Why Automation Projects Fail

Why Automation Projects Fail Free Online Research Papers Automation plays an increasingly important role in the global economy and in daily experience. Engineers strive to combine automated devices with mathematical and organizational tools to create complex systems for a rapidly expanding range of applications and human activities. Many roles for humans in industrial processes presently lie beyond the scope of automation. The problems related to automation system failure are discussed in this paper. Different features for building good automation systems are also highlighted in this paper. 1. Introduction Automation is the new mandate in today’s fast paced world of software development. Companies are hard-pressed to get their products out as quickly as possible. Traditionally testing has long been seen as the bottleneck to getting software releases out the door and software automation as the solution to removing that bottleneck. However, software automation more often than not fails to live up to expectations and in fact seldom returns the investment put forth. Although manual tests may find many defects in a software application, it is a laborious and time consuming process. In addition it may not be effective in finding certain classes of defects. Test automation is a process of writing a computer program to do testing that would otherwise need to be done manually. Once tests have been automated, they can be run quickly. This is often the most cost effective method for software products that have a long maintenance life, because even minor patches over the lifetime of the app lication can cause features to break which were working at an earlier point in time. 2. The Problems A majority of automation projects fail. In fact, most if not all automation projects fail to live up to peoples’ expectations and many automation projects are flat out abandoned. This fable illustrates several problems that plague test automation projects: 2.1 Spare time test automation. People are allowed to work on test automation on their own time or as a back burner project when the test schedule allows. This keeps it from getting the time and focuses it needs. 2.2 Lack of clear goals. There are many good reasons for doing test automation. It can save time, make testing easier and improve the testing coverage. It can also help keep testers motivated. But its not likely to do all these things at the same time. Different parties typically have different hopes. These need to be stated, or else disappointment is likely. 2.3 Lack of experience. Junior programmers trying to test their limits often tackle test automation projects. The results are often difficult to maintain. 2.4 High turnover. Test automation can take a while to learn. But when the turnover is high, you lose this experience. 2.5 Reaction to desperation. Problems are usually lurking in the software long before testing begins. But testing brings them to light. Testing is difficult enough in itself. When testing is followed by testing and retesting of the repaired software, people can get worn down. Will the testing ever end? This desperation can become particularly acute when the schedule has dictated that the software should be ready now. If only it werent for all the testing! In this environment, test automation may be a ready answer, but it may not be the best. It can be more of a wish than a realistic proposal. 2.6 Reluctance to think about testing. Many find automating a product more interesting than testing it. Some automation projects provide convenient cover stories for why their contributors arent more involved in the testing. Rarely does the outcome contribute much to the test effort. 2.7 Technology focus. How the software can be automated is a technologically interesting problem. But this can lose sight of whether the result meets the testing need. 3. Deciding what to automate Organizations sometimes jump into automation without carefully considering what to automate. For example, many decide to automate the most complicated items, such as a difficult test case, thinking that automation will free them of this headache. But soon they find themselves spending more time automating than testing. When deciding what to automate, organizations should consider the following questions: How often do these items get used? How many people use them or rely on them? Are these components part of a test that everyone has to use? Are they difficult to maintain? Which items do my customers add (or not add) value to? When building an automation strategy, teams must decide what to automate based on what will yield the greatest benefit overall, not simply aim for the most technically ambitious projects. As illustrated in Figure 1, organizations should put aside the desire to do the most difficult task first and focus on the tests that deliver immediate business value. 4. Evaluating technology against vendor claims In the past, vendors have asserted that their automation software allows organizations to create robust and maintainable test assets. As many organizations have discovered after making their purchases, the technology behind these products often does not stand up to the claims. Worse yet, without future-proofing technology, organizations are realizing only half of automations potential value. When evaluating automation software, organizations should add maintainability to their list of requirements. 