bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Web 2.0 to Pedagogy 2.0
Authors: Kuit Judith A. , Fell Alan
Published: May 2011

Despite the extensive use of technology in teaching and supporting learning, teaching methods and approaches have for some academic staff remained largely unchanged. However, 21st century learners appear to have a different approach to learning and have different expectations regarding the use of technology in learning than their predecessors. For some academic staff this can be seen as a threatening scenario since they appear to believe that they have no role in future learning because it has been usurped by technology. Many suggest therefore, that the role of academic staff must change in the 21st century if they are to remain at the core of the learning process. The new learning paradigms of connectivism, navigationism, pedagogy 2.0 and heutagogy are described and discussed in the light of the role of academic staff. All of these paradigms have strong social constructivist learning theory underpinning their foundations and as such still have at their centre a fundamental role for academic staff. This is a role not in spite of the technology but rather one that is supported and enabled by the technology, particularly with respect to the Web 2.0 social networking tools.
Strategic Deployment of E-Learning
Authors: Gannon-Leary Pat , Carr James
Published: May 2011

Changes in higher education (HE) have continued in response to, or indeed in anticipation of, an increasingly competitive environment, technological advances and shifting demands of users. Introducing new technologies into a Higher Education Institute (HEI) requires management of complex change processes to deliver their full potential. Innovative ideas for technology and practice may be constrained, and compromised by people and cultural reactions thereby reducing their effectiveness and limiting their potential for improving teaching and learning. The management of change in organisational practices therefore involves attention to three aspects: processes, people, and culture. This chapter presents a longitudinal study of one HEI through the lens of two active participants in a number of e-learning initiatives, and discusses process, people and cultural change challenges. It proposes that new evaluation frameworks are required to establish success in the implementation of new and emergent delivery modes mediated through the use of ICTs, and provides one example, the Learning Technology Practice Framework. The use of such frameworks may help with engaging academics in thinking about how to embed e-learning successfully within courses, and at a broader level within the organisation. The changes in the roles of lecturers/tutors and learners is particularly important in light of the disorientation faced by both of these user groups as a result of changing organisational culture and work practices. Lecturers and students have to adapt to their new roles and be allowed the opportunity, time, rewards and training to allow them to adapt the technology to meet their needs in their different and particular contexts of use. Overall it is found that the adoption and diffusion of e-learning in higher education is likely to develop more slowly than imagined by some educational visionaries owing to the complex nature of technology implementation that is common across all sectors, be it industry or education.
Validation of a Model Appropriateness Framework Using the Elbe Decision Support System
Authors: Xu Yue-Ping , Booij Martijn J.
Published: May 2011

This paper describes validation of an appropriateness framework, which has been developed in a former study, to determine appropriate models under uncertainty in a decision support system for river basin management. Models are regarded as ‘appropriate’ if they produce final outputs within adequate uncertainty bands that enable decision-makers to distinguish or rank different river engineering measures. The appropriateness framework has been designed as a tool to stimulate the use of models in decision-making under uncertainty and to strengthen the communication between modelers and decision-makers. Through the application to a different river with different objectives in this validation study from the river used in the development stage, this paper investigates whether the appropriateness framework works in a different situation than it was designed for. Recommendations from the development stage are taken into account in this validation case study as well. The final results from the study showed a successful validation of the appropriateness framework and suggested further possibilities for the application in decision support systems for river basin management.
Understanding How Incentives Influence Motivation and Retention of Health Workers
Authors: Bidwell Posy , Thomas Stephen , Stringhini Silvia
Published: May 2011

A critical factor in addressing the human resources crisis in low and middle income countries (LMIC) is the ability to recruit, motivate, and retain health workers. Failure in this area is one of the main causes of decline in availability of services and quality of care. Various financial and non-financial incentives have been implemented and this chapter will explore available evidence to see whether they have influenced motivation. Additionally, Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is used to determine if there is a hierarchy of how incentives are valued. While Maslow’s model is a useful tool to classify themes of health worker needs, it would appear that workers are motivated without each level having to be fulfilled in turn. While financial incentives may help with retention, they can cause erosion of professional ethos, do not increase job satisfaction, or act as motivators to perform well. More research needs to be done in order to design more effective human resources strategies.
Assessing Risk in Healthcare Collaborative Settings
Authors: Antunes Pedro , Bandeira Rogério , Carriço Luís
Published: May 2011

