bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Psychologies of Learning
Authors: Tomei Lawrence A.
Published: May 2011

The primary responsibility of teachers is to promote student learning. This chapter explores the schools of educational psychology and how human activities change as a result of extrinsic motivators such as incentives, rewards, and punishments. Behaviorists advocate influencing behavior through the systematic adjustments of stimulus-response reinforcements. Cognitive psychology holds that information is more likely to be acquired, retained, and retrieved for future use if it is learner-constructed, relevant, and built upon prior knowledge. Humanist psychology focuses on individual growth and development. It stems from the theory that learning occurs primarily through reflection on personal experience, and as a result of intrinsic motivation.
Taxonomy for the Technology Domain
Authors: Tomei Lawrence A.
Published: May 2011

Many educators accept teaching with technology as perhaps the most important instructional strategy to impact the classroom since the textbook. The Taxonomy for the Technology Domain offers an equivalent view for using technology to enhance student learning. Of course, the very nature of a taxonomy reduces in scope whatever is being categorized because of its tendency to artificially place items into all too convenient “pockets.” However, the benefits for teachers who understand the advantages of classifications greatly outweigh the limitations.
Specifying Coherent Refactoring Software Artefacts with Distributed Graph Transformations
Authors: Bottoni Paolo , Parisi-Presicce Francesco , Taentzer Gabriele
Published: May 2011

This chapter discusses the use of Graph Transformations for refactoring. Refactoring changes the internal structure of a software system, while preserving its behavior. Even though the input/output view of a system’s behavior does not change, refactoring can have several consequences for the computing process, as expressed for instance by the sequence of method calls or by state changes of an object or an activity. Such modifications must be reflected in the system model, generally expressed through UML diagrams. We propose a formal approach, based on distributed graph transformation, to the coordinated evolution of code and model, as effect of refactorings. The approach can be integrated into existing refactoring tools. Due to its formal background, it makes it possible to reason about the behavior preservation of each specified refactoring.
Multimedia Conversion with the Focus on Continuous Media
Authors: Suchomski Maciej , Marcz Andreas , Meyer-Wegener Klaus
Published: May 2011

This chapter describes an approach to a very complex subject of multimedia conversion. The authors hope to familiarize readers with the idea of multimedia objects transformation, especially time-dependent data (like video and audio streams). After a short introduction, the chapter gives fundamentals with broad references to the discussed field. The presented way of modeling conversions including an abstract model, categories of transformation and a processing model, leads to an application of the graph-based model in the deployment considering model-specific issues, functional correctness, scheduling, management of resources and admission control. RETAVIC and memo.REAL are ongoing projects and the means of evaluation of the models of conversion as well.
Informational and Communicational Explanations of Corporations as Interaction Systems
Authors: Varey Richard J.
Published: May 2011

Whilst many proponents of “interactive communication” and “social interaction” do not see the concept as problematic, they focus attention on practices. I choose to re-examine both “interaction” and “communication,” and to relate these concepts to the concepts of society and organisation/corporation1. The concept of “interaction” is examined, and social interaction is considered as exchange. The patterning of social interaction in markets, bureaucracies, solidarity groupings, and co-operative collectives, and their respective core values are considered. The “organization” is explained as a complex dynamic interaction system. An alternative sociological analysis of the social is compared with that of the social psychology tradition. Communication is discussed as a mode of interaction, to reveal monologic and dialogic conceptions of communication. Conclusions are raised around the themes of “interactive communication,” IT, and dialogue and appreciation in a society constituted by interaction. Interaction, it is concluded, requires presence, whereas ICT allows absence.
Library Web Content Management
Authors: Yu Holly
Published: May 2011

Rising demands by library users for customizable Web function and by library Web administrators for streamlined workflows call for better solutions to Web content management. This chapter begins by defining the content and scope of Web content management. Needs and benefits are addressed based on aspects of library Web content management from content creation, updating, delivery, and re-use to the “look and feel,” workflow management, quality control, as well as cost-benefits. Issues and challenges associated with implementing a Web content solution including strategic planning, selection of Web content management tools, impact of meta-searching, and the organizational culture of the library are discussed.
ScratchPad
Authors: Cohen Laura B. , Calsada Matthew M. , Jeziorkowski Frederick J.
Published: May 2011

This chapter describes the planning, development, and implementation of a quality management tool for an academic library Web site. It explains the impetus for the project, presents the rationale for developing the tool, and describes the system components. The tool balances the needs of Web contributors with the assurance of a professional presentation of the organization’s Web site by offering a systematic workflow from development to production, with appropriate quality oversight prior to public posting. Implementation outcomes are discussed, especially as they relate to staff engagement and solving post-production issues. The authors hope that technical staff in other libraries will consider implementing a quality control tool to manage their Web sites.
Developing Committees to Create a Web Content Management System
Authors: Robbins Sarah , Engel Debra
Published: May 2011

