bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Exploring the Adoption of Technology Driven Services in the Healthcare Industry
Authors: Topacan Umit , Basoglu A. Nuri , Daim Tugrul U.
Published: April 2010

Recent developments in information and communication technologies have helped to accelerate the diffusion of electronic services in the medical industry. Health information services house, retrieve, and make use of medical information to improve service quality and reduce cost. Users—including medical staff, administrative staff, and patients—of these systems cannot fully benefit from them unless they can use them comfortably. User behavior is affected by various factors relating to technology characteristics, user characteristics, social environment, and organizational environment. Our research evaluated the determinants of health information service adoption and analyzed the relationship between these determinants and the behavior of the user. Health information service adoption was found to be influenced by service characteristics, user characteristics, intermediary variables, facilitating conditions, and social factors.
Linking the Strategic Importance of ICT with Investment in Business-ICT Alignment
Authors: Cumps Bjorn , Viaene Stijn , Dedene Guido
Published: April 2010

In this article, we introduce a framework that can be used by organizations as a positioning instrument to think of business-ICT alignment decisions in light of the strategic importance of ICT (Information and Communication Technology) in their organization. We make a distinction between organizations where ICT is of high strategic importance and those where ICT is of low strategic importance. Based on this difference we argue that heavily investing in business-ICT alignment processes, structures and roles (PSRs) will not necessarily always be beneficial when ICT is of low strategic importance to the business. Furthermore, organizations that have a minimalist approach to the use of ICT do not necessarily need to invest in business-ICT alignment PSRs. We explain the dynamics and possible migration scenarios of our proposed framework after testing the statistical significance of the relationship between the strategic importance of ICT and the investment in business-ICT alignment. We end this article with a short empirical study which combines survey and case study results. Both the framework and framework dynamics still need further empirical validation, preferably with longitudinal data. Therefore, we stress and acknowledge that many of the discussions in this article are still explorative in nature. However, this article illustrates the possibilities and the need for a more fine-grained approach to business-ICT alignment.
Mobility and Enterprise 2.0
Authors: Cosquer François J.N. , Ohayon-Dekel Annie
Published: April 2010

The emergence of Web 2.0 and its rapid adoption by the corporate world, known as Enterprise 2.0, has radically modified access to tacit knowledge and significantly reduced business latency. Meanwhile, technology for wireless LAN and mobile communication, combined with advances in handsets, has allowed for superior quality of experience with acceptable productivity level. Combining mobility with Enterprise 2.0 is the next big step in evolution. This article presents the drivers for Enterprise 2.0 and the challenge of tapping tacit knowledge and, in parallel, the evolution of wireless and mobile technologies. The era of mobile broadband life is made possible, creating new ways of use and expectations for Millennials. The next business generation will be able to unleash the full potential of mobility and Enterprise 2.0. Three scenarios selected from different vertical domains—healthcare, education and emergency services—illustrate the benefits of mobility and Enterprise 2.0 in action. With the expected continued strong growth of wireless access, mobility support is one, if not the, key success factor for Enterprise 2.0.
On the Internationalization of the Wireless Telecommunications Industry
Authors: Powell Steven R.
Published: April 2010

Companies can benefit from diversifying internationally. This article analyzes the internationalization efforts of six major European wireless telecommunications service providers: Telefonica, Deutsche Telekom, France Telecom, Vodafone, Telenor and TeliaSonera. Although all six companies have invested heavily in foreign markets, their internationalization paths have not been the same, resulting in foreign market portfolios with different characteristics. Utilizing a proportionate customer weighting scheme based on the number of subscribers controlled by a company in each market, the article examines how the companies compared in 2007 versus 2002 in their extent and scope of internationalization and in the attractiveness of their foreign market portfolios with respect to some key growth, profitability, and risk market characteristics.
Revisiting the Gatekeeping Model
Authors: Cossiavelou Vassiliki , Bantimaroudis Philemon
Published: April 2010

Mediation in news industries has received significant attention by researchers for more than half a century. Gatekeepers decide which information should be delivered to different audiences. The Shoemaker/ReeseGatekeeping Model identifies five different filters of content processing: individual influences, professional routines, the organization, extra-media influences and ideology. Journalism practices, intra-organization and extra-media-related procedures and strategic alliances, including culture and ideology, add more complexity in the contemporary globalized media landscape. Gatekeeping is being processed through out all the above mentioned pillars. ICT technologies related to the media have influenced the interactivity among the pillars and wireless technologies have influenced the digital media landscape. The European Union has experienced dramatic changes in its regulation environment and spectrum resources allocation. In this article, the authors examine the impact of wireless technology on gatekeeping practices in the context of EU news markets.
The Role of User Review on Information System Project Outcomes
Authors: Hsu Jack Shih-Chieh , Chen Houn-Gee , Jiang James , Klein Gary
Published: April 2010

