bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Video Games as a Form of Therapeutic Intervention for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders
Authors: Mehl-Schneider Toby , Steinmetz Shimon
Published: March 2015

The use of video games as a therapeutic intervention for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) has steadily increased over the past years. Children with ASD tend to show a great interest in and affinity for playing video games for leisure. This chapter explores how researchers have sought to determine if this inherent motivation could be utilized to assist children with autism spectrum disorders in increasing beneficial skills needed for daily life. Video games have, therefore, been used to assist these children in improving social competence for communicative purposes, improve executive functioning skills, and increase a variety of personal performance skills. Although the variety of research studies in this subject area is expanding, there continues to be a lack of empirical research in this area, and small sample numbers of participants in the majority of the existing research. A lack of longitudinal studies, moreover, is problematic as the studies cannot demonstrate if a learned and mastered skill on a video game can carryover and transfer from the video gaming setting to everyday activities.
Measuring User Experience in Board Games
Authors: Barbara Jonathan
Published: March 2015

Measuring user experience in board games is broadly unexplored with research mainly focused on digital games. This paper assesses the suitability of using a questionnaire, developed for digital games, for use on board games - thus providing a common measure of user experience between board and digital games. The study involved play testing a themed board game with undergraduate computing students and alumni, measuring user experience via the Games Experience Questionnaire whilst testing for reliability and validity. Findings obtained high scores in both criteria, suggesting that the GEQ is a suitable tool to measure user experience in board games and thus a valid candidate for comparing game design across varied game media such as digital and board games.
The Travelling Rose
Authors: Visch Valentijn , Mulder Ingrid , Bos Wessel , Prins Richard
Published: March 2015

The persuasive game, Travelling Rose, aims to enhance walking activities of elderly residents living in neighbourhoods characterized by a low socioeconomic status. The game consists of a wooden pass-on box containing user-reports and instructions on how to find a companion, how to generate a surprise together, how to give this surprise a fellow neighbourhood member, and how to pass on the Travelling Rose box. The persuasive catch of the Travelling Rose is present when the companions are generating the surprise and are instructed to take a walk in the neighbourhood for easing social communication and flourishing creative ideas. In this chapter, the design process leading to the final version of the Travelling Rose is described, involving user studies, concept testing, and iterative prototyping. Secondly, the final prototype is presented and framed using the theoretical Persuasive Game Design model.
Game-Based Learning as a Promoter for Positive Health Behaviours in Young People
Authors: Wilson Andrew Sean
Published: March 2015

Maintaining the healthcare of young people living with long-term medical conditions is dependent upon them acquiring a range of self-care skills. Encouraging them to attain these as well as assessing their competency in them beyond the healthcare setting is challenging. The development of educational computer games like Health Heroes, Re-Mission, and Sparx have been shown to successfully improve self-care, communication, and adherence to medicines in young patients. Therefore, this medium might be an alternative means for delivery of healthcare information. In this chapter, we propose that by encapsulating healthcare processes in Game-Based Learning (GBL) either by computer games or by applying the principles of gamification, a more fun, structured, and objective process would be created, one to which young people can relate. The framework we suggest will provide doctors with an insight into how GBL could be used positively in a healthcare setting as well as provide a basis for application to other disciplines where knowledge and skill acquisition can be challenging.
A Randomised Controlled Trial to Evaluate Learning Effectiveness Using an Adaptive Serious Game to Teach SQL at Higher Education Level
Authors: Hainey Thomas , Soflano Mario , Connolly Thomas M.
Published: March 2015

The literature suggests that every learner has a particular Learning Style (LS) and it is beneficial for the teacher and the learning approach to adapt to and accommodate these differences. The traditional classroom fails to motivate some learners and to maintain their engagement level during learning, possibly because of lack of interactivity. Computer games on the other hand seem to be able to engage participants for prolonged periods of time and motivate them to replay the game repeatedly. Some educationalists consider games as a potential platform to support learning and the term Games-Based Learning (GBL) has been introduced into the curriculum to reflect this approach. While many GBL applications have been developed, there is still a lack of empirical evidence to support its validity. Furthermore, there are very few adaptive GBL applications developed and adaptive GBL frameworks proposed. Another issue with GBL is that games engage the learners differently compared to traditional teaching approaches or eLearning and learning styles may differ inside and outside of the game. For the purpose of this research, a game with three game modes was developed. The modes were 1) non-adaptivity mode, 2) a mode that customises the game according to the learner's LS identified by a LS questionnaire, and 3) a mode with an in-game adaptive system based on a newly developed framework that can automatically adapt content according to the learner's interactions with the game. GBL has been used to teach various disciplines; however, this research focuses on teaching Structured Query Language (SQL) at Higher Education (HE). A Randomised Controlled Trial (RCT) was conducted with 30 students for each of the above game modes and another 30 students in a control group who learned SQL using a traditional paper-based approach. The results show that the game developed, regardless of mode, produced better learning outcomes than those who learned from a textbook. Particularly for adaptive GBL, learning effectiveness was identified to be higher while the learning duration was shorter compared to the other modes of the game.
Gleaning Strategies for Knowledge Sharing and Collective Assessment in the Art Classroom from the Videogame, “Little Big Planet's Creator Spotlights”
Authors: Jackson Renee , Robinson William , Simon Bart
Published: March 2015

