bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Purpose-Focused View of Information Quality
Authors: Gackowski Zbigniew J.
Published: May 2011

This chapter presents a logical technology-independent fully content-focused inquiry into the operations quality problems of any symbolic representations of reality. This teleological operations-research-based approach demonstrates that a purpose-focused view, natural within the operation- research (OR) methodology, facilitates faster progress in identifying the fundamental relationships of more lasting validity for business, public administration, and military purposive operations. Products of the Information Quality Programs and Initiatives at MIT (MITIQ Program) serve as recognized research references. It contains definitions of (1)A tentatively universal hierarchical taxonomy of the entire universe of quality requirements, (2) The tentative definitions of the first five tentatively universal operations quality requirements for any situation, (3) An economic sequence of their examination, and (4) The first seven tentatively universal principles in this domain. This quality framework may assist researchers in further studies and assist practitioners in understanding the intricate relationships among operations quality attributes. The chapter presents the tentative results of the author’s research in progress.
Personalisation in Web-Based Learning Environments
Authors: Santally Mohammad I. , Alain Senteni
Published: May 2011

It is postulated that one of the main problems with e-learning environments is their lack of personalisation. This chapter presents a comprehensive review of the current work in the field and proposes a framework for research in promoting personalisation in Web-based learning environments. The concepts of adaptability, adaptivity and the limitations of completely adaptive systems are discussed. The conception of more interactive environments that are both adaptable and adaptive, which can assist the teacher in making interesting pedagogical decisions while tutoring in a virtual environment is proposed. Two versions of an algorithm that can be used to offer personalisation in the framework described are developed and discussed in this chapter. The algorithm is basically a method devised to select the most appropriate learning object from a pool of potential objects that exist in the repository.
Engineering Wireless Mobile Applications
Authors: Mahmoud Qusay H. , Maamar Zakaria
Published: May 2011

Conventional desktop software applications are usually designed, built, and tested on a platform similar to the one on which they will be deployed and run. Wireless mobile application development, on the other hand, is more challenging because applications are developed on one platform (like UNIX or Windows) and deployed on a totally different platform like a cellular phone. While wireless applications can be much smaller than conventional desktop applications, developers should think in small terms of the devices on which the applications will run and the environment in which they will operate instead of the amount of code to be written. This chapter presents a systematic approach to engineering wireless applications and offers practical guidelines for testing them. What is unique about this approach is that it takes into account the special features of the new medium (mobile devices and wireless networks), the operational environment, and the multiplicity of user backgrounds; all of which pose new challenges to wireless application development.
Towards a More Efficient Multi-Objective Particle Swarm Optimizer
Authors: Santana-Quintero Luis V. , Ramírez-Santiago Noel , Coello Coello Carlos A.
Published: May 2011

This chapter presents a hybrid between a particle swarm optimization (PSO) approach and scatter search. The main motivation for developing this approach is to combine the high convergence rate of the PSO algorithm with a local search approach based on scatter search, in order to have the main advantages of these two types of techniques. We propose a new leader selection scheme for PSO, which aims to accelerate convergence by increasing the selection pressure. However, this higher selection pressure reduces diversity. To alleviate that, scatter search is adopted after applying PSO, in order to spread the solutions previously obtained, so that a better distribution along the Pareto front is achieved. The proposed approach can produce reasonably good approximations of multi-objective problems of high dimensionality, performing only 4,000 fitness function evaluations. Test problems taken from the specialized literature are adopted to validate the proposed hybrid approach. Results are compared with respect to the NSGA-II, which is an approach representative of the state-of-the-art in the area.
Computational Intelligence to Speed-Up Multi-Objective Design Space Exploration of Embedded Systems
Authors: Ascia Giuseppe , Catania Vincenzo , Di Nuovo Alessandro G. , Palesi Maurizio , Patti Davide
Published: May 2011