The effect of user participation on system success is one of the most studied topics in information systems, yet still yields inconclusive results. Contingency-based concepts attempt to resolve this issue by providing a plausible explanation which indicates that users can only generate expected results when there is a need for users to participate in the development process. As a different approach, this study adopts a mediating perspective and asserts that influence due to the effectiveness of participation determines the final outcomes. Based on control theory, and viewing user participation in reviews as one kind of control, we propose that the influence users can generate through participation determines project outcomes. Data collected from 151 information systems personnel confirms the relationships and that an ability to achieve quality interactions among developers and users heightens the achievement of user influence.
A Multi-Objective Decision and Analysis Approach for the Berth Scheduling Problem
Authors: Golias Mihalis M. , Boilé Maria , Theofanis Sotirios , Taboada Heidi A.
Published: April 2010

Berth scheduling can be described as the resource allocation problem of berth space to vessels in a container terminal. When defining the allocation of berths to vessels container terminal operators set several objectives which ideally need to be optimized simultaneously. These multiple objectives are often non-commensurable and gaining an improvement on one objective often causes degrading performance on the other objectives. In this paper, the authors present the application of a multi-objective decision and analysis approach to the berth scheduling problem, a resource allocation problem at container terminals. The proposed approach allows the port operator to efficiently select a subset of solutions over the entire solution space of berth schedules when multiple and conflicting objectives are involved. Results from extensive computational examples using real-world data show that the proposed approach is able to construct and select efficient berth schedules, is consistent, and can be used with confidence.
Mobile Enterprise Architecture Framework
Authors: Li Zongjun , Steenkamp Annette Lerine
Published: April 2010

The Mobile Enterprise is a new form of enterprise in the contemporary mobile era. Although several well-known enterprise architecture frameworks are used by enterprises, it is apparent that there is no industry standard available to enable an enterprise to transform its business processes to incorporate mobile technologies to advantage. This article presents a conceptual Mobile Enterprise Architecture Framework and supporting methodology and process model which can aid enterprise decision makers to evaluate the business values, and analyze the risks and other critical business and technical factors for enterprise mobile initiatives and mobile transitions. The framework covers both the enterprise and mobile enterprise architecture domains that represent the Enterprise, Business, and Mobile Adoption levels. The goal at the Enterprise Level is to obtain a mobile enterprise and the technologies adopted at the Mobile Adoption Level are the different mobile technologies to be incorporated. Each level contains some important components impacting the mobile enterprise transformation. The methodology and process model cover the Strategy, Analysis, Design, Implementation, and Maintenance stages for each mobile initiative, and were validated in a research project against some Ontario Government mobile initiatives.
Multi-Level Service Infrastructure for Geovisual Analytics in the Context of Territorial Management
Authors: Conti Giuseppe , De Amicis Raffaele , Piffer Stefano , Simões Bruno
Published: April 2010

The management of a territory is a complex process, involving a number of different operators, administrators and decision makers. Territory management requires accessing and processing a wide range of heterogeneous and multi-dimensional GI (GI). Within a typical scenario, the process involves departments at public administrations responsible for urban planning, environmental control, infrastructure planning and maintenance. Additionally units such as civil protection, fire brigades also play a vital role when dealing with emergencies. Data to be managed range from alphanumerical information, stored within enterprise-level databases, to satellite imagery, vector data and information coming from on-site sensors. It is acknowledged that creating an infrastructure capable to provide access to such a range of information requires, an integrated system approach, both from a technological and from a procedural point of view. This article illustrates the benefit of adopting a system approach which makes use of Service-Oriented Architectures (SOA) and 3D geobrowsers to provide an answer to the aforementioned shortcomings. To do so the article presents the client-server platform designed to support decision makers and experts from local or regional administrations in the process of managing their territory. The infrastructure developed allows a large number of concurrent applications to access geographical data in a fully interactive way, within a 3D environment, thus providing support to territorial and environmental management tasks. The work illustrates also the results of the application of the infrastructure within a real-life scenario, thus providing the chance to discuss of implications of adopting such an approach.
The Role of Standards in Engineering Education
Authors: Cooklev Todor
Published: April 2010

