bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
What Lecturers Say Helps and Hinders Their Use of a Virtual Learning Environment to Support Face-to-Face Teaching
Authors: Moron-Garcia Sue
Published: May 2011

The purpose of this chapter is to provide an overview of issues lecturers said they faced when using a virtual learning environment (VLE), such as WebCT or Blackboard, to support their face-to-face teaching. It draws on data collected for doctoral research that explored the reasons lecturers gave for their use of a VLE, the teaching approach supported, and the factors affecting this use. It concentrates on the latter and as such contributes to an under-researched area by reporting the subjective views of academics who have adopted information and communications technology (ICT) to support their teaching. Four sets of issues were identified: student, technical, pedagogic, and institutional. These are summarised and discussed with reference to comments made by interviewees, and the implications for different audiences are outlined.
A Methodology of Design for Virtual Environments
Authors: Fencott Clive
Published: May 2011

This chapter undertakes a methodological study of virtual environments (VEs), a specific subset of interactive systems. It takes as a central theme the tension between the engineering and aesthetic notions of VE design. First of all method is defined in terms of underlying model, language, process model, and heuristics. The underlying model is characterized as an integration of Interaction Machines and Semiotics with the intention to make the design tension work to the designer’s benefit rather than trying to eliminate it. The language is then developed as a juxtaposition of UML and the integration of a range of semiotics-based theories. This leads to a discussion of a process model and the activities that comprise it. The intention throughout is not to build a particular VE design method, but to investigate the methodological concerns and constraints such a method should address.
Towards a Virtual Enterprise Architecture for the Environmental Sector
Authors: Athanasiadis Ioannis N.
Published: May 2011

This chapter introduces a Virtual Enterprise architecture for environmental information management, integration and dissemination. On a daily basis, our knowledge related to ecological phenomena, the degradation of the natural environment and the sustainability of human activity impacts, is growing. As a consequence raises the need for effective environmental knowledge exchange and reuse. In this work, a solution among collaborating peers forming a Virtual Enterprise is investigated. Following an analysis of the main stakeholders, a service-oriented architecture is proposed. Technical implementation options, using web-services or software agents, are considered and issues related to environmental information management, ownership and standardization are discussed.
An Integrated Platform for Educational Virtual Environments
Authors: Bouras Christos , Giannaka Eleftheria , Nani Maria , Panagopoulos Alexandros , Tsiatosos Thrasyvoulos
Published: May 2011

In this chapter, we present the design and implementation of an integrated platform for Educational Virtual Environments. This platform aims to support an educational community, synchronous online courses in multi-user three-dimensional (3D) environments, and the creation and access of asynchronous courses through a learning content management system. In order to offer synchronous courses, we have implementeda system called EVE-II, which supports stable event sharing for multi-user 3D places, easy creation of multi-user 3D places, H.323-based voice- over IP services fully integrated in a 3D space, as well as many concurrent 3D multi-user spaces.
3G Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs)
Authors: Katsianis Dimitris , Rokkas Theodoros , Varoutas Dimitris , Sphicopoulos Thomas , Harno Jarmo , Welling Ilary
Published: May 2011

Digital convergence brings new players in the telecom market and the Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNO) are an alternative way for companies to enter the 3G telecom market and start offering services. This chapter aims to contribute to the assessment of the market conditions, architectures and potential for profitable business cases of MVNOs aiming to operate in the mature and competitive markets. The results and conclusions provide guidelines for the wide audience of mobile market players and media companies, spanning telecom operators to regulators and academia. In the following, the necessary background information is presented, quantitative figures such as Net Present Value, pay-back period, investment cost, revenues and running cost for different MVNO business cases are estimated and compared. The MVNO’s impacts on a MNO operator and the effects of MVNO collaboration with a WLAN operator are analyzed with the same method and figures.
3D Avatars and Collaborative Virtual Environments
Authors: Li Koon-Ying Raymond , Sofra James , Power Mark
Published: May 2011

With the exponential growth in desktop computing power and advancements in Web-based technologies over the past decade, the virtual community is now a reality. The latest derivative of the virtual community, made possible by 3D avatars, is called the collaborative virtual environment (CVE). These CVEs often provide “fantasy-themed online worlds” for participants to socially interact. Instead of placing emphasis on teamplaying, the sharing of information, and collaborative activities, a CVE focuses on social presence and communication processes. Unlike virtual environments which allow participants to discuss what is going on in the real world, the participants’ experiences of the virtual world provided by the CVE are often the main topics for discussion. These CVEs, just like their real counterparts, have their own issues and problems. This article will analyze the potential benefits of avatars, helping to build virtual communities and explore the possible issues that are associated with the CVE.
LAPLI The Language Learning Lab
Authors: de Cassia Veiga Marriott Rita , Torres Patricia Lupion
Published: May 2011

