bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mobile Evaluations in a Lab Environment
Authors: Crease Murray , Longworth Robert
Published: May 2011

The evaluation of mobile applications is increasingly taking into account the users of such applications’ mobility (e.g., Mizobuchi, Chignell, & Newton, 2005; Mustonen , Olkkonen, & Hakkinen, 2004). While clearly an important factor, mobility on its own often does not require the user’s visual focus to any great extent. Real-life users, however, are required to be aware of potential hazards while moving through their environment. This chapter outlines a simple classification for describing these distractions and two evaluations into the effect visual distractions have on the users of a mobile application. In both cases, the participants were required to monitor both their environment and the display of their mobile device. The results of both evaluations indicated that monitoring the environment has an effect on both task performance and the subjective workload experienced by the participants, indicating that such distractions should be considered when designing future evaluations.
Mobile Phone and Autonomy
Authors: Chokvasin Theptawee
Published: May 2011

This chapter is to offer a critical study of what the human living condition would be like in a new era of hi-tech mobilization, especially the condition of self-government or autonomy, and how, in the Thai perspective, the condition affects culture. Habermas’ analysis of individuation through socialization and Heidegger’s question concerning technology and being are used in the study, and it is revealed that we are now confronted with a new technological condition of positioned individuals in the universe of communication through mobile phones. This situation surely will be realized in a world highly mobilized by the phenomenon of connectedness. This means that we are concerning ourselves with our concrete individuality for our self-expression in that universe. I offer an interpretation that we would hold this kind of individuality to be valuable because of an effect from technological thinking. In addition, comparing this view on individuality with Buddhism, I found that the view offered here is not similar to the Buddhist concept of self as a construction. I offer an argument to show that these concepts are basically different for ethical reasons; while the Buddhist concept still preserves the nobility of the moral agent (Buddhism, after all, is a religion and needs to concern itself with morality), the concrete individuality discussed here is considered only as an instrumental value in a world of hi-tech mobilization.
Business Strategies for Mobile Marketing
Authors: Bose Indranil , Xi Chen
Published: May 2011

With the appearance of advanced and mature wireless and mobile technologies, more and more people are embracing mobile “things” as part of their everyday lives. New business opportunities are emerging with the birth of a new type of commerce known as mobile commerce or m-commerce. M-commerce is an extension to electronic commerce (e-commerce) with new capabilities. As a result, marketing activities in m-commerce are different from traditional commerce and e-commerce. This chapter will discuss marketing strategies for m-commerce. First we will give some background knowledge about mcommerce. Then we will discuss the pull, push, and viral models in m-marketing. The third part will be the discussion about the future developments in mobile marketing. The last part will provide a summary of this article.
Information Delivery for Mobile Business
Authors: Yang Christopher C. , Wang Fu Lee
Published: May 2011

In this information-centric age, an organization needs to access the most update and accurate information for fast decision making. Mobile access to Internet provides convenient and portable access to a huge information space. However, loading and visualizing large documents on mobile devices is impossible due to their natural shortcomings such as screen size and computing power. In this chapter, we introduce the fractal summarization model, based on fractal theory, for document summarization on mobile devices. This model generates a brief skeleton of summary at the first stage, and the details of the summary on different levels of the document are generated on demands from users. Such interactive summarization reduces the computation load, which is ideal for wireless access. On the other hand, the hierarchical display in fractal summarization is more suitable for navigation of a large document and it is ideal for small area display. The automatic summarization together with the three-tier architecture and the information visualization are potential solutions to the existing problems in information delivery to mobile devices for mobile business.
Resource-Based Interdependencies in Value Networks for Mobile E-Services
Authors: Montalvo Uta Wehn , van de Kar Els , Maitland Carleen
Published: May 2011

The advent of new electronic platforms, such as fixed and mobile Internet, is forcing firms from a range of industries to come together in so-called value networks for the provision of innovative e-services. Firms from different industries have widely varying resources. Our analysis is aimed at specific types of interdependencies, relating the actors’ own and others’ resource contributions to the value creation involved in bringing the service about. To better understand these interdependencies, we draw on theories about firm resources and interorganizational relations. We analyze the importance and relevance of different resources in a number of case studies of mobile information and entertainment services in terms of the actors’ resources and contributions to value in the provision of such mobile services. In the cross-case comparison, we contrast the power structures in the different value networks and identify similarities and differences in terms of the types of industrial players that assume positions of greater or lesser importance. We conclude with a discussion of the implications for value network research.
Channel Choices and Revenue Logics of Software Companies Developing Mobile Games
Authors: Rajala Risto , Rossi Matti , Tuunainen Virpi Kristiina , Vihinen Janne
Published: May 2011