This case study examines the use of committees to develop a Web content management system in an academic library. It explains the process undertaken at the University of Oklahoma Libraries (libraries.ou.edu) to move from an HTML to a database-driven Web site and the issues involved with using committees to steer such projects. Creating a framework where librarians use locally developed content management tools to control Web site content while the systems office retains control of the presentation of content is also discussed. Another aspect of the case study includes the evolution of Web committees in the organization, the development of a system-wide philosophy, and the gradual acceptance of the Web site as a service that demands continual attention. The authors hope readers will benefit from these experiences when implementing similar projects.
A Systemic Approach for Information Systems Evaluation
Authors: Abu-Samaha Ala
Published: May 2011

Traditionally, information technology (IT) evaluation, pre-implementation appraisals, and post-implementation reviews have been characterised as economical, tangible, and hard in nature. The literature review on IT evaluation shows a great bias towards using economical and tangible measures that represent the management’s view of what is ‘good’ and ‘bad’, which had been described as narrow in scope and limited in use. Smithson and Hirschheim (1998) explain that “there has been an increasing concern that narrow cost benefit studies are too limited and there is a need to develop a wider view of the impact of a new system.” Ezingeard (1998) emphasises the importance of looking at the impact of IS on both the overall system and the whole organisation.
A University/Community Partnership to Bridge the Digital Divide
Authors: Ruppel David , Ruppel Cynthia
Published: May 2011

Companies want employees with core values who ascribe to corporate values. Emotional intelligence (EQ) is used by companies in recruitment (Foote, 2001), and guides managers in dealing with team performance problems. Similarly, leadership requires refocusing on core values, which over time builds character (Badaracco, 1998). Thus, educational institutions should devote considerable attention to character building (Foote, 2001).
Adaptive Playout Control Schemes for Speech over the Internet
Authors: Roccetti Marco , Ferretti Stefano
Published: May 2011

The transmission of speech over the Internet is often dismissed as an impractical application because of the poor quality experienced by many users of Internet audio tools. In fact, while Internet audio services are required to operate in a bandwidth-, delay-, and packet loss-constrained environment, the actual best-effort service offered by the Internet architecture does not provide any guarantee on the delivery of data packets. Thus, it often occurs that very high packet delay, delay jitter and packet loss are experienced over many congested Internet links.
Adoption of E-Commerce in the Value Chain by SMEs
Authors: Jeffcoate Judith
Published: May 2011

This article describes an analytical framework to identify the triggers for value chain transformation that will encourage small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to adopt e-commerce. The framework was adopted in the KITS project as part of a qualitative approach, using multiple case studies of SMEs that were involved in business-to-business (B2B) e-commerce (Jeffcoate, Chappell & Feindt, 2004). Results from this project are used to illustrate the use of the framework.
Advanced Techniques for Object-Based Image Retrieval
Authors: Zhang Y. J.
Published: May 2011

Along with the progress of imaging modality and the wide utility of digital images (including video) in various fields, many potential content producers have emerged, and many image databases have been built. Because images require large amounts of storage space and processing time, how to quickly and efficiently access and manage these large, both in the sense of information contents and data volume, databases has become an urgent problem. The research solution for this problem, using content-based image retrieval (CBIR) techniques, was initiated in the last decade (Kato, 1992). An international standard for multimedia content descriptions, MPEG-7, was formed in 2001 (MPEG). With the advantages of comprehensive descriptions of image contents and consistence to human visual perception, research in this direction is considered as one of the hottest research points in the new century (Castelli, 2002; Zhang, 2003; Deb, 2004).
Agents and Payment Systems in E-Commerce
Authors: Guan Sheng-Uei
Published: May 2011

An emerging outcome of the popularization of the Internet are electronic commerce and payment systems, which present great opportunities for businesses, reduce transaction costs, and provide faster transaction times. More research has been conducted with new technologies like mobile Internet used by business models (Baek & Hong, 2003). However, before using the Internet, it is essential to provide security in transferring monetary value over the Internet. A number of protocols have been proposed for these secure payment systems, including NetBill, NetCheque, Open Market, iKP, Millicent, SET (Sherift, 1998), E-Cash (Brands, 1995), NetCash, CAFÉ (Mjolsnes, 1997), EMV cards (Khu-Smith & Mitchell, 2002), etc. These systems are designed to meet diverse requirements, each with particular attributes.
Animated Characters within the MPEG-4 Standard
Authors: Preteux Françoise , Preda Marius
Published: May 2011

The first 3D virtual human model was designed and animated by means of the computer in the late ’70s. Since then, virtual character models have become more and more popular, making a growing population able to impact the everyday real world. Starting from simple and easy-to-control models used in commercial games, to more complex virtual assistants for commercial1 or informational2 Web sites, to the new stars of virtual cinema,3 television,4 and advertising,5 the 3D character model industry is currently booming.
Anytime, Anywhere in the Context of Mobile Work
Authors: Wiberg Mikael
Published: May 2011

