bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Creating IS Quality in Government Settings
Authors: Horiuchi Catherine
Published: May 2011

The level of information system quality that is considered acceptable to government technology managers and the public varies; operational success over the long run — a backward-mapping evaluation — is the most highly valued feature defining quality information systems. Public agencies, unlike private sector firms, exist to meet mandated service requirements and have limited ability to create revenue streams essential to fund information systems that might improve organizational bureaucracies. Beyond basic bureaucratic functions, governments serve the public interest by sustaining high reliability networks such as water and electric systems in addition to providing fundamental public safety and national security. High profile information system failures detract from public awareness that the bulk of systems work adequately within a complicated network of thousands of interlocking and overlapping governmental entities. Demands for productivity and innovation, increased contracting out of government services, and more sophisticated leadership shape the quality profile for the future.
A Taxonomy of Database Operations on Mobile Devices
Authors: Lim Say Ying , Taniar David , Srinivasan Bala
Published: May 2011

In this chapter, we present an extensive study of database operations on mobile devices which provides an understanding and direction for processing data locally on mobile devices. Generally, it is not efficient to download everything from the remote databases and display on a small screen. Also in a mobile environment, where users move when issuing queries to the servers, location has become a crucial aspect. Our taxonomy of database operations on mobile devices mainly consists of on-mobile join operations and on-mobile location dependent operations. For the on-mobile join operation, we include pre- and post-processing whereas for on-mobile location dependent operations, we focus on set operations arise from location-dependent queries.
Adaptation and Personalization of User Interface and Content
Authors: Georgiadis Christos K.
Published: May 2011

Adaptive services based on context-awareness are considered to be a precious benefit of mobile applications. Effective adaptations however, have to be based on critical context criteria. For example, presence and availability mechanisms enable the system to decide when the user is in a certain locale and whether the user is available to engage in certain actions. What is even more challenging is a personalization of the user interface to the interests and preferences of the individual user and the characteristics of the used end device. Multimedia personalization is concerned with the building of an adaptive multimedia system that can customize the representation of multimedia content to the needs of a user. Mobile multimedia personalization especially, is related with the particular features of mobile devices’ usage. In order to fully support customization processes, a personalization perspective is essential to classify the multimedia interface elements and to analyze their influence on the effectiveness of mobile applications.
Personalized Redirection of Communication Data
Authors: Yang Yuping , Williams M. Howard
Published: May 2011

One current vision of future communication systems lies in a universal system that can deliver information and communications at any time and place and in any form. However, in addition to this, the user needs to be able to control what communication is delivered and where, depending on his or her context and the nature of the communication. Personalized redirection is concerned with providing the user with appropriate control over this. Depending on the user’s preferences, current context and attributes of the communication the user can control its delivery. This chapter provides an understanding of what is meant by personalized redirection through a set of scenarios. From these, it identifies the common features and requirements for any system for personalized communications, and hence the essential functionality required to support this. It goes on to describe in detail two systems that aim to provide a personalized redirection service for communication and information.
Mobile Fractal Generation
Authors: Doolan Daniel C. , Tabirca Sabin , Yang Laurence T.
Published: May 2011

Ever since the discovery of the Mandelbrot set, the use of computers to visualise fractal images have been an essential component. We are looking at the dawn of a new age, the age of ubiquitous computing. With many countries having near 100% mobile phone usage, there is clearly a potentially huge computation resource becoming available. In the past years there have been a few applications developed to generate fractal images on mobile phones. This chapter discusses three possible methodologies whereby such images can be visualised on mobile devices. These methods include: the generation of an image on a phone, the use of a server to generate the image and finally the use of a network of phones to distribute the processing task.
Desin of an Enhanced 3G-Based Mobile Healthcare System
Authors: Mas José Ruiz , Viruete Navarro Eduardo Antonio , Ramos Carolina Hernández , Iglesias Álvaro Alesanco , Navajas Julián Fernández , Bardaji Antonio Valdovinos , Istepanian Robert S.H. , Moros José García
Published: May 2011

An enhanced mobile healthcare multi-collaborative system operating over Third Generation (3G) mobile networks is presented. This chapter describes the design and use of this system in different medical and critical emergency scenarios provided with universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS) accesses. In these environments, it is designed to communicate healthcare personnel with medical specialists in a remote hospital. The system architecture is based on advanced signalling protocols that allow multimedia multi-collaborative conferences in IPv4/IPv6 3G scenarios. The system offers real-time transmission of medical data and videoconference, together with other non real-time services. It has been optimized specifically to operate over 3G mobile networks using the most appropriate codecs. Evaluation results show a reliable performance over IPv4 UMTS accesses (64 Kbps in the uplink). In the future, advances in m-Health systems will make easier for mobile patients to interactively get the medical attention and advice they need.
The Relationship Between Digital Forensics, Corporate Governance, IT Governance, and IS Governance
Authors: von Solms S.H. (Basie) , Louwrens C.P. (Buks)
Published: May 2011

