bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Information Technology & FDA Compliance in the Pharmaceutical Industry
Authors: Papp Raymond
Published: October 2011

Given the recent profitability of and demand for pharmaceuticals, from prescription antibiotics and analgesics like Ciproflaxin and OxyContin and mens health drugs such as Viagra and Vardenafil to over-the-counter Senokot laxatives and Betadine antiseptics, the rush to develop and market new pharmaceuticals has never been greater. The current process is complex and it often takes several years for a drug to reach the market due to the myriad of Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidelines. Furthermore, the recent FDA guidelines mandating that all New Drug Applications (NDA) be submitted in electronic (paperless) format by the end of 2002 is a catalyst for change in the pharmaceutical industry (FDA Proposes First Requirement for Electronic Submission, 2002; New Drug Application (NDA), 2001). Bayer Pharmaceutical, like its competitors Purdue Pharma and Boots Healthcare, has begun to take steps to assure that its use of information technology will allow it to not only meet FDA guidelines, but achieve its corporate goals of improved efficiency and reduced operating costs.
Web-Enabling for Competitive Advantage
Authors: Motiwalla Luvai , Hashimi Azim
Published: October 2011

This case emphasis is on the reduction of the logistical aspects of adventure travel and increase in the customer base by using the Web-enabling information technology resources. A global travel company, Himalayan Adventures (HA), based in Pakistan wants to build a one-stop electronic commerce store for its customers. Through this website, HA hopes to provide all of their travel services, visa details, health and safety insurance, weather information, flight reservations, police registration, currency exchange, travel itineraries, sale and purchase of equipment, souvenirs and communication requirements. To implement the online store for HA, the owner, Abdul Bari, is planning to utilize the Porter electronic business model in analyzing the market needs, and identifying the appropriate information technology to gain a strategic advantage. This project, once implemented, will compliment the already existing HA brick model with a bricks-and-clicks model. On the initial investment of $70,000 per year for three years, the incremental net present value created by the project is $174,079.
Balancing Theoretical and Practical Goals in the Delivery of a University-Level Data Communications Program
Authors: Gutierrez Jairo , Tawa Koro
Published: October 2011

This case examines the experience of introducing the Cisco Networking Academy Program as part of two data communications courses taught in the School of Business and Economics at the University of Auckland. This case discusses the advantages and disadvantages encountered in the administration and delivery of the combined (traditional content plus the Cisco-based content) material. The case also analyses the impact of the program on the learning outcomes and objectives of the existing courses. The feedback presented was obtained informally through conversations with students and formally by using end-of-semester surveys and by reviewing students assignments and tests. The case describes how the program combined traditional sage on the stage lectures plus hands-on lab experiments as part of the educational experience. The availability of on-line curricula and testing is also considered as an important element in the learning process.
Business Process Redesign in Travel Management in an SAP R/3 Upgrade Project - A Case Study
Authors: Schallert Marit
Published: October 2011

Travel and related expenses account on average for 7% of an organizations total operating costs and are escalating to be the second largest controllable corporate expense. Based on rising business travel demand in past decades, the management of business travels has received increasing attention. Furthermore, the rapidly changing environment in the travel industry dominated by requirements for e-business offers organizations evident possibilities to manage business travels more efficiently. As a consequence for organizations, all transactions around business travels, from travel planning to reimbursement of expenses, have gained great importance. Organizations aim to reduce and control their travel costs by the utilization of integrated computer systems, such as the enterprise system R/3 and implementation of Travel Management. But how does an organization find its way to reduce costs and at the same time process high amounts of business travels based on a high quality for the traveler? Is this task an insoluble conflict or can it be a win-win situation for all involved parties? The following teaching case provides the initial stages of a process reengineering project undertaken in a shared service provider for local government departments in Australia. The objective of this project is to reengineer the process of business travels applying a reengineering methodology.
Efficient Data Management in e-Business Transactions
Authors: Karacapilidis Nikos
Published: October 2011

This case reports on the implementation of an open information management system that integrated modern information technology approaches to address the needs of a Greek medium-scale clothing producer towards heading to e-business. The system was able to interoperate with the companys legacy ERP system and automated intra-business, business-to-business and business-to-customer processes. The overall approach was designed around open standards for data exchange and integrated as a set of off-the-shelf tools that assured a robust, scalable and fast development cycle. Particular attention was paid to the appropriate synchronization of the internal and external work and data flows, the improvement of supply chain management, the reduction of transactions costs through the appropriate process automation, the reduction of errors occurring during the traditional handling of business documents, the reduction of the companys inventory levels, and, finally, the establishment of a cooperative environment between the enterprise and its customers and suppliers.
Rx for Integration
Authors: Nemati Hamid , Stewart Scott , Sherrill-Huffman Faye
Published: October 2011