Multi-Objective Evolutionary Algorithms (MOEAs) have received increasing interest in industry, because they have proved to be powerful optimizers. Despite the great success achieved, MOEAs have also encountered many challenges in real-world applications. One of the main difficulties in applying MOEAs is the large number of fitness evaluations (objective calculations) that are often needed before a well acceptable solution can be found. In fact, there are several industrial situations in which both fitness evaluations are computationally expensive and, meanwhile, time available is very low. In this applications efficient strategies to approximate the fitness function have to be adopted, looking for a trade-off between optimization performances and efficiency. This is the case of a complex embedded system design, where it is needed to define an optimal architecture in relation to certain performance indexes respecting strict time-to-market constraints. This activity, known as Design Space Exploration DSE), is still a great challenge for the EDA (Electronic Design Automation) community. One of the most important bottleneck in the overall design flow of a embedded system is due to the simulation. Simulation occurs at every phase of the design flow and it is used to evaluate a system candidate to be implemented. In this chapter we focus on system level design proposing a hybrid computational intelligence approach based on fuzzy approximation to speed up the evaluation of a candidate system. The methodology is applied to a real case study: optimization of the performance and power consumption of an embedded architecture based on a Very Long Instruction Word (VLIW) microprocessor in a mobile multimedia application domain. The results, carried out on a multimedia benchmark suite, are compared, in terms of both performance and efficiency, with other MOGAs strategies to demonstrate the scalability and the accuracy of the proposed approach.
Medium Company (Z)
Authors: Busch Peter
Published: May 2011

Company Z represents a microcosm of Company X. Whereas the previous firm was a small consultancy organisation, Z on the other hand is essentially a smaller version of X, for Z exists to support the mission of the organisation (selling furniture), rather than ICT being an end in itself as with Company Y. Organisation Z has a strong CIO who participates in most cliques and is considered by his peers to be an “expert.” Almost all staff members meet one another on a daily basis, if not weekly, at the same time there seem to be few staff avoiding one another. There are few contract staff members that present the risk of taking tacit knowledge with them. Electronic forms of communication exist but are minimal, which is not surprising given the small IT staff complement.
Fairness, Commitment, and Inequality
Authors: Back István
Published: May 2011

Conditional cooperation is a prominent explanation of reciprocal cooperation in repeated exchange. However, empirical evidence for commitment behavior indicates that people tend to build long-term cooperative relationships characterized by largely unconditional cooperation. Using an agent-based ecological model, earlier work showed that in competitive environments commitment can be a more successful strategy than fair reciprocity. We move further in two respects. First, we add the possibility of randomly mutating strategies under evolutionary pressures. Our results show the lack of evolutionary stable strategies but we also find that commitment strategies still outperform fairness strategies on average. Our second extension introduces inequality in individual capabilities. We find that inequality shifts the balance from commitment towards fairness strategies. Our explanation is that under inequality, strategies benefit from changing interaction partners from time to time because this gives more agents access to strong partners.
Learning to be Altruistic
Authors: Di Tosto Gennaro
Published: May 2011

Evolutionary studies account for cooperation under the shadow of the future. But how can altruism spread without direct reciprocity? Learning from punishment, including badmouth, is impossible in harsh environments, where agents do not survive rejections received. Imitation is indispensable, but what to imitate? Frequent behaviors are not necessarily socially desirable, neither fitness observable. In this paper, agents meeting infrequent but lethal food scarcity survive thanks to food sharing. Saving recipients from certain death, donations reduce altruists’ lifetime. Results show that prudent donors, helping only when above starvation point, are exploited by cheaters and soon extinguish. The same happens with agents taking reciprocity into account, and helping only when their credits are turned off. Instead, agents endowed with dynamic goals (survival vs. giving help) learn even the most unconditioned form of altruism, thus avoiding extinction. Tentative conclusions are discussed. Among others, dynamic goal-directed agents are autonomous entities learning even the most generous forms of altruism. Moreover, prudence is not necessarily more adaptive than unconditioned altruism; indeed, it may be self-defeating under given conditions.
E-Learning and New Teaching Scenarios
Authors: Mari Cecilia , Genone Sara , Mari Luca
Published: May 2011

This paper analyzes the reciprocal influences between various teaching methodologies supported by information and communication technology (ICT) and the teaching objectives that are pursued by means of these methodologies. The authors present the main characteristics of the conceptual model which has led to the definition of the teaching objectives and the results of the experience of the “eLearning@LIUC” project, where the validity of the hypotheses underlying the model has been tested through their application within concrete contexts. They believe that the presented model, with its analysis of the possible correlations between teaching objectives, teaching methodologies and technological tools, can provide a new awareness of the opportunities offered by the adoption of ICT in teaching.
Bayesian Belief Networks for Data Cleaning
Authors: Fagiuoli Enrico , Omerino Sara , Stella Fabio
Published: May 2011

The importance of data cleaning and data quality is becoming increasingly clear as evidenced by the surge in software, tools, consulting companies and seminars addressing data quality issues. In this contribution the authors present and describe how Bayesian computational techniques can be exploited for data cleaning purposes to the extent of reducing the time to clean and understand the data. The proposed approach relies on the computational device named Bayesian belief network, which is a general statistical model that allows the efficient description and treatment of joint probability distributions. This work describes the conceptual framework that maps the Bayesian belief network computational device to some of the most difficult tasks in data cleaning, namely imputing missing values, completing truncated datasets and outliers detection. The proposed framework is described and supported by a set of numerical experiments performed by exploiting the Bayesian belief network programming suite named HUGIN.
Visual And Diagrammatic Languages
Authors: Meyer Bernd , Bottoni Paolo
Published: May 2011

