Oilwell Cable Company Case Study Essay

1. If Norm chooses to go ahead with the microprocessor conversion on the machinery without passing it by the team, what are the potential conflicts that might arise? What are the advantages of such a move? – The biggest potential problem here is that the production team might feel slighted as their opinions were not considered in this major decision, and it may affect their current strong feeling of value hat they have with the company. Essentially if feeling of value is affected then productivity will be affected, as Steve Cooper a contributor to Forbes points out studies show that companies that effectively appreciate employee value enjoy a return on equity & assets more than triple that experienced by firms that don’t. (Cooper, 2012) The advantage of such a move would be fulfilling the employees wishes of upper management making the tougher decisions not the team; also it would not only eliminate the three day deliberations that usually precede the team’s decision but it would also meet the employees desire of less time spent in team meetings. 2. If Norm decides to put the decision to the appropriate production team, what are the potential problems? What would be the advantages? – Here the potential problems is the deliberation period normally associated with team decisions, as this means a loss in productivity as these deliberations happen on company time. It could also affect morale, as employees already have a desire for less team meetings adding more to reach a decision will result in loss of confidence in upper management. Additionally, this decision based on the org chart, will then have to be approved by upper management which results in additional lost time as these decisions are already a struggle for them. On the flip side advantages here is that it would keep high value alive, as the employees would see that their opinions are truly valued when decisions affect the entire business; also it would be a great opportunity for upper management to gather thoughts and feedback from their employees who live the day to day process of the job. Finally when employees can connect value to their job productivity and implementation go smoothly because th ey each â€Å"own† it. 3. If the production team chooses to approve and implement this microprocessor conversion project, what form of project organization will this represent? – Functional organization, as the production team is the functional division of the company as our text points out that has the most interest in ensuring this project’s success or can be most helpful in implementing it. (Meredith & Mantel, 2012 pg.177) 4. Given the size of this organization and the number of projects they deal with, would it make sense to institute a Project Management Office? Is there another arrangement that might be a good alternative? – I think a PMO makes sense, as our text makes clear, a project management office (PMO) can provide critically important services for all projects. The skill with which the PMO organizes, administers, and carries out its responsibilities will have a major impact on the ability of projects to meet their objectives. (Meredith & Mantel, 2012 pg.177) This is vital as the company will be able to keep track of project progress and decisions can be made quicker, possibly eliminating the current double deliberation periods. Alternatively as projects arise if project teams of the necessary parties could be quickly formed and headed by an assigned company PM or the best suited yet most qualified individual from upper management for the job; this may also work to the company’s advantage. 5. How much impact might microprocessors have on production costs? Assume that variable overhead represents the same percentage of costs as fixed overhead. Find the net present value if the microprocessors cost $25,000 and their installation runs another $5,000. Assume a 10% margin. – Here the impact of the microprocessors on production will not be high as the variable and fixed overhead costs are the same percentages, meaning that both fixed costs that are unchanged based on production and those costs that vary by output are equal percentages. Additionally net present value impact in a year would be $30,300 based on the total initial start up cost; here to see a true balance it would be best for Norm to also investigate the financial  benefits (cut time, less scrap, and overall profit). 6. Compare Norm’s recollection of the division’s productivity gains between 1995 and 1999 to Exhibit 2. Explain the inconsistency. – Here human recollection versus actually data results makes it clear why data should be collected and reported on versus relying on memory. The consistency could be due to the fact that in 2000 the company was hit hard by the recession and productivity took a serious negative hit, therefore as productivity rose and eventually surpassed its pre-recession numbers Norm simply was reminded of the â€Å"good old days† of high productivity. 7. What would you recommend that Norm do? – I would recommend that a PMO be implemented for the task of; Establish and enforce good project management processes such as procedures for bidding, risk analysis, project selection, progress reports, executing contracts, and selecting software. Also, collect and disseminate information, techniques, and lessons learned as reported in project evaluations that can improve project management practices. (Meredith & Mantel, 2012 pg.194-195) If that’s not currently feasible, I would suggest that Norm first runs the decision by upper management as there are many benefits with the planned implementation of microprocessors; once agreed upon this decision should be conveyed to the employees, then the production team should be allowed to voice their opinions and suggestions on the decision. This approach will avoid any animosity the team may feel towards upper management, while avoiding the unnecessary deliberation process that results in lost time. Resources: Cooper, S. (July 30, 2012). Make More Money By Making Your Employees Happy. Forbes. Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/sites/stevecooper/2012/07/30/make-more-money-by-making-your-employees-happy/ Meredith, J.R., & Mantel, S.J, Jr. (2012). Project management: A Managerial Approach (8th ed). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc

Zeus Research Paper

rZeus Beginning around 700 B. C. , stories by Homer and other Greek poets told of the lives of powerful gods who involved themselves in human affairs. Supreme among these gods was Zeus, but to the Romans he was known as Jupiter. Zeus was the supreme god and ruler of Olympus. He was known by many titles: Lord of the Sky, the Cloud- gatherer, the Rain-god, and Zeus the Thunderer. All of which are the most popular names dating back to ancient Greek history and mythology. Zeus was the child of the Titans, Cronus and Rhea, and was the youngest of all his siblings.Cronus , Zeus’ father, had been warned that one of his children would overthrow him. Cronus knew the consequences, for he had overthrown his father, Uranus. To prevent this from happening Cronus swallowed his newborn children Hestia, Demeter, Hera, Hades and Poseidon, but according to legend his wife Rhea and her mother Gaia, wrapped a stone in swaddling clothes in the place of the infant Zeus. Cronus thinking it was the n ewborn baby swallowed the stone. Meanwhile Rhea and her baby were taken to Crete, and there, in a cave on Mount Dicte, the divine goat Amaltheia suckled and raised the infant Zeus.When Zeus had grown into a young man he left the cave and returned to his fathers domain, and with the help of Gaia, tricked Cronus to vomit the five children he had previously swallowed. However, this led to war and Zeus led the revolt against his father and the dynasty of the Titans. In the end theTitans were defeated and banished to â€Å"Tartarus†, which was a region lower than the underworld. Once Zeus had control, he and his brothers divided the universe amongst themselves: Zeus gaining the heavens, Poseidon the sea, and Hades the underworld.Being the supreme ruler he upheld law, justice, and morals, and this made him the spiritual leader of both gods and men. Zeus has always been associated as being a weather god, as his main attribute is the thunderbolt for which he used to rule Olympus. Her a was Zeus’ wife and was very jealous of her husband's many affairs. His wife Hera, bore him Ares, Hebe, Hephaestus, and Eileithyia, however Zeus had numerous other children with both goddesses and mortals. His affair with a woman named Leto led to the birth of the twins Apollo and Artemis.Hera being the jealous wife she was, forced Leto to roam the earth in search of a place to give birth, for Hera had stopped her from gaining shelter on land or at sea. The only place she could go was to the isle of Delos in the middle of the Aegean Sea, for Delos was a floating island. This would be one of many of Hera’s revenges on her husband’s affairs. Zeus used many different disguises to seduce women. When he seduced the Spartan queen Leda, he transformed himself into a beautiful swan, and from the egg which Leda produced, two sets of twins were born.They were Polydeuces and Castor and Clytemnestra and Helen of Troy. He also visited princess Danae as a shower of gold, and from this, the hero Perseus was born. He kidnapped the Phoenician princess Europa, disguised as a bull, then carried her on his back to the island of Crete where she had three sons. They were Minos, Rhadamanthys, and Sarpedon. These were just some of his many children. Zeus had many Temples and festivals in his honor, the most famous was Olympia, the magnificent â€Å"Temple of Zeus†, which held the gold and ivory statue of the enthroned Zeus, which was sculpted by Phidias.It was later to become one of the â€Å"Seven Wonders of the Ancient World†. Also the Olympic Games and many other numerous festivals throughout Greece were held in his honor. In art, which was a big part of Greek culture, Zeus is usually shown as bearded, middle aged, but with a youthful figure. He seems very poweful and imposing. Artists always try to show the power of Zeus in their art, usually by giving him a pose as he is about to throw his bolt of lightening. To this day Zeus is still consider ed to be one of the most interesting parts of Greek mythology.

Perception and attitudes towards bidilectal speakers Research Proposal

Perception and attitudes towards bidilectal speakers - Research Proposal Example The quote above suggests that the RP speakers are the better of the two in conveying information, and that they are even regarded and rated higher in the society that the regional speakers. However, it also suggests that the RP speakers are harsher in communication, and in nature when compared to the regional speakers, who although are poor communicators, are privileged with kindheartedness and sincerity. The reason why this point is interesting is that its implications are confusing. For instance, would we not expect the most privileged communicator in the society to be the one who was kind and sincere than the communicator who the society regards so poorly? The roles and natures of these two speakers seem interchanged, and this is what makes this point interesting, and worth looking into. To explore this issue closely, one could formulate a study that could provide more answers to the questions this point pose. An example of a research question that would shed more light on the issue would be what attributes and characteristics make Received Pronunciation speakers better than the regional speakers? To answer this question, one might need to formulate a study that would require the collection and analysis of data to come up with a comprehensive conclusion. In such a study, I would use random sampling to appoint participants. I would do this sampling on different individuals in the society of all ages, sex, race, education levels, class, and profession. I would ensure that I have a large number of participants in my study to minimize bias as much as possible. In addition to this, I would also use a number of research methodologies such as interviews and questionnaires to come up with both quantitative and qualitative data. I can obtain qualitative data by asking such q uestions like, who is your preferred communicator, RP or regional speakers. I can obtain quantitative data by asking questions such as how many RP speakers do you know, and

The purpose,scope and context of interprofessional collaboration ( Essay

The purpose,scope and context of interprofessional collaboration ( Interprofessional Module A) - Essay Example Smith and Seeley (2010) indicate that under the program, physicians, nurse practitioners, pharmacists, and social workers among others health care workers join forces to create effective working teams across various units within a care facility. The importance of interprofessional collaboration has taken precedence since the second-half of the twentieth century, with several studies confirming that the practice improves communication and respect among health care staff for easier (Dreyer, Forde, & Nortvedt, 2011; Gillespie et al, 2010; Fisher, 2010; Wolf, 2012). These values are a priority in the effective delivery of services (Sandahl, 2010; Burke, & Doody, 2012). Interprofessional collaboration is important to the realization of success in training, leadership and execution of duties (Fothergill et al, 2011). Kirschling, and Erickson (2010) note that this helps to improve the predilection of health care staff to adopt quality and innovativeness in their services, regardless of the challenges in a busy health care facility. Chan et al (2010) suggested that interprofessional practice advances activities that support accessible care; promotes interprofessional training among all care experts during their training and throughout their occupation; promotes effective partnership between nurses and physicians and other care providers in ensuring quality care within the industry. Culley and Polyakova-Norwood (2012) indicate that the most effective strategy for implementing interprofessional collaboration is by integrating such programs in training facilities. In light of this, I managed to work in a team of diverse professionals in the course of this module. The purpose of this module was to strengthen the participants’ skills in preparation for the real-life work. In the United Kingdom, for example, health care trainees such as nurses are being taken through effective collaborative programs, purposely to build their interpersonal skills (Curran et al, 2010). Under the program, nurse trainees have been able to acquire vital skills on how to be proactive in disease prevention and management measures as opposed to being excluded from major decisions involving the patients Gillespie et al, 2010). McCloughen, Gillies, and O'Brien (2011) indicate that IPE enables trainee nurses to respond to health care needs of their patients in a collaborative approach. According to Mills et al (2010), interprofessional collaboration enables student nurses to have effective training on the best practices that are vital to the care facility, especially for those working in far-flung areas. I will now proceed to explore my experiences whilst participating as a member of a team during this module. The environment where the interprofessional training took place was adequately prepared. With participants organized into lean working teams comprising 11, we managed to achieve the best out of it all. This success can be attributed to the organization of the student s into manageable teams that are comparable to the effective working teams in the actual workplace environment. The direct interaction between nearly a dozen professionals who are specialized in various fields such as nursing, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, mental health, child care, social work and medical care provided the diversity that is normally found in a

