bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Metric Based Security Assessment
Authors: Goldman James E. , Christie Vaughn R.
Published: May 2011

This chapter introduces the Metrics Based Security Assessment (MBSA) as a means of measuring an organization’s information security maturity. It argues that the historical (i.e., first through third generations) approaches used to assess/ensure system security are not effective and thereby combines the strengths of two industry proven information security models, the ISO 17799 Standard and the Systems Security Engineering Capability Maturity Model (SSE-CMM), to overcome their inherent weaknesses. Furthermore, the authors trust that the use of information security metrics will enable information security practitioners to measure their information security efforts in a more consistent, reliable, and timely manner. Such a solution will allow a more reliable qualitative measurement of the return achieved through given information security investments. Ultimately, the MBSA will allow professionals an additional, more robust self-assessment tool in answering management questions similar to: “How secure are we?”
Multiplecasting in a Wired LAN Using CDMA Technique
Authors: Britto K. S. Shaji , Sankaranarayanan P. E.
Published: May 2011

In this paper, we discuss the details of a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA)-based multiplecasting system in a wired Local Area Network (LAN). This technique enables multiple users to transmit and receive data simultaneously among themselves using a single serial wire link at any given time, hence, called multiplecasting. This is unlike the method followed with the Ethernet in a wired LAN. With security being the prime demand of today’s world, allowing multiple users to access the channel simultaneously may be critical; but in this respect, the CDMA technology proposed by us, since it uses unique code for each user, also provides a solution to the problem. In this paper we aimed at simulating this technique. The simulation was done using Mat lab. We studied the effectiveness of the scheme, and the results are discussed in this paper.
Protecting Data through 'Perturbation' Techniques
Authors: Wilson Rick L. , Rosen Peter A.
Published: May 2011

Data perturbation is a data security technique that adds ‘noise’ to databases allowing individual record confidentiality. This technique allows users to ascertain key summary information about the data that is not distorted and does not lead to a security breach. Four bias types have been proposed which assess the effectiveness of such techniques. However, these biases only deal with simple aggregate concepts (averages, etc.) found in the database. To compete in today’s business environment, it is critical that organizations utilize data mining approaches to discover additional knowledge about themselves ‘hidden’ in their databases. Thus, database administrators are faced with competing objectives: protection of confidential data versus data disclosure for data mining applications. This paper empirically explores whether data protection provided by perturbation techniques adds a so-called data mining bias to the database. The results find initial support for the existence of this bias.
E-Business Systems Security for Intelligent Enterprise
Authors: Trcek Denis
Published: May 2011

Security issues became a topic of research with the introduction of networked information systems in the early eighties. However, in the mid-nineties the proliferation of the Internet in the business area exposed security as one of key-factors for successful on-line business. The majority of efforts to provide security were focused on technology. However, it turned out during the last years that human factors play a central role. Therefore, this chapter gives a methodology for proper risk management that is concentrated on human factors management, but it starts with addressing classical, i.e. technology based issues. Afterwards, business dynamics is deployed to enable a quantitative approach for handling security of contemporary information systems. The whole methodology encompasses business intelligence and presents appropriate architecture for human resources management.
Security Issues and Possible Countermeasures for a Mobile Agent Based M-Commerce Application
Authors: Yeh Jyh-haw , Hu Wen-Chen
Published: May 2011

With the advent of wireless and mobile networks, the Internet is rapidly evolving from a set of connected stationary machines to include mobile handheld devices. This creates new opportunities for customers to conduct business from any location at any time. However, the electronic commerce technologies currently used cannot be applied directly since most were developed based on fixed, wired networks. As a result, a new research area, mobile commerce, is now being developed to supplement existing electronic commerce capabilities. This chapter discusses the security issues related to this new field, along with possible countermeasures, and introduces a mobile agent based solution for mobile commerce.
Policy-Based Access Control for Context-Aware Services over the Wireless Internet
Authors: Bellavista Paolo , Corradi Antonio , Stefanelli Cesare
Published: May 2011

The spreading wireless accessibility to the Internet stimulates the provisioning of mobile commercial services to a wide set of heterogeneous and limited client terminals. This requires novel programming methodologies to support and simplify the development of innovative service classes. In these novel services, results and offered quality levels should depend on both client location and locally available resources (context). In addition, it is crucial to manage the frequent modifications of resource availability due to wireless client movements during service provisioning. Within this perspective, the chapter motivates the need for novel access control solutions to flexibly control the resource access of mobile clients depending on the currently applicable context. In particular, it discusses and exemplifies how innovative middleware for access control should support the determination of the client context on the basis of high-level declarative directives (profiles and policies) and distributed online monitoring.
A Process Data Warehouse for Tracing and Reuse of Engineering Design Processes
Authors: Brandt Sebastian C. , Schlüter Marcus , Jarke Matthias
Published: May 2011

