seven common motivation strategies, positive reinforcement and effective discipline and punishment are used by all the managers. Treating people fairly, satisfying employees needs and setting work related goals are used by some of the managers. Restructuring job is used by few, while no one use base rewards on job performances as motivation strategy. Table 5. 3 Motivation strategies used by Subway manager 4. 4 Problems of motivation in Subway 35 respondents have indicated that they have considered leaving Subway. Hard work and low wage are main reasons.No professional development, bad relationship with colleagues and lack of job security are also influential. Table 5. 4 Problems of motivation in Subway Chapter 5 Conclusion and Recommendation 5. 1 Reemphasis on the importance of motivation From the questionnaire, we can see most of the employees in Subway have been working for less than 5 years. This has shown that the rate of turnover in Subway is really high and the stability of Subway team is challenged throughout the time. Therefore, the performance of company will be affected by this. This research reemphasizes the importance of motivation in low income workplaces.Money as a main motivator Many motivatio n theories have indicated that money is not the main motivator in workplaces, as employees may find the security of job or the self-realization are more appealing. However, this research has found in low income working places as Subway, money (wage) is still the most essential motivator. In low income workplaces, more working time (shifts) mean more money. Therefore, to motivate employees, managers have to understand the needs of employees and properly distribute shifts to different employees. Other motivational factorsAs emphasized by many motivation theories, the security of job still remains one of the most important elements of employ motivation. Another motivator is the acknowledgement from managerial level. Professional development and promotion are also focused by employees, which indicate that company should set different professional development plan for different employees, in order to enhance the levels of their motivation. Lack of various motivation ways from managerial level This research has shown that there is a lack of motivation methods from the managerial level of Subway.Apart from the seven motivation strategies provided by questionnaire, there is no any other answer mentioned by Subway managers. Positive reinforcement and effective discipline and punishment are chosen by all the managers. Some managers select treating people fairly, satisfying employees’ needs and setting work related goals. Just 2 managers choose restructuring jobs as a way of motivating employees, which shows that most of the Subway employees are doing the same job throughout the time. Manager may need to find more ways to restructure the jobs among employees to arouse their motivation.All in all, to motivate different employees, managers have to use different motivation strategies. Some psychological test may help managers to understand the different needs and instinct motivation of distinct employees. Main problems of motivation in Subway Half of the employees ar e thinking of leaving Subway, which means that there are still serious problems of motivation in Subway. Low wage is the most significant reason. Since most the crew member receive national minimum payment in Subway, the strategies of increase wages for employees who have been working for long time could help improve the situation.Apart from that, job difficulty is another reason for employees to leave. From this perspective, managers should talk to employees who have problems with their job. They could also change their job responsibilities to motivate them handle the problems met in workplaces. The worry of professional future is also another reason. As mentioned before, the professional development plan will help. Job security is mention here again. And relationship with colleagues could also affect employee motivation. Therefore, managers should pay attention to team coordination to avoid any negative effect on employee otivation. Summary This research has shown that in differen t workplaces, employees have different motivational factors. Upon different employee, his/her motivation will be different. Though in low income work places as Subway, money is still the main motivator, other factors can not be neglected as well. Meanwhile, there is a lack of various motivation strategies from managerial level; in another word, there is no enough attention on employees motivation in Subway, which could make the situation worse.The awareness of the importance of motivation has to come from the upper level, and then the strategies can be implemented to make things really work out. Bibliography Atkinson, J. W. 1964. Introduction to Motivation. Princeton, NJ: Van Nostrand. Barath, A. , and C. Cannell. 1976. â€Å"Effect of Interviewer's Voice Intonation. † Public Opinion Quarterly 40:370-373. Campbell, J. P. , & Pritchard, R. D. 1976. Motivation Theory in Industrial and Organizational Psychology. In M. D. Dunnette (Ed. ), Handbook of Industrial and Organizational Psychology: 63–130.Chicago: Rand McNally. Deutcher, I. 1956. â€Å"Physicians' Reaction to a Mailed Questionnaire: A Study in ‘Resistantialism'. † Public Opinion Quarterly 20:599-604. Goldthorpe, J. H. , Lockwood, D. , Bechhofer, F. and Platt, J. 1968. The Affluent Worker: Attitudes and Behavior . Cambridge: Cambridge University Press Herzberg, Frederick . 1959. The Motivation to Work, New York: John Wiley and Sons Jahoda, M. , M. Deutsch, and S. Cook. 1962. Research Methods in Social Relations. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston. Jones, W. 1979. Generalizing Mail Survey Inducement Methods: Population Interactions with Anonymity and Sponsorship. † Public Opinion Quarterly 43:102-111. Klein, S. , J. Mahler, and R. Dunnington. 1967. â€Å"Differences between identified and anonymous subjects in responding to an industrial opinion survey. † Journal of Applied Psychology 51:152-160. Lewin, K. 1938. The Conceptual Representation and the Measurement of Psychological Forces. Durham, NC: Duke University Press. Locke, E. A. 1996. â€Å"Motivation Through Conscious Goal Setting. † Applied and Preventive Psychology Maslow, A. 1943. A Theory of Human Motivation†. Psychological Review, 50, 370-396. Maslow, A. 1954. Motivation and Personality. New York: Harper. Maslow, A. 1971. The Farther Reaches of Human Nature. New York: The Viking Press. Mayo, E. 1933. The Human Problems of an Industrial Civilization. New York: Macmillan. McClelland, David C. 1967. The Achieving Society: The Free Press McGregor, Douglas. 1960. Human Side of Enterprise: McGraw Hill Higher Education Robbins, Stephen P. ; Judge, Timothy A. 2007. Essentials of Organizational Behavior (9 ed. ), Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall Robinson, R. 952. â€Å"How to boost returns from mail surveys. † Printer's Ink. 239:35-37. Scott, C. 1961. â€Å"Research on mail surveys. † Journal of the Royal Statistical Society 124:143-205. Seitz, R. 1944.  "How mail surveys may be made to pay. † Printer's Ink 209:17-19. Seligman, Martin E. P. 1990. Learned Optimism, New York: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. , p. 101 www. subway. co. uk Taylor, F. 1911. Scientific Management. New York: Harper Vroom, V. H. 1964. Work and Motivation. New York: Wiley. Walonick, D. 1993. StatPac Gold IV: Survey & Marketing Research Edition. Minneapolis, MN: StatPac Inc.