In this chapter, we explore the revenue logics and related product distribution models of mobile game developer companies. Mobile gaming is facing a transformation in both technical infrastructures and business models as it grows at a very fast pace. The former change originates from the technological shift of the environment of use; for example, from specific game consoles toward mobile phone platforms. The latter change relates to the possibility of delivering and playing games online, which affects both the distribution partnerships and the revenue stream options of mobile game vendors. We present a set of possible business models for game developers and concentrate on the possible combinations of revenue logics and distribution models for different games.
Security Architectures for B3G Mobile Networks
Authors: Ntantogian Christoforos , Xenakis Christos
Published: May 2011

The integration of heterogeneous mobile/wireless networks using an IP-based core network materializes the beyond third generation (B3G) mobile networks. Along with a variety of new perspectives, the new network model raises new security concerns, mainly, because of the complexity of the deployed architecture and the heterogeneity of the employed technologies. In this chapter, we examine and analyze the security architectures and the related security protocols, which are employed in B3G networks focusing on their functionality and the supported security services. The objectives of these protocols are to protect the involved parties and the data exchanged among them. To achieve these, they employ mechanisms that provide mutual authentication as well as ensure the confidentiality and integrity of the data transferred over the wireless interface and specific parts of the core network. Finally, based on the analysis of the security mechanisms, we present a comparison of them that aims at highlighting the deployment advantages of each one and classifies the latter in terms of: (1) security, (2) mobility, and (3) reliability.
Privacy and Anonymity in Mobile Ad Hoc Networks
Authors: Andersson Christer , Martucci Leonardo A. , Fischer-Hübner Simone
Published: May 2011

Providing privacy is often considered a keystone factor for the ultimate take up and success of mobile ad hoc networking. Privacy can best be protected by enabling anonymous communication and, therefore, this chapter surveys existing anonymous communication mechanisms for mobile ad hoc networks. On the basis of the survey, we conclude that many open research challenges remain regarding anonymity provisioning in mobile ad hoc networks. Finally, we also discuss the notorious Sybil attack in the context of anonymous communication and mobile ad hoc networks.
Multimedia over Wireless Mobile Data Networks
Authors: Sivagurunathan Surendra Kumar , Atiquzzaman Mohammed
Published: May 2011

With the proliferation of wireless data networks, there is an increasing interest in carrying multimedia over wireless networks using portable devices such as laptops and personal digital assistants. Mobility gives rise to the need for handoff schemes between wireless access points. In this chapter, we demonstrate the effectiveness of transport layer handoff schemes for multimedia transmission, and compare with Mobile IP, the network layer-based industry standard handoff scheme.
Policy-Based Mobile Computing
Authors: Rajeev S. , Sivanadam S. N. , Sreenaath K. V.
Published: May 2011

Mobile computing is associated with mobility of hardware, data and software in computer applications. With growing mobile users, dynamicity in catering of mobile services becomes and important issue. Polices define the overall behavior of the system. Policy based approaches are very dynamic in nature because the events are triggered dynamically through policies, thereby suiting mobile applications. Much of the existing architectures fail to address important issues such as dynamicity in providing service, Service Level provisioning, policy based QoS and security aspects in mobile systems. In this chapter we propose policy based architectures and test results catering to different needs of mobile computing.
The Business of Online Education
Authors: Baldwin Dirk , Piazza Bradley
Published: May 2011

Many observers have predicted a revolution due to online education. Opportunities exist to save money due to the lack of brick and mortar, and travel necessary to take classes in a traditional setting. Besides costs savings, several studies show that online education has significant benefits including support for self-paced learning and better discussion between learners and teachers. The opportunities for online learning have spurred growth in the business of online education. Entrepreneurs see opportunities for increased market share, while others perceive a threat. The design of an online program is not easy, however. This chapter summarizes pedagogical and business dimensions that must be addressed in order to develop an effective online educational program. The chapter also discusses tactics that will help organizations compete in the online education industry.
A Context-Based and Policy-Driven Method to Design and Develop Composite Web Services
Authors: Maamar Zakaria , Benslimane Djamal
Published: May 2011

Web services are nowadays attracting the attention of both academia and industry. However, a very little has so far been accomplished in terms of design and development methods that assist those who are responsible for specifying and running applications based on Web services. For this purpose, we developed CP4WS that stands for Context and Policy for Web Services. CP4WS is a context-based and policy-driven method for designing and developing composite Web servicfes. Policies manage various aspects related to Web services like participation in composition and adjustment due to changes in the environment, and context provides the necessary information that enables for instance to trigger the appropriate policies and to regulate the interactions between Web services according to the current state of the environment. CP4WS consists of several steps such as user needs identification and Web services behavior specification. Each step has a specific graphical notation that facilitates the representation, description, and validation of the composition operations of Web services. A running scenario that illustrates the use of CP4WS is presented in the chapter as well.
Developing an Online Fleet Management Service
Authors: Craig Ron , Nitsch Detlev
Published: May 2011