The purpose of this chapter is twofold: Firstly, we want to determine the relationships, if any, between the discipline of digital forensics and the peer disciplines of corporate governance, information technology governance, and information security governance. Secondly, after we have determined such relationships between these disciplines, we want to determine if there is an overlap between these disciplines, and if so, investigate the content of the overlap between information technology governance and digital forensics.Therefore, we want to position the discipline of digital forensics in relation to corporate governance, information technology governance, and information security governance, and describe in detail the relationship between information technology governance and digital forensics.
Digital "Evidence" is Often Evidence of Nothing
Authors: Caloyannides Michael A.
Published: May 2011

Digital data increasingly presented in courts as evidence is mistakenly viewed by judges and juries as inherently unalterable. In fact, digital data can be very easily altered and it can be impossible for this falsification to be detected. A number of common ways are described whereby data in one’s computer can enter without the computer owner’s knowledge, let alone complicity. The same applies to all digital storage media, such as those used in digital cameras, digital “tape” recorders, digital divers’ computers, GPS “navigators”, and all other digital devices in common use today. It is important for judges and juries to be highly skeptical of any claims by prosecution that digital “evidence” proves anything at all.
Information Technology Offshoring Outsourcing
Authors: Gupta Smita , Chaudhari Narendra S.
Published: May 2011

Offshore outsourcing is a term covering a range of information technology (IT) and business services delivered to companies in developed countries by IT personnel based in developing countries. The significant cost savings achieved by the offshore model is the prime factor in its growing acceptance and use. IT software and service outsourcing is becoming a new reality for employers, employees, government and academicians. The widespread use of Internet, standardization of software development methodologies, efficient IT project management techniques, low cost of telecommunications, have provided the necessary thrust for global production of software and services. In this chapter, we analyze the impact of today’s offshore outsourcing movement to the United States economy, education, jobs, wages, and social issues. We suggest that offshoring is a viable economic model. It leads to improved productivity, lower inflation and eventually growth in jobs and wages. The U.S. will also see significant numbers of “in-sourced” jobs because of subsidiaries of foreign based companies. Future job growth in different areas of business and skills, require young students and present IT workforce to acquire them with education and training. Federal Reserve chairman Alan Greenspan has also expressed the need to produce highly skilled workers. The loss of jobs of IT workers is the difficult aspect of offshoring. Laid-off workers should be provided assistance to find a new comparable job, both by the U.S. government and companies. In this chapter, we make some recommendations to reduce, minimize and overcome the hardships caused by the IT outsourcing.
Real Life Case Studies of Offshore Outsourced IS Projects
Authors: Chakrabarty Subrata
Published: May 2011

The primary purpose of this chapter is to present descriptive real-life case studies of different offshore-outsourced custom software development projects (that the author has actually worked for). The first case study discusses the practical issues in two fixed-term/fixed-price custom software development projects that were offshore-outsourced. The second case study discusses the practical issues in the offshore-outsourcing of a time and materials custom software development project to multiple vendors, which involved simultaneous insourcing, onshore-outsourcing and offshore-outsourcing. Furthermore, the observations and issues from these case studies are analyzed by comparing them with the paradigms of socio-economic theories that have been adopted extensively in the academic IS outsourcing literature (namely the agency theory, transaction cost theory, innovation diffusion theory, social exchange theory, and power-politics theory).
Does Strategic Outsourcing Undermine the Innovative Capability of Organizations?
Authors: Hoecst A. , Trott P.
Published: May 2011

In this chapter we argue that firms have responded to the intense pressure from markets and financial operators to reduce asset investments by outsourcing activities. Outsourcing was originally confined to peripheral business functions and mainly motivated by a cost saving logic, but has now developed into a routine strategic management move that affects not only peripheral functions but the heart of the competitive core of organisations. At the same time there is a move from traditional outsourcing with one or a small number of key partners and long-term contracts to strategic outsourcing with multiple partners and short-term contracts. This chapter investigates the innovation-related risks that can arise from strategic outsourcing. It uses the example of Information technology/Information Systems (IT/IS) outsourcing to highlight the increased risks that arise from a move from traditional to strategic outsourcing and discusses some measures that managers can take to attempt to control these risks. The nature of the risk is closely related to the risk of information leakage that arises from collaborative research and technology development between organisations in technology-intensive sectors that has been analysed by Hoecht and Trott (1999).
Wrapper Induction Programs as Information Extraction Assistants
Authors: Jantke Klaus , Müller Carsten
Published: May 2011