Managed care, Medicare reform and skyrocketing costs have forced health care providers to take a closer look IT and how it can help in providing a competitive advantage. Prior to the 1990s, most computer systems designed for health care were mission-specific. By the early to mid 1990s, many hospitals had begun to search the market for tools to integrate their aging transactional systems, since an integrated environment could provide more business-oriented functions such as decision support. However, for many medical centers achieving a seamless integration proved to be a daunting task. Enterprise Application Integration (EAI) was a response to decades of organizations creating distributed stand-alone applications resulting in an overabundance of platforms and development approaches. Enterprise Application Integration (EAI) techniques provided the interface layer to allow the systems to act as one seamless whole. This case provides an overview of EAI and examines the technical and organizational challenges faced by a major medical center in North Carolina attempting to integrate its enterprise applications and discusses how the project team responded to those challenges. An appendix featuring a complete list of products covered in this case, as well as a brief glossary of healthcare IT terms, follows the case.
Systems Development by Virtual Project Teams
Authors: Croasdell David , Fox Andrea , Sarker Suprateek
Published: October 2011

Business organizations and global partners are increasing their utilization of virtual project teams to enhance competitive advantages in the global market. More than ever, organizations are using virtual teamwork to bridge time zones and geographic distances. The use of virtual work environments has spurred interest in understanding how team members interact and collaborate over the life of a project. Not surprisingly, organizations are trying to understand what factors are determinants of success with respect to virtual teams. Increasing network bandwidth, continuously improving communication technologies, shifting global economies, and changes in social practices have caused business managers to reconsider traditional practices. This paper provides a comparative case study of four cross-cultural virtual project teams as they analyze, design, and develop information systems.
Enabling B2B Marketplaces
Authors: Paul James , Withanachchi Shiro , Mockler Robert , Gartenfeld Marc E. , Jenkins Matthew
Published: October 2011

The objectives of the case are to provide an overview of the B2B segment of the e-business industry for students to understand the intricacies of how it functions, an in-depth example of how an industry can be analyzed, and an example of how to identify keys to success for a company, GE Global Exchange Services (GXS). Other subject matter objectives are to provide an example of how a company can identify opportunities and threats in its industry and how to analyze competitive market situations, develop alternative strategies, evaluate the consequences of decision models, and make winning corporate decisions.
How to Successfully Manage an IT Department under Turbulent Conditions
Authors: Leonard A. C.
Published: October 2011

The case study describes the history of the IT department of a South African bank and how it started to introduce information technology to gain competitive advantage. Apart from explaining how the IT department made progress through the years, the case study explains the problems and frustrations end users and IT professionals experienced with regard to wrong decisions made by management. Furthermore, the case study describes how a new management team was appointed to solve the serious situation in the IT department and as such in the bank as a whole. It also describes the strategies followed, and the policies and actions introduced to overcome the problems. Special management models for problem management and project management that were used by the management team to organize and direct the actions of IT specialists are introduced.
Is This Pilot Test Over?
Authors: Gogan Janis L. , Gelinas  Jr. Ulric J. , Rao Ashok
Published: October 2011

Beginning in 1994, members of the Financial Services Technology Consortium collaborated to design eCheck, an Internet-based payment mechanism. In the fall of 1997 a pilot project was launched involving the United States Treasury and U.S. Department of Defense. This case describes the issues involved in soliciting participants and resolving intellectual property, system architecture, regulatory, strategic and other issues. In July 2001 a server failed, prompting the eCheck team to question whether it was time to officially declare an end to the pilot. This case was prepared for use in an MBA-level class on IT Management or Project Management. The case provides a vehicle for discussing the following topics: Regulatory, business, technical, and project management challenges in managing complex IT initiatives. The project life-cycle. Guidelines for effectively learning from IT projects. Stakeholder analysis for consortium-led IT initiatives. Unique issues that arise in multi-organization systems development initiatives.
Enterprise Information Portals
Authors: Wojtkowski Wita , Major Marshall
Published: October 2011

