Effect of Job Satisfaction on Employee Performance

Effect of Job Satisfaction on Employee Performance Introduction Nowadays, it is very difficult to find dedicated employees who could be relied on when the going gets tough. It takes an encouraging supervisor to motivate an employee to stay on his job position and to do his job well. Likewise, it takes a committed worker to persist in his job no matter how difficult it may be, as long as he is properly motivated and satisfied with his job. Just what makes a worker motivated to do his job well? What makes him satisfied in his job? This paper attempts to investigate the aforementioned questions within a certain corporation, Reliance Industries, Ltd. It will take on a qualitative study. It will be employing the use of questionnaires and a focus group interview to probe into the issues of job motivation and job satisfaction and if this translates to performance and efficiency. Research Objectives: The objectives of the study will be: To examine the strategies that organisations use to motivate their employees To explore the relationship between employee motivation and job satisfaction. To examine organisational performance and efficiency. To examine organisational performance and efficiency entails. To examine the impact of employee job satisfaction and motivation on organisational performance and efficiency. Statement of the Problem: How does employee job satisfaction and motivation affect his performance and efficiency in the organization? The study will seek to answer the following questions: What are the strategies that organisations use to motivate their employees? What is the correlation between employee motivation and job satisfaction? What is organisational performance and efficiency? What does organisational performance and efficiency entail? What is the impact of employee job satisfaction and motivation on organisational performance and efficiency? Research Methodology Data collection will be carried out by use of questionnaires. A focus group interview shall be implemented so that a selected group of employees can give in-depth answers to issues pertaining to job satisfaction and motivation and how it affects their own performance and efficiency. It will also draw out much information from the thorough review of literature, so analysis of the results of the questionnaire and interview will be done in the backdrop of a rich tapestry of motivation models and principles. Descriptive research design will then be used where qualitative analysis will be made basing on the variables that aim at examining the impact of employee job satisfaction and motivation on organisational performance and efficiency. This is because descriptive methods are quite effective in identifying concrete socio-economic issues such as the impact of employee job satisfaction and motivation on  organisational performance and efficiency (Silverman 1993; Beverley 1998; Strauss and Corbin 1990). Significance of the Study The study aims to benefit organizational development purposes, specifically the human resources department. A thorough review of literature on motivation shall be done explaining theories, models and principles of how an individual is encouraged to do something for himself and for others. This research will enlighten employers on how to motivate their employees so they do better in their jobs and result in job satisfaction on the part of the latter. It becomes an win-win situation for everyone concerned if motivation is appropriate and effective and will elicit initiative on the part of the employee. Chapter Two Review of Literature Motivation comes from the enjoyment of work itself and from the desire to achieve goals set by the person (Dawson, 2009). Each individual has different goals. Some are financial, like working longer hours for extra income or exerting more effort just to push sales. Some set their sights on a promotion of rank believing that if they do well on their jobs and accept the challenge of more responsibilities that eventually, they level up to a position of more power and authority. This paper argues the need for employers to understand how their workers are motivated and how they can use such information to produce better results for the organization. Knowledge of employee motivation is an advantage for employers. When this knowledge is applied, it becomes a win-win situation for both parties since the employees are motivated to pursue shared organizational goals while the employer encourages the productivity in his organization. Handy (1999) reports that the initial goals of motivation research was to encourage individuals to provide better service to their employers by exerting more effort and maximizing their talents at work. Having a well-motivated workforce may be equivalent to better work productivity and success in product salability in the market. Additional advantages are lower level of absenteeism and staff turnovers because the employees are satisfied with their work. This also means that training and recruitment costs are lowered because work positions are always reliably staffed (Dawson, 2009). Douglas McGregors Theory X and Y gained much attention in the 1960s. He claimed that an individual falls under either of 2 categories, X or Y. The X individual needs a lot of controlling, directing, coercion and thereat just so he gets work done. On the other hand, individuals under Theory Y do not see work as tedious and instead, commits to the goals they have set. Meeting these goals becomes the reward in itself. The average individual stays in the middle ground. He prefers to be directed and avoids responsibility as much as he can. However, when left with no choice, he learns to accept it and carry it out. Further, even if imagination or creativity is widely distributed across the population, individual potentials of people are only partially used in work (Dawson, 2009). This now begs the question of how employers can find employees who fall under the Theory Y category, those who are motivated enough to give their best to the job. Other early motivation theories include the Satisfaction Theory, the Incentive Theory and the Intrinsic Theory. The Satisfaction theory posits that a satisfied worker works even harder and proves his loyalty to the organization he belongs to by staying longer there. Who would want to leave a work environment that provides satisfaction? If one is happy there, there would be little no motivation to leave, and utmost motivation to stay on. The Incentive theory claims that an individual will increase his efforts to obtain a reward, which are mostly compensation packages such as salary increases or access to more company benefits. The Intrinsic theory is culled from Maslows theory of Hierarchy of Needs. He categorized human needs as hierarchal from the basic physiological needs moving to safety, belongingness and love, esteem and finally self-actualization. Maslow contends that these needs serve as motivators (Handy, 1999). For example, a man is motivated to work to earn money for his fam ily to provide for their basic needs of food, clothing and shelter. However, as the man becomes richer and is able to meet his and his familys physiological and safety needs, he ensures that his higher needs are likewise met. As one level of needs is met, the individuals needs move up to the next level until he has met most of his needs and just strives for self-actualization. As an application to work, an employee likewise moves up the organizational ladder and strives to reach the highest position he can achieve. At that point, he is earning enough money, has gained enough belongingness and recognition and as a reflection of his need for self-actualization, is motivated to leave a legacy behind. In relation to Maslows Hierarchy of Needs theory, a real-life example from the international company, IKEA, is illustrated. This Scandanavian-based company is known to be the largest supplier and manufacturer of furniture worldwide. In 2004, IKEA in Denmark took the initiative to give their entire checkout staff a 25% raise. IKEA has more of them than any other group and it meant a sizeable increase in total monthly overhead expenses. However, it was a business decision that delighted the checkout staff. It follows that happy employees are bound to create positive results for the company (Kjerulf, n.d.). One is lower employee turnover. This provides tremendous savings for the company of