This chapter describes a case study addressing risk assessment in a hospital unit. The objective of the case study was to analyse the impact on collaborative work and work flow after the unit changed its design and installations, and the consequences for risk management. The Software-Hardware-Environment-Liveware-Liveware (SHELL) model, a conceptual framework for understanding the interaction between human factors (liveware), computers (software and hardware) and the environment, was used in this study. The outcomes show that the SHELL model is adequate for analyzing the complex issues raised in healthcare collaborative settings. The SHELL analysis highlighted how the relationships among doctors, nurses and assistants – expressed according to the software, hardware, environment and liveware elements – evolved in the new work setting, characterized by new working rooms, glass walls and automatic doors. This analysis shows that even small changes, such as changing the way that computers are used in the work environment, may have a significant impact in a collaborative work setting.
LVQ Neural Networks in Color Segmentation
Authors: Cuevas Erik , Zaldivar Daniel , Perez-Cisneros Marco , Block Marco
Published: May 2011

Segmentation in color images is a complex and challenging task in particular to overcome changes in light intensity caused by noise and shadowing. Most of the segmentation algorithms do not tolerate variations in color hue corresponding to the same object. By means of the Learning Vector Quantization (LVQ) networks, neighboring neurons are able to learn how to recognize close sections of the input space. Neighboring neurons would thus correspond to color regions illuminated in different ways. This chapter presents an image segmentator approach based on LVQ networks which considers the segmentation process as a color-based pixel classification. The segmentator operates directly upon the image pixels using the classification properties of the LVQ networks. The algorithm is effectively applied to process sampled images showing its capacity to satisfactorily segment color despite remarkable illumination differences.
The Virtual University
Authors: Stein David S. , Glazer Hilda R. , Wanstreet Constance E.
Published: May 2011

By offering self-designed, guided independent study, for-profit virtual universities began as alternatives to traditional graduate education that emphasized full-time study and ignored the life demands of adult students. However, through the process of gaining accreditation, recognition by the academy, and acceptance in themarketplace, virtual universities now more closely resemble traditional institutions. Their challenge to traditional academic practices predominately rests with the use of electronic tools for learning and the access virtualuniversities provide thousands of part-time learnerspursuing doctoral degrees.
Why Choose an Online Course?
Authors: Tomei Lawrence A. , Kwiatkowski April , Brown Lorie , Pash Lori , Javery Christine , Ray Julie A. , Durocher Rae Ann
Published: May 2011

OCICU is the Online Consortium of Independent Colleges and Universities and consists of five provider institutions which are located throughout the United States and Ireland. This consortium is the first of its kind to exist in distance education. The researchers wanted to understandwhy students choose to take courses through the consortium as well as why students opt for online learning instead of traditional face to face instruction. The research was limited courses that were completed in the Fall 2006, Spring 2007, and Fall 2007. The review of the literature revealed several factors of teaching online that affect whymember schools recommend an OCICU course to their students and why these students succeed or fail in anonline environment. The response rate of 25% diminishes the ability of this investigation to generalize to this population of 64 institutions.
Teaching Online
Authors: Kang P. Toyoko
Published: May 2011

This chapter provides an argument endorsing blendedlearning and teaching for foreign language (FL)/second language (L2) courses, in lieu of total online learning andteaching or total face-to-face learning and teaching (FFLT). Two main arguments are posed, citing concrete examples. First, that in total online learning and teaching, one of the greatest challenges is to reduce the psychological and social distance between teacher and student that leads to a dysfunctional parser (a mental language processor) for FL/L2. And secondly, online learning and teachingencourage more input, hence clarify communication---by making not only currently incomprehensible input comprehensible but also hard-tobe-comprehended output easy-to-comprehend---- through “self-negotiation of form and meaning,” and the parser’s strategy of being “first (prosodic phrase) come, first interpreted/processed.” This chapter proceeds to strongly recommend that FL/L2 teachers make simple audio files to provide their students with spoken input to prevent students from employing the L1 strategy of “first come, last interpreted/ processed.” Furthermore, this chapter shows what kind of spoken input is to be recorded in audio files for students in Elementary Japanese II and Intermediate Japanese I.
Measuring Effectiveness in Online Instruction
Authors: Swartz Louis B. , Cole Michele T. , Shelley Daniel J.
Published: May 2011

