Paranormal Existences

Paranormal Existence Is someone or something else among us at this moment, in this room, something we can’t even see? Have you ever wondered what else is really out there? Unexplained happenings occur every day. Spirits or ghosts are thought of just being people that have passed away but there has to be more to it. Paranormal activity is defined as experiences that lie outside the range of normal experience or scientific explanation.At some point in everyone’s life they will experience some kind of unexplained activity. Many people ask the question if it actually exists or if it’s all in their head. Scientists often say that these so called â€Å"spirits† do not exist. Only personal experiences can interpret your own feelings about paranormal existences. My story is about a spirit that lived on past their death. One night a couple months ago me and my friends were playing on her wigi board. Her dad had died 5 years earlier due to a horrific car crash.Her f amily had always seen balls roll across the room and other strange things happen without explanation; they always assumed it was him. When we started playing around with the board the first letter of the girl’s dads name showed up and her eyes instantly filled up with tears, like a helpless child left all alone, the second letter was the second letter to his name, the same with the third. By this time my friend was balling, she of course knew it was her father. We continued playing until the last letter of his name showed up.At this moment we heard a vase upstairs shatter into a million pieces, just like the car windshield had done when his helpless body had gone through it, instantly killed. We ran upstairs to find the vase and its contents of flowers spread all over the floor. Then we replaced it with a new vase and reassembled the flowers to how they were. The next morning her mother walked downstairs with a flower in her hand and asked, â€Å"Why did you put a flower nex t to my bed? † That night changed the way I thought about spirits forever.I never thought anything like that could ever happen to me. Anyone who experienced that kind of activity and the intensity in that room could easily say they felt a presence surrounding them. In the moment of that glass shattering was the one of the scariest moments of my life. I will always remember the terror racing through me, my heart pounding, sounding of horse’s strong hooves beating against the track, like thunder rolling in and the suspense leading up to the storm.Saying spirits like this don’t exist is outrageous considering how many people actually experience real activity. Some people don’t want to believe this is real simply because they are scared of it. Many others find it very interesting to study about and explore the possibilities of what else could potentially be out there with us in our everyday lives and something you aren’t even able to see. Everyone has d ifferent views on if paranormal existences are actually real. Mysterious things could happen at any time, and when they do, be prepared.

Aaron Zuniga-Bennett Essay

In the early 1980s, the American people elected Ronald Reagan as President of the United States of America. Many people claim that Reagan was one of the greatest presidents of all time, while others believe that the country would have been much better off had Reagan never been elected. Regardless of their political preferences, it is undeniable that Ronald Reagan changed the world in the 1980s and his work as president will be forever remembered in the countless books of history. Ronald Reagan ran as a Republican and was the absolute spirit of a conservative. He worked to bring forth the ideal of conservatism in America and successfully captured and isolated that belief in the presidency. As president, Reagan worked to bring the ideal of American exceptionalism back to the country, to set the economy on the right track, and to end the Communist threat that had been present since the end of World War II. For all practical purposes, Ronald Reagan was a president who accomplished more t han he set forth to do and did so famously; some would say infamously. Nonetheless, Reagan accomplished more in his eight year presidency than most presidents of the 20th Century. He is widely hailed as the man who ended the Cold War and will forever be remembered as the man who led to the conservative resurgence in America. He was a man of profound ability and charm and America is better off for having Reagan as the Commander-in-Chief during the latter portion of the 20th Century. Ronald Reagan was born on February 6, 1911 in Tampico, Illinois. His mother, Nelle, was a homemaker; and his father, Jack, was a traveling salesman (Ronald Reagan). The Reagan family moved often as Jack searched throughout the state for work and Ronald Reagan grew up in a very poor family. Despite the hardships his family encountered, Reagan graduated from high school in Dixon, Illinois and earned a football scholarship to attend Eureka College (Reagan, â€Å"American Life† 43). After graduating from Eureka, Reagan pursued a career in Hollywood where he starred in over fifty movies and eventually became the president of the Screen Actors Guild. As president of the Screen Acto rs Guild, Reagan worked to remove all suspected Communists from Hollywood; all the while encouraging conservative values in the liberal slanted film industry. In 1964, the former actor, Ronald  Reagan, delivered a nationally televised political speech on behalf of conservative presidential candidate Barry Goldwater. The speech became one of Reagan’s most fundamental speeches that completely changed his life. In his speech, Reagan presented the country with his ideals of a perfect country, supported by his conservative values. He also spoke about how America needs a strong national defense, a reduction of taxes, and the need to defeat the Communist threat in the Soviet Union. He also stated, â€Å"We will preserve for our children this, the last best hope for man on earth, or we will sentence them to take the last step into a thousand years of darkness† (Reagan, â€Å"Speaking† 36). After his speech, Reagan was approached by many influential Republicans who urged him to run for Governor of California. His speech, on behalf of Barry Goldwater became one of his greatest triumphs. Reagan initially refused when he was asked to run for governor; nevertheless, many influential Republicans got together and formed a fundraising group called â€Å"Friends of Reagan.† They raise d a great deal of money and in 1966; Reagan defeated the needed Democrat Governor of California (What Would Reagan Do?). At that moment, his political career began and in 1981, Reagan assumed the role as President of the United States of America. Throughout his presidency, Reagan set America on a course to defeat the Communist threat in the Soviet Union, to boost military funding, to cut taxes, and to return optimism to the American people. Reagan worked relentlessly to accomplish his goals and in the process changed the world. Many of his critics view the 1980s as a decade of unmitigated wealth and greed; and they praise Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev for ending the Cold War. From the beginning of his presidency, Ronald Reagan worked to end the Cold War, not to appease the Soviets. Former presidents had worked to open relations with the Soviet Union. President Nixon had formed compromise and Carter worked to appease the Communists. However, â€Å"Reagan rejected Communism, dà ©tente, and containment, and set us on a course to win – not manage – the Cold War†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (The Great One). Reagan met several times with General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev of the Soviet Union, and together they worked to compromise and create treaties that would eliminate the threat of short range nuclear weapons. Many of the meetings with Gorbachev were productive, yet Reagan’s ideal of foreign policy was not as clearly defined as many of his critics may have wished.  The Reagan Administration dealt with foreign policy on the manner of â€Å"Peace through Strength,† they worked to isolate any world menace and to direct all immediate attention to that threat. This ideal of foreign policy worked to threaten the Soviet Union and to make them aware that any danger they may pose would be dealt with in a quick and decisive manner. In 1983, Reagan ordered the United States Marines to invade Grenada. A coup d’à ©tat was taking place and a revolutionary group was trying to take control of the government to align with the Marxist Soviet Union (Reagan, â€Å"American Lifeà ¢â‚¬  449). Although the troops were only in Grenada for a short period of time, they did suppress the threat of a Communist uprising and Reagan shocked the world with his tough stance on global threats. During his presidency, Reagan increased federal defense spending by 35 percent and began building nuclear weapons at an unprecedented rate (Ronald Reagan). In 1986, one American serviceman was killed in a bombing in Berlin that injured 63 other members of the American military. It became evident within hours that the terrorist attack had been planned and carried out by Mu’ammar Qadhafi, the leader of Libya. Reagan was quick to order an air raid on key ground targets in Libya. The strike was a success and many important buildings were destroyed. Reagan addressed the nation shortly after the air raid and made several comments that were illustrative of his firm stance against terrorist actions. He said, â€Å"When our citizens are abused or attacked anywhere in this world†¦ we will respond so long as I’m in this Oval Office,† and to terrorist leaders around the world he said, â€Å"He [Qadhafi] counted on America to be passive. He counted wrong† (Reagan, â€Å"Speaking† 288). With that speech, Reagan imposed his views upon the world and he let the country know that he would not succumb to any foreign national threat. For all practical purposes, nearly all of the military actions of the 1980s were directed in some manner towards the Soviet Union. The preemptive attacks on Grenada and Libya were used as threats against the Soviet Union and were meant to be symbolic of the fact that America would not hesitate to act. Reagan used his strong military