Characterisation in 2D Animations

Characterisation in 2D Animations The main problem that animation faces is that it is an overtly fake diegetic form. The viewer is presented with a constructed reality of drawings and paintings, which may represent the real world, but unlike photographic film, does not look like it. The challenge therefore is to create characters that may believably inhabit their particular diegetic reality. Animators have strived to find a way to resolve this issue through their character design and an awareness of how to deliver narrative information through their characters. This essay will illustrate the solutions that animators have found to make their audiences believe what is put in front of them. In 1914 Winsor McCay took up the (self-imposed) challenge of making dinosaurs live again via animation. The result was Gertie the Dinosaur a semi-live act with McCay performing onstage with the projected film behind him. Gertie herself was obviously an animated projection and to make her believable she had to have a strong individual character. McCay achieved this through his own interactions with the character of Gertie. He talks to her and asks her to perform tricks, which she obliges to do. We are also drawn attention to the fact that she is thirsty and she drains a lake. The performance would climax with her picking up McCay (as he exits the stage.) and bounding of the screen with him on his back. Through this series of call and response between the live action McCay and the animated Gertie, McCay creates the illusion of human understanding within the animated dinosaur. There is also at one point a look of glee in her face after a fight scene when she throws the defeated mammoth into a lake. Through the human interaction and the animation McCay has anthropomorphically endowed the animated creature with human emotions: he has made her believable to the audience by giving her recognizable human traits. In his book Understanding Animation Paul Wells recognizes that the use of attributing animated animal characters anthropomorphic characteristics has become a mainstay of character development. It will be discussed in further detail later in the essay. The basic principles of characterization as a narrative strategy in animation have been summed up by Wells. The character may be understood through its costume or construction, its ability to gesture or move and the associative aspects of its design. It is pertinent at this point to discuss these aspects of character design. Regardless of if an animated character is an animal or human, animators rarely try to completely reproduce natural form. As such the problem is that they are presenting viewers with unnatural looking beings. If the viewer is to accept the characters shown before them, the characters themselves must be presented as believable. This is why animators rely on exaggeration of individual features to suggest certain character types. Halas and Manvelldescribe this in their book the technique of film Animation. Characterization is achieved by the distortion of shapes and forms big eyes, big mouth, big nose, large head small body etc. What is stressed by animators is the gesturing parts of the body, particularly the features of the head. The eyes, nose, mouth and ears are all vital in creating the illusion of human emotion. There is a general rule of thumb with regards to which shapes go with what characters: kind gentle characters tend to have soft rounded faces with wide smiles and large rounded eyes. Porky Pig is a great example of this principle. He is the embodiment of the jolly fat man. Villains on the other hand are much more angular. They often have a rather sharp chin and small eyes and a crooked mouth that somehow lends itself to a wicked smile. They are often presented as grotesque, much like the Evil queen in Snow White and her incarnation as the old crone. These generalizations serve as visual shorthand for the viewer; they optimise the impact of the character through economy and allow the viewer to make connections and process narrative information about the characters more quickly. In the words of W ells, animation manages to compress a high degree of narrative information into a limited period of time through a process of condensation. This method of economy and condensation was born out of functionality as much as anything. Partially it was due to the fact that cartoons are usually very short. As such narrative information has to be delivered with great speed. Also when television became the dominant domain of the animated short, characters had to be easily recognizable on the small screen. Its much easier to do this by recognizing one or two strong individual characteristics than several small ones. Most importantly however the simpler that a character is to draw, the quicker they become to reproduce. They rely on caricature and stereotype to relay narrative information quickly and succinctly. Halas and Manvell go on in their book to describe the visual style of Tom and Jerry in terms of the aesthetic principles of animation: The drawing and coloring have an economy and a visual impact that matches the overwhelming vitality and sometimes the crudity of the action and characterization. This highlights the importance of economy. Extraneous details can confuse the situation and detract from overall characterization. What is needed is a just a couple of well-chosen details. In 1917 Max Fleischer invented the rotoscope. This device allowed animators to successfully mimic natural movement by blowing up still frames of photography and allowing the animator to copy them exactly. Max and his brother Dave were both inspired by the work of Winsor McCay and between them were instrumental in the development of both technological and character development of animation. The rotoscope worked by using a drawing board with a frosted glass center. One frame of photography at a time was shone onto the glass and the image was traced. It provided an accurate reference of movement and articulation so that on screen movement could be replicated with a lot more fluidity. By doing this animators were able to draw more complicated figures in a believable and convincing way. Richard Willams has drawn examples of some of these more complicated characters in his book the animators survival kit. The examples that will be discussed here are the representation of the young and old woman as drawn by Williams. By taking two examples of opposing but similar characters, we can see how the rotoscope paved the way for the development of characterization in animation. The young woman is characterized mainly be her curvaceous figure. She has a strong convex curve along her back and an hourglass figure that extenuates her breast, slim waist and shoulders. She stands upright and tall. She also has sleek long legs and flowing long hair. This form communicates her youth vitality and energy. The old woman by contrast has a much rounder concave curve of the back, which seems to curve round into her body giving her a rounded torso. The breast is also molded into this rounded torso that desexualizes her. Her hair is also shorter. She is hunched forward making her look tired and weary. The lower body is also rounded and she wears a long skirt to cover the legs. In contrast we see only the ankles and feet of the old woman and she is given short dumpy legs. These two examples s how the importance of form and shape in delivering character information. These two figures could represent the same character at different ages but the presentation of form provides us with completely different information about the characters. Williams also stresses the importance of movement to illustrate character. As stated earlier this art of animation was greatly enhanced by the development of the rotoscope. The way that a character moves can be fluid and smooth which would suggest grace or elegance. Alternatively movements can be jerky or plodding, which will in turn infer characteristics of weakness or foolishness. Again he uses examples to discuss and illustrate the main differences between the masculine and feminine walk. The feminine walk is smooth and