Case Study Mcdonalds Essay Example for Free

Case Study Mcdonalds Essay It operates over 35000 restaurants in more than 100 countries on six continents. 5 It has an unparalleled global infrastructure and competencies in restaurant operations, real estate, retailing, marketing and franchising. McDonald’s website says that it is a leader in the area of social responsibility and is committed to protecting the environment for future generations. 7 Strong and wide communication channel in the market. (deng, 2009) 8 Play areas for children. 9 Large target markets. 10 Recession resistant (Birchall, 2008) 11 In September 2003 successful backing up of new products was launched with MTV’s advertising campaign featuring the new tag line, â€Å"I’m Lovin’it†. (Jennifer, 2004) WEAKNESSES 1 McDonald’s has not achieved its growth expectations in past several years. Narrow Product lines. (deng, 2009) 3 McDonald’s brand association as a junk food. (deng, 2009) 4 Few option for healthy eating 5 High employee turnover rates. (macy, 2012) 6 McDonald’s also have some bad effects on environment. (ltd. , 2006) 7 McDonald’s also faces many types of legal actions on many issues. OPPORTUNITIES 1 Product packing for McDonalds now features QR codes for customers to get nutritional information. Mcnamara, 2013) 2 Opportunity to enlarge market, the consumers who care about health issue. (deng, 2009) 3 Slightly changing market brand image of McDonalds. (deng, 2009) 4 In 2009, McDonald’s launched its hefty Angus burger in all U. S. A locations. 5 Introduction of trans-fat-free French fries in all restaurants in the U. S. A and Canada. 6 Introduction of McCafe. 7 Testing marketing fruits and vegetables as happy meal at some outlets. 8 McDonald’s franchises overseas became a favorite target of people and groups expressing antiglobalization sentiments. Entry into new and highly popular product categories. THREATS 1 Public attack about obesity issue. (deng, 2009) 2 Changing taste of consumers. (deng, 2009) 3 Unable to keep patrons as special order sandwiches offered by rivals Burger King and Wendy’s. 4 Promotional plans like McDonalds game found conspiracy with 51 people charged in a part of scam winning $24 million by stealing winning McDonald’s tickets. 5 McDonalds showed a delayed effect than other restaurants operators in switching over to zero trans-fat cooking oil. In 2001 McDonald’s was sued for hurting religious sentiments by vegetarian groups for not revealing its flavors in French fries as it added beef extract to vegetable oil and showing it as veg in menu. 7 Consum ers began filing law suits that eating at McDonald’s had made them over weight. 8 Competition from burger kings and Wendy’s. (Thomadsen, 2007) MARKET SEGMENTATION TARGET MARKET| BABY BOOMERS| GENERATION X| GENERATION Y| GENERATION Z| DEMOGRAPHICS| 45-65+| 35-44| 19-34| 0-18| GEOGRAPHICS| URBAN| URBAN| URBAN| URBAN| PSYCOGRAPHICS| More concerned with low cholesterol food| More concerned with low fat food| More concerned with physical fitness food products| Generally eats taste oriented food products| BEHAVIOURAL| Mostly concerned with good quality of food products| Requires access with quick and fresh food service| Generally catch-up food by themselves by reaching out| Check out with friends and family| ISSUE ANALYSIS In 2004,Morgan Spurlock’s documentary film Super-Size Me gave very criticism to McDonald’s fast â€Å"nutrition†, in which he shows how he gains fat and destroy his health by eating McDonald’s. 2 In 1998 McDonald’s started â€Å"Made for you† System but it was not successful. There was a decrease in growth of sales in stores. 3 In 1999 before the implementation of â€Å"made for you â€Å"scheme ,McDonald’s planned to provide about 190 million in financial assistance to its franchisees ,but the actual cost of implementing the system ran much higher than the corporation had estimated. In 2001, 51 people were charged conspiring to rig McDonald’s game promotions over the course of several years, revealing that $24 million of winning McDonald’s game tickets had been stolen as a part of scam. 5 In 2004, McDonald’s was sued for extracting a small amount beef added in to the vegetable oil used for cooking French fries. 