This case illustrates the new generation of ebusiness ventures made possible by the Internet and enabling information and communication technologies. AlertDriving is a recent Canadian start-up, which has moved through the microbusiness to the small business stage, and aims for continued growth. First-to-market with a Webbased driver training and fleet risk management service, the business combines e-learning, risk management, and e-business. Their new approach replaces traditional methods of classroom and behind-the-wheel driver training and paper-based fleet management systems. Growth has brought both opportunities and challenges to the firm and its two entrepreneurs/brothers. In particular, they face important decisions concerning continuing to grow revenue and profit.
Technological Challenges in E-Collboration and E-Business
Authors: Zhao Fang
Published: May 2011

E-collaboration takes advantage of the current Internet-driven business environment, which integrates the most advanced electronic technologies and the knowledge-based economy. Companies engaging in e-collaboration must participate in external business relationships by using computer interactions (Damanpour, 2001). Implementing e-collaboration strategy can require many sophisticated technologies and systems such as EDI, XML, eCRM. E-collaboration is thus confronted with the great challenge of reengineering IT strategies and resources. “Nearly 80% of organizations that have rushed to establish Web sites for online retailing have failed to invest in the purchasing and distribution systems that make delivery of their products possible” (Neef, 2001, p.3). System failure has a profound effect on e-collaboration and e-business, both in the short and long-term. The tremendous complexity of information technologies has become a huge hurdle to companies embracing them, affecting their entire management strategy, process, structure, and most importantly, business bottom line results. The main technological issues to be considered are associated with IT infrastructure, and managers’ and operatives’ knowledge and skills in e-collaboration and e-partnership. The following constitutes some of the key technological issues facing e-collaboration. • Process and system alignment and integration • Interoperability of systems • Accessibility, security and compatibility of interorganizational information systems • Traffic in collaborative e-commerce activities • Sustained IT support and resources • Transferring and sharing information and data • Building and sustaining an effective virtual network structure amongst e-partners • Quality and effectiveness of networking and communications (Zhao, 2004) This article focuses on the most important technological challenges and issues facing e-collaboration and e-business in the areas of information flow, procurement, logistics, engineering and manufacturing, marketing, customer services, and human resources. It deals specifically with the process and system alignment and integration as well as the issues of interoperability which have become of primary concerns in the practices of e-collaboration.
Applying Information Gathering Techniques in Business-to-Consumer and Web Scenarios
Authors: Camacho David
Published: May 2011

The last decade has shown the e-business community and computer science researchers that there can be serious problems and pitfalls when e-companies are created. One of the problems is related to the necessity for the management of knowledge (data, information, or other electronic resources) from different companies. This chapter will focus on two important research fields that are currently working to solve this problem — Information Gathering (IG) techniques and Web-enabled Agent technologies. IG techniques are related to the problem of retrieval, extraction and integration of data from different (usually heterogeneous) sources into new forms. Agent and Multi-Agent technologies have been successfully applied in domains such as the Web. This chapter will show, using a specific IG Multi-Agent system called MAPWeb, how information gathering techniques have been successfully combined with agent technologies to build new Web agent-based systems. These systems can be migrated into Business- to-Consumer (B2C) scenarios using several technologies related to the Semantic Web, such as SOAP, UDDI or Web services.
Wireless Networks Based on WiFi and Related Technologies
Authors: Boppana Rajendra V. , Chalasani Suresh
Published: May 2011

Multihop wireless networks based on WiFi technology offer flexible and inexpensive networking possibilities. Applications of multihop wireless networks range from personal networks within consumer homes to citywide departmental networks to wide-area vehicular ad hoc networks. In this chapter, we focus on multihop ad hoc networks with communication among user devices and access points, where available, without the restriction that the user devices need to be within the radio range of access points. We first describe pure WiFi networks and their limitations. Next we discuss mixed networks based on WiFi and other wired and wireless technologies to provide robust city-scale networks. This chapter also explores security issues and vulnerabilities of wireless networks. An emerging application of WiFi ad hoc networks-RFID (radio frequency identification) networks based on the WiFi technology for warehouses and large retail stores-is presented. This chapter also presents another emerging application of WiFi-based networks: vehicular ad hoc networks for automobiles.
Electronic Policing
Authors: Boondao Roongrasamee , Tripathi Nitin Kumar
Published: May 2011

