The Shia Islamist Group Hezbollah

Hezbollah is a Shi’a Islamist group particularly active in Lebanon politics through the control of major social, political and economic aspects of the country (Norton 1). Hezbollah has been commonly known to provide basic social services like building schools, hospitals, and other similar amenities. Apart from this social outfit, Hezbollah is widely known as a political and resistant movement throughout the Arab world and indeed even in Western nations (Norton 1).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on The Shi’a Islamist Group Hezbollah specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The Arab world is extensively divided on whether to support the group’s activities but countries such as Syria and Iran have openly come out in support of the group while countries such as Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Jordan have expressed outright condemnation of the group (Norton 2). Even in the Western world, Hezbollah has not been correctly classified as either a political or terrorist group because European nations have hesitated to list it as a terrorist group while America has openly come out to condemn it as a terrorist group (Norton 3). Even as these conflicting opinions take centre stage in international politics, Hezbollah is actually known as a political outfit which emerged as a resistance movement for Lebanon when the Israelis invaded Lebanon in 1982 (Norton 2). The existence of the movement has therefore been largely inspired by the liberation of Lebanon from Israel with Norton interpreting its manifesto as constituting â€Å"Israel’s final departure from Lebanon as a prelude to its final obliteration; ending imperialist powers in Lebanon; submission of the Phalangists to â€Å"just rule† and bringing them to trial for their crimes, and giving the people the chance to choose with full freedom the system of government they want† (5). These goals were formulated without shyi ng away from the fact that Hezbollah does not hide its commitment to the rule of Islam. Initially, Hezbollah was a small movement made up of untrained militia but it is surprising to note that the group has now evolved into a political movement with a substantial representation in the Lebanese government.Advertising Looking for research paper on political culture? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In fact, some of the group’s members occupy 11 cabinet seats out of a possible 30 seats in the Lebanese government (Norton 11). The movement now owns a radio station and satellite television stations which are commonly used to marshal up local support and promote programs of social development (Norton 12). The group now commands a strong following among the Shi’a Islamist population and also within Lebanese borders because most people believe the group represents and fights for Lebanese interests (Norton 3). This support especially surged right after the 2006 Lebanese war. Most of the group’s financial support has been sourced from the Syrian and Iranian government but a significant degree of financial support is also sought from donations by the Lebanese citizens and sympathizers of the Shi’a Muslim group (Norton 15). As a result, the movement has been able to strengthen its army since the early 2000s even though Israel, through United Nation (UN), asserted that it had already left Lebanon. Currently, the government of Lebanon acknowledges that Hezbollah is an armed military organization that seeks to repossess all occupied lands from Israel (Norton 2). From the understanding of the existence of Hezbollah, we can understand the numerous comments made by Hezbollah leaders that Israel should be destroyed because it is allegedly a Zionist entity and has deprived Lebanon of its ancestral land for decades (Norton 4). As a result of the growing strength of the Lebanese forces and the appare nt withdrawal of Israel from Lebanon territory, this study seeks to establish the eminent threat Hezbollah poses to Israel. Military Activities As noted earlier in this study, Hezbollah has now been acknowledged as an armed resistance movement. Currently, Hezbollah has a military wing known as Al-Muqawama al-Islamiyya which is quite dangerous because it is believed to sponsor more miniature military groups such as Organization of the Oppressed, the revolutionary justice organization and other smaller military organizations which subscribe to the Jihad movement also guiding the activities of Hezbollah (Dershowitz 22). These groups are largely armed even after the United Nation resolution of 1559 which recommended the disarmament of Hezbollah and its subsidiary forces. Hezbollah has in the past opposed this resolution and subsequent conflicts (especially the conflict with Israel in 2006) further legitimize its position to hold on to its weapons (Dershowitz 12). The organization has th erefore fought attempts to disarm it (in violation of UN recommendations) and since such rebellion has been evidenced, Israel (and even Hezbollah) has affirmed that the group has tremendously increased its military strength (Norton 21).