Kleinrock (1996, 1998) claims that advanced wireless technologies, the Internet, Global Positioning Systems, portable and distributed computing, and so forth will realize the vision of “anytime, anywhere” computing. We can today see the first signs of this vision. For example, telework is now possible, remote organizations can be engaged in close cooperation, and people can form communities on the Internet. The world has become a “global village,” some claim (Castells, 1996; Preece, 1994), where you can interact with anybody independent of time and space.
Application of Fuzzy Logic to Fraud Detection
Authors: Lenard Mary Jane , Alam Pervaiz
Published: May 2011

In light of recent reporting of the failures of some of the major publicly-held companies in the U.S. (e.g., Enron & WorldCom), it has become increasingly important that management, auditors, analysts, and regulators be able to assess and identify fraudulent financial reporting. The Enron and WorldCom failures illustrate that financial reporting fraud could have disastrous consequences both for stockholders and employees. These recent failures have not only adversely affected the U.S. accounting profession but have also raised serious questions about the credibility of financial statements. KPMG (2003) reports seven broad categories of fraud experienced by U.S. businesses and governments: employee fraud (60%), consumer fraud (32%), third-party fraud (25%), computer crime (18%), misconduct (15%), medical/insurance fraud (12%), and financial reporting fraud (7%). Even though it occurred with least frequency, the average cost of financial reporting fraud was the highest, at $257 million, followed by the cost of medical/insurance fraud (average cost of $33.7 million).
Basics of the Triune Continuum Paradigm
Authors: Naumenko Andrey
Published: May 2011

This article reviews the Triune Continuum Paradigm - a logically rigorous theoretical base for organization of modern conceptual frameworks that are used for system modeling in different contexts (e.g., in software development, in enterprise architecture, in the architecture of financial services, in jurisprudence, etc.). This paradigm is an important contribution to the system modeling domain, because currently none of the prevailing system modeling frameworks has a satisfactory formal theoretical foundation.
Bayesian Analysis of Geographical Variation in Disease Risk
Authors: Vidal-Rodeiro C. L. , Santiago-Perez M. I. , Vazquez-Fernandez E. , Lopez-Vizcaino M. E. , Hervada-Vidal X.
Published: May 2011

Disease mapping is a big focus of interest in the area of public health (Bailey, 2001; Moore & Carpenter, 1999), and the geographical distribution of a disease has an important role in understanding its origin, its causes or its evolution.
Bibliomining for Library Decision-Making
Authors: Nicholson Scott , Stanton Jeffrey
Published: May 2011

Most people think of a library as the little brick building in the heart of their community or the big brick building in the center of a campus. These notions greatly oversimplify the world of libraries, however. Most large commercial organizations have dedicated in-house library operations, as do schools, non-governmental organizations, as well as local, state, and federal governments. With the increasing use of the Internet and the World Wide Web, digital libraries have burgeoned, and these serve a huge variety of different user audiences. With this expanded view of libraries, two key insights arise. First, libraries are typically embedded within larger institutions. Corporate libraries serve their corporations, academic libraries serve their universities, and public libraries serve taxpaying communities who elect overseeing representatives. Second, libraries play a pivotal role within their institutions as repositories and providers of information resources. In the provider role, libraries represent in microcosm the intellectual and learning activities of the people who comprise the institution. This fact provides the basis for the strategic importance of library data mining: By ascertaining what users are seeking, bibliomining can reveal insights that have meaning in the context of the library’s host institution.
Bridging the Industry-University Gap through Action Research
Authors: Kock Ned
Published: May 2011

Virtually every university in the US and overseas has seen a significant increase in demand for information technology (IT) courses and programs in the last 10 years (Greenspan, 1999; Monaghan, 1998; Ross, 1998). At the source of this demand is an ever-growing need for qualified IT professionals in most companies, whether the companies are in technology industries or not (Alexander, 1999; Andel, 1999; Trunk, 2000; Wilde, 1999).
Building Local Capacity via Scaleable Web-Based Services
Authors: Thompson Helen
Published: May 2011

Information communications technology (ICT) has been identified as a key enabler in the achievement of regional and rural success, particularly in terms of economic and business development. The potential of achieving equity of service through improved communications infrastructure and enhanced access to government, health, education, and other services has been identified. ICT has also been linked to the aspiration of community empowerment, where dimensions include revitalizing a sense of community, building regional capacity, enhancing democracy, and increasing social capital.
Business Modeling with Client-Oriented Requirements Strategy
Authors: Leonardi María Carmen
Published: May 2011