time and money recruiting new staff. It also means that the longer workers stay with a company, the more experienced they become and the more they identify with the company. Hence, the company develops a more experienced and loyal staff. Being so, they provide better service, gaining higher customer s atisfaction. The companys reputation of providing high quality of service to its customers is spreads rapidly by word of mouth, thereby incurring more sales and profit for the company. Although IKEA incurred a humongous expense with the implementation of the raise, it paid itself within six months. Analyzing why this worked for IKEA, Kjerulf gives three reasons. The first is that the raise obviously gave the staff a significant improvement in their standard of living. The recipients were the least paid in the company, so a 25% raise made a huge difference in terms of their quality of life. Secondly, the salary increase gave people recognition. IKEA acknowledged that they were the most important group of employees since they are the only employees customers are likely to talk to at the end of the sale because customers help themselves with the products anyway. This acknowledgement makes the checkout staff feel valued and trusted. Finally, IKEA promoted the value of fairness. The recipients of the raise were suddenly paid as well as other employees, and even higher than the market average of their counterparts. So it is not really the salary increase that motivated the employees. More than that, they gained much in terms of self-esteem and the feeling of being valued as a worker. Albert Martens, one of IKEAs HR heads posits that giving financial incentive to staff does not actually increase the motivation of a worker who values customer-focused attitude more than money. Because they feel important due to such great service given them, customers come back not only for the quality of IKEAs products but for the kind of service they get from the staff. The staff in turn, gets intrinsically rewarded by this (Whitehead, 2006). According to Judge et al. (2001) the happier people are in the workplace, the more satisfied they are. Weiss (2002) and Rain et al. (1991) concur with this argument that employee job satisfaction and employee motivation are clearly linked. Rain et al. (1991) and Fried and Ferris (1987, pp. 287-322) agree with Porter (1997) that human resources are the most important assets that any organisation can boast to own and to maintain because people utilise and turn the organisations resources into products that the organisation needs in order to perform and to efficiently and effectively meet the needs of its customers. Workers expect some sort of psychological contracts from their employers. Consciously or unconsciously, they anticipate more than the benefits and compensation that the job usually presents. Workers expect support from management, work that is challenging and interesting and communication that is open and honest. These non-monetary rewards have become very significant to the motivation of workers. Of course their economical needs have to be fulfilled (as in the basic physiological and security needs in Maslows Hierarchy of Needs), however, their socio-emotional needs have to be given attention as well (as in the sense of belonging and esteem needs referred to by Maslow). Lester, Clair Kickul (2001) contend that the implication of this is that from the beginning, employers do not only discuss the workers compensation package also emphasize the aspects of the company that will be intrinsically satisfying to the workers. Money and other status symbols like higher job positions and titles, more spacious and opulent offices, and the like do not really increase ones motivation (Kohn, 1999). This may seem unbelievable, but each time a person is extrinsically-rewarded for doing something, it reduces their intrinsic motivation. Employers need to remember that intrinsic motivation spurs an individual to perform well and to high standards because the person does something on his own volition and commits to doing his best in the task (Kjerulf, n.d.). It is essential that employers realize the importance of such psychological contracts! They should keep in mind that all employees desire work that is meaningful, recognition and credit for such work, creative freedom and opportunities for personal growth. As a start, open and honest communication must be established and maintained in the organization. This must include encouragement and boosting of self-esteem of workers. Lack of communication may suggest to employees that the employer is susceptible to breach their psychological contract. Porter (1997) asserts that job satisfaction is a key indicator of how employees feel about their jobs and a predictor of work behaviours such as organisational loyalty, absenteeism and employee turnover. Fried and Ferris (1987, pp. 287-322) concur with Porters view that job satisfaction can partially mediate the relationship of personality variables and deviant work behaviours. According to Weiss (2002, pp. 173-194) and Porter (1997), there exists a huge correlation between job satisfaction and productivity. Job satisfaction amongst employees of Reliance Industries as a result of effective motivation packages has increased growth due to the commitment that workers exercise. According to Reliance Industries Limited (2010), this has come as a result of various motivation packages such as competitive compensation packages and world-class exposures that offer employees opportunities to learn and experience the world. Porter (1997) states that one source of an organisations competitive advantage is job satisfaction. Reliance Industries Limited recognises this and that is the reason why the company walks an extra mile to ensure that employees are satisfied on the job and this has enabled it to attract and retain excellent talent that places the company at a more competitive position that has enabled it to invest in innovative and lucrative ventures in areas such as Information Communication Technologies (ICTs), bio-technology-led research, life sciences and many more (Forbes 2010; Reliance Ind ustries Limited 2010). Investment of more time and effort in the establishment and sustenance of healthy relationships with workers keeps employers updated of their workers progress in both personal and professional areas. Motivating workers can be a challenge for leaders. However, it is well worth the time and effort in the end, as the workers themselves will bear fruits for the organization. Introduction About Chosen Organisation (Reliance Industries) Reliance Industries Limited was founded in 1966 by Dhirubhai Ambani, the Indian industrialist and was the pioneer in the introduction of financial instruments such as fully convertible debentures into the Indian stock markets (Forbes 2010). It is alleged by critics that the success of Reliance Industries Limited at the top position in terms of market capitalisation is the ability of the founder to manipulate the levers of a controlled economy to its advantage. The major subsidiaries and associates of Reliance Industries Limited include Reliance Petroleum Limited (RPL); Reliance Life Sciences; Reliance Industrial Infrastructure Limited (RIIL); Reliance Institute of Life Sciences (Rils); Relicord; Reliance Solar; Reliance Clinical Research Services (RCRS); Reliance Logistics (P) Limited (Cable News Network 2010). Reliance Industries Limited has 3 million shareholders and 1 out of every 4 investors in India is a Reliance shareholder (Cable News Network 2010). This makes it the company the organisation in which most stock is widely held in the whole world. According to Forbes (2010), the subsidiaries and associates of Reliance Industries Limited are the best performers in the Indian stock market. By market value, Reliance Industries Limited is the largest private sector company in India with an annual turnover of US$ 44 billion and profit of US$ 3.6 billion for the year ending in March 2010 and assets valued at US$ 43.61 (Forbes 2010). The company is ranked at 264th position in the Fortune Global 500 list in 2009 and at the 126th position in the Forbes Global 2000 list in 2010 (Cable News Network 2010; Forbes 2010). Reliance Industries Limited is one of the main players in the oil and petrochemicals industry in India. Although the companys main focus is oil, it has diversified its operations in recent times as a result of severe