bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Thermography
Authors: Toutouzas Konstantinos , Drakopoulou Maria , Stefanadis Christodoulos
Published: November 2011

This chapter is devoted to Thermography, and more specifically, to the basic principles and mechanisms of data acquisition. A detailed description of the potential mechanisms of increased heat generation by vulnerable plaques is provides, along with a list of Thermography devices. Additionally, a special subsection of the chapter deals with the limitation of intracoronary thermography, an extremely crucial issue for both the clinical and research utility of Thermography.
Optical Coherence Tomography
Authors: Athanasiou Lambros S. , Bruining Nico , Prati Francesco , Koutsouris Dimitris
Published: November 2011

This chapter is devoted to the description of the basic principles of data acquisition of the Optical Coherence Tomography imaging technique. The physical mechanisms of the tissue optics are detailed, while the architecture of the OCT system is provided, emphasizing on both the TD-OCT and FD-OCT. Then, after discussing about the OCT image resolution, a parametric comparison of OCT with regard to IVUS imaging technique is attempted. Finally, the limitations of the technique are described, along with the safety of its application to the clinical practice.
Optical Coherence Tomography Image Interpretation and Image Processing Methodologies
Authors: Thackray Simon D. , Bourantas Christos V. , Loh Poay H. , Tsakanikas Vasilios D. , Fotiadis Dimitrios I.
Published: November 2011

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a light-based invasive imaging method allowing accurate evaluation of coronary luminal morphology and reliable characterization of plaque. Its high resolution (10-20µm) offers the unique possibility of identifying clinically important coronary plaque microstructures such as macrophages, the presence and type of thrombus, stent expansion and endothelization and provides accurate assessment of the fibrous cap thickness in high risk plaques. These attributes placed OCT in a unique position as useful tool in research and clinical practice. As a new image modality, many interventional cardiologists are not familiar with its interpretation. In addition, there are only few developed methodologies able to process the OCT data and give comprehensive vessel representation and reliable measurements. Thus, this chapter focuses on the interpretation of OCT images and discusses the available image processing methodologies.
Intracardiac Echocardiography
Authors: Nair Rajesh K , Loh Poay Huan , Sondergaard Lars
Published: November 2011

Intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) represents one of the major recent advancements in cardiovascular imaging that has directly widened the scope of structural heart disease intervention. It has replaced trans-esophageal echocardiography in many of the structural heart disease interventional procedures and hence, precluded the need for general anaesthetic and its associated clinical and logistic issues. Although ICE has been available for more than two decades, it is still not widely used, and many interventional cardiologists remain unfamiliar to this technology. It is the aim of this chapter to provide a comprehensive overview of the commercially available devices with specific reference to the AcuNav™ catheter (Biosense Webster, California, USA), the procedural steps, and clinical applications of this imaging technique.
Current Status of Intravascular Imaging with IVUS and OCT
Authors: Hoye Angela
Published: November 2011

When undertaking coronary intervention, the use of intravascular imaging is an important adjunct to gain additional information regarding the procedure and help to optimise the results. Intra-vascular ultrasound (IVUS) is a familiar modality that is particularly useful at assessing the vessel both prior to and following intervention with stent implantation. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) has been introduced more recently and provides highly detailed images enabling assessment of features such as tissue coverage of individual stent struts. However, OCT has only limited tissue penetration as compared with IVUS. The following chapter aims to provide an overview as to the strengths and weaknesses of both imaging techniques, which should be seen as complementary, and discusses the implications of these modalities in current clinical practice.
Current Clinical Status of Vascular Non-Invasive Imaging Methodologies
Authors: Bragadeesh Thanjavur , Tweddel Ann C.
Published: November 2011

Rupture of high risk atherosclerotic plaque is responsible for acute vascular events such as myocardial infarction and sudden cardiac death. Several non-invasive vascular imaging methods have been developed to identify and characterise atherosclerotic plaques at risk of rupture. In this chapter we will discuss the background, rationale, and current state of non-invasive vascular imaging.
Intravascular Imaging and Haemodynamics
Authors: Papafaklis Michail I. , Michalis Lampros K.
Published: November 2011

Shear stress on the endothelial surface has been implicated in atherosclerosis localization, plaque vulnerability, and remodeling behavior of the arterial wall, as well as in-stent restenosis following percutaneous coronary interventions. The purposes of this chapter are to introduce haemodynamic shear stress, briefly explain the methodology for measuring and imaging shear stress in vivo, present the role of shear stress in the atherosclerotic disease process, and cite the evidence highlighting the effects of stent implantation on local blood flow patterns and linking shear stress at the stent surface to neointimal hyperplasia following coronary artery stenting.
Future Trends in 3D Intravascular Ultrasound (IVUS) Reconstruction
Authors: Giannoglou George D. , Antoniadis Antonios P.
Published: November 2011