6 Many people still complain that the food served by McDonald’s is not hot to eat. RECOMMENDATIONS PRODUCT :- 1 McDonald’s should provide hot food to eat because many customers complaint that their food is not so hot to eat otherwise it will affect sales. McDonalds should bring some new healthier products for all ages because bad effect on health is one of the weaknesses of McDonald’s and bringing some healthier food will help to overcome this image. 3 McDonald’s should provide some free snacks because it will help it compete with its competitors and increase sales. 4 McDonalds should make their products in fat free oil because it will have good effect on health. 5 McDonald’s should also provide some regional food because in this way some rural people will also start accepting its products. Launching of new fried and bone in treats in Chicago. PRICE:- 1 The price of products should be affordable because if they will not be affordable to small income group then its sale will be affected and it will also give the opportunity to competitors to increase their sales. 2 The prices of products should be regularly checked so as to compete with competition because people will buy those products which they can get in low price. PLACE:- 1 McDonald’s should open new franchises in small cities also . It will help them to expand its business and increase growth. McDonald’s should increase the number of its franchises in all countries in order to expand its business. PROMOTION:- 1 McDonald’s should provide some discount on more products purchased because in this way people will buy more. Because some people will start purchasing more items if they can get discount. 2 McDonald’s should provide home delivery service because sometimes some people can’t go to store in order to pu rchase them. It will increase sales. 3 McDonald’s should provide online sale because in this way people can place their orders online. McDonald’s is working on new salads and wraps . (wong, 2013) 5 McDonald, s will test the new fried and bone in treats in Chicago. (wong, 2013) 6 Success of mighty wings in Atlanta. (wong, 2013) BEST RECOMMENDATIONS PRODUCT:- McDonald’s should provide some healthier food for all ages because health obesity is the major problem with McDonald’s . In this way they can get good image regarding health. PRICE:- Prices of products should be regularly checked in order to compete with competition because people will cheapest product. PLACE:- McDonald’s should open new small franchises at small cities also because it will help him to expand its business and increase growth rates. PROMOTION:- McDonald’s should provide home delivery service because sometimes people can’t go to store in order to purchase product. BIBLIOGRAPHY Bibliography Birchall, J. (2008). McDonalds claims fast food sales fighting off slowdown. Financial times. deng, t. (2009, may). McDonalds new strategy on changing attitudes and communication. International journal of marketing studies, 37-42. Jennifer, R. (2004). online branding :the case of McDonalds. ritish food journal. ltd. , n. m. (2006). ICCR sponsered proxy resolutions on genetically modified organisms gain recognition among shareholders at wendys McDonalds . financial wire. macy, a. (2012). financing a remodel:a case of McDonalds Franchisee. journal of case research in business and economics. Mcnamara, B. (2013). McDonalds give the people what they want. Nutrition business journal. Thomadsen, r. (2007). product positiong and competion:the role of location in the fast food industry. Marketing science. wong, V. (2013). will McDonalds mighty wings fly? Business weak.

