bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Web Services Security
Authors: Garcia Carlos A.G. , Paton Eduardo F. , Belthius Mario P.
Published: May 2011

During the past few years, significant standardization work in the Web services (WS) technology area has been performed. As a consequence of these initial efforts, WS foundational stable specifications have already been delivered. Now, it is time for the industry to standardize and address the security issues that have emerged from this paradigm. Up until now, much activity has been carried out on this subject. In this chapter, we will specify the main security services that have to be addressed in the WS world as well as a description of the aspects already addressed and unaddressed. We will mention the main initiatives and their respective specifications that try to cover the distinct security issues within the WS outlook. Whenever possible, unaddressed security issues for each topic will be stated. In addition, current general security concerns will be detailed, and future research will be proposed.
Secure Semantic Grids
Authors: Thuraisingham Bhavani
Published: May 2011

This chapter first describes the developments in semantic grids and then discusses the security aspects. Semantic grids integrate Semantic Web and grid technologies. They also integrate knowledge management with Semantic Web and the grids. There is much interest on applying the semantic grid for many applications in science and engineering. Therefore, it is critical that the semantic grids be secure. We will also discuss Semantic Web mining and privacy implications relevant to semantic grids.
Contextualized Virtual Science Centers
Authors: Zimmerman Andreas , Lorenze Andreas , Specht Marcus
Published: May 2011

Today it is not enough just to supply content without the consideration of the recipient, his/her current task and situation. Therefore the time, the location, the particular technical limitations, and the modality and style of reception are important parameters for contextualized interactions and information delivery. Context-sensitive content and information processing are especially assets for the generation of added value in information delivery. This chapter describes how contextualization can be performed in virtual science centers. The demand for context-sensitive functionalities constitutes a crucial challenge for application developers, system integrators and product designers. This chapter furthermore offers a potentially substantive approach for development and maintenance of context-sensitive systems and services by adapting information brokering techniques.
Authentic Teaching and Learning Standards That Assure Quality Higher Education
Authors: Oliver Ron , Herrington Anthony , Stoney Sue , Millar Jim
Published: May 2011

Quality assurance is becoming a necessary aspect of many institutions of higher education. Teaching and learning is a major area of scrutiny and requires institutional agreement on the benchmarks and standards by which quality will be determined. This chapter provides a framework for conceptualising the elements of teaching and learning that need to be accounted for in any quality assurance process, with particular focus on teaching activities that reflect an authentic approach to learning.
Managing Complexity with MDSD
Authors: Bettin Jorn
Published: May 2011

This chapter addresses the question of how to successfully create durable and scalable software architectures that enable the underlying design intent of a system to survive over a period of many years, such that no accidental dependencies are introduced as part of further software development and maintenance. The answer involves looking beyond object-orientation and traditional iterative software development. In order to prevent long-term design degradation, and in order to efficiently execute software development in the large, the introduction of dependencies between components needs to be actively managed, relying on a set of guiding principles for component encapsulation and abstraction. The guiding principles required turn out to be a natural extension to the principles of design by contract, they have a direct impact on the modular structure of software source code, and they form a foundation for model-driven approaches to software development.
Improving OO Design Process Using Rules, Patterns and Refactoring
Authors: Garzas Javier , Piattini Mario
Published: May 2011

In recent years different areas of knowledge related to the construction of object-oriented (OO) designs such as principles, heuristics, patterns, and refactoring techniques have been consolidated, but there is a lot of work still to be done in order to systematize and offer this knowledge to OO designers in such a way that it can be easily used in practical cases. In order to clarify this, we have defined an ontology of OO Micro Architectural Design Knowledge and the foundations of an OO design method based in the knowledge.
A Methodology for Developing Integrated Supply Chain Management System
Authors: Lan Yi-chen , Unhelkar Bhuvan
Published: May 2011

Integrated Supply Chain Management (ISCM) involves the linking of suppliers and customers with the internal business processes of an organization. ISCM solutions allow organizations to automate workflows concerning the execution and analysis of planning, sourcing, making, delivering, returns handling, and maintenance, to name but a few. Many of today’s ISCM systems use primarily Web technology as the supporting infrastructure. Undoubtedly, the electronic (Internet-based) ISCM systems deliver the enterprises with a competitive advantage by opening up opportunities to streamline processes, reduce costs, increase customer patronage, and enable thorough planning abilities. However, there has been significant customer backlash concerning the inability of software vendors to deliver easy integration and promised functionality. Although various researchers have suggested strategies to overcome some of the failures in operating ISCM systems, there appears to be a lacunae in terms of architectural investigations in the analysis stage. The methodology proposed in this chapter seeks to resolve these gaps and provides a fundamental framework for analyzing ISCM systems.
Information Sharing in Supply Chain Systems
Authors: Batten Lynn M. , Savage Ron
Published: May 2011

