bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Graph-Based Image Segmentation Alorithm Using Heirarchical Social Metaheuristic
Authors: Duarte Abraham , Sanchez Angel , Fernandez Felipe , Montemayor Antonio S.
Published: April 2011

This chapter proposes a new evolutionary graph-based image segmentation method to improve quality results. Our approach is quite general and can be considered as a pixel- or region-based segmentation technique. What is more important is that they (pixels or regions) are not necessarily adjacent. We start from an image described by a simplified undirected weighted graph where nodes represent either pixels or regions (obtained after an oversegmentation process) and weighted edges measure the dissimilarity between pairs of pixels or regions. As a second phase, the resulting graph is successively partitioned into two subgraphs in a hierarchical fashion, corresponding to the two most significant components of the actual image, until a termination condition is met. This graph-partitioning task is solved as a variant of the min-cut problem (normalized cut) using a hierarchical social (HS) metaheuristic. As a consequence of this iterative graph bipartition stage, pixels or regions are initially merged into the two most coherent components, which are successively bipartitioned according to this graph-splitting scheme. We applied the proposed approach to brightness segmentation on different standard test images, with good visual and objective segmentation quality results.
Fast Automatic Video Object Segmentation for Content-Based Applications
Authors: Ong Ee Ping , Lin Weisi , Tye Bee June , Etoh Minoru
Published: April 2011

An algorithm has been devised for fast, fully automatic and reliable object segmentation from live video for scenarios with static camera. The contributions in this chapter include methods for: (a) adaptive determination of the threshold for change detection; (b) robust stationary background reference frame generation, which when used in change detection can reduce segmentation fault rate and solve the problems of dis-occluded objects appearing as part of segmented moving objects; (c) adaptive reference frame selection to improve segmentation results; and (d) spatial refinement of modified change detection mask by incorporating information from edges, gradients and motion to improve accuracy of segmentation contours. The algorithm is capable of segmenting multiple objects at a speed of 12 QCIF frames per second with a Pentium-4 2.8GHz personal computer in C coding without resorting to any code optimization. The result shows advantages over related work in terms of both fault rate and processing speed.
A Fully Automated Active Shape Model for Segmentation and Tracking of Unknown Objects in a Cluttered Environment
Authors: Rouai-Abidi Besma , Kang Sangkyu , Abidi Mongi
Published: April 2011

The segmentation of shapes is automated using a new objective function to deform and move a contour toward the actual shape. New profile modeling and optimization criterion to automatically find corresponding points are also applied for segmentation and tracking of people in cluttered backgrounds. The proposed framework utilizes a Pan-Tilt-Zoom (PTZ) camera and automatically performs the initial target acquisition through motion and color-based segmentation. Successful results are presented for within and between frame segmentation and tracking. This algorithm presents a major extension to the state of the art and the original active shape model (ASM) which was designed for known objects in smooth non-changing backgrounds and where the landmark points need to be manually picked off-line. This is a fully automated, real time ASM that deals with changing backgrounds and does not require prior knowledge of the object to be segmented and tracked.
Parallel Segmentation of Multi-Channel Images Using Multi-Dimentional Mathematical Morphology
Authors: Plaza Antonio , Plaza Javier , Valencia David , Martiez Pablo
Published: April 2011

Multi-channel images are characteristic of certain applications, such as medical imaging or remotely sensed data analysis. Mathematical morphology-based segmentation of multi-channel imagery has not been fully accomplished yet, mainly due to the lack of vector-based strategies to extend classic morphological operations to multidimensional imagery. For instance, the most important morphological approach for image segmentation is the watershed transformation, a hybrid of seeded region growing and edge detection. In this chapter, we describe a vector-preserving framework to extend morphological operations to multi-channel images, and further propose a fully automatic multi-channel watershed segmentation algorithm that naturally combines spatial and spectral/temporal information. Due to the large data volumes often associated with multi-channel imaging, this chapter also develops a parallel implementation strategy to speed up performance. The proposed parallel algorithm is evaluated using magnetic resonance images and remotely sensed hyperspectral scenes collected by the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory Airborne Visible Infra-Red Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS).
Object Evaluation of Video Segmentation Quality
Authors: Correia Paulo Lobato , Pereira Fernando
Published: April 2011