This chapter examines the notion of videogames as a resource for teaching practice. Games are often used as teaching tools, but not often used as resources for informing pedagogical practice. Media Molecule's game, Little Big Planet (LBP) for the Playstation 3, is a constructivist game with a niche online community of practice known as LBP Central. The game, along with the community, exemplifies multiple learning strategies in a constructivist environment, lending itself as a potentially powerful resource for studying constructivist teaching/learning strategies. In this chapter, the authors look closely at a community assessment and knowledge sharing strategy known as the “creator spotlight” and, based on the premise that art classrooms tend to be more constructivist by nature than other subject areas and because LBP has strong links to visual art, they suggest ways in which this process could be explored and applied with secondary visual arts students within a constructivist learning environment.
Football Manager as a Persuasive Game for Social Identity Formation
Authors: Kaye Linda K.
Published: March 2015

This case illustrates the way in which the football management simulation game, Football Manager (Sports Interactive), enhances the processes through which players formulate their social identities, which extend beyond the boundaries of gameplay itself. The case discusses the findings of my interviews with Football Manager players, which provides an in-depth examination of experiences associated with the game, both during gameplay and the way in which it functions within the wider social contexts of their lives. I discuss these findings in relation to social identity theory (Tajfel, 1978, 1979; Tajfel & Turner, 1979), through the way in which the game promotes players' sense of in-group affiliation, as well as promoting positive shared experiences between players. In this way, the current case presents an interesting insight into the social functions of the game and its role within the social narratives and identities of its players. From this, I conclude the utility of Football Manager as a persuasive game for formulating players' social identities, which may lead to further positive social impacts.
Modeling Gameplay Enjoyment, Goal Orientations, and Individual Characteristics
Authors: Quick John M. , Atkinson Robert K.
Published: March 2015

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships between gameplay enjoyment, gaming goal orientations, and individual characteristics. A total of 301 participants were surveyed and the data were analyzed using structural equation modeling. This led to an expanded Gameplay Enjoyment Model (GEM) with 41 game design features that influence player enjoyment. Furthermore, a 3x2 Gaming Goal Orientations model was established with six dimensions that describe players' motivations for gaming. In addition, players' individual characteristics were used to predict gameplay enjoyment in the GEM-Individual Characteristics model. The six Gaming Goal Orientations dimensions were the strongest predictors, while the commonly used gender and hours played per week variables failed to predict enjoyment. The results of this study enable important work to be conducted surrounding gameplay experiences and individual characteristics. Ultimately, it is believed that the Gameplay Enjoyment Model, Gaming Goal Orientations, and the GEM-Individual Characteristics model will be useful tools for researchers and designers who seek to create effective gameplay experiences that meet the needs of players.
The Use of Facebook as a Pedagogical Platform for Developing Investigative Journalism Skills
Authors: Aayeshah Wajeehah , Bebawi Saba
Published: March 2015

This chapter evaluates the extent to which Facebook could be used as a training and learning tool for investigative journalism students. This study is based on the deployment of Facebook as a pedagogical tool for an “Investigative Journalism” unit at Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, Australia. This chapter, accordingly, outlines the challenges, issues, and benefits of using Social Networking Services (SNS) as pedagogical tools for the training of future investigative journalists, which could in turn assist other instructors to make use of such online social platforms for media training. By conducting an observation of student usage of Facebook and interviewing students and tutors on their experiences from this activity, this chapter concludes that Facebook can serve as a useful online collaborative platform for investigative journalism students and as a progress monitoring tool for their instructors.
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Authors: Aune R. Kelly , Sharritt Matthew , Suthers Daniel D.
Published: March 2015

