bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Art of ePortfolios
Authors: Dillon Steve , Brown Andrew
Published: May 2011

This chapter examines the creative production context as a vehicle to reveal the issues, problems, and complexities that may be encountered when working with ePortfolios. We utilize metaphors from the creative arts as tools to provide new perspectives and insights that may not otherwise occur in other disciplines to provide a unique critique of the performativity of ePortfolios. Through reference to case studies drawn from drama, dance, music, new media, and the visual arts, the authors’ research has problematized ePortfolios from the teacher, student, institutional, and pedagogical perspectives. They identify the issues and propose approaches to resolving them, and illustrate how these ideas derive from creative arts knowledge and outline how they are transferable to other disciplines using ePortfolios based on rich media forms of presentation. In conclusion, we examine the performing arts as temporal art forms attuned to the unfolding of a narrative and examine the notion that the audience experiences the reading of a portfolio as a performance.
Career ePortfolios in the IT Associates at DePauw University
Authors: Romance Nathaniel T. , Whitesell Michael V. , Smith Carol L. , Louden Alicia M. ("Clapp")
Published: May 2011

DePauw University is a selective, undergraduate liberal arts college of 2,200 students, with an academic year of two 13-week semesters and a three-week January Winter Term. DePauw implemented a career ePortfolio requirement for its Information Technology Associates Program (ITAP) in January 2004. The ITAP ePortfolio serves as both a job-seeking tool and a reflective instrument for students. This case study describes the rationale for introducing ePortfolios into ITAP, the processes used to support students in creating and maintaining career ePortfolios, and the outcomes of the project to this point.
ePortfolio Thinking
Authors: Paoletti Jo B.
Published: May 2011

This chapter examines the trajectory of electronic portfolio development and adoption at large public research institutions. The author frames her research with her own attempt to implement a program-level portfolio for undergraduate majors in her own department. Her investigation of 59 institutions suggests that our largest campuses face unique challenges that may limit the extent to which they adopt electronic portfolios. While some of these challenges are practical and logistical, the more significant barriers seem to be related to campus culture, particularly faculty engagement in undergraduate education.
Inter-Organizational Information Systems and Strategic Alliances
Authors: Bruque-Camara Sebastián , Moyano-Fuentes José
Published: May 2011

In this chapter we analyze the relationships between the structures of inter-organizational information systems (IOS) and strategic alliances. The relationships between both structures tends to be framed within a collaborative dynamic in which the IOS serves the objectives of the alliance, thereby reinforcing the links that bind the alliance members together. However, in this chapter we also suggest that there may be a non-collaborative—that is, competitive—relationship between the IOS and the strategic alliance, especially when both structures compete for firms fromthe same sector and geographical area. To test our hypotheses we have analyzed a sample of 162 firms belonging to the agro-food sector in Spain.
AVEA
Authors: Gurol Yonca , Asik Ozen
Published: May 2011

During the past 10 years, emerging factors such as globalization, rapid technological developments, and limited resources have created a new competitive landscape for firms. These developments forced companies to adopt several strategies to survive and excel. One of these adaptive strategies was to form alliances between companies to manage both threats and opportunities in this changed business environment. This study focuses on the merger between two GSM operators in Turkey. The newly established firm, AVEA, is an example of a successful merger in the Turkish telecommunications sector that was well thought-out, efficiently designed, and realized within a year. The most important ingredient in this process was the change in information technology (IT) infrastructures. This study, primarily concerned with the structural changes in the IT department, presents a detailed analysis of the merger process’s different aspects and comments based on literature review about information and communication technologies.
The Object-Oriented Design Knowledge Ontology
Authors: Garzas Javier , Piattini Mario
Published: May 2011

It has been a long time since the object-oriented (OO) paradigm appeared. From that moment, designers have accumulated much knowledge in design and construction of OO systems. Patterns are the most refined OO design knowledge. However, there are many others kinds of knowledge than are not yet classified and formalized. Therefore, we feel it necessary to define ontology in order to structure and unify such knowledge; a good understanding of practical experience is crucial to software engineers. Therefore, this chapter proposes an ontology for object-oriented design knowledge.
Using Linguistic Patterns to Model Interactions
Authors: Diaz Isabel , Pastor Oscar , Moreno Lidia , Matteo Alfredo
Published: May 2011

