bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Strategic Implications of M-Banking Services in Japan
Authors: Scornavacca Eusebio , Barnes Stuart J.
Published: May 2011

This chapter explores the state of the art of mobile (m-) banking in Japan. In Japan, in early 2005, there were more than nearly 100 million users of mobile Internet services. A brief discussion about the main characteristics of Japanese banking practices is accompanied by an overview of this country’s mobile market. This is followed by a detailed analysis of the mobile Internet services of three major Japanese banks—Mizuho, Sumitomo Mitsui, and UFJ—and the development of a strategic framework for m-banking. The chapter concludes with a discussion about the future of mobile banking.
Application of Higher-Order Neural Networks to Financial Time-Series Prediction
Authors: Fulcher John , Zhang Ming , Xu Shuxiang
Published: May 2011

Financial time-series data is characterized by nonlinearities, discontinuities, and high-frequency multipolynomial components. Not surprisingly, conventional artificial neural networks (ANNs) have difficulty in modeling such complex data. A more appropriate approach is to apply higher-order ANNs, which are capable of extracting higher-order polynomial coefficients in the data. Moreover, since there is a one-to-one correspondence between network weights and polynomial coefficients, higher-order neural networks (HONNs) — unlike ANNs generally — can be considered open-, rather than “closed-box” solutions, and thus hold more appeal to the financial community. After developing polynomial and trigonometric HONNs (P[T]HONNs), we introduce the concept of HONN groups. The latter incorporate piecewise continuous-activation functions and thresholds, and as a result are capable of modeling discontinuous (or piecewise-continuous) data, and what is more to any degree of accuracy. Several other PHONN variants are also described. The performance of P(T)HONN and HONN groups on representative financial time series is described (i.e., credit ratings and exchange rates). In short, HONNs offer roughly twice the performance of MLP/BP on financial time-series prediction, and HONN groups around 10% further improvement.
Neural Networks in Manufacturing Operations
Authors: Gunn Eldon , MacDonald Corinne
Published: May 2011

This chapter provides some examples from the literature of how feed-forward neural networks are used in three different contexts in manufacturing operations. Operational design problems involve the determination of design parameters, such as number of kanbans, in order to optimize the performance of the system. Operational-system decision support refers to the use of neural networks as decision-support mechanisms in predicting system performance in response to certain settings of system parameters and current environmental factors. Operational-system-control problems are distinguished from decision support in that the consequences of a control decision are both an immediate return and putting the system in a new state from which another control decision needs to be taken. In operational control, new ideas are emerging using neural networks in approximate dynamic programming. Manufacturing systems can be very complex. There are many factors that may influence the performance of these systems; yet in many cases, the true relationship between these factors and the system outcomes is not fully understood. Neural networks have been given a great deal of attention in recent years with their ability to learn complex mappings even when presented with a partial, and even noisy, set of data. This has resulted in their being considered as a means to study and perhaps even optimize the performance of manufacturing operations. This chapter provides some examples from the literature of how neural networks are used in three different contexts in manufacturing systems. The categories (1) operational design, (2) operational decision-support systems, and (3) operational control are distinguished by the time context within which the models are used. Some examples make use of simulation models to produce training data, while some use actual production data. In some applications, the network is used to simply predict performance or outcomes, while in others the neural network is used in the determination of optimal parameters or to recommend good settings. Readers who wish to explore further examples of neural networks in manufacturing can examine Udo (1992), Zhang and Huang (1995), and Wang, Tang, and Roze (2001). We begin with two areas in which neural networks have found extensive use in manufacturing. Operational-system design has seen considerable use of neural networks as metamodels that can stand in place of the system, as we attempt to understand its behavior and optimize design parameters. Operational-system decision support refers to the use of neural networks as decision-support mechanisms in predicting system performance in response to certain settings of system parameters. We close with a short introduction to an area where we anticipate seeing growing numbers of applications, namely the use of approximate dynamic programming methods to develop real-time controllers for manufacturing systems.
From Principles to Practice
Authors: Drinka Dennis , Voge Kathleen , Yen Minnie Yi-Miin
Published: May 2011

The College of Business Administration (CBA) is part of a mid-sized urban university with a primary focus on teaching. It had recently decided to develop a process for defining student learning objectives and outcomes, measuring success in achieving these, and using the results of those measures for continuously improving the quality of student learning. Its aim was to design and develop a system which could automate data collection and streamline the processes of course effectiveness evaluation and course/curriculum enhancement. Even though many challenges still existed for the college, it nevertheless launched into a logical design of the Student Learning Outcome Assessment System (SLOAS). Alexis, the college’s IT Manager, was assigned the responsibility for managing this project. She determined this system would be used for data collection and reporting in order to provide evidence that student learning outcomes were being achieved at the course, college, and potentially university levels. Amid the lack of internal development resources, insufficient IT support, constantly changing standards and policies, budget issues, and so forth. Alexis knew that she was faced with a challenging project.
The Columbia Disaster
Authors: Guthrie Ruth , Shayo Conrad
Published: May 2011

