In this 21st century, it is a pity that the human species will still continue to suffer from the problems of equity and equality. The issues are pegged on superiority, values characteristics or even criteria used to elevate other human beings from the others. Well, these two aspects have been defined in different ways as shown below.
Definition of the Differences between Equity and Equality
Equity
In most cases, it is seen as the state in which individuals enjoy more or less the same status within the society, in one respect or the other. This is evidenced through certain equality issues such as freedom of expression, freedom to vote, right to own property, and right to vote among other social privileges.
Others also attempt to incorporate the concept of equity in factors such as equal obligations and opportunities towards issues such as health care, access to basic amenities and education. In short, equity is used to refer to the absence of any kind of discrimination of caste/class hierarchy in the society (Brewer, 2006).
Equality
On the other hand, equality is seen to advocate for each individual to be treated fairly, regardless or his or her social economic, religious, sexual or gender orientation. It is centered toward sending issues of victimization, bullying, and harassment of any nature in the society or even the globe at large (Bannerji, 2000).
In essence, this whole debates of equality and equity rotate on the fact that both of them are closely intertwined, that is, the presence or lack of equity in a community will mean that equality can be very difficult to achieve in that particular community.
For example, if education is not equitably distributed to a particular race, gender, and state, then there may be less employment of people from that domain, thus, it be can concluded that there is no equality in job distribution. Therefore, the entire human race, especially this current generation should come together and wage a war to end the above social injustice (Brewer, 2006).
Equity-Construct
The concept of equity construct can be analyzed in terms of race, and how it has persistently continued to hinder some groups of people from attaining their goals in life. The problem of racism has been a big obstacle towards having a society with well developed skills through education.
Consequently, this has denied the United States chance to give other world economies a run for their money, in terms of human resource production. Indeed, today, the United States is experiencing the impact of having a segregative curriculum in the name of transmission-oriented that basically gave the colored students and other poor students just the basic education at the expense of the rich and white children who were accorded a more thinking-oriented curriculum in their reserved schools (Brewer, 2006).
My personal experience is based on a story of grief to the colored race in the United States, that is, the long history of racism that denied the parents and grand parents of the colored and poor people access to education mean that some sort of injustice is being exercised, in case we put these students together in the same class rooms. There are chances that the student whose parents never had proper education might not be so much interested in learning as they would lack the critical exposure to written words (Bannerji, 2000).
As we all know, the manner in which the government has continued to allocate resources towards education has been on a downward trend, that is, statistics indicate that as early as 1979, the government could take care of around 77% of the total college fees of the student (Brewer, 2006).
However, in the last three decades we have witnessed these percentages drop to 33% (Brewer, 2006). This would mean that the sons and daughters from poor families might end up in poverty because they do not have the chance to continue with their education (Bannerji, 2000).
The race factor in the education sector is also very instrumental when one attempts to explain the reason why we witness bursting prisons in the United States. Indeed, a closer look at what the New York Times termed as the prison nation, One would realize that the biggest inhabitants are the colored men and women who are the products of school drop outs (Brewer, 2006).
According to the global perspective, the United States of America is caught asleep by other countries, which are busy reviewing their education curriculum to meet the demands of the 21st century. In fact, these countries have continued to grant access to education to thousands of their inhabitants without any discrimination based on race. This can be used to explain the reason why the United States has lost ground from being the best, in terms of having the highest educated population down to the sixteenth position (McCarthy, 2005).
What the above attempts to explain is that the colored people form large population in the United States, and the numbers expected to continue increasing by 2025. Therefore, since they have not acquired education due racism, then the entire country will feel this effect. It is predicted that by 2018, the United States may fail to provide over seven million professionals from its borders to provide labor to different lines of profession (Bannerji, 2000).
Many people have argued that the reason why the United States is loosing ground as compared to other world economies is that these other countries tend to put more emphasis on heavy investment and resources that are channeled towards education while in the US the trend is downward. In addition, it is very important to note that equity when in resources allocation is highly emphasized. What happens in these countries is that more resources are channeled to schools with the neediest students (Bannerji, 2000).
The international student assessment (PISA) has been the latest proof of what race in the education sector can cause in the country. The assessment that was done in 2006, showed that the United States was struggling among the bottom ten nations.
A closer look at the statistics indicated that the poor performance was as a result of the very low mean score that the United States had, after combining the grades of the whites, Asians, and the African Americans. Therefore, it is easy to recognize the enormous role played by race towards the performance of the United States (McCarthy, 2005).
The greatest concern is the lagging trend of education achievement in the United States, that is, what was in the past could have been considered as a hub of democracy in attaining education, but it is on the contrary today.
Other countries in the world are doing very well today in terms of comparing the rate of graduation between the United States and them. It can be realized that the other countries are doing better. This can be explained that the other countries are putting a lot of resources towards the education of ancient minorities and recent immigrants into their country (Bannerji, 2000).
Shocking statistics indicate the magnitude of racism in the United States education sector. By 2005, it is only a small fraction of the African- America youths between the age bracket of 24 and 30 (McCarthy, 2005). In fact, only 17% had acquired their degree certificates (McCarthy, 2005).
They are then closely followed by the Hispanic youths who only 11% of the same age bracket had graduated from colleges (McCarthy, 2005). This slim percentage of educated elites among their community is not enough, and something more drastic to reduce this issue should be adopted.
The bitter truth of racism presented in the United States was put by McCarthys book (McCarthy, 2005 ). It is from this book where it has been argued that there was a clear cut line that existed between the sub-urban schools and the urban schools. The urban schools used almost twice the resources allocated to schools their counterparts in the suburbs.
For example, Goudy elementary school, which largely served the black continued to read books that dated back fifteen years old when the president of United States was still Richard Nixon, the impact of such under funding can prove to be very costly to the state when such schools ultimately produce half-backed intellectuals (Brewer, 2006 ).
From a very recent survey conducted across twenty states, there was a clear revelation (Brewer, 2006 ). Tangible resources that count from the size of class room to sanitation facilities to computers and even text books.
It was evidenced that among the schools, which served many students who were colored, there was considerably fewer of the above named resources as compared to those schools that had more of the white students. This can only mean one thing, performance among these schools can never be the same, thus putting the colored student vulnerable to school drop out (McCarthy, 2005).
The explanation above has been a detailed look at the state of affair in the United States of America today. As it stands, it can be concluded that a lot is still desired, that is, despite the many efforts that several individual states have attempted to introduce to stop this social injustice, the federal government would also need to provide framework, in terms of policies and legislations to assist in this matter (McCarthy, 2005).
Conclusion
In sum, I learnt that while the perpetuators of racism in education think that they are punishing the colored or making them appear inferior, then they are mistaken. I believe that people who are loosing the most are people from America, both whites and colored. What individuals are loosing more is their national pride and supremacy at the global level.
In fact, peace and security of the nation are at risk as the school drop outs tend to join criminal gangs and terrorize the community. Even if they are arrested, it is the taxpayers who continue to pay fore their upkeep in the prisons. Therefore, the nation can not continue this way, thus, individuals should advocate for an equitable and equal education for all.
As leaders, the main concern will be to lobby for learning and teaching systems, which accord each student the chance to have equal opportunity to good education. It is also important to put emphasis on the well being of both the teacher and student, regardless of their race tribe religion or gender. The curriculum will also be reviewed to meet the desires and demands of the 21st century.
References
Bannerji, H. (2000). The Dark Side of the Nation: Essays on Multiculturalism, Nationalism, And Gender. Toronto: Canadian Scholars Press.
Brewer, R. (2006). Theorizing Race, Class and Gender: The New Scholarship of Black Feminist Intellectuals and Black Womens Labour. New York, NY: Routledge.