The focus of this case study is a successful regional law firm (an information intensive enterprise) that integrates information technology to improve the timeliness and quality of their work product. The firm uses information technology as an efficient and productive tool allowing them more time to understand their clients needs and envision where their businesses will be tomorrow. Their information services professionals evaluate new technologies with an eye toward improving delivery of legal services: the goal is to build an atmosphere where complex business is handled with ease. In this case we explore the issues related to the implementation of an enterprise portal. The issues are both technological and behavioral.
Moving Up the Mobile Commerce Value Chain
Authors: Fahy Martin , Feller Joseph , Finnegan Pat , Murphy Ciaran
Published: October 2011

In the spring of 2002, a team within Digifone, in the Republic of Ireland, deliberated on how they would generate revenues from a Third Generation (3G) mobile license. Their plan was to facilitate third-party mobile commerce services, and receive a percentage of the resulting revenue. A key challenge would be differentiating the value of content based on transaction context. Mediation technology, based on open standards, was seen as the solution. The case describes Digifones evaluation of an XML vocabulary as the basis for a mediation and billing solution. The Digifone experience suggests that the key to exploiting 3G technology is inter-industry agreement on measurement standards to effectively manage the value of the associated services a bar code for measuring value and distributing revenue amongst value web participants.
Palisade Systems
Authors: Mahanti Sujata , Bajwa Prabdeep , Strader Troy J. , Shrader Charles B.
Published: October 2011

This case study describes the experience of an Internet security product development company. Terrorism, fraud, and related regulatory changes have created new market opportunities for these products. The purpose of the case is to identify a strategic direction which will allow this successful technology company to successfully take advantage of these current opportunities.
Technological Modernization of Peru's Public Registries
Authors: Diaz-Andrade Antonio , Santana-Ormeno Martin
Published: October 2011

This case describes the projects already completed, their respective success and their deployment across the bureaus of Perus National Superintendent of Public Registries (SUNARP). The Registry Information System and the consequent online registry publicity service are worthy of note. Moreover, the paper mentions the future challenges faced by SUNARP in its efforts to provide on line registration services.
Emergency
Authors: Dalcher Darren
Published: October 2011

This case study charts the story of the problematic implementation of a computerised despatch system for the Metropolitan Ambulance Service (MAS) in Melbourne, Australia. The system itself is now operational; however, the legal and political implications are still subject to the deliberations of inquiry boards and police investigations. The value of the case study is in highlighting some of the pitfalls and implications of failing to consider the financial pressures and resource constraints that define the (medical) despatch environment.
ERP Selection at AmBuildPro
Authors: Sklar Margaret , Breneman Matthew , Yermish Ira
Published: October 2011

This case describes the process by which a conglomerate subsidiary of a larger enterprise chooses an ERP package. Conflicting goals faced by divisional and corporate needs are presented, asking the reader to examine the strengths and weaknesses of the processes and the packages selected.
Workflow-Supported Invoice Management
Authors: Lang Karl R.
Published: October 2011

The case study describes the implementation of a workflow management application at large media company. It shows how an organization created business value through information technology and process automation. Benefits of the system in terms of operational efficiency and organizational performance are discussed. Limitations are also identified.
Implementing Automated Testing
Authors: Leung Hareton , Chan Keith
Published: October 2011

This case study describes experience of an IT organization in implementing automated testing of their management information system. The goal of the project and project plan are presented first. The needs and benefits of automated testing, and problems and challenges related to adoption of software tools are identified.
The Elusive Last Mile to the Internet
Authors: Sridhar V. , Jain Piyush
Published: October 2011

This case highlights the challenges faced by organizations in developing countries in getting reliable, high-speed Internet access to support their mission critical web enabled information systems. The case prescribes various measures to optimally use the constrained bandwidth available from service providers. The challenges in defining and monitoring appropriate service level agreements with the service providers are discussed.
Library Networking of the Universidad de Oriente
Authors: Bashirullah Abul K.
Published: October 2011

The Universidad de Oriente was founded in 1958 and structured in five campuses, located in 5 different States in the northeastern region of Venezuela, with a current total enrollment of 43.000 students and 2500 teachers. A total of 20 libraries of different kinds served these students and professors till 1999. To introduce new information technologies to the libraries and all laboratories of the university, an intranet of the university with 32 networking systems was introduced for all campuses using Main Frame Relay technology. This case discusses the challenging job of creating consciousness about information literacy and university digital databases and digitalization of valuable documents.
ACEnet
Authors: Van Slyke Craig , Belanger Frank , Kittner Marcy
Published: October 2011