differences between the founders sons, Mukesh Ambani and Anil Ambani after the company was divided between them in 2006 (Cable News Network 2010). Chapter Three Methodology Strauss and Corbin (1990) stated that qualitative research is any kind of research that produces findings not arrived at by means of statistical procedures or other means of quantification. Glesne (1999) stated that qualitative researchers seek out a variety of perspectives; they do not reduce the multiple interpretations to a norm. Strauss and Corbin (1990) claimed that qualitative methods can be used to better understand any phenomenon about which little is yet known. They can also be used to gain new perspectives on things about which much is already known, or to gain more in-depth information that may be difficult to convey quantitatively, or where the researcher has determined that quantitative measures cannot adequately describe or interpret a situation. a. Questionnaires The use of questionnaires as a means of collecting data from the research participants, with an aim in obtaining their personal views on job satisfaction and motivation and how it affects their performance and efficiency has been selected for this particular research. (Campbell et al., 2004) describe questionnaires as: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦a very versatile data-gathering method; they are cheap, easy to administer, whether it be to three people or 300, and can be used to gather a great variety of data of both quantitative and qualitative nature. (Campbell et al., 2004, p. 146). Cohen et al. (2000) also praise the use of questionnaires for their efficiency. They allow an efficient use of the researchers time, as they can collect a significant amount of information in one attempt, rather than conducting interviews over a period of weeks. Gillham (2000) also highlights that questionnaires make efficient use of the respondents time, as they can complete the questionnaire at a time that is suita ble to them and does not require the researcher and respondent to match free periods of time to conduct the research. Cohen et al. (2000) and Gillham (2000) emphasize the usefulness of questionnaires for ensuring the participants anonymity, which in this study, may be requested due to its very sensitive and controversial nature. If the respondents cannot be identified, they may be more willing to write about issues and opinions more openly than they would in a face-to-face situation. It could be argued then that questionnaires are therefore most likely to generate more truthful answers as there is no personal contact with the interviewer. However, a disadvantage of using questionnaires is that the only data collected is a variety of tick boxes and brief responses, which means the data tends to have more breadth than depth. This results from the lack of an interviewer to prompt for further information or more detail in their answers, and they cannot interpret questions for the participant who is unclear about what is being asked. This may result in each participant having to decipher what they are being asked independently and may resort to their own subjective understanding of the questions. The following questions will be asked in the questionnaires and will be discussed in detail in a focus group interview conducted later: Are you satisfied with your job right now? Why or why not? What motivates you to do your job well? What are the strategies that your organisations use to motivate their employees? Do you think employee motivation leads to job satisfaction? Explain. How do you define organisational performance and efficiency? What does organisational performance and efficiency entail? How would you rate yourself in terms of job performance and efficiency? What do you think is the impact of employee job satisfaction and motivation on organisational performance and efficiency? b. Interviews To pursue the questions in depth, a selected group of participants who answered the questionnaires will be asked to join a focus group interview. The interview method involves questioning or a discussion of issues with one or more people.   It is useful to collect data which may not be accessible through observation or questionnaires (Blaxter et al, 2006). Robson (2002) points out how the interview is a flexible and adaptable research tool.   In face to face interviews, there is the possibility of following up interesting responses.   Frey and Mertens-Oishi (1995) comment how respondent participation can be enhanced by the interviewer sensitively guiding the questioning, and being able to answer any questions which the respondent may ask.   Oppenheim (1992) suggests that the response rate is higher in interviews than in questionnaires, due to the fact that participants become more involved. c. Qualitative Content Analysis of Literature The content analysis of findings from several studies in the review of literature is another great source of a wealth of information for this current study. Content analysis is a research technique for making replicable and valid inferences from texts (or other meaningful matter) to the contexts of their use (Krippendorff, 2004, p. 18). Constructs researched on and analyzed may be derived from existing theories or practices, the experience or knowledge of experts and previous research (Krippendorff, 2004). Content analysis aims to provide knowledge, new insights, a representation of facts and a practical guide to action (Elo Kyngas, 2008). Qualitative content analysis flows from a humanistic tradition. Replacing hypotheses associated with quantitative research methods are open questions that guide the research and influence the data that are gathered (White and Marsh, 2006). The researcher reads through the data and analyzes them thoroughly to identify concepts and patterns. He or she may discover patterns and concepts that emerge but were not foreshadowed but are nevertheless important to consider and report. For this study, available literature already reports data which has been gathered and analyzed by competent researchers in the field. The researcher is in a position to compare existing literature and discern which information will best answer the questions pertaining to this current research study. Procedure Firstly, permission to conduct the research should be sought from the rightful authorities of Reliance Industries Limited by way of written correspondence. The letter includes the aims and objectives of the study and the methodology to be used. The company will also be assured that they will be furnished a copy of the final research paper. Questionnaires will be distributed to the employees of the company either by hand or by email. Demographic data of the participants shall be collected like their gender, age, civil status and length of time they have served with the company. A small group of 7 to 10 employees shall be randomly selected from the pool of participants to engage in a focus group interview. This small group interview will be to follow up on their responses in the questionnaire and to further probe into their insights regarding motivation and job satisfaction and how these affect their performance and efficiency in their jobs. The focus group interview will be audio-recorded and transcribed in verbatim. The interview questions already stated above will be asked of the participants to guide the flow of the interview and the participants will take turns answering them and responding to others answers as well. An interviewer will be hired to facilitate the interview and may ask follow up questions to clarify some answers. This interviewer will be briefed beforehand on the objectives of the research and how to conduct the focus group interview to elicit candid responses from the participants. The participants are ensured of the confidentiality of their responses as their real names will not be used in reporting the responses as data. This occasion is to give students the opportunity to elaborate and freely express their insights with regard to student-teacher relationships. The focus group discussions are believed to add pertinent information to the study. Data Analysis Responses from the questionnaires and focus group interview will be culled and sorted according to themes that may surface (ex. motivations, company strategies to motivate employees, etc.). Each theme will be analyzed with the backdrop of the information gathered from the literature review.