To remain competitive, expand access to education, and meet the needs of students, institutions of higher education are offering larger numbers of online courses. Asonline instruction increases, educational institutions, students and society need to make sure that onlinecourses and programs are as effective as traditional classroom courses and educational programs. To address this need, this paper focuses on the question, “Are onlinecourses and programs as effective as those taught in the classroom?” Numerous authors have addressed the question of the effectiveness of online classes (Keegan, D., 1996; Russell, T., 1999; Schulman, A.H. and Sims, R.L., 1999; Harasim, L. 2000; Ryan, R.C. 2000; Rivera, J.C. and Rice, M.L., 2002; Bernard, R.M., et al, 2004; Frantz, P.L. and Wilson, A.H., 2004; Suanpang, P., Petocz, P. and Kalceff, W., 2004; Fjermestad, Hiltz, S. and Zhang, Y. 2005; Weaver-Kaulis, A. and Crutsinger, C., 2006). Most studies center on student satisfaction and/or student learning. The studies have produced mixed results. This paper provides a summary of a number of important studies on theeffectiveness of online courses and educational programs. It synthesizes the results from the studies and presents possible reasons for the differences in findings. It concludes with a discussion of future trends and suggestions for areas of further study.
A Practical Guide to Evaluate Quality of Online Courses
Authors: Hao Yungwei , Borich Gary
Published: May 2011

This chapter introduces a graphic approach to define quality inonline courses. The Decomposition Model (Borich & Jemelka, 1982) is used to illustrate course structure and the salient characteristics of an effective online course. The constraints that influence the success of online courses are discussed. Salient transactions (activities) that occur in online coursesare described. And the means-end continuum in the process of online learning is illustrated graphically. The chapter is expected to provide readers with a whole picture of a qualityonline course through an architectural framework.
Preparing Online Instructors
Authors: Johnson Evelyn S. , Pitcock Jane
Published: May 2011

This chapter discusses methods for supporting theinstructor in the development of strong learner-learner interactions. In this chapter, we present a brief overview ofthe importance of social learning theories and existing research that support learner-learner interaction as an important aspect of learning. Next, we discuss the multiple factors, and their complex interaction on the instructor’s ability to support learner-learner interaction. Additionally, we report and discuss findings from a qualitative study examining the use of an ecological assessment tool to evaluate an online course’s ability to support learner-learner interaction. The chapter concludes with suggestions for improved approaches to faculty development to support learner-learner interaction.
Designing Dynamic Learning Environment for Web 2.0 Application
Authors: Zheng Robert Z.
Published: May 2011

The growth of online resources and the advancement ofWeb 2.0 technology are changing the instructional landscape and have significantly impacted the practices in education. With its ill-structured learning and rapid incrementation of information in a non-linear fashion, Web2.0 learning poses enormous challenges to online instructional designers and teachers. The traditional ID models are deemed less fit for Web 2.0 learning due to their linear, well-structured design approach. This chapter proposes a new ID model that specifically addresses the cognitive demands involved in Web 2.0 learning, promoteslearning that focuses on metacognitive thinking and self-regulation, facilitates knowledge integration and construction of schemas-of-the-moment for ill-structuredlearning, and delivers an environment by connecting activities with behavior to form a dynamic learningenvironment in Web 2.0 application.
Implementing Successful Online Learning Communities
Authors: Beck Diane E. , Normann Sven A.
Published: May 2011

In the last decade, the number of courses using onlinelearning has increased significantly and based on student demand; continued growth is projected. Although distancelearning is well accepted, when compared to traditional classroom learning, lower student satisfaction, higher student attrition, and concerns about quality have been reported (Rovai, 2002a; Rovai, 2002b). The absence of “community” has been associated with each of these issues and this has stimulated research about how tosuccessfully build a community in a virtual environment, to overcome these challenges. Successful online learningcommunities are also important for most blended learningcourses (Rovai & Jordan, 2004). Discussion boards and other tools are being increasingly used to supplement instruction during traditional classroom courses. Therefore, across most courses in higher education today it is imperative that faculty members know how to establish and sustain successful online learning communities. The goals of this article are to a) define “online learningcommunity” and delineate the factors that contribute to asuccessful learning community, b) review the evidence supporting the importance of a learning community in distance and online learning, and c) recommend strategies to promote achievement of a successful learningcommunity.
Designing the Virtual Classroom for Management Teaching
Authors: Haghirian Parissa , Simon Bernd
Published: May 2011

With the modern business environment becoming increasingly dependent on technology, managementteaching in higher education faces the challenging task of effectively leveraging technology in diverse learning environments. This chapter discusses the use of virtualclassrooms, namely collaborative, information technology-mediated teaching endeavours in management education at universities. The overall aim of this chapter is to provide insights for those who are responsible for the development of management curricula and to give specific guidelines tomanagement educators interested in integrating IT-basedteaching to increase teaching effectiveness when designingvirtual classrooms.
Development of Online Distributed Training
Authors: Entin Eileen B. , Sidman Jason , Neal Lisa
Published: May 2011