presence as a threat against the Soviets and many of Reagan’s naysayers still believe he used force in a manner contradictory to the astute power of the President of the United States. However, the Reagan Administration used their military ability to inflict fear into all Communist threats worldwide. The political  philosopher, Niccolo Machiavelli, speaks of powerful leaders, he writes, â€Å"†¦it is much safer to be feared than loved†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Machiavelli 66). Therefore, regardless of what criticizers may say, it would seem that Reagan’s use of military force throughout the world was effective and that Gorbachev feared his American equivalent. Reagan used his superiority to his advantage when he met with Gorbachev to discuss the reduction of nuclear missiles. During the 1980s, Reagan increased the defense spending more than any president had done before; it was a part of his â€Å"Peace through Strength† foreign policy. During this time, the production of nuclear missiles surged and the United States found itself in a mini-arms race with the Soviet Union. In principle, the Reagan Administration outspent the Soviets in defense and nuclear weapon production. In an effort to compete, the Soviets bankrupted themselves and had no choice but to dismiss their Marxist values. Between the years of 1985 and 1988, Reagan met with General Secretary Gorbachev four times; in Switzerland, Iceland, Washington D.C., and Moscow (Reagan, â€Å"American Life† 545). The meetings between the two world leaders were dramatic and Reagan walked out of the meeting in Reykjavik, Iceland after Gorbachev failed compromise. The tensions were high during all of the meetings and many people feared that any mistake could lead to an immediate nuclear Armageddon. Fortunately, no nuclear weapons were launched and the Reagan Administration triumphed over the Soviet Union. In 1987, Reagan visited East Berlin and spoke at the Brandenburg Gate. During his speech, he called for an end to Communism and a strengthening of individual liberty. His speech as the Brandenburg Gate is often viewed as one of the most successful speeches of his presidency. While speaking to a crowd of thousands, Reagan said to the General Secretary of the Soviet Union, â€Å"Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall† (Reagan, â€Å"Speaking† 352). Two years later, the Soviet Union agreed to tear down the Berlin Wall and within the year, Communist nations around Europe began to crumble. Many Democrats in Congress and the mainstream media admired Gorbachev for bringing peace to European countries; they praised Gorbachev for surrenderin g and for keeping the warmongering Ronald Reagan from leading the country on the road to a nuclear war. Many Americans who opposed the Reagan Administration were more than happy to give the credit to the Soviet Union; they believed Reagan was  too overpowering and heartless to have been so successful. Nevertheless, conservative talk show host, Rush Limbaugh writes, â€Å"The end of the Cold War and the defeat of Communism in the Soviet Union was a clear victory for American values, for the American way of life, for the republican, democratic, free-marked ideals of the United States of America† (Limbaugh â€Å"Ought to Be† 230). Therefore, it would seem that Reagan played a major role in bringing an end to the 40 year Cold War. Regardless of the beliefs and values one holds, Ronald Reagan ended the Cold War and suppressed the Communist threat worldwide. He changed the world! Although his greatest success may have been bringing closure to the Cold War, Reagan also accomplished a great deal in the United States of America. When he left office in 1989, the economy was breaking records and benefitting from the longest period of peacetime prosperity without recession or depression (Ronald Reagan). People were making money in America and thanks to Reagan’s tax cuts; they were able to keep more of what they earned. The Reagan Administration began an economic policy that became identified as â€Å"Reaganomics† or trickle-down economics. Reaganomics was the belief that tax cuts for the rich, middle class, and poor would work to stimulate the economy. If the rich had more money, they would create more businesses and opportunity, the middle class would then be able to become business owners, and higher the poor. It is a social hierarchy of job creation and the nation experienced 96 months of peacetime economic growth (Limbaugh, â€Å"Told You So† 122). In 1990, George H.W. Bush disbanded the policy of Reaganomics and the 96 months of economic growth ended almost immediately. Many historians , to this day, view the 1980s as a decade of greed where the rich got richer and the poor got poorer. They also discredit the policy of Reaganomics because they do not believe the rich paid their fair share of taxes. However, economic figures are illustrative of how much the rich truly pay in taxes. It seems that the top 1% of income earners pay nearly 40% of all federal income taxes in the United States (What Would Reagan Do?). Therefore, even if the 1980s were deemed as a decade of greed, it would seem that greed is good. Reagan worked to reduce onerous taxes in order to return the wealth to its rightful owners, the workers. The Reagan Administration did not hand out money; rather, they let people keep more of what they had already earned. In return, consumerism rose and the money was  immediately deposited back into the national economy. Therefore, it would seem that the tax cuts and policy of Reaganomics worked very well in the 1980s; the economic growth experienced in that decade has yet to be matched. Regardless of one’s political affiliation, it is undeniable that tax cuts work and the economic policy of the Regan Administration should be implemented into our system now, during th e present economic crisis. The implementation of tax cuts, both on income and corporations, provided working class Americans with the incentive to work and to achieve. No longer were people afraid of earning; the tax cuts prevented hard working Americans from being punished with difficult and total taxation. This era of economic growth restored a feeling of optimism in America, especially after the failures of the Carter Administration and the record setting unemployment rate of the late 1970s. Ronald Reagan’s policies, both foreign and domestic, made people proud to be Americans once again. During the 1980s, Americans were not being villainized and condemned, they were being praised. Reagan restored the feeling of confidence in America and brought forth a generation of strong, nationalistic Americans. Ronald Reagan was a success as President of the United States, not only because of his charisma and communication skills, nor simply because of his policies. Ronald Reagan was a success because the American people loved him. In 1984, during his campaign for a second term, the electorate illustrated their reverie for him and he won in the large st landslide victory ever recorded. He was unanimously re-elected in 49 of the 50 states (What Would Reagan Do?). His unprecedented victory astonished the world and many of his political detractors wondered how he could be so popular. Once again, the political philosopher Machiavelli offers insight into how a person should be a successful leader. Machiavelli wrote in 1513, â€Å"†¦he should inspire his citizens to follow their pursuits quietly, in trade and in agriculture and in every other pursuit of men, so that one person does not fear to adorn his possessions for fear that they be taken away from him, and another to open up a trade for fear of taxes† (Machiavelli 91). In essence, Reagan accomplished all of these aforementioned goals during his presidency. His policy of a strong national defense worked to make people feel comfortable and unafraid of a Communist attack, and his policy of Reaganomics allowed people to become entrepreneurs without a fear of being taxed out of  business. For all practical purposes, Reagan epitomized the values of a good leader as prescribed by Niccolo Machiavelli; he restored the power and the faith to the people while simultaneously ruling under the facade of being a decisive and fearful leader when handling foreign threats. In the end, it is apparent that Ronald Reagan accomplished a great deal during his administration. His most important accomplishments stem from restoring optimism in Americans, the total growth of economic prosperity, and bringing an end to the Cold War. Many of his political opponents still work to destroy the successes of his administration and they blame him for being too demanding and too dangerous. They thought his actions during the 1980s were detrimental to the growth and prosperity of America. On January 11, 1989, during his farewell address to the nation, he said, â€Å"My friends: We did it. We weren’t just marking time. We made a difference. We made the city stronger. We made the city freer, and we left her in good hands. All in all, not bad, not bad at all† (Reagan, â€Å"Speaking† 418). The Reagan Administration was one of growth and success. During his presidency, he changed America, let alone the world, for the better. He had done what no president before him could, he set the nation on a course for unprecedented economic growth, and he led to the downfall of Communism and the Cold War. His opponents viewed him as a failure; however, his policies greatly impacted the world. If Ronald Reagan were alive today, he would still be the last best hope for this country. Reference Coulter, Ann. What Would Reagan Do?. http://anncoulter.com/cgi-local/article.cgi?article=77. 21 September 2005. Web. 4 April 2014. Limbaugh, Rush. See, I Told You So. New York: Pocket Star Books, 1993. Limbaugh, Rush. â€Å"The Great One.† National Review 28 June 2004: 36. Academic OneFile. Web. 7. April 2014. Limbaugh, Rush. The Way Things Ought to Be. New York: Pocket Books, 1992. Machiavelli, Niccolo. The Prince. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1998. Reagan, Ronald. An American Life. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1990. Reagan, Ronald. Speaking My Mind. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1989 â€Å"Ronald Reagan.† http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/presidents/ronaldreagan. Web. 7 April 2014.