5. Rethinking processes from a team perspective To realize the potential of automation and maximize its efficiencies, testers and developers need to think of themselves as part of an assembly line. If test engineers build test cases that they know will need to be automated, they can save the automation team a step by building in abstraction. Though it might require a little extra effort up front, this action can save the entire organization time throughout the testing process. With the right technology, testers can start to build and run tests in a way that makes it easier for the rest of the team to move those tests through automation, as well as maintain tests for future releases. More importantly, the test organization can build a scalable framework for communication and asset sharing. Organizations need to start taking an assembly-line approach to testing and development, with individuals focused on creating efficiencies that benefit the entire team. 6. Automation is akin to any Complex Software System Building Automation solutions is akin to building any (complex) Software system and requires the same effort (usually high effort) to implement effectively. You will be integrating a system with many parts as well as software (i.e. scripts and glue software). Therefore the same lessons learned in building systems and software should be applied to your automation project. Some items to consider are: 6.1 What are the high level goals of the automation system: performance testing, unit testing, feature testing? 6.2 What are the features you need in the automation system? Some examples are listed below. a. Logging capabilities b. Graphical automation scenario creator c. API for a remote procedure calls d. Reporting e. Resource Management of test/lab resources f. Concurrent scripts g. Capability to preparing or â€Å"clean up† the test environment h. Versioning of test scripts i.Documentation for administration/test script creation. 6.3 Design and document an automation architecture. An automation project needs a framework and the framework needs to be implemented and documented. The framework should lay the foundation and rules that everyone lives under. For example a shared software library for automation scripts should be implemented and used by all automation script writers. Some other items to consider are listed below: a.Automation Architecture must be extensible. Automation requirements will grow in step with the requirements of the software under test and the automation system must be able to cope with that growth. b.Must have instrumentation for debugging purposes. Running scripts is the easy part. Debugging scripts is what takes the most time. Be sure you have a system in place that quickly summarizes all the problems from a test execution run. c.Your scripts should be modularized. d.Keeping statistics on your executions. Identify test cases with a high false positive rate and either fix the root cause or remove from your executions. Conversely, identify tests that find real software defects. e.Can the automation scripts be re-used later for different purposes. For example you might develop scripts for feature testing and later re-use them for integration testing or performance testing. Will other groups repurpose your scripts? 6.4 Tool Selection (Open source vs. Commercial vs. In- House). Regardless of which direction you go (i.e. Open Source, Commercial, Home Grown) be sure you realize the risks/rewards you will have whichever path you choose. Ask yourself if the tool fits your specific requirements right now and in the future. Some other points for consideration: a. Is the tool well supported? b. What is the average time for a feature request or bug fix to be implemented? c. If using Open Source, is the said community active in developing features and fixing defects? Perhaps this is not an issue if you have people on staff that can maintain the software. d. If the software is home grown do you have developers inhouse to support the product? If so how likely is it these developers or development group will be available three to five years from now? 7. Consider the Long Term Implications of your Choices (i.e. don’t bite off more than you can chew) Every choice in building an automation platform has consequences. Some consequences seem fine in the short term but can be project killers in the long term. Be aware that you have scarce resources: time, computing, money, and people. Some issues to be aware of are as follows: a. Focusing on the low hanging fruit allows the automation architect to â€Å"prototype† the new system and easily make changes to his/her approach. This also allows the automation team to firmly establish and enforce the correct processes for running an effective automation program. b. Some scenarios are too much work to automate. For example if a scenario takes 1 hour to run manually but 40 hours to automate you don’t want to automate the scenario if it is run only once a year. That means it would take 40 years for a return on your labor investment. The average life-span of software is a mere 5 years. c. Some scenarios introduce a much greater level of complexity to the automation system. This complexity can affect the stability and the scalability of the automation system as a whole. There should be a very strong business case to justify the risk in automating in these situations. d. Don’t over-engineer your automation test cases. Just because it seems reasonable to perform certain â€Å"extra† steps when running test cases manually does not mean implementing the same checks in automation scripts is a good thing. Adding extra functionality in scripts unless absolutely needed adds a greater chance of test cases failing due to false-positives and obfuscates the real intent of the test cases. If you really need to check something not specifically listed in a test case then create a new test case for that specific scenario. 