Identity Theory: Applications to Individual, Group, and Organizational Interventions Essay

Group Dynamics Introduction                   A set of individuals in the same surrounding constitute to a group. In these groups certain norms are established which have a great influence on the ultimate behavior of individuals in the group. Norms are a set of beliefs of how individuals should relate and behave. Examples of factors that influence group members to conform to the group norms include social acceptance, social identity, correctness, and to align with similar people(Carter, 2012). However, individuals do not always conform to group norms but at times they behave on a personal basis. This may make define their role in the group or it may make them prejudiced from the group. What factors will influence group members to conform to a group’s norms, and when will members remain independent?                   Performance is one of the key factor that makes individual conform to group norms. Each individual in a department is required to produce results to contribute for the success of that business unit. The appearance norm is another compelling factor for group members to conform. For instance pilots would dress in a certain way as their group norm which distinguishes them from the air hostesses group(Hale, 2013). Another determinant is the social arrangement in which an individual belongs to. High ranked executives tend to behave in certain way in their clusters that is unique to their group norms. Do individuals who do not conform to the group’s norms ever succeed in influencing the rest of the group?                   Individuals, though in a group, they become independent when they break the norms of a given group. This is to enhance accountability and responsibility by each member in a group(Carter, 2012).                   Individuals who do not conform to the group norms succeed to have influence on the rest of the members. This is because they establish their own norms apart from the group that defines their roles in the group(Hale, 2013). For instance different line managers are part of the group in their departments, but they may not conform to all the norms in their sections which gives earns them respect and hence influence to the rest of the members. References Carter, R. (2012). Identity Theory: Applications to Individual, Group, and Organizational Interventions. New York : Routledge Publishers. Hale, J. (2013). The Performance Consultant’s Fieldbook: Tools and Techniques for Improving Organizations and People. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Source document

Nine Dragons Paper Essay

How does Mrs Cheung think? What does she believe in when it comes to building her business? It is interesting to read how NPD gained its’ success through the waste or trash of the United States and Europe. I think this is right in line with how Mrs Cheung thinks; she wants to be ahead of all her competitors and gain every competitive advantage possible. By utilizing the paper waste of higher quality products in the US and Europe, she was able to bring this quality back to China where it was non-existent. As you can see in the reading as well, Mrs Cheung believes in rapid expansion to maximize revenue opportunity and that long term profits will come from taking on a lot of debt. But even as she said when speaking about the economic crisis: â€Å"Now the waves are so big, even some rocks are being washed away.† The economic crisis of 2008 did not only affect the small companies, but also the large and profitable ones like Nine Paper Dragons. How would you summarize the company’s financial status? How does it reflect the business development goals and strategies employed by Mrs Cheung? I would summarize the company’s financial status as struggling at the point this article was written. The company’s unsecured notes were rated as BBB- in April, 2008 and downgraded even lower to BB+ in October of 2008. On top of that, even though the company had a successful IPO in March of 2006, the debt accumulated after this IPO really hurt the company when the financial crisis hit in 2008. This demonstrates Mrs Cheung’s vision to take chances and be the market trend setter for her industry. It appeared though that she spread herself too thin through expansion and also through the large amount of debt she accumulated. Is NDP in trouble? How would you answer differ if you were an existing shareholder, potential investor, or analyst? Yes NDP is in trouble, In September 2007 NDP was at the peak of record share price HK$26.But in 2008 the share price of NDP started falling down and the company also announced they would delay of Rmb1.5 billion for the next 2009 fiscal year and they predicted the paperboard market would rebound but nothing great happen according to the market and they also said they would prepay $100 million of an existing $350 million. But according to the rating agencies the company market health is weak and being an existing shareholder, investor, or an analyst I would go with the rating agencies because they are expert in the share market and on the other hand the company itself issued profit warning, sales, profit forecast downward. And since company has an $350 million loan out which company said they would prepay $100 million to the bank and still on the balance amount the interest would keep on increasing and it means the debt of the company is increasing and even many bank’s have stopped answering there calls. As said by morgan Stanley the company earnings growth is based on expansion plans if they don’t expand it will effect the company target and growth.

Service Request Sr-Kf-013

Running head: SERVICE REQUEST SR-KF-013 Service Request SR-kf-013 for Kudler Fine Foods University of Phoenix Online Business Systems BSA 310 Manuel Torres, MSc September 14, 2009 Introduction Kudler Fine Foods put forth a service request for the development of its Frequent Shopper Program. According to Apollo (2004), this program will track purchases of individuals to accumulate loyalty points for redemption by the customer. The loyalty points will be redeemable for gift items, specialty foods and other products or services.The behavior patterns of customer purchases will directly help Kudler Fine Foods to produce sales events. The following paragraph will focus on the newly proposed electronic commerce website. After laying out the aspects of electronic commerce, the issue of legality will be brought forth. Once the legal aspects of the frequent shopper program are understood, ethics can be brought to the table. Security considerations will be proposed with a financial analysis to justify expenditures with the development of the frequent shopper program.Finally, weigh the benefits and liabilities for the proposed frequent shopper program. Electronic Commerce Aspects Kudler Fine Foods has proposed creating an electronic sales database of all their products that can be linked to a website. In return this will allow customers to purchase any of his or her items online and have them shipped to his or her homes. With the creation of this electronic commerce, loyalty points can be added to online purchases as well as physical purchases. The loyalty points can also be redeemed for gift items and specialty foods on the website.Before a customer can purchase products online they must register their name, e-mail address, mailing address and credit card information. After providing the proper information they will be prompted to create a user name and password for future use. When an account is set up for a customer, bonus loyalty points could be given as an incentive t o register with Kudler Fine Foods. All customer information will be stored in a database at the La Jolla main office. A link on the website can be connected to partnerships and external companies for a further variety of rewards.A search utility will be available to help customers find specific items quickly. Kudler Fine Foods electronic commerce website will have a shopping cart function which will take a customer to a check out page which allows the customer to use his or her loyalty points towards the total cost of their purchases. Legal The legal aspects of creating an electronic commerce website are minimal. The minor legalities needed for the website benefits Kudler Fine Foods because According to Apollo (2003), Anne Shousha is Kathy Kudler’s sister-in-law and her only legal counsel.Anne Shousha is a successful tax attorney and only charges Kathy $100 an hour for formal meetings and nothing for telephone calls. Copyright laws and customer rights are the only parts of la w that Anne Shousha will have to investigate to insure legal protection of Kudler Fine Foods. Ethics To the average person purchasing items online and having them delivered to his or her home is convenient. When businesses force customers to give up private information for statistical reasons so that they can buy from them online, their ethics are in question. Some companies require phone numbers even though they are not needed for any reason.In today’s world, people expect to have to create an account with a company when he or she purchases items online. Not every person realizes that all his or her information gets traded with other companies. Kudler Fine Foods should take under consideration the privacy of their customers by limiting the information needed for purchases and never trading customer information with another company. Security Considerations Realizing that customers have to give up private information such as addresses and credit card numbers to make a purchase ; Kudler Fine Foods must onsider high security in their budget. A good portion of the $5,000 in the budget section of Apollo (2003), Kudler Fine Foods has set aside for the design and development of their website should go towards an encrypted server. The encrypted server will secure a connection to their website so that a hacker cannot view a customer’s information. By encrypting the server a tiny lock icon will show up in the address bar of a customer’s browser which makes the customer feel safer when purchasing from Kudler Fine Foods website. ConclusionKudler Fine Foods has a well thought out plan to create an electronic commerce that customers can earn loyalty points and redeem them by purchasing items online. This website should definitely increase sales and profits for Kudler Fine Foods. They must pay close attention to the design of the website so that it will appeal to customers. Kudler Fine Foods must give attention to the legal and ethical aspects of taking c ustomers information. Finally, they must also make sure that they take into consideration the gains and losses from giving loyalty points out to customers. References Apollo Group, Inc. 2004). Kudler Fine Foods. Marketing Overview. Retrieved September 13, 2009. BSA/310 –Business Systems. https://ecampus. phoenix. edu/secure/aapd/cist/vop/Business/Kudler/Sales/KudlerSM001. htm Apollo Group, Inc. (2003). Kudler Fine Foods. Budgets. Retrieved September 13, 2009. BSA/310 –Business Systems. https://ecampus. phoenix. edu/secure/aapd/cist/vop/Business/Kudler/Finance/KudlerBudget001. htm Apollo Group, Inc. (2003). Kudler Fine Foods. Legal Overview. Retrieved September 13, 2009. BSA/310 –Business Systems. https://ecampus. phoenix. edu/secure/aapd/cist/vop/Business/Kudler/Admin/KudlerAdmin002. htm

Managing Information Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Managing Information - Coursework Example It has good experience of these exhibitions throughout the year, which adds to many advantages that can be propped in the research. A meeting discussion of a written brief organized by Marston Tools due to research for success had been approached mid-April this year. This paper or business report will focus on the benefits and limitations of information systems as a tool to be applied by the Marston Tools company. An information system can be simply defined as a set of interconnected mechanism that gather, process, accumulate and dispense information to assist in making decisions in a given company or organisation. It usually contains information regarding the persons, places in addition, facilities in the organisations surrounding environment. According to Effy (2008), the components of information systems are; computer hardware and software, databases, telecommunications and human resource personnel. Information systems are of different types in respect with the kind of business or organisation. In this, case a brick and mortar business would require the following types of information systems (Effy, 2008). 2.0 Types of Information Systems 1. ... 3. Management information systems The management information system generates information on expected basis in accurate, organised and timely manner to be used by managers or the business controllers in decision making, problem solving and activity supervision as illustrated by (Effy, 2008). 4. Decision support systems This type of information system collects data from the above information systems and from external sources and produces information that assists management to prepare and draft for the upcoming (Effy, 2008). 5. Office automation systems In this type of information system, tools or electronics improve on the efficiency of the employees and reduce the amount of work in an organisations office (Effy, 2008). The advantages of information systems are several. First, as argued by (Effy, 2008) there is a significant reduction in the cost of recording and storing information. The number of staff required is lower as compared to the manual hence the cost and expenses are reduce d. The storage of records and other information takes less time and space. This implies that the business allocation takes minimal space since information and data is stored in computers and its components. Easy accessibility of information is another advantage of use of the above information systems in a business or organisation. Updating and information retrieval is easy and fast when using electronic information systems as described above. Files and information is interchanged between computers hence making it possible to transfer data from one place to another. The drawbacks or disadvantages of the use of the above information systems are as follows. First, the employees lack job security because there is no certainty with the high technology growth. The growth in technology is

