bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Organizational Culture and Ethics
Authors: Durante Regina , Gökçe Asiye Toker
Published: December 2016

As a process, whistleblowing is giving information about the acts resulting in harm to third parties. It is a disclosure by organizational members of illegal, immoral, or illegitimate practices under the control of their employers, to persons or organizations that may be able to effect action. Although whistleblowing seems to be a threat to organizational authority structures, it can improve long-term organizational effectiveness when leaders encourage whistleblowing in their organizations to improve their organization's effectiveness and efficiency. Further, the assurance of an ethical organizational system of procedures to frame behavior coupled with individuals who hold similar values can aid organizations in reducing wrongdoing. Without a framework of aligned values, a lack of consensus occurs causing ethical dilemmas. To better understand the motives and reasoning behind whistleblowing and whistleblowers when perceiving wrongdoing, this chapter examines the influence organizational and personal values have on perceptions of misconduct and the factors and characteristics of whistleblowers. In doing so, it will aid leaders and managers in understanding and solving issues of conflict within their sphere of influence.
Organizational Learning
Authors: Goodman Patricia
Published: December 2016

In this information age, people are able to secure information, search for answers, and make informed decisions. Nonetheless, organizations are challenged to develop strong cultures and be agile to change. This paper initiates the exploration into organizational culture and the impact of employees' work culture. The focus is on working-class and societies having experienced social traumas and political changes, which ultimately formulate shared mental models and translate into work culture. By examining various societal scenes, questions are posed to deconstruct the impact of politics on workers and their work ethic. These scenes illustrate interactions and perspectives, which describe shared values by employees defined as work culture. Multiple levels of inquiry are presented to encourage further investigation into this possible opposing cultural dynamic within organizations. Suggestions of storytelling and meaning making are offered to support leaders in being strategic through staff development and organizational learning.
Priority of Management Tools Utilization among Managers
Authors: Nedelko Zlatko , Potocan Vojko
Published: December 2016

The research outlines the relative importance of the commonly used management tools among the managerial staff in organizations in selected worldwide areas, with deeper focus on emerging Central and East Europe economy – namely Slovenia. This paper examines the influence of the manager's position on utilization of single management tool. The survey covered 155 managers working in Slovenian organizations. 23 out of 25 considered management tools significantly differ in the level of utilization by managers at various positions in organizations. The middle managers most commonly use the top five most used management tools – outsourcing, benchmarking, total quality management, knowledge management and strategic planning. Further on, the first line managers more frequently than the top managers use outsourcing, benchmarking, total quality management, and strategic planning. The top managers frequently use knowledge management. The paper provides at the end several practical implications and recommendations for practice.
Turning Managers into Leaders
Authors: Wolf David G. , Ober David K.
Published: December 2016

Fostering stable, reliable and knowledgeable leaders is one of today's top priorities in many organizations. Leadership is generally considered the ability to influence others. There is a widespread, generally accepted belief that mentoring should be an integral factor within the leadership development paradigm to recognize and train protégés in the art of exerting influence over others. The mentoring experience may also have a significant impact on manager development, given the operational, regulatory, and economic constraints placed on managers in today's fast-paced, technology driven environment. Understanding how mentors acquire the requisite knowledge, wisdom and communication skills that allow them to positively influence others to engage, build and maintain leadership skills is necessary to a successful mentoring relationship. There is a plethora of mentoring models and programs available today. Understanding the needs, wants, desires and expectations of the various organizational stakeholders will aid in deciding which mentoring program may be right for any two individuals seeking to engage in the mentoring process.
Women in Strategic Leadership and Management
Authors: Su-Keene Eleanor
Published: December 2016

Historically, strategic leadership positions and roles have been predominately male-oriented. This comprehensive review of contemporary and historical literature shows that gendering of leadership positions and organizations affect women's leadership success. First, societal pressures and gendered roles make it difficult for women to balance work and home life. Unlike male counterparts, women are usually unable to delegate familial responsibilities making it difficult for women to obtain, maintain, and ascend leadership and managerial positions. Second, gender specific leadership styles are evaluated differently due to the perceived masculinity of both leadership positions and the organizational environment. This chapter adopts Hopkins, O'Niel, Passarelli, and Bilimoria's (2008) leadership development strategy for women by attending to seven specific developmental categories: assessment, training and education, coaching, mentoring, networking, experiential learning, and career planning. Given that effective leadership development results in organizational success, the strategies proposed is an attempt to decrease some of the issues barring women from leadership success and in turn, increase success at the organizational level.
Work-Life Synchronicity
Authors: Percival Jennifer Pollack
Published: December 2016

