The Cultural Aspects Of The Service A Muralist - 848 Words

What is the purpose of art? There is art for art’s sake, there is the ‘percent for art’ ordinance, and there is art with the intention of popularity or even to push societal norms. The list can go on and on, but one of the most respectable purposes is the intention of giving the under privileged a voice of their own in an environment of oppression. Public muralists single handedly achieve that goal. The service a muralist gives is not only added aesthetic value to a neighborhood with his or her art piece, but also giving the community a voice of representation. Murals project the issues of a community, both past and present. Foremost, the muralists use their open canvas as an opportunity to resurface deep rooted cultural aspects and matters of the surrounding neighborhood. The expanse and twenty-four hour availability of such an art pieces allows the citizens of a town to view and face the realities being represented. An example of this would be John Weber’ s Unidos Para Triunfar/Together We Overcome. This specific mural brings to light Puerto Rican heroes, unity among the neighboring youth against the drug and gang problems, and problems such as housing, welfare, or religious and cultural heritage. â€Å"Unidos Para Triunfar† expresses the community’s rich culture with the Puerto Rican heroes and brings to light the ongoing conflict of drug abuse and gang violence in the area. In the recent years of the mural being painted, there was a shooting nearby played a key role inShow MoreRelatedThe Muralist Movement in Mexico3342 Words   |  14 PagesThe Muralist Movement in Mexico Mural painting is one of the oldest and most important forms of artistic, political and social expression. Mexican muralists, Diego Rivera, Jose Clemente Orozco, and David Alfaro Siqueiros revived this form of painting in Mexico and led the way for the Muralist Movement in Mexico. Their murals were based on the political and social conditions of the times. During the beginning of the 20th century, Mexico went through a political and social revolution and the governmentRead More Cultural Activism and Culture Jamming Essay5153 Words   |  21 PagesCultural Activism and Culture Jamming Cultural activism is not quite the same as traditional political activism. Within the sphere of traditional activism, there are issues like war, nuclear power, abortion and standard organizational principals and consciousness-raising strategies. Cultural activism (and more specifically culture jamming), in many ways goes beyond traditional strategies that have typified political action concentrating on issues like distribution and the public nature of art

All Shook Up free essay sample

â€Å"FIVE MINUTES!† screeches our teacher. My heart pounds fiercely. I’m thirsty. I have to use the bathroom. What if? â€Å"You’re going to do great,† an inmate reassures me, knowing we need each other during the rigorous opening of â€Å"All Shook Up.† Did Elvis get this nervous before a show? The overture cuts off my thought. I take center stage and a deep breath. With my back to the audience, as the lights come up, I reassure myself that this is my time to show what I can do. When you’re in a game there is room for error, but in a musical there is no room. Everything must go as planned. The lines, dances, and music are all given to us, and we are expected to bring our characters to life. We dance off the stage as the curtain closes at the end of the show, using the audience’s energy. We will write a custom essay sample on All Shook Up or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page â€Å"That was fantastic, Jesse!† â€Å"Great job, man!† â€Å"Way to rock, Chad!† For the full two hour and 30 minute show, I became Chad. Does Elvis feel this? Do actors feel this rush? My thoughts are cut off by family, friends, and teachers. I am flattered by the compliments I am given for my performance as Chad. The week is seen in the side mirrors of Chad’s motorcycle. Ten minutes before the last show starts, I look at myself in the mirror thinking about the great performances I put on that week. I stand there proud with the effort I have put in to become everything my character would be. I’m glad I was given the chance to play the character Chad in â€Å"All Shook Up.† It allowed me to learn about myself. I love the responsibility of taking on new characters. When I come to your university, I will bring the same qualities I used in â€Å"All Shook Up:† hard work, perfectionism, and a positive attitude.

