bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Chapitre premier. Biodiversité et valeur agronomique des pelouses calcicoles : effets du pâturage ovin
Authors: Dutoit Thierry
Published: October 2018

De mai à septembre 1992, les effets du pâturage ovin sur la composition floristique et la valeur agronomique d'une pelouse calcicole ont été étudiés par rapport à un témoin abandonné depuis 1952. Si le pâturage induit des modifications dans les cortèges floristiques par l'apparition d'espèces et un meilleur équilibre entre les différentes populations végétales, il n'existe cependant pas de différence notable entre la valeur agronomique et la composition chimique des deux herbages et de leur sol.L'utilisation d'un Coefficient Spécifique Relatif à la contribution de certaines espèces en oligo-éléments permet cependant de visualiser une évolution mensuelle contrastée entre les deux parcelles. Si certaines espèces enrichissantes apparaissent dans la pelouse pâturée, il se pose cependant le problème de leur consommation par les moutons. La faisabilité du pâturage extensif sur ces milieux, en vue du maintien de leur richesse écologique, est ensuite discutée en référence à cet aspect.
Minder lokale mandatarissen in Brussel? Scenario’s en impact
Authors: van Haute Emilie , Deschouwer Kris , Gaudin Thibault , Janssens Rudi , Kavadias Dimokritos , Mares Ann , Pilet Jean-Benoit , Sierens Vivien , Tibbaut Aurélie
Published: October 2018

Het aantal gemeenteraadsleden en schepenen in het Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest is relatief hoog, en stijgt bij elke verkiezing. In de debatten over het functioneren van de politieke instellingen van het Gewest wordt regelmatig het idee geopperd om het aantal lokale mandatarissen te verminderen. Deze bijdrage onderzoekt welke de mogelijke implicaties van een dergelijke vermindering zouden zijn. Drie scenario’s worden bekeken: een vermindering met 10 %, met 20 % en met 30 %. Voor elk van die scenario’s wordt gesimuleerd welke de gevolgen zijn voor de ideologische diversiteit in de gemeenteraden, de werklast voor de raadsleden en schepenen, de coalitievorming, de genderevenwichten en de positie van de Nederlandstalige verkozenen. Voor kleine fracties, voor de Nederlandstaligen en voor de genderevenwichten zouden de effecten duidelijk negatief zijn.
Fewer local representatives in Brussels? Scenarios and impact
Authors: van Haute Emilie , Deschouwer Kris , Gaudin Thibault , Janssens Rudi , Kavadias Dimokritos , Mares Ann , Pilet Jean-Benoit , Sierens Vivien , Tibbaut Aurélie
Published: October 2018

The number of municipal councillors and aldermen in the Brussels-Capital Region is relatively high, and increases at each election. In the debates on the functioning of the political institutions of the Region the idea to reduce the number of local representatives is regularly raised. This contribution explores the possible implications of such a reduction. Three scenarios are examined: a reduction by 10 %, by 20 % and by 30 %. For each of these scenarios, the consequences for the ideological diversity in the municipal councils, the workload for the representatives and the aldermen, the formation of coalitions, the gender balances and the position of the Dutch speaking elected representatives are simulated. For the smaller groups, the Dutch speaking representatives and the gender balances the effects are clearly negative.
The Evolving Landscape of Instructional Design in Higher Education
Authors: Vovides Yianna , Lemus Linda Rafaela
Published: October 2018

This chapter introduces the readers to the current practice of instructional design in higher education and describes the need for optimizing instructional design methods and practice to increase its nimbleness and adaptive capacity. It also aims to challenge the readers to imagine how instructional design methods in higher education could serve as a catalyst for solving adaptive and complex systemic challenges. The authors argue that instructional design is no longer a process that should be relegated to online course design but is, in fact, a process that can bring about organizational change.
The Role of Instructional Design in Surfacing the Hidden Curriculum
Authors: Lemus Linda Rafaela , Vovides Yianna
Published: October 2018

This chapter examines the role of instructional design in relation to the hidden curriculum in higher education. It also discusses the potential and limitations of instructional design methods to make explicit different aspects of what is hidden. The hidden curriculum, both offline and online, includes important practices that should be brought to the surface and not left behind as an afterthought. The authors promote a proactive, not reactive, curriculum by arguing that the learning space should guide both formal and hidden curricula. They also urge for the reader to consider the tensions between the formal and hidden curricula in higher education.
Supply Chain and Inter-Organizational Information Systems Role
Authors: Najar Tharwa , Amami Mokhtar
Published: October 2018