These days, search engines are useful tools relying on quite elaborated technologies which, albeit their enormous frequency of usage and the sophistication of the technologies invoked, continuously frustrate thousands of users. They are simply tools not easy to wield, but they are far from being assistants to their human users. Wrappers are extraction procedures which exploit knowledge of how to wrap information into documents for extracting such information on demand. Wrappers alone are nothing more than highly specialized tools. But the development of wrapper types and information ex-traction technologies has paved the road for a transformation of information extraction tools into intelligent assistants. Such a technology transformation program is outlined and discussed in some detail. The chapter stresses the dichotomy of internal mechanisms and external assistance behavior. It is the authors’ general intention to contribute to the discussion about perspectives of intelligent systems’ assistance. Which properties, features or “systems’ abilities” do establish intelligent assistance beyond the limits of comfortable tools? What are related advantages and drawbacks? What are the potentials and what are the risks of the general trend from tools to assistants? Wrapper induction serves as a representative case study.
Formalization of User Preferences, Obligations and Rights
Authors: Schewe Klaus-Dieter , Thalheim Bernhard , Tretiakov Alexei
Published: May 2011

The aim of this chapter is to formalize user preferences, obligations, and rights in the context of Web information systems (WISs), and to indicate how this formalization can be used to reason about WIS specifications. This problem is approached on two levels of abstraction. On a high level a WIS is represented by a storyboard, which itself can be represented by an algebraic expression in a Kleene algebra with tests (KAT). Preferences can be formalized using the equational theory of KATs, which enable sophisticated propositional reasoning that can be applied to WIS personalization. Obligations and rights give rise to a propositional deontic logic. On a lower level of abstraction detailed state specifications are added using extended views. This amounts to replacing KATs by higher-order dynamic logic, using a higher-order deontic logic, and the formalization of proof obligations.
Investment in IT and the Business Performance of Financial Companies
Authors: Henriques Irene , Sadorsky Perry
Published: May 2011

Global information technology and competitive financial alliances are helping to reshape the business landscape. Information technology (IT) and well functioning financial markets play a crucial role in increasing economic growth and prosperity. The purpose of this study is to empirically investigate the relationship between investment in IT and the business performance of financial companies. A vector autoregressive (VAR) model is used to test hypotheses one (increased spending on IT increases financial performance) and two (increased financial performance increases spending on IT) where financial performance is assumed to be adequately measured by stock price returns. Control variables for general business cycle conditions are included in the analysis. Our results show that the greatest benefits from increases in technology accrue to insurance and other financial companies. Managers of these companies could increase their business performance through strategic investment and use of IT.
Recent Developments of Digital Cash Projects in Japan
Authors: Yamori Nobuyoshi , Nishigaki Nobuyoshi
Published: May 2011

Most discussions and analyses regarding Japanese financial institutions during the 1990s have focused on the lingering effects of the collapse of the bubble economy, including huge non-performing loans and large-scale bank failures. Thus, it is natural for foreign observers to fail to acknowledge that many Japanese banks and other non-bank enterprises have conducted forward-looking projects despite their financial difficulties. One of these projects has been to develop digital cash technology and promote its usage. Because people in Japan tend to use cash for daily payments more often than people in other nations, if the Japanese begin using digital cash instead of traditional cash (i.e., Bank of Japan’s notes and coins), we anticipate that digital cash will have a larger potential effect on the society and economy in Japan than in other nations. Efforts to establish digital cash projects made discernible progress in the early 2000s, and digital cash is more commonly used now in Japan than in other IT-advanced countries. This chapter attempts to provide an overview of the recent development of digital cash projects in Japan, and to discuss the issues involved in the further growth of digital cash usage. This chapter is organized as follows. Section 1 presents the introduction. In Section 2, we explain the historical developments of digital cash projects in Japan. Section 3 discusses what factors led to remarkable progress in digital cash usage in the early 2000s. Section 4 describes the remaining issues that must be addressed for further growth of digital cash usage. Finally, Section 5 concludes the chapter.
"It's the Mobility, Stupid"
Authors: Roggenkamp Klas
Published: May 2011

