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Japanese manufacturers used to dominate consumer electronics, with brands like Sony, Sharp, Panasonic, Sanyo, JVC, and Toshiba practically cornering the global marketplace for desirable tech goods in the 80s and 90s. But times have changed, as evidenced by recent reports of massive losses and considerable layoffs at Sony, Panasonic, and Sharp – three of Japan's largest manufacturers and some of the most recognizable brands in the world. Perhaps even more troubling for a nation once synonymous with technological innovation, Japan's entire electronics industry has fallen increasingly behind rivals like Samsung, Apple, LG Electronics, and numerous Chinese manufacturers. These rivals aren't just developing hardware innovations to match – or exceed – the Japanese giants; they're bringing them to market faster and cheaper.
What happened? And what does it mean for the future of gadgets in your home, pocket, and life?
Japan's economic turmoil
Japan is still a powerhouse: It has the third largest national economy on the planet, surpassed only by the United States and China. But it's had an uneven path in recent years. Japan's stock market crashed in slow motion during the early 1990s due to over-valued stock and real-estate prices, something that will be familiar to anyone who survived the dot-com and real estate bubbles in North America. The result was the "Lost Decade" or "The Lost Two Decades," depending who you ask and how they count. In very broad terms, after the crash, Japanese firms chose to pay down debts and build up their savings rather than take advantage of near-zero interest rates to invest in new businesses and technology. That's a solid, conservative approach to maintaining solvency, which prevented permanent employees from being laid off, but it gave rivals in other countries (particularly in South Korea and China) an opportunity to invest in their own R&D and electronics manufacturing capabilities. The Lost Decade let rivals find ways to out-produce and under-sell Japanese electronics makers.
Japanese electronics makers were not oblivious to what their overseas rivals were doing. They largely chose to bet on their traditional, historical strengths: advanced technology and high-precision goods.
Part of that effort was an emphasis on monozukuri, a uniquely Japanese concept that loosely means the "art, science, and craft of making things," according to the University of Tokyo's Takahiro Fujimoto. It's been said that monozukuri cannot be fully translated from Japanese, but the concept encompasses both the process of developing, designing, and producing a product, as well as qualities of dedication, continuous refinement, and superior craftsmanship. In other words, Japan's electronics industry might have aggressive competitors, but Japanese products would focus on the high end: quality, valued products that would hopefully generate high profits.
Japanese electronics did see a resurgence in the mid-2000s, fueled in part by a weak yen that made Japanese products more affordable around the world, as well as a North American consumer market flush with cash from a housing bubble that hadn't yet burst. The resurgence also coincided with the consumer launch of flat-panel, high-definition televisions, a market dominated by companies like Sony, Sharp, Pioneer, and Panasonic. Sony and Nintendo built gaming empires; Toshiba and (particularly) Sony pushed notebook computers forward; firms like Kenwood and JVC saw solid success with consumer and professional audio-video products. As participants in a protectionist economy, Japanese firms prefer to keep their manufacturing on-shore, and the companies invested heavily in pricey new facilities to make things like high-quality flat panel displays and products that embodied monozukuri.
But in 2008, the global recession took hold: The U.S. housing bubble burst, financial crisis rocked the Eurozone, and demand for consumer electronics dropped worldwide; much of the remaining demand leaned towards goods with the lowest prices, and many of those were not Japanese. Suddenly Japan's electronics giants found themselves saddled with expensive manufacturing plants that made a high volume of products that few people were buying.
So who's in the most trouble?
Of Japan's largest consumer electronics manufacturers, Sharp is perhaps in the tightest spot. In it's most recent financial results (PDF), Sharp increased its forecast loss for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2013 to a whopping ¥450 billion, or more than US$5.6 billion. This followed Standard & Poors downgrading Sharp stock to junk status back in August, making it more costly for the company to borrow money. Sharp is currently being viewed as having a 94.9 percent chance of defaulting on its debt in the next five years. Companies are known for putting the boldest face possible on their financial reports, but even Sharp doubts its own future. The original version of the release said there was "material doubt" about the company's ability to survive, although it has since edited the release to say there are "uncertainties about Sharp being an assumed going concern." Tomato, tomahto.
Sharp's decline exemplifies the challenges facing Japanese electronics makers. From 2000 to about 2007 Sharp was riding high: Its profits jumped about 150 percent as it created a premium brand in its Aquos line of high-end flat screen television. (Sharp was also wildly successful in Japan with Aquos phones.) Sharp built cutting-edge facilities in Kameyama to make LCD flat-panel displays. Its success seemed to validate monozukuri and Japanese' companies' predisposition to do their own manufacturing. However, even as industry watchers were warning the bottom would soon drop out of flat-panel displays – and the storm clouds of the global financial crisis were gathering – Sharp doubled down, building a new factory in Sakai that could produce 6 million TV-sized LCD panels a year. Then the LCD market collapsed, and Sharp's Aquos phone business in Japan was cut in half by the consumer smartphone revolution, led by the Apple iPhone. Sharp had also seen success in a solar panel and battery business; however, just as with LCD panels, its high-end products got undercut by competitors in China and other markets in 2011.
What to do? Sharp's Kameyama factories have now been repurposed to make small LCD displays used in things like the iPad and the iPhone. The company has mortgaged the facilities, along with most of its other factories and offices, and got a fresh round of financing from Japanese banks on promises it would cut jobs, sell off assets, and regain profitability. Sharp thinks it'll be able to bring in an operating profit in the second half of 2013 and begin paying back debt, but industry watchers and the company itself aren't sure that'll work.
Think Sharp's projected ¥450 billion loss for the fiscal year is steep? Try Panasonic: It's forecasting a loss of ¥765 billion (about US$9.6 billion) for the same period, based on writedowns in its mobile handset, battery manufacturing, and solar power businesses. That's a 30-fold increase on the company's previous estimates, and will be the second-largest shortfall in the company's history – and that's saying something for a company founded in 1918. Panasonic will also skip a dividend to investors for the first time since 1950, citing an "urgent need" to shore up its finances.
Some of Panasonic's woes are tied up in the same solar and battery businesses that have hit Sharp – augmented by the company's decision to buy up Sanyo back in 2009-2010, which primarily centered around Sanyo's battery and solar businesses. But where Sharp bet on LCDs, Panasonic bet on plasma, sinking ¥600 billion into factories in Amagasaki. Plasma display technology, of course, has been surpassed in popularity by LCD displays, but unlike Sharp, Panasonic couldn't repurpose its plants to meet the needs of mobile devices.
"We are among the losers in consumer electronics," newly-installed Panasonic president Kazuhiro Tsuga told a news conference on November 1. However, Tsuga's writedowns of Panasonic's businesses are moves to scale back the company's operations and move it away from its money-losing businesses in televisions and consumer electronics. Tsuga is repositioning the company – still Japan's largest employer with over 330,000 workers after laying off 36,000 people last year – to function as a series of small- to medium-sized operations, each of which generate positive revenue.
Although Sony is as deep into televisions and consumer electronics as rivals Sharp and Panasonic, its path has been a bit different, and as a result it isn't in quite as much trouble. Sony posted a ¥15.5 billion loss for its July-September quarter (PDF) – it's seventh straight quarterly loss – although the company still says it believes this year will mark its first annual profit in five years. New CEO Kazuo Hirai is working to refocus Sony on mobile, gaming, and digital imaging (including medical imaging augmented by the stake in Olympus), although it still clings to a television business that has been losing money for eight years. Sony is now getting its LCD panels from manufacturers like Sharp, LG, and Samsung rather than making them itself; the company is hopeful that getting panels on the open market will reduce its costs and allow the the television unit to return to profitability. Sony has also sold off its chemical products businesses that made materials used in LCD panels and optical discs. And Sony is cutting jobs: 10,000 workers last spring, another 1,000 from its mobile division this summer, and another 2,000 layoffs due by the end of 2012.
Unlike Sharp and Panasonic, Sony has long had a hand not just in consumer electronics, but in content businesses. It wants to make money selling movies, books, music, and games – not just devices. Consider Sony Pictures, the PlayStation network, and the company's movie and music services. In a way, Sony pioneered aspects of the business models being pursued by Apple (and extended by Amazon and Google) by offering content that brings people to their devices. Between more diversified offerings and a demonstrated willingness to jettison money-losing businesses (except, so far, televisions), Sony may be able to stage a turnaround. That said, Sony cut its estimates of how many televisions, PSPs, Vitas, and digital cameras it expected to sell for the year by 6 to 16 percent; only its PlayStation forecast was unchanged at 16 million units.
What it means
The financial turmoil of some of Japan's largest consumer electronics companies is partly indicative of the broader global economies. Consumers around the world have been tightening their belts, and that limits how many of them will buy luxury items – and monozukuri produces luxury items. Instead, the consumer electronics market has shifted towards manufacturers that can deliver new products fast and cheap, and for the last several years, that hasn't been happening in Japan.
Fewer Japanese TVs — Sharp, Panasonic, and Sony are Japan's first, second, and third-largest television makers, and while none are currently shutting down their television businesses, they are all looking to reduce their losses. Unless one or more of the companies decide they want to try to take on the likes of Samsung, LG, and Foxconn directly on a price basis, that means Japanese TV makers will probably have to cede the mainstream television market to competitors and focus on high-end, luxury products. However, this is a very chancy proposition; although Japanese manufacturers were pioneers in OLED television development (remember Sony's astronomically expensive 11-inch OLED TV?) rivals like Samsung and LG are now driving OLED innovation. Panasonic and Sony have announced plans to partner up on OLED production, but Japanese companies remain behind the curve.
Selling off brands? — If Japanese consumer electronics makers do fail, some of their brands might hold some value… for a while. Sharp's Aquos brand still has major recognition around the world, and might be something the company would consider selling off to help fuel its survival. Panasonic's Viera brand could potentially do the same. Sony has similar opportunities with brands like Bravia and Walkman. Given the financial situations at all these companies, it's possible that icons of Japan's past dominance could be bought by their more-nimble overseas rivals.
Lessons for Apple? — If there's a leading electronics company that exemplifies monozukuri, it's probably Apple. The Cupertino company is world-famous for its attention to detail, craftsmanship, and dedication to design, both in its hardware products and onscreen. Even its product line revisions reflect that: Updated products are rarely revolutionary departures from what came before. They're consistent, continued refinements and improvements. Apple also targets the high end of the market, focusing on profit margin rather than market share. The company would seem to be vulnerable to many of the same market forces that are rocking Japan's largest consumer electronics makers.
There are some key differences, however. Apple does outsource its manufacturing, most famously to China's Foxconn. Apple also outsources most of its components: it buys memory and processors from Samsung, Gorilla glass from Corning, and still more components from Toshiba, Panasonic, Intel, Nvidia, and more than 150 other companies (PDF). Apple isn't on the hook for manufacturing facilities that cost it billions of dollars: It leaves the risk of owning those kinds of facilities to the likes of Samsung.
[Akihabara image via Shutterstock / tororo reaction
Japanese factory worker image via Shutterstock / bluehand]
Editors' Recommendations
- Still haven't upgraded your iPhone? Apple says that's causing poor sales
- Panasonic Lumix S1 hands-on review
- OLED vs. LED: Which kind of TV display is better?
- This 8K prosumer camera from an unexpected company may actually be affordable
- Samsung permits peek at an eye-popping, 15-inch 4K OLED laptop display