This chapter considers the importance of information-sharing techniques and strategies employed by industry sectors. Well-developed supply chain management often brings with it improved buyer-supplier communication processes, and we consider the impact of these not only from an intersector point of view, but also from a cross-sector viewpoint. The particular perspectives of the small business within a supply chain structure and of the supply chain customer are examined in detail. We conclude that information sharing is a critical component of business success both inside and outside the supply chain structure. However, while globally and at the large business level, both development and implementation of such technologies have mushroomed, smaller enterprises have tended to be left behind to cope as best they can with multiple pressures to conform.
A Framework for Analyzing Information Systems in an Integrated Supply Chain Environment
Authors: Van Eenoo Christopher
Published: May 2011

The concept and study of supply chains are nothing new. The concept of integrated supply chain environments (ISCE), however, has received increased study as of late. Technology has become the enabling factor for corporations to share information externally and to improve material flow within the supply chain. Many benefits can be realized from an integrated supply chain environment, including improved customer relations, cost reductions, and increased competitive advantage. Despite the potential benefits, there are many factors that lead to failed integrated supply chain implementations. Many of the major factors that lead to failure are not due to technological reasons but rather to the failure of the project team to recognize the complexities of the implementations of integrated supply chains. This chapter introduces the Interaction Approach methodology as a framework for analyzing supply chains in the hope of improving the design, development, and implementation of integrated supply chain environments.
A Multi-Objective Model for Taiwan Notebook Computer Distribution Problem
Authors: Tang Ling-Lang , Kuo Yei-Chun , Lee E. Stanley
Published: May 2011

A multi-objective model of global distribution for the Taiwan notebook computer industry is proposed. The proposed two-stage approach involves a mixed integer linear programming model and the fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (AHP) approach. The analytic method provides quantitative assessment of the relationships between manufacturers and customer service. To show the effectiveness of the proposed approach, a Taiwan notebook computer model is solved. The results of this multi-objective model show some dynamic characteristics among various performance criteria of the outbound logistics.
The Critical Success Factors in Supply Chain Implementation
Authors: Udomleartprasert Panyaluck , Jungthirapanich Chamnong
Published: May 2011

This chapter introduces critical success in supply chain implementation by empirical research. The widespread implementation of supply chain management induced companies to move beyond national borders and be enticed by the global competition in business. Applying supply chain management overall in organizations, companies generally considered it successful in managing their supply chains. However, some of them have not reached the magnitude of improvements or the desired results ascribed to supply chain management. With supply chain concerns and problems related to some basic companies’ infrastructures, the supply chain knowledge and operational skill affected the effectiveness of supply chain practices and performances. In this research, we studied the infrastructures enhancing the success of supply chain implementation that influence supply chain performance. The author adopts three categories of infrastructure as the critical success factors of supply chain implementation: man, machines, and management. The EQS is used to analyze the data collection. A total of 114 pieces of data were completed, and the result shows the significant relationship of operational infrastructures and the success of supply chain management.
Enabling Technologies for Enterprise Globalizations
Authors: Lan Yi-chen , Unhelkar Bhuvan
Published: May 2011

We have discussed, thus far, the vision of a global enterprise and the process of achieving that vision. However, it is the technologies available today that have made such globalization possible. In this chapter, we deepen our understanding of globalization by delving into the technologies that facilitate this globalization. In addition to the technically minded reader, this understanding will be helpful to the business reader in correlating the technologies that bring about these transitions. At the outset, it is crucial to understand that the fundamental basis of these technologies is their ability to facilitate communication electronically. Figure 5.1 shows these enabling technologies: Internet
Case of Monopolies at Stake
Authors: Laine Juha , Heikkila Jukka
Published: May 2011