Applying Theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Applying Theory - Essay Example The first part will explain Beattie’s model of health promotion including its relevance to the contemporary public health. Eventually, the strengths and weaknesses of the model will be identified and thoroughly discussed. Upon identifying the different behaviour change models, the second part of the paper will discuss about the strengths and weaknesses of each framework. Beattie’s model of health promotion is one of the most commonly used frameworks that enables the health care professionals to thoroughly examine the health determinants aside from developing a list of highly recommended responsive action to improve the health and well-being of the patients. The Beattie’s model of health promotion is composed of four paradigms known as: (1) health persuasion; (2) personal counselling; (3) community development; and (4) legislative action. (Beattie, 1991) These four paradigms are basically used in capturing the entire picture which is necessary in allowing the health care professionals to develop effective action plan. Basically, the health persuasion technique includes the bio-medical approach upon analyzing the main cause of a particular behaviour. Under the top-down or authoritative, the relationship between the patients’ diseases, lifestyle, risk factors, the suggested way of controlling lifestyle, and the risks of not being able to follow the health care professionals’ health advice are being identified (Piper, 2007). On the other hand, the bottom-up model is used in as a patient-centered approach of health promotion. It simply means that the patients are given the opportunity to have power or control over their health care treatment or medication (Beattie, 1991). Regardless of whether the health promotion plan is physician- or patient-centred, the application of the Beattie’s model of health promotion enables the health care professionals to analyze

Ebola Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Ebola - Essay Example This epidemic ultimately reported a gross increase in fatality cases up to about 71% in West Africa. Additional cases of Ebola virus have been experienced in Nigeria and Senegal. Consequently, some of the United States of America medical doctors who were on life-saving missions in West Africa contracted this virus. This research paper elucidates on the origin, global distribution and health impacts of Ebola virus. The discovery of Ebola virus traces its origin from central Africa along river Zaire in Congo-Zaire. Baron Peter Piot was the lead researcher behind the discovery of Ebola cure. This Belgium microbiologist helped in the discovery of Ebola virus in 1976. He embarked on a mission to contain the first ever recorded Ebola virus in the same year. The natural reservoir for Ebola virus was basically never identified initially. This virus causative agent nonetheless was later unearthed in the year 1989. Ebola Reston (EBOR), on the other hand, was first identified in 1989 (Wilson 111). This virus emerged from imported primates when infected monkeys were imported from Mindanao in Philippines into Reston, Virginia. Unfortunately, a fewer population around was also infected with Ebola Reston (EBOR). This virus was an inactive form (Seroconverted). The virus, therefore, did not regenerate in the RNA. Additionally, Ebola virus conclusively failed to develop into Ebola haemorrhagic fever (EHF). Ebola first emerged as a simple infection though involved with a massive loss of lives in Congo-Zaire. As much as there were myths and misconceptions behind this unknown virus, scientific interventions had to prove religion wrong. Ebola emerged in 1976 in Congo-Zaire and Sudan. Therefore, this virus was named after Ebola River in Zaire. The First Ebola (Ebola-Sudan) outbreak infected about 284 people. Consequently, the infected individuals had a mortality rate of 53% (Wilson 127). A few months later, there was a re-infection of Ebola in Yambuku Zaire. This strain

Compare Tintoretto's two Last Suppers discussing their formal Essay

Compare Tintoretto's two Last Suppers discussing their formal qualities, materials, and function together with meaning - Essay Example o, Sala Grande contain elements with a mannerist language common in the artist’s works and present in his mentors and predecessors as if they were signature patterns. Both works have changed significantly over the years. First, the Church of San Trovaso introduced an orthodox front on an elevated dais and the interior depicted its superb white nudity. This depiction enabled churchgoers during the mid1500s to stop and value the balance of each perfect painting, including Tintoretto’s â€Å"Last Supper.† Being an altarpiece, Tintoretto’s version of the Last Supper in the Church of San Trovaso in fact depicts an ongoing dining in comparison to other renaissance versions of the same event3. The San Trovaso version exhibits Tintoretto’s radical spirit that deviates from classicism, which is evident in the painting’s three-dimensional setting. The radical nature of three-dimensional settings is clear from the fact that it did not become prevalent amongst Italian artists during the 1500s until the emergence of Leonardo da Vinci. In the San Trovaso version â€Å"Last Supper,† Tintoretto’s places the table diagonally and enjoys the subjects’ viewpoints so that moving the painting’s axis is evident4. However, this shifting effect heavily relies on the left or right position taken by the viewer. Tintoretto’s â€Å"Last Supper† in Scuola San Rocco shows the continuation of dynamism from the San Trovaso version. This is because of the enthusiasm of the disciples who appear to gesture each other. Along with a flight of angels who almost abruptly plummet into the event, Christ’s disciples show their excitement of the event. In this version, Christ is not in the middle, which means viewers mostly have to look for him5. The scene is very dynamic and filled with contrast caused by a lighting output. The lighting output in this â€Å"Last Supper† is evident in the specific beams of light and shadow that raise the sense of spectacle in an environment similar to a

Decision on the New System Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Decision on the New System - Essay Example Specifically, HRMS encompass payroll, work time, administration of benefits, HR management system which covers the course from the employees' application to retirement, recruiting, and training. In consideration of how this new system will be installed in the business organization, it is imperative that it consider the cost and benefits of developing in-house versus outsourcing. In order to do so, we will look at the processes that the company will need to undertake in each alternative. For a decision to outsource, the company will simply search for a reliable company in the market which can supply it with an already existing system. The demand for HRMS has already generated manufacturers which gained expertise in building this system. In recognition of the differing needs of companies, these manufacturers also offer customizable systems to suit the preferences of their clients. Thus, it is possible for the company to find a supplier which will make possible the design of an HRMS which is specifically tailored for its needs. Haag and Cummings outline the major processes of software development within a company which include: project planning; feasibility study, and initiation stage; recruitments gathering and systems analysis; systems design; building; testing; installation, implementation or deployment; and maintenance.

Writing a paper about "The Office" (us verison) Research

Writing a about "The Office" (us verison) - Research Paper Example Brown in response to an unsolicited repeat performance of a controversial, racially-themed comedy routine. It turns out that the session was held for everyone in the office, but truly, it was meant for Michael since he was the one who made the comments. Diversity is a concept that applies to all people in a particular environment, not just individuals who differ from the norm. It goes beyond just the differences to encompass the whole collective of people representing a group. Therefore, it also represents the similarities between people. There are a number of factors that can make up diversity – factors such as educational background, religion, union affiliation, seniority, physical ability, appearance, gender, and race. Some factors are organizational in nature; some are internal to a person, and some are external to a person. On its face, the diversity session that Mr. Brown tried to lead with Michael present was conducted very much of the surface level – only trying to address the racial insensitivity of Michael’s comedy routine. Instead, it misses the rich framework of other factors that define diversity in the office setting. In fact, Mr. Brown dismisses Dwight’s comment about homosexuality not bei ng a race addresses this point directly – sexual orientation is a facet of diversity that should be trained upon. Perhaps because, as Mr. Brown says, â€Å"we only have an hour†, he realizes the limitations of the scope placed on the diversity training session in terms of how much ground they can actually cover. There are a number of benefits of diversity, both for the individual as well as for the organization. At the individual level, increased diversity leads to perspective taking, intellectual engagement, and shared values with others within the group. At the organizational level, diversity can have a real impact on the mission of the organization by increasing creativity, system flexibility, and cooperation among employees. When Mr. Brown