An Analysis Of Italian National Interests Politics Essay

An Analysis Of Italian National Interests Politics Essay National interest incorporates within it many things. Since the beginning of the nineteenth century, events have shown us that Italy and many of its leaders and politicians have always found it difficult to opt for a particular direction in both internal as well as external affairs. Whilst fighting against the Hapsburg Empire for independence in the nineteenth century, various Italian politicians proposed several options and alternatives that Italy could take. All of this brought conflict of interests and ideas in Italy and no-one was sure which road Italy should follow. In the quest for independence, the Italians knew what to remove but not what to implement instead. In the twentieth century, national interest changed frequently and much of this depended on the leaders of the time and on external events. The fact that Italian governments have changed so frequently in the past century is a clear example of how Italian governments and politicians never agreed on where their national i nterests lied. This paper will focus on how hard the Italians have found it to agree on their national interests and the reasons behind such a statement. This paper will then analyse to what extent such a statement is true and whether agreements between the Italians and Italian politicians regarding the matter have been reached. Special focus will be given on Italys relationship with Europe and the US and certain domestic policies as well as on the Italians view on the Arab World and the Mediterranean. Italys national interests Italy has had a history of changing alliances at the opportune moment in order to suit its interests. This shows that the Italians were never certain on what they really wanted. In the First World War, Italy joined the Entente when it had been an ally of both Germany and Austria-Hungary for so long. On the other hand, in the run-up towards the Second World War, Italy was attracted to Germany and its way of thinking and, when Germany rearmed and was pictured by many as the current strongest power, Italy did not hesitate to join Hitler in an alliance  [1]  . When Mussolini came into power in the 1920s, national interest lied in that of expansion and irredentismo. Mussolini wanted to promote the grandeur of Italy by conquering territories in Northern Africa and in some parts of Europe. Such an expansionist foreign policy agenda changed abruptly with the fall of the fascist regime in Italy and a new direction of national interest became important. Italian national interest then chang ed again with the end of the war as the Italian population and government sought the help and friendship of the United States  [2]  . The two main rival parties in the period were the Communists and the Christian Democrats and both had very diverse interests and foreign policy agendas. Immediately after the war, Italy promoted its interests in the international arena and this is seen in its quests for European Integration and in that of joining the North Atlantic Alliance yet such notions and ideas had to wait until the arrival of De Gasperi for them to become the new direction of Italys foreign policy: Italy under the leadership of Alcide De Gasperi became one of the founding countries of European integration, when the European Community and NATO were the two main pillars in postwar Italian foreign policy.  [3]   Putting these agendas aside, many argue that, during the First Italian Republic, national interest was not focused on the international context. This statement is quite correct especially when seeing how the culture of national interests did not reach its full potential due to the political elites interest in domestic rather than in foreign affairs. Due to certain issues occurring in Italy today it may seem as though the Italians are more concerned about their domestic affairs rather than their external ones  [4]  . The huge importance given to issues such as Silvio Berlusconis scandals and personal life is a clear example of this. Some newspapers are more focused on these particular affairs rather than what is happening abroad. The fact that domestic affairs was important then and is still so relevant now, brings to mind the thought that, in certain aspects, the Italians have managed to find a compromise between them. Others will say otherwise especially after analyzing Italian foreign policy in the second half of the twentieth century. Italy opted for an active foreign policy agenda as it tried to restore the honour it had lost as a result of The Second World War. Upon joining the European Union, Italys economy flourished considerably as can be witnessed in the 1960s. This was a result of increased industrial development and new economic reforms. When analyzing such issues, it could be said, therefore, that Italys national interests lay mostly in Europeanism as Italy became a strong and active member in European affairs and integration and it benefited a lot from its membership. Most political parties in Italy were and still are very pro-EU and Italy was always amongst the highest in Europe which had a strong public opinion with regards to the European integration process. Though the Communist party was quite anti-European in its policies, it changed attitude during the 1970s when it saw European integration as a means to promote its national interests. Hence, this led to support for integration becoming nearly unanimous in Italy  [5]  . Many believe that Italian national identity was weakened because of the relations between the state and the church in Italy especially during the nation-building process  [6]  . The church has always maintained a strong role in Italy and this is mostly due to the reason that the Vatican City is the centre of Catholicism. Hence, the church has been very influential in events happening both at the national level as well as on the international level and in fact, since unification and even in issues such as Italian-Arab relations, the church has always expressed its views and opinion on what Italys approach to such matters should be. Though Italys activity in European processes and activities was always present, it still wasnt recognized as a major power in the EU but was seen as a large member state among small ones, but incapable of taking its place among the big ones in the Union  [7]  . Italys inability to implement certain European legal norms, as can be witnessed in certain aspects such as that of freedom of expression, has reduced its credibility in the European context and even resulted in Italys less influential role when it comes to decision-making. Italy, however did try to promote its Europeanism