A Study On The Social Security Social Policy Essay

A Study On The Social Security Social Policy Essay Social security defined as the protection which society provides for its members through a series of public measures against the economic and social distress that otherwise would be caused by the stoppage or substantial reduction of earnings resulting from sickness, maternity, employment injury, invalidity and death (ILO 1984:3), is perennial and ubiquitous as human society. It plays a significant role in the lives of many people especially those with minimal incomes. As noted by Hill (2006) it is collective action to protect individuals against income deficiencies Social security system therefore, is made up of one or more social security programmes, a method of financing, and a mode of administration, that can be configured to achieve particular social security objectives (Dixon 1999:10). This does not, however, necessarily imply uniformity of social security systems globally. This paper therefore seeks to examine the discrete social security systems that exist in different countries and as such bring to bear the sources of their difference. It would be argued that the distinction among countries is as a result of the diverse histories of social security provision as well as the different welfare regimes that take place in the various countries. The paper will further explore the diversity in relation to selective or universal social security systems in terms of social insurance, social assistance and social allowance/contingent benefits and draw on examples from UK, USA, Sweden, and Germany to substantiate the discussion. Social security is intrinsically aimed at poverty prevention or alleviation, compensation as well as redistribution of income. This function can be delivered through non systemic social security such as the family, voluntary organizations (charity, friendly societies, credit unions and trade unions) as well as market. The state however, plays a very significant role of social security provision in many countries. Notwithstanding the permeating nature of social security, there is diversity in the systems of operation globally and this is as a result of the ideological underpinnings of different countries. In other words, the social security provisioning in countries depend on the political ideologies and welfare regimes that exist and this to a large extent shape the system of social security. Dixon (1999:1) captures this as he writes the right of social security is realized in varying degrees in different countries, as determined by their traditions, history, level of socioeconomic development and the prevailing political and social philosophies, which come together and determine who should be the social security winners or losers. Thus, eligibility for social security benefits is one form of distinction that exists in different countries. This has to do with the conditions or prescriptions to be satisfied in order to receive a particular social security benefit. Either by way of selective me ans-test or universal citizenship benefits as well as contributory or non contributory tax financed benefits. Selective social security is where only particular individuals or groups are covered by a social security programme and this is usually based on means-test subject to household income and resources. The major function of selective social security is poverty alleviation and this is achieved through social assistance programmes. Social assistance is a selective means-tested social security system in which resources are targeted at those most in need. In the words of Dixon (1999:5), it is a selective-categorical approach to social security. This system unlike social insurance does not rely on personal contribution but is funded through public revenues (taxes and budgets). Eligibility is based on citizenship as well as residency and beneficiaries need to satisfy certain conditions like low income to qualify for allowances, grants and other supports to supplement their incomes. This could be provided in cash as in the Transitional Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) in USA, tax credits i n UK or in kind food stamps programme available to low income individuals and families in the USA (Walker2005:6). Universal social security on the other hand is a social security programme that gives coverage to the entire population whether citizens or residents and is a non contributory system. This social allowance program provides benefits to all legal residents (Bradshaw Deacon 1983) or citizens and financing is generally through public revenues. The essential function of this system is the prevention of poverty. Dixon (1999:8) describes this as a universal-categorical approach to social security, whereby usually flat-rate and uniform cash pensions and benefits are provided to residents (usually subject to minimum residency period requirement) or citizens in designated categories of presumed need, commonly without reference to their current or past employment experience. He further goes on to say social allowance recognizes common responsibility of all people for the welfare of others (Dixon 1999:64). Countries with such universal social security programs in terms of social allowance include UK, Sweden, New Zealand, Denmark etc. In the UK and Sweden, child allowances are major universal social security systems. In addition, Sweden has a basic universal non contributory citizens pension. Other universal social security systems include New Zealand old age allowance and Denmarks universal pension for old age or disability (OECD 1996). Moreover, citizenship based benefits is another form of universal social security in which a universal basic income is provided to citizens. Participation tested universal systems also provide universal benefits based on modified social insurance. Furthermore, social insurance is yet a strategy of social security and this is earnings related as well as contributory. In the terms of Dixon (1999:4) social insurance is an employment-related, contributory approach to social security. This is a selective social security system in which entitlements are based on prior contributions and either financed from current contribution revenue or past contribution income accrued. In addition, contribution is mandatory and may be based on flat rates or earnings related and its primary social security goal is to prevent poverty. The social insurance strategy is basically a major social security system globally for most pension schemes and as noted by Dixon (1999), about 148 countries have adopted it at least for one of their social security programmes. In addition to the differences in social security strategies outlined above, another source of difference in social security systems is attributable to the different types of welfare regimes. Welfare regimes according to Walker (2005:13) refer to the different ways in which countries or jurisdictions organize economic production and transfers within the context of a capitalist market economy. Based on the type of regime, social security provision could be shifted to the family, market or state. For instance in a liberal regime, emphasis is on the markets and hence the individual relies on family and private insurance for social security. In other words, collective welfare is provided through the market with residual targeted state support for those who are unable to contribute (Walker 2005). Countries within this category include USA and to some extent UK. A socially democratic regime emphasize on universalistic modified social insurance with dominant role of the state. Social security is seen as a universal right for citizens and as such universal basic benefits. As noted by Walker (2005:16), receipt of a public service or benefit becomes both a right and a badge of citizenship, a statement of equal worth and solidarity. The social security is funded through public revenues (taxation). For example Sweden and Denmark within this regime have universal child allowance and basic universal pensions respectively. On the other hand, in the conservative regimes, social security is provided through collective transfers or social insurance with little or no social assistance. The role of the state is that of promoting the welfare of its citizens through regulation and, where appropriate, facilitation (Walker 2005:16). Pooling of risk is a key component of this social security system. Emphasis is on the family and support is provided to the male breadwinner while the female homemaker is dependent on her employed husband (Walker 2005). In addition compensatory rights for workers as well as earnings related social insurance and family allowance are other forms of support. This regime is found in Germany, France and Japan. In the light of the foregoing discussion, the paper did bring to bear that social security is very crucial for poverty alleviation and prevention. This therefore explains its dominance globally but in different forms. The paper has discussed the difference in social security systems in relation to coverage (selective/universal) and the different strategies used as well as the different social security regimes which also shape the social security systems of various countries. Despite the diversity in systems of social security, it is possible to identify major strategies through which these social securities are constructed globally. This paper therefore looked at three major strategies, social assistance, social insurance and social allowance/contingent benefits in relation to UK, USA, Sweden and Germany as well as the different social security regimes. In conclusion, it can be emphasized that though social security systems differ in varied countries, they all aim at poverty alleviat ion or prevention, social compensation, redistribution of income, fostering social cohesion as well improving on the standard of living of people. References Bradshaw, J. Deacon, A. (1983) Reserved for the Poor Blackwell Ditch, J (1999) Poverty and Social Security in the European Union, in J. Ditch (ed.) Introduction to social security: Policies, benefits and poverty, London: Routledge, pp 227-38 Dixon, J. (1999) Social Security in Global Perspective Westport, CT: Praeger Publishers London Eardley, T. et al., (1992) Social Assistance in OECD Countries: Country Reports DSS Research Report No 47, Off Pubs. 42 f8919/46 Hill, M. (2006) Social Policy in the Modern World: A comparative text Blackwell. International Labour Organization (1984) Introduction to Social Security Geneva: ILO Kingson, E. Schulz, J. (1997) Social Security in the 21st Century New York: Oxford University Press Millar, J. (ed.) Understanding Social Security, 2009, Bristol: The Policy Press. Titmuss, M. R. (1956) The Social Division of Welfare University Press Walker, R. (2005) Social Security and Welfare: Concepts and Comparisons Open University Press