McCarthy, C. (2005). Race, Identity, and Representation in Education (2nd Ed.). New York, NY: Routledge.
In order to examine such topic as equity in academic marker, a research can apply several strategies. The choice depends on the type of objective that the study has to achieve. For instance, if the key goal is to test a certain hypothesis, quantitative research methods will be more appropriate.
They help to identify the relationships between several variables such as impacts of gender or race on the compensation, paid to the educators, promotion opportunities, workload and so forth. Similar studies have already been conducted. For example, one can refer to the study by Paul Umbach (2006) who examined statistical data about the salaries of teachers and determined to what extent they are determined by gender.
If a researcher is interested in the affects on gender (independent variable) on equity in academic labor marker (dependent variable), he/she can choose statistical survey or structured interview as a method of data collection (Aanerud et al, 2007). It will be necessary to determine the sample size of the population. Furthermore, the sample has to be divided into two groups: male educators and female educators.
Each of the respondents will be asked the same questions about the number of working hours, monthly wages, and promotion opportunities. The researcher should also establish several control variables which remain unchanged during the study. They will be work experience, degree, and academic discipline (Umbach, 2006, p 187).
The researcher must maintain control over these variables because their essential for the validity of the findings. The respondents of the participants should be codified and later these data will be analyzed with the help of T-test and ANNOVA.
In this way, one can determine whether the relationship between the variables is statistically significant. Again, we need to say that quantitative design is more suitable in those cases, when a researcher need to test an assumption or a hypothesis.
Qualitative design
It is also possible to choose qualitative research methods in order to examine equity in academic market. Qualitative design is more appropriate in those cases, when a scholar intends to describe a certain social phenomenon in order to form assumption about a specific topic (Creswell, 2003, p 15).
Such approach has also been adopted by researchers. We can mention the study by Kennelly et al (1999) who attempted to identify the sources of inequality in academic labor market. The relied mostly on interviews and group discussions rather then statistical methods.
Under such circumstances, unstructured interview can be the most suitable a respondents will be asked a set of questions that would prompt them to express their views about the problem of inequality in academic labor market. It will be necessary to use open-ended question since they enable an interviewer to explain and expand his/her ideas.
They will need to describe those challenges which they face on a daily basis. Additionally, the respondents will need to describe the factors that affect equity. The major advantage of unstructured interview is that it enables the interviewer to clarify both questions and respondents of the participants. However, it has some limitations, especially the so-called interviewer effect.
This means that the subject can behave or respond differently in the presence of interviewer. While analyzing the responses of interviewees, the researcher has to single out the most common themes or issues. On the basis of these findings, a scholar will be able to form a hypothesis about the factors that impact equity in academic labor market. Later these assumptions should be verified with the help of quantitative research methods.
Mixed method design
The third framework is mixed method design which relies on the combined use of quantitative and qualitative research methods. This model is most suitable in those cases when a scholar has certain assumption about the problem of inequality in academic labor market. Under such circumstance he/she can use both unstructured interview and statistical survey.
The first tool will be based on open-ended questions, whereas the second will rely on Likert scale items. As in quantitative research it is necessary to single out a set of variables, for instance, the gender (independent variable) on the one hand and compensation, workload, organizational support, on the other. Quantitative methods will help to determine if there is statistically significant relationship between the variables.
In turn, qualitative techniques will enable him/her to better understand the opinions and concerns of those people who may suffer from inequality in the workplace. They will be asked about the influence of gender on the compensation received by a teacher, his/her workload, and promotion opportunities.
It is necessary to determine the sample size and divide it into two groups. Each of the subjects will need to respond to the same question during interview and a survey. The researcher has to ensure that unstructured interview and survey are consistent with another.
This consistency will become crucial when he/she will analyze the findings. The analysis of quantitative data has to identify the most widespread patterns in the opinions of the respondents, whereas the purpose of statistical analysis is to understand to what extent two variables are related with one another.
Reference List
Aanerud, R., Morrison, E., Homer, L., Rudd, E., Nerad, M., & Cerny, J. (2007). Widening the lens on gender and tenure: Looking beyond the academic labor market Johns Hopkins University Press. Web.
Creswell. J. (2003). Research design: qualitative, quantitative, and mixed method approaches. London: SAGE.
Glazer-Raymo. J. (2001). Shattering the Myths: Women in Academe. JHU Press.
Kennely I., Misra J., & Karides M. (1999). The Historical Context Of Gender, Race, & Class In The Academic Labor Market. Race Gender and Class, 6 (3), p 125-140.
Umbach. P. (2006). Gender Equity in the Academic Labor Market: An Analysis of Academic Disciplines. Research in Higher Education, 48, (2), pp 169-192.
Work equity is a major issue affecting most organizations around the world, regardless of whether they are public or private institutions. While everybody prefers being treated equally at workplace, there are numerous cases when employees are not treated with fairness, to a level of public concern.
Such cases have prompted the formulation of laws in different countries to deal with cases of unequal treatment especially in public organizations. Such laws define the manner in which workers are supposed to be treated, without favoritism in executing leadership or managerial authority (Peetz et al. 406).
This paper explores the issue of workplace equity, focusing on a wide-range of aspects like its background, benefits, disadvantages, and challenges among others.
Background
Workplace equity is a broad aspect of management, which ensures that there is fair representation of people in an organization. This therefore means that workplace equity can be described variedly, depending on parameters of representation.
In most cases, workplace equity strives to ensure that the minority groups are well-considered in all aspects of employment, starting with the manner in which employees are recruited to how they perform their duties (Peetz et al. 406). In order to comply with laws and create a positive public image, most institutions offer equal chances for men and women in cases where there are vacant positions to be occupied.
Even though this is the case, some countries may have cultural beliefs, which limit the opportunities of members of a particular gender. Under such circumstances, women are known to suffer most because nearly all societies limit the opportunities of women.
Besides gender, workplace equity ensures that people with disabilities are treated equally with dignity and respect, regardless of their physical situations. Since disabled people are limited, it is important for institutions to have a fair approach, starting with recruitment, training, remuneration, and overall relationship between employees and employers.
People with disabilities can compete effectively if they are provided with the physical aid that they may require (Anenson 1). This ensures that tasks assigned to them are well-done within the provided time. In other words, institutions have the obligation of providing facilities, which promote the effectiveness of disabled people with regard to hiring and performance of different tasks at workplace.
Another factor which determines workplace equity is race, especially in cases where the society is made up people from different ethnic backgrounds. In order for this to happen, it is important to consider potential candidates fairly during recruitment, training, and payment. Where equality is not observed, minority ethnic groups may be disadvantaged due to poor representation in different government institutions (Anenson 1).
While private organizations may have customized approaches, relating to the hiring of employees and their retention, public firms need to exercise high degree of fairness to the entire country. Although it is not easy for an entire institution to be fair to all employees in every aspect, it is the responsibility of senior managers to be the ambassadors of equity in all their decisions and actions at workplace.
Theory of equity
The issue of workplace equity has been discussed by various theorists and experts throughout history. Following such surveys and researches, John Stacey Adams proposed ideas, which have found significant application in the understanding of quality at workplace. In his theory, Adams mainly addressed the issue of equity in relation to motivation of employees in an organization.
His findings have been found to match with those of other psychologists like Charles Handy and Maslow among other experts in the field (Pravin 316). According to Adams, equity at workplace plays a major role in defining an employees attitude towards his or her work. In other words, the theory has a wider view of certain factors that are likely to affect the entire workforce, even though a few people might be directly affected.