especially in issues such as that of a European Monetary Union to which Italy gave much support. It was during Romano Prodis Italian Premiership when Italy became more credible as a result of its joining of the Euro-zone. This credibility was then again lessened with the arrival of Silvio Berlusconi who had a more Euro-skeptical attitude in his foreign policy. Many scholars and analysts believe that this attitude was a main reason of why national interest was seen as unstable and unclear. Until the 1990s, Italy was quite pro-European, however, when Berlusconi became Prime Minister, this changed. In fact, Berlusconi conflicted quite often with other heads of European states especially with the French President and German Chancellor. Further proof of this erosion of Europeanism can be witnessed in the resignation of Italys foreign affairs minister, Renato Ruggiero, who was a pro-European  [8]  . Berlusconi, apart from being Prime Minister, had been minister of foreign affairs and his motives and interests were clearly seen in his policies. Berlusconi preferred to maintain good relations with American President George W. Bush rather than focusing his strength on maintaining excellent EU relations. He wanted the American administration to see Italy as its closest European partner after Britain and that is why, Italy gave America its full support in many issues and crises. Italys conflicting interests between Europeanism and Atlanticism did not start with Berlusconi. Sergio Romano comments on how the Italians believed that the Second World War was not lost by the nation but rather by the fascist government and this explains why, after overthrowing Mussolinis regime, Italy was still willing to seek cooperation with other states. As from the late 1940s Italys cooperation with the US grew especially due to the Marshall Plan which, according to Romano, ebbe maggiore influenza sul profile internazionale del paese e sul sistema politico italiano negli anni seguenti  [9]  . In the meantime, Italy was very confident in the fact that it could play an important role in European as well as in Mediterranean affairs. The world order after World War II was very different than that prior to the war. Not only did countries like Italy lose certain territories such as Istria, Libya, Eritrea and Ethiopia but, now, there was the rise of communism and nation states suc h as Italy had to respond to such crises. The Marshall Plan wasnt only implemented for the restructuring of Europe, but also to combat the communist threat of the Soviet Union. The plan was also aimed to bring unity in Europe and this influenced the policies of Italian politicians and how they behaved at the international level  [10]  . National interest, in a few years, had changed radically from one being aimed to promote Italy and its grandeur to one which promoted Italys activeness and participation in an international community. After 1947, Italys policies started reflecting those of the United States of America. Hence, not only was it interested in economic development and restructuring, but was also intrigued by implementing a democratic government, rights and freedoms as well as having an anti-communist task force. Because Italy followed these concepts, it was also interested in having a united Europe and, as explained above, was among the first to promote cooperation am ong European states. Italys national interest was always divided between that of Europeanism and that of maintaining excellent cordial relations with the US and such a phenomenon may still be said to be going on today. Many countries were against Italy joining the Atlantic Alliance and the Italian government was particularly keen on changing the negative assumptions that these countries had about it. Such countries believed that: Se fosse stata ammessa avrebbe costretto lAlleanza a difendere non soltanto lAtlantico del Nord ma buona parte del mediterraneo, avrebbe dato un contributo insignificante alla difesa commune, e avrebbe probabilmente approfittato della sua partecipazione per avanzare una volta querule richieste coloniali.  [11]   De Gasperi and Sforza saw that these ideas had to change as Italy needed to develop economically as well as improve its security. Without the help of foreign powers it couldnt do much. Even if other countries had no faith in Italy, the latter knew that it could count on the US to provide for Italys needs. The USA was, and still is, considered as a super power and could provide for the security of others apart from itself. The transition that Italian national interest was taking clearly shows how Italian leaders realised that Italy should not be overconfident in its approaches and be as ambitious as it was in the time of Mussolini. Even nowadays, Italy is trying to maintain the best of relations with the US as the former knows that America can provide Italy with financial aid and security. Apart from this, by maintaining a relationship with the worlds superpower, Italy and Italian opinion could become more credible and attractive in the international arena. De Gasperi and Sforzas opposition and criticisms which were coming from within the mainland clearly proves how national interest differed from one party to another. Apart from being criticized by the national liberals, both statesmen found opposition in the Catholics of the left, the socialists and in the communists all of which had considerable influence in Italy  [12]  . Hence, national interest varied in Italy as some opted for expansion and the regaining of national prestige, others for the weakening of the Western front whilst others were willing to make Italy a determining power in international affairs. Nonetheless, both De Gasperi and Sforza tried to establish strong positions not only in the US, especially after joining NATO in 1949, but also in Europe and this is evident when analyzing the relationship Italy had with countries like France. Since the time of de Gaulle, and especially under Georges Bidault, France considered Italy as an important ally and friend. In this issue another phenomenon regarding national interest is evident. This is Italys interest in safeguarding the Mediterranean and Italy, since Mussolinis rule up until today, was one of the major players when it comes to security in the Mediterranean. France, who had interests in Northern Africa, agreed to help Italy in this task and, since EU membership, Italian statesmen, ministers and politicians have promoted the idea of Mediterranean security even more  [13]  . Italian Prime Minister Aldo Moro, as did many others, maintained good relations with Mediterranean countries including Malta so as to maintain a stable and secure Mediterranean region. Italys interest in the Mediterranean