Best Ways to Analyze Data in Order to Improve Decision-Making Essay

Descriptive Analysis: Defined as quantitatively describing the main features of a collection of information. Descriptive analysis are distinguished from inferential analysis (or inductive analysis), in that descriptive analysis aim to summarize a sample, rather than use the data to learn about the population that the sample of data is thought to represent. Two types of descriptive measures are: 1. Measures of central tendency: used to report a single piece of information that describes the most typical response to a question. 2. Measures of variability: used to reveal the typical difference between the values in a set of values. Two types of descriptive analysis are: 1. Univariate analysis: Univariate analysis involves describing the distribution of a single variable, including its central tendency (including the mean, median, and mode) and dispersion (including the range and quantiles of the data-set, and measures of spread such as the variance and standard deviation). 2. Bivariate analysis: Used when a sample consists of more than one variable. Bivariate analysis is not only simple descriptive analysis, but also it describes the relationship between two different variables. Descriptive statistics provides simple summaries about the sample and about the observations that have been made. In the business world, descriptive statistics provides a useful summary of many types of data. For example, investors and brokers may use a historical account of return behavior by performing empirical and analytical analyses on their investments in order to make better investing decisions in the future. Inferential Analysis: Used to generate conclusions about the population’s characteristics based on the sample data. For example to estimate the population mean weight using the sample mean weight. They can use inferential statistics to make judgments of the probability that an observed difference between groups is a dependable one or one that might have happened by chance. They can help in  fact-based management to drive favorable decision making. Differential Analysis: Defined as a technique in which evaluation is confined to only those factors which are different or unique among possible alternatives. Also called incremental analysis or relevant cost analysis. It usually involves four steps: 1. Compute all costs associated with each alternative. 2. Ignore the sunk costs. 3. Ignore costs that remain largely constant among the alternatives. 4. Select the alternative offering the best cost-to-benefit ratio. It’s important to note that differential analysis is a process that may be stretched beyond mere numbers. There could be intangible benefits to a certain decision that might eventually affect the business’ profits or even go beyond monetary gain. Predictive Analysis: Encompasses a variety of techniques that analyze current and historical facts to make predictions about future, or otherwise unknown, events. The approaches and techniques used to conduct predictive analytics can broadly be grouped into regression techniques and machine learning techniques. 1. Regression techniques: Regression models are the mainstay of predictive analytics. The focus lies on establishing a mathematical equation as a model to represent the interactions between the different variables in consideration. Depending on the situation, there is a wide variety of models that can be applied while performing predictive analytics. 2. Machine learning techniques: Machine learning, a branch of artificial intelligence, was originally employed to develop techniques to enable computers to learn. Today, since it includes a number of advanced statistical methods for regression and classification, it finds application in a wide variety of fields including medical diagnostics, credit card fraud detection, face and speech recognition and analysis of the stock market. In certain applications it is sufficient to directly predict the dependent variable without focusing on the underlying relationships between variables.  In other cases, the underlying relationships can be very complex and the mathematical form of the dependencies unknown. For such cases, machine learning techniques emulate human cognition and learn from training examples to predict future events. In business, predictive models exploit patterns found in historical and transactional data to identify risks and opportunities. Models capture relationships among many factors to allow assessment of risk or potential associated with a particular set of conditions, guiding decision making for candidate transactions. They also help uncover hidden patterns and associations thus improving business outcomes.