The dynamic behavior of a system is elicited, specified, and analyzed by means of interaction modelling. This activity is important for object-oriented software development because it provides the information that is required to construct the system conceptual model. Several interaction modelling techniques have been proposed. However, this activity continues to be a complex and tedious task for the modellers. These problems arise from the intrinsic difficulties of interaction modelling and the lack of effective techniques and tools to support to the modellers. In this chapter, heuristic-oriented techniques and linguistics-oriented techniques proposed by several authors to model interactions are analyzed. In addition, a framework to facilitate and to improve the interaction modelling is described. This framework was conceived to be integrated into automatic software production environments. It uses linguistic patterns to recognize interactions from use case models. The patterns were validated with expert modellers. The validation process carried out and the main results are also presented.
Heuristics and Metrics for OO Refactoring
Authors: Counsell Steve , Hassoun Youssef , Advani Deepak
Published: May 2011

Refactoring, as a software engineering discipline, has emerged over recent years to become an important aspect of maintaining software. Refactoring refers to the restructuring of software according to specific mechanics and principles. While in theory there is no doubt of the benefits of refactoring in terms of reduced complexity and increased comprehensibility of software, there are numerous empirical aspects of refactoring which have yet to be addressed and many research questions which remain unanswered. In this chapter, we look at some of the issues which determine when to refactor (i.e., the heuristics of refactoring) and, from a metrics perspective, open issues with measuring the refactoring process. We thus point to emerging trends in the refactoring arena, some of the problems, controversies, and future challenges the refactoring community faces. We hence investigate future ideas and research potential in this area.
Managing the Supply Chain Function
Authors: Quayle Michael
Published: May 2011

The supply chain manager is concerned with not only managing the flow of materials and resources, he or she is also concerned with managing the human resources through which control of materials is achieved. In this chapter I will investigate the problems associated with staffing the positions or roles that have been defined in the structure. I shall consider aspects of recruitment and training and the preparation of job descriptions and operating manuals. People are probably the most important asset in any supply chain. In addition to these elements of the staffing problem, I shall also focus attention on a closely related managerial requirement. This concerns techniques of directing and motivating the staff to achieve departmental and corporate objectives and to provide opportunities for members of the logistics function to satisfy their own individual goals at the same time. This topic is a controversial one and in the social environment of today, traditional views have come under severe attack. I shall consider these opposing views in the context of supply chain management.
Transport
Authors: Quayle Michael
Published: May 2011

Shipping, transport, and distribution in terms of supply chain management can be grouped under one heading: Logistics. Logistics planning involves not only the transportation side of distribution but also provides the “place element” in the marketing mix by helping to ensure that products arrive in sufficient quantities and in saleable condition at points from which the consumer can most easily buy them. Thus, logistics management includes forecasting demand and then matching supply to meet that demand through procurement of materials, production scheduling, inventory management, order processing, warehousing, and transportation. In international systems, the logistics planning function comprises a number of subsystems that have central points-of-reach territory. There is a further subsystem for the management of local logistics (i.e., the transport and distribution systems used by the importer to move products to customers in the market concerned). Logistics, as well as being essential for moving goods to their destinations, is also a key marketing activity. As such it requires marketing management’s attention. Logistics contributes to a major portion of costs, particularly in international business. Logistic planning also plays a major role in creating a good relationship with customers, ensuring that sales opportunities are not lost because of stock outs (which allows competitors to eat away at the company’s market share). In assessing the real cost of transportation, you should be concerned with factors relating to reliability, time, and price. Decisions in choosing methods of transport and distribution therefore will be based on “trade-offs” between these factors. Transportation costs are often peculiar in that they frequently bear little relation to distance. Competition and volume are the key factors in cargo pricing. For example, the rate of goods transported from the Far East to the East Coast of the United States costs less than the transport rate of goods going the other way. Costs from the United States to South America are frequently lower than costs of transport among South American countries. All transport costs have increased, however, largely due to increased security operations.
Toward a Strategic Perspective of Information Technology
Authors: Drnevich Paul L. , Hahn Jungpil , Shanley Mark
Published: May 2011

This chapter explores theoretical conceptualizations of IT beyond current common resource-based perspectives, in the hopes that MIS research may benefit from an improved understanding of the role, use, application and alignment of IT with the full spectrum of strategic management’s core theoretical perspectives. We argue that research in both fields needs to look at the fundamental value (profit) assumptions, as grounded in strategic management theory, to provide insights into the true role of IT in a firm and its performance. This chapter offers an integrative solution framework to attempt to position IT in the context of some common strategic management theoretical perspectives, which may serve as a basis to assess the validity of future MIS research.
Marketing Strategy
Authors: Madhavaram Sreedhar , Appan Radha
Published: May 2011

