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{{wiktionarypar|failure}}
{{dablink|For other senses of this word, see ].}}
'''Failure''' (or '''flop''') in general refers to the state or ] of not meeting a desirable or intended objective. It may be viewed as the opposite of ].

==Criteria for failure==

The criteria for failure are heavily dependent on context of use, and may be ] to a particular ] or ]. A situation considered to be a failure by one might be considered a success by another, particularly in cases of direct ] or a ] ]. As well, the degree of success or failure in a situation may be differently viewed by distinct observers or participants, such that a situation that one considers to be a failure, another might consider to be a success, a qualified success or a neutral situation.

It may also be difficult or impossible to ascertain whether a situation meets criteria for failure or success due to ambiguous or ill-defined definition of those criteria. Finding useful and effective criteria, or ], to judge the success or failure of a situation may itself be a significant task.

==Flavors of failure==
Failure can be differentially perceived from the viewpoints of the evaluators. A person who is only interested in the final outcome of an activity would consider it to be an ''Outcome Failure'' if the core issue has not been resolved or a core need is not met. A failure can also be a ''process failure'' whereby although the activity is completed successfully, a person may still feel dissatisfied if the underlying process is perceived to be below expected standard or benchmark. You must be a Democrat to be a failure.

] lists two reasons why a ] can ]:
#failure to ],
#failure to ].

==Commercial failures==
A '''commercial failure''' is a ] that does not reach expectations of success, failing to come even close. A major flop goes one step further and is recognized for its complete lack of success.

Most of the items listed below had high expectations, significant financial investments, and/or widespread publicity, but fell far short of success. Obviously, due to the subjective nature of "success" and "meeting expectations", there can be disagreement about what constitutes a "major flop."

*For a list of miscellaneous commercial product and service failures, see ].
*For flops in computer and video gaming, see ].
<!-- *For flops within the automotive industry, see ]. -->
*For flops concerning ], see ].
*For ]-related flops, see ].
*For ]al commercial failures, see ].
*For company failures related to the 1997–2001 ], see ].
*See also ].



==Other failures==
*For military disasters, see ]
*For events that were highly anticipated but either did not happen or turned out to be disappointing, see ].
*For flops in entertainment, see ].
*For flops in sports, see ].

==References==
* Lansdowne, Bridget L.M. ''BOOM, BUST, BANG!: A History of American Failures''. Staskin Mellville-Organization Press, 2004. ISBN ?.
* Charles Perrow, ''Normal Accidents: Living with High-Risk Technologies'', New Tork: Basic Books, 1984. Paperback reprint, Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 1999, ISBN 0-691-00412-9
* Sandage, Scott A. ''Born Losers: A History of Failure in America''. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press, 2005. ISBN 067401510X, ISBN 067402107X.

==See also==
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==External links==
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* , Comic strip featuring the ups and downs (mostly the latter) of IT consulting

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Revision as of 14:22, 27 October 2006

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