bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Virtual Research Model to Help Academics Face the Challenges of the 21st Century
Authors: Wahba Khaled , Kamel Sherif
Published: October 2017

The academic career and the stages of promotion of teachers and field researchers at the Egyptian universities as well as at many research centers available in Egypt's 26 provinces is guided by a set of rules and regulations that mainly depend on the number of publications that the researcher is producing in a specific period of time. It is also important to note that such publications should be published in well-known and accredited journals, transactions, and conference proceedings amongst others. These publications could be produced jointly with other institutions both locally and internationally. In all scenarios, one common problem always prevails, that is resources and funding. As for funding it is occasionally provided through international donors such as the European Union and the National Science Foundation. However, the problem remains in the local segment where various barriers are slowing down if not blocking the production of up-to-standard publications and research projects that are needed to contribute to the overall development of various sectors both quantitatively and qualitatively. Example barriers would include financial resources, required specialized equipment, as well as computing (hardware and software) and communication resources. In that respect, Scientific Computer Software Applications (SCSA) is becoming frequently the workhorse of research and development activities. Many software packages have been released to help researchers analyze and produce scientific publications. Most of these packages have a complicated design as well as expensive making it difficult to buy and not easy to understand by the user. Egypt, a developing country, lacks funding for research and development activities as compared to the United States and other European countries. The lack of financial resources and the scarcity of required resources make it difficult for academic researchers to build and excel in their academic careers. This paper demonstrates a new model namely; Virtual Research System (VRS), that is free from limitations of spatial distance and time and based mainly on information and communication technologies including the Internet to help leverage the quality and the quantity of academic researchers in Egyptian universities both locally as well as through collaborative work with other international research institutions. The paper provides an opportunity to share a wealth of information and knowledge that was never tapped before through the old accustomed to traditional techniques. The paper also demonstrates that new information and communication technologies are creating many challenges and opportunities for growth in different disciplines including research and development.
The Nature of Data: Illusions of Reality
Authors: Hutchinson William , Warren Matthew
Published: October 2017

The nature of data has changed as human technology has evolved. ‘Natural ' analogue data stimulate our senses, whilst machine produced data provides an intermediary for natural or artificial data to our senses. In the age of the cyborg (a machine with human attributes) and the bionic person (a human with machine attributes), it is possible for data totally alien from ‘natural reality' to be fed directly to the brain so by-passing the senses. This is a new form of reality, which lends itself to manipulation of a kind never experienced before. The dreams of deceivers may yet be realised on a mass scale.
Case Study: Design of a Web-Based Service Delivery System
Authors: Song Min , Song Il-Yeol
Published: October 2017

In this paper, we present a case study on the design of a web-based online service delivery system using IBM's Net.Commerce system as well as the lessons learned in completing this project. The design specification is presented using the UML notation, while database schema is presented using the IDEF1X notation. Our design specification includes architecture, system components using package diagrams, system functions using use case diagrams, their processing logic using activity diagrams, and database design. We present a detailed database design and comment on design and customization considerations specific to e-commerce systems. Our experience shows that e-commerce tools still lack certain functionality such as processing back orders, allowing for customizable returns, and sending email notification to users, but overall can speed up the development of the system. Understanding the structure and transaction processing of e-commerce database systems will help system designers effectively develop and maintain these systems. Readers of this paper will understand and learn a typical design specification of a web-based service delivery system and various technical design issues.
An Introduction to Computer Forensics: Gathering Evidence in a Computing Environment
Authors: Wolfe Henry
Published: October 2017

Business has become increasingly dependent on the Internet and computing to operate. It has become apparent that there are issues of evidence gathering in a computing environment which by their nature are technical and different to other forms of evidence gathering, that must be addressed. This paper offers an introduction to some of the technical issues surrounding this new and specialized field of Computer Forensics. It attempts to identify and describe sources of evidence that can be found on disk data storage devices in the course of an investigation. It also considers sources of copies of email, which can be used in evidence, as well as case building.
An Intelligent Method for Inferring Information about the User/ Client
Authors: Baldwin Jim , Martin Trevor , Tzanavari Aimilia
Published: October 2017

Having in mind today's growth of information sources, both in terms of their number and of their size, whether we are referring to the Internet, a corporate intranet, or a library information retrieval system, we can say that manipulating information is not a trivial task. The user is not often being catered for in distributed information systems. He/ she seems to be interacting with systems that do not recognize his/her uniqueness and thus do not offer an individualized treatment. As a result, User Modeling is a core, essential factor in achieving personalization. We present here an intelligent way of inferring user related information that is not available, a situation that is very likely to occur due to sparseness of relevant data. This method can be very useful in recommender systems and this is illustrated with an example.
A virtual laboratory CD-ROM for distance students
Authors: Buchanan R.
Published: October 2017