Rational unified process (RUP) (Jacobson, Booch, & Rumbaugh, 1999) is an iterative, incremental and use case driven methodology. RUP starts the software development with the requirements capture stage, taking into account that “the major challenge is that the customer, who we assume to be primarily a non-computer specialist, must be able to read and understand the result of requirements capture. To meet this challenge we must use the language of the customer to describe these results” (Jacobson et al., 1999, p. 113). As requirements are originated from the system’s context, RUP proposes the definition of it through a business model, more concretely, a business use cases model and a business objects model. There are several approaches to enhance this first stage of the RUP development. In this article, the author describes the most important proposals and briefly presents her strategy that defines a set of activities and heuristics to define a UML conceptual object model starting from stakeholder oriented requirements models. These models describe the overall context in which the software will be developed and operated, known as universe of discourse (Leite & Leonardi, 1998). The strategy enhances traceability (Pinheiro, 2000) between requirements and RUP models.
Changing Trends in the Preparation of Print Media
Authors: Snyder Mark
Published: May 2011

Traditionally, the main purpose of printing is to generate reproductions in quantity. Before printing existed, scribes reproduced manuscripts by hand. Frank Romano, in the foreword of Pocket Guide to Digital Prepress, tells the story of a monk who, shortly after Gutenberg’s development of cast-metal movable type sparked the advent of printing, authored an essay titled “In Praise of Scribes.” The essay advocated the continuation of copying manuscripts by hand because of the character-building values it instilled in the scribes. The ironic part of the story is that the monk decided to have his manuscript printed. The moral that Romano teaches us is that the monk “was caught in the paradox of transitioning technologies” (1996, p. iv) and that a similar situation is taking place as digital technology revolutionizes the printing industry. The objective of this section is to provide some historical perspective and background of printing technology, particularly in the area of preparing media for printing (pre-press), and then identify current issues in the field as well as future trends that are developing.
Citizenship and New Technologies
Authors: Smith Peter J. , Smythe Elizabeth
Published: May 2011

Not long ago globalization had only one face, that of a restructured capitalist economy employing new information technologies to operate on a global scale (Castells, 2000). According to this interpretation of globalization, the global is represented as space dominated by the inexorable and homogenizing logic of global markets (Steger, 2002). In this neoliberal model, the market replaces the state and the individual, the community thus posing a bleak future for citizenship.
Client/Server and the Knowledge Directory
Authors: Galup Stuart D. , Dattero Ronald , Hicks Richard C.
Published: May 2011

Data, information, and knowledge are three related but not interchangeable concepts. Data are a set of discrete, objective facts about events. Information is organized data presented in context. Data become information when their creator adds meaning or value. Similarly, knowledge derives from information as information derives from data. Knowledge can be viewed as information in context, together with an understanding of how to use it. Knowledge can be either explicit (knowledge for which a person is able to make available for inspection) or tacit (knowledge for which a person is unable to make available for inspection) (Brooking, 1999; Davenpot & Prusak, 1998). In Table 1, a list of knowledge that is particularly critical for business organizations is given.
Cognitive Research in Information Systems
Authors: Tan Felix B. , Hunter M. Gordon
Published: May 2011

The existence and significance of cognition in organizations and its influence on patterns of behaviour in organizations and organizational outcomes are increasingly accepted in information systems (IS) research (Barley, 1986; DeSanctis & Poole, 1994; Griffith, 1999; Griffith & Northcraft, 1996; Orlikowski, 1992, 1994 #208). However, assessing the commonality and individuality in cognition and eliciting the subjective understanding of research participants either as individuals or as groups of individuals remain a challenge to IS researchers (Orlikowski & Gash, 1994). Various methods for studying cognition in organizations have been offered - for example, clinical interviewing (Schein, 1987), focus groups (Krueger, 1988), discourse-based interviewing (Odell, Goswami & Herrington, 1983). This article proposes that cognition applied to making sense of IT in organizations can also be explored using Kelly’s (1955) Personal Construct Theory and its methodological extension, the Repertory Grid (RepGrid). The RepGrid can be used in IS research for uncovering the constructs research participants use to structure and interpret events relating to the development, implementation, use and management of IS in organizations.
Comparing Conventional and Non-Parametric Option Pricing
Authors: Lajbcygier Paul
Published: May 2011

Once, the seminal Black–Scholes (Black & Scholes, 1973) model was thought to be the last word on option pricing: all that was needed, it was thought, was some adjustments and it could be applied to price options on any financial instrument.
Computer Attitude and Anxiety
Authors: Blignaut Pieter , Burger Andies , McDonald Theo , Tolmie Jnase
Published: May 2011

Computers in the workplace are a given. Although the advantages of computers are well-known and proven, many people still try to avoid using them. It is extremely important to find out which factors influence the success of end-user computing. What are the reasons that some people excel on a computer while others have problems and even build up a resistance toward the use of computers?
Concepts of Emergence Index in Image Databases
Authors: Deb Sagarmay
Published: May 2011