may be a reason why the country is so keen on maintaining stable relations with the Arab world. Since the era of Fanfani and Moro, and even before that, up till today, Italian relations with Arab countries have been quite positive. This can be seen in Italys involvement in the Suez Crisis and in the Six-Days War and also in the fact that Italy always expressed its opinion with regards to the Middle-East conflict and offered means to aid the people affected by the war  [14]  . Many say that Italy has boosted its market-share and maintained a high political profile in the Arab world and in the Persian-Gulf and this is evident in countries like Qatar, UAE, Oman, Kuwait and many others. Embassies have been set up in these countries, exports increased and relations with them have improved due to the issuing of new contracts. Also, with regards to some states, Italy is the only remaining European trading partner as can be seen in the case of Iran  [15]  . Many believe that, though Italy has had a strong pro-European perspective, European enthusiasm has fallen considerably in the past years. According to a survey last year, only a small percentage of the Italian population actually believed that Italy was benefiting from its relationship with the EU. Italy has indeed fought for the strengthening and widening of the European Union, however, with the acceptance of the Constitutional Treaty, the introduction of the Euro and with the incorporation of many new pacts and treaties allowing greater EU say in decision making, Italians are starting to question what role has the national sphere left to play. From the period 2001 till 2006 the European Union was rarely consulted and called upon when Italy discussed matters of policy and foreign affairs. Even though Prodi was a pro-European, the two years he spent as Italian Prime Minister following 2006 werent enough to change the European outlook towards Italy. It seemed that Italy was changing f rom being one of the most active and respected members in Europe into a country which acted as an obstacle to the European Union. Events such as Italys exclusion from key talks on important issues suggest that the above statement is true and that Europe and the European Union had lost faith in Italy  [16]  . In Italy there was always a diverging of interests between the centre-left and the centre-right parties. The issue of multilateralism in this context becomes important. Under Berlusconis centre-right government this process was threatened especially due to the fact that the Prime Minister had little faith in such a process. Berlusconi, always projected as being so Euro-skeptic, has always preferred to maintain bilateral relations with countries such as the US and with certain countries in Europe rather than having many relations on a multilateral level. This statement is clearly supported by the fact that international organizations have never regarded Italy under Berlusconi as an important asset especially since the centre-right participated mostly in multilateral agreements and in international organizations only if there was something to gain from them. Centre-left parties, on the other hand have always taken a different approach and have always preferred to maintain strong multil ateral bonds especially with the European Union and its institutions. On the other hand the centre-left was then skeptic on the relationship with the US and this is evident in the centre-left parties criticisms towards the US and some of its policies  [17]  . Conclusion The fact that so many different governments were set up after 1945 and the phenomenon that only nowadays is an Italian political party managing to stay in government a full term is a clear reason on the state of agreement on national interests is in Italy. The huge number of fragmented parties in Italy means that it is difficult for Italy to come to a consensus on both domestic affairs as well as on international affairs. All the parties have different national interests and this may be the cause of why many believe that the statement that there hasnt been agreement on where Italys national interests lied was and still is the reality of Italy. Even the events of 2008 when Romano Prodis government collapsed is a sign on how the Italians are still struggling to find an agreement on where their national interests lie. Never before in the post-World War II history of Italy, had a government been unsupported by its own majority because of disagreement (within that same majority) on how to run the countrys foreign policy.  [18]   Such an event, however, will not change the real aims of Italys foreign policy and will not affect the reasons of why Italy has acted the way it did in the international arena in the past years. Italian politics in the last decades has always been directed towards achieving a more peaceful world. What Italy has done in the Middle-East and in Europe was done to strengthen unity as well as to bring stability in societies. On this matter, national interest is quite concrete and everyone, starting from Italys political elite moving down to the lowest classes of society, has had the same ideology and realm of interests with regards to having peace in the world. Though this is a huge contrast to the Italy prior to the war, it shows how, though national interest in Italy does tend to change rapidly, the Italian population may find agreement on certain issues especially on matters which are considered important and vital to the international sphere. Hence, it can be concluded that the statement that the Italians have never agreed on where their national interests lie isnt entirely true. Though Italian national interest did change quite frequently along the years, there were times when it was stable and followed a clear path. The fact that Berlusconi was elected for the third time has resulted in national interest to become clearer. Before the end of the cold war, the diverging national interest between that of a pro-European and a pro-American agenda was more evident. Now, with Berlusconi as Prime Minister, it seems that the divide isnt as evident especially with Berlusconis close relationship with the US and his lack of faith in Europe. Agreement on national interest, however, was never entirely present in Italy and may still be seen like that nowadays. It is unclear if Italian politicians are more interested in domestic rather than in international affairs and. Apart from this, Italy still maintains good relations with Mediter ranean countries as well as with the Arab world and is always keen in intervening wherever there is an issue abroad and this further confuses scholars and analysts trying to come out with where Italian national interest really lies.