This can be qualified based on the fact that fairness and equity are defined in comparison with how other employees are treated under the same working conditions. Furthermore, fair treatment motivates workers, because they feel appreciated for their efforts in advancing the aims and objectives of the organization (Pravin 316).
In describing workplace equity, Adams focused on what people give and receive in return as inputs and outputs respectively. Inputs may include skills and energy, which employees use in performing their tasks, assigned by the management of the organization (Pravin 316). Nevertheless, such efforts are not offered free-of-charge, especially in cases where a person has been hired to receive outputs after offering specified services.
In this context, it is equally important that to note that inputs go beyond the number of hours people spend at their workplaces. Similarly, outputs comprise of other factors beyond money, which is viewed by most people as the sole output.
The main focus of the theory is the state of those we compare ourselves with in order to establish whether they are treated fairly or not. According to the theory, there are several factors within a workplace, which determine the source of motivation for most people, working in any institution. It is for this reason that people tend to establish a balance between what is given and the reward received as a result of effort and skills.
Through comparison with others, people develop better relationships with friends and colleagues as a way of understanding personal fairness at workplace. Most people get affected when they realize that their workmates are being treated in a different manner (Pravin 316). The response is likely to be negative in cases where their colleagues are rewarded with better terms as compared to what they earn.
This can be used to understand why employees get discouraged when a section of the workforce is exempted from pay-rise or promotion. In understanding workplace equity, it is essential to note that people respond to unfair treatment at workplace differently, depending on the impact of varied treatment accorded to employees.
Discouragement and total hatred are common in cases where a person learns that the kind of rewards offered are less than those given to another group yet they belong to the same professional level (Pravin 316).
Workplace Equity in Canada
Workplace equity is highly encouraged in Canada, to ensure that nobody is treated unfairly for reasons, which are not related to ones ability. The success of equity starts with identifying various forms of discrimination in public institutions before addressing ways of overcoming them.
As mentioned before, women, Aboriginals, and those with disabilities are highly prone to unfair treatment while at work (Zanko 73). In order to promote workplace equity, it is important to establish a way of dealing with the vice and the ability to accommodate people with differences.
Canada is one of the countries with a proud history of workplace equity. In 1970s, the country witnessed wide-spread efforts in support of human rights law, which addressed intentional discrimination. During this time, most Canadians found it hard to secure employment because of existing barriers, which they had to deal with.
There was need for a proactive approach in promoting employment opportunities through change of practices and culture (Zanko 73). It was until 1978 that the government introduced an affirmative action for the private sector. Nevertheless, these efforts bore little fruits as it turned out that employers had not initiated programs to deal with workplace equity.
As a result, the Royal Commission on Equity in Employment was established, chaired by Judge Rosalie Abella. The commission recommended a mandatory program known as Employment Equity, which recognized women, Aboriginals, and disabled people as the designated groups in the country (Zanko 73).
The Employment Equity Act
The first Employment Equity Act was ratified in 1986 before it was amended in 1995. The main purpose of the act, which is upheld to-date, is to promote workplace equity in Canada through equal employment and promotion opportunities for all citizens (Catano 80).
In essence, the act ensures that there is full representation of the designated groups in public institutions, based on the needs of the market and the availability of those seeking employment.
In order for the act to be effectively implemented, employers are required to eliminate all forms of employment barriers against minorities, emanating from unauthorized practices and policies. Additionally, employers are supposed to make adjustments within their systems in order to reflect equal representation within the workforces based on eligibility, geography and qualifications (Catano 80).
Even though the sole purpose of establishing the Employment Equity Program is to improve the representation of designated groups in the labor force, it is worth noting that there are benefits, which employers experience as a result of implementing such programs. The following segment discusses some of these benefits.
Advantages of workplace equity to employers
The first benefit of promoting workplace equity is that it enhances large markets for goods and services. This is based on the fact that the success of any organization or business is based on its continuous expansion of its customer base (Bailyn 97).
The rise in globalization in the 21st century has led to a significant shift in demographic trends around the world. An institution, which is committed to expansion, ought to widen its scope of customers and employees in order to take advantage of the growing market. Large markets increase the demand for what is being produced thus creating the need for higher levels of institutional production.
Besides the expansion of a countrys market, workplace equity promotes an expanded labor pool to meet the needs of the country. For instance, when equal opportunities are given to all the citizens for specific positions, the government gets an opportunity to select the best candidates from a variety of applicants (Bailyn 100).
It is paramount to note that minorities in the society may also possess relevant skills, which could be needed in a given sector. However, their skills and knowledge can only be recognized if they are considered during recruitment and equal treatment at workplace.
A larger pool of talents ensures that the hiring institution gets a wide-range of options in order to meet the ever-changing needs of the market due to evolving technology and market trends.
Another important benefit of workplace equity is that it promotes good public relations. Institutions, which are known for unfair treatment of its employment, are likely to develop a negative public image, which may have far-reaching effects on its performance and future expansion opportunities (Cadrain 44).
In most cases, citizens are keen to identify with institutions, which seem to address existing employment hardships in the market by offering equal opportunities to potential candidates. As good corporate citizens, such institutions are likely to win the confidence and trust of its employees.
Since public institutions carry the image of the government, workplace equity further presents a positive and likeable image of the government.
Through such initiatives, citizens are able to witness the commitment of the government in promoting equity among people with different needs in the society (Cadrain 44). As a result, the public would be more patriotic and willing to defend their nation because of the equal opportunities it endeavors to offer within the labor market.
Furthermore, workplace equity guarantees better legal benefits, especially in countries where employers are required by law to consider all designated groups of people during hiring and at work. Institutions, which do not comply with the legal requirements, regarding equity, are likely to pay hefty fines or face the punishment recommended by the federal government, which may include sanctions and limited operating space (Budd 2).
When an institution remains committed to workplace equity, it means that there will be no complaints from employees and the public.
In addition, workplace equity promotes motivation among employees. In other words, they feel recognized by their employers and remain committed to performing their tasks effectively. Besides this, institutions are able to minimize retention costs since employees will be satisfied with working conditions (Budd 2).
For this reason, most of them will not have the urge to resign or seek better opportunities elsewhere. As a result, organizations minimize their turnover, thus avoiding unnecessary expenditure on hiring and training of new employees frequently.
Besides the retention of employees, workplace equity plays a major role in pulling qualified candidates who get attracted to the organization because of its fair treatment of employees. Talented people usually prefer working in places where they are treated with dignity regardless of their shortcomings.
Additionally, they value how their colleagues are treated, in order to establish the companys fairness in handling its employees (International Labor Organization 63). When talented people get attracted to an organization, high skilled manpower is guaranteed to drive the firms performance in a competitive world.
This further ensures that labor needs are met with minimal expenses, which are commonly incurred in advertising jobs, hiring, and training. Through such savings, a firm gets an allowance to expand its operations and improve its services without spending a lot of money.
Government Role in Workplace Equity
In understanding workplace equity, it is imperative to note that it can only be achieved with collective responsibility. In other words, it calls upon the input of the government, individual institutions, and citizens to ensure that employees are treated fairly. For instance, the governments role ranges from the formulation to the implementation of laws, which promote equity at workplaces in the country.
In essence, the government drafts laws, describing the need for workplace equity, designated groups, penalties for defaulters, and the implementation process (International Labor Organization 63). Without such initiatives by the government, it would be hard for institutions to promote equity at different workplaces.
Besides formulating laws, which govern workplace equity, the government is mandated to ensure that the laws are followed as stipulated in the act. In other words, no achievements would be realized if no mechanisms are instituted to enhance the implementation process (Zanko 73). In most cases, governments adopt compliance review, which allows institutions to present their progress in terms of workplace equity.