Recent advances in geometrically correct 3D IVUS reconstruction enable the depiction of the true coronary anatomy by combining IVUS data with biplane angiographic images. Further development of the existing 3D IVUS reconstruction software, in conjunction with advancing hardware capabilities, is expected to allow the implementation of real-time 3D IVUS reconstruction within the catheterization laboratories.
Requirements Engineering Process Improvement and Related Models
Authors: Solemon Badariah , Sahibuddin Shamsul , Ghani Abdul Azim Abd
Published: November 2011

Requirements Engineering (RE) is a key discipline in software development, and several standards and models are available to help assess and improve RE processes. However, different standards and models can also help achieve different improvement goals. Thus, organizations are challenged to select these standards and models to best suit their specific context and available resources. This chapter presents a review of selected RE-specific and generic process improvement models that are available in the public domain. The review aims to provide preliminary information that might be needed by organizations in selecting these models. The chapter begins with analyses of how RE maturity is addressed in the Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI) for Development. Then, it describes the principal characteristics of, and the assessment and improvement framework applied in four RE-specific process assessment and improvement models: the Requirements Engineering Good Practice Guide (REGPG), the Requirements Engineering Process Maturity(REPM), the Requirements Capability Maturity Model (R-CMM), and the Market-Driven Requirements Engineering Process Model (MDREPM). This chapter also examines the utility and lesson learned of these models.
The Development of International Standards to Facilitate Process Improvements for Very Small Entities
Authors: Laporte Claude , Vargas Edgardo Palza
Published: November 2011

Industry recognizes that Very Small Entities (VSEs) that develop software are very important to the economy. A Very Small Entity (VSE) is an entity (enterprise, organization, department or project) with up to 25 people..Failure to deliver a quality product on time and within budget threatens the competitiveness of VSEs and impacts their customers. One way to mitigate these risks is to put in place proven software engineering practices. Many international standards and models, like ISO/IEC 12207 or CMMI®1, have been developed to capture proven engineering practices. However, these documents were not designed for VSEs and are often difficult to apply in such settings. This chapter presents a description of the development of process improvement international standards (IS) targeting VSEs developing or maintaining software as a standalone product or software as a component of a system. The documents used by ISO/IEC JTC1/SC72 Working Group 24 (WG24), mandated to develop a set of standards and guides, and the approach that led to the development, balloting of the ISs, and TRs (Technical Reports) for VSEs are also presented. The chapter focuses on the ISO/IEC 29110 Standard3, the development of means to help VSEs improve their processes, and the description of a few pilot projects conducted to implement the processes of ISO/IEC 29110 standard.
Quality, Improvement and Measurements in High Risk Software
Authors: Vargas Edgardo Palza
Published: November 2011

We aim to improve quality in software engineering projects by introducing Verification and Validation (V&V) best practices in terms of process, artifacts, and quality performance indicators. We present a Quality Measurement Management Tool (QMT) in order to support quality activities and process. This tool is based on a measurement meta-model repository for collecting, storing, analyzing and reporting measurement data. It is important to note that the proposed QMT supports the IEEE Standard 1012 for Software Verification and Validation (management, acquisition, supply, development, operation, and maintenance), as well as measurement information needs to Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI) processes and products requirements. Our repository is generic, flexible, and integrated, supporting a dynamic measurement system. It was originally designed to support Ericsson Research Canada’s business information needs.
Implementing Internal Software Process Assessment
Authors: Fauzi Shukor Sanim Mohd , Ramli Nuraminah , Noor Mustafa Kamal Mohd
Published: November 2011

Software process assessments have become commonplace in the software industry because the software industry usually does not recognize the level of their software process. From the time software is developed, a phenomenon called software crisis exists subsuming wrong schedules and cost estimates, low productivity of people, as well as low productivity. A promising approach out of this crisis is now growing up in the software engineering community. One of the approaches is Software Process Assessment. We present our experience in implementing internal software process assessment at one of the mid-size Information Technology (IT) company by using the customized SPA method. The customized model is basically based on Standard CMMI Appraisal Method for Process Improvement (SCAMPI).
Resistance Factors in Software Processes Improvement
Authors: Porto Josiane Brietzke
Published: November 2011

