Sunday, November 3, 2019
Critical analysis of client care practices , innovation and pathways Research Paper
Critical analysis of client care practices , innovation and pathways for rewarding healthy and productive behaviour among senior - Research Paper Example This will assist to recommend possible improvement strategies which will energize the employees to achieve the organizational target. Introduction In modern organizations, worker motivation is an issue of significant concern to the human resource managers due to its close association with employee satisfaction. Consequently, global research has considerably paid attention to employee satisfaction strategies in different organizations (Aizcorbe, Moylan & Robbins, 2009: Arthur, 2000). The reason why worker motivation has garnered a lot of interest is because research has proven that satisfied workers are productive workers (Braganza, Awazu, & Desouza, 2009). Since employees form the labour resources in a business environment, there is need to seek optimal utilization of their skills and knowledge towards the development of organizational goals (Borzaga & Tortia, 2006). Different organizations adopt different employee reward strategies but the common objective is to align the employees to the business goals and objectives (Carl & Patton, 2001). In the health sector, employee satisfaction is important due to the great sacrifice that this sector requires given the existing shortage of working personnel in this sector (Damanpour, 1991: Hong Lu, While, & Barriball, 2005). Hence, rewarding productive staff, both junior and senior, would significantly increase their contribution to client service. The aim of this research is to investigate the staff reward strategies that Ghana university hospitals have employed to maintain a high morale among their staff. Both qualitative and quantitative surveys will be conducted to examine for this research to come up with research based conclusions and recommendations. Problem statement Lack of effective employee reward schemes in organizations limits the utilization of the labour resource in a business (Commongood Careers, 2008). Poorly motivated employees work for money and have their goals misaligned with the organizational goals . The shortage of medical personnel in the health sector requires that the few be optimally utilized to increase ensure that service delivery is efficient (Greene, 2009 : Gruneberg, 2001). Therefore, there is a need to employ innovative and dynamic motivational strategies in the health sector in order to ensure that employees drive both short term and long term goals of the organization to a success (Heskett, Sasser, & Schesinger, 1997). In Ghana, the ration of the patients to doctor ratio is high and hence efficient services can only be achieved if the employees are adequately motivated. The essence of this research paper is to evaluate the policies that have been put forward in Ghana University hospitals, and to provide recommendations to improve these policies. Objectives Main objectives To evaluate the innovation and pathways that public university hospitals of Ghana employ to reward healthy and productive behavior among senior and junior staff. Specific objectives To examine th e different criteria used to assess the productivity of a staff in Ghana university Hospitals. To examine the staff-reward mechanism that is used to reward productive employees in these hospitals. To examine the degree of employee satisfaction that has been achieved in these public hospitals. To establish the quality of service that has been ach
Friday, November 1, 2019
Strategic Analysis Case Study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words
Strategic Analysis Case Study - Essay Example Current paper focuses on the examination of the performance of a specific British firm, O2; this firm has achieved to keep its position in its market and further expand its activities through the continuous review and update of its strategies. The specific issue is analytically examined in the sections that follow; the position of the firm in its industry will be identified and evaluated taking into account the response of the firm to the challenges set by the global political and financial crisis. The position of competitors will be also examined while specific suggestions are going to be made regarding the potential improvement of specific parts of the corporate strategy. Appropriate theoretical models (like PESTEL analysis and ANSOFF matrix) will be used in this paper in order to show the changes in the firmââ¬â¢s performance through the years; in this way the choice of this firm as a ââ¬Ëmodelââ¬â¢ for business analysis will be justified. In Stakeholder analysis all people or groups of people influencing the firmââ¬â¢s performance have to be identified. In order to understand and evaluate the role of various stakeholders in the performance of O2, it is necessary primarily to identify the firmââ¬â¢s stakeholders; at a next level, their role in the firmââ¬â¢s performance within its industry is going to be appropriately evaluated. The firmââ¬â¢s stakeholders can be listed as follows (a numeric scale from 0-10 [10 is the highest grade] has been used in order to identify the impact/ importance of stakeholders for the performance of O2 and their influence on the firmââ¬â¢s success). The influence of the above listed stakeholders on the performance of O2 has to be further assessed and evaluated taking into account the conditions of the British market but also the conditions of the international market. It is clear from the list presented above that the firmââ¬â¢s customers have a significant influence on the firmââ¬â¢s success within the British market (given the rank 9);