Similarly, follow-up compliance review may be undertaken as a way of assessing the efforts initiated by institutions in implementing workplace equity plans. Depending on the provisions of the law, compliance reviews can take place after a definite period of time, say, after every two years or randomly, to ensure that employers remain committed to complying with the law.
The government also plays a pivotal role in initiating reviews of the law, in order to address the changing needs of the labor market and the dynamic demographic patterns. Such reviews are important in addressing new issues and eliminating errors, which may have been witnessed during the implementation of the laws (Zanko 73).
Moreover, through its implementation, the government takes legal action against those who do not comply with the law through court decisions or fines as stipulated by the law. Such legal actions discourage other institutions from engaging in practices, which go against the law.
In addition, the government creates awareness among its citizens in order for them to understand their rights. Public education is therefore necessary in enlightening the public and the employers on the need of having a fair working environment. Through such forums, citizens also realize their responsibility in the overall process of implementing employment equity programs (Zanko 73).
Importantly, this education ensures that the public is aware of the designated groups of people, and how they ought to be represented at workplace. In essence, it would be hard for an employee to realize the unfairness of the manager if the rights of workers are not known. On the other hand, an enlightened citizen can easily evaluate the performance of an institution, depending on established parameters.
Workplace Equity Challenges
Whilst workplace equity has a wide range of advantages, it has been found that its implementation is faced with various challenges, which may vary from one institution or country to another. For instance, some institutions resist equity programs because they believe that the quality of people hired is likely to be compromised.
While this may be the case, it has been argued that the presence of a limited characterization of potential candidates further complicates the issue (Gottfried and Laura 256). In some cases, employers tend to ignore the immense role of employee diversity during recruitment and the manner in which the management relates with its employees.
When qualified candidates do not portray fair representation with regard to existing designated groups, it becomes hard for the institution to comply with employment regulations. This is also based on the fact that one cannot be forced to apply for a given job position, merely because he or she belongs to a minority group.
Another challenge emanates from the perception of most disadvantaged people who resist being considered in a special way because of their shortcomings. Others argue that such appointments and promotions are likely to promote stigma and discrimination against the minorities in the society (Gottfried and Laura 256).
Since disadvantaged people may have equal needs with other groups of people, there is usually a likelihood of people thinking in terms of favoritism. In this line of thought, promotions done within such a context may be considered to be biased.
Implementation of workplace equity challenges also face public and private organizations, some of which may have streamlined command structures. In particular, implementation of such programs highly require the input of senior managers, who have to be convinced exhaustively about the value of intended moves in advancing the agenda of the firm.
This has been found to be hard especially in organizations, which are characterized by decentralization and cultural diversity (International Labor Organization 63).
When the organization is highly diverse, a single policy on workplace equity may not be effective in promoting equal representation of designated groups of people. In some cases, professionals believe in their autonomy, a state, which cannot easily be changed by allowing disadvantaged people to join them.
Similarly, most equity efforts around the world face intersectional challenges. For instance, a program, which is aimed at increasing the number of women, may end up recruiting more white women than black (Peetz et al. 406). Furthermore, efforts to promote gender equity face a wide-range of challenges in cases where the workplaces are dominated by men, coming from traditional societies that undermine women.
In such a state, it might be hard to convince employees and other managers about the need for gender equality at workplace.
Nevertheless, religious diversity equally plays a major role in implementing workplace equity in most parts of the country. This is widely common in cases where faith intersects with sexuality, thus limiting fairness in handling employees. For instance, traditional religionists consider homosexuality and gender non-conformity as sinful and harmful.
In the event that a workplace is dominated by such employees, who strongly subscribe to religion, it would be hard to accommodate people with contradictory behavior and religious standards (Peetz et al. 406).
Even though, there have been efforts to promote equality, discrimination of this nature is still common in most parts of the world. Resistance of this nature is usually strong in cases where the condemnation comes from a traditional Christian or ethno-religious minorities.
Workplace Equity and Politics
It is evident that politics play a major role in country, especially in making national decisions and formulation of laws. Based on this, it is important to consider the impact of politics in addressing the issue of workplace equity. Leaders of political parties may influence the kind of laws to be ratified in promoting employment equity.
Importantly, politicians primarily influence the society through decisions taken by the government in implementing and reviewing workplace equity rules (Peetz et al. 406). It is therefore important for such leaders to understand the need for equity and existing factors to be addressed by managers in public and private institutions when recruiting, promoting and relating with employees.
In rare cases, some employees or potential candidates may be discriminated based on their political affiliations. Even though this might be the case, people have the freedom to belong to a given political party without being undermined at their workplaces.
The future of Workplace Equity
With the changing labor needs and demographic patterns, the world is likely to experience an array of changes regarding workplace equity. This will also be determined by the growing awareness of different designated groups of people in the society and the need of treating them with dignity.
For instance, governments around the world identify the classes of people who require consideration during recruitments, training, remuneration, and promotions (Bailyn 97). This is likely to be achieved through public awareness, which equally helps minorities to champion their rights in a competitive working environment.
Monitoring of public institutions is likely to improve, especially with advanced technology. During follow-up and compliance review, better methods can be employed in order to obtain a more accurate view of how different managers consider employment equity while running public institutions (Anenson 10).
A good example would be the use of the internet to carry out online surveys in order to determine the achievements realized in promoting fair treatment of workers. Online surveys may save time since the process does not involve the movement of supervisors from one place to another.
Recommendations
As seen from the case of Canada, legislation plays a major role in promoting workplace equity in the world. In essence, it gives expansive guidelines on how institutions are supposed to address the issue of minorities in their labor forces.
Of great significance is the need for these legislative statutes to be expanded in order to address the changing demographic patterns like the growing number of lesbians, gay, bisexual and transgendered (Cadrain 44).
With regard to compliance, the review should address all questions of representation at all levels within the hierarchy of the institution. Additionally, these legislations ought to be tougher in order to compel institutions to consider equal representation of demographic constituents of a given society or country.
Additionally, massive public education is highly recommended in equipping the masses with knowledge about workplace equity. Even though one may belong to a group of minorities, it might not be easy for them to push for their rights in terms of being treated by the employer (Budd 2).
Through training forums, people will understand the meaning and implication of workplace equity. Besides equipping the public, managers need to be trained in order to implement workplace equity laws effectively. This would also help them in understanding the fines and consequences of breaching the law.
Conclusion
From the above analysis, it is evident that workplace equity remains a debatable issue in most parts of the world. Oftentimes, workplace equity is encouraged to motivate employees and bridge the gap among employees. Of great significance is the fact that workplace equity has a wide-range of benefits, which enhance the performance and growth of institutions.
For instance, organizations are able to retain employees, develop a larger market and promote cultural diversity. On the other hand, the process of implementing workplace equity has always been faced with challenges, including cultural and religious differences. Additionally, equal representation of various minority groups may be hampered by the attitude of employees.
Nevertheless, the effectiveness of workplace equity can be achieved through several approaches, including but not limited to training, public awareness, strong legislation, and compliance review strategies. Above all, the success of workplace equity requires collective responsibility for all the parties involved.
Works Cited
Anenson, Leigh. The Role Of Equity In Employment Noncompetition Cases. American Business Law Journal 42.1 (2005): 1-63. Print.
Bailyn, Lotte. Redesigning Work For Gender Equity And Work-Personal Life Integration. Community, Work & Family 14.1 (2011): 97-112. Print.
Budd, John. Employment With a Human Face: Balancing Efficiency, Equity, And Voice. New York: Cornell University Press, 2006. Print.
Cadrain, Diane. Sexual Equity In The Workplace. HR Magazine 53.9 (2008): 44. Print.
Catano, Victor. Recruitment and Selection in Canada. Connecticut: Cengage Learning, 2009. Print.