elegant. She keeps her legs close together and as such the footsteps run straight along the line of action. As a result there is very little up and down body movement. The feminine walk seems to glide along the line of action. The masculine walk however is much more aggressive. The feet are kept well apart, far out from the line of action. The masculine walk is a full on stride, which makes the character as wide as possible. There is much more up and down movement on the body. This makes the walk much more kinetic and at the same time suggests power and strength. Much like the generalizations about character form, these conventions can be subverted to comic effect or to deliver more information. For example a Masculine walk may become a drunken walk if the feet are allowed to cross the line of action. (I.E. if the right foot passes across the center of the body and steps down on the left and vice versa.) Through these examples it is clear that the way that the animator makes the character move is vital to characterization. The Fleischer brothers were also responsible for two of the most beloved cartoon characters of the thirties: Popeye and Betty Boop. These two characters are archetypes of hero and heroine character traits. It seems only fitting therefore to discuss how these characters are so distinct, and the methods used to give them such strong individual identities. Popeye originally appeared in Comic strip form some years before his screen debut in 1933. During this time of American economic depression he was a figure of aspiration for the workingman. As a navy man he had a career that stood for American strength and pride; this also made him stand out as the champion of the just causes. As such he was the embodiment of the strong everyman in times of hardship. He is identified as a sailor by the uniform that he wears with style and pride. He embodies the macho sailor stereotype by striding along with a sailors walk, feet apart rocking from side to side. He also has the iconic tattoo of an anchor on his arm; this marks him out as a man who figuratively wears his heart on his sleeve. His physical appearance is defined by the exaggeration of his muscle; importantly however Popeyes strength comes from eating spinach. Although he is always strong and muscular, it is not until he eats the spinach that he has the strength needed to defeat Bluto. After he has eaten the spinach his forearms are inflated to appear three times the normal size. As Wells points out Popeyes masculinity is predominantly defined by the association between his own organic expansion and the strength of hard metal or machines. As his muscles grow they either transform shape into anvils or air brakes or we see moving pictures of locomotives or battleships on his form arms. Po peyes physical strength therefore is amplified by the imagery but he also associated with American mechanical or military strength. Popeye is remembered for his fights with Bluto but the important thing to bear in mind is that he is not a troublemaker and is usually a very amiable character. He has the characteristic rounded face of the jolly fat man. He walks around with a smile making jokes to himself and being generally full of life. There is also his voice that characterizes him as a salty old piece of seaweed. It is only when his girlfriend Olive Oil is put in jeopardy that he is called into fight; thus he is characterized as a rescuer rather than a man of violence. Betty Boop first appeared in 1930 in the cartoon Dizzy Dishes. Her Face and body defined her femininity; she has a large head with huge childish doe eyes and full red lips. She also has the typical hourglass figure with a full bust that shows of a lot of cleavage. She was also a dancer and her movement and walk were characterized mainly by the feminine swing of the hips. After the first cartoon her skirts got smaller and smaller and she became much more overtly sexualized. She was an embodiment of femininity or at least the male fantasy of femininity. The blend of sexual charge and childlike innocence that came through mainly from her eyes and her distinctive voice disturbed the censors. Her raunchiness was toned down after the Hayes code of 1934. Now that the development of human characterization has been addressed; it is important at this point to addresses the role of anthropomorphism again. The rise and success of the animation of Walt Disney, Chuck Jones and Tex Avery are prime examples of how the lending of human characteristics to animals and vice versa has created some of the must vivid and enduring icons of animation. Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck et al have become such fixed images in the popular psyche that it is important to understand what made these characters so memorable. When dealing with animals we must bear in mind the association that people already have with those particular beasts. Any given animal will have a mythology and literary tradition that comes with it; by being away of these traditions animators have been able to associate these ancient traditions with their own creations. For example foxes are sly and cunning; sharks are ferocious and unforgiving; horse and lions are heroic and noble creatures both ferocious yet majestic. When an animator is devising a character they tend to marry the preconceived ideas that people have about a particular beast with the traits they desire for their character. This is what wells calls associative relations and opens the form of animation into a narrative dialectic that requires an extra-textual understanding on behalf of the viewer. A good example of how the principle of associative relations works would be Kaa from The Jungle Book. The snake has a literary history that dates back to the story of Adam and Eve. It was the seductive yet untrustworthy snake that facilitated mans fall from paradise. The snake is sly; professing friendship but always has his own agenda. The snake glides along the flow in a smooth fluid motion, which is at once deadly and seductive. Kaa is attributed with these characteristics through legend and association. This is further illustrated by his ability of hypnotism, which is of course a human discipline. He talks to Mowgli and soothes him to sleep with soft words and hypnosis in order to eat him. In dealing with associations that are so deeply rooted in the common psyche the characters themselves become instantly memorable. Animal characteristics can also be applied to human characters. Heroes are often seen riding horses; the horse itself is a creature of nobility and heroism; and the tradition of the hero on horse back is one that has permeated every folklore around the globe. The human therefore basks in the reflective glory of its animal companion. The best way to summarize the use of anthropomorphism in characterization is to say that the human in the animal identifies the human character within. In turn the animal in the human illustrates and enriches the character of the human. Animators create artificial worlds and diegetic domains for characters to inhabit. As mentioned at the outset of this essay the problem is that the animated world we are presented with is so overtly fake that it is a challenge to make the characters believable. Animators exploit the fantasy element of their work; they draw attention to the fact that we are presented with talking pigs and indestructible heroes through comic exaggeration of their abilities and their follies. However what Animators do manage to do; is insert enough natural movement and recognizable human emotion into their creations that we except them fully as real believable characters within their own right. Bibliography Bordwell and Thompson. (2001) Film Art: An Introduction, New York: McGraw Hill. Canemaker, J. (ed.) (1988) Storytelling in Animation: The Art of the Animated Image Vol. 2, Los Angeles: AFI. Griffin, H. (2001) The Animators guide to 2D Computer Animation, Oxford: Focal Press, Halas, J and Manvell, R. (1968) The Technique of Film Animation, Norwich: Focal press Limited. Wells, P. (1998) Understanding Animation, New York: Routledge. Williams, R. (2001) The Animators Survival Kit, New York: Faber and Faber.