Wednesday, October 30, 2019
Attachment Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words
Attachment - Research Paper Example nt scientific articles and reports on the influences of parents and caregivers on brain development, their relationship to theorist and application to ECE (Early Childhood Education), and how these relationships and applications help answer my question. The articles study brain development after birth from a socioeconomic, environmental, dietary, social class, and strata points of view. In 2004, researcher Brenda Jones Harden explores developmental procedures at cognitive levels in ââ¬Å"Safety and Stability for Foster Children: A Developmental Perspectiveâ⬠(Harden, 2004). Phyllis Porterââ¬â¢s 2007 ââ¬Å"Early Brain Development: What parents and caregivers need to know!â⬠argues that children brought up in environmentally poor households like unmaintained orphanages become familiar to less sounds, colors, images, socializations, and visions. Jednorà ³g, et al, wrote ââ¬Å"The influence of socioeconomic status on childrenââ¬â¢s brain structureâ⬠in 2012 to determine the effect of parental SES (Socioeconomic Status) on childrenââ¬â¢s brain development (Jednorà ³g, et al., 2012). Theresa Hawley and Megan Gunner 2000 edition of ââ¬Å"Starting Smart: How Early Experiences Affect Brain Developmentâ⬠involves the latest developments in brain studies on children, which have shed light on how a childââ¬â¢s brain keeps on budding and developing ââ¬Å"postnatallyâ⬠(Hawley and Gunner, 2000). Michelle Loman and Megan Gunnarââ¬â¢s 2010 article ââ¬Å"Early experience and the development of stress reactivity and regulation in childrenâ⬠theorizes that infants who spend early parts of their childhood in institutes, or endure abuses from their parents, caregivers, or siblings of origin are in jeopardy of building emotional and interactive issues echoing illnesses of emotion and attention control. Lastly, Daniel A. Hackmanà Martha J. Farah say SES is related to mental accomplishments all through a childââ¬â¢s life in their 2009 research article ââ¬Å"Socioeconomic status and the developing brain.â⬠Hawley
Monday, October 28, 2019
The Grapes of Wrath Essay Example for Free
The Grapes of Wrath Essay There are two general groups of people at conflict in the novel the rich bosses and the labor force. Steinbeck writes heart wrenching characters of the lower class which are just barely surviving. These workers are victimized by the greedy upper classes, their bodies treated like commodities. The audience can feel nothing but empathy for these immigrant workers who toil the land drawing figures in the dust with bare toes, (10), while the men that own the land [sit] in their cars to talk out of the window, (43), making money on the backs of the poor folk. Steinbeck explains that these capitalists have never done a day of hard work in their life and their only motive in using big earth augers into the ground for soil tests (43) is to squeeze more money from the land they own. Steinbeck is also quick to point out that farmers and these land owners are different. While landowners corrupt the land leaving it near death with their iron penes [and] orgasms set by gears [rape] methodically, [rape] without passion. (50). Whereas the farmer works with the land keeping it healthy. He explains A bank isnt like a man. Or an owner with fifty thousand acres, he isnt like a man either. Thats the monster. (46). Steinbeck does offer an alternate choice to this capitalistic nightmare which is represented by the Weedpatch Camp. This a town in which folks elect their own cops (400), and everyone who lives and works in the town has say about the choices are made. It is within Weedpatch, that all people including immigrant are treated fairly and with kindness. Steinbeck asserts that it is socialism that ensures that there is respect, and equality between all its citizens. It is in Weedpatch that Joads family ends up and while their struggle is not over, at least their victimization is. Steinbeck fully explores the cruel experiences that many migrant workers had to face in the 1930s and continue to face today. Steinbeck accurately and historically portrays the perils which many family has to overcome in the newly capitalistic culture in the United States. It would hard to find anyone who could not sympathize with the farm workers during the depression. Steinbeck so intimately describes their situation that the audience finds himself hoping that the Joads and families like the Joads