The teaching of languages to higher-intermediate and advanced-level students requiresa distinct methodology. Many of these students are, or will be, language teachers andneed to be motivated to continue learning the foreign language, practice the acquiredknowledge, and develop teaching and researching skills. Aiming at challenging themto go beyond their limitations, LAPLI — the language learning lab: a methodology ofintegrative CALL using the Internet — is made of 12 activities in which the students,based on authentic material selected by them, are stimulated to develop fluency andaccuracy in the foreign language, focusing on the development of their reading andwriting skills, but also promoting their oral skills. Students use the language as a toolto accomplish tasks in a contextualized way, being involved in individual andcollaborative learning, natural learning, meaningful learning and discovery-basedlearning, by means of the new technologies in a virtual learning environment.
Context Based Approach to Applying Virtual Reality
Authors: Uniyal Manumaya , Dawson Ray
Published: May 2011

It was Ivan Sutherland, nearly 30 years ago, who introduced the modern concept of VR in his thesis work (Sutherland, 1963). It has been 14 years since Jaron Lanier (1996) coined the term virtual reality to collectively present such ideas as formulated since Sutherland. Since then, VR has been offered as a one-stop solution for tackling issues as diverse as ranging from manufacturing and design to tourism. In fact, the liberal usage of the word virtual, often drawn from the term VR, is best summed up by Professor J. Vince when he says, “today we have virtual universities, virtual offices, virtual pets, virtual graveyards, virtual exhibitions, virtual wind tunnels, virtual actors, virtual studios, virtual museums, virtual doctors—and all because of VR” (Vince, 1998, p. 1). Unfortunately, even such worldwide media attention has been unable to help VR penetrate and broad-base itself across all market segments as had been predicted. This article builds upon the above-mentioned issues while specifically focusing on: a. Finding and understanding the reasons for an overall lack of enthusiasm for VR usage in the Cost Sensitive Organizations (CSO). b. To develop and present a VR application methodology specifically for CSOs based on the findings of point “a”.
Shaping Social Structure in Virtual Communities of Practice
Authors: von Wartburg Iwan , Teichert Thorsten , Rost Katja
Published: May 2011

Practice, that is, the execution of work relevant tasks, can take two forms: actual and espoused practice (Brown & Duguid, 1991). Espoused practice is formally and deliberately planned: formal organizational structuring, product manuals, error detection, and correction procedures represent just a few examples. Actual practice represents the solutions to problems and the execution of tasks as they really happened in a given context. Processes of knowledge generation and transfer are different for espoused or actual practice (Orr, 1996). While traditional modes of organizing work practice focus on espoused practice, newer organizational forms focus on actual practice: Communities of practice are groups of people bound together by shared expertise and passion for a joint enterprise on behalf of an organization (Wenger, 1998). To support effective work practices in an ever more distributed work environments, collocated CoPs are complemented by virtual communities of practice (VCoPs). Its members interact supported by collaborative technologies in order to bridge time and/or geographical distances. Toolkits of computer-mediated environments facilitate community building in addition to personal interaction (Hinds & Kiesler, 2002; Walther, 1995; Wellman et al., 1996). There is a shared understanding that VCoPs are an especially effective organizational form for knowledge creation both within companies (Kogut & Metiu, 2001; Nahapiet & Ghoshal, 1998; von Krogh, Spaeth & Lakhani, 2003) and between companies (Constant, 1987; Vincenti, 1990). Therefore, VCoPs are managerially desirable forms of virtual communities (Rheingold, 1993; Smith & Kollock, 1999; Wellman et al., 1996) in which learning in practice takes place; that is, professionals stick together because of exposure to common problems in the execution of real work. The “glue” which binds them together is a powerful mixture of shared expertise and experience, as well as the need to know what each other knows. Given that VCoPs offer such potential to enhance intellectual capital and to enrich social processes within companies, we look more closely at the social and knowledge generation processes within VCoPs from a managerial point of view. Viewed from this angle, VCoPs represent a difficult challenge for managers who want to profit from using them as an arena for desirable learning in practice. Although VCoPs are believed to be a desirable organizational form for knowledge generation, they are preferably modeled as a rather emergent phenomenon and believed to be only marginally manageable. Thus, on one hand, managers are urged to believe that VCoPs are something beneficial while, at the same time, they are told that VCoPs cannot be managed deliberately.
Perceived Behaviors of Emergent and Assigned Leaders in Virtual Groups
Authors: Wickham Kathryn R. , Walther Joseph B.
Published: May 2011

