Taobao Vs. Ebay China - 1234 Words

Introduction Taobao vs. eBay China covers the emerging consumer to consumer market, growth of the internet, and multiple business interactions throughout a few decades. China started out with few online auctions, no set standardized rules for online trading, a lack of credit cards, debit cards that could not be processed in other areas, no way to make online transactions efficiently, and minimal precautions to eliminate fraud if these other obstacles could be averted. Overtime most of these were completely resolved, and China became a member of the C2C world. The following were discussed throughout the case; EachNet.com, eBay, eBay China, Taobao.com, PayPal, An Fu Tong (Secure Pay), AliPay, and Alibaba.com. Overall this case discusses why eBay cannot function effectively in China as well as the competition between eBay China and Taobao. External and Internal Analysis â€Å"eBay China† S †¢ Global foundation of eBay †¢ Experience/Established †¢ Funding †¢ Already a dominant online trading platform †¢ To start had 70% share W †¢ Markets willingness to adapt to their rules and regulations/fees †¢ Already failed in Japan †¢ Centralized decision making O †¢ Large target market in China †¢ Acquisition of EachNet.com †¢ Succeed and take over the online domain in Asia, to close the global gap T †¢ Markets willingness to adapt to their rules and regulations †¢ EachNet.com and Taobao.com †¢ Didn’t cater to local market necessities Problem Formulation Copying eBay in China was found to be aShow MoreRelatedTaobao vs. Ebay China8878 Words   |  36 PagesCASE: IB-88 DATE: 01/04/10 TAOBAO VS. EBAY CHINA Ten to 15 years from now, I think China can be eBay s largest market on a global basis†¦. We think China has tremendous long-term potential and we want to do everything we can to maintain 1 our No. 1 position. — Meg Whitman, eBay CEO, 2004 By 2008, Jack Ma, CEO of Alibaba.com Inc., was in a position to consider how to fortify Taobao’s dominant position in China’s online consumer-to-consumer (C2C) market. Ma and his company had come a long wayRead MoreTaobao vs. Ebay China: The Internet Oligopoly Market1053 Words   |  4 PagesTaobao vs. EBay China The Internet Oligopoly Market The Chinese online C2C market has two main players, EBay China and Taobao who largely control the market. Their products are identical and the action of one company directly affects the other. For example, Taobao was launched with an entirely no-fee model thereby greatly affecting the chances of eBay in implementing the payment system, An Fu Tong (Secure Pay). The importance of oligopolies in internet markets is that with limited companiesRead MoreEbay Expansion in China754 Words   |  4 PagesQuestion 1: eBay’s (diversification) expansion modes in China included acquisition and joint venture. Critically evaluate each mode of diversification by identifying the advantages and disadvantages for EBay given the competitive environment within the overall industry and specifically in China. By the year of 2006, eBay’s combined international investments in Latin American, Europe and Asia Pacific has totaled revenues of 2.1 billion, representing 49% of aggregate revenues of the companyRead MoreComparative Ebay and Taobao3114 Words   |  13 Pagesbetween eBay and Taobao in Chinese Online Auction Market BSAD 415:66 Electronic Business Prof. G. Trites Jie Yue (Kathy) 200706289 June 10, 2008 1 Introduction Being the largest online trading company, eBay has launched websites across the world, including thirty other countries in addition to its original U.S. website. China, with its large online market, is one of these countries. In 2003, after its cooperation with Eachnet, the first C2C online company in China, eBay becameRead MoreWhy Ebay Failed in China1913 Words   |  8 PagesA report on Ebay and Taobao. Ebay v/s Taobao Critically evaluate eBay’s chosen market entry strategies, into the Chinese ‘C2C’ market, determining the shortcomings of the strategies deployed during the case study period. When entering into a new market, there are many aspects that must be considered in order for a company to be successful. Through this case study we will look at how eBay developed their market strategy using the concept of six key factors timing, location, marketingRead MoreCase Study : Cultural Human Resource Management1361 Words   |  6 PagesChinaware summoned by the company founder and given a secret mission. They were told to develop a C2C Internet auction site within three months as a counter attack to the much-celebrated eBay entry into the Chinese market. The new company was named Taobao, to mean treasure hunting. Similarly, the mission was impossible. eBay became the goliath of the e-commerce world, with success recorded in the US and the prowess in the international operations and marketing (Hang et al. 2013). Besides, the company isRead MoreAnalysis of Ebay China’s Failure and Suggestions to Ebay’s Return Strategy from the Perspective of Cross-Cultural Conf licts7600 Words   |  31 PagesAnalysis of eBay China’s Failure and Suggestions to eBay’s Return Strategy from the Perspective of Cross-cultural Conflicts 1. Introduction Along with the development of global economy, no one is unfamiliar with the word of globalization, and the world is filled with multinational-corporations. In such circumstances, those companies have realized that the necessary way to survive in the global market and maintain the competitive advantages is toRead MoreSwot Analysis Of Alibuba In China1093 Words   |  5 Pagesworth of goods were sold, according to Business Insider (http://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-prime-day-vs-alibaba-singles-day-2017-7). Alibaba, founded in 1999 by Jack Ma to connect Chinese manufacturers to buyers, has grown into an e-commerce giant with a portfolio of innovative smaller companies working within it. However, the fact that a vast majority of their revenue is generated in China (83% of their revenue from Chinese commerce in 2015 http://www.alibabagroup.com/en/news/press_pdf/p150507Read MoreEbays Failure in China6789 Words   |  28 PagesInternational Strategy eBay’s failure in China †© †© †© †© †© †© †© †© †© †© †© †© †© †© †© †© 1 Table†©of†©contents†© 2†© Introduction........................................................................................................................................... 