Because of (1) the boundary-spanning nature of the marketing function, and (2) marketing’s evolution toward a dynamic, evolutionary process, and service-centered view, marketing strategy has come to be a core element of the firm’s business strategy. That is, in an information-intensive, competitive marketplace, marketing strategy is responsible for ensuring that all aspects of a firm’s marketing activities are focused on delivering superior value to customer. Further, recognizing information/knowledge and information technology (IT) as potential sources of competitive advantage, this chapter explores various IT-enabled capabilities that influence the firm’s marketing strategy. In doing so, specific IT-enabled capabilities that correspond to Market Orientation Strategy, Relationship Marketing Strategy, Market Segmentation Strategy, and Brand Equity Strategy are presented and discussed. Finally, this chapter concludes with a call for strategically oriented research for exploring, conceptualizing, developing, and measuring IT-enabled capabilities that influence marketing strategy.
Linking Businesses for Competitive Advantage; A Mobile Agent-Based Approach
Authors: Quah Tong-Seng , Leow Chye-Huang
Published: May 2011

In a highly competitive business environment, every organization is trying to achieve more using fewer resources. This is particularly true in this Internet era, where many businesses are moving from “brick-and-mortar”-based operation towards having at least an Internet presence, where e-commerce is fast gaining acceptance. Recent advances in mobile agent technology promise yet another powerful tool to gain competitive advantage—to deliver cost-effective services through utilizing Internet infrastructure. Such a development helps both individuals and organizations achieve higher productivity at lower cost. In this chapter, the authors describe an intelligent mobile agent-based system that links hotels and restaurants to provide gourmet goers with a convenient way of searching for their choice restaurants. The system sends off intelligent mobile agents to automatically roam the Internet, gather the relevant information about food and services from participating restaurants, and provide the most optimized selection as suggestions to help the users make their meals decision. This greatly reduces information overload for the users. Participating business establishments also benefit, through increased business.
Applying Directory Services to Enhance Identification, Authentication, and Authorization for B2B Applications
Authors: Jiao Yuan-Yuan , Du Jun , Jiao Jianxin (Roger)
Published: May 2011

System-to-system integration is an essential aspect of Business-to-Business (B2B) organizations. This chapter proposes a common infrastructure model for B2B applications, referred to as the IAAIBB model. It aims to centralize the Identification, Authentication and Authorization (IAA) infrastructures and to provide easy interoperability among business partners. The key technique is to incorporate the directory service into business applications. The directory service acts as the core repository of the IAAIBB model to support all functions associated with identification,authentication and authorization. The chapter illustrates how IAAIBB enables a sound trust relationship for B2B applications, as well as the implementation of the IAAIBB model. Also reported is the evaluation of the IAAIBB model, which reveals a number of advantages. The IAAIBB model leverages on the strength of XML, the directory service, the PKI cryptography and role-based access control.
IT Outsourcing
Authors: Ho Luke , Atkins Anthony S.
Published: May 2011

This chapter provides both practitioner and academic insights into outsourcing. It begins with a review of the literature and practice of outsourcing, followed by a retrospect of its developments since the 1960s, up to present-day emergent trends such as best/smart-sourcing, rural-sourcing and business application grids. Recent legal developments are highlighted, along with their corresponding impacts. Outsourcing decisions tend to focus solely on the short-term benefits of cost reduction and service level improvement and, hence, often lack strategic direction, thus indicating the need for strategic management frameworks in the decision process. This chapter introduces a generic framework for such decision-making and highlights other strategic frameworks developed by researchers. The chapter then concludes by summarizing suggested action points that enable both clients and service providers to best exploit the recent developments in outsourcing, in order to maintain the strategic edge in an increasingly complex and competitive business environment.
IT Security Governance and Centralized Security Controls
Authors: Warkentin Merrill , Johnston Allen C.
Published: May 2011

Every enterprise must establish and maintain information technology (IT) governance procedures that will ensure the execution of the firm’s security policies and procedures. This chapter presents the problem and the framework for ensuring that the organization’s policies are implemented over time. Since many of these policies require human involvement (employee and customer actions, for example), the goals are met only if such human activities can be influenced and monitored and if positive outcomes are rewarded while negative actions are sanctioned. This is the challenge to IT governance. One central issue in the context of IT security governance is the degree to which IT security controls should be centralized or decentralized. This issue is discussed in the context of enterprise security management.
The Survivability Principle
Authors: Snow Andrew P. , Straub Detmar , Stucke Carl , Baskerville Richard
Published: May 2011

