The Visions of Ezekiel

God choses whomever He wants to give His messages to His people. In the Old Testament, God chose very specific people to give His message to Israel. Ezekiel, was a great man of God and very faithful to Him. The messages he received from God were intense and different than other prophets of Israel. The Lord allowed Ezekiel to have visions of which he traveled through, and heard the voice of the Lord. Ezekiel was obedient to the visions and listened to God’s voice and what He instructed him to do, no matter what the consequence was or how strange, terrifying, weird the message may have been for Israel.These visions can even be applied today in the modern day church and show how much God loves His people despite repetitive sin. The book of Ezekiel opens up with a vision that is quite startling in itself. The first major vision can be found in Ezekiel 1:4-28. A long passage with much detail, Ezekiel describes his first word from the Lord. After the vision, the Lord speaks directly to Ezekiel and gives him instruction. â€Å"And he said unto me, Son of man, stand upon thy feet and I will speak unto thee. And the spirit entered into me when He spake unto me, and set me upon my feet, that I heard Him that speak unto me. (2:1-2) We find that the prophet was so penetrated with awe at the sight of the glory of God in the mystical chariot, that â€Å"he fell upon his face;† and, while he was in this posture of adoration, he heard the voice mentioned here†¦. he who is sent by the God of all grace to the convert sinners must be influenced by the Holy Ghost; otherwise he can neither be saved himself, nor become the instrument of salvation to others. â€Å"and set me on my feet†Ã¢â‚¬â€œthat he might stand as a servant before his master, to receive orders. [1] This was Ezekiel’s reaction of the vision God imparted to him. Read Essay In Westminster Abbey AnalysisHe was a humble servant, he stood before his Master ready to do whatever He had for him. When he heard from the Lord that he was going to be going to a rebellious nation, the Lord instructed him to speak that the nation was going to fall if they did not change their ways. They had become such a defiled nation, the Lord was determined to show them just how awful they had become. Throughout the book of Ezekiel, he writes of the symbolic actions the Lord asks of him. Some of these consist of Ezekiel eating the scroll that God gave him to eat (3:1-3), sleeping on his side symbolizing the sin of the ouse of Israel (4:4) , shaving, burning and scattering his hair (5:1-17) packing his belongings and leaving for exile as a sign to the prince of Jerusalem (12:1-16). Ezekiel was a faithful servant that loved his Master. It did not matter if the request was too ludicrous, he trusted that whatever the Lord asked of him, it was for a reason. Not only did th ese actions give signs to Israel, but they also revealed to Ezekiel the heart of the Lord. His desires for a holy nation. Important Vision #2: Ezekiel 8-11. In chapter 8 Ezekiel’s vision starts out and talks about false values.What is amiss with the nation is that it is corrupt at this center, that as repudiated the God who made it a people and has replaced him by the gods of the surrounding countries. A false religion perverts its life and threatens catastrophe. [2] This issue of idolatry is not just a new problem for Israel. This has been a consistent problem throughout history. God made these people His and they are turning from Him. God always displays His glory to Israel, yet they fail to obey Him. Ezekiel goes through many different types of idolatry and images that the Israelites use to take the place of Father God.In this passage, Ezekiel also finds evidence of the worship of the Babylonian deity Tammus (8:14) and of the sun god (8:16). Because of these and other impu re practices, Ezekiel declares that Yahweh will destroy the city. His words are so power that one of the Judean idolaters, a man named Pelatiah, falls down dead (11:13)[3] Ezekiel must not have been too pleased with that event, but he knew he needed to listen to the voice of the Lord speaking unto him. Important Vision #3 Ezekiel 37:1-14. This is perhaps the most well known passage in Ezekiel. â€Å"The Dry Bones. In this vision the Lord is as a teacher and instructs Ezekiel. Ezekiel is brought to a valley of dry bones and the Lord asks him to prophesy of the dry bones. When he did that, the flesh reappear on these bodies. The Lord explains the meaning of he vision in verses 11-14. The bones symbolize the â€Å"whole house of Israel,† which had given up any hope of being revived as a nation. They had been buried, as it were, in the foreign lands to which they had been exiled. But the Lord would open their graves and bring them back to the land. His Spirit would infuse the na tion, and it would once again life. 4] â€Å"I will put my ruach within you. : What does the word mean this time? What can it mean, but Holy Spirit? Israel’s restoration lies beyond human power, but not beyond the power of God. Notice the sequence of promised event. First, â€Å"you shall live. † Before the physical restoration can take place, there must be a renewal of faith. Second, â€Å"I will place you in your own land. † The physical restoration will take place. And third, â€Å"you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken, and I have done it. † In 36:31 Ezekiel shows the turned exiles in bitter repentance as they think upon the past.Here he shows them lost in reverence as they acknowledge the power and unshakable moral purpose of God. [5] Now, in the book of Ezekiel, there is not much, if any, information on how Israel responded or how Ezekiel shared these prophecies. However, as mentioned above, he was a faithful servant. Everything that he said came directly from the Lord. How interesting it must have been to be a friend of Ezekiel during that time; God speaking so clearly and so specifically about Israel, His plans for the sinners, the righteous, the enemies, anyone, and how to return to the Lord God of Israel.With Ezekiel, God did not force Israel to listen, He gave the option and they had to choose. This is a reminder that God does pursue those whom He loves, but He also wants His people to come to Him out of freedom. The Last Major Vision of Ezekiel: 40-48. This last section has extreme detail of the temple and how it should be built. Furthermore, the Lord gives instructions to Ezekiel to tell the Israelites that it is time to rebuild God’s house. This is a reminder to the Israelites. It would be extremely humbling to them for them to have to rebuild their worship place to God.But, God did not do this for embarrassment, He did this to remind the people of Israel that He was still going to be their God and that H e still desperately wanted to be loved and served by them. He chose them for a reason, and He wanted them to know His love like no other. This portion is as a reestablishment of the law and how to live according to the law. In Ezekiel 43:10-12 it says, â€Å"Son of man, describe the temple to the people of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their sins.Let them consider the plan, and if they are ashamed of all they have done, make known to them the design of the temple-its arrangement, its exit and entrances–its whole design and all its regulations and laws. Write these down before them so that they may be faithful to its design and follow all its regulations. This is the law of the temple: all the surrounding area on top of the mountain will be most holy, such is the law of the temple. † This passage gives an answer of how the Lord expects the Israelites to respond to His message of repentance.The idea of building the temple will draw them to repentance and reveal the ir sin to them regardless. Throughout the book of Ezekiel, one sees the closeness that he has with the Lord. He takes Ezekiel by the hand and carefully explains what He says to Israel, and He reveals His very personal feelings and plans with Ezekiel. How wonderfully scary it must have been for Ezekiel to experience His strong glory and presence for so many years. â€Å"It was nineteen years since Ezekiel had seen the vision of the glory of the Lord leaving His temple (10:18-22; 11: 22-24).Now he sees His return, to occupy and to consecrate this new building to be His holy sanctuary. His appearance was the same as it had been before by the river Chebar (yet another link which this closing vision has with Ezekiel’s earlier work) and it prompted the same response of awe and adoration. The angelic guide is still with Ezekiel and will continue to explain and instruct him in the law of the temple, but at this point there is a special word from the Lord out of the temple, which is virtually a statement of consecration. [6]†In a couple passages above, the writer talks about the word ruach being used. This word is parallel to the Greek word in the New Testament, Pneuma, which is typically used for describing the Holy Spirit. This is an extremely fascinating word that the Lord uses. As many people assume that the Holy Spirit is not active in the Old Testament, the Lord proves every one of those people wrong. In the example of â€Å"The Dry Bones† Ezekiel prophesy’s to the bones, then prophesy’s to the actual Holy Spirit to breathe life into those dry bones.He willed it to happen out of obedience to the Lord and what He told him to prophesy over and to these dry bones. Not only does the Holy Spirit speak to him, but He actually transports him to different spots. [7] This particular study of Ezekiel has taught me of God’s heart for His nation. Although they have all sinned greatly against Him, it is His heart to have them serving Him again. Not as slaves, but having a real relationship with Him. That is why He created human beings to begin with, God is a relational God.As much as I knew this before, I think it is far too easy to assume that because you may not visually see God doing and working things out in your life, that He does not care or exist. In Ezekiel, you see that God uses every part of Himself to draw His people back to Him, almost in an underlying message to say, â€Å"Please come back to Me, I just love you so much and I miss you. I miss you Israel, I just want to be with you again, I want you to want Me again. I want you to see what you have done against Me, not so that I can punish you, but so that there will not be anything between us again and we can freely commune.Look! I’ll even give you instructions of how to build the temple and the laws that I have for you to follow. Just please come back, not because I need you, but because I want you. † As God gives this message to His people, through Ezekiel, I think that Ezekiel also senses this great love for a disobedient people. Because Ezekiel can feel the Lord’s heart towards Israel, being so fully devoted to God, it allows the Father to take control of Ezekiel’s heart and reveal incredible love to him. The OT in general and the prophets in particular presuppose and teach God’s sovereignty over all creation, over people and nations and the course of history. And nowhere in the Bible are God’s initiative and control expressed more clearly and pervasively than in the book of Ezekiel. From the first chapter, which graphically describes the overwhelming invasion of the divine presence into Ezekiel’s world, to the last phrase of Ezekiel’s vision (â€Å"the Lord is there†) the book sounds and echoes God’s sovereignty.This sovereign God resolved that he would be known and acknowledged. Approximately 65 occurrences of the clause (or variations) â€Å"Then the y will know that I am the Lord† testify to that divine desire and intention (see note on 6:7). Overall, chs. 1–24 teach that God will be revealed in the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the temple; chs. 25–32 teach that the nations likewise will know God through his judgments; and chs. 33–48 promise that God will be known through the restoration and spiritual renewal of Israel.God’s total sovereignty is also evident in his mobility. He is not limited to the temple in Jerusalem. He can respond to his people’s sin by leaving his sanctuary in Israel, and he can graciously condescend to visit his exiled children in Babylon. God is free to judge, and he is equally free to be gracious. His stern judgments on Israel ultimately reflect his grace. He allows the total dismemberment of Israel’s political and religious life so that her renewed life and his presence with her will be clearly seen as a gift from the Lord of the universe.Furth ermore, as God’s spokesman, Ezekiel’s â€Å"son of man† status (see note on 2:1) testifies to the sovereign God he was commissioned to serve. [8] This last statement is incredible. God consistently refers to Ezekiel as the Son of man, it shows that God trusts him and that He had a specific plan for him to serve Him. In application to my life, I think that the biggest lesson one can learn is how to submit to the Lord and listen to His voice no matter what it is saying.Sometimes He may make no sense and it can be very scary, but just as Jesus says in John 10:27, â€Å"My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me;† When one’s heart is devoted to God, he can be sure that the Lord will direct his steps. Another important lesson, God really, really, REALLY loves His kids. It does not matter how awful we are, how many times we walk away thinking that we can do a better job at running our life than He can, how many times we break His heart, it is His desire to be with us, even if that means us leaving Him a hundred times, His love will draw us back a hundred and one times. ———————- [1] Adam Clarke, Clarkes Commentary: Job Malachi (Nashville: Abingdon Pr, 1977), 428 [2] Buttrick, George Arthur. The Interpreter's Bible: The Holy Scriptures in the King James and Revised Standard Versions with General Articles and Introduction, Exegesis, Exposition for Each Book of the Bible. (New York: Abingdon-Cokesbury Press, 1951), 105 [3] James D. Newsome and Jr, The Hebrew Prophets (Atlanta, GA: Westminster John Knox Press, 1986), 126 [4] Robert B.Chisholm and Jr, Handbook On the Prophets: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel, Minor Prophets (Grand Rapids, Mich. : Baker Academic, 2002), 270 [5] Andrew W. Blackwood Jr. and Ezekiel-Prophecy of Hope (Grand Rapids, Mich. : Baker Book House,1965), 224-225 [6] John B. Taylor, Ezekiel (tyndale Old Testament Commentaries), 1ST ed. ( Downers Grove, Ill,; Intervarsity Pr, 1969), 264 [7] Leon J. Wood, Prophets of Israel, The (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 1998), 358 [8] http://www. biblica. com/niv/study-bible/ezekiel/ accessed March 8th, 2013. The