bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Trendi temperatur in padavin ter trendi pretokov rek v Idrijskem hribovju // Temperature and precipitation trends and river discharge trends in the Idrija Hills
Authors: Hrvatin Mauro , Zorn Matija
Published: February 2018

V Slovenji se povprečna temperatura zraka v drugi polovici 20. stoletja in na začetku 21. stoletja zvišuje, medtem ko količina padavin upada. Manjše je tudi število dni s snežno odejo, zmanjšuje pa se tudi višina snežne odeje. Spremembe količine padavin v povezavi s spremembami rabe tal vplivajo na spremembe pretokov rek, ki v zadnjega pol stoletja beležijo upadajoč trend pretokov oziroma zmanjšanje vodnih količin. V članku so predstavljeni trendi temperatur in padavin ter trendi pretokov rek v Idrijskem hribovju med letoma 1961 in 2010. Rezultati na obravnavanem območju kažejo naraščanje letne temperature, padanje količine padavin in števila dni s snežno odejo, v upadanju pa so tudi letni pretoki rek. In Slovenia, the average air temperature is since the second half of the 20th century and at the beginning of the 21st century increasing, while the amount of precipitation decreases. The number of days with snow cover is also lower, and the height of the snow cover decreases. Changes in the amount of precipitation associated with changes in land use affect the changes in river discharges, which in the last half century have recorded a downward trend or a decrease in water quantities. The article presents trends in temperatures and precipitation and trends in river discharges in the Idrija hills between 1961 and 2010. The results show the increase in the annual temperature, the drop in precipitation and the number of days with snow cover, as well as in river discharges.
Prostorsko umeščanje in širitve kmetij v Sloveniji: zakonodajni okvir in izkušnje slovenskih občin // Selecting farm building sites and farm expansion in Slovenia: The legislative framework and experience of Slovenian municipalities
Authors: Razpotnik Visković Nika , Pipan Primož , Gantar Damjana , Šuklje Erjavec Ina
Published: February 2018

Namen prispevka je kritičen pregled obstoječih raziskav in zakonodaje v povezavi z umeščanjem kmetij v prostor ter analiziranje izkušenj, s katerimi se soočajo prostorski načrtovalci v slovenskih občinah. Analiza je rezultat obsežne raziskave o umeščanju kmetijskih objektov v prostor in reševanju s tem povezanih konfliktov, na podlagi izkušenj 190 slovenskih občin. S pomočjo spletnega vprašalnika smo spraševali o stanju na področju kmetijske dejavnosti v občinah, njihovih strateških načrtih na tem področju ter morebitnih pobudah za selitev kmetij na novo lokacijo oziroma njihovo širitev. S pomočjo odgovorov smo prepoznali glavne prostorske izzive kmetijstva ter razmišljali, kako bo na njih odgovorila posodobljena prostorska zakonodaja. This article provides a critical overview of the existing research and the legislation on selecting sites for farm structures, and it analyzes the experience of spatial planners working at Slovenian municipal offices in implementing this legislation. The analysis is the result of an extensive survey on selecting sites for farm building and resolving related conflicts, in which the experience of 190 Slovenian municipalities was collected. With the help of the online questionnaire we were analyzing the status if agriculture in Slovenian municipalities and strategies for its future development. We also examined the initiatives for relocating, expanding or renovating farm buildings. Based on the answers we identified main agricultural spatial challenges and made reflection on how new updated spatial legislation will address them.
Razvoj podeželja na območju predvidenega Krajinskega parka Dragonja: mnenje aktivnih prebivalcev // Rural development in the prospective Dragonja Landscape Park: a viewpoint from active inhabitants
Authors: Torkar Janina , Brečko Grubar Valentina , Rodela Romina
Published: February 2018