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FLIR offers solid state laser range finders for demanding applications that require single shot range finding out to 16,000+ meters.
FLIR offers NIR and SWIR laser illuminators based on FLIR's proprietary laser diode technology and achieves superior illumination quality for improved image quality with higher signal-to-noise ratios.
FLIR's Laser Systems are designed for SWAP-sensitive platforms, including dismounted soldier hand-held systems, stabilized electro optical turrets, and ground vehicles.
The ultralow weight of the FLIR pointer enables its use in small vehicles and in handheld applications. Fully programmable for stand-alone operation or flexible system integration.
2019 © FLIR® Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Copyright Policy | Terms of Use

subset: commoncrawl


text:
ASTM E23, EN 10045-2, ISO 148, GOST 9454-78 Automated Impact Testing of Charpy and Izod Specimens
Engineered product designs requiring high impact energy values of up to 900J can be obtained using our MPX Series of Motorized Impact Testers. This pendulum-style machine performs testing to meet the following specifications: ASTM E23, EN 10045-2, ISO 148, and GOST 9454-78. Our test also requires that the latest safety features be used to protect the machine operator at the increased impact energy values.
We chose the MPX because the equipment provides up to 900 J capacity for either Charpy or Izod applications. A fully enclosed, interlocked guard is provided to keep the operator safely away from moving parts. The guard is designed with two access doors for specimen retrieval and servicing along with a specimen placement door. Transparent lexan panels permit the operator to view the impact test at all times. The machine includes a motorized return of the hammer to the release point to eliminate any operator lifting of the hammer preventing injury. The impact tester uses Fracta Software™ for simple data acquisition and display of impact energy values.
We recommend reading and reviewing ASTM E23, EN 10045-2, ISO 148 and GOST 9454-78 in order to fully understand the test set up, procedures, and results requirements.
Motorized Pendulum Impact Testing System: MPX Systems
Instron® introduces the MPX Series of motorized pendulum impact testers that are ideal for testing metals to Charpy and Izod standards. Available in capacities from 300 to 900 J the MPX is safe, quick, and easy to operate. Fracta™ Software comes standard with the MPX, allowing for simple data acquisition and calculation of energy. The system also allows for easy upgrading to Impulse™ data acquisition software that uses load and velocity transducers to provide data collection, analysis, and reporting results. The MPX System is CE Compliant.
- Produtos
- 3/1/2017


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1:00 pm
This Old House "Essex 2012/13, Human Centered Design, and Demo" Kevin visits the Institute for Human Centered Design and one of architect Sally DeGan's accessibly designed projects; the bad shed dormer is removed at the house, and work starts on a barrier-free entry. D
1:30 pm
Ask This Old House "Maintaining Kitchen Appliances/Installing A Rain Gutter" Host Kevin O'Connor meets appliance repairman Richie Issacson to learn how to maintain kitchen appliances. Then, Kevin, along with landscape contractor Roger Cook, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey and general contractor Tom Silva, asks, "What Is It?" Afterward, Tom helps a homeowner install a rain gutter, downspout and rain barrel. D
2:00 pm
American Woodshop "Two Drawer Hall Table" Simple joints for durable heirlooms. D
2:30 pm
Rough Cut - Woodworking with Tommy Mac "Bread Box" Who doesn't want a beautiful natural bread box for their kitchen, especially if it features a fabulous tambour door? The tambour door has been around for hundreds of years, and though it looks like it would be hard to construct, it is made of just a few slats of wood stuck onto a canvas.G
3:00 pm
MotorWeek "Kia Sorento" Road Test: 2014 Kia Sorento. Road Test: 2013 BMW M6. Goss' Garage: R.I. D
3:30 pm
America's Heartland Bring in the colorful harvest on a Florida blueberry farm. Pass the salt and learn about the history of popcorn. Cook up some unique asparagus recipes with Sharon Vaknin and climb to new heights at a New Orleans rooftop farm. D
4:00 pm
NOVA "3D Spies of WWII" Alarmed by rumors of advanced rockets and missiles, Allied intelligence recruit a team from British universities and Hollywood studios to an English country house. Team members use 3D stereoscopes to view millions of air photos of German territory, and are able to spot telltale clues that reveal hidden rocket bases. With 3D graphics NOVA recreates what WWII photo spies saw, and tells the suspenseful, previously untold story.G
5:00 pm
Moyers & Company "John Lewis Marches On" Smart talk & new ideas aimed at helping viewers make sense of our tumultuous times.G
6:00 pm
British Antiques Roadshow "Dartmouth 2" During the second visit to the Devon coast, an exquisite collection of 18th-century miniatures draw the attention of the experts, and a precious Chinese glass vase.G
6:30 pm
Rick Steves' Europe "Galicia and the Camino De Santiago" Rick follows a centuries-old pilgrim trail, from the French border to Santiago de Compostela in Spain's northwest corner. He stops in Pamplona for the running of the bulls and dives into the unique Celtic culture of Galicia where Riverdance meets flamenco.G
7:00 pm
The Lawrence Welk Show "From Polkas to Classics" The show opens with the "Pennsylvania Polka." The Lennon Sisters follow with "Serenade of the Bells." Bobby and Cissy dance to "Andalucia." Natalie Nevins sings "How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria."G
7:59 pm
Are You Being Served? "Coffee Morning" Pre-noon activity leads to a coffee break book and action by the union.G
8:30 pm
Keeping Up Appearances - The Memoirs of Hyacinth Bucket "A Job for Richard" Hyacinth determines Richard should secure a high executive position with a local firm, which has a vacancy in its ranks. Richard fancies neither the prospect of the job nor the plan Hyacinth has for him to meet The Big Boss.G
9:00 pm
As Time Goes By "Going Online" Jean decides to join the technological age, frustrating Lionel with her enthusiasms for the internet. Lionel's financial woes deepen.G
9:30 pm
Red Green's Hindsight Is 20-20 This special celebrates 25 years of Red Green on television, done in traditional biography style. Interviews are intercut with photos and video clips. Characters like Buzz Sherwood, Dougie Franklin, Glenn Brackston, Kevin Black and Bob Stuyvesant, who were cast members in the early years, are part of this celebration.G
10:30 pm
My Family "A Very Brief Encounter" Susan's old university friend Margot comes to Susan and Ben for support while she is going through a divorce. Ben agrees to help Margot make her estranged husband jealous, which somehow leads to Ben and Susan hiding in a closet.G
11:00 pm
Doctor Who Series "The Wedding of River Song" As the Doctor makes his final journey to the shores of Lake Silencio in Utah, he knows only one thing can keep the universe safe - his own death. But has he reckoned without the love of a good woman?G