Visions of Ezekiel God choses whomever He wants to give His messages to His people. In the Old Testament, God chose very specific people to give His message to Israel. Ezekiel, was a great man of God and very faithful to Him. The messages he received from God were intense and different than other prophets of Israel. The Lord allowed Ezekiel to have visions of which he traveled through, and heard the voice of the Lord. Ezekiel was obedient to the visions and listened to God’s voice and what He instructed him to do, no matter what the consequence was or how strange, terrifying, weird the message may have been for Israel.These visions can even be applied today in the modern day church and show how much God loves His people despite repetitive sin. The book of Ezekiel opens up with a vision that is quite startling in itself. The first major vision can be found in Ezekiel 1:4-28. A long passage with much detail, Ezekiel describes his first word from the Lord. After the vision, the Lord speaks directly to Ezekiel and gives him instruction. â€Å"And he said unto me, Son of man, stand upon thy feet and I will speak unto thee. And the spirit entered into me when He spake unto me, and set me upon my feet, that I heard Him that speak unto me. (2:1-2) We find that the prophet was so penetrated with awe at the sight of the glory of God in the mystical chariot, that â€Å"he fell upon his face;† and, while he was in this posture of adoration, he heard the voice mentioned here†¦. he who is sent by the God of all grace to the convert sinners must be influenced by the Holy Ghost; otherwise he can neither be saved himself, nor become the instrument of salvation to others. â€Å"and set me on my feet†Ã¢â‚¬â€œthat he might stand as a servant before his master, to receive orders. [1] This was Ezekiel’s reaction of the vision God imparted to him. Read Essay In Westminster Abbey AnalysisHe was a humble servant, he stood before his Master ready to do whatever He had for him. When he heard from the Lord that he was going to be going to a rebellious nation, the Lord instructed him to speak that the nation was going to fall if they did not change their ways. They had become such a defiled nation, the Lord was determined to show them just how awful they had become. Throughout the book of Ezekiel, he writes of the symbolic actions the Lord asks of him. Some of these consist of Ezekiel eating the scroll that God gave him to eat (3:1-3), sleeping on his side symbolizing the sin of the ouse of Israel (4:4) , shaving, burning and scattering his hair (5:1-17) packing his belongings and leaving for exile as a sign to the prince of Jerusalem (12:1-16). Ezekiel was a faithful servant that loved his Master. It did not matter if the request was too ludicrous, he trusted that whatever the Lord asked of him, it was for a reason. Not only did th ese actions give signs to Israel, but they also revealed to Ezekiel the heart of the Lord. His desires for a holy nation. Important Vision #2: Ezekiel 8-11. In chapter 8 Ezekiel’s vision starts out and talks about false values.What is amiss with the nation is that it is corrupt at this center, that as repudiated the God who made it a people and has replaced him by the gods of the surrounding countries. A false religion perverts its life and threatens catastrophe. [2] This issue of idolatry is not just a new problem for Israel. This has been a consistent problem throughout history. God made these people His and they are turning from Him. God always displays His glory to Israel, yet they fail to obey Him. Ezekiel goes through many different types of idolatry and images that the Israelites use to take the place of Father God.In this passage, Ezekiel also finds evidence of the worship of the Babylonian deity Tammus (8:14) and of the sun god (8:16). Because of these and other impu re practices, Ezekiel declares that Yahweh will destroy the city. His words are so power that one of the Judean idolaters, a man named Pelatiah, falls down dead (11:13)[3] Ezekiel must not have been too pleased with that event, but he knew he needed to listen to the voice of the Lord speaking unto him. Important Vision #3 Ezekiel 37:1-14. This is perhaps the most well known passage in Ezekiel. â€Å"The Dry Bones. In this vision the Lord is as a teacher and instructs Ezekiel. Ezekiel is brought to a valley of dry bones and the Lord asks him to prophesy of the dry bones. When he did that, the flesh reappear on these bodies. The Lord explains the meaning of he vision in verses 11-14. The bones symbolize the â€Å"whole house of Israel,† which had given up any hope of being revived as a nation. They had been buried, as it were, in the foreign lands to which they had been exiled. But the Lord would open their graves and bring them back to the land. His Spirit would infuse the na tion, and it would once again life. 4] â€Å"I will put my ruach within you. : What does the word mean this time? What can it mean, but Holy Spirit? Israel’s restoration lies beyond human power, but not beyond the power of God. Notice the sequence of promised event. First, â€Å"you shall live. † Before the physical restoration can take place, there must be a renewal of faith. Second, â€Å"I will place you in your own land. † The physical restoration will take place. And third, â€Å"you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken, and I have done it. † In 36:31 Ezekiel shows the turned exiles in bitter repentance as they think upon the past.Here he shows them lost in reverence as they acknowledge the power and unshakable moral purpose of God. [5] Now, in the book of Ezekiel, there is not much, if any, information on how Israel responded or how Ezekiel shared these prophecies. However, as mentioned above, he was a faithful servant. Everything that he said came directly from the Lord. How interesting it must have been to be a friend of Ezekiel during that time; God speaking so clearly and so specifically about Israel, His plans for the sinners, the righteous, the enemies, anyone, and how to return to the Lord God of Israel.With Ezekiel, God did not force Israel to listen, He gave the option and they had to choose. This is a reminder that God does pursue those whom He loves, but He also wants His people to come to Him out of freedom. The Last Major Vision of Ezekiel: 40-48. This last section has extreme detail of the temple and how it should be built. Furthermore, the Lord gives instructions to Ezekiel to tell the Israelites that it is time to rebuild God’s house. This is a reminder to the Israelites. It would be extremely humbling to them for them to have to rebuild their worship place to God.But, God did not do this for embarrassment, He did this to remind the people of Israel that He was still going to be their God and that H e still desperately wanted to be loved and served by them. He chose them for a reason, and He wanted them to know His love like no other. This portion is as a reestablishment of the law and how to live according to the law. In Ezekiel 43:10-12 it says, â€Å"Son of man, describe the temple to the people of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their sins.Let them consider the plan, and if they are ashamed of all they have done, make known to them the design of the temple-its arrangement, its exit and entrances–its whole design and all its regulations and laws. Write these down before them so that they may be faithful to its design and follow all its regulations. This is the law of the temple: all the surrounding area on top of the mountain will be most holy, such is the law of the temple. † This passage gives an answer of how the Lord expects the Israelites to respond to His message of repentance.The idea of building the temple will draw them to repentance and reveal the ir sin to them regardless. Throughout the book of Ezekiel, one sees the closeness that he has with the Lord. He takes Ezekiel by the hand and carefully explains what He says to Israel, and He reveals His very personal feelings and plans with Ezekiel. How wonderfully scary it must have been for Ezekiel to experience His strong glory and presence for so many years. â€Å"It was nineteen years since Ezekiel had seen the vision of the glory of the Lord leaving His temple (10:18-22; 11: 22-24).Now he sees His return, to occupy and to consecrate this new building to be His holy sanctuary. His appearance was the same as it had been before by the river Chebar (yet another link which this closing vision has with Ezekiel’s earlier work) and it prompted the same response of awe and adoration. The angelic guide is still with Ezekiel and will continue to explain and instruct him in the law of the temple, but at this point there is a special word from the Lord out of the temple, which is virtually a statement of consecration. [6]†In a couple passages above, the writer talks about the word ruach being used. This word is parallel to the Greek word in the New Testament, Pneuma, which is typically used for describing the Holy Spirit. This is an extremely fascinating word that the Lord uses. As many people assume that the Holy Spirit is not active in the Old Testament, the Lord proves every one of those people wrong. In the example of â€Å"The Dry Bones† Ezekiel prophesy’s to the bones, then prophesy’s to the actual Holy Spirit to breathe life into those dry bones.He willed it to happen out of obedience to the Lord and what He told him to prophesy over and to these dry bones. Not only does the Holy Spirit speak to him, but He actually transports him to different spots. [7] This particular study of Ezekiel has taught me of God’s heart for His nation. Although they have all sinned greatly against Him, it is His heart to have them serving Him again. Not as slaves, but having a real relationship with Him. That is why He created human beings to begin with, God is a relational God.As much as I knew this before, I think it is far too easy to assume that because you may not visually see God doing and working things out in your life, that He does not care or exist. In Ezekiel, you see that God uses every part of Himself to draw His people back to Him, almost in an underlying message to say, â€Å"Please come back to Me, I just love you so much and I miss you. I miss you Israel, I just want to be with you again, I want you to want Me again. I want you to see what you have done against Me, not so that I can punish you, but so that there will not be anything between us again and we can freely commune.Look! I’ll even give you instructions of how to build the temple and the laws that I have for you to follow. Just please come back, not because I need you, but because I want you. † As God gives this message to His people, through Ezekiel, I think that Ezekiel also senses this great love for a disobedient people. Because Ezekiel can feel the Lord’s heart towards Israel, being so fully devoted to God, it allows the Father to take control of Ezekiel’s heart and reveal incredible love to him. The OT in general and the prophets in particular presuppose and teach God’s sovereignty over all creation, over people and nations and the course of history. And nowhere in the Bible are God’s initiative and control expressed more clearly and pervasively than in the book of Ezekiel. From the first chapter, which graphically describes the overwhelming invasion of the divine presence into Ezekiel’s world, to the last phrase of Ezekiel’s vision (â€Å"the Lord is there†) the book sounds and echoes God’s sovereignty.This sovereign God resolved that he would be known and acknowledged. Approximately 65 occurrences of the clause (or variations) â€Å"Then the y will know that I am the Lord† testify to that divine desire and intention (see note on 6:7). Overall, chs. 1–24 teach that God will be revealed in the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the temple; chs. 25–32 teach that the nations likewise will know God through his judgments; and chs. 33–48 promise that God will be known through the restoration and spiritual renewal of Israel.God’s total sovereignty is also evident in his mobility. He is not limited to the temple in Jerusalem. He can respond to his people’s sin by leaving his sanctuary in Israel, and he can graciously condescend to visit his exiled children in Babylon. God is free to judge, and he is equally free to be gracious. His stern judgments on Israel ultimately reflect his grace. He allows the total dismemberment of Israel’s political and religious life so that her renewed life and his presence with her will be clearly seen as a gift from the Lord of the universe.Furth ermore, as God’s spokesman, Ezekiel’s â€Å"son of man† status (see note on 2:1) testifies to the sovereign God he was commissioned to serve. [8] This last statement is incredible. God consistently refers to Ezekiel as the Son of man, it shows that God trusts him and that He had a specific plan for him to serve Him. In application to my life, I think that the biggest lesson one can learn is how to submit to the Lord and listen to His voice no matter what it is saying.Sometimes He may make no sense and it can be very scary, but just as Jesus says in John 10:27, â€Å"My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me;† When one’s heart is devoted to God, he can be sure that the Lord will direct his steps. Another important lesson, God really, really, REALLY loves His kids. It does not matter how awful we are, how many times we walk away thinking that we can do a better job at running our life than He can, how many times we break His heart, it is His desire to be with us, even if that means us leaving Him a hundred times, His love will draw us back a hundred and one times. ———————- [1] Adam Clarke, Clarkes Commentary: Job Malachi (Nashville: Abingdon Pr, 1977), 428 [2] Buttrick, George Arthur. The Interpreter's Bible: The Holy Scriptures in the King James and Revised Standard Versions with General Articles and Introduction, Exegesis, Exposition for Each Book of the Bible. (New York: Abingdon-Cokesbury Press, 1951), 105 [3] James D. Newsome and Jr, The Hebrew Prophets (Atlanta, GA: Westminster John Knox Press, 1986), 126 [4] Robert B.Chisholm and Jr, Handbook On the Prophets: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel, Minor Prophets (Grand Rapids, Mich. : Baker Academic, 2002), 270 [5] Andrew W. Blackwood Jr. and Ezekiel-Prophecy of Hope (Grand Rapids, Mich. : Baker Book House,1965), 224-225 [6] John B. Taylor, Ezekiel (tyndale Old Testament Commentaries), 1ST ed. ( Downers Grove, Ill,; Intervarsity Pr, 1969), 264 [7] Leon J. Wood, Prophets of Israel, The (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 1998), 358 [8] http://www. biblica. com/niv/study-bible/ezekiel/ accessed March 8th, 2013.