survive to find happiness and comfort. Steinbeck also does not overreach with his criticism of big business. The concerns of the 1930s are still the concerns today. Big businesses believe they have the right to anything they can buy up or sell, including the earth and the people inhabitating it. The novel created for me a real sense of humanistic history. The great depression is often read from a purely factual point of view with data and numbers. However, from the cold, hard facts Steinbeck creates warmth and a sense of unity by exploring the common human experience of struggle displayed in the Joads endeavors. I dont know that I fully understood the horrible conditions that migrant families live under during the great depression. I think that Steinbecks novel is also still relevant in todays modern society. The issue of immigration is at the forefront of legislation and public debate. The United States still takes advantage of poverty classes families who are not able to get legal working papers, allowing them to work ââ¬Å"under the tableâ⬠for less than minimum wage. He gives his audience an explicit view of exactly what life was like in the Dust Bowl. He carefully weaves a tale of emotional struggle, family bonding, and historical facts. He is careful not to sugar coat the topic and his real goal was to bring to light the long suffering and often forgotten migrant worker which America has used to build and maintain farms throughout the country. I thought it was appropriate that Steinbeck did not write a happy ending for the Joads. They were unable to achieve the supposed American dream that so many people in the United States are promised but never actually have. Steinbecks authorship is stunning and undeniable accurate. He utilizes several literary devices including vivid images, specific dialect, and historic fact. With the use of personification he brings the depression ear United States to life. His depictions of nature, character personalities, and the Joads adventure are heroic recounted to the reader. I believe that the Grapes of Wrath is a timeless piece of literature which is sincere and authentic. The Grapes of Wrath is the perfect piece of historic fiction which should accompany any course of study of the Great Depression in the United States. Works Cited Steinbeck, John. The Grapes of Wrath, 1939. New York: Viking, 1989.
Saturday, October 26, 2019
A Haunting Past in Faulkners A Rose of Emily Essay -- essays research
A Haunting Past In William Faulknerââ¬â¢s short story ââ¬Å"A Rose for Emilyâ⬠Miss Emily Grierson holds on to the past with a grip of death. Miss Emily seems to reside in her own world, untarnished by the present time around her, maintaining her homestead as it was when her father was alive. Miss Emilyââ¬â¢s father, the manservant, the townspeople, and even the house she lives in, shows that she remains stuck in the past incapable and perhaps reluctant to face the present. At the beginning of the story, the reader learns that Miss Emily ââ¬Å"is portrayed as ââ¬â¢a fallen monument,ââ¬â¢Ã¢â¬ ¦ because she has shown herself susceptible to death (and decay) after allâ⬠(West 264). The house can also be perceived as a ââ¬Å"fallen monumentâ⬠(Faulkner 81) as the narrator proceeds to describe the house, magnificent as it once was, and how it has become dilapidated through the years. The same can be said about Miss Emily, as time passed she ââ¬Å"looked bloated like a body long submerged in motionless water, and of that pallid hueâ⬠(Faulkner 82). In her younger days however, she was ââ¬Å"a slender figure in white in the background, her father a spraddled silhouette in the foreground, his back to her clutching a horsewhipâ⬠(Faulkner 83). One of the many indications that Miss Emily is stuck in the past is her refusal to accept that her father is dead after holding on to his body for three days. ââ¬Å"She wants to keep him as she has known him instead of allowing him to return to dustâ⬠(Kurtz 40). Miss Emilyââ¬â¢s father had such an impact on her life, that she was left powerless in every aspect, thus her decision to live in the past where she knew she could be in control. The reader also learns that Miss Emily continued to retain a manservant long after slavery had ended. This ââ¬Å"old m... ... Among them lay a collar and tie, as if they had just been removed, which, lifted, left upon the surface a pale crescent in the dust. Upon a chair hung the suit, carefully folded, beneath it the two mute shoes and the discarded socks. The man himself lay in the bedâ⬠¦ Then we noticed that in the second pillow was the indentation of a head. One of us lifted something from it, and leaning forward, that faint invisible dust dry and acrid in the nostrils, we saw a long strand of iron- gray hair.(Faulkner 86-87) Up to the very end of Miss Emilyââ¬â¢s life, her father was in the foreground watching and controlling, and Miss Emily unrelentingly held on to the past. She went as far as keeping a loved oneââ¬â¢s body locked upstairs in her home for years. While admiring her loved oneââ¬â¢s body from up close and afar, she managed to maintain a death grip on the past.