Several companies have been carrying out software processes improvement projects. However, some of them give up before the project ends, and others take much longer than expected to get it accomplished. This way, identifying the resistance factors that influence the implementation of such projects might serve as a reference to professionals in this area on the one hand, and help to manage future projects on the other, through the use of preventive actions that either lessen or eliminate the resistance factors’ consequences. For this matter, this chapter presents a survey with 36 professionals involved in initiatives of software processes improvement in 18 companies in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
Implementation of the Personal Software Process in Academic Settings and Current Support Tools
Authors: Nasir Mohd Hairul Nizam Md , Alias Nur Aalyaa , Fauzi Shukor Sanim Mohd , Massatu Mohd Hashim
Published: November 2011

The Personal Software Process (PSP) is a structured software development framework that includes defined operations, measurements, and analysis techniques designed to help software engineers understand and build on their personal skills and improve their performance. The PSP provides a defined personal process, guides software engineers in collecting and recording data, and defines ways to analyse data and make process improvements. This chapter reviews the previous literature on the implementation of the PSP in academic settings. Lessons learned from PSP implementations are then highlighted. We found that there were mixed outcomes due to several issues that later become a barrier to the adoption of the PSP. Several tools have been developed to overcome these barriers and constitute a helping hand for both students and engineers in adopting the PSP.
Managing Software Projects with Team Software Process (TSP)
Authors: Hamid Salmiza Saul , Nasir Mohd Hairul Nizam Md , Sahibuddin Shamsul , Nor Mustaffa Kamal Mohd
Published: November 2011

Despite the widespread use of sound project management practices and process improvement models over the last several years, the failure of software projects remains a challenge to organisations. As part of the attempt to address software industry challenges, several models, frameworks, and methods have been developed that are intended to improve software processes to produce quality software on time, under budget, and in accordance with previously stipulated functionalities. One of the most widely practised methods is the Team Software Process (TSP). The TSP was designed to provide an operational framework for establishing an effective team environment and guiding engineering teams in their work. This chapter provides an overview of the TSP and its associated structures and processes. It also highlights how the TSP operational framework can assist project manager and software development team to deliver successful projects by controlling and minimizing the most common software failure factors. Comparative analysis between the TSP and conventional project management has also been presented. Additionally, the results of TSP implementation in industrial settings are highlighted with particular reference to scheduling, quality, and productivity. The last section indicates additional advantages of TSP and comments on the future of TSP in the global software development project.
Software Process Improvement for Small and Very Small Enterprises
Authors: Zarour Mohammad , Abran Alain , Desharnais Jean-Marc
Published: November 2011

Software organizations have been struggling for decades to improve the quality of their products by improving their software development processes. Designing an improvement program for a software development process is a demanding and complex task. This task consists of two main processes: the assessment process and the improvement process. A successful improvement process requires first a successful assessment; failing to assess the organization’s software development process could create unsatisfactory results. Although very small enterprises (VSEs) have several interesting characteristics such as flexibility and ease of communications, initiating an assessment and improvement process based on well-known Software Process Improvement (SPI) models such as Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI) and ISO 15504 is more challenging in such VSEs. Accordingly, researchers and practitioners have designed a few assessment methods to meet the needs of VSEs organizations to initiate an SPI process. This chapter discusses the assessment and improvement process in VSEs; we first examine VSEs characteristics and problems. Next, we discuss the different assessment methods and standards designed to fit the needs of such organizations and how to compare them. Finally, we present future research work perceived in this context.
Conducting Needs Analysis in Preparation towards the Development of Electronic Self-Instructional Materials (e-SIM)
Authors: Jamaludin Haziah , Wahab Hairani , Hamzah Suzana
Published: November 2011

The focus of this chapter is on the evaluation of the existing printed materials provided to learners of a distance learning program. From the learners’ feedbacks the existing gaps between the information presented in their self instructional material (SIM) and the learners’ requirements for effective learning were identified. The chapter’s particular emphasis is on identifying the elements that could be enhanced to improve learning and teaching using the unique attributes of online learning technologies. Elements like updateability of content, hypertext, hyperlinks and automatic feedbacks were found to be the factors that were needed by the learners which could not be available in the printed SIM but could easily be integrated into the e-SIM. Information retrieval modes like browsing and searching available on the internet is an important element which the learners could not easily access from the printed SIM.
Searching for Information on the Web
Authors: Yamin Fadhilah Mat , Ramayah T.
Published: November 2011

To date, the World Wide Web (WWW) is the most popular environment for information searching and retrieval. One of the steps in searching for information on the web is by entering a query to the search system and reformulating the queries. There are many challenges and issues in formulating effective queries. Effective queries will produce relevant document that matches the user information need. The discussion of this chapter will be focusing on how to apply both breadth and depth search query formulation strategies for effective searching on the web. The discussion will be based on a selected search task. At the end of the chapter, a recommendation for a step-by-step searching procedure will be presented as a guideline for effective searching.
The Art and Science of Designing and Developing an Online English Language Training Module for Adult Learners
Authors: Mustapha Wan Zumusni Wan
Published: November 2011