The evaluation of image and video segmentation results assumes a critical role for the selection of appropriate segmentation algorithms, as well as the adjustment of their parameters for optimal segmentation performance in the context of a given application. The current practice for the evaluation of video segmentation quality is based on subjective testing, which is an expensive and time-consuming process. Objective segmentation quality evaluation techniques can alternatively be used, once appropriate algorithms become available. Currently this is a field under development and this contribution proposes evaluation methodologies and objective segmentation quality metrics both for individual objects and for complete segmentation partitions. Standalone and relative evaluation metrics are proposed, to be used when a reference segmentation is missing, or available for comparison, respectively.
A Summary of Racent Progresses for Segmentation Evaluation
Authors: Zhang Yu-Jin
Published: April 2011

This chapter provides a summary of the recent (especially since 2000) progress for the evaluation of image and video segmentation. It is seen that much more effort has been expended on this subject recently than several years ago. A number of works are based on previously proposed principles, and several works have made modifications to and improvements on previous techniques, still other works have presented a few new ideas. The generality and complexity of the evaluation methods and performance criteria used in these works have been thoroughly compared. As the research in this field is still on the rise, some existing problems and several future directions are also highlighted.
Managing Security Vulnerabilities in a Business-to-Business Electronic Commerce Organization
Authors: Becker Shirley Ann , Berkemeyer Anthony
Published: April 2011

GlobalUBid.com is a B2B (business-to-business) e-commerce company offering excess and obsolete inventory to online customers. GlobalUBid is rapidly expanding into the global online marketplace, but recently, its Web site crashed due to a denial-of-service (DOS) attack. A lack of security awareness at an organizational level has left GlobalUBid’s online system vulnerable to internal and external attacks. Though informal security policies are in place, many employees are not aware of them and they are not enforced on a regular basis. Unsecured aspects of the physicalworkplace make the organization vulnerable to disgruntled employees, hackers, and unscrupulous competition. GlobalUBid has hired URSecure consultants to conduct a security assessment in uncovering internal and external vulnerabilities. URSecure has made recommendations for improved security, though the organization must develop most of the implementation details. GlobalUBid management recognizes the need for improved security, though there is a concern about the financial implications of implementing a security plan.
Government-to-Government Enterprises
Authors: Joia Luiz Antonio
Published: April 2011

Electronic government has proven a watershed in the domain of public administration despite being difficult to pin down precisely. Indeed, the government-to-government (G2G) arena is one of the least studied aspects of this newly established field of knowledge. This chapter aims to present a heuristic frame to implement government-to-government endeavors effectively. The frame presented in this article was largely drawn from an actual government-to-government case study successfully implemented in Brazil. From the analysis of this explanatory case study involving the Brazilian Central Bank (BCB) and the Brazilian Justice Department (BJD), some key success factors were singled out as well as the major hurdles to be overcome and causes thereof. These findings led the researcher to propose a heuristic frame not only to explain the conclusions drawn from the case study presented, but also to help researchers, practitioners, and policy makers to deploy government-to-government projects adequately.
Effective Web Site Design
Authors: Rosen Deborah E. , Purinton Elizabeth F. , Lloyd Scott J.
Published: April 2011

The Web has been a destination for commerce for well over a decade, so it is time to take stock of what we know, or do not know, about Web design. A review of the literature to date provides evidence that we have really just begun to understand what makes a Web site optimal from a design standpoint. As the Web is first and foremost a source of information, this chapter focuses on Web design from an information processing perspective. Studies are described using cognitive maps and preferences as a possible framework for understanding why some designs are more effective than others in terms of viewers’ likelihood of revisit and overall impression.
E-Taxation
Authors: Pant Vikramaditya , Stiner M. Susan , Wagner William P.
Published: April 2011

Online tax systems are rapidly replacing paper-based tax reporting systems. Promising many advantages over the traditional method of hard copy tax filing, these systems promise faster process, lower costs and increased efficiency. Using a specific language from the Extensible Markup Language family called TaxXML, TIGERS, a government subcommittee for the establishment of electronic taxation standards is looking to revolutionize the way government administers taxation. TaxXML draws upon the concepts and constructs of basic XML and utilizes tax-related vocabularies to create a standardized and systematized framework of electronic tax preparation and reporting. Having said that electronic tax reporting is advantageous over traditional paper-based reporting, there are further advantages of using a TaxXML-based electronic system than one that is engineered using non-standard proprietary technologies. While it is still in its early stages ofdevelopment, it is unclear how hard the government will impose this technology onto the industry and also how the industry will react to this new technology. This paper will provide some background for the study of TaxXML and will suggest why TaxXML is a very significant development in the realm of online tax systems.
Online Consumer Trust
Authors: Tan Felix B. , Sutherland Paul
Published: April 2011