The design and development processes of complex technical systems are of crucial importance to the competitiveness of an enterprise. These processes are characterized by high creativity and strong non-deterministic dynamics. Traditional information science methods, however, are intended for more deterministic work processes. They cannot be effectively applied to support creative activities like conceptual synthesis, analysis, and decision making. Therefore methods of experience management need to be exploited here. This paper presents a new integrated approach to such design process guidance based on capturing the process traces in a Process Data Warehouse (PDW). Both the products to be designed and the process steps corresponding are structured and stored as extended method traces. This trace capture facilitates the processing and subsequent reuse of the information through a process-integrated development environment. The concept of the PDW has been evaluated in an engineering design case study which focuses on the phases of conceptual design and basic engineering in designing a chemical production plant.
Online Information Privacy and Its Implications for E-Entrepreneurship and E-Busines Ethics
Authors: Gould Carman , Zhao Fang
Published: May 2011

This chapter reports the results of a national survey which investigated Australian Internet users’ attitudes and behaviours toward online information privacy using a typology that combines specific demographic and attitudinal measurements with behavioural data. The chapter contains a comprehensive examination of the internal, external/environmental, and behavioural dimensions of information privacy, incorporating a profile of each of the typologies’ categories along with a general profile of total respondents. The implications of the findings for e-entrepreneurship and e-business ethics also are discussed.
Implementing IT Security for Small and Medium Sized Enterprises
Authors: Weippl Edgar R. , Klemen Markus
Published: May 2011

Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) increasingly depend on their information technology (IT) infrastructure but lack the means to secure it appropriately due to financial restrictions, limited resources, and adequate know-how. For many managers in SMEs, IT security in their company is basically equivalent to having a firewall and updating the antivirus software regularly. Strategic policies, information theft, business continuity, access controls, and many other aspects are only dealt with in case of security incidents. To improve security in a company holistically, four levels (organizational level, workflow level, information level, and technical level) need to be addressed. Parts of existing standards are useful to address issues on the organizational level; Pipkin’s approach is especially useful for SMEs. Modeling of business processes and taking security/dependability into account can improve reliability and robustness of the workflow level. On the information level, role-based access control is state-of the art. On the technical level, basic security measures (antivirus software, firewalls, etc.) need to be addressed and aligned with a corporate security policy.
Intellectual Property Rights, Resources Allocation and Ethical Usefulness
Authors: de Vuyst Bruno de , Fairchild Alea M.
Published: May 2011

Intellectual property rights (IP) are established through the Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Agreement (part of the Uruguay Round Agreements creating the WTO) as global and uniform. This absolute IP may provide such opportunities for rent-seeking that misallocations may occur, resulting in a perception of IP as ethically unuseful.
Arguing Satisfaction of Security Requirements
Authors: Haley C. B. , Laney R. , Moffett J. D. , Nuseibeh Bashar
Published: May 2011

This chapter presents a process for security requirements elicitation and analysis, based around the construction of a satisfaction argument for the security of a system. The process starts with the enumeration of security goals based on assets in the system, then uses these goals to derive security requirements in the form of constraints. Next, a satisfaction argument for the system is constructed, using a problem-centered representation, a formal proof to analyze properties that can be demonstrated, and structured informal argumentation of the assumptions exposed during construction of the argument. Constructing the satisfaction argument can expose missing and inconsistent assumptions about system context and behavior that effect security, and a completed argument provides assurances that a system can respect its security requirements.
Data Confidentiality on the Semantic Web
Authors: Farkas Csilla
Published: May 2011

This chapter investigates the threat of unwanted Semantic Web inferences. We survey the current efforts to detect and remove unwanted inferences, identify research gaps, and recommend future research directions. We begin with a brief overview of Semantic Web technologies and reasoning methods, followed by a description of the inference problem in traditional databases. In the context of the Semantic Web, we study two types of inferences: (1) entailments defined by the formal semantics of the Resource Description Framework (RDF) and the RDF Schema (RDFS) and (2) inferences supported by semantic languages like the Web Ontology Language (OWL). We compare the Semantic Web inferences to the inferences studied in traditional databases. We show that the inference problem exists on the Semantic Web and that existing security methods do not fully prevent indirect data disclosure via inference channels.
The Existential Significance of the Digital Divide for America's Historically Underserved Populations
Authors: Kvasny Lynette
Published: May 2011