Oliver Stone’s Alexander and it’s Accuracy in portraying Alexander the Great Essay

The 2004 film Alexander, directed by Oliver Stone, depicts the life of Alexander the Great. This essay will discuss the accuracy of Oliver Stone’s artistic vision in this depiction of Alexander’s life and achievements. The discussion will focus on: Alexander’s 7 year campaign, particularly its battles; his relationship with others, including his sexuality within the film; and the legacy Alexander and his armies left on the world. Historically, there are many omissions within Oliver Stone’s Alexander, however, the majority of these are accounted for through Stone’s artistic vision. Many minor campaigns during the 7 year period were completely left out, and only two battles were shown throughout the movie. Within these two battles, many major components of other battles were in some way conflated so as to equate to having experienced those battles as well, since if Stone were to include every battle, not only would the film be far longer than its current form, but it would also have required a much larger budget. This absence of battles is the major inaccuracy in Stone’s Alexander. Whilst Stone only conveys two battles in the movie, history conveys that Alexander participated in a vast quantity of battles, pitched battles as well as sieges, throughout the 7 year march. Stone choice in depicting only these two battles of the many others was through his aim to convey the key points of Alexanders major campaigns in a condensed form as possible. Whilst the battles themselves were inaccurate, many of these inaccuracies were choices of Stone’s. The main inaccuracy for the the Battle of Gaugemela, the first battle depicted in Alexander, is the Persian army itself. Alexander shows them as a disorganised rabble, when, historically, the Persians would have been exceedingly well organised. Members of the Persian army would have had uniforms, rather than the variable clothing they wore, and musicians would play so that the army would march in rank. Conversely, many of the events before, during and after the battle were accurate. For example, before the battle, the night before in the tent where Alexander converses with his generals, he is urged to make a night attack and steal a victory: Alexander, if we must fight, do so with stealth. Use your numbers well; we should attack tonight when they least expect us†. Alexander refuses. This conversation is accurate in at least it’s meaning, as is recorded by Arrian: â€Å"It is said that Parmenio came to him in his tent, and urged him to make a night attack on the Persians†¦ but the reply which he made to him†¦ was that it would be mean to steal a victory† (Arrian, Book 3, Section 10). The conversation is as such a recorded event, and though Stone changed dialogues, the meaning behind each is the same. The major inaccuracy in the Battle of Hydaspes, the second battle, is that it takes place in a jungled terrain, fighting the people of India. In historical fact, the Battle of Hydaspes occurred on a open plain. Stone is said to have chosen the location of the battle to be in a forest as a contrast to the Battle of Gaugemela, which also occurred on a plain. Arrian records the battle to have taken place near the river Hydaspes, with Alexander making a secret crossing in the night, however Alexander makes no mention of the crossing, or even of the existence of the river. Arrian also mentions that the the forces from both armies were split, but the film shows no evidence of this. A second inaccuracy was the conflict between the leader of the Indian army and Alexander. According to reports by Arrian, Alexander never confronted nor charged the king of the Indians as is shown in the film, but instead treated him with dignity and honour, eventually giving him the rule over a large territory. Nor did Bucephalus die from the major wound as shown in Alexander, but from old age and minor wounds he sustained throughout his life. The film shows Alexander charging the king, and Buchephalus saving his master’s life at the cost of his own. This was most likely done as a method to increase the dramatic effect of the scene, but also as a method of including another major battle in Alexander’s timeline, the siege of Malli. Within the battles depicted in Alexander, Stone directed minor changes in the factuality of battle events. For example, he depicts Alexander being gravely wounded in the Battle of Hydaspes. This grave wounding of Alexander occurred later, at the siege of Malli. This event is combined into the Battle of Hydaspes to portray more of Alexander’s history, and those knowledgeable of it could notice and appreciate this and other acknowledgements of history even though they aren’t accurate. Apart from the battles, there were other events of history or legend in Alexander’s life which are not represented. For example, the Gordian knot. This well known legend of Alexander slicing open the untie-able knot with his sword and its linked prophecy of ruling Asia is not included. This may be because the truth is not known of the event, whether Alexander cut it, pulled apart what it was tied to and then untying it or whether it existed at all, although there is evidence that it existed. Apart from these events not included or merely conflated there are portion of Alexander in which the way Alexander is depicted historically, or not as the case may be. To the points where it was inaccurate, Alexander is scripted throughout his speeches to encourage his men in their campaign to conquer the world. These scripts lead to him being given a purpose behind the campaign, that of a â€Å"brotherhood of man†. Historically, there is no evidence to this. Alexander was known to merely have conquered because he could, â€Å"a brilliant commander traveling an endless path of conquest† (Eugene N. Borza, Movie Commentary: Alexander, page 4). The personality of Alexander is almost completely unknown, and as historians we are unable to characterise what made him the charismatic leader capable of leading his armies on his 7 year march. Another aspect of Alexander’s personality was his relationships with individuals. The film shows intense relationships with his mother and father, as well as childhood friend Hephaistion. Alexander’s relationship with his mother and father both vary throughout the film, but focus mostly on pleasing his mother and either avenging or surpassing his father. During his early life, Alexander is shown very close to his mother, with her urging him on to succeed and whispering propaganda in his ear against his father, while Alexander is taught to be a leader through the actions of his father. Later on, he grows separate from both, however influenced by them tremendously. For example, when Philip dies, Alexander falls into a rage, even though he had fallen out recently with his father in a drink influenced conflict, and it embitters him against his mother, this bitterness continuing into the film. Further, in developing the relationship with Hephaistion, Stone also spends a lot of time enforcing the point that Alexander is bi-sexual, through the homoerotic subtext, though this was not limited to Hephaistion but incorporated others within the film. Whilst this may have been the case in history, as in Ancient Greece sexuality was merely a matter of course, and you were either sexual or you weren’t, without vastly distinguishing between the genders, Stone pushes the limits of this concept in order to outline a known part of Alexanders life. It is known that Alexander had at least two male physical relationships, and this may have pushed Stone into depicting the sexuality of Alexander, though in contrast to the homosexual relationships, Alexander’s relationship with his first wife Roxanne was inaccurate and over-zealous. Roxanne, his first wife, is historically known as a devoted wife and mother, rather than as the character displayed in Alexander (Eugene N. Borza, Movie Commentary: Alexander, page 3). In all, Oliver Stone’s depiction of Alexander in his film Alexander has both accuracy and inaccuracy. The major inaccuracies was the events, or lack thereof, as Oliver Stone either chose not to or was not able to include them, whilst the main accuracies of the film were the inclusion of key points in Alexander’s life and relationships. Alexander shows some of Alexander and his armies impact on the world, and it is a well researched attempt at conveying the incredible life of Alexander the Great accurately.