V članku predstavljamo rezultate raziskave, izvedene v podeželskih naseljih na območju predvidenega Krajinskega parka Dragonja. Z analizo dokumentov, opazovanjem na delavnici in intervjuji desetih aktivnih prebivalcev smo pridobili podatke o obveščenosti in zanimanju za aktivno vključevanje v razvoj, o vrednotenju okolja in njegovih virov ter o željah in pričakovanjih glede sprememb ter kakovosti življenja. Ugotovili smo, da so vprašani dobro seznanjeni z razvojnimi programi in projekti, ki so se ali se še izvajajo, da se zavedajo pomena varovanja naravne in kulturne dediščine v trajnostnem razvoju ter da želijo aktivno sodelovati v prihodnje. S pomočjo sogovornikov, opazovanja in analize dokumentov pa smo spoznali tudi manj obetavno plat razvoja. Ugotovili smo, da je bila dinamika participacije prebivalcev v preteklosti šibka, da so sodelujoči v manjšini in so spremembe odvisne od prizadevanj posameznikov. Prebivalci v odmaknjenih naseljih na območju predvidenega Krajinskega parka Dragonja so maloštevilni in večinoma starejši, mlajši so sprijaznjeni z nemočjo. V prihodnje bo za aktivnejše sodelovanje v razvoju potrebnega več ozaveščanja, motiviranja ter izobraževanja, pomembno vlogo pa bodo imeli tudi priseljeni mlajši prebivalci. The article presents the results of a research done in rural settlements located within the area of the prospective Dragonja Landscape Park. We analysed documents of local communities, undertook observation of a workshop, and interviewed ten local inhabitants in order to obtain information about local inhabitants’ awareness and their interest in being involved in rural development, and about their valuing of the environment and natural resources, and to gain insight into their expectations in the matters of quality of life. We have established that our respondents are entirely familiar with the past and current development programs and projects, that they are well aware of the importance the protection of natural and cultural heritage has for sustainable development, and that they want to participate actively in the future. With the help of our respondents, observation in the workshop, and analysis of the documents also the less promising aspects of development have been revealed. We found out that local participation was weak in the past, that those who were active are in the minority, and that changes depend on the collective efforts of individuals. Those living in the remote villages located in the area of the prospective Dragonja Landscape Park are few and mostly of advanced age. It seems that the younger ones have resigned themselves to being powerless, and therefore it is urgent, in order to foster their participation in local development, to increase their awareness and motivation and extend their education. We also can expect that the incoming young people will have an important role to play.
Sledi ruralne dediščine v urbani pokrajini: obzidani vrtovi na primeru Bovškega // Traces of rural heritage in urban landscapes: walled yards in the Bovec area
Authors: Komac Blaž , Kušar Domen
Published: February 2018

Članek obravnava s kamnitimi zidovi obdane vrtove na Bovškem. Vrtovi so nastali na robu naselja, kjer urbana struktura prehaja v podeželsko. Zanje so posebej značilni visoki kamniti zidovi, ki so značilnost sredozemskih kulturnih območij. Nastanek zidov okrog vrtov je povezan s čiščenjem kmetijskih zemljišč zaradi lažje obdelave, trajnejšo razmejitvijo parcel ter preprečevanjem prehoda živini in divjadi. To je pogosto spregledana kulturna dediščina, saj sedanja raba prostora in prostorski načrti občine Bovec kažeta majhno zavedanje o pomenu zidov kot kakovostnih elementov prostora. Namen članka je predstaviti tipe, stanje in namen vrtnih zidov ter opozoriti na dejstvo, da takšni prostorski elementi dvigajo kakovost bivalnega okolja in predstavljajo razvojni, zlasti turistični potencial. This article explores the walled yards in the Bovec area. These yards were created on the edges of the town, where the urban structure transitions into a rural one. They are characterized by high stone walls typical of the Mediterranean cultural environments. Their origins are connected with clearing agricultural land, to semi-permanently delimit parcels, and to keep livestock and wildlife out. This is a frequently overlooked element of cultural heritage because the current spatial use and the spatial plans of the Municipality of Bovec show little consideration for the importance of walls as high-quality spatial elements. The article presents the types, current state, and purpose of walled yards, and draws attention to the fact that such spatial elements increase the quality of the living environment and provide development potential, especially in tourism.
Odnos do trajnostnega razvoja in viri znanja o trajnostnem razvoju študentov geografije v Sloveniji // Attitude towards sustainable development and sources of knowledge of sustainable development among geography students in Slovenia
Authors: Brečko Grubar Valentina , Kovačič Gregor
Published: February 2018

Prispevek predstavlja rezultate raziskave o odnosu in virih znanja o trajnostnem razvoju (TR) študentov geografije na vseh treh javnih univerzah v Sloveniji. Na spletno anketo je odgovorilo 175 študentov oziroma 34 % populacije prvič vpisanih študentov geografije na prvi in drugi stopnji v študijskem letu 2016/2017. Dve tretjini študentov menita, da je njihova predstava o TR dobra. Tisti, ki višje vrednotijo lastno poznavanje TR, mu hkrati pripisujejo večji pomen in menijo, da so njegove vsebine bolj povezane s študijem. Rezultati kažejo, da znanje o trajnostnem razvoju večinoma pridobivajo s formalnim izobraževanjem, vendar pa nismo dokazali, da bi delež od začetka do zaključka študija statistično značilno naraščal. Pričakovano so, po mnenju študentov, med predmeti študijskih programov s TR najbolj povezani tisti, kjer je že iz imena predmeta pričakovati vsebine o TR. Največ različnih predmetov so navedli študenti Univerze v Ljubljani, najbolj enakomerno pa so navedbe razporedili študenti Univerze na Primorskem. The paper presents the results of the survey conducted among geography students of all three public universities in Slovenia regarding their attitude towards sustainable development (SD) and sources of knowledge of SD. 175 students or 34% of the geography students population of first and second cycles in the study year 2016/2017 answered to online questionnaire. Two thirds of them assessed their knowledge of SD as good. Those, who assessed their knowledge of SD being higher, simultaneously think that SD is more important and that its contents is more incorporated into theirs’ study. Students gained most of their respective knowledge through formal education. However, we have not proven that the ratio of knowledge gained by formal education statistically significant increases from the beginning to the end of the studies. Not surprisingly, according to the students’ opinion the greatest connectedness with the SD have those courses where it can be concluded from their names that they are strongly connected with the SD contents. The biggest list of different courses was reported by students of the University of Ljubljana, the most uniformly distributed list of different courses is characteristic for students of the University of Primorska.
Fotogrametrični in lidarski oblaki točk // Photogrammetric and lidar point clouds
Authors: Triglav Čekada Mihaela
Published: February 2018

