What is orientation?

Understanding the term orientation is first step towards studying SOA. The term has different connotations. Here are some of them.

• Orientation means direction For instance, an orientation program in cloud computing means, it is a program in which audience is directed towards considering "cloud" as a new approach.
• Orientation also means " focus". For instance, when we say currently our orientation is towards "saving power" we mean we are focused on "saving power".
• Orientation means " concern" or " aim". For instance market-oriented activity or job oriented course.
• Another meaning of orientation is using some paradigm as basis for building something. For instance " objected oriented programming" is a programming approach in which " object" paradigm is central to everything. In this case orientation means certain implications. For example, in OOPS, objects. methods and messages are directly implied.