The rapid growth of e-learning in the education world poses a growing demand for online training for lecturers to master web-based applications in teaching and learning. As a knowledge hub, higher education providers can play a more proactive role in knowledge dissemination and acculturation by taking advantage of what the internet can offer. This challenges some fundamental issues in education in propagating paradigm shift among the lecturers and designing a module that fulfils the lecturers’ need to upgrade their knowledge and skills, including English Language proficiency to be better lecturers and researchers. One way of doing so is through e-training, which offers flexibility and cost saving. This chapter describes the design and development of the online English Language Training module for professional adult learners. This includes the criteria for selecting suitable URLs, topics to include as proposed by respondents from the needs analysis and the stages in constructing OLELT, a website for lecturers to upgrade their existing knowledge to be better researchers, writers and academicians. This chapter also delineates the challenges in implementing an e-training program. This is important for the management to consider so that higher education providers can harness human capital to propagate lifelong learning and acculturate a learning academic organization.
Design and Development of a Multimedia Constructivist Learning Environment to Affect the Achievement of Chemistry Learners
Authors: Krishnasamy Vickneasvari , Chong Toh Seong , Umar Irfan Naufal
Published: November 2011

The MCI pupils performed significantly better than the MOI pupils in the multimedia instruction. The high-ability pupils also performed significantly better than the low-ability pupils in the multimedia instruction. However, the field-independent pupils did not perform significantly better when compared to the field-dependent pupils in the multimedia instruction. Implications of this study in the context of constructivist learning were discussed.
Designing, Developing and Evaluating Professional Language and Intercultural Competencies with Phone Simulations
Authors: Gabarre Cécile , Gabarre Serge
Published: November 2011

With the development of call centers to handle customer services, many tour operators have adopted the technique of recruitment by simulation where the candidates are judged on their ability to respond to working scenarios. To facilitate the school-to-work transition, we sought to increase the learners’ exposure to professional tasks and to challenge their communication skills in real situations. This chapter specifically relates to the design, implementation and assessment of a phone conversation simulation introduced in the evaluation scheme within the French for Tourism and Hospitality course. The 22 participants were Malaysian learners majoring in French. The analysis of examination results, phone conversation recordings as well as surveys on the learners’ perceptions of the new evaluation format provided a complete feedback on the experience. This chapter aims to present practitioners with a reference guide with step by step explanations and solutions easily transferable to any course with a communication component.
Formative Evaluation of an Arabic Online Vocabulary Learning Games Prototype
Authors: Sahrir Muhammad Sabri
Published: November 2011

The use of digital game-based learning is a new trend of instructional practices in different fields of knowledge. The research and studies related to this field are increasingly attracting the researchers all over the world to further explore the various aspects of educational games models, the design and development of games itself, the evaluation insights and many more. This chapter describes an experience of the formative evaluation of an online game among Arabic language learners at the elementary level in the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM). The mixed methods of quantitative and qualitative research approaches were utilized to investigate the usability, practicality and effectiveness of this games prototype in the real settings. This chapter also described the process and phases of evaluation throughout the responses from participants which vary from experts in instructional design (ID), subject matter experts (SME), lecturers and learners as the actual users.
Moving Beyond Four Walls
Authors: Heafner Tina L. , Petty Teresa , Hartshorne Richard
Published: November 2011

In this qualitative research study, the authors explore the use of the Remote Observation of Graduate Interns (ROGI) as a tool for expanding online instruction for teacher licensure programs. Data are presented evaluating the differences between remote (synchronous) and face to face observational processes for a social studies lateral entry teacher, a student teaching social studies graduate intern, a social studies methods instructor, and a generalist. Through their rich, thick descriptions of the data, they conclude that remote and face to face observations are not equivalent methods; however, they are comparable and thus interchangeable, providing an innovative alternative for addressing constraints of traditional observation processes and shrinking operational budgets. Finally, the authors describe how ROGI moved learning and assessment beyond four walls and the potential ROGI offers in redefining teacher preparation using a multimedia video conferencing platform.
The Effectiveness of an Inquiry-Based Computer-Simulated Lesson in Physics
Authors: Abdullah Sopiah , Siew Nyet Moi , Abbas Merza
Published: November 2011