Consumer trust is widely heralded as an essential element for the success of electronic commerce, yet the concept itself is still clouded in confusion by the numerous definitions and points of view held across multiple disciplines. It is the aim of this paper to synthesise the viewpoints from across the disciplines and bring them together in a multi-dimensional trust model. It is hoped that in doing so, these broad assortment of views will highlight the true underlying nature of trust in the online environment. From these multiple disciplines, three dimensions of trust emerged: dispositional trust, institutional trust and interpersonal trust, each bringing its own influencing factors into the overall intention to trust. From this model emerged the notion that the consumer as an individual is central to the understanding of trust, and in turn that the individual’s personality and culture form the foundation for the development of trust.
A Customer Relationship Management System to Target Customers at Cisco
Authors: Bhaskar Rahul
Published: April 2011

This case describes the implementation of an Internet empowered Customer Relationship Management (CRM) at Cisco Systems Inc. After describing the organizational background of Cisco, the case takes the student into the issues that the executives faced after the market crash in 2001. John Chambers, Cisco CEO, and his team decided to strengthen Cisco’s relationship with the customers so that the company could emerge stronger when the markets recovered. Questions are raised as to the implementation of technology and supporting processes in a company that traditionally had not considered CRM as its core marketing strategy.
From Seeking Information to Transacting
Authors: Barnes Stuart J. , Vidgen Richard
Published: April 2011

As government organisations have begun increasingly to communicate and interact with citizens via the Web, providing services has demanded acute understanding of the requirements of users and appropriate tailoring of solutions. In this chapter, we examine the results of a survey of the quality of a Web site provided by the U.K. government. The site is that of the Inland Revenue (IR). The survey was administered directly after the launch of a new system to enable the online submission of self-assessed tax returns. The instrument, E-Qual, draws on previous work in Web site usability, information quality, and service interaction quality to provide a rounded framework for assessing e-government offerings. The metrics and qualitative comments provide some detailed insights into the perceptions of users who attempted to interact with the online taxation system. The results point to specific areas in need of development on the Web site, which are found to be consistent with initiatives launched recently by the Inland Revenue.
The Strategic Importance of E-Commerce in Modern Supply Chains
Authors: Gibson Peter R. , Edwards Janet
Published: April 2011

Considering some aspects of the motor industry as an example, this paper outlines strategic opportunities for e-commerce-enabled supply chains and, hence, greatly improved responses to customers. The authors demonstrate that there will be resulting strategic advantage for firms that become enabled to take a further step of making changes to their much wider manufacturing process philosophies. The developed knowledge associated with these changes will not be easily copied by competitors, and as such, provides the basis for a sustainable competitive advantage for those firms that are able to lead the way with the enabling technology of e-commerce in supply chains. However, leadership and change management are identified as key issues requiring further investigation.
On E-Markets in Emerging Economy
Authors: Pani Ashis K. , Agrahari Amit
Published: April 2011

MetalJunction.com is a joint venture of TISCO (Tata Iron & Steel Company) and SAIL (Steel Authority of India), the steel makers contributing more than 60% to the India’s total steel production. The case illustrates how an organization(s) can use information technology to spin off key processes such as procurement and selling. Since its first year of operations, MetalJunction.com generated substantial savings for TISCO and SAIL. The case also supports the argument that the business context in emerging economies is significantly different from developed economies; hence, setting up a successful B2B marketplace may require the creation of basic services that are taken for granted in developed economies. These days Indian dot.com companies are having a tough time because of the dot.com burst, the 9/11 terrorist attack, and the sluggish American economy. However, Mr. Viresh Oberoi, MD, of MetalJunction.com has enough reasons to celebrate. His firm not only survived the dot.com bloodbath, but also generated substantial profit from the very first year of operations. Total transaction value in financial year 2003 to 2004 has touched Rs 21.35 billion ($427 million).
An E-Government Model
Authors: Sharma Sushil K. , Gupta Jatinder N.D.
Published: April 2011

Electronic government (e-government), the ability for government to provide access to services and information twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, is an emerging force today. There are several models that attempt to explain the way in which e-government has evolved or is evolving. This paper presents an overview of a few important government models and frameworks.
IT Industry Development and the Knowledge Economy
Authors: Ein-Dor Phillip , Myers Michael , Raman K. S.
Published: April 2011

