Sample Paper: MANS 571 - Individual moods and emotions in the workplace

Individual moods and emotions in the workplace

Name

MAN571 Organizational behavior

Date

Introduction

Emotions and moods play a big role on how employees communicate with other in the workplace. Emotions in the workplace are essential indications of a positive or negative job environment. Positive emotions can increase the worker motivation and performance, while negative emotions can cause stress and high turnover. This in turn will affect the whole organization either directly or indirectly. Positive moods enable employees to enhance their productivity at the workplace. However, negative emotions such as anger, hostility and stress can impact negatively on the productivity of the employees. Both types of emotions are contagious in the work place, which makes it even more important for managers to have an ability to read employee emotions. 

Emotional contagion is a way that the emotions of one employee are transferred to another employee via nonverbal channels. Managers need to harness positive emotions or eliminate negative emotions at work in order to maintain a healthy work environment.  How positive and negative emotions can influence employees and their productivity at work.

According to Brief &Weiss (2002), emotions are usually intense and occur due to specific events and can affect the way we think. Moods on the other hand are less intense and are not enhanced by any specific stimulus.

The purpose of this reflective thinking assignment is to examine the following:

·         Individual moods and emotions in the workplace and how they affect the employees

·         Describe different personality tests

·         Emotional intelligence

Individual moods and emotions in the workplace

It is normal for employees to express emotions. However, it should be noted that negative emotions can be infectious and in turn spread from one employee to another. This can significantly affect interpersonal communication in the organization.

Emotions can sometimes cause a person to be irrational. For instance, an employee who suffers severe head injuries which may affect his/her brain causing him/her to be emotionless would result in such an employee not being able to experience any reason, hence becoming irrational. In order to determine how an individual expresses emotions at work, it will be important to put into consideration how such an individual experiences work from a personal point of view so as to understand meaning to those emotions (Weiss & Rupp, 2011)

The following are the sources of mood and emotions in the workplace;

·         Stress

Stress is body's way of responding to any kind of demand or tension .It can be caused by both good and bad experiences in life .Stress is the major cause of negative feelings at work, for instance, too much work overloads , difficult colleagues or customers and demanding bosses/supervisors can lead to negative feelings (Kanner, Schaefer & Lazarus, 1984)

·         Personality

A person’s temperament determines their moods and emotions. For instance, extroverts typically express their emotions for all to see and express, very outgoing and frequently show positive feelings of excitement, happiness towards people around them .

·         Social activities

Interpersonal interactions on social occasions and events contribute to emotions and moods. Those interactions which are positive translate to positive feelings and vice-versa

·         Weather

Research has shown that weather thought to have effects on mood. Individuals have been known to express negative feelings on dark, stormy/rainy days and positive feelings and emotions on bright, hot and sunny days, people would love to engage in outdoor games and activities in summer vacations.

·         Gender

Women have been culturally known to frequently and easily express their moods and emotions. This is why managers are very careful when dealing with female employees since they are very sensitive and emotional on such issues such as family, children’s rights and they are very self-conscious . Males are opposite to the females in the expression of their emotions even under very stressful situations men can hold their emotions well because of their self-control attitude.

·         Exercise

Research has shown that physical exercise can be used to improve mood for individual’s suffering from depression. Some organizations offer free gym memberships to their employees and encourages them to regularly exercise to improve their mood and enhance positive feelings towards their employers and coworkers.

I personally experience the urge for workout, when I start my day by going to the Gym, I have a fantastic day with full involvement in all that tasks and vice versa. (Slaski, 2002)

·         Sleep

Quality of sleep affects mood. Individuals who sleep for less than 8 hours per night are likely to experience negative feelings ,as in my case during previous couple of months I could not have quality sleep because of taking care of my 81 years old mom who had stroke last year . I had to make big changes in my daily routines and got extra help to get me back to my sleep patterns min of 8 hrs uninterrupted sleep which makes my day very productive otherwise I become irritable.

·         Age

Evidence shows that older individuals experience more positive feelings than young people. This is why young people suffer from depression, eating disorders and show suicidal tendencies as a result of negative and stressful feelings. As we grow older our personalities start getting settled  in terms with the environment we are living in which makes us less stressful and out of mood swings.