Robust as they are, the existing instructional design prescriptions (Reigeluth, 1983; 1999) which are content-based, expository- and individual-oriented, and generally technology-free are of little use when the task is to design inquiry-based computer-simulated lessons for teaching scientific thinking skills in cooperative learning environments. Thus, the aims of this study were to design a computer-based simulation lesson employing currently available PC and internet software and investigate its effectiveness in various learning situations. The heart of the lesson was the utilitarian Gas Law Simulation program developed by Abraham, Gelder, and Haines (2002) that was incorporated into a hypertext interface display with active links to related notes and worksheets and a superimposed Microsoft Excel table and chart-plotting facility. This package allowed students to review the concepts involved and see relationships between the variables in graphical forms when a selected independent variable was manipulated and all the corresponding values were keyed into the Excel table. A science process skill and HD thinking worksheet was drawn following Lawson’s (1995) prescriptions and the questions and activities were further modified to fit the local syllabus and physics texts. A pilot study was conducted to evaluate and refine the lesson and field testing was conducted using a 3 x 2 factorial design. The first factor was the inquiry-based computer simulation lesson with three modes of cooperative learning, namely, heterogeneous-ability cooperative learning (HACL) group, friendship-based cooperative learning (FCL) group, and traditional group work (TGW) group. The HACL and FCL group were trained following the Kagan (1994) Cooperative Learning Structure while the TGW group which was essentially another friendship-based learning group was not instructed on the Kagan (1994) Cooperative Learning Structure. The second factor was student reasoning ability, namely, empirical-inductive (EI) and hypothetical-deductive (HD) abilities. The sample consisted of 301 Form Four (16-year-old) science students. The results showed that students in the HACL group significantly outperformed their counterparts in the FCL group who, in turn, significantly outperformed their counterparts in the TGW group in scientific thinking and conceptual understanding. The study found that the inquiry-based computer simulation program was effective in enhancing scientific reasoning and conceptual understanding of students of all reasoning abilities but for maximum effectiveness cooperative learning groups should be composed of students of heterogeneous abilities.
What is Information?
Authors: García-Marco Francisco-Javier
Published: November 2011

This chapter uses the concept of system to enquire into the concept of information, trying to separate the different senses in which this core concept is used in Information Science and other sciences, that is, physical or “raw” information, messages, knowledge, news, documentation and meta-information. The concept of information is studied as a system of layers or levels, in which each new sense emerges from the previous one. Once each of these senses is clearly established, it is possible to provide more specific insights about the real scientific domain of Information Science: a science related to the design and maintenance of external social memories and the process of referring their contents to relevant personal and social activities. Its focus is, therefore, the optimization of the processes of social memory. So, in conclusion, Information Science is, first, a science of social memory and its use, and, even more specifically, of the methodologies and technologies (social or technical) that exist to optimize its functioning by means of external memories, references (metadata) and systems of metadata (ontologies).
The Complexity of Finding Information in Collaborative Information Systems
Authors: Varela Aida , Barbosa Marilene Lobo Abreu
Published: November 2011

This chapter reflects objective and subjective principles to organize and disseminate information. It presents the human condition in the dynamic of searching and using information by making explicit the informational need of the user with learning theories, information organization, and user studies as subsidies. This is done in order to increase the development of cognitive trajectories to search, select, and use information, bearing in mind the permanent process of modifiability to face new environments. Finally, the text focuses on the social and economic development promoted by the science and technology advances, pointing out the social gap that has emerged from this reality.
Metadata for Information Retrieval in Archives
Authors: Chornet Vicent Giménez
Published: November 2011

This chapter is an attempt to analyse which technological elements and which description and indexing elements directly impact information retrieval of documents. As a result of the analysis, some requirements are proposed that must be observed in archival information systems installed in organisations with the aim of optimising effective information retrieval.
Academic Libraries as Complex Systems
Authors: Quijano-Solís Álvaro , Vega-Díaz Guadalupe
Published: November 2011

The purpose of this chapter is to describe how the concepts and principles from the Systems Approach may be helpful in understanding and modeling the collaborative group cognitive processes in information handling in an academic library. In order to address complexity and dynamics, this chapter analyzes several theoretical positions, which together may help us to shape the academic library from a comprehensive and systemic point of view (such as Systems Approach, Communities of Practice, Activity Theory and the Viable System Model). This chapter suggests focalizing on the activity (performed by a community) as the basic unit of analysis in studying the complexity of academic libraries. This activity is what allows the transmission of tacit and explicit knowledge and the skills from an expert to a novice. Other elements in the activity are objectives, rules and regulations, and importantly the learning processes that occur dialectically between subjects and community. A model such as Beer´s in the way the authors presented it in this chapter fits well to decompose reality and synthesize it to analyze the proposed complexity. This may allow facing organizational problems by focusing in the way people act to transform the inputs into products and add value to them by teaching and learning.
Human Motivations and Discovery Learning
Authors: Anders Brent A.
Published: November 2011

