The Strength And Weaknesses Of Oracle Company Information Technology Essay

The Strength And Weaknesses Of Oracle Company Information Technology Essay The company Oracle is particularly keen to keep all its newly acquired customers happy and convince them to buy into its Fusion roadmap. For enterprises making strategy software decisions, the company believes that it has the richest most complete portfolio of applications and middleware. The company also complies with all the ethical guidelines that law has placed and it also has its own ethical guidelines that the entire work force follows. Oracle is the only company that is capable of implementing complete global e-business solutions that extend from the front office customer relationship management to back office operational applications. Larry Ellison saw an opportunity that other companies missed more than three decades ago. This was a description of a relational database. There was no company at that time that committed itself to commercializing the technology, but Ellison and co-founder Bob miner and Ed Oates realized the business potential of the relational database model. The company is headquartered in Redwood Shores, California. Throughout history, the company has proved that it can build for the future, meeting all demanded and changes in trends. The intimate knowledge of customers and successes analysed by the best technical and business minds in the world, made the company what it is today. The main focus of the company is to fulfil its customers needs and implement key technology and business decisions that upend conventional wisdom and take its products and services in new directions. If one looks at companies that are similar to Oracle, it has become a standard for database technology and applications in enterprises throughout the world. The products of the company can be found in nearly every industry, and in the data centres of 100 of the fortune Global 100 companies. Oracle was the first company to develop and deploy 100% internet -enabled enterprise software across its entire product line: database, business applications, application development, and decision support tools. (Wikipedia) Strength and Weaknesses Oracle being the first company to introduce relational database, had the first mover advantage. It helped businesses improve their organization of information and also helped them improve their business processes. It is the worlds leading supplier of software for information management, and it is the worlds second largest independent software company. It has annual revenues of more than $10.1 billion. The company offers its database tools, application products, along with related consulting, education, and support services, in more than 145 countries around the world. Oracle is the only company that is capable of implementing complete global e-business solutions that extend from the front office customer relationship management to back office operational applications. Oracle software runs on PCs, workstations, minicomputers, mainframes and massively parallel computers, as well as on personal digital assistants and set-top devices. This makes its product the best in the market. The attribute of compatibility is what gives Oracle an edge over the other companies being its major strength. Oracles internet-enabled solutions provide a cost-effective way to expand market opportunities and improve business process efficiencies, and attract and retain customers. This is especially for the small and medium businesses that need an IT infrastructure in their organization that would help them get an edge over their competitors. With Oracles help, these companies are able to replace expensive, unwieldy client/server computing models with the efficiency and reach of the internet, companies can deploy a wealth of innovative applications that can be accessed with a Web browser. A weakness of the company that hurts its market is the way it markets its product. Because of the image perception that it has, it is always trying to gain market on the basis of this brand recognition. And this brand recognition has badly affected it in the past. The company markets most of its products using the slogan Cant break it, cant break in, or Unbreakable. (Wikipedia)What this signifies is the increasing demands on information safety. People expect the software to be unbreakable. The company also stresses on reliability of networked databases and network access to databases as major selling point. But two weeks after its introduction in 2002, David Litchfield, Alexander Kornbrust, Cesar Cerrudo and others demonstrated a whole suite of successful attacks against Oracle products. (Poulsen, 2002). Then the commentators criticized the slogan as unrealistic and as an invitation to crackers, but the companys chief security officer Mary Ann Davidson portrayed the criticism as unfair. Environmental factors Competition It is a fact that IBM dominated the mainframe relational-database market with its DB2 and SQL/DS database products, it delayed while entering the market for a relational database in UNIX and windows operating systems. What this did was that it opened the door to Sybase, Oracle, and Informix then eventually Microsoft to dominate mid-range and microcomputers. This was the time Oracle lagged behind Sybase and in 1990-1993 Sybase became the fastest-growing database company and the database industrys darling vendor, but soon it merged mania and to technical