This chapter examines electronic policing (epolicing), which has played an increasing role in government-management reform and has become an important area for e-government research. Firstly, the strategic framework and development of e-policing are reviewed. A framework of mobile policing is introduced that is derived from the system requirements of both police and citizens. We examine how an e-policing system is implementing this framework for improving the effectiveness and efficiency of crime control and also providing services to citizens. The system not only simplifies the collection, storage and retrieval of crime data but also uses Bayesian analysis to give constantly refined predictions of the risks of crime in different localities, along with the factors influencing the risk levels. Finally, evaluations of the system are discussed. User evaluations of the system allowed us to study the potential of the system for crime control and citizen services.
The Demise of a Business-to-Business Portal
Authors: Tatnall Arthur , Pliaskin Alex
Published: May 2011

This chapter describes the development and ultimate demise of the Bizewest portal in the Western Region of Melbourne, Australia. We argue that no matter how good the portal software, the final success or failure of the portal is primarily related to how well it is adopted and used. We begin by discussing the concept and benefits of Web portals, and especially those that are applicable to SMEs, as the Bizewest portal was primarily aimed at SMEs. We describe how the portal was conceived and developed, and the difficulty that its proponents had in persuading regional SMEs to change their business processes to make best use of online trading with each other. The research was socio-technical in nature, and was based on considering this innovation through the lens of innovation translation, informed by actor-network theory. Although Bizewest has ceased operations, the portal project must be considered a success, as it produced substantial benefits.
Testing, Measuring, and Diagnosing Web Sites from the User's Perspective
Authors: Borzemski Leszek
Published: May 2011

Users perceive good Internet performance as characterized by low latency, high throughput and high availability. When browsing the Web, users are concerned with the performance of entire pages. Understanding and identifying the sources of the performance problems are very important issues, especially for e-business. Therefore, there is the need to have a service for testing and measuring e-business Web site performance from the perspective of the end-users. We present our contribution in this area, that is, the Wing free service that has been developed for the purpose of Web transaction visualization. Our Web client that probes a target Web site is a real Web browser (MS IE), so the user can observe how a particular browser uses the network. Such known tools use their own Web browsing methods. Therefore, the solutions can be different from that used by real browsers, and the results can be inadequate. Wing helps identify inefficient network usage by the browser and helps to tune Web pages to use the network efficiently. Therefore, Wing can be a good analysis tool for Web page and network application developers.
How Well Do E-Commerce Web Sites Support Compensatory and Non-Compensatory Decision Strategies? An Exploratory Study
Authors: Gudigantala Naveen , Song Jaeki , Jones Donald R.
Published: May 2011

The burgeoning growth of online retailing is forcing businesses to provide better support for consumer decision making on e-commerce Web sites. Consequently, researchers in information systems and marketing have been focusing on investigating the effectiveness of Web-based decision support systems (WebDSS) in providing accurate and satisfying choices for customers. We consider WebDSS implementation based on compensatory, non-compensatory decision strategies and synthesize the existing literature. The results of synthesis show that compensatory WebDSS perform better than non-compensatory WebDSS in terms of decision quality, satisfaction, effort, and confidence. We then investigate the level of Web site support provided for consumers’ execution of compensatory and non-compensatory strategies. We examined 375 U.S.-based company Web sites and found that though moderate levels of support exists for consumers to implement non-compensatory choice strategies, virtually no support exists for executing multi-attribute-based compensatory choice strategies.
Differing Challenges and Different Achievements
Authors: Blass Eddie , Ettinger Andrew , Holton Viki
Published: May 2011

Higher education has traditionally been provided in universities through lectures, seminars and tutorials, and other social mechanisms of learning where students interact in less formal settings. This chapter highlights some of the differences that occur when higher education is provided by e-learning provisions and argues that the challenges that students face and the differences in student-tutor and student-student interactions are sufficiently different to warrant that such degrees be awarded under a separate qualification classification. Drawing on research carried out at Ashridge Business School, UK, into the realities of getting started in e-learning, and a literature review of e-student and e-tutor issues, the argument is made that actually succeeding at this form of learning requires additional skills, motivation and discipline that should be more widely recognized, and that this would be best achieved through a separate qualifications classification. Such a classification would also ensure that e-learning degrees are equivalent to their more traditionally earned counterparts.
Wireless LAN Setup and Security Loopholes
Authors: Issac Biju , Mohammed Lawan A.
Published: May 2011