In identifying ways to facilitate Discovery Learning (sometimes referred to as “self-directed learning”) and maximize its educational benefits, it is important to understand the motivating factors behind it. This chapter seeks to identify two different definitions of Discovery Learning (one general, one operational), review some of the general human motivational theories, and offer a better understanding of how to improve motivation for Discovery Learning via both intrinsic and extrinsic modalities, within a technologically enhanced framework.
The LiveAbility House
Authors: Kirby Sarah D. , Sellers Debra M.
Published: November 2011

This chapter follows efforts of an online community of practice whose mission is to make individual educational experiences for family caregivers widely available. The case study illustrates the collaborative learning and creative processes of the community of practice as it worked to construct and transform informal educational content into engaging, interactive, and immersive educational tools for its intended audience. As part of its efforts, the CoP created The LiveAbility House, a virtual demonstration home, constructed in Second Life®. This virtual home is designed to teach individuals about real life universal design principles and assistive technology devices that may increase their ability to remain living at home despite physical or cognitive challenges they may encounter due to aging, illness, or disability. In addition to the creation of a virtual learning experience, the chapter also addresses plans to then take that experience out of the virtual world and apply and demonstrate learning principles in a real world setting.
A Case Study on Using Discovery Learning within a Learning Management System
Authors: Anders Brent A.
Published: November 2011

To better illustrate how an online learning environment can be used as scaffolding for the purposes of Discovery Learning, the learning management system (LMS) known as Axio Learning was reviewed and evaluated. Axio Learning, developed from the ground up by Kansas State University (student population of about 25,000) since 1997, is a modern, full-featured learning/course management system.
Applied Informal Problem-Solving through Self-Discovery Online
Authors: Hai-Jew Shalin
Published: November 2011

People often refer to the World Wide Web (WWW) and the Internet to conduct ad hoc and informal problem-solving. Their success in their endeavors has depended on a wide range of information access and crowd-sourcing; deeper analysis of problems; and growing self-efficacy through acclimating into certain problem-solving groups (with attendant new identities) and the “takeaway” learning by abstracting the problem-solving process. This chapter suggests that a greater awareness of site and online resource designers about the steps of problem-solving may enhance the building of self-discovery learning affordances for every phase of the informal problem-solving process.
Unconstrained Walking Plane to Virtual Environment for Non-Visual Spatial Learning
Authors: Patel Kanubhai K. , Vij Sanjay Kumar
Published: November 2011

We have integrated the treadmill-style locomotion interface, called the unconstrained walking plane (UWP), with virtual environment (VE) to enhance spatial learning. This setting allows for a new type of experience, whereby participants with visual disability can explore VE for unattended non-visual spatial learning (NSL) and to develop cognitive maps of it. Although audio and haptic interface has been studied for NSL, nothing is known about the use of locomotion interface for supporting NSL. The structure and control mechanism of the device are presented. Discussion of advantages and limitations of the interface are given. Different types of locomotion interface to virtual environment with their constraints and benefits are discussed briefly. The purpose of the current study is to evaluate the efficacy of the UWP for VE exploration which leads to enhancement of unattended spatial learning and thereby enhancing the mobility skills of visually impaired people (VIP). We report an experiment that investigates the efficacy of UWP for VE exploration during turning and straight walking mode.
Survivability in Optical Networks
Authors: Wang Bin
Published: November 2011

WDM optical networks are widely viewed as the most appropriate choice for the future Internet backbone with the potential to fulfill the ever-growing demands for bandwidth. A failure in a network such as a cable cut may result in a tremendous loss of data. Therefore, network survivability, the ability for a network to continue to provide services in the event of failures, is a very important issue in WDM optical networks. This chapter introduces the principles and state-of-the-art of survivability provisioning in optical networks, in particular, in optical networks that employ wavelength division multiplexing (WDM). Concepts of survivability provisioning in optical networks such as protection and restoration, dedicated versus shared survivability, path-based, link-based, segment-based, cycle-based survivability, and so on, are covered to provide multiple classes of quality of protection against single failure, dual-failure, multiple simultaneous failures, or shared risk link group failures, in WDM mesh networks. Recent developments in survivable service provisioning are summarized, such as survivability provisioning that takes into account the connection holding-time, survivability in WDM light-trail networks and optical burst switched networks. Finally, the chapter briefly examines future research directions.
Performance Evaluation of Survivability Approaches in Optical Networks
Authors: Eshoul Abdelhamid , Mouftah Hussein T.
Published: November 2011