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on The Shi’a Islamist Group Hezbollah specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Opinion polls taken after the 2006 Lebanese – Israel conflict noted that most Shi’a Muslims believed that Hezbollah should still be armed but a significant majority of the Sunni, Druze, and Christians believed that the group should be disarmed (Norton 45). However, Hezbollah sources its armed security from the support it is given by the Lebanese cabinet which is of the opinion that they should remained armed because their core mandate is to liberate Lebanese lands from the Israelites (Norton 3). Recent reports cited from assertions by top Hezbollah aut horities confirm that Hezbollah now has more rockets than it did in 2006 (Sieff 67). Amid the entire melee characterizing Hezbollah’s military strength, it is not correctly estimated how strong Hezbollah is, in armed strength. However, claims by the security director of the Dubai based Gulf Research institute notes that Hezbollah currently has about 1,000 full time military men while there are another 6,000 – 10,000 military men working on a voluntary basis (Nasr 87). Among the military arsenal Hezbollah possesses are the Katyusha- 122 rockets which can cause destruction 18 miles away from the place of launch and long-range missiles which can attack targets up to 47 miles away from the point of launch (Dershowitz 33). These weapons have been noted to have the strength of attacking Israel’s ports of Haifa and Zelzal-1 which are approximately 93 miles away from the Lebanon border (Nasr 36). Apparently, these arsenals can also attack central points in Israel such a s Tel Aviv. The Iranian made missiles, Fajir-3 also have the potential of attacking targets which are 25 miles away while the Fajir-5 missiles (also in possession of Hezbollah) can also attack targets as far as 45 miles way (Dershowitz 37). Some sources also note that the Hezbollah are in possession of the Scud missiles which were allegedly supplied by Syria but Syria has strongly come out to deny such allegations (Nasr 33). Other sources note that Hezbollah is in possession of anti tank guided missiles which are described by Nasr as â€Å"Russian-made AT-3 Sagger, AT-4 Spigot, AT-5 Spandrel, AT-13 Saxhorn-2 ‘Metis-M’, AT-14 Spriggan ‘Kornet’; Iranian-made Ra’ad (version of AT-3 Sagger), Towsan (version of AT-5 Spandrel), Toophan (version of BGM-71 TOW); and European-made MILAN missiles† (78). These weapons were used to kill a lot of Israeli defense force soldiers in the 2006 Lebanese war but the Iranian made Saeghe-2 were also used to kill a lot of Israeli soldiers in the same war.Advertising Looking for research paper on political culture? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In addition, Hezbollah is also in possession of anti aircraft missiles, including the ZU-23 artillery among other deadly weapons such as SA 7, SA 18, C-802 anti-ship missiles which were some of the most deadly and effective weapons ever used in the history of Hezbollah (Norton 53). In response to this strong military strength, the United States (US) secretary of defense made assertions that Hezbollah harbors more rockets and missiles than many countries with a legitimate army (Nasr 71). Fingers were also pointed at Iran and Syria with allegations that they were supplying Hezbollah with such weapons. Syria on the other hand has reiterated that it does not supply Hezbollah with such weapons and such allegations were directed towards coming up with an excuse to attack Syria (Dershowitz 37). Israel also shares the same opinion with the US; purporting that Hezbollah has up to 15,000 long-range missiles stationed at its border with Israel and some of them have the capability of attacking targets as far away as Eilat (Dershowitz 77). Israel’s ambassador to the US (cited in Dershowitz 88) said that: â€Å"the Syrian-Iranian backed Hezbollah poses a very serious threat to Israel†¦Hezbollah today now has four times as many rockets as it had during the 2006 Lebanon war. These rockets are longer-range. Every city in Israel is within range right now; including Eilat† (Dershowitz 88). The Israel defense forces have further accused Hezbollah of storing these military arsenals beneath public institutions such as hospitals and schools (Dershowitz 78). Public Support In as much as Hezbollah carries out sporadic attacks on Israel; there is a significant degree of public support especially from the Lebanese population who support attacks against Israel (Dershowitz 87). These sentiments are also held by a great part of the Arab world who view Hezbollah as a legitimate resistance movement meant to liberate the Lebanese from extreme Israeli oppression (Norton 8). The Beirut centre for Research and information through a survey done at the height of the 2006 Lebanese conflict reported that about 87% of the Lebanese population supported Hezbollah’s attack on Israel (Dershowitz 121). This was a 29% increase on the same polls carried out less than a month before the current polls (Dershowitz 121). This therefore means that Hezbollah has been receiving continued support form its locals; meaning that its military strength is likely to double and its legitimacy further supported throughout the Arab world. Interestingly, Hezbollah has also continued to enjoy legitimate support even from non-shi’a Muslims including the Christians who exhibit an 80% support for Hezbollah; the Sruze who exhibit an 80 % support for Hezbollah and the Sunnis who exhibit an 89% support for the movement (Dershowitz 122). Recent research studies carried out on Lebanese adults points out that a slight majority of Lebanese adults (6%) support the disarming of Hezb ollah (Dershowitz 121). Respondents from the Gaza strip and West bank also reported that they held a good opinion of Hezbollah, while Jordan respondents approved, with a 60% validation, of Hezbollah as a legitimate Lebanese resistant movement (Dershowitz 121). Interestingly, only about 5% of all Jordan respondents thought Hezbollah was a terrorist group (Dershowitz 121). In July 2006, USA today carried out a survey on Americans and reported that about 83% of Americans blamed Hezbollah, either in whole or in part, for the 2006 Lebanese conflict as opposed to 63% who blamed