The role of standards is increasing, and as a result the role of education about standards should also increase. At the same time, there are a set of requirements—accreditation criteria—toward engineering programs. The close relationships between the accreditation criteria and standards education is not fully recognized, even by accreditation bodies and educators. The goal of this article is to uncover these relationships. Furthermore, the article establishes connections between other components of engineering education such as ethics, engineering design, labs, and integrated courses, on one hand and standards education on another. The conclusion from these relationships is that standards education is more important than previously realized. The article also discusses how standards education can be incorporated in engineering and technical curricula.
Where Are You? Consumers' Associations in Standardization
Authors: Hauert Christophe
Published: April 2010

The expansion of international standardization has reinforced enduring questions on the legitimacy of standards. In that respect, the participation of all stakeholders, including the weakest ones (unions, NGO, consumers’ associations) is crucial. Given the recognized role of consumers’ associations to express legitimate objectives, the question of their representation becomes central. In order to get a deeper understanding of their participation, this article explores the evolution of their representation within the Swiss national mirror committees of international standardization between 1987 and 2007. It probes the extent to which their participation is determined by the distinctiveness of issues supposedly related to consumers’ concerns and by their own use of standards. The empirical findings of our study indicate an underrepresentation of consumers’ associations and confirm the topical specificity of their implication in standardization processes. Finally, we found evidence that the use of standards in an association’s activities supports and encourages its participation in standardization committees.
Beyond the "Point of No Return"
Authors: Hommels Anique , Egyedi Tineke M.
Published: April 2010

This article analyzes the role of ‘irreversibility’ in the decision-making process for a standard for the national Dutch emergency communication network. In the late 1980s, ETSI, the European Telecommunication Standards Institute, started the development of the so-called Tetra standard. Tetra is a standard for digital radio communication and is mostly applied in emergency communication (for police, ambulance, and fire brigade). In the early 1990s, several European governments decided to replace their analogue radio equipment for emergency communication by advanced digital communication systems. The Dutch involvement in Tetra started around 1992, but it took until November 2001 before the official governmental decision to launch the national C2000 network was taken. This article argues that at that moment the ‘point of no return’ of the C2000 project had already passed (in the mid 1990s). We explain this using the concept of ‘constructed irreversibility’. We analyze a number of core decisions and choices of the Dutch government in the C2000 project that resulted in irreversibility. We conclude by discussing the disadvantages and the advantages of irreversibility in this innovation project.
The Significance of Government's Role in Technology Standardization
Authors: Seo DongBack
Published: April 2010

For first generation (1G) wireless communications technology standards, the Japanese government’s early decision provided an opportunity for its national manufacturers to be first movers in the global market, while the late development of wireless communications in Korea made the Korean market dependent on foreign manufacturers by adopting the U.S. standard (AMPS). Moving toward the 2G wireless technology market, both countries decided to develop standards instead of adopting a technology from outside their regions. Japan developed its own standard, PDC, while Korea developed CDMA systems with Qualcomm, the U.S. technology provider. Although these governments’ decisions on technologies looked only slightly different, the socio-economic consequences were greatly distinctive. The Korean success brought not only the rapid development of its domestic market but also opportunities for its manufacturers to become global leaders, while the PDC standard only provided the fast growth of the Japanese domestic market without any opportunities for the Japanese manufacturers to grow further internationally in the 1990s. By the end of 1990s, two nations again had to decide a 3G technology standard with vast challenges and pressures.
Whose Questionnaire is It, Anyway?
Authors: Saxon Andrew , Walker Shane , Prytherch David
Published: April 2010

This chapter focuses on the adoption and adaptation of methodologies drawn from research in psychology for the evaluation of user response as a manifestation of the mental processes of perception, cognition and emotion. The authors present robust alternative conceptualizations of evaluative methodologies which allow the surfacing of views, feelings and opinions of individual users producing a richer, more informative texture for user centered evaluation of software. This differs from more usual user questionnaire systems such as the Questionnaire of User Interface Satisfaction (QUIS). (Norman et al, 1989) The authors present two different example methodologies so that the reader can firstly, review the methods as a theoretical exercise and secondly, applying similar adaptation principles, derive methods appropriate to their own research or practical context.
Integrating Accessibility Evaluation into Web Engineering Processes
Authors: Power Christopher , Freire André Pimenta , Petrie Helen
Published: April 2010

This chapter presents methodologies and techniques for performing accessibility evaluations on web applications. These methodologies are discussed in the context of performing them within a web engineering process, be it a traditional, unified or agile process. In this chapter the case is made that website commissioners and web engineers cannot afford to overlook accessible practices as they risk alienating an increasingly large user base who may require accessible web features.
Analyzing the Long Range Dependence and Object Popularity in Evaluating the Performance of Web Caching
Authors: Sajeev G.P. , Sebastian M.P.
Published: April 2010