Thursday, October 24, 2019
Self-Assessment Marybeth Adkins
I have always thought of myself to be outgoing. I have equal regard for the value of others as well as how I value myself. I also believe that I am assertive in a manner wherein I am able to handle the situation effectively and to produce the best possible outcome given the circumstances present.I uphold my rights as well as the rights of others. It does not necessarily mean I need to win all the time, but it has always been important to be to do my best.I had perceived my communication style to be effective in terms of being an active listener. I have limitations and expectations that I always want to clearly state. I am able to express myself with an acceptable degree of honesty and directness, especially when it comes to my feelings and desires.The characteristics I always knew I had were confidence and self-awareness. I am also proactive and initiating as well as decisive.à I knew that I had a sense of humor and that I was open and flexible as well as versatile.In terms of beh avior, I operated from choice. I also find comfort in knowing what was required and developing a plan to achieve it. This showed that my behavior was action-oriented as well as firm. Just like the way I want to create plans, I am also realistic, just and fair, along with being consistent in the things I do.à I had been evaluated to be an extraverted, intuitive, feeling and judging type (ENFJ) that showed I was a moderately expressed extravert, a slight expressed intuitive personality, a distinctly expressed feeling personality as well as a moderately expressed judging personality. I was evaluated to be a feeling personality, more than the rest.This is Expected of meIn this area, my response was evaluated according to how I thought people expected me to behave. It represented the guarded or masked behavior that I had. I was an ââ¬Å"Sâ⬠which meant I was a steady specialist. This meant that I had a passive and people-oriented temperament.The ââ¬Å"Sââ¬â¢sâ⬠like me w ere considered to be stable and shy types. We are the ones who disliked changes. We can survive doing the same job consistently. This was also seen with my ENFJ profile that showed handled consistency well. I am also a people-pleaser. I value secured surroundings in relation to my stable behavior.à I was also evaluates to be forgiving, while others were said to take advantage of it. Since I seem to like to please other people all the time, this made it difficult for me to say ââ¬Å"noâ⬠to friends. I always look forward to opportunities to help others.While this can be perceived as weakness, in another perspective from the Book of Psalms, it said, ââ¬Å"But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy great peaceâ⬠(Psalm 37:11 NIV).This is Meà The assessment for my ââ¬Å"This is meâ⬠evaluation was C/I/S. This area referred to how I responded according to how I felt and thought during times wherein I was under pressure. It was my unguarded behavior. C/I/S meant c ompetent, influencing specialists.Similar to the ââ¬Å"this is expected of meâ⬠evaluation, I was evaluated to have a liking for doing things right, in impressing others and in stabilizing situations. I was not seen to be aggressive no pushy. I was also shown to enjoy crowds, regardless of size. I was also evaluated to be good with people with high regard for quality. I also seen the high regard y personality type had for what others thinks of myself and my work.I was also observed to lack some determination and dominance. While I can perform tasks well, I was said to need quicker decision-making skills. My capability to work and do great things with people was mentioned in relation to the fact that I needed to become more self-motivated and assertive. Sincere and enthusiastic approvals as well as logical explanations were things that were said to stimulate me.Discovered Communication Style and PersonalitySpiritual Gifts. I discovered the spiritual gifts I had in relation to m y communication style and personality. They were considered as supernatural motivations that were given to every believer. As everyone did not have exactly the same communication style and personality, spiritual gifts also differed. They usually reflect in the personality, behavior and communication style of the individual.The top spiritual gift I had was mercy. This was the gift the enables a person to demonstrate genuine concern and sensitive to suffering. There are a certain something in me that compel me to reduce the pain in other people. There is more concern for me for the person hurting that for the reasons of their suffering.Another gift that was seen in me was the gift of serving, ministry or the helps. This gift was seen to help others and be motivated by serving behind the scenes. Such gift enables me to do things that no one else likes to do. It also enables me to be flexible and to