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Nature Walk
Ronald F. Fischer 10/1/2006 1:12:16 PMFantastic colors and great use of BUZZ on this awesome autumn capture!! #532445
Lynne Morris 10/1/2006 1:20:55 PMWow this is a beautiful autumn image Michael, fantastic effects, great work! #3394682
Bill Houghton 10/2/2006 11:18:46 AMThis is a great shot Michael. Well done. Thanks for your comment on my herons. #3398722
Susan M. Hembree 10/2/2006 3:00:42 PMGorgeous shot, Michael! Great color, details, and DOF! I wish I were there! #3399369
Charlene Taylor 10/2/2006 6:41:56 PMA truly wonderful picture Michael. Love everything about this picture. #3400153
Larry Lawhead 10/4/2006 8:39:24 AMReally cool, Michael! #3406686
Dorann Weber 10/4/2006 7:23:16 PMStunning Michael.. I love the feel of this image.. I sure would love to be walking down that path right now~! #3408697
Iris Greenwell 10/4/2006 7:24:58 PMExcellent effect, Michael! Great colors and composition. I love it. #3408706
Anne D. Eigen 10/5/2006 6:40:55 PMExquisite work, Michael! Beautiful image! #3412773
Michael S. Baker 10/5/2006 6:49:30 PMThanks, all, for your comments.
Ken Smith 10/11/2006 12:42:49 PMGreat use of buZZ, Mike. Love how the road leads us into the picture. #3436087
Rose Bailey 11/9/2006 3:26:42 AMI like your style Mike. This is great! #3564760
Paul G Slate 11/24/2006 4:31:29 AMCongratulations on your finalist! nice work! #3624269
Kay E. Mahoney 11/24/2006 4:33:28 AMCongratulations on your beautiful finalist. Good luck in the next round. #3624287
Iris Greenwell 11/24/2006 6:21:15 AMCongratulations! It's a great image. Iris #3624683
Ken Smith 11/24/2006 1:15:44 PMMike, congratulations !! #3626445
Michael S. Baker 11/24/2006 1:21:32 PMThanks, all!
Tom Andersen 11/24/2006 2:20:37 PMWhat a lovely fall scene, Mike! Congratulations on another finalist! #3626681
S P Mukherji 11/24/2006 4:57:21 PMAmazing piece of photograph Mike! Stunning finalist once again!!
And thanks for your advice, the filter is indeed very addicting! #3627260
Paula L. Mackey 11/24/2006 10:25:52 PMCongratulations! A well-deserved win! #3627993
Robert Baer 11/25/2006 7:24:38 AMmichael
Pat Gamwell 11/25/2006 8:03:13 PMExcellent effects and colors, Mike! Another BIG CONGRATS! #3631232
Lavone Vannoy 11/26/2006 3:20:25 AMCONGRATULATIONS!!!! Beautiful and striking!!! :) #3632078
Donna W. Neal 11/26/2006 5:28:11 AMCongratulations on a well deserved finalist and good luck in the next round Michael #3632482
Kenneth Mucke 11/27/2006 3:20:46 AMCongrats on this awesome winner #3636121
Tammy Scott 11/27/2006 3:56:49 AMSuch a gorgoues image - congratulations #3636233
Donna W. Neal 11/27/2006 4:56:54 AMCongratulations on your well deserved Winner Michael #3636566
Ken Smith 11/27/2006 5:18:57 AMMike, way to go!! Congrats! #3636727
Kay E. Mahoney 11/27/2006 7:42:44 AMCongratulations on your second place winner. #3637688
Janine Russell 11/27/2006 9:32:51 AMMichael, congratulations on your Second Place Winner! #3638414
Paula L. Mackey 11/27/2006 9:37:27 AMCongrats again!! woo hoo! #3638433
Ronald Balthazor 11/27/2006 10:49:39 AMCongratulations, Michael. You're on the right path. #3638772
Nadya Johnson 11/27/2006 10:49:50 AMCongratulations on your very stunning winner, Michael!! #3638773
Tom Andersen 11/27/2006 12:30:26 PMCongratulations on your Second Place winner, Michael! #3639048
Michael S. Baker 11/27/2006 4:22:46 PMThanks all!
S P Mukherji 11/28/2006 10:16:10 AMHearty congratulations Michael!! #3643130
Donna La Mattino Pagakis 11/28/2006 10:11:08 PMCongratulations on your SECOND place win!!! Great colors and design! #3644851
Christopher Budny 11/30/2006 5:26:59 PMFantastic effects, and a wonderful image; congratulations on your win! #3652231
Lisa M. Rodriguez 12/21/2006 6:27:22 PMYour picture is lovely to the eye! #3727268
Cassie L. Woodlee 2/12/2007 3:41:04 AMCongratulations Michael, beautiful capture!! #3938919
Roger Fry 2/14/2007 1:40:21 PMCongrats Michael. Love the use of 'Buzz'
Roger #3948290
Hurk (Steve) Hurkett 3/17/2007 5:44:46 AMLove the colors and composition, Michael .. congrats on your 2nd Place Winner
Steve #4063252
Mary K. Robison 8/13/2007 4:18:42 PMA very belated Congratulations on your well-earned win for this gem of a perspective shot, Mike! The effect you used gives this a very dream-like quality. Wonderful work!
Sonia Bello 8/21/2007 9:27:05 PMCongrats! Love the color and effect. Just Beautiful! Sonia #4681180
Louise Souchereau 8/24/2007 5:18:58 PMStunning image, fantastic effects, and congratulations for your 2nd place winner , really beautiful. bravo #4693839
Steven E. Ray 9/15/2007 12:12:09 AMI had to add you to my favorites because you do have an exceptional eye for composition and subject matter. This one is very well done with the combined effects. #4792855
Michael S. Baker 9/15/2007 5:46:43 AMThanks for the comments, Steve. It's very much appreciated!
Mike B- #4793606
Kathleen Brennan 9/24/2007 4:31:44 PMCongratulations on your beautiful second place winner, Michael! #4839807
Toni Riggs 10/9/2007 12:44:45 AMBeautiful image, congrats on your win! #4901288
Amy Weiland 10/14/2007 7:50:01 PMI don't know what Buzz is... but I love this picture. I love that the leaves on the road are crisp, while the rest is processed. You have an amazing gallery, Mike! I take it from some of your subjects that you are from Chicago area, as well? #4926193
Michael S. Baker 10/14/2007 8:07:43 PMYes, Amy, I am from the Chicago area- I found you on the Chicagoland Photo Club, of which I'm also a member.
Buzz is a plugin that you can install in PhotoShop that gives your image a painted or watercolor effect. You can download trial versions of the filter- just search for 'buzz simplifer,' and you'll find the trial copy. Be careful...you can become a 'buzz-a-holic!' :)
Glad you liked my images.
Mike B- #4926236
Amy Weiland 10/14/2007 8:17:14 PMThanks, Mike! I will try to get Buzzed. :) You do amazing work... love it. #4926257
Chuck Bruton 10/26/2007 11:03:57 PMGreat effect, nice and colorful
Sheryl A. Hudson 10/28/2007 10:49:09 PMMichael, you have so many wonderful images in your gallery! Concratulations on this well deserved win!!!
Shirley A. Kinney 11/9/2007 8:49:49 PMMichael this is awesome. Looks like a painting. Congrats on your win. #5052042
Nature walk through an autumn forest.
Uploaded on 10/1/2006 11:44:50 AM
Copyright for this gallery photo belongs solely to Michael S. Baker. Images may not be copied, downloaded, or used in any way without the expressed, written permission of the photographer.
Log in to follow or message this photographer or report this photo.


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Powergems necesitaba un nuevo diseño de camiseta y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 169 diseños de 64 diseñadores freelance.
DND Babe
I'm a working father of two girls and have a beautiful wife who takes care of our children and works part-time. The time that she has to herself in precious.
My wife has given up working out at our fitness center because everyone interrupts her workout. This is HER time and is not for making small-talk with others who see her at the club. She just wants to be left alone. Women who workout at gyms where they may be interrupted by co-workers, friends, family or those guys who are at the gym with a good pick-up line.
Create a logo/design that sends the signal that "I'm here to workout for me and not be bothered by you." without being offensive. It must relay the message that I'm not to be disturbed, I'm here for a workout not to discuss issues at work or to be hit on. The message needs to be firm, not rude but also acknowledges that, "Yes, I know I'm a babe but I don't need your attention to let me know that." I need a logo that can be identified regardless of the style of shirt used. Workout style shirts will be used not the cheap cotton types.


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Time Warner Cable Reaches Deal With Disney, Customers To Get ESPN 3 Access
On the last day of the NFL pre-season, football fans are rejoicing — or at least the ones who subscribe to Time Warner Cable. The company has finally reached an agreement with Walt Disney Co. that will keep Disney-owned channels like ESPN from being blacked out during the first week of the the NCAA and NFL seasons. And TWC customers will now have access to ESPN's online video portal ESPN3.
"We are pleased to have reached an agreement without any interruption in service," said Time Warner Cable Chief Executive Glenn Britt.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Disney negotiated a carriage fee increase of around $.40-.50 per subscriber just for the right to carry ABC. In return, TWC won the rights to sell some ABC shows on its video-on-demand platform, much like the deal ABC made with Apple for the new AppleTV.
The deal also gives TWC cable customers — regardless of whether or not they use TWC to access the internet — free access to ESPN3.com. The cable company had been a holdout in offering this service because Disney charges cable providers, rather than end users, for its use.
Time Warner Cable, Disney Reach a Deal [WSJ]
Time Warner Cable customers get ESPN3 in new deal [AP]
Want more consumer news? Visit our parent organization, Consumer Reports, for the latest on scams, recalls, and other consumer issues.


text:
Express. Home of the Daily and Sunday Express.
Dalglish urges caution over Gerrard
Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish has urged England coach Fabio Capello to be "intelligent" when it comes to considering Steven Gerrard for international duty.
Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish has urged England coach Fabio Capello to be "intelligent" when it comes to considering Steven Gerrard for international duty.
The 31-year-old made a welcome return to action in Wednesday's 2-1 Carling Cup victory over Brighton, having been sidelined for more than six months after an operation on a groin problem in March ended his season prematurely.
England have a Euro 2012 qualifier in Montenegro on October 7 but Dalglish wants Gerrard to get his match sharpness up at a comfortable speed and not for him to be over-worked too early, saying: "I don't pick England's team. Whatever they have to do, they have to do. I just hope they are as intelligent as what we have been."
Dalglish has always stressed Gerrard's recovery and rehabilitation would not be rushed - despite the player's obvious desire to make a comeback. And that approach will not change just because Gerrard has now had his first taste of action since March 6.
"We won't be any more careful, professional or intelligent than we have been," he added. "He's done fantastic coming back and it's fantastic for the whole club that he is back but the most important person in all of it is Steven himself.
"He's missed an awful lot of football through injury so he's done brilliant to get where he is.
"We will just continue in the intelligent manner that we have done.
"We can look forward to him getting even fitter. There will be no timescale or programme, we'll just take it as it comes.
"He's the captain and the talisman of the football club and he's just played around 20 minutes for us.
"He's on his way back and we're absolutely delighted for him."