Strategic leaders require the skills needed to manage both professional and personal responsibilities. The previous goal of accomplishing balance by being proficient in maintaining an evenness between “home life” and “work life” is no longer sufficient. The path to equilibrium has transformed from compartmentalized structures to a more fluid way of living due to advances in technology and a changing society. This chapter will introduce the concept of Work-Life Synchronicity. The history of work-life balance will be examined, and the way in which technology has impacted how work time and home time are being intertwined and synthesized will be discussed. The importance of how synchronicity impacts organizational success and productivity in relation to effective leadership and business practices will also be explored. The intended audience of this chapter is scholars, students, professors, and other professionals in the field of leadership.
A Strategic Focus for Educational Leaders
Authors: Kohn Mary Stack
Published: December 2016

American education is undergoing great change, facing fiscal challenges, and slipping in international standings. Of the many areas educational leaders need to examine, teachers' transfer of learning from professional development to their classroom instruction should be a strategic focus. Transferring learning is a highly complex dynamic that encompasses multiple factors. This chapter analyzes these factors through the lenses of pertinent behavioral theories revealing the variety of influences and issues that impact teachers' transfer of learning from professional development to their own instructional practices. This chapter will also assist school, district, and state level administrators in identifying and assessing the transfer culture within their schools.
Big Data, Dashboards, and Data-Driven Educational Decision Making
Authors: Price Todd
Published: December 2016

Business Intelligence (BI) performance dashboards are reliant computer software solutions that enable leaders or companies to gain insight into its critical operations through reporting applications and analysis tools. These management tools gauge performance and progress toward specific operational goals. Fortuitously, educational leaders now have access to dashboards which can be designed and developed to address a wide range of objectives, from monitoring whether online course delivery outcomes are being met by the learner. Conversely, online learners can view their performance with a course dashboard that compares their performance vis-à-vis peers. By merging performance dashboards with online delivery, it is expected that performance goals will be impacted positively. Encyclopedia of Strategic Leadership and Management topics for this chapter include, but are not limited to, the following: Management, the ways CEOs lead, performance management, managing creativity, and decision making and leadership.
Building Adaptive Community Capacity to Meet the Challenges of Global Climate Change
Authors: Lauzon Al
Published: December 2016

This chapter is concerned with how communities respond to global climate change, and in particular what this means for local leadership. We begin by briefly outlining global climate change as a wicked problem, followed by a discussion of adaptation, resilience and an exploration of these concepts in the context of community. Particular attention is paid to these concepts in terms of human systems or communities and this is then linked to forms of learning learning–single-loop, double- loop and triple-loop learning and the role that dialogue plays in community learning I then discuss leading and managing in the learning community followed by implications for community leadership.
Psychological Contracts and Strategic Leadership
Authors: Starr-Glass David
Published: December 2016

Employment is not simply an economic engagement; it has significant social and psychological implications for both employers and employees. For employees the constellation of assumptions, beliefs, and relational implications with employers constitutes a psychological contract. Employers are conscious of the psychological contract, but are perhaps more acutely aware of the complex organizational and strategic decisions that they have to make. This chapter explores the psychological contract against a framework of strategic management and strategic leadership. It suggests that a dominant strategic preoccupation might be problematic in developing productive and motivating psychological contracts. Unfortunately, weakening the psychological contract can be counter-productive because committed organizational participants are often a critical factor in the organization's strategic success. This chapter examines the tensions between strategic leadership and psychological contracts, suggesting a number of ways in which they might be reconciled through redirected and responsive leadership.
School-Level Strategic Technology Leadership in K-12 Education
Authors: Coleman Howard V. , Dickerson Jeremy
Published: December 2016

A significant need in K-12 education is the development of active, school-level technology leaders. The majority of principals and assistant principals receive limited learning experiences to become the effective technology leaders in their schools. This chapter will present an overview of the evolution of strategic educational leadership from traditional leadership theories emphasizing management, operations and processes to systemic, digital driven decision making models through the lens of school level technology leadership. Theories on establishing a technological vision and gaining followership among all stakeholders to ensure the effective implementation of strategies will be discussed. Strategic technology leadership in education is operationally defined as: 1) integrating technology in planning, management and decision making; 2) using technology to link district and school initiatives to learning content areas; 3) using technology to support and meet the needs of all learners; and 4) using technology as the key means for providing high quality professional development for all educators (NEIRTEC, 2002).
Strategic Leadership for Organizational Learning
Authors: Kim Junghwan , Park Soo Yeon , You Jieun
Published: December 2016