The main objective of the CD-ROM project is to provide all students, especially distance learners, with a virtual laboratory environment where they can be exposed to the physical and technical aspects of electronic communication equipment. We believe this CD-ROM resource will contribute towards the enhancement of the distance education experience and go some way to providing educational equity.
Introducing Information Technology to Palestinian Schools
Authors: Arafeh Labib
Published: October 2017

The paper presents the two perspectives of IT in the Palestinian schools. The basic IT literacy - based courses have been introduced in most of private schools since 1985, and formally started in all public as well private schools in 1999. This covers eight grades from the fifth up to the twelfth. An additional two classes per week have been introduced to the weekly school program. The main objective is to create a new technological-mentality generation that understand, use, explore, and involve in the highly demanded field. Students will be facilitated with the basic IT skills to understand, use, and promote their studies in effectively understanding, searching, reporting, and documenting. Teachers badly need IT paradigms to boost their instructional materials and teaching aids. In addition to the workshops, an Arabic language-based web site will be constructed to assist schoolteachers, administrators, and students etc. in learning technology online an offline. Further more, a collaborative Palestinian School Teachers
Structured Inquiry for Masters Students: A `Philosophical` Approach
Authors: A Banks David
Published: October 2017

Feedback from three Masters courses in which students were required to produce assessments in the form of a ‘balanced argument’ suggested that a significant number of students found this to be an extremely difficult task. It would appear that they had not previously developed the ability to present a balanced and critical view of a topic, instead being more used to presenting a single, uncritical view that typically supported their own view of the issue at hand. Given the rapid growth and availability of information in general the ability to critically reflect on the value of data, information or argument is a skill that increasingly needs to be developed in order that sensible interpretations are applied to that information. This paper outlines an approach based upon the work of two philosophers that will be tested in future versions of the courses to help students explore and develop these skills.
Seeking Meaning: The Educationally Critical Aspect of Learning About Information Systems
Authors: Cope Chris
Published: October 2017

The research reported in this paper investigated and compared the experience of learning about the concept of an information system (IS) at a scholarly, and an undergraduate level. A scholarly level learning experience was developed from the literature and represented a benchmark against which students’ learning experiences could be compared. A group of undergraduate students’ learning experiences were investigated in an empirical, phenomenographic study. An awareness and understanding of the process of seeking meaning was found to be an educationally critical aspect of a deep approach to learning about IS and a deep understanding of the concept of an IS. The finding has important implications for teaching and learning about IS. Learning tasks can be designed which aim to enhance learning through focussing students’ awareness simultaneously on the IS conceptual and learning aspects of seeking meaning. An example of the use of rich pictures to achieve this aim is given.
Benefit, Monitoring & Evaluation System: A Case Study of Malaysian Technical Education System
Authors: Deraman Aziz , Fahmi Syahrul , Naim Yaakub Mohamad , Aziz Jemain Abdul
Published: October 2017

This paper presents a case study of the Malaysian technical education system. The Technical and Vocational Department (TVED) is designated to prepare skilled technical and intelligent workforce to Malaysia in order to meet the goals of Vision 2020. For that reason, a web-based management support system is proposed to TVED for its planning, management and decision-making activities. e-BME is a system for education monitoring and evaluation by means of establishing internal and external efficiency indicators. e-BME would receive input mainly from Technical and Vocational Education (TVE) schools and graduates. There are four types of reports that are generated by the system: Management, Financial, Research and Planning. TVED could use these reports in its policy and decisionmaking activities. This system promotes faster data collection, higher integrity of generated information and a systematic channel for distribution of reports.
A Multi-Agent Architecture and Protocol for Knowledge Production: a Case-study for Participative Development of Learning Objects
Authors: M. Dodero Juan , Aedo Ignacio , Díaz-Pérez Paloma
Published: October 2017

In a distributed eLearning environment, the development of learning objects is a participative task. We consider learning objects as knowledge pieces, which are subject to the management processes of acquisition, delivery, creation and production. A multiple-tier architecture for participative knowledge production tasks is introduced, where knowledge-producing agents are arranged into knowledge domains or marts, and a distributed interaction protocol is used to consolidate knowledge that is produced in a mart. Knowledge consolidated in a given mart can be in turn negotiated in higher-level foreign marts. The proposed architecture and protocol are applied to coordinate the development of learning objects by a distributed group of authors.
Impact of Taking Information Technology Exams Using Open Notes
Authors: Duncan Doris
Published: October 2017

