Essay on Factors of Development in Adolescent Males

There are many factors that contribute to determining how a young person will develop into a mature adult. This research paper will discuss three of those factors and how they can negatively affect the development of an adolescent male - sexual or physical abuse, self-esteem, and pubertal timing. By the end it will be clear what influences an adolescent’s mental, emotional and physical health, and what makes a male feel capable of being secure in their own skin. The world we live in focuses primarily on females who have been physically, emotionally or sexually abused as children. However, young males are often overlooked as being victims of sexual abuse. Jozef Wawrzyniec Spychala Spiegel states in the International Journal of Sexual†¦show more content†¦Out of the 17 questions asked, those three showed the greatest statistical difference between groups. Additionally, sexually abused males tended to feel inferior to other males more often and are not as proud to be the men that they have become. So it is evident that sexual abuse leads to low self-worth and confusion about their masculinity as a whole. The second factor I will discuss is the self-esteem of youth and its affect on their mental health in adolescence. The study I looked at compared boys transitioning from grade school into middle school (ages 12-14) (Bolognini M., and Plancherel, B. 1996, pp. 233). Self-esteem was defined as â€Å"a person’s feeling of self-worth.† The findings showed that between ages 12-14 there is very little change in overall self-esteem of the boys tested (,Bolognini M, 1996, pp. 236). It is apparent that boys compartmentalize their self-esteem. In essence, if they are lacking in one area like sports, they are able to separate that from performance in school and vice versa. Tangentially, they tend to separate the influence of the opinion of their peers from the opinion of parents or adults in their life. Let’s say a young male gets in trouble at home, he may still be able to run out and play with friends with nothing hanging over him. Young males can find their self-worth through one arena of life where they are strong. On the contrary, if a female hasShow MoreRelatedHow The Body Development Effect Individual Self Esteem And Peer Acceptance884 Words   |  4 PagesAdolescents Physical Development Describe and understand adolescents’ physical development; how these changes affect each genders differently. Researchers have long studied the growth rate of male and females and concurred females mature earlier then their counterparts. It is also important to understand how different parts of the body development effect individual self-esteem and peer acceptance. By the time adolescents transition from the dependent stage of life to the independent stage (beingRead MoreAdolescent Physical Growth And Development1055 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction The focus of this essay is on adolescent physical growth and development. The aim is to give a brief, coherent overview of the expected areas of of growth and development during adolescence, the factors that can interfere that growth and the ways in which physical growth can be promoted. Physical Development Many physical developments during adolescence are initiated by hormone signals from the brain during the onset of puberty. In males, hormone signals tell the testes to begin producingRead MoreA Research on Sexually Transmitted Diseases779 Words   |  3 Pagesthe development stage of human beings, it is of significance that they involve themselves in sexual activities. At this development stage, it is of note that adolescents mostly are at risk of contracting STDs. This is in all cultures because sexual activity is highest during the adolescent stage. This calls for early intervention to help them deal with this health problem. Educating the adolescents to abstain, and use contraceptives in early sexual activities, are the most important factors to dealRead MoreGender Differences Of Syntactic Development Among English Speaking Adolescents Essay706 Words   |  3 PagesTask 1: Summary This journal article, â€Å"Gender Differences in Syntactic Development Among English Speaking Adolescents†, written by Hannah E. Cornett, is adapted from Inquiries Journal/Student Pulse, Vol.6, No.03. The main issue Cornett (2014) researched is â€Å"the gaps in the literature regarding syntactic development in adolescence and reports on the syntactic capabilities and discrepancies between English-speaking adolescent males and females†. According to Cornett (2014), some studies reported thatRead MoreThe Life Stage Of Adolescence1230 Words   |  5 Pageswith follow such timelines due to unique physiological factors. A recent study suggests that white females enter puberty one year earlier, whereas African-American females enter puberty two years earlier (American Psychological Association, 2002). With respect to male masculinity, research suggests that adolescent males are less likely to resist their masculine changes within later adolescent years (Way, et al., 2014). There are various factors that influence an ideal or normal transition into adolescenceRead MoreAdolescence : A Social And Cultural Construct1639 Words   |  7 Pagesexplain the different stages of development. One of the most significant models of psychosocial development was created by Erikson (1963) and