In the relationship between organizational learning and supportive leadership, the role of leaders in knowledge management, including the transfer of new insights among individuals, groups, and organizational levels, is greatly concerned with the workplace practice. The purpose of this chapter is to examine how strategic leadership contributes to organizational learning, specifically the process of knowledge transfer using the 4I organizational learning model developed by Mary Crossan and colleagues as a theoretical framework. By reviewing empirical and theoretical studies, this study's findings provide knowledge of effective strategic leadership for organizational learning. In specific, several roles of strategic leadership for feedforward and feedback learning respectively were suggested. The study's findings have implications for researchers and practitioners, discussed at the end of this chapter.
Strategic Leadership in PK – 12 Settings
Authors: O'Connor Jr. Johnny R.
Published: December 2016

This chapter provides information regarding the relevance and necessity of strategic leadership in PK – 12 settings. Though many approaches to leadership exist, educational leaders must be targeted in their leadership, in order to maximize the expected academic and organizational performance outcomes in an ever-changing high stakes environment. This type of leadership employs a multifaceted approach, which requires leading through politics, change, and conflict, as well as recognizing and leveraging the power of influence, building synergy, and the provision of focus. If the aforementioned traits are balanced and appropriately executed, educational leaders will be well positioned to experience significant and positive outcomes.
Strategic Leadership in Times of Crisis
Authors: Treadwell Katie L.
Published: December 2016

With increasingly commonplace threats of intentional violence, citywide terrorism, natural disasters, and unpredictable accidents, leaders navigate disaster situations on a more frequent basis than they may be prepared to encounter. Escalating media connectivity and social networks put organizations and leaders at greater risk for public perception crises on a routine basis, forcing them to take preventative steps well in advance of potential crises and remain vigilant in responding to such situations. The following chapter explores emergency response through a strategic lens, offering a background in crisis management literature and a theoretical basis for learning in the midst of disaster. Drawing upon an extensive study of higher education professionals who encountered high-profile disasters, the author offers practical strategies to navigate crises while maintaining individual and organizational character. Doing so may determine both the victims' experience with the tragedy and the public's long-term perception of the organization.
Strategic University Leadership for Aligning the Worlds of Academia and Business
Authors: Manzoor Amir
Published: December 2016

The environment universities face today is increasingly complex and characterized by decreasing public funding and increasing reliance on university-industry collaboration to generate funds for research and development activities. Universities are facing competing pressures to embrace a user-led focus in leading and managing their institutions. The increasing administrative and reporting accreditation requirements have made it increasingly difficult for universities to strike a balance between meeting the demands of both corporate and academic worlds. Building and maintaining academic rigor, while facing increasing internal and external regulations, is the most pressing challenge for universities today. Another connected challenge is making sure that universities are prepared to face the age-related attrition of human resources that is expected in the years to come. This paper reviews the practices relating to management and leadership of universities and analyzes various external influential factors that could possibly affect the succession planning in the universities. Some ways are also suggested to positively utilize the organizational complexity of the universities to achieve national objective of a positive and buoyant future.
The Conundrums of Strategic Leadership
Authors: Starr-Glass David
Published: December 2016

Strategic leadership has emerged as the most significant and widely used leadership approach, and is seen as moving leadership away from a concern with the organization's internal dynamics to an involvement with its strategic alignment in the external environment – a leading “of” organizations, rather than a leading “in” them. Rhetorically, strategic leadership has a strong appeal; conceptually, however, it presents a number of conundrums. Strategic leadership seems to confound the process of strategic management with a process of leadership. It fails to recognize a relational understanding of leadership that might actively include people, develop inspiration, or sustain productive motivation. By focusing exclusively on hierarchical leaders and their externalized goals, strategic leadership also avoids a consideration of how leadership might actually work through the organization, rendering internal organizational dynamics invisible, if not irrelevant. This chapter explores these problems and calls for a reconsideration of what strategic leadership might mean.
Using Diffusion of Innovations Theory to Encourage Workers to Make Healthy Food Choices and Engage in Physical Activity
Authors: Weiss-Randall Debra N.
Published: December 2016

Employers want workers to be as healthy as possible, to reduce absenteeism and to boost productivity. The challenge is getting employees to adopt healthy behaviors, a daunting task in our obesogenic society, which promotes a sedentary lifestyle and a diet high in saturated fat, sodium, and sugar. We are seeing an epidemic of obesity and type 2 diabetes, two preventable diseases that impair quality of life and increase healthcare costs. Rogers' Diffusions of Innovations (DOI) theory explains how and why people adopt new behaviors. Rogers observed how some workers were resistant to change. He categorized people according to how long it took them to adopt an innovation. He found that certain attributes were characteristic of early adopters, the opinion leaders that organizations need to win over to facilitate acceptance of an innovation. This chapter explores how DOI theory can be applied to the workplace to promote healthy behaviors.
Human Overpopulation and Food Security
Authors: Singh Rishikesh , Srivastava Pratap , Singh Pardeep , Upadhyay Shweta , Raghubanshi Akhilesh Singh
Published: December 2016