Israel to some degree (Dershowitz 121). There also seemed to be a biased support on the part of Americans with regards to military action because 76% of respondents condemned Hezbollah’s military action in Israel as opposed to 31% who condemned Israel’s military action in Lebanon (Dershowitz 121). Other studies carried out by CNN reported that about 69% of Americans thought Hezbollah was an enemy of t he US (Dershowitz 121). From the above trend, we can establish that Hezbollah enjoys considerable support from Lebanon, Syria and most Arab states although its strongest critic is the US. The support the group is receiving in the Arab world could potentially increase the threat Israel faces from the group and it could also possibly lead to a more disastrous conflict than the ones experienced in the past. In addition, Hezbollah continues to enjoy good foreign relations with historic Israel and US enemies such as Iran and Syria. Most notably, Hezbollah enjoyed a good relationship with president Haffez of Syria who died. Now, the same relationship is still nurtured under his son Basar Al – Hassad (Dershowitz 15). More dangerous is the links Hezbollah enjoys with terrorist groups such as Hamas, The Sunni Palestinian Group and more recently, Al Qaeda (Dershowitz 15). The relationship among the groups largely revolves around military support and the facilitation of military trainin g. The inter-link of possible terror groups poses an even more eminent danger for Israel through interlinked resistance. In fact, the support Hezbollah has of the Al-Aqsa Intifada war is evidence enough that Hezbollah has the ability of sourcing support from other similar-minded organizations (Norton 44). The US also shares these beliefs by purporting that Hezbollah is in constant communication with low-level Al Qaeda leaders who left Afghanistan and now reside in Lebanon (Norton 44). Dalit and Tamar Gas Fields The assertions by Hezbollah leaders that it was going to attack Israel if it utilized the economic potential in the Dalit and Tamar gas fields expose the tension between the two states and the potential agility Hezbollah has on Israel (Norton 48). This region is potentially regarded by the Hezbollah as part of Lebanon although it is only 50 miles to the West of an Israeli town, Haifa (Norton 47). Hezbollah’s leadership has often warned that it would not hesitate to use military force to protect its natural resources at the economic zone if Israel attempts to use this natural resource. Funding Though Hezbollah officials purport that their primary source of funding has been through donations from Muslims across the world, there is a deep cause for concern that the continual funding of Hezbollah from unknown sources potentially increases the threat Hezbollah has on its enemies; including Israel. Of course, Iran has been exclusively singled out as providing Hezbollah with military and political support but the US estimates that Hezbollah enjoys monetary funding from Iran, to the tune of $60 – $100 million annually (Sieff 91). Other unconfirmed reports purport that Hezbollah enjoys financial assistance to the tune of $200 million annually (Sieff 91). Nonetheless, Iran claims that its funding has been centered on providing support to the Lebanese health care system, education system and the support of war widows (Sieff 91). Interesting is the fa ct that Hezbollah controls a great part of these institutions and either implicitly or explicitly, this money can easily find its way into Hezbollah’s hands. More funding is also said to be sourced from South America and from wealthy Shiites who live in the Diaspora (including America and Europe). The US also claims that Hezbollah has continually been able to counterfeit the US dollar and this has potentially helped them accumulate up to $10 million annually (Sieff 91). Some reports have also cited extortion as a means of funding Hezbollah; especially in Paraguay where the US claims the group gets approximately $10 million or more annually (Sieff 91). Hezbollah has also been known to support certain worldwide criminal gangs which remit extortion money back to the organization. Operation Smoke Screen, a US governmental initiative, has in the past identified that Hezbollah raises funds through a cigarette smuggling syndicate in America (Norton 99). Other reports advanced by the Los Angeles times report that Hezbollah has been receiving money through a cocaine drug trafficking scheme and a money laundering ring which remits 12 % of all profits acquired towards funding Hezbollah’s activities (Sieff 95). Collectively, this monetary support sourced from all quarters of Hezbollah’s operations fuel the Hezbollah-Israeli conflict because Hezbollah is by all means sourcing its money to purchase more lethal weapons; recruit and train more military personnel to boost its military strength. These efforts are likely to pose a big challenge to Israeli forces because it could double the threat Hezbollah possibly has on Israel (which is its biggest enemy). Ideology, Attitudes and Actions against Israel Since the formation of Hezbollah as a resistance movement, the â€Å"death† of Israel has been one of its core goals (Norton 2). In fact, a translation of Hezbollah’s 1985 manifesto points out that Hezbollah will only seize to exist once Israel is eliminated (Norton 2). In this manner, the group has even gone as far as asserting that the group will never accept any treaty, cease fire, or peace agreements with Israel; meaning that the only way, the group can seize to exist is if Israel is eliminated from the face of the earth (Norton 3). This ideology is largely held by Hezbollah as the only way Middle East can attain lasting peace. Hezbollah