bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Benefits and Pitfalls of Open Source in Commercial Contexts
Authors: Hang Jiayin , Hohensohn Heidi , Mayr Klaus , Wieland Thomas
Published: May 2011

This chapter intends to show how companies can benefit from open source software and its development culture and how the open source communities could, in turn, be stimulated and accelerated. One of the first major steps for businesses that plan to act in this context is to accept that open source projects have their own communication culture. After explaining this fact, we illustrate its relevance on the basis of a case study in which an open source framework was used to build a commercial product. The decision-making process and the lessons learned from it point out some guidelines, particularly for companies that offer projects rather than products. As there are, however, more parties involved than just the developers when OSS is discussed as a business opportunity, we also classify the different players in the software business such as distributors, system integrators, and software/hardware vendors. Findings on roles and their motivations and restraints, partially based on a survey carried out within our research project, point up this categorization. The authors hope that this overview of the benefits and pitfalls will encourage more companies to make use of and invest in the open source way to develop and deploy software.
Experiences Enhancing Open Source Security in the POSSE Project
Authors: Smith Jonathan M. , Greenwald Michael B. , Ioannidis Sotiris , Keromytis Angelos D. , Laurie Ben , Maughan Douglas , Rahn Dale , Wright Jason
Published: May 2011

This chapter reports on our experiences with POSSE, a project studying “Portable Open Source Security Elements” as part of the larger DARPA effort on Composable High Assurance Trusted Systems. We describe the organization created to manage POSSE and the significant acceleration in producing widely used secure software that has resulted. POSSE’s two main goals were, first, to increase security in open source systems and, second, to more broadly disseminate security knowledge, “best practices,” and working code that reflects these practices. POSSE achieved these goals through careful study of systems (“audit”) and starting from a well-positioned technology base (OpenBSD). We hope to illustrate the advantages of applying OpenBSD-style methodology to secure, open-source projects, and the pitfalls of melding multiple open-source efforts in a single project.
CRM, KDD and Relationship Marketing
Authors: Dholakia Nikhilesh , Bang Jounghae , Dholakia Ruby Roy
Published: May 2011

Customers vary in their needs, and their wants change swiftly. The Internet and allied technologies enable customers to locate and obtain a variety of services/products and sometimes even have fun in the process. For e-marketers, satisfying the varied and changeable customers and surviving in today’s fast moving marketplaces is a huge challenge. Three main themes for serving customers have appeared in the business world: Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Technology, Knowledge Discovery in Databases (KDD, or data mining) Techniques, and Relationship Marketing. The integration of these three themes is a key aspect of success in online marketing environments. In this chapter, we outline and illustrate a model that links these three elements based on ongoing research streams in Management Information Systems (MIS) and marketing as well as our own ongoing research program. Starting with three case examples, quick overviews of CRM, KDD, and Relationship Marketing are provided. Then the model and its theoretical justification are presented. This is followed by elaboration and illustration of some of the linkages in the model. Finally, in the concluding section, practical and theoretical challenges are revisited.
An Approach for Evolution-Driven Method Engineering
Authors: Ralyte Jolita , Rolland Colette , Ben Ayed Mohamed
Published: May 2011

This chapter considers the evolutionary perspective of method engineering. It presents an approach for method engineering supporting evolution of an existing method, model, or meta-model into a new one satisfying a different engineering objective. The authors hope that this approach could be helpful for a project-specific method construction. This approach proposes several different strategies to evolve from the initial paradigm model to a new one and provides guidelines supporting these strategies. The approach has been evaluated in the Franco-Japanese research project around the Lyee methodology. A new model called Lyee User Requirements Model has been obtained as an abstraction of the Lyee Software Requirements Model. The chapter illustrates this evolution case.
Comprehension of Hierarchical ER Diagrams Compared to Flat ER Diagrams
Authors: Danoch Revital , Shoval Peretz , Balabaan Mira
Published: May 2011

HERD is a semi-algorithmic method for creating hierarchical ER diagrams from bottom up. The method is based on packaging operations that are applied in several steps on a given flat ER diagram. The result is a hierarchy of simple and interrelated diagrams (namely ER structures) with external relationships to other such diagrams. This chapter describes the application of HERD method using an example from a hospital domain, and an experiment in which we compare the comprehension of HERD diagrams with flat ER diagrams.
Using a Semiotic Framework for a Comparative Study of Ontology Languages and Tools
Authors: Su Xiaomeng , Ilebrekke Lars
Published: May 2011