With the advent of Web-based electronic commerce (e-commerce), businesses of all sizes rushed to take advantage of the potential of e-commerce technologies. While large organizations often have ready access to the resources necessary to implement e-commerce strategies, smaller organizations may lack some or all of these resources. Conversely, the increased reach facilitated by e-commerce may allow some small businesses to be viable in areas where limited access to customers might otherwise prevent success. This increased reach may be particularly beneficial in economically depressed rural areas, which may stand to gain greatly from the economic development potential of small businesses. Small businesses in general, and rural small businesses in particular, face a number of hurdles that must be overcome if they are to benefit from e-commerce. This case describes how a not-for-profit agency, the Appalachian Center for Economic Networks (ACEnet), facilitates the use of e-commerce by rural small businesses as a part of an overall strategy for spurring economic development through small businesses. ACEnet provides a number of resources that help small businesses take advantage of e-commerce, including computer labs, Web site hosting, consultative services, and technical and business training. This case illustrates how these services help rural small businesses overcome many of the barriers to successful implementation of e-commerce.
Reality of Use and Nature of Change in Small Business
Authors: Wojtkowski Wita , Hardesty J. Craig
Published: October 2011

Through this case we ponder an inescapable issue faced by all small businesses. Of interest are both the positive and negative roles information technology plays when affecting organizational change. We tell a story of a small successful business that is evolving into a larger organization. While this subject brings with it myriad facets, we evaluate the actions taken in terms of technology, staff, and procedures. What learning difficulties did this enterprise face? How did management address these challenges? Why did the original entrepreneur not want to let go when the next generation attempted to implement support mechanisms? What was the outcome? Our case concerns a small service enterprise located in the western United States. There are numerous organizational issues presented in this case. Case Industry: Temporary Staffing and Service Business, OTI Major Technical Issue: Appropriate use of database technology Major Strategic Issue: Sustainable expansion when undergoing technological change Major Players/Leaders: CEO-owner (CO), operational manager (OM), IT technical manager (TM) Case Conclusion/ Recommendation: Inefficient compromise may result when small businesses employ IT to meet an increasingly competitive business environment.
Selecting and Implementing an ERP System at Alimentos Peru
Authors: Santana J. Martin , Serida-Nishimura Jaime , Morris-Abarca Eddie , Diaz-Baron Ricardo
Published: October 2011

The case describes the implementation process of an ERP (enterprise resource planning) system at Alimentos Peru, one of the largest foods manufacturing companies in Peru. It discusses the organizations major concerns during the mid-1990s, including increasing competition, inefficiency of business processes, and lack of timely and accurate information. To address these concerns Alimentos Peru launched several projects, one of which involved the implementation of an ERP system. The case explains the criteria used to evaluate and select the system, as well as the main issues and problems that arose during the implementation process. More specifically, the case focuses upon a set of implementation factors, such as top management support, user participation, and project management. Finally, the case concludes with a discussion of the benefits obtained from the introduction of the system as well as the new organizational challenges
Information Systems Redesign in a State Social Services Agency
Authors: Kuilboer Jean-Pierre Kuilboer , Ashrafi Noushin
Published: October 2011

Successful implementation of information systems (IS) is an essential part of executing new business strategies. Yet, IS development projects are most susceptible to fail. According to a report by the Standish Group 42% of IS projects are canceled before completion. This case addresses many of the causes of IS project failure. It is based on an information system redesign project undertaken by a state social services agency. The Project aims at automating the welfare system and providing mission-critical applications to the social workers in the field and federal subsidies distribution. The case is written from the perspective of an actual participant on the project during the time that is documented. Although most of the players recognized that they needed automation to conduct their business in a radically different and superior way, the project failed, wasting $32 million of taxpayers money. A number of problems such as lack of proper planning, underestimating the size and complexity of the endeavor, and organizational and cultural issues surrounding government agencies contributed to the project failure.
Deploying Distributed Computing
Authors: Sawyer Steve , Gibbons William
Published: October 2011

This teaching case describes the efforts of one department in a large organization to migrate from an internally developed, mainframe-based, computing system to a system based on purchased software running on a client/server architecture. The case highlights issues with large scale software implementations such as those demanded by enterprise resource package (ERP) installations. Often, the ERP selected by an organization does not have all the required functionality. This demands purchasing and installing additional packages (known colloquially as bolt-ons) to provide the needed functionality. These implementations lead to issues regarding oversight of the technical architecture, both project and technology governance, and user department capability for managing the installation of new systems.
The Value of Coin Networks
Authors: Borchers Andew , Demski Mark
Published: October 2011