World population is rapidly growing and expected to reach in between 8.5 to 12 billion by 2100. More than 75% of the population is expected to inhabit in the African and Asian countries having most of the developing nations. The overpopulation leads to a state of food insecurity that induced the evolution of resource-exhaustive agriculture causing irreparable environmental damages. Now the challenge is to feed more with less environmental damages. Adoption of technologically-sound, traditional knowledge inclusive, socio-economically sensible recommended agricultural practices can be the basis for achieving future dietary demands. However, before wider recommendation, their environmental impact assessment at various sustainability issues is necessitated for a holistic understanding of the future agriculture. The challenges of overpopulation and food security can only be managed by identifying the core areas of research and development under different agricultural sectors. The present chapter will provide a brief dimension on some of these key issues.
Giving Waste a Second Chance
Authors: Quaik Shlrene , Embrandiri Asha , Hossain Kaizar , Ismail Norli
Published: December 2016

Overpopulation is no doubt worldwide concern as it brings different problems to urbanization process as well as environment. Waste is number one side product of overpopulation. Waste generation is ever increasing in both urban and suburban area and has led to many environmental issues. Many of the waste generated have potential to be transformed into value added products. By recycling, reusing and re-purposing these wastes, we are actually reducing the amount of waste produced and at the same time helping to solve waste disposal problem as many of the wastes exhibit strong energy producing potential. Overpopulation may be an issue of its own; nonetheless, it also provides us an army of human power in tackling environmental issues. Population is a valuable asset. The potential of that amount of man power, especially youth, combining with various awareness campaigns and 3R campaigns introduced by government and NGO are important in targeting these problems.
Assessment of Available Technologies for Hospital Waste Management
Authors: Rai Alok , Kothari Richa , Singh D. P.
Published: December 2016

Modern hospital practices with galloping growth in medical technology facilitate increase human life span, decrease mortality rate and increase natality rate. Life supporting health services generates potentially hazardous and infectious hospital wastes like pharmaceuticals, cottons, food, paper, plastics, radionuclide, sharps, and anatomical parts etc. These wastes are complex in nature with maximum part of municipal solid waste and small part of biomedical waste (anatomical parts, body parts etc.). Improper conduct and management of hospital waste create several problems and nosocomial diseases to human beings and harms environment. Traditional practices included for management are open burning, mixing waste, liquid discharge and waste disposal without treatment normally. Hence, this issue comes in lime light and several guidelines come to sort out this problem. Thus, challenges associated with traditional hospital waste management techniques and modern techniques for management are assessed in general and association with human society in particular in this chapter.
Airborne Particulate Matter
Authors: Dubey Bhawna , Pal Asim Kumar , Singh Gurdeep
Published: December 2016

Airborne particulate matter is considered to be most challenging environmental issues in the world today due to its impact on various atmospheric processes like regional and global climate change, ecosystem, agriculture and most importantly on human health in recent times. Analysis reveals that particulate matter contains various inorganic and organic compounds and biological entities and their secretions and toxic trace metals. The main regions affected are urban centers due to an increasing population, number of diverse industries, fossil fuel driven vehicles and various construction activities. The present chapter deals with the scenario of particulate matter, their sources of generation, size and their impact on human health and environment mainly in urban dwellings.
Harmful Effects of Ecosystem Impairment on Human Health
Authors: Singh Suruchi , Agrawal Shashi Bhushan , Agrawal Madhoolika
Published: December 2016

Growing global population has caused environment degradation through ecosystem impairment and over exploitation. Although, people have made great moves for improving life style, and enjoy a drastically improved quality of life but such improvements have been made at the cost of environment degradation. Climate change will force humans to adjust with changing environment and find ways to deal with short term protection and long term health consequences. The range of potential threats to human health caused by climate change is increasing and at the same time is not clear. So, owing to the potential magnitude and universality of such an issue, we have a moral obligation for developing proper tools and make informed choices that ultimately result in better lives for the humans.
The Features of a Standard INSET
Authors: Deneme Selma , Çelik Handan
Published: December 2016