This chapter looks at mobility and the term government to describe in?uencing factors for the process of designing mobile government. A detailed review of perspectives on mobility and a subsequent examination of the government term is given to reach a better understanding of what mobile government can be. Furthermore, four questions are re?ned which are aimed at helping to ?rst justify and assess a possible m-government service and second to classify this service in a given context. By focusing on mobility as a key component of mobile government, the author hopes to aid developers and researchers alike with designing new and better mobile services within the public sector.
Precontract Challenges
Authors: Tarhan A. , Gencel C. , Demirors O.
Published: May 2011

The acquisition of software-intensive systems demands significant work on requirements prior to establishing the contract. Two significant challenges of the precontract phase are the identification of functional requirements and the determination of an approximate budget. In this chapter, experiences gained from the implementation of a business-process-based requirements-elicitation approach to two large innovative military applications are presented. The requirements-elicitation process proposes the determination of the requirements of a software-intensive system to be acquired from the business objectives and defined processes. In addition to the details related to the requirements-elicitation process, management practices for coordinating the efforts related to the acquisition process and determination of costs are also discussed.
Case Study
Authors: Chung S.
Published: May 2011

The primary objective of this case study is to discuss a retail business information system illustrating an e-business integration example among a biometric attendance system, a surveillance system, and a point-of-sale system. Using a service-oriented architecture allows businesses to build on top of legacy applications or construct new applications in order to take advantage of the power of Web services. Over the past years, Web services have finally developed enough to allow such basic architectures to be built. Each of the components in the system will be designed and developed using a service-oriented architecture that clearly illustrates how such cutting-edge systems can be put together. By designing these components in such a fashion, this example will focus on applying service-oriented development and integration techniques to the retail sector. The result of this project will be an integrated system that can be used by businesses everywhere to learn how their organizations can benefit from service-oriented architecture. Also, the application of the service-oriented development and integration to systems that were previously stand-alone and heterogeneous is discussed. All previous experiences in object-oriented architectures and design methodology are naturally streamlined with the service-oriented architecture, supporting the loose coupling of software components.
ePortfolio Thinking
Authors: Henry Ronald J.
Published: May 2011

This chapter introduces an electronic portfolio (ePortfolio) that includes student work, student reflection, and faculty comments as a means of capturing student progress through a program of study. It argues that with an ePortfolio, a student could record progress through a program of study and then graduate on demonstrated mastery of learning outcomes rather than on credits earned and hours in class. Alternatively, it could contain evidence of mastery of a particular literacy or skill that might give a student a credential that is more than a course but less than a degree. Further, an ePortfolio has the potential to enhance advising and admissions practices for students transferring from one institution to another. Once in an institution, an ePortfolio has the potential to be linked to a student tracking system, where advisers could be automatically alerted about student progress on development towards program learning outcomes and could intervene as necessary.
Development Issues for PDP with ePortfolios
Authors: Grant Simon , Marshall Adam , Strivens Janet , Clark Roger
Published: May 2011

This chapter describes approaches firstly towards a service-oriented architecture for personal development planning (PDP), and secondly towards representing skills for interoperability. We outline a personal information aggregation and distribution service (PIADS) which serves as the key concept within a distributed approach to storing information suitable for ePortfolios and PDP, and using it through Web services. Our skills “meta-framework” is outlined as a long-term practical solution to the challenge of widely diverse descriptions of skills. It uses a published specification (IMS1 Reusable Definition of Competence or Educational Objective, RDCEO2), and elaborates this to distinguish between conceptual “competency” definitions and operational “educational objective” definitions. If these issues are not addressed, the practical value of ePortfolios for PDP would be limited. Thus the chapter is of particular importance to those planning and designing future ePortfolio systems and services.
Using ePortfolios to Enhance Reflective Learning and Development
Authors: Doig Bob , Illsley Barbara , McLuckie Joseph , Parsons Richard
Published: May 2011

This chapter argues that it is essential that ePortfolio development is driven by pedagogical considerations, thus ensuring the effective use of these technologies to support learning. Drawing on experience of implementing ePortfolios in an institutional context, the chapter considers how best to meet the needs of learners within a system of effective eLearning support and emphasises the key role of developing reflective writing skills if the ePortfolio is to be an effective way of learning. Creating and deploying key learning activities that effectively use ePortfolios is now a much greater constraint to the correct use of ePortfolios in learning than the technical design or capabilities of ePortfolio software.
Electronic Portfolio Initiatives
Authors: Ehrmann Stephen C.
Published: May 2011