Three things I learned from Wong Filmore article Assignment

Three things I learned from Wong Filmore article - Assignment Example The modern community is very multivarious. The most part of all conflicting points in our education is the result of such many-sidedness. Young children, who go to school, have different habits, beliefs, languages, because they belong to different countries with different conditions. If disparate students are in one classroom and have the same lesson, the teacher may tangle in this many-sidedness (Fillmore & Show, 2000). The article is very informative the following conclusions can be made: (1) our community wants teachers to prepare students to all difficulties they can face in their lives, to university education, to job challenges; (2) teachers need many different skills to get through this problem; (3) today it is not enough to have usual classical plans for classes. Other ways of teaching and learning are needed in order to satisfy the needs of the students, which appeared after the globalization brought the corresponding changes. Only novelties can help resolve the controversial issues connected with teaching and learning

Farewell to manzanar Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Farewell to manzanar - Essay Example The familys loyalty was to America. However, Jeannes father was arrested two weeks after Pearl Harbor. When the family moves to Terminal Island with Jeannes brother, Woody, the family realizes how different they are. All of Woodys neighbors only speak Japanese, not English. This makes the Wakatsukis uncomfortable. When President Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066 on February 19, 1942, the Watatsukis fate was sealed. They were forced to the Manzanar camp in California. This internment camp served to keep Japanese-Americans interred for the term of World War II. The Japanese-American Citizens League helped organize the Japanese-Americans be sent to the internment camps. Later these types of organizations would be considered inu, or traitors, for helping the military send their people to the camps without protest. Manzanar is very dusty. Dust covers everything. Privacy is not as abundant as the dust. In fact, there was not any privacy for the internees at Manzanar. Jeannes mother used cardboard boxes to protect herself when using the latrine. The latrine and barracks were also very dirty and unsanitary. The camp kitchen was extremely unsanitary. Contaminated food frequently made the internees sick. This made the camp internees candidates for immunizations. The old and young alike had to get shots. It was not like even modern day prisons, but much worse. Manzanar fostered family division. Every adult in the camp had to hold down a job. Jeannes mother was a dietitian in the camp kitchen. Meals were what the author missed the most. Families could not sit down and share meals. Adults ate at one time, while children ate at another in separate parts of the camp. The camp was very crowded, forcing the Wakatsukis to share a room at first. Despite the close quarters at night, the family was driven apart during the day. Before Pearl Harbor, Jeannes father was a proud man. He earned

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Definitional argument-euthanasia - Term Paper Example As a result, their meanings become changed, and they are used more frequently in these new contexts. One example of such a concept is that of euthanasia, which has been used negatively for decades in association with Hitler’s Germany. The negative connotations of euthanasia follow the term unjustly, even today as the practice the word refers to becomes more accepted in throughout the world. By looking at some definitions of euthanasia given by others, we can perhaps formulate what is perhaps the most inclusive understanding at the concept. Definitions of euthanasia often depend upon the political and ethical assumptions underlying them. One can choose a staunchly conservative ethical view that emerges out of a Christian ethical system and oppose euthanasia categorically as wrong. Or one can adopt a more liberal stance and view euthanasia as a matter of choice among individuals whether to live or die, which seems to emerge from a utilitarian ethical perspective. Former Surgeon General of the United States C. Everett Koop represents the conservative Christian side of the spectrum in a definition of euthanasia that characterizes it as the ending of a life which is perceived to be devoid of value (Koop). The liberal, or utilitarian, perspective might direct us to a lighter view of the practice, one intimately connected with utility. That definition might be read like: the ending of a life in order to maximize a sufferer’s happiness and minimize suffering (LeBaron). On this view, we engage in euthanasia as a means o f alleviating suffering and as a service to the sufferer’s individual right to choose how one lives or dies. Less politically- or ethically-centric views of euthanasia direct us toward more neutral definitions of the practice. Philosopher Philippa Foot, for instance, wants us to move away from standard dictionary denotations of the word (â€Å"a quiet and easy death†) that she finds

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Business law - Essay Example bject matter is legal and Price’s act of concealing information when he contracted the different parties for prescription and multiple purchase of the drug amounts to fraud and illegality of the purchases. Similarly, Price contributed to the effects of the drug by concealing information on previous usage, and failing to inform practitioners of previous purchases of the drug reverts responsibility to him (Miller, 2014). Invalidity of the contract and contributory negligence, should validity be upheld, would inform a decision against Price. A ruling in favour of Price would induce legal liability, into payment of damages or restrictions on the parties’ professional operations, due to negligence. These would further change the parties’ guidelines to prescription and delivery of controlled medicines, by increasing strictness, and would reduce number of operations on the drugs. The ruling would also impose a negative image on the parties. Ruling in favour of the doctors and the company would however preserve operational environment, in which they prescribe and deliver controlled drugs, and earn the parties damages for tainted reputation by Price’s

Domestic Violence Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Domestic Violence - Article Example The rate of suffering physical abuse in case of the children staying with the parents in an abusive relationship is quite common. They may get harmed while witnessing the spousal abuse closely and at some places some physical abuses get inflicted on them as well. At places, children are used as a barterer instrumental in getting control or manipulating the victim of the domestic abuse. In this case, the conflict between the parents also evolves a kind of mental trauma in the children and they are shattered out of disruption in gaining their love from parents. Also separation from their parents cause a serious mental trauma to them and in their adolescence they might get involved in myriad anti-social activities or may get addicted as well to escape the harsh realities of life. The sign of any means of thrashing can be effective in determining the symbol of abuse in the children. Also some bizarre or violent activity at the social plane is also indicative of the domestic abuse inflicted on children. Locating this kind of symptoms in children requires immediate attention and they should be taken to the family counselling centres or women and child development centres and with the help of the counsellors over there, the case should be reported to the police as well. Athlete: As a kid, initially I was a good student. It started when I was six years old. Suddenly my father became alcoholic and all sorts of problems started during that phase. I could never sleep at night. I completely lost control on my mind and was losing it out every day. Athlete: It was not very easy to get out of it. As a child I was helpless. Some abnormalities were located by my class teacher and she reported it to the concerned authority. I was send to hostel soon after. Athlete: Yes. This is the worst side of the domestic violence. My parents decided to get

Effective Team and Performance Management Essay - 4

Effective Team and Performance Management - Essay Example The paradigm shift in business has broadened the focus of organization beyond the achievement of its own goals and objectives to the creation of an environment where the members (in this case the employees) can also realize their individual and group objectives and desires within the organization structure. Employees are now concerned about their career paths within an organization above and beyond their monetary rewards. This career path requires the creation of programs and systems that allow for new knowledge and skill acquisition within the organization that allow for successive progression or growth of the individual alongside that of the overall organization (Berger & Berger, 2010). The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the role of team cohesion and understanding on organizational performance. It examines how leadership can better enhance the relations amongst individuals, teams and management therein increasing their collective synergistic efforts towards the realization of optimal performance and achievement of set organizational targets and objectives. It also examines how the underlying differences between individuals within the organization can lead to frictions within the organization that can dent organizational performance and progress; therein showing how such frictions can be mitigated and managed as and when they arise. The paper employs several tasks involving team and individual relations; therein using theoretical team and performance management models to evaluate the usefulness of such tasks in building capacity for achieving optimum organizational performance. Reflection Group Formation and Analysis Approach I have chosen to use the Tuckman team model (1965) in organizing my reflections on the experiences gained from the various seminar activities or tasks. This is because the model offers a simple yet conclusive four- step approach involving forming, storming, norming, and performing phases for examining and managing the group dynam ics of individuals within a team. The first stage is absolutely vital in identifying members for your team. Figure 1: Tuckman Model for reflection The selection of team members can be done based on the roles identified for members within the team (Belbin, 2004). The formation of my team comprised individuals from multicultural backgrounds: Mathew Stroud (British) Alena Linhartova (Spanish) Virginia Bath (British) Abdulaziz Mohammed Al-Hunayshil (Saudi Arabia) Chunlin Chen (China) The distribution of roles within the team was arrived at based on Belbin’s self-perception inventory model (1981) which argued that team roles existed based on distinct individual preferences in addition to being behavioral and thought style-dependent. The model implied the prevailing of a more natural role in most occasions. Belbin initially had an eight role model where the roles were arrived at based on six factors namely: personality, mental ability, current value and motivation, field constraint s, experience, and role learning. He however failed to show the degree of variation within these factors.Later on, he added a ninth role; that of the specialist. Table 1: Belbin's Team