V prispevku so opisane štiri metode izdelave oblakov točk: (a) aerolasersko in (b) terestrično lasersko skeniranje, (c) aerofotogrametrični postopek uporabe fotografij velikega formata ter (d) terestrični fotogrametrični postopek oziroma bližnjeslikovna fotogrametrija, kjer lahko objekt fotografiramo iz roke ali iz letalnika. Opisane so prednosti in slabosti posamezne metode. Pred uporabo različnih oblakov točk za izračun višinskih ali prostorninskih sprememb, moramo preučiti gostoto točk v posameznem oblaku točk ter višinsko in položajno ujemanje med oblakoma točk. Navedeni so nasveti, kako pri navedenih postopkih dosežemo najboljši rezultat. The paper describes four methods for point cloud generation: (a) aerial and (b) terrestrial laser scanning, (c) an aerophotogrammetric process where large-format aerial photographs are used, and (d) a terrestrial or close-range photogrammetric process where an object can be photographed from a hand or from a drone (unmanned aerial vehicle). We describe the advantages and disadvantages of each method. If we use two point clouds to calculate heights or volume changes, we should evaluate the density of each point cloud and their vertical and horizontal discrepancies. The guidelines are given how to achieve the best results using mentioned methods.
Učinkovitost socialnega vplivanja pri okoljskem ozaveščanju in vedenju v povezavi z vodo // The efficacy of social influence in environmental awareness and behaviour regarding water
Authors: Polajnar Horvat Katarina
Published: February 2018

Spodbujanje okoljske ozaveščenosti in spreminjanje okoljskega vedenja sta koncepta, ki v sodobnih razpravah čedalje pogosteje prihajata v ospredje in predstavljata temelj trajnostno naravnane družbe. Človek namreč s svojim razmišljanjem in delovanjem vsakodnevno degradira pitno vodo kot naravno dobrino ter s tem intenzivno vpliva na njeno razpoložljivost in kakovost. Ena od možnih rešitev je uporaba metod socialnega vplivanja, s katerimi spodbujamo spremembo miselnosti in vedenja. V prispevku se tako ukvarjamo z vprašanjem, v kolikšni meri so omenjene metode uspešne pri podpiranju človekovih okoljevarstvenih teženj in spremembi vedenja v povezavi z vodo. Usmerjeno informiranje in izobraževanje, pisna zaobljuba, opomniki in nagrajevanje so se izkazale kot uspešen pristop. Poleg tega se je kot učinkovit medij za njihovo uporabo izkazal svetovni splet, saj zagotavlja dostop do velikega števila ljudi, hkrati pa omogoča uporabo metod socialnega vplivanja, prilagojenih vsakemu posamezniku glede na njegove lastnosti in potrebe. The concepts of encouraging environmental awareness and changing environmental behaviour are gaining recognition in current discussions and are the foundation of a sustainably-oriented society. People’s mentality and daily activity degrade drinking water as a natural resource, which profoundly affects its availability and quality. One of the possible solutions to this is the use social influence methods that help change mentalities and behaviour. The article explores to what degree these methods can be successful in supporting man’s environmental protection tendencies and in changing behaviour regarding water. Directed information and education, commitments, reminders and rewards have shown to be a successful approach. The internet has also proven to be an efficient medium, as it can reach a great number of people, while also enabling the use of social influence methods that can be adjusted to each individual according to their characteristics and needs.
Teoretično in terminološko o konceptu prožnosti // Theoretically and terminologically about the concept of resilience
Authors: Lapuh Lucija
Published: February 2018

Geografi so se poleg ekonomistov z raziskavami hitro odzvali na spremembe, ki jih je prinesla recesija. Odziv na recesijo in okrevanje po njej preučujemo s konceptom prožnosti, ki je novost v slovenski geografski literaturi. Namen članka je opredeliti koncept prožnosti ter pojasniti s tem konceptom povezane izraze, ki naj se pri preučevanju gospodarske krize in okrevanju po njej uporabljajo v slovenščini. Članek je razdeljen na obdobje pred recesijo, v katerem regije izkazujejo gospodarsko rast, na obdobje recesije in na obdobje okrevanja po njej. Besides economists, geographers have quickly responded to changes made by the recession. A response to it and a recovery afterwards is investigated with the concept of resilience, which is a novelty in the Slovenian geographical literature. The purpose of this paper is to define the concept of resilience and to explain its terminology, which should be used to investigate economic crisis and recovery afterwards in the Slovenian language. This paper is divided, first, to the period before the recession, when regions conduct themselves with an economic growth, second to the period of recession, and third to the period of potential recovery afterwards.
Ustreznejša raba slovenskih zemljepisnih imen // More appropriate use of Slovenian geographical names
Authors: Kladnik Drago , Perko Drago
Published: February 2018

