Saturday, January 25, 2020

What is Federalism?

What is Federalism? Federalism is a political system in which ultimate authority is shared between a central government and state or regional governments. Federalism is one of the two major principles based on the American version of representative democracy that distribute power, the other is separation of power. The political authority in America is divided between national and state governments this division is called federalism (Wilson, 2014). How federalism has evolved from its origins to the American political system of today The United States started off with a group of colonies that were under a British unitary system. The British government viewed it as a centralized power, a threat to their rights and liberties. The Constitutional Convention held in Philadelphia in 1787 faced the major problem of how to restrict the power of the central government and still provide it with the necessary power to protect national interests. The solution was to divide power between national and state levels of government resulting in federalism (Bodenhamer). When the Revolution was carried out the United States became a confederation covered by the Articles of Confederation. This system became unsuccessful so it was transformed into a federal system by the Constitution (Mount, 2010). The drafting of the Constitution by the Framers was opposed to by Antifederalist. The Framers thought it gave the national government too much power. The framers intended federalism to be a device for protecting personal liberty (Wilson, 20 14). Since the United States implemented federalism in 1787, it has progressed. Over time two major kinds of federalism have dominated the political theory. A debate over the meaning of federalism began after the Civil war, focusing on the interpretation of Article I, section 8 of the Constitution, the commerce clause. Out of this debate came the doctrine of dual federalism in which the national and state governments have defined areas of authority and separately especially over commerce. Congress would regulate interstate commerce and states would regulate intrastate commerce and each would be defined by the Supreme Court. They must defer single state commerce over to the state authority. States depend on the power of the federal government over foreign and military relations, state and foreign commerce. The second major kind of federalism involved the last paragraph of Article I, section 8 of the Constitution authorizing Congress to pass all laws deemed â€Å"necessary and proper† in carrying out the enumerated powers (Wilson, 2014). Today the federal government responsibilities are those that traditionally were the authority of the state government. They include education, social welfare policy, health care, and minimum wage. The growth of the federal government has caused an increase in spending, adjustments for inflation affecting state and local government. The full-time civilian workforce of the federal government is about the same as it was in 1960, while state and local government full-time workforce has more than doubled since 1960. The federal-state relation handles most national laws and policies. This complex relation in whole or partly fund, shape and administer programs. In American politics federalism has been central. The federal government depends on the states to provide senators and representatives through elections (Wilson, 2014). Factors that have allowed the concept of federalism to shape American political behavior Federalism political significance defines political justice, shapes political behavior, and directs humans towards a suitably civic combination of the two. The idea of federalism is important to the law of natural in defining justice and the natural right in defining the origins and proper constitution of political society. Federalism as a form of political organization has grown as a factor shaping political behavior. Federalism is a political force because it serves the principle that there are no simple majorities or minorities, but that all majorities consist of a collection of individuals and the consequence principle of minority rights not only protecting the possibility for minorities to preserve themselves but forces majorities to be combined rather than artificially simple. It serves those principles by emphasizing the consensual basis of the political entity and the importance of liberty in the constitution and maintenance of democratic republics. Both principles are especi ally important in an increasingly complex and interdependent world, where all people must live together, whether they like it or not and even desire to do so by majority vote. It is not surprising that people and states throughout the world are looking for federal solutions to the problems of political incorporation within a democratic framework. Federalism involves some type of contractual relationship of a presumably permanent characteristic that provides for power sharing, division around issues of sovereignty, and supplements, but does not seek to replace or diminish prior organic ties that they exist (Elazar, 1991). Factors that illustrate how the relationship between the states and the U. S. Federal government influences the creation of American policies overall In the original Constitution before the bill of rights the Framers attempted to define the relationship between the states and the federal government. In it the states powers were restricted. The relationship between the states and the U. S. Federal government influences American policies in that it clearly defines that people want local control over its police and schools, but the local control over their governmental services have been reduced by the federal regulations development of federal grants in aid (Wilson, 2014). In the United States the laws and actions citizens encounter on a daily basis involve all three levels of government. Zoning, traffic control, sanitation, educational administration, street repair and other services are primarily managed by local officials on the authority granted to them by the state. Voting procedures differ from state to state. Educational policies, criminal justice, business and professional regulation, public health and other important issues are under the control of the state government. Defense, foreign affairs, economic, monetary policy, welfare reform are all actions of national government. National government laws apply to individuals living within the national boundaries. State laws apply to the resident of those states. The constitution is the source of authority for national and state government reflecting the will of the people (Bodenhamer). The central government has defined powers in a federal nation, and has full authority over external affairs. The constitution gives the government exclusive power to regulate interstate and foreign commerce, coin money, provide the naturalization of immigrants, and maintenance of the military. The United States guarantees states a republican form of government ensuring that states cannot create a monarchy. The national government has judicial authority that resolves controversies between the states and between the citizens of different states. State and central governments may differ in areas of domestic policy where they have overlapping interests and needs. The state and national government can exercise power at the same time as in the parallel power to tax. Issues regarding national authority, not addressed by the constitution allows the states to take action as long as it does not conflict with the powers legally exercise by the central government. Issues on education, crime and punishment, health and safety and other important matters affecting the daily lives of citizens the constitution does not assign responsibility (Bodenhamer). Recognizing the potential for conflict surrounding concurrent power among levels of government the framers adopted measures to avoid them making the U. S. Constitution supreme over state constitutions enforceable through federal courts. The clause declared that the actions of the national government supreme whenever its power conflicted with the legitimate actions of the state. It also clearly prohibited states from exercising powers that were granted to the central government. In ratifying the Constitution the framers supported the bill of rights, the first ten amendments in efforts to restrain national governments from interfering with individual liberties. By listing the mutual obligations that each state owed each other the Constitution laid the ground rules for the relationship among the states. Finding the correct balance between national and state powers continues to be an issue in American politics. With each generation social and economic changes occur, there are shifts in p olitical values and the changing role the nation plays in the world will require changes and adjustments in how we treat federalism (Bodenhamer). Conclusion The agreement of the Constitution established a union of states under a federal system of governance. The Constitution has been debating over the issues of powers, privileges, duties, and responsibilities granted to national governments and reserved for the states and its people have shaped and been shaped by the nation’s political, social, and economic history of the United States (Boyd, 1997). The characteristics of federalism suits the changing nature of American society. The flexibility of the Constitution allows the nation to respond to changing circumstances (Bodenhamer). References Bodenhamer, D. J. (n.d.). Federalism Democracy. Retrieved August 7, 2014, from AIT website: http://www.ait.org.tw/infouse/zhtw/docs/demopaper/dmpaper4.html Boyd, E. (1997, January 6). American Federalism, 1779 to 1997: Significant Events. Retrieved August 8, 2014, from US Embassy: http://usa.usembassy.de/etexts/gov/federal.htm Elazar, D. (1991). Exploring Federalism. University of Alabama Press. Mount, S. (2010, January 24). Constitutional Topic: Federalism. Retrieved August 7, 2014, from U. S. Constitution: http://www.usconstitution.net/consttop_duep.html Wilson, J. Q. (2014). American Government: Brief version (11th ed.). Boston, MA: Cengage.