Essay on Government Spending

Fall 12 Fall 12 Brigham Young University Brigham Young University 08 Fall 08 Fall Essay #3 Nguyen Bui A HTG 100, # 103 Essay #3 Nguyen Bui A HTG 100, # 103 People should be treated indifferently regardless of their wealth and social standings. Yet, in reality, societies have experienced economical inequalities due to pay scales, tax brackets, and education level. A research study on 23 developed countries and 50 states of the US has shown that countries with higher degree of inequality tend to have higher rates of health, social problems and lower rates of social welfare.To resolve such inequality, the U. S government has consistently intervened by alleviating poverty and redistributing income in different forms of transfer payments such as welfare, Medicare, Social Security and employer-provided health insurance. Despite the good intentions, these programs, which involved large spending, haven’t been entirely effective in helping the poor. Therefore, even though the poor migh t suffer from an extensive economic inequality, the government cannot intervene by levying these transfer payments to focus on the equal outcome rather than personal freedom.Many studies have shown that transfer payments didn’t help to redistribute income. According to Dwight R. Lee, only 25% of $500 billion spent yearly on public assistance and social insurance programs were distributed through Medicaid, food stamps, Social Security, etc and 75% were allocated regardless of need. This suggests that a large portion of financial aid from the government went to those who were not in need. These programs were therefore proven ineffective since their means were to help the poor but the poor didn’t actually receive the exact benefits the taxpayers gave up.One of the reasons was that these transfer payments’ policy wasn’t specific enough, so their main purpose of feeding only the poor hasn’t been accomplished. In addition, when taxpayers were taken money away to help the poor, their personal freedom was constrained because they couldn’t do whatever they want on their earnings completely, even in helping the poor themselves. More importantly, many poor people receive no more than the average income people and the transfers they get are worth less to them.Out of the 25% payment transferred that were means-tested, only about 30% was in cash and the remaining 70% came in the form of in-kind transfers such as food stamps, housing, and medical care. These in-kind transfers are less preferable to the poor as cash provides more spending flexibility. For every dollar the government spends, only 25 cents are transferred to the poor. Out of those 25 cents, only 75% or 19 cents is the actual cash the poor can receive and use for whatever they need. Even though the poor still receive a cash portion through these transfer payments, the cash amount is not enough to satisfy their daily need.Those programs don’t help the poor as much as expected and as a result, the poor are still poor and the income inequality still remains unresolved. Also, it is disappointing to taxpayers because they can no longer use their own money to help the poor, and the money they give up doesn’t maximize the poor’s utility either. Some of the basic supporting arguments for transfer programs are that they help to reduce income inequality and social stratification. Particularly, the mathematical function explains this argument: W= min (Y1, Y2, †¦, Yn).This function states that society’s utility (W) is dependent on the least of individual utility, which is the poorest in terms of income. Thus, the poor have to be prioritized when income is distributed until all are equal. This is totally reasonable since a society would be fair only if the bottom individuals were also well taken care of. The advocates of these transfer payments also argue that transfer payments even though can’t help to redistribute incom e equally, at least they help the poor become better and thus, social welfare would increase as a whole.However, they probably never pay attention to the result. They probably haven’t asked themselves this question: is the money actually transferred from the rich to the poor? Many studies have shown a striking fact that most government transfers are not from the rich to the poor. Instead, government takes from the relatively unorganized parties, like tax payers and consumers, and gives to elderly, sugar farmers, and steel producers, considered as the relatively organized parties.As mentioned above, only 25% of all the money spent yearly on public assistance and social insurance programs were distributed through Medicaid, food stamps, Social Security, and 75% were allocated regardless of need. People tend to believe that whatever tax amount they pay, either federal or state or social security tax, the money would be fully transferred to the poor. But they have failed to recogn ize whether the transfer payments go to the poor or people who don’t need it. They end up losing their spending flexibility to only help the poor a little.Would people still see the necessity of these programs if they realize that the poor don’t get as much as they really need? Overall, the redistribution of income is important because inequality can only cause complex issues for society as a whole. But the most effective way of income redistribution remains controversial. While most people believe transfer programs are helpful because they help to balance income between the rich and the poor, I believe this is not an ultimate solution for such a long-standing issue.The statistics are self-explanatory; these programs didn’t result in a good outcome for the poor and the poor were still unsatisfied after all. It’s the time for us to make changes, whether to alternate these programs or totally get rid of them so that taxpayers no longer have to pay a large s um of money to help only a little to those in need. ——————————————– [ 1 ]. Richard G. Wilkinson and Kate Pickett, The Spirit Level: Why More Equal Societies Almost Always Do Better [ 2 ]. Dwight R. Lee, Redistribution of Income