therefore considers the existence of Israel as unlawful and illegitimate (Norton 13). More complicating is the fact that Hezbollah’s influence has infiltrated the Lebanese government and therefore any efforts to come up with a long lasting agreement with Israel will be thwarted by Hezbollah’s officials in government. This belief is strongly held because Hezbollah believes that Israel’s existence is based on falsehoods, illusions and massacres (Nasr 16). Israel’s occupation of Sheba farms and the existence of Lebanese prisoners in Israel furthers mounts the hostility between the two countries. This fact has been identified as the reason why Hezbollah has never retracted even after Israel left Lebanon in the year 2000. Hezbollah’s spokesperson Hassan Ezedin (cited in Nasr 19) affirms that: â€Å"The Hezbollah campaign to rid Shebaa of Israeli troops is a pretext for something larger.’If they go from Shebaa, we will not stop fighting them,† he told [the New Yorker]. ‘Our goal is to liberate the 1948 borders of Palestine, †¦The Jews who survive this war of liberation can go back to Germany or wherever they came from.’ He added, however, that the Jews who lived in Palestine before 1948 will be ‘allowed to live as a minority and they will be cared for by the Muslim majority† The ideology held by Hezbollah is therefore inclined towards the elimination of Israel at all costs. Since this sort of attitude is shared among many Hezbollah members and indeed the Arab world, the threat of Hezbollah on Israel is likely to increase. Most unfortunate is the fact that Hezbollah vows to attack Israel by all means because of its belief that Israel will collapse under the pressure of suicide bombings since it is more vulnerable than previously thought (Nasr 119). This ideology is held because Hezbollah believes that Israel’s reverence for life; its hedonistic nature and subscription to Western ideals make it very vulnerable to Hezbollah’s hard-line stand on important matters. This they believe is the underlying factor why Israel will crumble under continued war and bloodshed (Nasr 119). With this type of ideology in existence, Israel faces an unrelenting threat from Hezbollah. Conclusion Hezbollah’s threat to Israel continues to mount by the day due to its growing military strength. Considering Hezbollah started as a resistance movement, much of its legitimacy has been sourced from this fact. However, even if Hezbollah has changed its outfit from a resistance mov ement to a terrorist group, it remains increasingly difficult to brand it as so because of its roots. The continued public support the group now enjoys within its own country and partially from the Arab world increases the threat Israel faces because Hezbollah continues to receive acclamations even if it does certain wrongs to other nations. Most notable is Iran and Syria’s support for the movement because they have continually financed the group in monetary and military means. The aggressive nature characteristic of Hezbollah can also be traced to the negative ideology and beliefs the group holds of Israel. In this manner, Hezbollah’s threat in Israel is unrelenting because the primary goal of Hezbollah’s existence is the elimination of Israel. This therefore means that the threat of Hezbollah on Israel will continually be there so long as Israel exists. This study therefore identifies that Hezbollah’s existence poses a great threat to Israel’s ex istence in an unquantifiable manner. Works Cited Dershowitz, Alan. The Case against Israel’s Enemies. Hoboken, N.J.: John Wiley Sons, 2009. Print. Nasr, Vali. The Shia Revival: How Conflicts Within Islam Will Shape The Future. New York: Norton, 2007. Print. Norton, Augustus. Hezbollah: A Short History. Princeton, NJ. Princeton University Press, 2009. Print. Sieff, Martin. The Politically Incorrect Guide to the Middle East. Washington D.C.: Regenny Publishing Inc, 2008.  Print. This research paper on The Shi’a Islamist Group Hezbollah was written and submitted by user Green Heron to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Veterans Day Sayings Reveal the Harsh Realities of War

Veterans Day Sayings Reveal the Harsh Realities of War Each day brings us new hope, new ideas, and new inspiration. The past is history, but the present is our treasure. We cannot hope to improve our future without learning from the past. That is why we commemorate Veterans Day. On Veterans Day, we can raise issues that concern the whole world. Are wars necessary? Can we do something to avoid them? Can the world not come together for peace and harmony? Here are some soul-stirring Veterans Day sayings that will pump enthusiasm into every patriots heart. On Veterans Day, you can use these powerful sayings to remind others that greatness is born out of true passion. Henry Ward Beecher Are they dead that yet speak louder than we can speak, and a more universal language? Are they dead that yet act? Are they dead that yet move upon society and inspire the people with nobler motives and more heroic patriotism? Gary Hart I think there is one higher office than president and I would call that patriot. Douglas MacArthur Old soldiers never die; they just fade away. William G.T. Shedd A ship is safe in harbor, but thats not what ships are for. Donald Trump Sometimes by losing a battle you find a new way to win the war. Chinese Proverb When eating bamboo sprouts, remember the man who planted them. Norman Schwarzkopf It doesnt take a hero to order men into battle. It takes a hero to be one of those men who goes into battle. Sebastian Junger, War War is life multiplied by some number that no one has ever heard of. Lisa Kleypas, Love in the Afternoon I’ll tell you what I’m