Simulation plays a key role in the computer-aided design of systems, primarily because it helps in catching design bugs at an early stage and in quickly ruling out many unreasonable options in the design space. There is a wealth of tools and languages that have been proposed over the years for the design and verification of hybrid systems and most of them provide 3D visualization utility for facilitating design process. However, their visualization systems often rely on some external configuration files written in naive 3D APIs like VRML or Java3D and complicated connections have to be established between the simulation data and the visualization. Numerous efforts have to be invested in visualization related modeling and certain level of understanding of the low level 3D libraries are needed. Thus it is not an easy job for non-professions to build a 3D visualization. In this thesis we explore the idea that in a hybrid system model, almost all the information need for visualization is already in place. This means that very few annotation should be enough to fully specify a useful 3D visualization. Based on this idea, we propose a lightweight 3D visualization framework which allows the user to expresses the three-dimensional object in a high level and abstract way and to take advantage of the data already in the simulation. We evaluate our approaching by building a prototype extension of modeling language called Acumen. The result of this thesis work is included in Acumen's official release version that can be download at www.acumen-language.org. To build a 3D visualization in Acumen, only very few annotations need to be added to the simulation model and are included inside one reserved variable. Non-professions like students who are studying Cyber-physical systems can easily use this tool to visualize their models in Acumen without any prerequisite knowledge regarding 3D visualization technology. We also developed a number of benchmarks to test the correctness and functionality of Acumen3D. Besides, as a lager case study into the expressivity of Acumen and its visualizaiton efficiency, we developed a simplified model of a Ping Pong game. We gained experience about how to model complex hybrid system in Acumen. Moreover by comparing modeling such a hybrid system in Java3D and in Acumen3D, we find concrete evidence that modelling it in Acumen3D is easier in that of less code and less prerequisite knowledge and more supporting built in functions.

Modeling and simulation have always been essential steps in innovation, the processesof developing new products. This is especially the case for cyber-physical systems, whichare complex systems of networked physical and computational components. Modelingplays a key role in model-based design. Immersion techniques speed up the modelingprocess by presenting the design more intuitively. This thesis investigates the possibilityof improving support of immersion in Acumen, a free and open source software platformfor modeling and simulation of cyber-physical systems. To be consistent with theopen and free nature of Acumen, we investigate immersion options that would not entailadded cost to users.This thesis shows that it is possible to allow users to interact with an Acumen model, simulateand animate them simultaneously, and synchronize the simulation with real worldtime. The results show that the immersion techniques can be easily used without degradingthe performance of Acumen simulation, and help users understand and developAcumen models. Finally, we show why it is important to build a hardware independent3D visualization for Acumen, namely, that it allows users to use Acumen without acumbersome set-up process.iii

Simulation is the process of computing a behavior determined by a given model of a system of interest.  Modeling is the process of creating a model that formally describes a given class of system.  Modeling and simulation can be used to quickly and cheaply study and understand new technologies.  Today, a wide range of systems are simulated using different tools.  However, converting models into simulation codes can still be difficult and time consuming. In this thesis, we study how a new modeling and simulation language called Acumen can be used to model basic physical links.  This language is aimed at bridging the gap between modeling and simulation.  We focus on basic physical links as an interesting type of system to model and simulate. We also focus on comparing Acumen to MATLAB and Simulink.  The types of links we consider include models of an RC low-pass filter, Amplitude Modulation, Frequency Modulation, Amplitude Shift Keying, Phase Shift Keying and Frequency Shift Keying systems. Each of these examples is modeled in Acumen, MATLAB and Simulink. We find that, for the most part, Acumen allows us to naturally express a wide range of modulation techniques mentioned above. When compared to MATLAB ad Simulink, we find that Acumen is simple language to understand. Acumen codes are described in a more natural way. Simplicity is the biggest advantage of Acumen.