2†© 3†© Theoretical†©background .................................................................................................................... 3†© 3.1†© The†©SWOT†©Analysis.......................................................Read More1. Based on the Case Study and Your Own Research on Competitors, Summarize the Strategic Approaches Which Have Helped Tesco.Com Achieve Success Online.5953 Words   |  24 Pagescountries are faced by many large companies that do business online. For example, eBay, which had struggled to compete in China for many years, finally closed its operations in the country in 2006. eBay entered China in 2003 with a $30 million investment. In subsequent years, it poured another $250 million into acquisitions and advertising in China. But the effort to compete effectively against Alibaba.com’s TaoBao consumer auction unit failed. Some observers believe that a Chinese cultural

Test Driven Development

Question: Discuss about the Test Driven Development. Answer: Introduction There is increasing effort to have the best software development process that results in software or IT project product that not only meets, but adds value to the customer through its outcomes/ effects. One of the development processes through which this can be achieved is through Test Driven Development (TDD); a process in which very short repetitive development cycles is relied on to develop the software. The requirements are converted into highly specific test cases; the software is then improved to pass only the new tests (Beck, 2014). This paper does some research on the TDD process and discusses how it works, its merits, possible downfalls, use, and prospects, before summarizing the findings Developed by Kent Beck around 2003, TDD is a relatively new process for software development. The cycle commences by the addition of a test; every new feature starts with writing a test that succinctly defines functions or function improvements (Beck, 2014). The developer must therefore fully understand the specifications and requirements of the feature and the tests can be achieved through user stories and use cases to define the exception conditions and the requirements. The test is written in any framework deemed suitable for the software environment. This approach makes the developer focus more on the requirements before sitting down to develop the code (Astels, 2003). After writing the tests, it is now time to run all the tests and observe whether the new test fails; this is done to authenticate whether the automated test framework is working correctly. It is also done to illustrate that the new test doesnt pass without needing new code since the required behavior exists already. This test also rules out possibility that the new test is faulty and will always pass the test. For expected reason, the new test should fail; this step is essential in increasing the confidence of the developer in the new test (Ga?rtner, 2013). After the test, the code is then developed that causes the test to be passed; the new written code is still imperfect and may just pass the test but this is acceptable since the code will be improved (Farcic, 2017) Tests are then run after the first code is written and all test cases have passed; at this point, the developer is confident the new or improved code will meet requirements of the test without breaking or degrading existing features. The new code has to be adjusted until it passes the tests in case it failed to pass the test (Farcic, 2017). The next step involves refactoring the code; the growing code must be regularly cleaned in TDD and it is advisable at this point to move new code to where it logically belongs from where it was convenient just to pass the tests. Duplication has to be removed and class, object, module, method, and variable must represent their present purpose and use clearly as extra functionality is added to it (Farcic, 2017). Objects can get larger and method bodies longer as new features are added; they benefit from their being split and their sum parts named carefully to improve maintainability and readability. This will be increasingly valuable at the later stages of the software development cycle. This stage of refactoring can also entail rearranging inheritance hierarchies to make them more helpful and logical and possible benefit from patterns that can be recognized easily. Tests are re-run continuously at every refactoring phase throughout the whole process, the coder can be confident that an y existing functionality is not being altered by the process. Duplication removal is a highly important process in software design and for TDD; it also enables removal of any duplication between the test and production codes (Ga?rtner, 2013). The next stage entails repeating the whole process, beginning with a new test cycle with the objective of pushing functionality forward. The size of the steps should remain