The goal of this chapter is to help the reader learn to use research and evaluative data to select which activities improve an ePortfolio initiative; accelerate the pace at which people within an institution begin to use ePortfolios for those activities; and limit the cost, stress, and risk associated with carrying out those activities, including the ePortfolio infrastructure that supports them.
ePortfolio in the UK
Authors: Dalziel Colin , Challen Rachel , Sutherland Shane
Published: May 2011

This chapter investigates the emergence of ePortfolio systems in the UK and the drivers for their adoption as part of the national agenda for lifelong learning. Beginning with a historical perspective, the chapter highlights UK initiatives that have led higher education institutions toward providing ePortfolio facilities for their students, and highlights why ePortfolios are becoming more popular for supporting learners and learning. The authors aim to provide a context for ePortfolios in the UK, discuss the drivers for change, identify some of the issues faced by institutions, and highlight some of the differences in ePortfolio adoption between the UK and other countries.
Implementing Electronic Portfolios at Bowling Green State University
Authors: Hakel Milton D. , Gromko Mark H. , Blackburn Jessica L.
Published: May 2011

This chapter outlines the implementation of electronic portfolio technology as part of a university initiative to improve learning. The implementation of electronic portfolios, via Epsilen Software, is discussed in terms of key features deemed necessary by Bowling Green State University’s assessment committee. One of the key features of the software is the matrix. This matrix is discussed in terms of its use for documenting student learning on the university’s learning outcomes. Reactions from current users are also provided. The chapter concludes by providing the current status of electronic portfolio usage at the university and a discussion of future plans for the software.
Twisting the Kaleidoscope
Authors: Devlin-Scherer Roberta , Martinelli Joseph , Sardone Nancy
Published: May 2011

This exploratory study examines if student perceptions and ePortfolio products match faculty beliefs that ePortfolios are influential learning experiences. Multiple methods of data collection (survey about values and uses of ePortfolios, and content analysis of the quality of ePortfolios) are used to triangulate the results. Student ePortfolios are reviewed for level of difficulty, uniqueness, design, and depth of reflection. Multiple raters help ensure reliability. Bivariate analysis as descriptive statistics is used to determine if any relationship exists between ePortfolio rubric score and academic credits earned in computer technology courses. This research aims to inform the development process of ePortfolios across university campuses, and suggests that the investment of time and resources in this authentic assessment process is yielding some valuable results.
Implementing an Outcome-Based Assessment Portfolio
Authors: Wagner Matthew , Lamoureux Elizabeth
Published: May 2011

This case study examines the introduction of an ePortfolio requirement as a means of assessing student learning and program effectiveness. The Communication and Performance Studies major at Buena Vista University in Storm Lake, Iowa, began piloting the use of an assessment ePortfolio in the spring of 2003 and has since fully implemented it as a program requirement. Although the potential of ePortfolios is still being realized, research suggests the benefit of involving students in program assessment. Case studies are helpful to further define and articulate the emerging literature on assessment ePortfolios. Using qualitative research methods, strengths and weaknesses of this ePortfolio implementation are identified, and areas of improvement are discussed.
Future-Focused ePortfolios at Montana State University-Northern
Authors: Richter Jonathon J.
Published: May 2011

This chapter introduces the idea of using electronic portfolios for enhancing the future thinking of an organization’s learners. At Montana State University–Northern, faculty are using ePortfolios to elicit deep learning by encouraging students to reflect on their work in terms of what is possible, what is probable, and what is preferable in their professional lives as educators. By detailing the context that MSU-Northern’s ePortfolio system entails, this chapter may assist practitioners to glean some of the advantages of and the factors for getting students to think systematically about the future using electronic portfolios, and researchers to address relevant issues surrounding the application of future-focused ePortfolios.
Provisioning and Inventory Control
Authors: Quayle Michael
Published: May 2011

Provisioning and inventory control is crucial to a wide range of organisations in ensuring a smooth operation of the supply chain. Getting it wrong can be disastrous.
Stores Management
Authors: Quayle Michael
Published: May 2011

Stores management is a crucial part of the supply chain in terms of location, stock held, storage, and replenishment.
Development of ANN with Adaptive Connections by CE
Authors: Dorado Julián , Pedreira Nieves , Miguelez Mónica
Published: May 2011