This chapter gives a practical overview of the brief implementation details of the IEEE802.11 wireless LAN and the security vulnerabilities involved in such networks. Specifically, it discusses about the implementation of EAP authentication using RADIUS server with WEP encryption options. The chapter also touches on the ageing WEP and the cracking process, along with the current TKIP and CCMP mechanisms. War driving and other security attacks on wireless networks are also briefly covered. The chapter concludes with practical security recommendations that can keep intruders at bay. The authors hope that any reader would thus be well informed on the security vulnerabilities and the precautions that are associated with 802.11 wireless networks.
IT Development and the Separation of Banking and Commerce
Authors: Kubota Takashi
Published: May 2011

Unlike the UK, Germany, France, and some major countries that permit entries from banking to commerce and vice versa (“two-way” regulation), the United States and Japan have maintained a policy of separating banking and commerce out of concern that the mixing of the two activities would result in the misallocation of credits, anticompetitive effects, exposure of deposit insurance, and taxpayers to greater risks from commerce and additional supervisory burdens on banking and antitrust regulators. However, this separation is now being reconsidered both in the U.S. and Japan. With IT development, linking online banking and Internet commerce may increase profitability through operating synergies between the two firms and reduce average costs and information costs. Future changes in the financial environment may produce other synergies and the degree of separation should be suitable for such business development. This chapter introduces current laws and discussions in both countries and considers the future of the separation policy in Japan.
The Regulation of New Forms of Electronic Fund Transfers in Japan Focusing on Electronic Money
Authors: Nakazaki Takashi
Published: May 2011

In this chapter, after surveying existing Japanese public laws that regulate the transfer of funds via the Internet, and focusing on electronic money in particular, It will be discussed how these existing regulations may apply to new electronic payment methods that may not have been accounted for when these regulations were established, whether the regulations are sufficient to both provide convenience to the user and protect their safety, and whether these regulations are desirable as business conditions for developing electronic money. Through these discussions, certain objectives will be developed, which should be taken into account when developing regulations in Japan on the transfer of funds via the Internet. Also, this chapter discusses anti-money laundering regulations applicable to transfers of funds on the Internet, focusing on electronic money, and will examine how Japanese money laundering regulations may apply to cross-border transfers of funds using overseas electronic money services. Through this examination, the chapter will attempt to suggest desirable money laundering regulations on domestic electronic money in the near future. Furthermore, this chapter discusses real money trade and point-rewarded programs in view of function of payment or transferring funds electronically in extended research sections, and closes by predicting future research directions.
Fuzzy and Probabilistic Object-Oriented Databases
Authors: Cao Tru H.
Published: May 2011

For modeling real-world problems and constructing intelligent systems, integration of different methodologies and techniques has been the quest and focus of significant interdisciplinary research effort. The advantages of such a hybrid system are that the strengths of its partners are combined and complementary to each other’s weakness.
Emergence Index in Image Databases
Authors: Deb Sagarmay
Published: May 2011

Images are generated everywhere from various sources. It could be satellite pictures, biomedical, scientific, entertainment, sports and many more, generated through video camera, ordinary camera, x-ray machine, and so on. These images are stored in image databases. Content-based image retrieval (CBIR) technique is being applied to access these vast volumes of images from databases efficiently. Some of the areas, where CBIR is applied, include weather forecasting, scientific database management, art galleries, law enforcement, and fashion design.
Secure Knowledge Discovery in Databases
Authors: Wilson Rick L. , Rosen Peter A. , Saad Al-Ahmadi Mohammad
Published: May 2011

Knowledge management (KM) systems are quite diverse, but all provide increased access to organizational knowledge, which helps the enterprise to be more connected, agile, and effective. The dilemma faced when using a KM system is to balance the goal of being knowledge-enabled while being knowledge-secure (Cohen, 2003; Lee & Rosenbaum, 2003). A recent survey of IT security professions found that over 50% of respondents indicated an increase in the security budgets of their organizations since September 11, 2001, and projected that 2004 IT security budgets would be larger than ever (Briney & Prince, 2003).
A Framework for Efficient Association Rule Mining in XML Data
Authors: Zhang Ji , Liu Han , Wang Ling Tok , Bruckner Robert M. , Min Tjoa A
Published: May 2011

In this article, we propose a framework, called XAR-Miner, for mining ARs from XML documents efficiently. In XAR-Miner, raw data in the XML document first are preprocessed to transform either to an Indexed XML Tree (IX-tree) or to Multirelational Databases (Multi-DB), depending on the size of the XML document and the memory constraint of the system, for efficient data selection and AR mining. Concepts that are relevant to the AR mining task are generalized to produce generalized metapatterns. A suitable metric is devised for measuring the degree of concept generalization in order to prevent undergeneralization or overgeneralization. Resulting generalized metapatterns are used to generate large ARs that meet the support and confidence levels. A greedy algorithm is also presented in order to integrate data selection and large itemset generation to enhance the efficiency of the AR mining process. The experiments conducted show that XAR-Miner is more efficient in performing a large number of AR mining tasks from XML documents than the state-of-the-art method of repetitively scanning through XML documents in order to perform each of the mining tasks.
Mediating RDF/S Queries to Relational and XML Sources
Authors: Koffina I. , Serfiotis G. , Christophides V. , Tannen V.
Published: May 2011