small with between one and ten edits between every test run. If a new test is not satisfied rapidly by new code or there are unexpected fails in other tests, the coder needs to revert rather than engage in excessive debugging. Due to continuous integration, revertible checkpoints are provided and if external libraries are being used, increments that are very small as to be effective for only testing the library should be avoided unless the coder has reason to believe the library is not adequately feature rich or has bugs (Ambler, 2013), (Ga?rtner, 2013). Best practices requires test cases to be effectively laid out so all the requisite actions are completed while consistent structure aids in building test cases that are self-documenting. The test cases follow a structure of; Setup Execution Validation Cleanup (Ga?rtner, 2013). TDD Development Style TDD requires the units to be kept as small as possible; units in TDD are defined as a class or a module, which is a group of related functions. Keeping units small has several benefits, including reduced debugging effort since there are smaller units that help in quick tracking of errors during test failures; it also enables self-documenting tests since smaller test cases can be read and understood easily (Beck, 2014) It leads to high quality software developed in a shorter time and helps create elegant, simple modular software code. It allows developers to detect and remove bugs much earlier in the development process and the tests are live documentation that allows much easy reading and understanding of the code. In the long term, it speeds up development and ensures a more user centered software design as it enables developers to think from the users point of view rather than from a technical point of view (Hammell, 2005). A lot of effort and time is required upfront, especially writing the tests and because there is greater focus on small and simple designs at present times can result in significant refactoring requirements as the coder does not think ahead. In writing good tests, superfluous issues are also tested while maintaining a test suite requires time and effort. Due to rapid design changes, tests must change as rapidly as well ('MSDN', 2017). Future prospects TDD has gained considerable attention in the mainstream software development as a means for fast development of high quality software that is at par with the agile method. While having its share of critics, it has received widespread acclaim and the future prospects are bright, albeit with some refining and redefining of the process, especially the tests (Reese, n.d.). TDD is a relatively new concept in which software is developed through repetition of very short development cycles. The process entails adding a test, then running all the tests to see if there is fails for new tests before writing code. After the code is written, tests are run and the code refactored; the whole process is repeated before the software is considered complete. Its advantage is that it enables high quality software to be developed in a short time period while the main limitation is its seeming complexity in developing and running tests as design rapidly changes. References Ambler, S. (2013). Introduction to Test Driven Development (TDD). Agiledata.org. Retrieved 7 April 2017, from https://agiledata.org/essays/tdd.html Astels, D. (2003). Test-driven development (1st ed.). Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice Hall PTR. Beck, K. (2014). Test-driven development (1st ed.). Boston [u.a.]: Addison-Wesley. Farcic, V. (2017). Test Driven Development (TDD): Example Walkthrough. Technology Conversations. Retrieved 7 April 2017, from https://technologyconversations.com/2013/12/20/test-driven-development-tdd-example-walkthrough/ Ga?rtner, M. (2013). ATDD by example (1st ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ [u.a.]: Addison-Wesley. Hammell, T. (2005). Test-driven development: A J2EE example (1st ed.). Berkeley, Calif.: Apress. 'MSDN',. (2017). What are the Test Driven Development Disadvantages. Social.msdn.microsoft.com. Retrieved 7 April 2017, from https://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/0893f9d2-fb5e-4172-8fd4-13d1b59b667f/what-are-the-test-driven-development-disadvantages?forum=architecturegeneral Reese, A. What is the future of test-driven development? - Our ComponentOne. Our ComponentOne. Retrieved 7 April 2017, from https://our.componentone.com/2014/05/05/what-is-the-future-of-test-driven-development/

Interpersonal Relationships Essay Example For Students

Interpersonal Relationships Essay Interpersonal relationship is definitely one of the most complex and dynamic structures. We learn how to build it from the early ages. The ability to create an interpersonal relationship is affected by the one’s upbringing and the place a person occupies in society. When we start thinking about who we are, we can determine the essence of our existence mainly with the help of interpersonal relations. Every time we are engaged in interpersonal relations, we have a chance to manifest ourselves as personalities and understand who we are. The understanding of interpersonal relationships and their â€Å"quality† are important at all stages of one’s life. In fact, the interpersonal relationship is a necessary condition for one’s existence starting from the first day of life and up to death. Communication as an integral part of human existence No one will dispute the fact that we constantly communicate with other individuals. However, rarely we ask ourselves what the essence of the interpersonal relationship is. Talking about the topic, we usually imply that it means how other people relate to each other. Interpersonal relationships usually differ in both type and quality. However, regardless of the fact whether we talk about friendly, loving, or professional relations,  for example,  any type of interpersonal communications plays a crucial role in our lives. Whenever we do in our lives right now and whatever we feel is the direct result of the interactions with people we have interacted with in our lives. Also, it should be mentioned that the dynamic of the development of modern society may be defined by interconnectivity and interdependence. One’s well-being and the possibility of personal growth depends, first of all, on the quality of interpersonal relationships in which a student  is engaged and which one is able to â€Å"build.