A qualitative case study of student game play is presented that describes how game player communication becomes increasingly complex, efficient, and impenetrable by those who have not actively played the game. Transcripts of gathered video tape reveal how student ‘gamer talk' became increasingly implicit, using terminology provided by the game and their shared context of playing the game. Over time, communication among game player group members generally became more efficient and less penetrable by members outside the group (such as new players), as players engaged in culture-building activities around their shared context. However, players occasionally became more explicit in their communication when grounding was required to reach shared meaning, such as in instances where players disagreed on the purpose of a particular game feature or strategy. Finally, implications are offered to suggest ways in which gamer cultures can be made more accessible to game designers and those guiding classroom interactions.
Psychological Aspects of Serious Games
Authors: Boyle Elizabeth
Published: March 2015

Over the past fifteen years there has been increasing interest in serious games as a new medium for learning, skill acquisition, and training. Developing and evaluating engaging and effective serious games presents an interdisciplinary challenge. Psychology is at the interface between hard science and social science and is uniquely placed to play an integrative role in advancing our understanding of the characteristics and impacts of serious games. As the diversity of the chapters in this book illustrates, psychologists have wide-ranging interests in serious games. The purpose of the current chapter is to introduce key concepts, constructs, theories, and research in psychology to examine areas where these are relevant to serious games and provide a context for subsequent chapters in the book.
Consumer Attitudes toward Online Video Game Purchases
Authors: Ozuem Wilson , Borrelli Michael
Published: March 2015

Much research has been carried out on online shopping and the implications of such a purchasing format for consumers and retailers. The majority of these studies have focused on consumer attitudes toward online shopping and how these can be useful predictors of online shopping adoption. Despite these insights from adoption theory, extant research has not yet distilled the most effective means of understanding consumers' attitudes toward online video game purchases. This chapter aims to shed light on this issue by developing an integrative framework to examine how the advent of Internet technologies affects consumers' attitudes toward video games.
The Applicability of Gaming Elements to Early Childhood Education
Authors: Tootell Holly , Freeman Alison
Published: March 2015

Many educators and technology developers advocate the use of gamification in educational environments. However, it is important to evaluate the applicability and value of gaming elements to the environments in which they are being implemented. Early Childhood Education (ECE) presents a unique educational context framed by national curricula and philosophical approaches that influence the adoption of technology, and therefore, gamification as an approach to enhancing learning through intrinsic motivation and engagement. This chapter evaluates the applicability and value of gaming elements to the use of technology in Early Childhood Education (ECE). Various definitions of gamification, particularly in the context of education, are considered. Six tenets of ECE and the concept of play are explored to inform an analysis of the appropriateness of gaming elements to ECE.
Games and Social Networks
Authors: Bachvarova Yulia , Bocconi Stefano
Published: March 2015

Social media and social networks have gained an unprecedented role in connecting people, knowledge, and experiences. Game industry is using the power of social networks by creating Social Network Games, which can be even more engaging than traditional games. In this chapter, the main characteristics of Social Network Games and their potential are discussed. This potentiality can also be used for serious games (i.e. games with purposes beyond entertainment) and especially games related to learning and behavioural changes. This leads to introducing the emerging field of Serious Social Network Games and their unique characteristics that make them suitable for serious applications. Finally, the rising phenomenon of Social TV is discussed, which combines the power of TV and social media. Based on a project by the authors, preliminary findings on the most engaging techniques of Social TV Games are presented, together with initial suggestions on what constitutes good game mechanics for such games. The chapter concludes with future research directions for Social Network Games to become even more engaging and effective for purposes beyond pure entertainment.
My Click is My Bond
Authors: Bishop Jonathan
Published: March 2015

The growth in Internet use is not only placing pressure on service providers to maintain adequate bandwidth but also the people who run the Websites that operate through them. Called systems operators, or sysops, these people face a number of different obligations arising out of the use of their computer-mediated communication platforms. Most notable are contracts, which nearly all Websites have, and in the case of e-commerce sites in the European Union, there are contractual terms they must have. This chapter sets out to investigate how the role contract law can both help and hinder sysops and their users. Sysop powers are limited by sysop prerogative, which is everything they can do which has not been taken away by statute or given away by contract. The chapter finds that there are a number of special considerations for sysops in how they use contracts in order that they are not open to obligations through disabled or vulnerable users being abused by others.
The Persuasive Language of Action
Authors: van Velsen Martin
Published: March 2015