The horrific terrorist attacks carried out on September 11, 2001, and the ensuing aftermath are driving managers to reconsider organizational risk. The collapsing towers moved the hypothetical risk of centralization to the shockingly real. In this new environment, organizations need to see survivability as a critical imperative motivating an updated enterprise risk mitigation strategy that includes new design objectives such as: (1) more geographically distributed organizations, (2) a move from redundant to physically distributed IT capabilities, and (3) more stringent security and survivability demands on enterprise IT infrastructures and network service providers. While individual firms’ strategies will vary in the extent and type of physical decentralization, the overall tendency should be toward further dispersal of people, technology, and physical assets. This chapter examines the concepts of risk and decentralization as articulated in the scientific literature and then presents a strong logic for physical decentralization supported by a technical risk analysis.
Steganography and Steganalysis
Authors: Warkentin Merrill , Schmidt Mark B. , Bekkering Ernst
Published: May 2011

In the digital environment, steganography has increasingly received attention over the last decade. Steganography, which literally means “covered writing,” includes any process that conceals data or information within other data or conceals the fact that a message is being sent. Though the focus on use of steganography for criminal and terrorist purposes detracts from the potential use for legitimate purposes, the focus in this chapter is on its role as a security threat. The history of stenography as a tool for covert purposes is addressed. Recent technical innovations in computerized steganography are presented, and selected widely available steganography tools are presented. Finally, a brief discussion of the role of steganalysis is presented.
Exercising the Right of Privacy
Authors: Flinn Scott , Buffett Scott
Published: May 2011

This chapter discusses privacy from the perspective of the consumer of e-services. It proposes a technique for risk management assessment designed to help consumers evaluate a situation to identify and understand potential privacy concerns. The technique centers around a series of questions based on common principles of privacy protection. The chapter discusses how a consumer can understand exposure risks and how information can be controlled and monitored to mitigate the risks. It also proposes a method for assessing the consumer’s value of personal information, and a mechanism for automated negotiation is presented to facilitate fair, private information exchange. The authors believe that these or similar techniques are essential to give consumers of e-services meaningful control over the personal information they release. This forward-looking chapter provides a foundation for developing methods to empower users with control over their private information.
The Impact of Information Technology in Healthcare Privacy
Authors: Fung Maria Y.L. , Paynter John
Published: May 2011

The increased use of the Internet and latest information technologies such as wireless computing is revolutionizing the healthcare industry by improving services and reducing costs. The advances in technology help to empower individuals to understand and take charge of their healthcare needs. Patients can participate in healthcare processes, such as diagnosis and treatment, through secure electronic communication services. Patients can search healthcare information over the Internet and interact with physicians. The same advances in technology have also heightened privacy awareness. Privacy concerns include healthcare Web sites that do not practice the privacy policies they preach, computer break-ins, insider and hacker attacks, temporary and careless employees, virus attacks, human errors, system design faults, and social engineering. This chapter looks at medical privacy issues and how they are handled in the U.S. and New Zealand. A sample of 20 New Zealand health Web sites was investigated.
Forming IT Professionals in the Internet Age
Authors: Stahl Bernd Carsten , Wood Chris
Published: May 2011

This chapter considers the question how professional issues can be taught in an undergraduate environment where little academic experience is to be expected. It develops a theoretical framework, which justifies the need for such teaching and indicates that codes of conduct can be a useful vehicle to address these issues. Given the constructivist teaching theory that was deemed appropriate for the subject, the chapter proceeds to discuss the realisation of the teaching of professional standards in a HND programme in a UK university. The chapter discusses the result of the module and the strengths and weaknesses of the approach as well as a follow-up investigation into student’s views of professionalism.
Entrepreneurship and Innovation in E-Business
Authors: Zhao Fang
Published: May 2011

This chapter argues that a combination of entrepreneurship and innovation is a crucial factor to the long-term sustainability of e-commerce and e-businesses. Entrepreneurship and innovation are positively related to each other and interact to help an organisation to flourish. The chapter takes an integrative approach to exploring the synergies between entrepreneurship and innovation and to analysing the factors that foster an interaction between the two. Case studies of entrepreneurial and innovative dot-com companies were conducted to complement a comprehensive literature review of entrepreneurship and innovation. This empirical study contributes to a better understanding of the existing theories and practices of entrepreneurship and innovation in organisations.
Using E- and M-Business Components in Business
Authors: Collan Mikael , Sell Anna , Harkke Ville , Anckar Bill
Published: May 2011