† It is not by chance that one’s satisfaction with interpersonal relations and satisfaction with one’s position in these relations is probably the most important criterion of social adaptation. Hence, strong relationships with friends, relatives or colleagues in a particular group help to improve not only psychological but also one’s physical health. The importance of interpersonal communication in personal life Such a high significance of interpersonal relations for each individual person is based on the fact that strong contacts with other individuals are the way to satisfy the fundamental needs of a person. First of all, personal relationships contribute to self-identity and self-worth.   Secondly, it is one’s need of belonging to different groups and communities. Also, interpersonal relationships satisfy one’s need for love and affection. Lastly, they are believed to give the meaning to one’s life and bring the sense of individuality. Any relationships require ones endless learning and contributions. However, the results undoubtedly worth it Due to the rapid development of digital technologies, many problems connected with interpersonal relationship have appeared. The media and various devices have greatly transformed the way we approach relationships and develop social networks. Despite the possibility of unlimited communication in social networks, many individuals still feel lonely. The reason for this is the change in priorities, characteristics,  and life principles. Spending a lot of their time on social networks, people can stay in touch with individuals from different parts of the world.   The benefits of social media regardless of interpersonal relationships is that different networks help to make stronger the community of people interested in the same thing. Undoubtedly, this fact contributes to the building of a global community. However, the problem is that people prefer talking in social networks to live communication. Thus, social media both enhance and put in danger the interpersonal relationship. Therefore, it is not impossible to move forward and discover one’s identity without interpersonal relationships. The strong relationships with other people are the most effective way to live a meaningful life. Hence, only one thing that matters in our lives is the quality of interpersonal relationships. Considering that in the modern world everything is built on communication between social beings, the understanding of the basic principles of building strong interpersonal relationships is probably the most effective way to solve the problems of the whole world. To sum up, interpersonal relationships play a significant role in the life of every individual, and we should work on them every day to make them stronger. .ua9f07753d2e0f4f40cddf5b28dea2611 , .ua9f07753d2e0f4f40cddf5b28dea2611 .postImageUrl , .ua9f07753d2e0f4f40cddf5b28dea2611 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ua9f07753d2e0f4f40cddf5b28dea2611 , .ua9f07753d2e0f4f40cddf5b28dea2611:hover , .ua9f07753d2e0f4f40cddf5b28dea2611:visited , .ua9f07753d2e0f4f40cddf5b28dea2611:active { border:0!important; } .ua9f07753d2e0f4f40cddf5b28dea2611 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ua9f07753d2e0f4f40cddf5b28dea2611 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ua9f07753d2e0f4f40cddf5b28dea2611:active , .ua9f07753d2e0f4f40cddf5b28dea2611:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ua9f07753d2e0f4f40cddf5b28dea2611 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ua9f07753d2e0f4f40cddf5b28dea2611 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ua9f07753d2e0f4f40cddf5b28dea2611 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ua9f07753d2e0f4f40cddf5b28dea2611 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ua9f07753d2e0f4f40cddf5b28dea2611:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ua9f07753d2e0f4f40cddf5b28dea2611 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ua9f07753d2e0f4f40cddf5b28dea2611 .ua9f07753d2e0f4f40cddf5b28dea2611-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ua9f07753d2e0f4f40cddf5b28dea2611:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: AMERICAN PATRIOTISM EssayTo understand the importance of interpersonal relationships, it is also crucial to examine the role of social support in one’s life. In fact, it represents humans the necessity in terms of mutual understanding help, and unification. All people are depended on social support. Those individuals who are competent in building strong interpersonal relationships experience continuous social support and, as a result, feel happier and more satisfied with their lives. As soon as we face some problems and feel distressed or anxious, we need to share our feelings with family, friends, or beloved ones. Hence, the interpersonal relationship is the only o ne effective weapon against isolation.