Since their initiation—characterized by an unsophisticated structure—organizations declare the necessity to organize, coordinate, and manage resources. This necessity is emphasized through the appearance of emergent types of structure assorted with crossing boundaries strategies (strategic alliances, virtual enterprise, modular enterprise, and so forth). This paradigm shift has a prevailing effect on the “way of doing” within organizations and networks. The chapter aims to expose the theoretical approaches that explain the formation and the dynamics of the supply chain (Section 1). As a second step, the notion of the supply chain management (Section 2) and the supply chain performance. It also presents the impact of the IOS use on supply chain performance (Section 3).
Product Lifecycle in the Pharmaceutical Industry
Authors: Ponnusamy Senthil Kumar , Ragini Yaashikaa Ponnambalam
Published: October 2018

The composite of the present pharmaceutical industry requires more effective medication improvement and generation. A product lifecycle (PLC) is the progression of stages from the product's production to the world until its last withdrawal from the market. Product lifecycle comprises various stages that a product must possess in its lifespan, for example, launching, growth, maturity, and decline stage. While each stage brings huge changes, a progression of procedures for the administration of product lifecycle is required. Product lifecycle management (PLM) is a precise, controlled idea for overseeing and creating products and product-related data. Enhanced patient consistency, income development, extended clinical advantages, and faster market dispatch are among the primary utilization of product lifecycle management. To create a viable and productive product lifecycle management program many qualities are viewed like promising start, vital arranging clear authority, supporting information and abilities, readiness for changing tenets of government and associations.
Pharmaceutical and Life Sciences Supply Chain Management
Authors: Saravanan Anbalagan
Published: October 2018

The pharmaceutical industry quite broadly encompasses a large and varied number of logistics and supply chain activities. The industry, as a whole, relies on some standard benchmarking indicators such as months of on-hand inventory and inventory turns; however, the existing metrics do not allow for idiosyncrasies of the industry or provide adequately detailed insight into the key factors that make a pharmaceutical supply chain excellence. Over 75% of the markup on pharmaceutical products takes place at the manufacturer. This causes inventory-carrying costs to increase dramatically once the distribution segments of the supply chain purchase the product. Wholesalers and large pharmacy chains suffer high carrying costs on the final product. Inside pharmaceutical supply chains, companies must also face issues of product expiration and limited shelf lives. Seasonal and short shelf life products such as flu vaccines leave companies without the opportunity to redistribute or reallocate product in order to meet demand.
Best Practices in the Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Management
Authors: Gunasundari Elumalai
Published: October 2018

The pharmaceutical industry is under severe pressure due to complex supply chains that are underutilized, inefficient, and ill-equipped to cope with the sort of products. The pharma supply chain must meet the demands of a fast-evolving marketplace and the shift from patient to an outcome to undergo a radical overhaul. Research and development (R&D) costs in the pharma industry are spiraling, development timelines are growing, and consumers are becoming increasingly knowledgeable about care options including drugs and treatment. The marketplace is fixed through the development cycle and increasing efficiency through rationalization or outsourcing of non-core activities. Recently, the pharma industry moved from the “one-size-fits-all” approach for the supply chain flexibility, responsiveness, and reliability. This chapter enables readers to understand the techniques for rapid commission and decommission new products and markets and alternate supply models, inventory tracking tools to eliminate counterfeiting and parallel-importing risks.
Knowledge Sharing Barriers Affecting Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Performance
Authors: Ganguly Anirban , Chatterjee Debdeep , Talukdar Asim
Published: October 2018

The pharmaceutical supply chain is one of the most complex supply chains in the world. The primary objective of this chapter is to analyze the role of knowledge sharing barriers in supply chain performance. The chapter will explore significant knowledge sharing barriers that might deter the performance of a pharmaceutical supply chain. This chapter is expected to provide the twofold contribution to the academicians and practitioners. Firstly, it will socialize the importance of knowledge sharing barriers and the role they can play in deterring the performance of a pharmaceutical supply chain, and secondly, the prioritized ranking of the identified knowledge sharing barriers is expected to aid the policymakers and managers to understand the relative importance of the knowledge sharing barriers and design their knowledge management strategies accordingly.
Collaboration in the Mexican Pharmaceutical Industry
Authors: Vargas-Hernández José G. , Hernández Alma Isela Rodríguez
Published: October 2018

The objective of this chapter is to analyze the collaboration networks of the Mexican pharmaceutical industry from an institutional approach. The pharmaceutical sector at a global level is characterized by a high dynamism in innovation and collaboration. One could say that the high value recorded by the industry is due to this. However, in Mexico, the lack of efficient institutions that ensure the appropriation of profits for investment in research within the industry is not perceived; this situation leads us to the next question, What are the dynamics of collaboration between pharmaceutical companies in Mexico? To answer this question, a database was created that identifies the alliances of the companies belonging to the Canifarma. Finally, a comparison of the number of registrations and patent applications between eight of these companies is made to measure the results of this situation.
The Importance of Understanding the Challenges of African American Male Students
Authors: O'Connor Jr. Johnny R. , Butcher Jennifer T. , Titus Freddie
Published: October 2018