Investment and Equity Cost

2. Suppose the market portfolio has an expected return of 10% and a volatility of 20%, while Microsoft’s stock has a volatility of 30%. A. Given its higher volatility, should we expect Microsoft to have an equity cost of capital that is higher than 10%? No, Microsoft is diversifiable and it will not be affected by the changes in the market. We do not expect Microsoft’s equity cost of capital to be higher than 10%. Each stock carries its own weight. B. What would have to be true for Microsoft’s equity cost of capital to be equal to 10%? In order for Microsoft’s equity cost of capital to be 10% its beta will have to be 1. 4. Suppose all possible investment opportunities in the world are limited to the five stocks listed in the table below. What does the market portfolio consist of (what are the portfolio weights)? Stock Price/Share ($) Number of Shares Outstanding (millions) A 10 10 B 20 12 C 8 3 D 50 1 E 45 20 Total value of the market = 10Ãâ€"10+20Ãâ€"12+8Ãâ€"3+50Ãâ€"1+45Ãâ€"20= $1. 314 billion Stock Portfolio Weight A 10Ãâ€"10=100 100/1314 =0. 0761 x 100 = 7. 61% B 20Ãâ€"12= 240 240/1314 =0. 1826 x 100= 18. 6% C 8Ãâ€"3= 24 24/1314= 0. 0183 x 100 = 1. 83% D 50x 1 = 50 50/1314=0. 03381 x 100 = 3. 81% E 45Ãâ€"20 = 900 900/1314= 0. 6859 x 100 = 68. 49% Total = 100% 5. Using the data in Problem 4, suppose you are holding a market portfolio, and have invested $12,000 in Stock C. A. How much have you invested in Stock A? 12,000x(10Ãâ€"10)/(8Ãâ€"3)=$50,000

Keeping the Family Tradition Alive Essay

I started keeping my family tradition of canning alive last summer. My family has canned for years and there is nothing better than opening up something I have canned on my own and thinking of the people who shared this tradition with me. Traditions are very important to keep going in families around the world. Traditions are very broad anything from what people do on holidays to cooking. My family tradition is very important to me. I knew last year that if I didn’t learn some of my family’s secret recipes while my grandmother and mom are still with us than there would be a chance that my family would never be able to taste the wonderful flavors my family has put together over the years and my family has looked so forward to the taste that we have grown to love. Before I begin canning, I must gather all the materials that I need to get started. The first step is the selection of the tomatoes. I pick all of my tomatoes from my own garden they are so much better than anything from the grocery store. Last year I used better boy tomatoes and roma tomatoes. The roma tomatoes are great to use because they have fewer seeds, thicker, meatier walls and less water. And that means thicker sauce in less cooking time! Also, I don’t want mushy, bruised or rotten tomatoes. Next I remove the tomato skins this is very important. Nothing worse than eating spaghetti and having to chew on a piece of skin left behind. Here’s a trick my grandma taught me: put the tomatoes, a few at a time in a large pot of boiling water for no more than 1 minute. Then I plunge them into a waiting bowl of ice water. This makes the skins slide right off of the tomatoes. If the skins are left on then they become tough and chewy in the sauce, not very pleasant. Now I must remove the seeds and water. After peeling the skins off the tomatoes, I cut the tomatoes in half. I remove the seeds and excess water. I call it the squeeze of the seeds. It is just like it sounds: wash hands then squeeze each tomato and I use my thumb or a spoon to scoop and shake out most of the seeds. I do leave some of the seeds because that is my preference. I toss the squeezed tomatoes into a colander or drainer while I work on the others. By draining the water off now, I end up with a thicker spaghetti sauce in less cooking time. The next step I must do is to get the lids and jars sanitized. The dishwasher is fine for the jars, especially if it has a â€Å"sanitize† cycle. I get that going while I’m preparing everything else, so it’s done by the time I’m ready to fill the jars. While the jars and lids are being sanitized I begin getting that spaghetti sauce going. I take my onions, garlic, basil, oregano, bay leaves, green peppers, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and my burgundy and place them all in the pot first. After I get the onions and pepper a little tender I add all the tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Cook down the tomatoes until the sauce is my desired thickness. I usually let my sauce cook for about two hours. The last step I call canning time. While my sauce is simmering I get my water bath canner ready. I go ahead and feel the water up and get it boiling. I start a small pot of water boiling to put the lids in so that the lids can sanitize and helps the lids seal. When the sauce is ready I place the jar funnel on the jar and I fill them to within ? inch of the top and set the lid and hand ’tighten the ring on. I place the jars in the water bath and cook for about 20mins. I then use the jar grabber and pull the jars out one at a time and let them cool draft-free place. Once the jars are cool, I check that they are sealed verifying that the lid has been sucked down. I press down in the center gently with my finger. If it pops up and down then it is not sealed. If it don’t seal than I just replace the lid and do the canning time again. Now that all the steps are complete, I listen to all the little pings going on telling me that my hard work has paid off. I am so glad that I have learned the family tradition of canning. My grandmother has gotten older and doesn’t can anymore. Out of all my family it is just my mom, Aunt Susan, and myself left doing the canning. It was a nice reward to my sole a few weeks ago when I had my grandmother over for dinner. I had canned some beets and decided that was the day to open them. When my grandmother tried them she said, â€Å"These taste just like mine. † To hear her say that meant so much to me. I couldn’t image not having the taste of what I grew up with because they don’t sell it in the grocery store. This is why I am keeping my family tradition going and teaching my girls. We never know when our love ones are not going to be here anymore. If I can’t have my family with me I at least want to be able to remember them by creating what they have thought me. If people have something in their family that is done by others and would not want to miss it after that person is gone than learn how that special someone does it. I did that’s why I will always have that special connection with canning and my family.