Someone was coming down the st... free essay sample

Someone was coming down the stairs! Hiding with panic, we were both ducked down behind an ancient sofa that was full of moss. I could feel my body shuddering with fear like I was in the Antarctic; a rush of pure went down through my throat into my lungs. What if we were caught? The unknown glanced at me through the transparent glass smirking at me. I thought she was just keeping an eye on me. Cautiously, the door opened we could hear someone sneaking in with no sound. All I could here was silence for a moment then a torch flickered on. Its beam stabbed the darkness, seeking us out, curiously looking at all hidden corners. Holding my breath in, I tried to not make a single sound. After a few moments, the light switched off. All we could see was darkness all around us. Whoever stepped foot in sneaking, was listening to the sounds. We will write a custom essay sample on Someone was coming down the st or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page We could hear each rasping breath. Then the door slammed and the footsteps ere getting further and further away. With a relieved heart, I let a sigh out. As we clambered out of the window and slithered through the wet roof, I looked out at the weather all was thunder and lightning I could hear. Each drop of rain was loud enough to here from another country. I tried to think thoughtfully why is badness coming to the world and me. What wrong did I do and why do I have to see this? I was trying to remember how I got into such a mess. It had only been an hour ago when Mom had sent me down to the basement with a twenty-pound note to buy my Mom and me some dinner. When I had reached to the roundabout, I couldnt resist looking at that old house. It was that moment I had seen it; a light at the window. Then I saw a face. I stood there staring in confusion. It was a girl, mouthing HELP. That was how it happened!I had broken in round the back through the smashed window. Half a minute later and I had found her, a trapped prisoner in an upstairs room. She had just only finished explaining to me what her occupation was. Apparently, it turns out that she was the daughter of an American ambassador, Lauren Kent, and about the ransom money when the kidnappers had returned to move her to the safe house, So there we were, balancing on the wall, as we were about to jump off the plank. I lowered myself down. A few minutes later and when we were back at Moms. She had asked where was our dinner suspiciously eyeing me mainly. Half an hour after that, my Dad had arrived in an embassy car. But since we didnt get anything from the shops Dad had took us out for a family dinner night. Shockingly, the next day I appeared to be in the local newspaper.

Best Research Essay Topics - Which Topics Should You Choose?

Best Research Essay Topics - Which Topics Should You Choose?While a research paper is important in nearly every subject, some topics for research essay that you should consider including health, science, business, politics, and history. With each of these topics, there are plenty of different perspectives and arguments to consider when writing the paper. Additionally, each of these topics is in a very broad area of study that will require research into the topic at hand.One of the best and most popular topics for research essay is the medical field. This is because the medical field has hundreds of studies and statistics that could be utilized to support your argument. There are many students who opt to write this particular essay for school but it is important to note that the medical field is a very broad subject. It would be difficult to accurately summarize the entire medical field with just one essay.Another science topic that is very common is physics. Students can explore a va riety of scientific theories through this essay topic. The various experiments that were performed in the past and why they failed are crucial to the conclusion. Some other topics to consider when writing a physics essay are complexity of matter, the Big Bang Theory, general relativity, and the concept of time.Perhaps the third most popular topic for research essay is political topics. The United States is also one of the most politically divided countries in the world. Students can discuss American politics, the American government, popular culture, and other public opinion throughout the paper. Issues to take into consideration when writing a political essay include the rights of the minority, and democracy.The fourth most popular topic for research essay is criminal justice. Because of the global nature of crimes, the United States is often the target of a lot of crimes around the world. In order to properly analyze the situation, a student will need to thoroughly research and un derstand the criminal justice system. The different types of crimes such as terrorism, human trafficking, and armed robbery can all be addressed in this particular research paper.History is also another of the many science topics that are popular in research essays. This is because history is not only very popular but also extremely educational. Most schools have a great deal of historical content that can be used for the academic purpose of history, but there are also some issues that have to be addressed in the writing of the academic paper. Issues such as slavery, injustice, and genocide are examples of topics that should be discussed in the academic paper.Physics is also a science topic that is popular for academic purposes. There are several topics to be explored in this particular area. Topics to consider in this area include the nature of gravity, how supernovas happen, and the speed of light.Education is an extremely important topic for research essay. The public school syst em is a great place to learn and understand the skills needed to be successful in life. However, this cannot be done without study and knowledge. A student must be able to research information that can be used for their writing needs in order to succeed in life.