The Clock Essay Example for Free

The Clock Essay A ‘clock’ is an instrument used to specify, record, and manage time. The word ‘clock’ comes from the French word â€Å"cloche† meaning bell, came into use when timekeepers were kept in bell towers in the Middle Ages. Historians do not who or when mankind â€Å"invented† a time-keeping device or a â€Å"clock†. Probably thousands of years ago when someone stuck a stick in the ground and saw a shadow of the sun move across the ground, known as the sundial. (Cummings, 1997-2012). After the Samarian culture left little knowledge behind, the Egyptians were next to divide their day in two parts. A vertical stick, or obelisk that is used to cast a shadow is known as a sundial. They were used as early as 3500 B.C.. Another shadow clock or sundial, possibly the first portable timepiece, came into use around 1500 B.C. to measure the passage of hours. As the sun moves from east to west, the shadows predict the time of the day. They also showed the years longest and shortest days when the shadow at noon was the shortest or longest of the year. The Greeks used a sundial called â€Å"pelekinon†. These sundials are marked to predict time accurately throughout the year. They built a more accurate sundial based on their knowledge of geometry. An ancient Egyptian sundial from the 8th century and a Greek sundial are still in existence today. Water clocks along with sundials are known to be the oldest time-measurements devices. The bowl-shaped outflow is the simplest form of a water clock and is known to have existed in Babylon and in Egypt around the 16th century BC. Other regions of the world, including India and China, also have early evidence of water clocks, but the earliest dates are less certain. Some authors, however, claim that water clocks appeared in China as early as 4000 BC. (Cowan, 1958) Ctesibius or Ktesibios or Tesibius (Greek: ΚτÎ ·ÃÆ'ÃŽ ¯ÃŽ ²ÃŽ ¹ÃŽ ¿Ãâ€š) (fl. 285–222 BC) was a Greek inventor and mathematician in Alexandria, Ptolemaic Egypt. (As of 2008, 1768–2010) He improved the clepsydra in the 3rd century by B.C. by which water that dripped into the container raised a float that carried a cursor to mark the hours. He attached a toothed rack with a float switch that when raised would turn a wheel where he installed mechanical signing birds and bells to signify certain hours of the day such as noon or midnight. In the 16th century A.D.  clepsydras were used by Galileo to time his experimental falling objects. A candle-timepiece is also of ancient origin. No one knows exactly when it originated. It was used to measure the transitory of time by marking intervals along the span of the candle. Ancient Egyptians used tallow, an animal substances to make candles. The Romans were the first to use a wick inside of a candle. Beeswax was used to make candles during the middle ages, however it was very expensive. It was said that the Romans and the Chinese would use candle-timepieces as alarm clocks. They would stick a nail in a certain point of the candle depending on the desired time. Whenever the candle wax melted down to the nail, the nail would then fall onto a tin pan and make a noise. An hourglass or sand clock was a commonly used time device. Its consist of two glass compartments connected by a narrow neck containing an certain amount of sand that slowly trickles from the bottom chamber to the lower in a set amount of time, often one hour or so. Hourglasses were very popular on board ships, as they were the most dependable measurement of time while at sea. Unlike the clepsydra, the motion of the ship while sailing did not affect the hourglass. The fact that the hourglass also used granular materials instead of liquids gave it more accurate measurements, as the clepsydra was prone to get condensation inside it during temperature changes. (Balmer, (Oct., 1978)). In the early-to-mid -14th century A.D., large mechanical clocks begin to appear in towers of several large Italian cities. These clocks were weight driven and very inaccurate. One of the first clocks to strike the hour was in Milan in around 1335 A.D. These clocks only had one hand, the hour hand. In 1510, a man by the name of Peter Henlein, a locksmith and clock maker of Nuremburg, Germany, invented the spring driven clock. He is often considered the inventor of the watch. (Dohrn-van Rossum Dunlap, 1996). In 1557, the minute hand was invented. However, it wasn’t until the invention of the pendulum in the late 1600’s that the minute hand became useful. As electricity was introduced, clocks began to use an electrical impulse to operate the dials of a master clock. The electrical current replaced the spring and weight as a power source. The piezoelectric effect given by the quartz crystals was discovered by the  Curie brothers, Pierre and Paul-Jacques Curie in 1880, but wasn’t applied into a clock until 1929. This effect exhibited by certain crystals generating a voltage when subject to an electric field, induced an electric potential to nearby conductors, therefore powering the clock. These clocks can have an accuracy of one second every 10 years. Along with these inventions, Charles Dowd introduces the idea of time zones in 1870 dividing the United States by meridians one hour, and 15 degrees apart using Greenwich, England as zero meridian. In 1883 the railroads adopt the four time zones for the continental United States. And in 1918 the United States Congress passes the ‘Standard Time Act’, authorizing The Interstate Commerce Commission to establish standard time zones within the United States, and establishing daylight saving times. Finally, In 1949 The National Institute of Standards and Technology built the first atomic clock, using ammonia. A second is formally defined as 9,192,631,770 vibrations of the cesium atom. Atomic clock NIST-7 has been the main atomic time standard for the United States, and is among the best time standards in the world.