The History of Rap Music :: Rap Music Jamaican Culture Essays

The History of Rap Music Rap music originated as a cross-cultural product. Most of its important early practitioners-including Kool Herc, D.J. Hollywood, and Afrika Bambaataa-were either first- or second-generation Americans of Caribbean ancestry. Herc and Hollywood are both credited with introducing the Jamaican style of cutting and mixing into the musical culture of the South Bronx. By most accounts Herc was the first DJ to buy two copies of the same record for just a 15-second break (rhythmic instrumental segment) in the middle. By mixing back and forth between the two copies he was able to double, triple, or indefinitely extend the break. In so doing, Herc effectively deconstructed and reconstructed so-called found sound, using the turntable as a musical instrument. While he was cutting with two turntables, Herc would also perform with the microphone in Jamaican toasting style-joking, boasting, and using myriad in-group references. Herc's musical parties eventually gained notoriety and were often documented on cassette tapes that were recorded with the relatively new boombox, or blaster, technology. Taped duplicates of these parties rapidly made their way through the Bronx, Brooklyn, and uptown Manhattan, spawning a number of similar DJ acts. Among the new breed of DJs was Afrika Bambaataa, the first important Black Muslim in rap. (The Muslim presence would become very influential in the late 1980s.) Bambaataa often engaged in sound-system battles with Herc, similar to the so-called cutting contests in jazz a generation earlier. The sound system competitions were held at city parks, where hot-wired street lamps supplied electricity, or at local clubs. Bambaataa sometimes mixed sounds from rock-music recordings and television shows into the standard funk and disco fare that Herc and most of his followers relied upon. By using rock records, Bambaataa extended rap beyond the immediate reference points of contemporary black youth culture. By the 1990s any sound source was considered fair game and rap artists borrowed sounds from such disparate sources as Israeli folk music, bebop jazz records, and television news broadcasts. In 1976 Grandmaster Flash introduced the technique In 1979 the first two rap records appeared: "King Tim III (Personality Jock)," recorded by the Fatback Band, and "Rapper's Delight," by Sugarhill Gang. A series of verses recited by the three members of Sugarhill Gang, "Rapper's Delight" became a national hit, reaching number 36 on the Billboard magazine popular music charts. The spoken content, mostly braggadocio spiced with fantasy, was derived largely from a pool of material used by most of the earlier rappers. The backing track for "Rapper's Delight" was supplied by hired studio musicians, who replicated

Pride in Young Goodman Brown and The Ministers Black Veil Essay

Pride in Young Goodman Brown and The Minister's Black Veil      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Many of Hawthorne's characters wrap themselves in a pride of intellect. The characters become victims of their pride and consequently suffer.   Goodman Brown, from "Young Goodman Brown" and Hooper, from "The Minister's Black Veil" are two characters that suffer from a pride of intellect.   Their pride causes them similar problems and they end up living similar lives, although they came from different backgrounds.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Hooper and Goodman Brown both become isolated from society.   Hooper had a revelation, and he feels that he truly understands human nature and sin. However, he believes that he is above everybody else because he has this understanding.   This is what causes the major separation between Hooper and society.   After Hooper dawns the veil he can no longer function or act as a normal person, because of this feeling of superiority.   His perception of an ultimate human isolation leaves him the man most isolated in what Hawthorne describes as that saddest of all prisons, his own heart . . . "(The Minister's Black Veil,228).   The veil affects all parts of his life, his fiance leaves him and he can no longer relate to his congregation the same way. "As a result of wearing the veil, Hooper becomes a man apart, isolated from love and sympathy, suspected and even feared by his congregation"(Minister's Black Veil, 228). Goodman Brown suffers the same fate because he also has a feeling of superiority over the rest of the village.   He attains this feeling after he sees all the people that he though were good and pure participating in satanic rituals in the fore... ...de.    Works Cited and Consulted Benoit, Raymond.   "'Young Goodman Brown': The Second Time Around."   The Nathaniel Hawthorne Review 19 (Spring 1993): 18-21. Hawthorne, Nathaniel. The Complete Short Stories of Nathaniel Hawthorne. New York: Doubleday and Co., Inc.,1959. James, Henry. Hawthorne. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 1997. Kaul, A. N., Ed..   "HAWTHORNE: A Collection of Critical Essays." Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall, Inc. 1966. Martin, Terence. Nathaniel Hawthorne. New York: Twayne Publishers Inc., 1965. Morris, Lloyd., "THE REBELLIOUS PURITAN: Portrait of Mr. Hawthorne." Port Washington: Kennikat Press. Van Doren, Mark., Ed. "The Best of Hawthorne." New York: The Ronald Press Company. 1951. Wagenknecht, Edward. Nathaniel Hawthorne - The Man, His Tales and Romances. New York: Continuum Publishing Co., 1989.

Stella and Ruth: Similar Women from Different Lifestyles :: Comparative, Williams, Hansberry

Although A Streetcar Named Desire, by Tennessee Williams, and A Raisin in the Sun, by Lorraine Hansberry, appear to be very different plays, there are some great similarities. Ruth, from A Raisin in the Sun, lives with her immediate family and her sister and mother-in-law in the Southside of Chicago. However, Stella, A Streetcar Named Desire, has left her family behind and moved to New Orleans. Although these two women come from very different backgrounds and are characters in very different plays, they have surprising similarities. Therefore, Ruth and Stella have similarities and differences in their overall lifestyles. Stella and Ruth share similar present living conditions but differ in their childhood lifestyles. Both women are presently living in poorer areas in small apartments. This is shown when Williams describes Stella’s living situation as in â€Å"the poor section [of the city]†¦houses weathered gray with rickety stairs† (Williams 1) and also when Stella explains to her visiting sister Blanche, in an embarrassed tone, that there were only two rooms- â€Å"this one†¦and the other one† (Williams 1). And in Ruth’s case, Hansberry describes how the apartment appeared to have been home to â€Å"too many people for too long† (Hansberry 1.1). Throughout the first act, there are many descriptions made by Hansberry about the cramped situation of the apartment including a shortage of bedrooms and bathrooms (Hansberry 1.1). Although Ruth had always experienced living in these kinds of conditions (Hansberry 1.1), Stella had not. This is shown when Eunice , the woman who owns the other apartment in the complex, is discussing Stella’s childhood home with Blanche (Williams 1). The home was actually a plantation called â€Å"Belle Reve† and described as a â€Å"great big place with white columns† (Williams 1). Through this conversation, the reader can see that Stella now lives a very different lifestyle compared to her childhood. Therefore, although both Ruth and Stella live in similar conditions now, there are obvious differences in their upbringings. A second major similarity between the two women is their personality of being non-confrontational. Both women, in a sense, let others â€Å"walk over them†. Ruth is dominated by her husband, Walter, for the most part and Stella by her husband, Stanley, and sister Blanche. When situations are tense, both characters try to avoid the confrontational subject or shy away when it is brought up. For example, when Walter adamantly keeps trying to force Ruth into supporting his business ideals at breakfast-which she doesn’t agree with-she tries to change the subject by repeatedly telling Walter to eat his eggs (Hansberry 1.