Friday, January 17, 2020

Customer benefit package (CBP) diagram for Gold’s Gym Essay

Gold’s Gym International, Inc. is an American chain of international co-ed fitness centers (commonly referred to as â€Å"gyms†). Each gym features with a wide array of exercise equipment, group exercise classes and personal trainers to assist clients. So the primary services of the Gyms is to provide a wonderful and professional environement for people who want to do bodybuilding and physical education. It is considered a landmark in the bodybuilding subculture. Gold’s Gym locations are equipped with cardiovascular and strength training equipment and offer group exercise classes such as group cycling, pilates, Latin dance, yoga and stretching through the company GGX (Gold’s Group Exercise) program. Many gyms also offer basketball, swimming pools and boxing studios so these are Gold’gyms’s peripheral service. 2. The mission of the Gold’gyms is to help people find their inner strengths to achieve goals. No matter what your fitness level is. Anything is possible when coming to Gold’gyms. 3. The strategy of the Gold’Gyms is to provide the best facilities for trainers and also bring benefits to membership. They focus on 4 â€Å"P†. Product : Equipment and training programs for health and fitness vary among facilities Certified staff and employees. Price: Membership fees and plans range depending on gym  $34.99 for a two-year commitment to $569 for a one-year membership that includes group sessions. Promotion: Gold’s Gym have their own website so we can easily find infortmation, searching for training progames and applying the a training course, also they have Tumblr, Facebook, Twitter Gold’s Gym Spotter App and Commercials. Everything is public so it gets closer to customers. Place : with 600+ gyms in 37 states and 30 different countries. Gold’gyms are gaining more and more customers every single year. 4. The competitive priorities of Gold’gym are: Currently have the 3rd largest market share. Has 600+ gyms in 30 countries. Have a history of being a body-building gym Recognizable logo. Large line of products in store. The favorite place for many celebrities. 5. The core competencies of Gold’gym is :  They encourage people to define their own strength no matter what their fitness level is. 6. The strategy that they used to win customers is : Providing the best environment for people who want to do bodybuilding. With their reputation, the Gyms always provide most professional space for trainer. With well-trained staffs and employees. Gold’s gyms have built their own images without any kind of lobby or PR. 7. Two key perfomances matrix which could be useful are : Full body analysis : This will help the Gyms to what will be the best method to people to train in the whole body. The body will be trained in fully and healthiest way. Focus on the 18-34 year olds : When people reach to 18, and from 18 to 25 years old: bonds and body structure are built quite good so it is the best time for them to do a professional bodybuilding, in additional, they also have many free time than others. From 25 to 34: They already have jobs so the pressure of job may effect their body so they really need to practice to relax and become healthier in order to work better. If the Gyms can focus on these two things, I believe that they can even gain more profits and become the best fitness centers in the world