Adopting a qualitative descriptive methodology, the current study aims to explore whats and hows of planning, delivery, and follow-up in in-service teacher training. While doing this, together with presenting the general picture of in-service teacher trainings in Turkey, the study also makes use of a delivered in-service teacher training program so as to find how issues regarding planning, delivery, and follow-up were dealt with. The data collected through semi-structured written interview and supported with informal dialogues and telephone conversations revealed what was done and how was done for the three components. However, similar to many other trainings, the findings showed that lack of needs assessment, hands-on practice, and follow-up unfortunately makes the training to be restricted to what is known as traditional and top-down. For this reason, the findings shed light on the reality to consider teachers' needs, their active involvement, and on-going practice for effective in-service teacher trainings.
The Rewards and Challenges of an Ongoing In-Service Teacher Training Programme
Authors: Campanha Ana Maria Pereira , Carvalho Adriana Cruz
Published: December 2016

Designing and conducting an effective scheme of in service teacher training is a challenge that supervisors face nowadays. Although this kind of training has grown in importance, its quality varies significantly according to their designer's ability to organize a programme which is mainly focused on ongoing professional development. This chapter aims at describing a model of in-service, which has been implemented at a language institution for some time now. The authors will explain the rationale for the approach, and offer a detailed account of the scheme they have devised and which has been carried out with a considerable degree of success. To conclude, they will report on the implications of their findings and specifically address the need to maintain a programme which may shape the future of academic institutions by focusing on teachers' individual growth.
Professional Development Landscapes
Authors: Yucel Beril , Güçeri Meral
Published: December 2016

This chapter aims to present two action research case studies conducted in the English Language Schools of two universities in Turkey and discuss the long-term effects of this Professional Development activity on teachers' professional lives. In both of these studies, teachers were involved in collaborative action research. The first case study discusses a small scale collaborative Action Research project which targeted 16 English language teachers. Case Study Two, on the other hand, is a large scale project which explores 160 English language teachers' collaborative action research study. Detailed information about each case study is provided by highlighting the aims, institutional contexts, participant profiles, methodology used and findings. Teachers' perceptions about action research and the long-term impact of it on their professional growth are also discussed. Conclusion part highlights the factors that need to be taken into consideration while setting up collaborative action research projects in institutions. Finally, future research recommendations are made.
English Language Development for Non-Native Pre-Service Teachers
Authors: Johnston Andrew
Published: December 2016

This chapter is describing a plan for a mentor teacher assisting pre-service teachers during their practicum using English in an Emirati national school. The plan consists of 20 lessons that covers speaking, reading, listening, and writing to Kindergarten to primary school age students (3 – 12 years old). As an educator, the author is constantly looking for ways to enhance student's communicative abilities, especially non-native speakers of English. There is a constant need to provide scaffolding and learning situations to make sure pre-service education students feel comfortable using English language in a classroom setting. This chapter will give background information for people who want to do research into incorrect language usage and its effect on students in the classroom. It also describes an outline for a course to develop language proficiency and confidence to use communicative language in a classroom setting.
Effects of Teacher Portfolio Construction on English Language Teachers' Perceived Teaching Competencies
Authors: Topkaya Ece Zehir , Çelik Handan
Published: December 2016

This study investigates the effects of teacher portfolio construction upon in-service English language teachers' perceived teaching competencies. With the participation of six non-native teachers, data were collected through questionnaires and semi-structured interviews conducted before and after a sixteen-week teacher portfolio construction program. Analyses of the data through descriptive statistics and inductive content analysis revealed that the teachers' perceptions related to their teaching competencies were quite high prior to the portfolio construction process. After the process, however, decrease was observed in the teachers' perceived competencies. Findings also showed that the portfolio construction program was effective for the teachers' in that the process led them to become more self-evaluative, thus reflective and realistic about their competencies.
Language Teachers' Beliefs and Practices
Authors: Silman-Karanfil Leyla , Payne Mark Ian
Published: December 2016

The impact of professional development programs on teachers' beliefs is still an exploratory field, with existing research finding both positive and weak impacts of teacher education on teachers' beliefs. Building upon these findings, it is acknowledged that many challenges remain in designing focused professional development programs. This chapter addresses the problem by drawing on a study conducted with Higher Education teachers in North Cyprus. The study aimed to unveil teachers' beliefs about in-class code-switching in teaching a foreign language. Using a qualitative methodology, data in the form of classroom observations, semi-structured interviews, course documents and field notes were collected and analyzed thematically. Findings suggest that cultures of learning, that is teachers' frameworks of expectations about successful teaching and learning, have a significant impact on teachers' beliefs. The authors suggest that an acknowledgement of cultural frames will facilitate appropriate professional development.
Evaluation and Facilitation of an In-Service Teacher Training Program
Authors: Mede Enisa , Dollar Yesim Kesli
Published: December 2016