Correlation of Nation and Identity with Forensic Science

The current popularity of detective, crime and mystery television shows in the United States is incontrovertible. In the last few years, crime shows like Law and Order, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, CSI: Miami, CSI: New York, Without a Trace, Law and Order: SVU, Law and Order: Criminal Intent and Cold Case from producers Dick Wolf and Jerry Bruckheimer have consistently been ranked among the top television shows in the United States. Along with this, it is important to note that most of the aforementioned shows are already in syndication.Consider for example the manner in which such shows feature the same themes depicted in various variations as is evident in other television shows such as Criminal Minds, Bones, House, and Medium. While some of the deluge of detective and crime shows may be attributed to the cable channels’ need to fill voluminous airtime, it certainly seems that the production of so many new and spin-off dramas indicates a current preoccupation with the mec hanics of crime and punishment. In lieu of this, this paper opts to discuss the manner in which crime shows depict the correlation of nationhood and identity with forensic science in the United States.I will argue that the aforementioned shows [mystery television shows] portray the connection between policing and the security of the nation. The bases for such an argument are as follows. First, mystery crime television shows counter the anxiety that individuals can defy the normative categories of justice as well as escape justice and thereby harm the fabric of society through the demonstration of ways that traces can implicate and thereby indict an individual allowing the assumed necessary entailment of punishment from the commitment of crime.Second, the depiction of the assumed causal correlation of crime and punishment in such mystery crime television shows enables the creation of a clear moral world wherein morality can be effectively deployed through police procedural formula. T hird, the portrayal of such [effectiveness of police procedural formula in the determination of the identity of the criminal] enables the affirmation of the stability of national identity. Such an affirmation is enabled through the formation of a correlation between police procedural measures [defense methods] as expressions of a policing of society and hence a securing of identities.It is important to note that the aforementioned assumptions are based upon the implicit assumption that the depiction of policing methods through the aforementioned shows categorized within the mystery crime genre enables the detached acquisition of policing functions upon the spectator [in this sense the American audience]. If such is the case, such shows thereby enable the formation of an assurance of the implementation of normative accounts of justice through the depiction of the successful methods in which policing procedures enable the aforementioned correlation of crime and punishment.It is import ant to note, however, that such an assurance is enabled without the direct participation of the spectator thereby enabling the spectator to be placed within a position wherein he is not placed in direct danger. The consequence of such, however, lies in the spectator’s ready acquisition of the depicted national identity within the aforementioned shows. It is important to note that in order for such shows to succeed it must build upon a conception of a community defined by function. Such a definition assumes that a community â€Å"is made to come into existence around certain acts, certain types of individuals, certain crimes†.The depiction of such however, must â€Å"claim to account for the public interest of the community†. Within such shows, the interest lies in depicting the manner in which moral and practical responsibility can be attained without the direct involvement of the individual. It is interesting to note that this is in direct contradiction to the trend in the past crime shows [Crimebeat and Crimesquad] wherein the individual is presented with an opportunity to have direct involvement in the surveillance of the implementation of justice within their community.This, however, can best be understood within the context of the post-September 11 incident within the United States. In the post-September 11 United States, interest in these crime shows links the effective policing of individual crimes with larger concerns about national security. Wolf’s Law and Order franchise and Bruckheimer’s CSI franchise have built their popularity by producing shows that closely resemble the first show in the series, using distinctive characters and different methods or locales to give each of the shows an individual identity.Like popular detective fiction, these shows replay and revise plots about violence and sexuality in a familiar trajectory that generally offers a reassuring final return to order. In his study of the aesthetics and appeal of formulaic narrative, Adventure, Mystery, and Romance: Formula Stories as Art and Popular Culture, John G. Cawelti defines the genre [mystery genre] as characterized with â€Å"the investigation and discovery of hidden secrets†¦the discovery usually leading to some benefit for the character(s) with whom the reader identifies†.In addition to this Cawelti further notes that within the aforementioned genre [mystery genre] there is â€Å"always a desirable and rational solution†¦this is the moral fantasy expressed in this formulaic archetype†. CSI and Law and Order are less related to the crime or thriller genres than they are to the classic police procedurals that follow the mystery formula, using clues to expose secrets and solve the crime with a ‘rational solution’.This process of investigation and exposure generally results in a conservative conclusion that reaffirms the efficacy of the detective procedure and the stability of societ y. Even in those rare cases where the police fail to apprehend the criminal or the courts fail to convict, the shows affirm that law enforcement knows the true perpetrator and they still reinforce the general efficacy of the larger system. Doubtless, the popularity of Law and Order and its spin-offs, as well as the variety of true crime forensic science shows, has influenced the production of CSI.More so than Law and Order, the CSI’s foreground forensic science and link it to detection. CSI features a familial network of colleagues occasionally studded with sexual tension and headed by a tough-yet-sensitive older male character who often functions in a paternal role. The vaguely familial structure allows a soap-opera type of social dynamic to unfold alongside the dominant detective narratives, a formula that shows more investment in character than the original Law and Order storylines, but still places detective method above characterization.In order to make the show compelli ng and fit into the detective genre, the typically specialized and limited role of the forensic scientist in collecting or testing certain kinds of evidence is expanded to the point that the accompanying police detectives need only to make the arrests [much of the questioning, deduction, confrontation falls to the forensic scientist].In this, the CSI team resembles Sherlock Holmes, who did his own forensic evidence analysis as a natural extension of his role as detective, famously trying to precipitate a reagent for hemoglobin, taking specimens of ash, or watching for family resemblances in an earlobe in order to crack a case. The CSI shows taken together seem to be mapping the United States by profiling a series of cities seen as distinctive urban centers: Las Vegas, Miami, New York. These cities are tourist destinations, known for wealth and metropolitan attractions including luxurious and fashionable clubs, nightlife, gambling and sex markets.In addition to the decadence associat ed with such centers, each is a cultural crossroads, and the shows feature characters that represent the racial and ethnic diversity of these cities. Interestingly, the body count in the CSI shows, however, is mostly white and middle class, establishing a familiar norm for the middle-American victims of crime that might reflect the popular viewing audience that seeks out the show. In her examination of the visual rhetoric of CSI, Gever notes that CSI differs from earlier police shows in that it depicts the mobilization of a historically and culturally specific kind of subject.Only CSI: New York explicitly invokes the September 11 attack on the World Trade Center [wherein the lead detective’s wife was depicted as one of those who died in the attack], but all three shows work in the context of the immediate political threat represented by individual crimes as assaults on the body politic. In other words, the shows depicted the social consequences of individual crime. In the fac e of the threat represented by crime, even a diverse society can be united in outrage against criminals.The CSI shows often depict excessively violent crime as the failure of the individual to moderate his or herself, a lack of self-policing and of effectively internalizing American values; even in a hedonistic city, it is possible to overstep the bounds of civilization. This reassuring emphasis on morality is cast in terms of combat. The investigators represent the effective deployment of the ideology of law and order, as the shows dramatize the war on crime as a noble battle with many casualties.Forensic science, on the other hand shows the notion that human beings leave traces of themselves wherever they go, inviting us to believe that the criminals will inevitably be caught by the idealized scientists who wield innovative procedures. This ideology, that science will inevitably catch our criminals and return society to a state of precarious security, if not innocence, certainly s eems to recall a religious faith that crime will not go unpunished, that good will prevail over evil. In a sense, these shows portray the manner in which lawlessness is effectively managed.Science, on the other hand is depicted as establishing the truth of identity through the body and its traces, replacing the fearsome image of the violated corpse with the firm reestablishment of the rule of science and law. As was stated in the beginning of the paper, these shows [specifically CSI shows] thereby depict the manner in which nationhood is consolidated through the use of law and science in the establishment of truth. The importance of the use of both disciplines [law and science] in ensuring the restoration of security within a nation is evident if one considers the universal foundations of both disciplines: justice and truth.Given these aforementioned foundations, it is thereby possible to portray a nation whose stability [and hence national identity] is ensured due to the universali ty of its main foundations that being justice and truth. Bibliography Cawelti, J, Adventure, Mystery, and Romance: Formula Stories as Art and Popular Culture, University of Chicago Press, Chicago, 1976. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2004) ‘Ch-Ch-Changes’, CBS Network, 18 November.CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2005) ‘Who Shot Sherlock? ’ CBS Network, 5 January. Doyle, A, â€Å"The Cardboard Box†, The New Annotated Sherlock Holmes, Vol. 2, Barnes and Noble, New York, 2003. Gever, M, â€Å"The Spectacle of Crime, Digitized: CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and Social Anatomy†, European Journal of Cultural Studies 8. 4, 2005, p. 445-63 Harrington, W, â€Å"Nation, Identity, and the Fascination of Forensic Science in Sherlock Holmes and CSI†, International Journal of Cultural Studies 10. 3, 2007, p. 365-82. Palmer, G, Disorder and Liberty, Manchester University Press, Manchester, 2003. Weldes, J, Cultures of Insecurity: States, Communities , and the Production of Danger, University of Minnesota Press, Minnesota, 1999.