This paper summarizes findings of teaching four sections of the same college course in the same style with one exception. Section 1, 3, and 4 had notes available for reference during the final exam whereas Section 2 did not. The author’s hypothesis that students in the 3 sections using notes would perform significantly better than Section 2 on the exam was disproved.
IT in Education Organization: A Strategic Planning Approach
Authors: Fahmy Syahrul , Razak Hamdan Abdul , Deraman Aziz
Published: October 2017

Information Technology (IT) has significant impacts to modern organizations especially in assisting daily operations and meeting business targets. Main contributions of IT to organizations are increased efficiency, effectiveness and competitiveness. Non-profit organizations can also benefit as much as for-profit organizations from IT. Education Organizations (EOs) for example, would benefit in terms of effective management of assets, improved communication channels, management of education system changes and systematic dissemination of academic materials. This paper proposes an IT Strategic Planning (ITSP) framework for EOs in order to plan and manage IT-related resources. The framework comprises of five phases namely Strategic Direction, Analysis, Strategy, Implementation and Evaluation. End result of this process would be the ITSP Manual, a detailed documentation of the organization’s strategic direction, its environment and specific action plans to achieve business targets. This manual can be used in policy and decision-making activities.
Mid-Career Employees Embracing Technology (MEET): A Case Study
Authors: Fitzgerald Brian , Neville Karen
Published: October 2017

The importance of information technology (IT) for modern business and, indeed, research in general cannot be questioned, as its sheer pervasiveness adequately attests. However, simplistic views of technological utopianism are now being offset by accounts of technological dystopianism. Clearly organizational management have wholeheartedly subscribed to an IT future as a staggering 41 percent of total capital expenditure in US organizations currently goes on IT. However, organizations face enormous difficulty in trying to achieve successful training programmes in the use of IT. This research study involved the construction and implementation of an IT training programme for mid-career employees in a large multinational organization. Davis (1989) identified two constructs as relevant to user acceptance of technology, namely ease of use (EOU) and perceived usefulness (PU). These constructs were operationalised into a set of principles to underpin the training programme which was delivered in two phases, each specifically addressing one of Davis’ constructs.
COLORS for Programming: A System to Support the Learning of Programming
Authors: Garner Stuart
Published: October 2017

Learning introductory software development is a difficult task and students often perceive programming subjects as requiring significantly more work than others. This paper describes a learning model for programming that has its basis in cognitive load theory. This theory suggests that there are three types of cognitive load that learners experience: intrinsic which is determined by the mental demands of the domain of knowledge; extraneous which is generated by the instructional format used in the teaching and learning process; and germane which can be utilised by learners to engage in conscious processing. The learning model is used as a basis, together with a particular instructional design framework, for the development of “COLORS (Cognitive Load Reduction System) for Programming”. COLORS is described together with a software tool, CORT (Code Restructuring Tool), that has been developed by the author to support various aspects of COLORS.
The Emerging IS Global Profession: Accreditation - The Quality Assurance Dimension
Authors: Gorgone John , Kanabar Vijay
Published: October 2017

As the global economy has expanded, the demand for quality information systems (IS) people increased globally. Ascertaining the quality of education in IS programs at colleges located within and outside the boundaries of the USA has become increasingly important to employers, students and the public. Accreditation is the quality assurance dimension of IS. IS accreditation is a reality in the USA and “Substantial Equivalency” status is available to computing programs outside the United States now that CSAB has joined ABET. What is the status of IS accreditation? What is “Substantial Equivalency”? How can “Substantial Equivalency” be available to programs outside the USA? What constitutes an accredited program? Who benefits from accreditation? What are the criteria for accrediting information systems programs? This paper addresses these and other accreditation issues and questions.
Customizable Knowledge Portals for Teaching
Authors: Hawryszkiewycz Igor
Published: October 2017

The paper describes knowledge portals as providing services that can be customized to a variety of learning environments. It defines portals to be made up of three main components, a community of practice, a body of knowledge, and services to maintain the body of knowledge. The body of knowledge is organized around a knowledge map, which can be accessed through a number of services. The services support a general learning process, which is defined using knowledge sharing as grounded theory. The communities can be organized for different environment. The paper describes the services needed to support a general learning process including collaboration, knowledge evolution and illustrates them with an example in a learning environment.
Situating the "Research Paper" Assignment in the IT Workplace
Authors: B. Kahn Arthur
Published: October 2017

