Maureen Frye Essay Example for Free

Maureen Frye Essay Marureen Frye made numerous mistakes in trying to implement her plan, a plan that was going to directly affect the salespeople of Quaker Steel Company as well as the District Sales Managers (DSMs), among other departments in the company. Her major mistake was sending a short-descriptive memo to the sales representatives. Why was this a major mistake? For one, Frye is trying to change the way the sales people allocate their time between big and small accounts, and yet she has not spend enough time in the field and with these salespeople. Although her simulations to optimize sales efforts might be correct, they are based on cold numbers and computations, sitting behind a computer, without taking into account the human factor that goes into those sales efforts. She does not have a feel for how they operate, where does their current success come from, what do they think and feel about how they are doing their job, and above what do they think it can be improved. Not only did Frye ignore the salespeople but she did not make good use of the relationship she thought she had with the DSMs. In fact, she had discussed her project with the Chicago DSM and he had seems to like to idea, with indicates that if more effort was put to introducing her plan to the other DSMs, using her good relationships with them, they could possibly perceive the idea well too idea of using the middle man. If she had no time to spend on the field and get to know the salespeople better, she made the mistake of not taking advantage of the relationship between the DSMs and the salespeople. Due to the hierarchical level of the DSMs, she is probably closer to them. As it is mentioned in the article, the DSMs leave a lot of free space to the salespeople which means that they are used to making their own decisions. This fact shows that the DSMs and the Salespeople have a special communication to understating each-other and to get the work done well. Thus, if a new project needs to be implemented, the DSMs are the most probable people to get through the salespeople and having them on board about this project is significantly important. This powerful link should have been taken advantage by Frye. Not having considered the above-mentioned steps, thus working in person with the salespeople or/and lobbying with the DSMs, Frye should have at least used the power of her superiors, Israel and Bethancourt, not only by  approving it but also as means of enforcement. For example, have them sign the memo she sent or give a direct order to the DSMs for its application. However, needs to be emphasized that this solution used on its own, is a last resort one just because she didn’t make use of the other options. This option would definitely be interpreted as a scare tactic, however it might have worked. As a manager or as the leader of her project, Frye first needs to find the authority from within and then also use the power given to her from her bosses. This option could be best used in collaboration with the previous options.

Isaac Newton :: Biography, Science

Isaac Newton was a brilliant scientist who discovered many important things. The sources for this report are Encyclopedia" and the book "Isaac Newton: The Greatest Scientist of All Time" by Margaret Jean Anderson. Sir Isaac Newton was born on December 25, 1642 (according to the Julian calendar which was in use then; the date was January 4, 1643, according to the Gregorian calendar in use today), at Woolsthorpe, near Grantham in Lincolnshire. His widowed mother remarried when he was three years old, leaving him in care of his feeble grandmother. Eventually his mother was persuaded to send him to grammar school in Grantham. Later, in the summer of 1661, he was sent to Trinity College, at the University of Cambridge. Isaac Newton received his bachelor's degree in 1665. After an intermission of nearly two years he returned to Trinity College, which elected him to a fellowship in 1667. Isaac Newton received his master's degree in 1668. Newton ignored much of the established curriculum of the university to pursue his own interests: mathematics and natural philosophy. Proceeding entirely on his own, he investigated the latest developments in mathematics and the new natural philosophy that treated nature as a complicated machine. Almost immediately, he made fundamental discoveries that were instrumental in his career in science. Sir Isaac Newton, the English mathematician and physicist, is considered to be one of the greatest scientists in history. He made important contributions to many fields of science. His discoveries and theories laid the foundation for much of the progress in science and math since his

P-ISM