Industrialization in 19th and 20th Century - 1259 Words

America was a time of rapid growth for people all across the country. The Industrial Revolution began a few years after the Civil War with the invention of steam powered machines. From there, America faced a time of massive expansion and modern industrialized cities popped up across the United States. While there was much success across the nation, such as manual labor becoming easier and a huge population growth, the negative effects of industrialization outweigh the positives. A few of the issues that made industrialization an atrocious time for many was the racism and segregation towards immigrants and unsafe and unfair working conditions/the deprivation of a regular childhood for kids across the nation. In the years leading up to the†¦show more content†¦With this, many people from around the world came to America to seek refuge from hardships, wars, poverty, or other factors that pushed them from their country. In the time of immigration, many different races came toget her for different reasons; to create a sense of belonging in their communities, to share ideas and customs, or simply just to share company. Different communities around cities were created; Chinatown, Japantown, Little Italy, etc. Unfortunately for many of these groups, racism and segregation was very frequent and immigrants were not granted the same rights as other Americans. The Chinese for instance, had almost no rights, were paid substantially less, and were treated as less than equals. In Document C, a pamphlet written by Samuel Gompers of the American Federation of Labor (AFL) in 1901 states, â€Å"In view of the near expiration of the present law excluding Chinese laborers from coming to the United States and then recognized necessity of either reenacting the present or adopting a similar law, the AFL had determined to present its reasons and solicit the cooperation of not only all of its affiliated organizations, but also of all citizens who may consider the preservation o f American institutions and the welfare of a majority of our people of sufficient importance to assist in this work.† This shows that Samuel Gompers and the AFL favored exclusion of the Chinese because he thought that immigrants lowered the standard of living for whiteShow MoreRelatedNegative Effects Of Industrialization701 Words   |  3 PagesDuring the late 19th and all of the 20th century many events took place affecting the current situation our world is facing today.   The broad term, industrialization, refers to the development of goods produced by machinery and the discovery of new energy resources.   Industrialization had many positive and negative effects on the citizens of the world during these two centuries.   The events under industrialization could be said to have fallen victim to the â€Å"snowball effect† and been a cause of theRead MoreThe Rise Of The Late And Early 20th Century1693 Words   |  7 Pages The period surrounding the late and earl y 20th century was the most dramatic era in modern history. 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Restriction Site Mapping Of Λ Phage Dna - 3505 Words

FIFE COLLEGE Restriction Site Mapping in ÃŽ » Phage DNA Daniel Richards 0612924 Table of Contents Introduction 3 Aims and Objectives 7 Methods 8 Results 13 Discussion 14 Sources of Error 15 Conclusion 16 References 17 Introduction Lambda phage, also known as enterobacteria phage ÃŽ », is a bacteriophage that infects Escherichia coli. The lambda phage has the capability to reside in the genome of its host through lysogeny or to enter a lytic phase, during which it lyses the cell to produce offspring.[1] The phage consists of a capsid, a tail and tail fibres with the head containing the phage s double-strand linear DNA genome. The genome contains 48,490 base pairs with 12-base single strand segments at both 5 ends. However the cos site circularizes the DNA in the host cytoplasm, therefore in its circular form is 48,502 base pairs in length. The lytic cycle is the life cycle that more commonly occurs after most infections. It begins with the attachment of the phage to the host cell allowing it to inject its DNA into the cell. Following this nucleic acid from the phage is replicated causing the phage s genes to be expressed which allows for the production of phage proteins. These proteins are then assembled into phage particles which are released when the cell undergoes lysis. This lysis is mediated by genes S, R, Rz and Rz, these genes are shown in the diagram below, which work together to break down the cell wall of the host bacterium. Whilst this mode ofShow MoreRelatedLocating The Xhoi Recognition Site On Lambda Dna Using1704 Words   |  7 PagesLocating the XhoI Recognition Site on Lambda DNA Using a HindIII and XhoI double digest Haleigh Wood Abstract Restriction enzymes cut DNA at certain sites to create multiple DNA fragments. Restriction enzyme HindIII has known DNA fragment lengths and recognition sites when digesting lambda DNA, while the lambda DNA recognition site for restriction enzyme XhoI is unknown. The goal of this study is to determine the lambda recognition site of XhoI by comparing a HindIII digest and a HindIII and XhoIRead MoreBiological Molecules Like Nucleic Acids And Polysachharides2245 Words   |  9 Pagessource. Then amplification of these isolated genes is done. Amplification is done by the insertion of the target gene into a specified vector. Vector is also a DNA sequence molecule. The vector that has foreign gene in now a recombinant DNA. It replicates in cells after insertion in living cells. As vector gets replicates, the recombinant DNA (rDNA) also gets replicate. This gene expresses the protein. This expressed protein is then purified and further analysis can be done (Ausubel et al., 2002).Read MoreT he Viological Structure Of G-Protein Coupled Receptorss1463 Words   |  6 Pagesillustrates the outward movement of a GPCR in the intracellular region to allow binding of GÉ‘. Simultaneously, the extracellular region move inward to form the closed state (high affinity); this impairs the dissociation of the agonist from the ligand-binding site. Experiment 1 facilitated our understanding of the molecular nature of GPCRs by providing experimental evidence for the Ternary Complex model. This model explains how ligand binding leads to a conformational change in the GPCR and a downstream signalingRead MoreMolecular Plant Microbe Interaction : Evolution Of Plant Pathogens Essay2585 Words   |  11 Pageslocalized cell death at the site of infection. These R proteins can also recognise the effector proteins indirectly through a mechanism called The Guard Hypothesis. Natural selection then helps the pathogen escape the HR by divergence or by acquiring additional effectors (Jones et al., 2006). Hence, in order to invade the plant further, the pathogens should undergo evolution. Whole Genome Analysis: Whole genome sequencing has served as a tool in determining the complete DNA of a particular organismRead MoreCell Biology Final Essay30093 Words   |  121 Pages_______ in eukaryotic cells. A) ribosomes B) oxidative phosphorylation C) DNA molecules -D) a nucleus 2. Cytoplasmic organelles are - A) absent in prokaryotic cells; present in eukaryotic cells. B) present in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. C) present in prokaryotic cells; absent in eukaryotic cells. D) absent in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. 3. Eukaryotic chromosomes contain _______ DNA molecules. A) single linear B) single circular -C) multiple linear