fighting for. Not for England, nor her allies, nor any patriotic cause. It’s all come down to the hope of being with you. Oliver Wendell Holmes Lord, bid wars trumpet cease; Fold the whole earth in peace. Lise Hand That’s what it takes to be a hero, a little gem of innocence inside you that makes you want to believe that there still exists a right and wrong, that decency will somehow triumph in the end. Albert Camus In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer. Lucius Annaeus Seneca Brave men rejoice in adversity, just as brave soldiers triumph in war. Robert Frost Freedom lies in being bold. Curt Weldon How can faceless bureaucrats in an intelligence agency deny brave soldiers a chance to tell the truth? Winston Churchill Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts. Never give in - never, never, never, never, in nothing great or small, large or petty, never give in except to convictions of honor and good sense. Never yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy. Dan Lipinski On this Veterans Day, let us remember the service of our veterans, and let us renew our national promise to fulfill our sacred obligations to our veterans and their families who have sacrificed so much so that we can live free. Erich Maria Remarque No soldier outlives a thousand chances. But every soldier believes in Chance and trusts his luck. Billy Graham Courage is contagious. When a brave man takes a stand, the spines of others are often stiffened. Thucydides The bravest are surely those who have the clearest vision of what is before them, glory and danger alike, and yet notwithstanding, go out to meet it. Mark Twain Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear - not absence of fear. In the beginning of a change, the patriot is a scarce man, and brave, and hated and scorned. When his cause succeeds, the timid join him, for then it costs nothing to be a patriot. George Henry Boker Fold him in his countrys stars. Roll the drum and fire the volley! What to him are all our wars, what but death bemocking folly? G. K. Chesterton Courage is almost a contradiction in terms. It means a strong desire to live taking the form of readiness to die. Thomas Dunn English But the freedom that they fought for, and the country grand they wrought for, Is their monument to-day, and for aye. Josà © Narosky In war, there are no unwounded soldiers. Elmer Davis This nation will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave. Joseph Campbell As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them. John F. Kennedy Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty. Valor is stability, not of legs and arms, but of courage and the soul.

Literary Analysis, 1 Kings 19 1 - 21 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Literary Analysis, 1 Kings 19 1 - 21 - Essay Example While developing a connection between the author and the reader, the literature piece uses direct words and simple vocabulary to develop the story. This does not provide the reader with a lot of difficulty in relating to the setting, plot and content of the literature piece. Literary content found in the Bible are developed by simpler terms to gain as much simplicity as possible1. The author attributes this characteristic to the fact that the Bible has numerous translations which makes it easier for authors to use simpler language due to the fact that they have a clear understanding of the book due to numerous versions2. Apart from the general characteristics of the language used in the Bible, the paper will analyze a specific literature piece from the Bible. The Bible extract is from the book of 1 Kings 19: 1-21. Additionally, the paper will also analyze the literary style used by the narrator of the Bible extract. The narrator uses numerous techniques of narration in this extract. For instance, the author uses repetition, reported speech, dialogue and direct speech in the extract. These literature styles are used as a tool to indulge the reader in the plot of the literature. A reader is able to understand and relate to the provisions of the literature piece. The narrator also effectively uses paragraphs to effectively format the narration into significant parts. Each paragraph is based on an issue or a significant instant in the plot. This separation of ideas also makes it easier for a reader to understand the story and create an appropriate follow up on the plot. The narrator also uses paragraphs titles in the extract. For instance, the author first topic is â€Å"Elijah flees to Horeb†3. As a reader commences on the reading, they already have an idea of the intention of the narrator in the paragraphs under the topic. As argued by William, David & Fredrick, the effectiveness of incorporating sub-topics in the layout plays the role of reminding the rea der of the key issues to be outlined in the expressive section or paragraph of the story4. Additionally, the reporter effectively uses various forms of speech to relay the anticipated message from the extract. For instance, the author uses reported speech in their narration on the adventures in the literature work. While narrating communication between two people, the reporter applies the use dialogue to execute the message and interaction. For instance, then the voice said to him. What are you doing here Elijah?†5 This makes it possible for the reader to understand speech in terms of the person responsible for a particular set of words or speech. This effective format on the dialogue in the literature piece can be attributed to the fact that the book has numerous readers at different ages and this creates a need to have simplicity and clarity in its narratives. Additionally, the narrator effectively focuses of continuity of the narration in a simpler way. They use developing topics followed by a developing story based on occurring events at a particular time and period. The effectively arranged time frame enhances the plot in terms of addressing specific issues at a [particular paragraph without experiencing literature weaknesses such as repetition. The narrator divides his narration into three parts; Elijah flees to Horeb, the Lord appears to Elijah, the call of Elijah. Each topic is effectively placed to creatively to enhance plot creation and an easier way of understudying the author. The main