8. Full-Time Personnel must be qualified and fully committed to build and maintain an effective automation program As mentioned earlier an effective automation platform demands a disciplined focus. Some issues to consider when staffing up for your automation endeavor should include the following: a. Carefully vetting your team from a list of job requirements including but not limited to past work experience, industry certifications, and personal recommendations related to the job position. When staffing up for an automation project create a list of job requirements that will be required or desirable for the new team members. Be sure your team reflects the appropriate level of talent. b. If automation staff focus is divided between multiple complicated projects this will reduce the chance of success for your automation program. c. Staff for the project is transient. Staff for the automation project is cycled through without regard to the deleterious effects of the automation system. d. Don’t bother automating more test scenarios if you don’t have the staff to maintain the increased quantity. 9. The Test Tool Product you Buy is a â€Å"Product† not â€Å"Your Automation Solution† Don’t expect to purchase an automation system in a box. You will be required to do much of the work yourself when creating an automation platform. Purchasing/Obtaining a tool is just one of many steps along the way. 10. Defining a Successful Automation System Create a list of criteria for determining success/failure and revisit these criteria at specific intervals over the life-span of the automation project. Some possible criteria is listed below: a. Low rate of False Positives b. High rate of defects found c. Reducing or maintaining staff growth costs d. Reducing Manual testing time Summary Successful automation involves careful planning, disciplined execution, meticulous maintenance procedures, and a dedicated staff as well as a management with a willingness and patience to fully support (with money, time, and labor) an automation project. The first and most important step in building an automation system is realizing the complexities involved and the positive consequences of careful planning and execution of your automation system. REFERENCES http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automation embedded-computing.com/articles/id/?3533 automation.com/portals/building-automation www.testingautomation.com/ www.applabs.com/html/test-automation-services.html Research Papers on Why Automation Projects FailStandardized TestingBionic Assembly System: A New Concept of SelfThe Project Managment Office SystemMoral and Ethical Issues in Hiring New EmployeesResearch Process Part OneIncorporating Risk and Uncertainty Factor in CapitalOpen Architechture a white paperRiordan Manufacturing Production PlanInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesGenetic Engineering

One page background of the company Novartis ( include all the details Assignment

One page background of the company Novartis ( include all the details ) - Assignment Example its creation, Novartis as well as its parent companies have created and introduced a range of innovative medicines and products for consumers in general and patients in particular all over the world. The global headquarters of Novartis are located in Basel, Switzerland and the number of countries this company operates in is 140 (â€Å"About Novartis†). The businesses of Novartis are categorized into six different divisions of operation, namely Alcon, Pharmaceuticals, Sandoz, Corporate, Consumer, and Vaccines and Diagnostics. Alcon is for eye care whereas Sandoz is for generics. Consumer has two further divisions, namely Animal Health and Over-the-Counter. Novartis functions directly as well as through a number of subsidiaries in different countries across the globe, all of which lie in one of its divisions which are categorized by Novartis as fulfilling at least one of these functions; sales, holding or finance, research, and production. The mission of Novartis is cure and care. The company’s goal is to discover, formulate and introduce innovative products in the market successfully so that diseases can be prevented and cured, suffering of humanity can be eased, and the quality of life can be enhanced. In addition to that, Novartis also offers a shareholder return which shows wonderful performance and benefits the shareholders. Novartis also prepares drugs for the health and safety of animals, including pets as well as farming animals. â€Å"For pets, our products are effective aids to prevent internal and external parasites and treat ailments such as arthritic pain and kidney, heart and allergic diseases† (â€Å"Novartis Animal Health†). An in-depth analysis of the way Novartis sorts out data reveals the fact that the survival and success of Novartis can partly be attributed to the intelligent way in which the company sorts out data. The Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry lodged a complaint against Novartis Pharma K.K. complaining that the company’s

Who we really are Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Who we really are - Essay Example In the case of a country such as the United States, the exercise of locating and ascribing identities to individuals can be a complex process. A country renowned for being the 'melting pot' of cultures, languages and races, people here can draw upon a range of national, cultural and linguistic heritages. The literary works chosen for this essay deal with such complexities. By perusing these literary sources and by performing further analysis upon them, the rest of this essay will attempt to answer the topic 'Who we really are?'