The chapter outlines the different survivability approaches for mesh networks under static and dynamic traffic environments. It describes the different solution options and their implementations. Also included are detailed performance analyses and evaluations for the difference survivability approaches under both traffic environments. Finally, we present a performance comparison between the different survivability approaches and end the chapter with some concluding remarks.
New Dimensions for Survivable Service Provisioning in Optical Backbone and Access Networks
Authors: Monti Paolo , Wosinska Lena , Cavdar Cicek , Fumagalli Andrea , Chen Jiajia
Published: November 2011

Originally, networks were engineered to provide only one type of service, i.e. either voice or data, so only one level of resiliency was requested. This trend has changed, and today’s approach in service provisioning is quite different. A Service Level Agreement (SLA) stipulated between users and service providers (or network operators) regulates a series of specific requirements, e.g., connection set-up times and connection availability that has to be met in order to avoid monetary fines. In recent years this has caused a paradigm shift on how to provision these services. From a “one-solution-fits-all” scenario, we witness now a more diversified set of approaches where trade-offs among different network parameters (e.g., level of protection vs. cost and/or level of protection vs. blocking probability) play an important role.

This chapter aims at presenting a series of network resilient methods that are specifically tailored for a dynamic provisioning with such differentiated requirements. Both optical backbone and access networks are considered. In the chapter a number of provisioning scenarios - each one focusing on a specific Quality of Service (QoS) parameter - are considered. First the effect of delay tolerance, defined as the amount of time a connection request can wait before being set up, on blocking probability is investigated when Shared Path Protection is required. Then the problem of how to assign “just-enough” resources to meet each connection availability requirement is described, and a possible solution via a Shared Path Protection Scheme with Differentiated Reliability is presented. Finally a possible trade off between deployment cost and level of reliability performance in Passive Optical Networks (PONs) is investigated. The presented results highlight the importance of carefully considering each connection’s QoS parameters while devising a resilient provisioning strategy. By doing so the benefits in terms of cost saving and blocking probability improvement becomes relevant, allowing network operators and service providers to maintain satisfied customers at reasonable capital and operational expenditure levels
Distributed Quality of Service Based Provisioning Framework for Survivable Optical Networks
Authors: Al Sukhni Emad M. , Mouftah Hussein T.
Published: November 2011

This chapter provides new distributed frameworks to support Quality of Service (QoS) differentiation. These frameworks provide differentiated protection services to meet customers’ availability requirements effectively. We describe the availability-analysis for connections with different protection schemes. Through this analysis, we show how connection availability is affected by resource sharing. Based on the availability analysis, the proposed framework provisions each connection in which an appropriate level of protection is provided according to its predefined availability requirement. We consider the networks without wavelength conversion capability as well as dynamic traffic environment. In these distributed frameworks we propose several distributed schemes to provision and manage connections cost-effectively while satisfying the existing and new connections availability requirements.
Collaborative Performance
Authors: Kristensen Kjetil , Kijl Björn
Published: November 2011

Collaboration is gaining attention as a key driver of overall business performance, innovation capabilities and productivity. However, there is a discrepancy between the perceived importance of collaboration and the extent to which companies approach collaboration in a structured manner. Few companies methodically evaluate how well they perform in the area of collaboration, and few have implemented management and leadership principles to systematically improve collaborative performance. This article explains how businesses can benefit from systematic, structured investment in tools and methods supporting collaboration, and concludes with a few governing principles and a list of specific action points for businesses that are interested in improving their collaborative performance and obtaining a higher Return on Investment (ROI) on their collaboration initiatives.
An Integrated Collaboration Environment for Various Types of Collaborative Knowledge Work
Authors: Fuchs-Kittowski Frank , Siegeris Eric
Published: November 2011

In knowledge work, different types of collaboration can be distinguished. Because of close relationships between these collaboration types, it is necessary to support them together in an integrated collaboration environment. Using case studies, in this paper, the authors describe various types of collaboration practice and demonstrate the necessity of their integrated support. Based on this work, the concept of the incorporation of different types of collaboration in an integrated environment is presented. Furthermore, a prototype implementation of such an integrated environment is offered.
Instant Messaging in Global Software Teams
Authors: Zhang Suling , Köbler Felix , Tremaine Marilyn , Milewski Allen
Published: November 2011