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|Mineola, N.Y.
|High School:
|Sacred Heart Academy
Collegiate Bests
Discus 38.57m
Hammer 46.23m
Shot put 9.36m
Weight 14.31
2011-2012: In indoor track, personal record of 14.31m in the weight throw at Heps, placing 10th…In outdoor track, personal record of 46.23m in the hammer throw at HY, placing third…Second in the discus throw at HY…Personal record of 9.36m in the shot put at HY, good for fifth place…Competed in the hammer throw and the discus throw at Heps.
2010-2011: 12th in the weight at indoor Heps....13th in the discus throw and 12th in the hammer throw with a season-best 44.62m at outdoor Heps...Second in the discus throw and fourth in the hammer throw at Harvard-Yale...Third in the hammer at Tribe Open.
2009-2010: 10th in the discus at Yale Springtime Invitational...Season-best of 38.57m in the discus at Princeton-Yale-Penn...Season-best of 38.2m in the hammer at Princeton-Yale-Penn...13th in the discus at Heps.


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Is it possible to provide health care without causing harm to the environment? | Suely Carvalho
07 Apr 2013
Is it possible to provide health care without causing harm to the environment? World Health Day 2013 reminds us that 12 percent of all deaths globally are due to high blood pressure. For centuries, doctors did not have a good way to monitor blood pressure until the introduction of mercury blood pressure meters in the early 1900s.
This advance in health care, however, has had a negative side. Every year, tonnes of toxic mercury from broken blood pressure meters are released from hospitals into the environment, causing serious harm to human health.
A similar dilemma arises with infectious waste, a necessary byproduct of medical care. Single-use plastic syringes and disposable products prevent the transfer of infections among patients but increase the quantity of waste produced. Dumping untreated waste contributes to the spread of HIV/AIDS and hepatitis, while burning the waste in incinerators emits hazardous pollutants including highly toxic and persistent dioxins.
Is it possible to provide health care without causing harm? The experience of King George's Medical University (KGMU), a hospital for the poor in India, shows that it is. In 2009, the hospital generated 2.5 tonnes of infectious waste per day. Waste was dumped on the floor, collected by sweepers, mixed with regular waste and broken mercury devices, and transported in leaking carts to open dumpsites or burned in an old incinerator.
Today, through a project implemented by UNDP with funding from the Global Environment Facility, and supported by the World Health Organization and the international NGO, Healthcare Without Harm, KGMU has a healthcare waste management system that is a model for developing countries. Waste is segregated in color-coded bins, transported in sealed trolleys by trained workers, tracked using a bar-code system, and sterilized in locally-made steam treatment units called autoclaves.
Sterilized glass and plastics are then shredded and sold to recyclers which help reduce the impact on landfills and generate revenue. In three years, the hospital reduced its infectious waste by 80 percent. KGMU also established a system for safely managing mercury waste and mercury devices are now being replaced with mercury-free alternatives.
Under this project, Argentina, Latvia, Lebanon, Philippines, Senegal and Viet Nam are already implementing this model, demonstrating that the synergy between health care and environmental sustainability can result in overall reduction in harm to health and the environment. In addition, this model will be replicated in another recently approved UNDP-GEF project in regional Africa involving four countries (Ghana, Madagascar, Tanzania and Zambia).
Talk to us: How can we link health care and environmental sustainability as we move to the next era of development?


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I wrote this last night, on the eve of Yom HaZikaron, our Remembrance Day for Israeli Fallen Soldiers and Victims of Terrorism. The siren sounded and the country stood in silence and in remembrance of the price that others paid for our independence.
Today, Monday, folks will be visiting cemeteries. A painful and sombre day. Tonight at sundown, Yom HaZikaron will end and the celebration of Yom Ha'Atzmaut, Israel's Independence Day begins.
I wanted to do a cartoon to show how short a time 62 years really is. I wondered if I'd be able to write out every year in a cartoon. It turned out that I could do it as a border and still have room for Mr. Shuldig and his dog Doobie!
-Dry Bones - Israel's Political Comic Strip Since 1973
62 years young! May Israel mature into a truly Jewish homeland and reclaim the Temple Mount and liberate all the Arab-occupied biblical lands and be blessed and a blessing to all nations.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Happy Birthday Israel! (62 years young)
Posted by David Ben-Ariel at 7:09 AM
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For the pears:
In a skillet, bring 1 cup of water and the brandy to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Peel the pears with a vegetable peeler, cut in half lengthwise and remove the core, the stem and the fibers that run down the center. Slice lengthwise into 1/4-inch thick slices and add to the simmering brandy mixture. (Add enough hot water to cover the pears, if necessary.) Poach for about 10 minutes, remove from heat and let cool to room temperature while you are preparing the batter.
For the cake:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Oil the bottom of a 9 by 2-inch deep round pan and lay parchment paper over the bottom. Then brush a thin layer of canola oil on top of the parchment paper. Sift cake flour and cocoa powder together several times to aerate. In a separate heatproof bowl combine the eggs and sugar. Nest the bowl with the sugar and eggs in another larger bowl filled with about 2-inches hot water. Whisk together the eggs and sugar, being very careful not to splash any water into it. The idea here is to raise the temperature of the egg and sugar mixture to between 100 and 120 degrees F. Use a candy thermometer to test the temperature. Once the mixture is warmed, remove the bowl from the water bowl and use an electric beater to beat it until it is about triple in volume and is the consistency of soft whipped cream. Sift the 1/3 of the flour and cocoa powder into the bowl of beaten eggs and sugar, and fold together. Repeat for each remaining 1/3 of the flour mixture, folding together after each addition. Then, gently fold in the melted butter and vanilla.
Drain the pear slices and arrange them in the bottom of the cake pan. Overlap them in a pattern of concentric circles. Pour batter over layer of pears, spreading evenly, but don't fill pan any more than within 1/2-inch of the top edge of the pan. Bang pan on countertop - 1 or 2 times only - to make sure the batter sinks down between the pears, but don't overdo it or you will undo all your hard work in aerating the batter! Bake in oven until the surface springs back when touched and a toothpick inserted in the cake comes out clean, about 20 to 25 minutes. Let cake cool in pan 10 minute to allow set up, then using oven mitts, press a serving plate firmly on the top edges of the pan, and invert the cake onto the plate. Replace any pear slices that become dislodged. This cake can be served warm or at room temperature.
2007, Robert Irvine, All Rights Reserved.


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Johnd01 needed a new wordpress theme design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 37 designs submitted by 7 freelance designers.
I am a partner on this project and am helping get an excellent design. I like clean and innovative work.
Our market is people who are internet savvy and who either already have a small business or are looking to start one.
I need a redesign of the site: http://www.warchestbuilder.com/. That design was completed in 2007 and I never liked it much.
I like the design of the following sites.
The website I have currently is a 1 page long sales letter site. I would like to take that salesletter and update it with a new design and also break up the content into a few different pages similar to the sites above. The goal is to present a good sales image, give the buyers the information they need to make an educated decision, while also having an eye-catching design.
We will need both a frontpage but also a subpage design (for a GoodBarry style Overview page).
My logo is available here to download:


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From Izola
Our grandfather was a dentist and always told us to replace our toothbrush every three months. The idea seemed simple enough, but months would pass and we found ourselves still using the same brush. We needed a reminder, so we decided to put it right on the handle.
Izola's toothbrushes are made from sustainable bamboo and nylon bristles. They come in four different box sets, each containing a year's supply of brushes designed with exceptional attention to detail. Our "Months" set serves as a reminder of when it's time to switch to a fresh brush. Our popular "Guest" set is an essential for any guest bathroom and takes care of your overnight visitors when they are in need. Our "Numerals" set helps differentiate whose brush is whose in busy bathrooms, and our Reflections set references positive practices to start your day with a clean mouth and a clear mind.
The toothbrush sets are best-sellers and have proven to be fantastic gifts