. The question mark in the title is taken as a rhetorical device, meaning that it implies a lack of clear-cut answer to the purported question. In other words, the thesis is that socio-cultural markers used to describe an individual's background cannot be given too much importance and should not be taken as definitive of the person; there are dangers and risks in doing so, and there are many advantages in treating identity as a fluid concept. (Evidence/Support 1) In the write-up The People In Me by Robin D. G. Kelley, the author talks about his own multicultural background and in the process makes a valid observation about Americans in general: â€Å"Although folk had trouble naming us, we were never blanks or aliens in a "black world." We were and are "polycultural," and I'm talking about all peoples in the Western world. It is not skin, hair, walk, or talk that renders black people so diverse. Rather, it is the fact that most of them are products of different "cultures" - living cultures, not dead ones. These cultures live in and through us every day, with almost no self-consciousness about hierarchy or meaning. "Polycultural" works better than "multicultural," which implies that cultures are fixed, discrete entities that exist side by side in a kind of zoological approach to culture. Such a view obscures power relations, but often reifies race and gender differences† (Kelley, 2011, p.483) (Evidence/Support 2) The above passage c learly illustrates how identities work in real-life as opposed to how governmental institutions perceive of them in their census statistics. Indeed, 'polycultural heritage' seems the more plausible characteristic of individual identity, as opposed to rigid categorizations. Similarly, in the poem Executive Order 9066 by Dwight Okita, what we see is an instance of the malleability of one's identity - in this case particularly that of national identity. Fourteen year old Ozawa, who is of Japanese descent, is nevertheless fully acculturated as an American girl. And this reflects in her food habits and other interests. (Okita, 2011, p.187) The poem does remind us of the dangers associated with stereotyping through the example of Denise O'Connor's hostile reaction to her friend Ozawa's heritage. For example, at the tender age of 14, young Ozawa must have found it extremely distressing to have been rebuked, snubbed and treated as a criminal by her closest friend Denise. Even if some member s of the Japanese American community had been spying for the benefit of a war enemy, it is totally not acceptable to include children in the suspects' list, let alone the entire community. The rounding up of Japanese Americans during the Second World War is a real event, albeit a disgraceful one in American history. Hence the poem by Dwight Okita has socio-historical significance. And the lesson we can take away is this: the government's distrust of a section of the population is a gross violation of basic rights of its citizens. And Denise's adverse reaction toward Ozawa is just one example of the unfairness of it. In this case of unwarranted distrust, the victimizers were the ones who acted and felt indignant toward the victims. With the unraveling of more information, it

Acquainted with the Night by Robert Frost Essay Example for Free

Acquainted with the Night by Robert Frost Essay Walking alone at night, for some, can seem like a peaceful thing to do, to help clear a person’s mind and let the day’s troubles disappear into the dark. For others, though, the night is when a person feels the most alone and must face their own demons. Robert Frost makes the night become that dark, grim and depressing time in which people reflect on themselves in his poem â€Å"Acquainted with the Night†. The first time reading the poem, one just simply thinks a person is taking a walk at night in the city, keeping to themself when meeting the watchman and listening to the sounds on the streets around, all the while keeping time by the moon in the sky as to when to head back home. But, when taking a closer look, the reader can begin to see the pain, grief and the foreboding feeling the speaker has about life itself, the feeling of being alone and wanting it to stay that way. It also shows that the speaker isn’t the only person with pain and grief on this night. The theme of Robert Frost’s poem â€Å"Acquainted with the Night† is depression and grief in the speakers’ personal life. Frost tells us this by using symbolism and tone in the lines of the poem. â€Å"I have walked out in rain – and back in rain. † The second line in the poem tells the reader that whatever troubles the speaker is having or has had is so much for this person, that when they walk in the night, it doesn’t matter what the weather is, they will walk and walk all night through the rain, trying to out walk their troubles. The rain can also symbolize life itself, always pouring one thing after another on a person, one stress after another, one heartache after another, and sometimes no matter how strong a person is, they can never get away from that rain. The following line, â€Å"I have outwalked the furthest city light. † tells the reader, in the literal sense, that the speaker also does not care about the distance as to which they will walk to try to leave their troubles behind. Or it can symbolize that no matter how far a person goes in life, there is always trouble waiting. I have looked down the saddest city lane. † shows the reader that the speaker, though physically alone, isn’t all that alone in the grimness of life. The lane the speaker is looking down gives the reader the picture that it is run down, abandoned almost and even probably poverty stricken. The reader sees that the speaker isn’t the only one with trouble and depression, it surrounds the speaker but the he sees himself as alone in that he is wrapped up in his own feelings and thoughts. Even when the speaker passes the watchman on the treet, he doesn’t want to explain why he is out at night and averts his eyes so that maybe he will get by without being stopped. The speaker wants to keep the solitude he has in his mind intact so he wants to avoid even speaking to the watchman. The lines 7 through 10 go more in depth of