It is generally accepted that knowledge has become a third major factor of production, in addition to the traditional factors — labor and capital. Information technology production is a significant factor in the knowledge economy both because it is a major enabler of that economy and because it is itself highly knowledge intensive. Many countries around the world are looking for ways to promote the development of the knowledge economy, and information technology industries in particular. An important question is to what extent — and how — small developed countries might succeed in this endeavor. This study suggests a modified and more comprehensive version of the Ein-Dor et al. (1997) model of IT (information technology) industry success in small developed countries. Whereas the earlier model of IT industry success was based solely on the macro-economic theory of Grossman and Helpman (1991), the revised model suggested here incorporates Romer’s (1990) work in New Growth economics. A significant advance over earlier work in this area is the use of both longitudinal and time slice data. This article provides an in-depth analysis of the IT industry in four countries over a five-year period: Finland, Israel, New Zealand and Singapore. It analyses some changes that occurred over the period 1994 through 1998 and thus provides a reasonably comprehensive picture of the factors affecting the production of IT in these small developed countries. Our study reveals that four of the five endogenous variables studied have a close relationship to the development of IT industries in small developed countries. These variables are research and development, technological infrastructure, firm strategies, and capital availability. On the other hand, domestic IT use does not seem to be a major factor in IT industry development. Our analysis thus largely supports the more comprehensive model of IT industry success. These findings should be of interest to both researchers and policy makers seeking to develop the knowledge economy and information technology industries in particular.
The Evolution of IT Governance Structure in Dynamic Environments
Authors: Chin Pauline O.
Published: April 2011

Information technology (IT) governance structures focuses on the distribution of the IT decision-making process throughout the enterprise to achieve the strategic IT goals of the organization. The development of an effective IT governance structure that is flexible and will meet the needs of a complex and dynamic environment is a challenging task. This is particularly the case in organizations that have achieved growth through mergers and acquisitions. When the acquired organizations are geographically located in different regions than the host enterprise, the factors affecting this integration and the choice of IT governance structures are quite different than when this situation does not exist. This study performs an exploratory examination of the factors that affect the choice of IT governance structures in organizations that grow through mergers and acquisitions in developing countries with transitional economies using the results of a case study of an international telecommunications company. In addition to the commonly recognized factors such as government regulation, competition and market stability, organizational culture, and IT competence, top management’s predisposition toward a specific business strategy and governance structure can profoundly influence the initial choice of IT governance in organizations. The case also finds that IT governance structures are not static, but are continuously evolving in dynamic environments. Managerial implications are discussed.
Determinants of Online Purchasing Behaviour
Authors: Doolin Bill , Dillon Stuart , Corner James L.
Published: April 2011

This chapter presents a research model of the determinants of online purchasing behaviour. The model assesses the importance of various dimensions of perceived risk and the Internet shopping experience in the online purchasing behaviour of Internet users. The model was tested using a survey of some 700 New Zealand Internet users. Both the perceived risk and perceived benefits of Internet shopping were found to be significantly associated with the amount and frequency of online purchases made. Loss of social interaction in Internet shopping was associated with reduced online spending. The results of the study suggest that Internet retailing Web sites should include features that enhance customer service and reduce perceived risk.
Pursuing Radical Transformation in Information Age Government
Authors: Kawalek Peter , Wastall David
Published: April 2011

This article is concerned with the pursuit of radical organizational transformation in information age government. It focuses on three cases, each of which used the SPRINT (Salford Process Reengineering Involving New Technology) process reengineering method. This method was designed specifically for e-government projects with the objective of inculcating radical change. Although each reported case can be described as successful in some measure, this chapter questions why none of the cases seeds a process of ongoing innovation, and why all settle on a set of changes that is less radical than the vision set out within the originating project. Each case sees the remaking of processes within an accepted set of goals, and not the remaking of these goals themselves. This restriction is reported, using the concept of organizational alignment with a declared set of goals. It is shown how in each case the organization favors the less radical amongst a set of alternative proposals. It is argued that in the end, SPRINT, which places great value on its participative ethos, is also constrained by that ethos. This paper reflects the implications for e-government projects more widely.
A Disconnect in Stakeholders' Perceptions from Emerging Realities of Teledensity Growth in Africa's Least Developed Countries
Authors: Mbarika Victor W. , Meso Peter N. , Musa Philip F.
Published: April 2011

With the dynamic and meteoric rise in teledensity diffusion across Sub Saharan Africa, one would expect a departure in the perceptions of stakeholders as they relate to the Bernt and Weiss framework that identifies organizational, financial, technological, and geographical factors as the key impediments to teledensity growth. The findings of this research show that there is disconnect between current happenings and perception of stakeholders. Specifically, there is no change in stakeholders’ perceptions with respect to the framework mentioned above. However, historical and recent teledensity data from Africa’s Least Developed Countries illustrate that the model is inconsistent with the emerging realities in these countries, and that it may be getting obsolete. This leads us to conjecture that in this new dispensation, there may be some emerging factors, issues, constraints, and opportunities that may be of greater importance to understanding telecommunications capabilities in these countries and the world at large.
Understanding Internet Banking Adoption and Use Behavior
Authors: Chan Siu-cheung , Lu Ming-te
Published: April 2011