In this paper we investigate a new approach to formalizing interpretation of and reasoning with visual languages based on linear logic. We argue that an approach based on logic makes it possible to deal with different computational tasks in the usage of visual notations, from parsing and animation to reasoning about diagrams. However, classical first order logic, being monotonic, is not a suitable basis for such an approach. The paper therefore explores linear logic as an alternative. We demonstrate how parsing corresponds to linear proofs and prove the soundness and correctness of this mapping. As our mapping of grammars is into a subset of a linear logic programming language, we also demonstrate how multi-dimensional parsing can be understood as automated linear deduction. We proceed to discuss how the same framework can be used as the foundation of more complex forms of reasoning with and about diagrams.
Social Information Seeking in Digital Libraries
Authors: Buchanan George , Hinze Annika
Published: May 2011

Information seeking is a complex task, and many models of the basic, individual seeking process have been proposed. Similarly, many tools now exist to support “sit-forward” information seeking by single users, where the solitary seeker interacts intensively with a search engine or classification scheme. However, in many situations, there is a clear interaction between social contexts beyond the immediate interaction between the user and the retrieval system.
Relevant Intra-Actions in Networked Environments
Authors: Anderson Theresa Dirndorfer
Published: May 2011

This chapter uses a study of human assessments of relevance to demonstrate how individual relevance judgments and retrieval practices embody collaborative elements that contribute to the overall progress of that person’s individual work. After discussing key themes of the conceptual framework, the chapter will discuss two case studies that serve as powerful illustrations of these themes for researchers and practitioners alike. These case studies, outcomes of a two-year ethnographic exploration of research practices, illustrate the theoretical position presented in part one of the chapter, providing lessons for the ways that people work with information systems to generate knowledge and the conditions that will support these practices. The chapter shows that collaboration does not have to be explicit to influence searcher behavior. It seeks to present both a theoretical framework and case studies that can be applied to the design, development and evaluation of collaborative information retrieval systems.
Publication and Citation Analysis as a Tool for Information Retrieval
Authors: Rousseau Ronald
Published: May 2011

In this chapter an overview of citation analysis is presented, emphasizing its formal aspects as applied social network theory. As such citation linking can be considered a tool for information retrieval based on social interaction. It is, indeed, well-known that following citation links is an efficient method of information retrieval. Relations with web linking are highlighted. Yet, also social aspects related to the act of citing, such as the occurrence of invisible colleges, are discussed. We present some recent developments and present our opinion on some future developments. In this way we hope that the reader will realize how the fields of citation analysis and webometrics can be helpful in building social information retrieval systems.
Review of Life Cycle Theories
Authors: Higuchi Toru , Troutt Marvin
Published: May 2011

In this chapter, we discuss the life cycle theories related to the business. The concept of the life cycle has been widely used in marketing. The Product Life Cycle (PLC) is the most well-known one, in which the time is divided into four stages based on the change of sales. It is expanded by combining it with the study of the various consumer types. Other life cycles have been developed from the viewpoint of the innovation and manufacturing facility location. The advancement of technology is the driver for the diffusion of a new product. Sometimes it obsoletes a category of products. The location of manufacturing facilities changes according to the market and technology condition as Product Cycle Theory demonstrates. A concept of the industrial life cycle and a linkage between the life cycle and SCM also are argued in this chapter.
Total Dispersion
Authors: Higuchi Toru , Troutt Marvin
Published: May 2011

In the middle of the standardized stage, the severe competition in the market promotes the total dispersion of the manufacturing facilities. Various types of companies, such as leading companies, followers, and cost cutters, can exist in the same market because of the advancement of the product design and the production process invites newcomers and enables them to compete with others equally. It is natural that an appropriate strategy differs based on the company type. All types of consumers, the extreme innovator, the innovator, the early adopter, the early majority, the late majority, and the laggard, also exist in the market in this stage. Although their preferences are different, they, in particular the late majority and the laggard, want the price to fall. In addition, the demand grows globally. To respond to the consumer’s request and the global demand, the total dispersion of the manufacturing facility advances globally.
The Entrepreneurial Constitution of High-Tech Work Environments
Authors: Aggestam Maria
Published: May 2011