Master of Agribusiness / Department of Agricultural Economics / Allen M. Featherstone / The world is an ever-changing place with many demands on both companies and their employees. Finance individuals in a large multi-national company also have many demands placed on them as they grow and develop with the companies in which they work. A detailed analysis was performed on one large multi-national company in the agriculture sector to determine: 1. a framework to assess the skills that finance individuals need, 2. the desired skills and needs of the finance organization, 3. a current assessment of finance experiences and skills, and 4. the gaps between the current state and the desired skill level state. Although there are a number of criteria and competencies that can be used for assessment, this thesis focused on the critical skills and experiences for two key areas: 1. accounting and technical skills, and 2. analytical and business acumen skills. Skill set levels were measured at three criteria levels: Basic, Intermediate and Advanced. The desired state of the organization and the current state of the organization was defined and mapped on a Skill Set Grid and gaps were identified. When looking at the results, the data indicate that Company XYZ has several areas to explore further and refine. There were many gaps in the current state of the skill sets versus the desired state of the skill sets in both the areas of accounting and technical skills and analytical and business acumen skills. Further, the analytical and business acumen skills were significantly in need of further improvement. In addition, several areas of further refinement could occur that would further enhance the use of this skill assessment methodology. However, both the company and the employees who received feedback valued the information developed in this process.

Orientation: The job inherent requirements for Human Resource (HR) professionals, as is for any role, are constantly undergoing change due to the dynamic environment that we work and exist in. With the transition from traditional Personnel Management to more contemporary and strategic HR Management, these adjustments required for the role and of the incumbents have become more and more pronounced. It is important that, as HR professionals, one frequently reassesses and clarifies the inherent requirements for the role, based on the needs and demands from the broader world of work and its roleplayers. The concern is however whether HR professionals realise and understand which behavioural competencies they should display in order to meet the changing demands and whether they actually are ‘living’ these. Research Purpose: The aim of this paper is to determine the relevant behavioural competencies for HR professionals based on the analysis of various views gathered from current HR professionals. Research Results: It was found that competencies such as ‘Planning and Organising’, ‘Problem Solving and Analysis’, ‘Specialist and Technical Knowledge’, ‘Strategic Thinking’ as well as ‘Interpersonal Sensitivity’ are all important in order to ensure effective service delivery for HR professionals. An additional competency, ‘Leading and Supervising’ was also identified as important, although related more to managerial HR functions. From these results it is however also evident that competencies relating to adapting and responding to change in the workplace, and the importance of being able to deliver and achieve results, were omitted from the ideal profile. This, in comparison to various articles and research presented by authors on the exact importance of such competencies in order for the HR discipline to add value to the organisation, makes it evident that many HR professionals have still not completed the transition from the traditional Personnel Management to the more strategic HR Management. / Mini Dissertation (MCom)--University of Pretoria, 2004. / Human Resource Management / MCom / Unrestricted

Simulation of mechanical systems like walking robots, is an essential part in developingnew and more applicable solutions in robotics. The increasing complexity of methodsand technologies is a key challenge for common languages. That problem creates a needfor flexible and scalable languages. The thesis concludes that an equation-based toolusing the Euler-Lagrange can simplify the process cycle of modeling and simulation. Itcan minimize the development effort, if the tool supports derivatives. Regretfully, it isnot common to use equation-based tools with this ability for simulation of humanoidrobots.The research in this thesis illustrates the comparison of equation-based tools to commonused tools. The implementation uses the Euler-Lagrange method to model andsimulate nonlinear mechanical systems. The focus of this work is the comparison ofdifferent tools, respectively the development of a humanoid robot in a stepwise mannerbased on the principle of passive walking. Additionally, each developed model has givenan informal argument to its stability. To prove the correctness of the thesis statementthe equation-based tool called Acumen is evaluated in contrast to a common used tool,MATLAB.Based on the achieved results, it can be concluded that the use of equation-based toolsusing Euler-Lagrange formalism is convenient and scalable for humanoid robots. Additionally,the development process is significantly simplified by the advantages of suchtools. Due to the experimental nature of Acumen further research could investigatethe possibilities for different mechanical systems as well as other techniques.