issues with System X. But in 1993, Sybase sold the rights to its database software running under the windows operating system to Microsoft Corporation, which now markets it under the name SQL Server. Informix Software overtook Sybase in 1994 and became Oracles most important rival. But eventually Oracle defeated Informix in 1997. And in November 2005 a book detailing the war between Oracle and Informix appeared. This book provided a detailed background on what happened and how Informix Softwares CEO Phil White landed in jail because of his obsession with overtaking Ellison. But once it overcame Informix and Sybase, it enjoyed years of dominance in the database market. But everything changed when Microsoft SQL Server became widespread in the late 1990s and IBM acquired Informix Software in 2000. It is still the same today as it competes for license on UNIX, Linux, and Windows operating systems primarily against IBMsDB2 and Microsoft SQL Server. In 2004 was the year when Oracles sales grew at a rate of 14.5% to $6.2 billion, giving it 41.3% and the top share of the relational-database market. (InformationWeek March, 2005). Oracle Corporations main competitors in the database arena remain IBM DB2 and Microsoft SQL Server and to some lesser extent Sybase and Teradata. With open source databases such as PostgreSQL and MySQL, has recently made inroads by claiming that its product delivers Oracle compatibility features at a much lower price point. The software-application market tells the same story. Oracle Corporation primarily competes against SAP. And on March22, 2007 Oracle used SAP, accusing them of fraud and unfair competition. But due to the expanding market for business-intelligence software, many other software companies have successfully competed in quality with Oracle and SAP products. But more products will appear within the next 10 years. Oracle Strategy The company Oracle is particularly keen to keep all its newly acquired customers happy and convince them to buy into its Fusion roadmap. For enterprises making strategy software decisions, the company believes that it has the richest most complete portfolio of applications and middleware. The companys breadth and depth is a big plus and it has helped it in earning a good reputation for supporting acquired best-of-breed products. Furthermore, the company capitalizes on these amassed solutions, Oracle will need to further develop its ISV partner-friendly, solution-centric ecosystem a d continue to chip away at its historically less than customer focused perception. (Duncan Jones) Corporate Governance Oracles Board of Corporations has always developed a corporate governance practice in order to fulfil its responsibilities to the Oracles Corporation stockholders. There are certain guidelines that the board must follow to help ensure that it has the necessary authority and procedures in place to oversee the work of management and to exercise independence in evaluating Oracle Corporations business operations. These guidelines help them align the interests of directors and management with those of the company stockholders. The company continually applies good corporate governance principles to multiple areas. Director The major members of the Board of Directors of Oracle must qualify as independent directors in accordance with the applicable provisions of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The person to be selected as a Director will possess certain attributes including business judgment, management, economics, accounting and finance, legal, marketing, industry and technology knowledge, international business, leadership and strategic vision. 2. Director Responsibilities One of the basic responsibilities of the directors is to exercise their business judgment to act in a manner they reasonably believe is in the nest interest of Oracle and its stockholders and in a manner consistent with their fiduciary duties. The directors can conduct any type of investigation as they deem appropriate, and may reasonably rely on the information provided to them by Oracles senior executives and its outside advisors and the auditors. The board is also responsible for overseeing managements efforts to assess and manage material risks and for reviewing options for risk mitigation. It also reserves the right of overseeing the major risks facing Oracle and may delegate risk oversight responsibility to committees of the Board. Directors are expected to attend the Annual Meeting of Stockholders and to regularly attend Board meeting and meetings of committees on which they serve, to spend the time needed in preparation for such meetings and to meet as frequently as they deem necessary to properly discharge their responsibilities. In addition to this the directors should stay well-informed of Oracles business and markets and as appropriate, meet with Oracles customers or attend events or take other actions they deem appropriate to enhance Oracles business and its effectiveness as directors. The board also believes that the management speaks for Oracle. Individual Board members may, from time to time, expressly represent Oracle in meetings or otherwise communicate with various third parties on Oracles behalf. It is expected that Board members will do this with the knowledge of the management. The most important thing is that all the directors are expected to comply with the Oracle code of Ethics and Business Conduct. (Oracle, The Oracle Code of Ethics and Business Conduct, 2010) Conflicts of Interest The director also has the responsibility to ensure that other commitments do not conflict or materially interfere with the directors responsibility to Oracle. 