While considerable research has explored perceptions of groups and members in computer-mediated communication (CMC), and leadership behaviors in face-to-face groups, little research has examined how leadership is identified in CMC groups. Contemporary CMC theories alternatively stress the impact of salient, stereotyped roles on CMC groups’ perceptions, or the accretion of exaggerated impressions based on behavioral cues. These perspectives, in turn, coincide with predictions about the predominance of alternative forms of leadership: Assigned versus emergent. This study draws on traditional leadership theories from face-to-face group research and applies them to CMC to examine dynamics related to assigned and emergent leaders in online groups. The results of the study demonstrate that CMC groups may identify more than one leader. When identifying emergent leaders, regardless of whether a leader was assigned or not, group members consider perceived amounts of communication, intelligence, and encouraging and authoritarian behaviors.
Virtual Team Leadership
Authors: Hambley Laura A. , O’Neill Thomas A. , Kline Theresa J.B.
Published: May 2011

The purpose of this study was to improve the understanding of virtual team leadership occurring within existing virtual teams in a range of organizations. Qualitative data were collected through comprehensive interviews with nine virtual team leaders and members from six different organizations. A semi-structured interview format was used to elicit extensive information about effective and ineffective virtual team leadership behaviours. Content analysis was used to code the interview transcripts and detailed notes obtained from these interviews. Two independent raters categorized results into themes and sub-themes. These results provide real-world examples and recommendations above and beyond what can be learned from simulated laboratory experiments. The four most important overarching findings are described using the following headings: 1) Leadership critical in virtual teams, 2) Virtual team meeting effectiveness, 3) Personalizing virtual teamwork, and 4) Learning to effectively use different media. These findings represent the most significant and pertinent results from this qualitative data and provide direction for future research, as well as practical recommendations for leaders and members of virtual teams.
Enabling Creative Virtual Teams in SMEs
Authors: Thomson Avril , Stone Angela , Ion William
Published: May 2011

Many SMEs struggle to support virtual teams effectively within distributed design projects, hindering their creative potential. It is not uncommon for SMEs to have tools and working practice imposed on them by collaborating multinationals to meet the requirements of the multinational. SMEs however, need to develop their own working practices to support effective, virtual team design within their own organisation or extended design team. This chapter describes, through a series of four case studies, how a typical SME achieved successful virtual team working within their organisation. A “strategy for enabling creative virtual teams” encompassing the processes, methods, and tools developed and implemented within the company to achieve this success is presented. Generic and transferable findings drawn from this two year study aimed at helping other SMEs, form the conclusion of this chapter.
An Examination of Team Trust in Virtual Environments
Authors: Yopp Martha C.
Published: May 2011

The purpose of this chapter is to examine ways to help build trust in virtual environments. More business and decision-making is being accomplished using virtual teams. These people seldom meet face-to-face but they work together toward common goals. A crucial factor in determining the success or failure of virtual teams is trust. Successful techniques for promoting and building an atmosphere of trust within virtual teams and maintaining that trust are a primary focus of the chapter. Learning organizations are discussed as a vehicle for promoting attentive listening, sharing information, mutual scholarship, and meeting expectations through innovation and networking.
Adaptations that Virtual Teams Make so that Complex Tasks Can Be Performed Using Simple E-Collaboration Technologies
Authors: DeLuca Dorrie , Gasson Susan , Kock Ned
Published: May 2011

Using the theoretical lens of compensatory adaptation theory, this study examines how organizational problem-solving teams adapt to lean media and effectively communicate. We examined several successful virtual teams using a bulletin board as their primary communication medium to perform complex process improvement tasks in their natural business environment. Although some established theories predict failure using lean media, savings from use of simple e-collaboration technologies provide motivation for conduct of virtual teams. Compensatory adaptation theory argues that e-collaboration technologies often pose obstacles to communication, and yet also lead to better team outcomes than the face-to-face medium. This study provides support for that theory. Members of the virtual teams reported adapting their communication to be more focused, clear, precise, neutral, concrete, concise, persuasive, considerate, and complete in order to overcome the obstacles posed by media of low richness. As a result of those adaptations, the teams perceived better quality and achieved success of the team outcome.
Conducting Ethical Research in Virtual Environments
Authors: Roberts Lynne D. , Smith Leigh M. , Pollock Clare M.
Published: May 2011

The rapid growth of the Internet has been accompanied by a growth in the number and types of virtual environments supporting computer-mediated communication. This was soon followed by interest in using these virtual environments for research purposes: the recruitment of research participants, the conduct of research and the study of virtual environments. Early research using virtual environments raised a number of ethical issues and debates. As early as 1996, a forum in the The Information Society (vol. 12, no. 2) was devoted to ethical issues in conducting social science research online. The debate has continued with more recent collaborative attempts to develop guidelines for ethical research online (Ess & Association of Internet Researchers, 2002; Frankel & Siang, 1999).
When Technology Does Not Support Learning
Authors: Hornik Steven , Johnson Richard D. , Wu Yu
Published: May 2011