Describe in Molecular Detail the Biological Function of Langerhans Essay

Describe in Molecular Detail the Biological Function of Langerhans Cells - Essay Example The antigen presenting cells move in and out of lymph nodes to initiate immune responses. The interaction of Langerhans cells with immuno competent cells initiates the formation of a number of antibodies in various parts of the human body. Langerhans cells(LC) are epidermal dendritic cells that take shape in the bone marrow and moves toward the T cell region of lymph nodes to function as expert antigen presenting cells. Langerhans cells can be identified using a wide range of cell surface markers like ectoenzyme adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase), CD1a antigens and Ia+ (PÃ ©rez-Torres, A. & Ustarroz-Cano, M 2001). Paul Langerhans first observed the dendritic Langerhans cells in the skin in 1868. Birbeck et al explained the presence of rod like granules in the cytoplasm of Langerhans cells (Indrasingh. 2006). Ultrastructural detection of Langerhans in the epidermis is performed by the recognition of an exclusive and typical cytoplasmic organelle called the Birbeck granule (BG) (PÃ ©rez-Torres, A. & Ustarroz-Cano, M 2001).Langerhans cells belongs to the system of antigen presenting cells and combines with the antigen that moves into the epidermis and the LC presents the combined cells to T-lymphocytes that later create s immune response (Indrasingh. 2006). Dendritic cells (DCs) in the immune system have the natural ability to recognize and seize foreign antigens and effectively provide antigens to T cells. Even though DCs have the capability to present antigens to T cells, cell surface markers, tissue distribution and the ability to assign different methods of adaptive immune responses are responsible for the function of DCs. Paul Langerhans found the presence of DC’s in the skin precisely in the epidermis and the identification of Langerhans cells indicated that it is the only cell in the epidermis to mark MHC class II molecules in normal