the stage related to adolescents is known as the â€Å"Identity vs. Role-Diffusion†, where the one is in constant pursuit of a coherent sense of self during the teenage years. When the teenager is unable to put together aspects of themselves they experience role-diffusion. Later on Elkind (1967) introduced his theory of adolescent egocentrism, explaining the increaseRead MoreDifferences Between Male And Female Adolescents1130 Words   |  5 Pages Adolescents Development Case Study Louise Wright PSY/600 November 16, 2015 Tera Duncan Adolescents Development Case Study Compare similarities and differences between male and female adolescents: Valuable similarities between male and female are any expressive problems that familiarity from preadolescents and adolescents in developing a logical thinking of adult problems in their diversity. Although, capacities in both sexes surpass of social and emotional, are probable to beRead MoreMaslow s Theory Of Moral Development1077 Words   |  5 PagesMoral Development What it means to take a â€Å"life span perspective† when considering human development, on the topic of moral development, is that in order to understand the changes and progression of a person’s moral development you have to take in the account that moral development occurs as a result of all the different aspects of life that can promote change, such as social interactions, socioeconomic status, and genetics. The life span perspective uses a multidimensional framework in order toRead MoreAdolescence : A Transition From Adolescence1306 Words   |  6 Pagesplace in society. In some instance, adolescents turn from the legal path and turn to drugs and alcohol. Other adolescence cannot stand the burden of pressure and soon develop social phobias. There are many aspects of adolescence. Physical development, psychosocial development, development of moral reasoning, health promotion and acute care. Timing varies greatly and physical changes happen quickly during puberty. Sexual maturation follows the development of primary and secondary sexual characteristicsRead MoreThe Role Of Self Identity For Adolescents939 Words   |  4 Pageschallenging and significant stage during life transition. In this phrase, the individuals not only developing physical and sexual maturation but also experiencing the development of identity and transitions into social and economic independence (WHO, 2014). This essay will discuss the different concept of self-identity for adolescents, the important predictable and unpredictable elements during the transition, as well as the nurses’ role in relation to adolescence care. According to Erikson’s theory

Health Disparities And Its Effects On America - 1327 Words

Growing up, my dad always told me that we were the lucky ones. At the age of 15, he escaped from Vietnam, leaving with only the clothes on his back. Saigon fell to the north, sending people in a final desperate exodus. He would say â€Å"If the mines didn’t kill me, the bullets surely would. If the bullets didn’t kill me, drowning would and if drowning didn’t kill me, dehydration would.† In spite of the possibilities faced by thousands like him, my dad made it onto the US Navy ship. While my parents had escaped the war, we faced a different conflict in acclimation. My dad struggled to keep a job. We could barely afford rent, nevertheless see a doctor. For some people, â€Å"health disparities† can be described in terms of statistics and terms like â€Å"preventative care† and â€Å"optimizing accessibility†. For my family, â€Å"health disparities† was just a part of life in America. It was the uselessness I felt as I watched m y dad work 80 hours a week at several minimum wage jobs just so my brother and I could focus on school. It was the frustration I felt spending hours in vain researching ways to ease my mother’s pain as she suffered from years of untreated stomach ulcers. It was the worry I felt knowing that, despite ranking among the top 10% of students in my high school class, I still could not afford to go to college. In spite of everything, I am one of the lucky ones as I was able to fully fund my college education in scholarships and grants. I am lucky because these experiences taught meShow MoreRelatedEffects Of Racism1095 Words   |  5 Pagesnegative effects in the mental and physical public health of African-Americans, and yet are rarely discussed. Hiding or ignoring the impact of racism on public health disparities is not the same as fighting against them. It is allowing them to be repeated without consequence. The effects of structural racism can be detrimental to the education of children in certain neighborhoods and communities. Structural racism such as socioeconomic status, racialized police violence and health disparities give African-AmericansRead MoreRace And Race Relations : The Root Of Public Health Crises785 Words   |  4 PagesI would shy away from an in-depth conversation about race and race relations in social situations. I would participate in class, when studying race and health disparities, however when stepped out of the classroom and converse amongst my peers, I became more reserved. There’s something about asking those hard questions and discussing disparities as a result of oppressions and transgressions which made me uncomfortable to talk about race outside of the structured, politically-correct world of academiaRead MorePublic And