Central to the design of successful virtual learning initiatives is the matching of technology to the needs of the training environment. The difficulty is that while the technology may be designed to complement and support the learning process, not all users of these systems find the technology supportive. Instead, some users’ conceptions of learning, or epistemological beliefs may be in conflict with their perceptions of what the technology supports. Using data from 307 individuals, this research study investigated the process and outcome losses that occur when friction exists between individuals’ epistemological beliefs and their perceptions of how the technology supports learning. Specifically, the results indicated that when there was friction between the technology support of learning and an individual’s epistemological beliefs, course communication, course satisfaction, and course performance were reduced. Implications for design of virtual learning environments and future research are discussed.
Mobile Virtual Communities
Authors: El Morr Christo
Published: May 2011

The adoption of mobile phone technology on a large scale in today’s societies turned mobile phones into a universal tool. Phone companies are deploying 3G mobile technology and planning for 4G; nevertheless, the “killer” applications are yet to be developed. Meanwhile, mobile virtual communities (MVCs) are emerging, and their applications are diverse: they range from education, to entertainment and lifestyle. Our vision is that mobile virtual communities will be a major trend and could create a momentum for 3G and 4G mobile phone applications. In this article we analyze the different types of mobile virtual communities, and we draw some research perspectives and applications.
Rethinking Virtual Teams for Streamlined Development
Authors: Larsson Andreas , Larsson Tobias , Bylund Nicklas , Isaksson Ola
Published: May 2011

Much of the research on creative teams tends to focus mainly on relatively small teams working in the fuzzy front-end of product development. In this chapter, we bring a complementary perspective from an industry context where creativity is often perceived as risky business—yet a precondition for success. Here, we focus closely on people and teams that might not usually describe their own work to be of a primarily ‘creative’ nature, and that currently work under circumstances where traditional approaches for enhancing creativity might no longer be applicable. Drawing from experiences in automotive and aerospace development, we argue that it is time to radically progress our current understanding of how creativity could be introduced in organizations where factors like legal demands and contractual agreements severely restrict ‘outside-the-box’ thinking, and where well-known creativity enablers such as trust, shared goals, and shared culture are becoming increasingly difficult to accomplish.
A Goal-Oriented Representation of Service-Oriented Software Design Principles
Authors: Moayerzadeh Alireza , Yu Eric
Published: May 2011

Service-oriented architecture (SOA) embodies a set of principles including service abstraction, composability, discoverability, and reusability, among others. Although these principles are widely circulated by SOA technology vendors, there have been few efforts to collect, organize, and elaborate on these principles for the purpose of guiding system design. This chapter explores how service-oriented design principles can be organized in a goal-graph representation complementary to original text and used in system design. The approach builds upon the NFR framework for treating non-functional requirements in software engineering. The chapter proposes a method to extract SOA design principles from textually represented service-oriented knowledge sources. The method is applied to an SOA knowledge source, extract an SOA design knowledge-base organized by design principles and presented by goal-graphs, and the chapter then explores application of such knowledge-base.
Addressing Non-Functional Properties of Services in IT Service Management
Authors: Stantchev Vladimir , Tamm Gerrit
Published: May 2011

A key point that remains to be addressed is the assurance of service levels for end-user applications that rely on these provider models. This chapter describes an approach for addressing non-functional properties (NFPs) of services in service-oriented architectures (SOA). The approach is based on reference models such as the IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL) and the SOA life cycle model. It has been applied in several industrial settings in the telecommunications sector.
A Communities of Practice Approach to Management Knowledge Dissemination
Authors: Roberts Joanne
Published: May 2011

A communities of practice perspective is used to unravel the actions and activities that facilitate the dissemination of management knowledge between organizations across space and time. In so doing, the local embedded nature of knowledge is recognized, as is the manner in which interactions between the pervasive and the specific provide a creative dynamic that facilitates the widespread dissemination and a multiple creation of knowledge. Knowledge interactions are explored in terms of boundary processes involving interactions between management gurus, management consultants, business schools/management academics, managers and business media. Moreover, by making a clear distinction between management knowledge and management ideas and techniques, important differences between the groups engaged in the dissemination of management knowledge are revealed.
Ba and Communities of Practice in Research and Strategic Communities as a Way Forward
Authors: Mäkäräinen-Suni Irma , Hong Jianzhong
Published: May 2011