In this chapter, our purpose is to illustrate the complexity of the outcomes of technological change and the concerns of regulators in the European gambling markets. In 2002, the Finnish Betting and Tipping Company, Veikkaus, estimated, that Finns’ Internet gambling decreased its turnover of betting by 10%. Such leakage is a reason why politicians in different states are considering imposing restrictions of online gambling to other parties of the gambling process, such as Internet service providers, banks, and credit card companies. On the other hand, one possible way to caulk the leakage could be to improve the returns of the players, but this has an adverse effect on the social and political objectives of preventing excessive gambling. The recent Gambelli case further indicates that such restrictions might not be considered proportionate and, thus, are against EU law. The diffusion of the Internet also changes the strategies of the industry stakeholders as the interests of potential market entrants, exclusive license holders, regulators, and legislators are now contradictory with the advent of increased gambling possibilities.
The Changing Role of Middle-Men Infomediaries
Authors: Lahteenmaki Mirella , Tinnila Markku
Published: May 2011

Intermediaries and especially information-intensive infomediaries have been hailed as winners of the new electronic economy. The need for infomediaries arises from the reorganization of several markets as a result of the Internet. The main claim of emerging e-business companies during the hype at the turn of the millennium was shortening of the value chains. This meant bypassing middle-men with a direct contact to end-customers, in many cases, consumers. However, the millions of Web sites failed to attract customers, simply because they could not be found among all the others. The solution to this problem was the reintroduction of middle-men actors; in this case, a new type of player, the infomediary, focusing on gathering, organizing, and utilizing essential customer information. The infomediary maximizes the value of information by helping clients to locate relevant products and services based on their individual needs and wants or on their personal profiles. In this chapter, we intend to provide a typology of infomediaries, their roles, and value creation models, and demonstrate infomediary evolution by analyzing exemplary cases.
Multi-Channel Services of the Future
Authors: Manninen Jari , Viherä Marja-Liisa
Published: May 2011

We need to understand people’s needs to use technology and what kinds of services, technological infrastructure and legislation are needed to build an open, balanced information society. Future research (i.e., current research aiming at learning about the future) provides the tools for preparing visions and future scenarios and making the future. As an example of making the future, we will present the idea of communication camps, which aim at making multi-channel services more common. In addition, we have written three short stories to illustrate the multi-channel services that arise from people’s needs. The stories are based on the use of disciplined technological and sociological imagination (Mills, 1959), and we use them to illustrate the opportunities that multi-channel services offer to everyday operations.
Management Issues
Authors: Khan Badrul
Published: May 2011

Management of e-learning refers to managing various stages of e-learning processes including; planning, design, production, evaluation, delivery, and maintenance. Simply put, e-learning management needs a system of creating, storing, and maintaining all e-learning contents and resources. Trentin (2003) notes that managing e-learning processes means having a clear idea of complex systems composed of several key elements including content delivery, technology, human resources, and processes of e-learning integration within the organization.
Electronic Business Research in Small Businesses
Authors: Al-Qirim Nabeel A.Y.
Published: May 2011

This chapter calls for further e-commerce (EC) research in small- to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and to address this phenomenon at a more global level. The chapter endorses this notion using recent EC research in SMEs. Earlier research pointed to the laggardness of the SMEs in adopting and using EC strategically. Accordingly, suggestions were made to call for further cooperation and collaboration amongst the different researchers, professionals, and policymakers across different countries in the world to bridge the EC gap in SMEs.
Unsupervised Learning in Artificial Neural Networks
Authors: Charles Darryl , Fyfe Colin , Livingstone Daniel , McGlinchey Stephen
Published: May 2011

With the artificial neural networks which we have met so far, we must have a training set on which we already have the answers to the questions which we are going to pose to the network. Yet humans appear to be able to learn (indeed some would say can only learn) without explicit supervision. The aim of unsupervised learning is to mimic this aspect of human capabilities and hence this type of learning tends to use more biologically plausible methods than those using the error descent methods of the last two chapters. The network must self-organise and to do so, it must react to some aspect of the input data - typically either redundancy in the input data or clusters in the data; i.e. there must be some structure in the data to which it can respond.
Influence Diagram for Investment Portfolio Selection
Authors: Tseng Chui-Che
Published: May 2011

The goal of an artificial intelligence decision support system is to provide the human user with an optimized decision recommendation when operating under uncertainty in complex environments. The particular focus of our discussion is the investment domain—the goal of investment decision making is to select an optimal portfolio that satisfies the investor’s objective or, in other words, to maximize the investment returns under the constraints given by investors. The investment domain contains numerous and diverse information sources, such as expert opinions, news releases, economic figures and so on. This presents the potential for better decision support but also poses the challenge of building a decision support agent for selecting, accessing, filtering, evaluating and incorporating information from different sources, and for making final investment recommendations. In this study we use an artificial intelligence system called influence diagram for portfolio selection. We found that the system outperform human portfolio managers and the market in the year of 1998 to 2002.
A Framework for Delivering m-Health Excellence
Authors: Wickramasinghe Nilmini , Goldberg Steve
Published: May 2011