This study investigates adoption/use behavior within the context of Hong Kong Internet Banking services. A research framework based on the extended Technology Acceptance Model (TAM2) and Social Cognitive Theory is developed to identify factors that would influence the adoption and continue use of Internet Banking. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) is employed to examine the entire pattern of inter-correlations among the eight proposed constructs, and to test related propositions empirically. A survey involving a total of 499 university students is conducted and confirmatory factor analysis used to determine the measurement efficacies. The results reveal that both subjective norm and computer self-efficacy indirectly play significant roles in influencing the intention to adopt Internet Banking. Perceived ease of use has a significant indirect effect on intention to adopt/use through perceived usefulness, while its direct effect on intention to adopt is not significant.
E-Government Implementation
Authors: Tan Chee-Wee , Lim Eric T.K. , Pan Shan-Ling
Published: April 2011

As e-government plays an increasingly dominant role in modern public administrative management, its pervasive influence on organizations and individuals is apparent. It is therefore timely and relevant to examine e-governance, the fundamental mission of e-government. By adopting a stakeholder perspective, this study approaches the topic of e-governance in e-government from the three critical aspects of stakeholder management: (1) identification of stakeholders; (2) recognition of differing interests among stakeholders; and (3) how an organization caters to and furthers these interests. Findings from the case study point to the importance of: (1) discarding the traditional preference for controls to develop instead a proactive attitude towards the identification of all relevant collaborators; (2) conducting cautious assessments of the technological restrictions underlying IT-transformed public services to map out the boundary for devising and implementing control and collaboration mechanisms in the system; and (3) developing strategies to align stakeholder interests such that participation in e-government can be self-governing.
Adoptng Open Source Development Tools in a Commercial Production Environment
Authors: Persson Anna , Gustavsson Hendrik , Lings Brian , Lundell Bjorn , Mattsson Anders , Arlig Ulf
Published: April 2011

Many companies are using model-based techniques to offer a competitive advantage in an increasingly globalised systems development industry. Central to model-based development is the concept of models as the basis from which systems are generated, tested, and maintained. The availability of high-quality tools and the ability to adopt and adapt them to the company practice are important qualities. Model interchange between tools becomes a major issue. Without it, there is significantly reduced flexibility and a danger of tool lock-in. We explore the use of a standardised interchange format (XMI) for increasing flexibility in a company environment. We report on a case study in which a systems development company has explored the possibility of complementing its current proprietary tools with open-source products for supporting its model-based development activities. We found that problems still exist with interchange and that the technology needs to mature before industrial-strength model interchange becomes a reality.
Classification as Evaluation
Authors: Hakkarainen Sari , Strasunskas Darijus , Hella Lillian , Tuxen Stine
Published: April 2011

Ontology is the core component in Semantic Web applications. The employment of an ontology building method affects the quality of ontology and the applicability of ontology language. A weighted classification approach for ontology building guidelines is presented in this chapter. The evaluation criteria are based on an existing classification scheme of a semiotic framework for evaluating the quality of conceptual models. A sample of Web-based ontology building method guidelines is evaluated in general and experimented with using data from a case study in particular. Directions for further refinement of ontology building methods are discussed.
Assessing Business Process Modeling Languages Using a Generic Quality Framework
Authors: Nysetvold Anna Gunhild , Krogstie John
Published: April 2011

We describe in this chapter an insurance company that has recently wanted to standardize on business process modeling language. To perform the evaluation, a generic framework for assessing the quality of models and modeling languages was specialized to the needs of the company. Three different modeling languages were evaluated according to the specialized criteria. The work illustrates the practical utility of the overall framework, where language quality features are looked upon as means to enable the creation of models of high quality. It also illustrates the need for specializing this kind of general framework based on the requirements of the specific organization.
An Analytical Evaluation of BPMN Using a Semiotic Quality Framework
Authors: Wahl Terje , Sindre Guttorm
Published: April 2011