This chapter discusses using e- and m-business components in supporting and enhancing existing businesses and in creating new business innovations. A framework illustrating two different approaches companies have to adoption of e- and m-business components is proposed. Three cases of how Finnish companies have, in an innovative way, used e- and m-business components to support, enhance, and launch businesses are presented. Based on the illustrative framework and the cases, some rules of thumb for using e- and m-business components in business are proposed. The aim of this chapter is to offer managers helpful insights for planning e- and m-business component investments.
Online Information Privacy and Its Implications for E-Entrepreneurship and E-Busines Ethics
Authors: Gould Carmen , Zhao Fang
Published: May 2011

This chapter reports the results of a national survey which investigated Australian Internet users’ attitudes and behaviours toward online information privacy using a typology that combines specific demographic and attitudinal measurements with behavioural data. The chapter contains a comprehensive examination of the internal, external/environmental, and behavioural dimensions of information privacy, incorporating a profile of each of the typologies’ categories along with a general profile of total respondents. The implications of the findings for e-entrepreneurship and e-business ethics also are discussed.
Multimedia Impact on Human Cognition
Authors: Andres Hayward P.
Published: May 2011

Organizations are faced with increasing costs needed to train employees in today’s high technology environment. Educators are also striving to develop new training and teaching methods that will yield optimal learning transfer and complex skill acquisition. This study suggests that trainee/learner cognitive processing capacity, information presentation format and complexity, and multimedia technology should be leveraged in order to minimize training duration and costs and maximize knowledge transfer. It presents a causal model of how multimedia and information complexity interact to influence sustained attention, mental effort, and information processing quality, all of which subsequently impact comprehension and learner confidence and satisfaction outcomes. Subjects read a text script, viewed an acetate overhead slide presentation containing text-with-graphics, or viewed a multimedia presentation depicting the greenhouse effect (low complexity) or photocopier operation (high complexity). Causal
IT Project Managers' Perceptions and Use of Virtual Team Technologies
Authors: Beise Catherine M. , Niederman Fred , Mattord Herb
Published: May 2011

This chapter presents the results of a case study pertaining to the use of information and communication media to support a range of project management tasks. A variety of electronic communication tools have evolved to support collaborative work and virtual teams. Few of these tools have focused specifically on the needs of project managers. In an effort to learn how practicing IT project managers employ these tools, data were collected at a North American Fortune 500 industrial company via interviews with IT project managers regarding their use and perceptions of electronic media within the context of their work on project teams. In this study, “virtual” describes the extent to which communication is electronic rather than the extent to which team members are geographically separated. Although the number of respondents was limited, the richness of the data collected leads to the conclusion that successful project managers and teams become skilled at adapting a variety of existing communication technologies to match the project task or process, the receiver, their own role as sender, and the content of the message. Groupware designers and developers need to better understand project management methods and best practices in order to provide better tools for practitioners, particularly as organizations expand globally and increasingly outsource various functions of their IT development and operations.
A Socio-Technical Heuristic for Analysis of IT Investments
Authors: Kearns Grover S.
Published: May 2011

A majority of CEOs have experienced failed information technology (IT) investments. While such investments have the potential for providing competitive advantage, actual returns have varied widely. Numerous methods exist for investment evaluation, but traditional methods do not adequately account for the intangible benefits that characterize strategic investments and lack other features of portfolio selection. This chapter presents a framework based upon the analytic hierarchy process, combined with integer programming, to overcome the deficiencies associated with traditional approaches to economic evaluation of IT investments. Based on socio-technical theory and observations from two case studies in which the framework was applied successfully, a heuristic is developed for the investment process. Findings and implications are discussed.
Business Process Reengineering
Authors: Ahadi Hamid R.
Published: May 2011

This study examines organizational factors that affect the implementation of business process reengineering (BPR) when applying two specific information technologies (i.e., Electronic Data Interchange and/or Internet technology). This research uses a survey methodology to gather information about how organizational enablers and information technology affect BPR implementation. By determining the factors that affect BPR implementation, these factors can be managed in the best interest of customers, employees, and organizations. From the nine hypotheses tested in this study, six factors were found to be positively associated with successful implementation of BPR. These factors are top management supports, change management, centralization of decision making, formalization of procedure,organizational culture, and customer involvement. No significant relationship was found between employee resistance and integration of jobs with successful implementation of BPR. In this research, we found that the lack of resources is negatively associated with successful implementation of BPR. We also found that different information technologies such as those examined in this chapter—EDI and Internet—provide different capabilities and can be useful in different ways and for different purposes. The findings of this research can help practitioners to better understand the role of critical success and failure factors in BPR as well as the impact of different information technologies on BPR. By determining the factors that affect BPR implementation, these factors can be managed in the best interest of customers, employees, and organizations.
Inducing Online Trust in E-Commerce
Authors: Wang Ye Diana , Emurian Henry H.
Published: May 2011