adapt to challenges.Administration did not go far behind and it was related as it is the gift that gives the strong sense of duty as well. This gift was seen to concentrate on team participation. People with this gift see the bigger picture and keeps everyone on track. They were also seen to delegate tasks and to be very organized.Leadership Style. I was considered to be an ââ¬Å"Iâ⬠leader. This referred to leaders who were inspiring and enthusiastic. Since ââ¬Å"Iâ⬠stood for influence, the kind of leader that I was evaluated to be was one who loved to lead and influence others. Such leaders were seen to be great presenters. They were also seen to have the tendency to talk too much.They were seen to need to listen more and not be too sensitive to rejection. However, ââ¬Å"Iâ⬠leaders were also positively considered to be impressive and positive leaders. While the kind of leader I was classified loved to be in crowds, there was also a need for me to be interested in individuals.Follower Style. The ââ¬Å"Iâ⬠followers have a tendency to follow t heir hearts. They were seen to be impulsive as followers. They also want and need opportunities wherein they would be noticed and would look good. Even as followers, they were seen to carry a certain degree of influence.They need constant approvals. It was attributed to their high egos. They also make good first impressions. The influences they inherently possess often turn them into leaders who rise up to the top. Such followers can have a difficult time simply being in follower roles as they have a tendency to lead.Conflict Resolution by FujishinAccording to Fujishin, one must evaluate his or her own interpersonal styles. This effort would enable the individual to understand oneââ¬â¢s self (Fujishin 1997). This leads to self- acceptances that have a significant impact in how one accepts others. This factors holds a critical role in the success of group related communication and work.He upheld how important it was to know oneââ¬â¢s self and be familiar with it before entering in any communication that involves other people, especially in a group. Since time was already taken in the examination of oneââ¬â¢s own self and weaknesses, there is little need for the individual to look towards the approval of other people in the group in order to function well (Fujishin 1997).Self-assessment was also important when it came to conflict management. When one already knew oneââ¬â¢s self, there is more time attributed to examining and discussing the problem. It also equips the individuals to listen actively to the other people within the group in conflict. Irrelevant discussions would be avoided.Fujishinââ¬â¢s principles on conflict management provided for effective tools and strategies that could guide and direct group discussion in a very effective manner. The he had promoted self-awareness could also be used in professional and personal affairs under conflict. He quoted Emerson regarding this saying, ââ¬Å"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within usâ⬠Controlling Communication and Behavioral BlendIt was pointed out that I needed to increase my confidence in terms of how what others expect of me (UniquelyYou.net 2007). I have to speak out more often and avoid being abused because of my tendency to please people all the time. I also needed to be more outgoing and assertive. I had to grasp the fact that security was possible (UniquelyYou.net 2007).I found the importance of being cautious when it came to being judgmental (UniquelyYou.net 2007). As I believed that others have rights the same as I had, they also had the right to be judged for who they were and not for first impressions or other superficial criteria.I also had to avoid being bitter and harboring resentment. It may have come from my tendency to be oversensitive. I had to learn to just be thankful for everything and see things in a positive and constructive light.I also learned about the utilization of my communication s kills and behavioral blends in relation to developing my Spiritual Gifts. The sign of true development was the maturity and involvement I had in the Body of Christ (UniquelyYou.net 2007).They were to be seen as combinations that helped to understand how the unique blends that I had discovered through the evaluations were related to the role I had to play in doing Godââ¬â¢s Work. The Word of God exhorts this truth, ââ¬Å"So it is with you. Since you are eager to have spiritual gifts, try to excel in gifts that build up the churchâ⬠(1 Corinthians 14:12, NIV).God never makes mistakes and creates the gift in each individual in order to work for His glory (UniquelyYou.net 2007). I also realized how such natural and supernatural qualities could get out of hand when I donââ¬â¢t use them for Godââ¬â¢s glory. It would be best if God was the one to control them and for everyone to submit their own personalities, styles, and gifting to Godââ¬â¢s will.My highest spiritual gif ts were those of mercy, serving, and administration. I tend to constantly volunteer for the works of the Church, even if they have no hint of glamour in them.Overusing such gifts make me seek for approval or please people more than pleasing God.