The purpose of this chapter is to provide guidance to scholars, educators, community leaders, and other relevant stakeholders, as it relates to the dilemmas often faced by African American males. In this chapter the authors present foundational information to spark productive dialogue with the hope of balancing the narrative of this often-misrepresented group. This is done through a historical review of issues encountered by African American males, barriers to education, and highlights of the importance of community and connectedness, and creating an awareness and relevance for future generations. The chapter ends with a discussion of future research considerations to prompt further exploration into this topic.
The Influence of Self-Determination Theory on African American Males' Motivation
Authors: Flores-Mejorado Dina , Reed Dianne
Published: October 2018

In this chapter, the authors provide an overview of the research investigating academic resiliency and factors that impact motivation among African American males. Research identifies factors that improve academic achievement and motivation for African American males: mentoring and role modeling; encouraging positive self-identification; school, community, and church involvement; teacher expectations and instructional quality; teacher quality and preparedness; real-life applications of their experiences; and African American male teachers as role models.
Impact of Mentoring and Support Programs on Academic Performance of African American Males
Authors: Herridge Andrew S. , Hobley Jr. Montelleo DeLeon
Published: October 2018

This chapter takes an in-depth look at the impact of mentoring programs and student success programs on the academic performance and retention of African American males at institutions of higher education. A review of the literature and data on the effects of mentoring and student success programs in postsecondary education was conducted through the lens of critical race theory. U.S. Census data indicated an achievement gap in the number of African American males with a Bachelor's degree when compared to White males. To combat the achievement gap, postsecondary institutions began developing mentoring programs designed to provide an environment that is supportive of the academics needs of their students. Three common themes emerged in the literature: the need for mentoring programs, the training mentors should receive, and the need for institutions to acknowledge that more needs to be done to support African American males.
The Importance of Black Male Collegians' Conceptualizing Student Success at Historically White Institutions
Authors: Bates Rodney
Published: October 2018

This chapter looks at how Black male collegians define success during their college enrollment. However, a relatively small amount of literature addresses how Black males' experiences are related to conceptions of collegiate success. Definitions of “success” vary by institution, but regardless of definition, most institutions neglect to include Black male collegians in defining, creating, or collaborating in the development of collegiate conceptions of success. Their ideas have the potential to nuance institutional assumptions and/or expand institutional frames of student success. By understanding Black males' conceptions of success, institutions can (re-)evaluate strategies that contribute to the overall success of Black male collegians and potentially all college students.
The Men of L.E.G.A.C.I. Student Success Program
Authors: Wallace Jerry L. , Robertson Vida
Published: October 2018

Strategic and intentional engagement of first-year collegiate males aligned with faculty cultural competency development are areas that can impact persistence in the first year. African Americans only represent 11.4% of the overall Texas population, with 12.6% of students enrolled in P-12 and 13.4% of students currently enrolled in institutions of higher education in Texas. The percentage of African American males that are entering college and persisting through the first year is already overwhelmingly in a category red based on overall numbers. Colleges will need to make sure that recruitment efforts and appropriate advertising is available in areas that African American males would generally search for job postings. This chapter will explore platforms in establishing a student success academic program at a university campus geared to support African American males.
An Empowering Experience
Authors: Leon Raul
Published: October 2018

This qualitative study explores the experiences of 12 Black males who studied abroad as undergraduate students. This study was concerned with understanding the potential impact of study abroad on their personal, academic, and professional decisions. Findings are organized in three main sections: preparing to study abroad, life abroad, and returning home. This study revealed that Black males in the study had strong predispositions to study abroad and secured encouragement and support from a number of individuals and groups to study abroad. While abroad, students enhanced their sense of independence, were challenged to be critical and creative, and had opportunities to reflect upon several aspects of their own identity. Once students returned home, study abroad continued to have an influence on their lifestyle, career decisions, and commitment to actively participate in their community.
The Use of Cultural Factors in Storytelling in Digital Advertising
Authors: Öztürk Gülay
Published: October 2018

In today's world in which an economy of attention is dominant, brands have recently come to utilize the power of stories so as to make sure that their brands create an impact on their target audience among millions of other advertising messages. By focusing on the case of Turkey and relying on a descriptive literature review approach, the goal of this study is to show how storytelling is used by brands in the ever-increasing digital advertising studies, and why the use of cultural factors in this communication process is significant, and what are the important points in this process.
Digitalization of Culture and Arts Communication
Authors: Taşkıran Hatun Boztepe
Published: October 2018