As a response to strong competitive pressures, the U.S. automotive industry has actively employed Electronic Data Interchange in communications between suppliers and carmakers for many years. This case reviews the recent development of ANX®, a COIN (Community of Interest Network) intended to provide industry-wide connectivity between carmakers, dealers and Tier suppliers. The authors identify technical and business challenges to the success of ANX®.
Reorganizing Information Technology Services in an Academic Environment
Authors: Kittner Marcy , Van Slyke Craig
Published: October 2011

Primarily due to ongoing changes in available technology and financial constraints at a four-year, private university, the Information Technology Department has gone through several iterations of organizational restructuring over the last ten years. The need for IT support for both the academic side of the University and the administrative side has been met by two different structures during this time. At times, the technology needs for the entire University have been supported by one common department that reports directly to the President. At other times, the support has been provided by two separate departments-the academic side reporting to the Chief Academic Officer (CAO) and the administrative side reporting to the CFO. Because of advantages and disadvantages of each of these structures and turnover of the President, CFO and CAO positions, the use of these two structures has alternated several times. The most recent president has emphasized a technology-friendly and upto- date campus as one of his primary goals. This emphasis precipitated an analysis of the existing systems with recognition of the need to keep IS strategies in line whether supported by one department or two.
Implementing Information Technology to Effectively Utilize Enterprise Information Resources
Authors: Mustafa Yousif , Maingi Clara
Published: October 2011

This is a typical case of implementing information technology in order to assist an enterprise to effectively utilize its production information resources. The enterprise, a world-class leader in Pharmaceutical industry, currently keeps a large number of technical research reports on shared network media. These reports contain scientific specifications extremely essential to the enterprises final products. In order to utilize these reports, a researcher has to navigate and literarly read through each report to identify whether it is relevant to what he/she is currently working on. Often times, researchers find it more feasible to create their own reports rather than wasting time and energy on the searching process. Our solution to the problem is to create an information system which will keep track of these reports, provide a concise synopsis of each report, enable the researchers to search using keywords, and give a direct link to locate that report via a friendly Web-based user-interface.
Implementation of Information Technology in a Job Shop Manufacturing Company
Authors: Mandal Purnendu
Published: October 2011

A.B.C. Engineering is a Melbourne-based job shop manufacturing company. The company attempted a major improvement in the information technology area by implementing and enhancing the capability of a MIS software package called ManuSoft. The General Manager of A.B.C Engineering felt that the implementation of this commercially available package would enhance the productivity and help managers in the planning process. The company carried out a detailed study on various IT tools and information systems softwares that are applicable to the job shop manufacturing situation. Considering the prevailing company situations, it was decided that ManuSoft would satisfy the information requirements. A project team was set up to study the scope of IT improvements and implement the required IT/IS system.
The Foreign Banks' Influence in Information Technology Adoption in the Chinese Banking System
Authors: Fong Michelle W. L.
Published: October 2011

Foreign direct investment has been a common conduit of technology transfer for the locally funded enterprises in the host country to adopt foreign technology. In addition, it could be a powerful agent in affecting technology adoption within a technologically backward host country. By contrast, foreign direct investment has not been a significant source of information technology transfer into the Chinese banking system. Neither has it been an effective agent in affecting technology adoption in this system. The priority and concern of the Chinese government in protecting, and retaining control of, its domestic banks and financial market have kept foreign direct investment in the banking industry at a relatively modest level. The controlled industry, the long wait for full market competition, and the inadequate infrastructure and operating framework have inhibited the foreign banks from adopting highly sophisticated information technology for their restricted business operations and from being an effective conduit in technology transfer.
Developing Inter-Organizational-Trust in Business to Business E-Commerce Participation - Case Studies in the Automotive Industry
Authors: Ratnasingam Pauline
Published: October 2011

Inter-organizational-systems such as EDI have been the main form of business-to business ecommerce participation in the automotive industry for the last two decades. Previous studies in EDI adoption mostly examined environmental, organizational and technological factors. This study draws insights developed within the sociology of technology, in which innovation is not simply a technicalrational process of solving problems, but involves economic, behavioral and political processes required for building inter-organizational trust. The transition to cooperative relationships between buyers and suppliers may be more difficult for automotive companies because of complexity, compatibility, long lead times and ingrained adversarial supplier relationships (Langfield-Smith & Greenwood, 1998). Therefore, trust is important as organizations need to cooperate, collaborate and communicate timely and relevant information, in order to facilitate EDI that entails not only technological proficiencies, but also trust between trading parties, so that business transactions are sent and received in an orderly fashion. An analysis of the trust behaviors that influence EDI adoption will be useful for evaluating EDI participation. The aim of this study is to address the following intriguing questions: How does trading partner trust impact EDI participation? How do issues relating to coercive power among trading partners impact inter-organizational trust?, and What is the importance of trust within an inter-organizational dyad. Ford has been using EDI since the electronic data transmissions commenced in 1988. The aim of EDI is to communicate production requirements of five car manufacturers (namely, Ford, General Motors Holden, Toyota, Mitsubishi and Nissan), to their component suppliers in order to meet the demands of the Australian and overseas motor vehicle markets. The automotive industry had more experience than other industries in developing inter-organizational relationships. Ford Australia was nationally and internationally popular because motor vehicles were exported to New Zealand and the Asia Pacific region.
SEIU Local 36 Benefits Office
Authors: Yermish Ira
Published: October 2011