This chapter primarily examines the concepts of ba and communities of practice. It explores how the concepts have been used in the previous knowledge management, organizational learning, and innovation research during a decade, from the year 1999 until 2009. The reviewed studies show that both concepts have been used in various industries and in various knowledge creation and knowledge sharing situations. The similarities and differences of concepts are compared, and the concept of strategic communities is proposed as a way forward in future research and practice in terms of ba and communities of practice. The chapter includes also a comparative view of each concept, in which its major contributions, limitations and complementary nature are highlighted.
Conceptual Foundations of Communities of Practice as Organizational Structures
Authors: Sanz Sandra , Pérez-Montoro Mario
Published: May 2011

In recent years, the interest in and development of communities of practice (CoPs) has undergone exponential growth. However, this uncontrolled expansion has, to a large extent, led to the name of community of practice being attributed to working groups or communities that are not communities of practice. The aim of this work is to shed a little light on this confusion and identify and characterise communities of practice compared with other types of groups or organizational structures. To achieve this aim, first of all, we are going to introduce an intuitive and agreed definition of community of practice. In a second movement, we will identify and define the principal groups or organizational structures that are used, besides communities of practice, by organizations to improve their strategies when meeting these aims that they are pursuing. We will then present a comparison between these organizational structures or groups and communities of practice. The chapter ends by offering a number of conclusions and providing some guidelines on the future development of communities of practice.
Samson and Delilah as a Discourse of Communities of Practice
Authors: Adelstein Jennifer
Published: May 2011

The chapter conceptualizes that an impasse may arise between management and knowledge practitioners in divulging the quantity and quality of knowledge made available for organizational use. Rather than facilitating the flow of information from knowledge practitioners to the organization, CoPs may become another conflicted terrain of unequal power relationships. While laying out these possibilities, the chapter also suggests that there could be a different outcome, one that rebalances the pendulum of power relationships for the mutual benefit and interests of both management and knowledge practitioners.
Knowledge Creation, Ba and CoP
Authors: Somoza Monica Longo , Prado Julio Acosta , Rivera Cecilia Murcia
Published: May 2011

This chapter analyzes the knowledge-creating process that has been developed in the Institute for Research in Knowledge Management and Business Innovation (IADE) of the Universidad Autonoma de Madrid (UAM). IADE develops activities of technical and scientific investigation, makes projects of technical assistance to different kind of organizations and makes a labour of postgraduate education. This chapter proposes that professors and doctoral students, from different countries and organizations, who carry out their research projects in IADE, work as an investigation Community of Practice (CoP) both in purpose, character and functionality, and develop a knowledge-creating process in a Ba. This chapter studies this process, describes the Ba and the investigation CoP as an element of the Ba. In order to get a deep understanding of these elements, we have chosen a case study as empirical research methodology and we have based our findings and conclusions in a previous theoretical analysis of these concepts.
Management Fads, Communities of Practice and Innovation
Authors: Hadjimanolis Athanasios
Published: May 2011

This chapter introduces communities of practice (CoPs) as a useful framework for the elucidation of the innovation process in organizations. It argues that CoPs contribute to innovation through being more efficient than formal organizational structures. Innovation, however, comes in different forms and types and internal CoPs are more relevant for incremental innovation, while inter-organizational communities are more important for radical innovation. Furthermore the chapter focuses on a critical evaluation of the concept of community of practice through the lens of the management fashion theory and an assessment of the role of CoPs in knowledge creation and exchange at the various stages of the innovation process. It aims to provide an assessment of the contribution of communities of practice to innovation success and organizational performance and to summarize the current trends and future developments especially in inter-organizational virtual innovation communities.
Triple Helix Organisations, Communities of Practice and Time
Authors: Hayes Kathryn J.
Published: May 2011

Commercialisation activities require knowledge sharing between groups such as researchers and commercial managers. The existence of research based Knowledge-stewarding Communities of Practice (CoPs) within industry/research/government innovation collaborations has important implications for innovation management practice. The context of the study is four Australian Cooperative Research Centres (CRCs) composed of academic, government and industry personnel. Semi-structured interviews with a total of twenty scientists, engineers and managers explored collectively shared and dissimilar perceptions of time in commercialisation activities. Knowledge-stewarding CoP members and commercial participants in triple helix organisations working to commercialise inventions report differing temporal perceptions. Commercial and research groups described distinctively different views of pace and flexibility, contributing to tension, distrust and negatively influencing knowledge sharing, communication and commercialisation outcomes. Management techniques in use in the four CRCs and an agenda for future research conclude the chapter. This chapter contributes to the literature on collaborative innovation management and inter-organisational CoPs.
Knowledge Sharing Within and Between Communities of Practice in a Knowledge Intensive Organization
Authors: Lämsä Tuija , Nätti Satu
Published: May 2011

