Pension scheme Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Pension scheme - Essay Example 212). There are several factors that determine the amount of money that each retiree receives. This means that the fact that the defined benefit pension scheme promotes the payment of fixed amount of money every month does not mean that all organizations agree to pay a fixed amount of money to all their employees. Even within the same organization, not all employees receive the same amount of money. The actual contract of fixed amount payment is therefore between the employer and each employee; rather than between the employer and all members on the staff. To create a difference between how much each employee would take upon retirement, there are a number of mechanisms used to calculate the monthly. The commonly procedure is for employers to multiply the number of years each employee worked by a constant pound value (Diamond and James, 1985, p.12). For example an employee may choose to multiple the number of years by ?120. In this case, an employee who worked for 20 years will receiv e 20 x 120 which is equal to 2400 every month. Defined Contribution Pension Scheme Unlike the defined benefit pension, the defined contribution pension scheme does not guarantee a fixed monthly amount of money. Somehow, the name of this scheme, which is defined contribution, explains the technique behind this scheme and that is, an employee would receive a certain amount of money based on certain contribution made. This calls for the setting up of a fund, such as a pension fund. The employer agrees to pay a certain amount of money into the fund each year. In some jurisdictions, the employee is also free make similar contributions into the fund. The amount of money that the employee would receive each month upon retiring therefore depends on the amount of income that the accumulated money in the fund can generate. A very special feature that defined contribution pension plan possesses is that the recipient of the benefit is also entitled to any investments that the fund that was set can generate. For instance if the fund was invested into a mortgage, the amount of interest that the mortgage investment generates also becomes part of the calculation when determining how much the retiree will receive at the end of each month after retiring. This therefore leaves employers who want to use this pension scheme as a source of motivation for their employees to look for highly beneficial investment funds that can guarantee their employers much revenue for selection. In the absence of such an investment fund, the only amount that the employee can be assured of would be the accumulated contribution made by the employer or by both the employer and the employee (Amoroso, 2003). Comparison between two types from perspective of members of the pension scheme Primarily, members of the pension scheme are made up of employers and employees. In the sight of each of these people, are there a number of factors that they would consider in either agreeing to go for defined benefit pen sion plan or defined contribution pension plan. Most commonly, the outstanding feature that these two people look at is what is referred to as market risk. Chuck (2012) notes that â€Å"market risk is the risk associated with changes in the value of the investments in the plan.† Technically, both types of pension plans are special forms of investments where by in the defined benefit p

The Impact of the Institute of Medicine Report Essay Example for Free

The Impact of the Institute of Medicine Report Essay The impact of The Institute of Medicine Report (IOM) 2010 has a major influence on nursing education. The first issue addressed in the report is an increased emphasis on public and community nursing. In the past, only nurses holding a bachelors degree were experienced and trained in community and public health, and the IOM wants to change that. One particular area of change is that now associate degree nurses are being trained in these areas in order be able to transition into these fields more smoothly and directly from nursing school. Another area that is addressed in this report is to increase the number of BSN degree nurses to 80% of all nurses by the year 2020. There are many reasons that this would benefit nurses and patients alike. Overall, nurses with higher degrees have a stronger foundation in their knowledge. Also, studies have also shown that they adapt to changes in the ever changing healthcare system, much better. A number of hospitals, especially teaching hospitals, prefer BSN to ADN. Teaching hospitals have a goal of at least 90% of their nursing staff to be bachelor degree nurses. Thus, more education will only help a nurse to obtain and retain employment and give him/her the tools needed to more capably care for their patients. The American Association of Nurses stated, The need to increase the number of BSN prepared nurses will deliver safer and more effective care. As the baby-boomers get older and sicker, the care that nurses offer is becoming more complex, thus requiring nurses to have excellent critical thinking skills, in hospitals and clinics alike. However, in order for more nurses to become bachelorette licensed, a number of things must take place. First, nurses need to step up to the plate and take the initiative to go back to school and continue their education. Secondly, employers need to make continuing education 2 ore appealing to theiremployees, possibly by offering higher tuition reimbursement, incentives for obtaining a BSN, and onsite classes. Therefore, in my