Medical science has made revolutionary changes in the past decades. Contemporaneously, however, healthcare has made incremental changes at best. The growing discrepancy between the revolutionary changes in medicine and the minimal changes in healthcare processes is leading to inefficient and ineffective healthcare delivery, and is one, if not the significant, contributor to the exponentially increasing costs plaguing healthcare globally. Healthcare organizations can respond to these challenges by focusing on three key solution strategies, namely, (a) access, as in caring for anyone, anytime, anywhere, (b) quality, delivered by offering world-class care and establishing integrated information repositories, and (c) value, which is created by providing effective and efficient healthcare delivery. These three components are interconnected such that they continually impact on the other and are all necessary to meet the key challenges facing healthcare organizations today.
Utilizing Mobile Phones as Patient Terminal in Managing Chronic Diseases
Authors: Kollmann Alexander , Kastner Peter , Schreier Guenter
Published: May 2011

Mobile information and communication technologies are advancing rapidly and provide great opportunities for home monitoring applications in particular for outpatients and patients suffering from chronic diseases. Because of the ubiquitous availability of mobile phones, these devices can be considered as patient terminals of choice to provide a telemedical interaction between patients and caregivers. The most challenging part still is the patient terminal, that is, to offer the user a method to enter measured data into a system as well as to receive feedback in a comfortable way. The objective of this chapter is to present and compare solutions for mobile-phone-based patient terminals as developed by us and other authors.
3G Mobile Medical Image Viewing
Authors: Wong Eric T.T. , Tong Carrison K.S.
Published: May 2011

Tele-radiology is the technology of remote medical consultation using X-ray, computed tomographic, or magnetic resonance images. It was commonly accepted by clinicians for its effectiveness in making diagnoses for patients in critical situations. Because of the huge size of data volume involved in tele-radiology (American College of Radiology [ACR], 2003), clinicians are not satisfied with the relatively slow data-transfer rate. It limits the technology to fixed-line communication between the doctor’s home and his or her office. In this project, a mobile high-speed wireless medical image viewing system using a 3G (third-generation) wireless network (Collins & Smith, 2001), virtual private network, and one-time two-factor authentication (OTTFA) technologies is presented. Using this system, tele-radiology can be achieved by using a 3G PDA (personal digital assistant) phone to query, retrieve, and review the patient’s record at anytime and anywhere in a secure environment. Using this technology, the patient-data availability can be improved significantly, which is crucial to timely diagnoses of patients in critical situations.
IDEF3-Based Framework for Web-Based Hospital Information System
Authors: Al-Hakim Latif
Published: May 2011

This chapter presents a framework for a Web-based hospital information system to manage the surgery-management process (SMP). The framework can be used to manage any other hospital information system processes. The developed framework challenges the traditional hospital Web strategies with a dual aim: first, to improve customer satisfaction in an environment that often imposes unexplained deviation from planned activities, and second, to create a system that is an effective decision-support system for SMP. The chapter identifies factors affecting SMP decisions and employs a descriptive modeling technique known as IDEF3 to map the information flow within and between elements of SMP. The IDEF3 process mapping becomes part of an integrated Web-based system of multiple stages. Each stage has three levels of accessibility. The first level of the Web system is accessible to the public, the second level is accessible to patients and their designated representatives, and the third level is accessible only to hospital professionals.
Introduction
Authors: Polgar Jana , Braum Robert Mark , Polgar Tony
Published: May 2011

To create an initial impression of what a portal is, we can compare a portal page to the colonial window pictured on Figure 3. This window can represent a Web page, with several smaller windowpanes. We can now imagine that the user is looking at a different application through each windowpane. To extend this metaphor, we can imagine that the application behind each pane belongs to the builder and that each member of the household uses his or her personalized window, with only some panes visible to him or her. The portal is the frame that holds the window together (indeed, we will see later that it is a container); the window itself is the Web page, and the windowpanes are called portlets.
Struts Framework
Authors: Polgar Jana , Braum Robert Mark , Polgar Tony
Published: May 2011