Web cache systems enhance Web services by reducing the client side latency. To deploy an effective Web cache, analysis of the traffic characteristics is indispensable. Various reported results of traffic analysis show evidences of long range dependence (LRD) in the data stream and rank distribution of the documents in Web traffic. This article analyzes Web cache traffic properties like LRD and rank distribution based on the traces collected from NLANR (National Laboratory of Applied Network Research) cache servers. Traces are processed to investigate the performance of Web cache servers and traffic patterns. Statistical tools are utilized to measure the strengths of the LRD and popularity. The Hurst parameter, which is a measure of the LRD, is estimated using various statistical methods. It is observed that the presence of LRD in the traffic is feeble and does not influence the Web cache performance.
The Outcome of Knowledge Process for Customer of Jordanian Companies on the Achievement of Customer Knowledge Retention
Authors: Nehari-Talet Amine , Alhawari Samer , Alryalat Haroun
Published: April 2010

Organizations have increasingly recognized the importance of managing customer relationships, and Knowledge Management (KM) from the perspective of a process approaches assure positive impact on customer retention. Many organizations are turning to Customer Relationship Management (CRM) to better serve customers and facilitate closer relationships. This paper investigates how Knowledge Process for customers is used in practice by Jordanian companies to achieve Customer Knowledge Retention. The current practice is based on the data collected from 156, randomly drawn and reported from a survey of CRM applications and evaluation of CRM analytical functions provided by three software business solution companies working in the CRM area, and four companies that used the CRM system. Based on data collected from the companies, results from the analysis indicated that the knowledge process for customers had a positive effect on customer knowledge retention. The paper also verified the hypotheses of the effect of knowledge processes for customers on customer retention. The findings shed light on the potential relationship between the knowledge processes for customers and customer retention. It also provides guidance for the Information Technology (IT) industry as to how an analytical knowledge process for customers should be taken into account in developing countries to support to achieve customer knowledge retention due to cultural, social and educational differences.
Systems Approach to Knowledge Synthesis
Authors: Nakamori Yoshiteru , Wierzbicki Andrzej P.
Published: April 2010

This article presents a systems approach to knowledge synthesis or construction, starting with a new systems thinking named the informed systems thinking, which should serve as the basic tool of knowledge integration and support creativity. Based on this new systems thinking, a new systems approach to knowledge synthesis or construction has been developed as a systems methodology that consists of three fundamental parts: how to collect and synthesize knowledge, how to use our abilities in collecting knowledge, and how to justify the synthesized knowledge. This article first describes the informed systems thinking and then introduces a new systems approach to knowledge synthesis and the features of this new approach from a viewpoint of knowledge creation.
Evolution of IC Science and Beyond
Authors: Edvinsson Leif
Published: April 2010

Today we are bombarded by information and news signals, including health, meteorological, and financial issues. The interpretation of many of these signals will call for a new dimension of Systems Science for enterprises and society, which can be called Intellectual Capital (IC) Science. This article will look into the evolution of IC Science during the past 20 years and emerging signals for its future applications.
A Theory of Learning for the Creation and Management of Knowledge in Learning Communities and Organizations
Authors: Jörg Ton
Published: April 2010

Social sciences have been in crisis for a long time, partly by being the captive of the Newtonian paradigm, and partly through the effects of this paradigm on practice. This crisis was recognized in the past by the Russian psychologist and philosopher Lev Vygotsky, and continues to this day. The educational crisis is just one instance. It is hard to imagine how to escape this crisis, and a real shift of paradigm is needed. In this article, such a shift toward the paradigm of complexity is advocated. The shift implies a reframing of complexity and a new kind of thinking in complexity. The new paradigm implies the development of a causally generative complexity theory of change and development. Ultimately, the fundamental challenge is to harness the complexity of complex, generative learning in the communities of learners in learning organizations.
Towards The New Episteme
Authors: Król Zbigniew
Published: April 2010

The usual horizon of knowledge science is limited to nominalism, empiricism, and naturalistic and evolutionary epistemologies. I propose to broaden this horizon by applying some other philosophical attitudes, such as a non-nominalistic philosophy of language. A basic methodology for the new episteme, including (nonnominalistic) typology and a definition of knowledge and of tacit knowledge, is proposed. Several types of knowledge and the corresponding tacit knowledge are discussed within a broadened philosophical context. There are many types of knowledge and tacit knowledge using different methods of sharing. The main problem with the effective sharing of tacit knowledge is sharing knowledge relevant to the given problem. The transfer, change and transformation of tacit knowledge into explicit knowledge are possible. An example of such a transition, which I call conceptualization, is described. Conceptualization exemplifies how new knowledge can be created with the use of tacit knowledge. A need also exists for a professional collaboration between knowledge science, knowledge management and philosophy.
Engaging Students with Mobile Technologies to Support Their Formal and Informal Learning
Authors: Ciussi Melanie , Rosner Gill , Augier Marc
Published: April 2010