In today's world, it has become more significant to understand the effect of digital media on the communication of the contents about culture and arts, which are the common heritages of mankind. In this chapter, the concepts of digital communication, digital media, and digital publics which are the most concrete results of the digitalization process in communication was examined. Also, the digitalization of culture and arts communication was investigated in relation to the organizations working in the field of culture and arts and artists' adaptation to the digitalized communication processes; and the role of digital media was explored in connection with the communication process management of culture and arts contents. In research conducted as part of this study, the digitalization of culture and arts communication was evaluated by analyzing a sample application as a digital database and determining the perspectives of target audiences. According to the data obtained in the research, Google Arts & Culture, which has been investigated as part of the study as a sample application, should be benefitted from in the digital culture and arts communication thanks to the features it has. The application supports the accessibility of artworks and cultural products from any society for digital media users. As the data gathered during the interviews done to present target audiences' points of views about the digitalization of culture and arts communication indicate, digital communication offers important opportunities for target audiences in reaching arts and culture contents without time and place restrictions; and target audiences appreciate accessing to these contents free of charge.
Museum Digital Innovation
Authors: De Bernardi Paola , Gilli Monica
Published: October 2018

The purpose of this chapter is to determine the role of digital communication strategies in Torino digitally active museums. It describes strengths and weakness of museum digital communication practices, giving evidence on the awareness that museum managers have on the power of technology, data and automation to drive innovative digital communications. While some conceptual studies have highlighted the impact that digital technologies have on museums, empirical evidence on communication strategies, according to museum managers, is still missing. This research aims to fill this gap. The results show that digital communication is weakly linked to strategic dimension in the Torino museums, since it is conceived as a short-term operative tool, and it is not yet managed as a key resource to engage in dialogue with their publics. Results could provide new insight to directors and museum managers involved from the transformative and often disruptive power of digitization with the various spill-over effects on their business models.
Spanish Museum Policies Through Social Media to Enhance Communication With the Stakeholders
Authors: Alonso-Cañadas Juana , Galán-Valdivieso Federico , Saraite-Sariene Laura , Caba-Pérez Maria del Carmen
Published: October 2018

The main aim of this chapter is to describe the current status of participation and commitment of stakeholders in museums and cultural institutions through social networks. The study and analysis were developed following a quantitative methodology to calculate an index of online engagement through direct observation of data from the social network Facebook. Results show low levels of engagement, being most of interactions carried out through “like” and “share” actions, with few comments. It has been also detected that science museums lead in popularity, thematic museums are more prone to comments, and virality stands out in monuments. Likewise, the publication of posts containing audio-visual content are more frequent, and its publication is usually carried out during the week and in the morning.
ICTs and Cultural Promotion in Africa
Authors: Endong Floribert Patrick C.
Published: October 2018

Digital technologies have, in recent times, become key tools for cultural promotion and preservation in various parts of Africa. A number of interesting cultural projects are today created in most Black African countries to promote specific aspects of less represented cultures through digital platforms. The entities behind such projects vary from nongovernmental initiatives to government agencies and are driven by varied motives. In spite of this variety of motives, their actions indisputably aim at the same cultural vision: the promotion and restoration of various aspects of the African cultures. Hinging on empirical understandings, this chapter critically explores these digitally driven cultural projects. The chapter specifically examines the prospects and challenges of using digital technologies to promote culture in Black African countries. It addresses the following research questions: What is the state of cultural promotion in Black African countries? How are ICTs facilitating cultural activism in the continent? and What are some of the challenges faced by cultural activists in the continent?
Digital Communication in a GIF Culture
Authors: Prosperi Gabriele
Published: October 2018

GIF can be defined as a moving image characterized by brevity, repetition (loop), and an apparently low informative content; used as a pseudo-linguistic element, GIF is able to re-mediate a pre-existing text and to resemanticize it. The image originates from a process of decontextualization of an audiovisual element, quoting or referring to the original text (Uhlin) – taken from television, cinema, video art, or homemade. The fragment is then assigned with a new specific meaning, when it is used for a communicative purpose (especially on social networks), acting as a container of variable information designated to substitute articulate colloquial elements both emotional or explanatory. Through the analysis of the possible uses of GIF online, which exemplifies the actual concepts of post-truth and remix, the contribution aims to identify the communicative properties of the object, collecting cases within specific social platforms. GIF appears as a behavioral crossroad of contemporaneity, both in terms of re-use of creative contents and of demystification of current facts.
Balanced Scorecard in a Telecommunications Company
Authors: Mostafavi Esmaeil
Published: October 2018