opinion, nurses that have a higher education, will also have a broader range of skills, such as; more comprehensive critical thinking skills, leadership skills, management experience, and research tools. Ultimately, it is up to each and every nurse, to make the choice to apply themselves, and go after a higher education. The next area of great concern is the nurses role as a leader. Improved and concise leadership will be a necessity, in order to fulfill the growing number and needs of patients, and the ever changing healthcare system. According to the IOM report, Strong leadership is required, to realize the vision of a transformed health care system. This can be achieved by a close evaluation of the system as a whole, and looking at nursing specifically. Also, ongoing reform of the healthcare and nursing system will need to be a priority. Advocacy from nurses and organizations alike is a key factor in making this work. Lastly, implementing the above area is critical to making the entire program work as a whole. Another area that holds priority in nurses as leaders is research. Research is a very important part of leadership, in relation to research that is applied to practice and policies. This can be done with reform and experience, and needs to be developed and shaped by nurses with years of experience, and by nurses that belong to committees and advocacy groups that have strong beliefs in changing nursing and the healthcare system for the better. One other area that needs to be addressed in order for nurses to become strong leaders is competencies. First, the entire multi-disciplinary team of nurses, 3 doctors, pharmacy, physical therapy, etc. , need to work together as a true team and collaborate for the patients’ best interest, best outcome, and overall health. This can be achieved, according to the American association of colleges of nursing, by having a generalized set, as well as a distinct set, of competencies. Having generalized competencies will be helpful in creating a strong foundation for all nurses to have the same basic skills. The distinct set of competencies will be more geared towards specific areas of nursing in order for nurses to be experts in their specific field of nursing. In conclusion, leadership in nursing can be achieved by evaluating the nursing practice as a whole and by making changes when necessary. Also, nurses continuing to be on the frontline of research is key to maintaining leadership. Lastly, by making sure that nurses collaborate well within the multidisciplinary team, in order to provide the best patient care possible. The last area that needs to be addressed is the portion of the IOM report that discusses the impact of nursing practice, particularly primary care. The American Association of Colleges of Nurses defines standards of practice as an outline to better guide nurses skills, judgment, knowledge, and attitudes, in order for nurses to practice cautiously and safely. (AACN 2010). Therefore we as nurses need to maintain the high level of practice that we took an oath to, upon graduating nursing school. One of the first areas that nurses can be invaluable in the community and in primary care is to be an advocate for education related to diseases and the disease process. By educating our patients upon discharge, at a level that they fully understand, will help the patient to be healthier, feel better, live longer, and prevent hospital re-admission. By educating our patients about chronic diseases such as congestive heart failure and diabetes, our patients will benefit overall and the hospital will also be able to decrease the number of re-admissions. I believe that each and every patient that becomes admitted to a hospital, nursing home, rehab, or any other facility, deserves individualized care, that is specific to them and them alone, not the cookie-cutter approach so many of us nurses have become accustomed to in the years we have worked in these settings. I will work to change and improve my nursing practice to meet the IOM’s requirements by refining my patient education. I plan to accomplish this by meeting with my manager to implement a new and improved discharge education plan that will be specific to each patients needs and at a level that my patients can comprehend. In conclusion, I believe that The Institute of Medicine Report (IOM) 2010 is a well written and well thought out, report that needs to be achieved in order for our patients to receive the best possible nursing care available to them, and for nurses to be able to practice to their full potential. The biggest barrier in the above mentioned areas of change; education, leadership, and nursing practice, is government regulation. Education requirements vary from state to state and even from one nursing school to another. This needs to be rectified, and a general set of standards needs to be put into place for all states, in order for nurses graduating from nursing schools and going out into the workforce, to achieve these goals smoothly. Also, a general set of competencies needs to be agreed upon so that ADN nurses can seamlessly transition to a BSN degree. As for leadership, the same challenge faces each state as to what the definition of a nursing leader is. A clear and concise plan needs to be in place to promote nurses into leadership positions. Lastly, the federal trade commission, the board of nursing, congress, the AACN, and other advocates and committees, need to determine national standards for nursing education, nursing leadership and nursing scope of practice, and clear up the state by state regulatory differences.