The Sonoco Products Company Business Essay

The Sonoco Products Company Business Essay The analysis of this case study is about Sonoco Products Company, a leading manufacturer of industrial and consumer packaging. The company was adversely affected by the financial crisis in the mid 1990s. Due to the financial crisis companies sales came down by 6% during the period from 1995 to 1999. The company re designed its strategy towards industrial packaging industry which brought them the growth through large no of acquisitions. Companys strategies and the working systems changed drastically due to the impact had with the changes happened considering the needs of the consumers. Due to the notable outcomes of globalization Sonoco also felt the high competitiveness in the industry, uncertainty of jobs of employees and innovations in products which had them think of other avenues to improve on. Further the shareholders of the company also called for a new strategic HR approach in order to increase effectiveness, acquire new set of skills and competencies and HR has to be a more s trategic business partner. At the initial stage company made a hit back on to these external challenges by changing the paternalistic culture (which ensured jobs for life and allowed the underperformers to stay in the company ) and also through tightening the performance management system and transforming HR into a more proactive and strategic function changing many HR policies and processes. Due to the changes occurred in the company they had the privilege of making a more integrated marketing approach which reflected the demanding needs of the end consumer. Further, during tough economic conditions, organisations must continually improve their performance by reducing costs, innovating products, improving quality, productivity and speed to the market in order to enhance the organisational performance. (Becker Gerhart, 1996). Thereafter the Sonoco Company improved and they started reviewing their procedures and internal structures without being product oriented in order to gain maximum competitive advantage in the industry. The major changing point of Sonoco was the appointment of their Senior Vice President of Human Resources, Cindy Hartley. She changed the whole Human Resources system with some radical and significant changes which were studded into the firm as highly decentralized and which was not consistent at all. They believed the HR as a strictly back room operation (Sonoco Products case study). Traditionally Human resources function was viewed as a cost to be minimised (Becker and Gerhart, 1996). Initially Hartley discovered that most of the sections or the departments had their own way of doing things. The corporate human resources had very little work to do in the company as a whole, they were another mere department in the organisation which had little influencing power and authority. The main objective of taking Cindy Hartley was to streamline the Human resources function of Sonoco, in order to achieve the goals of creating competitive advantage, to promote best internal practices and reduc e the duplication of work. She was identified as the Change Maker of the firm (Sonoco Products case study). The change makers were interventionists with a strategic agenda focused on both the hard realities of business performance and the softer HR interventions designed to enhance employee commitment and motivation. It was this new role that perhaps most clearly differentiated HRM from traditional personnel management (Guest, 1987, pp. 505-9; Storey, 1992, p. 180). Under the leadership and guidance of Hartley, Sonoco had the luxury of changing its strategy focusing mainly on three areas such as performance management which will directly reflect the contributions made by the employees. She stressed the importance of this as performance management and compensation were HR fundamentals (Sonoco Case Study, p5). Thereafter Hartley focus was on Sonocos talent development and management system in order to refine employees skills and to identify and develop deficient skills. Final was the succession planning that needed to be integrated into business as usual in order to identify and prepare the next generation of leaders. (Sonoco Case Study, p4) Two business models were presented by Hartley to the Sonoco Companys executive committee. One was a centralised model which will target, in reducing the cost of administration and increase process improvements in order to gain a $3.1million worth of savings for the company. In this model most of the HR services will be handled by four centres of expertise. The main disadvantages of implementing this model was restricting opportunities to align directly with individual businesses needs and interests would make other objectives more complicated. (Sonoco Case Study, p6) Second option was the hybrid model where the divisions of the firm would retain some direct involvement in staffing, succession planning, personnel programmes, compensation and benefits. The main advantage of this model was that it would leave intact a divisional HR presence on which GMs could rely on, where by creating a strategic link between corporate HR functions and the businesses (Sonoco Case Study page 6). This model would generate savings of $2.7million for the Sonoco Company. The main question that arose in implementing this model was whether the changes could be effectively driven across the company. More changes were seen in Sonoco since the appointment of Harris DeLoach, Sonocos new Chief Executive Officer. His main ambition was to implement a new business model that would generate a significant growth in the company as well as it will reduce the functional cost which will keep the company more globally competitive among the other firms in the industry. The new model must also reduce the functions costs by 20% or by $ 2.8 Million (Sonoco Case Study page 1). Further, DeLoach gave the task to Hartley with devising two alternative organisational structures for HR that would cost less and support three ambitious objectives, Firstly to increase General Managers (GM) accountability for talent management, Secondly to distribute HR talent and support more evenly across the companys divisions and make HR systems and processes consistent and Finally to optimise HRs ability to provide customised , strategic support to the GMs business (Sonoco Case Study page 1). Also he made the objective s clear saying You can have the best strategy in the world but if you dont have effective execution by people, its going to fail. Thereafter Hartley focused on the two models described and Both of Hartleys alternatives are improvements in the structure of the firm which will change the traditional way of working at Sonoco. Due to these changes the most important change was the high involvement of human resouses personal in the areas which were handled mostly by the GMs. Therefore, the human resourses fulfilled their objective of controlling HR functions in the firms divisions. Further, its understanded that most of the advantages of the centralise solution are disadvantages of the hybrid one vice versa. Due to this one can argued that the centralized model is more suitable for short term progress, since it can help the firm to reduce more than the expected cost cut of 20% which was the wish of CEO, DeLoachs. However, it implies potential dangers for future operation in longer term. In the other hand this morel (centralize) is not that flexible in nature and also not suitable to implement as it will make a consi derable change in the structure of the difficult in a highly challenging market. In addition other disadvantage is that the restriction of opportunities to directly align individual businesses needs and demands, which would make other objectives of Sonoco more difficult. In terms of hybrid model, on the other hand looks like not attractive which is not meeting the requirement of expense deduction and may lead to redundancy mainly due to large set of HR personnel being involved, which will lead to an additional expense to the firm. However, if you take the two models the difference in budget is not that significant at all. Its Just $100,000 where less than 5% as a whole. But in the hybrid model, the potential for longer term is much better than the centralized model. Sonoco will also feel higher flexibility and can adjust to the change of market easier. Also Sonoco operates in 32 countries with different sets of cultural dimensions (Hofstede, 2010). Further, in the hybrid structure, with the feature of decentralization, which will help the company to be more flexible in terms of implementing HR activities which are suitable for each country or territory and by selecting hybrid model cultural conflicts will be minimised. Due to those reasons and also by compairing the advantages and disadvantages, the hybrid model seems to be a better option for Sonoco rather than the centralized structure. In implementing either of these models would have a bigger impact and risk involved to the firm but given CEOs main objective of making best use of employees, the most suitable choice seems to be the hybrid model. After the arrival of Hartley, Sonoco implemented a new performance management system and where individuals are accountable for their failures. Accordingly, Performance Management is a process which contributes to the effective management of individuals and teams in order to achieve high levels of organisational performance (Armstrong and Baron, 2004). Furthermore, performance management makes a culture in the firm where employees as individuals and also as teams take responsibilities for the continuous improvement of business processes and of their own skills, behaviours and contributions (CIPD, 2011). Therefore, Hartley changed the working culture of Sonoco by bringing in a new HR system. Sonoco made the Setting up the new system was mainly due to achieving of organisational objectives and targets, with individual performance metrics in line with the corporate targets. The targets set out by Sonoco can be measured using number of performance management tools such as, 360degree feedb ack, learning and development , performance appraisal, setting performance objectives and performance related pay like wise. Major changes were injected into the Sonoco company. After the introduction of the cyclical model to the firm, it ensured that individual performance objectives and the targets will reflect the organisational goals of the business. Further, in this senario Supervisors and the employees will agree on personal objectives and targets during the performance appraisals. Thereafter the targets will be measured considering their divisional targets. If you take as an example, in division one, each plant manager would have a set of metrics like quality, customer returns ,plant profit, machine downtime and safety. In division two, metrics might be on scrap reduction and to drive productivity (Sonoco Case Study Page 5). Sonoco case study stresses the importance in the foundations of performance management of motivation theory, especially goal setting and expectancy theory. The acceptance of goals by employees and the increasing of difficulty levels of such goals can lead to increased motivation and performance (Locke Latham, 1984). Further several HR tools were used by Sonoco to drive employee and organisational performance which was MBO. This is a goal orientated management tool in which managers and employees come together to agree upon a set of objectives to contribute to organisational performance, Drucker (1954). Additionally in this system individual employees development needs and personal training and development schedule will be agreed upon. (Sonoco Case Study Page 5). Further, Sonocos changed the previous eighteen salary grades and it was changed into a very simple and easy system of five salary bands in order to enhance managerial flexibility in differentiating among employees and awarding merit increases (Sonoco Case Study Page 5) These changes were implemented by Hartley in the new performance management system at Sonoco Products also stressed the importance of an universal compensation system within the firm. Also with the implementation of performance related pay system, it gave an incentive for the high performing individuals at Sonoco Products. The main objective of this was to benefit or reward to individual contributions while within the market guidelines (Sonoco Case Study Page 5). Further, apart from the individual financial benefits, they also permitted managers at Sonoco to think of the contributions that the employees are making in order achieve the desired business objectives (Sonoco Base Study Page 5). Nevertheless, in order to be successful, effective arrangements must be in place to define measure, appraise and manage performance (CIPD, 2011). As mentioned in the case study, reward or compensation strategies has to be divided into both intrinsic rewards and extrinsic rewards. It is very important for Sonoco to implement a variety of compensation strategies, not only focusing on performance related pay where it will help the firm in order meet employee and organisational performance objectives successfully. Due to the new performance management system, Sonoco Company is experiencing some radical changes in its firm currently. Its notable to say that the firm needs more changes or improvements in order to sustain in the competition with the others in the global market. In terms of improvements Sonoco needs attention in the areas of talent management and succession planning for them to get the best in terms of growth. More importantly hybrid model has to be developed and implemented successfully for the firm to get the intended growth and the reducing of cost. Therefore in order to gain the expected organisational performance, engagement with the GMs and line managers has to be strengthened. , Engaged employees have a sense of personal attachment to their work and organisation; they are motivated and able to give of their best to help it succeed and from that flows a series of tangible benefits for organisation and individual alike (MacLeod Clarke 2009). Further its important that Hartl ey interact with the entire workforce rather than engaged only with the managers to get the best out of the employees. Because, in reality without a motivated and engaged workforce, whatever the best HRM practices used you cant generate a high performing culture. Therefore the importance of employee engagement is a vital factor in a high performance culture within the workplace. It is important for organisations to implement a thorough and inclusive policy of employee engagement to create a high performance culture. Reflection and summary By learning The Managing Human Resources module has provided me a very strong foundation and useful insight into the key components and practices which are in the world of Human Resources. It gave me a total understanding of both the techniques and theory behind some of the critical themes within HR. Also it gave me a competitive advantage over some of my colleagues who do not possess a HR related qualification. I believe that it is very important for any future leader to obtain a comprehensive programme of study that relates to the field of HRM as it has demonstrated how important the HR function is in contributing to both organisational and employee performance. This module has certainly enhanced my performance as it has enhanced my knowledge on HR, improved my critical analysis skills, enriched my knowledge of both soft and hard HRM models and also improved my verbal dialogue by having some useful, interesting, stimulating, debating sessions during seminars. Further, it has also i nformed my judgement on how important employee participation is to the success of the organisation. Engaging with employees is a crucial component in generating a high performing culture. It is this concept that has influenced my analysis of the Sonoco case study, as HRM practices and models cannot be successfully implemented without a motivated and engaged workforce. In my personal view, the HRM module, at first, stresses the importance of managing people which I have to do when running a business of my own or working for a firm. Unlike financial management, inventory management etc., in HRM I should not rely on machine or outsourcing but to act flexibly on my own, especially when dealing with skilful and knowledgeable employees. However, thanks to HRM module, I will know how to choose and apply best HR models on their organizations.HRM will help me to identify potential strengths and weaknesses of staffs. A variety HR tools can provide a comprehensive understanding about peoples c apabilities and desires etc. in order to provide them with suitable environments, and through this, fully exploit their contributions. Moreover, to have best use of staffs, I will know how apply development methods to increase their productivity. An organization is more a community than a group of separated persons. Through researching organizational behaviour, I can be aware of relations and interactions among all staffs. Organizational behaviour is not only for providing necessary skills training, but also for allocating people in teams in order to achieve their synergy. Compensation and reward management, in connection with performance management, help me to comprehend the working motivation and know how to promote it for the benefit of both employees and organization. Finally, I believe that this module has provided me with the foundations of becoming a future leader in my organisation.