William Shakespeare s Hamlet - 1116 Words

Teresa Fang Professor Moore Humanities 310 28 October 2015 To Seek Revenge or to Wait? Hamlet is a very enigmatic fellow. In Hamlet by William Shakespeare, the theme of revenge is presented as a controversial one. Before the play was set, Prince Hamlet’s uncle and new stepfather, King Claudius, had taken part in the assassination of his brother, old King Hamlet. Old King Hamlet died without a chance to receive forgiveness for his sins. As a result, his spirit is condemned to walk the earth at night and spend the day in purgatory until his sins are finally purged. Perhaps the single most interesting and debatable question about Prince Hamlet is â€Å"why does it take so long for him to get his revenge?† Among all of the opinions,†¦show more content†¦In other words, he is uncertain whether the Ghost is really his father. Hamlet states in one of his soliloquies, â€Å"I have heard, that guilty creatures sitting at a play, have, by the very cunning of the scene, been struck so to the soul that presently, they have procla imed their malefactions† (Act II, Scene 2, Lines 574-578). By setting up The Mousetrap, the play within a play, Hamlet plans to test both the King and the Ghost, stating in the same soliloquy, â€Å"I’ll have grounds more relative than this. The play’s the thing wherein I’ll catch the conscience of the King† (Act II, Scene 2, Lines 589-591). All in all, the Ghost’s claim proves to be true. This motivates Hamlet to go through with the revenge, although at first he was uncertain whether killing Claudius was the right thing to do. He is not the type to act impulsively, knowing that if he kills Claudius and it turns out that Claudius is innocent, Hamlet would have committed a crime against God, let alone the entire kingdom of Denmark. Hamlet’s love for his mother is another reason as to why his revenge is delayed. Despite Gertrude’s betrayal in which she hastily married Claudius soon after King Hamlet’s death, Hamlet did not want to deprive her mother of the man she loves by killing Claudius before he discovered the truth, hence, he confronted her first. In this scene, Gertrude accuses Hamlet of being crazy, stating â€Å"This the very coinage of your brain. This bodiless creation ecstasy is

Human Nature, Human, And The Human Past - 1210 Words

Neanderthals: Are We Really That Different? Mitch Charlton Student #250833199 Anthropology 1020E 001 5A Alexis Dolphin November 9 2015 Introduction Evolutionary studies are undoubtedly a large, significant aspect of biological anthropology. Anthropology can be defined as â€Å"the study of human nature, human society, and the human past† (Lavenda and Schultz 2016:5). Evolution includes the past, present, and future. It revolves around how we got to where we are today; what are our origins as modern day humans? Neanderthals are an important piece of that puzzle that has yet to be properly placed. The role, significance, and similarity between modern day humans and Neanderthals are topics of special interest for many biological anthropologists. John D. Speth discusses this exact topic in his article titled News Flash: Negative Evidence Convicts Neanderthals of Gross Mental Incompetence. Neanderthals have been unjustifiably placed in a category of inferior cognitive abilities based primarily on negative evidence, a form of evidence that is not testable, therefore not capable of proving anything, thus demonstrating that Neand erthals were intelligent beings and do not differ from modern day humans in intelligence. Article Summary John D. Speth authored the article, News Flash: Negative Evidence Convicts Neanderthals of Gross Mental Incompetence, a piece where Speth argues that Neanderthals have not been properly proven of inferior cognitive abilities. Speth says,Show MoreRelatedA Research Study On Human Nature And Human Past Essay2185 Words   |  9 Pageshone my observation skills that will become useful when completing my ethnographic study later in the semester. As an ethnography is described, it is a study into particular ways of human life. 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