Universal Healthcare System Essay1206 Words   |  5 Pageslack of health insurance coverage cause many Americans to choose to live without insurance to save money for everyday expenses beside healthc are. Without health insurance, people do not have access to quality healthcare. Most citizens are aware of the issues in the healthcare system, but the disagreement comes when discussing how the best approach on ameliorating the system. Some believe that a more public and universal healthcare system is the best approach. Others believe that America works bestRead MoreSocial Inequality And Educational Opportunity And Health1577 Words   |  7 Pageslived in their everyday life preferably thinking that there is no class stratification within America. They have thought that they no longer have those social classes that existed like a century ago (Ervin 7). Acknowledging the various social strata most often people prefer to ignore the disparity that is associated with them. Historically, social disparities relate to educational opportunity and health. However, a lot of improvements have been made in the social institutions and structures benefitingRead MoreDiversification Continues To Rise In The United States1626 Words   |  7 Pagesin poverty effects individual and population health. Additionally, health disparities are growing and impacting the health care field. Cultural competency and communication across language barriers are influential in producing quality care for socioeconomically challenged minorities. However, educational attainment and health literacy are the most influential factors for minorities’ well-being. Better quality of care for minorities ultimately results in an improvement in population health. Keywords:Read MoreWhere You Live Influences Health and Well-Being Essay1685 Words   |  7 PagesSocial science has proven that where you live can influence your health and well-being in either a positive or negative way. Living in poverty and growing up in a deprived neighbourhood has a direct link to various social problems such as a lack of employment opportunities, poor housing conditions, educational problems, lack of amenities, and not feeling safe in your neighbourhood. These disparities are especially prevalent amongst minority communities due to their lower socioeconomic status (CDC)Read MoreInequity: Ethnic and Racial Disparity in American Health Care1405 Words   |  6 Pagesdifferences (or disparities) rampant throughout our nation’s health care system. These disparities can sometimes indicate that there is unequal treatment of Americans in our nation. In 2002, The Institute of Medicine (IOM) published the leading report, Unequal Treatment: Confronting Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health Care. The report proved there is in-fact, racial and ethnic disparities in American health care, and amid the many health care services available. Disparities in health care are of-courseRead MoreThe Patient Protection Affordable Care Act Essay1476 Words   |  6 Pagesimproving outcomes and reducing cost. Health disparities in the U.S. range from HIV/ Aids to obesity. The minority population typically has a disproportional burden of the HIV/ Aids epidemic ( Wetle Scanlan 2013). Disparities in healthcare are among the lines of access to care, treatment, preventive measures, and medicine. Several research projects were used to examine how ones race, neighborhood, or social classes affect their quality of care, and health outcomes ( Wetle Scanlan , 2013). ItRead MoreEssay about Health Promotions Among Diverse Populations1555 Words   |  7 PagesRunning Header: Health Promotion Among Diverse Populations 1 Health Promotions among Diverse Populations Sheila S Erickson RN Grand Canyon University: NRS-429V-OL191 June 20, 2015 Health Promotions Among Diverse Populations 2 Marginalization of the Native American population is a result of colonialism; they were considered to be ignorant and hostiles by the â€Å"White† settlers, forced to live on reservations, lost their culture and values through assimilation and stripped of their rights in societyRead MoreAdvocating For A Diverse Patient. Nurses Faces Ethical1236 Words   |  5 Pagesthis paper is to discuss ethical dilemmas with the current state of population along with health disparities. In addition, the discussion of the pros and cons of the foundation of the Affordable Care Act and how it affects people culturally. Last of all; explain how social justice principles and rights of humans may reduce health disparities. Ethical dilemmas come in all shapes and forms. Ethics of health care comes down to the concept of doing no harm along with doing good for others. Yet, a nurse/doctor

Hundred years free essay sample