However, it is worth noting that while communities of practice are traditionally seen as the creators of knowledge and innovations, it is also important to acknowledge the challenges and even obstacles of these tightly-coupled groups may bring to the organizational knowledge sharing and learning processes. These issues are mainly defined through our empirical case examples we have linked to the theoretical review.
Communities of Practice in Public Administration
Authors: Pérez-Montoro Mario , Martínez Jesús
Published: May 2011

Currently, Knowledge Management (KM) is being received very positively by organisations. Nevertheless, there is a particular type of organisation in which there has been less of a general demand for KM: the public organisations. However, in the last three years, a Knowledge Management project, based in communities of practice (CoPs), has been put into practice in the area of the Justice Department in the Catalan government, the Generalitat of Catalunya. The aim of this work is to present a detailed analysis of this project. To achieve this aim, first of all, we are going to introduce the implementation methodology and the results obtained, as well as the success variables involved in this project. This will allow us to offer a guide for implementing CoPs in public administration. Lastly, by way of conclusion, we will provide a series of conclusions and lessons that can easily be applied to the majority of community of practice projects that are implemented in the Public Administration context.
Understanding Supply Network Coordination
Authors: Cho Namjae
Published: May 2011

The concept of a supply chain is expanding into that of a supply network, which includes a broader base of suppliers and partners connected physically and electronically. Accordingly, the scope and depth of management issues and research focuses have also expanded from the traditional supplier-buyer dyad and a linear sequence of suppliers into a collection of inter-related companies. The planning, operating, monitoring, and organizing of a supply network has become a super-complex problem. At the core of the management of a supply network lies the issue of coordination. However, both research on coordination and the concept of supply network are not yet sufficiently developed. Considering the importance and attractiveness of the issue this chapter is designed to present fundamental concepts, issues and perspectives related to supply network coordination.
E-business in Supply Chain Management
Authors: Wagner Claudia-Maria , Sweeney Edward
Published: May 2011

E-business is concerned with the use of the Internet to link companies with their suppliers, customers and other trading partners. As a business concept, it has evolved significantly since its introduction in the 1990’s in parallel with the rapid rate of development of information technology (IT) during this period. Supply chain management (SCM) is fundamentally concerned with integration of activities both with and between organisations. IT plays a crucial role in SCM as a key enabler of supply chain integration (SCI). This chapter sets out the role of e-business concepts in the context of the supply chain challenges faced by firms. It specifically explores the role of e-procurement as an example of how e-business concepts have been applied to one key SCM activity, namely purchasing and procurement. In this context, the chapter examines the nature and evolution of e-marketplaces and goes on to identify key adoption drivers and benefits based on recent research. This research identifies key adoption drivers and benefits but also recognises that there are many barriers that ongoing research needs to address if the potential of e-business is to be fulfilled.
A Content Analysis for Evaluating RFID Applications in Supply Network Management
Authors: Gnoni Maria Grazia , Rollo Alessandra
Published: May 2011

Traditionally, a supply network is a sequence of different and multiple numbers of processes interconnected each other in order to satisfy all capacities and demand requirements imposed by customers with minimum cost to the network. Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology could potentially improve supply network management by guarantying more visibility and real time communications across actors. Currently, RFID has playing an important role in coordinating information in several industrial contexts: in brief, its main advantage is to improve the quality and the speediness of information sharing among different partners in a network. Moreover, RFID capability could be effectively applied to replace traditional approaches (i.e. barcodes) to store and retrieve item data. On the other hand, RFID application is affected by some criticisms from both technological and economical point of view, as all emerging ICT technologies. In recent years, several studies have been developed in order to analyze benefits of RFID applications; few papers are focused on analyzing evaluation frameworks for RFID applications in complex supply networks. The proposed content analysis aims to support in evaluting potential operational benefits of RFID technology in different supply networks. The analysis proposed has been developed according to the well-know Supply Chain Operations Reference (SCOR) which allows integrating business process reengineering, benchmarking, and process measurement into a cross-functional framework. The content analysis has been developed according to current literature about RFID applications; finally, it is proposed a standardized guideline for evaluating potential benefit of RFID technology in supply networks.
Using Virtual Learning to Teach Postgraduate Nurses
Authors: Honey Michelle L.L. , North Nicola
Published: May 2011