Osteoprotegerin as Biomarker for Inflammatory Bowel Diseases

Osteoprotegerin as Biomarker for Inflammatory Bowel Diseases Osteoprotegerin: a novel faecal biomarker in paediatric inflammatory bowel diseases Abstract Background: Recently, Osteoprotegerin (OPG) has been identified as a faecal biological marker reflecting intestinal inflammation in inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). To maintain remission, it is important to prevent relapses, especially in paediatric IBD where failure to thrive is frequently seen. This study aims to identify the diagnostic and predictive value of faecal OPG in paediatric IBD management. Methods: Stool samples, disease activity index scores and inflammatory markers were recorded from children diagnosed with CD or UC during regular visits every three months. An enzyme-linked immunoassay was used to measure faecal OPG levels in these children. Introduction Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), both an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), are severe, chronic diseases affecting the gastrointestinal tract. CD occurs throughout the whole gut but is commonly seen near the ileum, whereas UC is mainly restricted to the colon. IBD deteriorates the intestinal mucosa and causes barrier disruption of the gut leading to abdominal pain, diarrhoea and rectal bleeding [1,2]. A worrisome increase in the world-wide IBD population, particularly in developed countries, has been seen over the past decades [10]. Therefore, early diagnosis and early treatment are important key factors in IBD management, especially in children where IBD causes failure to thrive and impairs growth and pubertal development [13]. Etiologically, our understanding of the etiopathogenesis in IBD is still not completely elucidated but our best hypothesis poses that inflammation of the intestinal mucosa is induced by the intestinal flora causing a deregulated immune response in both the innate and the adaptive immune system often in patients with predisposed genetic factors [14-18]. Currently, colonoscopy, albeit unpleasant, invasive and expensive, delineates mucosal inflammation and is the â€Å"gold standard† in diagnosing and monitoring IBD [11,12]. Consequently, many investigators conducted studies to inflammatory indicators trying to find less-invasive and more accessible ways of assessing gastrointestinal inflammation. Several indices have been developed and validated, however not any as sensitive and specific as colonoscopy [39,40]. Also, inflammatory markers such as C-reactive protein (CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) have been studied but do not differentiate among several other inflammatory diseases. [37,38]. Nowadays, non-invasive faecal markers are deemed promising in diagnosing and monitoring IBD since previous studies have shown non-invasive faecal markers to reflect intestinal inflammation and mucosal healing [42-45]. In intestinal inflammation, one of the inflammatory pathways is the Nuclear Factor (NF)- ÃŽ ºB pathway controlling inflammatory response and modulated by (pro)-inflammatory mediators such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-ÃŽ ±, interleukin (IL)-1 and osteoprotegerin (OPG) [19,20]. OPG or TNFRSF11B is a protein and member of the Tumour Necrosis Factor Receptor (TNFR) superfamily. OPG was first described in bone metabolism where it decreases bone-breakdown modulating the OPG/receptor activation of NF-ÃŽ ºB (RANK)/ RANK ligand (RANKL) pathway. In bone, RANK, which is expressed on osteoclast progenitor cells, binds RANKL and thereby inducing osteoclastogenesis. OPG, expressed by osteoblasts and acting as a decoy receptor for RANK, shows competitive binding with RANKL subsequently preventing a RANK-RANKL ligation and bone breakdown [24,25]. Since both RANKL and OPG are members of the TNFR-family and thus affecting several inflammatory mediators and cytokines (e.g. TNF-ÃŽ ±, IL-1, IL-8 and in terferon (IFN)-ÃŽ ³) the OPG/RANK/RANKL pathway also modulates inflammation. Moreover RANKL is synthesized by T-cells whereas OPG is produced by B-cells and dendritic cells (DC) indicating an even more evident role for both proteins in the immune system [26-29]. Although the exact role of OPG in inflammation is yet to be found, recently conducted studies clearly highlight a potential role for OPG as a non-invasive faecal marker in paediatric IBD. Several studies postulate