This chapter discusses considerations and tradeoffs in designing and developing an online teamwork skills training program for geographically distributed instructors andstudents. The training program is grounded in principles of scenario-based learning, in which operationally realistic scenarios are used to engage students in actively forming links between classroom and real-world applications of key concepts. The chapter focuses on supporting active engagement of learners, and meaningful and thoughtful learner-learner interactions appropriate to the subject matter (Neal & Miller, 2006). We describe lessons learnedin the development of a distributed training program that interleaves asynchronous and synchronous training modules (Neal & Miller, 2005) to leverage the advantages of both self-paced and group learning, provide opportunities to practice the teamwork concepts being trained, create social presence, and promote interactionand reflection among the course members.
Web-Based Interface Elements in Team Interaction and Learning
Authors: Chang Klarissa Ting-Ting , Lim John , Zhong Yingqin
Published: May 2011

The Web has increasingly become an important avenue of the learning community; nonetheless, it is wanting in terms of effective interaction among learners. This paper posits that a well-designed user interface will capably address limitations of Web-based learning, and enhance teaminteractions and learning outcomes. It reports on an experiment that investigated the effect of interfaceelements on a set of interaction processes, attitudes, andlearning outcomes. Availability of interface elements to engage and evaluate learning was found to promote participation, trust, and cooperation among learners. How these process variables impacted outcome variables, as intervened by attitudinal factors, was analyzed using structural modeling. Our analysis provided support to atheoretical model that causally links four sets of variables: input (interface elements), processes, attitudes, andlearning outcomes. The paper expounds on the implications of the findings, which have significant importance with respect to the emerging issues in Web-based learning.
Transforming Pedagogy Using Mobile Web 2.0
Authors: Cochrane Thomas , Bateman Roger
Published: May 2011

Blogs, wikis, podcasting, and a host of free, easy to useWeb 2.0 social software provide opportunities for creating social constructivist learning environments focusing on student-centred learning and end-user content creation and sharing. Building on this foundation, mobile Web 2.0has emerged as a viable teaching and learning tool, facilitating engaging learning environments that bridge multiple contexts. Today’s dual 3G and wifi-enabled smartphones provide a ubiquitous connection to mobileWeb 2.0 social software and the ability to view, create, edit, upload, and share user generated Web 2.0 content. This article outlines how a Product Design course has moved from a traditional face-to-face, studio-based learning environment to one using mobile Web 2.0technologies to enhance and engage students in a social constructivist learning paradigm.
On Using Wiki as a Tool for Collaborative Online Blended Learning
Authors: Wheeler Steve
Published: May 2011

This chapter explores the use of the wiki and its role as a cognitive tool to promote interaction and collaborativelearning in higher education. The importance of the software to enable student created content, storage, and sharing of knowledge is reviewed. This chapter provides an evaluation of some of the affordances and constraints ofwikis to promote critical thinking within a blended learningcontext. It assesses their potential to facilitatecollaborative learning through community focused enquiryfor geographically separated students and nomadic learners. One particular focus of the chapter is the development of new digital literacies and how students present their written work in wikis. The chapter also examines group dynamics within collaborative learningenvironments drawing on the data from a study conducted at the University of Plymouth in 2007, using wikis in teacher education. Finally, the chapter highlights some recent key contributions to the developing discourse on social software in what has been termed ‘the architecture of participation.’
A Case of Using Wikis to Foster Collaborative Learning
Authors: Lin Hong , Kelsey Kathleen D
Published: May 2011

In recent years, Wikis, an open Web-based editing tool, have increasingly been used for collaborative writing projects in classrooms. Hailed as a collaborative learningand writing tool that is more powerful than blogs and e-mail, the pedagogical impact of using Wikis in the classroom is underrepresented in the literature. This case reviews the design and implementation of a Wikibook project for graduate students at a major land-grant university in the mid-South United States. Our findings challenge idealistic hypotheses that work using Wikis, without careful designand implementation, is naturally beneficial. The case also provides design recommendations for educators who are interested in using Wikis to enhance collaborative writing.
Online Learning
Authors: Moskal Patsy D. , Dziuban Charles , Hartman Joel
Published: May 2011

The authors describe the distributed learning program (Online@UCF) at the University of Central Florida (UCF) that serves a number of adult learners. They present outcomes from several years of research collected by the Research Initiative for Teaching Effectiveness on adults enrolled inonline courses. Paradoxically, most educators in onlinelearning focus on millennial generation students, their learning styles, and preference for Web 2.0 technologies. However, research at UCF confirms that online educationresonates with adult students because it responds to their lifestyle needs, provides more active learningenvironments, and empowers their learning beyond classroom boundaries. This chapter examines the strategic elements required for successful adult online programs and explores components of online student satisfaction. The authors conclude by considering the opportunities and challenges for adults in online distance education.
Reaching Beyond Bricks and Mortar
Authors: Rockman Saul , Fontana Lynn
Published: May 2011