Thursday, January 9, 2020

What type of exploratory research designs would you...

2. What type of exploratory research designs would you suggest for each of the following situations? Justify your answers using specific illustrations and examples. a. The research and development director of Louis Vuitton suggests a new type of cologne for men that could be promoted by tennis celebrity Marat Safin. b. The General Manager of Thai Spices Restaurant in Hong Kong wishes to offer customers two new and exciting dinner items that would be a blend of fresh durians, herbs and chicken. c. A retail manager would like to know the popularity of a new brand of dishwashing detergent produced by Proctor and Gamble. a) In developing a research design for this particular situation, it would first be a consideration that Louis Vuitton†¦show more content†¦This may be done with a simple observational study. For example, offering free samples of the food in question to existing customers will provide valuable insight into popular opinion. c) To gain a better, in-depth appreciation of the marketing environment or consumption behaviour with regard to the new brand of detergent it may first be logical to examine any available secondary data. Analysis of such data may give a very clear indication of the brands popularity. As the product is already in circulation, sales information and other related figures may be extremely useful in determining the brands current market status. Experience Surveys may prove effective in this situation as well. There are many opportunities for experience surveys in this particular marketing problem. Anyone from a company executive to a product merchandiser can provide useful experience and knowledge that can benefit the research. Management can be probed for information obtained overseeing the overall operation of selling the product, whilst sales representatives can be questioned about their experience in dealing with front-line sales. Buying trends can also be measured by interviewing individuals outside the organisation; such as wholesalers and retails who can provide very accurate information and figures regarding popularity (ie. sales). Focus groups can also be used in this situation to measure consumer reaction, indeed focusShow MoreRelatedGuide to Writing Research Proposal and Thesis5636 Words   |  23 PagesGUIDE TO WRITING RESEARCH PROPOSAL AND THESIS STRUCTURE I Doctor of Philosophy (BA) Master of Science (BA) CENTRE FOR GRADUATE STUDIES SEPTEMBER 2009 INTRODUCTION All students pursuing a postgraduate programme under Structure I shall submit a thesis for examination as a requirement for the award of the degree. 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Wednesday, January 1, 2020