11. Performance Evaluation There is a Board that is led by the Nomination and Governance Committee that will periodically conduct a self-evaluation to determine whether the Board and its committees are functioning effectively. The Board with the assistance of the nomination and Governance committee shall periodically review these Corporate Governance Guidelines to determine whether any changes are appropriate. (Oracle, ORACLE CORPORATION CORPORATE GOVERNANCE GUIDELINES, 2010) Finance and Audit Committee The purpose of this committee is to provide advice with respect to corporations financial matters, to oversee the accounting and financial reporting process of the Corporation and the audits of the financial statements of the Corporation, to assist the Board of Directors in fulfilling its oversight responsibilities regarding finance, accounting, tax and legal compliance, and to evaluate merger and acquisition transactions and investment transactions proposed by the Corporations management. Decision making: There are three types of decision making all of which are distorted and affected while in the state of crisis. Intelligence Identify conditions that are required for decision making Design Invent, develop different courses of action and analyse them Choice Choose the best alternative, make a choice Structured decision making: This is defined which becomes unstructured when in the state of crisis and when it is not managed properly. Unstructured decision making: Non-routine decision making (this is not defined) TYPES OF SYSTEMS: There are four types of system which we have covered in this (MIS) course which I will be discussing here with their importance in the Crisis management: Transaction Processing System: This system serves the manager at operating level. This system helps to record the transaction that took place within the organization as well as outside the organization. Management Information System: This system serves the managers at the middle level. This system is used to control and monitor the business functions. The input it gets is from the T.P.S. this system is not flexible and it is used for routine decision making. Decision Support System: This system also serves the manager at middle level. This system uses the analytical models to show the performance and it is used for non-routine decision making. This system gets it input from T.P.S and M.I.S. This system has flexibility to change data/information. Executive Support System: This system serves the manager at top level. This system is used to dig out information from big stores. This is used for non-routine decision making, and uses graphical representation of data. Its input sources are M.I.S and D.S.S. But it does not use analytical models for it representation. This means that the decision making processes within the organization get distorted. And because the decision in any company is vital to its operations, hence it is important to have IS as a supporting tool in crisis management. The company uses all these software in its IT infrastructure. It does not need to do anything in order to change this or to improve this. All it needs to do is to maintain a place where all the information of the organization could be accessed easily. This would reduce the time of data retrieval and would also help them in improving them customer relations and their business. Oracle and Ethics Internet technology has posed new challenges for the protection of individual privacy. Information sent over this vast network of networks may pass through many different computer systems before its final destination. Each of these systems is capable of monitoring, capturing and storing communications that pass through it. It is possible to record all online activities of literally tens of millions of people, including which online newsgroups or files a person has accessed, which Web sites and Web pages he or she has visited, and what items that person has inspected or purchased over the Web. Much of this monitoring and tracking of Web site visitors occurs in the background without the visitors knowledge. Tools to monitor visits to the World Wide Web have become popular because they help organizations determine who is visiting their Web sites and how to better target their offerings. Some firms also monitor the Internet usage of their employees to see how they are using company network resources. Web retailers now have access to software that lets them watch the online shopping behaviour of individuals and groups while they are visiting a Web site and making purchases. The commercial demand for this personal information is virtually insatiable. Information technology has made it difficult to protect in tellectual property because computerized information can be so easily copied or distributed on networks. Intellectual property is subject to a variety of protections under three different legal traditions: trade secrets, copyright, and patent law. Oracle takes this into account and makes sure that these things are kept in mind and that the company name is not amongst the ones that are not known for their services. All the products produced by the company are up to customer standards and they try to fulfil them by being true and not being fraudulent.