Images are generated everywhere from various sources. It could be satellite pictures, biomedical, scientific, entertainment, sports and many more, generated through video camera, ordinary camera, x-ray machine and so on. These images are stored in image databases. Content-based image retrieval (CBIR) technique is being applied to access these vast volumes of images from databases efficiently. Some of the areas where CBIR is applied are weather forecasting, scientific database management, art galleries, law enforcement and fashion design.
Constructionist Perspective of Organizational Data Mining
Authors: Ramos Isabel , Carvalho João Álvaro
Published: May 2011

Scientific or organizational knowledge creation has been addressed from different perspectives along the history of science and, in particular, of social sciences. The process is guided by the set of values, beliefs and norms shared by the members of the community to which the creator of this knowledge belongs, that is, it is guided by the adopted paradigm (Lincoln & Guba, 2000). The adopted paradigm determines how the nature of the studied reality is understood, the criteria that will be used to assess the validity of the created knowledge, and the construction and selection of methods, techniques and tools to structure and support the creation of knowledge. This set of ontological, epistemological, and methodological assumptions that characterize the paradigm one implicitly or explicitly uses to make sense of the surrounding reality is the cultural root of the intellectual enterprises. Those assumptions constrain the accomplishment of activities such as construction of theories, definition of inquiry strategies, interpretation of perceived phenomena, and dissemination of knowledge (Schwandt, 2000).
Content Description for Face Animation
Authors: Arya Ali
Published: May 2011

Face animation is a challenging area of computer graphics and multimedia systems research (Parke, 1996). Realistic personalized face animation is the basis for virtual software agents that can be used in many applications, including video conferencing, online training and customer service, visual effects in movies, and interactive games. A software agent can play the role of a trainer, a corporate representative, a specific person in an interactive virtual world, and even a virtual actor. Using this technology, movie producers can create new scenes including people who are not physically available. Furthermore, communication systems can represent a caller without any need to transmit high volume multimedia data over limited bandwidth lines. Adding intelligence to these agents makes them ideal for interactive applications such as online games and customer service. In general, the ability to generate new and realistic multimedia data for a specific character is of particular importance in cases where pre-recorded footage is unavailable, difficult, or expensive to generate, or simply too limited due to the interactive nature of the application.
Context-Aware Framework for ERP
Authors: Daneshgar Farhad
Published: May 2011

Like many existing ERP models (e.g., Podolsky, 1998; Van Stijn & Wensley, 2001), the OOAB framework is also based on a widely accepted assumption that a corporate-wide information system consists of a set of potentially related subsystems; and as a result, information flows among these subsystems must be identified, and required resources planned, using an appropriate ERP methodology. However, up until now there existed no formalised framework that facilitates sharing of contextual knowledge in ERP processes. A unique attribute of the OOAB framework is that it treats ERP processes as a collaborative processes where various roles/actors collaboratively perform tasks in order to achieve a common overall goal. An object-oriented framework is presented in this article that facilitates sharing the contextual knowledge/resources that exist within ERP processes. Context is represented by a set of relevant collaborative semantic concepts or “objects”. These are the objects that are localised/contextualised to specific sub-process within the ERP process.
Critical Success Factors of ERP Implementation
Authors: Colmenares Leopoldo E. , Otieno Jim O.
Published: May 2011

An enterprise resource planning (ERP) system is an integrated set of programs that provides support for core organizational activities, such as manufacturing and logistics, finance and accounting, sales and marketing, and human resources. An ERP system helps the different parts of an organization share data and knowledge, reduce costs, and improve management of business processes. In spite of their benefits, many ERP systems fail (Stratman & Roth, 1999). Implementing an ERP system is a major undertaking. About 90% of ERP implementations are late or over budget (Martin, 1998), and the success rate of ERP systems implementation is only about 33% (Zhang et al., 2003).
Culture and Anonymity in GSS Meetings
Authors: Limayem Moez
Published: May 2011

Group support systems (GSSs) are an increasingly popular means of aiding decision making in a variety of organizational settings, by combining the computer, communication, and decision technologies to improve the decision-making process (Briggs, Nunamaker, & Sprague, 1998). Such technologies make use of anonymity as a key tool to improve the quality of decisions (Nunamaker et al., 1991; Pinsonneault & Heppel, 1997; Postmes & Lea, 2000).
Curriculum Development in Web-Based Education
Authors: Lammintakanen Johanna , Rissanen Sari
Published: May 2011

