Discussion Post
Watch the clips "The Imitation Game"
• Does the Cryptography Team behave as a Mechanistic or Organic Organization? Give specific examples.
• What type of organization does Commander Dennisen believe he has created, Mechanistic or Organic? Is he correct? Why or why not?
Cast:
a) Charles Dance-Cdr. Alastair Denniston
b) Benedict Cumberbatch-Alan Turing
c) Keira Knightley-Joan Clarke
d) Matthew Goode-Hugh Alexander
e) Matthew Beard-Peter Hilton
Plot:
When Britain declares war on Germany in 1939, Alan Turing travels to Bletchley Park. Under the direction of Commander Alastair Denniston, he joins the cryptography team of Hugh Alexander, John Cairncross, Peter Hilton, Keith Furman and Charles Richards. The team are trying to analyze the Enigma machine, which the Nazis use to send coded messages.
Turing is difficult to work with, and considers his colleagues inferior; he works alone to design a machine to decipher Enigma messages. After Denniston refuses to fund construction of the machine, Turing writes to Prime Minister Winston Churchill, who puts Turing in charge of the team and funds the machine.
Turing's machine, which he names Christopher, is constructed, but cannot determine the Enigma encryption settings quickly enough; the Germans reset them each day. Denniston orders it to be destroyed and Turing fired, but the other cryptographers threaten to leave if Turing goes.
After overhearing a conversation with a female clerk about messages she receives, Turing has an epiphany, realizing he can program the machine to decode words he already knows exist in certain messages. After he recalibrates the machine, it quickly decodes a message and the cryptographers celebrate. Turing realizes they cannot act on every decoded message or the Germans will realize Enigma has been broken.
Scenes from this Clip:
a) Alan Turing is hired by Commander Dennisen
b) Description of the Enigma machine
c) Commander Dennisen makes his wishes clear and Turing goes over his head
d) The Cryptography Team is successful at their mission
e) The Cryptography Team faces the ultimate moral dilemma.
The response must include a reference list. Using Times New Roman 12 pnt font, double-space, one-inch margins, and APA style of writing and citations.