Improvement of Warranty Management Using Logistics

Improvement of Warranty Management Using Logistics Improvement of WARRANTY MANAGEMENT using logistics Abstract The purpose for the paper is to build up a calculated system that incorporates the innovation and business issues ahead of schedule at the outline stage to limit warranty costs in the most compelling and effective way. These days, giving a decent post-buy benefit has turned out to be critical then the effectiveness of warranty administration programs is by all accounts urgent. On warranty administration programs through calculated bolster arranging. Beginning from a reference structure for warranty administration, the paper traces the part that the calculated support can play in expanding process productivity. Specifically, extraordinary angles are tended to, such as order of framework segments, meaning of repair levels and support errands. The introduced structure is alluded to the military business in which calculated methodologies are broadly connected. Regardless of this, proposed technique can be considered all around substantial and effortlessly pertinent to various setting. INTRODUCTION of Articles Because of the increasing customer expectations, item exhibitions and qualities are no longer the sole perspectives to consider in a focused worldwide market. For buyers satisfaction product, must perform to their fullest. To achieve this performance, the part of post-deal administrations, especially amid warranty period becomes crucial so that an efficient warranty program represents a competitive asset. The administration of warranty is not simple task as it includes various parameters like technical terms, managerial issue and administration. During the warranty period, things must be kept up or reestablished to a state in which it can play out the required capacity, expected to give a given administration (Gonzalez Diaz et al. 2009). There are distinctive sorts of warrantys every one suited an alternate sort of item (purchaser, business and modern, standard versus custom-constructed, and so forth.) (Lyons and Murthy 2001, Menezes and Quelch 1990). A writing survey uncovers vital collaborations amongst  warranty and different order (Gonzalez Diaz et al. 2009, Murthy and Djamaludin 2002, Murthy and Blishke 2005, Gonzalez Diaz and Crespo Marquez 2010, Murthy et al. 2004) affecting warranty effectiveness. Among every one of them, especially essential are the followings: Outsourcing: warranty benefit or by and large, the after-deals branch of an organization, is generally one of the most defenseless to be  outsourced because of its okay and due likewise to the way that, among other highlights, outsourcing gives lawful protection to such help administrations (Gomez et al. 2009). Quality: a reliability and quality improvement of the product has not only an advantageous and favorable impact in front of the client; it also highly reduces the expected warranty cost (Chukova Hayakawa 2004, Lutz Padmanabhan 1998). Maintenance: In some cases, amid the warranty  period the maker still has a solid control over its item and its conduct. Furthermore, the normal warranty costs depend  regularly not just on warranty necessities, yet, likewise on the related upkeep plan of the item (Yeh and Lo 2001, Dimitrov et al. 2004, Kim et al. 2004, Wu and Li 2007). Costs: about cost estimation, there are nowadays methods to estimate accurately the final cost of a specific acquisition contract as, for instance, the Estimate at Completion (EAC) method  (Christensen 1993), a management technique that can be used in a project for the control of the costs progress. The paper addresses the problem of warranty management efficiency, for complex system such as a custom-built product where huge number segments and conditions must be considered. The paper is sorted out as takes after. In segment 2 a system for warranty administration is proposed, suggesting the utilization of settled strategies, coming from different disciplines, to improve process efficiency. In section 3 the main issues of warranty logistics are presented, whereas in section 4 the proposed methodology for the application of logistic support to warranty management is illustrated. Finally, conclusions and hints for further research are presented. THE WARRANTY MANAGEMENT The proposed process for warranty management consists of four steps, following the PDCA cycle and principles of Quality Management Systems as per 9001:2008. The initial step of a warranty administration handle comprises in the meaning of nonspecific and destinations. This choice is central for the key detailing of warranty arrangements and it must consider alternate point of view. To stay away from inconsistencies between the warranty program and the general business system the utilization of the Balanced Scorecard (BSC) in this stage is suggested. Other useful methods to use during the planning phase are Criticality Analysis (CA) and Root Cause Failure Analysis (RCFA) to focus actions on those high impact specific failures showing rare and high failure frequency (Gonzà ¡lez Dà ­az et al. 2011 a). study on reliability based design of a series-parallel system and used GA to obtain optimal values of system design, burn-in period for different lengths of warranty, PM intervals and rep lacement time. Deb (1999, 2001) and Hu et al. (2007) used multi-objective GA to solve the goal programming problems. Some of the literature also