Decision To Downgrade The Yuan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Decision To Downgrade The Yuan - Essay Example One key reason for the devaluation of the Yuan to which the Chinese government and other players agree on is the fact that China is now willing to make financial reforms. The International Monetary Fund has, in particular, applauded the decision to downgrade the Yuan. The move is seen by both sides as part of measures by China to open up their financial systems and hence allow foreign exchange institutions to have more control over the value of the Yuan. Although the United States has been demanding that China embraces financial reforms they have rubbished the move claiming that the Chinese government is only doubling down. The United States demands are based on their belief that China for years has been rigging the rules and played currency games that have left American workers to suffer. Additionally, policymakers in the United States have interpreted the move has a way of countering their trade agreements with China's rivals such as Japan in the Trans-Pacific Partnership. The deci sion to devalue the Yuan is part of currency manipulation games to gain an unfair trade advantage over the United States (Deng).One of the reasons that led to the downgrading of the Yuan according to China’s central bank is a way of shifting from an economy that depends on exports for growth to one that is based on consumer spending. The decision would further try to deflate the real estate market. Chinese policymakers were increasingly frustrated by the strategy of the export-dependent economy.

Macroeconomics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Macroeconomics - Essay Example The paper concludes with the role of various entities in controlling voluntary unemployment. Classical economists viewed labour market similar to other markets based on supply and demand in that price would adjust to ensure that quantity demanded equaled quantity supplied. However, labour market differs in setting price and quantity of supply and demand. In case of labour market, effective supply of labour is a challenge as it depends on factors such as time, skills, wages and availability. A rise in overall wages may not result in more supply of labour; on the contrary, may lead to less supply of labour or no change in labour. Within the overall labour market, particular segments are assumed to be subject to more normal rules of supply and demand as workers are likely to change jobs due to various reasons, particularly in response to differing wage rates leading to unemployment for certain period of time. Unemployment is one of the serious problems that can affect people directly or indirectly, in any nation. Every country faces this problem; however, it widely varies in proportion. Labour economics is one of the important sections of market economics, besides financial market and product market, and is studied at micro and macro levels. While, microeconomics of labour market deal with role of individuals and individual firms in the labour market, macroeconomics looks at the interrelations of labour market, the goods market, the money market, and the foreign trade market. Understanding of labour market is the centre feature of any macroeconomic theory. In the classical view of the labor market, all unemployment is voluntary. When the economy goes into a recession and the demand for labor falls, the wage rate will decline and people will opt out of the labor force. However, the classical theory could not explain situations the 1930 recession thoroughly. Economics has various definitions of voluntary and involuntary

American Workforce Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

American Workforce - Essay Example tics, 2012), in 2011 just 71 percent of men had jobs, whereas in 1960’s more than 80 percent of men worked; and the share of women holding jobs rose from 36 percent in 1960 to 58 percent in 2011. Among the major worker groups, in the year 2012, the unemployment rates for adult men (7.8 percent) and Hispanics (11.0 percent) edged up in May, while the rates for adult women (7.4 percent), teenagers (24.6 percent), whites (7.4 percent), and blacks (13.6 percent) showed little or no change (U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2012). The jobless rate for Asians was 5.2 percent in 2012 down from 7.0 percent a year earlier (U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2012). The baby-boom generation, people born from 1946 to 1964, which has been a major force in the labor market of US for the past 33 years, has now reached its prime working years. So while 64 percent of those ages 55 to 59 worked during the mid-1980s, 73 percent worked in 2011, according to (Schulzke, 2012). In the mid-1980s, 68 percent of the 16-to-24-year-old cohort was in the workforce; by 2011 only 55 percent were (Schulzke, 2012). According to (Schulzke, 2012), Baby boomers are actually far more likely to keep working than earlier generations, and for many reasons: jobs are less physically draining, medicine has extended vitality, Social Security now pushes older workers to keep going and market reversals have erased nest eggs. However, should long-term health trends, such as rising levels of obesity and the increase in certain chronic health conditions, continue, fewer individuals than expected may be able to work long past retirement age (Schramm, 2005). Changes in demographics, specifically family structure, living arrangements and marriage rates, may also impact retirement trends. Studies have found that, after retirement, baby boomers are more likely to move to nonmetropolitan areas within their current region rather than moving to a different region