This chapter focuses on the educators perspectives as virtual learning was introduced into postgraduate nursing courses. Drawing on qualitative data the challenges educators faced are described. Technology proficiency varied amongst the educators and this had an impact on the choices they made when transitioning from traditional lecture-format on-campus classes to virtual learning. This study found that virtual learning brings a sharper focus on good teaching practice; changes the role of the educator and emphasises how essential both pedagogical and technological support is.
Learning
Authors: van der Velde Frank
Published: May 2011

This chapter reviews research into human and animal forms of learning. It concentrates on two forms of learning in particular. The first is conditioning. The study of conditioning constitutes the first example of experimental research on learning. At first, it seemed to corroborate the view that learning consists of establishing associations. This form of learning was proposed by the early empiricists. The notion of associative learning influenced the emergence of behaviorism, which used conditioning to account for all forms of human and animal behavior. More recent research, however, has shown that conditioning is a more complex form of learning, related to propositional learning. This makes conditioning important for the study of the mechanisms of other, more complex, forms of propositional learning, as found in language and reasoning. The second form of learning reviewed here is visual learning. The study of this form of learning is important for understanding visual processing. And it is important for investigating the neural mechanisms of learning, given the availability of animal models of visual processing.
Biologically-Inspired Learning
Authors: Temel Turgay
Published: May 2011

A general overview of biologically-inspired learning in the paradigm of artificial neural systems is described. In order to have the reader become familiar with fundamentals underlying this paradigm, a substantial and concise hierarchical background from neurophysiology to neuro-computational models is provided with as much clarity as possible. As an application of a well-known artificial neural network algorithm called feed-forward multi-layer perceptron with back-propagation training algorithm is utilized in implementation of an artificial olfactory system also called electronic nose. For improved classification performance, an algorithm as a preprocessing called linear-discriminant analysis is adapted to chosen neural architecture. The main purpose of the preprocessing stage is to lend better scattered input patterns for classes in the feature space compared to that without preprocessing. The performance improvement is also investigated in terms convergence rate, i.e. the number of iteration, given a number of layers, and recalling or generalization capability of the classifier.
Design of Globally Robust Control for Biologically-Inspired Noisy Recurrent Neural Networks
Authors: Liu Ziqian
Published: May 2011

This chapter presents a theoretical design of how a global robust control is achieved in a class of noisy recurrent neural networks which is a promising method for modeling the behavior of biological motor-sensor systems. The approach is developed by using differential minimax game, inverse optimality, Lyapunov technique, and the Hamilton-Jacobi-Isaacs equation. In order to implement the theory of differential games into neural networks, we consider the vector of external inputs as a player and the vector of internal noises (or disturbances or modeling errors) as an opposing player. The proposed design achieves global inverse optimality with respect to some meaningful cost functional, global disturbance attenuation, as well as global asymptotic stability provided no disturbance. Finally, numerical examples are used to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed design.
Communication and Nursing Relationships
Authors: Shin Kyung Rim , Jung Dukyoo , Shin Su Jin
Published: May 2011

Communication and relationships are central to nursing. The non-linear quality of communication is discussed and the challenge for nursing to carry quality communication into a technology enriched environment considered. Basic features of communication are laid out.
Translation of Evidence into Practice
Authors: Campbell Steven
Published: May 2011

Translation of evidence into practice requires conscious effort. Theories are presented and critically discussed as potential clues of how to best pull evidence into practice and reap rewards for the effort. Translation is considered in the context of the individual practitioner, institution and nursing profession. The role of informatics is situated in these contexts.
Nursing Informatics History and its Contributions to Nursing Knowledge
Authors: Strachan Heather , Murray Peter , Erdley William Scott
Published: May 2011

The history of nursing informatics whilst arguably starting with Florence has exploded into a tale of frenetic activity in the last 30 years. This tale is told in this chapter. The evolution of a nursing minimum data set and evolution of a shared language internationally is rightfully positioned as critical to the future of nursing. The argument is structured around the benefit of a sound informatics infrastructure that enables nurses to Care, Share and Compare. Direction of future development needed is discussed in light of the evolution of the nursing role as knowledge worker.
Implications for Nursing Research and Generation of Evidence
Authors: Bakken Suzanne , Lucero Robert , Yoon Sunmoo , Hardiker Nicholas
Published: May 2011