In this chapter, we survey and compare different ontology languages and tools with the aid of an evaluation framework. An ontology must be of high quality to enable actors to reach a common understanding of the domain at hand. The notion of “quality” in the context of ontology is discussed, and means to achieve high-quality ontologies are listed. The different quality aspects and means to improve them formulate the template for the comparisons of ontology languages and tools, which are two of the major factors that affect the quality of ontologies. The evaluation is based on both practical experiences and evaluations of existing ontology languages and tools. The authors believe that the discussions and understanding of the quality aspect of ontology will assist in developing high-quality ontologies in various application domains.
Integrating Web Data and Geographic Knowledge into Spatial Databases
Authors: Laender Alberto H.F. , Borges Karla A.V. , Carvalho Joyce C.P. , Medeiros Claudia B. , de Silva Altigran S. , Davis Jr. Clodoveu A.
Published: May 2011

With the phenomenal growth of the World Wide Web, rich data sources on many different subjects have become available online. Some of these sources store daily facts that often involve textual geographic descriptions. These descriptions can be perceived as indirectly georeferenced data – for example, addresses, telephone numbers, zip codes and place names. In this chapter we focus on using the Web as an important source of urban geographic information and propose to enhance urban Geographic Information Systems (GIS) using indirectly georeferenced data extracted from the Web. We describe an environment that allows the extraction of geospatial data from Web pages, converts them to XML format and uploads the converted data into spatial databases for later use in urban GIS. The effectiveness of our approach is demonstrated by a real urban GIS application that uses street addresses as the basis for integrating data from different Web sources, combining the data with high-resolution imagery.
Approximate Computation of Distance-Based Queries
Authors: Corral Antonio , Vassilakopoulos Michael
Published: May 2011

In spatial database applications the similarity or dissimilarity of complex objects is examined by performing distance-based queries (DBQs) on data of high dimensionality (a generalization of spatial data). The R-tree and its variations are commonly cited as multidimensional access methods that can be used for answering such queries. Although the related algorithms work well for low-dimensional data spaces, their performance degrades as the number of dimensions increases (dimensionality curse). To obtain acceptable response time in high-dimensional data spaces, algorithms that obtain approximate solutions can be used. In this chapter, we review the most important approximation techniques for reporting sufficiently good results quickly. We focus on the design choices of efficient approximate DBQ algorithms that minimize the response time and the number of I/O operations over tree-like structures. The chapter concludes with possible future research trends in the approximate computation of DBQs.
Teaching, Learning and Multimedia
Authors: Butcher-Powell Loreen M.
Published: May 2011

“We must not forget that almost all teaching is Multimedia” (Schramm, p.37). Today, the magnetism of multimedia is clearly oblivious via the use of streaming video, audio clips, and the Internet. Research has shown that the use of multimedia can aid in the comprehension and retention of student learning (Cronin & Myers, 1997; Large Behesti, Breulex & Renaud, 1996; Tennenbaum, 1998). As a result, more educators are utilizing Web-based multimedia materials to augment instruction online and in the classroom. This chapter provides a theoretical framework for transforming Student Centered Discussion (SCD), a traditional based pedagogy strategy, to a new multimedia pedagogy SCD strategy. The new multimedia SCD pedagogy represents a new way of teaching and learning. As a result, positive responses and feedback have been collected from students in their ability to interpret facts, compare and contract material, and make inferences based on recall of information previously presented or assigned in article readings.
Causal Mapping
Authors: Armstrong Deborah J.
Published: May 2011

Causal mapping is a technique that can be used to represent cognition because it captures the structure of the causal assertions of an individual or group. As causal mapping becomes more prominent in the IS field, it is important that we understand the method, its strengths and limitations and its place within the spectrum of available research methods. Many researchers have made assumptions (both explicit and implicit) regarding causal mapping, without explicating the steps involved. This chapter details the causal mapping (CM) process and decisions that must be addressed so that researchers and practitioners can utilize this method to understand IS issues from a cognitive perspective, as well as provoke interest in expanding the boundaries of the CM method within the IS field.
Using Causal Mapping to Support Information Systems Development
Authors: Ackermann Fran , Eden Colin
Published: May 2011

Identifying what different stakeholders in a business need from Information Systems development has always been seen as problematic. There are numerous cases of failure as projects run over time, over budget, and, most significantly, do not meet the needs of the user population. Whilst having a structured design process can go some way towards reducing the potential of failure, these methodologies do not attend sufficiently to clarifying and agreeing objectives or to considering the social and cultural elements inherent in the ownership and adoption of any new system. Instigating an effective, and structured, dialogue between users, developers and, when appropriate, sponsors, is therefore a critical consideration. Linking user needs, as they see them, to the language of IS developers and vice versa is crucial. Both parties need ownership. This chapter focuses upon the use of causal mapping, supported where appropriate by special software, that facilitates the development of a shared understanding (of both business needs and IT opportunities) and through this common platform enables a negotiated and agreed outcome. The nature of the outcome invites translation to structured design processes.
Knowledge at Work in Software Development
Authors: Iandoli Luca , Zollo Giuseppe
Published: May 2011