Programs & Activities of MCA(Muslim Community Association) Bay Area Essay

Programs & Activities of MCA(Muslim Community Association) Bay Area - Essay Example MCA provides the local community with a variety of services. Most importantly especially in San Francisco, MCA provides prayer opportunity five times a day. Besides, MCA offers educational programs for both adults and young children. The organization offers a school to the children of the Muslim communities in the bay area so that they can learn modern education in an Islamic environment. At present the association has three schools namely Granada Islamic School (K-8), Weekend (Sunday ) Islamic School and Al Arqam School. MCA also provides financial assistance to the needy people (about). There are many other activities and programs that MCA undertake. MCA offers free access to the knowledge of Islam not only through its website but also through different activities like Dawah, youth discussions, counseling, and other programs, for example visiting scholars. It provides information about the basic teachings of Islam needed by every Muslim to practice in all the spheres of life. MCA also tries to outreach the public in general as well as Muslims to inform them about Islam. It tries to dispel any misconceptions about Islam. It also organizes discussions and encourages community involvement for better understanding of Islam and developing close relationships. The major emphasis, however, the association lays is on the conduct and behavior of Muslims to attract the non-Muslims towards Islam towards serving the society (Islamic Services) . MCA provides various services to the students. The association offers different resources to help them in writing a college paper or a report on Islam. Furthermore, the association conducts interviews to point students to the right direction. A library is also available for use having a reasonably good number of books. Beside this, presentations are arranged for improving the knowledge of the people in the community about Islam. These presentations also offer opportunity to the audience to ask any

ECON100- Business Economics and the New Zealand Economy Assignment

ECON100- Business Economics and the New Zealand Economy - Assignment Example (b) Expenditure is a product of price and quantity. It possible for total expenditure on houses overall in Auckland to rise compared with expenditure on the earthquake reconstruction. This is because the demand (quantity) of houses sold will increase considerably as supply also is boosted. The reconstruction will reduce this increase since some people will be forced to go back to Christchurch due to work or other issues. The argument is based on principle of elasticity of supply and demand. The increase in demand and supply of houses in Auckland is the degree of responsiveness in relation to changes in price. I am the only T-shirts seller (supply low), revenue demand high and the potential customer identify am the only one with the T-shirt (demand high). According to the price elasticity of demand, the price is charged based on the change in quantity demand divided the percentage of change in the price demanded. Therefore, in this scenario the price will be relatively high due to high demand, low supply and profit margin requirements. The superior the price elasticity, the nearer a trader should price their products to competitive products and likewise. From the concept of price elasticity, having a pricing objective is not sufficient. There are other myriad factors considered prior to setting its prices, the customer may buy once and never come back. These factors comprise the demand, the offering’s costs, and the customers target needs. In addition, other factors such as the external environment including competition, the economy, and regulations. Other perspectives of the marke ting mix include the nature of the offering, its promotion and distribution. Price elasticity makes individual sensitivity to price alterations, interferes with the demand for the good. The decision to come up with the price is based on how consumer will respond to prices suggestions. i) In this consumption today and consumption in the future

Common Intention Essay Example for Free

Common Intention Essay Section 149 deals with the 5 or more people as that would account for unlawful assembly here section 34 is not applicable. Section 34 talks about common intention whereas section 149 talks about common object such as the common object have a wider scope. Common intention is if two or more person commits any crime with the same intention and under a prearranged plan, but in common object  it is not necessary that there should be a prior concert in the sense of a meeting of the members of the unlawful assembly, the common object may form on spur of the moment; it is enough if it is adopted by all the members and is shared by all of them. In section 34 Participation of the people in crime is an important aspect, even standing people who indirectly help in commissioning of crime are also prosecuted. But in Section 149 mere membership of the group of an unlawful assembly is sufficient enough for prosecution. Section 34 is substantive evidence and other sections like 302 murder has to be clubbed with it. Section 149 is a constructive crime in itself. Section 34: Acts Done by Several Persons in Furtherance of Common Intention-  According to Section 34, when a criminal act is done by several persons in furtherance of common intention of all, each of such persons is liable for that act in the same manner as if it were done by him alone. Object of Section 34:-  Section 34 lays down only a rule of evidence and does not create a substantive offence. This section is intended to meet cases in which it may be difficult to distinguish between the acts of the individual embers of a party or to prove exactly what part was taken by each of them in furtherance of the common intention of all. This section really means that if two or more persons intentionally do a thing jointly, it is just the same as if each of them has done it individually. The reason why all are deemed guilty in such cases is that the presence of accomplices gives encouragement, support and protection to the person actually committing an act. Elements of Section 34:  T o attract the application of Section 34, the following conditions must be satisfied:- 1. Some Criminal Act:   Ã¢â‚¬ËœCriminal act’ used in section 34 does not refer to individual acts where a crime is committed by a group of persons. Where a crime is committed by several persons in furtherance of common intention of all of them, each of them doing some act, similar or diverse, big or small shall be liable for that act. ‘That act’ refers to the ‘criminal act’ used in section 34 which means the unity of criminal behaviour which results in something for which an individual would be punishable if it were all done by himself alone in an offence. . Criminal Act Done By Several Persons:   The criminal act in question must have been done by several persons i. e. by more than one person. The number of wrong doers should be at least two. Most importantly, if the criminal act was fresh and independent act springing wholly from the mind of the doer, the others are not liable merely because when it was done they were intending to be partakers with the doer in a different criminal act. 3.