Gottfried, Heidi, and Reese Laura. Equity in the Workplace: Gendering Workplace Policy Analysis. Maryland: Lexington Books, 2004. Print.
International Labor Organization. Equality at Work: Tackling the Challenge : International Labour Conference 96th Session 2007, Report I. Geneva: International Labour Organization, 2007. Print.
Peetz et al. Workplace Effects Of Equal Employment Opportunity Legislation: The Australian Experience. Policy Studies 29.4 (2008): 405-419. Print.
Pravin, Durai. Human Resource Management. New Delhi: Pearson Education India, n.d. Print.
Zanko, Michael. The Handbook of Human. United Kingdom: Edward Elgar Publishing. Print.
Medicine is a significant and integral part of my personal and professional life. I always strive to learn something new, be involved in all processes, and develop. I have been trying and still try to participate in all kinds of practices to gain experience, and there have been many complicated and unexpected cases in my practice. However, I believe that each of them granted me valuable experience to be applied in further practice, so I do not consider these events as negatively affecting my disposition towards medicine.
Personal Case Study
I was doing an internship in a hospital and faced a completely unexpected discovery in medical practice. At that time, we had a large queue of patients waiting for an appointment with a doctor because of the flood accident. During this incident, I conducted initial examinations and identified the priority of visiting based on the received information. However, after some time, the queue ceased to represent a specific order due to the considerable congestion of people. At that moment, I clearly defined my task, that those who are in poorer health should go to the doctor first. However, my supervisor presented a different solution which was mandatory for me to use.
Cultural Differences
The supervisor decided to start by nationality, serving dark-skinned people at the end as they will have fewer claims. He supported his reasoning by stating that if we do not accept light-skinned people promptly, they can leave complaints, be dissatisfied with the service, or cause scandals. Sim et al. (2021) provide arguments such as a lack of empathy for patients with different skin colors from the medical staff due to the cultural difference, which leads to inadequate attitudes. Therefore, the attitudes vary depending on the cultural factors.
Challenges of the Case
At that moment, being under the guidance of an experienced supervisor, I decided not to argue and followed his instructions. In some ways, he was right, and dark-skinned people showed fewer signs of dissatisfaction with the service. However, it was an absolutely unethical and incorrect decision since we returned to social inequality. At that moment, I only performed actions I did not agree with but carried out due to my inexperience and immaturity. Additionally, it was difficult for me to find concrete arguments for my position. However, I believe that no personal, national, or religious matters should influence equal attention and care for anyone. Therefore, if I could return to this scenario, I would not comply with these requirements and oppose my supervisor, claiming that it is unethical and inconsiderate to determine the need for medical assistance by personal attributes.
Social Inequality
Social inequality seems to have existed long ago, but if such decisions were repeated by different people on an ongoing basis, we would again return to full-fledged social inequality, when people are treated differently depending on their nationality, skin color, and other criteria on which people have no direct influence. Further, I began to study in detail the materials on the topic of inequality in society and in medicine.
As Yearby (2021) says, in the 21st century, in many medical institutions, as well as in scientific materials, it is confirmed that the races of people still influence how they are treated, including medical care. Williams and Ovbiagele (2020), in turn, confirmed my conjecture that such cases of unequal treatment require an integrated approach, starting with educating people about the historical and contemporary importance of equality. This research helped me form a strong personal position and argumentation regarding this issue, which I will apply in practice if I meet such a case again.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the topic of equity should be discussed during training and shared with all future healthcare professionals. If this topic is not brought up for awareness, anyone can get into the same situation without understanding the importance of their own actions or the possibility of arguing a position. Such actions should be unacceptable in the 21st century, and all people should be treated equally.
I chose the above picture, found on the Internet, as it depicts the realities of the inequities in healthcare, amongst other areas of life. In the picture, various vulnerable groups are represented, such as those with disabilities. Furthermore, it draws attention to the unfair differences in treatment by professionals that ones race, ethnicity, gender, socio-economic status, sexual orientation, and place of living might cause. In order to convey this message, the image shows the different people at different heights, using the pedestals as a metaphor for different advantage points. In this example, the vulnerability causes inequity in treatment and healthcare.
Health inequities must not be confused with inequalities, since the former are concerned not simply with offering the same opportunities and treatment to everyone but taking into consideration the background of the individuals. According to Sossauer et al. (2019), vulnerability is defined as the likelihood of having ones interests unjustly considered, which leads to inequity. This phenomenon is dangerous as it can lead to a decrease in the level of healthcare services. There are various causes for the inequities but vulnerability, as illustrated by the picture, is a major reason.
The picture is very accessible and has a great reach to the masses. Since it is a simple cartoon, it is easy to understand, and invites further conversation and research of the topic. Therefore, it is incredibly useful in raising awareness for the issue of inequity in healthcare. While it is not a problem that can be easily fixed, raising awareness and introducing the issue to people. One of the most important parts of solving the problem is identifying it and making sure that it is prevented at the core. In the case of vulnerability and inequity, this means knowing which groups are at risk of being mistreated, so that they can be protected.
The problem of equity in health care is always urgent in the context of an ever-expanding cultural diversity, taking into account the process of globalization and international communication only superficially. Progress and technologization were supposed to equalize the world, improving it to an impeccable degree. But in the end, technologies and their development spectrum rather only alienated people from each other. One might even get the impression that the global model of world perception, which has been so popular over the past few decades, has been exhausted. The world situation is such that large states are increasingly moving away from close cooperation with each other throughout the 21st century, and the autonomy of major powers that are not in mutually beneficial communication is only growing. Consequently, these countries, which are engaged in competition in the sphere of economic and political influence, have less time and resources to solve the problems of the third world countries.
Against the background of economic rivalry, the life of an individual person gradually ceased to be perceived as a primary value. Thus, many third world countries may still receive less humanitarian aid. It should be noted that this problem often applies to marginalized segments of the population in the countries of the first world. The current tragic situation has a chance to be revised in the context of a global pandemic.
As a result of the shock experienced by the entire world community, it becomes obvious that nations are not able to completely separate and live autonomously and independently from each other. Many countries that are not economic giants have found themselves in situations of real economic pressure. It is clear that developing countries still face extreme challenges in the areas of health and social services. Scientists emphasize that the outlined widespread crisis economic processes and the following social inequality are only at risk of increasing. At the same time, in those countries where such social problems were previously unclear, the crisis situation inflicted an unexpected double blow on state and medical infrastructures. At the same time, it is not difficult to assume that the pandemic problem only aggravates the situation with massively widespread diseases already existing in many countries, while health systems are losing control over them.
The official position of the international powers in relation to the current global crisis was the declared tactics of solidarity. This term requires consideration in ethical criteria and in terms of its real relation to the provision of assistance internationally. The chosen policy is the principle of rational medical justice, that is, limited due to economic considerations. Theorists believe that strategies for achieving full balance are impossible, while the lack of global equality in receiving medical care is demonstrated by statistics. Looking at the big data, it should be mentioned that of the three hundred vaccine test launches, most are in the United States and China, while the smallest are in Africa (Johnson, 2020). Based on these measurements, it is clear that the principle of relative solidarity only emphasizes the existence of inequality on the global scale.
Moreover, speaking of large international organizations for the protection of health in recent years, only one of them has only one African country, South Africa (Johnson, 2020). This only emphasizes a problem of actual inequity in global healthcare system and calls for an immediate response. Global support during a pandemic is still not reaching those in need on a continent-wide scale. At the same time, the principle of rational solidarity at the moment practically excludes these countries from the dialogue on the international support system. The system of solidarity is thus demonstrated as extremely relative and proceeding primarily from the urgent needs of influential countries.