·         Physical environment

Physical settings can cause mood and emotions at work. A beautiful view of outdoor scenery from the office window can enhance the employee’s mood and sometimes when lighting at work is extreme either too bright or too dark can cause negative moods among employees (Kuller, Ballal et al, 2006)

Effects of mood and emotions in the workplace

The following are the effects/impacts of moods and emotions in the workplace;

        i.            Job satisfaction

Job satisfaction is a major motivating factor for employees to be more productive at work. It is also the major cause of high employee turnover rate. When employees are more satisfied at their jobs, they tend to experience more positive moods and emotions.

      ii.            Employee performance

Mood can affect personal judgment which in turn will influence performance. According to Ashkenazy &Humphrey (2011), managers who experience positive moods are likely to take greater risks and be more optimistic. This optimism by managers can inspire the employees to perform better too.

    iii.            Creativity  and innovativeness

Both positive and negative moods can contribute to innovation. However, only positive mood can influence creativity at work. According to Amiable, Barsade et al (2005), positive mood facilitates cognitive and divergent thinking which enhance tasks that require creativity.

    iv.            Interpersonal relationships

Personal moods among workers can influence their moods toward others. This in turn will affect to a significant extend interpersonal relationships among workers. A worker who shows positive moods attracts other to him/her which will lead to a positive interpersonal relationship and vice-versa

Different personality tests

There are many personality tests put forth by various psychologists. The main goals of psychology have been to establish a model that can conveniently describe human personality. While conducting various personality tests Personality test is basically a questionnaire designed to reveal various aspects of a person’s character.(Brief, 2002) One of the more prominent models for the description of personality in contemporary psychology is known as the five-factor model of personality (Digman, 1990) the big five personality tests model includes;

·         The Ten Item  Personality Inventory

·         Revised Neo personality Inventory

·         The Five Factor Personality Inventory

·         The Five Factor Model Rating Form

·         The Big Five Inventory

The five factor personality traits are in the following table

There has been much research conducted on how people describe others and five major dimensions of human personality have been found which is described as the OCEAN model of personality which have been described by the above table

1- Openness

2- Conscientiousness

3-Extraversion

4-Agreeableness

5-Neuroticism

3 - Personality Test Performed

I performed 3 personality tests on myself to explore my personality traits and I agreed to some of the results and some of the personality traits I found very helpful to incorporate into a leadership role to manage successfully an organization.

1-Big five personality test:

I did this big five personality test for myself and my son who is 23 , was another person in this comparison having the same ethnic and social back ground with the difference of the fact that I was born in Pakistan and he was born in USA and studied in USA.

When I performed the big five project personality test and results are following:

I'maO80-C96-E53-A90-N37BigFive!!OCEAN

	Your Results Their Results
Closed-Minded		Open to New Experiences
Disorganized		Conscientious
Introverted		Extraverted
Disagreeable		Agreeable
Calm / Relaxed		Nervous / High-Strung

This score is close to my personality but I would say the test results don’t describe my personality fully as there are some personality traits which changes with the circumstances, for instance when I am dealing with my team members I have to be aggressive to get the job done on timely basis. As per the results of this test I have a relaxed personality trait along with the element of openness which is sometimes turns out to be opposite.

2-Type A / B personality Test

I also conducted Type A /B personality test and my score was 6 out of ten putting me in Type A and B personality.

Type A individual as ambitious, rigidly organized, highly status conscious, can be sensitive, care for other people, are truthful, impatient, always try to help others, , take on more than they can handle, want other people to get to the point, proactive, and obsessed with time management. People with Type A personalities are often high-achieving "workaholics" who multi-task, push themselves with deadlines, 

 Type B individuals are a contrast to those with Type A personalities. People with Type B personality by definition generally live at a lower stress level and typically work steadily, enjoying achievement but not becoming stressed when they are not achieved. When faced with competition, they do not mind losing and either enjoy the game or back down. They may be creative and enjoy exploring ideas and concepts. They are often reflective, thinking about the outer and inner worlds. Furthermore, Type B personalities may have a poor sense of time schedule and can be predominately right brained thinkers.

If I look into my personal and professional personality traits I have most of the qualities of Type A and few from Type B ,like I am very ambitious, organized, , sensitive, care for other people, truthful, take on more than what I can handle, proactive, and obsessed with time management, "workaholics" multi-task, push  with deadlines, and some of the qualities of type B which are I am very creative love exploring new ideas and concepts ,brain thinker and always stay at lower level of stress .