This article explores “Y generation” students’ attitudes to mobile technologies in the context of education, and use of podcasts on their handhelds in particular. Our intention is to investigate how students use mobile devices to support their formal and informal learning practices. One of the “big issues” in mobile learning that we address here is the co-existence of personal informal learning and traditional classroom education. After conducting an experiment and a survey, we conclude that the diversity of student attitudes toward using podcasts in education means that we are in the time of “in between years.” Learning “any time/anywhere” and “digital natives” prove to be a myth for many. The current challenge for podcasting in education is to move from information transmission to knowledge construction and sharing within a formal setting.
Appropriation of Mobile Cultural Resources for Learning
Authors: Pachler Norbert , Cook John , Bachmair Ben
Published: April 2010

This article proposes appropriation as the key for the recognition of mobile devices — as well as the artefacts accessed through, and produced with them — as cultural resources across different cultural practices of use, in everyday life and formal education. The article analyses the interrelationship of users of mobile devices with the structures, agency and practices of, and in relation to what the authors call the “mobile complex”. Two examples are presented and some curricular options for the assimilation of mobile devices into settings of formal learning are discussed. Also, a typology of appropriation is presented that serves as an explanatory, analytical frame and starting point for a discussion about attendant issues.
Unlocking Lifelong Learning Through E-Heritage
Authors: Paskaleva Krassimira , Megliola Maurizio
Published: April 2010

Lifelong learning is often associated with the sociology and the economics of education. However, its broader and more holistic context, which includes learning through involvement in cultural activities, tourism, leisure, and recreation, is much less known. The relationship of this term to the rapidly changing world of Information and Communication Technologies and to various conceptions of interaction is also worthy of further investigation. This article seeks to shed light on that theme by presenting a novel IT platform involving mobile technologies that can enhance access and consumption of cultural heritage community resources. Drawing on material from the ISAAC European project, the article demonstrates how lifelong m-learning can be supported by an integrated e-destination platform that enables the user to build content and engage with that through a variety of applications over time. It concludes with a demonstrator system for the city of Genoa, Italy, to highlight the pathways to change.
JAMIOLAS 3.0
Authors: Hou Bin , Ogata Hiroaki , Miyata Masayuki , Li Mengmeng , Liu Yuqin
Published: April 2010

In this article, the authors propose an improved context-aware system to support the learning of Japanese mimicry and onomatopoeia (MIO) using sensor data. In the authors’ two previous studies, they proposed a context-aware language learning assistant system named JAMIOLAS (JApanese MImicry and Onomatopoeia Learning Assistant System). The authors used wearable sensors and sensor networks, respectively, to support learning Japanese MIO. To address the disadvantages of the previous systems, the authors propose a new learning model that can support learning MIO, using sensor data and the sensor network to enable context-aware learning by either initiating the creation of context or detecting context automatically.
Security Management for Mobile Ad Hoc Network of Networks (MANoN)
Authors: Al-Bayatti Ali H. , Zedan Hussein , Cau Antoniuo , Siewe François
Published: April 2010

Many military research efforts have concentrated on how to allow war-fighters to take advantage of all available information within the battlefield in a rapid and flexible manner. As a result, the development of the Global Information Grid (GIG) was the key enabler for this process; hence, adding to the development of the mobile networking part of the GIG, the concept of the Mobile Ad hoc Network of Networks (MANoN) is introduced. This article proposes a novel security management algorithm achieving the three management essentials: Security Administration; Prevention and Detection; and Containment and Recovery; based on the International Telecommunication Union’s recommendation M.3400 to manage securely the future of military Network-Centric Warfare (NCW). The authors will employ Interval Temporal Logic (ITL) as a method of handling both sequential and parallel composition in flexible timely constrains, in addition, this technique will be evaluated using the Network Simulator (NS-2) to provide and check whether security requirements are met in a comprehensive manner.
Building an Intelligent Mobile Advertising System
Authors: Gao Jerry Zeyu , Ji Angela
Published: April 2010