When writing a short observe, pen and paper are nevertheless maximum herbals to use. The five pen technology with virtual pen and paper makes it possible to get a digital reproduction of handwritten facts and have it ship to virtual devices through BluetoothP-ISM (Pen Style Personal Networking Gadget) that is nothing but the new discovery that's developed by means of the Nec Co-operation in 2003 . It's far truly a new invention in the computer and it is related to communique area. Honestly, this may have a remarkable effect on the pc discipline. In this tool, you will locate Bluetooth as the main interconnecting tool between extraordinary peripherals.INTRODUCTIONLaptop impacts our lives in a far larger manner then most of us may have an idea. It has grown to be a compulsory requirement in most professions with a view to use pc software. Modern computer systems which can be primarily based on integrated circuits are small enough to fit into mobile gadgets, however, imagine having a computer a good way to suit into a pen.Imagine a global wherein everybody can use modern IT without being a professional. P-ISM is a system gadget including five functions: it includes a CPU for processing, it also used as a conversation pen, it carries a very small projector within it, and also it has a digital camera scanner and a battery with it. P-ISMs are linked to each other via short-range Wi-Fi generation. The P-ISM (Pen-fashion personal Networking machine bundle) is best a prototype underneath growing level by NEC employer. In 2003, Geneva held the ITU telecom phrase exhibition which exhibited a conceptual $30,000 prototype of a P-ISM designed by means of the Tokyo-based totally NEC employer.A PC that uses an electronic pen (called a stylus) as opposed to a console for input. Pen PCs for the most part require unique working frameworks that help penmanship acknowledgment with the goal that clients can compose on the screen or on a tablet as opposed to writing on a console. Most pen PCs are hand-held gadgets, which are too little for a full-estimate console.WORKING PROCESSThe P-ISM (Pen-style personal Networking system gadget) consists of a gadget of five pens that everyone has unique capabilities, Figure 1: Working of P-ISM? CPU penCPU capability is dead by mistreatment the pen itself. â€Å"P-ISM† is additionally referred to as computing engine Processors used within the pen is that the twin-core processor and it's miles labored on the premise of home windows OS.? Communication penP-ISM uses Wireless Bluetooth technology for the communication and transfers the information to a different system. P-ISM additionally also will create a connection to with any cellular device and also it can use the Wi-Fi technology. ? Virtual keyboardP-ism provides associate degree integral virtual optical maser keyboard that may be a new widget. The operating of the P-ISM is that it emits the optical maser beams on the table surface that forms a keyboard On this specific keyboard, this can be done by a 3D IR sensing element technology with optical maser technology to induce a full-size keyboard. ? Led ProjectorThe pen contains an Led projector within it. So it can project an led monitor with the size of A4 and the resolution of the screen is approximately of 1024*768. The monitor projected by the P-ISM gave more clarity for the projection and a gave a good picture to the viewer.? Digital CameraWe had a photographic camera within the form of a pen. It is helpful in video, Videoconferencing; merely it's known as a net cam. It's additionally connected to different devices through Bluetooth. The key advantage it's little that is well transportable. It's a 360- Degree communication Device. We've seen video phones many times in movies.Advantages of P-ISMWhat makes the P-ISM totally different from all of the prevailing elements is that its form likes pens. Pens are quite common objects that we supply around on everyday basis; by carrying simply four pens you'll produce a laptop. So, its transportable and may be carried simply.As the pen is a smaller amount visible and it's easier to require it out with you, the scale and weight are plenty less and it will probably priceless because it can use less material.P-ISM adopts Bluetooth technology for informatio n transfer that may be a wireless technology.Disadvantages of P-ISMThe P-ISM is formed from five loose pens which are able to move around with any amendment within the movement of the area. in an exceedingly train journey, there's tons of movement which is able to shake the pens around and shake the projection of the keyboard and screen. So, this can't be as stable and economical as a portable computer.Also, these pens area unit terribly little and fragile so that they are broken simply whereas handling them or carrying them around. One pen itself prices quite a striated muscle thus you can't risk damaging or losing them.ConclusionThe specialized gadgets are getting to be noticeably littler and conservative. This is just a case of the beginning of this new innovation. We can expect all the more such advancements later on; it appears that data terminals are boundlessly getting littler P-ISM.