Colombian Trade Treaty Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Colombian Trade Treaty - Essay Example Moreover, the market will also be expanded and consequently will competitiveness in general U.S businesses due to the large market created. Considering the fact that the United States account for most of the imports that Colombia receives, elimination of tariffs and other barriers to U.S exports will be advantageous to the U.S. because there will be less spending in regard to customs duty. The U.S. shall also in be a position to increase the number of goods it exports that will have a significant increase in the American jobs created. This is because increase in jobs will be as a result of increased market and increased demand for goods (â€Å"Benefits of the U.S.-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement† 1). Furthermore, American investors will have an opportunity to be protected from unfair practices and treatment in Colombia. This means that, American investors will have an open and level field to conduct their business, and also have a neutral means to settle any disputes that occur as a result of investing. In addition, those (American investors) taking part in procurement business have a guarantee to be treated fairly and in a nondiscriminatory manner when it comes to providing services and products to government agencies and public service (‘Benefits of the U.S.-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement† 3). As a result of having a free trade agreement, the long term economic benefits towards the U.S. will be in excesses because trade between Colombia and itself accounts for less than 1% of the total trade. Thus, scraping tariffs for imports from Colombia will be more of a way to find market for its surplus and financial benefits. Colombia stands to lose a lot despite the other gains made from the trade agreement. The agreement sets an unfair trade relationship with its basis on rules undermining the wellbeing of its people. This is because farmers remain worried that they will be driven out of business and more into poverty, due to imports of cheap goods

Current Issues in Computing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Current Issues in Computing - Essay Example On the other hand there is differing perception in the manufacturers and the users in the heat density reduction parameters, which need rationalization. Thermal management also needs to be included while designing devices and the issue is likely to become more complex over the years. Reduction of power is also related to power aware computing, which is designing software and hardware to ensure optimum management of power. The growth of information technology has spawned a vast industry based around computers and information science. The impetus to economies and employment provided by computing ignores the silent yet alarming environmental hazard posed by systems compressed in small spaces requiring enormous amounts of power and generating large quantities of heat. Heat generated by computers is easily calculable, but one seldom takes into account the heat of hundreds of humans working in small spaces. There is increased awareness of environmental hazards of power and heat in computing, which are being addressed by the industry and academicians. The main issues to be considered are the nature and magnitude of the threat and measures that can be taken to minimize or overcome these. This is being carried out by a study of two prominent trends in computing environment, heat density and power aware computing. In this section we will examine the trends in power consumption and resulting heat dissipation in computers and data processing as well as storage systems and central office type telecommunications equipment. A White Paper, â€Å"Heat Density Trends in data Processing, Computer Systems and Telecommunications Equipment† is the main source of the study. (Uptime Institute: 2000). A number of other papers and presentations have also been considered to validate the trends in the Uptime Institute paper. There is a general feeling of smugness in the computing world generated by the

Utilitarianism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 3

Utilitarianism - Essay Example Bentham’s Principle evaluates unhappiness and happiness based on their relation to pain and pleasure respectively. His principle characterized by the use of anxiety, closeness and unease as the basis for describing pain and comfort (Smart & Bayles, 1968). John Mill defined utilitarianism criticizing Bentham’s proposition. He described it as a quality representing delight as opposed to pleasure. He added that it is impossible to quantify pleasure thereby leading to the conclusion that the greatest principle of utilitarianism is enjoyment (Smart & Bayles, 1968). Act utilitarianism and rule utilitarianism are the two categories defined by Start Mills. In this course, Smart states the importance of deriving the importance between the two categories in the process of understanding the implication of an individual’s actions. According to act utilitarianism, rules are not required to guide judgement of happiness. It states that moral rightness of an individual’s action is judged on the basis of comparison of the happiness it yields to what any other actions he or she could have performed within that time. A good illustration; if the consequences of breaking a promise are considered more rewarding compared to keeping it, there should be no regulations restricting an extreme utilitarianism. On the other hand, Rule utilitarianism evaluates rightness according to its conformity to the rules that are known to yield greatest good. In which case, rightness of the subject rule acts as a bechnmark for deciding on the rightness or wrongness of the given action (Kant, 1998). If embraced by all, a maximum enjoyment would be realized. An activity will be evaluated according rules followed hence a noble action follows defined rules. However, there are some flaws associated with utilitarianism. One of these is that it appears to limit ethical theory by ignoring means, considered to be of significance for advancement of

Academic Skills Prepare Graduates for Work Essay

Academic Skills Prepare Graduates for Work - Essay Example Empirical work studies have also suggested that workers and employers now feel that generic skills like, communication, problem solving as well as team working abilities, have become extremely critical for the overall success of the workplace (Bailey, Hughes and Barr, 1998). As a result, academics are concentrating more on the skill and work based learning. The primary purposes which have been identified at large for work based learning are; acquiring skill and knowledge with respect to employment in specific industries and occupations, providing career planning and exploration and learning all industry aspects. Increasing social as well as personal competence related to general work and enhancing the motivation of students for academic achievement are other aspects which have found profound interest and critical pace in the teaching techniques in colleges. The current essay throws light on the abovementioned aspects. Research has been conducted on how academics prepare students for work and building their professional careers. Examples from various top colleges and universities will help in understanding the various skill sets and course curriculum which are being implemented in order to enhance the academic learning experience. Review In order to understand the academic skills required, it is important to understand and contemplate the meaning of academic skills and knowledge. Stasz and Brewer (1998) defined academic skills are â€Å"measurable properties of individuals,† which included academic tests. However, influential academic skills might be understood as those techniques and knowledge which will help the students in reinforcing their motivation, quality and overall performance in office. In other words, it is the knowledge which will help students in coping with real world. In broad sense, academic skills can be considered as a collection of learning strategies, study habits as well as tools and techniques for time management helping students le arn as well as absorb the lessons in college. Generally, students pursue academic learning as information, thus wanting for more. The literature review and surveys on this field of study has been least, confining only to specific subjects or training programs. However, this field has got enormous implications. In the past, most of the course curriculum consisted of limited learning prospects, comprising of bookish or theoretical knowledge. However, with the changing scenes and increasing requirement of practical knowledge, colleges and universities are implementing a mix of theoretical learning as well as practical applications, so that the students and graduates are better prepared for the real life work experience (Philadelphia School District, 1998). Several literatures have reviewed the skills required for successful conduction of work. However, none of these surveys and reviews has confirmed a single technique or methodology which can satisfy all the requirements. So, any liter ature survey on relationship between work and academic skills is unlikely to present definitive answers (Berryman and Bailey, 1992). Most of the literature reviews and research work on this field have revealed the underlying controversies shaping debate regarding academic skills as well as various issues and themes. First, is defining of academic skills which have been observed earlier. Various theoretical perspectives have dominated the study of academic skills yielding conflicting results as well as policy recommendations. One approach is positivist, according to which individuals have the ability to transfer skills. Another approach is situational perspective, according to whi