The "Research Paper" is a classic assignment in many IT courses. We explore its pedagogical advantages and weaknesses, especially since most students have career goals in the workplace rather than in academia. It is proposed that the research paper assignment be reformulated as a rhetorical case. This is a case-teaching device which is similar to, but distinct from the business case. We conclude by conceptualizing a simulated internship which can re-situate a broad range of IT "Research Papers" into the workplace.
Panel on: Can Action Research be Successfully Used in Information Systems Doctoral Research?
Authors: Kock Ned , Davison Robert , Figueiredo Antonio , Rupino da Cunha Paulo
Published: October 2017

This panel discusses the use of action-research in doctoral programs. Three researchers, from three different continents, speaking three different languages, and representing three different cultures, provide their view, based on the actual work they carried out, using this approach, to obtain their PhDs. The fourth member of the panel - a senior IS researcher - will provide the advisor’s perspective, drawing from his experience on advising candidates using various approaches, including action-research. The audience is encouraged to pose questions during and between presentations. A slot for widespread discussion is reserved at the end.
Humanization of the Computer Science Curriculum
Authors: A.N. Lee John
Published: October 2017

Computer science programs in many universities are reacting to pedagogical initiatives to improve and broaden the education, particularly in the domain of adding less quantitative and more humanistic studies to a curriculum that is predominately technical. Integrating these concepts into the syllabus of computer science courses can be extremely difficult especially in the light of the lack of preparedness of many faculty. This paper examines some of these initiatives and suggests solutions to take the greatest advantage of these opportunities while at the same time improving the caliber of computer science graduates.
Technology Trust: An Inventory of Trust Infrastructures for Government and Commercial Information Systems In Support of Electronic Commerce
Authors: K. Lippert Susan
Published: October 2017

Electronic business transactions have exploded in the 21st century. End users rely on Internet security and privacy systems for safeguarding personal information and protection from unauthorized use. While these systems focus on safety, security and privacy, infrastructures supporting predictability, reliability and utilization of technology, classified as technology trust, are underdeveloped. This benchmark review will identify, catalog, and report on existing technology trust structures within commercial and government electronic networks. Increased trust in technology leads to more effective utilization and rapid adoption of electronic commerce. The technology trust elements can have a profound affect on speed and efficiency of technology adoption, use, and acceptance.
Promise and Reality of Practiced Distributed Education (DE) Faculty Perspective
Authors: S. McCully Mary
Published: October 2017

Student centered. Demonstrable outcomes. Center of gravity shifting from learned to learner. Learn by doing. Collaboration. Critical thinking. Student responsible for learning. Deeper learning. Ongoing feedback. Outcome assessment. Priority on how, not where, a student learns. Life-long learning opportunities. Global access 24/7/365. Effectiveness. Efficiency. Revolution. These are but a few of the touted promises of distributed education (DE) that are supported by new and evolving web based information technologies (IT). Education periodicals bombard their readers with heralds of the IT community’s pledge to revolutionize education out of the industrial age of Taylorized mass production of passive students and into the knowledge age of life long active learners. Notable educators predict DE will profoundly affect the traditional classroom, forcing it to follow the DE classroom in becoming more of a student centered active learning environment. (Carnevale, April, 2001; Newman & Scurry, 2001; Toward a model of distributed learning, 1999) Is there any truth to this hype?
Teaching Effective Listening Skills to Information Systems Majors
Authors: Moody Janette
Published: October 2017

Information systems (IS) professionals have consistently expressed the need for good communication skills in IS graduates and universities have responded by providing communication components within their curriculum and coursework. However, the typical understanding and execution of communication skills revolve around teaching presentation skills. While presentation skills are important components of communication, the communication skill of effective listening is of equal importance for information technology professionals. In fact, this skill is essential in the information requirements stage of systems development when the end-user is required to work with the IS professional in deriving the basics of the new system to be developed. This paper describes how the teaching of effective listening skills can be incorporated into a variety of IS courses and offers some exercises and techniques.
The Visionary Companies, an Excellent Case of the Informal Systems Thinking
Authors: Mulej Matjaž , Zenko Zdenka , Potocan Vojko
Published: October 2017

Systems theory has become a worldview aimed at holism, and a methodology supportive of holism. But it has also become a sophisticated mathematical and philosophical approach, which limits it to rather few intellectuals and systems theorists. This is not enough for humankind to do well. An insight into the most successful companies, called the visionary companies in the analysis briefed here, let us see that an informal, implicit, indirect, systems thinking might be as important as the systems theory (which still remains important as its aide). The point is double, at least: (1) systems thinking practices holistic thinking that implicitly attains the requisite holism on a high level, (2) systems theory is not a theory aimed at itself, but at supporting the holistic rather than one-sided thinking, by building bridges between mutually different specialists. Informal, implicit systems thinking can do equally much good as the one backed by systems theory.
Foot and Mouth Disease: Informing the Community?
Authors: J Oates Briony
Published: October 2017