OPG as a promising non-invasive faecal marker since OPG correlates positively with inflammation markers (e.g. C-reactive protein (CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR)) and IBD index scores [20,30-32]. Moreover, OPG levels decrease significantly after IBD treatment indicating less inflammation [32-34]. In addition, increased OPG levels were not only found in serum but also in intestinal mucosa and stool indicating a distinct role for OPG in intestinal inflammation [20,30-32,34,41]. The aim of this study is to describe levels of OPG with respect to disease state and whether OPG levels change over time while receiving treatment or on behalf of the relapse-remitting pattern of IBD. Furthermore we evaluate the diagnostic and predictive value of OPG as a non-invasive biological marker in paediatric IBD. Methods Patients All patients ( Disease assessment Assessment of patients’ disease activity was measured using the Paediatric Crohn’s Disease Activity Index (PCDAI) for CD patients or the Paediatric Ulcerative Colitis Activity Index (PUCAI) for patients diagnosed with UC. PCDAI scores comprise symptoms (e.g. abdominal pain), physical examination (e.g. peri-rectal disease) and blood results (haematocrit, ESR and albumin) whereas PUCAI scores are only based on subjective symptoms characterizing UC [7-9]. However, previous studies have indicated PCDAI as a poor indicator of intestinal inflammation since it is not correlating well with faecal biomarkers such as calprotectin, lactoferrin and S100A12 [3-5]. Therefore a modified PCDAI was developed and validated based on merely blood parameters (haematocrit, ESR and albumin) [6]. Eventually, both the PCDAI and the modified PCDAI were used for disease assessment in CD patients. CD or UC patients were classified as in remission/inactive, mild, moderate or severe disease state. When scoring a PCDAI12.5/17.5 [x1]or PUCAI score over 65 was classified as a severe disease [6-9]. Since the modified PCDAI only differentiates between an in remission/inactive and a severe form of CD, scores between 7.5 and 12.5/17.5 accounted for a mild/moderate disease state [6]. Subsequently, relapses were defined when patients changed from an inactive disease state to a mild, moderate or severe state or showed a ≠¥12.5 point/≠¥40 point increase in PCDAI score [9] or PUCAI score [7,8]respectively. On other hand, improvement was defined as a decrease in PCDAI score of ≠¥12.5 points [9] or a decrease in PUCAI score of ≠¥35 points [7]. [x2] Sample collection Eight stool samples per patient were collected over a period of 30 months as follows: stool samples were obtained every three months for the first year and then every 6 months for one and a half year. Stool samples were collected and immediately stored at 4 °C. After transporting the samples to the laboratory they were aliquoted and stored in a -80 °C freezer. Moreover, inflammation parameters (e.g. CRP, ESR, albumin, haematocrit, and platelet count), weight, length and Body Mass Index (BMI) were recorded during regular visits. As part of patients’ monitoring these visits took place every three months corresponding with collecting stool samples. Faecal extraction After removing stool samples from the freezer, a weighted amount of stool between 250 mg and 400 mg was added to an Eppendorf tube. Then, the same volume (between 250  µL and 400  µL) of buffered saline (PBS) containing 11  µg/mL aprotinin (Sigma), 2.5  µg/mL leupeptin hemisulfate (Sigma) and 0.5 mM 4-(2-aminoethyl) benzenesulfonyl fluoride (Sigma) was added creating a 1:1 ratio weight/volume. Next, samples were agitated on a vortex machine (Global Science, Auckland, NZ) for 30 seconds and homogenized on a suspension mixer (Gyrotory shaker model G2, New Brunswick Scientific Co, Edison, NJ, US) for 30 minutes. After centrifuging at 13,500g for 10 minutes on 22 °C supernatant was transferred to an Eppendorf tube and stored at -20 °C until analysis. ELISA OPG levels in stool samples were measured using a human OPG/TNFRSF11B ELISA-kit (RD Systems) following the manufactures’ instructions. We used this kit and protocol since it was successfully utilized by Nahidi et al [34]. First, 100  µL per well of capture antibody (mouse anti-human OPG with a working concentration of 2.0  µg/mL in a PBS-dilution) was added to a 96-well plate (Falcon, Corning NY, US) incubating overnight at room temperature. Then, the plate was