Knowledge management practices in software development and engineering have been focused mainly on knowledge sharing and maintenance whereas less attention has been devoted to knowledge elicitation and codification issues. In this chapter we present a methodology based on causal mapping for the investigation and management of knowledge created and elaborated by software development teams in the production of new software applications. The chapter focuses on the early stages of the process when development teams have to make a choice regarding the software life cycle model that best fits, given constraints concerning ambiguity of the requirements, risks, costs evaluation and scheduling. A step-by-step application of the proposed methodology to a case study in a software company is presented to provide the reader with examples drawn from the field analysis and illustrates critical methodological aspects. Implications for knowledge management in software project development are then outlined and discussed.
Concepts and Theories of GIS in Business
Authors: Keenan Peter
Published: May 2011

This chapter looks at the concepts and theories underlying the application of GIS in business. It discusses the role of information technology in business generally and how GIS is related to other business systems. Different views of GIS use are introduced and the chapter suggests that decision support applications of GIS are more relevant to most businesses than purely operational applications. Porter’s value chain approach is used to assess the potential of GIS to contribute to management. GIS is seen as an emerging technology that will increase importance in business in the future.
Efficient Web Mining for Traversal Path Patterns
Authors: Chen Zhixiang , Fowler Richard H. , Fu Ada Wai-Chee , Wang Chunyue
Published: May 2011

A maximal forward reference of a Web user is a longest consecutive sequence of Web pages visited by the user in a session without revisiting some previously visited page in the sequence. Efficient mining of frequent traversal path patterns, that is, large reference sequences of maximal forward references, from very large Web logs is a fundamental problem in Web mining. This chapter aims at designing algorithms for this problem with the best possible efficiency. First, two optimal linear time algorithms are designed for finding maximal forward references from Web logs. Second, two algorithms for mining frequent traversal path patterns are devised with the help of a fast construction of shallow generalized suffix trees over a very large alphabet. These two algorithms have respectively provable linear and sublinear time complexity, and their performances are analyzed in comparison with the a priori-like algorithms and the Ukkonen algorithm. It is shown that these two new algorithms are substantially more efficient than the a priori-like algorithms and the Ukkonen algorithm.
Past Purchasing Behavior in E-Commerce
Authors: Glandon TerryAnn , Haynes Christine M.
Published: May 2011

As e-commerce becomes more competitive, it is increasingly important for Web vendors to understand why people choose to—or choose not to—buy online. Ajzen (1985, 1991) developed the Theory of Planned Behavior to predict and explain human behavior. The current study tests a modified form of the theory in an online shopping context. It is hypothesized that past online purchasing behavior will contribute toward explaining intentions to purchase online in the future, independent of the theory’s original antecedents—attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control. Two-hundred-forty students from two universities completed a Web survey developed from an open-ended elicitation questionnaire. Results indicate that in addition to attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control, past purchasing behavior is directly related to intentions to shop online in the future. Adding past purchasing behavior also significantly improves the explanatory effect of the model. Unexpectedly, past behavior was independent of attitude and subjective norm, but interacted with perceived behavioral control. These results suggest that the challenge to Web vendors is to entice potential customers to try online shopping, as experienced shoppers quickly gain control and confidence in the online shopping process.
Computer and Stress in Social Healthcare Industries
Authors: Suomi Reima , Raitoharju Reetta
Published: May 2011

Social and healthcare industries offer demanding occupations, as they are very human-contact intensive workplaces and, moreover, the customers are usually met in critical and not-wished-for situations. Possible actions are many, and seldom are there clear procedures on how to continue: Each customer contact is a place for genuine decisions. Add to this deliberate service situation a computer, and you can count on difficulties. Our focus is on how information systems affect the stress levels of health and social-care workers. Our empirical study shows–among many other factors–strong correlation between the use of computers and stress levels in the healthcare professions: The more computer use, the more stress. Wediscuss what could be done to manage stress levels in relationship to computer use in health and social-care industries. In conclusion, we wrap the research findings together and propose our extensions to the current knowledge on the relationship between stress and information systems in health care. Our most important finding is that when users understand the total collaborative work setting, computer work obtains meaning, and stress levels reduce.
The Dynamics of IT Adoption in a Major Change Process in Healthcare Delivery
Authors: Lapointe Liette , Lamothe Lisa , Fortin Jean-Paul
Published: May 2011