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is a government organization, founded to explore space to better understand our own planet and the universe around us. Over NASA’s history, there have been unprecedented successes: Apollo missions that put people into space and walking on the moon, the remarkable findings of the Hubble space telescope and the Space Shuttle Program, allowing astronauts to perform scientific experiments in orbit from are usable space vehicle. NASA continues to be a source of national wonder and pride for the United States and the world. However, NASA has failures too. In February of 2002, the Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated as it returned to Earth. This event occurred 16 years after the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded during take-off. As information was collected, investigators found that many of the problems uncovered during the Challenger investigation were also factors for Columbia. Underlying both disasters was the problem of relaying complex engineering information to management, in an environment driven by schedule and budget pressure. Once again, NASA is looking at ways to better manage space programs in an environment of limited resources.
Information Technology in the Practice of Law Enforcement
Authors: Williams Susan Rebstock , Aasheim Cheryl
Published: May 2011

In February 2001, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department began the rollout of a “mobile” information system that will eventually enable all information relating to incident reports, arrests, and investigations to be collected, distributed, and managed in a paperless, wireless environment. The system, dubbed Knowledge-Based Community Oriented Policing System(KBCOPS), began as a “grass roots” project within the police department to reduce paperwork, increase data accuracy, share knowledge and information, and promote a problem solving analytical framework. The system has been under development for seven years, from concept to implementation. The strategies and approaches used to develop this system, the technologies employed, and, most importantly, the challenges faced in merging wireless, wired, database, and applications technologies while satisfying the user requirements of the police department are detailed in this report.
End-User System Development
Authors: Jennex Murray E.
Published: May 2011

How much end-user computing is too much? Should end users develop systems? This case looks at a study of end user computing within the engineering organizations of an electric utility undergoing deregulation. The case was initiated when management perceived that too much engineering time was spent doing IS functions. The case found that there was significant effort being expended on system development, support, and ad hoc use. Reviews of a few key systems illustrate quality problems found with the end-user developed systems. Several issues were identified affecting system development including use of programming standards, documentation, infrastructure integration, and system support. Additionally, the issues of obsolescence, security, and procurement are discussed.
ERP Implementation for Production Planning at EA Cakes Ltd.
Authors: Portougal Victor
Published: May 2011

This case details the implementation of the Systems Applications & Products (SAP) Production Planning module at EA Cakes Ltd. The market forced the company to change its sales and production strategy from “make-to-order” to “make-to-stock.” The decision to change the strategy involved not only the company’s decision to invest much more money in accumulation and keeping stocks of finished goods, it required a complete redesign of its production planning system, which was an integral part of an ERP system that used SAP software. A team of IT specialists and production planning personnel was formed for designing computer support for the new production planning system business processes. There was no consensus in the design group. IT specialists were sure that existing SAP software could provide adequate computer support. The production planning staff had doubts that SAP modules are relevant to their business processes. They argued that poor fit between the business processes implicit in the software and the business processes of EA Cakes will result in failure. To resolve the problem, the management invited a consulting company. The consultants suggested quickly designing a rough prototype system. Analyzing this system would help the working group to reach a consensus. Apart from giving adequate computer support to the new production planning system, the SAP implementation had to solve several implementation problems identified by consultants. The question is: can a standard software system like SAP give adequate computer support to an individually designed business management system?
Change Management of People & Technology in an ERP Implementation
Authors: Edwards Helen M. , Humphries Lynne P.
Published: May 2011

Power IT is an autonomous company of about 200 staff producing and repairing power conversion supplies. Eighteen months after adopting an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system the chief executive officer wanted an investigation into the performance of the system. This was to focus on its technical capabilities and its acceptance by users, since it was not delivering the anticipated gains in profits. The results of the investigation reported here reveal problems with the acquisition and implementation process. This case highlights the difficulties that can be encountered by organizations that attempt to tailor an enterprise resource planning system tithe existing business practices. In particular, the need for careful impact analysis of proposed software modifications and effective change management within the entire project is demonstrated.
The Project Management Discipline
Authors: Brandon Daniel M.
Published: May 2011