This case describes how a service organization approached the Y2K compliance issue and how a complex decision-making process led to near operational disaster. We will see how software vendor relations can be complicated by vendor viability and technological innovations. Another issue we will explore concerns opportunities for personal growth and expanded responsibility in a small business environment. We will see how turnover creates stresses, particularly in an organization of this size. Changes in focus from developing in-house expertise to more extensive use of outside support will be examined. Finally, we will examine the relationships that exist among the various service suppliers and how data is interchanged between these suppliers and the organization. While standards exist in other fields, none have been adopted here. Case readers will be encouraged to formulate upto- date management strategies that address these issues head-on.
Computer Ethics and Neoplatonic Virtue
Authors: Stamatellos Giannis
Published: October 2011

In normative ethical theory, computer ethics belongs to the area of applied ethics dealing with practical and everyday moral problems arising from the use of computers and computer networks in the information society. Modern scholarship usually approves deontological and utilitarian ethics as appropriate to computer ethics, while classical theories of ethics, such as virtue ethics, are usually neglected as anachronistic and unsuitable to the information era and ICT industry. During past decades, an Aristotelian form of virtue ethics has been revived in modern philosophical enquiries with serious attempts for application to computer ethics and cyberethics. In this paper, the author argues that current trends and behaviours in online communication require an ethics of self-care found in Plotinus’ self-centred virtue ethics theory. The paper supports the position that Plotinus’ virtue ethics of intellectual autonomy and self-determination is relevant to cyberethics discussions involved in computer education and online communication.
How Do Technology Application and Equity Impact Student Achievement?
Authors: Chan Tak Cheung
Published: October 2011

This study examines the impact of technology application on student achievement in the state of Georgia. Technology application includes elements such as technology access, technology integration, and teacher technology proficiency. Student achievement refers to students’ standardized test scores in language, social studies, sciences, and mathematics in elementary, middle, and high schools. Results of Multiple Regression analysis yielded significant percentages of variance in student achievement that was attributable to Internet connected computer access. Another purpose of the study was to investigate the equity issues of school technology. School levels and student socioeconomic status were used as independent variables to determine if significant differences in technology application existed among the school levels and the socioeconomic status categories. Results of Analysis of Variance indicated that students of low socioeconomic status had far less opportunities to access Internet connected computers than students of high socioeconomic status. The level of technology application increased as students moved up the school level.
Computer Teachers’ Attitudes toward Ethical Use of Computers in Elementary Schools
Authors: Özer Niyazi , Ugurlu Celal Teyyar , Beycioglu Kadir
Published: October 2011

This descriptive study explores the elementary school computer teachers’ attitudes and awareness regarding ethical computer use in classrooms and the differences in teachers’ attitudes and awareness in terms of demographic variables including gender, teaching experiences, pre-service/in-service education about ethical computer use. In order to measure computer teachers’ attitudes, awareness, and teaching practices regarding computer ethics, an adopted version of Cyberethics Questionnaire (CEQ), originally developed by Yamano (2004), was used in this study. The CEQ was administered to 150 teachers working for elementary schools in Hatay, Turkey. After incomplete and erroneous forms were discarded, a total number of 141 questionnaires completed by 60 female and 81 male computer teachers were considered for analysis. Results show that the opinions of male and female teachers are significantly different.
Ethical Decision Making with Information Systems Students
Authors: Alhawari Samer , Talet Amine Nehari
Published: October 2011