Two studies were undertaken to investigate interface design features that might impact customers’ trust in an e-commerce vendor’s Web site. In a first quantitative survey study, experienced Internet users rated 14 features of a synthetic e-commerce interface for their trust-inducing effectiveness. A factor analysis of the ratings partially confirmed a proposed conceptual model of trust-inducing features and yielded the following three factors: (1) visual design, (2) content design, and (3) social-cue design. The comparatively lower ratings on the social-cue design factor motivated a second qualitative analysis of a different group of users’ observations regarding the importance of virtual re-embedding strategies as they may impact trust in an online vendor’s Web site. Users’ reports from interviews generally supported the importance of socially rich Web sites in promoting online trust, and they deepened our understanding of the functionalities and suitability of various communication media for the adoption of virtual re-embedding strategies. The complementary outcomes from both quantitative and qualitative sources of information are anticipated to contribute to future applications and research in e-commerce interface design considerations affecting online trust.
Digital Watermarking and Its Impact on Intellectual Property Limitation for the Digital Age
Authors: Jahnke Tino , Seitz Juergen
Published: May 2011

Digital media like audio, video, images, and other multimedia documents can be protected against copyright infringements with invisible, integrated patterns. Such methods are based on steganography and digital watermarking techniques. Most watermarks are inserted as a plain-bit or adjusted digital signal using a key-based embedding algorithm. The embedded information is hidden (in low-value bits or least significant bits of picture pixels, frequency, or other value domains) and linked inseparably with the source data structure. For the optimal watermarking application a trade-off between competing criteria like robustness, nonperceptibility, nondetectability, and security has to be made. Most watermarking algorithms are not resistant against all attacks—even friendly attacks like file and data modifications can destroy the watermark very easily. This chapter gives an overview about the basic ideas of watermarking, applications for e-business, problems, and limitations.
Open Standards Requirements
Authors: Krechmer Ken
Published: May 2011

An open society, if it utilizes communications systems, requires open standards. The personal-computer revolution and the Internet have resulted in a vast new wave of Internet users. These new users have a material interest in the technical standards that proscribe their communications. These new users make new demands on the standardization processes, often with the rallying cry, “Open standards.” As is often the case, a rallying cry means many different things to different people. This chapter explores the different requirements suggested by the term open standards. Perhaps when everyone agrees on what requirements open standards serve, it will be possible to achieve them and maintain the open society many crave.
Beyond Consortia, Beyond Standardization? Redefining the Consortium Problem
Authors: Egyedi Tineke M.
Published: May 2011

This chapter analyzes the rhetoric that surrounds the problem of consortia, that is, the supposed lack of democratic procedures. The social shaping of the standardization approach is applied. Two cases are used to illustrate what is at stake in consortium standardization, namely, the standardization of Java in ECMA, and XML in W3C. The findings show inaccuracies and inconsistencies in the way the consortium problem is defined: The dominant rhetoric underestimates the openness of most industry consortia and overestimates the practical implications of formal democratic procedures. This unbalanced portrayal and sustained ambiguity about what is meant by democracy are part of the meaning of negotiation at work in the actor network. Implicitly, the European network still predominantly defines standardization as an instrument of regulatory governance. This marginalizes the role of consortia. The chapter offers several suggestions to redefine the consortium problem.
Tightrope Walking
Authors: Ellingsen Gunnar
Published: May 2011

Traditionally, uniform and standardized IT-solutions in health care are considered mechanisms for increased control, efficiency and quality. Unfortunately, in spite of existing studies of the actual experiences of standardization, such as how they come into being, and how they are intertwined with local practice, unreasonable belief in standardization seems to prevail. Acknowledging the origin of standardization and its local character, however, does not mean that standardization is futile or should be avoided. It rather means that standardization efforts should balance the management level’s need for increased coordination and control, and the local level’s need for flexibility. The aim of this chapter is to strike this balance as it elaborates the implications and the “costs” for local practice in order to make a standard work. Empirically, the chapter draws on a standardization effort of discharge letter production in the University Hospital of Northern Norway.
How High-Technology Start-Up Firms May Overcome Direct and Indirect Network Externalities
Authors: Pruett Mark , Lee Hun , Lee Ji-Ren , O’Neal Donald
Published: May 2011