A paradigm shift has taken place in the last decade, with a move from traditional to Web-based education at different educational levels (Harasim, 2000; Karuppan, 2001; Kilby, 2001). Web-based education (WBE) has moved on from the delivery of educational content to Web-based sites with interactive functions (Carty & Philip, 2001). Concurrently, new innovative kinds of pedagogical experiments have shifted the paradigm from teaching to learning (Pahl, 2003). As summarised by Armstrong (2001), what educators have in fact realised is that a good Web-based education theory and good education theory are one and the same; the only difference is that WBE transcends the barriers of space and time. The paradigmatic shift has occurred as part of planned educational policy, while at the same time good international or national experiences have also supported the growth of WBE. In addition, there have been attempts to have more coherent and cohesive educational systems and degrees especially in the European context (The Bologna Declaration, 1999.)
Data Mining and Mobile Business Data
Authors: Nayak Richi
Published: May 2011

Research and practices in mobile (m-) business have seen an exponential growth in the last decade (CNN, 2002; Leisen, 2000; McDonough, 2002; Purba, 2002). M-businesses allow users to access information, perform transactions and other operations from anywhere at anytime via wireless networks. Consequently, m-business applications are generating a large volume of complex data (Magic-sw, 2002). Monitoring and mining of this data can assist m-business operators to make sound financial and organisational decisions.
Database Technologies on the Web
Authors: Aldana Montes J. F. , Gómez Lora A. C. , Vergara N. Moreno , Delgado I. Navas , Roldán Garcia M. M.
Published: May 2011

Database community has been seriously disturbed with the Web technologies expansion. Particularly, two reports have produced a special commotion in database field. The first one, the Asilomar report (Bernstein et al., 1998), postulates the new directives in databases tendencies, previewing the Web impact in this field. The second one, Breaking out the Box (Silberschatz & Zdonik, 1996), proposes how database community must transfer its technology to be introduced into Web technology. In this sense, the database box must be broken out into its autonomous functional components, and they must be used to reach a solution for the problem of heterogeneous data sources integration.
Decision Support Systems Concept
Authors: Power Daniel J.
Published: May 2011

Since the late 1960s, researchers have been developing and implementing computerized systems to support management decision makers. A number of decision support systems (DSS) typologies were proposed in the early 1980s (cf., Alter, 1980; Sprague & Carlson, 1982), but technology developments and new applications led to an expanded DSS framework (cf., Power, 2000a, 2000b, 2001). The expanded DSS framework developed in detail in Power (2002a) helps decision makers and DSS developers explain and categorize potential decision support projects as well as existing DSS.
Distance Education Success Factors
Authors: Cavanaugh Cathy
Published: May 2011

While effective distance education has been practiced and studied for centuries, it has been in just the last decade that networked digital technology has been employed. Technologies and teaching techniques continue to evolve, and the options continue to expand, emphasizing the need for information that will assist distance education planners and participants in making decisions that will result in optimal learning experiences.
eCRM in a Manufacturing Environment
Authors: Borders Aberdeen Leila , Johnston Wesley J.
Published: May 2011

This article examines the issue of electronic customer relationship management (eCRM) in a manufacturing context. eCRM has been described as the fusion of a process, a strategy, and technology to blend sales, marketing, and service information to identify, attract, and build partnerships with customers (Bettis-Outland & Johnston, 2003; Jaworski & Jocz, 2002). Although some customers still pay a premium for face-to-face or voice-to-voice interaction in today’s high-tech world, through external (e.g., advertising) and internal (e.g., word-of-mouth) influence, the diffusion of the use of eCRM to build and sustain customer loyalty as a firm’s strategy is on the rise.
Enhancing Workplaces with Constructive Online Recreation
Authors: Oravec Jo Ann
Published: May 2011

Organizations have become more permeable— integrating more influences from the outside world— as participants engage in such online diversions as trading stocks, engaging in multiplayer games, or viewing images of their children in daycare. Ready availability of these activities has brought the potential for abuse but also new opportunities. Constructive uses of online recreation and play can enhance many workplaces (especially high-tech and information-saturated ones) and perhaps ultimately make them more productive. This article proposes that these complex issues be resolved through participatory approaches, involving workgroups in discussions as to what constitutes “constructive recreation” as well as in development and dissemination of effective and fair policies. This discourse can also ultimately increase levels of trust among team members and between employees and management.
Ethical Implications of Investigating Internet Relationships
Authors: Whitty Monica T.
Published: May 2011

The focus on Internet relationships has escalated in recent times, with researchers investigating such areas as the development of online relationships (e.g., McCown, Fischer, Page & Homant, 2001; Parks & Roberts, 1998; Whitty & Gavin, 2001), the formation of friends online (Parks & Floyd, 1996), representation (Bargh, McKenna & Fitzsimons, 2002), and misrepresentation (Whitty, 2002) of self online. Researchers have also attempted to identify those addicted to accessing online sexual material (Cooper, Putnam, Planchon & Boies, 1999). Moreover, others have been interested in Internet infidelity (Whitty, 2003a) and cybersex addiction (Griffiths, 2001; Young, Griffin-Shelley, Cooper, O’Mara & Buchanan, 2000). Notwithstanding this continued growth of research in this field, researchers have neglected to consider the more ethical ways in conducting this type of research.
Ethics of New Technologies
Authors: Gilbert Joe
Published: May 2011