It follows from the article that European states are striving to unite in international organizations for the protection of health care, which cumulate the forces of doctors and the whole society in the fight against the pandemic. Also in 2020, several transnational funds were organized, the money received from which will go to help weaker health systems. This money is spent on training and improving the skills of doctors, as well as organizing communities that can counteract disease in any way possible. It is logical to assume that for the most part such measures are required if the health care system of a particular state is not able to ensure proper control over the disease. Thus, through such funds, the problem of inequality in health care around the world can be really addressed.
Countries can also team up with large companies and international organizations for a collaborative strategy to provide equal levels of assistance to all countries or sectors of society in need. The largest of these, the General Health Security Agenda, includes a community from 31 countries (Johnson, 2020). At the same time, they are in collaboration with large companies, thus complementing and enhancing financial mutual influence. Based on this, we can conclude that financial support and the concentration of such a large amount of energy may be enough to develop solutions that can truly help the maximum number of people. That being said, it is interesting to note the ethical delivery of the claims of such global organizations to provide assistance. The UNICEF statement calls on this support not to be seen as help, but as a true collaboration for the overall health of the worlds population (Johnson, 2020). It can be concluded that this statement implies that countries with fewer resources should, however, strive to adopt the proposed innovations as much as possible and cooperate in their implementation.
Speaking about assistance to states in crisis, it is important not only to distribute medical supplies and humanitarian aid, which is absolutely necessary. An extremely effective element in the fight against the epidemic is also awareness of it, the ability to maximally protect oneself and the loved ones. To truly move closer to overcoming todays health problems requires a global network of scientists, legislators, governments.
It is true that the funding provided by transnational organizations and individual states is valuable at the moment. However, based on all of the above, one can conclude that states still need to reconsider many political priorities in order to unite in a more effective consolidation. Only in this way will the system of global connections really live up to its name, creating a situation in which the best minds in the world will not compete in creating a vaccine, but will cooperate with each other in its development. Thus, tackling the global inequality in health care delivery requires a concerted effort and scaling up of support, although at this time this seems to be disadvantageous or impossible.
Work Cited
Johnson, Stephanie B. (2020). Advancing global health equity in the COVID-19 response: Beyond solidarity. Journal of Bioethical Inquiry, vol. 17, no. 4, pp. 703-707. doi: 10.1007/s11673-020-10008-9
Affordable Care Act is one source that provides healthcare organizations with primary help related to existing patients. However, many companies did not test the concept, and the efficiency is not approved. Nevertheless, the Centre for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation faces and mentions all challenges provided by the Act and increases the awareness of the technique (Peikes et al., 2020). The main mission of the Affordable Care Act is to provide healthcare equity and make medicine affordable for everyone (Gaffney & McCormick, 2017). Peikes et al. (2020) showed the implementation results, and they stated that there was a significant breakthrough in helping related to people of different cultural backgrounds and races. However, the reduction in costs was inefficient as more resources were required, and there was not enough funding to cover all costs. Consequently, the impact of the Act is positive as more people receive primary help even though the cost reduction process was not significant.
The implementation of the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program is one of the massive influencers on the medical industry as it aims to increase the efficiency of healthcare. The concept includes penalties that might be related to those workers who do not provide their patients with the needed treatment or exceed authorities (Julnes & Choi, 2020). Even though disadvantaged populations have received high-quality medical service, there was no significant difference in deaths because of the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program. Discriminated people by race or sex do not attend specialists often, and even if they control their chronic health issues, 30-day and one-year mortality possibility exist (Julnes & Choi, 2020). The introduction of the program became beneficial for people with high social status as they have a chance to pay an extra charge for the healthcare service. However, the disadvantaged population cannot receive repeated surgeries or consultations due to the cost reduction program as a part of the CMS. The Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program has both positive and negative sides, and to ensure the concepts success, industry specialists should make sacrifices.
The programs help nurses return to their favorite working responsibilities quicker as they receive an increased salary and pay their educational loans sufficiently. Nurse practitioners become more motivated, and their general performance increases (HHS Action Plan to Reduce Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities, n.d.). The response time is crucial in the nurse practice as many illnesses can be successfully treated in the early stages without returning patients to the hospitals (Mileski et al., 2020). Moreover, specialists in this industry provide patients with psychological support that should not be underestimated to ensure that the level of paranoia is not significant. Experts define the main sources of hospitalization and what groups of people are at higher risk. This strategy helps understand what aspects require more effort and what solutions can be adjusted. According to Mileski et al. (2020), nursing home residents are more subjected to hospitalizations, and it is important to provide them with medical assistance to ensure no relapse.
Every person should be eligible to receive medical help when needed, and workers in this industry should consider civil rights before building specific relationships with their current patients. Many healthcare companies follow the rules provided by one of the massive organizations called the World Health Organization. WHO aims to decrease the discrimination rate and ensure that everyone in the world is treated equally. The corporations Constitution states that attainable health is a fundamental right of every person. Moreover, WHO (2017) explains that the right of civilians is to receive all resources needed for positive life conditions. For instance, safety, drinking water, food, shelter, education, and equality in different areas like race or gender. Healthcare is a priority in this list of needs, and every person can defend their rights if they do not receive a high-quality service. In many countries, this regulation provided by the WHO is included in the domestic laws and constitutions, and governmental authorities make a lot of investments to control this industry and maintain a general level of healthcare.
The article provides clear information regarding the healthcare industry and what new interventions are being made to increase performance in many developed and developing countries in the world. I agree with the information provided in the paper as the world is changing, but some people continue discriminating against others, and insignificant changes are made. It is true that every person understands their rights and can defend themselves in case of a discrimination act. Consequently, the help of different social programs is crucial as they state clear rules for society and can change routines. I also agree that workers who do not want to provide the disadvantaged population with efficient services should be fined for abusing the companys standards and governmental policies. I share the idea that peoples rights are the most important aspect of the provision of medical help. WHO is a common example of the defender of civil privileges that makes other people more aware of their responsibilities.
A few decades ago, the society, particularly in developing countries, did not see the need of educating the girl child. This is because she was expected to become a mother someday, which in itself is a very demanding task because she has to take care of the children and run a few errands on behalf of her husband.
In fact, most families did not send their daughters to school because they felt that it was not necessary. This suggests that education was reserved for boys. Essentially, Bowles and Gintis argue that in the US, women started working during the civil war because their men had been deployed to the battlefields (14).
There were many challenges that were facing the girl child with regard to education. First most girls could not go through the education system because some would get pregnant, which left them with no alternative, but to quit school. In addition, some girls would be married off at an early age, especially in developing countries.
Girls were therefore perceived to be weak even though their male counterparts were responsible for their suffering. This is because the boys who impregnated them were allowed to continue learning. Similarly, most communities do not send their daughters to school because they assume a vacuum will be created in their households.
However, according to Nussbaum, women were more enlightened towards the end of 19th century by the many non-governmental organizations that had been established to fight for the rights of the girl child (19). On the other hand, the education of the boy child has been ignored since everyone is concentrating on the girl child.
In general, there is still a gap to be filled, and this can only be achieved by giving both sexes equal opportunities. The opportunities of women are reserved as opposed to those of men. Most organizations are reserving a good number of their job openings for women and thus, men continue to suffer in silence because they are not supposed to show any signs of weakness.
Statistics from US learning institutions indicate that the rate of female enrollment is much higher than that of men. From early days, boys have been made to believe that they do not have to work hard or even go to school because they are their parents heirs.
Alternatively, Matus and Winchester point out that the aggressiveness of the girl child has made her to pursue further education because that is the surest way of liberating herself. Additionally, the global population of men is much lower than that of women, considering that they are the ones who are affected by child mortality.