Strategies and Definitions of 3D Animation

Strategies and Definitions of 3D Animation 2.1 Definition of Animation 2.1.1 A Technical Definition of Animation Various definitions of animation exist that cover technical, physiological, through to philosophical aspects. In a technical sense, Myers (1999, [Online]) describes animation, the form that we have become familiar with, as a series of drawings that are linked together and photographed. The drawings have been slightly changed between individualized frames so when they are played back in rapid succession there appears to be seamless movement within the drawings'(Myers 1999, [Online]). Jonsson (1978, p. 2) also describes animation in a technical sense: A strip of movie film consists of still pictures called frames each one slightly different from the one preceding it. When the film is projected and run continuously these still pictures give an illusion of movement (Jonsson 1978, p. 2). Morrison (1994, p. 5) simply defines, animation as the illusion of movement: This illusion of movement can be achieved by quickly displaying a series of images that show slight incremental changes in one of the depicted objects. If you play back these images fast enough, the eye will perceive movement (Morrison 1994, p. 5). It is safe for one to conclude that animation and motion picture in general, when viewed by a human is an illusion, the rapid succession of ordered singular frames tricking the viewers eye into perceiving there is an apparent seamless movement. This technical definition of animation is closely linked to the history and evolution of motion picture, also to human physiology and how the eye and the brain perceive movement. 2.1.2 The Beginnings of the Motion Picture Animation cannot be achieved without first understanding a fundamental principle of the human eye: the persistence of vision'(James 2002, [Online]). Animation literature shows that the appreciation of this principle is not only linked with the history of animation and motion picture but much earlier, beginning long ago in our past. Since the beginnings of time, human beings have tried to capture a sense of motion in their art'(James 2002, [Online]). Williams (2001) points out several examples; a 35,000 year old pre-historic cave painting of a boar in Northern Spain displaying four pairs of legs to show motion'(Williams 2001, p. 11). Egyptian temple paintings of figures that progressively changed position'(Williams 2001, p. 12). Ancient Greek decorated pots with figures in successive stages of action. Spinning the pot would create a sense of motion'(Williams 2001, p. 12). Other examples are cave and wall paintings, medieval tapestries, scrolls, and paintings which all tell continuous storiesand some of which attempt to illustrate repetitive motions'(James 2002, [Online]). Theories that were born in the ancient world by classical scholars were to prove very important in the genesis of animation, as The Private Lessons Channel (2002, [Online]) points out. It identifies historical figures such as the Greek Aristotle (384-322 BC), who observed light and motion after effects, dating back to 340 BC (The Private Lessons Channel 2002, [Online]). The Private Lessons Channel (2002, [Online]) then points out that later, in 130 AD, Greek astronomer and geographer Ptolemy (100-178 AD) discovered the aforementioned persistence of vision. In elaborating a point made by Thomas (1964, p. 8), one can see how these ancient scholars came to such discoveries; Imagine a torch lighted with fire, being whisked around in a circular motion in the darkness, the eye seeing a continuous unbroken circle of light. This type of phenomenon must have been known to the ancients'(Thomas 1964, p. 8). 2.1.3 A Physiological Definition of Animation The Persistence of Vision While there is evidence of a fascination with the visual documentation of movement and narrative in prehistoric and classical periods, it was not until these notions were later revisited by 19th century inventors, that modern animation principles emerged. One of these inventors was the Frenchman Peter Mark Roget, also the author of the famous Rogets Thesaurus, who in the 1820s rediscovered the vital principle, the persistence of vision'(Williams 2001, p. 13). Williams (2001, p. 13) explains the persistence of vision on the following way: This principle rests on the fact that that our eyes temporarily retain the image of anything theyve just seen. If this wasnt so, we would never get the illusion of an unbroken connection in a series of images, and neither movies nor animation would be possible. Many people dont realise the movies dont actually move, and that they are still images that appear to move when they are projected in a series (Williams 2001, p. 13). Jonsson (1978, p. 2) gives a more physiologically oriented explanation: What makes this possible is a quality of our brain called persistence of vision that is; although the frame we are viewing at any given moment is in fact still, the image burns itself onto our retina, so that it remains with us for a small fraction of time while we view the next one and if the difference seems to be a reasonable follow-on, an illusion is created (Jonsson 1978, p. 2). Concluding that technical and physiological aspects work hand-in-hand in motion picture, Jonsson (1978, p. 2) explains that for the eye to record an apparent continuous seamless movement, a certain frequency of frames per second needs to be displayed. Morrison (1994, p. 5) states that human visual acuity is low enough that only 12-15 different pictures (or frames) need to be displayed per second to produce the illusion of movement. The Private Lessons Channel (2002, [Online]) states that the number of frames per second, or fps, directly correlates to how smooth the movement appears. If the frame rate is too slow, the motion will look awkward and jerky. If the frame rate is too high the motion will blur'(The Private Lessons Channel 2002, [Online]). For the eye to record a normal, continuous movement that is not too fast, and not too slow there needs to be a frequency of around 24 to 30 fps displayed by a projector. Jonsson (1978, p. 2), states that this is the sole principle by which both live-action and animated films work. 24 fps is used in cinema, 25 fps is used for PAL television (Europe and Australia), and 30 fps is used for NTSC television (America and Japan). In relation to the illusion of movement and persistence of vision, both Wells (1998 p. 10) and Furniss (1998 p. 5) portrays the view of well-known Scottish-born animation identity Norman McClaren: Animation is not the art of drawings that move, but rather the art of movements that are drawn. What happens between each frame is more important than what happens on each frame; Animation is therefore the art of manipulating the invisible interstices that lie between the frames (McClaren qtd. in Furniss 1998 p. 5). James (2002, [Online]) states that Roget demonstrated the persistence of vision principle in his invention, the thaumatrope. James (2002, [Online]) and Williams (2001, p. 13), describe it as a disc held between two pieces of string, which was attached to both of the disc edges. Each flat side of the disc had different images; one a bird, the other an empty birdcage. Twirling of the disc with the pulling of the string results in the bird appearing to be in the cage. This proved that the eye retains images when it is exposed to a series of pictures, one at a time'(James 2002, [Online]). The Private Lessons Channel (2002, [Online]) notes that two other inventors are credited with this invention, the Frenchman Dr. John Ayrton, and Englishman Dr. Fitton, depending on the source. 2.1.4 The Early Evolution of the Motion Picture Crucial to the evolution of Animation and indeed Motion Picture were other related inventions. James (2002, [Online]) describes other optical devices of a similar nature to the thaumatrope, such as the phenakistoscopeinvented in 1826 by Joseph Plateau, and the zoetropeinvented in 1860 by Pierre Desvignes. Williams (2001, p. 14) mentions another similar invention, the praxinoscope, invented by the Frenchman Emile Reynaud in 1877. Clark (1979, p. 8) states that these contraptions relied for their effect on either an endless paper band or a cardboard disc bearing series of pictures drawn in progressive stages of an action. Viewed intermittently through slots or reflected in mirrors the drawings came to life and appeared to move'(Clark 1979, p. 8). Another invention included the flipbook, or kineograph pad, first appearing in 1868. Another important invention relevant to Motion Picture was photography. The first photographs were taken in the late 1820s by a Frenchman, Nicà ©phore Nià ©pce'(Thomas 1964, p. 6). In the 1870s Sir Charles Wheatstones moving picture stereoviewerwas created to view a series of actual photographs in ordered succession (Thomas 1964, p. 16). Thomas (1964, p. 18) points out that the first to capture and record a sequence of images, was the English/American Eadweard J. Muybridge, where he famously captured a horse and carriage trotting. He then played the captured images back in a viewing device, known as the zoopraxiscope. Another important revolution in the evolution of the Motion Picture was that of nitrate celluloid film invented by H.W. Goodwin in 1887. Nitrate celluloid film was a chemical combination of gun cotton and gum camphor'(McLaughlin 2001, [Online]). Thomas (1964, p. 29) acknowledges the birth of Cinema to the famous American inventor Thomas A. Edison, and the Scot William Kennedy Laurie Dickson. In 1892 Edison and Dickson succeeded in building a camera capable of taking moving pictures at a rate of forty-six per second on Eastman celluloid film'(Thomas 1964, p. 29). Edisons and Dicksons viewing device, influenced by Austrian Ottomar Anschà ¼tz, was named the kinetoscope. Thomas (1964, p. 29) describes it as a viewing cabinet by means of which only one person could view a film at a time. As the images were not projected, the viewer had to use a small eyepiece to look into the cabinet in order to see the moving images. Instigated and influenced by the work Edison and Dickson, other inventors set about evolving the kinetoscoperesulting in viewing devices with the ability to project images. The most well-known of these inventors were the Lumià ¨re brothers, who in 1895 designed a camera and projector which they call the cinà ©matographe'(Thomas 1964, p. 30). The Lumià ¨re brothers became the first to give a public exhibition of moving pictures'(Thomas 1964, p. 30), which they held on the 28th of December 1895, at the Grand Cafà © in Paris. It is interesting to note that Estonian animator Priit Pà ¤rn in his surrealist-inspired short film 1895, pays tribute to the Lumià ¨re brothers, and invention of the cinà ©matographe. Thomas (1964, p. 31), concludes that the interest shown by the public in these first cinema shows gave rise to a rapid growth in a new industry. In time, with the advent and advancement of various technologies and techniques, the first true animated films were born. 2.1.5 A Philosophical Definition and Discussion of Animation Animation is the art of bringing something to life. How its brought to life can be done any number of different ways, simply states Ludwin (1998, [Online]). Bringing something to life is indeed a very important theme in animation. To better understand the definition of animation, it is useful to find out the original term from which the word animation derives. Wells (1998, p. 10) notes that animation derives from the latin word animare, which means to give life to, and that the animated film largely means the artificial creation of the illusion of movement in inanimate lines and forms. The famous Zagreb School of Croatia relates the definition of to animate back to this original meaning. They suggest, that to animate is to give life and soul to a design, not through the copying but through the transformation of reality(Wells 1998, p. 10). When youre animating and moving an object, youre instilling life in something'(Lubin 2003). This leads us onto animators philosophies, ideologies and animation aesthetics. There are many differences in philosophy among animators and opinion of what the essence of animation actually is. One interesting example illustrating the philosophical differences of opinion is with respect to the extent of which animation should reflect real-life. For instance, the copying of real-life movements using motion capture techniques, are not favoured by all animators. Stefan Marjoram of the Aardman studio notes that motion capture is alright in sports games, but it doesnt necessarily make you a good animator. Animations not about copying real life, after all a lot of people use motion capture for that. For me animation is about exaggerating real life'(Ricketts 2002, p. 51). Lubin (2003) agrees: Thats absolutely right. I mean if youre doing a game and you want to get Tiger Woodsswing, fine. But Motion Capture which is only about animating humanoid animation, why bother? Just get real actors (Lubin 2003). When asked the question on what the public perception of Animation is, Tom Lubin in an interview on 1 April 2003 stated that it depends on who you askand it depends on the show. Some animation would be dismissed as stuff for something to baby-sitlittle kids with, whilst other animation has a broader market encompassing all age groups. I think the public has a very broad view of it depending on their interests'(Lubin 2003). Lubin (2003) also pointed out that animation has been successful for a really long time, and he stated that it was telling that the Academy Awards now, in the last few years, actually gives an Oscar for the best feature in animation. This has to do with the publics perception of animation as a viable stand alone'(Lubin 2003). Animation at its most creative, is a truly beautiful artform'(White 1988, p. 9). The term art and its related words feature heavily in many animation definitions and philosophies originating from the birth of modern animation. Winsor McCay the first American animator of the early 1900s, who many have dubbed the father of the animated cartoon, once stated: Animation should be an artwhat you fellows have done with it is making it into a tradenot an art, but a tradebad luck (Crandol 1999, [Online]). Crandol (1999, [Online]) points out that McCays warning and prediction inevitably became true. Indeed a studio production system with a streamlined, assembly-line processwas formed out of the necessity to satisfy time, expense and demand factors (Crandol 1999, [Online]). Wells (1998) also mentions several times that the domination and the proliferation of mass-produced cel animation'(p. 35), such as that produced in America and Japan, has led to animation being understood in a limited wayby society (p. 24). Wells (1998, p. 35) elaborates stating that: The amount of cheaply produced, highly industrialised cel animation made in the USA and Japan had colonised television schedules, and perhaps, more importantly, the imaginations of viewers (Wells 1998, p. 35). Crandol (1999, [Online]) also points out that the collective nature of the studio may prevent the artists from receiving the amount of praise an artist working solo garners. Wells (1998, p. 7) makes the point that this type of animation has somewhat diminished animation in the eyes of society as a legitimate artform: Animation has been trivialised and ignored despite its radical tendencies and self-evident artistic achievements at the technical and aesthetic level. Ironically, the dominance of the cartoon(i.e. traditional celanimation in the style of Disney or Warner Brothers, which is predicated on painting forms and figures directly onto sheets of celluloid which are then photographed) has unfortunately misrepresented and the animated film because it art seems invisible or, more precisely, is taken for granted by its viewers. The cartoon seems part of an easily dismissed popular culture; animation, as a term, at least carries with it an aspiration for recognition as an art and, indeed the popular evaluation of other animated forms (Wells 1998, p. 7). Although there appears to be a domination of the of American and Japanese style of animation and its entertainment premise as suggested, affecting the common perception of animation, large difference in styles and approaches have occurred and do exist. In an interview with an animation Domain Expert on 1 May 2003, he made the point that European animation, due to the many various nations and peoples, have contributed a large number of diverse artistic visual styles, contrasting to the American or Japanese styles. He also stated that many animated works are not always of the purely entertainment premise. One example he stated was in the communist period of Eastern Europe where animation was state controlled, focusing on allegorical social comment, the animators slipping in their own secret messages in the films past the censors. Even with the domination of industrialised mass-produced animation, and the influences it has on the audience, Crandol (1999, [Online]) remarks that there have been many animators careful not to let business logistics overwhelm the artistic potential of the medium. Crandol (1999, [Online]) concludes that as long as are creative people working, animation will continue to be the best of both worlds: a trade and an art. Tom Lubin, Head of Training at FTI (Film Television Institute), in an interview on 1 April 2003, in response to the question of animation being an art responded I think it is. Well you need art skills to do it. But actually that not as important to me as storytelling. What animation is, is storytelling. Storytelling and its importance to Animation will be specifically discussed and investigated in Chapter 3: The Principles of Storytelling. To give life towas a major inspirational theme in the animation process I went through, so to was the art of animation, as I have personally and purposefully embraced it when conducting the creative animation process. This will be touched upon in part 2 of the dissertation; The Self-Reflective Case Study. 2.2 The Animation Process The Angus Robertson Dictionary and Thesaurus (1992, p. 788) defines the word process as a series of actions which produce a change or development, and a method of doing or producing something. From these meanings the animation process can be described as what I am researching and undertaking in my Honours project; the pattern of methods an animator undertakes from start to finish in the creation of an animated work, or animation. Animation and the animation process, like many other disciplines, have undergone a paradigm shift due to technological advancements. Indeed technology has been the catalyst for many paradigm shifts as Utz (1993, p. 16) points out. Due to the ever-increasing accessibility and affordability of various technologies, an animators methods, actions and options have changed when implementing the animation process. See Appendix 2: Paradigm Shift in the Animation Process, for a more detailed discussion of this subject. Referring to these changes in the animation process, animator George Griffin believes the role of the animator in an artistic sense has changed very little: Despite the enormous upheavals in technology, the independent animators artistic role remains essentially the same: to draw time, to construct a model of ideas and emotions, using any means available (Griffin qtd. in Laybourne 1998, p. xi). 2.3 Types of Animation For a description of the various types of animation such as traditional 2D animation, stop-motion animation and computer generated 3D animation, please refer to Appendix 2: Paradigm Shift in the Animation Process. 2.4 Conclusion Through investigating the various definitions of animation it can be seen that they cover and include many different aspects. The technical definition of animation is closely linked to the history and evolution of motion picture, and this is turn is linked to the understanding of human physiology and how the eye and the brain perceive movement. The different philosophical definitions and viewpoints animators hold also cover many different aspects, varying immensely. This chapter directly relates to the practical component of the Honours project, as described in part 2 of the dissertation; The Self-Reflective Case Study. This is due to the fact that when creating the 3D animated pilot and series concept, I related to and strongly agreed with various animation philosophies that were discussed in this chapter e.g. to give life to, as mentioned beforehand. On some occasions these philosophies affected and influenced the way that I would conduct my own practical animation process. A brief investigation on societys perception of animation subject matter was also relevant for the target audience of the series concept.