Hip Hop Culture Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Hip Hop Culture - Article Example As an editor of this magazine, I was motivated by the fact I m a hip hop artist who has been inspired by the rap culture. In this magazine, I have talked about what hip hop entails, its origin, and influence on society. Introduction Hip hop is a wide conglomerate of artistic activities characterized by aspects of rap music. These aspects are oral, turn tablism, deejaying and breaking or break dancing. Rapping/ emceeing and spitting are spoken or chanted form of rhythmical lyrics which are accompanied by strong rhythm. The main components of hip hop music are content, flow and delivery. It is significant to note that there is a variable distinction between rap and spoken poetry in that rap is performed in accordance the musical beat while spoken can be performed with or without musical beats (Attridge 23-25). Deejaying as part of hip hop refers to a method of creating manipulation of sounds utilizing phonograph turn tables and a DJ mixer. Later, the element of Scratching introduced to the field of deejaying. Break dancing is a style that is associated with hip hop culture in that it brings people of common interests together. It is important to note that breaking dancing or any dance associated with hip hop borrows some traditional aspects from street dancing. deejays at work The connection between hip hop culture and graffiti is based on its establishment on early graffiti musicians and artists who used graffiti in their work to present their views on different aspects affecting the society. Graffiti is perceived as visual expression of hip hop or rap music. Hip hop culture originated in New York among African Americans in the twentieth century. Street culture has been in existence for a long time since it was seen as a direct way that one could express his or her ideas. Hip hop break dancing Origin of hip hop culture The origin of hip hop or rap music is associated with people like Dj Kool Herc and others. He is perceived as being influential in the establishm ent of hip hop since he incorporated traditional Jamaica culture in the genre. For instance, he pioneered development of things such as boastful poetry, speech and impromptu toasting, boastful poetry in music. Additionally, he is thought to have introduced the aspect of break-beat deejaying (Ogbar 65). This is a situation where funk songs breaks are separated from the main song and repetition is created which targeted nigh dance parties. Hard funk form forms the backbone of hip hop music (Edwards 39). Since hip hop came into prominence in the 1970s, DJs started releasing many records in order to capture the attention of people and introduce them to the new type of singing. During the 1970s, street gangs dwelled in abject poverty and engaged in violent acts. In an attempt to avoid breaking the law, they started rapping and writing graffiti in order to keep themselves busy and sale their records. By the end of 1970s, hip hop culture had attained media concentration in the U.S and othe r parts of the world. Influence of hip hop culture in society Positive effects of hip hop culture Hip hop culture has affected society in different ways. The development of mass communication helped in the rapid spread of hip hop culture. When young people listen to the rap songs,

HR Performance Issues and Motivation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

HR Performance Issues and Motivation - Essay Example HR management literature has well documented the relationship between motivation, job satisfaction, and work performance. Using the theories of motivation, this paper will analyze the inextricable relationship between performance and motivation in the modern business environment. Â  In order to clearly understand the relationship between employee performance and motivation, it is better to consider a real-life situation. For instance, a sales executive (Jim) who has been working at a leading MNC for the last four years fails to meet his sales targets continuously despite periodical increases in his salary and incentives. Jim had acquired his post graduation degree from the Harvard Business School with the 10th rank holder status, and subsequently, he was hired by this MNC through a campus interview. For the first three years, Jim performed outstandingly and received the ‘best performer of the year’ award two times from the sales manager. He was excited to work overtime and performed duties and responsibilities beyond his job requirements. Considering his caliber and short-term achievements and the exemplary commitment to work the management doubled his salary incentives and allowed him free food and accommodation and a brand new company vehicle. In addition, the company agreed to pay his phone and electricity bills. In spite of those attractive offers, Jim’s performance began to decline by the end of the last year. Currently, he is not interested to work overtime and is frequently absent from the office. Jim failed to meet even his sales target for the last five months.