When Java servlets were first invented, many developers quickly realized that they were faster and more powerful than the standard CGI. They were also portable and extensible. But writing HTML to send to the browser in an endless stream of println() statements was not practical. The next framework — Java Server Pages (JSP) — turned servlet writing inside out. JSP allows developers to mix HTML markup with Java code, and to therefore enjoy all the advantages of servlets along with easy development with HTML. The next stage was the realization that Java Server Pages and servlets could be used in mutual cooperation in Web applications. The servlets could serve as controllers and drive control flow, and the JSPs could concentrate on producing HTML pages. This actually was the rediscovery of the classic MVC pattern that was first abstracted in the famous Smalltalk MVC framework (Burbeck, 1987).
Wireless Sales Force Automation in New Zealand
Authors: Walker Brett , Barnes Stuart J.
Published: May 2011

Mobile and wireless technologies are deeply affecting the way many organizations do business. Among the several types of wireless applications, business-to-employee (B2E) applications have a strong potential to generate considerable value for organizations. Wireless sales force automation has been one of the most common applications found among companies that have adopted wireless B2E solutions. This chapter examines the impacts of wireless sales force automation on three organisations operating in food-related industries in New Zealand. The findings demonstrate that wireless technologies can enhance the benefits of traditional sales force automation, but that fundamental transformation of processes and value proposition is not yet apparent. The chapter concludes with recommendations for future practice and research.
A Prehospital Database System for Emergency Medical Services
Authors: Hashmi Nada , Gaynor Mark , Pepe Marissa , Welsh Matt , Tollefsen William W. , Moulton Steven , Myung Dan
Published: May 2011

Emergency Medical Services (EMS) are not only responsible for providing prompt and efficient medical care to many different types emergencies, but also for fully documenting each and every event. Unfortunately, the vast majority of EMS events are still documented by hand. The documents are then further processed and entered manually into various billing, research, and other databases. Hence, such a process is expensive, labor intensive, and error prone. There is a dire need for more research in this area and for faster, efficient solutions. We present a solution for this problem: Prehospital Patient Care Record (PCR) for emergency medical field usage with a system called iRevive that functions as a mobile database application. iRevive is a mobile database applicationthat is designed to facilitate the collection and management of prehospital data. It allows point-of-care data capture in an electronic format and is equipped with individual patient sensors to automatically capture vital sign data. Patient information from the field is wirelessly transmitted to a back-end server, which uses Web service standards to promote interoperability with disparate hospital information systems, various billing agencies, and a wide variety of research applications. In this chapter, we describe the current state of EMS, the iRevive application, a mini-trial deploying iRevive in real scenarios, the results, and a future direction for our solution.
Hybrid-Learning Methods for Stock Index Modeling
Authors: Chen Yuehui , Abraham Ajith
Published: May 2011

The use of intelligent systems for stock market prediction has been widely established. In this paper, we investigate how the seemingly chaotic behavior of stock markets could be well represented using several connectionist paradigms and soft computing techniques. To demonstrate the different techniques, we consider the Nasdaq-100 index of Nasdaq Stock MarketSM and the S&P CNX NIFTY stock index. We analyze 7-year Nasdaq 100 main-index values and 4-year NIFTY index values. This chapter investigates the development of novel, reliable, and efficient techniques to model the seemingly chaotic behavior of stock markets. We consider the flexible neural tree algorithm, a wavelet neural network, local linear wavelet neural network, and finally a feed-forward artificial neural network. The particle-swarm-optimization algorithm optimizes the parameters of the different techniques. This paper briefly explains how the different learning paradigms could be formulated using various methods and then investigates whether they can provide the required level of performance — in other words, whether they are sufficiently good and robust so as to provide a reliable forecast model for stock market indices. Experiment results reveal that all the models considered could represent the stock indices behavior very accurately.
Forecasting the Term Structure of Interest Rates Using Neural Networks
Authors: Bose Sumit Kumar , Sethuraman Janardhanan , Raipet Sadhalaxmi
Published: May 2011

The term structure of interest rates holds a place of prominence in the financial and economic world. Though there is a vast array of literature on the issue of modeling the yield curve, there is virtually no mention of the issue of forecasting the yield curve. In the current chapter, we apply neural networks for the purpose of forecasting the zero-coupon yield curve. First the yield curve is modeled from the past data using the famous Nelson-Siegel model. Then, forecasting of the various parameters of the Nelson-Siegel yield curve is done using two different techniques: the multilayer perceptron and the feed-forward network. The forecasted Nelson-Siegel parameters are then used to predict the yield and the price of the various bonds. Results show the superiority of the feed-forward network over the multilayer perceptron for the purposes of forecasting the term structure of interest rates.
Improving Returns on Stock Investment through Neural Network Selection
Authors: Quah Tong-Seng
Published: May 2011