Critique On Advertising In Our Society :: essays research papers

Critique On Advertising In Our Society A critique on the impact of advertising in our society. Consider visuals and verbal or written language. (1000 words) The impact of advertising on our society is a fiercely debated topic, and has been ever since the conception of advertising in its most basic form. There are negative and positive social and economic impacts upon society from advertising in its various forms. For instance, advertising promoting public welfare has a positive social impact upon society, whereas advertising portraying women as sex objects has negative social impacts. There are also positive economic impacts on society such as providing funding for the media and stimulating an active, competitive economy. There are a number of proven ways to persuade the consumer that he or she needs the product being advertised. These methods of persuasion, instead of concentrating on the actual product, usually concentrate on the benefits that will be brought to the consumer. These benefits may include the hope of more money and better jobs, popularity and personal prestige, praise from others, more comfort, social advancement, improved appearance, or better health. For example, an automobile advertisement, as well as mentioning the mechanical attributes of the car, would most likely focus on the excitement, prestige and social advancement it may bring the buyer. This social advancement is very often sexual, or involving attraction of the other sex– so the car advertisement may also mention the glamorous women/men that the consumer will attract with his/her fancy car. Advertising has been blamed for a great variety of negative social impacts. One of the major criticisms received by advertising is that it forces people to buy things they don't really need, often by projecting negative emotions such as fear, anxiety or guilt upon the consumer. It is claimed that advertising plays with our basic human emotions and takes advantage of them, using them as merely another technique to sell goods or services. Advertising also encourages people to buy products by making them think that purchasing and consuming are the major activities of their lives. It is said to also evoke fears of inferiority upon the consumer by depicting the ‘normal' person as young, attractive, wealthy and successful. This may encourage a person to act on his or her desire for success and, for instance, go out and purchase that particular brand of make-up or deodorant hoping to emulate the seeming success of the person depicted in the advertisement. In opposition, advertisers state that the public is intelligent enough to, and quite capable of, making up its own mind and will definitely not buy anything they don't want or need.

Dont Say A Word :: essays research papers

Don’t Say A Word was what Nathan Conrad heard from his daughters’ kidnappers. This movie was intense and heart stopping. It all started out in Williamsburg, Brooklyn in November of 1991. Five men commit a bank robbery to steal one prize jewel. After the robbery, the five men split into two groups and took two different get-away vehicles. One vehicle had three men and the other had two men. The vehicle with two men contained â€Å"Jon Doe† (name never mentioned) and another anonymous man. These two men planned on stealing the jewel from their partners throughout the entire crime; they were successful in doing so. It showed the two men laughing and having a drink as they split open Jon Doe’s daughter; Elizabeth Burrows, doll to conceal the jewel inside of the doll, named Nilempha. Ten years later the movie continues on with a well-known psychiatrist named Nathan Conrad on the day before Thanksgiving. One of Nathan’s previous co-workers paged him and said it was an emergency to come directly to the Bridgeview Psychiatric Hospital to see a patient named Elizabeth Burrows who has just sliced a man with a razor numerous times. Elizabeth had been institutionalized for the past ten years in twenty different institutes; this showed she was extremely disturbed. When Nathan arrived at the Hospital, he met Elizabeth and found she had not eaten, had anything to drink, or spoken since her arrival. He also noticed she had numerous bruises and scars in areas known for suicide attempts. When she was a young girl she watched her father, Jon Doe, from the previous robbery brutally murdered in a subway. The other men, who helped him commit the crime found him, beat him and threw him in front of a subway train. The men who did this were arrested and tried, but were now out of prison and looking for her. This is why she stayed in the hospitals because she felt safe. He tried to speak to her and with no replies he began to walk out when she said, â€Å"You want what they want†, he turned and asked her what she meant. She repeated herself and then sang, â€Å"I’ll never tell†. With this Nathan grew curious as to who â€Å"they† were. He stayed at the hospital until close to ten o’clock PM before returning home to his wife and eight-year-old daughter, Jessie.