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I knew him for only seven days. Before meeting Ravi Shankar, I had prepared myself for disappointment. He was not the â€Å"real† Ravi, the famous sitar-playing, Beatle-teaching, musician Ravi. Apart from reading the bland facts on his webpage, I went to the Stonecoast Writers’ Conference without having the faintest idea who he was. As much as I was looking forward to a week of writing, I did not plan on being inspired by him. In those seven days, Ravi would change my perception of writing forever. He showed me that being an author means much more than fiddling with words. Writers, even those of the wildest fantasy, state the truth in one way or another. Analyzing my work with Ravi allowed me to be more aware of these choices. As the week progressed, I grew to admire him as both a poet and a person. It is not easy to get to know someone in such a short amount of time. We will write a custom essay sample on One Week or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page But looking back, I realize that it is not just what I learned about Ravi that impressed me. It is also what he taught me about myself. Ravi did much more than just give examples of great poetry or critique my work. He guided me so that I might teach myself. By moving beyond my perceived limits, I discovered that they had never existed. Most importantly, Ravi reminded me that writing is not just about telling stories. It is about showing people that all stories are really the same. No matter how different people may try to be, our goals and desires are one. Through my writing, I have always found things about myself that I know subconsciously, but do not have the courage to admit to myself. Ravi showed me that I knew even more than I had realized. Writing is not about getting it right the first time; it is about spewing yourself all over the page and then finding the beauty in that. Those who never take chances will never have a chance at creating something extraordinary. Before I met Ravi I wrote almost solely for myself. I have since realized that this is never enough. The thought of being the change in someone else’s life is what propels me to continue long after I have become frustrated with my efforts. If I accomplish nothing else, I hope to reach one person. To achieve this, I have been challenging myself more than ever before. Through Ravi, I learned that writing consists of more than just diction and style. It is more even than understanding yourself. It is about being part of the world, not just capturing it. Writers are often portrayed as dreamers, but that is only one spice in the salsa. They have the opportunity to free their emotions, but they can also let others know that they are not alone. Ravi, with his patient attitude and quiet reflections, did that for me.

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Unconscionable contract Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Unconscionable contract - Essay Example The rationale behind the doctrine of unconscionability is to circumvent the enforcement of unfair contracts. In the case at bar, Amy, who was a college student, was led to believe by the salesman that the home theater system, Alpo Model XL2, costs $3,000, when in truth and in fact, the actual standard cost of the theater system is only $1,000. The price given by the salesman was two times higher than the prevailing standard cash market price of the item bought by the buyer. Hence, the â€Å"rent-to-own† contract signed by Amy is considered unconscionable. Under the law, Amy has the remedy to demand the return of the excess $2,000 since the contract price is unconscionable, excessive and unfair on her part. Here, the salesman acted in bad faith at the time of the signing of the â€Å"rent-to-own† contract. Therefore, in order to cure the damage caused to the buyer, Amy can go to court and have the contract declared as unconscionable and oppressive, since there was a violation on the part of the salesman to fulfill his obligation in good faith in accordance with their contract. She can legally demand the refund of excess payment of $2,000. â€Å"It is the judge who has the power to declare whether or not a contract is unconscionable, and not the jury† (Emanuel,

Three Metaphors, the Birth Rate, and Solutions Research Paper

Three Metaphors, the Birth Rate, and Solutions - Research Paper Example In a bid to solve its own problems, the self-contained village in Ireland closes the doors for any possible aid from foreign quarters. It is aimed at ensuring that the region’s internal problems are given a local solution through the cooperation of the haves and the have-nots. To consolidate its resolve, the region has developed a five-step solution that demonstrates the manner in which the locked region plagued with severe poverty could do if the rich and poor people really collaborate to achieve the desired emancipation of the poor: â€Å"I do not, of course, want to dispute the contention that governments of affluent nations should be giving many times the amount of genuine, no-strings-attached aid that they are giving nowI agree, too, that giving privately is not enough, and that we ought to be campaigning actively for entirely new standards for both public and private contributions to famine relief† (Singer 402-13). If this should be the case and the poor should be made part and parcel of the developed solution, then essential moral or proper Christian assistance will not be dissipated on producing inadvertent consequences like diseases, population explosion, famine, environmental corrosion, and hunger among others. Basically, the five-point solution involves the following initiatives: taxing absentee landlords; purchasing furniture and clothes produced only in Ireland; averting lavishness and conspicuous consumption to boost one’s discretionary income available for charity; prevailing upon landlords to be merciful to their tenants; and, finally, the working poor, once they become modest shopkeepers, have an obligation to remain modest merchants, regardless of the meagerness of their income.