During the 1990s, the digital divide figured prominently in the discourses of academics, corporate leaders, educators, and policymakers worldwide. In the U.S., we witnessed a massive infusion of computers and Internet access in homes, schools, libraries, and other neighborhood institutions. This has significantly increased citizens’ physical access to information and communication technology (ICT) artifacts and has enhanced citizens’ opportunities for acquiring and strengthening technical skills. However, does increased physical access and technical skills signal closure of the digital divide? In this chapter, I address this question by describing the preconstructed ways in which the digital divide is conceptualized by academics and policymakers, and inferring what these conceptualizations suggest about the existential significance of the digital divide as experienced by historically underserved groups in the U.S.
Analyzing the Influence of Web Site Design Parameters on Web Site Usability
Authors: Tarafdar Monideepa , Zhang Jie ("Jennifer")
Published: May 2011

Web site usability is concerned with how easy and intuitive it is for individuals to learn to use and interact with a Web site. It is a measure of the quality of a Web site’s presence, as perceived by users. The usability of Web sites is important, because high usability is associated with a positive attitude toward the Web site and results in higher online transactions. Poorly designed Web sites with low usability, on the other hand, lead to negative financial impacts. Existing approaches to Web site usability include measurement and tracking of parameters, such as response time and task completion time, and software engineering approaches that specify general usability guidelines and common practices during software development. This paper analyzes usability from the point of view of Web site design parameters. An analysis of usability and other design characteristics of 200 Web sites of different kinds revealed that design aspects, such as information content, ease of navigation, download delay, and Web site availability positively influence usability. Web site security and customization were not found to influence usability. The paper explains these results and suggests design strategies for increasing Web site usability.
A Secure Authentication Infrastructure for Mobile Users
Authors: Bochmann Gregor V. , Zhang Eric Zhen
Published: May 2011

The requirements for an authentication infrastructure for electronic commerce are explained by identifying the partners involved in e-commerce transactions and the trust relationships required. Related security requirements are also explained, such as authentication, access rights, payment credentials, anonymity (in certain cases), and privacy and integrity of message exchanges. Then several general authentication schemes and specific protocols are reviewed and their suitability for mobile users is discussed. Finally, an improved authentication protocol is presented which can provide trust relationships for mobile e-commerce users. Its analysis and comparison with other proposed authentication protocols indicate that it is a good candidate for use in the context of mobile e-commerce.
Radio Frequency Identification as a Challenge to Informaiotn Security and Privacy
Authors: Kajava Jorma , Anttila Juhani , Varonen Rauno
Published: May 2011

New technology has continuously changed the face of computing, and each change has involved an improvement in computer architecture and information processing. There are strong indications that the next paradigm shift in information technology will be kicked off by tiny radio frequency identification (RFID) tags. These lowly devices are being ushered in by corporations like Wal-Mart to facilitate business logistics, but other uses are waiting in the wings. As usual with any technology, criminally-minded individuals have been quick to exploit smart tags for their own purposes. Thus, it is in place to take a look at the dark side of RFID technology to see how it may affect the security and privacy of citizens.
Face Recognition Technology
Authors: Singh Sanjay K. , Vatsa Mayank , Singh Richa , Shukla K. K.
Published: May 2011

Face recognition technology is one of the most widely used problems in computer vision. It is widely used in applications related to security and human-computer interfaces. The two reasons for this are the wide range of commercial and law enforcement applications and the availability of feasible technologies. In this chapter the various biometric systems and the commonly used techniques of face recognition, Feature Based, eigenface based, Line Based Approach and Local Feature Analysis are explained along with the results. A performance comparison of these algorithms is also given.
The State of Internet Access in Uganda
Authors: Mwesige Peter G.
Published: May 2011

n recent years, Uganda has witnessed an astronomical growth in the information and communications technology (ICT) sector. For example, between December 1996 and December 2003, the number of cellular phone subscribers rose from 3,000 to 777,563, Internet subscribers grew from 504 to 7,024, Internet Service Providers (ISPs) increased from two to 17, and public pay phones increased from 1,258 to 3,456 (UCC, 2004).
A Diffusion Model for Communication Standards in Supply Networks
Authors: Stockheim Tim , Schwind Michael , Weiss Kilian
Published: May 2011

This article presents a simulation framework that analyzes the diffusion of communication standards in different supply networks. We show that agents’ decisions depend on potential cost reduction, pressure from members of their communication network, and implementation costs of their communication standards. Besides focusing on process-specific market power distributions, the impact of relationship stability and process connectivity is analyzed as determinants of the diffusion of communication standards within different supply network topologies. In this context, two real-world scenarios from the automotive and paper/publishing industries are used as examples for different network topologies. The results support the thesis that increasing relationship dynamics and process connectivity lead to decreasing competition of communication standards. In certain circumstances, local communication clusters appear along the value chain, enabling these clusters to preserve their globally inferior standardization decision.
Free/Libre Open Source Software for Bridging the Digital Divide
Authors: Lin Yu-Wei
Published: May 2011