à Since my highest personality profile plotting was ââ¬Å"Iâ⬠this makes me more of a leader than a follower. Abuse of this personality type would make me overpower people in leadership and make me less of a team player.It was an evident match that I had mercy as my serving as one of the top spiritual gifts because my personality was one who aimed to please people and to do jobs consistently.This was intended for service because of the fact that I can be good with people and influence them well.à While I saw that I was expected to be more passive, I realized that my behavior and Spiritual Gifts had given me the capacity to be active and people-oriented. Despite the fact that I did not want to be in the spotlight, I still wanted to serve people. I realized how I also wanted to receive approval for the things that I do. I needed to be more secured with the job I was doing.Leadership needed qualities like humility, development, commitment, focus, compassion, integrity, peacemaking, and endurance (Hastings & Potter 2004). Based on the results of the evaluation, I had these qualities; more in some than the others. Commitment, focus, compassion and endurance were those that would stand out with my behavior and personality.Compassion, my highest value as seen with my Spiritual gifting and behavioral type, should be reflected in communication. Itââ¬â¢s not merely about delivering the message but in doing so in the best possible and effective manner that forges relationships that were based on trust (Hastings & Potter 2004).Genuine concern and love has always reflected Jesus Christ. It is something that can be foundational in the way I would hone my gifts and control my behavior. The Scripture said, ââ¬Å"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfortâ⬠(2 Corinthians 1:3, NIV). This assessment provided significant insights into my behavior and communication styles. Most of them, I already knew I had possessed. However, this activity enabled me to see them in a new light. It gave me a look as to how I had been misusing my gifts as well as how I was not able to control my behavior because of certain personality types I had.I agree with the results of this evaluation as they described me as accurately as can be. I also saw how my behavior had been related to closely to the Spiritual Gifts that I was bestowed with. It was enlightening because it showed how specific God had made me in line with how He wanted to use me in the work He cut out for me; ââ¬Å"For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to doâ⬠(Ephesians 2:10, NIV).Evaluation of Activity EffectivenessOverall, this assignment had been more than helpful in developing self-awareness in a person. As Fujishin stressed, self-awareness p layed an important factor when it came to group dynamics as it enables the person to focus on the group instead on oneââ¬â¢s self because there is already security that came from this value.The activity enabled me to realize my strengths and uniqueness in order to use them for the benefit of my development as well as for the contributions I could provide for Godââ¬â¢s work. This activity also establishes a stronger sense of purpose.ReferencesCombining 7 Spiritual Gifts with 4 (DISC) personality types.â⬠(2007).UniquelyYou.net.Fujishin, R. (1997). Discovering the leader within. USA: Acada Book.Hastings, W. & Potter, R.(2004).à Trust me: Developing a leadership style people will follow. Canada: Waterbrook.International Bible Society (1984). The Holy Bible New International Version. USA: Zondervan,
Wednesday, October 23, 2019
Lorna Simpson: Manipulation of Spectatorship
Lorna Simpson is a highly recognized African-American artist who has expressed her creativity and skill through photography, and more recently, movies. She did her graduation in the School of Visual Arts in New York and her post graduation at the University of California in San Diego (ArtFacts.net, 2007). Her work is somewhat abstract and has a very subtle meaning. She usually uses literary elements such as metaphor, biography, portraiture and narrative fin her work. Many of her works deal with concepts of ââ¬Ëblacknessââ¬â¢ and ââ¬Ëfeminismââ¬â¢ (Armendi, 2001). Lorna Simpson became popular in the mid-1980s with her large scale black and white photographic works of art that combined photo and text in a novel manner. What is most characteristic about her work is that she always makes the spectator think, self-reflect, and finally arrive at the meaning of the work. This gives the viewer the thrill of having solved a puzzle. In the words of Marianne Kurylo-Litvak, ââ¬Å"Simpson manipulates spectatorship by utilizing the Brechtian method of distanciation that relies on audience participation through speculative detachmentâ⬠. (Kurylo-Litvak, 1998) General Style: Laura Simpson uses a technique commonly known as photo text, which combines figurative or nonfigurative photos and text. Usually, in the works of Lorna Simpson, the figures have their backs turned towards the viewer. Even when it is not so, they do not make eye contact with the viewer. Her female figures are simply dressed and do not follow evoke any open feelings as most figures in photography do.