Nora Helmer of A Dolls House, a Play by Henrik Ibsen

Nora Helmer of 'A Doll's House,' a Play by Henrik Ibsen One of the most complex characters of 19th-century drama, Nora Helmer prances about in the first act, behaves desperately in the second, and gains a stark sense of reality during the finale of Henrik Ibsens  A Dolls House. In the beginning, Nora exhibits many childish qualities. The audience first sees her when she returns from a seemingly extravagant Christmas shopping excursion. She eats a few desserts which she has secretly purchased. When her condescending husband, Torvald Helmer, asks if she has been sneaking macaroons, she denies it wholeheartedly. With this minor act of deception, the audience learns that Nora is quite capable of lying. She is most child-like when she interacts with her husband. She behaves playfully yet obediently in his presence, always coaxing favors from him instead of communicating as equals. Torvald gently chides Nora throughout the play, and Nora good-naturedly responds to his critics as though she were some loyal pet. Nora Helmers Clever Side However, Nora has been leading a double life. She has not been thoughtlessly spending their money. Rather, she has been scrimping and saving to pay off a secret debt. Years ago, when her husband became ill, Nora forged her fathers signature to receive a loan to save Torvalds life. The fact that she never told Torvald about this arrangement reveals several aspects of her character. For one, the audience no longer sees Nora as the sheltered, care-free wife of an attorney. She knows what it means to struggle and take risks. In addition, the act of concealing the ill-gotten loan signifies Noras independent streak. She is proud of the sacrifice she has made. Although she says nothing to Torvald, she brags about her actions with her old friend, Mrs. Linde, the first chance she gets.  Basically, she believes that her husband would undergo just as many hardships, if not more, for her sake. However, her perception of her husbands devotion is quite misplaced. Desperation Sets In When the disgruntled Nils Krogstad threatens to reveal the truth about her forgery, Nora realizes that she has potentially scandalized Torvald Helmers good name. She begins to question her own morality, something she has never done before. Did she do something wrong? Were her actions appropriate, under the circumstances? Will the courts convict her? Is she an improper wife? Is she a terrible mother? Nora contemplates suicide in order to eliminate the dishonor she has wrought upon her family. She also hopes to prevent Torvald from sacrificing himself and going to prison in order to save her from persecution. Yet, it remains debatable as to whether or not she would truly follow through and jump into the icy river. Krogstad doubts her ability. Also, during the climactic scene in Act Three, Nora seems to stall before running out into the night to end her life. Torvald stops her all too easily, perhaps because she knows that, deep down, she wants to be saved. Nora Helmers Transformation Noras epiphany occurs when the truth is finally revealed. As Torvald unleashes his disgust towards Nora and her crime of forgery, the protagonist realizes that her husband is a very different person than she once believed. Torvald has no intention of taking the blame for Noras crime. She thought for certain that he would selflessly give up everything for her. When he fails to do this, she accepts the fact that their marriage has been an illusion. Their false devotion has been merely playacting. She has been his child-wife and his doll. The monologue in which she calmly confronts Torvald serves as one of Ibsens finest literary moments. The Controversial Ending of A Dolls House Since the premiere of Ibsens A Dolls House, much has been discussed regarding the final controversial scene. Why does Nora leave not only Torvald but her children as well? Many critics and theater-goers questioned the morality of the plays resolution. In fact, some productions in Germany refused to produce the original ending. Ibsen acquiesced and grudgingly wrote an alternate ending in which Nora breaks down and cries, deciding to stay, but only for her childrens sake. Some argue that Nora leaves her home purely because she is selfish. She does not want to forgive Torvald. She would rather start another life than try to fix her existing one. Or perhaps she feels that Torvald was right, that she is a child who knows nothing of the world. Since she knows so little about herself or society, she feels that she is an inadequate mother and wife. She leaves the children because she feels it is for their benefit, painful as it may be to her. Nora Helmers last words are hopeful, yet her final action is less optimistic. She leaves Torvald explaining that there is a slight chance they could become man and wife once again, but only if a Miracle of miracles occurred. This gives Torvald a brief ray of hope. However, just as he repeats Noras notion of miracles, his wife exits and slams the door, symbolizing the finality of their relationship.