Professional organizations that have developed around the world to foster the project management discipline (Morris, 2001) have recognized that a distinct skill set is necessary to ensure successful project managers, and these organizations are devoted to assisting their members develop, improve, and keep these skills current (Boyatzis, 1982; Caupin, Knopfel, & Morris, 1998). In this chapter, I discuss the methods, techniques, and standards that these organizations have formalized.
Affecting Change from the Grassroots
Authors: Babitsky Timlynn T. , Salmons James F.
Published: May 2011

Information and communication technology (ICT) is a potentially potent force for empowering marginal communities in developing countries. To be successful, ICT projects must involve local stakeholders, provide participatory forms of communication, and take advantage of local networks of relationships. Drawing from concepts originally presented in the management classic Influence Without Authority and the authors’ fieldwork, this chapter helps grassroots organizers to develop a key set of skills for choosing community development agendas, and provides a practical step-by-step guide for mobilizing diverse stakeholders in support of desired outcomes. This chapter showcases empowering social processes that can prepare marginalized individuals to take best advantage of a well-conceived ICT project. The goal of using ICT [information and communication technology] with marginalized groups is not to overcome a digital divide but rather to further a process of social inclusion. To accomplish this, it is necessary to focus on the transformation, not the technology. (Mark Warschauer — Technology and Social Inclusion: Rethinking the Digital Divide)
Computational Intelligence Applications in Business
Authors: Voges Kevin E. , Pope Nigel K.L.
Published: May 2011

We present an overview of the literature relating to computational intelligence (also commonly called artificial intelligence) and business applications, particularly the journal-based literature. The modern investigation into artificial intelligence started with Alan Turing who asked in 1948 if it would be possible for “machinery to show intelligent behaviour.” The computational intelligence discipline is primarily concerned with understanding the mechanisms underlying intelligent behavior, and consequently embodying these mechanisms in machines. The term “artificial intelligence” first appeared in print in 1955. As this overview shows, the 50 years of research since then have produced a wide range of techniques, many of which have important implications for many business functions, including finance, economics, production, operations, marketing, and management. However, gaining access to the literature can prove difficult for both the computational intelligence researcher andthe business practitioner, as the material is contained in numerous journals and discipline areas. The chapter provides access to the vast and scattered literature by citing reviews of the main computational intelligence techniques, including expert systems, artificial neural networks, fuzzy systems, rough sets, evolutionary algorithms, and multi-agent systems.
Optimization Using Horizon-Scan Technique
Authors: Sugianto Ly F. , Chand Pramesh
Published: May 2011

This chapter introduces a new Computational Intelligence algorithm called Horizon Scan. Horizon Scan is a heuristic based technique designed to search for optimal solution in non-linear space. It is a variant of the Hill-Climbing technique and works in contrary to the temperature-cooling scheme used in Simulated-Annealing. Initial experiments on the application of Horizon Scan to standard test cases of linear and non-linear problems have indicated promising results (Chand & Sugianto, 2003a; Chand & Sugianto, 2003b; Chand & Sugianto, 2004). In this chapter, the technique is described in detail and its application in finding the optimal solution for the Scheduling-Pricing-Dispatch problem in the Australian deregulated electricity market context is demonstrated. It is hoped that the proposed approach will enrich the existing literature on Computational Intelligence, in particular to solve optimization problems, such as those that exist in the deregulated electricity industry around the globe.
Ankle Bones, Rogues, and Sexual Freedom for Women
Authors: Pope Nigel K.L. , Voges Kevin E.
Published: May 2011

In this chapter we review the history of mathematics-based approaches to problem solving. The authors suggest that while the ability of analysts to deal with the extremes of data now available is leading to a new leap in the handling of data analysis, information processing, and control systems, that ability remains grounded in the work of early pioneers of statistical thought. Beginning with pre-history, the paper briefly traces developments in analytical thought to the present day, identifying milestones in this development. The techniques developed in studies of computational intelligence, the applications of which are presented in this volume, form the basis for the next great development in analytical thought.
A Blueprint for Assessing Learning in Virtual Teams
Authors: O’Conner Patricia J. , Godar Susan H.
Published: May 2011

Beginning with an explanation of the concepts and strategies of outcomes assessment, this chapter shows how using assessment can assist in maximizing learning gains from virtual teams. Using as an example a course in Global Marketing, we show ways of concretizing the goal of teaching effective teamwork, designing a course to assist rather than to impede learning, and using assessment both to improve student performance while a class is running and to revise the next iteration of the course. Finally, we offer a series of prompts designed to assist faculty in using outcomes assessment techniques to shape their own courses.
Embedding Digital Infrastructure in Epistemic Culture
Authors: Merz Martina
Published: May 2011