Our Reliance on Computers - 2044 Words

The society in which we live in has been so profoundly affected by computers that historians refer to the present time as the information age. (Presley, 16) Comments like this show how computers have changed how we live, work, and play. For example, combined with the Internet, computers have incorporated many forms of communications into a universal one. The computers role in the world continues to grow in importance even as we sometimes take it for granted. We must realize how greatly computers have affected our lives. Computers have become such an integral part of our lives because we rely on them for numerical calculations, storage of data, communication, and technological processes. The idea of computing began at the start†¦show more content†¦The fourth generation of computers further advanced capabilities. Intel designed the Intel 4004, the worlds first microprocessor. The microprocessor was a single chip that contained the entire ‘brains of a computer. 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Corporate Social Reasonability Governance value Creation

Question: Describe about the Corporate Social Reasonability for Governance value Creation. Answer: Introduction In this assignment, issues related with Corporate Social Reasonability and corporate governance has been discussed. At first, the comparison between the 2014 and 2015 reports for the company Wesfamers has been provided in relation to GRI G4 standard. Then the same has been done for Fuji Xerox Company. Some recommendations have provided for these companies in order to improve their CSR. Part A: MEMO TO: GENERAL MANAGER FROM: ASSISTANT MANAGER Date: 18th October 2016 Subject: Corporate governance and social responsibility issues affecting business decision making of Wesfamers Aebi, Sabato and Schmid (2012) stated that, Corporate Social Reasonability (CSR) can help to promote a revelation of business responsibility to a large range of investors, shareholders as well as stakeholders. The major areas that the company needs to be concern are such as environmental protection, wellbeing of workers and local community. It has been found that there are six major issues related corporate governance and social responsibility that can affect business decision of a company. They are such as: Role of government Chen et al (2012) stated that, in previous time, the government mainly relies on regulation and legislation to deal with environmental as well as social issues in the sector of business. However due to shrinkage of resources and due to distrust of regulations that leads companies to voluntary and non-regulatory initiatives instead. Demand of better disclosure Due to the growing demand for corporate disclosure from suppliers, stakeholders, communities and employees and activist organization, companies have to take initiatives to improve CSR and sustainable development (Bushee, Carter Gerakos 2013). Increasing interest of customers Liu and McConnell (2013) mentioned that, companies ethical conduct is now having significant impact on the customers purchasing decision. From a survey analysis, it has been found that 20% of the customers reward or punish companies depending on the perceived social performance (Hermalin Weisbach, 2012). Deal with investors pressure Nini, Smith and Sufi (2012) mentioned that presently investors are changing their methods to assess the performance of companies. They take decisions depending on various criteria that include ethical concerns. From a survey analysis it has been found that 25% of the investors all over the world take care of the ethical considerations while buying and selling stocks of a company (Claessens Yurtoglu 2013). For this reason, a company needs to invest more on corporate social responsibility. Competitive labor market Westphal and Zajac (2013) opined that, at present days employees are increasing looking beyond benefits and paychecks. They also look forward to have employee friendly working environment. Hence, all companies have to make sure that they are able to provide employee friendly working environment, so as to recruit and retain talented and skilled employees. Relationship with suppliers It has been found that stakeholders are becoming more interested towards corporate affairs. Erkens et al (2012) stated that stakeholders always try to ensure that their partners work in environmentally responsible manner. Improved sustainability performance Aspects Sub-group 2014 2015 Economic Wesfamers is the leading metallurgical coal producer. It is also the leading supplier of thermal coal for domestic power generation (Wesfarmers 2016). The company operates the Curragh coal mine near the Blackwater in Queenlands Bowen Basin. In addition the company has 40% share in the Bengalla mine in the Hunter Valley of New South Wales in the year of 2014 (Wesfarmers 2016). There are more than 588 employee works in the company including 547 workers in the Curragh mine. The company had produced more than 12 million tonnes of coal in the year of 2014 and exported in various parts of Asia, South America and Europe (Wesfarmers 2016). In the year of 2014 the total revenue of the company was $1,544 million (Wesfarmers 2016). Wesfamers is still the leading metallurgical coal producer. It is still also the leading supplier of thermal coal for domestic power generation (Wesfarmers 2016). The company still operates the Curragh coal mine near the Blackwater in Queenlands Bowen Basin. In addition the company still has 40% share in the Bengalla mine in the Hunter Valley of New South Wales in the year of 2015 (Wesfarmers 2016). There is more than 517 employees work in the company including 476 workers in the Curragh mine. The company had produced more than 12.25 million tonnes of coal in the year of 2015 and exported in various parts of Asia, South America and Europe (Wesfarmers 2016). In the year of 2014 the total revenue of the company is $1.37 billion (Wesfarmers 2016). Environmental It has been found that emissions from the business operation of Wesfamers include railing of cola. It has the potential to affect different stakeholders of the organization. for this reason, the company has taken various efforts to minimize the level of emission throughout different aspects of business operation. In the year of 2012, the company has developed a multi-disciplinary Greenhouse Gas Emissions In the year of 2014, the company has produced 569 Tonnes of CO2 (Wesfarmers 2016). Energy usage In the year of 