What issues do HRD managers need to take into account when planning a Essay

What issues do HRD managers need to take into account when planning a management learning and development programme - Essay Example Thus the knowledge-based economy pertains to knowledge creation and its diffusion with the role of information management. All the actors of this new knowledge based economy, whether they are the individuals and companies or even the state have to be wary of losing out the in fiercely competitive global economy .This means that the education and training of the labour force has to be based upon maintenance and knowledge enhancement of the knowledge capital in order to be more innovative and adaptable to technological changes. The HRD plays an important role in the personal development of the labour force.In essence, personal development theory argues that if management implements a specified set of employment as well as work practices, it is going to lead to better performance. A lot of the practices such as teamwork, redesigned jobs, employee participation, teamwork as well as communication and information sharing - have been shown to improve performance, but not in a consistent manner. The strongest results have been obtained where models appear to approximate the real world of work and where measurement and sampling errors are reduced by using special-purpose surveys targeted at workplaces in specific. A common thread running through these studies is that personal development contributes to high performance where workers are expected and encouraged to perform at a high standard. This occurs where HRD and work organization practices provide workers with discretion or control over their work, where they are developed to work competently, and where they are supported and rewarded by management to work co-operatively with colleagues. This theory suggests three mechanisms - structural, motivational and cognitive - that lead to high performance. Structural alterations, for example, the creation of teams or introduction of a new reward system, may provide an initial rather than continuing improvement in performance. For continuous improvement, employees need to increase and sustain their motivation at a high level - a possibility that arises through perceptions and emotions related to greater work satisfaction and empowerment - and/or cognitive changes need to be introduced. These might include improved management communication and investment in formal training and/or on-the-job learning (Appelbaum et al. 737-775). The last 2 decades have seen a significant shift in human resource development (HRD) research from an essentially micro-analytical approach to a new macro-strategic perspective. Other from the conventional administrative role, HRD has identified new roles in terms of employee champion, change agent and strategic partner. Over the years, there has been much speculation about the role of the HRD in the organization going ahead. Authors and business gurus have made various predictions regarding the role, function as well as size of the HRD department. HRD responsibilities have typically come under fire as a result of its perceived unresponsiveness as well as administrative and not strategic focus along with the perception that they are cost centres and not star wealth creation centres they bring in the revenue. The impact on Training of the knowledge based economy thus requires the need for instilling the culture of effective Knowledge management into the learning and education as a whole. According to (Psarras 2006) "Knowledge management is the process of critically managing knowledge to meet existing needs, to identify and exploit existing and acquired knowledge assets and to

Can renewable energy be seen as sufficient and sustainable as nuclear Literature review

Can renewable energy be seen as sufficient and sustainable as nuclear energy - Literature review Example Apart from the environmental degradation, there are other adverse health effects that are caused by the gases that are emitted to the environment. The destruction of habitat for the different lives has resulted not only to the elimination of the indigenous species but has also resulted into the reduction in the production of quality and quantity foods which has resulted into the food supply in major nations of the world (Sandalow, 2009). It is however important to note that all these issues are related to the pressure that is exerted on the limited available energy sources especially for the automobiles. Research has also shown that the increase in the pollutant gases that are emitted in the atmosphere results to the twenty five percent of the health complications of the major organ and organ system of the body such as the lungs, heart, kidney, digestive, respiration and some cases have resulted into death. In the view of the above, it is undisputable that the world needs alternative sources of energy to supply energy to the automobiles. Most nations are responding to this problem by passing strict laws on the activities that result into the pollution of the environment. This is because there is increasing dependency on the petroleum as the major source of energy for the automobile and industrial and many other engines that do not use electricity. The increase in the availability of the renewable sources of energy for automobile is therefore the only solution to reduce the menace of the global problems of pollution, enhance human health, protect the environment, increase the capacity for food production and protect the natural habitat. Hybrid cars, electric engines as well as other engines that use alternative and renewable sources of sources of energy are therefore important technology towards the realization of this goal. The current increase in the development of the automobile and other manufacturing industries has resulted into the ease of transportation p roblems and changed our lifestyles but is turning to be more dangerous to the environment and our health. For a long time in the history of the world, automobiles have been run mainly by the fuel that is mainly made from the hydrocarbons which is responsible for the environmental pollution. Due to the increasing population of the environment, there increased pressure on the use of the hydrocarbon fuels as the sources of energy for the automobile. It therefore follows that the rate of environmental pollution is expected to rise proportionally. Research has also shown that the amount of fuel used for manufacturing and the service industry constitutes up to forty nine percent of all the fuels that are used (Anderson, 2010). It is also projected that the uses of fuel within our roads is also expected to increase tremendously with the figure expected to be approximately 2.5 billion users (Barthelmie, 2011). In this context therefore the available petroleum faces depletion together with t he increases in the environmental impacts mentioned earlier in this study. The following will be research findings on the importance of the hybrid cars in reducing the pollution and protecting the environment a

Neo-Liberalism and Global Environmental Governance Essay

Neo-Liberalism and Global Environmental Governance - Essay Example Human activities whether political, economic, or social have to be managed as subsets of ecosystems and the environment. Environmental governance involves the government, business society, and the civil society and necessitates the incorporation of alternative governing systems such as the watershed based management (Kutting, 2004). The global community has proven incapable of meeting these requirements, which has led to environmental degradation and the emergence of new environmental problems. The international community is experiencing several problems due to globalization. Globalization has led to the improvement of the logistic systems, changes in business and demographic trends and rapid technological progress. This process, however, has led to social and environmental marginalization, widening the gap between the rich and the poor, and increasing the gap between information and technology in the rich and poor countries and social groups. Sustainable development calls for the go vernance of globalization by applying international laws, civil sector domain, and the private sector. The global community has participated in several summits for sustainable development in order to address these issues. ... Resource depletion and environmental degradation could undermine the economy and have to be addressed by all sector actors. Neoliberal institutions argue that international institutions have considerable power to mobilize policymaking towards sustainable environmental governance. Some actors argue that a body high up in the UN hierarchy has to be established in to deal with global environmental and developmental problems. This body would have a mandate and funds to coordinate and centralize environmental and developmental problems within the UN. Economic governance was developed by the UN to promote economic prosperity. The World Bank was established to lend capital to governments for development and poverty alleviation. The GATT agreement promoted global prosperity through the establishment of free markets. The World Bank together with donor governments promoted the idea of liberal market themes, which would also govern resource allocation. UNEP has enacted several laws in the areas of marine pollution, disposal of hazardous wastes, and depletion of the ozone layer. This body linked development and environmental depletion, which forced developed nations to reduce its budgetary allocation. The developed framework has established several institutions in various countries that deal with environmental issues. Developed nations have in the past used environmental laws to limit innovation, intellectual property protection, and macroeconomic management in developing countries. Several developing countries have acquired development loans from the World Bank and other developed nations. These loans have increased the national debt of these countries, making poverty levels unmanageable. These governments spend most

Determining Databases and Data Communications Essay Example for Free

Determining Databases and Data Communications Essay Getting organized and planning ahead for trade shows is critical to a successful showing. As the marketing assistant for XYZ Consumer Electronics Company, I have a number of tasks to complete for the trade show booth setup. There several ways, in which the equipment, components, shippers and shipments can be categorized, cataloged and tracked. This can be done either by entering the information into a data base to print an itemized report or plug in the information into the respective fields in an Excel Spreadsheet. To determine the best way of managing the trade show booth below is a list of things to keep in mind about the components, equipment, shippers, shipment, and time to assemble the pertinent equipment for display. The first steps in preparing for a trade show would be: †¢Select space and determine size of footprint based on the equipment and components †¢Prepare your budget †¢Determine exhibit needs and objectives †¢Select primary vendors (transportation company, installation/dismantle) †¢Identify promotions and/or give-away items †¢Produce show literature and marketing materials †¢Plan in-booth audio visual programs and presentations/demonstrations The typical fields needed to track the Components would be: †¢The Name of component †¢The quantity of each item †¢ the size of each item or carton †¢ the weight of each pallet or item †¢ how long it takes to unload the components †¢ the length of time needed to set up †¢How long it takes to break down †¢Tools required for each piece The typical fields needed to track the Equipment would be: †¢Quantity of pieces of equipment †¢Which container has each piece of equipment †¢The placement of the piece of equipment once it arrives at the show †¢The cost of each piece of the equipment (in case of damage) Keeping track of the shippers and shipments: †¢The Name of the Shipper †¢The Shippers phone number, address and contact person †¢Tracking number or Pro number †¢What the Travel time and estimated date and time of arrival †¢What the Travel time to and from the location would be †¢The Container Company Insurance information in case of damage in transit †¢The Quantity of pieces per container †¢The Quantity of containers containing goods (numbering or color coding would be helpful as a reference on an Excel spreadsheet) †¢The Date and time container was loaded Having all of the above listed information, a check list can be created either in a data base or on an excel spread sheet to make sure all of the needful items make it to the trade show. With numerous items, multiple containers and possibly different arrivals of these items a check list would make the process easier. A database system is one option that could be used in this situation, or if one would be more comfortable with a spreadsheet. We all know that a database is a â€Å"self-describing collection of integrated records† (Kroenke, 2012, p. 101). A data base could be useful whereas you can print different reports, store all the information on the components and equipment for you and others to access whether at the trade show or in the office. A database is meant to collect, filter and report data quickly. The information entered into the database can be used to populate spreadsheets, import and export data between word processing and excel. As well as the ability to create reports that take less time and effort then putting together and manually entering an excel spreadsheet. It will enable you to integrate various departments like procurement, finance, traffic and the trade show team members into the process. Database provides up to date information, and the data is in a consistent format (Kavanagh 2002, 7-11). I would choose to use an enterprise database over a personal database. They both have the same functionality and data modifications, but the enterprise database also has additional networking capabilities. The decision support system (DSS) I would chose to work on for this as well as other projects would be ACT!. It works with the daily business tools such as Windows, MS Office, Outlook, Google, Twitter, LinkedIn and has been integrated with our  Quickbooks accounting system. With this accessibility it provides visibility to open quote, payment status, sales orders, purchase orders, a full customer view and th e list goes on. A few of the highlights that are †¢Group Scheduling †¢Group Dashboards and Reports †¢Enhanced Security Settings †¢Advanced Admin Options †¢HTML5-based Mobile Included †¢Hosting Options Available Scenario Two As the manager of a small consulting business, that has some of my employees working from home while others are in the office, it is important that we are able to communicate with each other and to our customers. Technology has provided new tools in the industry that has made it convenient to communicate through video conferencing, voice calls, e mails, and instant messaging. Having half of my employees telecommuting the best option for the company would be to have a WAN. A WAN will allow computers in different locations all to be connected to the network and have the ability to share information. While a LAN, would only be able to share the information with the computers on the network at that specific location. LANWAN Local reachGlobal reach Internal networkInternational network Relatively simpleRelatively complex Simple to InstallProfessional installation required The need and the benefits of having a wireless network for my small business: †¢Convenience Being able to access your network resources from any location within your wireless networks coverage area. †¢Mobility. The ability to go online anywhere and with different devices, not being tied to your desk. †¢Easy setup No string cables, so installation can be easy and cheap. †¢Expandable – Can expand wireless networks with existing equipment. †¢Security wireless networks provide enhanced security protections. VPN uses a virtual connection through the internet from my company to my telecommuting employee’s. This is helpful to my company’s security because  the data will be encrypted for anyone trying to intercept the information. Reference MIS Essentials, Second Edition, by David M. Kroenke. Published by Prentice Hall. Copyright  © 2012 Shaw RL, Booth A, Sutton AJ, Miller T, Smith JA, Young B, et al. Finding qualitative research: an evaluation of search strategies. BMC Med Res Methodol 2004;4:5