3-   Stress-O-Meter

I also conducted the stress-o-Meter test to measure the precise amount of stress in the working environment. There were 16 questions regarding the attitudes at work among the employers and employees.

Emotional intelligence

Emotional intelligence is also known as Emotional Quotient. According to Coleman &Andrew (2008), emotional intelligence is “the capacity of individuals to recognize their own, and other people's emotions, to discriminate between different feelings and label them appropriately, to use emotional information to guide thinking and behavior, and to manage and/or adjust emotions to adapt environments or achieve one's goals” Emotional intelligence (EQ) is more important than one’s intelligence (IQ) in attaining success in their lives and careers. (Abraham, 1999)

Understanding the Five Categories of Emotional Intelligence (EQ)

1.      Self-awareness.

 The ability to recognize an emotion as it “happens” is the key to your EQ. Developing self-awareness requires tuning in to your true feelings. If you evaluate your emotions, you can manage them. The major elements of self-awareness are:

• Emotional awareness. Your ability to recognize your own emotions and their effects.
• Self-confidence. Sureness about your self-worth and capabilities.

2.      Self-regulation

 (John, 1999)

You often have little control over when you experience emotions. You can, however, have some say in how long an emotion will last by using a number of techniques to alleviate negative emotions such as anger, anxiety or depression. A few of these techniques include recasting a situation in a more positive light, taking a long walk and meditation or prayer. Self-regulation involves

• Self-control. Managing disruptive impulses.
• Trustworthiness. Maintaining standards of honesty and integrity.
• Conscientiousness. Taking responsibility for your own performance.
• Adaptability. Handling change with flexibility.
• Innovation. Being open to new ideas

3.      Motivation. 

To motivate yourself for any achievement requires clear goals and a positive attitude. Although you may have a predisposition to either a positive or a negative attitude, you can with effort and practice learn to think more positively. If you catch negative thoughts as they occur, you can reframe them in more positive terms — which will help you achieve your goals. Motivation is made up of:

• Achievement drive. You’re constant striving to improve or to meet a standard of excellence.
• Commitment. Aligning with the goals of the group or organization.
• Initiative. Readying yourself to act on opportunities.
• Optimism. Pursuing goals persistently despite obstacles and setbacks.

4.      Empathy. 

The ability to recognize how people feel is important to success in your life and career. The more skillful you are at discerning the feelings behind others’ signals the better you can control the signals you send them. (Mayer, 1997) An empathetic person excels at:

• Service orientation. Anticipating, recognizing and meeting clients’ needs.
• Developing others. Sensing what others need to progress and bolstering their abilities.
• Leveraging diversity. Cultivating opportunities through diverse people.
• Political awareness. Reading a group’s emotional currents and power relationships.
• Understanding others. Discerning the feelings behind the needs and wants of others

.

5.      Social skills. 

The development of good interpersonal skills is tantamount to success in your life and career. In today’s always-connected world, everyone has immediate access to technical knowledge. Thus, “people skills” are even more important now because you must possess a high EQ to better understand, empathize and negotiate with others in a global economy. Among the most useful skills are (Barling, 2000) :

• Influence. Wielding effective persuasion tactics.
• Communication. Sending clear messages.
• Leadership. Inspiring and guiding groups and people.
• Change catalyst. Initiating or managing change.
• Conflict management. Understanding, negotiating and resolving disagreements.
• Building bonds. Nurturing instrumental relationships.
• Collaboration and cooperation. Working with others toward shared goals.
• Team capabilities. Creating group synergy in pursuing collective goals.

Psychologists have come up with various models to explain and demonstrate how emotional intelligence works. (Pipkins, 1998) These models are;

·         Traits model

This model uses the perception of individuals regarding their own emotional abilities. Individuals are then subjected to a traits emotional intelligence questionnaire to test their emotional intelligence

·         Ability model

This model was developed by Salovey and Mayer. The model is based on an individual’s ability to perceive emotions. Use emotions, understand and manage emotions. The model uses emotion-based problem solving tests to determine emotional score of an individual

·         Mixed model

This model was pioneered by Daniel Coleman. The model is based on self-awareness, social skill, empathy and motivation. Individuals are subjected to Emotional Intelligence Appraisal tests. (Dasborough, 2002)

            All of these models can be applied flexibly to various situations and aren’t only applicable in one type of situation. Leaders must be aware of all of these models of assessing emotional intelligence of the employees and other individuals.