In recent years, business practice has shown an interest in virtuality and virtual organizations as one of the responses to global-organizational development and company restructuring. High-tech environments demand continued innovations. The rational, authoritarian, bureaucratic organizations characterizing industrial and production-oriented companies are being rapidly replaced by the new, boundaryless, flexible, and high-technology-driven environments. Entrepreneurs respond to global opportunities, find partners, and build cross-border communication networks to link corporate processes and create empowered workplaces. A distinctive feature of these processes is the reliance on free-floating cybertrust where each partner is involved in decision-making processes and in building capabilities in continuously changing international markets. This chapter reflects on how contemporary entrepreneurs benefit from the high technology, virtuality, and cyber-culture of the modern organization. The findings draw attention to the technology-driven opportunism within virtual media and the role of entrepreneur within human–computer interaction. The chapter seeks to demystify views about organizations as virtual domains.
On IT-Modelling in a Cross-Competence World
Authors: Sølvberg Arne
Published: May 2011

The deep penetration of computers in all realms of society makes technological change the key driver for changing our lives. This will result in a change in approach, from viewing the role of IT as mainly supporting other disciplines, to the integration of IT concepts, tools and theory into modelling theories of the supported disciplines. This chapter discusses some aspects of the relationship between the IT as a modelling discipline, and the modelling disciplines of the domains where IT is applied. IT deals with data and data processes, while application domain models deal with entities of the domain and how they interact. Cross-competence models must deal with both, and with how models of the information technology discipline relate to the various models of the domain disciplines.
Improvement in Operational Efficiency Due to ERP Systems Implementation
Authors: Vemuri Vijay K. , Palvia Shailendra C.
Published: May 2011

ERP systems are expected to provide many benefits, including improved business efficiency. However, they are also blamed for several business problems and failures. Past studies have analyzed investments in ERP systems based on net income, return on investment, new present value or change in market value of a firm. We argue that an analysis of more direct measures—intangible or tangible—would enhance confidence in the efficacy of ERP systems. We investigate the impact of ERP systems implementation on operational efficiency of medium sized firms in the pharmaceutical and chemicals industry. Our analysis of the data indicates that for a majority of the firms improvement of operational performance expected due to ERP systems did not materialize.
Perceptions in Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning
Authors: Zhong Yingqin , Lim John
Published: May 2011

Computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) has received increasing research attention owing to advances in e-learning technology and paradigmatic shifts in the educational arena. Owing to the growing diversity in student population in terms of nationality, the role of cultural diversity becomes greatly pronounced, and must be addressed. In this study, a laboratory experiment with a 2×2×2 factorial design was conducted, to investigate the interaction effects of perceived cultural diversity, group size, and leadership, on learners’ performance and satisfaction with process. Contrary to an expected negative relationship between perceived cultural diversity and performance, a positive relationship emerged as a result of leadership. Leadership lowered learners’ satisfaction with the process in perceived homogeneous groups (as compared to perceived heterogeneous groups) and smaller groups (as compared to larger groups).
The Institutionalization of IT Budgeting in Firms
Authors: Hu Qing , Quan Jing
Published: May 2011

Organizations around the world invest billions of dollars each year in information technology (IT) related products and services. What are the factors influencing each individual firm’s investment budget decisions? Limited empirical results derived from firm-level data suggest that internal affordability, such as previous IT budget levels, sales, profitability, and size, are significant sources of influence. In this study, we introduce the perspective of “external institutional influence” for examining corporate IT budgeting processes, in addition to the internal affordability perspective. Using firm-level IT and financial data of publicly traded companies in the financial sector, we show that the two most significant sources of influence on corporate IT budgets are the firm’s IT spending level of the previous year (internal) and the IT spending level of the perceived industry leaders (external). We posit that as IT becomes pervasive in all aspects of business operations and all sectors of the economy, IT budgeting processes have been, at least partially, institutionalized. The implications of this institutionalization are discussed and future research directions are suggested.
IT and Thai Stock Market Development
Authors: Luangpituksa Chollada
Published: May 2011

This paper described the development of the Stock Market in Thailand since it has been established in 1975. During these thirty years the Stock Market in Thailand has introduced computer system to facilitate investors and listed companies both in financial data and administrative work. Particularly the internet trading system has been introduced to enhance market growth. This can be traced from the increasing volume of trade each day. The growth of Thai stock market has changed the structure of Thai economy and affects the economic development of Thailand.
Remote Internet-Based Supervision Systems, S.L.
Authors: Bikfalvi Andrea , Serarols Christian
Published: May 2011