What does Weber mean by charismatic authority How and why does he Essay

What does Weber mean by charismatic authority How and why does he contrast it to bureaucracy - Essay Example Much progress had been made, but he was not at all confident that that progress could raise human beings to the required moral status that was needed to ensure the world would be a livable place. One problem he had was the way current social scientists were analyzing history and social activity. They all seem to think that the world was on a route of progress, hence their evaluation of history was framed from valued, or normative points of views. Weber created the use of "ideal type" to analyze social data and activity such that values could be separated for observations and theorists could make empirically based views. An ideal type became a concept marking regularities of meaningful action. The ideal type model would enable precise definitions for comparison and measurement of social reality. In his analysis of leadership ideal types that have evolved through history, he created three models. These were the legal or bureaucratic leader, the authority leader, and the charismatic lea der. This report will concentrate on "charismatic authority" and will contrast it to "bureaucracy". It will view how charismatic authority may contribute to a sociological understanding of power in modern society. Discussion How has the concept of ‘leader’ risen in society and in what way has it became an authority figure? Weber attempted to not make value judgments as he outlined his leadership types. Hence he was able to accept as a fact that the bureaucratic leader existed, alone with the traditional and charismatic ones. Although the route that the leader took to authority may have involved injustice or arbitrary actions, Weber's task was to describe the various types and how they came to be accepted (Titunik 65). The bureaucratic or legal leader represented the impersonal type leader that worked efficiently in such organizations as businesses, schools, and even church hierarchies and hospitals. They were the officials of an organization who ruled not on personal lo yalties, but on clear hierarchic chains of command that were organized on systems of intentionally created abstract rules. There were rules of conduct and specified roles were marked out. There were distinct spheres of ownership and staff and staff was paid more or less for skills that were acquired and recognize to operate on the position. One of the problems dealing with bureaucratic leadership was that many times it could be seen as lording over an emotionless 'iron cage' (Weber 181). The traditional leader evolved from a historical patriarch whose position was that of a personal master who ruled over his subjects. He was more or less limited by traditional laws and his rule was held up by faithful followers who had received benefits. It is the charismatic leader whom Weber seems to spend much time on. This particular leader came to power through recognition of his exceptional powers as a hero, as a person who took the ultimate self-sacrifice. His followers are mesmerized before him and had accepted his otherworldly nature. He has exemplary character. He is able to bring meaning into the lives of his follower and he can give them goals and images to internalize and believe in to "transcend their own limited existence" (Conger et al 751). The charismatic leader releases his followers from "custom, law and tradition", even from family responsibilities and, most importantly, from their own conscience (Conger et al 751). Dow sees it as an ideal type and an emotional life-force that "remains forever beyond the reach of bureaucratic domination† (Dow 85). Charismatic leadership directly contrasts bureaucratic leadership. Dow suggests that Weber celebrated ‘charisma as an â€Å"emotional life-force† antagonistic to the dreary construction of the iron cage’† (Dow 85). Yet, today they both can be seen operating easily in tantrum. One

E-Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 2

E-Business - Essay Example rmediaries (Sarkar et al, 1996.) They are an electronic-commerce only intermediary; business and customer relationship management (CRM) is conducted purely via their website; a virtual marketplace with no direct contact between buyers and sellers. Amazon have created a virtualized value system through their accelerated ordering, delivery and payment of goods and services, while reducing operating and inventory costs associated with traditional bricks and mortar stores. They have access to global markets, economies of scale and the ability to personalize. As a virtual merchant, their products are suited to the Internet, their business models remain a source of differentiation. Amazon is a seller-controlled site whose commercial mechanism is fixed price sales. Timmers (1998) classifies Amazons business model as a virtual community, which "helps build customer loyalty and trust through an interplay of virtual and physical realities." (Hagel and Armstrong, 1997.) Amazon strengthens their association as a virtual store with "shopping trolley technology" (Cooke, 1997.) Shopping carts and checkouts act as reminders of physical environments. (Weick, 1995.) Amazons effectiveness as a virtual community is evident with their customer co-presence. "Amazon has made customer relations the centerpiece of its strategy." (Hagel and Armstrong, 1997.) Collaborative filtering helps them achieve personalization and mass customization. Customer extension is offered via their site and e-mails. Amazons business model is now considerably more flexible as it has diversified from books and CDs to a range of products more typical of a department store. (Chaffey, 2004.) Amazon has warehouses to support their technical innovations. They are dependent on the publisher-to-wholesaler supply chain. Their distribution centers are placed near distribution warehouses to allow quick turn around on deliveries. (Bayers, 1999.) Amazons brand has enabled them to pursue differentiation strategy

Contain communism Essay Example for Free

Contain communism Essay Communism had always posed a threat to the interest of the U.S. and their attitudes towards the U.S.S.R. had proved they had not entertained the idea of communism much. But it was not until February 1946 did it all come out and the U.S.A began to act towards containing communism. The policy of containment meant the U.S. actively prevented the psreading of communism.There were several ways with which the U.S. tried to contain communism some of which were futile and others effective. However, for every move the U.S. made the U.S.S.R. had a retaliation. One way with which the U.S. tried to contain communism was with the use of the atomic bomb. The dropping of the atomic bomb in Hiroshima was a method that was used to bring the war between the Japanese to a quick end with few loss of American lives. Described by Truman as the greatest thing in history the bomb had a very devastating effect taking up to 70 000 lives. After that another bomb was dropped in Nagasaki, this was particularly to impress Stalin and scare him if possible. However this was to blow up in Trumans face. Stalin feeling that it was an insult that he was never informed of such a weapon by his allies was not impressed and also became more suspicious of the U.S. And the fact that he was also denied the islands in the far east since he had nothing to do with the defeating of Japan also irritated him more. Trumans attempts did not work instead Stalin sought a production of his very own atomic bomb, and alhough it was initially predicted the Soviet Union would get the bomb within 10 years, mysteriously the bomb was in the hands of the Soviets a lot sooner than that, they had it within 4 years. So Truman had nothing against Stalin now. This was one of the unsuccessful means of containing communism because it rather increased the already existing tensions between both countries during the cold war. And because it was a suspicious thing that the U.S.S.R. got the bomb so soon and the U.S. neglected to mention the weapon to the U.S.S.R. suspicion between both countries increased and the gulf between the countries expanded further. Another way in which the U.S. tried to contain communism was through propaganda. The methods through which communism was extending its influence throughout eastern Europe was blatantly unprofessional. The method was given  the name salami tactics where by countries in eastern Europe fell one by one into the influence of communism. For example, Czechoslovakia was the last democratic country in eastern Europe until 1948. The elections were coming up in May but because the communist were blamed for the country not receiving the Marshall aid the communist party was expected to do badly. However, before the election there was a coup detat where the police force took over and removed every non-communist personnel from office. In February, representatives of opposing parties were removed and Jan Masaryk the foreign minister who opposed communism personally mysteriously fell out of the window during the coup. The Czech communists took over with little blood shed and with no help from the Soviet Union. These was how the communist parties took over in other countries, by dissolving opposing parties and killing their leaders. This was the method that was used in east European countries such as Poland in 1947,Bulgaria also in 1947, in Romania and Albania, 8 countries in total were taken over using the salami tactics.and the only response the U.S. could give to this was verbal abuse. They simply, verbally condemned the acts which were committed and were hoping that the U.S.S.R would perhaps feel guilty and digress but unfortunately that did not work at all. This method of containment was perhaps the weakest of all mehods because the U.S.A. in no way showed any opposition to the methods used. This could be assumed as slacking in the part of the U.S. to containing communism. The most successful was the combination of policies, that is, Marshall plan and the iron fist policy. The iron fist was a result of the long telegram of February 1946 by George Kennan,deputy chief of mission in the U.S. embassy in Moscow. The telegram though it was lenghty simply said the Soviet Union was neurotic. He saw them as aggressive and insecure and concluded that there should be no compromise with the Soviet Union. Another factor that added to the development of the iron fist approach was that the U.S. were not prepared to make the same mistake that was made by the British. The Britains had a policy of appeasement with Nazi-Germany. They had negotiations with Hitler and gave him whatever he requested for as long as it was seen as reasonable but the appeasement only encouraged Hitler to ask for more and soon there was an outbreak of war in 1939. Truman and other  politicians agreed that they did not want the same thing to happen with the U.S.S.R. so therefore the iron fist approach was justified where by Truman refused totally to negotiate with the U.S.S.R. The Marshall plan also was another technique used. George Marshall was the new U.S. secretary of state and he had travelled through western Europe and was disheartened by the devastation he saw and was shocked by the economic crisis of the region. When he came back, he suggested that america invest in the economy of Europe, he argued that as America was a marketing economy Europe would have been a good consumer base but if there was no way for Europe to be able to afford their goods then no profit would be made and the economy of the U.S. would suffer. Therefore investment in the European economy was the solution. Though he asked for 17 million dollars, he was granted 13 million and so this money was distributed through out western Europe. Ofcourse the U.S.S.R. reacted negatively to this and also formed the comecon which organised economic assisstance to the countries of eastern Europe. But unfortunately this was no match for the Marshall plan. Added to this, in Germany, the Yalta and Potsdam agreements had stipulated that Germany be divided into two buffer zones. The western zone was to be under the supervision of the western powers while the eastern zone was under the U.S.S.R. However, in the eastern region, the U.S.S.R. continued taking reparations from Germany because of the damages of world war 2 where as, The U.S. kept putting money into the western zone. Soon it became obvious that the western zone was flourishing compared to the eastern zone. This caused the Berlin blockade of 1948-49. The U.S.S.R.s attempt to divide the eastern zone from the western zone. But this was where the Marshall plan and the iron fist came into play. Truman through the approach of the iron fist refused to give into these manouvres of the U.S.S.R. And with the money from the Marshall plan, the west were able to supply aid to Berliners, they flew food and supplies to them through the Berlin airlift and they were able to provide to over 2 million Berliners. The result of this was that Stalin had to give in and brought down the Berlin blockade by May 1949. A successful combination of the iron fist approach and Marshall plan, the west were able to gain an initiative giving the situation that happened in czechoslovakia and other east European countries. Another successful means of containing communism was the Truman doctrine.In February 1947, the British warned the U.S. that they could not keep their troops in Greece any longer which they had been in since 1944. But after the second world war, the British government began to feel the effect in their economy as they owed 3000 million pounds. This scared Truman because he believed communism was taking over and so by March 1947 he issued the Truman doctrine that specified that any country that had a democratically elected government and was fighting off communism would be given militarial support. And so with this, support from America was given to Greece and the communists were defeated. Stalin, however saw this as U.S. imperalism although he had no retaliation for this because in the first place, he had kept an agreement with Churchill that Greece was an area of British influence. None the less, the U.S. were still able to fight off communism in Greece. These were some of the ways the U.S. had contained communism or tried to.Through militarial means, that is the Truman doctrine and financial mean such as the Marshall plan. And also through propaganda, when they tried belittle the communists because of their use of salami tactics. They also tried the use of terror which was the A-bomb but that proved unsuccessful. Like some of the techniques used and on the other hand, others were quite successful indeed.