Information Technology (IT) is a new tool in education that continually changes and offers new opportunities for teaching and learning. In general, the effects of IT are complex and depend upon people’s decisions about development and use. This study investigates the ethical issues in education in terms of Information Systems students’ attitudes at Saudi universities towards digital piracy. The differences in the ethical decision-making process, ethical awareness, and intention to perform questionable acts is examined. The authors tested for differences in attitudes toward eighteen different questionable actions by using three different factors (gender, age, and university level). The measures of awareness capture the extent to which respondents felt that a particular action was unethical according to each of several ethical criteria. This work explored information technology ethics in several ways. The work analyzed whether information technology use is viewed by individuals as an ethical topic and demographic differences were explored. Significant differences were found in many cases between demographic groups based on ethical issues. These findings can be used to target and address ethical issues and enforcement in information systems curriculum.
Computation of the Output Torque, Power and Work of the Driving Motor for a Redundant Parallel Manipulator
Authors: Zhao Yongjie
Published: October 2011

Inverse dynamic analysis of the 8-PSS redundant parallel manipulator is carried out in the exhaustive decoupled way. The required output of the torque, the power and the work of the driving motor are achieved. The whole actuating torque is divided into four terms which are caused by the acceleration, the velocity, the gravity, and the external force. It is also decoupled into the components contributed by the moving platform, the strut, the slider, the lead screw, the motor rotor-coupler, and the external force. The required powers contributed by the component of torque caused by the acceleration term, the velocity term, the gravity term, the external force term, and the powers contributed by the moving platform, the strut, the slider, the lead screw, and the motor rotor-coupler are computed respectively. For a prescribed trajectory, the required output work generated by the ith driving motor is obtained by the presented numerical integration method. Simulation for the computation of the driving motor’s output torque, power and work is illustrated.
Dynamic Modeling, Simulation and Velocity Control of Rocker-Bogie Rover for Space Exploration
Authors: Kumar Pushpendra , Pathak Pushparaj Mani
Published: October 2011

Wheeled mobile rovers are being used in various missions for planetary surface exploration. In this paper a six-wheeled rover with rocker-bogie structure has been analyzed for planar case. The detailed kinematic model of the rover was built and the dynamic model was derived based on bond graph. The simulation studies were performed for obstacle climbing capability of the rover. It was observed from the study that rover can pass through plane surface, inclined surface, and inclined ditch without any control on the actuators of the rover. However, it fails to cross a vertical ditch so a velocity controller was designed. It consists of a proportional integral (PI) controller and reduced model of the rover. It is found from simulation and animation studies that with the proposed velocity controller the rover is able to cross the vertical ditch.
Trust Building Process for Global Software Development Teams: A review from the Literature
Authors: Hernández-López Adrián , Colomo-Palacios Ricardo , García-Crespo Ángel , Soto-Acosta Pedro
Published: October 2011

Due to increasing globalization tendencies in organization environment, Software Development is evolving from a single site development to multiple localization team environment. In this new scenario, team building issues must be revisited. In this paper components needed for the construction of the Trust Building Process are proposed in these new Global Software Development Teams. Based in a thoroughly state of the art analysis of trust building in organizations, this new process comes to narrow the gap between dynamics of trust building and intrinsic characteristics of global teams. In this paper, the components for Trust Building Process are justified and presented, with the purpose of a future assembly in further publications, leaving testing of this assembly far behind.
Open Educational Resources in E-Learning
Authors: Rejas-Muslera Ricardo J. , García-Tejedor Alvaro J. , Rodriguez Olga Peñalba
Published: October 2011

According to Dr. B.R. Ambedkar‘s definition (Deshpande & Mugridge, 1994), Open Educational Resources (OER) are based on the philosophical view of knowledge as a collective, social product. In the last years the relevance of OER has been widely acknowledged and a high magnitude impact is to be expected for OER in the near future (Atkins et al, 2007), (Wiley & Gurrell, 2009), especially as a masterpiece in e-learning development. The aim of this chapter is to present an overview of OER in e-learning, focused on two fundamental aspects: (i) technical issues, mainly standards, and (ii) socio-economic and legal questions. This way the chapter deals with the most relevant issues in this matter: Which is the OER´s role in education, especially for e-learning performance? Which are the technical resources and current standards needed for them? Which socio-economics and legal aspects influence the diffusion and use of OER?
Secure Key Generation for Static Visual Watermarking by Machine Learning in Intelligent Systems and Services
Authors: Naoe Kensuke , Sasaki Hideyasu , Takefuji Yoshiyasu
Published: October 2011

The Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) demands supportive technologies and new requirements for mobile collaboration across multiple platforms. One of its representative solutions is intelligent information security of enterprise resources for collaboration systems and services. Digital watermarking became a key technology for protecting copyrights. In this article, the authors propose a method of key generation scheme for static visual digital watermarking by using machine learning technology, neural network as its exemplary approach for machine learning method. The proposed method is to provide intelligent mobile collaboration with secure data transactions using machine learning approaches, herein neural network approach as an exemplary technology. First, the proposed method of key generation is to extract certain type of bit patterns in the forms of visual features out of visual objects or data as training data set for machine learning of digital watermark. Second, the proposed method of watermark extraction is processed by presenting visual features of the target visual image into extraction key or herein is a classifier generated in advance by the training approach of machine learning technology. Third, the training approach is to generate the extraction key, which is conditioned to generate watermark signal patterns, only if proper visual features are presented to the classifier. In the proposed method, this classifier which is generated by the machine learning process is used as watermark extraction key. The proposed method is to contribute to secure visual information hiding without losing any detailed data of visual objects or any additional resources of hiding visual objects as molds to embed hidden visual objects. In the experiments, they have shown that our proposed method is robust to high pass filtering and JPEG compression. The proposed method is limited in its applications on the positions of the feature sub-blocks, especially on geometric attacks like shrinking or rotation of the image.
RT-Llama
Authors: Panahi Mark , Nie Weiran , Lin Kwei-Jay
Published: October 2011

Service-oriented architectures (SOA) are being adopted in a variety of industries. Some of them must support real-time activities. In this article, the authors present RT-Llama, a novel architecture for real-time SOA to support predictability in business processes. Upon receiving a user-requested process and deadline, our proposed architecture can reserve resources in advance for each service in the process to ensure it meets its end-to-end deadline. The architecture contains global resource management and business process composition components. They also create a real-time enterprise middleware that manages utilization of local resources by using efficient data structures and handles service requests via reserved CPU bandwidth. They demonstrate that RT-Llama’s reservation components are both effective and adaptable to dynamic real-time environments.
Lighting the Fires of Entrepreneurialism?
Authors: Woods Philip A. , Woods Glenys J.
Published: October 2011

Entrepreneurialism and entrepreneurial leadership are increasingly viewed as essential to improving the capability of organisations to innovate and improve performance. This article aims to refine the conceptual understanding of entrepreneurialism in the context of public education, drawing on data concerning constructions of meaning around entrepreneurialism in an inner city Academy in England. The authors highlight effects of power in forming the discourse and meanings around entrepreneurialism, the layers of meaning in these constructions, and the presence of both business entrepreneurialism and alternative groundings for entrepreneurialism. The article concludes by refining the typology of entrepreneurialism, placing it in the context of levels of meaning and suggesting three implications for schools and educational policy. The association the authors found of enterprise with relational motivations and with public and community-orientated aims suggests a general appetite exists to forge a more radical entrepreneurialism than that prescribed solely by a private, competitive business view of the world.
Marketing Educational Programs through Technology and the Right Philosophies
Authors: Wang Viktor
Published: October 2011

This article uses a real case to illustrate that marketing educational programs through technology is affected by one’s philosophies positively or negatively, depending on the philosophies adopted. Seven philosophies are discussed in relationship to marketing educational programs via technology. Connections between the seven philosophies and different types of universities/colleges are drawn. Future research directions also revolve around marketing educational programs, Web 2.0 technologies and one’s philosophies. It is recommended that universities/colleges seriously consider hiring those administrators who have adopted the right philosophies as the wrong philosophies will work against the mission of certain academic departments, hence the whole university or college.
Analysis of the Effect of Human Presence on a Wireless Sensor Network
Authors: Graham Ben , Tachtatzis Christos , Di Franco Fabio , Bykowski Marek , Tracey David C. , Timmons Nick F. , Morrison Jim
Published: October 2011

Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) are gaining an increasing industry wide adoption. However, there remain major challenges such as network dimensioning and node placement especially in Built Environment Networks (BENs). Decisions on the node placement, orientation, and the number of nodes to cover the area of interest are usually ad-hoc. Ray tracing tools are traditionally employed to predict RF signal propagation; however, such tools are primarily intended for outdoor environments. RF signal propagation varies greatly indoors due to building materials and infrastructure, obstacles, node placement, antenna orientation and human presence. Because of the complexity of signal prediction, these factors are usually ignored or given little weight when such networks are analyzed. The paper’s results show the effects of the building size and layout, building materials, human presence and mobility on the signal propagation of a BEN. Additionally, they show that antenna radiation pattern is a key factor in the RF propagation performance, and appropriate device orientation and placement can improve the network reliability. Further, the RSS facility in RF transceivers can be exploited to detect the presence and motion of humans in the environment.