As some scholars claim, the digital divide, referring to the perceived gap between those who have access to the latest information technologies and those who do not, entails that not having access to this information is an economic and social handicap (Compaine, 2001). In software design, structured inequalities operate along the main axes of gender, race/ethnicity and class. Each of these in turn generates its own structure of unequal practices giving rise to institutionalised sexism, racism or class divisions/conflict. “Gender, race and class also crosscut each other in various complex ways, sometimes reinforcing and at other times weakening the impact of existing inequalities” (Cohen & Kennedy, 2000, p. 100). For instance, Webster’s research (1996) employing feminist approaches to study computer system designs addresses the issue of a male-dominated system design field, which continuously excludes female users’ needs, requirements, interests and values in the innovation process. She criticises that, “Human factors may be bolted onto existing methods of systems design, local and contingent knowledge of work and information handling processes held by users in an amorphous sense may now even be incorporated into the systems design process, but this does not create an awareness of the way in which skills and knowledge are defined in gender-divided terms” (p. 150).
Impact of Mobile and Wireless Technologies on Developing Countries
Authors: Neuman Ran
Published: May 2011

This chapter discusses the impact of mobile and wireless technologies on developing countries. The new technological advances and capabilities allow developing countries the opportunity to “leapfrog” years of wired technology and infrastructure development. Based on this study, it appears that mobile and wireless technologies will not be enough to truly advance developing countries. In order to truly “leapfrog” and make up for years of technological advancements, developing countries must consider dealing with government corruption, violation of human rights and extremely low literacy rates. All those factors will derail the effort to “leapfrog” and gain economic benefits from technological advancements. The Village Cell Phone Program is an example where mobile technology created a business opportunity while at the same time changing the role of women in society. Any implementation of mobile and wireless technology must be complemented with social and political reform in order to be successful.
The Impact of National Environment on the Adoption of Internet Banking
Authors: Brown Irwin , Hoppe Rudi , Mugera Pauline , Newman Paul , Stander Adrie
Published: May 2011

The widespread diffusion of the Internet globally has prompted most retail banks to offer Internet banking services. A recent study in Singapore identified attitudinal and perceived behavioural control factors as having an influence on consumer adoption of Internet banking. It is expected that the national environment will also impact this process. The aim of this study therefore was to replicate the Singapore study in South Africa, compare the results between the two countries and explain differences in adoption process in terms of the national environment. The results confirm that attitudinal and perceived behavioural control factors influence adoption in South Africa as in Singapore, but with differences in the number of determinants, and the degree of influence of certain determinants. These differences were explained in terms of three environmental dimensions-socio-economic conditions, the state of Internet diffusion and government ICT policies respectively.
The Role of Multinationals in Recent IT Developments in China
Authors: Rowe Michelle
Published: May 2011

Many multinational firms have located in developing countries to develop their overseas and industrial markets and to take advantage of the low cost environments that exist there. In addition to locating internationally, companies like Philips, Microsoft, Siemens and others also are outsourcing globally and have chosen China as an attractive base for the Asian market and as a growing market in its own right.
To Choose or Not to Choose
Authors: Williamson Kristy , Lichtenstein Sharman , Sullivan Jen , Schauder Don
Published: May 2011

This paper explores Australian domestic customers’ choices with regard to Internet banking, examining why it is taken up by some Australians and not others. The constructivist conceptual framework and the grounded nature of the method enabled in-depth exploration of key issues not undertaken before by the mainly positivist studies. The purposeful sample of 32 participants was selected to represent the major categories of people relevant to the research. Everett Rogers’ famous analysis of ‘diffusion of innovations’ was one theoretical framework used to illuminate the findings; the other was digital divide factors in relation to banking choices. The findings include 1) that the major motivation for people to adopt Internet banking is convenience, closely linked to time savings and ease of accessibility, as well as confidence and skill in Internet use; and 2) that, at the time of the study, digital divide factors were playing an important part in banking choices.
Toward U-Government in Japan
Authors: Obi Toshio , Concon Jingle
Published: May 2011