Sylvan Learning has set the standard for personalized, after-school, academic support programs for students in elementary grades through high school. It has been in business for 30 years and was one of the earliest programs to demonstrate that providing direct supplemental instruction services could be successfully scaled nationally. The nearly 1,100 Sylvan centers provide academic assistance to thousands of students each dayand have helped more than 2 million students reach their full academic potential. A relatively little-known but growing component of Sylvan Learning’s offerings is Sylvan Online, a oneto- one academic assistance program that is offered to students at home in association with their local SylvanLearning centers. This Internet-based service provides the same type of individualized academic support as the centers, yet it affords greater flexibility and access. Using proprietary technologies, Sylvan Online makes it possible to reach learners—no matter their geographic area or proximity to a Sylvan Learning center—and helps them receive the kind of academic support necessary to succeed in school. This chapter describes the program andattributes of Sylvan Online and situates the program within the larger context of extended-day academic programs.
Factors Influencing Students Intention to Take Web-Based Courses in a College Environment
Authors: Nemati Hamid , Thompson Marcia
Published: May 2011

The growing use of a web-based environment for college education is gradually replacing some aspects of the classroom in a University setting, and it is shifting the long accepted paradigm of understanding how students learn and introduces the question of what influences a student’s decision to learn in an online environment. In a web-based course, students gain a level of interaction with the material not possible in the classroom, yet lose other components that are only available in a physical environment. Educators struggle to determine what influences a student to take web-based college courses, and how they best learn in that environment. This study proposes that the student’s learning style, their self-efficacy and self-regulation when it comes to learning, and their expectations regarding online classes, are all factors in their choice to take web-based college courses. To validate this, students currently taking college level courses were surveyed and their responses analyzed.
A Case Study of the Adult Learner's Perception of Instructional Quality in Web-Based Online Courses
Authors: Kidd Terry T. , Song Holim
Published: May 2011

This study assessed the perceptions of adult learners inonline distance learning programs regarding theinstructional quality of Web-based courses via WebCT. Theresults showed an overall positive perception regarding theinstructional quality of online courses delivered via WebCT (M = 3.51, SD = 1.1362). The mean obtained for students’perceptions regarding the instructional quality items ranged from 3.7 to 3.37. The visual appeal of Web site and appropriateness of the course materials received thehighest rating (M = 3.625). Clarity and purpose in introduction to content components earned the lowest ratings (M = 3.37). These results were closely correlated to students’ responses regarding the important aspects ofinstructional quality of online courses. The most important aspect indicated by students was the idea of having onlinecourse content and materials relevant to the course. Theresults of the study also indicated other perceived aspects that affect students’ views of the instructional quality of anonline course, including interaction, design, convenience, feedback, and usability.
E-Learning University Networks
Authors: Verdú Pérez Elena , Verdú Pérez María Jesús
Published: May 2011

The achievement of coordination activities and the creation of university networks are considered to be fundamental mechanisms to bring together the different highereducation systems as well as to promote synergies between less developed regions and more developed ones. ODISEAME (Open Distance Inter-University Synergies between Europe, Africa, and Middle East) is an interdisciplinary and intercultural e-learning project whose main goal is to create a Euro-Mediterranean network of universities for the cooperation in the design and development of tele-learning experiences. This four-year project ended in June of 2006 with its final phase when several multilingual and multicultural learning experiences were carried out in an efficient way. These experiences were developed in all the official languages of the participant countries, as well as in English, using a Web-based multilingual virtual space. This article describes the ODISEAME project and the e-learning experiences derived from it and presents some conclusions from their evaluation. It finally shows the importance of universitynetworks in the process of establishing the European higher education area.
A Pedagogical Approach to the Design of Learning Objects for Complex Domains
Authors: Busetti Emanuela , Dettori Giuliana , Forcheri Paola , Ierardi Maria Grazia
Published: May 2011

In this article we describe an approach to the design oflearning objects (LOs) suitable to support learning incomplex domains. We briefly discuss, from an educational point of view, the methodological choices underlying thedesign of LOs to be used as didactical materials in a distributed Web-based environment, presently under development, devoted to robotics education at theuniversity level. We show how our pedagogical approach to knowledge acquisition and to the use of technological tools is realised by means of didactical units which can be implemented as LOs with various aims and correspondingly different structures. We also address the issue of supporting students’ learning in ways that differ according to the requirements of each situation and illustrate how such support can be implemented by means of ourpedagogically oriented LOs.
Cross-Cultural Differences in Perceptions of E-Learning Usability
Authors: Zaharias Panagiotis
Published: May 2011