This chapter presents a conceptual model of strategic choice for high-technology start-up firms in the face of network externalities—the strength of the market’s preference for standardized technology. Our model suggests that the commercialization strategies followed by such a firm will depend on the type of network externalitites—direct vs. indirect—as well as the degree of appropriability—the firm’s ability to retain the value of innovation. We offer a number of propositions generated by the model and discuss their implications.
Eight Years of Asking Questions
Authors: Boyle Jim
Published: May 2011

Eight years ago, the Department decided to embark upon a radical change to its first-year teaching. A core feature of that change was the introduction of “classroom feedback systems” in large, engineering science classes, starting with ClassTalk and then moving on to the Personal Response System. This chapter gives a brief history of the reasons for this change, which involved other, complimentary, teaching, and learning strategies, our experiences, current developments, and a look to the future, in particular, the way we would like to see the technology developing.
CommuniCubes
Authors: Bostock Stephen J. , Hulme Julie A. , Davys Mark A.
Published: May 2011

This chapter describes an innovation supporting interaction between a teacher, and a student group. It argues that there are five modes of engagement for students in groups. The mode of group interaction with a teacher can benefit from mediation by a voting, or response, technology. An exploratory pilot study of a novel, nonelectronic technology to support this mode is described. CommuniCubes enable every student in a group to vote individually on options presented to them. They were used by a large group in a stepped, lecture theatre, and by smaller groups in seminar rooms. The evaluation found the overall student response to be positive. The reasons students gave for CommuniCubes being both helpful and unhelpful to their learning are summarized. The costs and benefits of this technology and electronic voting devices are compared, and the issues for further research are discussed.
E-Learning as Nation Building
Authors: Adria Marco , Campbell Katy
Published: May 2011

This chapter is concerned with how individuals may examine the potential for social change arising from interactions in an e-learning environment. We explore continuing education as the site for e-learning in the context of developing a civil society. Referring to Anderson’s (1991) work on nationalism, and Wenger, McDermott, and Snyder’s (2002) discussion of communities of practice, we argue that the transition from face-to-face teaching to e-learning has the potential to appeal to those learners, and their instructors, who are interested in the capacity of a community to contribute to social change. We are particularly interested in the potential of e-learning to be socially transformative in its power to be inclusive, that is, to support diverse cultures, languages, work contexts, learning needs and styles, prior experiences, generations, economic circumstances, social contexts, and geographic location. We have suggested that the metaphor of an e-learning nation supports the reflective and progressive development of learning communities in which identity is consciously and critically examined.
Using E-Learning to Transform Large Class Teaching
Authors: Gunn Cathy , Harper Mandy
Published: May 2011

This chapter describes a seven-year, incremental process of e-learning development within science courses at a large research university. The process was driven by common challenges in higher education: increasing class size and diversity, limited resources for teaching, and concern about poor alignment with graduate capability requirements. Following a design-based research approach (The Design Based Research Collective, 2003), each stage of development was grounded in appropriate educational theory and implemented using the best available technology. The impact was monitored through surveys, performance records, system log data, and reflective discussion among teachers and students. The revised educational model increased learner autonomy and choice, integrated classroom teaching and e-learning activities, and put explicit focus on learning strategy development. Implications for faculty development and institutional culture change are identified, as these emerged as significant factors. The chapter concludes with reflections on the scale of the transformation that took place, key challenges faced during the process, and issues yet to be addressed as development continues.
The Continuing Struggle for Community and Content in Blended Technology Courses in Higher Education
Authors: Schwier Richard A. , Dykes Mary E.
Published: May 2011

This chapter reports a three-year case study of communication strategies in online discussions in a graduate seminar and extends preliminary findings from the first two years of the study (Dykes & Schwier, 2003; Schwier & Balbar, 2002). It discusses how different combinations of synchronous and asynchronous communication strategies were implemented in a graduate-level course, and examines how implementation strategies influenced the balance of community, social engagement, and content in online learning environments in higher education.
A Framework for Choosing Communication Activities in E-Learning
Authors: Morgan Tannis , Belfer Karen
Published: May 2011