The 2001 foot and mouth disease (FMD) outbreak in the UK had a significant impact on the economic and social wellbeing of rural communities. This paper examines the FMD pages of four local government websites in Northern England: Cumbria, Durham, Northumberland and North Yorkshire County Councils. Each county was badly affected by FMD. The contents of the FMD webpages are analysed and compared: which audiences were addressed, what information was provided or omitted, and how well the audiences’ needs were met. The study shows the breadth of audience types and information that could have been included, but no site covered all the necessary angles. Furthermore, the websites did little to address the psychological problems arising from FMD or to enhance participation and democracy in their local communities. By examining how the councils informed those affected, lessons can be learnt which are relevant to any future disruption to a community.
IT Ethics in the Internet Age: New Dimensions
Authors: Phukan Sanjeev
Published: October 2017

Issues of IT Ethics have recently become immensely more complex. The capacity to place material on the World Wide Web has been acquired by a very large number of people. As evolving software has gently hidden the complexities and frustrations that were involved in writing HTML, more and more web sites are being created by people with a relatively modest amount of computer literacy. At the same time, once the initial reluctance to use the Internet and the World Wide Web for commercial purposes had been overcome, sites devoted to doing business on the Internet mushroomed and e-commerce became a term permanently to be considered part of common usage. The assimilation of new technology is almost never smooth. As the Internet begins to grow out of its abbreviated infancy, a multitude of new issues surface continually, and a large proportion of these issues remain unresolved. Many of these issues contain a strong ethics content. As the ability to reach millions of people instantly and simultaneously has passed into the hands of the average person, the rapid emergence of thorny ethical issues is likely to continue unabated.
e-Governance for Municipal Hospitals: Subsidy Vs Quality of Healthcare Services
Authors: V. Ramani K. , S. Lakhia T.
Published: October 2017

Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) in the state of Gujarat, India looks after the basic needs of its four million citizens. AMC offers primary, secondary, and tertiary healthcare services at subsidized rates. The load on AMC tertiary healthcare hospitals has been increasing rapidly, stretching the hospital resources beyond limits. Insufficient resources at these hospitals call for increased allocation of AMC funds to provide a satisfactory level of service. However, AMC is unable to allocate a larger share of its finances to the health sector owing to similar demand from other sectors. AMC authorities are therefore concerned about their ability to offer quality healthcare services at subsidized rates. In this paper, we describe a few e-Gov. applications to address and resolve the issues related to costs, revenues, subsidy, and the quality of services, so that AMC can meet its social obligations in the health sector satisfactorily. Some of our recommendations have been already implemented, while others are under consideration.
Collaborative Technologies for Knowledge Management: Making the Tacit Explicit?
Authors: Romaldi Vicki
Published: October 2017

The theory of organisational knowledge creation indicates the distinction between tacit and explicit knowledge is extremely important in corporate knowledge management efforts. Additionally, in this context, the sharing of tacit knowledge is considered to be a critical component of successful knowledge management initiatives. This paper explores the value of using collaborative technologies as enablers of knowledge management. It primarily focuses on the conversion of tacit knowledge to explicit knowledge through the use of technologies with hyperlinking and hypermedia capabilities. Organisational issues surrounding the capture of tacit knowledge are also introduced by discussing the essential ingredients of successful knowledge management programs.
The Austrian Electronic Economic Chamber
Authors: Rupp Christian
Published: October 2017

1994 the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber has started to build an interactive portal on the internet (wko.at). This portal is at the moment one of the greatest information and know-how platforms in Europe and a combination betweer eGovernment and eBusiness. More than 370.000 companies have access to an extranet which includes more than 700.000 pages online. More than 1.000 organisations within the Chamber Network and their employees have access to an intranet and upload daily their information worldwide. Around 12.000.000 visitors per month download information in the field of law, business news, statistics and other content like WebTV, or use an eMarketplace. On the international side wko.at has business information about austrian products in 19 languages online. Online legislative projects as well as administrative procedures and other interactive possibilities are also implemented. The content of WKO.at also appears in many other Austrian ePlattforms. Therefore wko.at is a best practice example of eAustria in eEurope.
The Semanference System: Better Search Results through Better Queries
Authors: Scime Anthony , Powderly Colleen
Published: October 2017