Moreover, the cost of sending a child to school is still high, especially during these difficult economic times. In most developing countries, there are numerous non-governmental organizations striving to empower women. This is done by issuing monetary handouts to the girls parents; there is no one who is concerned about the welfare of the boy child.
This is unfair competition because the ground should be leveled for both sexes. The boy child is facing the same challenges that are being faced by the girl child. For instance, in early days, only women suffered from sexual abuse, but nowadays the boy child is being faced by the same challenge. The role of men in the society has changed from being the providers to caregivers. This has been brought about by depreciation of our values.
Gone are the days when women used to depend on men for their upkeep. This change of culture has been brought about by economic factors. In todays world, a mans salary is not enough to support a family, and that is why the two sexes need to be empowered equally. The solution to gender inequality should start right from the school. In most schools, there are more male teachers, and thus the female learners are not well represented. Furthermore, the female teachers concentrate more on the boys.
In this light, several approaches that can be employed to achieve gender equality in education. The learning curriculums should be revised to favor both sexes. Currently, there is a general perception that engineering and technical courses are not meant for girls. Comprehensive review of these courses will result in a balanced enrollment rate. Thus, no courses will be reserved for any sex, as long as one has the skills and the ability to deliver the desired results (Williams 1).
Learning institutions should hire more female educators to bridge the male-female gap. Female teachers will act as role models for the girls who have for a long time been demoralized. The balance should be realized right from the time teachers are being recruited into the training colleges.
This will ensure that the same balance is observed when the same educators are being deployed to their respective learning centers. The school infrastructures of most learning centers in developing countries are in a sorry state such that both sexes are not content. For instance, if the toilets do not have doors the girls would not feel comfortable while using them owing to their gender orientation. This suggests that more funding should be designated for improving the infrastructure of such centers.
Moreover, support programs should be offered to both sexes so that the boys are not under pressure to quit school. This means that there should be a gender balance in bursary allocations. Additionally, the teams that are in charge of education systems should be comprised of both men and women. This will make it possible for every group to safeguard its interests. Civil society groups should also be called upon to help in eliminating cultural issues.
Works Cited
Bowles, Samuel and Herbert Gintis. Schooling in Capitalist America Revisited. Sociology of Education 75.1 (2002): 1-18. Print.
Matus, Ron and Donna Winchester. Women Outpace Men in Education. St Petersburg Times. 2008. Web.
Nussbaum, Martha C. Women and Human Development, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2000. Print.
Martinez can develop various policy frameworks, in his position as a Budget Director for Chicago Public School (CPS). First of all, he should determine the budgeting framework to be implemented. Therefore, he should come up with a policy framework on whether to use the average or actual teacher salaries; whether to allow schools to employ the teaching staff with little regard to the salary levels or let the schools employ teachers based on a mixed approach that focussed on meeting the schools per-pupil budget. In addition, he needs to develop a policy on whether to expand the budgeting system to cover the whole district. There was also an urgent need to develop a policy framework on the formula to be used in determining the student weights (The Electronic Hallway, p. 1).
There are certain characteristics associated with a successful policy framework. A good policy should have an enabling purpose. In this case, the policys aims need to be clear and applicable in a general sense. A good policy should also be linked to a wider objective. This helps the concerned individuals to focus on the main goal of the policy. Also, a good policy should have a clear ownership. In this case, the policy is not seen as being imposed on the people against their will. A good policy must also be short and clear. This enables the people concerned to understand the policy and agree with the policy requirements.
Another characteristic of a good policy is that it must emanate from a valid process. In this regard, people should understand the policy process in a clear manner. Another aspect of good policy is that it should work within the restrictions of a certain authority. The authority enables the stakeholders to adopt and abide by the regulations of the policy framework. A good policy needs to be enforceable and adaptable. However, it should be acknowledged that no single policy is perfect and policies may require some adjustments during implementation ( 2 Policy , p. 15-16).
Martinez had various things that he was aiming at achieving in his new role as a Budget Director for CPS. In general, Martinez wanted to initiate an innovative budgeting scheme to be used within the Chicago Public Schools. In achieving his vision, there are certain elements that cannot be possible to achieve. However, there are others that could be realized while implementing the vision.
In this case, it can be argued that Martinez stands to achieve the pupil budgeting scheme, commonly known as the Weighted Student Formula (WSF), in providing a solution to the budgeting issue. However, he should be ready to face spirited opposition on his new formula to be used in budgetary allocation to schools. Although people are opposed to the WSF, Martinez should convince them of the benefits that come with this formula. In this case, he should provide assurances on the fears being raised regarding this formula (The Electronic Hallway, p. 1).
Can the WSF work the way it should if it is not coupled with site-based management?
The WSF can work in the appropriate manner even if it is not coupled with site-based management. As seen in the data from the regions that have already adopted this formula in their budgetary allocation, it can be observed that some schools stood to get more funding than they were used to getting before. On the other hand, other schools would receive less money than before. Veronica Anderson, the editor of Chicago Catalyst, noted that per-pupil funding will mean less money for schools that enrol better-off kids, unless CPS factors something into the formula to offset that effect (The Electronic Hallway, p. 10).
It should be noted that the Chicago Public School District is made up of different school categories. This includes the Chartered schools owned by private and non-profit entities but administered by the district. These schools, through the use of the WSF, stand to gain a lot since they are usually underfunded (The Electronic Hallway, p. 10).
The implementation of the WSF was not going to benefit the small schools given their small number of students. In other districts, where WSF was being implemented; such as Houston, Seattle and Edmonton, this disadvantage was addressed through the subsidies that were extended to the small schools, or through the gradual introduction of WSF over the years. The Chicago Public School District intended to use the same criteria in its WSF plan. This approach was not acceptable in some quarters on the argument that it presented a fundamental inequity and undue advantage to small schools. However, this remained to be the most viable means of addressing the disadvantage that was to be experienced by small schools (The Electronic Hallway, p. 10).
Given the worries of the stakeholders in the implementation of the WSF, it was necessary that CPS assured them of the efficiency that would come with the approach. There was a feeling among stakeholders that the subsidies of the small schools promoted inequity and only acted to make the proposed Renaissance 2010 work. Also, the principals of various schools with the Chicago Public School District were sceptical of the new formula.
Therefore, it was important to convince the various stakeholders on the positive aspects that relate to the WSF budgetary formula. Notably, the WSF formula was better than the conventional approaches, in which the schools were rewarded basing on performance gains (The Electronic Hallway, p. 11).
Would it make sense for the Renaissance Schools to introduce school choice along with the WSF?
The aspect of introducing school choice together with the WSF would present some challenges in the CPS. Although some proponents have argued that doing so would enhance accountability of the schools to parents, there is a likelihood of promoting segregation in schools. This is because families would obviously choose to have their children attend schools close to their home. This would promote segregation in the sense that people usually settles in clusters based on race.
Integrating WSF and school choice in the name of promoting local control would be a forum of justifying inequality and segregation. Such a plan would be a gentrification strategy aimed at moving the minority groups from the real estate areas and catering for the interests of the developers. Those opposed to the plan noted the reality is that the cause of a failed education system is a history of racism, lack of equal opportunity to learn, deindustrialisation, and disinvestment in communities of colour by corporate interest and banks with the support of political leaders (The Electronic Hallway, p. 9).
Although the CPS administrators made assurances that they were going to ensure that segregation in schools does not occur, this can be quite challenging given the situation. Therefore, it does not make sense for the Renaissance Schools to introduce school choice alongside the WSF budget formula (The Electronic Hallway, p. 9).