The Things They Carried By Tim O Brien - 2000 Words

Disorder, destruction, and death became the description for the Vietnam War. This war affected the soldiers more than any other war, even before they would ever go. As American soldiers left to fight the disorderly and deathly war, Americans were going through one of the most confusing time periods in American history: families being split by the draft, the fear of the communist domino theory, and the search for a new soldier to find oneself in the midst of all the chaos. The invention of the television affected American citizens more than any other war. The television became popular to American households in the 1950s, so when the Vietnam war began, anybody who owned a television gained the ability to stay updated and informed on the progress of the war. The Vietnam War was not just a time of fear, confusion, and change for the American soldier, but also for the American citizens back home, fearing what could happen to their families and their country. In the novel, The Things They Carried, Tim O’Brien, a Vietnam war veteran himself, tells stories through a soldier’s eyes to describe the Vietnam war and to prove how war changes people. O’Brien’s stories in this novel are directly inspired by his real-life experiences in the Vietnam war. These stories go step by step telling the story of becoming and being a soldier: describing how a soldier feels when they get their draft letter, how it affects a soldier when they kill someone or a fellow soldier is killed, and howShow MoreRelatedThe Things They Carried By Tim O Brien892 Words   |  4 PagesThe Vietnam War was a long, exhausting, and traumatic experience for all of the soldiers and those who came with them. The Things They Carried, by Tim O Brien illustrates the different affects the war had on a variety of people: Jacqueline Navarra Rhoads, a former nurse during the Vietnam war, demonstrates these effects within her own memoir in the book, The Forgotten Veterans. Both sources ex emplify many tribulations, while sharing a common thread of suffering from mental unpredictability. DesensitizationRead MoreThe Things They Carried By Tim O Brien1377 Words   |  6 Pageslove to have it as good as we do. Tim O’Brien’s The Things They Carried discusses many veterans who experience the burden of shame and guilt daily due to their heroic actions taken during the Vietnam War. The book shows you how such a war can change a man before, during, and after it’s over.     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As I reflect on the many conflicts America has been a part of, none can compare to the tragedies that occurred in The Vietnam war. As told in The Things They Carried (O’Brien), characters such as NormanRead MoreThe Things They Carried By Tim O Brien1457 Words   |  6 Pagesthe theme pertains to everyone regardless of their background. It conveys the same ideas to people from all across our society. Lastly, a classic is timeless, which means it has transcended the time in which it was written. In Tim O’Brien’s novel, The Things They Carried, he offers a new, intriguing way to view war or just life in general and also meets all of the crucial requirements mentioned above to qualify it as a book of literary canon. Though this book is technically a war novel, many peopleRead MoreThe Things They Carried By Tim O Brien1242 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"Tim O’Brien is obsessed with telling a true war story. O Brien s fiction about the Vietnam experience suggest, lies not in realistic depictions or definitive accounts. As O’Brien argues, absolute occurrence is irrelevant because a true war story does not depend upon that kind of truth. Mary Ann’s induction into genuine experience is clearly destructive as well as empowering† (p.12) Tim O’s text, The Things they Carried, details his uses of word choice to portray his tone and bias. Tim O’BrienRead MoreThe Things They Carried By Tim O Brien1169 Words   |  5 Pagesbut are set in the past and borrows things from that time period. A story that fits this genre of literature is The Things They Carried. The story is about Tim O Brien, a Vietnam veteran from the Unite States, who tells stories about what had happ ened when he and his team were stationed in Vietnam. He also talks about what he felt about the war when he was drafted and what he tried to do to avoid going to fight in Vietnam. The Things They Carried by Tim O Brien was precise with its portrayal of settingRead MoreThe Things They Carried By Tim O Brien1004 Words   |  5 Pages Tim O’Brien is a veteran from of the Vietnam War, and after coming home from his duty he decided to be a writer. His work â€Å"The Things They Carried† is about a group of soldiers that are fighting in the Vietnam War. The first part of the story talks mostly about physical items that each soldier carries, and also mentions the weight of the items as well. Though, there is one exception to the list of physical things. Lieutenant Cross is a character of the story, and Tim O’ Brien quickly states theRead MoreThe Things They Carried By Tim O Brien896 Words   |  4 PagesTrouble without a doubt is what First Lieutenant Jimmy Cross c arried around his shoulders because he was out in war, where mistakes happen. Lost and unknown of his surroundings he had to lead his men into safety, while destroying anything they found. First Lieutenant Jimmy Cross only holds onto one thing for hope and that is Martha, the woman who he hopes is a virgin to come back to. Tim O’ Brien introduces symbolism by adding a character that has a meaning of purity and a pebble, which symbolizesRead MoreThe Things They Carried By Tim O Brien Essay832 Words   |  4 PagesSummary: â€Å"By and large they carried these things inside, maintaining the masks of composure† (21). In Tim O’brien’s The Things They Carried, the American soldiers of the Vietnam War carry much more than the weight of their equipment, much more than souvenirs or good-luck charms or letters from home. They carried within themselves the intransitive burdens—of fear, of cowardice, of love, of loneliness, of anger, of confusion. Most of all, they carry the truth of what happened to them in the war—aRead MoreThe Things They Carried By Tim O Brien1369 Words   |  6 PagesMany authors use storytelling as a vehicle to convey the immortality of past selves and those who have passed to not only in their piece of literature but in their life as an author. In Tim O’Brien’s work of fiction The Things They Carried, through his final chapter â€Å"The Lives of the Dead,† O Brien conveys that writing is a matter of survival since, the powers of s torytelling can ensure the immortality of all those who were significant in his life. Through their immortality, O’Brien has the abilityRead MoreThe Things They Carried By Tim O Brien1407 Words   |  6 Pages       Our introduction stated that in â€Å"The Things They Carried,† author Tim O’Brien tells us not directly of the soldiers of Vietnam, or the situations they find themselves in, but about the things they carry on their shoulders and in their pockets. These â€Å"things† identify the characters and bring them to life.   I find that to be true as the author unfolds the stories about war and the uncommon things one carries in to war both inadvertently and on purpose.  Ã‚  Ã‚  As it was noted: Stories about war –