A method to create more effective Web search queries is to combine elements of a semantic approach with a template that requests specific details about the searcher’s information need. Fundamental to this process is the use of semantics. Nouns, key phrases, and verbs are scored according to their frequency of use, then ranked as keywords and used to create the query. Key phrases and words in the query accurately represent the concepts of the text, generating search results that are significantly more accurate than those available using current methods.
Regional IS Knowledge Networks: Elaborating the Theme of Relevance of IS Research
Authors: Söderström Mikael , Nordström Torbjörn
Published: October 2017

The purpose of this paper is to elaborate the theme of the relevance of IS research. Based on recent experiments and experiences in the borderland between research and practice and politics we suggest some additions to the discussion of the IS research relevance in Fitzgerald (2001). One addition concerns relevance to whom, where we suggest considering a regional relevance, through cultivation of regional IS knowledge networks. Such networks comprise regional knowledge production in collaboration between researchers and practitioners, and results are made public and tested also in other organizations than the research sites. This is closely related to the view of knowledge and research put forward by American pragmatism. A second addition is to complement Fitzgerald’s suggestion to expose researchers to practice with the suggestion to expose practitioners to research. It is just as difficult to learn the ‘true nature’ of research from reading the executive summary in MIS Quarterly as it is to learn the ‘true nature’ of practice from a couple of interviews with practitioners. A regional IS knowledge network is an excellent opportunity for such double exposure.
Encouraging Minority Enrollment in IT Degree Programs through Participatory Organizations
Authors: Steinbach Theresa , White James , Knight Linda
Published: October 2017

Worldwide demand for qualified IT workers has employers exploring under-represented segments of the workforce. The percentage of women IT workers is not keeping pace with the growth of the industry. Minority populations, which are country specific, are also under-represented segments. This paper focuses on three significant minority segments in the United States: women, African Americans and Hispanic Americans. Studies have shown that increasing the number of these three groups enrolled in university computer science programs can help ease the shortage of qualified IT workers. One approach to attract and retain these students is to encourage the use of participatory organizations. This paper traces the initial efforts of one university to retain these segments through student-led chapters of the Association for Computing Machinery - Women, National Society of Black Engineers and Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers. Critical success factors are identified for use by other universities interested in initiating similar programs.
Educational Reform as Innovation Diffusion: Development of a Theory and Test of a Model Using Continuing Professional Development and Instructional Technology
Authors: Szabo Michael
Published: October 2017

Lack of implementation of instructional technology either to improve the classroom or to reform educational practice stimulated a study of the diffusion of innovation, which in turn led to creation of a new theory of reform through IT. This was followed by development of a model to test the theory. This paper describes the theory, the model and evaluative results from implementing the model. The major conclusion from this exercise is that research-oriented universities may underestimate the magnitude of the disruptive, second-order reform nature of IT. Consequently, they are likely to apply inappropriate change strategies instead of looking to the guidance from the history of innovation diffusion.
Electronic Commerce Specialisations in MBAs: An Australian University Case Study
Authors: Tatnall Arthur , Groom Chris , Burgess Stephen
Published: October 2017

This paper looks at the development of Electronic Commerce specialisations in an MBA program, and particularly at a recent specialisation developed at Victoria University, Australia for its local and overseas MBA students. These MBA specialisations are very popular in Australia, and half of the MBA programs with specialisations have one in an e-Commerce related field. An examination of some of these specialisations highlighted in the literature, or in Australian universities, shows that the two most popular topics in them are e-Marketing, the management of e-Commerce in business and e-Commerce business models. Victoria University has recently introduced an e-Commerce specialisation that targets these areas, as well as other popular uses of Internet technologies in business and the development of e-Commerce web sites. This specialisation is explained in the paper, along with the different modes ol the specialisation delivered at Victoria University campuses in Melbourne, Singapore and Beijing.
Collaboration: the Key to Establishing Community Networks in Regional Australia
Authors: Taylor Wal , Marhsall Stewart
Published: October 2017

Despite the promise of community involvement, cohesion and empowerment offered by local community networks (CN) using Internet Technologies, few communities in regional Australia have been able to demonstrate sustainable and vibrant CN which demonstrate increased social, cultural or self-reliance capital. The Faculty of Informatics and Communication at Central Queensland University (CQU) and a local council have established a formal alliance to establish the COIN (Community Informatics) projects to research issues around this topic. This paper presents the initial findings from this work and draws conclusions for possible comparison with other international experience. The research focuses attention on community understanding and cohesion, local government priorities in a community with relatively low diffusion of the Internet and the competing demands in a regional university between traditional service provision in an increasingly competitive market and the needs of establishing outreach research for altruistic, industry establishment and commercial rationale.
Teaching Architectural Approach to Quality Software Development through Problem-Based Learning
Authors: Hou Vat Kam
Published: October 2017