Besides the visual splendor pervasive in the current generation of digital video games, especially those where players roam simulated landscapes and imaginary worlds, few efforts have looked at the resources available to embed human meaning into a game's experience. From the art of persuasion to the mechanics of meaning-making in digital video games and table-top role playing games, this chapter investigates the changes and new opportunities available that can extend our understanding of digital rhetoric. Starting with a breakdown of the role of choice, workable models from psychology and the untapped body of knowledge from table-top role playing games are shown to allow game designers to enrich their products with a deeper human experience.
Rhetoric of Play
Authors: Tran Ben
Published: March 2015

Understanding the psychology of the gamer is important not just in studying video game players but also for understanding behaviors and characteristics of individuals who are non-players of video games. Currently, there is a gap in literature concerning the utilization of the gamer in selecting and training potential and current employees in organizational settings. The benefits of utilizing the gamer factor in selecting and training potential employees are: 1) identifying a qualified candidate who is a good fit to the organizational needs and 2) achieving and maintaining competitive advantage over competitors. Organizations are encouraged to utilize the Enneagram of Personality and Emotional Intelligence measures to identify gamers' other characteristics (O) and utilize the Tavistock method to assess gamers' factors. The Tavistock approach has been utilized in various formats including the Apprentice.
Career Development among Japanese Female Game Developers
Authors: Fujihara Masahito
Published: March 2015

The purpose of this chapter is to clarify the process of female developers' career development and their characteristics based on the life stories of creative professionals employed in the Japanese gaming industry. This study followed a one-to-one semi-structured interview format and employed a qualitative methodology. The survey was conducted on 21 female game developers who have more than five years work experience in the Japanese gaming industry. One of the most important analytical results of the study is the behavioral characteristics of female game developers in their career development are that they support persons who have similar problems in the workplace, and they contribute to mentor game developers in the next generation. In conclusion, female game developers do not have clearly defined career goals; however, they have the ability to alter their work situation, and evaluate and manage it if needed. Therefore, it is important that female game developers have diverse role models. Further research directions are discussed.
Providing Career Guidance to Adolescents through Digital Games
Authors: Dunwell Ian , Lameras Petros , de Freitas Sara , Petridis Panos , Hendrix Maurice , Arnab Sylvester , Star Kam
Published: March 2015

In an evolving global workplace, it is increasingly important for graduates and school-leavers to possess an understanding of the job market, their relevant skills, and career progression paths. However, both the marketplace and career paths are becoming increasingly dynamic, with employees more frequently moving between sectors and positions than was the case for previous generations. The concept of a “job for life” at a single organization is becoming less prevalent across sectors and cultures. In such a context, traditional approaches to career guidance, which often focused upon identifying a suitable occupation for adolescents at an early stage and establishing a route towards it, are being challenged with the need to communicate the value of transferrable skills and non-linear progression paths. This article explores the role digital games might play in allowing learners to develop these skills as part of a wider careers guidance programme. Through a case study of the “MeTycoon” serious game, the potential reach of such games is discussed, with 38,097 visits to the game's website, and 408,247 views of embedded educational videos. An online survey of players (n=97) gives some insight into their opinions of the game's impact and appeal, with positive comments regarding the design of the game and its emphasis on creating an enjoyable gaming experience whilst providing educational content.
Does Game Quality Reflect Heuristic Evaluation?
Authors: Strååt Björn , Rutz Fredrik , Johansson Magnus
Published: March 2015

Usability evaluation tools in the form of heuristic lists can be very helpful in software development. In the field of video game design, researchers are continuously developing new heuristic tools aimed specifically at video game productions. However, through previous studies, the authors have found that even though these tools are frequent and common, design issues regularly appear in video games. This study examines whether video game heuristics are able to capture and evaluate softer values of video game interaction, based on the challenges, flow and immersion of gameplay. By conducting a heuristic evaluation on low scoring and high scoring games the authors manage to show which kind of design issues are most frequent in both high and low scoring games. As a further result of the study, two new heuristics are presented.
From the “Damsel in Distress” to Girls' Games and Beyond
Authors: King Alyson E. , Douai Aziz
Published: March 2015

In this chapter, the authors critically assess the gendered nature of the products developed by the computer gaming industry. The chapter takes a historiographical approach to examining the nature of children's video and computer games as a type of toy that immerses children into current gender stereotypes even as they hold the potential for social change. New ways of bridging the gap between stereotypes and change is explored through a virtual world for children. In addition to an introductory section, the chapter is organized in three main sections: First, the authors place existing computer and video games into a broad and historical context. Second, the chapter takes into consideration feminist critiques of video games for adults. Third, the authors analyze the case of WebkinzWorld, a toy-based social-networking portal offering less gendered video game environments for kids. The authors argue that this mixed method analysis is important not only for computer game designers and marketers who aim to appeal to broad demographics, but also for educators, parents, and caregivers who need to understand the underlying or hidden messages of games for children.
Mobile Cloud Media
Authors: Xu Yi , Mao Shiwen
Published: March 2015