à But the author in a manipulative manner uses these obscure figures as a screen to portray the discrimination in our society of the black woman. She presents them with a sort of curious detachment that can be seen in investigative films. Sometimes, she uses pieces of texts along with the mural-size huge black and white images that give only partial meaning to her work. The rest of the meaning has to be pieced together by the thinking viewer. More recently, in her work that is being exhibited at Sean Kelly, one finds that Simpson has also given up the use of the human figure. Instead, she presents empty, urban and natural settings. The emptiness of these works seems to express human loss and desire in a very effective and powerful manner (Heartney, 1995). One finds that most of the works of Lorna Simpson focus on sadness. The texts seem to talk about the emptiness and loneliness in urban life. The totally unknown places in the photographs seem to symbolize the emptiness of relationshions in urban settings. The lack of color and polish in the black and white photographs creates a sense of mystery and helps to dig out faded memories within the viewer. Simpson often removes the background or the faces of her subjects so that she can remove any kind of identity to the image (Morgan, 1990). The power of the artist in bending the viewer to her angle is clear in the way she uses the black female body in her works. There is nothing much revealed about the model in the photographs. Even faces are hidden and this underlines in a subtle manner, the way black women have been seen across the ages ââ¬â as de-faced bodies. Again, Simpson uses fragmented bodies to indicate vulnerability and domination. The viewer can see only some part of the body such as the back of the head,à or back of the body or an arm or a knee. This shows that the black women has never been fully portrayed to the extend that a viewer can understand her (Lorna Simpson for the sake of the viewer). Analysis of Specific Works: There is ââ¬Å"The Carâ⬠showing a narrow street that is stretching beyond and arch-covered pathway. Somehow the included text makes it clear to the viewer that the narrator must be sitting within the auto that is parked clearnly in the foreground. The words ââ¬Å"small cramped room within a roomâ⬠together with other text suggests that maybe these random thoughts are coming to the author just before sex in the car (Heartney, 1995). There isà a series of black-and-white photographs titled ââ¬Å"9 Props,â⬠each of which focuses on a single object in an empty room ââ¬â a solitary vase, cup or goblet. The text in each photograph refers to figures that are missing around these solitary objects. This allows the reader to understand that these images refer to earlier photographs by James Van Der Zee. Simpson, in a very fine and yet powerful manner indicates that the black middle class continues to be invisible. Lorna Simpson's photograph Waterbearer was reproduced in 1987. à A black woman with shabby hair is seen fro the back, pouring water from a jug and a plastic bottle, one in each hand. The text included in the photograph says: ââ¬Å"She saw him disappear by the river They asked her to tell what happened Only to discount her memoryâ⬠. While the figure of the woman is calm and lacks emotion, the language shows the emotional disturbance that this woman may be carrying. Here, Lorna Simpson allows the reader to consider the history of the black people and how the history can reveal subconsciously hidden memories. (Hooks, 1993). In 1989 Lorna Simpson made Guarded Conditions. It depicts a à braided black woman in working shoes. She is shown in three images with minor changes in her body position. This is then repeated in a serial manner. The work seems to indicate the modelââ¬â¢s changing notions of her own identity (Marshall, 1989). The position of the feet and hair are slightly rearranged in these images and in the middle row of photographs, the right hand alternately embraces, then caresses the left arm. Along with the photo, there is a rhythm of the words ââ¬Å"sex attacks skin attacks,â⬠which titles the prints. Guarded Conditions has been intellectually interpreted by various artists (Copeland, 2005). In a December 1989 review, an art critic found a link between a newspaper