focused on achieving customer satisfaction through improvements in the warranty parameters by making changes in the design. Manna et al. (2006) and Maronick (2007) focused on maximization of customers utility in terms of warranty duration for the different warranty policies. The last stride of the procedure is warranty program change. Considering the extensive number of conceivable approach, the selection of Customer Relationship Administration and Six Sigma appear to be especially viable. Different devices that can be utilized for the change are identified with the usage of new innovations, for example, e-warranty methodologies, where e-warranty can be characterized as a warranty program bolster which incorporates the assets, administrations and administration important to empower  proactive choice. This support not just incorporates e-i nnovations, additionally e-warranty exercises such as e-checking, e-conclusion, e-visualization, and so forth. WARRANTY LOGISTIC AND SUPPORT Warranty and logistics literature is vast, the problem of logistics of warranty servicing has not been deeply analyzed (Murthy et al. 2004). Murthy proposes the following classification of strategic, tactical and operational issues concerning warranty servicing. (Table 1). Strategic Tactical and operational Location of material Spare part inventory stocking points Location of service centers Material transportation Location of warehouses Replace versus repair Demand for spares Scheduling of jobs, repairs Service channels repairs and travelling repairman problem In facing these issues, product characteristics are fundamental as for warranty polices. In this field, literature contributions are mainly related to commercial products, dealing with specific problems. For example, Considering the replace or repair issue, there are numerous approaches to support this decision (Murthy Nguyen, Jack Vander Duyn Schouten 2000, Jack Murthy 2001, Zuo  et al. 2000). On these considerations, in this paper some of the above mentioned tactical and operational logistics issues are discussed, focusing the attention on complex products which need to be maintained over their life. For these systems, such as military aircrafts, logistic support becomes a crucial part of the warranty management policy, considering characteristics of products and existent constraints, especially in the military field. Logistic support deals with provisioning, procurement, materials handling, transportation, distribution and warehousing of items and the support  infrastructure needed for carrying out these activities over the life of the product (Murthy et al. 2004). According to this definition, it becomes clear how many aspects of a product logistic support  influence the efficiency of a warranty management policy. Moreover, to this, an underlying support arrange, connected to the warranty time skyline, can give a first way to deal with warranty  scope quantification, save parts provisioning, warranty assignmen t timetable, professionals aptitude levels and so on. Arranging and booking change connected to a warranty program can obviously improve the adequacy and proficiency of program approaches. Such change will rely on upon the time skyline of the examination. classification of critical components of the product which, due to their significance per several factors, deserve to be specially analyzed for the warranty management; choice of repair levels, which are those maintenance levels that are more effective to take the proper actions during the development of a warranty program; tasks definition which refers to those methods that define the maintenance and warranty tasks when a component, in a specific product, fails; required spare parts and allocation. Above are the aspects which are concerned in this section reference models to guide the decision-making process. 3.1 Classification of components: In the definition of logistic support strategy particularly important is the identification of candidates, which are elements to be considered for the logistic support process. According to MIL-STD- 1388-2B logistic support candidates can be defined as follows: Logistic Support Full Candidate: components requiring that their logistic support is analyzed. The knowledge about the logistic support of crucial elements or parts of the product is highly relevant in order to plan, schedule, and organize a proper maintenance and warranty program. Logistic Support Administrative Candidate: these are components that do not require a complete analysis of their logistic support, but they are necessary to be taken into consideration to perform the complete analysis of full candidates. In other words, an administrative candidate is the one which must be manipulated in order to access other candidates of the product. 