In recent decades, telecommunication has been considered as an organization for socio-economic progress in the world. At the same time, increasing demand for telecommunications services has greatly contributed to the growth of this industry, so that the number of data service subscribers worldwide is over a billion, and thousands of new subscribers are added per minute. The main purpose of this chapter is finding strategic objectives and related key performance indicators considering each perspective of the balanced scorecard in data network sector of a telecommunications company in Tehran. The financial aspect has one objective, the customer and market perspective has six objectives, the internal business process perspective has 10 goals, and finally, the perspective of learning and growth has four objectives. According to the objectives, performance indicators are presented that are useful for performance measurement and strategy implementation.
Policymaking to Enhance Customer Loyalty by E-CRM
Authors: Saifi Maysam
Published: October 2018

This chapter is about using the methodology of system dynamics for the analysis of the effect of electronic customer relationship management (e-CRM) on customer loyalty in the banking industry. For this purpose, after reviewing the existing theoretical literature, a research model including factors describing e-CRM in the bank based on the system dynamics approach is determined. Afterward, according to views of two major decision makers of one of the branches of the Iranian Tejarat Bank, causal loop diagrams and dynamic models of the system are defined that make it possible to describe trends of the past, present, and future of the e-CRM and customer loyalty in the bank. After verifying the validity of the model with the test of model structure, the test of model behavior, and test of policy implications, policies are described and explained.
Identification of Information Security Management Factors
Authors: Dadmarz Hamed H.
Published: October 2018

Considering the important role of information in organizations, an appropriate management is required for maintaining the security of the information. The information security management system is part of a general management system in an organization and based on the business risk approach aims to establish, implement, use, monitor, revise, maintain, and improve security that leads to the protection of information and minimizes unauthorized access. The main objective of this chapter is to identify factors and indicators of information security based on the information management system. For this purpose, after reviewing the literature and having opinions of 30 experts, a conceptual framework for public organizations is proposed that includes information security management factors such as financial, technical, operation and communication, human resources, data and information classification, environmental and physical, and managerial.
Talking Back to Texts
Authors: Cohn Jenae
Published: October 2018

Every moment of reading offers readers the opportunity to enter into the text as part of a larger conversation, one that likely started long before the reader encountered the text. Yet there remains the myth that reading is about encountering a text ossified in time rather than bringing an idea into a dialogue. Recognizing that a text is lively, that it invites voices to intervene and disrupt a conversation, is critical to the creative development of new thought. The Social Web offers opportunities in college classrooms to make the ongoing conversation that begins in a reading visible so that students can enter into a conversation in shared textual spaces. This chapter offers a broad understanding of what social annotation is and why it is important by offering the benefits and challenges of social annotation while briefly reviewing the empirical literature on social annotation from a variety of disciplines.
Synthesizing What Was Learned
Authors: Hartman Hope Jinean
Published: October 2018

Browser-based social annotation was integrated with concept mapping for assessing graduate teacher education students' learning in lieu of a final exam. Documents annotated online were required readings of three case studies and three chapters. Concept maps were organized around the theoretical framework that underpinned all coursework. Students chose whether to work individually or cooperatively and whether to use browser-based or hand-drawn concept maps. Most students did exemplary jobs synthesizing what they had learned, representing this knowledge and understanding in their concept maps, and explaining their thinking to the class. The results suggest that this is an effective, authentic, alternative assessment approach for summative evaluation. The uniqueness and complexity of this project led to a variety of recommendations for future implementations and research.
Addressing FYC Instructors' Lack of Technological Expertise in Implementing Multimodal Assignments
Authors: Bhusal Ashok
Published: October 2018

The chapter argues that teacher training should focus on providing guidelines to instructors on how to use technology and on the skills necessary to implement multimodal assignments. It uses UTEP's first-year writing program as a case study to investigate the multimodal assignments as part of the syllabus given to first-year students. It presents an analysis of interviews with current first-year composition instructors regarding their experience teaching multimodal projects and examines current first-year composition courses and teacher training practices at the University of Texas El Paso (UTEP) to gauge the effective implementation of multimodal assignments. Finally, it offers recommendations to address the obstacles and lack of expertise of instructors in employing multimodality in the classroom.
Supporting Participation in Online Social Networks
Authors: Poggi Agostino , Fornacciari Paolo , Lombardo Gianfranco , Mordonini Monica , Tomaiuolo Michele
Published: October 2018