Evaluation of modelling languages is important both to be able to select the most suitable languages according to the needs and to improve existing languages. In this chapter, business process modeling notation (BPMN) is presented and analytically evaluated according to the semiotic quality framework. BPMN is a functionally oriented language well suited for modeling within the domain of business processes, and probably general processes outside of the business domain. The evaluation indicates that BPMN is easily learned for simple use, and business process diagrams (BPDs) are relatively easy to understand. Tools can fairly easily map BPDs into the Web Services Business Process Execution Language (WS-BPEL) (formerly known as BPEL4WS) format, but executable systems then require creation of Web services representing the activities in BPDs. An evaluation according to the Bunge-Wand-Weber (BWW) ontology is useful for finding ontological discrepancies, and the semiotic framework is useful for evaluating quality on a relatively general level. Thus, these methods complement each other.
Reuse a Repository of Conceptual Schemas in a Large Scale Project
Authors: Batini Carlo , Farasi Manuel F. , Grosso Riccardo
Published: April 2011

This chapter describes a methodology and a tool for the reuse of a repository of conceptual schemas. Large amounts of data are managed by organizations, with heterogeneous representations and meanings. Since data are a fundamental resource for organizations, a comprehensive and integrated view is needed for it. The concept of data repository fulfils these requirements, since it contains the description of all types of data produced, retrieved, and exchanged in an organization. Data descriptions should be organized in a repository to enable all the users of the information system to understand the meaning of data and the relationships among them. The methodology described in the chapter is applied in a project where an existing repository of conceptual schemas, representing information of interest for central public administration, is used in order to produce the corresponding repository of the administrations located in a region. Several heuristics are described and experiments are reported.
The MAIS Approach to Web Service Design
Authors: Adorni Marzia , Arcelli Francesca , Batini Carlo , Comerio Marco , De Paoli Flavio , Grega Simone , Losi Paolo
Published: April 2011

This chapter presents a first attempt to realize a methodological framework supporting the most relevant phases of the design of a value-added service. A value-added service is defined as a functionality of an adaptive and multichannel information system obtained by composing services offered by different providers. The framework has been developed as part of the multichannel adaptive information systems (MAIS) project. The MAIS framework focuses on the following phases of service life cycle: requirements analysis, design, deployment, and run-time use and negotiation. In the first phase, the designer elicits, validates, and negotiates service requirements according to social and business goals. The design phase is in charge of modeling services with an enhanced version of UML, augmented with new features developed within the MAIS project. The deployment phase considers the network infrastructure and, in particular, provides an approach to implement and coordinate the execution of services from different providers. In the run-time use and negotiation phase, the MAIS methodology provides support to the optimal selection and quality renegotiation of services and to the dynamic evaluation of management costs. The chapter describes the MAIS methodological tools available for different phases of service life cycle and discusses the main guidelines driving the implementation of a service management architecture called reflective architecture that complies with the MAIS methodological approach.
A Concept-Based Query Language Not Using Proper Association Names
Authors: Ovchinnikov Vladimir
Published: April 2011

This chapter is focused on a concept-based query language that permits querying by means of application domain concepts only. The query language has features making it simple and transparent for end-users: a query signature represents an unordered set of application domain concepts; each query operation is completely defined by its result signature and nested operation’s signatures; join predicates are not to be specified in an explicit form, and the like. In addition, the chapter introduces constructions of closures and contexts as applied to the language which permits querying some indirectly associated concepts as if they are associated directly and adopting queries to users’ needs without rewriting. All the properties make query creation and reading simpler in comparison with other known query languages. The author believes that the proposed language opens new ways of solving tasks of semantic human-computer interaction and semantic data integration.
A Two-Stage Zone Regression Method for Global Characterization of a Project Database
Authors: Dolado J. J. , Rodríguez D. , Riquelme J. , Ferrer-Troyano F. , Cuadrado J. J.
Published: April 2011

One of the problems found in generic project databases, where the data is collected from different organizations, is the large disparity of its instances. In this chapter, we characterize the database selecting both attributes and instances so that project managers can have a better global vision of the data they manage. To achieve that, we first make use of data mining algorithms to create clusters. From each cluster, instances are selected to obtain a final subset of the database. The result of the process is a smaller database which maintains the prediction capability and has a lower number of instances and attributes than the original, yet allow us to produce better predictions.
MMIR
Authors: Chen Min , Chen Shu-Ching
Published: April 2011