An examination of the relationship between business acumen and chief human resource officers’ (CHROs) effectiveness has been missing from the practitioner and academic literatures. To remedy this deficiency, elements of the SHRM HR Competency Model, the ATD Competency Model, and the HR Competency Model were used to frame, theorize, and test propositions in this study of the relationship between business acumen and CHRO effectiveness in institutions of higher education. To this end, a survey, was employed to elicit responses from a sample of chief human resources officers responsible for leading and managing the HR function at institutions of higher education. To ensure proper representation of CHRO responses across the different types of institutions, proportional stratified sampling was used. The resulting survey data were analyzed using descriptive, correlational, and inferential statistics to examine propositions describing the relationship between business acumen and CHRO effectiveness. Descriptive statistical analysis showed: (a) CHROs possess a mix of business acumen skills, (b) CHROs vary in the extent to which they possess business acumen, and (c) CHRO effectiveness levels vary from not effective to effective. Correlational statistical analysis revealed CHRO effectiveness was significantly correlated with business acumen. Furthermore, inferential statistical analysis indicated the mix of business acumen skills did not differ significantly across effective CHROs employed at non-profit and for-profit institutions of higher education. Key Words: business acumen, effectiveness, chief human resource officers (CHROs), institutions of higher education / Business Administration/Human Resource Management

Acumen is a language and tool for modeling and simulating cyber-physical systems. It allows the user to conduct simulations using a technique called rigorous simulation that produces results with explicit error bounds, expressed as intervals. This feature can be useful when designing and testing systems where the reliability of results or taking uncertainty into account is important. Unfortunately, analyzing these simulation results can be difficult, as Acumen supports only two ways of presenting them: raw data tables and 2D-plots. These views of the data make certain kinds of analysis cumbersome, such as understanding correlations between variables. This is especially true when the model in question is large. This project proposes a new way of visualising rigorous simulation results in Acumen. The goal of this project is to create a method for visualising intervallic values in 3D, and implement it in Acumen. To achieve that, every span of values is represented as a series of overlapping objects. This family of objects, which constitutes an under-approximation of the true simulation result, is then wrapped inside a semi-translucent box that is a conservative over-approximation of the simulation result. The resulting implementation makes for a combination of mathematical correctness (rigour), and mediation of intervals in question. It enables the user to explore the results of his rigorous simulations as conveniently as with the existing, non-rigorous simulation methods, using the 3D visualisation to simplify the study of real-life problems. To our knowledge, no existing software features visualisation of interval-based simulation results, nor is there any convention for doing this. Some ways in which the proposed solution could be improved are suggested at the end of this report

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This study explored Visual Art creation by Grade 11 learners in the art classroom and the relationship with attaining creativity acumen. Creativity acumen in this instance is looked upon as the ability to visually conceptualize imaginative ideas and then translate that into an individual rendition of a concept presented. The learners first perceive an idea and then conceive a concept. Visual perception is a function of how the eyes and brain see whole images, but these images are broken down into their visual elements, such as lines and shading during Visual Art creation. The visual elements are then created in forming an art-work, which in turn lends itself to understanding complex concepts and themes. Creativity acumen involves two processes: having ideas (creativity-relevant processes) and then producing a visual exposé of such ideas. A literature review was conducted which provided useful insight into the components of the creative process and the contextual factors influencing creativity acumen within the school environment. An empirical study was conducted with six art learners in Grade 11, selected through purposive sampling. Creativity questionnaires were completed pre- and post-art creation as a self-assessment tool of how effectively individual implementation of the creative process occurred during idea development and artistic expression in attaining creativity acumen during Visual Art production, if at all. The art creations were observed from task presentation through to completion deadline. Photographic records of the art creations were captured as they were produced and completed. Interviews were conducted at the end of the art creative process. The data was descriptively tabulated into photo-sheets and tabulated for qualitative interpretation and description of findings and results. From the empirical study it can be concluded that there is a dialectic relationship between the creativity-relevant processes and art-relevant skills, as set out theoretically by Amabile (1996) when creating Visual Art. The relationship is intertwined and compounded by overlapping factors in acumen to be creative and creating an art-work. Both require openness to new ideas and perspectives and both need perseverance and effort to learn new skills and craftsmanship. The conclusion of this study is that creativity acumen and art creation have variation of outcome and expansion of ideas in common. Creativity acumen is a means of extending one’s outlook and ability to question, look for new information, develop ideas independently while art creation is a means of visual expression in learning to elaborate on a concept through externalised representation which guides further possibilities and understanding of new concepts and perspectives. There is a dialectic relationship between art creation and creativity acumen or ability as one possibly informs and develops the other. / Psychology of Education / M. Ed. (Guidance and Counselling)