2015, the company has consumed 4.59 Petajoules of energy (Wesfarmers 2016). Water Consumption The company has consumed 8148 Megalitres of water in the year of 2014. In order to take care of the community concerns related with coal dust, the company along with its rail partner Aurizon has implemented a new technology. The company has applied non-toxic biodegradable veneer to all the coals after loading. The company has developed veneering station near the Curragh train load out facility. It reduces the emission of coal dust that cause nuisance for the neighbors and the community during the time of rail transportation. It makes sure that the company has complied with the Queensland Governments Coal Dust Management Plan. It provides recommendation to the company for appropriate management of dusts throughout Central Queensland rail network (Wesfarmers 2016). Greenhouse Gas Emissions In the year of 2015, The Greenhouse gas emission has been increased. The company has produced 869 Tonnes of CO2 (Wesfarmers 2016). Energy usage The energy consumption rate has been increased during 2015. In the year of 2015, the company has consumed 5.11 Petajoules of energy (Wesfarmers 2016). Water Consumption The company has reduced water consumption compare to the year of 2014. The company has consumed 7,086 Megalitres of water in the year of 2015. Social Labor practices In the year of 2014, the company has 588 workers across three sites (Wesfarmers 2016). The company has a labor union that represents on-site Curragh mine employees. In the year of 2014 the safety performance of the company was 5.00 TRIFR (Total recoverable Injury Frequency Rate). In the year of 2015, the company has 517 workers across three sites (Wesfarmers 2016). The company has a labor union that represents on-site Curragh mine employees. It has been found that safety is the highest priority of the company. In the year of 2015, the company able to reduce 66% in the total recordable injury frequency rate (Wesfarmers 2016). In the year of 2014 the safety performance of the company was 5.00 TRIFR, while in the year of 2015 the safety performance of the company was 4.20 TRIFR (Wesfarmers 2016). Human rights The company is highly focused on reducing rate of injury, lost time in injury. The company has developed an onsite emergency response team (ERT) to take care of growth and development of all employees of the company (Wesfarmers 2016). Taking care of the injury frequency rate also helps the company to reduce the workers compensation claims. Total recoverable Injury Frequency Rate It is 5.0 in the year of 2014 compared to 14.8 in the year of 2013 (Wesfarmers 2016). Lost Time Injury Frequency Rate Workers It is 0.6 in the year of 2014 compared to 1.9 in the year of 2013 (Wesfarmers 2016). compensation claims ($ millions) It is 13 in the year of 2014 compared to 26 in the year of 2013 (Wesfarmers 2016). The company understands that mining operations pose intrinsic risks to the health, safety and wellbeing of the workers. For this reason, the company has started to invest in safety and control program to develop positive and healthy workplace for employees (Wesfarmers 2016). The company is highly focused on reducing rate of injury, lost time in injury. The company has developed an onsite emergency response team (ERT) to take care of growth and development of all employees of the company (Wesfarmers 2016). Taking care of the injury frequency rate also helps the company to reduce the workers compensation claims. Total recoverable Injury Frequency Rate It is 4.2 in the year of 2015 compared to 5.0 in the year of 2014 (Wesfarmers 2016). Lost Time Injury Frequency Rate Workers It is 0.3 in the year of 2015 compared to 0.6 in the year of 2014 (Wesfarmers 2016). compensation claims ($ millions) It is 11 in the year of 2015 compared to 13 in the year of 2014 (Wesfarmers 2016). Aboriginal and Torres strait islander employees The company has also started increase their focus on retaining aboriginal employees in the organization. It has been found from the company report that in the year of 2013, there were 22 aboriginal employees work for the company (Wesfarmers 2016). However in the year of 2014, it was reduced to 18. In the year of 2015, the company started to increase its focus on welfare of aboriginal employees in order to retain them. Wintoki et al (2012) stated that retaining employees from different cultures can help to increase diversity at workplace. In the year of 2015, there were 20 aboriginal employees work in the company (Wesfarmers 2016). Society Customers: Domestic power generators and large export steel manufacturers are the major customers of the company. Contractors: Most of the major Australian Contracting firms that provide service to the company Suppliers: International, national and local suppliers are included in the list. Business partners: Organizations that the company does business with like port and rail operators. Government and the regulatory authorities: Selected representatives from state, local and international level. Local community: People live in the local community of Curragh mine Neighbors: Landowners whose properties and lands are situated in the close proximity to the Curragh mine. Media: National, state and local media of Australia that includes television, print and social media. Interest groups: Non-profit groups that have the interest to cover the social and environmental issues faced by the organization. Community contribution ($ million): It has been found that the community contribution of the company is declining rapidly. In the year of 2013, the total contribution of the company is 0.30$ million (direct investment is 0.24 and indirect investment is 0.06). While in the year of 2014, total investment is 0.24 (direct investment is 0.24 and investment 0) Customers: Domestic power generators and large export steel manufacturers are the major customers of the company. Contractors: Most of the major Australian Contracting firms that provide service to the company Suppliers: International, national and local suppliers are included in the list. Business partners: Organizations that the company does business with like port and rail operators. Government and the regulatory authorities: Selected representatives from state, local and international level. Local community: People live in the local community of Curragh mine Neighbors: Landowners whose properties and lands are situated in the close proximity to the Curragh mine. Media: National, state and local media of Australia that includes television, print and social media. Interest groups: Non-profit groups that have the interest to cover the social and environmental issues faced by the organization. Community contribution ($ million): In the year of 2014, the total contribution of the company is 0.24$ million (direct investment is 0.24 and indirect investment is 0). While in the year of 2015, total investment is 0.12 (direct investment is 0.12 and investment 0) (Wesfarmers 2016). Product responsibility Waste development (Tonnes) Disposed: 581 Recycled: 2505 Waste development (Tonnes) Disposed: 1058 Recycled: 2521 This comparison of the report has been developed depending on the core data provided for the Wesfarmers Limited Sustainability Report. It has been fund that Wesfarmers is the company that strongly believes to deliver satisfactory return for its shareholders. The company does not only focus on improving financial performance. It also focuses on five key sustainability aspects. They are such as people, energy consumption, carbon emission, economic contribution, governance, community support and economic contribution (Acharya et al 2013). It has been found that this approach is consistently related with the Government Reporting Initiative (GRI). As McCahery (2016) stated that GRI encourages companies to focus on matters, which are critical to both business and stakeholders. In accordance to the GRI G4 standard, the company is trying to focus material issues as well. After analyzing the report, it has been found that the major target of this report is the different stakeholders. With the help of this report, the company wants to show all the shareholders how it is trying to improve sustainability. Part B: Fuji Xerox Comparison Different guidelines Guide lines used in 2014 report (UN Global Compact guidelines) 1. Transformation of business The company has defined, communicated and executed its strategy to ensure business viability and to transform the company business model. The company has communicated its strategy to stakeholders to build their confidence for the company (Fujixerox 2016). 2. Concentrating on what matters most The company has to develop better level of service and sustainable solution that are relevant for the customers. Due to increased economic pressure, the company has to focus on financial sustainability (Fujixerox 2016). 3. Procuring responsibility The company Fuji Xerox Australia has to focus on responsible, sustainable and ethical approach to procurement. The company needs to develop sound labor practices and has to take care of the health and safety of employees. 4. Retaining talented people The company has to develop appropriate strategy in order to attract talented and skilled employees. Denis (2016) stated that, it will enable a company to mange current organizational change in appropriate manner. 5. Cultural harmony The company has to foster the culture of mutual respect, diversity and anti-bullying behaviour. The diversity and anti-bullying has to be reduced in accordance to government guidelines. Guide lines used in 2015 report (UN Global Compact guidelines) Human rights 1. An organization has to respect as well as support the international human rights protection 2. The company has to ensure that they do not get involved with any abuse related with human rights (Fujixerox 2016). Labors 3. A business has to uphold the freedom of association. It also has to recognize the collective bargaining right in an effective manner. 4. The company also need to eliminate all types of compulsory and forced labor 5. The company also need to eliminate all types of forced and Child labor 6. Elimination any type of discrimination related with employment (Fujixerox 2016) Environment 7. The organization needs to prop up ant deterrent move toward the environmental challenge 8. The company must has to undertake initiatives that can promote environmental responsibilities 9. The company needs to encourage diffusion of environmental friendly technologies (Fujixerox 2016) Anti-corruption 10. The company needs to work against any types of corruptions like bribery and extortion. Different influences 2014 report (Australia) The company always tries to develop an open, respectful and safe working environment that both diverse and flexible (Fujixerox 2016). It also provides the opportunity for both personal and professional growth. There are various Australian associations that have influenced this report. They are such as Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) organizational stakeholder, Australian and New Zealand Recycling Platform signatory with board, United Way Australia (UW) partnership and Australia-Israel Chamber of Commerce (Fujixerox 2016). For this reason, the company has developed four major values. They are such as: Customer first: The company Fuji Xerox wants to be successful through satisfied customers Continuous improvement: The Company Fuji Xerox always wants to make continuous improvement in all business operations. Integrity and ethics: The Company Fuji Xerox operates at the high level of business ethics. Teamwork: Fuji Xerox always promotes team work and tries to improve team spirit. The major interests for Fuji Xerox Australia are: To share the voices of the stakeholders To identify issues and gaps within the organization To map the boundaries for the material matters 2015 report (Japan) There are 10 major values that have influenced the sustainability report of Fuji Xerox company report in 2015 (Fujixerox 2016). These values emphasize how the company needs to consider the business approach as the society members. It is also sets value for fundamental respect for humanity. These 10 values are such as team spirit, professionalism, scientific thinking, high ethical standards, environmental consciousness as well as customer satisfaction. Other 5 shared values are such as pioneering spirit, joy and fulfillment, trust and consideration, as well as cultural diversity. From this report, it has been found that business goal of the company is to develop mutual trust and develop diverse cultures. The company tries to develop an environment where customers can develop and efficiently utilize knowledge. The major aim of the company is to enable every employee to achieve personal and professional goals (Tricker 2015). It has been found that economic globalization continues to adv ance with the growth of information technology. Harford, Mansi and Maxwell (2012) stated that, the society is facing challenges recently, which are more complex in nature. There are many social issues that require immediate actions. For this reason, the company has developed missions in order to solve management problems for each customer by building an environment for the creation and effective utilization of knowledge. 