Instant Messaging (IM) has been strictly forbidden in some companies as an unproductive use of time and exists in others via unsanctioned employee actions without explicit approval or directive from upper management. This paper examines a set of globally distributed software teams in a company that has explicitly installed and integrated IM capabilities with its collaboration management tools. Through a set of semi-structured interviews and the application of adaptive structuration theory, this study finds that because of the unique characteristics of global software development, IM is a highly useful tool for maintaining team cohesiveness and supporting team communication. Although the study finds strong support for the value of IM, it also identifies that the time distributed nature of the work, the informality of the medium as it interacts with different cultures and the productivity loss from IM’s interruptive nature are problematic. A set of recommendations is made to address these problems. The paper concludes that IM is a useful tool for global software development and its advantages outweigh its problems.
Scaffolding Solutions to Business Problems
Authors: Remidez Herbert , Stam Antonie , Laffey James M.
Published: November 2011

Teams whose interactions are mediated entirely via internet-based communication, virtual teams, are becoming commonplace in businesses. Although trust has been identified as key for virtual teams to work effectively, researchers have not developed scalable methods that consistently promote trust. This study examines the formation of trust perceptions, which is inherently a learning process. Strategies employed to promote more traditional definitions of learning can be used to promote trust development. In this paper, the authors investigate how a strategy of modifying the design of the communication system for virtual teams can be use to promote perceptions related to trust. The authors conduct an experiment to examine the impact of a template-driven messaging system to scaffold the development of the three antecedents of trust—integrity, benevolence, and ability—within a virtual team environment and communication activity. The study shows that participants who used the template-driven messaging system perceived their team members as having a higher level of ability than those who used the regular system. Moreover, users of the template-driven environment authored more messages and read a greater percentage of the messages, suggesting that messaging scaffolds were successful in improving the flow of information and fostering an environment favorable to trust development.
To Bid or to Buy?
Authors: Tseng Fan-Chen
Published: November 2011

Online retailing is a rapidly expanding business. There are three major purchasing channels for online shoppers to choose when they conduct online purchasing: (1) shopping in online stores, (2) bidding in online auctions, and (3) direct purchasing in online auctions. Each channel has its strengths and weaknesses, and suits different kinds of online shoppers. This article explores the relationships between online shoppers’ lifestyles and their preferences for online purchasing channels. Knowledge about online shoppers’ preferences for online purchasing channels helps online retailers place right products in the right channel for the right customers and consequently generate stable revenues. Major findings are: (1) the online shoppers with extravert lifestyle prefer online auctions, (2) the online shoppers with indulgent lifestyle prefer online stores, and (3) the online shoppers with shrewd lifestyle have a more balanced preference for all three purchasing channels. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
Towards an Understanding of User Acceptance to Use Biometrics Authentication Systems in E-Commerce
Authors: Harby Fahad AL , Qahwajim Rami , Kamala Mumtaz
Published: November 2011

Security is an increasingly important issue for business, and with it, the need for authentication. The use of biometric systems for personal authentication is a response to the rising issue of authentication and security. As with any new technology, user acceptance is often hard to measure, thus, in this work, a study of user acceptance of a biometrics authentication system in e-commerce, such as online banking within the Saudi society, was conducted. The study examined whether Saudis are practically willing to accept this technology by involving 306 participants in a large scale laboratory experiment that actively tested a biometric authentication system in combination of a survey. The Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) was adopted as the theoretical basis to develop the research framework in which the model has proven its efficiency as a good predictor for the study’s application.
From Virtual Organization to E-Business
Authors: Lee James J. , Jayatilaka Bandula , Kim Ben B. , Lee Ted E. , Katerattanakul Pairin , Hong Soongoo
Published: November 2011

This article shows how the technical hype of 1990s has been transformed into the e-business organizations at the beginning of the 21st century. The authors took an interpretive stance in this study, grounded theory, and investigated the ontology of virtual organization by the metaphorical analysis. The metaphorical analysis adopted in this study provides the analytical power to conceptualize the social structure of virtual organization in the context of structuration theory with the process of grounded theory. As the e-business structuration indicates in this study, virtualization, the metaphor of virtual organization is interpreted as flexible domination, where the rational relationships in power distribution with other e-business characterized temporal (virtual) bond with low switching costs.
The Impact of the Internet on Marketing Strategy
Authors: Varnali Kaan
Published: November 2011

This conceptual paper revisits and reviews early milestone literature of influential authors, who discuss the impact of the Internet on major forces that shape a company’s marketing strategy to assess whether their futurist predictions and conceptual claims turned out to be true or were later falsified by empirical research or market experience. In particular, the impact of the Internet on customers, design of products/services, pricing, marketing communications, intermediaries, publics, and social/cultural environment is explored. Throughout the paper, related under-researched and unsettled areas are discussed and future research avenues are suggested.