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Right-Wing Media Use Hurricane To Double Down On Unemployment Conspiracy Theory
Blog ››› ››› JEREMY HOLDEN
Right-wing media, led by the Drudge Report, are pushing a conspiracy theory that the Labor Department will use Hurricane Sandy to delay releasing October jobs data until after the election. This scaremongering is a continuation of the right-wing conspiracy theory that the government is manipulating economic data to help re-elect President Obama.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics is scheduled to release October jobs data, including the official unemployment rate, on Friday -- days before the presidential election. But Labor Department officials have reportedly said that it will be difficult for economists to access the employment data, which can only be accessed on site, as long as the federal government is shut down due to the storm.
An October 29 Wall Street Journal blog post quoted a spokesman for the Bureau of Labor Statistics saying that the bureau would assess the situation after the storm passes and notify the public if it needed to change its release schedule.
In a subsequent statement released on Monday, the Labor Department said, "The employees at the Bureau of Labor Statistics are working hard to ensure the timely release of employment data on Friday, November 2. It is our intention that Friday will be business as usual regarding the October Employment Situation Report."
Drudge called the possible delay a "mystery," while Fox Nation deemed it "outrageous":
And, as reported by The Hill, there is no mystery surrounding a possible delay: it's a simple fact that BLS analysts cannot access the data as long as the federal government is shut down.
A key challenge facing BLS analysts is that the actual numbers, which are vital to financial markets as well as political campaigns, are kept under tight security, and must be dealt with onsite.
Normally, federal employees can handle much of their work remotely, but officials must be able to get into offices to process the employment data.
"This type of stuff we don't do from home," said Abbot. "They've got to be in one particular room that's basically roped off."
Contrary to the conspiracy theories surrounding a possible delay, there is nothing unprecedented about weather emergencies delaying the monthly jobs report. In January, 1996, The New York Times reported that "a paralyzing blizzard" caused the Labor Department to delay release of the monthly jobs report by a week.
Nor is the Labor Department alone in facing possible delays due to Hurricane Sandy. According to The Wall Street Journal, major companies have said the storm will force them to delay quarterly earnings reports.
The latest BLS conspiracy theories come less than a month after the bureau estimated that the unemployment rate fell to 7.8 percent in September, the lowest rate since Obama took office. Media conservatives immediately dismissed the positive economic news as part of a conspiracy to re-elect Obama.
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Hire a Graphic Designer
Költségvetés RM99-825 MYR
Design label for juice bottle and box.
43 szabadúszó tett átlagosan RM394 árajánlatot erre a munkára
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If you have been to health clubs in recent years, you may have noticed a few people rolling and writhing around on cylindrical pieces of foam. The technique is called foam rolling and probably doesn't look all that inviting given the grimaces on the faces of some who practice it. Despite its appearance, however, foam rolling can actually help you feel better and perform better in your workouts.
Foam rolling is also called myofascial release and is designed to work out the "knots" in your muscles. You could compare the practice to self-massage. The technical terms for "knots" are trigger points or myofascial adhesions. Fascia is a form of connective tissue that wraps and bundles muscles (myo) together. Myofascial adhesions can develop through stress, training, overuse, underuse, movement imbalances and injuries. They are essentially points of constant tension and addressing them can have a positive effect on your workouts. Ignoring them can lead to further dysfunction and may perpetuate and/or cause injury.
As you might imagine, muscles and fascia do not literally tie themselves into knots. However, the analogy isn't too much of a stretch (no pun intended). Take an elastic band and tie a knot in the center and stretch the band. The elastic around the knot can stretch, but the knot itself will stay put and get tighter. This will result in a "speed bump" of sorts, affecting the shortening and lengthening of the affected area. This is not unlike the functionality of muscles. The area around the adhesion gets worked, but the area affected by the adhesion will not reap the same benefits. In other words, the rich part of the muscle gets richer, while the poor part stays poor.
The Bad News and the Good News
The bad news is that foam rolling is not noted for its comfort. The good news, however, is that you can and should control the amount of pressure applied and steer clear of pain. Learning how to control the amount of pressure to a mild and tolerable discomfort is important. The objective of rolling is to help the area relax, and applying too much pressure can reflexively invite the opposite response. When introducing pressure to a sensitive area, you may experience a slight knee-jerk type reflex. But if you do not go in too hard, you should experience what feels like air being slowly let out of a tire.
In highly sensitive areas, eliminating tension completely is not likely to happen following one application. However, some improvement can be noticed immediately. With consistent and diligent application applied to the peskiest areas, elimination of chronic adhesions may be possible.
Application: Ease in, Search and Eliminate
As with all things exercise related, you should ease yourself in gradually. Start with a softer roller (if available) and prioritize how to control your body on the roller and the amount of pressure you apply. It is better to be too soft than too hard, especially in the beginning. Once you feel a comfortable level of control, administer pressure to the most sensitive areas for roughly 20 to 30 seconds. As you get to know your body and how it responds to foam rolling, you may go shorter or longer as needed.
It is very possible to find several trigger points throughout your body. Spending time on each one may take a while and won't be much fun. Therefore, you can prioritize what to focus on in two ways: 1) address the muscles you are working that day; and/or 2) address the areas that are most sensitive.
When starting out, take inventory over a couple of workouts to determine your areas of greatest need. A great way of identifying needs is to compare left and right sides. Most of the muscles rolled will be the extremities and can be rated on a sensitivity scale of 1-10 on each side. It is very common for one side to be more sensitive than the other. The more sensitive side deserves more attention and should become the higher priority. But keep comparing sides. If done well and consistently, sensitivity should decrease and left and right differences will balance out.
When to Perform
Foam rolling can be performed prior to and after your workouts. When applying prior to your workout, only focus on problematic areas. Remember, foam rolling is designed to reduce tension and relax a muscle. Doing this to a healthy muscle may relax it to the point of being less effective during your workout. But for muscles that carry excessive tension, spending time on the front end of training can help reduce poor and imbalanced movements during your workout. Post-workout rolling can focus on all of major muscles worked, with an extra emphasis on the areas that appear problematic.
Foam rolling is one strategy that can help improve symmetry in the body. By taking a few minutes during each workout (and each day if necessary) to work out adhesions, you can help prepare for, and recover from, exercise more effectively. Tension can be released from the area, while blood flow and nutrients can increase, leading to healthier muscle tissue and a more effective fitness program.
Instructions: Search the entire muscle to find one or two of the most sensitive spots. Once there, apply pressure on the spot until some tension is released. Either stay on the spot longer, or generate small movements back and forth.
The exercises below target several common areas that can benefit from foam rolling, including the calves, glutes, inner thighs, outer thighs (IT band) and lats.
Researched By :
Kátia C. Rowlands – PLETT PILATES ; SPINNING & FITNESS STUDIO – 082 513 4256 •


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Alexz Johnson, Skipping Stone Tour Documentary – Exclusive Premiere
Singer-songwriter Alexz Johnson spent the summer touring behind her latest release, 'Skipping Stone.' Now, fans can go behind the scenes of her life on the road with the PopCrush premiere of the trailer for her tour documentary, which features concert footage and interviews with the rising star.
In the film, the 26-year-old Canadian explains that she released her most recent EP and funded her tour by raising $67,000 on Kickstarter. "Now, I'm recording my new record, and I couldn't do it without my fans," she says. She adds that her grass-roots approach led to large crowds across the U.S. and Canada: "The greatest thing about the tour was I had no idea I would fill these venues as much as I did. I was very prepared to play for five kids, ten kids a night, and it was amazing that we basically sold out a lot of the venues."
In addition to concert footage that shows off Johnson's strong voice, the trailer features scenes from meet and greets and clips from inside the touring van that she shared with her band. If you're not yet familiar with Johnson's music, check out this live performance of 'Skipping Stone' that PopCrush premiered earlier this year.
The Skipping Stone tour documentary will debut Nov. 1 on Stageit.com. The full video is available now for pre-order, along with photo books and signed copies of her new live album. Fans can see and hear more about the singer on her official website and her YouTube page.


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George M. Fattell.
The gmf journal is a general subject blog that reflects my thoughts and opinions on a variety of topics that are of interest to me. Current home base is Easton, Pennsylvania, USA. Retweets do not equal an endorsement.
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It's enough to make that old lag Norman Stanley Fletcher choke on his porridge ... prisoners have been banned from sharing "sexist" jokes.
Jail bosses say such quips could give the impression that women are "overly talkative" and "nagging."
There is even a danger it could turn convicts to a life of crime, they say - since some lawbreaking stems from men having a "negative" view of the opposite sex.
Well, that's it my fellow Brits, we can now look forward to a reduced rate of crime and a dramatically reduced recidivism rate, because violent muggers, armed robbers and gangland killers will spill forth on parole with substantially reduced malevolent urges and an increased desire to obey all social and moral codes, thanks to not being exposed to sexist...
Shit, this crap is so damn stupid, I feel undignified to have even attempted to bother hurling sarcastic remarks at it.


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State Quarters In St. Cloud Delayed Due to Weather
The Class AA state quarterfinal baseball games scheduled for today in St. Cloud have been postponed until later today due to severe storms and rain. The first game featuring Holy Family and Cannon Falls is now scheduled for 3pm at Putz Field. Roseau and Fairmont at scheduled at Putz Field at 5:30 and Proctor and Minneapolis Washburn is scheduled for 8pm at Faber Field. Cathedral is scheduled to play against Delano at Putz Field at 8pm tonight.
If more rain happens as expected this afternoon is probable that the games will be rained out today. If that happens it's likely the games would begin at 10am Friday.


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After what seems like a year of talking a big game, I finally did it: I quit Facebook. Well, more accurately, I deactivated my account (so, if I ever want to go back, all I have to do is log in). I never really enjoyed Facebook all that much; it definitely was/is a massive time suck; and I don't know -- after the horrific shooting on Friday, it just seemed like it was time to log off for a while. I may go back at some point, as I do miss seeing photos of people's cute kids, and there are (real) friends I would like to stay in touch with, but for now -- I'm done.
And so far, having no Facebook has kind of been ... awesome.
So, you know how when you sit down at your computer, you sort of have a routine as to the sites you go to, as well as the order in which you go through them? For me, it was: Email; go through my Google Reader; work email; another site or two; then Facebook. Well, Facebook is gone now, so ... what to do? Thus far, the void has been filled by Pinterest -- a site that's ... way more relaxing than Facebook; much less addicting; and kind of -- for lack of a better word -- beneficial. You guys, I actually did one of the crafts. (Some of my Christmas gifts now have glittery polka dots on them. And my house is covered in glitter.)
But that's not the big thing I noticed. That's not the thing that's been "awesome." Truth is, I'm more productive without Facebook (shocker, right?). And, although it's only been a few days, I've actually talked to people instead of just seeing what they're up to via Facebook. (My friend is on vacation right now -- instead of checking her page for any status updates or photos, I texted her to see how it was going.)
If there ever was a lull in my day -- if my daughter was asleep; or I was in between writing assignments -- I'd check out Facebook. Not because I had anything to say, or because I had a burning desire to know what other people were up to -- because it was a habit. (And because I had the app on my phone [I've since deleted it]). Without those five-minute phone/computer zone-outs here and there, I've been able to get more things done. (And woo-hoo for never having to worry about being tagged in an unflattering photo again!)
All this said though, I will admit, there is an aspect of this that's sort of strange. Kind of feels like I'm "missing out" on something, or like I left a room and everybody is talking shit about me. But I'm not. And they're not. In fact, most people probably have no idea I'm not on it anymore. And therein lies the problem -- social media f***s with your head, man.
Like I said, I may go back to it at some point -- there are some benefits to being on Facebook. (Keeping in touch with people you wouldn't otherwise text or email, the main one.) But I definitely won't be on it for the remainder of the year. And I'm hoping that, come January, it'll barely be a thought in my head.
Did you quit Facebook? Have you ever thought about quitting Facebook?
Image via vincentsl/Flickr