Semantic Web (SW) technology aims to facilitate the integration of legacy data sources spread worldwide. Despite the plethora of SW languages (e.g., RDF/S, OWL) recently proposed for supporting large-scale information interoperation, the vast majority of legacy sources still rely on relational databases (RDB) published on the Web or corporate intranets as virtual XML. In this article, we advocate a first-order logic framework for mediating high-level queries to relational and/or XML sources using community ontologies expressed in a SW language such as RDF/S. We describe the architecture and reasoning services of our SW integration middleware, termed SWIM, and we present the main design choices and techniques for supporting powerful mappings between different data models, as well as reformulation and optimization of queries expressed against mediator ontologies and views.
Web Data Warehousing Convergence
Authors: Le D. Xuan , Rahayu J. Wenny , Taniar David
Published: May 2011

This article proposes a data warehouse integration technique that combines data and documents from different underlying documents and database design approaches. The well-defined and structured data such as relational, object-oriented and object relational data, semi-structured data such as XML, and unstructured data such as HTML documents are integrated into a Web data warehouse system. The user specified requirements and data sources are combined to assist with the definitions of the hierarchical structures, which serve specific requirements and represent a certain type of data semantics using object-oriented features including inheritance, aggregation, association, and collection. A conceptual integrated data warehouse model is then specified based on a combination of user requirements and data source structure, which creates the need for a logical integrated data warehouse model. A case study is then developed into a prototype in a Web-based environment that enables the evaluation. The evaluation of the proposed integration Web data warehouse methodology includes the verification of correctness of the integrated data, and the overall benefits of utilizing this proposed integration technique.
Data Warehouse Design to Support Customer Relationship Management Analyses
Authors: Cunningham Colleen , Song Il-Yeol , Chen Peter P.
Published: May 2011

CRM is a strategy that integrates concepts of knowledge management, data mining, and data warehousing in order to support an organization’s decision-making process to retain long-term and profitable relationships with its customers. This research is part of a long-term study to examine systematically CRM factors that affect design decisions for CRM data warehouses in order to build a taxonomy of CRM analyses and to determine the impact of those analyses on CRM data warehousing design decisions. This article presents the design implications that CRM poses to data warehousing and then proposes a robust multidimensional starter model that supports CRM analyses. Additional research contributions include the introduction of two new measures, percent success ratio and CRM suitability ratio by which CRM models can be evaluated, the identification of and classification of CRM queries, and a preliminary heuristic for designing data warehouses to support CRM analyses.
Extraction, Transformation, and Loading Processes
Authors: Adzic Jovanka , Fiore Valter  , Sisto Luisella
Published: May 2011

ETL stands for extraction, transformation, and loading, in other words, for the data warehouse (DW) backstage. The main focus of our exposition here is the practical application of the ETL process in real world cases with extra problems and strong requirements, particularly performance issues related to population of large data warehouses. In a context of ETL/DW with strong requirements, we can individuate the most common constraints and criticalities that one can meet in developing an ETL system. We will describe some techniques related to the physical database design, pipelining, and parallelism which are crucial for the whole ETL process. We will propose our practical approach, “infrastructure based ETL”; it is not a tool but a set of functionalities or services that experience has proved to be useful and widespread enough in the ETL scenario, and one can build the application on top of it.
Validation Approach for Real-Time Databases
Authors: Ribeiro Neto Pedro Fernandes , Barbosa Perkusich Maria Lígia , de Almeida Hyggo Oliveira , Perkusich Angelo
Published: May 2011

Real-time database-management systems provide efficient support for applications with data and transactions that have temporal constraints, such as industrial automation, aviation, and sensor networks, among others. Many issues in real-time databases have brought interest to research in this area, such as: concurrence control mechanisms, scheduling policy, and quality of services management. However, considering the complexity of these applications, it is of fundamental importance to conceive formal verification and validation techniques for real-time database systems. This chapter presents a formal verification and validation method for real-time databases. Such a method can be applied to database systems developed for computer integrated manufacturing, stock exchange, network-management, and command- and-control applications and multimedia systems. In this chapter, we describe a case study that considers sensor networks.
Database Benchmarks
Authors: Darmont Jérôme
Published: May 2011