A sound informatics infrastructure is essential to optimise the application of evidence in nursing practice. A comprehensive review of the infrastructure and associated research methods is supported by an extensive resource of references to point the interested reader to further resources for more in depth study. Information and communication technology (ICT) has been recognized as a fundamental component of applying evidence to practice for several decades. Although the role of ICT in generating knowledge from practice was formally identified as a nursing informatics research priority in the early 1990s (NINR Priority Expert Panel on Nursing Informatics, 1993), it has received heightened interest recently. In this chapter, the authors summarize some important trends in research that motivate increased attention to practice-based generation of evidence. These include an increased emphasis on interdisciplinary, translational, and comparative effectiveness research; novel research designs; frameworks and models that inform generation of evidence from practice; and creation of data sets that include not only variables related to biological and genetic measures, but also social and behavioral variables. The chapter also includes an overview of the ICT infrastructure and informatics processes required to facilitate generation of evidence from practice and across research studies: (1) information structures (e.g., re-usable concept representations, tailored templates for data acquisition), (2) processes (e.g., data mining algorithms, natural language processing), and (3) technologies (e.g., data repositories, visualization tools that optimize cognitive support). In addition, the authors identify key knowledge gaps related to informatics support for nursing research and generation of evidence from practice.
Ethical Considerations of Nursing Informatics
Authors: Simpson Roy L.
Published: May 2011

Frontiers of information use and management in nursing to support clinical practice and research are being pushed further than ever before. Are associated nursing ethics also being pushed to new expression? Or is it a case of application of existing principles on this new ground? This chapter begins the debate.
Case Study
Authors: Chenery-Morris Sam , Theodosius Catherine
Published: May 2011

A blended learning environment as utilised in a masters level subject was critiqued through the lenses afforded by Salmon and Goffman. The authors bring perspectives of student and teacher and combine personal recollection with discussion board postings to make sense of the experience and recommendations for teaching in a blended environment.
Sharing Bites on Global Screens
Authors: Moura Hudson
Published: May 2011

Snack culture is the new phenomenon that shrinks media cultural products and can be easily shared on social networks of the Internet. Thus, it can be consumed in a reduced amount of time circulating instantly all over the globe. These tiny and snappy materials are changing people’s habits, transforming passive viewers into active users, and promoting equal access to all, and requiring no professional skills. Viewers now can also produce cultural and social content in widespread virtual communities (based on the Web 2.0) that are increasingly interactive. This chapter presents and analyses a variety of media snacks that form and circulate as snack culture; it also elucidates some of those current changes that are shaping today’s relationship between society and media.
The Emerging Media Exchange in the Cultural Regionalization of Asia
Authors: Chung Peichi
Published: May 2011

This chapter focuses on the emerging media regionalization that takes place in Asia in 2000s. Japan and Hong Kong used to be the dominant cultural exporters commercializing their national media products to the nearby Asian markets. The recent market success of Korean wave and the gradual opening of Chinese market bring media regionalization to a different level. The chapter selects three cases to present the detailed image of cultural standardization in Asia’s media regionalization. The first centers on the circulation of media text in television drama, emphasizing on Korean wave and the particular TV series, Boys Over Flowers. The second case discusses Taiwanese popular music and its influence on Mandopop in the Chinese communities. The last case studies the regionalization of online game from China. This case examines the localization of Chinese online game, Westward Journey Online II. Chinese online games initially begin with the imitation of Korean game but later form their national branding based upon a mixture of global and local cultural elements that speak to the largest group of online game consumers in the pan-Asian market.
New Imagined Community by Cultural Participation
Authors: Chang Pi-Chun
Published: May 2011

Although the preservation of cultural heritage has always been a primary task of cultural policy in many countries, the idea of combining digital technology and cultural heritage was almost entirely unknown as recently as 1990. It is undeniable that digital technologies have played an important part in our lives. In the case of Taiwan, the government has been working on digitizing cultural heritage by launching National Digital Archives Program since 2002. Most scholarship has focused either on technical practices or the economic value of such practices. Scanty attention has been paid to the relationship between digital cultural heritage, cultural citizenship, and one’s imagined community. In other words, the application of digital technology onto cultural heritage has been largely unmapped in terms of identity formation. This study explores the social and cultural implication of the combination of technology and heritage. When heritage meet contemporary technology, how does it shape and what does it implicate for one’s cultural identity and imagined community?
Mum’s the Word
Authors: Hjorth Larissa
Published: May 2011

In 2009, for the first time, Internet penetration rates in China have surpassed the global average level with over 298 million users (CINIC 2009). In this burgeoning of use, one of the largest and oldest social networking systems (SNS) in China, QQ, has become part of the daily diet of many Chinese both in cities and big towns. In this chapter I explore the role of QQ — and SNS more generally — through a case study of university students studying in Shanghai. As I posit in this chapter, QQ has become a rite of passage for the migrating youth leaving home to study in another city or country. As the first generation to grow up within the IT educational reforms that saw a growing importance placed on new media and Internet literacy, these ba ling hou students are passing on their knowledge to their family and friends back home, demonstrating that SNS is far from the prerogative of Western, middle-class youth. In particular, SNS is creating new ways for intergenerational connectivity and contact in the face of growing geographic mobility.