E-learning is gaining momentum in corporate settings as an alternative and supplementary solution to learning and performance problems. Users of e-learning applications and courses differ across regional, linguistic, and country boundaries and user requirements are strongly influenced by their local cultural perspective. Thus e-learning design needs to be sensitive to cultural parameters. Yet, there are very few empirical studies that investigate e-learningdesign and usability issues from a cultural perspective. This study: (a) discusses the cultural considerations in human computer interaction and information systems research and the specificities of usability in e-learning context, (b) focuses on the usability evaluation of e-learning courses within an international e-learning pilot initiative. Employees from four user organizations representing four countries in South Eastern Europe participated as users of the e-learning courses and evaluated their usability.
Web-Based Education Accountability System and Organisational Changes
Authors: Ma Xueguang , Rada Roy
Published: May 2011

The learning and accountability needs in a teachereducation department drove the development of a novel,web-based Education Accountability System (EAS). To fit the EAS with the organization, Actor-Network Theory (ANT) was used to guide the social and technological development. In the course of fitting the technology to theeducational setting, a novel multi-dimensional perspective to ANT was formalized. Four dimensions of organizational culture, politics, process, and profession were used. Participant observation, field notes, and interviews were used to reveal how standard teacher education practices were created and recreated. Detailed translations occurring at multiple levels provided insight into the technical agency of the EAS and showed technology shaped the emergence of a socio-technical solution for a teacher educationprogram.
Services, E-Services, and Nonservices
Authors: Henten Anders
Published: May 2011

This chapter examines the provision and codevelopment of electronic services, content, and applications at the conceptual level. There is focus on the provision of services electronically (e-services) and the development of user-produced electronic content and applications (nonservices). The chapter points at codifiability, digitization, and interpretation as three crucial conditions for the development of e-services and nonservices. Codifiability is the basic prerequisite, but even if knowledge is codifiable, it does not necessarily follow that it can be entirely digitized or that it will be interpreted in the same manner in different contexts. Regarding implications, an important issue is whether the development of e-services and nonservices leads to specialization and/or convergence in the production and marketing of informational services. Is there reason to anticipate that the production and marketing of informational services will develop differently from other production areas with respect to the implications of technology on the combination of specialization and convergence?
Concepts and Dynamics of the Application Service Provider Industry
Authors: Kim Dohoon
Published: May 2011

The enterprise intelligence through e-transformation is one of the cornerstones of the next-generation e-business era where the Internet constitutes the core business resource. Furthermore, the severe competitive landscape of e-business makes firms focus on their core capability and farm out staffing functions such as IT. Under this circumstance, enhancing intelligence and synergy through e-transformation will be accomplished by IT outsourcing via ASPs (application service providers). The ASP industry now provides an essential infrastructure for the Internet-based e-business transactions, thereby accelerating corporate e-transformation. An ASP is generally defined as a third-party service firm that deploys, manages, and/or remotely hosts a software application through centrally located servers in a lease agreement. ASPs started their business by providing online application programs such as ERP (enterprise resource planning) and CRM (customer relationship management) solution packages to corporate customers. The first customers were small companies or local branches of multinational companies where IT outsourcing was the only option to deploy IT resources due to financial or regional constraints. As seen in these cases, the biggest merit of employing ASPs is that corporate customers do not have to own the applications and take responsibilities associated with initial and ongoing support and maintenance. Consequently, ASPs are differentiated from the existing IT services in that ASPs provide IT resources to multiple corporate clients on a oneto- many basis with a standardized service architecture and pricing scheme.
Fundamental Patterns for Enterprise Integration Services
Authors: Aier Stephan , Winter Robert
Published: May 2011

Enterprise integration projects link or merge artifacts across many functions, processes and management levels in a company or government agency. In the absence of methods generic enough to cover the diverse range of enterprise integration projects and adaptable enough to support specific projects effectively, integration services promise to constitute a suitable “middle layer”. Since patterns and reference models could serve as such a middle layer, existing work in the fields of patterns in computer science and reference modeling in information systems engineering is analyzed. In a bottom-up manner, alignment, derivation, binding and merge are proposed as fundamental patterns for enterprise integration. Integration services are identified as integration tasks associated with these base patterns. Such integration services are clustered into enterprise integration patterns that serve as fragments for composing a context and project type specific enterprise integration project. Two case studies illustrate the concept and gain initial validation insights.
A General View of Quality Models for Web Portals and a Particularization to E-Banking Domain
Authors: Moraga Mª Ángeles , Córdoba Julio , Calero Coral , Cachero Cristina
Published: May 2011