Mexican American War an Exercise in American Imperialism Essay

The Mexican-American War was the beginning of a legacy of hate between the Americans and Mexicans. During this era, America was growing commercially and industrially, leading to the need for more land to maximize the American profit. This Anglo-American necessity led to the Mexican-American War. Imperialism was indeed the corner stone for the entire Mexican-American war; Americans aimed to control the Mexican lands through direct control. Manifest Destiny, the belief that the Americans were to expand to the Pacific Coast, was started in the 1840s. It is no secret that Polk won the election largely because of his radical expansionist views. Shortly after Polk’s win, he sent a few representatives to protect the border of Texas and bargain for the land, not long after Congress passed Texas to become a state. Due to the men â€Å"protecting† the border of Texas, Mexico became angry and refused to accept Polk’s compromise, offering only a partial recognition. Polk declined, and American troops proceeded to the Rio Grande. Polk later claimed that the Mexico-American War was a last resort to Mexico’s lack of cooperation and attack on the Americans, and that â€Å"American blood had been shed on American soil.† This is inaccurate. At that time, the land was neither said to belong solely to the Americans, or solely to the Mexicans. Each side thought the land belonged to them. Polk had also already planned the steps to lead to the control of Texas, even before the war. If not for imperialist goals, why would Polk have already planned the steps leading up to the war, if war itself was a â€Å"last resort?† This shows the Americans illustration of imperialism by the fact that President Polk would not accept Mexico’s terms for partial recognition probably because Polk had a dream of owning all the land to the coast. In fact, during this time the Anglo-Saxons believe that the God they worshiped had given them a right to all the land on this continent, and that they were to spread their religion within those who did not believe. Abiel Abbot Livermore gave an accurate description of the Americans in his book The War With Mexico Reviewed: â€Å"more, more, give us more.† This is in regards to the Americans’ want for new land. Numerous people had negative views on the Mexican-American War. Benjamin Lundy, William Ellery Channing, and John Quincy Adams were just a few. Eugene Barker stated that â€Å"the general cause of the revolt was to extend  imperial authority†¦Ã¢â‚¬  as well as â€Å"†¦substitute centralized oligarchy.† Common imperialist views are that the people should exert their culture on the lands that they gain control of. Eugene Barker’s statement leads one to believe that this was exactly what President Polk was doing. In this case, it was religion that he and the Americans were enforcing. He forced the Mexicans to become Protestant if they chose to stay in their homeland. The Mexican American War shows all the signs of imperialism. President Polk made claims that there was no other solution but war, when, in reality, there were many other solutions. Polk’s unnecessary want for the control of land, and for the United States to become the greatest power, all familiar views of imperialism, led him to war. The annexation of Texas did indeed play a large role in the Mexican-American War, and was based off of imperialist beliefs and goals.

Christian Counseling Notes

I. The Possibility of Change A. Unbridled Pessimism (Cavanaugh) B. Exuberant Optimism (Mahoney) C. The Balanced Truth II. The Potential of Change: Series of Questions A. What Are We Trying to Change? 1. The Core Personality? 2. Discovering Who We Are in Christ? 3. The Desires? B. What Do We Change People Into? C. By What Authority? 1. The Scriptures: 2. The Goal: Maturity; Christ-likeness As Christian counselors, we are under the authority to encourage people to change or conform to the pattern (the behaviors and desires) of Jesus Christ. III. The Barriers to Change A.Apathy – Lacking Motivation (Elijah) Elijah’s lack of motivation was directly applied to â€Å"bad believing. † B. Lack of Sustained Commitment – Resistance to Change (Hosea) C. Lack of Belief that Change is Possible – Victim-Orientation (Saul/Jonathan) â€Å"My environment has been bad so I can’t change. † D. Lack of Knowledge – Concerning what God says about chan ge, concerning the process of change, and concerning what needs to be changed IV. The Bible on Change A. We Can Change. 1. Regeneration – Immediate (Based on the Resurrection) 2. Transformation – Training Process (Through the Holy Spirit and the Word)B. What Needs to Be Changed? 1. Sin (Isaiah 1:18) 2. Pride (Revelation 3) 3. Relationships (Malachi 2) 4. Behavior (Ephesians 4:28) 5. Attitudes and Beliefs (Matthew 19) C. Elements Central to the Process of Change 1. Other People (Galatians 6:1) 2. The Word (Romans 12:1-2) 3. The Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5; Galatians 5:16) 4. The Community of Faith (Hebrews 10:24-25) V. Elements Requiring Attention as We Help People with the Process of Change A. Create an environment that optimizes the potential for change (Proverbs 29:18). B. Provide loving direction throughout sessions (Ecclesiastes 12).C. Be flexible in your approach (1 Corinthians 12). D. Work out a framework that enables comprehensiveness and direction. 1. Addiction Is sues 2. Thinking Issues 3. Feelings (Indicators) 4. Spiritual Issues 5. Environmental Issues 6. Developmental History Issues E. Work collaboratively to decide where we need to begin and go. F. Get a commitment to action plans. G. Give them something to accomplish outside the session. H. Monitor the process and commit to intercessory prayer support. I. Terminate and transition to service and community Change comes as a result of training not trying.CCOU 203 Study Questions: 1. What are the opposing beliefs about change? Is change possible? What authority establishes the direction of change for the Christian caregiver? 2. Name four barriers we encounter when we seek to help people with change? 3. According to the Bible, what needs to be changed in people’s lives? Name four elements that are central to the change process. What elements should be fostered to create an environment that optimizes the possibility of change? 4. Is it good for the Christian caregiver to provide direct ion for the care-seeker?What do we learn from I Thessalonians 5:14 about flexibility in care-giving? Why should we work collaboratively with the care-seeker to develop an action plan? 5. Why is it important to pray for people we are helping with change? What attitude does faith in the resurrection of Jesus Christ produce in those who are seeking to change their lives? Soul Care Notes: I Kings 19 Isaiah 1:18 Hosea 6:11 Romans 12:1,2 II Corinthians 5:17 Philippians 4:13 Ephesians 4:12-16 Ephesians 5:1 II Timothy 1:7 II Timothy 3:15-17 I Thessalonians 5:14