The fast deployment of wireless networks and mobile technologies and the significant increase in the number of mobile device users have created a very strong demand for new innovative mobile commerce applications and services. Since mobile advertising is one of the important subjects in mobile commerce, studying and developing mobile advertising solutions becomes a hot research and business topic. This paper first discusses the basic concepts of mobile advertising. Then, it reports a mobile advertising system (known as SmartMobile-AD), including its supporting business process, functions, system architecture, and built-in technical solutions. The system supports the wireless advertising workflow for wireless service companies and publishers (or portals) to manage and deliver multimedia mobile ads to mobile users over the wireless Internet. The paper provides insights and design solutions on mobile advertisement targeting, delivery, tracking, and performance measurement. Furthermore, the paper presents application examples of the system.
Improving Throughput of Starved TCP Flow by Sidestepping Bottleneck Nodes Using Concurrent Transmission
Authors: Verma Rajesh , Prakash Arun , Tripathi Rajeev , Tyagi Neeraj
Published: April 2010

The TCP congestion control mechanism along with unfairness problem poses poor performance when IEEE 802.11 MAC protocol is used in multi-hop ad hoc networks because the traditional TCP has poor interaction with the IEEE 802.11 MAC protocol. Because of the greedy nature of TCP, starvation problem of TCP flows with longer paths is severe. In this paper, we first illustrate that the fairness, congestion control and medium contention are closely coupled issues and the spatial reuse of the channel can improve the performance of wireless ad hoc network. By using concurrent transmission protocol at the MAC layer, like CTMAC, in multi-hop networks we can achieve simultaneous transmissions within the interference regions. Further, we illustrate with extensive simulations in ns-2 that by scheduling multiple concurrent transmissions along the path links, the starvation problem due to greedy nature of TCP can be eliminated and ensuing higher flow throughput and lower end-to-end delay.
Weighted Association Rule Mining for Video Semantic Detection
Authors: Lin Lin , Shyu Mei-Ling
Published: April 2010

Semantic knowledge detection of multimedia content has become a very popular research topic in recent years. The association rule mining (ARM) technique has been shown to be an efficient and accurate approach for content-based multimedia retrieval and semantic concept detection in many applications. To further improve the performance of traditional association rule mining technique, a video semantic concept detection framework whose classifier is built upon a new weighted association rule mining (WARM) algorithm is proposed in this article. Our proposed WARM algorithm is able to capture the different significance degrees of the items (feature-value pairs) in generating the association rules for video semantic concept detection. Our proposed WARM-based framework first applies multiple correspondence analysis (MCA) to project the features and classes into a new principle component space and discover the correlation between feature-value pairs and classes. Next, it considers both correlation and percentage information as the measurement to weight the feature-value pairs and to generate the association rules. Finally, it performs classification by using these weighted association rules. To evaluate our WARM-based framework, we compare its performance of video semantic concept detection with several well-known classifiers using the benchmark data available from the 2007 and 2008 TRECVID projects. The results demonstrate that our WARM-based framework achieves promising performance and performs significantly better than those classifiers in the comparison.
An Image Clustering and Feedback-based Retrieval Framework
Authors: Zhang Chengcui , Zhou Liping , Wan Wen , Birch Jeffrey , Chen Wei-Bang
Published: April 2010

Most existing object-based image retrieval systems are based on single object matching, with its main limitation being that one individual image region (object) can hardly represent the user’s retrieval target, especially when more than one object of interest is involved in the retrieval. Integrated Region Matching (IRM) has been used to improve the retrieval accuracy by evaluating the overall similarity between images and incorporating the properties of all the regions in the images. However, IRM does not take the user’s preferred regions into account and has undesirable time complexity. In this article, we present a Feedback-based Image Clustering and Retrieval Framework (FIRM) using a novel image clustering algorithm and integrating it with Integrated Region Matching (IRM) and Relevance Feedback (RF). The performance of the system is evaluated on a large image database, demonstrating the effectiveness of our framework in catching users’ retrieval interests in object-based image retrieval.
The Synthesis of Stochastic Circuits for Nanoscale Computation
Authors: Qian Weikang , Backes John , Riedel Marc D.
Published: April 2010

Emerging technologies for nanoscale computation such as self-assembled nanowire arrays present specific challenges for logic synthesis. On the one hand, they provide an unprecedented density of bits with a high degree of parallelism. On the other hand, they are characterized by high defect rates. Also they often exhibit inherent randomness in the interconnects due to the stochastic nature of self-assembly. We describe a general method for synthesizing logic that exploits both the parallelism and the random effects. Our approach is based on stochastic computation with parallel bit streams. Circuits are synthesized through functional decomposition with symbolic data structures called multiplicative binary moment diagrams. Synthesis produces designs with randomized parallel components—and operations and multiplexing—that are readily implemented in nanowire crossbar arrays. Synthesis results for benchmarks circuits show that our technique maps circuit designs onto nanowire arrays effectively.
On the Notion of Collective Intelligence
Authors: Kapetanios Epaminondas
Published: April 2010