Članek namenjamo bolj zapletenim vidikom in primerom rabe slovenskih zemljepisnih imen, predvsem eksonimov. V prvem delu predstavljamo razširjen in posodobljen pregled ukvarjanja z njimi v Sloveniji. Opozarjamo na velik pomen standardizacije zemljepisnih imen, kakor jo priporočajo mednarodni imenoslovni organi. V nadaljevanju prikazujemo pereča neskladja rabe nekaterih konkretnih zemljepisnih imen, kar je posledica njihove tradicionalno zakoreninjene rabe, nekritičnega povzemanja včasih nedorečenih pravopisnih pravil, pa tudi splošnega nepoznavanja obravnavane tematike. Na koncu predstavljamo poenostavitve pri rabi zemljepisnih imen, kakršne predvideva nastajajoči novi slovenski pravopis. The article is devoted to more complex aspects and examples of the use of Slovenian geographical names, mostly exonyms. In the introductory part we present an extensive and updated overview of dealing with them in Slovenia. We draw attention to the great importance of the standardization of geographical names, as recommended by international toponimic authorities. After that we present the pressing inconsistencies of the use of certain specific geographical names, which is a consequence of their traditionally rooted use, uncritical summation of sometimes inaccurate spelling rules, as well as the general ignorance of the subject matter. In the end, we present simplifications in the use of geographical names, as foreseen by the emerging new Slovenian orthography.
M&A Deals and Corporate Governance Framework
Authors: Ghosh Sohini , Dutta Sraboni
Published: February 2018

The escalating importance of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) has coincided with concerns about corporate governance issues. This article investigates how corporate governance mechanisms along with firm-specific control variables impact performance during M&A deals occurring between 2000-2012 in acquiring Indian telecom companies. In this research, firm performance has been measured via accounting based, market based and qualitative performance dimensions, represented by Return on Capital Employed (ROCE), Tobin's Q and Human Capital Return on Investment (HCROI) respectively. Panel data regression techniques was employed for the analysis. The learning from this study reveals that board size and firm size have significant positive relationships with ROCE and HCROI. Chairperson-CEO duality also has positive significant association with ROCE. Shareholding percentage of institutional investors was found to have a significant negative relationship with HCROI. Board independence, firm size and market share significantly affect Tobin's Q.
Ownership Concentration, Family Control, and Auditor Choice
Authors: Amoonejad Mohammad , Geraily Mehdi Safari
Published: February 2018

The present study investigates the relationship between ownership concentration and family control, with the choice of high-quality auditors. For this purpose, a sample of 94 firms listed in the Tehran Stock Exchange during the years 2011 to 2015 were selected and the research hypotheses were tested using logistic regression model. The findings indicate that there is a significant positive relationship between ownership concentration and the choice of high-quality audit firms. However, there was not any evidence of a significant relationship between family ownership and a choice of high quality audit firms. The findings, in addition to filling the Empirical gap in this area can be useful for investors, the Tehran Stock Exchange and other stakeholders.
Demarketing Tobacco Products Strategy to Impact Customers for Social Change
Authors: Baporikar Neeta , Fotolela Rosalia
Published: February 2018

This article describes how demarketing is a strategy aimed at reducing the demand for the product and thereby the consumption. This strategy is well suited for harmful products though they may have utility in the economics of liquor, drugs, cigars and tobacco products. Many consume cigarettes and chew gutka, which is a tobacco product either as habit, stress reliever or style. The consumption of tobacco products has negative side effects such as lung cancer and oral diseases. Thus, the aim of this article is to reflect on the demarketing strategy of tobacco products adopted in India and to determine the impact on customers in Mysore, Southern India. Mixed method of research was used. The sample was 50 respondents, chosen with an accidental sampling technique to test differences of opinion between customers and non-customers of tobacco products. The findings indicate that demarketing tobacco products has made an impact along with societal change.
Social Media, Nigerian Youths and Political Participation
Authors: Egbunike Nwachukwu Andrew
Published: February 2018

This article is a study of the influence of social media on political participation of youths in Nigeria through a review of the methodology, research themes and theoretical trends. The research method was a content analysis of forty-four relevant empirical articles. Findings showed that the predominant themes were political participation, social media and ethnicity. Most of the reviewed studies employed surveys, desktop research or critical review of literature as their research method. Most reviewed studies either adopted quantitative or qualitative research method and without a theoretical framework. It was evident that many studies in the global north did not link political participation to ethnicity, unlike those that were carried out in Nigeria. In addition, there were few studies on the influence of social media on the political participation of youths. Consequently, research in this area has to contextualize the Nigerian experience, adopt a triangulation of quantitative and qualitative research methods with a strong theoretical base.
Behavior of Flexible Buried Pipes Under Geocell Reinforced Subbase Subjected to Repeated Loading
Authors: Fattah Mohammed Yousif , Hassan Waqed Hammed , Rasheed Sajjad Emad
Published: February 2018