3.2 Repair Levels: Table 2. Repair levels (MIL-STD-1390D). Repair level Echelon 1 Echelon 2 Echelon 3 Echelon 4 Code C (crew) O(Organizational) F(Intermediate-Forward) H(Intermediate Rear) Significance Developed by the user. Preventive maintenance tasks by the operator General changes for parts and adjustments. Preventive tasks and correction (e.g. durationà ¯Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¬4 man/hour) In-place repair. Change of damaged assemblies. Preventive tasks and correction. (e.g. 4 man à ¯Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¼Ãƒ ¯Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  h. duration General repair of damaged sets and subsets. Preventive tasks and correction, determined by maintenance manuals when duration à ¯Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¾Ãƒ ¯Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  50 man/hours. Cost C1 C2 C3 C4 Table 3. Comparison between alternatives. A B C MTBF1 1000 1,000 1,000 MTBF2 1000 8,000 800 L (cost unit) 100 20 40 M (cost unit) 100 40 80 P (cost unit) 200 500 200 N 60% 60% 50% The proposed system recommends an approach to assess whats more, decide how and where a support or, then again warranty errand ought to be executed, to bear the cost of the most minimal cost. Utilizing the officially created documentation for the military part (Table 1), it is conceivable to characterize the levels or echelons at which different costs (direct labour, material, handling.) for the different maintenance echelon. Then, it is possible to minimize an objective function to determine which echelon is the most recommendable to face a repair. A fifth echelon related to reconstructions and major changes performed by the own industrial maintenance (overhaul)is sometimes considered we will analyse if it would be more economical to discard the faulty Camera, rather than repair it. For that intention. we will compare the relative value of a repaired Camera with the cost to buy a replacement (for this generic case, the possibilities in the market will be denominated as A, B and C): Condition applied by the manager to take a  decision: If (MTBF2/MTBF1) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ N Nomenclature MTBF1 = MTBF of a new Camera MTBF2 = MTBF of a repaired Camera N = Predetermined acceptance level (set by the company or contractor) L = Labor required to repair the Camera M = Material required to repair the Camera P = Unit price of a new Camera Possibilities: Computations Results: A: 0.60 B: 0.48 > 0.12 C: 0.30 Decision: A: Discard B: Repair C: Discard Basically, this simplified example shows that if the cost for the repair exceeds a given percentage of the cost of a new item, the decision should be to discard the failed item. A similar way can be followed  to decide between the other repair levels 3.3 Task Definition: In writing, numerous techniques are portrayed to characterize upkeep and warranty task when part of particular item come up short. Considering the military industry, one possible approach is certainly the use of Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM) (MIL-STD-1629 6A). In a warranty management context, RCM becomes a trustworthiness examination for the meaning of those undertakings to be performed amid the warranty time frame. The utilization of RCM procedure to characterize the warranty program can be effortlessly clarified considering a common RCM prepare which comprises of the  taking after strides: Selecting systems and collecting information System boundary definition System description and functional block diagram System functions and functional failure Criticality analysis Task definition. Within RCM, the criticality of a failure mode can be assessed by using the Safety Hazard Severity Code (SHSC) as catastrophic, critical, marginal and minor failure (already mentioned in section 3.1) or through a more quantitative assessment (MIL-STD-882): Where, -Cm (modal criticality number): it is calculated for each failure mode of each logistic support item. -Cr (item criticality number): it is calculated for each logistic support item. -ÃŽÂ »P (failure rate): it is usually obtained from fail-ure rate predictions (MIL-HDBK-217, RIAC 217 Plus). -ÃŽÂ ± (failure mode rate): It is usually obtained from failure modes database sources such as (RAC FMD-97). -ÃŽÂ ² (conditional probability): It is the analysts best judgment that the failure will occur, based on the item severity classification. -t (mission phase duration): in military or aero-space sectors, it is an average data of the usual system functioning. After the maintenance task, have been determined which is to be applies during warranty period next task comes which is to define task frequency. Where: TF = Task Frequency MTBF (Mean Time Between Failure) = It indicates system reliability which is calculated using known faikure rate. MTBM (Mean time between maintenance) = One of the categories of maintenance events contributing to the mean time between maintenance actions (MTBMA) value. MTBMnd = (Mean Time Between Maintenance No Defect): One of the categories of maintenance events contributing to the mean time between maintenance actions (MTBMA AOR= Annual Operating Requirements. Once got the recurrence for a particular task, it is possible to decide the required extra parts. For that reason, it is important to know previ-ously the accompanying parameters: Task Frequency every Year and Product Unit (TF) Spares Quantity per Task (QT) With these information, it is conceivable to acquire the Spare Parts Frequency every Year and Product Unit. Considering an exceptionally complex framework, similar to the military flying corps or naval force, this information permits the definition of extra parts assignment in distribution centers of various echelons. In some cases, the whole logistic support process is outsourced to the manufacturer. In this context warranty program efficiency is sensibly affected by logistic decisions such as spare quantity and allocation. In fact, logistic support for military systems is usually carried out in strong collaboration with the