Japan is set to move forward to developing a broadband and ubiquitous network society as envisioned under the concept of an advanced information society. And the successful implementation of e-government in Japan will serve as the foundation to achieving this goal. How does e-government affect the government itself, the business sector and the citizens? According to a 2005 user survey by the Institute of E-Government, the two main benefits of e-government are improved accessibility to information and transaction, and greater accountability from the government. To administer e-government in the country, the role of public sector and computerizations in various government agencies were taken into consideration. However, if computerization is limited to central government, this is of limited benefit to citizens. Thus, for communication between citizens and government, there is a need to go mainly through local government, not the central government directly. There is also a need to refer to e-municipality or e-local government, considering it of equal importance to e-government. It is also important to take into account issues against some aspects of an information society, but being overly anxious about them causes obstacles to promoting e-government. These issues include information security problems, lack of unified management of agencies and the risk of socio-economic digital divide. As such, one of the problems that every country has to face in promoting e-government is the legal system, embedded in every democratic government. Computerization and informatization of the government is, in one respect, an effective administrative and fiscal reform, but requires legal mandates. Thus, reforms in the legal system, including regulation system, are inevitably called for.
A Socio-Technical Case Study of Bangladesh
Authors: Raisinghani Mahesh S. , Rahman Mahboob ur
Published: May 2011

The revolutionary advent of IT has accelerated the pace of day-to-day office, personal and corporate communication. However, even now, Bangladesh, despite its natural resources and easily trainable workforce, cannot cope with the evolution of technology when compared to most of the developed and developing countries. Of course, there are reasons behind the slow growth of technology in Bangladesh. Despite this IT implementation here has begun, albeit a little slowly in different private and public sectors. In Bangladesh, IT use is still in a backward stage in terms of information generation, utilization and applications. In the absence of any private entrepreneur, the government initiates and funds as many of these projects as possible.
Socialising the Digital Divide
Authors: Genus Audley , Mohamad Nor Mohd Ali
Published: May 2011

The digital divide is a phenomenon associated with disparities between groups and societies in the adoption and diffusion of electronic information and communications technologies (ICTs) and e-business practice. The article argues that, in rhetoric at least, the innovation, adoption, and diffusion of ICTs bear the hallmark of technological determinism (i.e., that of a technical imperative) in which social, economic, and political factors are underplayed. By way of contrast, the article considers the merit of a social shaping approach to analysing innovation in ICTs, to assess the prospects for ameliorating the digital divide between developed and developing countries and for stimulating economic development in the latter through the promotion of e-business. The article suggests how future research on the social shaping of ICTs, e-business, and the digital divide between developed and developing nations can meet the challenges discussed herein.
A Composite-Model for E-Commerce Diffusion
Authors: Yap Alexander , Das Jayoti , Burbridge John , Cort Kathryn
Published: May 2011

Why are some countries successful with e-commerce while others flounder? The purpose of this article is to study the impact of technology, cultural, and socio-economic factors on the global diffusion of e-commerce. While past studies have focused on technology reasons alone, this research includes cultural and socio-economic factors as well. Having access to the Internet does not necessarily translate to e-commerce usage. Fundamentally, culture and socio-economic factors are pivotal in bridging the gap between Internet usage and e-commerce diffusion. The objective is to provide a model that quantifies the aggregated influences of all factors on global e-commerce diffusion. A cross-country regression model analyzes the determinants of e-commerce diffusion and the results used in a cluster analysis to provide further evidence that the propensity for e-commerce depends on the interplay among the different factors. The results can provide firms with an improved understanding of strategies to employ while implementing e-commerce.
A Feminist Agenda for Reducing the Gender Digital Divide
Authors: Marcelle Gillian M.
Published: May 2011

There is little shared understanding of the term “digital divide,” but this has not prevented the international community from investing a great deal of effort in projects that aim to reduce the digital divide by reducing disparities in access to information and communication technologies (ICT) (European Commission High Level Group, 1997; International Telecommunication Union [ITU], 1984, 2003; United Nations Economic and Social Commission [UN ECOSOC], 2000). The divergent rate at which ICT diffuses—the digital divide—is a reflection of broader socioeconomic divides, many of which exist within societies. The divide between men and women, rich and poor, young and old, urban and rural, literate and non-literate, also manifests itself in the digital world of media, computers, telecommunications, Internet, and jobs in software production. Information and communication flows carried by ICT are increasingly becoming an integral factor in international, institutional, and political processes. Lack of access to ICT therefore impacts on opportunities for developing countries’ economic growth, wealth distribution, social empowerment, and development. It is the digital divide which largely prevents the equal sharing of knowledge worldwide and leads to “information and knowledge poverty” among certain groups. If only a select number of countries, and within them certain groups, reap the benefits of ICT while others continue to lag behind, the digital divide will continue to grow and the virtuous cycle that ICT can create will not be enjoyed by many (Millward-Oliver, 2005). There is little acknowledgment and even less acceptance that gender constitutes an important influence in the structure of the “digital divide.” At first glance, this failure to admit context may seem strange and out of step with common sense. Why should gender relations, such an important and pivotal element of social structure, that is known to influence differentiated access to financial resources, employment opportunities, education and training, water and sanitation, health care, legal status, and enjoyment of human-rights not affect access to and control of ICT? This article will explore some of the key factors that lead to gender blindness in the digital divide debate and articulate a strategic response
Potential Implications of IPv6 for Regional Development
Authors: Papagiannidis Savvas , Berry Joanna , Li Feng
Published: May 2011