This chapter introduces an advanced content-based image retrieval (CBIR) system, MMIR, where Markov model mediator (MMM) and multiple instance learning (MIL) techniques are integrated seamlessly and act coherently as a hierarchical learning engine to boost both the retrieval accuracy and efficiency. It is well-understood that the major bottleneck of CBIR systems is the large semantic gap between the low-level image features and the highlevel semantic concepts. In addition, the perception subjectivity problem also challenges a CBIR system. To address these issues and challenges, the proposed MMIR system utilizes the MMM mechanism to direct the focus on the image level analysis together with the MIL technique (with the neural network technique as its core) to real-time capture and learn the object-level semantic concepts with some help of the user feedbacks. In addition, from a long-term learning perspective, the user feedback logs are explored by MMM to speed up the learning process and to increase the retrieval accuracy for a query. The comparative studies on a large set of real-world images demonstrate the promising performance of our proposed MMIR system.
Modeling Relevance Relations Using Machine Learning Techniques
Authors: Shirabad Jelber Sayyad , Lethbridge Timothy C. , Matwin Stan
Published: April 2011

This chapter presents the notion of relevance relations, an abstraction to represent relationships between software entities. Relevance relations map tuples of software entities to values that reflect how related they are to each other. Although there are no clear definitions for these relationships, software engineers can typically identify instances of these complex relationships. We show how a classifier can model a relevance relation. We also present the process of creating such models by using data mining and machine learning techniques. In a case study, we applied this process to a large legacy system; our system learned models of a relevance relation that predict whether a change in one file may require a change in another file. Our empirical evaluation shows that the predictive quality of such models makes them a viable choice for field deployment. We also show how by assigning different misclassification costs such models can be tuned to meet the needs of the user in terms of their precision and recall.
A Statistical Framework for the Prediction of Fault-Proneness
Authors: Ma Yan , Guo Lan , Cukic Bojan
Published: April 2011

Accurate prediction of fault-prone modules in software development process enables effective discovery and identification of the defects. Such prediction models are especially valuable for the large-scale systems, where verification experts need to focus their attention and resources to problem areas in the system under development. This chapter presents a methodology for predicting fault-prone modules using a modified random forests algorithm. Random forests improve classification accuracy by growing an ensemble of trees and letting them vote on the classification decision. We applied the methodology to five NASA public domain defect datasets. These datasets vary in size, but all typically contain a small number of defect samples. If overall accuracy maximization is the goal, then learning from such data usually results in a biased classifier. To obtain better prediction of fault-proneness, two strategies are investigated: proper sampling technique in constructing the tree classifiers, and threshold adjustment in determining the “winning” class. Both are found to be effective in accurate prediction of fault-prone modules. In addition, the chapter presents a thorough and statistically sound comparison of these methods against many other classifiers frequently used in the literature.
Applying Rule Induction in Software Prediction
Authors: Twala Bhekisipho , Cartwright Michelle , Shepperd Martin
Published: April 2011

Recently, the use of machine learning (ML) algorithms has proven to be of great practical value in solving a variety of software engineering problems including software prediction, for example, cost and defect processes. An important advantage of machine learning over statistical analysis as a modelling technique lies in the fact that the interpretation of production rules is more straightforward and intelligible to human beings than, say, principal components and patterns with numbers that represent their meaning. The main focus of this chapter is upon rule induction (RI): providing some background and key issues on RI and further examining how RI has been utilised to handle uncertainties in data. Application of RI in prediction and other software engineering tasks is considered. The chapter concludes by identifying future research work when applying rule induction in software prediction. Such future research work might also help solve new problems related to rule induction and prediction.
Application of Genetic Algorithms in Software Testing
Authors: Xu Baowen , Xie Xiaoyuan , Shi Liang , Nie Changhai
Published: April 2011

Genetic algorithms are a kind of global meta-heuristic search technique that searches intelligently for optimal solutions to a problem. Evolutionary testing is a promise testing technique, which utilises genetic algorithms to generate test data for various testing objectives. It has been researched and applied in many testing areas, including structural testing, temporal performance testing, safety testing, specification-based testing, and so forth. Experimental studies have shown that compared with the traditional techniques, evolutionary testing can greatly improve the testing efficiency.
Formal Methods for Specifying and Analyzing Complex Software Systems
Authors: He Xudong , Yu Huiqun , Deng Yi
Published: April 2011

Software has been a major enabling technology for advancing modern society, and is now an indispensable part of daily life. Because of the increased complexity of these software systems, and their critical societal role, more effective software development and analysis technologies are needed. How to develop and ensure the dependability of these complex software systems is a grand challenge. It is well known that a highly dependable complex software system cannot be developed without a rigorous development process and a precise specification and design documentation. Formal methods are one of the most promising technologies for precisely specifying, modeling, and analyzing complex software systems. Although past research experience and practice in computer science have convincingly shown that it is not possible to formally verify program behavior and properties at the program source code level due to its extreme huge size and complexity, recently advances in applying formal methods during software specification and design, especially at software architecture level, have demonstrated significant benefits of using formal methods. In this chapter, we will review several well-known formal methods for software system specification and analysis. We will present recent advances of using these formal methods for specifying, modeling, and analyzing software architectural design.
Practical Considerations in Automatic Code Generation
Authors: Dietz Paul , van den Berg Aswin , Marth Kevin , Weigert Thomas , Weil Frank
Published: April 2011