This chapter presents the use of Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) and Evolutionary Computation (EC) techniques to solve real-world problems including those with a temporal component. The development of the ANN maintains some problems from the beginning of the ANN field that can be palliated applying EC to the development of ANN. In this chapter, we propose a multilevel system, based on each level in EC, to adjust the architecture and to train ANNs. Finally, the proposed system offers the possibility of adding new characteristics to the processing elements (PE) of the ANN without modifying the development process. This characteristic makes possible a faster convergence between natural and artificial neural networks.
Several Approaches to Variable Selection by Means of Genetic Algorithms
Authors: Pose Marcos G. , Carollo Alberto C. , Garda José M.A. , Gomez-Carracedo Mari P.
Published: May 2011

This chapter shows several approaches to determine how the most relevant subset of variables can perform a classification task. It will permit the improvement and efficiency of the classification model. A particular technique of evolutionary computation, the genetic algorithms, is applied which aim to obtain a general method of variable selection where only the fitness function will be dependent on the particular problem. The solution proposed is applied and tested on a practical case in the field of analytical chemistry to classify apple beverages.
Hybrid System with Artificial Neural Networks and Evolutionary Computation in Civil Engineering
Authors: Rabunal Juan R. , Puertas Juan
Published: May 2011

This chapter proposes an application of two techniques of artificial intelligence in a civil engineering area: the artificial neural networks (ANN) and the evolutionary computation (EC). In this chapter, it is shown how these two techniques can work together in order to solve a problem in hydrology. This problem consists on modeling the effect of rain on the runoff flow in a typical urban basin. The ultimate goal is to design a real-time alarm system for floods or subsidence warning in various types of urban basins. A case study is included as an example.
Connectionist Systems for Fishing Prediction
Authors: Iglesias Alfonso , Arcay Bernardino , Cotos José M.
Published: May 2011

This chapter explains the foundations of a new support system for fisheries, based on connectionist techniques, digital image treatment, and fuzzy logic. The purpose of our system is to increase the output of the pelagic fisheries without endangering the natural balance of the fishing resources. It uses data from various remote sensors and the logbook of a collaborating fishing boat to improve the catches of the Prionace Glauca, a pelagic shark species also known as the blue shark.
Ontology Enhancement for Including Newly Acquired Knowledge About Concept Descirptions and Answering Imprecise Queries
Authors: Dey Lipika , Abulaish Muhammad
Published: May 2011

This chapter presents a text-mining-based ontology enhancement and query-processing system. The key ideas introduced here are that of learning and including imprecise concept descriptions into ontology structures. This is essential for ontology-based text information extraction since it is not necessary that text description of the concepts or user-specified descriptions will exactly match stored concept descriptions. The traditional property-value framework for concept description has been extended to a property-value-qualifier framework for this purpose. The system also supports ontology enhancement by identifying, defining, and adding new precise and imprecise concept descriptions mined from text documents. The acquired knowledge is stored in a structured knowledge base for answering user queries. Since user queries may contain concept descriptions, which do not exactly match stored or known concepts, the query processor uses fuzzy reasoning for query processing. Each answer is accompanied by a confidence value that reflects its similarity to the original query concept.
Dynamic Knowledge Discovery in Open, Distributed and Multi-Ontology Systems
Authors: Castano Silvana , Ferrara Alfio , Montanelli Stefano
Published: May 2011

In open distributed systems like peer-to-peer networks and Grids, many independent peers, possibly spanned across multiple organizations, need to share information resources (e.g., data, documents, services) provided by other nodes. By dynamic knowledge discovery we mean the capability of each node of finding knowledge in the system about information resources that, at a given moment, best match the requirements of a request for given target resource(s). The chapter will focus on describing models and techniques for ontology metadata management and ontology-based dynamic knowledge discovery in open distributed systems, by describing the architecture of a toolkit for information resource discovery and sharing developed in the Helios peer-based system.
Malware and Antivirus Deployment for Enterprise Security
Authors: Sharman Raj , Krishna K. Pramod , Rao H. Raghov. , Upadhyaya Shambhu
Published: May 2011

Threats to information security are pervasive, originating from both outside and within an organization. The history of computer security is dotted with the tales of newer methods of identification, detection, and prevention of malware, only to be followed by a new set of threats that circumvent those safeguards. The explosive growth of the Internet and wide availability of toolsets and documentation exacerbates this problem by making malware development easy. As blended threats continue to combine multiple types of attacks into single and more dangerous payloads, newer threats are emerging. Phishing, pharming, spamming, spoofing, spyware, and hacking incidents are increasing at an alarming rate despite the release of breakthrough security defense products. A multi-layered, integrated approach using different security products in conjunction with well-defined security policies and antivirus software will form the foundation for effective enterprise security management.
A Comparison of Authentication, Authorization and Auditing in Windows and Linux
Authors: Taylor Art , Eder Lauren
Published: May 2011