Organizational Behavior and Team work

Organizational Behavior and Team work Managers are born on job; Leaders are born when they are seven The above statement well is the reflective saying of the basic difference between Management and leadership theory. A managers main task includes organizing, controlling, planning and directing the activities in an organization to produce profitable results. A manager could possess leadership skills and make its use in some scenarios but leadership alone is not efficient for a manager and hence not essential. A manager performs activities as per the rules of the organization while leaders do things based on their own instinct which sometimes does prove more rewarding for the company. Leaders are selected to lead a team of members but sometimes it has a negative impact on the team as well. I would like to draw out some points from an well known leading software company INFOSYS to evaluate as what the best in this organization amongst leadership and management. This Paper will give an understanding of teamwork and the techniques and procedures required to contribute to and lead an effe ctive team. This work then goes on to cover the tools and techniques needed to enables learners to select a process or part for improvement and apply continuous improvement techniques in any organization in this supersonic era. Skills required for Leaders and Managers Have willing followers Get results through other people Use influence Must have authority The right to lead is earned from followers The right to manage is granted by ownership Have personal power and position power Intend to make changes Produce goods and services At any time, a follower can walk away and follow a different leader, or simply stop following The leader with heart and soul and just do what it takes to get by. Leaders cannot impose their vision on anyone or force anyone to follow them. There are informal leaders in every organization. They have no position power, no authority, no title; but they have influence, personal power, and followers. Leadership is not a title or a position; it is the earned right to lead, positively or negatively, by those who follow. If we think back about people with we have enjoyed working with. Were they leaders or Managers? Hopefully we have experienced, and enjoyed, both. Recognizing the Differences, whatever we are, be the best manager or leader we can be. There is a difference INDUSTRY I chosen the Top most Software Company which is adopting world class learning corporate systems giving its best in this supersonic competitive world. Infosys This is one of the leading software companies which have its headquarters in India. It is ranked as the second leading It companies that is present in India. It have spread worldwide and it finds its place in almost 22 countries around the world which includes U.S, U.K, Canada, and Australia and may more. This was founded by Mr.: N. R. Narayana murthy along with his seven of his friends which mainly concentrates on the software development of the company. This concern really increases the economic growth of the country. It also serves the country by eradicating of unemployment crisis, serving the poor and the Orphanage people in the country. Role of Leadership Leadership in Infosys is extensively concerned as one of the companys greatest conspicuous features and its function in forming the organization and its group has been written about significantly. Executive vice-president of human resources Pratik Kumar, at rival Wipro, explains Infosys as a very ambition story. This success, says Kumar has come through its set of leaders with strong values and teamwork. Infosys is also considered as being founder-led by many both inside and beyond the organization. A few months ago, Infosys established a recent policy making council and has produced more non-founders into the core management of the company in order to dispel this notion and to strengthen its next generation of leaders. Performance management Infosys Believes that the most guaranteed way of improving teamwork is to applying the principles of performance management to the groups behaviors They are as follows: Identifying teamwork behaviors will lead to best performance (the TARGET Performance) Analyzing which teamwork behaviors are currently being used (the CURRENT Performance) Practical analysis between target and current teamwork Performance, and taking action to bring current teamwork performance closer to the target. 1. TARGET Performance Recognizing and control of difficulties is likely among them such as, executives and clients. Making it easy to discussion among the working group, and the others beyond the group in order to have better functioning. Broadening the view of working on operational objectives, to their best interest, to make difference in their objectives. 2. Current Performance Present situation The ethics in business The opinions beyond the working group The likeness, chosen by the group There are number of influences Innovative Training process Infosys strongly believe in the innovation training process in making global leaders. This helps to mingle the customers and the company in a productive way. They clearly understand that the company revenue factor increases once if they handle the client with almost care and sincerity. Innovative steps and new ideas are always welcomed by Infosys in making strong team. They believe that Business depends on the operational leaders On the other hand they believe in the faster innovation learning process which helps the industry to grow in a fruitful path. Henceforth they depend upon the increasing speed factors for improving continues skills depending on the challenges. Infosys understands very well that the success is growing only because of the hard work, dedication provided by the employee. Therefore building a strong relationship and helping the team is essential for the concern to keep upon. Infosys mainly focus and take all possible steps to understand the team in all aspects. ha s a fine blend of diverse breeds of employees with different mentalities. Managers task here is to get the best out of these people to acquire optimal results and client recognition. Learning Objectives Achievement by Infosys falls the way of defining the sentient by powerful stages. Infosys chooses that the personnel absorb the tasks at hand and the objectives by 29 percent more incoming of comparing the other firms. (Watson Wyatt Work Study). The staff chooses their tasks to a better figure as 75% as the industrys assignment assay turned of how the executive is performed (workplace 2006 Infosys Employee Insight Survey). To be recognized and respected as one of the premier associations of HR Professionals. (HR Association of Greater Detroit) The individuals concept essay for every personnel may set-in as straight forward of few utterances on paper or more to achieve further as to become contend as part of the team at Infosys. . . Learning Techniques Learn the modern leadership styles. Infosys follow Participative style, Consulting style, Negotiate style, Delegative style, Directive style. As per the recent studies leaders are very comfortable using these styles. Once these styles are achieved by them, then they learn leadership styles. They believe that if we master them all then they can become a better leader. Improving communication skills. They try to spend at least one hour a day talking to team on how they are performing. If staff are doing well, then they are in part doing their job well. Prioritize your time. Providing time to work out and establish them self is the best quality which employees have in Infosys. This does not occur by chance, because they think that the best leaders are organized and prepared for the week and the months and even in further years. This is in identifying both long period strategic planning and short period operational. Sandwich technique Infosys keep on with this technique where they first begin talking to a person in a good way, then put the difficult subject or hard topic in the middle, then also end on a positive suggestion. This seems much better than just mentioning the negative matters to a staff member. Suppose a sandwich or a burger. begin with the bread on the top which is the discussion, then the burger Pattie is the difficult subject, then the lowest part of the burger is the conclusion of another positive declaration about that person. These are the few steps that Infosys follow to build Leaders in a successful team. What makes a good Leader in Infosys? To become a good leader these are the qualities needed experienced knows what to do productive problem solver Open minded listens Supportive challengeable, makes it safe for others to contribute Personal initiative Positive style Problem Solving Technique In Infosys Team Identification of the problem establish a cooperative setting concur on values for discussion Invite all opinions stay fact-based in our verdicts Be durable on the subjects, not on each other Put in reserve any individual memo exterior any supposition and prejudice classify and examine the issues, pertinent proofs, and enhanced replies recognize conceivable resolutions and their benefits and disaffects Solve the single inquiry which is the most wanted resolution? MAJOR CLIENTS They serve Aerospace, Banking and capital markets, Automobile, communication services, education, Health care, Insurance, manufacturing, Retail and utilities. Major IT services are covered by this company. This includes Application services, architecture services. Independent validation service, Infrastructure service, Knowledge services, and system Integration services. TEAM GATHERING Infosys strongly believe in team gathering on every week that is on Friday to discuss the progress of various projects and issues if faced any. Our managers used to be with us for the call. Manager should always present in the office to guide new project and make sure that everything is working smoothly. In this gathering managers will be in conference across the globe to highlight points about the management team and performance. LACKING LEADERSHIP If I talk about every single team in Infosys, the senior members in the team play the role of a team leader. Infosys always welcome fresh talents from IIMs and premier B Schools in India apart from recognizing in house talent. Whenever a fresh manager joins a team, there are chances of role conflicts between manager and the team leader. There is always a problem with existing senior employees to listen to a new leader or manager because they feel that they know the process well than them and could take suitable decisions which is true to some extent at that point of time. Leaders take blame if any issue or problem arises within their team and they give credit where it is due. I would like to write down few instances or observations where I felt leadership team work to be improved Leaders in various teams taking credit for junior developers work, which is not expected of a leader. During major project launches, developers were asked by managers to handle specific tasks within a decide d time frame. Leaders always set new direction for the team but the way of working in a corporate ike Infosys is established. CONCLUSION Taking decisions by Management should be improved for continues learning.Comapany should takes all the facts relating to the employment which emphasis individual task, development of organization, quantitative output and the compliance of employee. Management favors quality, recognition, performance, flexibility and the rights of employment relations. The open management system explored the superiority of human resource and considered it as the backbone of every organization. The business strategy comprise of career development of an individual, relationship among employees, team work and the task. All those severe rules were destroyed for the orientation of the business; achieve proactive measures and the self regulation (Dessler, 2003). Hence duty of a Company became a long-term strategy and it completely resides only for team build up and team performance. (Beardwell, 2004) REFERANCES LaFasto, F. and Larson, C. (2001) When Teams Work Best (Sage Publications) pages 29 and 85 . Greenberg, J.R. Baron, R.A. (2000). Behavior in Organizations, Seventh Edition. Prentice Hall: New Jersey. Laurie.J.Mullins, Management and Organizational Behaviour, Financial Times Management; 5th edition (May 1999) Ancona, Deborah G., Thomas Kochran, John Van Maanen, Maureen Scully and Eleanor Westney,  Managing for the Future: Organizational Behavior and Processes (New York: Southwestern College Publishing, 3rd ed., 2005). Web links www.topnews.in/files/infosys_0.jpgimgrefurl=http://www.topnews.in (Accessed on 7/03/2010) http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/india/article.cfm?articleid=4316 (Accessed on 7/03/2010) http://www.infosys.com/pages/index.aspx (Accessed on 8/03/2010) http://www.nytimes.com/1998/02/22/weekinreview/ideas-trends-team-work (Accessed on 9/03/2010)