Model-driven engineering proposes to develop software systems by first creating an executable model of the system design and then transforming this model into an implementation. This chapter discusses how to automatically transform such design models into product implementations for industrial-strength systems. It provides insights, practical considerations, and lessons learned when developing code generators for applications that must conform to the constraints imposed by real-world, high-performance systems. This deeper understanding of the relevant issues will enable developers of automatic code generation systems to build transformation tools that can be deployed in industrial applications with stringent performance requirements.
DPSSEE
Authors: Deng Donghua , Sheu Phillip C.Y.
Published: April 2011

This chapter presents a distributed proactive semantic software engineering environment (DPSSEE) that incorporates logic rules into a software development process to capture the semantics from all levels of the software life cycle. It introduces the syntax and semantics of the Semantic Description Language (SDL). It also introduces model-based testing and maintenance. Several working scenarios are discussed to illustrate the use of semantic rules for workflow control, design consistency checking, testing, and maintenance.
Adding Context into an Access Control Model for Computer Security Policy
Authors: Ren Shangping , Tsai Jeffrey J.P. , Frieder Ophir
Published: April 2011

In this chapter, we present the role-based context constrained access control (RBCC) model. The model integrates contextual constraints specified in first-order logic with the standard role-based access control (RBAC). In the RBCC access control model, the permission assignment functions are constrained by the user’s current accessing contexts. The accessing contests are further categorized in two classes, that is, system contexts and application contexts. System contexts may contain accessing time, accessing location, and other security-related system information; while application contexts are abstractions of relationships among different types of entities (i.e., subjects, roles, and objects) as well as implicit relationships derived from protected information content and external information. The ability to integrate contextual information allows the RBCC model to be flexible and capable of specifying a variety of complex access policies and providing tight and just-intime permission activations. A set of medical domain examples will be used to demonstrate the expressiveness of the RBCC model.
Business Requirements and Background
Authors: Cunha Maria Manuela , Putnik Goran D.
Published: April 2011

Before introducing the Agile/Virtual Enterprise organizational model and all the concepts underlying the topic of Agile/Virtual Enterprise implementation and management support, we need to introduce a business requirements analysis to help understanding the actual economical and organizational context we live in, and to justify the emergence of new organisational models. This chapter starts with a brief introduction of the role of enterprises and the market, followed by a characterisation of the actual economic context of strong competition, and the evolution of product life cycle in this context, and concludes with a the identification of the requirements for competitiveness and a business alignment requirements analysis.
A Review on Virtual Enterprise Models
Authors: Cunha Maria Manuela , Putnik Goran D.
Published: April 2011

In this chapter the most relevant and most discussed virtual enterprise models are introduced in a broader sense: the Supply Chain Management, Extended Enterprise, the Agile Enterprise/Manufacturing, the Virtual Enterprise/Virtual Organization, the BM_VEARM Agile/Virtual Enterprise and OPIM (One Product Integrated Manufacturing). At the end of the chapter a discussion is presented.
Requirements for Agile/Virtual Enterprise Intetgration
Authors: Cunha Maria Manuela , Putnik Goran D.
Published: April 2011

This chapter introduces the requirements for Agile/Virtual Enterprise (A/VE) integration, discusses reconfigurability dynamics and business alignment and proposes a virtual enterprise extended life cycle. The requirement of dynamic reconfigurability of the A/VE model is introduced in and the causes of reconfiguration needs are presented. This chapter also clarifies the concepts of basic resources and complex resources, and discusses concepts related with selection complexity, selection models and solution space dimension. It gives examples of reconfigurability dynamics, and introduces three dynamics parameters. The need of keeping the A/VE aligned with business requirements results in A/VE reconfiguration. The permanent business alignment of the A/VE requires a high reconfiguration dynamics. This chapter introduces a referential for A/VE alignment, involving the market opportunity (or the product required by the market), the A/VE project and the resources providers. It also presents the main functionalities that must be assured to support the implementation of the A/VE model. Finally, this chapter presents a new VE lifecycle, the Agile/Virtual Enterprise extended life cycle.