Adaptive Wing Design For A Morphing Mav Biology Essay

Adaptive Wing Design For A Morphing Mav Biology Essay The wing design of a Micro Air Vehicle is to be designed to aid in the assessment of earthquake damage. The MAV is required only to be powered by an electrical motor, limiting flight time and endurance/range, and must be able to fly to the scene quickly and efficiently. Therefore, the analysis of the wing structure is two-fold: 1) having an efficient wing design for cruise (faster) flight and 2) having an effective loiter (slower flight) wing design. The main methodology in ensuring the optimal wing structure would be to design two aerofoils with an actuator which will morph the wing dependant on the different requirements. The software package DESFOIL, on the University of Sheffield intranet, is considered a friendlier user interface for the original XFOIL package created by MIT Professor Mark Drela to aid in the understanding of low speed aerofoil flow solution. However, since XFOIL contains a less than friendly interface, DESFOIL, a MATLAB based software, creates a friendlier user interface, enabling aerofoil analysis to be more easily understood. NACA Aerofoils Since NACA aerofoils will be the predominant choice in attaining the aerofoils for our MAV, this section will concentrate on providing a breakdown on the key aspects of such aerofoils. The 4 digits associated with the NACA aerofoil provide information as to the physical structure of the aerofoil. The four digits are broken up as such The first number offers information about the maximum camber as a percentage of the chord length. The second digit provides information as to the position of this maximum camber as a function of the overall chord length (in tens of units) The final two digits provide information on the maximum thickness of the aerofoil as a percentage of the overall chord length, as a percentage. Thus, it can easily be seen that the chord length is pivotal in determining the correct NACA aerofoils. Centre of Pressure and Aerodynamic Centre Other important aerofoil characteristics are the centre of pressure and aerodynamic centre. If we consider them individually, we can attain a clearer picture of their importance. Starting with the centre of pressure, it is known that the positioning of this point changes with lift, namely it moves towards the leading edge as lift increases. However, using this same theory, it can be understood that this centre of pressure can move outside of the aerofoil geometry. More specifically, at low levels of lift generation, the pressure centre can be behind the aerofoil. Such a parameter is important to understand since it allows for trimming of the potential aircraft on which the aerofoil will be mounted. The centre of pressure can be calculated using calculus provided a pressure distribution is understood. Since we are dealing with a distribution, the length of the chord becomes increasingly important and it is normal to talk about the pressure as a function of chord length, generally starting with the leading edge. The aerodynamic centre contains a more direct link with the stability of the aircraft/aerofoil. The aerodynamic centre is the point on the aerofoil where the pitching moment of the aerofoil is independant of the angle of incidence. Understanding of this point is crucial due to its large contribution to the balancing and therefore stability of the aerofoil/ aircraft. Since the majority of aerofoils which will be considered within this journal are cambered, it is interesting to note that the aerodynamic centre is approximately situated at a point  ¼ of the chord length. Drag When considering drag, the main thought is of a retarding force to motion in a certain direction. The relationship is simple; the greater the drag (retarding) force, the greater impedance on motion. From an aerofoil design point of view, we wish for such force to be as minimal as possible since a lower retarding force allows faster speeds (longer endurance and/ or range) and more efficient flight. To understand more about drag, we need to understand more about the different components of the force. If we can understand the forces main constituent parts, this may help us lower the drag our aerofoil experiences. The drag force can be broken up into several different components. Some of these are Parasitic drag Lift induced drag As we will later calculate, the lift our aerofoil produces will vary depending upon which flight attitude regime we are in i.e. loiter or cruise, and thus the drag each regime experiences will vary. Since this is important in understanding how the aerofoil will react to regime changes, the lift induced drag will be looked at more closely within this analysis. The concept of parasitic drag is broken into many different parts. Such constituent parts include skin friction and pressure drag. The concept of skin friction comes about due to the interaction of fluid molecules contacting the surface of the aerofoil, bringing local wall shear stresses into consideration. It can thus be seen that the faster the motion of molecules past the aerofoil, the larger wall shear stress. The skin friction coefficient shares an inverse parabolic relationship with the speed of the aircraft The contribution from pressure drag will be considered in terms of flow separation points further into this report. Such drag will take precedence in the analysis of drag within this report since it provides a more rigorous depiction of the drag at different angles of attack and different DESFOIL accuracy parameters (panel number). Since DESFOIL offers only this type of drag, it will be assumed that this pressure drag is the overall coefficient of drag, when discussing analysis of graphical data. This is a reasonable assumption since the drag values and pressure distributions compliment each other. Furthermore, since we will later consider the 3D effects of the aerofoil, it is important to note that there will be different drag factors which will increase the amount of drag experienced by the aerofoil. A major form of drag which the aerofoil will experience while in flight is the vortex drag, more specifically the drag due to the mismatch of pressure along the upper and lower surfaces of the aerofoil. More specifically, this drag arises due to an overspill of high pressure on the lower surface of the aerofoil to the upper surface, which is abundant in low pressure areas. Thus as the aerofoil moves through the fluid, in our case air, this overspill will manifest itself into tip vortex, increasing the drag experience by the aerofoil. Thus, although only drag will be termed in this journal, there may be separate underlying factors involved. 3D and 2D Calculations Although DESFOIL is only applicable to 2D aerofoils, adjustments can be made such that the results from DESFOIL can be used within 3D situations. Since we are designing an actual aerofoil, such considerations need to be taken into account, and are during the later parts of this journal. The importance of using such a program lays in its simulation of the aerodynamics the aerofoil experiences. Therefore, using such a program allows the possibility to determine what coefficient of lift (or, 2D and 3D analysis respectively) and coefficients of drag, subscriptd, or D accordingly, are needed for optimal flight. As we will determine in this report, optimal coefficients will be calculated and a wing structure designed accordingly. Design Brief The following reading is an analysis of the software package DESFOIL on the suitability of difference NACA 4 digit aerofoils on an MAV of certain design specifications. These include Cruise Speed, = 15 Loiter Speed, = 8 Wing Area, S = 0.13 We will assume a rectangular planform for our aerofoil. Furthermore, we will assume the aerofoil as the main form of lift, i.e. neglecting fuselage, tail plane or rudder lift generation Wing Characteristic/ Structure Lift is defined as the aerodynamic force that a surface produces in the presence of a perpendicular velocity vector. Since lift is defined as a force, , we can assume that lift is some function of the density of the medium it is produced within, , the size of the object producing such a force, , and the before mentioned velocity, Therefore, (1) Where x, y and z are unknown parameters defining the relationship outlined in the equation. Through dimensional analysis we can deduce the values of such unknowns. (2) (3) In terms of lift forces, the constant of proportionality is termed the coefficient of lift, deriving the lift equation (4) It is also possible to consider a more rigorous analysis of the coefficient of lift taking into account symmetrical and cambered aerofoils, which yield and respectively. However, such equations only apply to thin aerofoils and since the thicknesses of the aerofoils are unknown in this assignment, the generic formulae will be used. Similarly, derivation of the drag forces can yield an equivalent drag version of equation (4). (5) To deduce our optimal lift coefficient, we will assume the lift generated will equal the weight of the aircraft, a reasonable assumption when considering straight and level (cruise) flight and the loiter regime. Therefore, the lift coefficients can be calculated for the respective flight conditions (6) Equation (6) yields a cruise coefficient of lift of 0.285, while similar analysis for loiter conditions yields a lift coefficient, of 1. Since we are initially more concerned with the wing aerodynamics with respect to wing structure (aspect ratio), we will consider the induced drag, , whereby, (7) Where e is the Oswald efficiency of the aerofoil, a correctional factor added since the wing shape differs from the elliptical wing used for the derivation, and A is the aspect ratio, calculated by the length to width ratio. To select the best aspect ratio for our aerofoil, the induced drag variation with aspect ratio changes is shown in Figure 1. It can easily been seen from Figure 1 that an aspect ratio of 5 would be acceptable since there is negligible variation in terms of the two dimensionless concepts. However, if we consider this in terms of the actual MAV, an aspect ratio of 5 would yield a span of 0.8m and a chord length of 0.16m. Evidently, while this is the longest and thinnest allowed in this particular investigation, possible structural problems may occur. However, if we consider the capabilities of the aircraft, there are advantages too. As Figure 1 has shown the induced drag in flight would be decreased, enabling better endurance and longer range. The structural instability could be overcome by careful selection of materials and designing of the structure. Thus, although problems may arise from such an aspect ratio, these problems can be overcome and do have their own advantages. Such data allows calculation of cruise and loiter Reynolds number and Mach number to be calculated. Figure 1: Induced Drag and Aspect Ratio relationship (8) (9) Similarly, and. Panel Number Since DESFOIL is the primary tool in determining which aerofoil will be used and its aerodynamic characteristics known, it would be wise to research the capabilities of the software and which system (panel number) to use to ensure the results obtained are of relevant accuracy. Another important aspect of using DESFOIL is the time taken for results to be determined. This will be analysed next. If we consider the effects of panel number on the lift, drag and pressure distribution respectively, we can clearly see a relationship shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4. Considering an angle of incidence of 10 degrees, it is evident to see that the most accurate results come about with the higher panel numbers. Since the maximum panel number within DESFOIL is 280, it would seem this would be the optimal choice. However, upon closer analysis, it is the time taken for such accurate results to come back from the software, which is of greater importance. For example, a panel number of 280 will provide the most accurate answer, but also take the longest to deduce. Therefore, if we consider the (negligible) variation of values, we can deduce that a panel number of 180 is significantly lower, thus, allowing quicker results, but still retains a high level of accuracy. For example, for the lift coefficient, 180 yields 1.0012, while 280 yields 1.0028. Thus the accuracy difference is negligible. Figure 2: Variation of Lift with different panel number on NACA0012 aerofoil Figure 3: Variation of Drag with panel number on NACA0012 aerofoil When analysing the pressure distribution, fewer panel numbers were considered, since the graphical representation would have become severely hard to differentiate between the different graphs. On the other hand, the before mentioned negligible differences is perhaps clearer in Figure 4. With the panel number at 280, the pressure distribution is most smooth, allowing finer details to be seen, which would otherwise be lost in lower panel numbers. Thus, a panel number of 180, the lowest without losing significant accuracy, is optimal. Figure 4: Variation of Pressure Distribution with panel number on NACA0012 aerofoil Reynolds/ Mach number So far, we have considered only the cruise aspect of the MAV. Since the aircraft will experience loitering stages also, analysis must be considered into different Reynolds and Mach numbers. Both of these are necessary in understanding the aerodynamics of the aerofoil since they both alter the way in which the aerofoil will react to airflow. For example, consideration of transition points, the onset of turbulent flow, boundary layer thickness and laminar flow needs to be understood to optimise the aerofoil design. Therefore, changes in the behaviour of the aerofoil/ airflow must be modelled and simulated within DESFOIL. For further understanding of such phenomenon, XFOIL will be used to pictorially show the effects of Reynolds number and Mach number on boundary layer, amongst other sets of information. More specifically, larger Reynolds and Mach numbers will be taken into consideration to visualise compressibility effects. To observe such results, i.e. how changes in density with regards to the pressure distribution, comparisons will be made to show how the compressibility effects (large Reynolds/ Mach number values) alter the characteristics/ performance of the aerofoil. An angle of attack of 10 degrees was considered when undertaking the computations in all examples. Incompressibility/ Compressibility Effects Figures 5 and 6 visually show the variation of the boundary layer with a high Reynolds and Mach number. If we consider Figure 5, we can see the specific values of coefficients of lift, drag and pitching moment at the angle of attack mentioned before. Another helpful mode shown within Figure 5 is the description of the change in boundary layer over the length of the chord of the aerofoil. This pictoral view shows the general formation of turbulent flow from laminar flow. As will be seen later in the report, there is a relationship between the boundary layer thickness and the Reynolds number. This relationship is important to note since a thinner laminar boundary layer ensure lower drag. Again, this concept will be further investigated later. Figure 5: XFOIL graph showing pressure distribution along aerofoil Figure 6: XFOIL graph showing variation of other aerofoil characteristics Reynolds Number Mach Number Cl Cd