The Internet started as a project by the Advanced Research Projects Agency of the U.S. Department of Defense in the late 1960s. Since then, it has evolved to be the biggest network of all, although its core function, to create a network of networks, has not changed. It is this very connectivity that gives rise to a series of applications making the Internet such an interesting proposition for a number of business and personal activities.
Introduction to Speech Recognition
Authors: Suárez-Guerra Sergio , Oropeza-Rodriguez Jose Luis
Published: May 2011

This chapter presents the state-of-the-art automatic speech recognition (ASR) technology, which is a very successful technology in the computer science field, related to multiple disciplines such as the signal processing and analysis, mathematical statistics, applied artificial intelligence and linguistics, and so forth. The unit of essential information used to characterize the speech signal in the most widely used ASR systems is the phoneme. However, recently several researchers have questioned this representation and demonstrated the limitations of the phonemes, suggesting that ASR with better performance can be developed replacing the phoneme by triphones and syllables as the unit of essential information used to characterize the speech signal. This chapter presents an overview of the most successful techniques used in ASR systems together with some recently proposed ASR systems that intend to improve the characteristics of conventional ASR systems.
Creating a Comprehensive Agent-Oriented Methodology
Authors: Henderson-Sellers Brian
Published: May 2011

While individual agent-oriented methodologies are useful for restricted situations, a more flexible approach can be found in the use of situational method engineering. Using an underpinning metamodel, a repository of method fragments can be built up and, from this, a selected number of fragments can be abstracted to form an organization-specific or project-specific methodology. As an example, we demonstrate the use of the OPEN metamodel and repository, as extended to support agent-oriented conceptual thinking. Re-creation of existing methodologies, such as Prometheus, is demonstrated with further enhancements from other methodologies such as Tropos and Gaia.
Engineering Adaptive Multi-Agent Systems
Authors: Bernon Carole , Camps Valérie , Gleizes Marie-Pierre , Picard Gauthier
Published: May 2011

This chapter introduces the ADELFE methodology, an agent-oriented methodology dedicated to the design of systems that are complex, open, and not well-specified. The need for its development is justified by the theoretical background given in the first section, which also gives an overview of the concepts on which multi-agent systems developed with ADELFE are based. A methodology is composed of a process, a notation, and tools. Tools are presented in the second section and the process in the third one, using an information system case study to better visualize how to apply this process.
Rewriting and Efficient Computation of Bound Disjunctive Datalog Queries
Authors: Greco Sergio , Zumpano Ester
Published: May 2011

A strong interest in enhancing Datalog programs by the capability of disjunction emerged in several areas, such as databases, artificial intelligence, logic programming, and so forth (Lobo, Minker & Rajasekar, 1992). Disjunctive rules have been profitably used in several contexts including knowledge representation, databases querying, and representation of incomplete information (Eiter, Gottlob & Mannila, 1997a; Gelfond & Lifschitz, 1991). Most of the works on disjunction are concerned with the definition of intuitive and expressive semantics, which are commonly based on the paradigm of minimal models (Abiteboul, Hull & Vianu, 1995; Lobo et al., 1992; Ullman, 1989).
Intelligent Reasoning Approach for Active Queue Management in Wireless Ad Hoc Networks
Authors: Natsheh Essam , Jantan Adznan B. , Khatun Sabira , Subramaniam Shamala
Published: May 2011

Mobile ad hoc network is a network without infrastructure where every node has its own protocols and services for powerful cooperation in the network. Every node also has the ability to handle the congestion in its queues during traffic overflow. Traditionally, this was done through Drop-Tail policy where the node drops the incoming packets to its queues during overflow condition. Many studies showed that early dropping of incoming packet is an effective technique to avoid congestion and to minimize the packet latency. Such approach is known as Active Queue Management (AQM). In this article, an enhanced algorithm called fuzzy-AQM is suggested using a fuzzy logic system to achieve the benefits of AQM. Uncertainty associated with queue congestion estimation and lack of mathematical model for estimating the time to start dropping incoming packets makes the fuzzy-AQM algorithm the best choice. Extensive performance analysis via simulation showed the effectiveness of the proposed method for congestion detection and avoidance improving overall network performance.
XWRAPComposer
Authors: Liu Ling , Zhang Jianjun , Han Wei , Pu Calton , Caverlee James , Park Sungkeun , Critchlow Terence , Buttler David , Coleman Matthew
Published: May 2011