Social networking systems can be considered one of the most important social phenomena because they succeeded in involving billions of people all around the world and in attracting users from several social groups, regardless of age, gender, education, or nationality. Social networking systems blur the distinction between the private and working spheres, and users are known to use such systems both at home and at the work place both professionally and with recreational goals. Social networking systems can be equally used to organize a work meeting, a dinner with the colleagues, or a birthday party with friends. In the vast majority of cases, social networking platforms are still used without corporate blessing. However, several traditional information systems, such as CRMs and ERPs, have also been modified in order to include social aspects. This chapter discusses the participation in online social networking activities and, in particular, the technologies that support and promote the participation in online social network.
Data Warehouse Support for Policy Enforcement Rule Formulation
Authors: Prakash Deepika
Published: October 2018

It is believed that a data warehouse is for operational decision making. Recently, a proposal was made to support decision making for formulating policy enforcement rules that enforce policies. These rules are expressed in the WHEN-IF-THEN form. Guidelines are proposed to elicit two types of actions, triggering actions that cause the policy violation and the corresponding correcting actions. The decision-making problem is that of selecting the most appropriate correcting action in the event of a policy violation. This selection requires information. The elicited information is unstructured and is “early.” This work is extended by proposing a method to directly convert early information into its multi-dimensional form. For this, an early information mode is proposed. The proposed conversion process is a fully automated one. Further, the tool support is extended to accommodate the conversion process. The authors also apply the method to a health domain.
Trivarsity, Interdisciplinary BIModelling/Management (BIM) Workshop
Authors: Robertson Frances Josephine , Muller Ernest , Chisholm Gordon , Olner Geoff , Duxbury Liane Sharon
Published: October 2018

This article demonstrates the evolutionary development of a series of inter-varsity, interdisciplinary, collaborative architectural design/management workshops, using industry-standard BIM software, within a community of academics, students and practitioners in Danish, Irish and UK architectural technology (AT) universities. This article, per the authors, proposes that the current digital revolution in the architectural, engineering, construction and operations/owner-operated (AECO) sectors, necessitates a planned change process to simulate 21st century, interdisciplinary, professional practice in academia. The action research methodology of this is outlined. After each of the four dynamic and cyclical stages, the reflective practitioners discuss their development of the professional curriculum: defined as an active-learning process. The students are active collaborators: joint change agents in a process of transformational learning as future employees and ambassadors for the benefits of collaboration utilizing information communication technologies (ICTs).
A New Approach for Conceptual Extraction-Transformation-Loading Process Modeling
Authors: Biswas Neepa , Chattapadhyay Samiran , Mahapatra Gautam , Chatterjee Santanu , Mondal Kartick Chandra
Published: October 2018

Erroneous or incomplete data generated from various sources can have direct impact in business analysis. Extracted data from sources need to load into data warehouse after required transformation to reduce error and minimize data loss. This process is also known as Extraction-Transformation-Loading (ETL). High-level view of the system activities can be visualized by conceptual modeling of ETL process. It provides the advantage of pre-identification of system error, cost minimization, scope and risk assessment etc. A new modeling approach is proposed for conceptualization ETL process by using a standard Systems Modeling Language (SysML). For handling increasing complexity of any system model, it is preferable to go through verification and validation process in early stage of system development. In this article, the authors' previous work is extended by presenting a MBSE based approach to automate the SysML model's validation by using No Magic simulator. Here, the main objective is to overcome the gap between modeling and simulation and to examine the performance of the proposed SysML model. The usefulness of the authors' approach is exhibited by using a use case scenario.
Load Balancing of Unbalanced Assignment Problem With Hungarian Method
Authors: Mondal Ranjan Kumar , Ray Payel , Nandi Enakshmi , Biswajit.Biswas  , Sanyal Manas Kumar , Sarddar Debabrata
Published: October 2018

The cloud computing presents a type of assignments and systems which occupy distributed resources to execute a role in a distributed way. Cloud computing make use of the online systems on the web to assist the implementation of complicated assignments; that need huge-scale computation. It was said with the intention of in our living world; we can find it challenging to balance workloads of cloud computing among assignments (jobs or tasks) and systems (machines or nodes), so the majority of the time we have to promote a condition to unbalanced assignment problems (unequal task allocations). The present article submits a new technique to solve the unequal task allocation problems. The technique is offered in an algorithmic model and put into practice on the several groups of input to investigate the presentation and usefulness of the works. An evaluation is prepared with the presented approach. It makes sure that the proposed approach provides a better outcome by comparing with some other existing algorithms.
Storage and Bandwidth Optimized Reliable Distributed Data Allocation Algorithm
Authors: Bhattacharya Hindol , Chattopadhyay Samiran , Chattopadhyay Matangini , Banerjee Avishek
Published: October 2018