Organizational Dynamics And Human Resources Management Management Essay

Organizational Dynamics And Human Resources Management Management Essay The terms Human Resource Management and Human Resources have replaced what was known as Personnel Management when it comes to describing the processes involved in managing people in organisations. The current trend towards people-oriented activities can serve the modern business challenges more effectively than the traditional Personnel Management approach. Naturally in a rapidly and constantly changing business environment, there is a call for more human resources involvement and more focus on human resource strategies in conjunction with the business strategies. Meanwhile there is evidence of devolving traditional human resource activities to line managers instead of personnel specialists. Recently, much of the work traditionally done by the human resources department has been devolved to line managers, who are now expected to take charge of people management activities such as, recruitment, selection, appraisals and training needs. This trend is encouraged as it leads to a closer relationship between line managers and employees, and hence leading to better employee performance and increased managers effectiveness. Torrington and Hall (2009) suggest that sharing HR activities between line managers and HR specialists is the key for a strategic HRM future, where HR specialists focus on business performance rather than operational concerns. This report highlights the significant role that line managers in HR activities while emphasising the importance of an HR specialist role for long term performance benefits. The Concept of Human Resource Management: HRM is defined as an approach to the management of people, the most valued assets of an organisation with their individual and the collective contribution to the success and achievement of the business objectives. Furthermore, Alan Price identifies HRM in Human Resource Management in a Business Context (2004) as the qualitative improvement of human beings who are the most valuable assets of an organisation. Hence HRM is concerned with the effective management of an organisations employees to achieve the strategic objectives of the business. Dave Ulrich (1996) defined four fields for the HRM role Strategic business partner Change management Employee champion Administration However, HR professionals have struggled to prove their value as a strategic business partner and were mainly concerned with the reactive roles of administration and employee champion despite the modern approach to devolve HR activities to line management. The Role of Line Managers in HR: Line managers have a major role in influencing employee behaviours and attitudes which reflects on performance and motivation. The increased responsibilities are mainly focused on people management where line managers could transform HR policies into practices to be embraced by employees leading to commitment, quality, productivity and ultimately, business performance (Hutchinson and Purcell, 2003). The CIPD highlighted the areas four areas where line managers can influence people management practices: Training, coaching and guiding Performance appraisal Dealing with discipline and grievances Recruitment and selection Moreover Hutchinson and Purcell (2007) explored the critical role of line managers in key HR areas including reward, training, learning and development, and identified that line managers do not only implement and bring HR policies into life, but also play a significant role in influencing employee attitudes and experiences. A case study at Selfridges indicates evidence that line managers in the retail store helped improve employees attitudes and behaviours. This change in the line management role mainly focussed on improvements to people management behaviours and skill sets. (Hutchinson and Purcell, 2003) However, a survey by Employment Review show HR practitioners disagree that line managers are applying these responsibilities effectively and training for line managers in people management should be compulsory. (Nadia Williams, 2008) In addition line managers agree with HR practitioners perception, as they struggle with the work overload and conflicting priorities to find time for people management activities. A research conducted by CIPD (2007) emphasise the extent of devolvement in the NHS, where ward managers effectively take responsibility for recruitment, selection, induction, appraisal and personal development plans, planning and delivering training, mentoring, communication, absence control and managing difficult people. The additional responsibilities are not welcomed by line managers who linked the lack of time and increased stress to the increased work load. Despite the trend to devolve HR activities to line managers, Phil Brown, in Why HR Must Empower the Line Manager (2008), believes that HR professionals are holding on to power and are unwilling to provide line managers with the tolls and information to perform HR duties effectively. Therefore CIPD stressed in their 2009 report that line managers need the following to fulfil their HR duties: Time to attempt management roles Carefully selected behaviour competencies Support by strong organisational values Sufficient people management skills training Career opportunity linked to training and development Involvement in decision making But above all, line managers need self-confidence, a strong sense of job security and development in the organisation. Support by HR professionals is welcomed by line managers as they take more accountability of implementing HR people management activities. This allows HR professionals to fulfil their own potential in defining policies and strategies that are adequately aligned with business strategies. Strategic HRM: The nature of Human Resource Management has changed from being reactive, prescriptive and administrative to being proactive, descriptive and executive (Boxall, 1994). Moreover, Guest (1997) highlighted the contribution of HRM in improving an organisations performance and overall success while Katou and Budhwar (2007) outlined three perspectives for HR practices. The Universalistic practice assumes the best of HR practices and implies business strategies and HR policies are independent in determining business performance. The Contingency practice implies a fit between business strategies and HR policies in determining business performance. The Configurational practice implies an interaction between business strategies and HR policies based on an internal and external fit of the organisational context in determining business performance. These perspectives highlight the growing contribution of HRM as an integral part of business strategy and success. Consequently, the term Strategic human resource management evolved which Guest (1987) outlined to be largely concerned with integration of HRM into the business strategy and adaptation of HRM at all levels of the organisation. In line with the emergence of SHRM, Budhwar and Sparrow (2002) proposed four generic HR strategies: Talent acquisition Resource allocation Talent improvement Cost reduction Strategic HRM is based on the integration of HRM and business strategies for the effective management of human resources. Barney (1991) suggests that organisations achieve competitive advantage by creating unique HRM systems that cannot be imitated. Recently, the