Punjabi language Essay

Methodology I. Statement of the problem The Internet has become the most extensively used information source the empowers the average person to get in roaming with the latest information. Today’s users can no longer depend on conventional information sources to cope with the latest developments in their respective fields. The Internet has emerged as a powerful education tool with the increasing impact of information and communication technologies on higher education, the ever-increasing number of people accessing Internet coupled with recent explosion of information resources on the Internet; may have considerable implications for teaching, learning and research. Teachers and students are depending more and more on the Internet for their various educational purposes. The present study deals with the Internet in the library of Bhai Kahan Singh, Nabha library (Punjabi University Patiala) & A. C Joshi Library (Panjab University Chandigarh). It is entitled â€Å"Internet and its role in Punjabi University Patiala and Panjab University Chandigarh Libraries: a comparative study. † II. Research Methods After selection and statement of the problem major task for the researcher is to decide about the method, procedure and techniques to be used for collection, analysis and interpretation of data. It is essential that proper methodology is adopted and appropriate techniques are applied so as to achieve the objectives laid down for the investigation present study adopted the survey method. Survey suggests gathering of information relating to the current problem. III. Methodology will be used in the study Students, teachers, Research scholar and library staff in the Panjab University and in the Punjabi University represented the target population for this study. The questionnaire method will be implemented to collect the data for the present study and to select the sample population random sampling method will be used. The sample will be random in the sense that the sample for the present study consisted of as teachers, 25 students, 25 research scholars and 25 library staff selected randomly from Punjabi University and Panjab University, 25 teachers, 25 students, 25 research scholars and 25 library staff selected randomly from Punjabi University and Panjab University under study. Accordingly 15 questionnaires will be distributed among the students, teachers, research scholars and library staff of the Punjabi university and Punjab University. IV. Objective of the study. The present study is an attempt to find out the pattern of using the Internet by the students and teachers of Panjab and Punjabi University. The study will be conducted with the following objectives: * To study the use of the Internet by the teachers, students and research scholars in Panjab and Punjabi university. * To study the various Internet sources and services used by the respondents on the Internet for various activities of teaching, learning and research. * To identify the different purposes for which teacher’s students and research scholars use the Internet. * To examine the impact of Internet on the various activities like teaching, learning and research. * To find out the problems faced by the respondents while using the Internet. V. Scope of the study The scope of the present study is limited to two universities only. The study includes the use of Internet in Punjabi and Panjab university libraries. This study not only includes only one section of library, but it includes the use of Internet in all the sections of the library i. e. , reader’s services and house keeping services. VI. Significance of the study The existence of Internet is a major factor that has changed the way information is produced, published, stored transmitted and used. The Internet is an enabling factor for libraries to establish networks and share their resources. The ever-increasing number of people accessing Internet coupled with recent explosion of information resources on the Internet may have considerable implications for teaching, learning and research. Teachers and students are depending more and more on the Internet for their various educational purposes. The present survey is, therefore, an attempt to assess the effectiveness of Internet as an educational tool, and what role it actually plays in the educational system with special reference to the Punjabi University Patiala and Panjab University Chandigarh. VII. Hypothesis The following null Hypotheses will be framed. 1. The two libraries will be following almost same practices (procedures) which regard to the services yet there growth differ due to certain extraneous factors. 2. There will be a significant difference between the number of users of these two libraries. 3. Rich collection of library supported by adequate staff and liberal rules attract more users. 4. There will be no significant difference in the use of internet conditions of the staff in the two libraries. 5. The use of internet in terms of common parameters are not uniform in different types of university libraries. 6. The university library expenditure in relation to share of university expenditure does not satisfy minimum norms suggested by various committees and commissions. 7. Distribution of fund is not done on equity basis to university libraries. VIII. Sources of Data collection Present study will be an effort to find use of Internet in Panjab University library and Punjabi University library. Universities chosen for selection of the subject will be comparable in terms of use of internet in Punjabi University library and Punjab University Library. This will be done in order to have a homogeneous sample with regard to parameters chosen for the study. IX. Data collection instrument Questionnaire method of research has been adopted in this survey. Keeping in view the objectives of the study, the investigator has used. Primary data will be collected from various categories of staff members and users by informed semi-structured interviews. Various visits to the different sections of the two libraries will be made so as to collect sufficient data through personal observations official documents. Files and statistics records will be scanned to know the number of books issued daily, total number of registered members total number of books purchased, library budget and other related information. X. Components Questionnaire counted 15 questions. According to their content, 15 questions can be divided into various types: personal information, satisfactions etc. XI. Scoring Questionnaire will be administered to the 50 student, 50 teachers, 50 research scholars, 50 library staff of Punjabi University library and Panjab University library. After the initial approval of the university librarian had been obtained survey will be distributed personally to all the professional staff members by the investigator and completed questionnaires will be collected. Afterwards a sincere effort will be made to secure the cooperation of the subjects and to establish a report with the subjects in order to elicit reliable information from them. The subjects will be apprised of the purpose of the investigation as being scientific and academic. They will be told in person that questionnaires will be anonymous and contained a reassurance that no attempt to identify respondents would be made and that they will be free not to answer a question if did not want to data processing will be done through computer. The entries will be coded by university and by designation. XII. Statistical methods Will be used for analysis in order to arrive at objective findings and dependable conclusions the score measures will be subjected to the following statistical treatment. Raw data will be processed to obtain frequency distributions of all variables included in the study. For further processing of the information contained in frequency distribution to a single number per frequency distribution, percentage etc used. XIII. Interpretation and presentation of Data Simple statistical methods like average, % etc ever will be used to interpret the data. Data will be presented in the form of tables, graphs, charts, pie charts, column charts, 100% column charts etc.

Cars vs. Motorcycles Essay

There are many people that believe that using a helmet while riding a motorcycle will not help in most crashes. There is no data that supports this it is only a theory. Statistics have no way to predict what would have happened in the same accident under the same conditions if the person would have had a helmet or not. There is no guaranty of safety even with wearing a helmet while riding a motorcycle. If you are concerned with safety and comfort than riding in a car is an excellent way to go. Cars have been evolving for thousands of years with safety, comfort and style in mind. Given the information above alone makes riding in a car better than riding a motorcycle because a car is safer, quieter, and more comfortable than a motorcycle. Statistics show that 84 of drivers drive a car rather than a motorcycle. There are many features in cars that make them safe. Some of these features would be that they are made of metal. The metal that the car is made of keeps individuals inside the vehicle safe from being hit directly in an accident. For instance, the Hummer is one the safest vehicles out there. It originated from the Hum-Vee which is used as a military vehicle. The Hummer frame is the strongest in the car industry. A car has seatbelts that also keep you safe. When the seatbelt is buckled, it holds a person into the seat so that in the event of an accident the person is kept safe and inside the car. A seatbelt has a three point safety-belt restraint system that focuses on the shoulders, hip and lap. This protects the bodys internal organs and controls the bodys forward motion during a crash. It also prevents cranial and cervical injuries by minimizing head and neck motion. For example, in Colorado of August 2013 there was a 7 year old boy that was killed in a crash off of highway 119. He was in the cargo area of a 1996 Ford Explorer and was partially ejected during the rollover accident due to him not wearing his seatbelt. Another feature that cars have to keep you safe is the airbag. Airbags are passive restraints designed to activate automatically when a vehicle gets into an accident. For example, all new vehicles in the United States have to include dual front airbags, but many automakers go above and beyond that minimum requirement such as Toyota. In addition to the car being safe, it is also quiet. What makes a car quiet is that it has doors. A vehicle door can be opened to provide access to the opening, or closed to secure it. These doors can be opened manually, or powered electronically. Doors when shut keep out noise and weather conditions such as wind, rain and heat. In addition, the Cadillac has won the Motor Trends Car of the Year for the last five years due to the exterior design of their doors. The suction that the Cadillac doors provide keeps out 98 of all noise and air, as well as 100 of all weather conditions. Windows also help keep a car quiet. Car windows have a seal that keeps out wind and noise from the outside when rolled up. When rolled down the windows allow air to flow throughout the vehicle. For example, my daughter and I were taking a trip to Pismo, and we had the windows down to enjoy the breeze, but the wind was so loud we couldnt hear each other and had to roll them up. It was so quiet and peaceful after rolling up the windows. A car is also comfortable along with being safe and quiet. Cars have seats with backs as well as temperature control. The back of the seats in a vehicle can lean back keeping it comfortable and making it an enjoyable ride. Vehicles also have a system to blow heat or air conditioning into the car to keep the individuals inside the car comfortable. For instance, the BMW has very comfortable seats. If leaned back it feels like a recliner chair. The air control in the BMW has several settings to keep the driver and passengers comfortable. Riding in a car is safe, quiet and comfortable, unlike riding on a motorcycle. For instance, riding a motorcycle is more dangerous than a car because motorcycles are hard to see on the road and are easily hit. Due to the size of motorcycles there is more of a blind spot than that of a car that makes it easy for them to be hit by other drivers on the road. For example, there is a lady and her husband just last week that were going on a ride to Bass Lake on their motorcycle. They were in their lane on the freeway, and a car didnt see them because they were in the cars blind spot, and they were hit. Tanya suffered from a fractured shoulder and Justin needed surgery for his broken back. Banning motorcycles would cut the accidents on the road by half of what they are now. Motorcycles are also dangerous because riders can easily fall off. Motorcycles only have two wheels, one in the front and one in the back. There is nothing to hold the rider onto the bike. For instance, 64 of all motorcycle accidents are due to the rider falling off their 1 / 2 bikes. Riders tend to not hold onto the bike as well as they should. If motorcycles were banned the cost of vehicle insurance and medical expenses would decrease considerably. Not only is a motorcycle more dangerous than a car, it is quieter too. Unlike the car that is quiet inside because of the doors and windows, a motorcycle is loud because there is no barrier to outside wind. While riding the wind blowing against the rider is very loud. For example, in 1972 there were 14,000 cases of riders having ear infections and hearing loss due to the wind blowing in their ears while riding. The amount of people with hearing issues would go from 74 to 30 if we did not have individuals riding on motorcycles. A car has comfortable options whereas riding a motorcycle is very uncomfortable. When you are riding a bike, and you go over bumps it hurts. Motorcycles are designed with only a little cushion for the rider to straddle so that they do not become too comfortable and lose focus. When going over bumps in the road the rider feels it in-between their legs. For example, a biker, James Casotle quit riding motorcycles in 1997 for this reason alone. He was so uncomfortable and in pain after getting off his motorcycle he would have a hard time walking. Years of this caused him to have permanent damage to his tailbone. Not only do the bumps in the road cause discomfort so do insects. While riding motorcycles, insects flying around can fly into the riders mouth or eyes. For instance, there is motorcycle insurance commercial, and it shows a rider on the highway. As the guy is riding a swarm of insects fly into him. The bugs fly into his mouth and eyes causing him to crash. Banning motorcycles would result in fewer accidents and medical issues. If motorcycles were banned from the United States, we would have a decrease in taxes since there would not be such a high demand for certain medical issues. We would have safer roads since driving a motorcycle is dangerous for those driving cars and the motorcyclist. There are billboards reminding drivers to check twice for motorcycles, but they are still difficult to see and some drive between vehicles. If motorcycles did not exist, it would cut down on accident and deaths greatly. Y, dXiJ(x(? I_TS? 1EZBmU/xYy5g/GMGeD3Vqq8K)fw9 xrxwrTZaGy8IjbRcXI u3KGnD1NIBs RuKV. ELM2fi? V? vlu8zH (W )6-rCSj id? DAIqbJx6kASht(QpmcaSlXP1Mh9MVdDAaVBfJP8? AVf 6Q POWERED BY TCPDF (WWW. TCPDF. ORG).