Conclusion

As leaders, managers and individuals our success and the success of the today’s profession depend on our ability to read other people’s signals and react appropriately to them. The leaders must keep their employees happy mentally with the healthy environment around and positive emotions resulting from a fantastic work environment. The functions of positive emotions are that employees are extremely productive, motivated and happy. This would result in tremendous progress and profits for the organization.

Sample paper: Nursing leadership

Nursing Leadership

Student Name

Institutional Affiliation

Question one

 Through leadership, it is possible to set policies and guidelines that govern the operation of every activity within the field. Nursing is one of the major technical fields, professional leadership has always played an important role in ensuring that there is the delivery of quality services to the patients. However, professional leadership in nursing has faced several challenges and barriers which has limited delivery of better leadership services. Nevertheless, the challenges should not lead to the eradication of leadership in the nursing industry, they should, however, provide a propelling force towards offering the best leadership. People have different ideas, during decision making, each person would want his or her idea to be considered and when that is not done, there may rise unnecessary quarrels within the organization. Thompson et al. (2004), acknowledges that this is a major challenge that professional leaders face, he advises that each person be allowed to explain more about his or her idea and through that, it will be easy to merge all ideas and come up with a concrete solution.

Question two

In the health care industry, nursing is the largest profession, in this profession research shows that there are more women than men. Unfortunately, during policymaking, the nursing profession has often lacked enough representation this makes other medical practitioners make policies that all nurses are supposed to adhere to. Gender bias has always been a great issue for human beings to deal with. Women are considered weak and vulnerable, often their ideas are ignored and thus they lack the morale of presenting concrete ideas that could change the face of the nursing profession (MacKusick & Minick, 2010). Thus, the main problem has been ignorance since other medical practitioners especially male have ignored the ideas raised by women making the nursing profession lack representation during policymaking.

HOW I MADE A NEW FRIEND

How I Made a New Friend

    To many people, friendship means a lot. It means they can rely on the person they consider as their friend, they can confide in them, and that the other person shares the same confidence. Sadly, most of these people do not recognize when they find a real friend; they only look for what benefits, or advantages they can get from posing as a friend to someone. It is very encouraging therefore, when you find someone whose company you enjoy, that is reliable, and has a positive impact on your life – wrong! That is where that majority mentioned in the beginning (which do not recognize a true friend) go wrong one hundred per cent of the time. Instead of looking for someone to become your friend, try and be somebody's friend, to be kind to somebody and maybe you might find a real friend. That is how Bakkali became one of my best friends – she was kind to me.

    A few years ago, I took a trip abroad, to keep my uncle company while he set up a business in Asia, a country called Malaysia. I had just graduated my A- Levels and did not have much to do at home, so I agreed to accompany him. Of course I was excited, I was getting away from home at least, even though I did not know anybody and I was going to be all alone in the apartment my uncle had rented. However, my uncle reassured me that there was plenty to do in the house, including a library, and an internet connection in case I needed to go on social media. That wasn't likely because I am not a big fan. I would spend my time going through any interesting book, or magazine I could find in the library, along with the daily newspapers which were delivered to our door. I did that when I wasn't browsing for the latest movies and series online. That was all I did, apart from the few times I went outside because of the heat of the overhead sun at that time of the year. On one occasion as I was heading out in the afternoon, I met a group of friends heading out together and one of them invited me to join them, which I agreed.