Leveraging Mobile Cloud Computing (MCC), resource-poor mobile devices are now enabled to support rich media applications. In this chapter, the authors briefly review basic concepts and architecture of mobile cloud computing, and focus on the technical challenges of MCC for multimedia applications. Specifically, they discuss how to save energy, ensure Quality of Experience (QoE), deal with stochastic wireless channels, support security and privacy, and reduce network costs for rich media applications. Prototypes, ongoing standardization efforts, and commercial aspects are also reviewed. The authors conclude this chapter with a discussion of several open research problems that call for substantial research and regulation efforts.
Traffic Analyses and Measurements
Authors: Goleva Rossitza , Atamian Dimitar , Mirtchev Seferin , Dimitrova Desislava , Grigorova Lubina , Rangelov Rosen , Ivanova Aneliya
Published: March 2015

Resource management schemes in current data centers, including cloud environments, are not well equipped to handle the dynamic variation in traffic caused by the large diversity of traffic sources, source mobility patterns, and underlying network characteristics. Part of the problem is lacking knowledge on the traffic source behaviour and its proper representation for development and operation. Inaccurate, static traffic models lead to incorrect estimation of traffic characteristics, making resource allocation, migration, and release schemes inefficient, and limit scalability. The end result is unsatisfied customers (due to service degradation) and operators (due to costly inefficient infrastructure use). The authors argue that developing appropriate methods and tools for traffic predictability requires carefully conducted and analysed traffic experiments. This chapter presents their measurements and statistical analyses on various traffic sources for two network settings, namely local Area Network (LAN) and 3G mobile network. LAN traffic is organised in DiffServ categories supported by MPLS to ensure Quality of Service (QoS) provisioning. 3G measurements are taken from a live network upon entering the IP domain. Passive monitoring was used to collect the measurements in order to be non-obtrusive for the networks. The analyses indicate that the gamma distribution has general applicability to represent various traffic sources by proper setting of the parameters. The findings allow the construction of traffic models and simulation tools to be used in the development and evaluation of flexible resource management schemes that meet the real-time needs of the users.
Adaptation of Cloud Resources and Media Streaming in Mobile Cloud Networks for Media Delivery
Authors: Batalla Jordi Mongay
Published: March 2015

Multimedia content delivery is one of the use cases of Mobile Cloud Networks. Cloud Networks are then called Media Clouds. Since mobile devices are becoming increasingly important receptors of Multimedia content, Mobile Cloud Computing is undertaking an important role for delivering Multimedia content from the Cloud through the Internet towards the Mobile users. On the other hand, high requirements of Multimedia content streaming establish the necessity of crossp-layer mechanisms for avoiding or decreasing the effects of, for example, mobile network congestion or cloud congestion. This chapter introduces an exemplary solution, at the application layer, which takes into account the state of the network for efficient Media streaming in Mobile Cloud networks (Media Mobile Cloud). Concretely, the presented solution proposes a novel adaptation algorithm that adapts not only Media bitrate in the case when there is a congestion in Mobile last mille, but also adapts Media content source when the Cloud suffers from congestion.
Context-Awareness in Opportunistic Mobile Cloud Computing
Authors: Marin Radu-Corneliu , Ciobanu Radu-Ioan , Pasea Radu , Barosan Vlad , Costea Mihail , Dobre Ciprian
Published: March 2015

Smartphones have shaped the mobile computing community. Unfortunately, their power consumption overreaches the limits of current battery technology. Most solutions for energy efficiency turn towards offloading code from the mobile device into the cloud. Although mobile cloud computing inherits all the Cloud Computing advantages, it does not treat user mobility, the lack of connectivity, or the high cost of mobile network traffic. In this chapter, the authors introduce mobile-to-mobile contextual offloading, a novel collaboration concept for handheld devices that takes advantage of an adaptive contextual search algorithm for scheduling mobile code execution over smartphone communities, based on predicting the availability and mobility of nearby devices. They present the HYCCUPS framework, which implements the contextual offloading model in an on-the-fly opportunistic hybrid computing cloud. The authors emulate HYCCUPS based on real user traces and prove that it maximizes power saving, minimizes overall execution time, and preserves user experience.
H.265 Video Streaming in Mobile Cloud Networks
Authors: Wang Qi , Nightingale James , Alcaraz-Calero Jose M. , Luo Chunbo , Pervez Zeeshan , Wang Xinheng , Grecos Christos
Published: March 2015