washed three times with wash buffer (0.05% Tween 20 in PBS pH 7.2-7.4) and tapped dry on paper towel. Next, the plate was blocked by adding 300  µL per well of reagent diluent (1% bovine serum albumin (BSA) in PBS pH 7.2-7.4) incubating for 1 hour at room temperature. Meanwhile, 120  µL of faecal extraction and 120  µL of reagent diluent were added to an Eppendorf tube creating a final 1:2 working dilution of sample. After washing the plate, as aforementioned, 100  µL per well of diluted samples and standard s (recombinant human OPG) were added in duplicates incubating for 2 hours at room temperature. Next, the plate was washed and 100  µL per well of detection antibody (biotinylated goat anti-human OPG with a working concentration of 200ng/mL diluted in reagent diluent with 2% heat inactivated normal goat serum ) was added incubating for two hours at room temperature. Following, after washing, 100  µL per well of Streptavidin-Horseradish peroxidase (HRP) was added for 20 minutes at room temperature and protected against light using tin foil. After washing, 100  µL per well of substrate (H2O2 and Tetramethylbenzidine in a 1:1 dilution) was added for 20 minutes and protected against light. Hereafter 50  µL per well of Stop Solution (2M H2SO4) was added and optical density was immediately analysed using a 450 nm microplate reader (Spectramax 190, Molecular Devices, Sunnyvale, CA, USA). The lower detection limit of this assay was 250 pg/mL. Statistical analysis The obtained data from the microplate reader was calculated using Softmax Pro (version 5.3, October 1998; Molecular Devices, Sunnyvale, CA, USA). [x1]Either 12.5 or 17.5. Differs between articles [x2]Not sure if this is right but found this in other articles

The History and Evolution of the Juvenile Justice System Essay

The history of the juvenile justice system is a mixture of the criminal justice system, family court, child protective services, social services, orphanages, adoption and humanitarian growth. (Schmalleger, 2007) Where a child fit into the system would depend on the crime, family pedigree, financial standing, color and social status. Children of color would be treated harsher than whites, Indian children were treated worse than African American Children, and status was determined by the color of your skin. Children of color would be given a death sentence before a white child and those with financial means could buy a pardon or parole. (Hopkins, 2008) From America’s beginning we modeled our criminal codes and punishments after England’s. England did not make allowances for the age or maturity of an offender, punishments ranged from flogging, mutilation, branding, public humiliation (stockades), work houses, exile and other forms of torture and every person was subject to them no matter the age; we carried this tradition with us to the colonies. (Roberson, 2007) In the nineteenth century we began what I feel is more of a social services program that was in fact an attack on the poor but the juvenile system calls the child-saving movement. This movement focused on the dangerousness and immorality that was believed to go hand in hand with being underprivileged. The â€Å"House of Refuge† that were privately or community funded opened in New York in 1825; (Larry J. Siegel, 2008) it was believed to be a family environment but was in fact a work house and functioned much like the later industrial prisons (1890-193 5) that fell out of favor because of the economic impact on the U.S. economy. (Schmalleger, 2007)pg. 490) Americans were mu... ...ved January 2, 2011, from ExecutedToday.com: http://www.executedtoday.com/2008/12/20/1786-hannah-ocuish-age-12/ Larry J. Siegel, B. C. (2008). Juvenile Corrections. In B. C. Larry J. Siegel, Juvenile Delinquency The Core, third edition (pp. 336-368). Belmont: Thomson Wadsworth. Larry J. Siegel, B. C. (2008). The History and Development of Juvenile Justice. In B. C. Larry J. Siegel, Juvenile Delinquency The Core, third edition (pp. 259-283). Belmont: Thomson Wadsworth. National Orphan Train Complex. (n.d.). Frequently Asked Questions. Retrieved January 9, 2011, from National Orphan Train Complex: http://www.orphantraindepot.com/FrequentlyAskedQuestions.html Roberson, W. S. (2007). Procedures in the Justice System. Upper Saddle River: Pearson Prentice Hall. Schmalleger, F. (2007). Criminal Justice Today, ninth edition. Upper Saddle River: Pearson Prentice Hall.