Coffee Shops Essay

Whenever I am in need to study or just want to find a place to hangout, what instantly springs to my mind is a coffee shop. There are many different coffee shops around me, but only one is my absolute favorite. My favorite coffee shop is Beca House. Beca House is a locally owned business and is only about twelve minutes from my house. It is the coziest little nook, where I usually spend my mornings before class eating breakfast and drinking my favorite espresso coffee drink. After all, coffee is the best way to wake up and get the body moving. As I walk into Beca House every morning, the strong bitter aroma of ground coffee beans drift through the air, soaking into my clothes as I make my way to the counter to place my order. The smell was circulating because the coffee bar is located near the left side of the shop. The first attraction for me was the baked goods. They are tidily placed in the transparent glass cabinet, lining up and waiting for me to eat them all. There were all different types of baked goods like muffins, streusels, cheesecakes, cookies, and biscotti’s. Up above near the ceiling of the bar, there were an assortment of coffee beans packed into brown bags. The barista takes my order, large campfire frappe, double espresso. On a cooler day, I order a hot vanilla cappuccino. The delicious smell of coffee generates from the espresso machines. There is also a blackboard on the counter near the menu with a quote written with chalk that will change from day to day. The barista hands me my custom beverage order, and I stroll back to the front of the coffee shop to find a place to get comfortable. All along the walls of the shop are strategically placed vintage paintings and inspirational quotes. Dim lights shine on the spaced out vintage furniture, making for a very soothing and quiet atmosphere. No two pieces of furniture are the same, big couches, small wooden chairs, dark colored pillows, and rustic end tables. I like admiring this type of environment: soothing and calming, yet still inviting. In comparison to most restaurants, coffee shops are by no means a noisy place. The sound of chatters and laughter blends together with the background music playing around the shop, and the volume is set at a medium tone. Coffee shops provide a comfortable, yet sociable gathering spot for people of all ages. I often find peers of my own studying for big tests, writing papers, or maybe just reading a new book and relaxing. The Beca House is my favorite part to my day. I cannot start without it. Even on days that I do not have class, I find myself getting my daily cup of coffee at the crack of dawn, just before work. Stopping at Beca House has become part of my daily routine, and I do not see it being cut out any time soon. I know I go there a lot when the barista’s know my order when I walk through the door. There’s something so perfect about it being just me, my thoughts, and my morning cup of coffee.

Union Unions And The Union - 1599 Words

Organization of Unions Unions have a way of having pros and cons, which working in the union is either good or bad. Not everyone likes or supports the union, but there are those who demand to have a job in the union. Over the times of history, unions were very big but have started to decrease in time. If you work in a job setting that might be a manufacturing job or government job it’s good to have the union supporting you. You don’t always think the union will have your back but never underestimate that you job is secure, which having a union job or not, your chances of losing a job is always possible. After working in a position that was a union job, I can agree to some facts that the unions are good for representing you, but sometimes†¦show more content†¦Not only did supervisors have to deal with the union labors, but they also had to deal with upper management, but the heat coming down on you was even greater amount of stress. Question 2 I can’t afford to join. I’ve got a family to support and my check just isn’t big enough to cover my union dues! I think this was the biggest problem I had with working a union job and I had took the chance in finding another opportunity to support myself. Working for UPS I was hired on at $9 an hour, but if I took a sorting test I got an extra dollar, but each year I would only get a $0.50 raise, which I just missed the old contract by a month. Those before me were getting a $1 raise. When you are not making much money as a union labor, it’s very hard to have to pay the union dues and in the end sometimes seem that nothing is being done for you but you feel like you are throwing away money to the union. Yes, if the union went on strike against UPS, we would be paid a wage while on strike, but that was the last option any of us wanted to do because we all depended on our salary, and it wasn’t much. Question 3 I don’t need a union. My employer is fair and will take care of me. What could the union get for that I wouldn’t have gotten anyways? Well this is something you should never take for granite and your job is never safe even if you think your employer will take care of you.Show MoreRelatedUnion Unions And The Union991 Words   |  4 PagesEveryone’s participation and contribution would make the union more successful. Union’s need people, the more that join the better the benefits, the cost would be less if all employees joined spreading the cost between more people. Members could get much more if there were more members. In order to get more benefits from the union there has to be more members join the union. If all the non-members felt this way there would be no union to negotiate and speak for the members when there are complaintsRead MoreThe Unions Of The Union Unions1113 Words   |  5 Pagesabor unions have always had a very different conception of the workplace. 