Joan of Kent About More than Just Controversial Marriages

Known for: Joan of Kent was known for her relationships with several important royal figures of medieval England, and for her impetuous clandestine marriages, and for her beauty. Shes less well known for her military leadership in Aquitaine in her husbands absence, and for her involvement with the religious movement, the Lollards. Dates: September 29, 1328 - August 7, 1385 Titles: Countess of Kent (1352); Princess of Aquitaine Also known as: The Fair Maid of Kent -- apparently a literary invention from long after she lived, not a title she was known by in her lifetime. Family Background: Father: Edmund of Woodstock, 1st Earl of Kent (half-brother to King Edward II of England)Paternal Grandfather: Edward I of EnglandPaternal Grandmother: Marguerite of FranceMother: Margaret WakeMaternal Grandfather: John Wake, Baron Wake of Liddell (descended from the Welsh king, Llywelyn the Great)Maternal Grandmother: Joan de Fiennes (cousin of Roger Mortimer, Earl of March) Marriage, Descendants: Thomas Holland, 1st Earl of KentWilliam de Montacute (or Montagu), 2nd Earl of SalisburyEdward of Woodstock, Prince of Wales (known as The Black Prince). Their son was Richard II of England. Royal families were quite intermarried; descendants of Joan of Kent included many notables. See: Joan of Kent - Her Descendants Key Events in the Life of Joan of Kent: Joan of Kent was only two when her father, Edmund of Woodstock, was executed for treason. Edmund had supported his older half-brother, Edward II, against Edwards Queen, Isabella of France, and Roger Mortimer. (Roger was a cousin of Joan of Kents maternal grandmother.) Joans mother and her four children, of whom Joan of Kent was the youngest, were placed under house arrest in Arundel Castle after Edmunds execution. Edward III (son of Edward II of England and Isabella of France) became King. When Edward III became old enough to reject the regency of Isabella and Roger Mortimer, he and his Queen, Philippa of Hainault, brought Joan to court, where she grew up among her royal cousins. One of these was Edward and Philippas third son, Edward, known as Edward of Woodstock or the Black Prince, who was almost two years younger than Joan. Joans guardian was Catherine, wife of the Earl of Salisbury, William Montacute (or Montagu). Thomas Holland and William Montacute: At age 12, Joan made a secret marriage contract with Thomas Holland. As part of the royal family, she was expected to gain permission for such a marriage; to fail to gain such permission could result in a charge of treason and in execution. To complicate matters, Thomas Holland went overseas to serve in the military, and at that time, her family married Joan to the son of Catherine and William Montacute, also named William. When Thomas Holland returned to England, he appealed to the King and to the Pope to have Joan returned to him. The Montacutes imprisoned Joan when they discovered Joans agreement to the first marriage and her hope to return to Thomas Holland. During that time, Joans mother died of the plague. When Joan was 21, the pope decided to annul Joans marriage to William Montacute and allow her to return to Thomas Holland. Before Thomas Holland died eleven years later, he and Joan had four children. Edward the Black Prince: Joans slightly-younger cousin, Edward the Black Prince, had apparently been interested in Joan for many years. Now that she was widowed, Joan and Edward began a relationship. Knowing that Edwards mother, who had once considered Joan a favorite, now opposed their relationship, Joan and Edward decided to get secretly married -- again, without the required consent. Their blood relationship also was closer than allowed without special dispensation. Edward III arranged to have their secret marriage annulled by the Pope, but also to have the Pope grant the necessary special dispensation. They were married in October, 1361, by the Archbishop of Canterbury in a public ceremony, with Edward III and Philippa present. The young Edward became Prince of Aquitaine, and moved with Joan to that principality, where their first two sons were born. The eldest, Edward of Angoulà ªme, died at age six. Edward the Black Prince became involved in a war on behalf of Pedro of Castile, a war which was at first militarily successful but, when Pedro died, financially disastrous. Joan of Kent had to raise an army to protect Aquitaine in her husbands absence. Joan and Edward returned to England with their surviving son, Richard, and Edward died in 1376. Mother of a King: The following year, Edwards father, Edward III, died, with none of his sons alive to succeed him. Joans son (by Edward IIIs son Edward the Black Prince) was crowned Richard II, though he was only ten years old. As the mother of the young king, Joan had much influence. She had been a protector of some religious reformers who followed John Wyclif, known as the Lollards. Whether she agreed with Wyclifs ideas is not known. When the Peasants Revolt happened, Joan lost some of her influence on the king. In 1385, Joans older son John Holland (by her first marriage) was condemned to death for killing Ralph Stafford, and Joan tried to use her influence with her son Richard II to get Holland pardoned. She died a few days later; Richard did pardon his half-brother. Joan was buried beside her first husband, Thomas Holland, at Greyfriars; her second husband had images of her in the crypt at Canterbury where he was to be buried. Order of the Garter: It is believed that the Order of the Garter was founded in honor of Joan of Kent, though this is disputed.