Capital City Bank Case Analysis Essay

Capital City Bank (CCB) was a medium sized commercial bank owned by a small group of shareholders. Its total employee force numbered nearly 1,000 personnel. Because of the company’s poor performance in recent years, the owners decided to sell their equity to a group of new investors who felt that CCB could be turned around with more aggressive management. The transfer of ownership of the bank was followed by basic changes in bank strategy as well as changes in many key personnel, many of them at the top level. The basic changes implemented by the new management of CCB included a more active pursuit of foreign financing activities as well as a heightened emphasis on lending activities to large corporate accounts. To better implement these changes in basic strategy, CCB was reorganized. NEW ORGANIZATION The reorganization of the bank involved the creation of two new divisions, namely, the Corporate Banking Division and the Trust Division (See Exhibit A). The Corporate Banking Division was given the responsibility of marketing the different loans of the company to large domestic corporations, multinational corporations, as well as to the medium sized companies which had been the traditional clients of the bank. A wide range of credit lines were offered to these accounts such as Direct Advance Line, Import Letters of Credit, Export Bill Purchases Line, Export Packing Credit Line, Domestic Bills Purchase Line, and others. Mr. Vicente Torres, a new recruit from a similar department in another bank in Metro Manila, headed this new division. The Trust Division was charged with undertaking trust services for individual and business clients. A major service assigned to this division was the Common Trust Fund. This involved the pooling of funds drawn from various participants, investing this fund in safe and high yielding investments, and  sharing the returns from the investments among the participants in proportion to the amounts contributed by each. The Trust Division was however to perform only the investment function. The marketing of this service to corporate and individual accounts was entrusted to the Branch Division. The latter also marketed the services of ten branches of the bank located around Metro Manila. THE DEPOSIT DRIVE As a corollary to aggressive selling the various lending and trust services of the CCB, bank management also decided to undertake an effort to increase savings and other deposits in the bank. A deposit drive was launched involving all the employees of the company. A set of rules was drawn up such that all departments and sections of the bank, regardless of whether they performed marketing functions or not, were given points for new deposits brought in to the bank. The drive was to last for six months and the winners would be awarded attractive prizes and bonuses. THE ORIENTAL ACCOUNT Towards the end of the year, one of the account officers of the Banking Division approached Oriental Company with an offer for working capital loan. Because Oriental had been banking with CCB for nearly a year, the account officer offered a P10 million working capital loan to Oriental at 18% rate of interest – at the time considered a â€Å"good† rate for favored accounts. Oriental considered to take advantage of the favorable interest rate offered and availed of the loan. Shortly thereafter, the Branch Marketing group decided to solicit the same account for the Common Trust Fund of the Trust Division. To attract Oriental to participate in the fund, they offered Oriental a 19% return for a P10 million 60-day placement with the Trust Division. The Finance Manager of Oriental was surprised at the disparity between the bank’s lending and deposit rates but decided to take advantage of the Branch Marketing Group’s offer by making the P10 million placement with the Trust Division. It was not until later in the year that Vicente Torres discovered the odd situation with Oriental. He called the manager of the Branch Marketing Group and asked â€Å"How could you allow your traders to offer a higher rate than our lending rate to Oriental? We not only lose money but we also look very foolish to our clients!† The Branch Marketing Group Manager replied that neither she nor her traders knew that the Banking Division had lent to Oriental at 18%. QUESTIONS: What were the causes of the â€Å"odd† situation in the case? THE NUMBER ONE CAUSE FOR THE â€Å"ODD† SITUATION IN THIS CASE IS THAT BRANCH MARKETING GROUP SOLICITED A CORPORATE ACCOUNT FOR A RETAIL ACCOUNT. IF THEY HAD WANTED TO OFFER THE PRODUCT COMMON TRUST FUND TO THE CLIENT, IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN COURSED THROUGH THE BANKING DIVISION WHO MAINLY TAKES CARE AND HANDLES CORPORATE CLIENTS. THE ERROR OCCURRED WHEN RETAIL BANKING SOLICITED A CORPORATE CLIENT. THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN REFERRED TO THE ACCOUNT OFFICER HANDLING THIS PARTICULAR CORPORATE CLIENT. What should CCB management do to avoid similar problems in the future? THERE SHOULD BE DELINEATION OF DEPARTMENTS AND THEIR SCOPE. RETAIL BANKING DIVISION WHICH IS PRIMARILY THE BRANCH, SHOULD NOT SOLICIT ACCOUNTS BEING HANDLED BY THE CORPORATE DIVISION (BANKING DIVISION). RETAIL BANKING DIVISION SHOULD CONCENTRATE PRIMARILY ON RETAIL CLIENTS EVEN IF A CORPORATE CLIENT HAS AN ACCOUNT IN THE BRANCH. CORPORATE CLIENTS ARE HANDLED BY ACCOUNT OFFICERS. A CIRCULAR/MEMO SHOULD BE ISSUED STRESSING THE HANDLING OF CORPORATE AND RETAIL CLIENTS. NEW ORGANIZATION OF CAPITAL CITY BANK