State of Play by David Edgar Essay -- masculinity, power, gay men

David Edgar, in his book State of Play: Playwrights on Playwriting (1999) highlights the fact that in the mid 90’s there seemed to be an â€Å"over-arching theme† (edgar, 1999, p27) in contemporary British play that looked at ideas of masculinity. â€Å"Gay plays like Jonathan Harvey’s Beautiful Thing†¦ lad’s plays like Jez Butterworths Mojo†¦ [and] girls-in-a-boys’ gang plays like Irving Welsh’s Trainspotting†¦ address masculinity and its discontents’ (ibid, p.27). In this essay I will look at what ideas of masculinity are, and how these discontents have been addressed in contemporary theatre (and the idea of the â€Å"decline of the dominant role of men†(edgar, 1999, p.28)) and how the crisis of masculinity(ref) has been staged. I will do this by looking at performances from Ron Athey, Franko B, and Gregory Burkes’ Black Watch. Firstly however, I will look at a definition of what masculinity is, in order to discuss what representations of this idea are being performed in the selected pieces of work. Perhaps one of the main reasons as to why there is thought to be a ‘crisis’ of masculinity, is because the term itself is so hard to define, in a sociological sense. Jack Kahn in his book ‘An Introduction to Masculinities’ states that â€Å"masculinity is a hypothetical construct because, in and of itself, it cannot be directly observed and measured† (2009, p.3). This is because â€Å"masculinities and male behavious are not the simple product of genetic codings or biological predispositions† (Whitehead and Barrett, 2001, p.16), it is instead a conceptual idea that is used to explain a collection of behaviors, attitudes, thoughts and emotions that make up a specific identity. masculinity is not just one idea, nor is it specifically a male thing, it is an inte... ...h it had some recognisable substantive basis† (Whitehead and Barrett, 2001, p.53) Works Cited Brittan, A. 1989. Masculinity and power. Oxford, UK: Basil Blackwell. Burke, G. 2007. Black Watch. London: Faber and Faber. Edgar, D. 1999. State of play. London: Faber and Faber. Kahn, J. S. 2009. An introduction to masculinities. Chichester, U.K.: Wiley-Blackwell. Petersen, A. R. 1998. Unmasking the masculine. London: Sage Publications. Phelan, P. 1993. Unmarked. London: Routledge. Reeser, T. W. 2010. Masculinities in theory. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell. Richards, M. 2003. Ron Athey, AIDS and the politics of pain. Body, Space and Technology, 3 (2). Sierz, A. 2011. Rewriting the nation. London: Methuen Drama. Walsh, F. 2010. Male trouble. Houndmills, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. Whitehead, S. and Barrett, F. J. 2001. The masculinities reader. Cambridge, UK: Polity.

lord of the flies :: essays research papers

The Lord of the Flies Essay   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In The Lord of the Flies, the three main character all have different characteristics and temperaments. Ralph shows the Guardian temperament, Jack has the characteristics of the Artisan temperament, and Piggy has the Realist temperament. This is important to the novel because it plays reason why everything ended up breaking apart on the island.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ralph is the nearest to being the Guardian in the story. Throughout the book, Ralph wants to be the one is charge and the one that Jack also respects. Most Guardians want to have membership and belonging as well. Guardians are also negative about the future, Ralph has is moments of when he does not think he is going to be rescued and gets depressed. A major difference about Ralph and his Guardian temperament is that he has many times when he feels he is not respected by the other boys. Guardians are supposed to have a lot of confidence with themselves because they are respected. The Artisan in this story is most likely Jack. Artisans are proud of themselves because they are graceful in action, and Jack has a huge ego because he is a skilled hunter or at least thinks so. Jack is a live in the moment now, or fly by the seat of your pants character he is just worried about now and not the past or future. The major difference is that Jack’s objectives on the islands are not normally the smartest things to do, he just does what he thinks he sound do now or wants to do.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Piggy is the Realist in The Lord of the Flies. Piggy is confident in himself because he knows he is smart and has a lot of wit and back at home Piggy always got his way. Realists seem to always have a quest to search in further truth and knowledge. A major difference between Piggy and a Realist is when it comes to the future. Piggy is, most of the time, hopeful about being rescued someday. Most Realists are negative when dealing with the future.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When you put these very different temperaments on one island you can see how disaster is going to happen. lord of the flies :: essays research papers The Lord of the Flies Essay   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In The Lord of the Flies, the three main character all have different characteristics and temperaments. Ralph shows the Guardian temperament, Jack has the characteristics of the Artisan temperament, and Piggy has the Realist temperament. This is important to the novel because it plays reason why everything ended up breaking apart on the island.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ralph is the nearest to being the Guardian in the story. Throughout the book, Ralph wants to be the one is charge and the one that Jack also respects. Most Guardians want to have membership and belonging as well. Guardians are also negative about the future, Ralph has is moments of when he does not think he is going to be rescued and gets depressed. A major difference about Ralph and his Guardian temperament is that he has many times when he feels he is not respected by the other boys. Guardians are supposed to have a lot of confidence with themselves because they are respected. The Artisan in this story is most likely Jack. Artisans are proud of themselves because they are graceful in action, and Jack has a huge ego because he is a skilled hunter or at least thinks so. Jack is a live in the moment now, or fly by the seat of your pants character he is just worried about now and not the past or future. The major difference is that Jack’s objectives on the islands are not normally the smartest things to do, he just does what he thinks he sound do now or wants to do.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Piggy is the Realist in The Lord of the Flies. Piggy is confident in himself because he knows he is smart and has a lot of wit and back at home Piggy always got his way. Realists seem to always have a quest to search in further truth and knowledge. A major difference between Piggy and a Realist is when it comes to the future. Piggy is, most of the time, hopeful about being rescued someday. Most Realists are negative when dealing with the future.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When you put these very different temperaments on one island you can see how disaster is going to happen.

Foreign Investment in India

The article â€Å"Indian firms' foreign ownership at its peak† talks about foreign ownership in listed Indian firms. According to the analysts the foreign ownership has reached its peak and is expected to rise further as corporate profitability grows. However, factors such as high inflation and corruption may result in overseas investors being careful with their actions. As a result of year 2010, foreign institutional investors (FIIs) shareholding rose to the highest level since Indian markets opened up to foreign investment in 1993. In addition, strong corporate earnings had made India the top investment destination in 2010. As India is the second fastest growing major economy in the world after China, it is likely to attract higher investments in the future. Although the growth potential outlook for India remains positive, it is susceptible to correction due to is top priced trading compared to other markets. The threat of high inflation and rising crude prices resulting in a slow-down of growth and corporate profitability has affected the foreign investors action. The moderation in foreign flows has led to a decline in stock prices. An increase in FII shareholding was detected in sectors, such as consumer goods, pharma, metals, large software firms and telecom service providers. In banking and financial industry, however, the FIIs stakes were lowered as well as in most construction firms. The trend in foreign inflows in the future will depend largely on whether macroeconomic concerns such as inflation abate as well as on policy initiatives in the national budget to be tabled in Parliament next month. According to the article, investors remain careful with their action in the mean time until policy cues particularly around the budget are solved.Link to the article:http://www.allbusiness.com/trade-development/trade-development-finance/15460726-1.html