Information processing has been done through telling stories, drawing on cave walls, writing on parchment, printing books, talking on telephones, sending messages via telegraphs, broadcasting on radio and television, processing data in computers, and now by instantaneous network dissemination. Since the mid-1990’s, personal computers have been the instrument of choice for sending and receiving information, and for processing much of it. The technology is the latest in a long series, but social issues involved have not really changed. Issues of content (is it true? obscene?), ownership (whose picture/text/idea? whose parchment/telephone system/computer?), and impact (anti-government, anti-social, harmful to children) appear today just as they did hundreds or thousands of years ago.
Evaluating IS Quality as a Measure of IS Effectiveness
Authors: Wilkin Carla
Published: May 2011

An enduring question in information systems research and practice concerns evaluation of the impact of information systems (IS). It endures, as to date there is no ready solution. Focusing on one aspect, measuring IS success or effectiveness, there are ranges of measures available. At one end of the scale we have perceptual measures like use and user satisfaction; somewhere along that scale we have the more objective measures like quality; whilst at the other end we have objective measures like increased market share, price recovery and increased product quality.
Franchising and Information Technology
Authors: Chen Ye-Sho , Zhang Bin , Justis Bob
Published: May 2011

Franchising is “a business opportunity by which the owner (producer or distributor) of a service or a trademarked product grants exclusive rights to an individual for the local distribution and/or sale of the service or product, and in return receives a payment or royalty and conformance to quality standards. The individual or business granting the business rights is called the franchisor, and the individual or business granted the right to operate in accordance with the chosen method to produce or sell the product or service is called the franchisee.” (Justis & Judd, 2002)
Functional Integration of Decision Making Support
Authors: Forgionne Guisseppi A.
Published: May 2011

Because of the importance to individual, group, and organizational success, information systems research has examined ways to improve support for decision making for the last three decades. The research has generated a variety of information systems to provide the necessary support. In the process, there has been an evolution from simple data access and reporting to complex analytical, creative, and artificially intelligent support for decision making (Holsapple & Whinston, 1996).
Functionalities and Position of Manufacturing Execution Systems
Authors: Modrák Vladimír
Published: May 2011

Efforts to separate unequivocally substantial signs of versatile tools of manufacturing management are usually marked by a narrowed view of the field of their use. Similarly, it is so also in the case of specifying the functionality and position of MES (Manufacturing Execution Systems) in the hierarchy of information systems. Presentations generalising MES in this field do not always correspond with models that have a generic character. For that reason it appears useful to investigate the mentioned MES characteristics from a number of angles, and particularly in relation with the basic types of manufacturing systems.
Governance in IT Outsourcing Partnerships
Authors: Beulen Erik
Published: May 2011

The literature first devoted attention to IT outsourcing partnerships in 1990 (Gantz, 1990; Rochester & Douglas, 1990). An IT outsourcing partnership consists of a service recipient and one or more external service providers and the relationship between them. The service recipient hands over the responsibility for the execution of the IT services to the service provider but remains the responsibility for managing the IT outsourcing partnership. The relationship between the service recipient and the service provider is defined in contracts describing the mutual obligations. The contract value of IT outsourcing partnerships is substantial, meaning over 10 million US$ or Euros. These contracts are also long-term contracts. The average duration of contracts is over 36 months (Cox, 2002). This description is based on the work of Lacity and Hirschheim (1993), Willcocks, Fitzgerald and Feeny (1995), and Currie and Willcocks (1998). The IT services outsourcing market is still growing every year, approximately 10% (Cox, 2002). Therefore, it is essential that sufficient attention be devoted to the governance of IT outsourcing partnerships.
Hierarchies in Multidimensional Databases
Authors: Pourabbas Elaheh
Published: May 2011

Hierarchies play a fundamental role in knowledge representation and reasoning. They have been considered as the structures created by abstraction processes. According to Smith and Smith (1977), an abstraction process is an instinctively known human activity, and abstraction processes and their properties are generally used for multilevel object representation in information systems. An abstraction can be understood as a selection of a set of attributes, objects, or actions from a much larger set of attributes, objects, or actions according to certain criteria. Repeating this selection several times, that is, continuing to choose from each subset of objects, another subset of objects with even more abstract properties, we create other levels of (semantic) details of objects. The complete structure created by the abstraction process is a hierarchy and the type of hierarchy depends on the operation used for the abstraction process and the relations. As for the relations, the best known in the literature are classification, generalization, association (or grouping), and aggregation. Their main characteristics are briefly listed in the following.
Human Motion Tracking and Recognition
Authors: Aifanti Niki , Sappa Angel D. , Grammalidis Nikos , Malassiotis Sotiris
Published: May 2011