2014-15comparison (in relation to the G4 GRI Guidelines) Stakeholder engagement mechanism (2014) Stakeholders Inform Consult Involve Collaborate Empower Employees The company provides them annual sustainability report and develops appropriate corporate communications. In addition, online training modules are also provided during the during the induction period (Fujixerox 2016). The company conducts an employment engagement survey annually. The company also has developed health and safety committees in order to take care of employee welfare. The company has developed employee engagement focus groups and also developed a post employee engagement survey. The company has developed an employee engagement working group. An annual workshop has been developed for environmental coordinators. The company has developed inclusivity steering committee to empower all the employees Customers Annual sustainability report is provided to the customers along with web development plans and environmental brochures. The company has developed bi-annual customer survey, win/ loss review, presentation for sustainability and an annual materiality process (Fujixerox 2016). Develop a round table meeting with customers. The company uses social media to develop more intense interaction with customers (Fujixerox 2016). The company has implemented innovation for product and solutions. For example sustainability on site centers. Dealers Only annual sustainability report is provided to dealers. The company has developed a survey for dealer sustainability program. The company has developed sustainability champion conference for the dealers. The company has developed dealers sustainability champions workshop and networks. Suppliers Procurement policies, sustainability code of conduct for suppliers, annual sustainability report. In addition, a separate supplier portal is also provided for the suppliers in the company website. Input for annual materiality process The company has developed a strategic procurement events The company has developed strategic supplier quarterly review. Community Annual sustainability report Input for annual materiality process The company has developed effective community programs and skilled volunteering, ABCN partnerships, graduate projects Stakeholder engagement mechanism (2015) Stakeholders Activities Customers 1. The company is trying to produce services and solutions irrespective of the information use and communication. 2. The company supports customers business continuity. 3. The company provides high quality and safe service to customers to improve customer loyalty. Employees 1. The company is trying to develop an environment where a diverse workforce can work together for organizational objectives. 2. The company tries to develop skilled and talented human resources who can be empowered. Global environment 1. The company is trying to reduce CO2 emission throughout the lifecycle of the product. 2. Influence customers to reduce CO2 emission 3. Responsible procurement of paper Suppliers 1. The company has implemented CSR at the manufacturing sites that can help to increase competitiveness. 2. The company is trying to expand and enhance the ethical procurement the can help to improve competitiveness of the organization. Local communities 1. The company has made contributions for the education of the future generation 2. The company has provided support for the Great East Japan Earthquake Shareholders and investors 1. Appropriate corporate governance 2. Security of information 3. Fair business practices 4. Respecting human rights Part C: Conclusion and recommendations Wesfarmers Wesfarmers is the company that strongly believes to deliver satisfactory return for its shareholders. The company does not only focus on improving financial performance. It also focuses on five key sustainability aspects. They are like people, energy consumption, carbon emission, economic contribution, governance, community support and economic contribution. It has been found that this approach is consistently related with the Government Reporting Initiative (GRI). It has been found that the company is has taken various initiatives to improve corporate and social responsibilities of the company. For example, the company has decreased the usage of water and reduces the emission of CO2. In addition, the company has decreased waste generation and increased waste disposal. However, the company has issues related with community investment and dust management. Recommendations The company has to increase direct and indirect investment for the community in order to improve CSR activity. The company needs to implement new technologies in order manage dust form the mines in appropriate manner and reduce making nuisance for the neighbors. Fuji Xerox The company always tries to develop an open, respectful and safe working environment that both diverse and flexible (Fujixerox 2016). It also provides the opportunity for both personal and professional growth. There are 10 major values that have affected the corporate governance and CSR of the company Fuji Xerox. These 10 values are such as scientific thinking, professionalism, team spirit, high ethical standards, environmental consciousness as well as customer satisfaction. It has been found that the company has taken various initiatives to reduce forced labor and child labor. Recommendations The company has to take initiatives to take care of the environmental issues: The company has to implement enhanced technologies in order to reduce CO2 emission The company has to develop policies to reduce waste emission. Part D: Reflective journal of personal development This assignment helps me to develop my personal knowledge related CSR and corporate governance. There are some major reasons for which a company needs to increase investment on corporate governance. They are such as role of government, demand of better disclosure, increasing interest of customers; deal with investors pressure, competitive labor market and relationship with suppliers. I come to know that the Australian government mainly relies on regulation and legislation to deal with environmental and social issues in business sector. However due to shrinkage of resources and due to distrust of regulations that leads companies to voluntary and non-regulatory initiatives instead. I also come know that due to the growing demand for corporate disclosure from suppliers, stakeholders, communities and employees and activist organization, companies have to take initiatives to improve CSR and sustainable development. I have come to understand that there are three theoretical approaches related with CSR. They are such as theory of CSR, Triple bottom line approach and stakeholder theory. I come to understand that CSR is combined with four obligations. They are philanthropic responsibility, ethical responsibility, legal responsibility as well as economic responsibility. I come to understand that presently investors are changing their methods to assess the performance of companies. They take decisions depending on various criteria that include ethical concerns. From a survey analysis it has been found that 25% of the investors all over the world take care of the ethical considerations while buying and selling stocks of a company. For this reason, a company needs to invest more on corporate social responsibility. Currently I am situating in the managerial position of a multinational company. I have come to understand that environmental, social and governance issues related with CSR have been increasing in recent years. As a manager, I have to take care of these issues and I have to develop friendly environment within the company so that we can attract talented and skilled employees. 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