We present a service-oriented architecture and a set of techniques for developing wrapper code generators, including the methodology of designing an effective wrapper program construction facility and a concrete implementation, called XWRAPComposer. Our wrapper generation framework has two unique design goals. First, we explicitly separate tasks of building wrappers that are specific to a Web service from the tasks that are repetitive for any service, thus the code can be generated as a wrapper library component and reused automatically by the wrapper generator system. Second, we use inductive learning algorithms that derive information flow and data extraction patterns by reasoning about sample pages or sample specifications. More importantly, we design a declarative rule-based script language for multi-page information extraction, encouraging a clean separation of the information extraction semantics from the information flow control and execution logic of wrapper programs. We implement these design principles with the development of the XWRAPComposer toolkit, which can semi-automatically generate WSDL-enabled wrapper programs. We illustrate the problems and challenges of multi-page data extraction in the context of bioinformatics applications and evaluate the design and development of XWRAPComposer through our experiences of integrating various BLAST services.
virtual Reality simulation in Human Applied Kinetics and Ergo Physiology
Authors: Drougas Bill Ag.
Published: May 2011

Virtual reality is today an excellent tool for a full simulated experience in a modern environment where any researcher or any individual scientist may work with vital experimental environments or use parameters that sometimes does not really exist. It is already a vital step for the future of science and for the modern experiment. Ergo physiology today has many applications for research. We can find new unknown parameters for the human body searching biokinetics and ergo physiology, and it is time to use modern technologies and applications. The vital issues discussed in this chapter may offer many applications for human kinetics and movement and may also discuss biokinetics research using the physical laws and parameters in various biokinetics and physiology fields.
Design Wind Speeds Using Fast Fourier Transform
Authors: Ismail Z.. , Ramli N. H. , Ibrahim Z.. , Majid T. A. , Sundaraj G. , Badaruzzaman W. H.W.
Published: May 2011

In this chapter, a study on the effects of transforming wind speed data, from a time series domain into a frequency domain via Fast Fourier Transform (FFT), is presented. The wind data is first transformed into a stationary pattern from a non-stationary pattern of time series data using statistical software. This set of time series is then transformed using FFT for the main purpose of the chapter. The analysis is done through MATLAB software, which provides a very useful function in FFT algorithm. Parameters of engineering significance such as hidden periodicities, frequency components, absolute magnitude and phase of the transformed data, power spectral density and cross spectral density can be obtained. Results obtained using data from case studies involving thirty-one weather stations in Malaysia show great potential for application in verifying the current criteria used for design practices.
Discursive Context-Aware Knowledge and Learning Management Systems
Authors: O’Nualláin Cao mhi´n , Westerski Adam , Kruk Sebastian
Published: May 2011

In this chapter, we look at the research area of discursion and context-aware information as it relates to the user. Much research has been done in the area of effective learning, active learning, and in developing frameworks through which learning can be said to be achieved and have some possibility of being measured (i.e., Networked Learning and Bloom’s Taxonomy) (Bloom, 1956). Having examined many such frameworks, we have found that dialogue plays a large part, and in this chapter we specifically examine dialogue in context of the user’s background and social context. This always plays a critical role, and it is around this that we want to dig deeper. We aim to provide a quality discourse analysis model which will achieve in more detail a picture of the users actual level of knowledge. Problem solving skills, together with the critical thinking capability as part of a team, and individually, in the following chapter.
Artificial Neural Networks in Financial Trading
Authors: Vanstone Bruce , Tan Clarence
Published: May 2011

Soft computing represents that area of computing adapted from the physical sciences. Artificial intelligence (AI) techniques within this realm attempt to solve problems by applying physical laws and processes. This style of computing is particularly tolerant of imprecision and uncertainty, making the approach attractive to those researching within “noisy” realms, where the signal-to-noise ratio is low. Soft computing is normally accepted to include the three key areas of fuzzy logic, artificial neural networks, and probabilistic reasoning (which includes genetic algorithms, chaos theory, etc.).
Toward an Organization-Oriented Design Methodology for Agent Societies
Authors: Dignum Virginia , Weigand Hans
Published: May 2011