The present case study explains the process of creation of Remote Internet-Based Supervision Systems, S.L. (RISS), a spin-off emerging from the University of Figueres, Spain. It describes all phases, from formation to the present day, and the problems and challenges faced by the entrepreneurial team composed of academics and industry professionals. Starting in a lab shared by two computer engineers finishing their PhDs, their friendship later converted into a science-based new venture. After having developed products and survived financial difficulty, the company stood at the threshold of a stage of growth and a decision regarding the commercial strategy had to be taken. But some problems have arisen between the academic entrepreneurs and the industrial partner regarding commercial strategy.
Telemedicine in Practice
Authors: Medina-Garrido Jose Aurelio , Crisóstomo-Acevedo María José
Published: May 2011

The case of Comitas Comunicaciones is a clear example of corporate entrepreneurship in the telecommunications sector. This firm was founded to offer telecommunications services in general and telecommunications services applied to telemedicine in particular. Comitas exploits business opportunities in the health care sector that no other firm is currently focusing on adequately. As the case develops, the technical and market difficulties that the firm has faced will become apparent. The role of the incubator firm is particularly important in this case, since it has provided Comitas with resources, capabilities, and technological knowledge that are complementary in the firm’s new activity: information and communications technologies services (ICT) to support telemedicine.
Web Usage Mining for Ontology Management
Authors: Trousse Brigitte , Aufaure Marie-Aude , Le Grand Bénédicte , Lechevallier Yves , Masseglia Florent
Published: May 2011

This chapter proposes an original approach for ontology management in the context of Web-based information systems. Our approach relies on the usage analysis of the chosen Web site, in complement of the existing approaches based on content analysis of Web pages. Our methodology is based on the knowledge discovery techniques mainly from HTTP Web logs and aims at confronting the discovered knowledge in terms of usage with the existing ontology in order to propose new relations between concepts. We illustrate our approach on a Web site provided by French local tourism authorities (related to Metz city) with the use of clustering and sequential patterns discovery methods. One major contribution of this chapter is thus the application of usage analysis to support ontology evolution and/or web site reorganization.
Comparing Cultural and Political Perspectives of Data, Information, and Knowledge Sharing in Organisations
Authors: Hart D. , Warne L.
Published: May 2011

This paper raises issues concerning data, information, and knowledge sharing in organisations and, in particular, compares an organisational cultural analysis of why such sharing is often difficult to achieve with an organisational political one. The issues raised are often insufficiently attended to by practitioners who are attempting to build technological information and knowledge management systems. The driver for the paper is that despite impressive advances in technology and its now almost ubiquitous presence in organisations, as well as academic study over several decades, many of the benefits originally expected concerning improved data, information, and knowledge sharing have not materialised as expected. Basic reasons for this lie in the lack of attention to the cultural foundations of organisations and because matters relating to organisational power and political matters are often misunderstood, overlooked, or ignored. These different perspectives are discussed and contrasted in order to tease out the important differences between them and assess the prospects for a synthesis. It is concluded that while there are important commonalities between the two perspectives there are also fundamental differences, notably regarding what are causes and what are effects and, therefore, how to go about effecting change regarding data, information, and knowledge sharing.
Collaborative E-Learning System and E-Pedagogy
Authors: Okamoto Toshio , Ninomiya Toshie , Kayama Mizue , Nagata Naomi
Published: May 2011

This chapter describes collaborative e-Learning system and e-Pedagogy with Learning Resource Infrastructure for distributed knowledge sharing. In background section, we start to discuss the design of e-Learning environment, collaborative learning and pedagogical framework, and pedagogical considerations of collaborative learning. Next, we introduce RAPSODY-EX that is a collaborative learning and knowledge management system, with meaning of RAPSODY-EX in Learning Resource Infrastructure system, and knowledge market. Then the schema of RAPSODY-EX is described with these topics, agent’s roles in Learning Resource Infrastructure, schema and functions of learning resource, collaborative memory, and function of RAPSODY-EX. In addition, we give examples of knowledge management in RAPSODY-EX. Finally, it is portrayed the standardization of collaborative technology in WG2, ISO/IEC-JTC/SC36, as a future trend.
Providers
Authors: Rada Roy
Published: May 2011

The official definition of a healthcare provider is broad. It encompasses institutional providers such as hospitals, nursing facilities, home health agencies, outpatient facilities, clinical laboratories, various licensed healthcare practitioners, and durable medical equipment suppliers. Any individual or organization that is paid to provide healthcare services is a healthcare provider.
Beyond Localization
Authors: Dunn Patrick
Published: May 2011