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Legal Studies Major and Minor Courses
Listed under 787 interdisciplinary studies. See course lists above for other courses, not listed here, that count toward the major and minor.
The following courses are offered for the legal studies minor.
787-30600 Criminal Law NLA
An introduction to topics in criminal law, criminal procedure, and criminal justice. Topics include: The American court system; origins of law; elements of crimes; defenses to crimes; constitutional issues in criminal law; criminal procedure issues including policy operations, arraignments, indictments, Grand Jury procedure, criminal trials and appeals; and criminal justice issues including "white- and blue-collar" crime, philosophies of crime and punishment, and crime in the workplace. An optional clinical component in the Tompkins County court system will be available. Prerequisites: 887-20300; junior standing.
787-30700 Environmental Law and Policy
A survey of environmental law and the policies and goals of key federal environmental statutes. Students will examine the role of the Environmental Protection Agency in implementing and enforcing environmental standards, as well as significant case law developments. Prerequisites: 887-20300; junior standing; or permission of instructor.
787-32000 Marketplace Regulation and Consumer Protection NLA
Discussion and in-depth study of the role of government in protecting the consumer and regulating marketplace practices. Seminar topics include the costs and effectiveness of the administrative law process, case studies of federal regulatory agencies, and recent developments in marketing and product liability law. Emphasis on research skills, and individual and group presentations. Cross-listed with 884-32000. Students may not receive credit for both 787-32000 and 884-32000. Prerequisites: 887-20300; junior standing. 3 credits. (Y)
787-32300 Legal Research Seminar NLA
Introduction to legal research and legal writing. During the first half, students use the Cornell University law school library to research state and federal statutes and cases, and they complete weekly research assignments. Once use of the law school library is mastered, the focus changes to a tutorial-structured course in which students use computerized databases located at Ithaca College to prepare legal memoranda. Prerequisites: 887-20300; junior standing. 3 credits. (Y)
787-49800 Internship: Legal Studies NLA
Off-campus experience involving varied, non-routine work projects designed to allow students to synthesize academic theory with "real-world" operations of an organization. Primary responsibility is on the student to develop a project proposal and then carry out its requirements in conjunction with a faculty sponsor. Prerequisites: Junior standing; completion of appropriate principles courses; a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.70 at Ithaca College; prior approval of the Division of Interdisciplinary and International Studies; approval of proposal by term beginning. Also offered at the Ithaca College London Center. Pass/fail only. 3 credits. (F-S,Y)
787-49900 Independent Study: Legal Studies NLA
Special reading and research not covered in courses currently being offered, under supervision. Prerequisites: Junior standing; completion of appropriate principles courses; prior approval by the Division of Interdisciplinary and International Studies. Variable credit. (F-S,Y)
A. Ozolins, Office of Publications, 21. October, 2002