The present article constitutes an experimental investigation of the behavior of buried PVC pipes. A number of laboratory experiments were conducted using PVC pipes which were buried in a medium sand layer, below a subbase layer, reinforced with geocells. They were subject to repeated dynamic load amplitudes of 0.5 and 1 ton and loading frequencies of 0.5, 1 and 2 Hz, to study the effects of the geocell reinforcement layer, in terms of the amount of stress reaching the pipe crown and the vibration of the pipe. A 3D numerical model was also developed to investigate the performance of the geocell above the buried pipe. The predicted characteristics of the buried pipes were validated using the experimental data. The results showed that geocell reinforcement decreases both crown vibration by 35%, and the vertical pressure reaching the pipe by 41%. The numerical models have a good fit with the experimental work results, both confirming that geocell reinforcement has a significant role to play regarding increasing the safety of pipes.
Implementation and Evaluation of Flipped Classroom as IoT Element into Learning Process of Computer Network Education
Authors: Zhamanov Azamat , Seong-MooYoo  , Sakhiyeva Zhulduz , Zhaparov Meirambek
Published: February 2018

Students nowadays are hard to be motivated to study lessons with traditional teaching methods. Computers, smartphones, tablets and other smart devices disturb students' attentions. Nevertheless, those smart devices can be used as auxiliary tools of modern teaching methods. In this article, the authors review two popular modern teaching methods: flipped classroom and gamification. Next, they implement flipped classrooms as an element of IoT (Internet of Things) into learning process of computer networks course, by using Cisco networking academy tools, instead of traditional learning. The survey provided to students shows good feedback from students. The authors report the impact of flipped classroom implementation with data obtained from two parallel sections (one flipped classroom and the other traditional classroom). The results show that the flipped classroom approach is better than the traditional classroom approach with a difference of approximately 20% increase in the average of attendance, lab work, quizzes, midterm exams and final exam.
What Makes Learners Share Feedback or Not in an Online Community for Education
Authors: Budu Joseph
Published: February 2018

Some higher education institutions create online communities to achieve engagement between teachers and learners. Unfortunately, some members seem to prefer sharing feedback via offline means instead of doing so in the online community. From qualitative data collected via flashcards, this article has found that this preference is largely due to their need for anonymity, and convenience that such offline means afford, but is largely absent in most online communities for education, e.g. Google Classroom. In addition, others preferred the offline means because they did not require an online connection – a resource whose absence could be a constraint in a resource-poor area such as the setting of this paper. The findings are discussed in terms of the implications for research and practice, and recommendations proffered.
Inquiry into Turkey's Educational Technology, Governance, Situational Educational Policy
Authors: Tolu Hüseyin
Published: February 2018

Investigating the sociology of educational technology can be approached through a series of deliberations based on the interaction between Free/Libre Open Source Software (FLOSS) and Proprietary Close Source Software (PCSS). This article consults public policy discourses of the Fatih project, which is the current educational technology project in Turkey, particularly focusing on discourses of politicians. This article argues that Turkey has been deploying an Anglo-Governance Model, which is based on an ‘experimental' and ‘strategic' governance, to be a dominating decision-maker in the technological singularity. However, without defining 'values' of FLOSS, any initiative(s) from Anglo-Governance Model will result in what could be referred to as an ‘PCSS-Based Polycentric System' in which the Government has ultimately became an unwelcome decision-maker and PCSS, particularly in such a way that giant corporations exercise dominance over the sociology of educational technology in Turkey.
An Exploration of Relationships Between Mobile Network Operators (MNO) and Mobile Virtual Network Operations (MVNO) in Nigeria
Authors: Ekanoye Femi , Olokunde Temitope , Mbarika Victor , Musa Philip
Published: February 2018

Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs) are of immense value to the mobile telecommunications industry as they provide services at an affordable rate to customers and work with Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) who own the telecommunication infrastructure. This is because Mobile Network Operators sell airtime at wholesale rates to Mobile Virtual Network Operators. The Mobile Virtual Network Operators retain their brand name whilst having an arrangement with their host who is the Mobile Network Operator (MNO). This article therefore identifies the bottlenecks experienced by MNOs in establishing relationships with MVNOs in Nigeria. The article also covers the various forms of MVNO business models available in the industry and the types of policies that support the MVNO success and sustainability.
GUI Design Considerations for Hyperspectral Microwave Atmospheric Sounder
Authors: Sheybani Ehsan , Javidi Giti
Published: February 2018