article reporting the brutal beating and rape of a black woman by two white securing guards and the work ââ¬Å"Guarded Conditionsâ⬠. Three years later, a curator wrote that this picture portrays ââ¬Å"a double-sided metonym of racial sufferanceâ⬠(Copeland, 2005). In his view, the isolated body of the woman invokes ââ¬Å"slave auctions, hospital examination rooms, and criminal line-ups,â⬠while the duplication ââ¬Å"of the turned-back figures â⬠¦ calls up images of those women who stand guard against the evils of the world on the steps of black fundamentalist churches on Sunday morningsâ⬠(Copeland, 2005) Stack of Diaries, 1993, portrays a black and white photo of a stack of diary books; in the foreground tehre is a multileveled metal stand that holds stacked glass panels, with black-lettered text-fragments rendered in subtly distinct styles (bold script, italics, etc.) pressed into the glass. The different styles seem to imply the presence of different voices. The viewer is encouraged through these phrases to explore why the writer of the diaries has so much confusion in identities. In Twenty Questionsà (A Sampler), Simpson shows a woman's back, her features hidden and masked by a lush har that is long enough to cover her neck revealing only the vulnerable shoulders and the upper back which is covered by a simple calico chemise. The questions included in the photo are: ââ¬Å"Is she pretty as a pictureâ⬠ââ¬Å"Or clear as crystalâ⬠:Or pure as a lilyâ⬠ââ¬Å"Or Black as coalâ⬠ââ¬Å"Or sharp as a razorâ⬠. Though the subject does not face the viewer, the viewer is forced to look at her judgmentally and the text is specifically aimed at encouraging the viewer to dig up recorded history andà past experiences in his brain to come up with an answer (Lorna Simpson by Okwui). Conclusion: Overall,à one finds that Simpsonââ¬â¢s photo-text constructions are like puzzles inviting interested viewers to solve. There are clues provided by the text. Maybe the author was stifled in trying to express the subtle thoughts through text form. By including both picture and text in the imagery, Lorna Simpson grasps the viewers attention for a while, allows him to reflect on all possible meanings in the context of history and contemporary society and give unique interpretations that might also be based on his own personal experience. Her new works attract the viewer to dig out meanings that are hidden between symbolic pictures and fragments of text. Some people may accuse the author of allowing too much freedom to the viewer in interpretation. However, it cannot be denied that her works invite the viewer to examine closely, think deeply and finally give directions to arrive at conclusions that orient the viewer towards her own opinion. This is the effective manipulation of spectatorship as found in Lorna Simpsonââ¬â¢s work of art Bibliography: Online Sources: Marshall, Peter (2007). More Work and Selected Linksâ⬠ââ¬ËGuarded Conditions' (1989). http://photography.about.com/cs/photographersaz/a/aa021604_2.htm ArtFacts.net (2007). Lorna Simpson.http://www.artfacts.net/index.php/pageType/artistInfo/artist/2932 Print Journals: Copeland, Huey (2005). ââ¬Å"Bye, Bye Black Girlâ⬠: Lorna Simpson's figurative retreat. Art Journal, Summer, 2005. http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0425/is_2_64/ai_n15338133 Heartney, Eleanor (1995). Figuring absence ââ¬â Lorna Simpson, photography, Sean Kelly gallery, New York, New York. Art in America, December 1995. http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1248/is_n12_v83/ai_17860708 Marianne Kurylo-Litvak, The Art of Lorna Simpson: Challenging Preconceived Notions with Invisibility Imagery, thesis, Queens College, City University, 1998, 17. Decter, Joshua (1994). Lorna Simpson ââ¬â Josh Baer Gallery, New York, New York. ArtForum, January 1994. http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0268/is_n5_v32/ai_15143646 Hooks, Bell (1993).Lorna Simpson: Waterbearer ââ¬â photograph. ArtForum. September 1993. http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0268/is_n1_v32/ai_14580117 Morgan, Joan (1990). Lorna Simpson: words of art ââ¬â photographer uses technique known as photo text. Essence, December 1990. http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1264/is_n8_v21/ai_9132098 Books: Smith, Roberta (1990). Review/Art; Linking Words and Images Explosively. The New York Times. July 20, 1990. Armendi, De Nicole (2001). Lorna Simpsonââ¬â¢s Public Sex Series: The Voyeuristic Presence and the Embodied Figureââ¬â¢s Absence. ATHANOR XIX. Rivelliââ¬â¢s Books. http://www.fsu.edu/~arh/events/athanor/athxix/AthanorXIX_armendi.pdf Lorna simpson by okwui Lorna simpson by for the sake of the viewer. Files used: Simpson-resourcepacket (Lorna Simpson by okwui) AthenorXIX_armendi Art_Journal_Summer_2005 Lorna Simpson for the sake of the viewer ;
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