In this article, the author explores the notion of Collective Intelligence (CI) as an emerging computing paradigm. The article is meant to provide a historical and contextual view of CI through the lenses of as many related disciplines as possible (biology, sociology, natural and environmental sciences, physics) in conjunction with the computer science point of view. During this explorative journey, the article also aims at pinpointing the current strengths and weaknesses of CI-related computational and system engineering design and implementation methodologies of CI-based systems. A non-exhaustive list of case studies set up the stage for CI applications as well as challenging research questions. These can be particularly directed towards the Social Web, as a very prominent example of synergistic interactions of a group of people with diverse cultural and professional backgrounds and its potential to become a platform for the emergence of truly CI-based systems.
Enhancing E-Service Collaboration with Enforcement and Relationship Management
Authors: Chiu Dickson K.W. , Cheung Shing-Chi , Till Sven , Narupiyakul Lalita , Hung Patrick C.K.
Published: April 2010

In a business-to-business (B2B) e-service environment, cross-organizational collaboration is important for attaining the interoperability of business processes and their proper enactment. The authors find that B2B collaboration can be divided into multiple layers and perspectives, which has not been adequately addressed in the literature. Besides regular e-service process enactment, robust collaboration requires enforcement, while quality collaboration involves relationship management. These problems are challenging, as they require the enactment of business processes and their monitoring in counter parties outside an organization’s boundary. This paper presents a framework for B2B process collaboration with three layers, namely, collaboration requirements layer, business rule layer, and system implementation layer. The collaboration requirements layer specifies the cross-organizational requirements of e-service processes. In the business rule layer, detailed knowledge of these three types of process collaboration requirements is defined as business rules in a unified Event-Condition-Action (ECA) form. In the system implementation layer, event collaboration interfaces are supported by contemporary Enterprise JavaBeans and Web Services. Based on this architecture, a methodology is presented for the engineering of e-service process collaboration from high-level business requirements down to system implementation details. As a result, B2B process collaboration can be seamlessly defined, enacted, and enforced. Conceptual models of various layers are given in the Unified Modeling Language (UML). We illustrate the applicability of our framework with a running example based on a supply-chain process and evaluate our approach from the perspective of three main stakeholders of e-collaboration, namely users, management, and systems developers.
Chance Discovery as Analogy Based Value Sensing
Authors: Ohsawa Yukio , Abe Akinori , Nakamura Jun
Published: April 2010

The authors are finding rising demands for sensing values in existing/new events and items in the real life. Chance discovery, focusing on new events significant for human decision making, can be positioned extensively as an approach to value sensing. This extension enables the innovation of various artificial systems, where human’s talent of analogical thinking comes to be the basic engine. Games for training and activating this talent are introduced, and it is clarified that these games train the an essential talent of human for chance discovery, by discussing the experimental results of these games on the logical framework of analogical abductive reasoning.
Transdisciplinary Approach to Service Design Based on Consumer's Value and Decision Making
Authors: Takenaka Takeshi , Fujita Kousuke , Nishino Nariaki , Ishigaki Tsukasa , Motomura Yoichi
Published: April 2010

Science and technology are expected to support actual service provision and to create new services to promote service industries’ productivity. However, those problems might not be solved solely in a certain research area. This paper describes that it is necessary to establish transdisciplinary approaches to service design in consideration of consumers’ values and decision making. Recent research trends of services are overviewed. Then a research framework is proposed to integrate computer sciences, human sciences, and economic sciences. Three study examples of services are then presented. The first study is a multi-agent simulation of a cellular telephone market based on results of a psychological survey. The second presents a cognitive model constructed through integration of questionnaire data of a retail business and Bayesian network modeling. The third presents a pricing mechanism design for service facilities––movie theaters––using an economic experiment and agent-based simulation.
Students' Perceptions and Acceptance
Authors: Theng Yin-Leng , Wen Elaine Lew Yee , Leong Jimmy Chong Jeah , Yeow Stanley See Boon , Yan Ding Hong
Published: April 2010

In recent years, we witness the formation of social spaces in computers and networks where children, youths and young adults learn, play, socialize and participate in civic life. The question we want to ask is: if this participatory culture of user-generated content in which socially constructed and collective intelligence is to be harnessed, what are the critical success factors that determine the acceptance of this participatory culture in the learning environments? As an illustration, the paper describes two studies focused on tertiary students’ perceptions of acceptance of social tools such as Weblogs and instant messaging in facilitating collaborative and collective learning with the aim of tapping onto the collective intelligence of user communities. Congruent to other studies, findings from these two preliminary studies have shown that factors influencing the acceptance of social tools such as Weblogs and instant messaging for learning are dependent on learners’ perceptions of usefulness, followed by usability of the social tools. The paper concludes with design implications for socially constructed, learning environments.
Discrete Combat Models
Authors: Fox William P.
Published: April 2010