Distributed storage allocation problems are an important optimization problem in reliable distributed storage, which aims to minimize storage cost while maximizing error recovery probability by optimal storage of data in distributed storage nodes. A key characteristic of distributed storage is that data is stored in remote servers across a network. Thus, network resources especially communication links are an expensive and non-trivial resource which should be optimized as well. In this article, the authors present a simulation-based study of the network characteristics of a distributed storage network in the light of several allocation patterns. By varying the allocation patterns, the authors have demonstrated the interdependence between network bandwidth, defined in terms of link capacity and allocation pattern using network throughput as a metric. Motivated by observing the importance of network resource as an important cost metric, the authors have formalized an optimization problem that jointly minimizes both the storage cost and the cost of network resources. A hybrid meta heuristic algorithm is employed that solves this optimization problem by allocating data in a distributed storage system. Experimental results validate the efficacy of the algorithm.
Examining Statistical Distributions and Statistical Behavior of Stem Tapers of Fagus Sylvatica in Municipal Forest of Naoussa
Authors: Spyridon Messaritakis
Published: October 2018

The aim of the present research is the study of the statistical behavior of ninety-three tapers. Tapers are classified into three categories depending on whether they use measured diameters at relative or absolute heights in the tree trunk. In each taper, measures of central tendency, measures of dispersion and a measure of skewness were examined. Each taper was examined if it fits normal distribution or not. It emerged that in the first category all tapers approached the normal distribution. In the second category, eight of the ten tapers are satisfactorily reaching the normal distribution, while in the third category thirty-seven out of seventy-eight are satisfactorily reaching the normal distribution. Data used in the research were collected in the Municipal Forest of Naoussa from 300 trees of Fagus sylvatica using random sampling.
Incarcerated Students, the Technological Divide and the Challenges in Tertiary Education Delivery
Authors: Barrow Lorna , Ambler Trudy , Bailey Matthew , McKinnon Andrew
Published: October 2018

The technological divide that incarcerated students experience when undertaking tertiary studies via Distance Education (DE) separates them from other university students. The aim of this article is to research the problems incarcerated students have accessing technology for the purpose of study and to understand the technological facilities needed to support their learning. Quantitative and qualitative survey data was collected for the study from students in the New South Wales Corrective Services (NSWCS) and from Prison Education Officers (PEOs) employed by NSWCS. The surveys explored the educational and technological concerns, present and future, of this cohort of diverse students and examined the perspectives of the PEOs. Findings from the research highlight that incarcerated students engaged in study felt it made them feel positive about their future, inspired them to continue studying after their prison term, and they would recommend further study to fellow prisoners. Preparing those in Corrective Services (CS) for life after incarceration is essential for reducing recidivism. As this article reveals, educating those in the prison system may contribute to enhanced social and cultural capital and thus it is an important consideration for government.
Responding to the Needs of Prisoners with Learning Difficulties in Australia
Authors: Skues Jason , Pfeifer Jeffrey , Oliva Alfie , Wise Lisa
Published: October 2018

Offenders who are convicted of a crime in Australia are encouraged to participate in educational and vocational training programs during their time in prison. However, one of the significant challenges encountered by not only prisoners who enroll in educational and vocational training programs, but also for the staff who teach into these programs, are prisoners who experience learning difficulties. Prison teachers and other staff are ordinarily unaware of which offenders experience such difficulties. Given that unidentified learning difficulties are associated with poor educational, employment and psychological outcomes, it is critical that prisoners who experience specific learning difficulties are identified, and that educational and vocational training programs offered in prisons cater for the diverse learning needs of all prisoners. This review highlights issues with the identification of learning difficulties and proposes methods of supporting prisoners who experience learning difficulties and the people tasked with managing them. Such a review offers an important contribution to the literature on educational and vocational training programs in prisons as well as practical implications for prisoners, teachers and administrators.
A Comparative Study and Algorithmic Analysis of Workflow Decomposition in Distributed Systems
Authors: Ali Ihtisham , Bagchi Susmit
Published: October 2018

Workflow is an essential mechanism for the automation of processes in distributed transactional systems, including mobile distributed systems. The workflow modeling enables the composition of process activities along with respective conditions, data flow and control flow dependencies. The workflow partitioning methods are used to create sub-partitions by grouping processes on the basis of activities, data flow and control flow dependencies. Mobile distributed systems consisting of heterogeneous computing devices require optimal workflow decomposition. In general, the workflow partitioning is a NP-complete problem. This article presents a comparative study and detailed analysis of workflow decomposition techniques based on graphs, petri nets and topological methods. A complete taxonomy of the basic decomposition techniques is presented. A detailed qualitative and quantitative analysis of these decomposition techniques are explained. The comparative analysis presented in this article provides an insight to inherent algorithmic complexities of respective decomposition approaches. The qualitative parametric analysis would help in determining the suitability of workflow applicability in different computing environments involving static and dynamic nodes. Furthermore, the authors have presented a novel framework for workflow decomposition based on multiple parametric parameters for mobile distributed systems.
An Approach Based on Hierarchical Petri Nets for the Verification of Interconnected BPEL Processes
Authors: Saida Boukhedouma , Zaia Alimazighi
Published: October 2018