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Thursday, October 31, 2002
SSA cornering the market on AS/400 enterprise software. SSA just announced that it is acquiring Infinium (formerly Software 2000), a vendor of financial systems for the AS/400 (IBM iSeries). Infinium's 1,800 customers are located mostly in North America in process manufacturing, gaming, hospitality, and healthcare. Infinium products include modules for human resources, payroll, financial management, CRM, materials management, process manufacturing, and corporate performance management.
This latest announcement follows on SSA GT's acquisition earlier this year of Computer Associates Interbiz group, which was CA's collection of enterprise system acquisitions, such as PRMS, KBM, MK, MANMAN, Warehouse BOSS, CAS, Masterpiece, and Maxcim. Last year, SSA bought MAX International, a small company ERP system.
Most of the systems in SSA's portfolio are AS/400-based, with its original flagship product, BPCS, being one of the major AS/400 ERP systems through the 1990s. SSA's strategy appears to be to acquire as many of the remaining AS/400 packages as possible and continuing to receive the maintenance revenue stream from their installed base clients. (SSA is the only ERP vendor I've seen that actually has a page on its Web site aimed at parties interested in being acquired). A number of SSA's clients are large multi-national companies that SSA would love to keep in the fold. It remains to be seen whether SSA can keep existing clients satisfied to the extent that it is not worth the effort for them to switch.by Frank Scavo, 10/31/2002 08:26:00 AM | permalink | e-mail this!
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Wednesday, October 30, 2002
HIPAA privacy compliance may be taking back seat to EDI. In 2003, medical providers will face HIPAA deadlines for privacy regulations as well as mandated use of EDI for submitting claims for payment. But for those that can't meet both deadlines, the lesser of two evils might be to let privacy compliance slip and be sure to get electronic transactions implemented in time. The risk analysis is simple, according to Jeremy Pierotti, consultant with Partners Healthcare Consulting. "The chances of being inspected by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid for privacy violations are low, but the chances of not getting paid for submitting a non-standard claim are high," he says. Health Data Management has more.by Frank Scavo, 10/30/2002 07:28:00 AM | permalink | e-mail this!
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Monday, October 28, 2002
Manhattan Associates emerging as leader in warehouse management systems
Manhattan Associates just announced its 2002 Q3 results, coming in with net income of $6M, a 30% increase over same quarter last year. More impressively, the profit increase didn't come just by cutting expenses. Revenue rose 8% to nearly $43M. In this market, those are excellent results, and Manhattan has been putting up strong numbers on the board since the late 1990s.
The standalone WMS market is highly fragmented, with hundreds of niche vendors. Manhattan's main competitor has been EXE Technologies, a well-established vendor with whom it was evenly matched a couple of years ago. But that has all changed, as Manhattan Associates has continued to grow through the recession, while EXE has shrunk. Other major WMS players include Catalyst, HK Systems, McHugh, and Optum. But none has been able to turn in results similar to Manhattan's.
Separately, Manhattan last week signed a letter of intent to buy Logistics.com, for about $20M. The addition of Logistics.com transportation management systems and services will extend Manhattan's core WMS products, allowing it to provide a more comprehensive supply chain planning and execution suite of offerings.by Frank Scavo, 10/28/2002 08:24:00 AM | permalink | e-mail this!
Friday, October 25, 2002
Buzzword alert: "rich client"
No, it doesn't mean a client with a lot of money. But first, some background. Until recently, software vendors spoke of client/server presentation schemes as falling into two main categories: "thin client" and "fat client." A thin client architecture is one where business rules and processing logic reside at a server level and the desktop client machine is used only for user presentation. Because a thin client architecture typically makes use of a Web browser, or other general purpose GUI presentation program (e.g. Citrix ICA client), no application program code need be installed or maintained on the client machine. Hence, the client is said to be "thin." Fat client, on the other hand, is an architecture where application programs are installed on each desktop machine.
The advantage of thin client is that it is simple to administer and maintain. But, as anyone who uses browser-based applications knows, thin client systems do have some drawbacks. They are typically slower, especially when deployed over a wide-area network, since even routine data validation requires processing at the server level. Furthermore, they can be cumbersome, since the browser interface (even using DHTML) does not have as many capabilities as a native Windows application. The fat client architecture overcomes these limitations by doing much processing locally, and by taking advantage of the GUI functionality of the desktop operating system (e.g. Windows). On the other hand, a traditional fat client system is difficult to administer because you have to maintain program code on each desktop.
Software developers are looking for an alternative. Hence, the term "rich client." Now it might be tempting to treat the term "rich client" as simply a synonym for fat client and leave it at that. And, I'm afraid that's what many application vendors are going to do--simply rename their old fat client systems as "rich client." But the real concept of a "rich client" goes farther. Rich client, as its proponents maintain, is an attempt to capture the benefits of a thin client architecture without the limitations. How? By using presentation technology that is more feature-rich than a Web browser but still allows the application logic to reside at the server level.
The main contenders for rich client development platforms include Macromedia Flash MX, which takes advantage of the fact that Flash is already installed on the majority of user desktops, Microsoft's .NET Framework, using features such as managed code and Windows Forms, and Sun Java WebStart.
Additional candidates for a rich client development environment include Droplets, an application platform for Java and C++ development, Sash Weblications, an IBM toolkit from Alphaworks, the Altio client applet and presentation server, the Spidertop Bali development tools for Java, and the Curl Surge Lab Integrated Development Environment (IDE).
For more details on the trend toward rich client, see Ted Neward's post in his weblog on the O'Reilly Network.
Update: For a follow up discussion on tools for rich client, see my post on Nov. 17.by Frank Scavo, 10/25/2002 03:26:00 PM | permalink | e-mail this!
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Wednesday, October 23, 2002
Getting tough on ROI. InformationWeek has a good article that explores various methods that companies are using to evaluate the return on investment from IT projects. Among the companies with best practices for managing ROI:
The article also includes a case study of Citibank, which used a complex valuation simulation tool to trace the potential impact of an executive portal project on Citibank's stock price. Although such an approach has certain appeal, I believe that the complexity far outweighs the benefits for all but the largest companies. In my experience, most companies would benefit simply by doing a reasonable cost/benefit calculation at project initiation, verifying the assumptions, managing risks, and measuring the results after implementation.
- Schneider National, Inc., which categories IT projects according to whether they reduce costs, increase revenue, or simplify business processes, allowing management to use a different set of criteria in justifying each category of project.
- Schlumberger, which uses worst-case, likely case, and best-case scenarios, allowing management to focus on those factors that reduce the risk of realizing the worst-case.
- Vanguard, where executives meet in "sunlight sessions" to debate and challenge the projected benefits of a proposed IT initiative, allowing overly optimistic assumptions to be caught before the project is approved.by Frank Scavo, 10/23/2002 09:33:00 AM | permalink | e-mail this!
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Tuesday, October 22, 2002
Siebel makes strategic bet on Microsoft
CRM vendor Siebel is the latest major player to pick sides in the Web services platform battle between open J2EE standards and Microsoft's .NET Framework. Although Siebel will continue to support and interoperate with J2EE-built applications, it is putting the bulk of its development effort into .NET. In addition, Siebel will optimize its applications for Microsoft server operating systems and its SQL Server database. In return, Microsoft has agreed to make its Biztalk integration server compliant with Siebel's Universal Application Network (UAN). This will allow existing Siebel installs as well as other software that is UAN-compliant to interoperate via Biztalk. The new version of Biztalk is expected to ship in early 2003.
Siebel's move to get close to Microsoft is in contrast with other large enterprise systems vendors, such as SAP, which is a strong supporter of J2EE, and J.D. Edwards (JDE), which is in near total alliance with IBM, another strong supporter of J2EE. Siebel's move is not without risk. Microsoft is rolling out its own small/mid-tier CRM solution. Even though Siebel sells mainly to larger organization, at some point Siebel may find itself competing with Microsoft for CRM deals in mid-size companies.
Furthermore, by identifying with Microsoft, Siebel risks alienating those large company prospects that have standardized on J2EE as well as on non-Microsoft databases and operating systems. Reportedly, the bulk of Siebel customers (65%) run over Oracle databases, with 25% on MS SQL Server, and the remaining 10% on IBM's DB2. How will all those Oracle and DB2 shops feel about Siebel's favoring Microsoft technologies?
CRN has more analysis of the Siebel/Microsoft announcement.by Frank Scavo, 10/22/2002 09:22:00 AM | permalink | e-mail this!
Monday, October 21, 2002
Epicor picks up Clarus e-procurement products for a song
Last week, Clarus announced that it's selling its core products to Epicor for a mere $1 million in cash. Clarus is/was a best-of-breed vendor of indirect e-procurement systems such as applications for expense management, private trading exchange (PTX), reverse auctions, and electronic settlement (electronic bill presentation and payment). Clarus was in the same space as major e-procurement players, such as Ariba and Commerce One, and Clarus had a few big name accounts and partners, such as Microsoft.
Epicor, formed from the merger of Platinum and Dataworks a few years ago, has gotten a reputation on the street for carrying too many products in its portfolio. Most were acquired by Dataworks, prior to the merger with Platinum. These days, Epicor is focusing on actively developing and marketing only a few of them, specifically its "e by Epicor" product line (based on the Platinum products), its Avante, Vantage, and Vista manufacturing systems (based on the Dataworks offerings), and its well-regarded Clientele products for customer service and technical support. At first glance, it would appear that Epicor is continuing its tendency toward product proliferation with its acquisition of the Clarus products. Nevertheless, if Epicor can integrate the Clarus products horizontally across its other offerings, the acquisition will look like a smart move a few years from now. Especially at the fire-sale price it's paying. AMR provides a good analysis of the acquisition.by Frank Scavo, 10/21/2002 07:32:00 PM | permalink | e-mail this!
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Friday, October 18, 2002
ERP does improve business performance, if implemented correctly
HBR Working Knowledge has a good interview with Harvard Business School's Mark Cotteleer regarding his survey on the effect of ERP on company performance. In the most recent survey, 86% of IT executives describe their ERP implementations as successful and over 60% report that the benefits exceeded expectations. On the other hand, 14% of implementations are "troubled or abandoned," and 40% either just met or fell short of expectations.
Recognizing, as Cotteleer says, that "successful" and "painless" are not the same thing, what makes some companies successful while others fail? The answer is in how ERP is implemented. Cotteleer goes on to describe some useful maxims for successful implementations, including: "stay the course" (i.e. give users time to get used to the new system before rushing off to resolve non-critical issues); "the devil is in the data" (e.g. "Over the years we have witnessed pitched battles erupt over, for example, how to define units of measure"); and "know the difference between understanding something and liking it."
On that last point, Cotteleer says, "Implementations get bogged down when ... project managers focus on finding a way to make everyone happy. Sometimes that way does not exist. Managers should recognize that and move on when needed."by Frank Scavo, 10/18/2002 01:56:00 PM | permalink | e-mail this!
SAP sales and earnings are ... up
Swimming against the tide of diminishing earnings from enterprise application vendors, SAP this week reported 2002 Q3 net income of $198 million, compared with $36 million for the same period in 2001. Interestingly, while product revenue overall was up 3% to $1.65 billion, revenue from CRM sales was up 19% while SCM was down 3%. SAP's press release has more details.
SAP is clearly benefiting in this weak market from its large installed base and dominant position worldwide to maintain license revenues at the expense of most other ERP vendors such as Peoplesoft, which just reported an 11% drop in Q3 net profit and a 20% drop in license revenue. SAP is also getting some uplift from sales of SCM and CRM products, at the expense of stand-alone supply chain and CRM vendors such as i2 and Siebel. For evidence just look at Siebel's quarterly results this week, where it reported a whopping net loss of $92 million on a 34% drop in license fees.by Frank Scavo, 10/18/2002 01:53:00 PM | permalink | e-mail this!
Wednesday, October 16, 2002
Buzzword alert: Part 11 compliance
Over the past few years, a number of software vendors selling into the pharmaceutical and medical device industries have been claiming that their systems are "Part 11 compliant." Here's some background. In 1997 the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued its final rule on the use of electronic records and electronic signatures, publishing it in the Federal Register under 21 CFR Part 11. Hence, the term "Part 11." Essentially, Part 11 provides criteria by which companies regulated by FDA can use electronic records and electronic signatures as equivalent to paper records with handwritten signatures in meeting FDA regulations. Furthermore, FDA investigators have started to inspect companies' computer systems for compliance to Part 11. In some cases, companies may find it easier to replace legacy systems than to remediate them. This has created a market opportunity for software vendors serving FDA-regulated industries.
However, some software vendors, hoping to win a piece of this business, make claims about their systems that go too far. Here are a few examples, without naming the vendors: "[Package name] is fully compliant with 21 CFR Part 11." .... "[Vendor name] has developed proprietary software utilizing 128-bit encryption technology that fully complies with 21 CFR Part 11." .... "This solution is 21 CFR Part 11 compliant and will provide an immediate solution to using electronic signatures with minimum investment and minimal impact on legacy systems." .... "[Package name] is 100% compliant with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) final ruling on Electronic Records and Electronic Signatures referred to as 21 CFR Part 11." And my personal favorite: "Are you concerned about Title 21 CFR Part 11 FDA regulations governing electronic records and electronic signatures? Don't be. The FDA edition of [package name] is fully compliant."