With the rise of the Internet, computer systems appear to be more vulnerable than ever from security attacks. Much attention has been focused on the role of the network in security attacks, but it is ultimately the computer operating system that is compromised as a result of these attacks. The computer operating system represents the last line of defense in our security chain. This final layer of defense and its core defense mechanisms of authentication, authorization, and auditing deserve closer scrutiny and review. This chapter will provide an exploratory, descriptive, and evaluative discussion of these security features in the widely used Windows and Linux operating systems.
Pseudonym Technology for E-Services
Authors: Song Ronggong , Korba Larry , Yee George
Published: May 2011

Pseudonym technology is attracting more and more attention and, together with privacy violations, is becoming a major issue in various e-services. Current e-service systems make personal data collection very easy and efficient through integration, interconnection, and data mining technologies since they use the user’s real identity. Pseudonym technology with unlinkability, anonymity, and accountability can give the user the ability to control the collection, retention, and distribution of his or her personal information. This chapter explores the challenges, issues, and solutions associated with pseudonym technology for privacy protection in e-services. To have a better understanding of how the pseudonym technology provides privacy protection in e-services, we describe a general pseudonym system architecture, discuss its relationships with other privacy technologies, and summarize its requirements. Based on the requirements, we review, analyze, and compare a number of existing pseudonym technologies. We then give an example of a pseudonym practice — e-wallet for e-services and discuss current issues.
Professional Skills Acquisitions in the Internet Age
Authors: Patke Ani , Hooper Tony
Published: May 2011

If academic institutions are to be responsive to changing student and industry requirements, they need to continually match their academic offerings with both market and student requirements. In recent years, universities throughout the world have experienced a serious decline in student enrolments in information systems and electronic commerce programmes. From existing literature as well as from empirical studies, this chapter explores the skills acquisition process of information systems students in order to match undergraduate and graduate perceptions of “hard” and “soft” skills requirements in the Internet Age.
Personalized Relationship E-Marketing and the Small Medium-Sized Enterprise
Authors: Brindley Clare , Wright Diane
Published: May 2011

Many small businesses are beginning to adopt at least tactical solutions to enhance relationships between themselves and their customers. This chapter focuses on a UK-based marketing communications company which has developed an innovative personalized relationship e-marketing tool, utilizing mobile technology aimed at the SME sector. Current marketing practices, such as database marketing and CRM systems, are discussed in terms of SME adoption and whether the tool, Sign-Up.to is an effective replacement for established CRM systems. The authors conclude that while the case study company has developed a tool that will aid SMEs with their relationship marketing, the philosophy of relationship marketing must already be imbedded within the SME. The authors’ intention is to illustrate how technology can be implemented in the SME sector and to explore how technology and marketing can help each other.
Strategies for Virtual Learning and E-Entrepreneurship in Higher Education
Authors: Kettunen J.
Published: May 2011

This chapter presents the strategies of higher education institutions and how they can be described using the balanced scorecard approach. The pedagogical ICT strategy describes the virtual learning and e-entrepreneurship in higher education. Strategic themes are presented to describe what management believes must be done to succeed and achieve the desired outcomes in virtual learning and e-entrepreneurship. Strategy maps are used to describe the strategy in a graphical representation. In addition, the study presents an example of the cooperation between a higher education institution and a spin-off company. This chapter helps the educational administrators to better describe and implement strategies for virtual learning and e-entrepreneurship.
E-Organisation and Its Future Implication for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises
Authors: Azumah Gideon , Koh S. C. Lenny , Maguire Stuart
Published: May 2011

E-organisations are expected to be one of the promising organisational forms in this Internet cultural era (ICE). E-organisations are different from traditional organisations; and most traditional organisations are evolving toward becoming e-organisations. These are organisations established and operated, based on the Internet and other related technologies in an environment referred to as Internet Culture, whereby organisations will be placing the Internet at the centre of their business and encouraging ubiquitous use of networked technologies. This chapter incorporates several perspectives to examine how small and medium-sized enterprises(SMEs) use the network technologies and information and communication technology (ICT) in their current business environment. Through the use of a literature review and interviews, we analyse the various options for managing the transformation and its effects to ascertain the appropriate strategies within a range of SMEs. The results of this study reveal that the SMEs’ journey toward becoming e-organisations can be classified into three stages: 1/2-fusion; fusion; and the ultimate e-organisation stage. Based on this work, strategic solutions are proposed for future SMEs intending to adopt Internet and other network technologies.
Impact of E-Innovation on Corporate Procurement Control
Authors: Thomson J. Doug
Published: May 2011