    These people were new to me, just as I was new to them. And I was sure they could tell that I was a foreigner. But that did not stop them from asking me to join them. I accompanied my new friends to the nearby mall where they showed me around, and treated me very hospitably. At some point I was sure they were making fun of me because I couldn't understand their language but one of the younger girls told me they were just telling me to try and not look so out of place. That was funny but it was also true. The name of the girl I was having the most talk with was Bakkali, she was seated next to me that afternoon on my right. On the other side there was Ola, she was Bakkali's elder sister, and their cousins Aina and Cess were also there. Bakkali was as very interesting person and she had very solid opinions about life and other things which I never thought somebody so young could think about. We were about the same age, but I was older than her by one year and a number of months. She told me they were thinking about starting a business project with her friends to make them self-employed and self-reliant by the time they finished college. Bakkali had heard a presentation at an entrepreneurship workshop about creating and holding wealth through businesses. We didn't talk about it much more because I got lost in the details. I told her I had also thought about self-employment and business, but I didn't have any ideas at the time so we changed the subject to, other things and began talking about culture and music and art. We both enjoyed music but our tastes were not the same. Personally, I enjoy music that is both classical and soulful while Bakkali is a fan of pop and old school music. However, Bakkali told me something that made me sure that she was actually older than her age. She told me that she also appreciated other kinds of music even though she may not listen to them all the time like her favorite music; that is an opinion that anyone who lives in the twenty-first century is likely to have because of all the progress of technology. What interested me was that she had also observed and was very keen about the content of the music she listened to because it contains information and references to current and historical events, and other things which are relevant to all of us, even if we don't understand what is being said. Most people do not know the reason why music, poetry, art, dance, and even fashion are such important parts of our lives is because they reflect who we are as a society in the past and the present, at the same time. And therefore much wisdom is hidden in them.

    Afterwards, we began spending more time together as a group, in their home or sometimes at our apartment. Bakkali had a personal collection of music, films, books, as well as paintings, weaved carpets, and many other items like an artist would have in her room. She allowed me to explore this room of hers until I was satisfied, I carried films, books and music to go and go through in my uncle's apartment. She explained more about her thoughts and I went to look for some of the things we talked about on the internet. For example, the classical music which I like as well as other people, has a lot of history behind it. Also, other kinds of music like country, pop, and even traditional and rock music have a lot of significance and even carry the histories of people and countries since they began being made. Another thing I also observed about Bakkali is that we are not so different even though we are from foreign countries with each other, and even if we liked different things, we still spent time together and we shared our experiences, and learned from each other. We had a lot of things in common growing up, and we appreciated each other's different perspectives.

    I stayed in Malaysia for a whole year with my uncle, and spent that time with my new friends. I tried to learn as much as possible from them and told them whatever they asked me about myself, and our my country. Soon, we were spending time with each other all the time. Because of this, they influenced my thoughts, and they also took some of my ideas to use in their business project which by the end of the time I stayed with them, they were just about finishing up their business plan. The rest, like they say, is history.

Nowadays, I do some things which people ask why I do, and I just say it's an old habit but I don't explain it's because of all the time I spent with those friends of mine. When we talk about it nowadays, I tell Bakkali that the only reason I agreed to become friends with her was because she had a collection of films which I could borrow and not get bored when I was in the house alone. But it was also a blessing because my mind was opened to new ways of thinking. She tells me that nowadays she even, has a few traditional songs from my country on her playlist now - though I hadn't confirmed it by the time I was writing this. My experiences during that time made me convinced that the best way to make friends is to look for any way to be kind to somebody and you might get lucky as I was and find a friend like Bakkali when she became friends with me through her kindness to a foreigner

Technology Enhances the Chances of Success in a Business

Student's Name

Professor's Name

Course Number

Date

Technology Enhances the Chances of Success in a Business

            Technology has revolutionized several industries, including business. Today, technological advancements such as fast internet speeds, smart devices, and Big Data have changed how firms operate. Technology enhances the chances of business success by enabling businesses to gather, disseminate, and process information quickly.

            Technology makes businesses more successful by allowing companies to leverage information more rapidly. Zara, a leading fashion brand, spent heavily on information technology which allowed it to improve its distribution system significantly (Roll n.p.). Zara's technology-driven distribution system enables it to have seamless information exchange across its stores and its headquarters, which helps it to keep up with the latest trends. Additionally, technology is crucial in aiding businesses to become more productive at lesser cost by reducing the time from product conception until it gets to the market (Wilburn and Wilburn 23). The adoption of technology-enabled Zara to considerably minimize lead times and to respond to shifting market trends quicker. Hence, technology helps businesses to become more profitable by developing an efficient distribution system which caters to customers' needs and keeps up with the latest trends.