This study aims to evaluate and facilitate a two-week INSET program designed for the primary English teachers working at private schools in Istanbul, Turkey. Specifically, this chapter not just focuses on the perceptions of the participating teachers regarding whether the program was planned and implemented parallel to the determinants of effective INSETs suggested in literature, but also, investigates the impact of such a training program on teachers' class practices. Additionally, the challenges the participating teachers went through while implementing what they learned into their teaching contexts were examined as well. In an attempt to facilitate follow-up, the findings of this study are hope to serve basis by providing suggestions for the development, improvement and implementation of new in-service teacher education programs; in return, it will also increase the quality of teaching and learning both in pre- and in- service teacher education.
Ignition of Algorithm Mind
Authors: Magessi Nuno Trindade , Antunes Luis
Published: December 2016

The ignition of the algorithmic mind is a fascinating phenomenon that occurs in our brains. The algorithm mind is related to our reasoning. When we use it, we consume a lot of resources from our brains like energy. The ignition process is triggered by reflective mind and it works through neuronal assemblies. Specific neurons are ignited and then it begins a recruitment process for other neurons in order to assemble a complex structure. To understand these mechanisms, we have developed a simple multi-agent model, where we explored the role of energy and respective limits on neuronal assemblies. The available and consumed energy are the keystones to ignite the algorithm mind and to find out the limit that interrupts our reasoning's. The connections between incumbent and new neurons are at the same level as the connections established only between the new neurons in the case of algorithmic mind. Unlike, the autonomous mind established more connections, only between new neurons. Finally, the algorithmic mind consumes more energy than autonomous mind, which has a clearly declining trend.
Ecosystems as Agent Societies, Landscapes as Multi-Societal Agent Systems
Authors: Costa Antonio Carlos da Rocha
Published: December 2016

Landscape ecology concerns the analysis, modeling and management of landscapes and their component ecosystems, mostly in view of the effects of the anthropic actions that they may suffer. As such, landscape ecology is well amenable to be supported by agent-based computational tools. In this chapter, we introduce the concept of “multi-societal agent system”, a formal architectural model for distributed multi-agent systems, and we interpret it in ecological terms, to serve as an agent-based theoretical foundation for computer-aided landscape ecology. More specifically, we introduce the “ecosystems as agent societies” and “landscapes as multi-societal agent systems” approaches to ecosystems and landscapes, together with the core elements of the agent-based architectural models that support such approaches. The elements of those architectural models are then used to formally capture the main organizational and functional aspects of ecosystems and landscapes.
Agent-Based Modelling in Multicellular Systems Biology
Authors: Montagna Sara , Omicini Andrea
Published: December 2016

This chapter aims at discussing the content of multi-agent based simulation (MABS) applied to computational biology i.e., to modelling and simulating biological systems by means of computational models, methodologies, and frameworks. In particular, the adoption of agent-based modelling (ABM) in the field of multicellular systems biology is explored, focussing on the challenging scenarios of developmental biology. After motivating why agent-based abstractions are critical in representing multicellular systems behaviour, MABS is discussed as the source of the most natural and appropriate mechanism for analysing the self-organising behaviour of systems of cells. As a case study, an application of MABS to the development of Drosophila Melanogaster is finally presented, which exploits the ALCHEMIST platform for agent-based simulation.
Architecture with Multi-Agent for Environmental Risk Assessment by Chemical Contamination
Authors: Andrade Sergio Fred Ribeiro , Modesto Lilia Marta Brandão Soussa
Published: December 2016

Risk assessment for human health and ecosystems by exposure to chemicals is an important process to aid in the mitigation of affected areas. Generally, this process is carried out in isolated spots and therefore may be ineffective in mitigating. This chapter describes an architecture of a multi-agent system for environmental risk assessment in areas contaminated as often occur in mining, oil exploration, intensive agriculture and others. Plan multiple points in space-time matrix where each agent carries out exposure assessment and the exchange of information on toxicity, to characterize and classify risk in real time. Therefore, it is an architecture model with multi-agent that integrates ontology by semantic representation, classifies risks by decision rules by support vectors machines with multidimensional data. The result is an environment to exchange information that provides knowledge about the chemical contamination, which can assist in the planning and management of mitigation of the affected area.
Use SUMO Simulator for the Determination of Light Times in Order to Reduce Pollution
Authors: Born Míriam Blank , Adamatti Diana Francisca , Sanchotene de Aguiar Marilton , Schiavon de Souza Weslen
Published: December 2016