This paper describes the initiative to incorporate the practice of quality software development (QSD) into our undergraduate curriculum concerning the engineering of software. We discuss how the constructivist’s method of problem-based learning (PBL) helps develop this QSD practice into our students’ daily learning. This paper expounds the idea of an architectural approach to building software solutions, which is supported by the industry’s emerging consensus that architectural components provide the kind of building blocks we need for developing today’s complex systems. Particularly, the technology of component-based development asks of us the required portions of productivity, quality, and rapid construction of software artifacts. Consequently, our pedagogic approach to QSD focuses on designing and building a sensible architecture characterized by objects of different services, which represent the cohesive collections of related functionality, accessed through some consistent interfaces that encapsulate the implementation. The paper outlines an QSD approach in terms of state-of-the-practice development processes modified for educational scenarios, through which our students could learn to acquire their collaborative software engineering experience in the current practice of architected application development. The paper concludes by discussing the criteria used to evaluate the working of the learning scenario and some lessons learned involved in incorporating PBL learning scenarios suitable for QSD.
Informing IT Managers - Why the Bank for International Settlements is Establishing a Capital Charge Guideline for Operational Risk: the Australian Evidence
Authors: Viney Christopher
Published: October 2017

IT managers within financial institutions must understand and be able to respond to the operational, financial and regulatory impacts that will result from a loss of critical business functions. The Basel Committee on Banking Supervision, through the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) has circulated a consultative paper which, if eventually adopted by nation-state bank supervisors, will impose an operational risk capital charge on banks as part of the new Capital Accord. Banks will also be required to record and report operational risk occurrences or events. This paper presents data on aspects of the disaster risk management practices of banks operating within the Australian financial system. The data indicate that banks, as a group, do not maintain effective disaster risk management practices and are not adequately prepared to recover a loss of critical business functions. The results clearly support the necessity of the BIS initiatives.
Lessons in Reality: Teaching Project Management, Professionalism and Ethics to Third Year IT Students
Authors: Wilson Vicky
Published: October 2017

It is widely accepted amongst tertiary educators that IT students need first hand experience of working in teams and in managing projects if they are to be effective in the workplace. In 2001 the School of Computer and Information Science at Edith Cowan University undertook a major restructure of its courses that resulted in the development of eight ‘core’ units that are taught in a range of courses across the School. One of these was a third-year unit called ‘Project Management, Professionalism and Ethics’. This case study documents the research that was undertaken to determine the unit content and its subsequent development and delivery. It discusses the formal and informal feedback received from students and staff after its delivery in semester 2, 2001 and what will be done to develop the unit into a fully integrated online ‘situated learning’ experience.
Research on the Relationship between the Internet Usages and the Organizational Performance in the Taiwanese E-commerce Business Organization
Authors: Wang Jui-lin , Hou Feng-Hsiung
Published: October 2017

The purpose of this research was to explore the possible relationship between the Internet usage and the organizational performance in the Taiwanese e-commerce business organizations. The hypothesis for this research was: There was a significant relationship between the Internet usage and the organizational performance in the Taiwanese e-commerce business organizations. The method employed quantitative research method in conducting this study was measure the use of Internet in various Taiwanese e-commerce business organizations and provided an overview of the method of Internet use in e-commerce business organizations’ organizational performances. The research participants were 50 own-ers/managers in Taiwanese e-commerce business organizations. The Spearman Rank Correlation Coefficient and descriptive statistics were used to test the research hypothesis. Research result supported the research hypothesis that there was a significant relationship between the Internet usage and the organizational performance in the Taiwanese e-commerce business organizations. Research result also indicated that this relationship between the Internet usage and the organizational performance was positive. Results showed that Taiwanese e-commerce business organizations’ owners/managers were agreed and strongly agree for there was significant impact of Internet usage and organizational performance in their e-commerce business organizations in following:
Hypertext and Managing Knowledge
Authors: Dreher Heinz
Published: October 2017