Moneyball - 651 Words

Sandra Baah Business Statistics Dale Matheny February 29 2012 The book Moneyball by Michael Lewis is about a former major league baseball player who became the manager of the Oakland A’s. It tells the story of how he led the team to success despite their low budget by using computer based analytics to draft players. With the help of Bill James, the Oakland A’s came up with a new plan based on statistics to draft players. He went after players nobody wanted due to their low budget and his new plan. Billy led the Oakland Athletics to a successive win seasons by changing the way he measured players. He abandoned the traditional 5 â€Å"tool† the other scouts used and adopted empirical analytics. The abandonment of the traditional assessment of†¦show more content†¦Despite all these limiting factors it did not stop him from leading the team to a 20 consecutive wins. The Oakland A’s were different from other teams. They did not let anything stop them, they did extraordinary things. As their salary decreased they got better, this is very unusual. The new approach; sabermetrics helped the team change and improve in a short about of time. This new approach caused problems for the Oakland A’s. It caused problems with the team; Billy and the Oakland scouts. Some people and teams hate sabermetrics and think it does not help with winning. The new approach helped the Oakland A’s succeed because it was ethical. Billy Beane used numbers to evaluate the players. Numbers matter but can be misleading. By looking closely and understanding what he was doing Billy made good decisions based on numbers. The old approach was unethical because it misjudged the players. In the â€Å"old fashion statistics of the players some key important factors were left out. For instance the old statistics did not mention the number of walks a batter earned. This left out information misleads coach’s judgments and resulted in scouts undervaluing players. Just like in baseball there are large and small businesses. Businesses have to make decisions, decisions that will help the business in the long run. By using analytics business can measure their performance to know where they stand financially and economically. Numbers are very important in aShow MoreRelatedMoneyball1148 Words   |  5 PagesMoneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game The Oakland As, under the management of Billy Beane, found a gap in the baseball skills market that existed because most baseball scouts and managers used traditional methods of selecting players that were outdated and had little relationship with skills that brought success to teams. Traditionally, baseball scouts mainly used batting averages (BA) and Runs batted in (RBI) to sign new players. On-base percentage (OBP) was used too, but it was not givenRead MoreMoneyball Review1975 Words   |  8 Pagesthat the more a team spends on their payroll the more games they will win. With the absence of a salary cap baseball may seam unfair to the smaller market teams who cant bare the salary costs that the larger market teams can. In Michael Lewis Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game Lewis depicts just how the Oakland Athletics have been winning in an unfair game for almost a decade. The As are a small market team that doesnt have nearly the amount of money at their disposal that their competitorsRead MoreReview of Moneyball698 Words   |  3 PagesMoneyball Introduction Those who follow Major League Baseball closely were aware of the unconventional way the Oakland As went about re-building a ball club into a winner in 2002, after three superstars left the team as free agents en route to multi-million dollar paydays. Indeed, when Jason Giambi, Johnny Damon and Jason Isringhausen the biggest stars on the 2001 team head for the big bucks, general manager Billy Beane figures out a new way to win. This paper reviews the movie and moreover, whatRead MoreMoneyball: Lessons for Business1245 Words   |  5 PagesAt its core, the book Moneyball, to me, is about leadership and overcoming resistance to change to create a sustainable competitive advantage. In Moneyball a new General Manager challenges a traditional industry with a new paradigm. He successfully deals with the resulting resistance from the more tradition oriented employees. In the case of the Oakland A s this has led to a substantial competitive advantage through lower costs (their payroll goes down) and improved output (the have a higher percentageRead MoreMoneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game600 Words   |  3 Pages Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game, is a non-fiction book written by Michael Lewis. The book is about a former baseball player that became a manager of a US baseball team named, Oakland Athletics. It is a real life encounter of the protagonist Billy Beane, a major league baseball player, who brings together a strong baseball team, despite financial constraints. Billy was able to assemble a strong baseball team while employing innovative strategies and techniques. He invented a systemRead MoreSubjective and Objective Data in Moneyball1762 Words   |  7 Pageshave been keen to dig into the usefulness of the concept posed by the book money ball. The main idea in money ball in simple terms is that statistical analyses are better predictors than our intuition. This paper will explore the literature around moneyball