Instructional systems are products of the cultures in which they are developed. Culture, which we define here as “the collective programming of the mind which distinguishes the members of one group or category of people from another" (Hofstede, 2001), has a pervasive influence on instructional systems, regardless of whether these systems involve self-paced e-learning, synchronous or asynchronous computer-based learning activities, or online communities of learners. The issue of culture’s impact on instructional systems becomes most relevant and challenging where such systems are transferred across cultural boundaries, or developed for multiple cultures. This is currently happening in many large, globally dispersed organizations that use e-learning technologies to support the learning of their staff around the world. Theories of learning and of cultural dimensions suggest that the effectiveness of certain types of learning systems will be affected where they are used in culturally diverse environments. The aim of this paper is to highlight the issues that designers of a wide range of e-learning experiences face when designing e-learning for culturally diverse learner groups. We provide some models to support learning practitioners, focusing in particular on the importance of a conscious, culturally-informed selection of instructional strategies as the most critical part of the design and development process.
Ontologies for Model-Driven Business Transformation
Authors: Lee Juhnyoung
Published: May 2011

Semantic markup languages such as RDF (resource description framework) and OWL (Web ontology language) are increasingly used to externalize metadata or ontology about business data, software, and services in a declarative form. Such externalized descriptions in ontological format are utilized for purposes ranging from search and retrieval to information integration and to business transformation. Ontology can significantly reduce the costs and improve the qualities of deploying, querying, integrating, and transforming enterprise systems. This chapter presents an innovative application of ontology to a model-driven approach to business analysis and transformation. The approach employs a daisy chain of business models for causality analyses. It links, by using semantic models, business processes and business components to IT solutions and capabilities at different phases of business transformation. The semantic models help infer causality of any business pain points and recommend appropriate solutions to fix business or IT shortfalls associated with the pain points in the process of business transformation. In addition, this chapter presents an enterprise-scale ontology management system which provides functionality, scalability, and performance demanded by enterprise applications such as the proposed model-driven business transformation. It describes the design and implementation of the management system which programmatically supports the ontology needs of business applications in a similar to that in which a database management system supports their data needs.
Melodic Query Input for Music Information Retrieval Systems
Authors: Kline Richard L.
Published: May 2011

This chapter discusses key issues of building and using a system designed to search and query a music collection through the input of the actual or perceived melody of a song. It presents a detailed survey and discussion of studies, algorithms, and systems created to approach this problem, including new contributions by the author. Emphasis is placed on examining the abilities and likely errors of those with little or no formal musical training to remember and reproduce melodic phrases, as these must be taken into account for any music information retrieval system intended for use by the general public. The chapter includes an extensive discussion on human humming as an intuitive input method for the musically untrained person and an examination of several music information retrieval systems designed for this type of input query.
Identifying Saxophonists from Their Playing Styles
Authors: Ramirez Rafael
Published: May 2011

We describe a novel approach to the task of identifying performers from their playing styles. We investigate how professional Jazz saxophonists express and communicate their view of the musical and emotional content of musical pieces and how to use this information in order to automatically identify performers. We study deviations of parameters such as pitch, timing, amplitude and timbre both at an inter-note level and at an intra-note level. Our approach to performer identification consists of establishing a performer dependent mapping of inter-note features to a repertoire of inflections characterized by intra-note features. We present and discuss some results of our approach and comment on future trends in this exciting research area.
A Case Study of Health Information Systems Adoption
Authors: Schwieger Dana , Melcher Arlyn , Chandreasekaran Ranganathan , Wen H. Joseph
Published: May 2011

Adaptive structuration theory (AST) is rapidly becoming an important theoretical paradigm for comprehending the impact of advanced information technologies. In this chapter, a modified AST model was designed to illustrate the changing interrelationships among the variables affecting the adoption and application of a new technology into a medical organization setting. Using findings from a case study conducted over a 10-month period, the authors apply the case to the model to illustrate the complex interactions between medical billing technology and organizational processes. As the organization attempted to install and implement the new system, it found that in order to maintain daily operations, it would have to modify and adapt several aspects of the organization, technology and operations. As the system was slowly integrated into operations and the organization’s needs evolved through the adaptation process, the study, in turn, found that different iterations of the model could emphasize different structures. The case illustrated that the capacity to manage health information systems (HIS) often requires the organization to prioritize its needs and focus its energies on a critical structure while temporarily disregarding others until the primary healthcare processes are under control.
Human-Based Models for Ambient Intelligence Environments
Authors: Acampora Giovanni , Loia Vicenzo , Nappi Michele , Ricciardi Stefano
Published: May 2011