Hundred years BY A couple of hundred years ago, Benjamin Franklin shared with the world the secret of his success. Never leave that till tomorrow, he said, which you can do today. This is the man who discovered electricity. You think more people would listen to what he had to say. I dont know why we put things off, but if I had to guess, Id have to say it has a lot to do with fear. Fear of failure, fear of rejection, sometimes the fear is Just of making a decision, because what if youre wrong? What if youre making a mistake you cant undo? The early bird catches the worm. A stitch in time saves nine. He who hesitates is lost.We cant pretend we hadnt been told. Weve all heard the proverbs, heard the philosophers, heard our grandparents warning us about wasted time, heard the damn poets urging us to seize the day. We will write a custom essay sample on Hundred years or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Still sometimes we have to see for ourselves. We have to make our own mistakes. We have to learn our own lessons. We have to sweep todays possibility under tomorrows rug until we cant anymore. Until we finally understand for ourselves what Benjamin Franklin really meant. That knowing is better than wondering, that waking is better than sleeping, and even the biggest failure, even the worst, beat the hell out of never trying.Maybe were not supposed to be happy. Maybe gratitude has nothing to do with Joy. Maybe being grateful is recognizing what you have for what it is, appreciating small victories admiring the struggle It takes simply to be human. Maybe were thankful for the familiar things we know and maybe were thankful for the things we will never know. At the end of the day the fact that we have the courage to still be standing Is reason enough to celebrate. You know how when you were a little kid and you believed In fairy tales, that fantasy f what your life would be, white dress, prince charming who would carry you away to a castle on a hill.You would lie In bed at night and close your eyes and you had complete and utter faith. Santa , the Tooth Fairy, Prince Charming, they were so close you could taste them, but eventually you grow up, one day you open your eyes and the fairy tale disappears. Most people turn to the things and people they can trust. But the thing Is Its hard to let go of that fairy tale entirely cause almost everyone has that smallest bit of hope, of faith, that one day they will open their eyes ND It will come true Life Is not a spectator sport; win, lose or draw, the game Is In progress whether we wa nt It to be or not. So go ahead, argue with the reds, change the rules, cheat a little, take a break and tend to your wounds. But play hard, play fast, play loose and free; play as If no tomorrow. So, Its not whether you win or lose, Its how you play the game, right? Hesitates is lost. We cant pretend we hadnt been told. Weve all heard the proverbs, victories admiring the struggle it takes simply to be human. Maybe were thankful for know.At the end of the day the fact that we have the courage to still be standing is You know how when you were a little kid and you believed in fairy tales, that fantasy a castle on a hill. You would lie in bed at night and close your eyes and you had trust. But the thing is its hard to let go of that fairy tale entirely cause almost and it will come true Life is not a spectator sport; win, lose or draw, the game is in progress whether we want it to be or not.

Hard Times Utilitarianism Essay Example For Students

Hard Times: Utilitarianism Essay Quadruped. Graminivorous. Forty teeth, namely twenty-four grinders, four eye-teeth, and twelve incisive. Sheds coat in spring A perfect example of a product of utilitarian education, Bitzer defines a horse off the top of his head in a split second. Utilitarianism is the assumption that human beings act in a way that highlights their own self interest. It is based on factuality and leaves little room for imagination. Dickens provides three vivid examples of this utilitarian logic in Hard Times. The first; Mr. Thomas Gradgrind, one of the main characters in the book, was the principal of a school in Coketown. He was a firm believer in utilitarianism and instilled this philosophy into the students at the school from a very young age, as well as his own children. Mr. Josiah Bounderby was also a practitioner of utilitarianism, but was more interested in the profit that stemmed from it. At the other end of the perspective, a group of circus members, who are the total opposite of utilitarians, are added by Dickens to provide a sharp contrast from the ideas of Mr. Bounderby and Mr. Gradgrind. Thomas Gradgrind Sr. , a father of five children, has lived his life by the book and never strayed from his philosophy that ife is nothing more than facts and statistics. He has successfully incorporated this belief into the school system of Coketown, and has tried his best to do so with his own children. The educators see children as easy targets just waiting to be filled with information. They did not consider, however, the childrens need for fiction, poetry, and other fine arts that are used to expand childrens minds, all of which are essential today in order to produce well-rounded human beings through the educational process. One has to wonder how different the story would be if Gradgrind did not run the school. The first time Sally was sent into town for salt. She had to wait till the guard left his post and then she set out for the town. On her way back she drifted from her original task and lost track of time. When she returned to the farm the guard was back at his post. Immediately he noticed she was missing, and when he spotted her returning he yelled for her to turn her back to him. As she turned she heard the guard cock his rifle, like an angle from the sky Gogacz swiftly pushed the rifle skyward and explained that the girl had been sent to town for salt. Gogacz and Sally were lucky both of them were not shot right there. Gogacz saved Sally yet but another time, but Sally writes that is another story.