Bis Case Study

com) was taking another crack at replacing its legacy business systems. The Oakland, New Jersey–based distributor of toys and gifts ? nalized plans to roll out J. D. Edwards Co. ’s OneWorld Xe suite of enterprise resource planning (ERP), customer relationship management, and ? nancial applications. The multimillion-dollar project was scheduled to be done in phases over the next 18 months. Russ Berrie CIO Michael Saunders said that the company, which had sales of $225 million during the ? rst nine months of 2001, hoped the OneWorld System would help it reach $1 billion in annual revenue in the coming years. Within the next 12 months, he said, Russ Berrie planned to begin installing the applications one department at a time, starting with a stand-alone implementation in purchasing. â€Å"We’re not going big bang,† Saunders said. â€Å"We’re mitigating implementation risks by taking a phased-in approach. The company had reason to be cautious. Three years before, a Y2K-related migration from its homegrown distribution, ? nancial, and customer service systems to packaged ERP applications experienced major system failures. Saunders said the problems were severe enough for Russ Berrie to take many of the new applications off-line and return to their old systems. Saunders wouldn’t identify the software vendors that were involved in the failed impl ementation, but sources said that SAP AG’s applications were part of the 1999 project. A spokesman at SAP con? rmed that Russ Berrie was one of its customers, but he declined to offer further details because of pending litigation between the two companies. Joshua Greenbaum of Enterprise Applications Consulting said it appeared that Russ Berrie â€Å"bit off more than they could chew† on the 1999 project. Companywide rollouts are especially risky for midsize businesses like Russ Berrie, Greenbaum said. T he good news is that Agilent Technologies Inc. (www. agilent. com) says its enterprise resource planning applications are stable. The bad news is they got that way only after a rocky ERP migration project that cost the company $105 million in revenue and $70 million in pro? ts. In mid-August 2002, the multinational communications and life sciences company, formerly a part of HewlettPackard Co. , said problems with the ERP components in Oracle’s e-Business Suite 11e software froze production for the equivalent of a week, leading to the massive losses. The Oracle system handles about half of the company’s worldwide production of test, measurement, and monitoring products and almost all of its ? ancial operations, as well as functions such as order handling and shipping. Agilent was in the process of migrating as many as 2,200 legacy applications that it inherited from HP to Oracle. As part of the switchover, approximately 6,000 orders in the internally developed legacy systems had to be converted to an Oracle-friendly format, an Agilent spokeswoman said from company headquarters in Palo Alto, Califo rnia. She said the con? guration process had problems requiring correction. In a statement last week, Agilent President and CEO Ned Barnholt said the disruptions to the business after implementing the ERP system were â€Å"more extensive than we expected. † An Agilent spokeswoman said the issue wasn’t the quality of the Oracle application, but rather the â€Å"very complex nature of the enterprise resource planning implementation. † For its part, Oracle Corp. said it’s working closely with Agilent. â€Å"At Oracle, we are fully committed to all of our customers for the long haul and support them in any way necessary,† the company said in a statement. We have a strong relationship with Agilent, and both companies believe the implementation is stable. † Agilent also had a takeaway lesson: â€Å"Enterprise resource planning implementations are a lot more than software packages,† the company said in a statement. â€Å"They are a fundamental transformation of a company’s business processes. People, processes , policies, the company’s culture are all factors that should be taken into consideration when implementing a major enterprise system. † According to one analyst, ERP disasters are often caused by the user company itself. Joshua Greenbaum, an analyst at Enterprise Applications Consulting, said 99 percent of such rollout ? ascoes are caused by â€Å"management’s inability to spec out their own requirements and the implementer’s inability to implement those specs. † Russ Berrie and Co. After a three-year saga that included a $10. 3 million ? nancial hit from the failed installation of packaged applications, teddy bear maker Russ Berrie and Case Study Questions 1. What are the main reasons companies experience failures in implementing ERP systems? 2. What are several key things companies should do to avoid ERP systems failures? Explain the reasons for your proposals. 