This chapter deals with the qualitative theory of information systems success. First, the definition of success used in this research will be given. Then, the theory on diffusion of innovations and success of information systems will be discussed to reveal what factors determine the successful implementation of information systems as far as the product and the user are involved. The outcome of this part of the literature study will be used in the construction of the USE IT model, in Chapter IX.
USE IT
Authors: Spil Ton A.M. , Schuring Roel W. , Michel-Verkerke Margreet B.
Published: May 2011

This chapter is the heart of the book and reflects five years of research on diffusion of e-health systems. The resulting USE IT model has four determinants that have to be balanced in assessing the diffusion and use of information systems. Resistance is defined as the degree to which the surroundings and locality negatively influences the users of IT and the degree to which IT-users themselves are opposing or postponing the IT change. The result of this study was that opposite to what was hypothesized,
Quantitative and Qualitative Method
Authors: van der Meijden Mirjan
Published: May 2011

Contrary to what would be expected, the increasing application of patient care information systems hardly resulted in well-defined, methodical purchase or development and implementation trajectories. Together with the lack of thorough evaluations in daily practice, this was an important motivation to the development, implementation and evaluation of the studied electronic patient record. It is a problem that both successful and failed electronic patient record projects are seldom evaluated. This is a problem, because failures and successes can provide relevant information about system qualities, system requirements, important aspects of implementations, and so forth. A second problem is that the methods to evaluate are not yet fully developed as well as the content of evaluations. Clearly, this impedes evaluation practices. To contribute to solutions for both problems we did a case study in the field of neurology. We developed, implemented and evaluated an electronic patient record for stroke with qualitative and quantitative methods. The evaluation started before the development phase and ended after a trial period in daily practice. It was based on an evaluation framework (van der Meijden, Tange, Troost, & Hasman, 2003). The results of the evaluation showed that the previously described framework was applicable in evaluating electronic patient records. It was possible to assess attributes that represented the quality of record keeping, the impact on daily work, the opinions of nurses and physicians about electronic record keeping and the experiences of management. The analysis of these attributes provides insight in why the electronic patient record was successful in some aspects and was less successful in others. They also showed that the combination of questionnaires, interviews, chart reviews and observations in an evaluation provided deeper insight in reasons for use or non-use of an electronic patient record than one single method would have. Results collected with one method can supplement result– regarding the same subject–collected with another method.
Beyond Application-Oriented Software Engineering
Authors: Zhou Jiehan , Niemela Eila
Published: May 2011

This chapter introduces SOSE (Service-Oriented Software Engineering) as an advanced software development. It argues that SOSE is characterized by small projects, existing software reuse, market changing and software evolution focusing, customer domination, and common middards in comparison with AOSE (Application-Oriented Software Engineering). It presents SOSE software development methodology involving the main processes of service extracting, service middard, service circulation, service evaluation, and service evolution with the middard service fundamental. Eventually, compared with other industries (for example, car manufacturing, construction, and electronics) with global standards and fine-granularity components, the software industry is immature in unified service standards, service marketplace, and service granularity evaluation. The authors hope that understanding the underlying fundamental SOSE middard service and SOSE methodology will make the software industry more productive and profitable.
Service-Oriented Enterprise Architecture
Authors: Steen Maarten W.A. , Strating Patrick , Lankhorst Marc M. , ter Doest Hugo W.L. , Iacob Maria-Eugenia
Published: May 2011

Service orientation is a new paradigm, not only for software engineering but also for the broader topic of enterprise architecture. This chapter studies the relevance and impact of the service concept and service orientation to the discipline of enterprise architecture. It provides ideas on how to set up a service-oriented enterprise architecture. It is argued that a service-oriented approach to enterprise architecture provides better handles for architectural alignment and business and IT alignment, in particular.
Engineering a Service-Oriented Architecture in E-Government
Authors: Janssen Marijn
Published: May 2011

Service-oriented enterprise architectures have gained considerable attention of politicians and public servants as a solution for designing new applications and leveraging investments in legacy systems. Service-oriented architectures can help to share data and functionality among information systems and provide the flexibility to include existing legacy systems, which cannot be replaced easily and otherwise restrict further development. In this chapter, the design of a service-oriented architecture in public administration is explored. A case study is conducted at the Ministry of Justice, and a service-oriented architecture is designed, implemented, and evaluated. The architecture is evaluated based on a number of quality requirements. This case study shows the feasibility to replace functionality formerly offered by legacy systems and shows limitations of current technology. This chapter should lead to a greater understanding of the concept of service-oriented architectures in e-government.
Security and Trust in P2P Systems
Authors: Bursell Michael
Published: May 2011