Manoeuvre Warfare Is Not A War History Essay

Manoeuvre Warfare Is Not A War History Essay 2. Doctrinal Base. Manoeuvre warfare has been adopted as the doctrinal basis for various Western armies. The Indian Army has been loosely following it in both theory as well as practice for quite some time, but is still grappling to adopt it as basis of our war fighting philosophy. It would take more than rhetoric to actually transform this concept into practice; there remains a lot of confusion as to what exactly it entails. Out of the many existing definitions only few are capable of concisely and clearly defining what Manoeuvre warfare is and how one does it. Manoeuvre is more of a philosophical approach to campaign design and execution than an arrangement of tactical engagements. Art and philosophy are often the most common terms describing the concept and definition of Manoeuvre warfare. It can be described as the art of tactics concerned with creation of battle array, decision making and understanding the human dimension rather than a science associated with techniques, procedu res and capabilities, 3. Difficult to Understand. Being an art associated with philosophical concept of war fighting; it leaves a lot to the interpretation and understanding of a theorist whose vision is generally obscured by his basic psyche, experience and the knowledge base available to him or his capability to grasp the concept of Manoeuvre. More often than not one acts on the lines of six blind men who wanted to describe an elephant and each used his imagination according to the part of elephant he was touching: So six blind men of Hindustan Disputed loud and long, Each in his own opinion Exceeding stiff and strong; Though each was partly in the right, They all were in the wrong! Applicability yet Of Manoeuvre Warfare 4. Spatial concept? Manoeuvre is traditionally thought of as a spatial concept which is used to gain positional advantage. The US Marine concept of manoeuvre warfare however is war fighting philosophy that seeks to shatter the enemys cohesion through a variety of rapid, focused, and unexpected actions which create a turbulent and rapidly deteriorating situation with which the enemy cannot cope.  [2]  The manual further says: This is not to imply that firepower is unimportant. On the contrary, firepower is central to manoeuvre warfare. Nor do we mean to imply that we will pass up the opportunity to physically destroy the enemy. We will concentrate fires and forces at decisive points to destroy enemy elements when the opportunity presents itself and when it fits our larger purposes.  [3]   5. Should We Adopt it. When deciding upon the war fighting doctrine a nation should deliberate upon a basic question that is how to achieve victory in an acceptable time frame which is economical in terms of men and material? . The answer we seek must be viewed in light of various functions such as the nations military might, economic and political standing in world order compared to his perceived adversaries, likely threat perception and expected duration of war. The Indian Army doctrine does directs our focus on the intellectual understanding, institutionalisation and implementation of Manoeuvre warfare in its chapter on Operational Perspective  [4]  however, remains uncommitted on deciding manoeuvre warfare as our basic war fighting philosophy. 6. Mechanised Association. Since most astounding victories associated with Manoeuvre have a mechanised background, it is often considered to be a word of mechanised domain. The most common examples given is that of Blitzkrieg or Rommel and Pattons gallop across Gazala and the plains of Sicily respectively. Though most of us know that Rommel was an audacious practitioner of manoeuvre warfare during WW -II in his daring exploits but a few actually seemed to be aware of the fact that he learned and perfected his manoeuvre skills as an infantry soldier in WW- I. Indeed it can be debated that the German war philosophy in second World War was deeply influenced by Rommels World war I infantry experiences and his book  [5]  that grew out of those experiences. This lack of historical and conceptual understanding further deepens the dilemma of its applicability in Indian context especially in mountains. 7. Applicability in Mountains. In light of above mentioned aspects we must ask ourselves if manoeuvre warfare is solely applicable to conventional conflicts typified by massed formations of armoured vehicles? Or, are the principles and methods equally applicable to mountainous terrain?. The key to manoeuvre warfare, as expressed by proponents like William Lind and Robert Leonhard, was defeating the enemy by attacking his critical vulnerability rather than going toe-to-toe with his strength. This implies that in difficult terrain like mountains where critical vulnerabilities are of paramount importance and play decisive roles in the success of operations, the manoeuvre warfare assumes rather greater significance. CHAPTER II METHODOLOGY Battles are won by slaughter and maneuver. The greater the general, the more he contributes in maneuver, the less he demands in slaughter. Winston Churchill, The World Crisis, 1923 Statement of the Problem 8. Manoeuvre warfare is considered to be synonymous with mechanised operations and desert terrain by most of us. This thought process restrain us from tapping the actual potential of this universal war fighting philosophy, whose applicability is irrespective of the type of terrain or the arm using it .The aim of this paper is to analyse the concept of manoeuvre warfare as the war fighting philosophy for Indian Army and examine the feasibility of its application in mountainous terrain in Indian context. Hypothesis 9. Manoeuvre warfare is not a hard science and does not have a rigid list of theorems or formulae, which can define its applicability to a particular arm or terrain. It is very much applicable in Indian context, especially to mountainous terrain. Justification of the Study 10. Inability to Accept Manoeuvre Warfare. Over the years we have developed an attrition-based approach to warfare. Our training institutes are teaching tactics as a science having set piece solutions with mathematical framework and rigid utilization of resources. Though we claim to accept most logical and workable solutions but nine out of ten exercises end up with same lessons and solutions being culled out in the end. Another factor, which largely contribute towards our inability to accept manoeuvre warfare at tactical level is our fascination to adopt westernised terms and concepts. This is acceptable till they are used as building blocks to enhance our operational efficiency. But when templated without giving a proper thought to the fiber of our society, training and our basic approach towards life and philosophy  [6]   results in mere lip service and resentment at grass root level where they are to be executed. This misleads them to perceive manoeuvre warfare as extension of widespread military jargon or another fascinating word for what we have always done or common sense tactics  [7]  . This needs an urgent change in thought process. 