Mobile video applications have started to dominate the global mobile data traffic in recent years, and both opportunities and challenges have arisen when the emerging mobile cloud paradigm is introduced to support the resource-demanding video processing and networking services. This chapter offers in-depth discussions for content- and context-aware, adaptive, robust, secure, and real-time video applications in mobile cloud networks. The chapter describes and analyses the essential building blocks including the state-of-the-art technologies and standards on video encoding, adaptive streaming, mobile cloud computing, and resource management, and the associated security issues. The focus is context-aware adaptive streaming based on the latest video coding standard H.265 in the context of Internet-centric mobile cloud networking. Built upon selected building blocks underpinned by promising approaches and emerging standards, an integrated architecture is proposed towards achieving next-generation smart video streaming for mobile cloud users, with future research directions in this field identified.
Virtualization Evolution
Authors: Koumaras Harilaos , Damaskos Christos , Diakoumakos George , Kourtis Michail-Alexandros , Xilouris George , Gardikis Georgios , Koumaras Vaios , Siakoulis Thomas
Published: March 2015

This chapter discusses the evolution of the cloud computing paradigm and its applicability in various sections of the computing and networking/telecommunications industry, such as the cloud networking, the cloud offloading, and the network function virtualization. The new heterogeneous virtualized ecosystem that is formulated creates new needs and challenges for management and administration at the network part. For this purpose, the approach of Software-Defined Networking is discussed and its future perspectives are further analyzed.
Supply Chain Strategy
Authors: Sehgal Vivek
Published: March 2015

With global expansion and emerging business model complexities such as omni-channel for retail industry, corporations are under pressure to reinvent their supply chains. They fall into the old trap of following supply chain strategies of lean, agile, or postponement. These however are not strategies, but simply the goals of an effective supply chain: to reduce cost and variability, and optimize production. In contrast, a strategy should guide a corporation on how to reach these goals. The author argues that true supply chain strategy must be derived through an evaluation of capabilities to be built to realize the business goals of a corporation. To effectively create such a supply chain, corporations must further align their technology strategy to enable their supply chain capabilities. Only when the three, business, supply chain, and technology strategies, align can truly lean, responsive, and agile supply chains be enabled that create sustained competitive advantages.
Supply Chain Segmentation
Authors: Sabri Ehap
Published: March 2015

The purpose of this chapter is to explore the factors that influence supply chain segmentation and provide a best practice transformation approach to ensure a successful journey. The initial research is based on a review of supply chain segmentation literature and the application of relevant transformation steps to specific case studies, comprising of companies from different industries. Supply chain segmentation strategy presents huge opportunities that are already being tapped by a few companies who achieved significant benefits and gained competitive advantage. The chapter provides a practical and proven supply chain segmentation framework for companies who are about to take the segmentation transformation journey.
Mastering Change Management for Successful Supply Chain Transformation
Authors: Sabri Ehap , Verma Likhit
Published: March 2015

Supply chain transformation is necessary for the survival and growth of an organization; the more effective the transformation, the more likely the company is to thrive. In response to the dramatic changes in the business landscape over the last few years, many companies are launching business transformation programs to drive sweeping changes in their supply chain processes. These transformations are required to match the ever-growing customer demand and drive competition in the market. The supply chain transformation can be evident in exploring new sourcing networks, establishing collaborative forecasting processes, optimizing networks and inventories, reducing supply chain complexities, improving margins, etc. In today's world, it is no longer an option whether or not to opt for supply chain business transformations. Instead, it is a strategic mandate in order to stay relevant in the industry. This chapter provides the analysis of the most common transformation failures and suggests a practical framework leveraging some of the best practices in change management.
A Local Search Approach to Solve a Financial Portfolio Design Problem
Authors: Lebbah Fatima Zohra , Lebbah Yahia
Published: March 2015

This paper introduces a local search optimization technique for solving efficiently a financial portfolio design problem which consists to affect assets to portfolios, allowing a compromise between maximizing gains and minimizing losses. This practical problem appears usually in financial engineering, such as in the design of CDO-squared portfolios. This problem has been modeled by Flener et al. who proposed an exact method to solve it. It can be formulated as a quadratic program on the 0-1 domain. It is well known that exact solving approaches on difficult and large instances of quadratic integer programs are known to be inefficient. That is why this work has adopted a local search method. It proposes neighborhood and evaluation functions specialized on this problem. To boost the local search process, it also proposes a greedy algorithm to start the search with an optimized initial configuration. Experimental results on non-trivial instances of the problem show the effectiveness of this work's approach.
Collaborative Negotiation Platform using a Dynamic Multi-Criteria Decision Model
Authors: Arrais-Castro A. , Varela Maria Leonilde Rocha , Putnik G. D. , Ribeiro Rita , Dargam F. C. C.
Published: March 2015