This chapter introduces the notion of a “disunity of e-science:” It posits that different epistemic cultures privilege different forms of digital infrastructure, integrate them into their practice in historically and culturally specific ways and assign to them distinct functions, meanings and interpretations. Based on an ethnographic case study of theoretical particle physics, the chapter demonstrates how digital infrastructures are firmly embedded and deeply entwined with epistemic practice and culture. The case is made, firstly, by investigating the practice of distributed collaboration and how it is sustained by e-mail-based interaction and, secondly, by analyzing the practice of preprinting and how an electronic preprint archive has turned into a central element of the scientists’ culture. In its conclusion, the chapter cautions against techno-deterministic views of how digital infrastructure might align sciences and turn them into a homogenized “e-science.”
Assessment is as Assessment Does
Authors: Bartley Jeanette M.
Published: May 2011

With the increasing adoption of advanced education technologies, such as Internet-based communications, there are greater demands for more effective, flexible, interactive, customized and just-in-time online instructional and assessment systems. As institutions rush to digitize, virtualize and globalize their campuses, there remains the significant issue of the ability to measure outcomes as a means of determining the credibility of technology-mediated learning experiences. This chapter addresses selected concerns including the distinction between online assessment and traditional assessment; the relevance of authentic and alternative assessment; the practical considerations relating to security, integrity, validity, and reliability of assessment; emerging principles of good practice relating to quality indicators, benchmarks and criteria for effective online assessment; and the relative significance of online assessment trens to various drivers and stakeholders.
Creating a Unified System of Assessment
Authors: Schuttler Richard , Burdick Jake
Published: May 2011

The approach to curriculum design and development are essential elements to consider when creating a unified system of learning assessment. Although there are differences between facilitating curriculum online and in the classroom, the modalities do not need to be treated as separate paradigms when establishing assessments. By creating an approach not governed by delivery, education can be made more effective in all modalities. When academic programs are designed in a sound and systematic approach, learning assessment is a natural function of curriculum deployment. Assessing learning without assessing its associated curriculum design is essentially the act of looking at an effect without mentioning its causes. This chapter suggests that the goal of any institution in developing curriculum should be to create an assessment methodology that is integrated throughout its curriculum in a conscious manner, not specific to a modality.
Securing and Proctoring Online Assessments
Authors: Mulkey Jamie R. , Fremer John
Published: May 2011

This chapter examines five main aspects of delivering secure tests and examinations via online methods. First, the importance of understanding the problem of test cheating is discussed. Existing guidelines that help shape computerized test delivery are reviewed for how they manage test administration processes. A taxonomy of different types of cheating is presented and solutions to important security issues in online assessment are considered. Last, future trends in deterring and detecting cheating are proposed. Furthermore, the authors hope that understanding the threats to online test security and considering the options to solve these problems, will provide a forum for reducing test theft and increasing integrity for test takers and test sponsors alike.
Educational Technology and Learning Theories
Authors: Inoue Yukiko , Bell Suzanne
Published: May 2011

Because of the changing nature of today’s students, economic pressures, and rapid implementation of distance learning courses and programs, definitions of what constitutes education and learning are changing, too. Whatever years ago instructors viewed their students as blank slates whose minds could be filled with the information they were imparting, current constructivist theory holds that students, through their interaction with one another, the instructor, and their environment, create knowledge and meaning. (Palloff & Pratt, 2001, p. 3)
The General Conceptual Model
Authors: Levy Yair
Published: May 2011

In this chapter, a general theoretical model is proposed that links learners’ satisfaction and learners’ value of e-learning systems in order to assess learners’ perceived effectiveness of such systems. The central research question in this study is: Is there a relationship between learners’ perceived satisfaction with e-learning systems and learners’ perceived value for learners’ perceived effectiveness of e-learning systems? The significance of the value construct in the context of e-learning systems has never been evaluated. How the value of e-learning systems relates to other constructs, such as satisfaction with e-learning systems and ultimately whether the value of e-learning systems can be used to indicate learners’ perceived IS effectiveness remains open. In this chapter, a general conceptual model or framework is proposed to address this phenomenon in the context of e-learning systems. The proposed model or framework will provide procedures to identify and measure the key constructs (satisfaction with e-learning systems, value of e-learning systems, and effectiveness of e-learning systems). This chapter also defines precisely the individual characteristics and four major dimensions (categories) for evaluating value of e-learning systems and satisfaction with e-learning systems based on comprehensive literature reviewed in Chapters II and III. Additionally, this chapter proposes five specific research questions that are addressed in Chapter VII. Two additional specific research questions are proposed in Chapters V and VI.
Considering Students' Emotions in Computer-Mediated Learning Environments
Authors: Jaques Patrícia A. , Viccari Rosa M.
Published: May 2011