and its influence in management. Fist an overview of moneball, the New York Times bestseller money ball is a book about baseball, it describes how Billy Beane a general manager of the Oakland team change major league baseball by using sabermatricsRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book Moneyball By Michael Lewis1352 Words   |  6 Pagesshow a story about the same topic normally are a little different if not a lot different than the other. Other stories such as Moneyball written by Michael Lewis are pretty similar comparing core topics. In 2001, Lewis, living in Berkeley California noticed something unusual was going on. The Oakland A’s baseball team were consistently winning on a small budget. Moneyball is a nonfiction story, both the movie and book revolve around the same main topics dealing with the Oakland A’s, and how coachRead MoreWhy I Would Love : Mavs Moneyball?856 Words   |  4 Pages1) Why do you want to contribute to Mavs Moneyball? There are a multitude of reasons why I would love to contribute to the site. Firstly, I ve been an avid reader for the better part of two years. I love the site and it s my go to place for all things Mavs, which is becoming harder and harder to find these days. Secondly, and more importantly, I absolutely love the NBA and the Mavs. My first true memory of the Mavs was Game 3 of the 2003 Western Conference Semi-Finals vs. the Kings. As IRead MoreAnalysis Of Moneyball The Art Of Winning An Unfair Game By Michael Lewis1624 Words   |  7 Pagesleadership and how Michael Lewis applied them in his book. I will provide a synopsis of the overall concept of his theory, as well as providing a breakdown of how our concepts of organizational theory relate to this overall process called Moneyball. Summary Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair game by Michael Lewis details how an economic model created to improve overall winning percentages. The book describes to us how the Oakland A’s, MLB team, have been unsuccessful with winning in an unfair leagueRead MoreMichael Lewis Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game Essay1913 Words   |  8 Pagesthat the more a team spends on their payroll the more games they will win. With the absence of a salary cap baseball may seam unfair to the smaller market teams who cant bare the salary costs that the larger market teams can. In Michael Lewis Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game Lewis depicts just how the Oakland Athletics have been winning in an unfair game for almost a decade. The As are a small market team that doesnt have nearly the amount of money at their disposal that their competitors

Computer Fraud †an Analysis on Oracle Corp vs. Sap Ag Free Essays

string(101) " have grabbed some most advanced computer techniques, together with some abuse techniques obviously\." Information system has been playing a grave essential role in daily business activities. Over the past decade, the detection rate of computer crimes concerning information system attacks has risen sharply. According to Kunz and Wilson (2004), reported computer crimes have been septupled from 2000 to 2003 and leads to inestimable economic loss. We will write a custom essay sample on Computer Fraud – an Analysis on Oracle Corp vs. Sap Ag or any similar topic only for you Order Now Therefore, themes on information security, especially the prevention of computer fraud, have attracted increasingly attentions (Romney and Steinbart, 2009). However, it seems that perpetrators can always find new techniques to theft invaluable business secrets stored, processed or protected by those information systems. Moreover, some abuse techniques have been used in economic espionage, which causes a yearly loss of $250 billion (ibid). Oracle Corp vs. SAP AG could be one of the relating cases occurred in the recent 2007 and is not yet closed till present. This essay will firstly introduce the Case. Then by using Fraud Triangle, analyze the reason of SAP’s commitment of computer fraud and data theft. Finally, suggestions on how to improve the security of company’s information system will be addressed with some reflections of the Case. It has been reported that the world’s software giant SAP AG was sued by its largest competitor, Oracle Corporation, for computer fraud and data theft in March 2007 (Anon, 2010). In the Complaint, Oracle Corporation (2007) stated that in November 2006, unusual heavy download activities were spotted on Customer Connection, a website Oracle used to serve its customers. The uncovered access originated from an IP address in one of SAP’s braches with log-in IDs of PeopleSoft and J. D. Edwards customers. It is discovered later that TomorrowNow and SAP TN, two SAP subsidiaries, committed a series of unauthorized access to Oracle’s customer service system and more than 10,000 illegal download activities. Mass of important materials, including copyrighted software codes and confidential documents was theft. In this way, SAP was capable of establishing a service library for PeopleSoft and J. D. Edwards products, and launched a marketing campaign to snatch Oracle’s customers. The fraud resulted in Oracle’s 120 copyrights infringed and posed the threats of losing 358 customers (Kawamoto, 2007). On 24 November 2010, the U. S. Federal District Court for Northern California announced that Oracle won the Case with SAP liable for $1. 