What is the best way to implement the WSF? What are the pros and cons of each option?
Deciding on the weights to be used was a major challenge. In choosing the best equity, both horizontal and vertical equities must be applied. The horizontal equity refers to the equal treatment accorded to equals, whereas the vertical treatment refers to the suitable unequal treatment of those who are not equal. The implementation of the WSF was an example of ensuring horizontal equity. The achievement of vertical equity was also necessary to ensure that the general equity had been achieved. This is important, but very contentious to implement (The Electronic Hallway, p. 9).
In achieving vertical equity, the right base of funding rate for every student would be determined. This would be together with the weights determined by the needs of the students. In regard to the basic rates, their weights would be established basing on the amount that each district spends on each category of specific-needs students divided by the number of students in each group. The average numbers from each category would be turned into a ratio basing on the spending average for essential services in order to get the final weights (The Electronic Hallway, p. 9).
Martinez had two ways of implementing the WSF. On one hand, he was to integrate the WSF with the school choice, and this brought a lot of challenges in respect to its implementation. The other way of implementing the WSF was through integration of the aspect of teachers salaries during implementation.
The proponents of this approach argued that it was the best in enhancing the schools accountability to parents, as opposed to the conventional system that made schools only accountable to the political class. However, this was opposed by those individuals who saw the integration of school choice as meant to promote segregation. In this case, it can be argued that, though the integration of WSF with school choice would bring local control, this will establishes inequality and segregation (The Electronic Hallway, p. 8-9).
The other way of implementing the WSF is by integrating it with the salary consideration of teachers. The bone of contention was on whether to use the average teacher salaries or the actual salaries while implementing the WSF formula. Many stakeholders seemed to agree on the use of average salaries in the implementation of the WSF. This was acceptable among those who subscribed to the WSF system arguing that the use of actual teacher salary would lead to controversies. They argued that if actual salaries were used, the school principals would favour the recruitment of young teachers who are cheap to maintain.
The teachers unions also favoured the use of average salaries. They argued that the use of actual salaries would not be good for senior teachers. This is because the senior teachers had spent a lot of time to enhance their level of compensation. However, those opposed to the use of average teachers pay argued that it hid inequalities that were rampant within the Chicago Public School District. Therefore, it can be asserted that the best way of implementing the WSF was to integrate it with the average salary of the teachers in the district (The Electronic Hallway, p. 9).
Works Cited
2 Policy. n.d. Web.
The Electronic Hallway. Defining Equity: Implementing the Weighted Student Formula in Chicago Public Schools. n.d.
When one intends to start a business, one should focus on how to raise capital and raise money to finance the business operations. Today, many commercial lenders charge differential interest rates for the money borrowed. Some local and international companies specialize in investing in businesses. Such companies have some set rules that allow it to run its plans and enhance mutual understanding. Other logistics like the human power and the business operations should be studied before the parties engage in business. Other factors that should be considered before deciding on debt financing or equity borrowing is the tax situation in the country of interest, the business plan and potential investors (Sawyer and Sprinkle, 2009).
Discussion
The equity financing is fundamental in ensuring that a person interested in starting a business does not have burden of huge loans on him/her. The business start-up loan depends on the nature of business, the location of the business, the size of the business and the price of goods in the market. A person who intends on starting a business should always do a budget of all his business plans to ensure that he/she has a working figure that can allow effective planning (Sawyer and Sprinkle, 2009). On the other hand, loan repayment can be difficult because of high interest and increased cost of life; thus, equity investing allows a businessperson be free of settling loans that have high interest loans (Kenen, 1964, p.51).
Additionally, equity financing allows the two parties to engage in a business that is well-defined by the set rules. For example, when a businessperson drafts a prospectus that discusses issues like losses and profit, the investor can understand when the business plunges in losses. This is from the fact that business investors understand from the start that a business either can blossom or fail. It is always obvious that commercial lenders and some relatives would expect to be repaid back their loan whether the business does well of fails. Thus, borrowing from commercial lenders such as banks can be riskier compared to selling some shares to an investor. It is essential to state that commercial lenders always ask for security like personal properties like title deeds, vehicles and other assets. It is evident that when a debt-financed business fails, the businessperson will loose his/her properties.
Borrowing in the form of equity also allows the businessperson to choose whom he/she is interested in working with and financing the business. The businessperson can visit many investors and choose the investor he/she is comfortable to work with. It is fundamental that the businessperson chooses the investor wisely as this will define the business operations. Some investors have stringent terms that can strain the businessperson; hence, equity financing allows the businessperson choose his/her team player wisely. In most cases, borrowing in form of debt does not offer the businessperson with many options. According to Sawyer and Sprinkle, the commercial lenders are some lobby groups that have special interest; hence, they benefit themselves. They do not necessarily have the interest of the business; rather, they focus on what they can benefit from the trade partnership (Sawyer and Sprinkle, 2009).
In addition, equity financing is always guided by governmental and international policies that guide the two partners. These policies determine how businesses operate, the tariffs, the trade barriers and other factors that relate to trade. The economic sanctions guide in ensuring that trade partner follows the set rules to the latter. These sanctions are laid down by the two partners and agreed upon so that any deviance can be punished accordingly. This ensures full participation and commitment by the equity investor; thus, promoting the smooth running of trade between them. Additionally, equity financing is advantageous because the government policies ensure that certain issues pertaining the business or trade are sorted. For example, in case there is market failure, which affects the trade performance, the governments through its arms of economic regulations can intervene. This ensures that partners do not plunge in losses that can lead to trade reduction or business failures. On the other hand, the government policy applies to debt financing to some small extent. In essence, the lender determines most of the terms and conditions that guide the trade or business.
Another factor that can help determine the disadvantage of debt financing is the level of bankruptcy. There exists a close relationship between the level of bankruptcy and the level of debt-financing. The higher the amount of loan borrowed from a commercial lender or a family lender, the higher the chances of bankruptcy (Sawyer and Sprinkle, 2009). The equity financing is more advantageous because it allows the governments to assist in cases of bankruptcy. Indeed, some governments through the World Trade organizations and other arms have remarkably participated in establishing, expanding, and rebuilding trade ties between countries that had fallen (Sawyer and Sprinkle, 2009).
Furthermore, debt financing is more risky than equity borrowing because it does not allow the growth of business at a faster rate. This is because the profit from the trade is used in settling the loans that sometimes have high interested rate because of high foreign exchange rate in the market. The graze period that many commercial lenders like the International Monetary Fund (IMF) could be shorter; thus, repaying the loan becomes hard. On the other hand, the equity-financed business has greater chance of expanding because the profit is used in opening constituent centers around the world and improving human capital (Sawyer and Sprinkle, 2009).
Despite the disadvantages, that debt financing has as discussed above, borrowing to finance once business can also be advantageous. First, it allows one to have a full control of ones business. This allows the business operator to determine the fate of his/her business. He/she is able to make all the decisions that pertains the business like the human resource, profit utility, business expansion and other issues that concern the running of the business. Additionally, debt financing is advantageous because the businessperson does not share the profits with any investor.
Conclusion
Conclusively, the debt financing can be indeed riskier than borrowing in the form of equity. This is because debt financing is limited fulfilling the interests of the commercial lenders, rather than promoting the welfare of the entire partnership. In the 19th chapter of the international economics by Sawyer and Sprinkle, they introduce the foreign exchange to address the issue of huge debts. However, the fact remains that borrowing to finance a business is riskier because one also has to have some form of collateral to act as the security measures.
Reference list
Kenen, P. (1964). International Economics. New York: Prentice Hall Publishers.
Sprinkle, R., and Sawyer, W. (2009). International economics. New York: Prentice Hall Publishers.