The aim of this article is to present an overview of the major families of state-of-the-art database benchmarks, namely, relational benchmarks, object and object-relational benchmarks, XML benchmarks, and decision-support benchmarks; and to discuss the issues, tradeoffs, and future trends in database benchmarking. We particularly focus on XML and decision-support benchmarks, which are currently the most innovative tools that are developed in this area.
Electronic Tools for Online Assessments
Authors: Margerum-Leys Jon , Bass Kristin M.
Published: May 2011

The tools used in assessment allow instructors to communicate performance information to students. Each tool has particular things that it does well or poorly, encouraging particular kinds of assessment and discouraging others. This chapter explores the use of three particular software tools-Rubistar, an assessment database, and a document comparison feature—within a teacher education course. We comment on the tools’ affordances, role in the assessment process, and ability to help instructors model effective practices for teacher education students. We also discuss two measurement issues, construct validity and consequences of use, that pertain to tool use in this environment.
Computer Networking of Cybercafés in Delta State, Nigeria
Authors: Adogbeji Oghenevwogaga Benson , Adomi Esharenana E.
Published: May 2011

The convergence of information and communication technology as embodied in the Internet has transformed the present day society into a knowledge society. Earlier, information and knowledge were passed by word of mouth or through manuscripts, and communication was a slow process, but today information is passed from one individual to an infinite number of other users through a number of media and formats which makes rapid and widespread dissemination of information possible (Preeti, 2006). This information dissemination has been so easy today due to the advent of computer network. Computer network is the interconnection of two or more computers for the purpose of sharing resources; this may involve the sharing of common database, software, printer etc. In networking, one may use peer-to-peer model or the client/server model. The peer-to-peer model is a decentralized networking model, which means all account administration is local to each machine and each machine maintains its own account database. In this model, each computer is equal or “peer” of the others. None of the members has total control over the others. This networking may involve the use of hub if the systems are more than two but none of the workstation has total control of the others. However, client/server type of network model is the type of network model, which is defined by the presence of server on the network that provides security and administration of the network. The server enables centralized database security and backup (Adogbeji & Adomi, 2005). In order for the cyber cafés in Nigeria to be able to have access to the entire world and give access to users, there comes the need to network their computers. This they do using client/server model and star topology. This chapter investigates networking patterns in cybercafes in Delta state. It explores the types of network adopted locally, types of networking model adopted in the cafes, reasons for adopting the models, types of networking topology adopted and problems inherited in the networking pattern adopted. Recommendations for improvement are also set forth.
Ara Irititja
Authors: Hughes Martin , Dallwitz John
Published: May 2011

The creation of a digital archive database system for the Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara people in Central Australia has been a challenging information technology (IT) project requiring unique thinking about database design, implementation and deployment. What might seem like sound, standards-based IT practice in a typical urban or academic location becomes unworkable in the physical realities of remote Australia and in the context of indigenous Australian cultural sensitivities. Based on the experience of the Ara Irititja Project, this chapter outlines the central issues facing the development of archive databases for indigenous peoples in remote Australia and points towards the need for a new approach to IT best practices in this context.
Customer Relationship Management and Knowledge Discovery in Database
Authors: Bang Jounghae , Dholakia Nikhilesh , Hamel Lutz , Shin Seung-Kyoon
Published: May 2011

Customer relationships are increasingly central to business success (Kotler, 1997; Reichheld & Sasser, 1990). Acquiring new customers is five to seven times costlier than retaining existing customers (Kotler, 1997). Simply by reducing customer defections by 5%, a company can improve profits by 25% to 85% (Reichheld & Sasser, 1990). Relationship marketing—getting to know customers intimately by understanding their preferences—has emerged as a key business strategy for customer retention (Dyche, 2002). Internet and related technologies offer amazing possibilities for creating and sustaining ideal customer relationships (Goodhue, Wixom, & Watson, 2002; Ives, 1990; Moorman, Zaltman, & Deshpande, 1992). Internet is not only an important and convenient new channel for promotion, transactions, and business process coordination; it is also a source of customer data (Shaw, Subramaniam, Tan, & Welge, 2001). Huge customer data warehouses are being created using advanced database technologies (Fayyad, Piatetsky-Shapiro, & Smyth, 1996).
Customer Investigation Process at Credit Suisse
Authors: Maier Daniel , Muegeli Thomas , Krejza Andrea
Published: May 2011