In this chapter, we present a framework for the design of agent societies that considers the influence of social organizational aspects on the functionality and objectives of the agent society and specifies the development steps for the design and development of an agent-based system for a particular domain. Our approach will provide a generic frame that directly relates to the organizational perception of the problem. The framework specifies the development steps of the design and development of an agent-based system for a particular domain. Based on the coordination characteristics of a domain, the methodology provides three frameworks for societies (market, hierarchy, and network). These frameworks relate to the organizational perception of a problem and allows for existing methodologies to be used for the development, modeling, and formalization of each step. The methodology supports the development of increasingly detailed models of the society and its components.
Getting Customers Online
Authors: Suomi Reima
Published: May 2011

This article discusses the introduction of a Web-based electronic reservation system to an established Finnish shipping company. It is based on a real-life example and original research. In the literature, we see that online reservation systems in the airline industry are well studied, but less so in the maritime industries. We describe major changes in the business environment of the company. Our case company, Luxury Ferries Inc., introduced a new electronic reservation system in August 2000. Some of the findings include: established companies have very different needs and priorities in e-commerce than start-ups. E-commerce puts companies operating in several countries and several language areas under high pressure: through Web services the customers now find it easier to compare offerings in different countries and to display opportunistic behavior.
Mobile E-Commerce as a Strategic Imperative for the New Economy
Authors: Raisinghani Mahesh S.
Published: May 2011

A new form of technology is changing the way commerce is being done globally. This article provides an overall description of mobile commerce and examines ways in which the Internet will be changing. It explains the requirements for operating mobile commerce and the numerous ways of providing this wireless Internet business. While the Internet is already a valuable form of business that has already changed the way the world is doing business, it is about to change again. Telecommunications, the Internet, and mobile computing are merging their technologies to form a new business called mobile commerce or the wireless Internet. This is being driven by consumer demand for wireless devices and the desire to be connected to information and data available through the Internet. There are many new opportunities that have only begun to be explored, and for many this will become a large revenue source for those who capitalize upon this new form of technology. However, like other capital ventures, these new opportunities have their drawbacks, which may limit growth of the mobile commerce market if not dealt with. Mobile e-commerce technology is changing our world of business just as the Internet alone has changed business today.
Enterprise Information Systems and B2B E-Commerce
Authors: Baker C. Richard
Published: May 2011

Although the overall investment in information technology (IT) decreased during the first few years of the 21st century, B2B e-commerce continued to expand at a rapid rate (Lim & Wen, 2002). The expansion of B2B e-commerce has been based to a large extent on accounting and enterprise-wide information systems (EISs) that permit electronic data transmission and execution of transactions in an effective and efficient manner. Since B2B e-commerce is Internet based, the EISs required to support B2B e-commerce must be Internet capable. The primary language of the Internet, Hyper-text Mark-up Language (HTML), is not well-suited for transmitting data and executing transactions. Consequently, Extensible Mark-up Language (XML) was developed to facilitate a wide range of electronic information exchange applications, including many applications related to B2B e-commerce. XML also allows legacy data to be accessed through the Internet. As initially conceived, XML had a number of constraints, particularly in the area of data integrity and security; however, these constraints are being overcome. This article discusses the objectives of using XML in B2B e-commerce, reviews the technical structure of XML, and discusses ways that data integrity can be maintained and security enhanced while engaging in B2B e-commerce.
An Agent-Based Information Technology Architecture for Mass Customized Markets
Authors: Ghiassi Manoochehr , Spera Cosimo
Published: May 2011

This chapter presents a Web-enabled, agent-based information system model to support mass-customized markets. We present a distributed, real-time, Java-based, mobile intelligent information system that interfaces with firms’ existing IT infrastructures, follows a build-to-order production strategy, and integrates order-entry with supply chain, manufacturing, and product delivery systems. The model provides end-to-end visibility across the entire supply chain, allows for a collaborative and synchronized production system, and supports an event-based manufacturing environment. The system introduces four general-purpose intelligent agents to support the entire mass customization process. The adoption of this approach by a semiconductor manufacturing firm resulted in reductions in product lead time (by half), buffer inventory (from five to two weeks), and manual transactions (by 80%). Similarly, the adoption by a leading automotive manufacturer resulted in a 51% total inventory reduction while increasing plant utilization by 30%. These results verify that the successful adoption of this system can reduce inventory and logistic costs, improve delivery performance, increase manufacturing facilities utilization, and provide a higher overall profitability.
Using Mobile Devices for Electronic Commerce
Authors: Herbster Raul Fernandes , Almeida Hyggo , Perkusich Angelo
Published: May 2011

In this article, we describe an architecture for mobile commerce which allows the use of mobile devices for electronic commerce. The architecture enables the development of applications to be executed on a mobile device, which lists selling products having their own textual descriptions and pictures. We discuss architectural modules and the implementation of an application for selling fast food called Mobile Menu. We begin with the main background concepts related to our proposed architecture.