Nowadays, urban mobility and air quality issues are prominent, due to the heavy traffic of vehicles and the emission of pollutants dissipated in the atmosphere. In the literature, a model of optimal control of traffic lights using Genetic Algorithms (GA) has been proposed. These algorithms have been introduced in the context of control traffic. In order to search for possible solutions to the problems of traffic lights in major urban centers. Thus, the study of the dispersion of pollutants and Genetic Algorithms with simulations performed in Urban Mobility Simulator SUMO (Simulation of Urban Mobility), seek satisfactory solutions to such problems. The AG uses the crossing of chromosomes, in this case the times of the traffic lights, featuring the finest green light times and the sum of each of the pollutants each simulation cycle. The simulations were performed and the results compared analyzes showed that the use of the genetic algorithm is very promising in this context.
Co-Creating the Christmas Story
Authors: Rusko Rauno , Merenheimo Petra
Published: December 2016

Digitalization can be regarded as a megatrend which results that both brand building and brand management must adapt to new challenges. The growing role of digitizing points to both challenges and risks, as well as to opportunities. This chapter conceptualizes digitizing as a resource for brand development with the help of two tourism destinations. It focuses on the role Web-based platforms play in destination brand development, using the examples of two seemingly nearly similar Christmas tourism destinations as case studies: Santa Claus, Indiana, and Santa Claus Village, Rovaniemi. The chapter highlights the contribution of a customer-oriented digitalization to creating a competitive advantage, even a sustainable one, for tourism destinations with theoretical connections to a resource-based view (RBV) and discusses its potential for incremental and radical innovative brand development processes.
Design and Analysis of Optical Packet Switch Routers
Authors: Shukla Vaibhav , Jain Aruna
Published: December 2016

Optical packet switching is connectionless networking solution through which we can get high speed data transfer and optimum bandwidth utilization using wavelength division multiplexing technique. For realizing optical packet switching the numbers of optical packet switch architectures are available in market. In this chapter the authors discuss the overall development of optical packet switching; some recently published optical packet switch architectures are discussed in the chapter and a comparison is performed between the switches through loss, cost and buffer analysis.
Cross-Layer Cooperative Protocol for Industrial Wireless Sensor Network
Authors: Khan Bilal Muhammad , Bilal Rabia
Published: December 2016

Robustness and reliability are two essential network parameters to be given priority in Industrial Wireless Sensor Network. But at the same time it is difficult to achieve gain in these performance metrics. Since in industries these networks are used for monitoring, control and automation processes, therefore, it also requires robust communication with minimum delay. Considering the need of high QoS in Industrial WSN, protocols and standards were developed to fulfil the requirement of reliable data communication in harsh environment. In year 2007, HART community designed a Wireless HART standard for efficient industrial communication. This standard gain high reputation soon after its implementation and still being used as a universal solution for industries. In 2009, another standard ISA100.11a was developed, it also gives promised results but fails to eliminate WHART. Both these standards are still competing in industry and the results of these standards are more reliable in comparison to other wireless industrial protocols that exists.
Vehicular Cloud Computing Challenges and Security
Authors: Manvi Sunilkumar S. , Hegde Nayana
Published: December 2016

Vehicular Cloud Communication (VCC) is the latest technology in intelligent transport system. Vehicular cloud (VC) facilitates the customers to share resources ranging from storage to computing power to renting it to other users over the Internet. Security of VANET cloud covers various aspects of security, social impact, cost effective communication. Chapter highlights a cost effective, hassle free and secure communication between the cloud and moving vehicles. Communication is established via Network as a Service (Naas). The goal of this chapter is to give a broad overview of Vehicular cloud computing, vehicular cloud applications, mobile computing, and recent literature covering security of vehicular cloud.
A Comprehensive Survey on Techniques Based on TPM for Ensuring the Confidentiality in Cloud Data Centers
Authors: M Arun Fera , Saravanapriya M. , Shiny J. John
Published: December 2016

Cloud computing is one of the most vital technology which becomes part and parcel of corporate life. It is considered to be one of the most emerging technology which serves for various applications. Generally these Cloud computing systems provide a various data storage services which highly reduces the complexity of users. we mainly focus on addressing in providing confidentiality to users' data. We are proposing one mechanism for addressing this issue. Since software level security has vulnerabilities in addressing the solution to our problem we are dealing with providing hardware level of security. We are focusing on Trusted Platform Module (TPM) which is a chip in computer that is used for secure storage that is mainly used to deal with authentication problem. TPM which when used provides a trustworthy environment to the users. A detailed survey on various existing TPM related security and its implementations is carried out in our research work.
RFID and Dead-Reckoning-Based Indoor Navigation for Visually Impaired Pedestrians
Authors: Lim Kai Li , Seng Kah Phooi , Yeong Lee Seng , Ang Li-Minn
Published: December 2016