Due to globalization, companies are frequently pushed to grow outside their political and geographical boundaries, forcing them to increase product diversification. As a side effect they can also optimize their resource's management by looking at potential businesses for improving their relations with customers and/or open new markets through partnerships. In this context, implementing agile collaboration networks between businesses is a requirement. This paper proposes an approach to support the selection of businesses in the context of collaborative-networked organizations, through a negotiation process controlled by agents, which is based on a dynamic multi-criteria decision model (DMCDM). The approach combines a dynamic decision making approach - using past, current and future information - with a software agents approach, which autonomously captures business opportunities, select business partners, as well as award and process associated orders. An illustrative example of evaluation and selection of business partners clarifies the dynamic method.
An Application of the Integrated IBA-TOPSIS Model in Supplier Selection
Authors: Mandić Ksenija , Delibašić Boris , Radojević Dragan
Published: March 2015

The supplier selection process attracted a lot of attention in the business management literature. This process takes into consideration several quantitative and qualitative variables and is usually modeled as a multi-attribute decision making (MADM) problem. A recognized shortcoming in the literature of classical MADM methods is that they don't permit the identification of interdependencies among attributes. Therefore, the aim of this study is to propose a model for selecting suppliers of telecommunications equipment that includes the interaction between attributes. This interaction can model the hidden knowledge needed for efficient decision-making. To model interdependencies among attributes the authors use a recently proposed consistent fuzzy logic, i.e. interpolative Boolean algebra (IBA). For alternatives ranking they use the classical MADM method TOPSIS. The proposed model was evaluated on a real-life application. The conclusion is that decision makers were able to integrate their reasoning into the MADM model using interpolative Boolean algebra.
Pedagogical Applications of Smartphone Integration in Teaching
Authors: Seifert Tami
Published: March 2015

As the disparity between educational standards and reality outside educational institutions is increasing, alternative learning infrastructure are challenging traditional modes of teaching. This study was based on an experiment with middle school pupils, pre-service teachers and college lecturers. The aim of this study was to examine the extent to which the use of smartphones for teaching affects pupils' motivation. Moreover, it explored pre-service teachers' and lecturers' attitudes toward the implementation of smartphones in education: the types of usage they implement and suggest and whether they think that smartphones should be implemented in academia as well as in schools at all. The study was conducted by a qualitative and quantitative analysis. Relevant information was collected based on the questionnaires, correspondence, personal journals and interviews. There was a difference in the level of technical difficulties various groups face, the personal use each generation performs as well as their attitude toward smartphone implementation.
Exploring the Potential of Mobile Applications to Support Learning and Engagement in Elementary Classes
Authors: Al Mosawi Athraa , Wali Esra Ahmed
Published: March 2015

Mobile devices have integrated themselves in society where they are used naturally and invisibly by individuals. Despite the fact that these devices are available to teachers and learners, the traditional style of classes is still the dominant style. This research explores the utilization of mobile applications in traditional classroom settings, and how this affects students' learning and engagement. An action research project was conducted in Bahrain to study the differences between the utilization of mobile applications in a classroom setting in a private school, with more technology exposure, and in a public school, with limited technology exposure. The study found that the use of mobile applications in classrooms increased students' engagement despite differences in the utilization of technology. The study also found that integrating mobile applications in classrooms has the potential to enhance students' performance.
English-Language Learning at their Fingertips
Authors: Alhinty Mona
Published: March 2015

The emergence of multi-touch screen tablets has increased the opportunities for mobile learning, as the unique capabilities and affordances of these devices give them an educational advantage over other mobile technologies. Tablets are progressively finding their way into classrooms and transforming modes of learning and teaching. However, research on educational applications of this digital tool, particularly with reference to foreign-/second-language acquisition by young beginner learners, is still limited. In this paper, the use of various tablet applications (apps) to support mobile English-language learning by children as beginners is discussed. The apps are classified into five main categories: communication, content-access, productivity, interactive and storage. The educational affordances of each category are presented and explained, with examples. This typology provides insight into the educational uses of tablet apps for English language learning, and has implications for research in the field of classroom practices and beyond.
Sustainability Criteria for Tourism Attractions
Authors: Ottenbacher Michael C. , Schwebler Sina , Metzler Daniel , Harrington Robert J.
Published: March 2015