This article describes an MDE approach for transformation from BPEL specifications to WF-nets models for verifying behavioral properties on IOWF (Inter-Organizational Workflow) processes. The authors consider WF processes specified with BPEL and interconnected together according to specific cooperation patterns. They define a specific class of Petri nets called Hierarchical WF-nets (HWN) in order to formally check the “soundness” property on IOWF process models. For that, their verification approach is defined around three main phases: (i) recovery of the BPEL file(s) and generation of process tree(s), (ii) transformation from BPEL to WF-nets (resp. HWN) models using mapping and transformation rules and (iii) verification of the “soundness” property on the models obtained. They particularly define and implement a set of specific transformation rules which are closely linked to the interconnection rules attached to each cooperation pattern. Also, to show the feasibility of their verification method, the authors developed a “WF-Checking” tool which allows the implementation and testing of the proposed approach.
Adoption of Smart TV in UK and the Moderating Role of Viewer Classification
Authors: Gholami Roya , Shirazi Farid , Arnold Daniel
Published: October 2018

The UK TV market is a dynamic and rapidly evolving industry. This article investigates the factors affecting adoption intention of Smart TV in UK, and whether the customer's perception varies according to their viewing behavior and motivation. The proposed research model is empirically verified through an online survey of early adopters. Previous research has highlighted the gap in Smart TV research which is the consumer behavior perspective. The current study addresses this gap by integrating different theoretical perspectives from IT adoption and mass communication literature, providing a better explanation of Smart TV adoption and viewing behavior by end users. The findings also provide practical insight for marketers and policymakers of Smart TV devices and content providers in order to develop successful segmentation strategy.
SOA Adoption Factors in E-Banking: An Empirical Analysis from the Practical Perspective
Authors: Siadat Seyed Hossein , Shokohyar Sajjad , Shafahi Sara
Published: October 2018

Nowadays a lack of integration among software services and databases has become a major IT problem in many organizations including banking industries. Service oriented architecture (SOA) is the most recent and comprehensive method among the different methods and technologies proposed for integrity implementation. One of the main reasons for banks' failure in achieving the benefits of SOA is lack of a framework that includes all critical factors in SOA adoption. The aim of this article is to identify and analyze the influential factors (organizational, technical, environmental and human) on SOA adoption in e-banking and providing a comprehensive framework that explains these factors. Such a framework enhances the decision-making and enables banks to achieve the benefits of SOA. In order to gather operational data, questionnaire and interview had been used. The conceptual framework was investigated using Smart PLS and SPSS software. The empirical data investigation and interpretation shows that: organizational, technical, human and environmental factors are crucial for SOA adoption.
PPHA-Popularity Prediction Based High Data Availability for Multimedia Data Center
Authors: Fang Kuo-Chi , Narman Husnu S. , Mwinyi Ibrahim Hussein , Yoo Wook-Sung
Published: October 2018

Due to the growth of internet-connected devices and extensive data analysis applications in recent years, cloud computing systems are largely utilized. Because of high utilization of cloud storage systems, the demand for data center management has been increased. There are several crucial requirements of data center management, such as increase data availability, enhance durability, and decrease latency. In previous works, a replication technique is mostly used to answer those needs according to consistency requirements. However, most of the works consider full data, popular data, and geo-distance-based replications by considering storage and replication cost. Moreover, the previous data popularity based-techniques rely on the historical and current data access frequencies for replication. In this article, the authors approach this problem from a distinct aspect while developing replication techniques for a multimedia data center management system which can dynamically adapt servers of a data center by considering popularity prediction in each data access location. Therefore, they first label data objects from one to ten to track access frequencies of data objects. Then, they use those data access frequencies from each location to predict the future access frequencies of data objects to determine the replication levels and locations to replicate the data objects, and store the related data objects to close storage servers. To show the efficiency of the proposed methods, the authors conduct an extensive simulation by using real data. The results show that the proposed method has an advantage over the previous works in terms of data availability and increases the data availability up to 50%. The proposed method and related analysis can assist multimedia service providers to enhance their service qualities.