This article contains information on how the Hyperspectral Microwave Atmospheric Sounder is the next step in technology for weather and climate missions. This technology can help improve both the vertical and horizontal resolutions of the atmosphere. Hyperspectral microwave describes an all-weather sounding that acts just like hyperspectral infrared sounders. In hyperspectral infrared sounders clouds decease the accuracy of the results, this is a big reason hyperspectral microwave are considered necessary. Hyperspectral measurements allow the user to determine the Earth's temperature with vertical resolution exceeding 1km (1093.61 yards). One of the objectives of Hyperspectral Microwave Atmospheric Sounder (HyMAS) is to develop a data system that will store and display the date received. PIC24 data stream will transfer 52 Data plus 16 H/K = 64 channels over Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI) at 100 Hz to scan head computer. Serial Peripheral is a synchronous protocol that allows the master device communication with a slave device. A Graphical User Interface (GUI) will be used to display the data received. A Graphical User Interface (GUI) is a type of user interface that allows users to interact with electronic devices using images rather than text commands. The author also develops documentation on how to operate the Explorer 16 development board. An Explorer 16 board can be used to interface with the emulator.
Developing Musical Creativity Through Activity Theory in an Online Learning Environment
Authors: Chien Chih-Feng , Walters Brent G. , Lee Ching-Yieh , Liao Ching-Jung
Published: February 2018

An online general education platform, e-Holistic (e-HO), was developed to support digital learning. Following Burnard's (2007) adoption of Activity Theory (AT) in designing music education to galvanize learners' creativity, the authors' study extended her theoretical framework through a hypothetical model they designed. From AT, this article investigates a number of elements—musical activities (tools), e-HO (community), emotional arousal (object), and musical creativity (outcome). Through the operation of the AT system, 733 students immersed in musical activities in e-HO were able to compose music even without any musical background. The purpose of this article is to report how an e-HO online activity helps arouse students' emotions and inspire their musical creativity. The structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis indicates that all research hypotheses were supported, and the musical activities on e-HO predicted 71.6% of students' self-assessed musical creativity. Finally, the implications of the authors' findings are reported for the future development of online musical education.
A Novel UML Based Approach for Early Detection of Change Prone Classes
Authors: Bura Deepa , Choudhary Amit , Singh Rakesh Kumar
Published: February 2018

This article describes how predicting change-prone classes is essential for effective development of software. Evaluating changes from one release of software to the next can enhance software quality. This article proposes an efficient novel-based approach for predicting changes early in the object-oriented software. Earlier researchers have calculated change prone classes using static characteristics such as source line of code e.g. added, deleted and modified. This research work proposes to use dynamic metrics such as execution duration, run time information, regularity, class dependency and popularity for predicting change prone classes. Execution duration and run time information are evaluated directly from the software. Class dependency is obtained from UML2.0 class and sequence diagrams. Regularity and popularity is acquired from frequent item set mining algorithms and an ABC algorithm. For classifying the class as change-prone or non-change-prone class an Interactive Dichotomizer version 3 (ID3) algorithm is used. Further validation of the results is done using two open source software, OpenClinic and OpenHospital.
Research of Software Reliability Test Based on Test Model
Authors: Hong-Hui LI , Ai-Hua Zhao , Jun-Wen Zhang
Published: February 2018

This article describes how in recent years, models-based software reliability test methods have been a hot topic. In order to summarize the research results of the reliability test models created in recent years, and to find new research hot topics on this basis, two kinds of test models are in this article. These include the operational profile and the usage model which are introduced and compared. In addition, the methods of constructing a usage model are also discussed in detail. Finally, the topic of building a usage model is presented.
Socio-Economic and Environmental Impacts of Poor Paper Management at Higher Education Institutions in Ethiopia
Authors: Mohammed Akalewold Fedilu , Ibrahim Abdurahman Hamza , Belay Degwale Gebeyehu
Published: February 2018

Currently there are 34 universities in Ethiopia which enrolled hundreds of thousands of students which generated large volume of waste paper a year. Therefore, this article has an objective of assessing the socio-economic and environmental impacts of poor paper management at higher education institutions of Ethiopia with a particular focus on Hawassa University. The findings of the study revealed that a large volume of paper is consumed for different academic purposes. Due to the poor management of paper consumption as well as poor waste management practices, the university faced socio-economic and environmental problems. By 2015/16 academic year a total of 94,025 reams of paper were used at Hawassa University. This has created a large volume of waste paper at offices, which resulted in unpleasant working environment. Incineration is the only means of waste paper disposal, which created environmental pollution and health risks to the university community. Moreover, the university also lost a significant amount of money which would have been gained from selling to paper recycling industries.
Socio-Economic and Psychological Risks of Unemployed Youth in Developing Countries
Authors: Belay Degwale Gebeyehu , Robi Getu Alemu
Published: February 2018

Urban youth unemployment has become a worldwide phenomenon in which Ethiopia is not an exception. Hawassa as among major cities of Ethiopia has become a home for many unemployed young people. This article has an overall objective of assessing the socio-economic and psychological risks of unemployed youth in Hawassa city. To address this objective, the article adopted both quantitative and qualitative research methods. A total of 157 unemployed youth were taken as a sample. Moreover, FGDs with unemployed youth and key informant interviews with different government institutions were important data collection tools. The findings reveal that unemployment affects the marital status, dignity, self-esteem, social status, education, and other socio-economic and psychological attributes of young people.
Evolution of Linked Data Application Domains From 2009 to 2015
Authors: Bahanshal Alia O. , Al-Khalifa Hend S.
Published: February 2018