This research addresses the very important question of the impact of e-innovation, namely, Web-based global electronic procurement systems and marketplace on corporate governance in relation to organizational purchasing — the organizational structures and processes for procurement control. This is undertaken through an action research case study of the failures and successes of competitor global organizations cooperatively establishing and utilizing a global electronic marketplace. Specifically, the research investigates how electronic procurement contributes to the adaptation and evolution of control structures — from highly structured, bureaucrati,c and rigid to flexible, adaptable, free flowing, and profitable, and these can result in substantial reductions in transaction costs.
Learning to Use IT in the Workplace
Authors: Spitler Valerie K.
Published: May 2011

Fluency with information technology (IT), defined as “an ability [to use information technology] to express [oneself] creatively, to reformulate knowledge and to synthesize new information” (Committee on Information Technology Literacy, 1999, p. ES1) is an important concern for those who manage workers with jobs that require the use of IT. Training is one mechanism to build fluency, but research about “influential individuals” hints that other mechanisms might also play a role. This article presents an interpretive case study of junior-level knowledge workers at a management consulting firm. To learn to use the IT of their jobs, these workers relied not only on formal training, but also on on-the-job learning through experimentation; reading books, manuals and online help; and social interaction with their peers. The researcher identified different types of “master users” who were indispensable for this learning to take place. The findings of this study suggest that managers and researchers interested in training users also devote attention to these other mechanisms for learning, especially the “master user” phenomenon. “Fluency with information technology… entails a process of lifelong learning in which individuals continually apply what they know to adapt to change and acquire more knowledge to be more effective at applying information technology to their work and personal lives.” (Committee on Information Technology Literacy, 1999, pp. ES1-2)
The Impact of IT Personnel Skills on IS Infrastructure and Competitive IS
Authors: Byrd Terry A. , Lewis Bruce R. , Turner Douglas E.
Published: May 2011

The knowledge and skills of information technology (IT) personnel have become of critical importance as the strategic value of IT in modern organizations has become apparent. In addition to technical skills traditionally expected of IT personnel, organizational, functional, and managerial skills have been increasingly cited as mandatory for these employees. This paper used a well-accepted typology of IT personnel knowledge and skills, and investigated its relationship to desirable technological traits in organizations and to technological variables that have been closely aligned to competitive advantage in organizations. This exploratory examination used the statistical technique of canonical correlation analysis to investigate the relationship between IT personnel knowledge and skills and the flexibility of information systems (IS) infrastructure. Additionally, the same technique was used to test the relationship between the knowledge and skills of these personnel and measures of IT contribution to competitive advantage. In both cases, the relationships were significant and positive. Implications of these findings and a call for further research into the strategic value of IT personnel knowledge and skills are discussed.
Effect of Tasks, Salaries, and Shocks on Job Satisfaction Among MIS Professionals
Authors: Niederman Fred , Sumner Mary
Published: May 2011

This chapter contrasts attitudes and attributes of current and former positions of IT professionals who have changed jobs within the IT field. It also examines relationships among key variables of tasks performed, salary, job satisfaction, and external influences or “shocks” that may have precipitated turnover. Survey data were collected from 169 MIS professionals. Results showed significant changes in task, salary, and job satisfaction between former and current jobs. Detailed examinations show significant increases in project management and business analysis and decrease in 3GL and maintenance programming as well as differences in the amount of change for different elements of job satisfaction. A number of significant relationships among variables between some tasks and salary, some tasks and job satisfaction, and low former job satisfaction and response to particular “shocks” relative to turnover emerged from the data.
Identifying and Managing the Enablers of Knowledge Sharing
Authors: Taylor W. A. , Wright G. H.
Published: May 2011

Knowledge sharing in public services has not yet received much attention in the research literature. This chapter investigates knowledge sharing in one public service context, the UK National Health Service (NHS), and identifies factors that influence the readiness of an organization to share knowledge effectively. Using participant observation, document analysis, interviews, and a survey of managers, data are presented to highlight enablers of effective knowledge sharing in health care service delivery. Through factor analysis and regression modeling, we have isolated six factors that are significant predictors of effective knowledge sharing. Our research is broadly consistent with previous findings that an innovative culture, a capacity to learn from failure, and good information quality are strong predictors of successful knowledge sharing. However, we also identify factors associated with change management and a predisposition to confront performance indicators that significantly influence the knowledge sharing process. We suggest that the peculiar nature of the public sector environment poses unique challenges for health care managers who seek to develop a knowledge sharing capability.