11. Geo-Politico-Military Factor. India is wedged between two hostile neighbours having boundary disputes with both, which can lead to a potential conflict in future. With western adversary we enjoying vast superiority both in numbers and economy but the situation is not so very same with the eastern. Indian philosophy and ethos are against loss of any territory this when coupled with no first use of force places the military force at initial disadvantage of wresting the initiative before any conflict. This more or less drives India towards the attritionist practices in war where territory is of vital importance and its loss is unacceptable even in lieu of operational or tactical advantage it accrues. Superior force ratios are considered necessary to protect or regain the lost territory at any cost. 12. Battle Field Milieu. These potential situations when coupled with future battlefield scenario having nuclear backdrop, own political will and international pressure assures high intensity, fluid, short term and intense battle field in a reactive scenario. Such characterized conflicts cant be won just by attritionist approach. We need a philosophy, which provides us victory in shortest time frame with economy in men and material. 13. With approximately two third of our borders resting on the high mastiffs of mountainous terrain, it is easy to acquire a defensive mentality and orthodox approach to war fighting. This attitude stems from a blinkered outlook that any other approach to warfare is of no concern in this topography and the war will be nothing but a peak to peak slogging match. In the light of these, it is imperative that one takes a fresh look at our approach to warfare and reconsiders the applicability of manoeuvre warfare to mountainous terrain to win any future conflicts with minimal losses and within acceptable/quickest timeframe. We must understand that manoeuvrist approach to operations is as important to a commander in the high mountains as it is to a mounted general. Scope 14. This paper carries out an analysis of modern works on the theory of Manoeuvre warfare and tries to establish link between various theories and figure out basic components of manoeuvre warfare. The work just touches the concept based on the premise that basic knowledge of manoeuvre exist with the reader The scope will be limited to the instigating the aspects needing attention in the Indian armys basic doctrine and war philosophy to make it more manoeuvristic. The paper will concentrate more on organisational, institutional and functional changes necessary to facilitate this and the explore the concepts that can be applied while operating in mountainous terrain. . Methods of Data Collection 15. Books, military journals and periodical have been referred to from Defence Services Staff College Library, online sources and personal subscriptions contributed towards the research. Some contents have also been taken from the interviews of German generals after World War II (WW II) which were available from Defence Sites after translations. My own understanding of subject that accrued from discussions with peers, seniors and the Guide Directing Staff Colonel Rohit Mehta on the topic has come handy in making few suggestions for the dissertation. The casual discussion with Gen (Retd) HS Panag and lecture by Gen (Retd) Mehta in DSSC were instrumental inshaping the ideas expressed in the research. The bibliography of sources is affixed at the end of the document Organisation of Data 16. The text has been divided into five chapters excluding the introduction and conclusion. The initial chapters examine the essential elements of Manoeuvre warfare and how it differs from attrition warfare with special reference to analysis of modern writings on the subject and culls out the essence of these theories. The next chapter deals with relevance of this theory in the Indian context. The penultimate chapter is a follow up of the previous chapter and highlights the organisational, institutional and functional changes necessary for implementing manoeuvre theory by Indian Army. The next chapter gives some recommendations to apply the concept of manoeuvre warfare in mountainous terrain bordering India.Thereafter reiterating the essence of what has been said in the entire dissertation the conclusion settles the dissertation. CHAPTER III UNDERSTANDING MANOEUVRE WARFARE à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Manoeuvre theory has nothing to do with vast numbers of men and machines charging down the countryside. Manoeuvre theory is about amplifying the force which a small mass is capable of exerting; it is synonymous with the Indirect Approach. -Richard E Simpkin Evolution of Manoeuvre Theory 17. Manoeuvre warfare is a philosophy for fighting smart to ensure success in war. The first manoeuvre on a large scale in battle, recorded in history, was during the Battle of Marathon in 490 BC  [8]  . In this battle, the Greeks under Miltiades scored a decisive victory through manoeuvre where the Greek phalanx hit the Persians from both flanks inflicting a total defeat. However, Alexander the Great can be considered as the first great practitioner of art of manoeuvre. Most of his victories are classic examples of Manoeuvre warfare. In 331 BC in the battle of Arbela he defeated Persian monarch, Darius III who had a numerical superiority of 5:1 against him. Sun Tzu also captured the essence of this philosophy in his classic work  [9]  . 18. The most important development of manoeuvre theories took place in Germany and the USSR during the 1920s and 1930s, notably with the development of the Deep Battle concept that was integrated into the Red Army field regulations doctrine by Marshal Tukhachevsky  [10]  . While the Wehrmacht developed from this the operations named Blitzkrieg, in the USSR this led to the creation of the Cavalry Mechanised Groups during the Second World War, and the Operational manoeuvre groups during the Cold War.  [11]  The Soviets used the concept of Deep Battle (which they continued through the Cold War). 19. In spite of all these years of rich history, only recently has a clear and acceptable definition of Manoeuvre warfare has been offered for modern tactics and operations. Two of the best works on modern manoeuvre warfare come from Robert R Leonhard  [12]  and William S Lind  [13]  . While they both draw heavily from Sun Tzu, Richard Simpkin, Sir Basil Liddell-Hart and Second World War German and Russian theories, they synthesize these thoughts and produce what could be called the modern school of Manoeuvre warfare. Modern Works On Manoeuvre Warfare 20. William S Lind Observe, Orient, Decide, Act (OODA) Cycle. Linds understanding of manoeuvre warfare theory is based basically on the research done by Retired Air Force Colonel John Boyd, who studied the US success with the F-86 fighter aircraft in combat over Korea fighter aircraft and derived Boyd Theory, Pattern of conflicts  [14]  . He observed that fighter pilots, who were able to observe their opponent, orient themselves to the situation, decide on a course of action and act upon decided action faster than their enemy counterparts usually embraced victory. The idea was that the pilot who went through his OODA loop also known as a Boyd Cycle) faster than his opponent was able to render his opponents actions irrelevant and gain the upper hand in the dogfight. Lind uses this as base to conceptualise Manoeuvre theory and summarise it as- Conflict can be seen as time-competitive cycles.  [15]  He concluded that the armies, which are able to decide, move and fight faster, would quickly render the enemys reactions irrelevant and would result in destroying his cohesion. The enemy who finds the irrelevancy of his actions with each passing moment are subjected to panic or become passive and this is an ideal outcome for the victor, because a panicked or passive enemy can be annihilated or captured at the lowest cost in friendly casualties.  [16]   21. To achieve such end state ground forces must have capability to conduct faster Boyd Cycles/OODA cycle .The various methods suggested by Lind are Decentralized Command and Control, Initiative at all levels of command to exploit the fleeting opportunities. Mission-Type Orders that tell subordinates only the intent of higher commander and not how to achieve it; the designation of a Main Effort to focus the resources at disposal towards common objective to promote Unity of Effort and reliance on Reconnaissance Pull to Exploit Gaps and Avoid Surfaces in enemy defence. He further adds that Manoeuvre warfare means not only to Accept confusion and disorder but also successfully operates in it and warns to avoid all patterns, recipes and formulae i.e. to say Be Unpredictable and achieve surprise.  [17]   22. Therefore, it can be understood the soul of Linds theory is tempo which is supported by Sun Tzu What is of the greatest importance in war is extraordinary speed; one cannot afford to neglect opportunity . . . An attack may lack ingenuity, but it must be delivered with supernatural speed and further explained by Richard Simpkin as the operational rate of advance.  [18]   23. Robert Leonhard and Art of Manoeuvre. Leonhard expands upon Linds theory of manoeuvre warfare by looking beyond tempo to other methods of defeating enemy. But agrees with Lind on defeating enemy with the minimal necessary force. As described by Leonhard, manoeuvre warfare attempts to defeat the enemy through means other than the simple destruction of his mass.  [19]  The other means of Leonhard include (a) Pre-Emption which is the most economical and often most successful method to defeat enemy. Indeed the highest and purest application of maneuver theory is to pre-empt the enemy, that is, to disarm or neutralize him before the fight.  [20]  This is in consonance with Linds emphasis on tempo and Boyd Cycles. (b) Dislocation is regarded as the next most preferred method, after pre-emption, i.e., which he explains as à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦removing the enemy from the decisive point, or vice versa, thus rendering them useless and irrelevant to the fight.  [21]  Dislocation can be further sub divided as positional or functional dislocation. Positional dislocation involves making the enemys location irrelevant through Manoeuvre while Functional dislocation refers to rendering an enemys strength irrelevant. (c) Disruption as the third method for defeating the enemy more economically. He defines it as attacking the enemys Centre of gravity(COG), which he further explain using the King Queen theory  [22]  -taking analogy from game of chess to he describe the understanding of of COG for attritionist as the queen or source of strength and for maneouvrist as king or the critical vulnerability. Which when addressed causes the enemy to lose cohesion and the will to fight. Disruption is closely linked to battlefield psychology and its target is not the enemy forces per se but rather the mind of enemy commander Essentials of Manoeuvre Warfare. 24. Other than the concepts mentioned above; keeping present and future battle field Directive Style Of Command, Mission Type Orders, Small Team Concept, Integrated Battle Approach With True Jointmanship, Simultaneity Of Operations, Mental Mobility Of Commanders at all levels and High Initiative with Mastering The Basic Skills are other essentials demanded for a manoeuvristic approach. There is a large gap between the philosophical concept and its practical application. Manoeuvre warfare is not a concept that can be practiced independently by tactical units. It requires the support of entire army as well as each individual soldier for the required transformation. Manoeuvre Vs Attrition. 25. In most situations, attrition warfare is best able to achieve the principle of concentration of force, unity of command, security, cooperation and simplicity. The outcome of WWI was decided by attrition If either side had been able to force part of the enemy alliance from the field, it would have reduced the enemys available resources and forces. Additionally it would have forced the enemy to spread its fewer forces over a larger area, potentially allowing greater room for maneuver. However attrition was forced on the belligerents until the combat power ratios  [23]  were changed and the Allies gained a clear advantage. It is a comparatively simple way to wage war and demands little initiative from subordinates. Higher commanders with the help of staff available plan battles in micro details whereas junior officers merely follow orders to the cut. However, this makes attrition war predictable and sequential. 26. By contrast, manoeuvre warfare regards application of military force as only one of the ways of to the attain politico military aim. Manoeuvre warfare draws its power mainly from opportunities and still more on winning the battle of wills by surprise or, failing this, by speed and aptness of response.  [24]  Manoeuvre warfare is thus concerned with amplifying the force, which a small mass is capable of exerting and conveying a threat commensurate with the mission. Field Commanders Adoption of Different Warfare in Similar Situations. 