the speakers’ feelings of solitude and isolation while he is out in the night: â€Å"I have stood still and stopped the sound of feet When far away an interrupted cry Came over houses from another street, but not to call me back or say good-bye;† The 7th line shows that the speaker really is all alone out there when walking; there are no other sounds of people walking or going about on the street he is walking down. The speaker walking alone reflects how he feels in his everyday life, alone, no one to walk with him and take on the troubles of life. But, he isn’t too far away from others because he can hear a cry from another lost soul dealing with their own turmoil. The lines 8 to 9 make the entire poem come across as almost horrific, because the reader then wonders what kind of cry is it that the speaker is hearing? Is the sound of some crime? Or just another person in and dealing with their own hell? Then the final lines of the poem bring home the morbid tone of the entire piece. Line 11, â€Å"And further still at an unearthly height† symbolizes how the speaker feels about how out of reach and out of touch he is with his surroundings and possibly with life itself. The lines 12 and 13, â€Å"One luminary clock against the sky / Proclaimed the time was neither wrong nor right. † makes the reader feel the dark tone of the poem even more. The reader, at this point, is brought closer to understanding the speaker’s feeling of loneliness and solitude because that is how most people feel, no matter when it is, it is never the right time or the wrong time for almost anything. It feels as if one can almost never make the right call as to when to do something in their life that is important. The line 13 makes the reader wonder if the speaker is considering suicide, that the speaker is wondering if the time is ever right for committing suicide, or is it ever right for living life. The repeated line â€Å"I have been one acquainted with he night† as the first and last lines of the poem is the final piece that really sets the tone of darkness for the poem as a whole. Night is usually acquainted with darkness, scary things, loneliness, solitude, unhappiness and even depression. So the simple line brings to light the deepness of the inability of the speaker not being able to find things in common with those around him, not being able to open up and discuss himself and his feelings and thoughts. He has known trouble and pain, and doesn’t know how to leave it behind, so he carries it with him so that even during the day, he feels as if he is always in the darkness of night. Overall, Frost’s poem â€Å"Acquainted with the Night† is a poem that can be taken just literally, or symbolically. It depends on the kind of outlook on life each person that reads the poem has. Some might not see the symbolism of the feelings of darkness, isolation and grief, while others see it right away. But either way, the reader can still feel the dark tone of the poem whether it is the first time reading it, or the hundredth, just from the beginning and ending lines, â€Å"I have been one acquainted with the night†.

Conrad’s The Heart of Darkness and the European’s Claim to Superiority

Conrad’s The Heart of Darkness and the European’s Claim to Superiority Incomplete Works Cited Just beyond the â€Å"biggest and greatest town on earth†, four men sit patiently on their boat, waiting for the serene waters of the Thames to ebb (65). One of the men, a Buddha, breaks the silence, saying, â€Å"and this also†¦has been one of the dark places of the earth† (67). This pensive and peaceful idol, Marlow, explains to his apathetic listeners how a great civilization is blindly made out of a darkness, remarking, â€Å"The conquest of the earth, which mostly means the taking it away from those who have a different complexion or slightly flatter noses than ourselves, is not a pretty thing when you look into it too much. What redeems it is the idea only† (70). The irony with which Marlow looks upon colonization suggests that this redeeming feature, â€Å"†¦Europe’s claim to be civilized, and therefore superior, needs earnest reexamination† (Sarvan). As Sarvan suggests, Heart of Darkness contrasts the appearance of African â€Å"savagery† with European â€Å"civility† to demonstrate the inhumanity of the Europeans, rather than that of the Africans. Conrad’s dehumanizing descriptions of the Africans serve to show the inhuman effects of colonialism, rather than to demean the African people. For example, Sarvan notes that when an African is â€Å"reclaimed† by serving the Europeans, â€Å"†¦it is grim irony because he has been reclaimed to a worse state of barbarism.† When Marlow reaches the first station, he notices one of the â€Å"reclaimed† in a uniform jacket missing a button and notes, â€Å"†¦[He] seemed to take me into partnership in his exalted trust†¦I also was a part of the great cause of these high and just proceedings† (82). By ironically referrin... ...rlow’s â€Å"ironic voyage of discovery† could have happened anywhere. Indeed, the appearance of a fiendish black figure with his â€Å"long black legs, waving long black arms† is a mere illusion created by the fire behind him (148). The possibility that this wild and mysterious being in the midst of a great darkne ss could represent any man in any place lends a great sense of significance to Marlow’s â€Å"inconclusive experiences† (70). The irony of this dark portrayal of human nature is that humanity must hide from its own abomination in order to survive. Just as Marlow tells a detestable lie to hide the horrors of one man’s corrupted soul, it is ironic that the â€Å"taint of death, a flavor of morality† should protect idealism (96). Works Cited Conrad, Joseph. â€Å"Heart of Darkness.† An Introduction to Literature. Terry, Joseph. New York, NY: Longman, 2001. 1614-1672.

Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions (China and Germany) Essay

Gerard Hendrik Hofstede (born October 2, 1928 in Haarlem) is a Dutch expert in cultural studies [GHW]. Hofstede (1980) surveyed 88,000 IBM employees working in 66 countries and then ranked the countries on different cultural dimensions. His research resulted in four dimensions (power distance; individualism versus collectivism; uncertainty avoidance; and masculinity and femininity). In the beginning, China was not included in this study but later Bond and Hofstede looked at Chinese values. From this research they included a fifth cultural value dimension called: long-term versus short-term orientation [SKR]. Power Distance Index (PDI) The Power Distance index shows how less powerful individuals accept and expect an unequal distribution of power. High power distance means that power is unevenly distributed; low power distance means that power is more evenly distributed [TIP]. According to Geert Hofstede’s 5 dimensions China is located in the higher ranking at 80. That means that this society â€Å"believes that inequalities amongst people are acceptable† [GER]. The Power is centralised and the management is autocratic. The subordinate-superior relationship tends to be cleaved and â€Å"there is no defence against power abuse by superiors† [GER]. This means that â€Å"people are less willing to challenge authority which is likely due to old communism beliefs which still have a strong influence on people’s behaviour† [SKR]. Managers expect subordinates to obey them. Subordinates automatically show respect and know that they have to earn their respect. They also expect to be told what to do. Therefore social interactions are formal. In general we can say that the Chinese are â€Å"optimistic about people’s capacity for leadership and initiative† [GER]. The general attitude of the Chinese is that you should not fulfil any duties beyond your rank [GER]. In class I have noticed that the status of the teacher has to be respected and privileges are expected. To listen to a different example: In China it is very common that the workers should come 15 minutes earlier to a meeting and the manager with the most power is always five to fifteen minutes later. That shows that the managers enjoy more privileges. I was able to observe that the compliance of  the hierarchy is maintained very strictly. Individualism versus Collectivism(IDV) This index shows the extent to which individuals are integrated into groups or not [TIP]. In societies with a high IDV index particularly individual rights are protected: self-determination, I experience and personal responsibility are important. In a collectivist culture with a low IDV-index contrast, the integration dominates in any kind of networks. The team spirit is much more characteristic of such a culture [GHW]. According to Geert Hofstede China is located in the lower ranking at 20. â€Å"In collectivist cultures such as China, people work together in groups and often put the needs of that group ahead of their own personal wants† [SKR]. They share responsibility. The Chinese who are doing business tend to stay with the same partners and suppliers to keep loyalty and not worsen relationships [SKR]. In China the community had always the priority. Tian xia wei gong said the ancients – under the sky everything serves the community. In the Confucian influenced social system everyone expects from the individual subordination, self-control and willingness to make sacrifices in order that the family and state can benefit from it. Individualism is a term which has always had a negative connotation in China, because people associated it with egoism. The Chinese prefer a holistic thinking. An example, if a Chinese writes his address down he will start with the country, then the city and the street and at the end his own name. The traditional Chinese medicine is a prime example for holistic thinking. Each disease is always seen in the context of the whole body. Collectivism promotes harmony. In China people focus on harmony and shun the direct confrontation. Harmony is achieved by giving â€Å"face† to others and avoiding losing your own â€Å"face†. When I talked to my Chinese friend â€Å"David Zhang† and asked him about his study he will begin in Germany, he told me that this was a family decision. Of course, it was his wish but without the consent of the family he could never study abroad. Even if he had the money for it he would not do so, because his family is much more important to him. Masculinity / Femininity(MAS) This MAS index shows the expression of the dominant values that are  established in both sexes. Hofstede ranks to the female values of care, cooperation and modesty. As masculine values ​​Hofstede defines competitive readiness and self-confidence. A high MAS index shows a dominance of â€Å"typically male† values, a low MAS index shows a dominance of â€Å"typically female† values [GHW]. ​​According to Geert Hofstede China is located in the higher ranking at 66. It is more a masculine society – a society which is success oriented. You can see it on the fact that many of the Chinese sacrifice their leisure time to work [SKR]. I have noticed that shops are open until very late at night. Officially, nowadays women enjoy