manufacturer during the warranty period and longer. . An example of spare parts allocation and inventory management for military aircraft components can be found (Costantino et al. 2010). Summary All through the paper different parts of proficiency identified with the change of the warranty management have been examined. After introducing most critical issues of warranty administration and proposing a system for its administration, it has been analyzed the logistic support applied to complex products and how this support can be focused to facilitate and improve the decision-making process. Furthermore, it has been indicated how segments ought to be repaired, deciding ideas as assignment recurrence and recognizing different levels of repair. Upgrades in warranty administration effectiveness, and in addition the ensuing increment in consumer loyalty, may speak to a key angle in a worldwide rivalry. About the logistic support applied to the warranty management, further research in this field should be focused on the calculation of different costs, combining warranty assistance and maintenance tasks once the warranty period has been expired (to possibly extend the warranty contra ct). Another fascinating improvement could be the blend of RCM with CRM (Customer Relationship Management), considering this as a phase incorporated into the reference system proposed for the warranty administration. Moreover, the incorporation of RCM arrangements with an ERP framework (Enterprise Resource Planning) can enhance not just the meaning of new maintenance and warranty methodologies, additionally the development of constant change. References Blischke, W.R. Murthy, DNP, 2002. Case Studies in Reli-ability and Maintenance. Wiley, New York, (661 xxiii). Chattopadhyay G.N, Murthy D.N.P. 2000. Warranty cost analysis for second-hand products. Math Comput Modelling; 31(10-12):81-88. Chattopadhyay, G. Rahman A., 2008. Development of lifetime warranty policies and models for estimat-ing costs. Reliability Engineering and System Safety 93:522-529. Christensen, D., 1993. Determining an accurate Esti-mate At Completion. National Contract Management Journal ­ 25, 17-25. Chukova, S. Hayakawa, Y. 2004. Warranty cost analysis: non-renewing warranty with repair time. John Wiley Sons, Ltd. Appl. Stochastic Models Bus. Ind. 20:59-71. Gonzà ¡lez Dà ­az V., Parra, C., Gà ³mez J.F. Crespo A. 2010. Reference framework proposal for the manage-ment of a warranty program. Proc. of EURENSEAM, Congress Euromaintenance 2010, Verona, Italy.Gonzà ¡lez Dà ­az, V. Crespo Mà ¡rquez, A. 2010. Book Review: Reliability Engineering. Warranty Manage-ment and Product Manufacture (By Murthy D.N.P. . Blischke W.R). Production Planning Control: The Management of Operations, 1366-5871, Volume 21, Issue 7, 2010, Pages 720-721. Gonzà ¡lez Dà ­az, V., Gà ³mez Fernà ¡ndez, J.F., Crespo Mà ¡r-quez,. A. 2011. Practical Applications of AHP for the Improvement of Waranty Management, Journal of Quality in Maintenance Engineering (JQME), Emerald Wagner, Stephan M.; Jà ¶nke, Ruben; Eisingerich, Andreas B. California Management Review. Summer2012, Vol. 54 Issue 4, p69-92. 24p. 3 Diagrams, 5 Charts. DOI: 10.1525/cmr.2012.54.4.69.

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.

Janey’s Dance :: Child Development Short Stories Essays

Janey’s Dance The Doe household is silent, seemingly without life in all its rooms. Yet listening carefully, a faint sound can be heard leaking from the walls of little Janey’s playroom. Moving closer, the tunes of Lamb-Chops sing-a-long cassette tapes become impeccably clear: â€Å"This is the song that never ends . . . â€Å" Peeking inside, not wanting to disturb the natural environment of the 11 month old, we see Janey’s reactions to this â€Å"classic† song. She is standing latched onto her chartreuse play table, bouncing up and down and flailing her right arm in an infant’s rhythmic motion. Her mouth is open in a wide, goofy grin as squeaks of happy sounds are released into the air. She is, in effect, dancing to the rhythm of Lamb Chop. What has contributed to Janey’s behavior? How has she progressed from a sedentary, crying newborn to an active, excited infant? There are a few different ways to interpret this developed behavior, stemming from four distinct theoretical frameworks used in the field of developmental psychology. Each model has its own explanation of Janey’s Lamb-Chop dance and all provide important contributions to a justification of this charming behavior. An examination of the infant’s dance from a biological-maturation perspective focuses on the development of Janey’s physical structures and physiological processes that allow her behavior to take place. This activity should not be expected from a three month old because an infant of that age has not experienced the maturational changes in the body and brain that are necessary to facilitate dancing in it’s earliest manifestations. Human development occurs in a cephalocaudal pattern, thereby beginning in the head and working downward from that point. Coordinated muscle movements of the arms are not apparent until approximately three months of age and the same behavior in the legs usually not witnessed until around nine months. To allow movements to occur, an infant’s bone and muscle structures must develop from the soft, thin, fragile structures they are born with. â€Å"The bones in the hand and wrist are among the first to ossify† (Cole & Cole, 2001, p.