Learning and development strategy

Learning and development strategy Part A Learning and Development Strategy Learning and development is basically directed towards the alignment of training needs and career development of an employee. The basic purpose of the learning and development strategy is that you advance an employee skills and knowledge in such a way that will help in getting his job done and eventually to leads to overall organization performance. Combining both learning and development strategies, you actually create a link between them. That is you actually motivate employee to learn those skills which will help them in performing their job. Essential elements of learning and development strategy are: How a learner will learn the information? Which form of information input will a learner prefer? How a learner will draw meaning from the received information? What will be the preferred learning style of the learner? Differences in formal and informal learning techniques Informal learning Formal learning In informal learning there is no formal instructor involved in it. In formal learning you are directly directed by the instructor to learn a particular thing. In formal learning has no predefined objects and end results. Before the start of the formal learning, you have some objectives that clearly define the reason and result of the learning. Informal learning does not take place within a structured environment. Rather it is more of spontaneous nature. Informal learning usually happens with the frequency of experiences Formal learning takes place within a special arrangement within an organization. In informal learning you dont get any recognition or certificate for learning that knowledge or skill It results in achievement of special degree or certificate that actually certified that the recipient of this has learned a particular skill or knowledge. Informal learning may not be intentionally learned. It may happen unintentionally In formal learning, learner consciously and intentionally learns a specific skill. It usually happens through hit and trial process; through socialization when you interact with people you tend to learn different things from them unconsciously. Examples of formal learning are discussions, role playing, lecturers, simulations etc. Honey and Mumford learning style The learning ability of each individual varies from another individual. Learning styles determine the preferences of individuals in terms of how they focus on different types of information, particular ways of perceiving that information and how each individual understands that information (Sandra Penger and Metka TekavÄ iÄ , 2009). Honey and Mumford come up with different four learning style to examine differences in learning approaches. The four learning styles are: Activists Reflectors Theorists Pragmatists Activists Activist learners have short them orientation. Activist wants new experiences in their lives. Activists are more flexible and welcoming. They are more of adventurous nature and want to try anything new. They are ready to take decisions without thinking that what would be the results of that decision. They dont like to prepare before they take any action. Because of their short term orientation, they get bore easily and quickly and always look for new things as soon as pleasure from one activity decreases. They are risk taker who want to accept challenges but without thinking the possible consequences of those challenges. Reflectors Reflectors are considered as good and active listeners. When learner gain experience as an activist, then there is a stage to process those experience. They seek information from people both primary that with their own efforts and secondary that is from others. That is why reflectors do not engage or participate or provide information rather they are seekers and listeners of information. They dont quickly jump to conclusion. Rather they want to have deep understanding and insight of the information and like to think over and again. There fore reflectors are slow decision maker. They resist from taking decisions immediately before pondering into the collected information. Their purpose is to collect and analyze information as possible before coming to conclusion. That is these learners focus on gathering and thorough processing of information instead of drawing conclusions from it. Theorists Theorists are those learners who are more attracted towards theories, logics and principles. They tend to transform the learned information, being an activist and reflectors, into theories and come up with logical reasoning. Their way of analyzing any information or solving problem is that they go step by step and draw relationships or logics to grasp the big picture. That is why they are said to be vertical thinkers (Frank Coffield, David Moseley, Elaine Hall and Kathryn Ecclestone, 2004). They are more of perfectionist who wants discipline in their lives. That is why they go systematically, logically and rationally. Theorists are more of objective nature. Therefore they do not believe in subjectivity, gut feelings or intuition. They want logics and reasons to grasp the information. Pragmatists As theorist look for theories and logics to understand the information, pragmatists are one step forward. They want the practical implication of theories to grasp the information. As the name implies, pragmatist learners are more of practical and realistic in nature. They cannot assimilate any model theory or principal until and unless it has practical verification. Like activist they look for challenging wok and new ideas but it should be of practical nature. These types of learners want to try out the information they have learned once they get out of the learning institution. Activities that form part of the learning and development Case study Case study is one of the activities that form part of learning and development strategy. In this method learners are provided with situation that could be hypothetical or real. That situation or story includes the background, some supporting information and issue faced by a company or any organization around which the case study revolves. Learner has to solve the case study by providing possible solutions to the problem. Learner must be told that case study may not have one concrete solution. Rather its the property of the case study that a problem in case can be solved by many and different ways. Therefore each learner can have different solution for the case study. The focus on using case study as a learning tool is that how the learner approaches towards the solution, how much he understands the problem and what are the tools and techniques he has used to solve the problem. Harvard case studies are widely used in colleges and universities to improve problem solving and decision making skills of learners. On the job training (OJT) On the job training is especially applicable for small business. Its more appropriate when learner has to learn new technology. OJT can be done formally or informally. In formal OJT, there is a formal trainer, learners observes the teacher that what and how he is doing. Then after the demonstration, instructor will discuss the process of using orally. Then the learner