3 billion compensation. As Slappendel (2010) points out, this is the largest amount ever awarded in copyright infringement cases. The core reason may lies that the verdict is based upon the fair market value of the licenses for utilizing those resources instead of Oracle’s profit loss. After the verdict, SAP’s stock price has been falling significantly and TomorrowNow had to be shut down (Anon, 2011; Team, 2010). Although SAP accepted the liability and apologized for its inappropriate behavior, the company has been arguing that the penalty was contrary to the reality of the damage caused by the fraud (Margan, 2011). It is also reported that SAP has filed motions to the Court and therefore SAP’s computer fraud case does not seem to end at present. The action of data theft has brought unnecessary troubles to both SAP and Oracle. In order to prevent computer fraud effectively, it is essential to fully examine the reason of SAP’s behavior. Fraud Triangle will be used as an analysis tool. It is estimated by Romney and Steinbart (2009) that Fraud Triangle consists of the three normal conditions for fraud to occur: pressures, opportunities and rationalizations. Figure 1 shown below is a brief summary of Fraud Triangle in the Case. 5. Homely meals in software industry FIGURE 1 FRAUD TRIANGLE OF SAP Pressure Opportunity Rationalization 2. Oracle’s insufficient security management 4. Theft by other companies (i. e. Siebel Systems) before 1. Financial – fierce competition in the market 3. Few evidence – may not be spotted Firstly, SAP is probably under the severe pressure of maintaining the top one throne in the software market. During the last decade, competition between Oracle and SAP has greatly increased and the rivalry has developed into a feud. Particularly in 2004, Oracle began a series of acquisitions, aiming at increasing the share of enterprise applications market, where SAP owned the leadership (PeopleSoft, 2011). After realizing the seriousness, SAP fighted back by offering special discounts to woo customers, and thus a cruel price battle initiated. However, the strategy did not seem to rescue much, SAP’s market share remains downward sloping (Team, 2010). Currently, Oracle and SAP are vying for the third-party enterprise software support and maintenance market. The enormous pressure of winning may contribute to the commitment of computer fraud, especially for spying the business secrets of the largest competitor. The following two external conditions may possibly be linked to SAP’s unwise actions: Oracle’s insufficient security management and an opportunity to conceal the fraud. Oracle has provided the Customer Connection as a supplementary of its service to the customers. However, the semi-open system, which stores countless precious information, does not appear to be equipped with superior security management techniques. A huge defect exists that allows easy access to resources supposed to be protected from outsiders. In terms of the flaw, Oracle may be partially liable of its loss. Even though Oracle’s detection of abnormal access is relatively sensitive, it could not take a step ahead of the crime. Besides, Oracle’s dependence on service website offers the probability to conceal fraud, since comparably less evidence would be left for detection. With technology improvement, computer fraud may become far more difficult to spot in the future (The National Fraud Center, Inc. , 2000). Moreover, the experience of being a casualty of computer crimes might have lifted SAP’s rationalization of being a perpetrator. It is recorded that in 1999, SAP filed a lawsuit against Siebel Systems and claimed of being a victim of the so-called White Collar Crime (Kawamoto, 2007). Additionally, it may be reasonable to recognize the fact that most people in software industries regard the occurrence of computer fraud as homely meals, because almost all businesses in this market have grabbed some most advanced computer techniques, together with some abuse techniques obviously. You read "Computer Fraud – an Analysis on Oracle Corp vs. Sap Ag" in category "Papers" As a result, SAP’s fraud behavior may not be that severe in the eyes of the decision makers. Hence, accelerate the germination of computer crimes. After fully assessment of why SAP may err, suggestions on how to improve the security of enterprise’s information system will be addressed with reflections of the Case. In the perspective of prevention, several control methods could be considered to raise the security capability of the enterprise’s information systems. First of all, persuade or enforce all employees, even the customers, to use strong password to access to company’s database or service websites (Standler, 2007). Requirement of password changes at regular time intervals would be necessary to prevent some former employees of customers’ company from entering the system, which may exactly Oracle needs. Secondly, restrict physical and remote access to system resources unless the both the log-in ID and IP address are authorized (Backhouse and Dhillon, 1995). Thirdly, safeguard and double encrypt all data and programs. For example, materials on the Customer Connection could be double encrypted so that without further encoding, the downloaded materials would remain useless for non-employees or non-customers. Besides, techniques such as anti-virus software and firewall could to some extent protect the system from worms and viruses