A Speech Directed to Politicians About The Problem of Homelessness :: Papers

A Speech Directed to Politicians About The Problem of Homelessness Today, we are faced with an increasing problem in society – homelessness. When we walk down the street, we find many people sleeping rough, living a life with drugs and alcohol as their only comfort. We are all united in tackling this dilemma that forces local authorities in Britain to take responsibility for housing 110,790 homeless households and in London, 28,610. I alone cannot do it, which is why I need your help to set up bed and breakfasts, detox centres, charities and some solace for these people. It is our duty to help our nation bring itself up to scratch; it is our duty to help each other. â€Å"Do unto others as you would have them do unto you†. Not only do we need to find homes for the homeless. We need to help them kick the habit of drugs and get them to hospitals where their health can be cared for. Homeless people have a frequency of physical health problems two or three time higher than the general population. Also, more than half of the people sleeping rough on the street have mental health problems, more than half. They can be a danger to themselves and to others, which is why they absolutely need our help. An alarming thought is that the statistics only count the homeless people who have applied to local authorities for help, so I have no idea how many have not been accounted for who desperately need help. I have heard about too many cases of homeless people who abuse drugs, which have shocked me and will shock you as well. One of them was a nineteen-year-old called Francis - he wasn’t that sure of his age, just like many other things in his life. His teeth were rotting so badly there were just black shards of them left and he smelled of old faeces and sweat. His own mother had introduced him to drugs when he was just a fifteen-year-old and then dumped him and his brother in a

Cross Cultural Interview

Cross Culture Interview I invited my friends and neighbors Katsumi and Daly to dinner at my apartment on Saturday April 14th, 2012. Katsumi moved to Miami in 2006 from Thailand and Daly was born in New York City from Jordanian parents. We discussed our backgrounds, family relations, women issues, religion, music, and the cultures that shaped and defined who we are. Also, we talked about how cultures affect our communication behavior and how it influences our perception of the communication we receive from others.Well, we started to laugh at our dinner which consisted of pizza and coke; here we are a Puerto Rican, a Thai and a Jordanian eating Italian food and drinking an American beverage. I think is awesome how small our world has gotten. Katsumi told me â€Å"My first impression about people in this country is that they are so revealing and they are not afraid to express their feelings. I wasn’t ready for this at all. † I learned from my friend Kat, that public displa y of affection is forbidden by Thai customs.When I asked her about food she said that it was her biggest issue. â€Å"I’m considered an addict to really spicy food and of course I love Thai cuisine. I found the Mexican food is the closest food to suit my taste. † she told me while she kept sprinkling chili powder on her pizza. Thai people like to eat lots of spicy food. White rice or sticky rice is always eaten with every meal on a daily basis. Typical meals consist of rice and vegetables plus perhaps some dried fish, as well as soup and sauce.To my surprise there are similarities between Thai and Puerto Rican cultures, we both eat rice and vegetables on a regular basis with a fork and spoon; I had the perception that all Asian cultures eat with chopsticks. Kat and I found other similarities as well, how our families enjoy spending time together watching television, playing video games, going to the movies, engaging in conversation, celebrating holidays, and cookouts. She also stressed the fact that we differ in how we view time, â€Å"Americans are punctual for everything like work, dinner reservations and concerts.When I was in Thailand I never got to work on time, even though I got so many warnings. Here I would have been fired if I did that. † Another great difference between our cultures, she pointed out is that parents, aunts, and uncles are not sent to nursing facilities, when they get old, they live with their children. I learned that family has a great significance to Thai people as well as religion and their King, since Thailand has a monarchy.She also said that almost everybody has a picture of their king or Buddha in their homes and businesses. When I asked Daly about her religion, she explained that Islam was believed to hold the highest value and is the pillar for all other values that they have. Although she was born and lives in America, her life is mostly influence by her religion and family; it is what defines her as a pe rson. When Daly was twenty years old she decided to stop trying to make people accept her and started to wear her headscarf.She said that it gave her freedom because she was able to live as the truest version of herself. We found differences and similarities between our religions, Islam and Christianity. We both worship the same God, both have primary beliefs that we try to follow in day to day life and both have a great respect for each other faiths and religious choices. However, one