Employment Law Legal Process Paper Essay

To handle a complaint of discrimination effectively, an employer should have a basic understanding of the process and procedures used by the EEOC to enforce the federal laws that prohibit employment discrimination. By knowing in advance what to expect, an employer can best prepare its defense. EEOC ProcessAny individual who believes that his or her employment rights have been violated may file a charge of discrimination with EEOC. Charges may be filed by mail or in person at their nearest EEOC office. Once an employee or applicant files a charge, the EEOC then serves notice on the employer, usually by mail, that a charge has been filed against them. This notice normally includes a copy of the actual charge filed by the employee or applicant. All laws enforced by EEOC, except the Equal Pay Act, require filing a charge with EEOC before a private lawsuit may be filed in court. There are strict time limits within which charges must be filed. A charge must be filed with EEOC within 180 days from the date of the alleged violation, in order to protect the charging party’s rights. This 180-day filing deadline is extended to 300 days if the charge also is covered by a state or local anti-discrimination law (U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission). Employers must understand that the persons who evaluate and decide the outcome of employment discrimination cases (the EEOC investigator, federal or state judge, and/or jury) have keen senses of fairness and expect that employees will be treated in a fair manner. As a result, employers are exposed to substantial liability for any acts, including perceived acts, of discrimination in the workplace. Employers should take any charge of discrimination seriously and the employer must keep in mind that, at a minimum, it needs to have a legitimate, non-discriminatory reason for taking the action in question. In addition, an employer’s response will be evaluated by persons who have a different perspective than the employer. What may appear to an employer, as a benign, routine employment action, can be perceived by a jury as the most pernicious, discriminatory deed. With this in mind, an employer should structure its response to show that its action was not only legal, but also fair (Bu reau of National Affairs, 2002). Resolving the Discrimination ChargeThe filing of the charge triggers an EEOC investigation into whether or not there is reasonable cause to believe that the employer did in fact illegally discriminate against an individual. An employer may be asked to submit a written statement of position to explain its version of events. At some point in the investigation, a fact-finding conference might be held (Bureau of National Affairs, 2002). Relatively informal, a fact-finding conference is attended by the charging party, respondent and necessary witnesses. No official record is made and witnesses are not placed under oath. Most employers bring counsel to the conference. After concluding its investigation, the EEOC makes a determination as to whether there is reasonable cause to believe that the alleged discrimination occurred. The investigation starts with a review of all documents in the employee’s personnel file, and should be expanded to include, among other things, a review of applicable company policies, at least one interview with potential witnesses, and a review of internal documents for any prior incidents similar to the action on which the complaint is based. The lack of effective anti-discrimination policies can be damaging to an employer’s case. On the other hand, a well-publicized, strictly enforced, non-discrimination policy can prove invaluable to an employer defending against a charge of discrimination. By reviewing its policies, an employer also may discover that the complaining employee did not follow proper company procedure in reporting the complaint. All of this information can be used by the employer in responding to the complaint. A reasonable cause determination indicates that â€Å"it is more likely than not† that illegal discrimination took place. A no reasonable cause determination means that the EEOC has not found sufficient evidence to support a finding of discrimination. While a â€Å"no cause† finding does not bar the complaining party from subsequently filing suit in state or federal court on the same claim, as a practical matter most employees do not pursue their claims after the EEOC issues a â€Å"no cause† finding. If the evidence establishes that discrimination has occurred, the employer  and the charging party will be informed of this in a letter of determination that explains the finding. EEOC will then attempt conciliation with the employer to develop a remedy for the discrimination (U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission). If the case is successfully conciliated, or if a case has earlier been successfully mediated or settled, neither EEOC nor the charging party may go to court unless the conciliation, mediation, or settlement agreement is not honored (U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission). If EEOC is unable to successfully conciliate the case, the agency will decide whether to bring suit in federal court. However, no statements made by any party during the conciliation process can be used in any subsequent lawsuit. If EEOC decides not to sue, it will issue a notice closing the case and giving the charging party 90 days in which to file a lawsuit on his or her own behalf (U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission). CONCLUSION Employees who believe that they have been discriminated against by an employer, an employment agency, or a labor union have the right to file a charge of discrimination with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Employer’s need to ensure that discriminatory practice or action, if it did occur, is stopped, and that it does not occur again. By properly handling the charge at its early stages, an employer can reduce significantly, or possibly eliminate the potential liability. The Bureau of National Affairs, 2002. Retrieved September 11, 2006, from http://www.bna.comU.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Retrieved September 11, 2006, from http://www.eeoc.gov

Improving Employee Productivity

As you may already know, improving the employee productivity is one of the most important goals In any business. But, In spite of this, a lot of human resources professionals do not consider this field very relevant. Even though most of the human resources professionals do admit that their job Is all about establlshlng schedules and rules concerning people management, only a few of them succeeds in bonding all these connections, in order to be able to increase productivity.John Sullivan (2011) refers in his article to several factors divided in a few categories, which are onsiderably influencing not only the individual productivity, but also the team productivity. Employee productivity is the main leading power behind a company's profitability and Its growth. Momentarily, the demand for employee productivity Is Increasing more and more, making this a feature that Is actually missing In todays workforce and also leaving most of the managers wondering what they should do next and what the causes are.This is the result of all the distractions and all the separate activities happing in the work environment. Nowadays, it seems that mployees are too busy tweeting, updating their statuses or chatting on Facebook, or simply texting. Because of that, most employees are not taking their tasks to an end, they are not finishing their work and they miss their deadlines. Another key aspect of this problem concerns the employee training tools. unfortunately, this aspect receives too little attention.Most of the time, the provider with the lowest costs is often chosen, even though the most effective provider is recommended. As a result, the recruitment is also poor, because of having as a main goal to minimize costs as uch as possible, but without enough consideration of the quality and the capability of each employer. No matter how you think it, the drawn conclusion here Is that the human resources department, Instead of being more Interested In finding solutions for Increasi ng the productlvlty, they are actually less Interested In doing transactions and more interested in cutting off the expenses.In order to increase the employee productivity and the performance of the workforce, considering the help you can expect from the human resource department, you must know and understand the factors that are influencing this rocess. Overall, taking In consideration John Sullivan's article, I have selected the most Important 16 factors from four main categories, which are going to be discussed next. As for the categories, the first one taken In consideration Is â€Å"Foundations of Productivity. According to John Sullivan (2011), a first factor mentioned here is â€Å"High- performing and Innovative employees are the foundation of productivity.By working together, managers and human resources professionals can find, hire, grow and keep high performing employees. It was proved that the most important factor in orkforce and productivity is hiring and keeping emp loyees with the best capabilities. Unfortunately, even the best people may sometimes need help. Without the head managers, much-needed resources and proper guidance, It's very hard to achieve your goal. Another factor measured in this category, according to John pawns are the second most important productivity factor because they play a very important role in defining the roles and the goals of the workforce.More is the pity that many managers are the weak ring in the productivity chain, therefore most of the time not only the employees needs guidance and education, but also their eaders. The second category taken in sight is â€Å"Direction and Guidance†. According to John Sullivan (201 1), a first mentioned factor here is â€Å"A corporate strategy and plan that builds commitment†. Most of the time, a very good business strategy and planning will increase the chances of having a successful and committed organization.Moreover, if the strategy is very clear and very we ll communicated, your employees will be more focused and their motivation will considerably increase. Another factor measured in this category, according to John Sullivan (201 1), is â€Å"A defined purpose for teams makes roles clear†. The managers need to develop a clear communicated purpose that has to be persuasive and also has the role to make their employees from their department to feel important. Employees sometimes can contribute even more to their work and tasks if they had a role in creating and understanding the main purpose.Still according to John Sullivan (201 1), next factor mentioned here is â€Å"Team and individual goals†. Defining some clear goals will let everyone know what is expected and what really has to be done. Also, giving some heads up on some perfect clear goals will also contribute for their employees to nderstand exactly what is and what is not important. Another factor measured by John Sullivan (2011) in this category is â€Å"Prioritiz ation for impactful resource allocation†. Establishing some clear priorities will help to better assign resources and funds, in order to achieve more important objectives.Next factor mentioned by John Sullivan (2011) here is â€Å"Performance metrics for continuous improvement†. Measuring performance in a successful way strengthens both individual and group goals. This will provide more attention, better feedback and better results for an ongoing improvement. Last factor measured in this category, according to John Sullivan (201 1), is â€Å"Effective rewards drive performance†. When the rewards are more connected to one goal, you double the strength of the message related to the importance of the Job that needs to be done.The third category taken in consideration is â€Å"Support Factors†. According to John Sullivan (201 1), a first factor mentioned here is â€Å"Team member support increases individual performance†. Only a few tasks can exclusivel y be done by an employee. If the employees are not working together with other people in a group as a team and if they are also not receiving all he necessary support from their managers, productivity will be lost. Next factor measured in this category by John Sullivan (2011) is â€Å"Best-practice sharing and collaboration improve productivity'.Productivity will considerably improve when the other people outside the team collaborate and brainstorm together. When the employees are using the â€Å"trial and error† method, all the growth of your business will slow down. Another factor mentioned here, according to John Sullivan (201 1), is â€Å"Support for innovation can dramatically increase productivity'. Having in mind as a oal to be on top of their business environment, companies struggle to achieve a double digit percentage improvement in their productivity (at least 10%, sometimes even goes to 25%) for every year.In order to reach this, a sustained level of sometimes no t enough in order to provide a double digit rise. Because of this, the human resources department must develop training measures, good processes, and stimulants that help the innovation. Still according to John Sullivan (201 1), next factor measured in this category is â€Å"Control and authority can result in a better decision aking process†. When there is a certain balance between freedom and control, so that employees have the authority to take most of the operational decisions, at that point we can talk about maximum productivity.Another factor mentioned here by John Sullivan (2011) is â€Å"Non-monetary factors that can also excite employees†. In addition to the usual rewards (as money), the managers can also provide a few non- monetary rewards, such as: feedback on their Job, appreciation for their work and so on. This is one of human resources department's most important responsibilities to e sure that the managers are using all of these methods in a right way, in order to increase the productivity process. The fourth category taken in sight is â€Å"Skills, Communication and Information Factors†.According to John Sullivan (201 1), a first factor mentioned here is â€Å"Employee skills and knowledge must be continually updated to maintain productivity'. Because of the changes brought by the high level global competition, the expectations of the employee's skills are much higher. The main role of the human resources department is to develop a plan that helps in an ngoing increasing employee's knowledge and training. Next factor measured by John Sullivan (2011) in this category is â€Å"Effective communications and feedback reduce errors and frustration†.As feedback is one of the most important strategies in the process of motivation, the failure of providing good feedback will lead to a poor work quality and maybe errors. You can best avoid this kind of situation if a company comes up with a well-organized internal communicat ion channel (like an intranet). The last overall factor mentioned here, according to John Sullivan (201 1), is â€Å"Providing he right information improves decision-making†. In order to take the best decisions and to increase the productivity, the managers and the employees will have to use the right information and to process the data.