lift/drag 1000000 0.4 1.083 0.01965 55.13 169412 0.04 1.0266 0.03469 29.59 90353 0.024 0.9415 0.05289 17.8 Figure 7: How lift and drag vary with different Reynolds and Mach numbers From Figure 7, we can see the direct impact the differing Reynolds numbers and Mach numbers have on the generation of lift and drag. Quite clearly, as the Reynolds/ Mach number decreases, so does the coefficient of lift, and thus lift generated. Also of significant importance is the increase in drag with decreasing Reynolds/Mach number. Due to these variations, the lift to drag ratio also decreases. However, it is important to note that the results are non-linear. This non-linearity can be explained from the transition from incompressible flow to flow whose density changes with respect to the pressure distribution. Thus, such characteristics cannot be extrapolated or calculated; they must be experimentally defined, or computationally simulated, since consideration of compressibility effects adds complexity to calculations. Boundary Layer Analysis Although there is little difference between the values of lift coefficients (in the first two examples), there seems to be a drastic difference between the lift: drag ratios. Since the coefficients of lift are similar, varying by less than a magnitude of value, the only possible change must come from the drag experienced on the aerofoil. Experimental data, treating the aerofoil as a flat plate, shows that as the Reynolds number increases, the boundary layer thickness decreases, shown in Equation (10). (10) Thus, a decrease in the Reynolds number causes a larger boundary layer around the aerofoil, which in turn causes a greater disturbance to the free stream air. Since the boundary layer cannot handle a large adverse pressure gradient without separation, the higher values of Reynolds number cause separation earlier, even though they have thinner, boundary layers. This is due to greater adverse pressure gradients which are responsible for the larger values of lift coefficients attained. The separated flow causes larger amounts of drag, which is obviously undesirable, since the flow is no longer uniform along the chord. Once the pressure gradient exceeds a critical point, the boundary layer will separate from the aerofoil, therefore reducing the magnitude of the pressure gradient, reducing lift generation. Therefore, the lift: drag ratio decreases as drag will increase upon separation. The drag experienced at higher Reynolds numbers is still considerably smaller than the drag experienced at lower Reynolds numbers due to the thickness of the boundary layer. Although separation of the flow is a factor with regards to drag, the boundary layer thickness, as seen in Figure (7) using Equation (10), is a larger factor. Since this separation point (transition from laminar to turbulent flow) is an area of interest with regards to the amount of drag experienced by the aerofoil, Figure 8 shows the movement of such a point with regards to the Reynolds number. The black lines only show the separation points on the upper surface of the aerofoil since this is the surface of most interest. Figure 8: Transition point. 1) Re=1000000, M=0.4 2) Re=169412, M=0.04 3) Re=90353, M=0.024 At this point it is important to note that the DESFOIL parameters were changed to ensure a completely accurate result from the simulation. To ensure the accuracy was maximised, the transition detection was 100% the length of the chord, and not simply the default 20%. This allowed DESFOIL to look throughout the whole length of the chord for the transition/ separation point as opposed to the default 20%. As we can see, for the same angle of attack, the higher Reynolds/ Mach numbers cause the separation point to be significantly closer to the leading edge. Similar XFOIL graphs were constructed as that in Figure 6 for the other Reynolds/ Mach numbers. From Figure 6, we can see that at an angle of attack of 0 degrees, there is a separation point at 0.637, i.e. 63.7% away from the leading edge as a function of the chord length. When the Reynolds number is 169412, this separation point is 91% as a function of the chord length, while the loiter Reynolds number remains laminar at 0 degrees angle of attack. Geometries If we consider other three dimensional geometries with respect to the drag each produces, we can understand why an aerofoil is an optimal shape in terms of reducing drag. Figure 9: Drag values for various 3D geometries If we consider streamlining any given shape, we can possibly reduce the amount of drag experienced, as shown in Figure 9, by an order of magnitude. For example, if we consider the sphere, hemisphere and teardrop shapes, although all have the same frontal geometry, it is the streamlining of the teardrop which contributes most to a significant reduce in drag, due to the prolonged attachment of the airflow. Since the airflow after the sphere/hemisphere is suddenly separated (due to the non gradual geometry behind the shape), there is a significant amount of drag experienced. This is why Figure 5 depicts such a prolonged attachment of the airflow, only becoming separated towards the trailing edge of aerofoil. To further reinforce the advantageous effects of streamlining, Figure 10 shows the geometrical differences which can be obtained with intelligent streamlining. Figure 10: Two different geometries with the same aerodynamic drag force Lower Aerofoil Surface Another important feature found from graphs similar to Figure 5 highlights the relationship between the angle of attack, Reynolds/ Mach number and flow over the lower wing section. It was found that at lower Reynolds numbers, the flow is relatively laminar across the length of the chord length. This makes sense at high angles of attack since the underside of the aerofoil has a larger wetted area. Possible further investigation and research may lie in determining the flow over the lower surface of the aerofoil in negative angles of attack. Perhaps such an investigation will help understand the landing/ descending section of a flight path. It may be interesting to learn whether separation points play such a major role on the lower surface as they do on the upper surface, in terms of lift and drag. Such understanding can provide insight into painting a complete picture of the airflow surrounding a wing. Furthermore, since a NACA0012 aerofoil was considered giving all the results mentioned previously, changes in airflow with varying NACA aerofoils could help determine a more complex relationship. For example, as thickness, camber and camber position change, how does the transition point vary on the underside of the aerofoil? Such variations are made within the next section with regards to the overall lift and drag. However pressure variations could be conducted in a similar fashion. Designing using DESFOIL Since DESFOIL allows the user to design, test and evaluate their own chosen design (one of the many reasons it was chosen for undertaking of this particular investigation), it is important to understand how the different parameters affect the aerofoil characteristics. From this, we can deduce what the optimal aerofoil for our application could be. Furthermore, it allows for reinforcement of aerodynamic theory into the reaction of airflow over changing geometries of aerofoils. This could be seen as a measurement of DESFOILs accuracy in its simulations. If its simulation results were to vary from known aerodynamics, then the softwares validity would be questionable. Throughout the analysis, therefore, the aerodynamic theory will be called upon to explain the results given from DESFOIL. Since the software allows for three different design features, it was deemed necessary, to gain a full understanding, to adjust and examine one parameter at a time and comment on the results obtained. Since different values of lift were optimal for the different stages within our flight path, both the cruise and loiter conditions were looked at. From the template aerofoil NACA0012, the thickness was the first parameter to be changed. Figures 11 and 12 below graphically shows the variation in lift and drag over the four different aerofoil thicknesss chosen. Cruise Conditions Figure 11: Lift variation with different NACA aerofoils thicknesses Figure 12: Drag variation with varying thicknesses Firstly, the cruise conditions will be investigated. As we can see from the figures above, the thickness of the aerofoil plays an important role in determining such characteristics as stall angle and maximum coefficient of lift. If we consider both graphs simultaneously, we can deduce the thicker the aerofoil, the greater the values of lift can be obtained. This is shown with the increase in coefficient of lift values from 12% thickness to 15-21% thickness. This is down to the curvature of the aerofoil being the main form of lift generation, i.e. the more curved (thicker in this instance since camber position is constant) the aerofoil, the larger amounts of lift generated, within limits. Also, nose shape effects help the generation of high lift coefficients. Furthermore, it is important to note that the thinner aerofoil has also stalled significantly harder than the thicker aerofoils. Since stalling is undesirable, perhaps thicker aerofoils would be best for use in the chosen aerofoil. Concentrating on the graphs from a drag point of few, we can again see that thinner aerofoils are undesirable due to the drag they produce/ experience. The sharp rise in drag experienced by the thinner NACA0012 aerofoil is complimentary of the stall it experienced at an angle of attack of 13. Furthermore, it is important to note that there are slight variations in the small angle of attack region with respect to lift and negligible difference in the corresponding drag section. Since a definitive relationship was deduced from the thickness investigation, it was reasonable to continue the designing experiments. Next, the camber thickness was investigated. Figure 13: Lift variation with angle of attack with different camber thicknesses Figure 14: Drag variation with angle of attack with different camber thicknesses From the above figures, certain relationships can be deduced between the camber thickness and the effect such parameters have on the lift and drag experienced on the aerofoil. Firstly, lets consider the adverse effects on the lift and drag, shown here by the NACA-2012, whereby the -2 denotes a negative camber. From Figure 13, we can see a significantly lower lift attained flight with an earlier stall, which compliments Figure 14, whereby the drag significantly increases due to the separated flow resulting from the stall. For the other three aerofoils shown, the aerodynamic drag force experienced by each has negligible difference, since all follow the same shape. The differences can more obviously be seen through analysis of Figure 13. Here, we can see the larger the camber, the greater values of lift can be obtained. However, it is important to note that only the NACA4012 aerofoil does not experience a stall. On the other hand, the other two positive aerofoils, while although experiencing a stall, do not stall extremely harshly, and so a stall of this kind, while although not optimal, can be considered negligible in terms of lift generated. The camber position was investigated next Figure 15: Lift variation with angle of attack under different camber positions Figure 16: Drag variation with angle of attack under different camber positions As we can see from the above two figures, the effect of camber position is not as drastic as the other previous analysed parameters. From Figure 15, we can see the highest lift is attained by the NACA4212 aerofoil, although all the aerofoils have the same similar low angle of attack lift generation. It is only towards angles of attack greater than 7 where there is greatest deviation. On the other hand, it can also be seen that the NACA4212 aerofoil, while giving the highest lift value, also stalls. As mentioned before, this is undesirable. From a drag perspective, the NACA4212 aerofoil performs best towards larger angles of attack however performs worst at low angles of attack. Depending on where the greatest emphasis needs to be placed upon the cruise aerofoil conditions, this may be an important factor. Chosen Cruise Aerofoil Since we have analysed the effects of the three different parameters within DESFOIL, we can now evaluate what lift and drag characteristics we want from our chosen aerofoil. Since the actual aerofoil will be 3D, we need to take into consideration 3D effects. For this instance, we are going to assume the 3D coefficient of lift is 90% of the 2D coefficient of lift, namely, (11) One reason there is a decrease in the change from two dimensional to three dimensional bodies is the appearance of an extra plane, i.e. the z plane. Thus, the lift generation needs to distribute the lift over three planes instead of two. Thus resulting in less lift overall. Therefore, we can calculate a coefficient of lift of 0.3167 to be found using DESFOIL. Taking what was found from the above investigation, various NACA aerofoils were tested. The final aerofoil chosen was the NACA2615 aerofoil for reasons clearly shown using Figure 17. Figure 17: NACA2615 aerofoil characteristics From this figure, we can see the optimal design characteristics we want from our cruise aerofoil. These characteristics include a significantly low drag, as compared to the lift generated, which can be seen as a direct result of no stall being present. Furthermore, if we consider the lift we wanted to generate, namely 0.3167, we can see this aerofoil manages to attain such lift at a low angle of attack, something we want from our aerofoil since the quicker the optimal lift can be generated, the quicker the aerofoil will start behaving to optimise its performance. Since this optimal lift is generated at an angle between 1 and 2, the lift: drag ratio was calculated for these two angles. They are 17 and 39 respectively. These high values show the positive performance of our aerofoil in the cruise condition. Loiter Condition As we can see from the previous section, a detailed investigation and analysis was undertaken to establish the best NACA aerofoil for our cruise purposes. If we now go on to consider the loiter condition, there are certain parameters which need to be considered, namely the 2D lift we wish to aim for, at the lowest angle of attack, to find the optimal aerofoil. As shown in the previous section, the thickness, camber and camber position were all varied individually and the resulting effect on the lift and drag analysed. Using Equation 11, we can calculate the required lift (needed to be found in DESFOIL) as 1.11. Firstly, the thickness was adjusted. It was found, just like the cruise condition investigation that an increase in thickness resulted in higher levels of lift being attained. However it was also found that the aerofoils under loiter conditions tend to stall, regardless of thickness. However, the greater the thickness the higher angle of stall. Since all aerofoils tested stalled, the drag associated with each was indicative of this phenomenon. It is also important to note that the aerofoils tested were the NACA0010, NACA0012, NACA0018 and NACA0021. Considering the position of maximum camber next, it was found that the NACA4212 aerofoil stalled significantly earlier than the NACA4012, NA