Bus 303 Practice Midterm Essay

Characters: Cathy and Dave, a well-to-do professional couple Al, a real estate salesman Cathy and Dave are young, upwardly mobile. They hold good professional jobs in downtown Chicago. One day Cathy received an invitation in-the mail, from a resort called Green Acres (GA), which was located near the mountains, about eight hour driving time from Chicago. The mailer invited the young couple to spend two nights free of cost and receive $50 for expenses. All they had to do in return was to listen to a presentation, see a video, and take a tour of the resort for about two hours. Additional conditions included 24 hour advance booking of the room with 24 hour notice for cancellations, and a valid credit card. Green Acres would charge $50 for a no show. Although the letter made no mention of it, Cathy and Dave knew the invitation was a real estate promotion and guessed that the two hours with the GA staff meant a hard sell for a condo or a timeshare near a lake or a golf course, something they did not want. They decided to take the offer anyway in order to get a free vacation and arranged to visit GA the following weekend. Cathy and Dave had a good time at GA. The only sour point of the trip was the last exchange they had with Al the salesman. At the end of the two hour presentation when Cathy and Dave had refused to buy any GA properties, Al looked at Dave in frustration and said, â€Å"If you knew you weren’t going to buy any property here, why did you come? Our company spent $300 to get you down here, and you have taken food off my family’s table. What you did is immoral. Please don’t do it again.† At this Dave retorted, â€Å"Your letter was clear, there was nothing in it that said a purchase of real estate was involved, and we had no obligation to buy anything from you. Your invitation was unconditional, I don’t owe you or your family anything and I resent what you just said.† At the end of this uncomfortable exchange, Cathy and Dave left the room with an unpleasant feeling. But the unpleasant feelings did not last long because the drive back through the m ountains was truly spectacular. After a few days Cathy said to Dave, â€Å"You know, I’m still mad about what Al said to us at Green Acres. Should we write to his boss, or to the real estate board or to some government agency? You know, if we don’t do something, some poor unsuspecting people might fall for their gimmicks!† Dave replied, â€Å"No, I don’t think we should waste any time on this. Most people know, or should know what they are getting into-there are no free lunches! Besides if we complain, Al may lose his job and when we’ll be really taking the food from his family’s table!† What Are the Relevant Facts? 1. Cathy and Dave are educated and well paid. 2. They received an unsolicited invitation from Green Acres (GA). 3. The invitation had nothing in it that said they had to buy anything from GA. 4. They correctly guessed that the GA sales staff would put pressure on them to buy real estate. 5. GA was eight hours driving time from Chicago. 6. Al made a sales presentation. 7. Cathy and Dave listened to the presentation. 8. Al said Cathy and Dave had acted immorally and had deprived him of a chance of earning a sales commission. 9. Dave said that they had fulfilled their obligation, as outlined in the invitation, and had not acted incorrectly. What Are the Ethical Issues? 1. What is the role of inducements in marketing? 2. What is the responsibility of individuals who accept inducements? Do they have any moral obligations to purchase goods if they accept free gifts from merchants? 3. Is giving attractive gifts to potential buyers an ethical practice? Does the size of the gift or the inducement matter? 4. Cathy and Dave were sophisticated, educated city folk and did not feel pressured to buy from GA. Do less educated or less sophisticated consumers feel pressured to buy merchandise under enticements of gifts? Would such business practice be considered ethical? 5. Should Cathy and Dave complain so that other vulnerable people may not be pressured into buying expensive property they do not want? Who Are the Primary Stakeholders? †¢ Cathy and Dave †¢ Al †¢ GA †¢ GA’s stockholders †¢ Other potential consumers, especially the vulnerable ones What Are the Possible Alternatives? 1. Cathy and Dave can forget the incident and do nothing. 2. They can file a complaint with GA. 3. They can file a complaint with the appropriate authorities. 4. They can write to Al. What Are the Ethics of the Alternatives? 1. What is the best course of action for Cathy and Dave from the moral standpoint? What is the best course of action that Cathy and Dave take that will provide the greatest benefit to the greatest number? 2. Do Cathy and Dave and other potential customers have rights not to be pressured or induced into actions they may not wish to take? Do GA and Al have rights to pursue their business and personal interests? Were any rights violated? 3. What is the just thing to do in this case? Which alternative distributes the burdens and responsibilities fairly? If Cathy and Dave act and if GA improves its practices everyone except Al may benefit. Not complaining may mean Al will continue his tactics and undermine GA’s goals assuming that word would get around and additional customers will be offended. What Are the Practical Constraints? None. What Actions Should Be Taken? 1. What should Cathy and Dave do? 2. Which alternative would you choose? 3. Which approach (utilitarian, rights, or justice) makes the most sense to you in this situation? Clearly, no action could mean unsuspecting people may be lured into buying expensive real estate with potentially severe consequences. Complaints could lead to improved practice and better performance but could lead to the loss of Al’s job. 4. What is the right thing to do?

Why Germany Failed in the Battle of Barbarossa

Between June and December in 1941, German judgement inhibited achievement in Operational Barbarossa. Strategic indecision in a wider and more specific context was exacerbated by climatic conditions and a widening rift between the reality and the theory of the battle. The Blitzkrieg strategy that had defined German military capacity was inapplicable to the Russian situation in several contexts. Blitzkrieg was intended to avoid stagnant trench and linear warfare, it was intended to prevent enemy forces form arranging a coherent defence, and it depended upon a highly mobile and mechanised form of warfare. None of these credentials existed in Operation Barbarossa, and the result was a battle of attrition. In commencing Operation Barbarossa, the German prerogative was; ‘Provided everything was over quickly’. Hitler had expected complete strategic freedom within five weeks, an outcome which did not require substantial supplies. However, the reality was that supplies were grossly mismatched with the capability and objectives of German infantry and tanks. The subsequent extension of supply lines increased exposure to Russian attack. The changing nature of the Operation had wider ramifications. Blitzkrieg was not just a tactic, but it was the most fundamental structure of the wider German war plan. Consequently, the entire domestic structure of production was intricately arranged to facilitate a particular warfare. This rendered it incapable of supporting the prolonged warfare of Operation Barbarossa. In November 1941, the Quartermaster General of the German Army reported that; ‘We are at the end of our resources in both personnel and material. We are about to be confronted with the dangers of a deep winter. ’ Hitler was so confident of a rapid victory that he did not prepare for even the possibility of winter warfare. In the first instance, the campaign was launched too late. Hitler should have invaded in April so that objectives could have been achieved before winter set in. However, Hitler’s decision to fight over Yugoslavia in Operation Retribution delayed Barbarossa by five weeks. German Command was unprepared for winter warfare. The many German weapons that malfunctioned in the climate debilitated German firepower. More significantly, forces were not equipped with adequate cold. Vital supplies such as fuel were consumed in managing the temperature. Deep mud, followed by snow disrupted supply lines to exacerbate existing logistical problems. Russian equipment was comparatively adapted for these conditions. Soviet soldiers had warm, quilted uniforms, felt-lined boots and fur hats Climatic conditions only exacerbated the morale deficiency that already marred German forces. Depression was rife, and the presence of an intangible enemy starved German soldiers of contact and success. Soviet potential was severely underestimated by German Command. Communist structures were resistant and adaptable in the sense that they pervaded all aspects of Russian existence. Despite significant losses of land to German forces in the West, the capability of Russia to produce armaments was retained as Communist political structures legitimised the relocation of all industry eastwards. Throughout the duration of the war, the Soviets retained the capacity to rapidly replace its losses and mobilise over 500,000 drafted men each month. The capacity of the Soviet to extract sacrifice from its population was foreign to Western nations. Russian soldiers were reportedly insensible to losses and unmoved by severe attack. A German officer observed that ‘The Russians seem to have a never-ending supply of men. Furthermore, there was little opportunity to interfere with supply columns or communications, because supplies were obtained from the villages through which they advanced. Russian partisans of these same communities would engage in Guerrilla Warfare with advancing German forces. The mismanagement of tactics and climate, and the underestimation of Russian f orces was largely the result of Hitler’s detachment from the tactical and logistical realities of Barbarossa. Hitler’s original three-pronged attack was ludicrously ambitious and unrealistic. Rather, he should have concentrated all forces and supplies on successive breakthroughs. Later, the redirection of the majority of German forces south towards the Caucasus necessitated the displacement of the majority of the 6th Army’s supplies. Despite this, Hitler did not alter the objectives of the Army. Though it was severely incapacitated, particularly in terms of firepower, he insisted that it continue to Stalingrad to isolate the oil fields. Hitler’s decisions were absolute and inflexible, but were undefined and imperceptive to the specifics of the Operation. Paradoxically, these decisions did not ensure conformity, but depended entirely upon the unpredictable interpretations of those under Hitler. As a result, his intentions were often distorted with significant consequences. Moreover, Hitler’s decisions were actualised within an inefficient system. Hitler did not recognise the vitality of admistrative order and clear lines of authority, frequently interfering in the informed judgements of those in the Operation, including Von Paulus. Rather, Hitler dogmatically pursued his preconceived notions of the inherent weakness of communism and inferiority of the Russian culture. His response to the mounting failures of Barbarossa was obtuse. He proclaimed; ‘What we need here is national socialist order’. Perhaps it was mentality that resulted in his gross underestimation of the capability of the Soviet Army. Ultimately, the failure of Operation Barbarossa was the result of palpably inappropriate German judgment. It remains the largest military operation in human history in terms of manpower and area traversed, but as a result of these judgments, also in casualties. Barbarossa provided Britain with an invaluable ally, with which Germany was forced to fight the dreaded two-front war.