The success of Web portals has increased over time, in such a way that a portal user can choose among a wide variety of portals. Therefore, the presence of a Web portal in Internet will depend on its quality. In this chapter, several portal quality models are presented and compared. Moreover, one of the best portal quality model previously proposed has been adapted to the e-banking context. Finally, the new e-banking portal quality model has been compared with the original portal quality model, as well as with the main portal quality characteristics.
Do You Need Content Management System?
Authors: Polgar Jana
Published: May 2011

Today the Web is used as a means to allow people and business to use services, get information and conduct transactions. Businesses today depend upon their visibility in their respective marketplaces and provision of e-services to customers. The Internet
Containers and Connectors as Elements in a Portal Design Framework
Authors: Lamantia Joe
Published: May 2011

This article defines the standardized elements used in the building blocks portal design framework in detail, as the second in a series of articles on a Portal Design Framework. This article explains the (simple) rules and relationships for combining Cont
Business to Consumer E-Services
Authors: Burgess Stephen , Breen John , Quiazon Regina
Published: May 2011

This article reports on a study involving analysis of the Web sites of 100 accounting practices located in Melbourne, Australia, and subsequent interviews with twenty practices. This article focuses on identifying the level of e-services that they employ. In this regard, Angehrn’s virtual dimensions of Web site spaces were used to classify the various service delivery strategies adopted by the different practices. The results suggest that information technology plays a critical role in the accounting industry and that the use of computer accounting packages is almost mandatory among clients. There is little evidence of the use of Web sites for the delivery of automated e-services. At the moment, the Internet is primarily used to support the delivery of services rather than completely automate it. Overall, the study suggests that Australian accounting firms currently take a fairly conservative approach to Web site use.
ICT Usage by Greek Accountants
Authors: Emmanouilidis Efstratios C. , Economides Anastasios A.
Published: May 2011

This study investigates Greek accounting offices use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). Initially, a comprehensive questionnaire was developed. It contains 35 questions with multiple answers and 2 open questions tailored to the accountants. One hundred accountants’ offices in a Greek county answered the questionnaire. The findings present their current ICT infrastructure and their use of ICT and accounting e-services. Greek accounting offices have made improvements in adopting new technology in their everyday work. All use email, antivirus software, and the Web. Most submit VAT (Value Aided Tax), Taxation Statements, and APS (Analytical Periodic Statement) via Internet. However, most are not cautious about backing up their data daily; they do not create electronic files for all their documents; they do not update their software via Internet; and they do not use advanced software applications. Finally, they expect the government and the Accountants’ Chamber to finance their ICT infrastructure.
Profightstore.com
Authors: Pejic-Bach Mirjana , Pejic-Bach Miran
Published: May 2011

This chapter explores the possibilities for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to find their way to success in e-business. The basic assumption of this chapter is that the Internet allows SMEs to access the niche markets which have not previously been accessible to them. We are presenting a case study of one Croatian online store developed as a portal which targets the niche market and our focus is on the following issues: subcultures as niche markets, criteria for selecting suppliers, developing a new brand, designing an online store as a portal in order to attract visitors, and opportunities for growth. The authors hope that presenting this particular case will help small companies to take into account niche markets when designing their online stores, but also it will help researchers to further explore niche markets as a possible business strategy for SMEs while entering the e-commerce arena.
Quality Assessment of Digital Services in E-Government with a Case Study in an Italian Region
Authors: Corradini Flavio
Published: May 2011

The quality assessment of e-government services is more and more emerging as a key issue within public administrations. Ensuring a proper quality of digital services is mandatory to satisfy citizens and firms’ needs and to accept the use of ICT in our lives. We propose a methodology for quality assessment that takes e-government quality features into account. We also define a reference model to provide a single quality value starting from a set of service parameters. To validate our approach we assess the goodness of the ‘TecUt’ shared services management system.
Factors Relating to the Adoption of Internet Technology by the Omani Banking Industry
Authors: Al-Hajri Salim , Tatnall Arthur
Published: May 2011

The banking industry in Oman is of major importance to Oman’s economy, yet Omani banks continue to conduct most of their transactions using traditional methods. A strong banking industry significantly supports economic development through efficient financial services, and their role in trying to achieve the objectives outlined by the Sultan of Oman will depend heavily on the industry’s capabilities. Omni banks will need to introduce change at both procedural and informational levels that includes moving from traditional distribution channel banking to electronic channel banking. This chapter addresses the question: What are the enablers and the inhibitors of Internet technology adoption in the Omani banking industry compared with those in the Australian banking industry? The chapter does not attempt a direct comparison of the banking industries in these two very different countries, but rather presents a discussion of Internet technology adoption in Oman, informed by the more mature Australian experience.
Gaining Insight into Cognitive Structure Using GALILEO Method
Authors: Moon Junghoon , Rhee Cheul , Kang Hyunjeong , Sanders G. Lawrence
Published: May 2011