This chapter examines the issue of security in peer-to-peer (P2P) systems from the standpoint of trust. It takes the view that P2P systems present particular challenges in terms of trust over other socio-technical systems, and identifies three key areas of importance: identity; social contexts; punishment and deterrence. It suggests that a better understanding of these areas and the trade-offs associated with them can help in the design, implementation, and running of P2P systems. The chapter combines a discussion of problems and issues in current systems with a review of some of the wider sociological and nonsystems literature which can aid those involved with P2P systems. It concludes with some suggestions for areas where future research may provide fruitful insights.
Relationship Analysis
Authors: Catanio Joseph , Bieber Michael
Published: May 2011

A significant aspect of systems analysis and design involves discovering and representing entities and their relationships. Neither structured nor object-oriented analysis techniques provide a formal process to identify relationships in a system being modeled. Existing techniques leave the relationship determination implicit; they are supposed to appear as a by-product of the other analysis activities. We present a comprehensive, systematic, domain-independent analysis technique, Relationship Analysis (RA), which focuses exclusively on a domain’s relationship structure. RA serves three major purposes. First, it helps users, analysts, and designers develop a deeper understanding of the application domain through making the relationships explicit. It serves as an effective communication tool for the user and analyst to develop a shared understanding of the domain, and to work out differences in terminology, assumptions, and viewpoints. Second, the domains relationships are thoroughly documented utilizing an RA template and an RA diagram. Third, RA results in fuller and richer application analyses and designs. RA significantly enhances the systems analyst’s effectiveness, especially in the area of relationship discovery and documentation, which will result in the development of higher quality software applications that consistently meet user needs.
Program Transformation for Web Application Restructuring
Authors: Ricca Filippo , Tonella Paolo
Published: May 2011

This chapter aims at providing a presentation of the principles and techniques involved in the (semi-)automatic transformation of Web applications, in several different restructuring contexts. The necessary background knowledge is provided to the reader in the sections about the syntax of the multiple languages involved in Web application development and about the role of restructuring in a highly dynamic and rapidly evolving development environment. Then, specific examples of Web restructuring are described in detail. In the presentation of the transformations required for restructuring, as well as in the description of the grammar for the involved languages, TXL (Cordy, Dean, Malton & Schneider, 2002) and its programming language is adopted as a unifying element. The chapter is organized into the following sections: in the section following the Introduction, the problems associated with the analysis of the multiple languages used with Web applications are discussed. Then, the process of Web application restructuring is considered. Three examples of Web restructuring are described in more detail in the next three sections (design restructuring, migration of a static Web site to a dynamic Web application, consistency among monolingual portions of a multilingual Web site). Related works and concluding remarks are at the end of the chapter.
Achieving Strategic Goals
Authors: Morley Michelle
Published: May 2011

This chapter discusses the strategic role of an enterprise resource planning system within the International Centre of an Australian University. Several problems with use of the system are identified in the case study. These problems with use quality are a likely cause for the mismatch between what was expected of the system in supporting business strategies and the actual outcome. The users demonstrate an awareness of organisational strategies and goals and consider that the newly-implemented system does not sufficiently support execution of strategy and achievement of strategic goals, or formulation of organisational strategy.
Efficiently Dispatching Plans Encoded as Simple Temporal Problems
Authors: Pollack Martha E. , Tsamardinos Ioannis
Published: May 2011

The Simple Temporal Problem (STP) formalism was developed to encode flexible quantitative temporal constraints, and it has been adopted as a commonly used framework for temporal plans. This chapter addresses the question of how to automatically dispatch a plan encoded as an STP, that is, how to determine when to perform its constituent actions so as to ensure that all of its temporal constraints are satisfied. After reviewing the theory of STPs and their use in encoding plans, we present detailed descriptions of the algorithms that have been developed to date in the literature on STP dispatch. We distinguish between off-line and online dispatch, and present both basic algorithms for dispatch and techniques for improving their efficiency in time-critical situations.
Constraint Satisfaction for Planning and Scheduling
Authors: Bartak Roman
Published: May 2011

As the current planning and scheduling technologies are coming together by assuming time and resource constraints in planning or by allowing introduction of new activities during scheduling, the role of constraint satisfaction as the bridging technology is increasing and so it is important for researchers in these areas to understand the underlying principles and techniques. The chapter introduces constraint satisfaction technology with emphasis on its applications in planning and scheduling. It gives a brief survey of constraint satisfaction in general, including a description of mainstream solving techniques, that is, constraint propagation combined with search. Then, it focuses on specific time and resource constraints and on search techniques and heuristics useful in planning and scheduling. Last but not least, the basic approaches to constraint modelling for planning and scheduling problems are presented.
GIS as a Communication Process
Authors: Albrect Jochen , Pingel James
Published: May 2011