The company culture of Pixar Animation Studios

The company culture of Pixar Animation Studios Introduction The origin of Pixar is traced back to 1984 when John Lasseter the Chief Creative Officer of Disney and Pixar joined the computer graphics division of Lucasfilms. Two years later Steve Jobs bought this unit and renamed it Pixar that went on to produce award winning short films, commercials and documentaries. The Company expanded its creative potentials to make its first computer animated movie, Toy Story in 1995 that marked the beginning of a new era in animation film industry. Pixar re-defined the meaning of success with major triumphs in the form of The Incredibles, Finding Nemo, Toy Story 2, and many others to follow. The Company was acquired by Disney in the year 2006, a strategic alliance that expanded the creative potentials of Pixar to further heights. The success of the company has been termed as dramatic and inspirational for other firms in the creative industry segment. The much talked about Pixar culture provides an interesting insight into how an organization can nurture t he creative talents of its employees across different levels. Research issue The research paper explores the different dimensions of the Pixar culture and its open door policy to understand the ways in which the organization has expanded its creative potentials to become one of the most innovative organizations in the industry. The objective of the paper is to analyse the impacts of the people management practices adopted at Pixar in promoting a creative work environment. Theoretical analysis framework Theoretical analysis provides any research work with the necessary facts and evidence that support the research findings and implications. In this section, the paper will focus on analysing the organizational culture of Pixar through two distinctive models the organizational aesthetics model and Handy (1985) or Harrison (1972) Model of culture. The study of these two theoretical dimensions enable a deeper insight and understanding of how the structural design and practices within an organization shapes its workplace environment and employee attitudes. The study and understanding of these two theoretical dimensions have been used to analyse the Pixar culture that promotes creativity through an enabling work culture. Organizational aesthetics model Aesthetics offers a new look into organizations, and a look at alternative ways of expressing and making meanings that deeply influence organizational interactions, behaviours, and understandings (Taylor Hansen, 2005). Aesthetics relate to our senses and contextual experiences that shape our knowledge and beliefs. Organizational activities and strategies are to a wide extent influenced by the social and contextual environment in which they exist. The underlying assumption of the aesthetic approach to the study of organizations is that, although an organization is indeed a social and collective construct, it is not an exclusively cognitive one but derives from the knowledge-creating faculties of all the human senses (Linstead Hopfl, 2000). According to this approach organizations are created through the re-definition and application of knowledge processing skills that are harnessed for productive gains. Since the organizational processes are widely impacted by the individual perceptions, attitudes, beliefs, opinions, values and reflections of the workforce that drive operational efficiencies. These are indicators of organizational aesthetics that bind the various elements into a more cohesive structure that helps in the production of goods and services for the larger community. Recent Trend in Organization Aesthetics The significance of such models is underlined by the increasing diversity of the workforce in present business environment and the difficulties faced in integrating the skills of individuals from varied knowledge sectors to develop a single product. Research studies have established that an understanding of the organizational aesthetics can help in improving managerial abilities to lead the team towards a more effective performance. Studies have revealed that the understanding of organizational aesthetics can help managers to identify the parameters of how to analyse and approach any issue. This particular aspect enables the organization to pursue a strategy well defined and supported by an understanding of human values and dimensions that impact work performance. Organization Aesthetics in Pixar Bill Capodagli, the author of Innovate the Pixar Way: Lessons from the Worlds most Creative Corporate Playground in an interview with the Enterpriseleadership.org (2010) stated that Pixar has a set of deeply rooted values that champion excellence, tap innovation, and encourage collaboration. Following this observation, it can be inferred that the organizational practices and strategies adopted by Pixar have been a vital factor in promoting its creative talents. The question that this observation raises is what kind of organizational design and practices Pixar has that promotes such creativity. Organizational structure plays a critical role in nurturing individual talent and providing the employees with the opportunity to deliver their true potentials Edgar Schein in 1985 observed that organizations can be broadly categorised into two types Organization A that adopts an open environment facilitated by free flow of communication and less formal atmosphere; and organization B that supports a closed door structure featured by formal work procedures and low interactivity among employees. Pixar belongs to the Organization A type that exhibits an open culture (Schein, 2004). This kind of organization supports team based work culture. The success formula of Pixar is based on team work, collaboration and free flow of communication between individuals. The high level of interaction and flow of communication within the organization is promoted by its flat organizational structure. The organization is founded on remarkable management practices that discourage hierarchical system of r eporting. The non hierarchical organizational structure promotes responsibilities and motivates the employees to put in their best at work resulting in high performing organizations. However, such work culture demands strong commitment and high level of energy from the employees. The operating principles of Pixar is based on freedom to communicate with anyone, a work environment that is safe for everyone to offer ideas, and staying close to innovations happening in the academic community (Catmull, 2008). The creative focus of the organization has been on harnessing its human resource potentials to the optimum through the application of aesthetic organizational principles (McElroy Morrow, 2010). This involves providing its employees with a work environment that is most informal with all amenities and luxuries that enable the stimulation of the creative senses of the workforce (Buzalka, 2006). The company adopts a non-hierarchical organization structure that encourages associates to actively participate in the decision making process at all stages. The organization supports employee empowerment in the form of supportive management practices that focuses on employee skills development and promoting participative leadership style. The lack of formal reporting lines and accountability of employees is compensated with mentors who assist the new comers into the organization and guide them through various stages of career progression. The ability of the organization to create and sustain in novation at work is dependent on speed, transparency and accountability (Hamilton, 2005). Organizational design is to a large extent guided by the flow of information across various levels and departments. Entrepreneurs re-engineer business processes to accommodate a flatter form of organization structure that necessitates free flow of information and knowledge to the workforce. Organizational structure plays a pivotal role in determining organizational culture and values, communication lines and the extent of employee involvement in decision making process. The levels of reporting and accountability framework of a company determine the corporate culture and work environment existing within the company. In current business context, entrepreneurs re-engineer business processes to accommodate a flatter organization structure that necessitates free flow of information and knowledge to the workforce. Knowledge and learning culture forms the key to business success in todays competitive industry. Pixar has managed to leverage existing technology tools to create competitive adv antage through enhancing its competencies and skills to adapt to new systems and innovate work processes for launching and creating new ideas. The effectiveness of such work processes is largely impacted by employee skills, competencies and access to relevant information. In the organizational context, knowledge is a tool that helps the organization to achieve strategic goals and objectives. These goals include generating a reputation for technical expertise, translating expertise into new business ideas, gaining new experience in specific areas to achieve cost advantage and optimum use of internal resources. At Pixar the open organization design facilitates interaction between employees that promotes teamwork. Such initiatives contribute to organizational productivity by providing the employees with a suitable physical environment to work in. Pixar presents a fine blending of learning and team work assisted by an open organizational design that enables the company to roll out new ideas and creative products for their target audience. Advantages of Organizational Aesthetics Workplace design and physical office environment plays a significant role in enhancing organizational productivity and performance. Research studies have concluded that improvements in office design and management are not the only consideration for organizational productivity, but they have an important role to play; offices should be considered as a potential asset rather than just a space to house employees (Charles Zweirzchowski, 2004). Organizational aesthetics take into account the need for designing workspaces to meet the work process requirements. Adequate space designing for privacy of work, open office plans to promote teamwork and interaction between co-workers support the organizational goals by providing the employees with the desired workspace. Technology has created new expectations and influenced consumer behavior to include a wide gamut of options and possibilities that can be explored by organizations to launch new trends and range of products. Such business models are supported by increased collaboration and interaction between employees across different departments. The open design office structure supported by Pixar enables the employees to communicate and discuss freely the work issues and details. Discussions and deliberations on work issues are effective in promoting work efficiency and enable the companies to come up with million dollar ideas. The right mix of design and functionality while planning office spaces can have a positive impact on organizational productivity and performance through reduced operational costs in the form of shared resources and effective teamwork. Types of office design The conventional office design and workplace layout have undergone massive transformations over the past few decades. The previous sections have elaborated on the significance of organizational aesthetics in developing creative potentials within the firm and the analysis highlights the impacts that structural design has on employee productivity and performance. Efficient workplace design can positively impact employee motivation levels and satisfaction. Theoretical frameworks in this context have emphasized the significance of workplace design and office layout plans in supporting organizational goals, work processes, innovative culture and business values. Bill Capodagli in an interview with the Credit Union Magazine recently commented that the success behind Pixar lay in its conceptualisation of a corporate playground that enabled its employees to relax and enjoy within the organization. When you go there, you may see people playing football or swimming in an Olympic sized pool. It has created an atmosphere where work is fun working hard and playing hard (Capodagli Credit Union, 2010). Pixar has adopted an open office design that enables its employees to share ideas, conceptualise new designs and initiate new practices for effective results. An analysis of the effectiveness of the office design theories put forward by Duffy (1997) reveals interesting insights into the Pixar model. Duffy (1997) in his works had proposed four distinct types of office design namely den, club, hive and cell. The matrix given below illustrates the extent to which these four office design types support interaction and autonomy in organizations The work culture at Pixar shows a high degree of team work and interaction between employees. The organization as studied in the previous sections supports a participative decision making process. The daily work of the employees is reviewed by peers and managers for assessing the effectiveness of outcomes (Capodagli, 2010). Hence the work environment at Pixar supports limited autonomy combined with high level of interactivity that is characterized by the Den office design as postulated by Duffy (1997). The effectiveness of such office design is emphasized by its contribution in motivating and inspiring employees towards creativity. Such workplace design according to Van der Voodt (2004) promotes a transparent organizational structure, enables employee empowerment, encourages team work, promotes learning, facilitates free flow of information, allows increased collaboration at work and creates a motivational environment. It can be inferred from the above discussion that organizational design and workplace layout must focus on enabling increased collaborative environment within the departments and hierarchies. Organization Culture and Workplace Environment The previous section highlighted the significance of organizational aesthetics and workplace design in shaping the Pixar work culture. However, the analysis of the success mantra of Pixar cannot be complete without an insight into its organizational culture that is reflected in its workplace environment. Organization culture defines the organizational belief, values and norms shared by the employees. An organization is shaped by the culture that predominates in work environment, employee behaviour and managerial attitude. Pixar adopts an organization culture that defies all traditional theories related to managing and running a business establishment. Conventional management practices focused on bureaucratic controls and centralised decision making system that demarcated distinctive roles for each individuals. The evolving concepts of organizational culture and practices focus more on employee welfare and development plans that inspire the workforce to display proactive behaviour at work. One of the distinctive challenges faced by all organizations today is motivating its employees to achieve higher levels of performance and build a work climate that induces positive attitude to work amongst its employees. Motivation is a key area where the organizational management needs to stand out in order to achieve a high degree of employee creativity skills in solving business problems. Opportunity oriented, reward oriented, freedom to explore and work on their own are some of the factors which contribute to a high degree of motivation which gives solidarity to the company and promotes a good organizational culture. A high degree of employe e motivation ensures that employees work freely and without reservations in achieving their desired goals. They are also given the freedom to work on their own to allow creative ideas and hence innovative practices to grow. This would not be possible in a restricting environment where the employees do not have the room to develop and grow their intrinsic creativity skills. Pixar adopted the innovative and creative approach to expand its market potentials and gain new grounds in an emerging industry. The promoters of the Company ensured that the team based work approach promoted creative talents of its employees and nurtured the potentials of the workforce through an enabling corporate learning environment. This is a new kind of movie studio that not only invents its own technology, much like a whiz-bang Silicon Valley Company, but also comes up with new production methods and organizational innovations that bring unheard of discipline to the crazy business of making movies (Schlender, 2004). Model of culture Different models of organizational culture have been proposed by researchers and academicians. Such models provide the basis for understanding the context in which organizations operate within the existing business environment. One of the models proposed by Roger Harrison (1972) suggested that organizational culture is primarily of four types that include power, role, task/achievement and person/support (Cartwright Cooper, 2000). This model was further researched by Handy to provide four distinctive categories of organization culture. The four categories have been identified as role culture, power culture, person culture, and task culture. The role culture reflects bureaucratic organization that takes into account the procedures and position of employees to define the existing work culture. The power culture is influenced by the control of individuals at the head who run the whole show for the business. The person culture is shaped by the leader-subordinate relationship that accounts for the existing work culture. The task culture is based on impact of individual knowledge and expertise that influences the work culture and environment (Itzen Nerwman, 2005). The organizational culture displayed at Pixar focuses on increased collaboration and team work culture. The creativity at Pixar is fostered daily by an open collaborative atmosphere in which every member of the team is engaged in the process and commited to a common goal in this case, a good entertaining story (Kiedaisch, 2010). The company adopts an integrated approach towards its people development strategies based on group learning initiatives and team work focus. One of the mechanisms adopted by organizations today is the reinforcement of team work that provides the individuals with the autonomy and freedom to act according to the need of the hour. Teams at Pixar are an integral part of operational processes and the organization relies extensively on teams to perform strategic functions. The team learning process is not only innovative and inspiring to the members but it also helps the organization devise new strategies and creative ideas that can work wonders for the business. Hence it can be concluded that Pixar displays task culture where individual expertise and skills are integrated with organizational capabilities and resources to produce new ideas and product designs. The task culture brings individuals working on specific tasks together to contribute to the completion of a bigger task. The work approach focuses on completing the job at hand successfully and more emphasis is given to a collaborative approach that necessitates the coming together of differently skilled people to accomplish the goal. Hence this kind of work culture promotes an informal work environment where decision making is usually reached through discussions and consensus between the employees. This type of work culture is also characterized by increased interaction and exchange of information between members. Suggested applicable solutions In order for an organization to remain relevant and to compete in pursuit of its mission, management of organizations must pay attention to both ends of the process, generating creative ideas frequently and utilizing its innovation process to realize the potential value of those ideas (McLean, 2005). Organizations operating in a competitive business environment depend on innovation and creativity through the adoption of latest technology tools and applications to drive market advantage in their favour. Management of technology and its judicious application in work processes facilitate the firms to deliver high quality products and superior work performance that is driven by an enabling work culture. Adopting work practices that promote creativity and innovation within firms can be a challenging task since the application of such business models are impacted by the human resource strategies, managerial capabilities and resource availability (Gilmartin, 1999). Studies of such business models in creative organizations have proved the effectiveness of these strategies that promote innovation and a positive work culture within the workforce. An analysis of the competitive industry environment provides a clear picture on the existing market environment and its current trends. The driving economic forces that guide the market movements and emergent technology trends are significant to the analysis of markets and help organizations like Pixar to define appropriate strategies to retain competitive advantage. Futuristic technologies are envisioned to create better and increased utility of existing products and services for improved applications and heightened consumer satisfaction. However, the effective utilisation of such technology trends depends on the creativity of its manpower. Creativity contributes to the generation of new ideas and help companies in distinguishing their products and services from their competitors in the market. Pursuing a creative organization approach must focus on developing the human resource of the organization. Conclusion The analysis of Pixar work culture and organizational aesthetics have highlighted some significant points in context of strengthening the innovative capabilities of a company. While office workspace design and structure play a significant role in influencing a positive work environment the role of organizational culture and strategic practices involving team work, participative leadership approach and employee empowerment in promoting creativity among employees cannot be ignored. The guiding principle behind managerial strategies and focus of the organization has been nurturing relationships and building trust among employees that helps in creating an amiable and creative work environment. If we get that right, the result is a vibrant community where talented people are loyal to one another and their collective work, everyone feels that they part of something extraordinary, and their passion and accomplishments make the community a magnet for talented people coming out of schools or working at other places (Catmull, 2008).