            Apart from making firms more successful by allowing them to leverage information more quickly, technology also enables firms to tap into the e-commerce market. In 2010, Zara ventured into the e-commerce space by setting up its first online shop that was available in only a few countries (Roll n.p.). However, a few years later, Zara's online business has extended across Europe and now accounts for approximately 10% of its global sales. The move by Zara to enter the e-commerce market was informed by its well-designed information technology system that allows it to gather data on the latest trends. When the e-commerce market was booming, Zara already had the right information to join the market and reach out to a broader reach of customers. Therefore, technology helps a business to become better by offering them a more extensive range of the market through e-commerce.

            In conclusion, technology enhances the chances of business success by enabling businesses to gather, disseminate, and process information quickly. Zara is an example of a company that benefitted from heavily investing in information technology. Technology also allows firms to take advantage of the e-commerce market to reach more clients.

Works Cited

Roll, Martin. "The Secret of Zara's Success: A Culture of Customer Co-creation." Martin Roll:Business and Brand Strategist, Mar. 2018, martinroll.com/resources/articles/strategy/the-secret-of-zaras-success-a-culture-of-customer-co-creation/.

Wilburn, Kathleen M., and H. R. Wilburn. "The Impact of Technology on Business and Society." Global Journal of Business Research, vol. 12, no. 1, 2018, pp. 23-29.

The American Civil War1861-1865

Student's Name

Professor's Name

Course Number

Date

The American Civil War 1861-1865

            The American Civil War 1861 – 1865 had a significant impact on the nation's politics. The war shaped the US into what it is today. The development of a strong central national government was necessary after the Civil War because America needed strong leadership to help rebuild the nation as a united republic rather than a fragmented union of different states.

            A stable central national government after the war was crucial in ensuring the US adhered to its constitution which affirmed America as one nation. The war resulted in thousands of casualties, and despite the Northerners winning, bitterness remained among the Southerners (Neff 145). A strong central national government was necessary for ensuring talks of secession did not arise again by having control of the entire nation. Additionally, a stable central federal government would prevent insurrections from occurring since power would be centralized at the top, denying states the opportunity of growing too dominant and seeking autonomy. Furthermore, a strong central national government would unite all the states by making them dependent on it for resources and ultimate governance. All states would be forced to seek funds, consent, and pay taxes to the central government hence ensuring cooperation and allegiance of all states in the country. Therefore, a strong central national government was vital in fostering unity among the states by maintaining control and governance.

            Additionally, the establishment of a stable central national government after the war was important since the nation was torn and needed to be rebuilt. The American Civil War took a negative toll on the Southern region, destroying most of its infrastructure and farmlands (Neff 137). At the end of the war, the Southern part was destroyed economically and socially. Additionally, slave labor which had been the source of labor on their large plantations had been abolished (Hallwood 6). A stable central national government was needed to help reform the region. For example, such a government was required to provide the necessary resources to rebuild the South economically since Northerners destroyed it. Moreover, it had to ensure an atmosphere of peace prevailed so that social reform and further developments could occur. The presence of a strong central national government would also ensure that the law was observed. Only in an environment where the rule of law is upheld, and order exists can reformation occur. Hence, the presence of a strong central national government was essential in ensuring the nation develops.

            The American Civil War was waged over several reasons and had several outcomes. The first reason for going to war was due to the Northern and Southern state's disagreement over secession (Reid 260). The Southern states were determined to form their separate nation and govern themselves. However, the Northern states refused to recognize the sovereignty of the newly formed Confederacy of Southern states leading to war. Additionally, the war was further waged based on slavery (Reid 377). Southern states wanted to expand the practice of slavery, whereas Northern states wanted to abolish the slave trade. The two warring factions went to war for their beliefs with the North eventually emerging victorious. The outcome of the war was a death toll of approximately 630,000 Americans (Neff 204). The Northern and Southern states united under one national federal government.

            Summarily, the development of a strong central national government was necessary after the Civil War because America needed strong leadership to help rebuild the nation as a united republic rather than a fragmented union of different states. A stable central national government was needed to help reform and reunite the country, rebuild the South, create stability, and enforce the law.

Works Cited

Hallwood, Paul. "The Confederacy and the American Civil War, 1861-1865: Greed or Grievance?" Journal of Economic Literature, vol. 41, 2018, pp. 1-23.