We examine the role of GIS in communication and decision-making processes by re-interpreting the experiences of the Milwaukee COMPASS Project (Community Mapping, Planning and Analysis for Safety Strategies) in the light of Enhanced Adoptive Structuration Theory. Using numerous practice-derived examples, we conclude that GIS not only facilitates and strengthens communication, but can be used to defuse political constraints to collaborative decision making.
Remote Sensing and Spatial Statistics as Tools in Crime Analysis
Authors: Chen Dongmei , Weeks John R. , Kaiser Jr. John V.
Published: May 2011

This chapter explores the feasibility and utility of using aerial photography or remotely sensed satellite imagery to identify geographic or “place” features that may be associated with criminal activity. It assesses whether or not variables derived from satellite images can provide surrogate relationships between land use and crime. A review of the remote sensing literature suggests two basic approaches to the use of remotely sensed images in law enforcement: (1) tactical; and (2) analytical. The tactical approach uses the imagery as a background to the maps and other spatial information that an officer on the beat might have as he or she is investigating a crime or emergency situation. The analytical approach uses the remotely sensed images to create new variables that may serve as proxies for the risk of crime in particular locations. In this study we employ the analytical approach to the use of remotely sensed images, classifying images according to the presence or absence of vegetation within a pixel, as well as the classification of specific urban attributes, such as parking lots. We also employ spatial statistics to quantify the relationship between features of the images and crime events on the ground, and these analyses may be particularly useful as input to policy decisions about policing within the community.
Workplace Surveillance
Authors: Kizza Joseph Migga , Ssanyu Jackline
Published: May 2011

This chapter identifies factors that are encouraging the growth in the monitoring of employees at work and investigates the reasons for this growth. Technologies, both old and new, that are available for use in monitoring workers are described, and the advantages in the deployment of some of these technologies are compared. The various effects of monitoring on employees are considered, along with ways by which employees can protect themselves from undesirable effects.
Informed Consent and Electronic Monitoring in the Workplace
Authors: Clarke Steve
Published: May 2011

The use of electronic monitoring devices in the workplaces of the private sector of capitalist economies is considered from the vantage-point of the doctrine of informed consent, a doctrine that is understood, following Clarke (2001), to be the basis for a general analysis of consenting relations. It is argued that electronic monitoring in workplace situations where employee consent is possible is unacceptable without that consent. The consent-based argument developed is compared with arguments aimed at restricting the use of electronic monitoring in the workplace that are grounded in the values of privacy and autonomy. It is argued that, whereas a consent-based argument leads to the aforementioned decisive conclusion, arguments that are grounded in the values of privacy and autonomy do not lead to decisive conclusions that could be used to warrant restrictions on the use of contemporary electronic monitoring devices in the workplace.
Knowing How Intranets Enable Knowledge Work
Authors: Hughes Martin , Golden William
Published: May 2011

This chapter explores the role of intranet technology as an enabling technology for supporting the knowledge worker, knowledge work and various forms of knowledge management. The Earl-Hopwood model is utilized to map the intranet enabled knowledge management practices to the work patterns of the knowledge worker. This mapping process yields a greater understanding of the likely impacts of IS developments on the activities of knowledge workers. The research consisted of longitudinal case studies conducted in two Irish public sector hospitals. A wide diversity of knowledge management utilization patterns was found to exist in both organizations with, training, the presence of critical information and ease of use positively influencing the use of the Intranet as a knowledge management tool. Inhibiting factors identified include lack of recognition of the intranet as a knowledge management system, the absence of a knowledge management champion and the lack of strategic intent. Cumulatively, these factors resulted in suboptimal knowledge management usage patterns.
Describing and Extending Classes with XMI
Authors: Cabri Giacomo , Iori Marco , Salvarani Andrea
Published: May 2011

This chapter reports on an industrial experience about the management and the evolution of classes in an automated way. Today’s software industries rely on software components that can be reused in different situations, in order to save time and reuse verified software. The object-oriented programming paradigm significantly supports component-oriented programming, by providing the class construct. Nevertheless, already-implemented components are often required to evolve toward new architectural paradigms. Our approach enables the description of classes via XML (eXtensible Markup Language) documents, and allows the evolution of such classes via automated tools, which manipulate the XML documents in an appropriate way. To grant standard descriptions compliant with the UML (Unified Modeling Language) model, we exploit the XMI (XML Metadata Interchange) interchange format, which is a standard, defined by OMG (Object Management Group), that puts together XML, UML and MOF (Meta Object Facility).
A User Perspective of Information Requirements Determination Quality
Authors: Havelka Douglas
Published: May 2011