This text aims to present the current state of the art of the e-learning systems that consider the student’s affect. It presents the perspectives adopted by researchers for the solution of problems (for example, which kind of tools we might use to recognize users’ emotions) and also some better-known works in order to exemplify. It also describes the necessary background to understand these studies, including some concepts in the fields of Artificial Intelligence, Computers in Education, and Human-Computer Interaction, and a brief introduction on the main theories about emotion. The authors conclude the chapter by presenting challenges and the main difficulties of research in affectivity in e-learning systems and ideas on some new work on the matter.
Technology Adoption and the Internet
Authors: Mann Bruce L.
Published: May 2011

Technology adoption has been a popular research style among educational leaders since the mid-1970s. This chapter is an introduction to research on a few technology adoption models with a particular focus on their application in Internet-based teaching and learning. A few technology adoptions are the Concerns-Based Adoption Model (CBAM), Rogers’ Theory of Diffusion, the Instructional Transformation Model and Phase Theory.
Action Research with Internet Database Tools
Authors: Mann Bruce L.
Published: May 2011

This chapter will discuss and present examples of Internet database tools, typical instructional methods used with the tools, and implications for Internet-supported action research as a progressively deeper examination of teaching and learning.
Knowledge Construction Online
Authors: Grenfell Mike
Published: May 2011

This chapter uses a contestatory style of research to challenge a number of our dearly held beliefs about constructivism, drawing on data from a discussion board which was an assessable component of a master’s course, EME501: Redefining the Urban-Rural Divide. After reviewing the minimalist and constructivist approaches employed, it looks closely at the kinds of knowledge constructed and the challenges this poses for social constructivism. In particular it looks at the ways existing beliefs and attitudes are reinforced, the maintenance of conservative views, the persistence of gendered knowledge, and the emergence of irreconcilable differences with regard to ICT and the virtual classroom. While not invalidating constructivism as an overall approach to Web-mediated learning, the way in which it is implemented can give cause for concern.
Correlations Research and the Internet
Authors: Mann Bruce L.
Published: May 2011

This chapter will discuss correlation of online data as a statistical technique to show significance and strength of agreement, and those times when percentiles or even raw data will do the job as well.
Teaching Protocaols through Animation
Authors: Turner Kenneth J.
Published: May 2011

Communication protocols are essential components of computer and data communication networks. Therefore, it is important that students grasp these concepts and become familiar with widely used protocols. Unfortunately, communication protocols can be complex and their behavior difficult to understand. In order to learn about protocols, a student therefore needs a more controlled and constrained environment. This chapter describes the development and use of a protocol animator for teaching and learning communication protocols.
Why Problem-Based Learning
Authors: Uden Lorna , Beaumont Chris
Published: May 2011

Since its adoption at McMaster University, Canada, in the 1960s for medical school teaching, PBL has gained popularity and has spread to many disciplines worldwide. Why has PBL become so popular? We will discuss the benefits of PBL for learning by students compared to traditional methods of teaching. Although PBL offers many benefits to students in their learning, it also has disadvantages. Some of these disadvantages are discussed in this chapter. The chapter concludes with personal testimonies from students describing their experiences using PBL in their studies as well as in their current jobs.
The Tutorial Process
Authors: Uden Lorna , Beaumont Chris
Published: May 2011

The tutorial process is at the heart of PBL. In addition to the acquisition of knowledge and conceptual understanding relevant to the given problem, we believe the tutorial group also has positive cognitive and motivational effects on students’ learning. There are variations of the PBL tutorial process, based on the Barrows’ model. This chapter describes the tutorial process we used for our students.
Learning by Doing
Authors: Wise John C. , Lee Sang Ha , Rzasa Zappe Sarah E.
Published: May 2011

This chapter describes the experiences of a team of researchers in the College of Engineering at Penn State who have spent the past several years using the Internet to collect student data. From surveys that were created and posted with little regard for their utility, the authors have reached the point in which they routinely use the Internet to gather quality data from alumni, graduating students, and other populations beyond the college. This chapter will acquaint the reader with these experiences and expose him or her to practical applications of online social science instruments in a higher education environment.
A Student-Centered Online Writing Course
Authors: Coit Caroline
Published: May 2011