will himself practice the learned skills and will get feedback and instruction at the same time. This process will repeat until the learner become master to it. Whereas in informal on the job training, there is no formal trainer, those who knows the technology can teach the learner whenever he requires. There is no formal practice of the learned skills or proper feedback of the performance of the learner. Mens Wearhouse is practicing formal on the job training in which they have trained trainers and they are responsible for the development of their trainees. Part B Maslows Hierarchy of Needs Theory Maslow hierarchy of needs theory was proposed in 1943 by Abraham Maslow in a paper A theory of human Motivation (William G. Huitt,2004). Maslow points out five levels of need that are the sources of motivation for every individual. This level of needs is presented in a specific sequence. If one level of need is satisfied, then individual will move towards another level of need. An individual will not move forward to another level of need until and unless the existing level will be satisfied. And this process will continue until a person reaches to most upper level. Different people will be motivated by different level of need at the same time. The five levels of needs are Psychological needs Safety needs Social needs Esteem needs Self actualization needs Psychological needs This is the primary level need of Maslow hierarchy of needs. It includes basic necessities of an individual that are food, shelter, water and other physical requirements. This level of need is the basic requirements of every individual and it must be met to move upward in need pyramid. Safety needs Safety needs includes protection, security both physical and emotional. Safety needs include financial security, health care, justice, personal security etc. If the physiological needs of an individual is satisfied then he will move for safety needs. For an employee safety need would be job security, justice in distribution of rewards by the company. Social needs Social needs include need for friends, relationships and belongingness. Every individual needs love and love by others. Esteem needs Esteem needs includes need for self respect, achievement, recognition, status, reputation. All individuals have tendency to engage themselves in such activities that results in recognition and value to enhance their reputation and gain a status among the group. Self actualization needs Self actualization needs includes need for growth and to satisfy the drive of becoming what one has capacity to become. This is the most upper level of need hierarchy. Any individual will reach to this stage, when the lower levels of needs will be satisfied. If pervious level of needs will be satisfied, then an individual will realize its inner potential and will try to become what he can be. Critical analysis of Maslows Hierarchy of Needs Theory The crux of Maslow hierarchy of needs theory is that each level in hierarchy must be satisfied before you go to the next level. In business world, managers adopted this theory to motivate their employees. Motivating employees is a big challenge for managers in any organization. Managers not only motivate their employees to get their job done but they motivate their employees to perform their job in such a way that leads to both employee and organizational productivity. So Maslow theory gives basis to how to motivate employees. Managers have to determine that which need level is more important to an employee. Sometimes managers only focus on physiological and safety needs to motivate employees in terms of salary and job security. But manager must keep in mind that if you want outstanding performance from the employees, then you have go upward and focus on upper level of needs like esteem and self actualization need. Merely monetary incentives are not sufficient to motivate employees but recognition in public, raising status, promotions, career advancement also encourage employees and wok as a token of apprecia tion for the employees. It also gives signal to the employees that company value the contribution of employees. Criticism on Maslows Hierarchy of Needs Theory Maslow hierarchy of needs theory is based on intuition and has no scientific reasoning behind it to support the argument. Maslow hierarchy of needs is not applicable in all culture. For instance, some culture gives importance to esteem needs than social needs. Some culture emphasizes social needs then over self actualization. According to Nevis (1983), Chinas primary need is belonging need and there is no esteem needs in need pyramid. Moreover self actualization need for China in not realizing ones own potential, but being collectivist country, the meaning of self actualization for them is to serve the members of the society. Implication of Maslows Hierarchy of Needs Theory Apart from criticism, Maslow hierarchy of needs theory has an implication on HR practices. Through this theory, managers can design the framework to determine how to motivate employees for better performance. For instance you can arrange lunch breaks, define rest hours and enough salary and wages so that employee can have their basic necessities of life to fulfill their physiological needs. In safety needs, managers must provided safe and sound working conditions in which workers can work easily and there is low level of hazards. Managers must design pension plans, retirement plans and gratuity to help employees after their retirement age. In social needs, managers must design groups or teams to which employees can associate them. In esteem needs, managers must recognize the contributions of their employees not only by giving them monetary rewards. But employees must be rewarded on basis of total reward management concept which includes intangible rewards as well like recognition program, certificates, gifts etc In self actualization need, managers can give career advancement opportunity to employees by giving them more challenging work, sponsoring them for higher education etc

The Power of Light in The Scarlet Letter Essay -- Scarlet Letter essay

The Power of Light in The Scarlet Letter   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚   Since the conception of humanity, man has been fascinated with that presence which illuminates, yet cannot be touched.   Mankind has brought it into his religions, giving it a great deal of importance in his creed.   Following in the footsteps of his ancestors, Nathaniel Hawthorne uses light as a tool of God that illuminates the darkness of human iniquity and exposes its permanence.   He studies the psychological theme of the impossibility of eradicating sin from the human heart in his novel The Scarlet Letter.   The use of light in order to fortify this psychological theme confirms its significance in the novel.   As though he were weaving an elaborate tapestry, Hawthorne meshes light's intense symbolism into his characters' natures until a chef d'oeuvre manifests itself upon the loom of the reader's intellect.   This tapestry serves as a subtle background upon which the characters' sinful hearts are bared.         Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As Hawthorne navigates the reader through th...