of the main differences is that Muslims, do not believe that Jesus, a human, is the son of God.This, in their teachings, means that God must have, with all his infinite wisdom and power, created himself with limitations. A human being will eventually die; therefore destroying the idea of God’s infiniteness. However, they believe that Jesus was a prophet and hold him in the same level of regard as their prophet, Mohammed. At first I was reluctant to talk about religion, primarily because the way I was brought up by my parents. They taught me at an early age that religion and politics is not to be talked outside the family circle.I was glad that Daly was very open and willing to share her cultural beliefs and values with Kat and me, she also wanted for us to erase our misconception about her culture and religion. There are several important things I learned about the Thai and Jordanian cultures. I learned that both cultures are very generous. That their upbringing emphasizes generosity, warmth, openness, and friendliness and that unity and respect for the family form the core of their society.Throughout this project Kat, Daly and I felt very comfortable with one another, mostly because we have a great respect for each other’s beliefs. It was a wonderful learning experience for all of us as well as understanding each other cultures and where we come from. Furthermore, I have learned that in order to develop culture specific skills we need to be flexible and open to ch ange, aware to verbal and non-verbal behavior, informed of the values, beliefs, and practices in other cultures and sensitive to differences among individuals within a culture.In conclusion, cultural intelligence helps overcome obstacles by acquiring accurate information about the values and practices of other cultures and by developing specific skills needed to be effective across cultures. Generally speaking, patience, courtesy and a bit of curiosity go a long way. Bernard M. Baruch once said, â€Å"We didn't all come over on the same ship, but we're all in the same boat. â€Å"

Self Confidence

Self confidence is the ability to posses the absolute sureness of feeling that you are equal to the task at hand. If one is self-confident, that trait shines through the person in everything they do, say, what they wear and how they look. People who have this desirable trait draw others around them in by their untouchable confidence. A confident person can easily combat the hurdles of life and can also influence others by their positive attitude and impressive personality. A confident person believes in themselves, does what they feel is right and is never afraid of failure. Self-confidence is extremely important in almost every aspect of our lives. The reason self confidence is so important is because out of confidence comes success. Proof of this is found in many instances. For example, it is proven that students who begin a test with confidence in themselves that they will achieve a desired goal have a better chance of doing-so opposed to those who begin a test with uncertainty. Another example is in the working world. It is very unlikely for an insecure, unconfident person to be a CEO of a flourishing company. When hiring an employee for an important position, an employer looks for certain qualities and self confidence is one major one. Self confidence is a disease. Friends, family, and all people other people in touch with a person displaying confidence are likely to generate similar self confident feelings. A confident person attracts friendships, but commands respect, too. 69% of women said that men possessing self confidence were 2 times more attractive than those lacking it. ‘I believe that a self-confident man is aware of his imperfections but doesn't allow them to hinder him from being the best person that he can be.’ Alison Austin of Dayton, OH. For a psychology project, two high school boys decided to test out the correlation between self confidence and attraction. They planned for their experiment to take place at a school dance. They two boys of the same social status enter a dance circle. One danced uncomfortably and the other danced with self confidence. As they predicted, the boy who danced self-consciously gained little attention from the opposite sex. On the contrary, the other boy drew attention from several girls and even influenced some of the guys to dance less timidly. This is another form of proof one person with self confidence can send vibes from person to another. Everyone longs to be appreciated and well-liked by their peers. By having a self confident personality, it is easy for others to see your true self break through the surface. Although most self confident people are unaware of the effects of their confidence on their surroundings, self confidence forms the basis of everything in the world. Without confidence sports stars, celebrities, government officials, and other people of high stature would never be where there are at today. Do you think Michael Phelps would have broken records and acquired seven gold medals if he lacked the confidence in his own ability? Do you think President Obama would have been able to represent our country if he believed the critics and stopped speaking out? Do you think Lil’ Wayne would have pursued his career if he listened to the people who told him he had no talent? The answer is no. Without confidence, you are nothing.