Gender Discriminations as Portrayed in Budd Schulberg’s “On the Waterfront” Essay

Literary forms reflect most of the time social conditions and scenario. This is because most writers have the gift of being sensitive to their surroundings. A lot of writers have already wrote about the pains of war, the stories of success, and criticisms about the existing flaws of the society. When narrating about war, writers never forget to touch the topic of patriotism. When it is a story of success that they want to write, they always incorporate the keys to success. However, when criticizing the society, most writers focus often on two themes: the struggles between the wealthy and the poor and gender discrimination. For example, in Budd Schulberg’s â€Å"On the Waterfront†, gender criticism is one of the compelling themes the author has presented and embedded in the story. However, unlike other gender-based novels, ‘On the Waterfront† does not mainly focus on one gender but tackles both criticisms pointing to males and females. The novel suggests that gender-defined roles damage both gender along with greed for power. Criticisms on Women In the society that Schulberg has created, the D and D society, women seem to be victims of double jeopardy. Here the women are being discriminated in two levels. First, they are abused as being women in general and second, they are abused by their own society led by Johnny Friendly. In the novel, women already experience household violence, specifically coming from their husbands or other members of the family. For example, Edie, has experienced to be limited by his own father. It could be remembered that Edie’s father wants her to continue pursuing college: â€Å"But Pop, I’ve seen things that I know are so wrong. Now how can I go back to school and keep my mind on†¦ on things that are just in books, that-that-that aren’t people living? † Although one way of empowering women is to educate them, it is more empowering for them to follow their own will and not be dictated by others. Edie’s decision to stay in Brooklyn to search the truth behind the death of his brother could be considered as more rewarding than to attain a degree in college. Her father, on the other hand, might not be aware of what he did. Nevertheless, his action could be considered an act of limiting the rights of women to think and act on their own. Criticisms Against Men Clearly, the novel shows more cases of criticisms and abuse against men than women. Unlike women, men in the D and D society are not victims of two-level criticisms. However, the abuse they experience seems to be as heavy as the abuse those of women. In their society, those who are in power mainly abduct their rights—the members of the mob-connected union, particularly their leader Johnny Friendly. The novel clearly shows how the rights of men to live and to speak the truth were violated. They are not simply hurt physically; they lose their lives once they go against the union. But Schulberg did not stop on that; he even explored the psychology of how men hurt each other’s feelings. For example, one of the biggest conflicts in the story is the dispute between siblings Terry and Charley: â€Å"You don’t understand. I coulda had class. I could have been a contender. I could have been somebody, instead of a bum, which is what I am, let’s face it. It was you, Charley. † (Shulberg p. 266) These lines from Terry clearly shows that it was indeed a hard life for people to live having dispute with their family. Greed for Power Aside from gender criticisms, another theme that is present in â€Å"On the Waterfront† deals with the greed for power. In the story, Schulberg clearly shows how man can become a monster just to achieve a power comparable to that of a god. This universal truth, in reality, also damage both gender. Being greed for power could push a person, regardless of gender, to commit actions that violate both the law and morality. In the novel, killing people and oppressing them just to remain in power is one vivid example. Johnny Friendly, together with other members of the union, is evidently guilty of it: â€Å"You want to know what’s wrong with our waterfront? It’s the love of a lousy buck. It’s making love of a buck— the cushy job— more important than the love of man! † (Schulberg p. 225). These lines from one of the characters in the novel is an attempt to verbalize the problem with the D and D society. People are so absorbed on how to gain power over other people. Thus, one effective way to do this is to gain an incredible amount of money. In summary, â€Å"On the Waterfront† tries to capture forms of abuse that are a result of greed and the need for power. The novel clearly shows, through the character of Johnny Friendly, how man can be blinded by his constant pursuit for money and power. Generally, it is the greed for wealth that a person could lose his sense of what is right and what is wrong. To dream of becoming rich is not a bad dream. It is in the nature of man to look for ways on how to improve himself and his condition. But when the dreamer let himself to be carried away by the grandiosity of wealth, the dream will suddenly turn into a nightmare. As a result, greed for money and power both damage men and women. Both are threats to the rights and freedom of people. Moreover, it is a stain of our society, Work Cited Schulberg, Budd. On the Waterfront. Pennsylvania: Continuum Intl Pub Group, 1985