Customer investigations in the banking industry are carried out in connection with prosecutions, the administration of estates or other legal actions. The Investigation & Inquiries Department of Credit Suisse has to handle approximately 5,000 client investigations per year. To date, the investigation process has been very complex, time consuming and expensive. Several redundant query processes are needed to achieve satisfactory results. In the past few years, new regulatory requirements have led to a massive increase in the number of investigations to be performed. This case study describes how these requirements can be met by redesigning the process and building a data-warehouse-based application that automates most of the process. These two measures have significantly improved the customer investigation process, resulting in considerable cost and time savings for Credit Suisse.
Conflicts, Compromises, and Political Decisions
Authors: Smolander Kari , Rossi Matti
Published: May 2011

This chapter describes the architecture development process in an international ICT company, which is building a comprehensive e-business system for its customers. The implementation includes the integration of data and legacy systems from independent business units and the construction of a uniform Web-based customer interface. We followed the early process of architecture analysis and definition over a year. The research focuses on the creation of e-business architecture and observes that instead of guided by a prescribed method, the architecture emerges through somewhat non-deliberate actions obliged by the situation and its constraints, conflicts, compromises, and political decisions. The interview-based qualitative data is analyzed using grounded theory and a coherent story explaining the situation and its forces is extracted. Conclusions are drawn from the observations and possibilities and weaknesses of the support that UML and RUP provide for the process are pointed out.
Empirical Assessment of Factors Influencing Success of Enterprise Resource Planning Implementations
Authors: Nah Fiona Fui-Hoon , Islam Zahidul , Tan Mathew
Published: May 2011

Enterprise resource planning (ERP) implementations in multinational manufacturing companies have experienced various degrees of success. This article investigates factors influencing the success of ERP implementations in multinational manufacturing companies in the Malaysian Free Trade Zone. The results indicate that enterprisewide communication and a project management program are key factors influencing the success of ERP implementations, while other factors such as top management support as well as teamwork and composition are not as critical to the outcome. Organizational culture is a moderator of the relationships between enterprise-wide communication, a project management program, and the success of ERP implementations.
Sanitization and Anonymization of Document Repositories
Authors: Saygin Yücel , Hakkani-Tür Dilek , Tür Gökhan
Published: May 2011

Information security and privacy in the context of the World Wide Web (WWW) are important issues that are still being investigated. However, most of the present research is dealing with access control and authentication-based trust. Especially with the popularity of WWW as one of the largest information sources, privacy of individuals is now as important as the security of information. In this chapter, our focus is text, which is probably the most frequently seen data type in the WWW. Our aim is to highlight the possible threats to privacy that exist due to the availability of document repositories and sophisticated tools to browse and analyze these documents. We first identify possible threats to privacy in document repositories. We then discuss a measure for privacy in documents with some possible solutions to avoid or, at least, alleviate these threats.
Handling Fuzzy Similarity for Data Classification
Authors: Gelbard Roy , Meged Avichai
Published: May 2011

Representing and consequently processing fuzzy data in standard and binary databases is problematic. The problem is further amplified in binary databases where continuous data is represented by means of discrete ‘1’ and ‘0’ bits. As regards classification, the problem becomes even more acute. In these cases, we may want to group objects based on some fuzzy attributes, but unfortunately, an appropriate fuzzy similarity measure is not always easy to find. The current paper proposes a novel model and measure for representing fuzzy data, which lends itself to both classification and data mining. Classification algorithms and data mining attempt to set up hypotheses regarding the assigning of different objects to groups and classes on the basis of the similarity/distance between them (Estivill-Castro & Yang, 2004) (Lim, Loh & Shih, 2000) (Zhang & Srihari, 2004). Classification algorithms and data mining are widely used in numerous fields including: social sciences, where observations and questionnaires are used in learning mechanisms of social behavior; marketing, for segmentation and customer profiling; finance, for fraud detection; computer science, for image processing and expert systems applications; medicine, for diagnostics; and many other fields.
Integrating Heterogeneous Data Sources in the Web
Authors: Brayner Angelo , Meirelles Marcelo , de Aguiar Moraes Filho José
Published: May 2011

Integrating data sources published on the Web requires an integration strategy that guarantees the local data sources’ autonomy. A multidatabase system (MDBS) has been consolidated as an approach to integrate multiple heterogeneous and distributed data sources in flexible and dynamic environments such as the Web. A key property of MDBSs is to guarantee a higher degree of local autonomy. In order to adopt the MDBS strategy, it is necessary to use a query language, called the MultiDatabase Language (MDL), which provides the necessary constructs for jointly manipulating and accessing data in heterogeneous data sources. In other words, the MDL is responsible for solving integration conflicts. This chapter describes an extension to the XQuery Language, called MXQuery, which supports queries over several data sources and solves such integration problems as semantic heterogeneity and incomplete information.