This chapter looks at a student-centered online writing course, where peer correctionswere the sole source of feedback. Using the peer correction system-tool (PCS-tool),designed especially for the course, students wrote one text a week and sent their textsto anonymous readers for corrections. The study described here evaluated students’texts from 25 randomly chosen portfolios, looking at, among other aspects, the numberof unreturned texts and false repairs as well as the amount of improvement in thestudents’ writing over the semester. Based on the very positive results of the study, theauthor hopes that other universities will adopt the PCS-tool for their courses so thattheir students, too, can have the advantage of using this non-threatening environmentto practice and improve their academic writing. The PCS-tool is open-source andavailable to all interested parties.
Spatial/Temporal Stability in Neighborhoods of Risk
Authors: Curtis Andrew , Leitner Michael
Published: May 2011

Four years have been spent analyzing infant health data for Baton Rouge. As with working with any dataset, one gets a feel for the data. One such feeling was that the population being studied was mobile. The first indication came when trying to categorize the different neighborhoods in which Healthy Start program participants lived. The main reason for performing such an analysis was to gain an insight into any program participant entering the Healthy Start program, both in terms of her own previous birth outcomes and those of the neighborhood in which she lived (this will be revisited in the chapter on the Baton Rouge Healthy Start). In order to do this, one requirement was to trace pregnancy histories. As the birth and death certificate data did not come with unique identifiers, an alternative common field between birth certificates was needed. Originally, it was thought that a combination of street address, mother’s date of birth, and the date of birth of the previous child would suffice. It soon became obvious that mothers living inside the five zip code region served by the Healthy Start project were mobile. A more in-depth investigation into the degree of this mobility was needed, as there could be implications both in terms of GIS analysis, and the subsequent targeting of outreach into those identified neighborhoods.
Recommendations
Authors: Guah Matthew W.
Published: May 2011

After looking at a few concerns we have about Web services, this chapter suggests a number of ways to approach the Web services business model. It reminds strategists to consider a more holistic approach to IT management rather than supporting their decisions with economies of scale or cost displacement alone. The chapter uses Porter’s classic theories of competitive advantage to review Web services adoption process within organizations.
Helping Users, Mentally
Authors: Santosa Paulus Insap
Published: May 2011

The World Wide Web offers a vast collection of information. As the result, information seeking and related activities have become increasingly common. However, several drawbacks of the current systems often cause some user frustrations. One source of frustration is the way information is presented on the Web. It appears that virtually anyone could become an information source and Web site owner. As such, it is difficult, if not impossible, to have a standardized structure on how information should be structured and presented on the Web. This chapter presents a comprehensive literature review on information seeking emphasizing aspects of human cognition. It starts by pointing out some problems the information seekers may encounter when searching the Web. It proceeds with a navigation metaphor to compare the real-word navigation into hypertext navigation.
Video Coding for Mobile Communications
Authors: Sohel Ferdous Ahmed , Karmakar Gour C. , Dooley Laurence S.
Published: May 2011

With the significant influence and increasing requirements of visual mobile communications in our everyday lives, low bit-rate video coding to handle the stringent bandwidth limitations of mobile networks has become a major research topic. With both processing power and battery resources being inherently constrained, and signals having to be transmitted over error-prone mobile channels, this has mandated the design requirement for coders to be both low complexity and robust error resilient. To support multilevel users, any encoded bit-stream should also be both scalable and embedded. This chapter presents a review of appropriate image and video coding techniques for mobile communication applications and aims to provide an appreciation of the rich and far-reaching advancements taking place in this exciting field, while concomitantly outlining both the physical significance of popular quality image and video coding metrics and some of the research challenges that remain to be resolved.
WMLScript
Authors: Hu Wen-Chen
Published: May 2011

WML is a markup language used for text formatting and displaying (Open Mobile Alliance, 2001). However, the functions of a markup language are limited if there is no support from other programming languages. Two kinds of programming languages can help to extend the functions of WML: 1. server-side scripts such as CGI Perl running on servers, and 2. client-side scripts such as WMLScript running on handheld devices. This chapter focuses on WMLScript, building on the descriptions of WML and CGI provided in the previous two chapters. WMLScript (Open Mobile Alliance, 2000a) is a light JavaScript language (Netscape Communications Corporation, n. d.) that must be compiled into byte code on a server before it can run on a handheld device. It is based on ECMAScript but has been modified to better support low bandwidth communication and thin clients. WMLScript can be used in conjunction with WML to provide intelligent content to clients, but can also be used as a stand alone tool.
Knowledge Uniqueness
Authors: Nissen Mark E.
Published: May 2011