Policy Competition for Foreign Direct Investment Case Study

Policy Competition for Foreign Direct Investment - Case Study Example Multinational companies have an upper hand on governments in developing nations. The developing nations have the need to grow. They need large multinationals to stimulate economic growth. This country is rich in oil, a valuable resource. The multinational company dictated the terms of operation in that country. The government agreed to these terms at the expense of the citizens. (Oman 78) This shows weakness in the government. The politicians are more driven by short horizon policies that achieve economic growth and are blind to the long run impact on citizens and the economy. The agreement was made between the company and the politicians. Most politicians do not have the relevant skills to make such decisions as oil exploration. Multinationals take advantage of the illiteracy levels in developing nations to get ahead in business. They are, after all, large private companies whose priority is to make profits. In achieving this objective, it created employment for the locals. Increase d income of the local employees improved their living standards. The host country GDP improved as a result of the Chevron operations. These are the benefits that the previous government sought to achieve. ... The government is in a position to set up public hospitals and dispensaries to take care of the local community health needs. This case shows the failure of eh government in setting its priorities straight. It also indicates a lack of national sovereignty. The multinational dictates its terms of operations in that country. This s was done to favor its own objectives. The government in a developing nation is powerless in the presence of a large multinational. Who protects such governments? Where were the World Bank and the UN? The safety of people, the environment and national sovereignty should be the responsibility of many bodies and not just the government. (Oman 112) The multinational in this case has failed in the following ways. First, it overlooked the global environmental laws that require proper waste management. It used its power and resources to manipulate the previous government into agreeing to its terms of service and keeping quiet on the harm the company caused. As a re sponsible company, it should have engaged in some corporate social responsibility. This includes but is not limited to treating waste before disposal, construction of a health unit to address the community health needs. Chevron management ignored all these. The current government realized the problem in the previous arrangement. Unlike the past weaker government, it has gone ahead and sued the company. The refusal of the state to settle is a clear indication of the care it has for its citizens. Although the company sues the state for negative publicity, the company is on a losing battle from moral ethics stand. A mistake was done; it should have e been addressed in all ways possible.

Critically discuss the position of legal aid in England and Wales Essay

Critically discuss the position of legal aid in England and Wales - Essay Example The government proposed changes in the civil legal aid as outlined by Justice Secretary Kenneth Clarke would see civil legal aid only routinely available for cases where life or liberty was so much at stake (Ministry of Justice, 2009, p.4). The funding would be removed on dispute like (Divorce, welfare benefits and school exclusion appeals, Employment, Immigration where the person is not detained and Clinical negligence and personal injury).However, legal funding would continue for cases like (Asylum, Mental health, Debt and housing matters where someones home is at immediate risk, Family law cases involving domestic violence, forced marriage or child abduction and for mediation as a means to resolve disputes). Other measures to be put in place are the use of telephone as single gateway to legal advice, purported benefit eligibility to access legal aid being replaced to depend on the disposable capital one has so as to qualify for the legal aid, and also the decrease in fees paid to the solicitors, judges and the barristers that provide the legal aid. The changes proposed in the legal aid are expected to cut the legal aid bill by  £350m a year by 2015. As its It is thought there would be 500,000 fewer civil cases as a result. The plan was taken through consultation from the public starting 15th November 2011 to 14th February 2011, so that the justice ministry could get the view of the public on the intended changes. It would discourage cases that are not worth taking to court being resolved through other methods of dispute resolution like mediation. As Mr. Clarke points out when reading the proposal to the MPs, he says that legal aid has seen unnecessary court cases that would have not reached the court-room door were they not being funded by tax payer’s money, but from the pocket of somebody else. He adds further that the proposal targets civil ‘and family schemes that discourage people to resort to lawyers and courts whenever they have