Artificial neural networks’ (ANNs’) generalization powers have in recent years received admiration of finance researchers and practitioners. Their usage in such areas as bankruptcy prediction, debt-risk assessment, and security-market applications has yielded promising results. With such intensive research and proven ability of the ANN in the area of security-market application and the growing importance of the role of equity securities in Singapore, it has motivated the conceptual development of this work in using the ANN in stock selection. With their proven generalization ability, neural networks are able to infer the characteristics of performing stocks from the historical patterns. The performance of stocks is reflective of the profitability and quality of management of the underlying company. Such information is reflected in financial and technical variables. As such, the ANN is used as a tool to uncover the intricate relationships between the performance of stocks and the related financial and technical variables. Historical data, such as financial variables (inputs) and performance of the stock (output) is used in this ANN application. Experimental results obtained thus far have been very encouraging.
Neural Network Models for the Estimation of Product Costs
Authors: Cavalieri Sergio , Maccarrone Paolo , Pinto Roberto
Published: May 2011

The estimation of the production cost per unit of a product during its design phase can be extremely difficult, especially if information about previous similar products is missing. On the other hand, most of the costs that will be sustained during the production activity are implicitly determined mainly in the design phase, depending on the choice of characteristics and performance of the new product. Hence, the earlier the information about costs becomes available, the better the trade-off between costs and product performances can be managed. These considerations have led to the development of different design rules and techniques, such as Design to Cost, which
Beyond Knowledge Management
Authors: Grace Audrey , Butler Tom
Published: May 2011

In the knowledge economy, a firm’s intellectual capital represents the only sustainable source of competitive advantage; accordingly, the ability to learn, and to manage the learning process are key success factors for firms. The knowledge management approach to learning in organizations has achieved limited success, primarily because it has focused on knowledge as a resource rather than on learning as a people process. Many world-class organizations, such as Procter & Gamble, Cisco Systems and Deloitte Consulting, are now employing a new breed of systems known as Learning Management Systems (LMS) to foster and manage learning within their organizations1. This article reports on the deployment of an LMS by a major US multinational, CEM Corporation, and proposes a framework for understanding learning in organizations, which highlights the roles that LMS can play in today’s knowledge-intensive organizations.
A Case of Information Systems Pre-Implementation Failure
Authors: Schneider Christoph , Sarker Suprateek
Published: May 2011

This case study examines an often overlooked context of information system failures, that of pre-implementation failure. It focuses on an Information Systems Development (ISD) project at a large public university that failed even before implementation could get under way. Specifically, it describes the vendor selection process of a proposed computerized maintenance management system. While the managers in charge of the project took great care to avoid commonly discussed types of information systems failures by emphasizing user involvement and trying to select the best possible system they could afford, non-functional requirements, procedures as outlined in the RFP, and the roles of relevant but relatively “hidden” decision makers during the pre-implementation stage of the project were overlooked. This led to the termination of the project after an appeal was lodged by a software vendor whose product had not been selected for implementation.
Development of KABISA
Authors: Van den Ende Jef , Laganà Stefano , Blot Koenraad , Bisoffi Zeno , Van den Enden Erwin , Vermeulen Louis , Kestens Luc
Published: May 2011

KABISA is a computer-based program for training in diagnostic problems in (sub-) tropical regions. It challenges the individual student with a randomly generated case, for which he should try to find the diagnosis, asking questions, performing a physical examination, and ordering tests. The built-in tutor follows the student’s input with complex logical algorithms and mathematical computations, gives comments and support, and accepts the final diagnosis if sufficient evidence has been built up. Several problems arose with the development. In the first place, the evolution in the teaching of clinical logic is always ahead of the program, so regular updating of the computer logic is necessary. Secondly, the choice of MS Access as computer language has provoked problems of stability, especially the installation of an MSAccess runtime. Thirdly, and most importantly, scholars want proof of the added value of computer programs over classical teaching. Moreover, the concept of a pedagogical “game” is often regarded as childish. Finally, the planning and financing of an “open-ended” pedagogical project is questioned by deciders, as is the case with all operational research.
The Management of Evolving Engineering Design Constraints
Authors: Carnduff T. W. , Goonetillake J. S.
Published: May 2011