The Portuguese Social Security System

Introduction Just like any other part of the world, Portugal has a well-established social security system, which many of her people depend on for their welfare. Like in the US, social security system in Portugal covers a wide range of programs. Some of these programs include retirement pension scheme that covers employees from both public and private sectors, social assistance program that includes benefits for the unemployed and their dependencies among other programs.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on The Portuguese Financial Sustainability of Social Security System specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The social security system in Portugal experiences problems such as non-contributory coverage, dealing with many survivors and disability beneficiaries (Barrows 25). Generally, the system experiences a problem of dealing with large number of people requiring assistance – an unrelenting problem that see ms to affect many of the social security systems across the world. Large proportion of inflow comes from PAYE funds, as it is the case of the United States. Taxes from the payroll can be termed as the backbone of the Portuguese social security system; however, there is a problem based on ‘baby boomers’ experience. After Second World War, populations across Europe blossomed and such large populations joined the social security systems, which also thrived. However, as the ‘baby boomers’ generation approaches retirement, the current working population is smaller and cannot sustain the current social security system, firmly established by the ‘baby boomers.’ Moreover, many contributors do not see any positive relationship between what they contribute and what they get at the end of the day. Indeed, according to many employees, the taxes reduce their private savings and disposable income and hence the capital formation. This paper will analyze finan cial sustainability of the Portuguese social security system mainly by comparing the revenue contributed and the cost required to maintain it. The research will use secondary data to analyze the trend of income and expenditures of the system for a period of fifty years from 1999 and 2050. Background Literature Social security system in Portugal comprises of three components; family allowances benefit systems and social welfare allowances for citizens. The allowance component compensates citizens when their earnings decline due to the following reasons; unemployment, sickness, disability, death, old age, and work accidents just to mention a few. Employees, both self-employed and the employed, benefit from this system. Non-working and unemployed individuals however, have the right to subscribe if they so wish. For one to enjoy the benefits of social security system, he/she must meet two conditions. First, one must register and secondly, the individual must meet his/her monthly contrib utions just like the employed.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Though the Portuguese social security system has improved over the years, it continues to face many problems. Financial instability is the major problem. Those people who contribute each month to the social security system suspect misappropriation of these funds; hence, they do not get the expected benefits from this scheme. Many employees would therefore prefer some structural reforms in the system for it to meet their needs effectively. Portugal needs to change her current scheme of ‘pay as go used go’ and adopt a capitalization system. In this type of system, every employee has his or her own account where all the contributions made goes into this personal account. When the employee attains the age of retirement, then he or she can withdraw all the money deposited in the personal account. This will help to address dissatisfaction by many employees who question the efficiency of the current system. As Barrow claims, capitalization regime will ensure direct relationship between the benefits and contribution. This will eliminate the perception that the contribution to the social security system is just as tax deducted on the labor income (26). Capitalization regime will ensure that there is no sharing of the social security system’s funds from one single pool. Every employee will sustain his or her pool and in case of anything, he/she will withdraw the money from the personal account. Failure to do that will perpetuate the worsening the financial position of the system as more and more beneficiaries depend on insufficient funds contributed by just a small proportion of the population now and in future. As Pereira da Silva, Calado, and Maria put it, there is a looming financial problem facing the social security system in Portugal; the government needs to address it urgently before it gets out of hand (418). There is a large gap between the benefits and the declining rate of contribution and subscriptions. The active population does not benefit from their huge contributions to the social security system. The founders of the Social security trust fund in 1995 aimed to reinforce the social security system, but this has not solved the problem of financial instability. The government also introduced partial capitalization program in 1989 in which it invested the contributed funds in the different ways such as in financial markets. This also aimed to stabilize the financial status of this system. The returns from these investments would cater for future raise in costs. According to Pereira da Silva, Calado and Maria these stabilization funds created by the government are not in a position to counter the financial challenges facing the system and therefore it ought not to be the focus of the stakeholders (418). As mentioned earlier in the researc h, it is not Portugal alone whose social security systems are facing challenges. Yasar argues that social security systems in US also face the same challenges. Economists attribute the US challenges to the increased number of baby boomers attaining the age of retirement (843).