pace of change in the global market has identified a significant number of contemporary issues emphasising the growing influence of strategic HRM and the importance of a human resources specialist to manage these challenges effectively. Contemporary Issues in Strategic HRM: HR professionals are struggling to catch up with the pace of transformation in global markets. Evidently, HRM faces an increasing challenge to use policies and strategies in the best interest of organisations and employees to maintain profitability and stability. The following are three basic examples of these challenges. Globalisation: The changes in international markets due to globalisation have a major effect on businesses in general and on how businesses manage human resources in particular. Although globalisation has many benefits, there are problems that have been attributed to the following factors: Reduction in job security because work can be moved from one country to another. Undercutting of one countrys wages by another, leading to erosion of wage rates. Increased working hours and exposure to health and safety risks to cut costs. HR professionals are struggling to ensure proper staffing and development with the required knowledge and skills for the changing business environment and according to Alan Price (2004), HR professionals are expected to be: Role models displaying appropriate company behaviours and values Fixers, adapting corporate values and mission statements to local circumstances Networkers, making connections between local managers and other parts of the business Coaches or mentors, transferring knowledge to local managers A major task for HR professionals is putting significant effort in the training and development of line managers to implement the relevant HR policies which can consistently be applied across different locations and cultures. Talent Management: One of the main challenges for HRM is to attract, develop and retain talented individuals though a recruitment, selection and development process. Nestlà © is a case in point as it uses a talent puddles initiative to overcome the shortage of skilled applicants. The process consists of small puddles each containing potential talents for each function rather than the whole company. (CIPD report 2007) The strategy managed to reduce the time and cost for filling vacancies and selecting suitable candidates. Other considerations include management of labour turnover and emphasizing employer branding in attracting the right candidates. Marks Spencer, the major high street retailer, conducted an analysis to understand and redefine its employer brand to keep ahead of the competition. This analysis explored the factors that increase job satisfaction and highlight the factors that make working at MS a unique experience. The analysis resulted in a better communication between the company and its employees that drove improvements across the business as well as increased levels of commitment and productivity. (CIPD report 2007) HR professionals invest considerable effort into finding new trends to attract and retain the right talents; however, their role is surpasses ensuring a faultless selection process. HR critical responsibilities include initial job design planning, defining the required qualifications and conducting accurate selection methods to ensure compliance with litigations and to avoid any legal case for discrimination or sexual harassment. Therefore HR professionals need to have the skills and knowledge that are required to handle these tasks effectively. Managing Diversity: For over thirty years the emphasis and progress on equality and diversity has been ongoing but slow. Globalisation and demographic change is putting further pressure on organisations to develop and manage equal opportunity and diversity strategies to improve performance and promote competitive position. (Torrington and Hall 2009) Furthermore the CIPD defines diversity as: valuing everyone as individuals as employees, customers and clients so diversity is a broader term of equality which aims to improve the opportunities of disadvantaged groups within an approach inclusive of all employees rather than focusing on the disadvantaged as in equality approach. Some of the main diversity issues may include: Age discrimination Bullying and harassment Disability Equal pay Race discrimination Religious discrimination Sex discrimination A recent case of bullying and harassment concerned British Gas, whose workers have been balloted for strike action over alleged bullying at the company. The GMB union sent ballot papers to 8,000 members at British Gas to vote over claims of bullying and plans for job cuts. It said the management culture was undermining employees terms and conditions. (PM online, 11/03/2010) It is worth noting that managing diversity is not solely an HR job but there is a great emphasis on the line managers role in promoting and achieving diversity in a workplace as well as handling conflicts before developing and becoming harder to resolve. Conclusion: Human resource management has evolved from the traditional personnel perspective and continues to evolve due to rapid change in the global business environment: in customer trends, competitors strategies and advancing technologies. Indeed factors such as globalisation, credit crunch and creation of multinational corporations have resulted in increased pressure to maintain the competitive edge while reducing operative costs. Clearly the daily HRM activities have become integrated in line operations; however, an investment is needed in time and effort to up skill managers to fulfil their HR responsibilities properly. HR needs to provide and integrate well designed policies and strategies in frameworks and systems to enable line managers to perform effectively. Despite an obvious trend to devolve more human resource activities into line management, clearly many of the new challenges require special skills and knowledge that line managers may not generally have. Therefore HR specialists and line managers must collaborate to achieve the business objectives within a frame of legislation and compliance. Hence the role of an HR specialist is moving towards a strategic partnership aligned with the business strategies while coordinating, advising and supporting line managers in performing the HR activities required. Obviously, line managers have a responsibility towards their staff, given the close relationship and direct daily connection and interaction. Line managers are expected to implement and deliver the policies and strategies that are devised by HR specialists. There are many areas of HRM like talent management where line managers need more responsibility to manage activities, such as attracting, retaining, developing and motivating. Moreover, line managers must have authority and responsibility to control and reward the staff which in turn will improve their people management and leadership skills. Finally it is evident that there is a correlation between HR professionals and line managers in certain HR activities that require further development. The report focussed on line managers as a front line management role, though HR knowledge and skills should be a requirement for middle management. Managers need be given adequate training and sufficient time to take on HR activities; these requirements should be included in HR strategies to achieve a high performance workforce objective.