This chapter presents research aimed at determining the requirements of a database software tool that supports integrity validation of versioned-design artefacts through effective management of evolving constraints. It has resulted in the design and development of a constraint management model, which allows constraint evolution through representing constraints within versioned objects called Constraint Versions Objects (CVOs). This model operates around a version model that uses a well-defined configuration management strategy to manage the versions of complex artefacts. Internal and inter-dependency constraints are modelled in CVOs. The combination of our versioning, configuration management, and constraint management approaches has produced a unique model which has been implemented in a prototype database tool with an intuitive user interface. The user interface allows designers to manage design constraints without the need to program. The innovative concepts developed in this chapter are introduced using an ongoing example of a simple bicycle design.
Project Selection and Initiation
Authors: Brandon Daniel M.
Published: May 2011

Careful selection of which projects to initiate is vital to the success of an organization. Project initiation represents a future commitment of both human and financial resources as well as of management attention. If a choice is careless or inappropriate, then the consequences may be severe and long lasting. In this chapter, methods for the proper selection and initiation of projects are discussed with regard to overall organizational goals and business justification.
Project Overall Planning
Authors: Brandon Daniel M.
Published: May 2011

Getting off to a fast start in the right direction is important in any endeavor. This chapter discusses overall project planning and requirement analysis. These are two of the most important aspects of IT project management (Standish Group, 2004).
Connecting the First Mile
Authors: Talyarkhan Surmaya , Grimshaw David J. , Lowe Lucky
Published: May 2011

This chapter characterises the use of information communication technologies (ICTs) to share information with people at grassroots as connecting the first mile. It examines the literature about connecting the first mile and identifies the key debates: whether solutions should be participatory or top-down, technological or social, whether they should focus on global or local information, and the overall potential of ICTs for development. The chapter synthesises the lessons from a range of practical studies to identify the factors that contribute to the success of a project. A framework of best practice is offered, divided into three dimensions: the environment, the project level, and the local level. Whilst recognising that initiatives will vary according to the local context, the authors offer the best practice framework to support practitioners in addressing the challenges of connecting the first mile and empowering marginal communities to participate effectively in the information society.
Visual Data Mining for Discovering Association Rules
Authors: Techapichetvanich Kesaraporn , Datta Amitava
Published: May 2011

Both visualization and data mining have become important tools in discovering hidden relationships in large data sets, and in extracting useful knowledge and information from large databases. Even though many algorithms for mining association rules have been researched extensively in the past decade, they do not incorporate users in the association-rule mining process. Most of these algorithms generate a large number of association rules, some of which are not practically interesting. This chapter presents a new technique that integrates visualization into the mining association rule process. Users can apply their knowledge and be involved in finding interesting association rules through interactive visualization, after obtaining visual feedback as the algorithm generates association rules. In addition, the users gain insight and deeper understanding of their data sets, as well as control over mining meaningful association rules.
Visual Grouping of Association Rules by Clustering Conditional Probabilities for Categorical Data
Authors: Ivkovic Sasha , Ghosh Ranadhir , Yearwood John
Published: May 2011

We demonstrate the use of a visual data-mining tool for non-technical domain experts within organizations to facilitate the extraction of meaningful information and knowledge from in-house databases. The tool is mainly based on the basic notion of grouping association rules. Association rules are useful in discovering items that are frequently found together. However in many applications, rules with lower frequencies are often interesting for the user. Grouping of association rules is one way to overcome the rare item problem. However some groups of association rules are too large for ease of understanding. In this chapter we propose a method for clustering categorical data based on the conditional probabilities of association rules for data sets with large numbers of attributes. We argue that the proposed method provides non-technical users with a better understanding of discovered patterns in the data set.
Support Vector Machines for Business Applications
Authors: Lovell Brian C. , Walder Christian J.
Published: May 2011

This chapter discusses the use of Support Vector Machines (SVM) for business applications. It provides a brief historical background on inductive learning and pattern recognition, and then an intuitive motivation for SVM methods. The method is compared to other approaches, and the tools and background theory required to successfully apply SVM to business applications are introduced. The authors hope that the chapter will help practitioners to understand when the SVM should be the method of choice, as well as how to achieve good results in minimal time.
Financial Classification Using an Artificial Immune System
Authors: Brabazon Anthony , Delahunty Alice , O’Callaghan Dennis , Keenan Peter , O’Neill Michael
Published: May 2011

Recent years have seen a dramatic increase in the application of biologically-inspired algorithms to business problems. Applications of neural networks and evolutionary algorithms have become common. However, as yet there have been few applications of artificial immune systems (AIS), algorithms that are inspired by the workings of the natural immune system. The natural immune system can be considered as a distributed, self-organizing, classification system that operates in a dynamic environment. The mechanisms of natural immune systems, including their ability to distinguish between self and non-self, provides a rich metaphorical inspiration for the design of pattern-recognition algorithms. This chapter introduces AIS and provides an example of how an immune algorithm can be used to develop a classification system for predicting corporate failure. The developed system displays good classification accuracy out-of-sample, up to two years prior to failure.
Students International Collaboration Projects (SICP)
Authors: Hashimoto Kathryn , Lehu Jean-marc
Published: May 2011