27. Field Marshal Montgomery and General Patton were two of the most effective allied commanders who were faced with roughly similar conditions, practiced effective dissimilar methods of war fighting. While Patton stressed on audacity, surprise, speed and always relied on mental mobility of subordinate commanders to exploit battle opportunities, Montgomery emphasised on caution and preferred a balanced orthodox approach. Montgomery has often been criticised for his aversion to taking risk but his approach to war was certainly an effort to minimise the risk. Comparing the two commanders lead to deduction that both concepts focus on compelling the enemy to do our will or reducing his ability to resist us until he finally accedes to our will  [25]  . A major assumption is that a war of manoeuvre is of a higher order than a war of attrition and that the general who defeats his enemy in a war of manoeuvre is superior to another who practices attrition warfare. Many still think of Gene ral Grant as a the butcher owing to the methods he used to defeat the Confederate armies or have general belief that all World War I generals lacked inspiration because they seemed incapable of breaking the stalemate at the front. Which certainly needs reconsideration, as both the theories are complimentary. Different Wars. 28. Wars of manoeuvre can be referred as wars of annihilation or destruction because the enemys ability or will to fight is annihilated after a decisive battle or a series of decisive battles in different theatres. Whereas wars of attrition may be referred as wars of exhaustion as they focus on the enemys ability or will to resist be exhausted. Attrition wars can be presumed to be more costly to in terms of loss of personnel, materiel and time unless one side completely dominates the other. In contrast to attrition theory, which concentrates on the enemys field forces, manoeuvre theory thrives on outperforming the enemys thought processes with the intent to destroy force cohesion. Why Modern Wars Become Attrition Wars? 29. The inspiration for the attrition theory basically comes from Clausewitzs Vernichtungsprinzip or principle of annihilation.  [26]  If wars of attrition are generally more costly than wars of maneuver and practitioners of attrition are perceived as less enlightened than those who succeed through maneuver and a decisive battle, then why do modern wars so often become wars of attrition? There are reasons to it: (a) Often the combat power that can be generated at the front is almost equal. Temporary stalemate and attrition follow until one side achieves a advantage in terms of numbers, firepower, leadership, manoeuvre, protection or Information. (b) Perception that the chances of success through a strategy of attrition have less risk element and uncertainty for the commander. (c) Nations which, possess a large army and and population which accepts the loss of lives in wars as a natural outcome accept attrition warfare. (d) When asymmetry exist between two warring fractions attrition warfare is followed unconsciously by superior fraction. The Other Side Of Manoeuvre Theory 30. Every coin has a flip side so as every theory. There are certain conditions to be fulfilled while practicing this type of warfare. This requires additional effort compare to attrition theory of warfare. (a) Dependence upon individual leadership. (b) There are also immense and glaring cultural differences between a decentralised manoeuvre military and a centralized attritional service. Attaining the latter involves people, time, and resources while the former requires something more rare and difficult to achieve and that is the development of military tradition, free thinking by soldiers and commanders, mutual trust at all levels and education in the military art. (c) Delegation of responsibility by higher commander for crucial combat decisions to subordinates implies highest degree of interpersonal understanding and trust not easily achievable. Such trust and understanding must be forged within the framework of a mutual drive towards the achievement of final objective. Creating such frame of reference and bonding of shared values and morals is exceedingly difficult to achieve. (d) Involvement of higher degree of risk and uncertainty. Maneuver warfare usually entails more risk. There is consoling certainty in programing warfare as quantifiable, logically measurable and scientifically less intuitive. It recedes the mystery and terror of something otherwise uncontrollable, indecipherable, and probability based. (e) The maneuver doctrine required relentless tempo that could not afford an operational pause. It was one of the factor leading to German failure during Barbarossa.  [27]   CHAPTER IV MANOEUVRE WARFARE FOR INDIAN ARMY Theory Suitable For Our Nation ? 31. The answer to this most commonly asked question depends upon ones needs, assets, and the kind of political supervision. Irrespective of national or military inclinations toward any theory, there are certain parameters which determine what type of warfare a nation should adopt. (a) Human Resource. Contrary to expectation that attrition requires a lower level of intellect and imagination than does maneuver; One must understand that most people can be made to adhere to checklists and taught to operate or maintain even the most complex pieces of technology. However, maneuver warfare requires creativity and innovativeness towards the unorthodox approach and independent cast of mind. (b) Equipment. Attrition-warfare armament must exceed at least the quality and preferably the quantity of that of the enemy. Developing countries will find adoption or continued adherence to attrition theory unjustifiable, unless they expect even more compelled foes (only western adversary in our case). (c) Threat. A military selecting a particular warfare theory will need to consider its likely threats. Will it encounter a conventional army with high standard of training, morale and motivation equivalent to his (west in our case) or a more resourceful nation with edge in terms of political freedom, technology, and numbers (East in our case). (d) Duration of war. In short term conflicts attrition has not performed well against maneuveristic army. It is only after extended periods of stalemate (and frequently heavy casualties) can those who employ attrition theory could overcome their maneuveristic enemies. (e) Risk / Higher Directions of War. The level of acceptable risk that the leadership is willing to take is extremely important when selecting a suitable theory. (f) Strategy. If a particular nation has some territorial disputes but its strategy is to maintain a status quo, it is not going to opt for large-scale manoeuvre warfare. However, since it has to remain prepared for any attempts to alter the status quo it may opt for a slightly higher bias towards Manoeuvre than attrition. (g) Some of the other determinants for planned offensive could be: (i) How deep are we planning to go? (ii) Is there a requirement of going that deep? (iii) What type of punishment do we want to inflict? (iv) What type of punishment are we anticipating? 32. Social Fiber of Society. Attrition theory generally suits the style of societies that believe human nature is inherently good; that war takes place between military forces with clearly designated combatants; that there are clear-cut demarcations and chivalry still exists during any combat. While the foundation of manoeuvre warfare is based on the philosophical tenets- that human nature is inherently flawed, that because of human greed and frailty; warfare is an inevitable fact of life, that war is an all-embracing human activity that is not confined to the clear demarcation of the battlefield and that the crux of warfare is mans mind. Which Direction Should We Embark 33. Rarely has superior firepower and attritionist approach determined the outcome of any major conflict. Nations have historically demonstrated a remarkable resiliency while enduring the punishment wrought by bombs, artillery, missiles and loss of men and material but victories are achieved only when the commander orchestrates a balance