This chapter focuses on how flows of knowledge differ from flows of information and data. It also outlines where such differences are important. We look first at the concept knowledge hierarchy and then discuss at a high level the role of information technology in knowledge management projects. The discussion then turns to examine knowledge explicitness. The chapter concludes with five knowledge uniqueness principles, including exercises to stimulate critical thought, learning, and discussion.
Knowing and Learning
Authors: Nissen Mark E.
Published: May 2011

This chapter discusses the concept knowing, which involves knowledge in action, and learning, which involves knowledge in motion. We look first at knowing and learning in the organization and then examine the tension between learning and doing. The discussion then turns to dynamic interaction between knowledge-enabled action and potential. The chapter concludes with five knowing and learning principles and includes exercises to stimulate critical thought, learning, and discussion.
Trust Issues in a Market Economy
Authors: Schultz Robert A.
Published: May 2011

In a competitive market economy, one is required to serve the interests of one’s employer or corporation. As we saw in Chapter IV, Professional Duties, one can do this in several different roles: as an employee, as a manager, or as a consultant. In each of these roles, one’s duties are often fairly clear. But there are a number of circumstances in which these duties are not the final word. First, when corporate boundaries become blurred, as they are in contemporary supply-chain management, new ethical issues arise. In a traditional market situation, agreement with another company to charge a fixed amount is often collusion or price fixing and is both illegal and unethical. In a supply-chain context, agreements that a supplier charge a fixed amount are essential for vendor managed inventory. They are not illegal and not regarded as unethical. Similarly, outsourcing agreements require companies to be concerned for each other’s well-being.
E-Business Supply Chains and E-Partnerships
Authors: Zhao Fang
Published: May 2011

In today’s business world, most companies operate within an integrated system, or a network of organizations of upstream suppliers and downstream customers that produce and distribute products and services. It is estimated that about 60% to 70% of today’s transactions in any company are completed in the supply chain (Bovel & Martha, 2000). E-partnership in the supply chain is, therefore, the focus of this chapter. This author argues that e-partnership provides a powerful and transformative means for supply chain management to achieve its objectives through extended relationships and enhanced information technologies. The rationale for the argument is that an e-partnering supply chain can lead to greater business opportunities, better integration of suppliers and vendors, better management information, lower operational costs, better market understanding and expanded geographical coverage. Therefore, a partnership approach to the supply chain provides significant opportunities to maximize bottom line results. Helping to better understand the broader operational context of e-partnerships, this chapter explores the recent development of the supply chain, specifically, electronic and e-business supply chain and its interfaces with e-partnerships. The chapter presents a broader comprehensive view of the landscape in which e-partnership prevails and the role it plays in the e-business arena.
African Regional Case of E-Government
Authors: Kaaya J.
Published: May 2011

New developments in information and communication technologies (ICTs) over the past few decades, especially the establishment of the World Wide Web in the early 1990s, have created an unprecedented capacity for people to access and retrieve information on the Internet. Such developments have also affected the way public institutions, particularly governments, provide services to their citizens in addressing the challenges of improving government efficiency, effectiveness, transparency and accountability (Allen, Juillet, Pacquet, & Roy, 2001; Allen, Juillet, Miles, Paquet, Roy, & Wilkins, 2004; Holliday, 2002; La Porte, Demchak, de Jong, 2002; UN, 2004). In addressing these challenges, applications of ICTs have been considered as one of key components in the various public sector reforms, and to some extent associated with the coining of “reinventing government” (Heeks, 2001; Ho, 2002). Thus, by the late 1990s many governments were already delivering Web-based services as “an integral and significant part of a new ‘e-government’ ” (Ho, 2002, p. 434). All over the world, therefore, countries and states are at the various stages of implementing e-government or digital government to improve delivery of government services to their citizens and at the same time to provide increased avenues for direct participation of citizens in addressing with their governments the citizens’ development needs. In general, in all respects of implementing e-government strategies, developed countries are far ahead of developing countries (Basu, 2004; La Porte et al., 2002; Nath, 2003; Netchaeva, 2002; Singh & Naidoo, 2005; UN, 2001, 2002, 2004) due to a number of reasons that will be highlighted later in this chapter.
The Application of Single-Source Publishing to E-Government
Authors: Walsh L.
Published: May 2011

The following article provides an introductory overview of Extensible Markup Language (XML) and how it may be applied to certain processes of e-government to improve accessibility to government services as well as to make governments’ services more widely available. In particular, this discussion explores how the kind of single-source framework used in digital publishing can be used to drive the storage, delivery, and exchange of e-government information and services. The first section of this article provides a basic introduction to XML. The second part illustrates how content is prepared and disseminated using XML, providing some existing and hypothetical examples of this single-source approach. The final section looks at future trends as well as some of the challenges that may be encountered when using this XML-based single-source framework.
Applying ICTs in Juridicial Decision Making by Government Agencies
Authors: Groothuis M.
Published: May 2011