As the world’s store of knowledge increases, and knowledge-workers in contemporary organizations face the imperative of consulting that record, and contributing to it, in order to satisfy a diversity of users and uses, we need to find more efficient and effective ways of dealing with the vast volumes, and have strategies, processes, and systems for managing them. Hypertext technology is a good way to structure and access explicit knowledge. The “Dreher Hypertext Development Methodology” is proffered to guide the development of suitably structured and accessible knowledge repositories. The multitude of users - readers and writers, are empowered, and the diversity of uses - finding, accessing, structuring, linearizing (printing), and much more besides, are facilitated.
Learning Environment in the Digital Age: Supporting the Student
Authors: Sirkemaa Seppo
Published: October 2017

Technology can be utilized in education in several ways. Here we study development of a modem learning environment that integrates information technology into the learning process. Modern learning environments have two main functions: they can help in using traditional and digital media in learning. In addition, learning environment provides information on the courses and studies. A learning environment is also important in managing the technology and media in the digital age. We argue that learning environme nts can become a valuable source of advice and support learning during the studies. The theoretical contribution of this article is recognition of key dimensions of the learning environment.
How Neural Networks Can Help Loan Officers to Make Better Informed Application Decisions
Authors: Handzic Meliha , Tjandrawibawa Felix , Yeo Julia
Published: October 2017

The granting of loans by a financial institution (bank or home loan business) is one of the important decision problems that require delicate care. It can be performed using a variety of different processing algorithms and tools. Neural networks are considered one of the most promising approaches. In this study, optimal parameters and the comparative efficiency and accuracy of three models: Multi Layer Perceptron, Ensemble Averaging and Boosting by Filtering have been investigated in the light of credit loan application classification. The goal was to find the best tool among the three neural network models for this kind of decision context. The experimental results indicate that Committee Machine models were superior to a single Multi Layer Perceptron model, and that Boosting by Filtering outperformed Ensemble Averaging.
The Answer is to Question
Authors: A Johnston Kevin
Published: October 2017

“What did you leam in school today, dear little boy of mine?” asked the lyrics of satirist Tom Paxton a generation ago. “I learned our government must be strong./ It's always right and never wrong..../ That's what I learned in school today.” (A full set of lyrics appears at the end of the paper). Should the role of our classrooms be to serve as dumping grounds for tired old theories, or as launching pads for unfettered inquiries into new exciting worlds? Should we continue to throw out theory and facts, and set answers, or should we embark on a never-ending quest for new questions and insights? On obtaining a degree or diploma, each student should know how to answer questions, but how many know how to ask questions? What would they say when asked “what did you learn in school today?”
Measuring the Complexity of Mobile Agents Designed with Aspect/J
Authors: Dospisil Jana , Khemngoen Arin
Published: October 2017

This paper describes research in measuring the code complexity of mobile agent applications designed with aspect-oriented programming (AOP) as captured in the AspectJ™ language. The modularized code encapsulating agent interactions is characterized by class hierarchies which are shared structures. Mobile agent design suffers from frequent changes in interaction protocols which leads to chaotic development. Additional subclassing, modification to protocols, restructuring of the class hierarchies, changes to visibility of attributes and methods overloading result in increased complexity of the code and disorder. Our experonce with fine tuning of protocols shows that the probability that a subclass will not consistently extend the protocol content of its superclass is increasing with the depth of hierarchy. The tools like Hyper/Jand Aspect/J support the separation of concerns thus allowing different approach to evolving the protocol content rather than extending the class hierarchies. In this paper we present the approach to analyzing protocol design and assessing the complexity by measuring the entropy of the mobile agent application code designed with Aspect/J. The comparison of complexity measures with the same mobile agent application designed and maintained as typical Java application indicates reduction in complexity in favor of design with Aspect/J.
Security in CAI Materials by Embedding Digital Watermarks
Authors: Nitsuwat Supot , Srisomphun J.
Published: October 2017

Computer-based instruction assistance (CAI) plays very important role in e-leaming system. Distancelearning students can remotely access this kind of course materials. However, being an electronic form has created a growing need to protect them against illegal manipulation and duplication. Therefore, the more robust techniques are needed. Digital watermarking has been proposed as a solution to the problem of copyright protection of multimedia for many decades. This technique can also be applied to the educational frameworks. In this paper, before the CAI will be distributed, double watermarks have been embedded into all still images in the CAI materials. Firstly, the visible watermark, e.g., university’s logo, is inserted directly on image pixel’s intensity to exhibit an ownership of the CAI. The fragile invisible watermark is then embedded again on these watermarked images. Because of the special characteristic of the latter if there is any attempt to change or remove the visible logo, it can be clearly detected. We also proposed the extracting method to reveal secret information using for verifying our right on the materials. The experiments using different kinds of attacks on the materials are also conducted. Finally, the discussion of the experimental results and conclusion of the paper are also given.