In this chapter, we present a framework for planning communication activities according to the level of structure and potential dialogue desired in a given course. This framework serves as a tool for making decisions about how to give students more or less autonomy, how a series of course activities can be scaffolded, and the amount of structure or instructor facilitation that is needed. The framework we have developed uses each variable of the transactional distance theory as a dimension, which displayed as a quadrant allows us to represent instructional strategies and various communication activities for e-learning. This framework is beneficial as a tool for planning the instructional design process, informing pedagogy, and conducting research.
Adopting Tools for Online Synchronous Communication
Authors: Murphy Elizabeth , Laferriere Thérèse
Published: May 2011

his chapter considers some of the issues related to the adoption of online synchronous communication tools and proposes strategies to help deal with these issues. Two contrasting contexts of use of online synchronous tools are described. In one context, audio-conferencing using Elluminate LiveTM is highlighted, in the other, video-conferencing using iVisitTM. Issues related to use of these tools for synchronous communication are considered from the perspective of relative advantage, compatibility, and complexity. The advantages included the immediacy, spontaneity, intimacy, efficiency, and convenience of communication. Complexity manifested itself in relation to time management, shifting and evolving technical and pedagogical needs, and changes in instructors’ roles. Compatibility issues included the demands on instructors, lack of freedom from temporal constraints, and difficulties with communication across time zones and when multi-tasking.
Knowledge is PowerPoint
Authors: Qayyum Adnan , Eastman Brad
Published: May 2011

Slideware such as PowerPoint might be the most common software used for e-learning, yet is remarkably understudied. We begin this chapter by summarizing and analyzing literature on slideware in e-learning. We also review the debate on the cognitive style of PowerPoint, partly in the context of educational technology research on whether media influence learning. Then, we discuss the limitations of slideware and suggest strategies to consider when designing e-learning with slideware. The strategies include: accounting for differences between designing for synchronous and asynchronous delivery; avoiding software “wizards”; using graphic design principles; and advocating simplicity. Finally, we discuss the economic implications of slideware in e-learning. If slideware is immensely common in e-learning, do universities and colleges need to invest in expensive course management systems (CMS)? We advocate that administrators research slideware use in their institutions to inform decisions about which CMS, if any, is needed.
A Model to Measure the Impact of Web-Based Technologies in Different Teaching Styles
Authors: Heredero Carmen D.P.
Published: May 2011

Information and communication technologies offer us new possibilities to improve the way we develop our work as educators and give our students new opportunities to relate with us and other stakeholders in the process of learning. In higher education we can differentiate three different teaching styles, the traditional one, with the need of the presence of the students and the teacher in a classical classroom, the distance teaching style that substitutes the personal interaction in the class between student and professor with a distance relation based in different materials, and the virtual style, in which a permanent relation between students and lectures is established via a network. Some past analysis have tried to measure theimportance and variables that have an impact in the implementation of information and communication technologies and the final results achieved for each of the different styles. In this chapter, we try to study the variables that have a greater impact in the IT implementation and final success and try to integrate all them in a model. Future studies should try to contrast the presented model in the three main mentioned university styles.
Discussion Forums
Authors: Dawley Lisa
Published: May 2011

The strengths and weaknesses of each tool are discussed in detail, and educators are taught to match the strengths of the specific tool to the learning objectives they seek to achieve in their courses. Multiple examples of objectives and online learning activities are provided to help instill a deep understanding of the power of each online tool. This leaves you with a long-term ability to adapt your own curriculum over time, because you have learned options for using a variety of online tools to achieve specific learning objectives. Finally, each chapter includes a sample lesson plan that demonstrates how to integrate the tool into the learning experience. These ideas and activities provide tried and true suggestions for creating an online environment that engages and empowers learners for success. And when your students are successful in learning, you are successful in teaching.
Chat and Instant Messaging
Authors: Dawley Lisa
Published: May 2011

The strengths and weaknesses of each tool are discussed in detail, and educators are taught to match the strengths of the specific tool to the learning objectives they seek to achieve in their courses. Multiple examples of objectives and online learning activities are provided to help instill a deep understanding of the power of each online tool. This leaves you with a long-term ability to adapt your own curriculum over time, because you have learned options for using a variety of online tools to achieve specific learning objectives. Finally, each chapter includes a sample lesson plan that demonstrates how to integrate the tool into the learning experience. These ideas and activities provide tried and true suggestions for creating an online environment that engages and empowers learners for success. And when your students are successful in learning, you are successful in teaching.
Lecturing by Streamed Digital Video
Authors: Smith Chris
Published: May 2011

This chapter introduces the issues, implications, and cultural upheavals posed for the staff in higher education by the advance of technology. It does so from the standpoint of someone who has been an innovative and researching university teacher, but who is now retired and mainly serves as a grassroots teacher. It summarises the challenges he has encountered recently, and concludes with some questions which he hopes will feature in much imminent and needed action research.