Ambient intelligence gathers best results from three key technologies, ubiquitous computing, ubiquitous communication, and intelligent user friendly interfaces. The functional and spatial distribution of tasks is a natural thrust to employ multi-agent paradigm to design and implement AmI environments. Two critical issues, common in most of applications, are (1) how to detect in a general and efficient way context from sensors and (2) how to process contextual information in order to improve the functionality of services. Here we describe an agent-based ambient intelligence architecture able to deliver services on the basis of physical and emotional user status captured from a set of biometric features. Abstract representation and management is achieved thanks to two markup languages, H2ML and FML, able to model behavioral as well as fuzzy control activities and to exploit distribution and concurrent computation in order to gain real-time performances.
Rank Improvement Optimization Using PROMETHEE and Trigonometric Differential Evolution
Authors: Beynon Malcolm J.
Published: May 2011

This chapter investigates the modelling of the ability to improve the rank position of an alternative in relation to those of its competitors. PROMETHEE is one such technique for ranking alternatives based on their criteria values. In conjunction with the evolutionary algorithm Trigonometric Differential Evolution, the minimum changes necessary to the criteria values of an alternative are investigated, for it to achieve an improved rank position. This investigation is compounded with a comparison of the differing effects of two considered objective functions that measure the previously mentioned minimization. Two data sets are considered, the first concerns the ranking of environmental projects, and the second the ranking of brands of a food product. The notion of modelling preference ranks of alternatives and the subsequent improvement of alternative’s rank positions is the realism of a stakeholders’ appreciation of their alternative in relation to their competitors.
Computer-Aided Process Planning and Manufacturing
Authors: Xu Xun
Published: May 2011

Products and their components are designed to perform certain functions. Design specifi- cations ensure the functionality aspects. The task in manufacturing is then to produce the components that meet the design specifications. The components are in turn assembled into the final products. When computers are used to assist the process planning and manufacturing activities, multiple benefits can be had. The related technologies are known as computer-aided process planning and computer-aided manufacturing. Often, they are not separable and are therefore discussed in tandem in this chapter. It should be emphasized that process planning is not only for metal-cutting processes. We need process planning for many other manufacturing processes such as casting, forging, sheet metal forming, compositesz and ceramic fabrication. In this chapter, the basic steps of developing a process plan are explained. There are two approaches to carrying out process planning tasks—manual experience-based method and computer-aided process planning method. The focus is on two computer-aided process planning methods, the variant approach, and generative approach. These discussions on process planning have been limited to machining processes. The topic of computer-aided manufacturing, on the other hand, is discussed with a more general point of view. A fictitious CAM plant is presented and some of the key aspects of CAM in a manufacturing system are discussed. A more specific version of CAM (i.e. computer numerical control) will be covered in Chapters VIII and IX.
Method of Systems Potential as "Top-Bottom" Technique of the Complex Adaptive Systems Modelling
Authors: Pushnoi Gr gor S. , Bonser Gordon L.
Published: May 2011

Emergent properties of complex adaptive systems (CAS) are explored by means of “agent-based modelling” (ABM), which are compared with results from modelling on the basis of the method of systems potential (MSP). MSP describes CAS as a holistic system whereas ABM-methodology considers CAS as set of interacting “agents.” It is argued that MSP is a “top-bottom” approach, which supplements ABM “bottom-up” modeling of CAS. Adaptive principles incorporated into CAS at the level of a holistic system exploit Lamarck’s ideas about evolution, while the adaptive rules incorporated in the inner structure of CAS reflect Darwin’s ideas. Both ABM and MSP exhibit the same macroscopic properties: (1) “punctuated equilibrium”; (2) sudden jumps in macro-indices; (3) cyclical dynamics; (4) superposition of deterministic and stochastic patterns in dynamics; (5) fractal properties of structure and dynamics; (6) SOC-phenomenon. ABM demonstrates these properties via simulations of the different models whereas MSP derives these phenomena analytically.
From Print Formats to Digital
Authors: Hanson Ardis , Heron Susan Jane
Published: May 2011