the same rights as men in the workplace. The Communist Party in China has made efforts to put both genders on almost the same level. Anyway traditional Confucian thinking does not fit easily with this term of gender equality. It seems to be a bit ironic that the liberalisation policies of the last decade might have turned around many of the advances made by women under the prevalent conditions of the hard-line regimes. Through the traditional values it is the boys who have strong preferences. The men own most of the power and responsibility although there is a high level of acceptance between genders in China [SKR]. Unfortunately, women in executive positions enjoy a low appreciation. There are successful women in all fields, they are among the winners of the economic reforms, but also among the losers. If the economic situation in the factories is poor and staff is reduced, they are the first to be fired. If high school fees are too high, it is usually the daughter, who leave school and has to go to work [BUC]. Uncertainty avoidance(UAI) The UAI index shows a society’s tolerance for uncertainty and ambiguity. Cultures with a high UAI, want to avoid the uncertainty and are characterized by many uncommitted laws, policies and security measures. Members are emotional and nervous. Cultures which are tolerant to accept uncertainty have a few rules that are changeable and thus tend to relativism. The members are phlegmatic and expect from their environment not to show feelings [GHW]. According to Geert Hofstede China has a low score of 30 on uncertainty avoidance. China has a high degree of acceptance of uncertainty. This society does not try to take control of the future, and therefore China’s society is not afraid of unforeseen situations [SKR]. The  Chinese consider written and oral arrangements sceptical. Contracts should be structured so that there is still the possibility to change the contract afterwards. The Chinese are very flexible. In case of conflict, a mentor is used, which takes care of the problems of both families instead of going to court. Uncertainty avoidance means for the Chinese first: What does my boss want? If he agrees with my ideas, then I can put it on. But I do not certainly know if he will like my ideas, I rather not ask him indeed I better wait for instructions. In this case, I can do no wrong, because the manager is responsible for all decisions, therefore the uncertainty is resolved. I could observe that the Chinese remain calm when unforeseen situations occur. They do not get upset about the situation. They can quickly accept the situation and adapt their surroundings. Long-term or short-term orientation(LTO) This LTO index â€Å"deals with the issue of virtue. Long-term cultures value thrift and perseverance; short-term cultures value tradition, the fulfilment of social obligations and protecting one’s ‘face’ or honour. A long-term orientation is associated with East Asian countries† [TIP]. According to Geert Hofstede China has a high score of 118. Hofstede analysed that China has the highest ranking of all countries in long-term orientation. It is 30% higher than the Asian average score. China is a country with a strong long-term orientation. It can be seen from the fact that China preferred a long-term development and indirect enforcement strategies [SKR]. According to the Chinese way of thinking it is not the shortest route that leads to the destination but the more difficult path. Therefore the Chinese can handle complex situations without a lot of stress neither they let push themselves through time. The key for the Chinese is to build up strong, reliable, lasting relationships. Before any decision is met there must be gained a certain amount of trust. Obviously this takes longer to finish a business deal. They do not like to rush into things [SKR]. Once you build up the trust and a strong relationship you can rely on it. This culture is marked by loyalty and respect. If you are willing to maintain this relationship you can trust your entire life on Guanxi. Comparison between China and Germany As you can see there are a few differences between Germany and China. In contrast to China the power is decentralised. The German culture is marked by a low power distance and the subordinates expect to be consulted as well as they expect to offer their ideas to the managers. Flashing back to my work experience I can say that I often had to take initiative. Often people are confronted with the adage: â€Å"think by yourself†. The other difference is that the management and subordinates respect each other and treat one another as equals. Usually it is as described, but there are of course exceptions. In most cases, however, I have had the experience that I had a good relationship to my boss. Compared to China, Germany has a highly individualistic society. Personal responsibility, independence, self-determination and I-experience are highly valued in Germany. A prolonged stay abroad is much respected. It shows that you can independently fulfil tasks. Companies wish to have workers with international experience due to growing globalization. That individualism counts, can also be seen in the fact that you put your name first when writing an address. This is totally different to China where you put