Neff, John R. Honoring the Civil War dead: Commemoration and the problem of reconciliation. University Press of Kansas, 2016.

Reid, Brian Holden. The Origins of the American Civil War. Routledge, 2014.

IMPLICATIONS OF ART ON REGENERATION

IMPLICATIONS OF ART ON REGENERATION

Art is something an unnecessary necessity. Imagine a world without art, music, cinema, dance, opera, literature and poetry. That world would be a very dull place devoid of thing that distinguishes us human beings from other species. Without art the banality of reality would be intolerable. As we know that there are good and also bad sides of everything in this world so today we are going to discuss the potential positives as well as negatives of the implication of arts/artists on the processes of regeneration. Art plays complex roles in regeneration and gentrification. Art has been a key element for regeneration for several years.

CHARACTERS

1)      Ley, D (2003, Artists, Aestheticisation and the field of gentrification, Urban studies, 40(12), 2527-2544. http://doi.org/10.1080/0042098032000136192).

2)      Mathews, V. (2010. Aestheticizing space: art, gentrification and the city. Geography Compass, 4(6), 660-675. https://doi.org/10.1080/0042098032000136192.

3)      Miremadi, S., Finlay, J., Bristow, P., et (2019. Cultural Cities Enquiry: Enriching UK cities Through smart investment in culture. Manchester: Core cities UK. https://doi.org/10.1080/0042098032000136192.

Scene 1

In the Park

Ley was sitting on a bench in the park and was thinking about something very deeply. He was so deep into his thoughts that he didn't even knew that his friend Mathews came and sat next to him. Mathews called his name again and again but he didn't listen. Finally, Mathews has to take a pin out of his pocket and pinched him with it to get his attention.

Ley: heyyy, what are you doing? (Stunned look on his face)

Mathews: I was calling your name again and again but you were not listening.

Ley: So? What's the need to pinch me with this needle? Are you mad?

Mathews: (Laughing heavily) heyyy! What should have I done to get your attention? You were so deep into your thoughts you didn't even notice that I came and sat next to you.

Ley: I noticed bro. I was just thinking about something.

Mathews: Something? Something what? (Surprised)

Ley: Why should I tell you?

Mathews: Hey brother, tell me naa, please! (Smiling)

Ley: Ok ok, let me tell you.

Mathews: Yeah, go ahead.

Ley: I was thinking… (Looking at the sky)

Mathews: What were you thinking? (Strangely looking at him)

Ley: Art is such a master piece. Art is so very important in our lives. Without art and the Artists the world would be so dull and devoid of emotions that nobody would like to live and survive in this world. Artists make this life beautiful for the people. They make it worth living and enjoying.

Mathews: Ohhh, I see, is that soo?

Ley: Yeah. Art is something without what there is no meaning of this life. Everything we see around ourselves is a master piece of art. (Looking at the sky again) look at the sky. How beautifully it is standing at the top of this world without and pillar and falling on to us. This is the art of GOD, The Almighty. No one can do that except Him.

Mathews: Would you mind if I say something?

Ley: Yeah go on. Why would I mind anything? Just say it.

Mathews: You are saying this all and praising art of the artists because you are a artist too. That's why you are saying this right?

Ley: You mean I am an artist and I'm praising myself indirectly?

Mathews: Then what are you doing now? Doesn't make sense anything other than this.

Ley: Listen Mathews, You are my friend and you know me well. I'm not a self-praising person. I don't do that at all. Art is something that really needs to be praised and artists are the people who really need to be appreciated.

Mathews: I don't agree with you.

Ley: But why?

Mathews: Listen Ley! I belong to a very poor family and me and my family can't afford art at all. It is costly and it also has to be changed in a year or so because the style changes with time.

Ley: What if I tell you the advantages of art and its positives?

Mathews: I don't know what you'll say but I can tell you the negatives of art and also artists.

(Suddenly thunder strikes and it starts raining heavily)

Ley: Oh my God. Rain? The weather and the sky was so clear, how does this happen?

Mathews: yeah ley. It's surprising for me as well.

Ley: Run Mathews! (Both running towards their home)

Scene 2

In the Car

Ley was in his home sitting on the sofa when Mathews called him that he is waiting for him outside his house. Ley asks him to tell why is he calling him then Mathews says that he is calling him for some important reason so he must come out and they have to go somewhere urgently.