The basic problem is that these claims imply that the packages themselves are "compliant," whereas FDA regulations and guidance make it clear that it is the end users and their companies that must be compliant. One package may be easier than another to implement in a compliant fashion. But compliance is much more than buying and implementing a certain package. In a recent meeting with one software vendor (the minutes of which are public record), FDA representatives made the following simple and clear comment: "During the meeting we discussed the appropriateness of representing software as 'part 11 compliant.' We explained that the term is a misnomer because people who are subject to part 11 are responsible for compliance with the rule and because achieving compliance involves implementing a collection of administrative, procedural, and technical controls. We suggested that where software has technical features that are required by part 11, it would be appropriate to map those features to particular part 11 controls and then let prospective customers determine for themselves the potential suitability of the software in their own circumstances."by Frank Scavo, 10/16/2002 11:46:00 PM | permalink | e-mail this!
Tuesday, October 15, 2002
Open source ERP
A couple weeks ago, I asked to hear from anyone who knew of a truly open source ERP system. I didn't get any responses, but I did come across a research note by Paul Hamerman of Giga Information Group on Compiere, which appears to fit the definition. Compiere's license agreement, which is modeled after that of Mozilla and Netscape, provides source code to users at no charge. However, the product is built over the Oracle database, and Compiere is an Oracle database reseller. So the company evidently is giving away the Compiere source code and pulling through Oracle license sales as well as training and implementation. It's an interesting approach, although one would imagine that companies looking for "free software" would be reluctant to turn around and buy Oracle database seats. I also wonder how many small and midsize firms, which would be the natural market for Compiere, would be willing to invest in the requisite effort to keep up on patches and fixes. The whole open source movement, to me, makes more sense for operating systems, tools, and utilities, which can leverage a much larger development community. It would seem that the higher you go up the technology stack toward complex business applications, such as ERP, the more difficult the open source model would be to sustain. I would like to be wrong on this one, but I'm still waiting for an "existence proof."by Frank Scavo, 10/15/2002 11:25:00 PM | permalink | e-mail this!
Saturday, October 12, 2002
Wal-mart still pushing its suppliers to Internet EDI
There was more news this week on Walmart's Internet EDI initiative. Both IBM and Sterling Commerce announced that they have been selected by Wal-mart to provide integration and network services for 8,000 of its suppliers as they move to Internet EDI (EDI-INT AS2 standards). According to the IBM press release, IBM was chosen because of its global reach, its experience in the apparel, consumer products, and retail industries, and its implementation services. IBM will also provide VAN services as a backup contingency to EDIINT. In addition, IBM points out that it has built AS2 support into its WebSphere integration products, allowing Walmart suppliers who use Websphere an easy migration path to AS2.
According to the Sterling Commerce press release, Sterling will serve in a similar capacity, giving Walmart and its suppliers a choice of two such providers. Sterling, of course, is a major EDI provider, and one of the companies that helped develop the AS2 specification.
One of the early barriers to Internet-based EDI is that the Internet by itself does not provide the level of data security and reliability that is required for B2B commerce. This is why EDI traditionally uses value added networks (VANs) for transport. The AS2 standard eliminates this barrier by providing, among other things, a reliable and secure Internet messaging protocol, using public key encryption (PKI). When I reported on Wal-mart's EDI AS2 initiative on Sept. 17, the Spectator started to receive a large number of search engine hits for that post, probably from all those Walmart suppliers that are no doubt highly interested in what hoops they will need to jump through for this major customer. As I noted previously, the positive impact of Walmart's action for Internet commerce cannot be understated. It is the sort of "supplier mandate" that could greatly speed up general adoption of Internet-based EDI and B2B commerce in general.by Frank Scavo, 10/12/2002 01:40:00 PM | permalink | e-mail this!
Thursday, October 10, 2002
More thoughts on Home Depot's priorities. My associate Lewis Marchand sent me some comments on my post regarding Home Depot's data warehouse/business intelligence project. Lewis specializes in business intelligence applications, so I was interested in his feedback. He says, "It definitely surprises me that a firm this size has not gone to BI before, given the complexity of their business. What they are proposing is huge and they are certainly going for broke." He also points out that Home Depot's plans to implement BI systems in three separate areas is aggressive. "I would think they would concentrate on areas with the greatest potential return first, which for them of course is their supply chain."
Who knows? Home Depot has over 250,000 employees in 1500 locations. Perhaps it has found that employee performance improvement, satisfaction, and retention is currently the key constraint to success, and therefore a priority for business intelligence. Or, more likely, Home Depot believes that developing BI applications in the HR area is an easier first step than doing so in the supply chain planning function. Either way, it will be an interesting case to watch.by Frank Scavo, 10/10/2002 08:17:00 AM | permalink | e-mail this!
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Wednesday, October 09, 2002
Everyone agrees: it's a tech buyer's market. Earlier this week, Gartner CEO Michael Fleisher told 5,000 IT executives at the Gartner Symposium ITxpo that if they are planning to buy anything, now would be a good time to do it. "This is, quite simply, the best market ever for technology buyers," said Fleisher. While pointing out that the IT industry is suffering from overcapacity and the absence of any "killer application" on the horizon, he forecast that "there is essentially no chance for a tech recovery in 2003." He also predicted that 50% of all technology brands will disappear by 2004. CRN has more details on Fleisher's talk.
Along the same line, Dylan Tweney, writing for Business 2.0, announces the death of the million dollar software deal.by Frank Scavo, 10/09/2002 09:49:00 AM | permalink | e-mail this!
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Monday, October 07, 2002
Home Depot is on a shopping spree for data warehouse and business intelligence tools. Home Depot announced last week that it is planning a huge roll out of a data warehouse capability that will cost tens of millions of dollars. Business intelligence applications will be rolled out in three phases: 1) HR applications to provide analytical dashboards and metrics to improve employee performance, satisfaction, and retention, 2) inventory planning applications to give material planners near-real-time access to point-of-sale (POS) transactions to better manage supply, demand, and store assortments, and 3) supplier access to the inventory and sales data, so that trading partners can better manage demand and logistics. The system will be built on IBM's DB2 database running on an IBM AIX box with sixty (60!) terabytes of storage.
This opportunity at Home Depot is an exception to the trend away from large complex software deals. Perhaps it is indicative of Home Depot's need to catch up with competitors such as Wal-mart (Walmart) that already have large analytic capabilities in place. It will be interesting to see what sort of creative deals vendors put together in order to play in this pond. Still on Home Depot's shopping list: extract, transformation, and load (ETL) tools as well as business intelligence (BI) tools for data analysis. Although, to my knowledge, no specific vendors have been mentioned as being on Home Depot's short list, expect all the major BI vendors as well as select supply chain vendors (e.g. i2, Manugistics) to want a piece of this deal. Since the data warehouse is being built on IBM's DB2 database, it is possible that IBM's Datawarehouse Manager would be considered, as well as one or more of the major ETL vendors, such as Informatica (PowerMart/Center), Ascential (Datastage XE), and SAS (Warehouse Administrator). Some leading vendors of analytic tools include Business Objects (BusinessObjects), Cognos (PowerPlay and Impromptu), Information Builders (WebFOCUS), MicroStrategy (MicroStrategy 7), Computer Associates (Eureka Suite), Sagent (Sagent Solution Platform) and Hummingbird (BI/Suite).by Frank Scavo, 10/07/2002 10:11:00 AM | permalink | e-mail this!
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Friday, October 04, 2002
Buzzword alert: "open source"
Over the past month or so, I've noticed some ERP and supply chain software vendors refer to their products as "open source," when in truth all they are doing is making their proprietary source code available to clients, something that many software vendors have been doing for years. You buy a license for Package X, and the vendor provides some (or even all) of the source code so that you can modify it, but only for use within the licensing entity. That last condition is what makes proprietary code propietary. When you license proprietary software, you have no right to redistribute the product, even if you have the source code. Open source, on the other hand, is a specific licensing model whereby the author(s) of the software freely distribute the source code along with the rights to redistribute it. The details of various open source licenses, such as the GNU General Public License (GPL), are more complicated, but that's the gist. For a more information on the meaning of "open source," see the definition on the Open Source Initiative (OSI) web site. Examples of true open source software include the Linux operating system and the Apache web server. To my knowledge, no vendor of significant ERP or supply chain management application systems licenses their system on an open source model. If you know of an ERP or SCM system that is truly open source, please e-mail me.by Frank Scavo, 10/04/2002 09:37:00 AM | permalink | e-mail this!
Thursday, October 03, 2002
First look at Microsoft's Axapta ERP system
Yesterday, we got a quick demo of the Axapta product, courtesy of mcaConnect, a new nationwide Axapta distributor. Microsoft obtained Axapta through its acquisition of Norwegian vendor Navision earlier this year. Axapta has not had very much market presence to this point in the US, with few people even having heard of it prior to 2001, when Navision obtained it through its acquisition of Damgaard in the Netherlands. However, Axapta has a fairly strong presence in Europe, where it is positioned toward mid-tier manufacturing firms. In the US, Microsoft Business Solutions is targeting Axapta at mid-tier manufacturing firms of $50-800M in annual sales. Based on what we saw, however, we think Microsoft would do best to aim at the lower end of that range, because the product is a mixed bag in terms of features and functions. It appears to have strong functionality in certain areas, such as a rule-based dimensional product configurator, a knowledge management module (including balanced scorecard), customer/supplier/employee survey instruments, an integrated project management module, and a Web self-service capability. On the other hand, the product is weak on multi-plant operations. For example, although it supports multiple warehouses for inventory control, it does not allow multiple facilities for planning and scheduling (i.e. multi-plant MPS and MRP). That last point alone could disqualify Axapta from many upper mid-market deals.
From a technology perspective, the Axapta product is built using its own development environment called Morphx, that generates a language called X++ (a blend of C++ and Java). I would speculate that, at some point, Microsoft may want to rewrite Axapta using its own development toolset (Visual Studio). But for the short term, Microsoft will probably be content just to run the X++ code through its .NET SDK so that it can operate within Microsoft's .NET framework. It is interesting to note that, because of their use of MS Visual Studio, other mid-market ERP vendors such as Frontstep (formerly Symix) and Made2Manage, are actually "more Microsoft than Microsoft" when compared to Axapta. And I would be surprised to see this change any time soon. It is not a trivial exercise to rewrite an entire ERP system in a new development tool set. Microsoft is more likely to devote new Axapta development efforts to address any gaps in functionality that will be required for it to compete in the US against more established players and to provide integration to Microsoft's new CRM solution. So, my advice to prospective buyers is this: if having Microsoft standing behind your ERP system is important to you, consider Axapta. But if a Microsoft-standard development environment is what you are looking for, look elsewhere for now.
Which brings us to the bottom line: the strongest point in favor of Axapta, of course, is that Microsoft is behind it. When considering the financial viability of many of the other mid-market ERP vendors, many buyers will find this a strong plus. Another strong point in Axapta's favor is its distributor network. There are reportedly 50 resellers in the US with rights to sell the product, of which about 20 are actively building Axapta sales and service groups. Many of these are former distributors of competing ERP Tier II or III products that have fallen on hard times. These resellers are experienced in selling and servicing the mid-market, and they are hungry. We have only seen Axapta in one deal so far in southern California (which it won), but we expect to see it more often as these distributors gain traction.by Frank Scavo, 10/03/2002 03:27:00 PM | permalink | e-mail this!
Tuesday, October 01, 2002
Large system implementations require organizational discipline
Drew Rob, writing for Datamation, has a good case study of a $22 million implementation of Peoplesoft ERP and procurement applications at the City of Los Angeles. Although there were significant issues and complaints about the new system, a post-implementation audit found that nearly all of the problems were with users and entire departments not adhering to City policies. The project team implemented the new system "by the book," but it appears that large numbers of users hadn't been reading the book to begin with. As Robb points out, "Those complaining … were actually moaning about their own processes. PeopleSoft [was implemented] in accordance with mandated city policies and processes. Yet many within the city were not in compliance."
I often complain about the poor state of software quality. However, this case study illustrates that large system implementations often fail not because of software deficiencies but because of lack of organizational discipline. Nevertheless, this story does have a happy ending. After additional post-implementation work to improve organizational disciplines, the City of LA was able to cut check processing staff in half, cut warehouse staff by 40 heads, reduce inventory from $50M to $15M, and give each City vendor a single point of contact. Furthermore, LA saved $5M a year in contract consolidation and significantly improved the number vendor discounts taken for timely payment.
Read about the case study in Datamation.by Frank Scavo, 10/01/2002 03:51:00 PM | permalink | e-mail this!


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