This chapter presents an indoor navigation solution for visually impaired pedestrians, which employs a combination of a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag array and dead-reckoning to achieve positioning and localisation. This form of positioning aims to reduce the deployment cost and complexity of pure RFID array implementations. This is a smartphone-based navigation system that leverages the new advancements of smartphone hardware to achieve large data handling and fast pathfinding. Users interact with the system through speech recognition and synthesis. This approach allows the system to be accessible to the masses due to the ubiquity of smartphones today. Uninformed pathfinding algorithms are implemented onto this system based on our previous study on the implementation suitability of uninformed searches. Testing results showed that this navigation system is suitable for use for the visually impaired pedestrians; and the pathfinding algorithms performed consistently according to our algorithm proposals.
Modified Differential Evolution Algorithm Based Neural Network for Nonlinear Discrete Time System
Authors: Singh Uday Pratap , Jain Sanjeev , Singh Rajeev Kumar , Parmar Mahesh
Published: December 2016

Two main important features of neural networks are weights and bias connection, which is still a challenging problem for researchers. In this paper we select weights and bias connection of neural network (KN) using modified differential evolution algorithm (MDEA) i.e. MDEA-NN for uncertain nonlinear systems with unknown disturbances and compare it with KN using differential evolution algorithm (DEA) i.e. DEA-KN. In this work, MDEA is based on exploitation and exploration of capability, we have implemented differential evolution algorithm and modified differential evolution algorithm, which are based on the consideration of the three main operator's mutation, crossover and selection. MDEA-KN is applied on two different uncertain nonlinear systems, and one benchmark problem known as brushless dc (BDC) motor. Proposed method is validated through statistical testing's methods which demonstrate that the difference between target and output of proposed method are acceptable.
A Linear Time Series Analysis of Fetal Heart Rate to Detect the Variability
Authors: Das Sahana , Roy Kaushik , Saha Chanchal Kumar
Published: December 2016

Real time analysis and interpretation of fetal heart rate (FHR) is the challenge posed to every clinician. Different algorithms had been developed, tried and subsequently incorporated into Cardiotocograph (CTG) machines for automated diagnosis. Feature extraction and accurate detection of baseline and its variability has been the focus of this chapter. Algorithms by Dawes and Redman and Ayres-de-Campos have been discussed in this chapter. The authors are pleased to propose an algorithm for extracting the variability of fetal heart. The algorithm's accuracy and degree of agreement with clinician's diagnosis had been established by various statistical methods. This algorithm has been compared with an algorithm proposed by Nidhal and the new algorithm is found to be better at detecting variability in both ante-partum and intra-partum period.
How Behavioral Economics Can Help When You Think You Don't Have Enough Money
Authors: Druică Elena , Ianole Rodica
Published: December 2016

This work is a position paper discussing alternative viewpoints on factors that may influence the values of certain crucial healthcare efficiency indicators. We draw attention to the latest research in the area of behavioral economics, and make obvious certain inefficiencies in base healthcare packages, which are in close connection with human behavior. We begin with an analysis of healthcare expenses, first in absolute terms and then compare them with the Euro zone as well as former communist countries from Eastern Europe. The purpose is to offer multiple perspectives in relation to the widespread idea that medical care in Romania does not have the financial backing enjoyed in other places. We continue with the presentation of several healthcare variables and the attempt to find possible alternative explanations for their values and dynamics. Finally, we sum up with an emphasis on certain human behaviors that might underlie inefficiencies in healthcare packages and examine the corresponding experimental results, which offer some simple solutions to correct them.
An Agent-Based Model to Forecast the Inflation Rate in the Eurozone
Authors: Santos Juan Luis , Kaszowska Jagoda Anna , Navarro Tomás Mancha
Published: December 2016

The aim of the agent-based model presented in this chapter is to explain the determinants of inflation and to forecast the inflation rate in the Eurozone for the next five years. The behaviors of agents and their expectations are interrelated and explained by macroeconomic models applied to heterogeneous agents of three classes: individuals, companies and financial institutions. In addition, the behavior of public sector and central bank is also modeled with a single agent of each kind. Once the quantitative easing policy is implemented, the quantitative theory of money expects higher inflation rates in the long run. Inflation should remain low taking into account the Phillips-Curve. Last, according to the Aggregated Supply and Demand as well as to the Money Market equilibrium, the behaviors modeled allow forecasting low inflation. However, an external shock, as it would be an increase in the price of important commodities, can alter the inflation rate to a great extent.