Nowadays, research in Linked Data has significantly advanced and it now entails enormous area of applications like research publications and data sets. Its flexibility and effectiveness in handling and linking data from numerous sources has made Linked Data more popular. The aim of this article is to systematically present literature review of Linked Data and its development since 2009. Moreover, cumulative experiences and lessons learned from recent years will be highlighted. Findings showed that Linked Data has grown in the past five years in terms of number of datasets, research publications and domain-specific applications.
Determinants of Intention to Use Local E-Government Services in Ghana
Authors: Mensah Isaac Kofi , Mi Jianing
Published: February 2018

The purpose of this article is to investigate factors determining the intention to adopt and use local e-government services in Ghana. A research questionnaire was administered to potential respondents in Municipal, Metropolitan and District Assemblies (MMDAs). The data was analyzed with SPSS while the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) was used as the theoretical framework for this study. The results demonstrated that, apart from education, demographic factors such as age and gender were all significant and have a direct impact on intention to use local e-government services. Predictors such as perceived ease of use, perceived service quality, and trust were also found to be significant in influencing the use of local e-government services but interestingly, computer self-efficacy has no significant impact on the intention to use local e-government services. The implications of these findings on local e-government implementation are further discussed.
The Benefits of Cloud Computing
Authors: Chatzithanasis Georgios , Michalakelis Christos
Published: February 2018

Cloud computing is gaining ground in the global ICT market and day by day a significant number of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are adopting cloud services with sole purpose to improve their business environment and become more efficient, competitive and productive. Migrating a business IT infrastructure to the cloud offers reduction on server and storage costs, software maintenance expenditures, network and energy expenses as well as costs associated with disaster recovery. Since the cloud computing model works on a “pay-as-you-go” basis, it provides the option to pay for what is used. Thus, its adoption can offer slow start-up or expansion costs, creating an environment for rapid innovation and development. Into that context, this article presents the Greek side of cloud evolution through two representative case studies, the migration of an IT system of a Greek industry, from an in-house data center to Google Cloud and a study of the “in-house” IT infrastructure of the National Confederation of Hellenic Commerce. Findings from the Greek industry, indicate that the cloud proposal could cost 50%, or 24% less per month (depending on the solution). As far as the National Confederation of Hellenic Commerce is concerned, the article proposes only a new measure of security using Cloud services for reasons that will be discussed at the case study. Both case studies take into account the present costs of the IT system (energy consumption, third party contracts and maintenance) and propose alternatives through cloud migration. Results indicate that cloud computing offers benefits and significant cost savings for both studied cases, showing promising ways for the successful adoption of the cloud.
Acceptance of an Online Voting System at the Catholic University Institute of Buea
Authors: Ngatchu Damen Nyinkeu , Ngwa Andrew M. , Esowe Susannash Limunga
Published: February 2018

Increasingly, more software is developed locally, to address the needs of the developer's immediate community and yet little research has been done regarding their acceptance. The technology acceptance model (TAM), which has greatly been used in literature, failed to consider some cultural particularities of such software. Furthermore, most research has focused on the acceptance of foreign technologies in Africa. The primary objective of this article, is to investigate the validity of TAM for locally developed software within a community. The article utilizes quantitative methodology based on data gathered using a modified version of a published survey instrument; as well as Short Message Service for the collection of qualitative data. The findings concur with previous studies on technology acceptance and the raises interests on the use of qualitative data for understanding the context of technology acceptance.
The Creative Turn of the Wine Industry
Authors: Sasso Pasquale , Solima Ludovico
Published: February 2018

This article describes how there is a large amount of research on strategic management literature on wine industry; however, there is insufficient published literature that underlines the importance of wine as a creative product. In the aesthetic economy, specific industries such as food, there is an active contribution to economic growth. In this context, artistic creation plays a fundamental role and creativity and savoir-faire to become symbols of a new way to produce. In this context, wine can be considered an aesthetic product. It is a symbol of quality, civilization and authenticity. Wine is defined as “the liquid art” also, because its production process is a combination of emotions and creativity, but also branding and design. This article aims to understand if wine can really be considered a creative product and if the wine industry can be considered a creative industry with the goal of developing a creative wine business. Finally, this article presents a synthesis of a qualitative analysis based on secondary data, with contributions coming from literature and empirical cases.
An Ontological Analysis Framework for Domain-Specific Modeling Languages
Authors: Verdonck Michael , Gailly Frederik
Published: February 2018

This article describes how domain-specific modeling languages (DSML) are developed to specifically model certain domains and their phenomena. Over the last 15 years, different kinds of DSMLs have been ontologically analyzed to improve their ontological expressiveness. However, the term ‘ontological analyses' encompasses a great variety of different purposes, techniques or methods, and can thus be performed in many different ways without maintaining clear differentiation. Therefore, in this article, the authors aim to structure the process of conducting an ontological analysis, and offers guidelines in the form of descriptive patterns for analyzing a DSML. With the help of this framework, a researcher with a specific purpose can recognize the required patterns and types of methods that can be followed in order to successfully conduct an ontological analysis and achieve the intended purpose.
QGLG Automatic Energy Gear-Shifting Mechanism with Flexible QoS Constraint in Cyber-Physical Systems
Authors: You Xindong , Li Yeli , Zhu Zhenyang , Yu Lifeng , Sun Dawei
Published: February 2018