Lanchester’s equations and their solutions, as continuous differential equations, have been studied for years. This article introduces a new approach with the use of the discrete form of Lanchester’s equations, using dynamical systems or difference equations. It begins with Lanchester’s square law and develops a generalized analytical solution for the discrete model that can be built by knowing only the kill rates and the initial force sizes of the combatants. It then forms the condition of parity (a draw) to develop a simple relationship of these variables to determine who wins the engagement. This article illustrates these models and their solutions using historic combat examples. It also illustrates that current counter-insurgency combat models can be built and solved using various forms of difference equations.
Fuzzy Judgments and Fuzzy Sets
Authors: Saaty Thomas L. , Tran Liem T.
Published: April 2010

Using fuzzy set theory has become attractive to many people. However, the many references cited here and in other works, little thought is given to why numbers should be made fuzzy before plunging into the necessary simulations to crank out numbers without giving reason or proof that it works to one’s advantage. In fact it does not often do that, certainly not in decision making. Regrettably, many published papers that use fuzzy set theory presumably to get better answers were not judged thoroughly by reviewers knowledgeable in both fuzzy theory and decision making. Buede and Maxwell (1995), who had done experiments on different ways of making decisions, found that fuzzy does the poorest job of obtaining the right decision as compared with other ways. “These experiments demonstrated that the MAVT (Multiattribute Value Theory) and AHP (Analytic Hierarchy Process) techniques, when provided with the same decision outcome data, very often identify the same alternatives as ‘best’. The other techniques are noticeably less consistent with the Fuzzy algorithm being the least consistent.”
Linear Programming Approaches for Multiple-Class Discriminant and Classification Analysis
Authors: Sun Minghe
Published: April 2010

New linear programming approaches are proposed as nonparametric procedures for multiple-class discriminant and classification analysis. A new MSD model minimizing the sum of the classification errors is formulated to construct discriminant functions. This model has desirable properties because it is versatile and is immune to the pathologies of some of the earlier mathematical programming models for two-class classification. It is also purely systematic and algorithmic and no user ad hoc and trial judgment is required. Furthermore, it can be used as the basis to develop other models, such as a multiple-class support vector machine and a mixed integer programming model, for discrimination and classification. A MMD model minimizing the maximum of the classification errors, although with very limited use, is also studied. These models may also be considered as generalizations of mathematical programming formulations for two-class classification. By the same approach, other mathematical programming formulations for two-class classification can be easily generalized to multiple-class formulations. Results on standard as well as randomly generated test datasets show that the MSD model is very effective in generating powerful discriminant functions.
Networks Do Matter
Authors: Reynolds Robert G.
Published: April 2010

This article describes a socially motivated evolutionary algorithm, Cultural Algorithms, to design a controller for a 3D racing game for use in a competitive event held at the 2008 IEEE World Congress. The controller was modeled as a state machine and a set of utility functions were associated with actions performed in each state. Cultural Algorithms are used to optimize these functions. Cultural Algorithms consist of a Population Space, a collection of knowledge sources in the Belief Space, and a communication protocol connecting the components together. The knowledge sources in the belief space vie to control individuals in the population through the social fabric influence function. Here the population is a network of chromosomes connected by the LBest topology. This LBest configuration was employed to train the system on an example oval track prior to the contest, but it did not generalize to other tracks. The authors investigated how other topologies performed when learning on each of the contest tracks. The square network (a type of small world network) worked best at distributing the influence of the knowledge sources, and reduced the likelihood of premature convergence for complex tracks.
Constraint Handling in Particle Swarm Optimization
Authors: Leong Wen Fung , Yen Gary G.
Published: April 2010

In this article, the authors propose a particle swarm optimization (PSO) for constrained optimization. The proposed PSO adopts a multiobjective approach to constraint handling. Procedures to update the feasible and infeasible personal best are designed to encourage finding feasible regions and convergence toward the Pareto front. In addition, the infeasible nondominated solutions are stored in the global best archive to exploit the hidden information for guiding the particles toward feasible regions. Furthermore, the number of feasible personal best in the personal best memory and the scalar constraint violations of personal best and global best are used to adapt the acceleration constants in the PSO flight equations. The purpose is to find more feasible particles and search for better solutions during the process. The mutation procedure is applied to encourage global and fine-tune local searches. The simulation results indicate that the proposed constrained PSO is highly competitive, achieving promising performance.