Biography of Mao Zedong, Father of Modern China

Mao Zedong (Dec. 26, 1893–Sept. 9, 1976), the father of modern China, is not only remembered for his impact on Chinese society and culture but for his global influence, including on political revolutionaries in the United States and the Western world in the 1960s and 1970s.  He is widely considered one of the most prominent communist theoreticians. He was also known as a great poet. Fast Facts: Mao Zedong Known For: Founding father  of the  Peoples Republic of China, ruling the country as Chairman of the Communist Party of China  from 1949 until 1976Also Known As: Mao Tse Tung, Mao Zedong, Chairman MaoBorn: Dec. 26, 1893 in Shaoshan, Hunan Province, ChinaParents: Mao Yichang, Wen QimeiDied: Sept. 9, 1976  in Beijing,  Peoples Republic of ChinaPublished Works: The Warlords Clash (poem, 1929), The Tasks of the Communist Party in the Period of Resistance to Japan (1937), Maos Little Red Book (1964–1976)Spouse(s): Luo Yixiu, Yang Kaihui, He Zizhen, Jiang QingChildren: Mao Anying, Mao Anqing, Mao Anlong, Yang Yuehua, Li Min, Li NaNotable Quote: Politics is war without bloodshed while war is politics with bloodshed. Early Life On Dec. 26, 1893, a son was born to the Mao family, wealthy farmers in Shaoshan, Hunan Province, China. They named the boy Mao Zedong. The child studied Confucian classics at the village school for five years  but left at the age of 13 to help out full-time on the farm. Rebellious and probably spoiled, young Mao had been expelled from several schools and even ran away from home for several days. In 1907, Maos father arranged a marriage for his 14-year-old son. Mao refused to acknowledge his 20-year-old bride, even after she moved into the family home. Education and Introduction to Marxism Mao moved to Changsha, the capital of Hunan Province, to continue his education. He spent six months in 1911 and 1912 as a soldier in the barracks at Changsha, during the revolution that overthrew the Qing Dynasty. Mao called for Sun Yatsen to be president and cut off his long braid of hair (queue), a sign of anti-Manchu revolt. Between 1913 and 1918, Mao studied at the Teachers Training School, where he began to embrace ever more revolutionary ideas. He was fascinated by the 1917 Russian Revolution, and by the 4th century BCE Chinese philosophy called Legalism. After graduation, Mao followed his professor Yang Changji to Beijing, where he took a job at the Beijing University library. His supervisor, Li Dazhao, was a co-founder of the Chinese Communist Party and greatly influenced Maos developing revolutionary ideas. Gathering Power In 1920 Mao married Yang Kaihui, the daughter of his professor, despite his earlier marriage. He read a translation of The Communist Manifesto that year  and became a committed Marxist. Six years later, the Nationalist Party, or Kuomintang, under Chiang Kai-shek massacred at least 5,000 communists in Shanghai. This was the start of Chinas Civil War. That fall, Mao led the Autumn Harvest Uprising in Changsha against the Kuomintang (KMT). The KMT crushed Maos peasant army, killing 90% of them and forcing the survivors out into the countryside, where they rallied more peasants to their cause. In June  1928, the KMT took Beijing and was recognized as the official government of China by foreign powers. Mao and the Communists continued to set up peasant Soviets in the southern Hunan and Jiangxi Provinces, however. He was laying the foundations of Maoism. The Chinese Civil War A local warlord in Changsha captured Maos wife, Yang Kaihui, and one of their sons in October 1930. She refused to denounce communism, so the warlord had her beheaded in front of her 8-year-old son. Mao had married a third wife, He Zizhen, in May of that year. In 1931, Mao was elected chairman of the Soviet Republic of China, in Jiangxi Province. Mao ordered a reign of terror against landlords; perhaps more than 200,000 were tortured and killed. His Red Army, made up mostly of poorly armed but fanatical peasants, numbered 45,000. Under increasing KMT pressure, Mao was demoted from his leadership role. Chiang Kai-sheks troops surrounded the Red Army in the mountains of Jiangxi, forcing them to make a desperate escape in 1934. The Long March and Japanese Occupation About 85,000 Red Army troops and followers retreated from Jiangxi  and started walking the 6,000-kilometer arc to the northern province of Shaanxi. Beset by freezing weather, dangerous mountain paths, unbridged rivers, and attacks by warlords and the KMT, only 7,000 of the communists made it to Shaanxi in 1936. This Long March cemented Mao Zedongs position as leader of the Chinese communists. He was able to rally the troops despite their dire situation. In 1937, Japan invaded China. The Chinese Communists and the KMT halted their civil war to meet this new threat, which lasted through Japans 1945 defeat in World War II. Japan captured Beijing and the Chinese coast, but never occupied the interior. Both of Chinas armies fought on; the communists guerrilla tactics were particularly effective. Meanwhile, in 1938, Mao divorced He Zizhen and married the actress Jiang Qing, later known as Madame Mao. Civil War Resumes and the Founding of the PRC Even as he led the fight against the Japanese, Mao was planning to seize power from his erstwhile allies, the KMT. Mao codified his ideas in a number of pamphlets, including On Guerrilla Warfare and On Protracted War. In 1944, the United States sent the Dixie Mission to meet Mao and the communists; the Americans found the communists better organized and less corrupt than the KMT, which had been receiving western support. After World War II ended, the Chinese armies started to fight again in earnest. The