This article describes how with the continuous expansion on the volume of data produced by sensors in Cyber Physical Systems, the scale of the cloud storage system has become larger. This will lead to the problems of a high energy consumption rate and a low utilization becoming a serious issue. In order to enhance the effective energy consumption, reduce the invalid energy consumption, and supply more flexible QoS for users in CPS, this article proposes an automatic energy gear-shifting mechanism with flexible QoS constraints (QGLG). The QGLG predicts system load of the follow-up period through a support vector machine model. According to the current system load, the predicted load, and the flexible QoS, QGLG automatically up-shifts and down-shifts among nodes. Substantive results from the simulation experiments done on GridSim show that the QGLG can achieve energy consumption reduction while satisfying the user's flexible QoS requirements. Compared with a similar energy-reducing mechanism, QGLG has its obvious advantage when considering the requirements of user with energy saved notwithstanding.
CIO Competencies From the IT Professional Perspective
Authors: Joia Luiz Antonio , Correia José Carlos P.
Published: February 2018

The position of Chief Information Officer (CIO) has become increasingly important in companies. However, it can be perceived that this professional, whose functions are increasingly complex, realizes that his/her core competencies are not always sufficient to tackle the daily professional routine centered around the constant transformations the business arena has witnessed. Thus, by using Social Representation Theory operationalized by the Words Evocation Technique, this article sets out to investigate what the Brazilian IT professional perceptions about the CIO core competencies are, in order to compare them with the Brazilian CIO perceptions about his/her own competencies. The work concludes that in Brazil there is strong cognitive dissonance between those perceptions, as only the “capacity to influence the organization” and “technical expertise” competencies are perceived as being essential competencies for CIOs both by IT professionals and CIOs themselves. Lastly, the article highlights some managerial implications accrued from the results obtained.
The Theory and Practice of IT Governance Maturity and Strategies Alignment
Authors: Safari Mojtaba Rees , Jiang Qingquan
Published: February 2018

Information technology (IT) is considered as a major and strategic part in development of banks business, and banks using IT as a competitive advantage. Nowadays IT governance is as a constituent part of governance in banks. Key role of information and communication technology (ICT) in bank growth and development is obvious to top managers, but what needs to be considered carefully is the alignment of business strategies with IT strategies. This article intends to investigate the significant differences of IT governance maturity among the Iranian Banking Industry (publicly-owned and privately-owned). To achieve these implications, an IT governance framework and COBIT 4.1 were employed, using data from 17 large publicly-owned and privately-owned banks. The results indicate that privately-owned banks have a higher maturity rank in alignment of business strategies with IT strategies compared to publicly-owned banks.
Optimizing Waiting Room Utilization in High Speed Railway Stations Based on an Information Integration Approach
Authors: Niu Feng , Lei Dingyou , Zhang Yinggui , Wang Zhe
Published: February 2018

The setting of railway station waiting room and waiting zones relates to passengers' feeling and satisfaction. In this article, the authors develop an optimization model for railway station waiting room assignment, as well as considering adjustment of platforms. With four types of improvement strategies: zone optimization, room optimization, time optimization and interactive priority policy, this optimal model aims to effectively and efficiently improve the railway service quality and security.
When Is Information Quality More Important?
Authors: Yuan Xina , Chu Kyounghee , Cai Shun
Published: February 2018

One of the key elements that an electronic retailer (e-tailer) relies on for converting website visitors to buyers is information quality management. Previous studies recognized that information quality is a significant predictor of the online consumers' trust, satisfaction with the goods offered by the e-tailer, and most importantly, purchase intention. However, the extant research has largely ignored the possibly contingent effects of information quality on consumer's purchasing intention. By integrating theories and prior research findings from the marketing and e-commerce field, this article validates the direct effect of information quality on consumer's purchasing intention. More importantly, the authors propose that an e-tailer's market-oriented image (perceived market orientation) and consumer's shopping value would have a moderating role on the relationship between information quality and purchasing intention. A survey was conducted to collect data to test the proposed research model. The results generally support the authors' hypotheses. The practical and theoretical contributions of the study are discussed.
Synthetic Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Composite Manufactured by Resin Transfer Molding Technique: Foundations and Engineering Applications
Authors: do Nascimento Santos M.J. , Delgado J.M.P.Q. , Barbosa de Lima A.G.
Published: February 2018

This chapter focuses on the manufacturing of polymer composites reinforced by synthetic fiber with emphasis to the resin transfer molding technique (RTM). Herein, different related topics to foundations, classification, constituents and technological applications of polymer composites are presented. The problems associated to reinforcement and matrix interface and the manufacturing techniques of polymer composites are discussed. The study confirms RTM technique as a highly efficient process as compared with other manufacturing techniques of polymer composites.