In this article we introduce a multidimensional systems evaluation technique for tapping into the group cognitive structure. The objective is to illustrate how GALILEO assists in mapping the multidimensional cognitive domain of user evaluations in order to subsequently identify strategies to build customer loyalty and lock-in with e-commerce websites. A popular approach for understanding the structure of relationships between constructs is Multi-Dimensional Scaling (MDS). GALILEO is a very powerful multidimensional scaling technique developed by researchers in the area of communications and cognitive science but has not been applied to systems evaluation. The main goal of this study is to demonstrate the GALILEO method as a tool for evaluating emerging and existing technology and service innovations. The power of the GALILEO approach is illustrated by examining key dimensions of two leading e-commerce websites – Amazon.com and BN.com (Barnes & Noble).
Consumer Value of Context Aware and Location Based Mobile Services
Authors: de Vos Henny , Haaker Timber , Teerling Marije , Kleijnen Mirella
Published: May 2011

Context aware services have the ability to utilize information about the user’s context and adapt services to a user’s current situation and needs. In this article the authors consider users’ perceptions of the added value of location awareness and presence information in mobile services. The authors use an experimental design, where stimuli comprising specific bundles of mobile services were presented to groups of respondents. The stimuli showed increasing, manipulated, levels of context-awareness, including location of the user and location and availability of buddies as distinct levels. Their results indicate that simply adding context aware features to mobile services does not necessarily provide added value to users, rather the contrary. The potential added value of insight in buddies’ location and availability is offset by people’s reluctance to share location information with others. Although the average perceived value overall is rather low there exists a substantial minority that does appreciate the added context aware features. High scores on constructs like product involvement, social influence and self-expressiveness characterize this group. The results also show that context aware service bundles with utilitarian elements have a higher perceived value than bundles with hedonic elements. On the basis of the different results some guidelines for designing context aware mobile services are formulated.
Self-Service Systems
Authors: Gurau Calin
Published: May 2011

The rapid development of online self-service applications has created the need for empirical studies about consumers’ perceptions and behavior during the adoption and use of such systems. An essential condition for understanding the elements that can enhance the adoption and use of these online systems is to identify the main factors that define the quality of self-service applications from the perspective of online users. After a presentation of the main streams of research focused on the analysis of online self-service systems, the article identifies eight quality dimensions defined by previous studies. The analysis of primary data permits a ranking of these quality dimensions in relation to users’ perceptions. On the other hand, the study investigates the influence of users’ personal characteristics (gender, age, Internet usage frequency and online self-service usage frequency) on the perceived importance of various quality dimensions, providing specific insights about the needs and wants of various categories of customers.
A Study on Taxpayers` Willingness to Use Self-Service Technology-Based Online Government Services
Authors: Chen Ching-Wen , Huang Echo
Published: May 2011

Technology is forming a society of do-it-yourselfers, in which customers can perform services on their own, without the help of live tellers. However, customers with insufficient knowledge of technology may not be ready for Self-Service Technologies (SSTs) to serve themselves, thus weakening their intent to adopt SSTs in delivering service. Identifying users’ attitudes toward using online service via SSTs is a critical issue for providers, particularly for government agencies. This study presents a theoretical model to examine and explain taxpayers’ willingness to adopt the personal income tax-filing system, which is a typical enhanced self-service information system (SSIS). Moreover, readiness to use technology has been addressed on the individual level in the context of mental status by revealing the effect of individual’s beliefs on taxpayers’ acceptance of online taxation systems (OTS). The managerial implications and recommendations are provided.
CRM Practices and Resources for the Development of Customer-Focused Multinational Organizations
Authors: Batista Luciano C.
Published: May 2011

This chapter aims to provide a complete characterization of the different perspectives of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and its potentialities to support Knowledge Management practices in a multinational context. It describes the strategic and technological dimensions of CRM and how its adoption supports the development of a learning and customer-focused organization, with special emphasis on multinational corporations. CRM strategic approach entails the adoption of customer-focused initiatives and the development of learning relationships with customers. On the other hand, its technological dimension integrates a variety of different information and communication technologies, which makes a powerful system for improving the process of knowledge acquisition. This way, different subsidiaries of a multinational corporation can develop their learning capability so that they can better identify local market demands. As a result, the corporation is able to more accurately create a global knowledge stock about its different markets in different regions of the world.