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on The Portuguese Financial Sustainability of Social Security System specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Currently the debate is going on in US among the reformers and other groups over the appropriate reforms in the social security system to meet the raising demand of beneficiaries. Reformists are advocating for the change of the system and adoption of a fully funded retirement plan with clear definitions. Other groups are arguing that demographic problems, which justify the privatization of the system, are wrong. Irrespective of which group is right, the fact remains that there is a challenge in the soc ial security system in US which may even become worse in the future as more and more people attain the age of retirement. Puckett argues that managing social security system is a challenge not only for today but also for yesterday and tomorrow (25).Thus even as we analyze the case of the Portuguese social security system it is important that we have it in mind that these systems are facing challenges in all the parts of the world. Data To analyze the financial sustainability of the social security system in Portugal, this study will use secondary sources of data mainly from the international association for the study of insurance economics 2004 among other sources. This study chose these sources of the data for various reasons, which include; first, the sources are reliable and thus provide reliable data for valid conclusion. Secondly, this data is very relevant to the topic of the study since it provide all the required information about the Portuguese social security system. Data about the contributions and distribution of benefits in this social security system is very relevant to this study, which these sources adequately provide. This data will make it easy to analyze financial sustainability of the Portuguese social security system by comparing the rate of growth of revenue collected from the citizens and growth rate of the fund’s beneficiaries. The data clearly portrays the gap between the rate of fund’s growth and cost rate for easier comparisons. The data also compare the difference between synthetic cost and income rate, which helps to predict the future of this social security system. The data also helps to show the projected accumulated funds as well as the growth trend for the next forty or so years. This will help to show or measure whether this system will become more sustainable or less sustainable in future. In addition, this data will help to show the account of the social security benefits to the current and future’s GDP of Portugal. All this will assist in coming up with a valid conclusion in this research. Research analysis From the various tables given in this research, it is possible to observe the trend of social security system in Portugal. To start with, Table 1 shows the comparison of rate of revenue and rate of cost from 1999 to 2050. From this table, we can observe the following; accumulated asset funds will attain their maximum level by 2012 where the rate of revenue growth will be approximately 0.285 per cent.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The rate of revenue has been growing consistently from 1999 though by a small margin until 2012 when it reaches the maximum point. Thereafter the growth rate of revenue starts to decline from maximum level attained in 2012 to about 0.26 percent by the year 2020. This trend remains constant for the next 30 years; table predicts the same rate of revenue growth by 2050. Contrary to growth rate of revenue, the cost rate grows steadily throughout the research period and there is no record of decline in growth. The growth in cost rate in 1999 is 0.24 per cent and continues to grow consistently year after another until it reaches a maximum level of 0.36 percent by 2050. The current growth rate of revenue is 0.34 percent, which is a large increase from 0.24 percent in 1999. This rate does not fluctuate much in the next forty years since the projected growth in the rate of cost by 2050 is 0.36 per cent. Again, this table notes the trend in differences of cost and revenue. From 1999 to 2005, the rate of growth in revenue exceeds the rate of growth in cost. This means that during this period, the rate of growth of contributions collected in the system was less that the number of beneficiaries. However, from 2008 onward, the rate of growth of cost is more than the rate of growth of revenue. This means that the rate of growth of beneficiaries of the social security funds is exceeding the rate of contribution. This may lead to financial problems in the system. Results explanation The data portrayed in this table shows a move from equilibrium to disequilibrium since 2008. There is acute imbalance between the growth rate of contributions and beneficiaries of the social security funds. The data shows that before 2008, the system was sustainable and it could support all the beneficiaries since there was more revenue than cost. When the beneficiaries started to exceed the contributors in 2008, the financial however instability started. Though the country never experienced popula tion boom like other countries, which had participated in the Second World War, the number of children born after the war were many. This generation started attaining the age of retirement in 2010. Predictions show that this trend is likely to remain for the next ten years. This has already started exerting pressure to the social security system funds since the amount going out is more than the amount coming in. The subscriptions and contributions