A study was performed to identify factors that affect the process quality of the information requirements determination (IRD) process from a user perspective. A nominal group process was used with three groups of users that have had experience with the IRD process. The results indicate there is a set of factors that users agree impact the quality of the IRD process. A total of 33 factors were identified as critical to IRD process quality. These factors are then classified into five logical categories: management, organization, process, technical, and human resource. The users consider management commitment the most important individual factor for IRD quality. However, the groups ranked the process category of factors highest. By using this set of factors as a checklist during the project planning stage, a manager may identify potentially problematic projects or projects with a higher likelihood of success. This study should benefit information technology (IT) users, IT professionals, project managers, and IT researchers. The identification of factors that impact IRD process quality may give managers guidance in assessing the risk associated withspecific development projects. By determining the value of these factors prior to the commitment of resources, managers may increase the likelihood of recognizing problematic projects or projects with potentially high returns, allowing them to take prescriptive action. By identifying the concerns of users, it may be possible to control and manage the antecedents to the IRD process that have the most effect on users’ perceptions and expectations. Lastly, the factors identified may be used to develop metrics to monitor the IRD process or measure its success or quality. For IT researchers, this study offers two primary contributions: (1) identification of the critical factors suggests that there are many variables that have not received attention, and (2) an example of an approach to generate potential variables for further study.
Fundamentals of Multimedia
Authors: Kellerlan Agnew Palmer W.
Published: May 2011

This chapter introduces multimedia, defined as interacting with information that employs most or all of the media: text, graphics, images, audio, and video. Students and faculty need to learn to create and use high-quality multimedia documents, including references, lecture materials, reports, and term papers. The authors provide a framework for understanding multimedia in its rapidly changing context. They discuss a wide spectrum of multimedia end-user devices that range from smart cell phones and powerful PCs to intelligent cars and homes. They also propose a vision of pervasive multimedia any time and anyplace, and discuss related issues, controversies, and problems. Typical problems are excessive complexity and a plethora of choices that paralyze many potential users. The chapter concludes with a discussion of possible solutions to major problems and probable future trends.
Context Engineering for Learning
Authors: Roque Licínio
Published: May 2011

The authors present a view of the problems related to the role of context in learn-ing and development, individual and organizational, influenced by readings inanthropology, activity theory, and actor-network theory, and of how they relate tothe problems of developing e-learning experiences. Next, they briefly present thecontext engineering approach to information systems development as a frame-work to think and organize the development of virtual contexts for e-learning. Thisapproach proposes to achieve a critical understanding of development as asociotechnical phenomenon within a cultural and historical envelope to provide aframework of development problems focused on the relation between a model ofcontext and its mediators. It also proposes to use contextuality as the key to per-form emancipatory movements while operating on sociotechnical networks. Theauthors then attempt to translate the fundamental ideas and guiding principles ofthis approach to the development of virtual learning contexts, elaborating on someof the learning and development issues that arise.
Designing for Unique Online Learning Contexts
Authors: Schofield Mark , Sackville Andrew , Davey John
Published: May 2011

This chapter argues that more attention needs to be given to problematizing designat the level of purpose, audience, and form of online interactions and to seekingalignment of these components. It derives from experiences of conceptualization,design, and delivery processes. Some online students are more active than others;some groups respond to a series of planned activities and online tasks while othersdo not, and in some cases patterns of interactivity develop that are not planned anddesigned for. We propose that the design of online programs is not a simple, but askilled and complex, phenomenon with a large number of independent and inter-dependent variables. We present our ideas in three sections and use the allusion ofa bespoke tailor customizing a jacket for a client. These sections comprise the“jacket,” “the body,” and the skilled task of tailoring the jacket to fit the body,which represents the process of designing for unique online contexts.
Activity Theory and Context
Authors: Farres Laura G. , MacDonald Colla J.
Published: May 2011

Constructivist instructional design (ID) models have emerged with more frequencywithin e-learning. These models offer guiding principles congruent with construc-tivist approaches to teaching and learning. Although constructivist ID modelsshare common principles, each model also offers a unique approach to e-learningbased on its context of development. Consequently, certain models will also bemore authentic and meaningful for a particular situation depending on their com-patibility to that particular context. If that context can be understood, then direc-tion can be given as to the best application for the model. This chapter introducesactivity theory (AT) as a lens from which to understand the context of constructivistID model development in e-learning. It argues that ATprovides a suitable frame-work for naturalistic inquiry within complex settings and establishes a languagefrom which a better comparison of context can occur.
New Wine or New Bottles
Authors: Forret Michael , Khoo Elaine , Cowie Bronwen
Published: May 2011