The preceding chapter discussed how geographic and cartographic materials are traditionally described in libraries. With the growth of geospatial data, new methods of description needed to be developed to allow users, often with very different information needs, to find and retrieve relevant resources across different platforms and software systems. Geographic information systems are designed to allow the management of large quantities of spatially referenced information about natural and man-made environments, covering areas such as public health, urban and regional planning, disaster response and recovery, environmental assessments, wetlands delineation, renewable resource management, automated mapping/facilities management, and national defense. Powerful computers, advanced network capacities, and enhanced, distributed GIS software allowed the growth of the National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI). Established by Executive Order 12906 in April 1994, the NSDI assembles “technology, policies, standards, and human resources to acquire, process, store, distribute, and improve utilization of geospatial data for a variety of users nationwide” (Federal Geographic Data Committee, 2006a). The goal of the NSDI is to “reduce duplication of effort among agencies, improve quality and reduce costs related to geographic information, to make geographic data more accessible to the public, to increase the benefits of using available data, and to establish key partnerships with states, counties, cities, tribal nations, academia and the private sector to increase data availability” (Federal Geographic Data Committee, 2006b). However, the success of a national spatial data infrastructure depends on the development of a series of standards for that infrastructure. Infrastructure components encompass a variety of elements. Hardware and physical facilities store, process, and transmit information; software applications and software allow access, structure, and manipulation of information; and network standards and transmission codes facilitate interorganizational and cross-system communication (Hanson, 2006). When reviewing standards for geospatial data, one must look at standards for cartography, hardware and software, telecommunications, and information technology standards at national and international levels. Several thousand standards apply to computers, and this can be multiplied geometrically, if not exponentially, with the advent of network standards and integrated data formats. This chapter will address standards in geospatial data, interoperability and transferability, mark-up languages, and the development of the federal metadata standard for geospatial information.
Teacher Productivity and Professional Practices
Authors: Chen Irene , Thielemann Jane
Published: May 2011

The teacher knows how to use technology tools to solve problems, evaluate results, and communicate information in a variety of formats for diverse audiences.
Cultivating Communities Through the Knowledge Commons
Authors: Pang Natalie
Published: May 2011

In recent years, impacts of information and communication technologies, market enclosures, and the struggle to retain public goods have had significant impacts on the nature of interactions of communities. This chapter examines communities in the context of the knowledge commons–a space by which “a particular type of freedom” (Benkler, 2004) can be practised. It is also an appropriate concept applied to the discussion of communities and the ways they work. As Castells (2003) noted, self-knowledge “is always a construction no matter how much it feels like a discovery,” and this construction is enabled when people work, or associate themselves with each other. In particular, the chapter is concerned about the structure of open content licenses operating within such domains. The chapter first explores the concept of the knowledge commons to understand the types of intellectual property that are distinctive to communities (public, communal, and private). Thereafter, licenses, as a structure, are examined as they may apply within such contexts. A significant influence on the discussion is the contemporary media environment operating in today resulting in the breaking down of boundaries, the blurring of distinctions between an original and a copy, and shifting the nature of production in communities. These debates lead to a case for open content licenses as appropriate structural mechanisms for communities.
E-Commerce and Digital Libraries
Authors: Al-Hawamdeh Suliman , Foo Shubert
Published: May 2011

Until recently, digital libraries have provided free access to either limited resources owned by an organization or information available in the public domain. For digital libraries to provide access to copyrighted material, an access control and charging mechanism needs to be put in place. Electronic commerce provides digital libraries with the mechanism to provide access to copyrighted material in a way that will protect the interest of both the copyright owner and the digital library. In fact, many organizations, such as the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), have already started to make their collections available online. The subscription model seems to be the favourable option at this point of time. However, for many ad hoc users, the subscription model can be expensive and not an option. In order to cater to a wider range of users, digital libraries need to go beyond the subscription models and explore other possibilities, such as the use of micro payments, that appear to be an alternative logical solution. But, even before that can happen, digital libraries will need to foremost address a number of outstanding issues, among which including access control, content management, information organization, and so on. This chapter discusses these issues and challenges confronting digital libraries in their adoption of e-commerce, including e-commerce charging models.
Patents and Standards in the ICT Sector
Authors: Aoininen Aura
Published: May 2011

Multiple cases have been reported in which patents have posed dilemmas in the context of cooperative standard setting. Problems have come to the fore with regard to GSM, WCDMA, and CDMA standards, for example. Furthermore, JPEG and HTML standards, as well as VL-bus and SDRAM technologies, have faced patent-related difficulties. Nevertheless, it could be argued that complications have arisen in only a small fraction of standardization efforts, and that patents do not therefore constitute a real quandary. This article assesses the extent and the causes of the patent dilemma in the ICT sector through a brief analysis of how ICT companies’ patent strategies and technology-licensing practices relate to standard setting and by exemplifying and quantifying the problem on the basis of relevant articles, academic research papers, court cases and on-line discussions. Particular attention is paid to so-called submarine patents, which bear most significance with respect to the prevailing policy concern regarding the efficacy of the patent system.