“SICP” stands for Students International Collaboration Project. This chapter describes a project where students create learning with faculty mentors, offering insights into problem solving. Achieving the freedom to learn and broaden students’ individual interpersonal skills is the main goal for this new endeavor. This chapter will explain SICP’s mission and its procedures, analyze its main concepts, and describe the outcomes. Experiences of past projects in the learning curve will be used to give a practical framework for teachers who would be interested in initiating such a project, not only for their students but also for themselves. The prototype combined French and American teams who wrote a research paper together. The learned outcomes focused on improved communication skills and team management. In the process, the students also learned about a different culture. This mentoring process constitutes an opportunity for teachers to stimulate learning by involving students in a shared responsibility experience. This project expands traditional classroom learning into an experiential process to learn new concepts.
The Philosophy of Technology
Authors: George Susan Ella
Published: May 2011

We start by outlining some of the problems concerning technology and society that have led people to reflect upon it. One of the most poignant questions is that of “technological determinism” and the extent to which technology is “under control” vs. the extent to which it controls society. The speed of change, the assumption that technology is beneficial, the uptake and geographical spread of technology across cultures, and the extent to which technology creates a never-ending cycle of increased complexity are just some of the “issues” that require examination in the question of technology’s impact upon society.
The Philosophy of AI
Authors: George Susan Ella
Published: May 2011

As we shall see, the “theology of technology” can help inform the philosophical underpinnings of AI. We start with elucidating the idea of computation, and describe the idea of Turing machine computation. Its equivalence with Post systems and the lambda calculus are explained, and the way that these systems may be regarded as “rule based” and “generative” are brought out. All the equivalent formal models define enumerable languages. However, as Turing’s original definition demonstrated, there are definable numbers that are not computable, that is, a computer could not be used to write some numbers down, yet they exist. The presence of “unsolvable” computational problems also reveals the limitations of Turing machines, and suggests the current limits of computation. While the “intuitive” understanding of computation is one of “step-by-step” algorithmic procedure, it will be hard to conceive of any other computational model.
Factors to Consider in the Design of Inclusive Online Assessment
Authors: Thompson Sandra J. , Quenemoen Rachel F. , Tharlow Martha L.
Published: May 2011

This chapter presents factors to consider in the design of online assessments for all students, including students with disabilities and English-language learners. It presents a process and considerations for the initial transformation of paper-and-pencil assessments to inclusive online assessments, focusing on features of universal design, the use of assistive technology, and an examination of the use of individual accommodations in light of the content tested. The authors hope to convey the importance of implementing a process for addressing these considerations from the beginning of online assessment design. Retrofitting completed assessments can result in concerns about validity.
Guam and Micronesia
Authors: Inoue Yukiko , Bell Suzanne
Published: May 2011

Pacific means “peaceful.” Ferdinand Magellan named it when he became the first European to sail across the ocean in 1521. Since it was so calm, he called it the Pacific Ocean. Magellan never saw one of the Pacific typhoons. A few years before Magellan, a Spanish explorer named Balboa was the first European to see the ocean when he walked across the Isthmus of Panama. Since he was facing south, he named the ocean the South Seas. Actually, most of the ocean was to the west of him. If you look at a globe of the Earth, you will notice that the Pacific Ocean is the single largest feature on Earth. All other oceans and all continents are smaller than the Pacific. (Ridgell, 1995, p. 3)
Technology, Educational Media, and E-Resources
Authors: Inoue Yukiko , Bell Suzanne
Published: May 2011

Digital computers have been around for some 50 years. Their influence has been felt in fits and starts. Early significant applications were in science, engineering and mathematics. In the last 20 years, we have seen computing become relatively universal with stand-alone PCs and workstations commonplace in homes, offices and factories. Both computational power and data storage capacity have become relatively cheap. Powerful application packages for word-processing, numerical processing and graphical work are readily available. Data of all kinds can now be represented and manipulated digitally, including photographs, video and audio tracks. Increasingly all of this is possible not just on stand-alone computers but also over networks and in particular the Internet. (Ryan, Scott, Freeman, & Patel, 2001, p. 9)