This chapter presents findings from research into the nature of successful, onlinetertiary teaching and learning. The project is part of a larger study aimed at estab-lishing guidelines for the ongoing design and development of online courses withinthe authors’institution. The research findings, from interviews with tertiary onlineteachers, identify key characteristics of successful online teaching and learning thatare consistent with a sociocultural view of learning. The authors recognize thatonline teaching and learning contexts present challenges for both teachers andlearners but argue that quality pedagogy is founded on a well-considered view oflearning and that the guiding pedagogical principles provided by such a viewapply equally well in online and face-to-face contexts. Thus, they caution againstconfusing the need to respond flexibly to changing environments with the need fora new philosophy of learning.
Quality Assurance During Distributed Collaboration
Authors: Vick Rita M. , Auernheimer Brent , Iding Marie K. , Crosby Martha E.
Published: May 2011

This case study describes the design and delivery of a collaborative asynchronous-synchronous, graduate-level, cross-university computer science course designedto create a highly interactive learning environment that resulted in the emergenceof multiple unique virtual learning communities. The pedagogical principles of sit-uated and problem-based learning were combined in a distributed collaborativelearning context where students’cognitive and metacognitive capabilities devel-oped through the facilitative guidance of the instructors and through discoursewith and observation of other students. The course was designed to motivate stu-dents to engage in interactive learning with others and to enhance transfer ofknowledge gained through this learning experience to real-life situations. Wedescribe the challenges inherent in creating and managing this type of learningcontext as well as how we deployed ongoing formative assessment to ensure theevolution of a dynamic learning environment. The result of our efforts was aunique learning experience for students and instructors.
Ethical Management of Consumer Information
Authors: Cassidy Christopher M. , Chae Bongsug , Courtney James F.
Published: May 2011

Society has focused on privacy solutions to problems related to consumer information, yet the problem has not gone away. Why is this? One answer is that privacy, a regulatory correction, does not fix the underlying “information externality” problem. This chapter integrates economic, ethical, and legal theories related to the issue of information management in an attempt to clarify the debate surrounding the issue of consumer information. It first explains why the debate exists by describing the basic characteristics of information. It then integrates an economic discussion of externalities with the ethical issues inherent in the problem of consumer information to suggest alternative ways to correct externalities. This chapter suggests that one way to correct the information externality is to use a Coasian approach. We apply that approach to the case study of DoubleClick, an Internet advertiser criticized for its potential yet never implemented ability to act unethically with consumer information.
New Media Pathways
Authors: Nixon Helen , Atkinson Stephen , Beavis Catherine
Published: May 2011

This chapter uses the case of students enrolled in the Multimedia Pathway offered by Harbourside High School to discuss the tensions and contradictions inherent in the views that: (a) school curriculum and pedagogy have much to learn from young people’s informal and leisure-based learning; and (b) school-based courses in new media are important because they increase student retention and the chance of success in post-school employment. We draw on literature about the “new work order” (Gee, Hull, & Lankshear, 1996) to explore the nature of these students’ learning about and with ICTs and show that the students’ knowledge exists “in a network of relationships” (Gee, 2000) that bridge the formal and informal learning divide. Finally, we discuss the parts played by their in- and out-of-school engagements with ICT in their becoming the kinds of portfolio people supposedly required by the new capitalism.
Digital Video in the K-12 Classroom
Authors: Essex Christopher
Published: May 2011

This chapter describes how digital video (DV) production can be integrated into K-12 education. It describes how recent technological developments in digital video technology provide an exciting new way for teachers and students to collect, share, and synthesize knowledge. It argues that DV can provide tangible, real-world benefits in student learning, as it requires that students work actively and collaboratively on authentic real-world tasks. Furthermore, DV projects can be tied to technology literacy and curriculum standards. The reader is guided through the stages of the DV production process, and specific K-12 projects are described. Guidelines for choosing hardware and software are provided. Parent and administrative concerns about the use of DV are discussed. The goal of this chapter is to provide K-12 teachers and administrators with the information they need to integrate digital video production into the curriculum.
Using Technology to Create Children's Books for Students by Students
Authors: Howell Lyn C.
Published: May 2011

This chapter describes a children’s book project in which high school students used technology to create e-books for younger students. The benefits of the project for both younger and older students are discussed. Older students developed technology and writing skills; younger students developed letter writing and reading skills. The process is also detailed in the hope that others who might be interested in replicating the project in their own classroom would be able to do so.