the country at first as I have already mentioned. According to Hofstede Germany and China have the same MAS index. Mostly it is the men who hold the most of the power. I have noticed women get more and more acceptance in the man dominated business world. For example we now have a woman (Angelika Merkel) as chancellor and not a man. I can see more and more woman taking part in higher positions. Therefore I would rate Germany at 55 because there is no doubt about the increasing acceptance of women. Another example shows that a women’s quota should be introduced in Germany, which includes that at least 10% of women should sit in the top management. Furthermore Germany is a country full of bureaucracy. We have laws for almost everything, insurance companies are supposed to protect us and the institutions should regulate everything imaginable. We want to have everything controlled in order to control the future. Therefore we make contracts and then we act accordingly. This is totally different to the Chinese Culture where people like to keep the possibility to change things afterwards. The highest difference between China and Germany is the LTO index. Unlike China, Germany is more short-term oriented. Managers in Germany try to make high profits in no time. We put  truth and directness before diplomacy. Furthermore I have noticed that German employers are impatient because they want to get fast results. Criticism Unfortunately, I could not check if I would spread as much points as Hofstede because there was too less time to make an intensive investigation. However, I found out through discussions and research that Hofstede was pretty accurate with his assumptions. Furthermore, I want to mention a couple of criticisms of his study. The main point is listed by critics that the drawn samples were not representative. So in the original study(1967-1972 ) information were used from a global survey made by IBM. Thus, it is uncertain whether the system actually worked out measures of national cultures or rather differences in corporate culture between the countries. Furthermore, Hofstede’s approach ignores differences within a nation. The model treats a nation as a homogeneous state of individuals who all share the same value system. This is in most cases incorrect. In addition, criticism of the validity of the items was practiced [4]. Hofstede cites no theoretical justification for the selection of items. House and other people criticizes in particular the failure to distinguish between values ​​and behavior. This is problematic because negative values ​​and behavior are linked. Source Material: [TIP] Geert Hofstede, Culture’s Consequences: Comparing Values, Behaviours, Institutions and Organisations across Nations (Place: Corwin Press, 2001). http://www.tiplady.org.uk/pdfs/LEA502-5-culturalissues.pdf [GER] The Hofstede Centre: http://geert-hofstede.com/china.html [SKR] Hofstede comparison of Germany and China: https://www.google.de/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CDgQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbuinternationalmanagement.wikispaces.com%2Ffile%2Fview%2FHofstede%2Bcomparison%2Bof%2BGermany%2Band%2BChina.doc&ei=vDRYUb6mKo7EswaMoICQAg&usg=AFQjCNHgjNwXhFqhxu015my2P3qIqIftMQ&sig2=MGY08eJFzKV1E–Q6iME-w&bvm=bv.44442042,d.Yms [GHW] Geert Hofstede http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geert_Hofstede [BUC] Der China Knigge ; Yu-Chien Kuan, Petra Hà ¤ring-Kuan ; September 2006 ISBN: 978-3-596-16684-8 Persons I have talked to: David King (Banker / Chinese) David Zhang (Student / Chinese) Primel (Chinese Girl who studies German) Kim Lao (Chinese Business Man / employed by an American company) Lio (Student / Chinese)

What Qualities of the Victorian Architecture Have a Particular Meaning Free Essay Example, 2000 words

Then, he states his sub-claim that the Victorian architectures have several readable meanings because of the development of mechanized iron architectural ornament during that period. To support his sub-claim, he describes the mechanized iron architectural ornament developed in Victorian architecture. In addition, the flourishing and the theorization could be seen as grounds because it shows how the Victorian architecture has evolved with the changing culture (Dobraszczyk 260). By analyzing his article, it is obvious to know that some people did not embrace the use of iron as much as it had flourished during the Victorian era and not every architect or building owner was into iron. However, the development of mechanized iron architectural ornament shows that the architectures were modernized over time and that it was received well as it was the choice for many architects. Blaszczyk's book is valid as he presents pieces of evidence that support his claim fully. For example, he gives sufficient evidence to support his claim by showing how architects embraced the use of iron very well. The pieces of evidence presented by the author are objective research and not personal narrations. We will write a custom essay sample on What Qualities of the Victorian Architecture Have a Particular Meaning or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/page The book develops my research by providing a lot of information on the construction materials from the Victorian era.