attack. Although using the above prevention method could avoid some dispensable loss, perpetrators penetrate everywhere (Romney and Steinbart, 2009). Therefore, an efficient detection system should be ready for any possible incidences. The establishment of a fraud hotline is recommended, which contains the employment of computer security officers, consultants and forensic specialists. The control system will be engaged in monitoring all malicious actions and reporting back as soon as possible. In the Case, Oracle took advantage of its superior detection system and made SAP’s fraud evidence traceable and suppressible (Oracle Corporation, 2007). Despite prevention and detection, there are other preparations could be made ahead of the arrival of any disasters with the intention of reducing the loss caused by computer fraud (Kunz and Wilson, 2004). These routines mainly concern insurance application, recovery plans constitution, material back-up within the whole information system. Furthermore, timely crime reporting to the government crime center and effectively legislative tool using might be helpful for retrieving fairly compensations from perpetrators, as it has been done by Oracle Corporation in the Case. Some ERP market analysts even suspect that the Lawsuit could be a sort of Oracle’s strategy to decrease the competition in the third-party enterprise software maintenance and support market. Whatever the original purpose is, Oracle has achieved benefit from winning the Lawsuit for the current period. To conclude, SAP’s situation has satisfied all of the three conditions presented in Fraud Triangle, some of which heavily depend on industrial environment as well as the design of Oracle’s information system. Thus, objectively, SAP may not liable for all the censure, though it really has been occupied in illicit competition using computer fraud. Oracle could be considered partially responsible for its loss and the sentenced $1. 3 billion seems somewhat too cruel for SAP to bear. Although some experts may argue that the breach of intellectual property is unforgivable culpable negligence, it looks possible for the Court to adjust the amount of penalty towards a more realistic number. Since the next round hearings will not start until July 2011, all the outcomes remain unpredictable (Margan, 2011). It is undeniable that, however, computer fraud could bring about huge losses for the entire society, especially when it is used in economic espionage. In the speeding advancing information century, nearly all of the impossible could be made possible. Consequently, it seems that only the creation of a healthy competition environment, emphasis on business ethics and proper education may aid in bringing down the upward climbing computer crime rate. REFERENCE Anon. (2007) SAP-We Will Aggressively Defend Against Oracle‘s Claims [online]. 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Available at: http://infosecon. net/workshop/pdf/FakingIt. granick. pdf [1 May 2011] Kawamoto,D. (2007) Oracle Sues SAP On Spying Charges [online] 22 March. CNET News. Available at: http://news. cnet. com/Oracle-sues-SAP-on-spying-charges/2100-1014_3-6169729. tml [28 April 2011] Kunz,M and Wilson,P. (2004) Computer Crime And Computer Fraud [online]. Available at: http://www. montgomerycountymd. gov/content/cjcc/pdf/computer_crime_study. pdf [1 May 2011] Margan,T. P. (2011) Oracle, SAP Still Going At It Over TomorrowNow [online] 28 February. Available at: http://www. itjungle. com/tfh/tfh022811-story07. html [29 April 2011] Niccolai,J. (2010) SAP: Court Lops $500M Off Oracle’s Potential Damages [online] November. IDG News. Available at: http://www. pcworld. com/businesscenter/article/210244/sap_court_lops_500m_off_oracles_potential_damages. tml [1 May 2011] Oracle Corporation (2007) Oracle Vs. SAP Lawsuit Complaint [online]. 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Available at: http://www. utica. edu/academic/institutes/ecii/publications/media/global_threat_crime. pdf [1 May 2011] APPENDIX: A COPY OF THE NEWS REPORT Oracle awarded $1. 3bn in SAP data theft case 24 November 2010 Last updated at 07:32 GMT Oracle chief executive Larry Ellison testified during the case European software giant SAP has been ordered by a Californian court to pay US rival Oracle $1. 3bn (? 820m) after losing a data theft case. The case revolved around customer-support documents and software stolen by SAP’s subsidiary TomorrowNow. Oracle alleged that the German company intended to use the data to poach the 358 customers involved, and demanded $1. 65bn compensation. SAP had claimed it owed only $40m, but the jury decided in Oracle’s favour. SAP said it was disappointed with the jury’s decision and would look to challenge the verdict. [We will] pursue all available options, including post-trial motions and appeal if necessary,† it said in a statement. It did, however, reiterate that it had made a mistake: â€Å"We regret the actions of TomorrowNow, we have accepted liability, and have been willing to fairly compensate Oracle†. ‘Big dreams’ Oracle co-president Safr a Catz expressed her satisfaction with the verdict: â€Å"For more than three years, SAP stole thousands of copies of Oracle software and then resold that software and related services to Oracle’s own customers. â€Å"The trial made it clear that SAP’s most senior executives How to cite Computer Fraud – an Analysis on Oracle Corp vs. Sap Ag, Papers