Tracking and recognition of human motion has become an important research area in computer vision. In real-world conditions it constitutes a complicated problem, considering cluttered backgrounds, gross illumination variations, occlusions, self-occlusions, different clothing, and multiple moving objects. These ill-posed problems are usually tackled by simplifying assumptions regarding the scene or by imposing constraints on the motion. Constraints such as that the contrast between the moving people and the background should be high, and that everything in the scene should be static except for the target person, are quite often introduced in order to achieve accurate segmentation. Moreover, the motion of the target person is often confined to simple movements with limited occlusions. In addition, assumptions such as known initial position and posture of the person are usually imposed in tracking processes.
Incorporating Data Stream Analysis into Decision Support Systems
Authors: Chatziantoniou Damianos , Doukidis George
Published: May 2011

Traditional decision support systems (DSS) and executive information systems (EIS) gather and present information from several sources for business purposes. It is an information technology to help the knowledge worker (executive, manager, analyst) make faster and better decisions. So far, this data was stored statically and persistently in a database, typically in a data warehouse. Data warehouses collect masses of operational data, allowing analysts to extract information by issuing decision support queries on the otherwise discarded data. In a typical scenario, an organization stores a detailed record of its operations in a database, which is then analyzed to improve efficiency, detect sales opportunities, and so on. Performing complex analysis on this data is an essential component of these organizations’ businesses. Chaudhuri and Dayal (1997), present an excellent survey on decision-making and on-line analytical processing (OLAP) technologies for traditional database systems.
Information Resources Development Challenges in a Cross-Cultural Environment
Authors: Law Wai K.
Published: May 2011

Western management theory considers information the lifeblood of organization. The sharing of information lubricates the interlocking divisions within the organization, promoting the effective achievement of organizational goals with external business partners. However, in many regions of the world, information represents power, and managers often try to accumulate as much of it as they can while denying access to others (Oz, 2002). For others, the disclosure of information is considered a threat to the span of management control (Rocheleau, 1999). In some cases, administrators could be more interested in the scale of the information system and its associated budget, than in the capability and functionality of the system (Kalpic & Boyd, 2000). These are examples of conflicting cultural values in a cross-cultural environment. The introduction of Western management approaches conflicts with regional administrative styles, diminishing the effectiveness of information systems (Shea & Lewis, 1996; Raman & Watson, 1997). Sensitivity to cultural differences has been recognized as an important factor in the successful global deployment of information systems. Minor information management issues potentially resolvable through improved communication in the West often manifest as major challenges in a cross-cultural environment.
Information Resources Development in China
Authors: Lai Maosheng , Fu Xin , Zhang Liyang
Published: May 2011

In its several thousand years of social progress, China has put continuous efforts on cultural development, which to a certain extent contributed to the exploitation and utilization of information resources.
Information Systems and Technology in South Africa
Authors: Singh Anesh Maniraj
Published: May 2011

South Africa, like most of its African neighbors, has a dual economy that sees formal and informal trading taking place side by side. Walking down many of the main streets of South African cities, one can immediately see the informal traders conducting their trade on the doorsteps of established retailers. Many of the formal traders complain about the informal activity and its impact on their businesses. However, there seems to be a symbiotic relationship that ensures their peaceful coexistence. For many foreigners, there is the perception that South Africa is a jungle with lions and tigers running around the streets and wind-up telephones as a means of communication. This is, however, far from the reality. Technology in the formal economy is almost as good as and sometimes better than it is in the United States and other first-world countries. Cellular telephone technology is one generation ahead of the United States. However, like the economy, a technology divide exists, where some parts of the population have access to technology, while others do not. This article will examine the trends in technology, outlining the use of technology in South African industry. The digital divide will also be discussed, looking at the problems and how the State in partnership with the private sector can bridge the gap.
Innovations for Online Collaborative Learning in Mathematics
Authors: Nason Rodney , Woodruff Eearl
Published: May 2011

The field of computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) has been growing in a number of areas and across a number of subjects (Koschmann, 1996; Koschmann, Hall, & Miyake, 2002; Wasson, Baggetun, Hoppe, & Ludvigsen, 2003). One of the most promising pedagogical advances, however, for online collaborative learning that has emerged in recent years is Scardamalia and Bereiter’s (1996) notion of knowledge-building communities. Unfortunately, establishing and maintaining knowledge-building communities in CSCL environments such as Knowledge Forum® in the domain of mathematics has been found to be a rather intractable problem (Bereiter, 2002b; Nason, Brett, & Woodruff, 1996). In this chapter, we begin by identifying two major reasons why computer-supported knowledge-building communities in mathematics have been difficult to establish and maintain.