3. Why do you think ERP systems in particular are often cited as examples of failures in IT systems development, implementation, or management? Source: Adapted from Marc Songini, â€Å"ERP Effort Sinks Agilent Revenue,† Computerworld, August 26, 2002, pp. 1, 12; and Marc Songini, â€Å"Teddy Bear Maker Prepares for Second Attempt at ERP Rollout,† Computerworld, February 4, 2002, p. 16. Reprinted with permission from Computerworld. Bis Case Study com) was taking another crack at replacing its legacy business systems. The Oakland, New Jersey–based distributor of toys and gifts ? nalized plans to roll out J. D. Edwards Co. ’s OneWorld Xe suite of enterprise resource planning (ERP), customer relationship management, and ? nancial applications. The multimillion-dollar project was scheduled to be done in phases over the next 18 months. Russ Berrie CIO Michael Saunders said that the company, which had sales of $225 million during the ? rst nine months of 2001, hoped the OneWorld System would help it reach $1 billion in annual revenue in the coming years. Within the next 12 months, he said, Russ Berrie planned to begin installing the applications one department at a time, starting with a stand-alone implementation in purchasing. â€Å"We’re not going big bang,† Saunders said. â€Å"We’re mitigating implementation risks by taking a phased-in approach. The company had reason to be cautious. Three years before, a Y2K-related migration from its homegrown distribution, ? nancial, and customer service systems to packaged ERP applications experienced major system failures. Saunders said the problems were severe enough for Russ Berrie to take many of the new applications off-line and return to their old systems. Saunders wouldn’t identify the software vendors that were involved in the failed impl ementation, but sources said that SAP AG’s applications were part of the 1999 project. A spokesman at SAP con? rmed that Russ Berrie was one of its customers, but he declined to offer further details because of pending litigation between the two companies. Joshua Greenbaum of Enterprise Applications Consulting said it appeared that Russ Berrie â€Å"bit off more than they could chew† on the 1999 project. Companywide rollouts are especially risky for midsize businesses like Russ Berrie, Greenbaum said. T he good news is that Agilent Technologies Inc. (www. agilent. com) says its enterprise resource planning applications are stable. The bad news is they got that way only after a rocky ERP migration project that cost the company $105 million in revenue and $70 million in pro? ts. In mid-August 2002, the multinational communications and life sciences company, formerly a part of HewlettPackard Co. , said problems with the ERP components in Oracle’s e-Business Suite 11e software froze production for the equivalent of a week, leading to the massive losses. The Oracle system handles about half of the company’s worldwide production of test, measurement, and monitoring products and almost all of its ? ancial operations, as well as functions such as order handling and shipping. Agilent was in the process of migrating as many as 2,200 legacy applications that it inherited from HP to Oracle. As part of the switchover, approximately 6,000 orders in the internally developed legacy systems had to be converted to an Oracle-friendly format, an Agilent spokeswoman said from company headquarters in Palo Alto, Califo rnia. She said the con? guration process had problems requiring correction. In a statement last week, Agilent President and CEO Ned Barnholt said the disruptions to the business after implementing the ERP system were â€Å"more extensive than we expected. † An Agilent spokeswoman said the issue wasn’t the quality of the Oracle application, but rather the â€Å"very complex nature of the enterprise resource planning implementation. † For its part, Oracle Corp. said it’s working closely with Agilent. â€Å"At Oracle, we are fully committed to all of our customers for the long haul and support them in any way necessary,† the company said in a statement. We have a strong relationship with Agilent, and both companies believe the implementation is stable. † Agilent also had a takeaway lesson: â€Å"Enterprise resource planning implementations are a lot more than software packages,† the company said in a statement. â€Å"They are a fundamental transformation of a company’s business processes. People, processes , policies, the company’s culture are all factors that should be taken into consideration when implementing a major enterprise system. † According to one analyst, ERP disasters are often caused by the user company itself. Joshua Greenbaum, an analyst at Enterprise Applications Consulting, said 99 percent of such rollout ? ascoes are caused by â€Å"management’s inability to spec out their own requirements and the implementer’s inability to implement those specs. † Russ Berrie and Co. After a three-year saga that included a $10. 3 million ? nancial hit from the failed installation of packaged applications, teddy bear maker Russ Berrie and Case Study Questions 1. What are the main reasons companies experience failures in implementing ERP systems? 2. What are several key things companies should do to avoid ERP systems failures? Explain the reasons for your proposals. 3. Why do you think ERP systems in particular are often cited as examples of failures in IT systems development, implementation, or management? Source: Adapted from Marc Songini, â€Å"ERP Effort Sinks Agilent Revenue,† Computerworld, August 26, 2002, pp. 1, 12; and Marc Songini, â€Å"Teddy Bear Maker Prepares for Second Attempt at ERP Rollout,† Computerworld, February 4, 2002, p. 16. Reprinted with permission from Computerworld.