have already started to decline as more and more members continue to retire. By 2025, economists expect that the benefits of the funds will not be enough to cover all the benefits, management and the administration costs. Further projections show that by 2050 this deficit may reach to about 38.5 per cent. This will be equivalent to about 2.25 percent of the country’s total GDP. This means that to minimize this deficit, there is need for some action to close the gap between the rate of revenue and costs. Two options are possible, eit her to increase the rate of contributions or decrease the rate of expenditures. The government may reduce the rate of expenditure by 0.7 percent or increase contribution rate by 10 per cent in order to attain equilibrium by 2050. These two options are possible but not easy especially on the side of the government. For instance, to increase the rate of contribution, government will need to improve its efficiency in recruiting and collecting more contributions from the citizens or coming up with a legal provision that will raise the amount contributed by each member. The latter will have an opportunity cost to the economy in terms of savings and investments. The government may also consider implementing the two methods simultaneously to increase the amount of contribution to the social security system. The second option of reducing the expenditure by 0.7 percent will also be costly to the government and the citizens. Lowering the benefits may result into suffering of some people. Memb ers of the social security schemes may not get the expected amount after retirement even after dedicating themselves to contribute during their working days due to shortage of the funds. The system may not be able to finance fully some cases such as accident, sickness, and maternity of the active contributors due to this policy. This option will also have some consequences, which may be too costly to the members and the government. Further analysis Table 2 compares the rate of fund’s growth with the ratio of the fund. The rate of fund’s growth reaches the maximum point in 2005 and starts to decline consistently until it reaches the lowest point in 2020 where it shows a negative growth. From there the growth rate remains constant at 0 percent showing no growth in the next thirty years up to 2050. The ratio of the fund grows consistently until it reaches a maximum in 2011. It then starts to decline until it reaches 0 percent in 2035. The high rate of unemployment is the attribute to the decline of the growth rate of fund. Increased number of employees who are retiring can also lead to low contribution rate. At the beginning, the fund ratio is high since the number of people remitting their contribution is increasing but later the trend decrease as more people reach their age of retirement. Table 3 compares the rate of growth of synthetic effective income and synthetic effective cost. Synthetic effective income increases steadily until it reaches a point where it starts to decline. It manifests the highest rate in 2040 and thereafter it starts to decline. The rate of synthetic effective cost increases steadily and reaches the maximum (30 percent) by 2050. The difference between the two rates decrease from positive side and then start to increase steadily on the negative side. Effective income rate shows â€Å"taxable payroll to the income ratio and it will increase so long as the income of the employee is increasing† (Puckett 76). As a result , the rate increases despite the cost increase. The effective rate of cost shows the ratio of taxable payroll to expenditure and continues to increase steadily so long as the expenditures are increasing. The differences between the two rates change due to fluctuating income and expenditure for the entire research period. Summary and conclusion From this study, it is evident that the current social security system in Portugal is not sustainable. The analysis of the data shows that by 2050, the deficit in the system will have risen to 38.5 percent, a significant proportion of the total GDP of Portugal. The gap between the growth rate of revenue contributed and the cost demanded from the funds has continued to increase over the years and projections show its increase in future. This condition may be attributed to high rate of retirement as large proportion of the population, which was born after Second World War, currently attain the age of retirement. Other factors such as high rate o f unemployment have contributed to this problem; there are few people joining the system to increase the revenue collection. The government has come up with various programs to address the problem; however, the outcome is of little significance. Initiatives such as investing the contributed funds in various ways have not helped much in addressing the problem. To address the problem, the government may either look for ways to increase the contributions such as recruiting more members and increasing the rate of contribution per member or coming up with ways to reduce the expenditure of the social security system. The two options are not easy for the government given that they have their opportunity costs in terms of saving and investment. However, an urgent action is necessary to prevent the situation from deteriorating in future; actually if unchecked, the situation will degenerate into a crisis and the retiring will go home uncompensated as the system crumbles under the weight unsus tainable demands due to poor policymaking. Nevertheless, a swift well-planned and executed strategy will ensure that the social security system in Portugal is sustainable for now and in future. Works Cited Barrows, Jen. â€Å"Portugal’s Social Security System: The Efficacy of Reforms.† Yale Economic Review 6.1 (2010): 25-27. Print. Pereira da Silva, Carlos, Calado, Joao, and Maria, Teresa.â€Å"The Financial Sustainability of the Portuguese Social Security System.† Geneva Papers on Risk Insurance – Issues Practice 29.3 (2004): 417-439. Print. Puckett, Carolyn. â€Å"Administering social security: challenges yesterday and today.† Social Security Bulletin, 70.3 (2010): 27-78. Print. Yasar, Yavuz. â€Å"It’s the Prices, Stupid: The Underlying Problems of the U.S. Social Security System.† Journal of Economic Issues (M.E. Sharpe Inc.) 43.4 (2009): 843-865. Print. This research paper on The Portuguese Financial Sustainability of Social Security System was written and submitted by user Heaven H. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Its all in the family essays