With the start of mass tourism in the 1980s, comprehensive concepts were developed not only to optimize these positive effects but also to minimize the negative impacts of tourism on the environment (). Problematic with the development of these concepts is the variety of approaches, each with different emphases, as well as the diverse interpretations of the term ‘sustainability' (). However, the topic of sustainability will be one of the drivers of future tourism development and will further increase in significance (). In response to the growing importance of sustainability, the government of the federal state of Baden-Württemberg, Germany, intends to implement and facilitate a sustainability check for tourism attractions. The aim of this study is to provide insight into the perception of sustainable tourism, to examine the ways how to implement it in tourism attractions in Baden-Württemberg and to determine specific sustainability criteria. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 18 experts of the tourism industry in Germany to better understand the requirements and expectations of such a sustainability check. The results of the interviews revealed that, in general, there is strong support for the government to implement a sustainability check for the highly diverse tourism attractions within the entire state. In this context, the interviews indicated the difficulties and individual particularities which would have to be considered when implementing a comprehensive sustainability check for different types of tourism attractions. The operationalization of the sustainability concept, such as ecolabels and guidelines, builds the foundation for the implementation of sustainable development.
A Supply-Side Stakeholder Analysis of Rural Wine Tourism Development
Authors: Quadri-Felitti Donna
Published: March 2015

This exploratory study assessed the cohesiveness and discord among four separate supply-side stakeholder groups in the US Chautauqua-Lake Erie wine region. Results from 17 ANOVA tests indicated agreement on many important issues, a departure from previous studies in tourism (; ). Disagreement was shown about marketing, community appreciation for, and attention by government to wine tourism issues. The findings suggest more data are needed to source the causes of these disparities. Overall, the results signify a region ready for “the informed participation of all relevant stakeholders” () and stakeholder collaboration that is requisite for sustainable tourism development.
Software Service Adaptation Based on Interface Localisation
Authors: Pahl Claus , Collins Luke
Published: March 2015

The aim of Web services is the provision of software services to a range of different users in different locations. Service localisation in this context can facilitate the internationalisation and localisation of services by allowing their adaption to different locales. The authors investigate three dimensions: (i) lingual localisation by providing service-level language translation techniques to adopt services to different languages, (ii) regulatory localisation by providing standards-based mappings to achieve regulatory compliance with regionally varying laws, standards and regulations, and (iii) social localisation by taking into account preferences and customs for individuals and the groups or communities in which they participate. The objective is to support and implement an explicit modelling of aspects that are relevant to localisation and runtime support consisting of tools and middleware services to automating the deployment based on models of locales, driven by the two localisation dimensions. The authors focus here on an ontology-based conceptual information model that integrates locale specification into service architectures in a coherent way.
Hybrid Regression Testing Based on Path Pruning
Authors: Gupta Varun , Chauhan Durg Singh , Dutta Kamlesh
Published: March 2015

Regression testing has been studied by various researchers for developing and testing the quality of software. Regression testing aims at re-execution of evolved software code to ensure that no new errors had been introduced during the process of modification. Since re-execution of all test cases is not feasible, selecting manageable number of test cases to execute modified code with good fault detection rate is a problem. In past few years, various hybrid based regression testing approaches have been proposed and successfully employed for software testing, aiming at reduction in the number of test cases and higher fault detection capabilities. These techniques are based on sequence of selections, prioritizations and minimization of test suite. However, these techniques suffer from major drawbacks like improper consideration of control dependencies, neglection of unaffected fragments of code for testing purpose. Further, these techniques have been employed on hypothetical or simple programs with test suites of smaller size. Present paper proposes hybrid regression testing, a combination of test case selections, test case prioritizations and test suite minimization. The technique works at statement level and is based on finding the paths containing statements that affects or gets affected by the addition/deletion or modification (both control and data dependency) of variables in statements. The modification in the code may cause ripple effect thereby resulting into faulty execution of the code. The hybrid regression testing approach is aimed at detecting such faults with lesser number of test cases. Reduction in number of test cases is possible because of the decreased number of paths to be tested. A web based framework to automate and parallelize this testing technique to maximum extend, making it well suited for globally distributed environments is also proposed in the present paper. Framework when implemented as a tool can handle large pool of test cases and will make use of parallel MIMD architectures like multicore systems. Technique is applied on prototype live system and results are compared with recently proposed hybrid regression testing approach against parameters of interest. Obtained optimized results are indicators of effectiveness of approach in terms of reduction in effort, cost as well as testing time in general and increment delivery time in particular.