Qualitative Research Processes Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Qualitative Processes - Research Paper Example This, being an easier method, has been opted for by me, a nurse who is still a novice. The phenomenological design has been selected as I would be studying the lived experiences of the post-operative patients. Data collection would be a continuous process till saturation is reached. Transcripts and audio-tapes would accompany the written data or oral data. Researcher bias will not be allowed to distort the picture of the lived experiences. The credibility of the study will not be interfered with. Readers will be able to follow the research all through in a systematic manner. The reality experienced by the participants would be related wherever possible in their words more like a narrative or story. The richness and meaning of the findings would be complete as no editing would be done by the researcher. The possibility of interactions deviating away from the focus would be prevented. The information may be collected at more sittings. The participant would be given all liberty to speak and convey his experiences. The researcher would be faithful to the research and focus on the reality of the experiences. Data analysis would consist of looking through every line of the data and selecting prominent phrases or thoughts of experiences. Constant comparative analysis would elicit lesser and lesser categories which could be selected for themes. The significance of the study is that reliable information would be obtained about the changes the surgery has made in the lives of the patients. The quality of care accorded in the hospital could be inferred and the results of the surgery would be available. Whether the surgery has eased the strain of knee problems would be an essential component. Information may be studied for loopholes in the surgery or hospital stay and efforts made to plug these loopholes. The final aim is to raise the quality of patient care. Quantitative study. Evaluation of patient satisfaction following cataract surgery in co-relationship to the informa tion about the surgery provided prior to surgery. It would be appropriate to use the quantitative method for a descriptive study for evaluating the relationship or association between two things or variables. Here the possible variables would be the prior information concerning cataract surgery provided to the patients before the actual surgery and the other would be the patient satisfaction after the surgery. The study would evaluate whether patients undergoing cataract surgery were informed earlier, whether the level of information was sufficient and if they were satisfied with it. Lack of provision of information could lead to patient dissatisfaction. The purpose is to co-relate the information provided before cataract surgery (independent variable) to the patient satisfaction (dependent variable) after it. This would be a descriptive audit study which provides the association between patient satisfaction and information provided and patients would be measured only once. The effe ctiveness of the information prior to surgery will be evaluated against the level of patient satisfaction. The hypothesis that would be proposed is: â€Å"Information provided prior to cataract surgery will improve the level of satisfaction after it†. The sample would be the 40 patients in the post-operative ward in the eye department where I work. Bias would not be a problem as all the patients would be selected. A questionnaire with appropriate questions would be used for interviews. Threats

Kush dynasty before the 1600 Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Kush dynasty before the 1600 - Research Paper Example (Mazour, 1993). Though the Kush Dynasty was a separate entity, they were more interested in the Egyptian culture. The major reason behind the invasion of Egypt was Kush Dynasty’s alliance with the Hyskos. During this period, they captured every part of Egypt and at last the entire country came under their control. (Redford, 2006). Kerma was the first place to be captured by the Kingdom of Kush and this was the initial stage of the invasion into Europe. Soon after this, the entire Egypt came under their control. (Torok, 1997). Even though the Egyptian people strived hard to retain their old ruling regimen, they could not succeed. But this did not last for a longer time, since the reunion of the entire country ended up in the eradication of the Kingdom of Kush. (Welsby, 1998). Soon after this, the Kush Dynasty took over Nubia and later on Egypt fell as the prey to Kush Dynasty once again. The Kush kings dominated the country right from the initial parts of Nile, till the Mediterranean coast. This period is often referred to as the Black Period of

Octavian by M.T. Anderson Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Octavian by M.T. Anderson - Essay Example Anderson. The book tells the story of Octavian, a boy of African-American heritage who lives with his mother at The Novanglian College of Lucidity. He is brought up among scientists and philosophers and is given luxurious treatment throughout his life. In the first volume, we learn about the education of Octavian; he is proficient in music and religious studies, and music studies have made him a talented violinist. Initially Octavian was under the impression, or it could be that he had the illusion, that each of the members living at â€Å"The Novanglian College of Lucidity† is equal. However, as a result of a mistake committed by his mother, both of them are thrown out of the college and have to live with Richard Sharpe. Octavian believed that he was a free member of the Utopian society but his dreams are shattered by Sharpe’s plan to experiment on him to prove that the African race is inferior to white and other races. Thus Octavian comes to find out the reality of li ving in the old America.

Analyse the social impact of a UK government initiative on urban Essay

Analyse the social impact of a UK government initiative on urban learning - Essay Example Forming a sustainable society needs reformation of educational systems. What people believe and think about the world affects what they do as voters, consumers, and resource owners, as government officials, international diplomats, and employees. Sustainable urban development must take a wide view of urban issues and effort to solve urban problems by assimilating environmental, social, and economical components. For sustainable urban development, learning is one of the most significant factors. Maser (1997) defines sustainable community development as a community-directed progression of development based on: a) inspirational human values of love, trust, respect, wonder, modesty, and concern; b) active learning, which is a balance between the intelligence and instinct, between the abstract and the concrete, between action and reflection; c) sharing that caused through communication, collaboration, and coordination; d) an ability to understand and work with and within the flow of life as a fluid system, distinguishing, understanding, and excepting the implication of relationships; e) patience in seeking an understanding of an essential issue rather than applying band aid like quick fixes to problematic symptoms; f) deliberately integrating the learning space into the working space into a persistent cycle of theory, experimentation, action, and reflection; and g) a shared societal vision stranded in long-term sustainability, both culturally and environmentally. In recent years, policymakers in the United Kingdom have commended their school systems to assure that substantially all students obtain the levels of knowledge and skill in core academic subjects required to succeed in further education, work, and citizenship.