Electronic government is developing throughout Europe. Increasingly, central, regional, and local governments use ICT applications to perform their tasks. In the 1970s and 1980s, computers were mainly used to perform administrative tasks (including word processing). In the 1990s, juridical expert systems were introduced within government organizations: software programs which can solve juridical problems, either without any human interference or with limited human interference, by means of a reasoning mechanism and a “knowledge database” (Groothuis, 2004). Furthermore, government agencies started to use new ICT applications such as the Internet and e-mail to communicate electronically with citizens. This article examines the juridical aspects of automatic decision making and electronic communication by government agencies in The Netherlands and addresses the following questions: 1. What is the legal framework for automatic decision-making by government agencies in The Netherlands? 2. What is the juridical quality of decisions made by expert systems in practice? 3. What is the legal framework for electronic communication between government agencies and citizens in The Netherlands? 4. To what extent does electronic government exist in The Netherlands and what are its prospects for the period 2005-2007?
Content Production Strategies for E-Government
Authors: Salminen A. , Nurmeksela R.
Published: May 2011

The terms electronic government (e-government) and digital government are used to refer to the utilization of the Internet and other information and communication technologies (ICT) effectively in public sectors. In e-government development activities, the concern is often in building new means to support and strengthen democracy (e.g., Watson, Alselsen, Evjemo, & Aarsæther, 1999). In other cases, the main concern may be in supporting the work of people in public sectors (e.g., Mustajärvi, 2003), or in building new kinds of services for citizens (e.g., Lyytikäinen, Tiitinen, & Salminen, 2000). Common to most development activities is the need to have the content of public sector information repositories available on information networks, including the Internet, extranets, and intranets of particular organizations. The content production practices have a major effect to what extent digital content is accessible and how well the content supports e-government goals. In planning new kinds of e-government solutions, it is important to understand the different alternatives for producing information assets and the consequences of the solutions. In the digital era, the actors on public sector have to update continuingly their content production strategies and practices for effective ICT utilization. In this article, we will introduce three strategies for content production and discuss the practices related to the strategies. We will also evaluate the benefits and challenges of each of the strategies. We will demonstrate the strategies and practices by examples from the Finnish legislative environment. Data about the case environment has been collected during long-term collaboration of researchers at the University of Jyväskylä with the Finnish Parliament and ministries (Salminen, 2003).
E-Government Act of 2002 in the United States
Authors: Seifert J. W.
Published: May 2011

The United States is frequently ranked among the most advanced e-government countries in the world (Accenture, 2004; United Nations, 2003; West, 2004). While many of these surveys emphasize the importance of technological issues, such as Web sites, interoperable data standards, and security protections, considerably less attention has been focused on the legislative environment that either facilitates or hinders the development of e-government at the national level. Like all countries, the United States has long grappled with the problem of how to centrally coordinate a diverse and sometimes incongruous collection of departments and agencies to achieve improved efficiencies, while maintaining a level of flexibility that enables these entities to carry out their specialized responsibilities effectively. This challenge can be made harder by the integration of information technology into government, by reifying organizational boundaries in the form of so-called “stove pipes” and “islands of automation.” To combat these problems, national governments are attempting to use legislative means to harmonize a cacophony of independent initiatives, and establish benchmarks for oversight. On December 17, 2002, President George W. Bush signed the E-Government Act of 2002 (116 Stat. 2899; P.L. 107-347) into law. Although there are many existing laws regarding issues such as information technology (IT) management, privacy, and information security, the E-Government Act of 2002 is the first national law that specifically addresses e-government in the United States. Prior to the passage of the E-Government Act, the law frequently cited as the most comprehensive information technology-related law was the Clinger-Cohen Act, signed into law in 1996, just 5 years after the development of the World Wide Web (1991) and at a time when the potential uses of the Internet were just beginning to be recognized by the larger, general public. The Clinger-Cohen Act provisions focus primarily on a narrow range of issues, including the decentralization of IT management within the U.S. federal government, pilot testing of new IT procurement procedures, and the establishment of chief information officer (CIO) positions in the major departments and agencies. In contrast, the provisions of the E-Government Act, described in greater detail below, address a much more comprehensive range of issues, suggesting that the integration of IT into government operations has reached a critical turning point. Some of these provisions include information security, IT management and training, the digital divide, and the creation of an Office of Electronic Government to coordinate and oversee e-government initiatives government-wide, among other duties.