Its all in the family essays A part of family structure is family dynamics, which together create a family unit. Family, by dictionary definition, means the parents and children alone; the children as distinguished from the parents. This reveals how the relationships within the family are important. It is the Parents and Children alone and how they interact that can exhibit a family tie. When a parent and child connect, it starts a thread in the bracelet of that certain family, and, depending on how many bonds there are in the family, shows how tightly woven that bracelet is. The bonds hold the family together. The novel, Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen, illustrates a family in which the members tend to have small bonds with those that are similar to them. My family, on the other hand, demonstrates the opposite, where the differences bring members together to form more secured bonds. A weakness in a family is the difference between parents and it is the most tremendous feebleness when it comes to the point where everything that is being said has a second meaning. When the reader first opens the novel, he/she reads a dialogue between Mrs. Bennet and Mr. Bennet. It is a typical dialogue for the Bennets. There is so much confutation that the reader knows from that point on that the Bennet's relationship is no "great" relationship. Since Mrs. Bennet is a phony, claustrophobic, sheltered woman, and Mr. Bennet is a funny, sarcastic, realistic man, the two tend to disagree a lot. Mrs. Bennet believes she is perfectly sane and that the most important thing is to have her children married off well. Although, Mr. Bennet sees it as a huge joke and believes the girls should marry whom they want and should spend their time doing what they please. Even on the first page of the entire novel Mrs. Bennet is over excited about Bingley's arrival; "OH! Single, my dear, to be sur e! A single man of good fortune; four ...

Financial Mnangement (Lindt and Sprungli. Zetar plc companies) Term Paper

Financial Mnangement (Lindt and Sprungli. Zetar plc companies) - Term Paper Example The overview is followed by a comparison of the financial performance of both the company. The financial performance of the company is analyzed by using different measures such as the ratio analysis technique and the comparison of the revenues and the profits of both the organizations. The value of Zetar plc is calculated so as to assess whether Zetar plc can be considered for acquisition purposes by Lindt and Sprungli. This valuation is performed using different methods such as the P/E ratio and the market capitalization concept. Finally, the valuation is used along with other arguments to suggest that the company is worth acquiring. This is further displayed by indicating the different advantages and the disadvantages that the merger/acquisition can bring. Both the advantages and the disadvantages are weighed before the final decision is given. Company Background and Overview Lindt and Sprungli is a group of confectionary company which is globally known for its high quality chocolate production. The company’s head quarter is based in Kilchberg, Switzerland. Lindt and Sprungli, more commonly known as Lindt is considered to be a global market leader with respect to the production of chocolates, its products are highly appreciated by people around the globe. The main markets that Lindt focuses on are highlighted below with respect to their Sales North America (28.3%) Germany (17.5%) Switzerland (12.7%) France (12.5%) Italy (11.5%) Great Britain (5%) Lindt’s success has been attributed to its long term strategy. The company’s focus and its main strategy revolves around its seven pillars; brand management, premium positioning, better bondage with customers, Innovation, marketing expertise, understandability of products and the company’s hunger for expansion. All these seven pillars are deemed to be the Critical Success Factors for t he company and it is because of these long term strategies that the company gave an outstanding performance during an era of economic downturn (Lindt and Sprungli, 2010). â€Å"Zetar is a leading manufacturer of confectionery and natural snacks with a reputation for quality and product innovation† (Zetar Plc, 2011). Zetar plc is known for its good quality chocolate within the United Kingdom. The company’s main target markets are the children and for that reason they produce chocolates which appeal to children mostly. The company was incorporated on 8 December 2004 but its main business started in the year 2005. Zetar plc comprises of two groups, Confectionary Division and the Natural snack division. The confectionary division covers the production of chocolate which is later sold within the UK and other export markets such as Australia, China and Ireland. The natural snack division, on the other hand, manufactures and processes a wide range of nuts and dried fruits whi ch are later sold within the UK market only. The natural snack division’s only market is deemed to be the UK market only. Zetar plc has developed a strong relationship with all the UK food retailers and it can be said that the company