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The aspirations of the Union have increased far beyond the indigenous aims of a systematicRead MoreThe Union Of The European Union944 Words   |  4 PagesPresident Obama was in London to with the Queen her happy 90th birthday and tell the British people that voting to leave the European Union in the 23 June 2016 referendum is a terrible idea. It was in sharp contrast to what the Leave campaigners had been promising them. The Leave campaigners have been trying to create a bubble that Britain outside the European Union will be a prosperous paradise at the center of universe, free from pesky European countries. But Obama punctured their bubble by tellingRead MoreThe Union Of The European Union Essay1699 Words   |  7 Pagesleaving the European Union. In what has since become known as Brexit, the United Kingdom held a referendum in which 52 percent of the voting-eligible population chose in favor of the country’s departure from the 28 country politico-economic union. When this political issue is analyzed, it is important to understand the reasoning behind Britain’s decision and the many factors that drove them to this resolution. The people of the United Kingdom decided to leave the European Union based on economic andRead MoreThe Union And The European Union952 Words   |  4 Pages The European Union is an entity that is seen nowhere else in the world. It is not a government, it is not an international organization, and it is not just an association of states. The European Union members, instead, have decided to turnover part of their sovereignty to the Union so that many decisions can be made at the institutions leadership level. This partnership includes 28 diverse democracies built together on the basis of complex treaties. Although the goals of this organization were toRead MoreUnion Unions And The Workplace1831 Words   |  8 Pageswhether a union should operate within their workplace† The recent royal commision on union corruption and other negative media coverage has brought the role that trade unions play in the workplace into questions. A trade union refers to an organisation consisting mostly of employees or workers, the principal activities of which include the negotiation of rates of pay and conditions of employment for its members (awu.net.au,nd). There is one group of people what well greatly benefit from union involvement

Analysis Of Neighbours By Tim Winton - 1028 Words

How does Tim Winton’s short story ‘Neighbours’ explore the transition of individuals into new phases of life and new social context? New experiences shock and captivate readers consequently prompting a reassessment of their perceptions of respect, truth and friendship. Tim Wintons short story â€Å"Neighbours† confronts individual stereotypes through exploring the multicultural context in which the story is set. Winton explores the transition of a â€Å"young couple† into a new phase of life by describing their move to a lower socioeconomic suburb full of â€Å"European migrants†. The composer does not name the characters, rather calls them the â€Å"Macedonian Family† and the â€Å"Polish man†, in order to show their cultural differences and highlight†¦show more content†¦This is shown through the emotive language of â€Å"people smiled tirelessly at them† and the positive connotations associated with verb â€Å"presents†. Winton challenges the audience to question their individual perspective upon societys moral truths and forces the revaluation of the va lues of mateship. The composer is critiquing Australia’s fractured historical truth through confronting multiculturalism in society. Furthermore, Winton explores aspects of cultural acceptance through showing the naivety of the â€Å"young couple†. The â€Å"young man† and â€Å"young women† are symbolic of the lack of experience in the world and leaves them open to develop and mature as they experience different aspects of the world. Thus, composers confront widely held perspectives regarding mateship and acceptance to prompt a revelation of Australia’s multicultural society. New experiences prompt individuals to reconsider their upheld values in the social context in which they’re placed. Tim Wintons short story, â€Å"Neighbours† questions Australias social discourse by exploring the transition of individuals into a new phase of life. Winton challenges society’s ignorance and cultural stereotypes by displaying a provocative new experience which has the ability to manipulate and change individuals perspectives. Society’s ignorance can beShow MoreRelatedNeighbours By Tim Winton Analysis886 Words   |  4 Pagesunexpected emotive responses, as did the journey undertaken by the participants in Ivan O’Mahoney’s documentary Go Back To Where You Came From. Else, they may result in the desire to re-evaluate perceptions of the world, made evident in Tim Wintons short story, Neighbours. Both texts explore the experience of self discovery through which the development of profound new understandings and perceptions allowin g the individuals to form deeper relationships with themselves and the world around them. These