Mathews: Heyyy! Leyyy! You there? Come out of your house. I'm waiting. (Knocking the door heavily)

Ley: Yeah, wait! I'm coming. Just a second.

(Ley comes out and Mathews is waiting for him at the door. He takes him to his car where three more people are sitting in the car already.)

Ley: Hey! Hello young people, how you doing?

Finlay: We are absolutely fine.

Bristow: What about you Ley? Where are you busy these days? No hello hi to friends huh?

Miremadi: He has become a big artist now, why would he call us or meet us now? (Smiling)

Ley: Oh noo brothers. You all know me well. It's not like that. I'm just way too busy these days with my work.

Mathews: Ley, we were discussing something very important. Go on. I want to listen.

Ley: Really? Here now?

Mathews: yeah!

Finlay: What's the matter guys?

Bristow: Anything serious bro?

Ley: No no, just discussing upon the topic of artist and arts.

Finlay: Ohhh. Your favorite topic right? (Looking and smiling towards Ley)

Mathews: Now tell us. How is Art so much important in our lives? (Rudely)

(Miremadi is driving the car)

Miremadi: take it easy bro( talking to Mathews)

Ley: Brother, Art and Artists have played a role in both of the main long established theories of gentrification, looking respectively at 'culture' and 'capital' as the key driver of the process. Cultural analysis of gentrification identified the individual artist as an important agent in the instigation of gentrification processes in old-working class vicinities.

Mathews: Well… actual works of art can be ugly, offensive, boring, hurtful and upsetting, over-priced and simply ridiculous. So, any art work which is like that, could be detrimental for the artist, or gallery or place that exhibits it, or the person who owns it.

Ley: Yes I agree with you but you must also agree with me that art has some very positive implications on the regeneration processes. The belief here is that massive investment in large pieces of arts infrastructure will bring tourists and wealthy new residents to areas which were previously believed to be lacking in both economic and cultural capital.

(Ley adds)

Ley: Also, whilst the cost of infrastructure is often huge, the investment is not aimed at improving the lives of existing residents and businesses, rather it seeks to attract new residents and businesses- The creative class. This has the very real effect of displacing people and businesses.

Mathews: I think you are right. You are an artist and have a lot of knowledge about this. I don't know much about it.

Ley: No brother it's not like that, don't embarrass me. I like to remain humble always.

Finlay: I'm dying of my hunger. Should we go somewhere and eat something? Please

Bristow: Yeah me too. Turn the car to that restaurant Miremadi. Hurry up. I'm going to die.

Miremadi: Ok ok, I'm starving too. Listening these two from a long time have made my ears and mind go crazy. (Smiling cunningly)

Mathews: While we are going towards the restaurant, tell me something more about arts Ley!

Finlay and Bristow: Oh please Mathews, He'll start again you know that very well. (Annoyed)

Ley: Hahaha ( Laughing) Listen. It's important.

Miremadi: Noo, We don't want to listen anymore, Please shut your mouth ( Angry)

Mathews: Let him speak. Do your own work. Don't stop him.

Ley: Ok listen Mathews! Arts help strengthen social cohesion, increase personal confidence and life skills, create common grounds between people, improve their mental and physical well-being, strengthen their ability to act as democratic citizens, develop new training and employment routes, attract those whose needs are not addressed by other provision or develop organizational capacity- or all of them.

Mathews: It was really a very healthy and informative debate with you. Really opened my mind and made me think differently on this scenario. Thank you so much my friend.

Ley: No problem my dear friend.

Miremadi: See! Here come the restaurant. Let's go inside and order something quickly.

Bristow: Whatever you do but first let me go the washroom otherwise I'll do it here.

(Everyone laughing heavily)

Ley: Let's go eat something!

Mathews: let's go brother.

(Then they go inside the restaurant and their loose talk continues and jokes coming and everyone laughing heavily)

References

·       Hickling, P. (2002) when the hope comes in, The Guardian Unlimited, 24 June.

·       Ives, C. (2002) Baltic Quay Housing Development, Gateshead Quays Update, Issue 3, May.

·       Landry, C., Greene, L., Matarsosso, F. & Bianchini, F. (1996) The Art of Regeneration: Urban Renewal through Cultural Activity (Stroud: Comedia).