turning point was the 1948 Siege of Changchun, in which the Red Army, now called the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA), defeated the Kuomintangs army in Changchun, Jilin Province. By October 1, 1949, Mao felt confident enough to declare the establishment of the Peoples Republic of China. On December 10, the PLA besieged the final KMT stronghold at Chengdu, Sichuan. On that day, Chiang Kai-shek and other KMT officials fled the mainland for Taiwan. Five Year Plan and the Great Leap Forward From his new home next to the Forbidden City, Mao directed radical reforms in China. Landlords were executed, perhaps as many as 2-5 million across the country, and their land was redistributed to poor peasants. Maos Campaign to Suppress Counterrevolutionaries claimed at least 800,000 additional lives, mostly former KMT members, intellectuals, and businessmen. In the Three-Anti/Five-Anti Campaigns of 1951-52, Mao directed the targeting of wealthy people and suspected capitalists, who were subjected to public struggle sessions. Many who survived the initial beatings and humiliation later committed suicide. Between 1953 and 1958, Mao launched the First Five-Year Plan, intending to make China an industrial power. Buoyed by his initial success, Chairman Mao launched the Second Five-Year Plan, called the Great Leap Forward, in January 1958. He urged farmers to smelt iron in their yards, rather than tending the crops. The results were disastrous; an estimated 30-40 million Chinese starved in the Great Famine of 1958-60. Foreign Policies Shortly after Mao took power in China, he sent the Peoples Volunteer Army into the Korean War to fight alongside the North Koreans against the South Koreans and United Nations forces. The PVA saved Kim Il-Sungs army from being overrun, resulting in a stalemate that continues to this day. In 1951, Mao also sent the PLA into Tibet to liberate it from the Dalai Lamas rule. By 1959, Chinas relationship with the Soviet Union had deteriorated markedly. The two communist powers disagreed on the wisdom of the Great Leap Forward, Chinas nuclear ambitions, and the brewing Sino-Indian War (1962). By 1962, China and the USSR had cut off relations with one another in the Sino-Soviet Split. Fall From Grace In January 1962, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) held a Conference of the Seven Thousand in Beijing. Conference chair Liu Shaoqi harshly criticized the Great Leap Forward, and by implication, Mao Zedong. Mao was pushed aside within the internal power structure of the CCP; moderate pragmatists Liu and Deng Xiaoping freed the peasants from communes and imported wheat from Australia and Canada to feed the famine survivors. For several years, Mao served only as a figurehead in the Chinese government. He spent that time plotting a return to power and revenge on Liu and Deng. Mao would use the specter of capitalist tendencies among the powerful, as well as the might and credulity of young people, to take power once again. The Cultural Revolution In August 1966, the 73-year-old Mao made a speech at the Plenum of the Communist Central Committee. He called for the youth of the country to take back the revolution from the rightists. These young Red Guards would do the dirty work in Maos Cultural Revolution, destroying the Four Olds—old customs, old culture, old habits, and old ideas. Even a tea-room owner like President Hu Jintaos father could be targeted as a capitalist. While the nations students were busily destroying ancient artwork and texts, burning temples and beating intellectuals to death, Mao managed to purge both Liu Shaoqi and Deng Xiaoping from the partys leadership. Liu died under horrific circumstances in prison; Deng was exiled to work in a rural tractor factory, and his son was thrown from a fourth-story window and paralyzed by Red Guards. In 1969, Mao declared the Cultural Revolution complete, although it continued through his death in 1976. Later phases were directed by Jiang Qing (Madame Mao) and her cronies, known as the Gang of Four. Failing Health and Death Throughout the 1970s, Maos health steadily deteriorated. He may have been suffering from Parkinsons disease or ALS (Lou Gehrigs disease), in addition to heart and lung trouble brought on by a lifetime of smoking. By July 1976 when the country was in crisis due to the Great Tangshan Earthquake, the 82-year-old Mao was confined to a hospital bed in Beijing. He suffered two major heart attacks early in September, and died September 9, 1976, after being removed from life support. Legacy After Maos death, the moderate pragmatist branch of the Chinese Communist Party took power and ousted the leftist revolutionaries. Deng Xiaoping, now thoroughly rehabilitated, led the country toward an economic policy of capitalist-style growth and export wealth. Madame Mao and the other Gang of Four members were arrested and tried, essentially for all of the crimes associated with the Cultural Revolution. Maos legacy today is a complicated one. He is known as the Founding Father of Modern China, and serves to inspire 21st-century rebellions like the Nepali and Indian Maoist movements. On the other hand, his leadership caused more deaths among his own people than that of Joseph Stalin or Adolph Hitler. Within the Chinese Communist Party under Deng, Mao was declared to be 70% correct in his policies. However, Deng also said that the Great Famine was 30% natural disaster, 70% human error. Nonetheless, Mao Thought continues to guide policies to this day. Sources Clements, Jonathan. Mao Zedong: Life and Times, London: Haus Publishing, 2006.Short, Philip. Mao: A Life, New York: Macmillan, 2001.Terrill, Ross. Mao: A Biography, Stanford: Stanford University Press, 1999.