bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Probabilistic Temporal Network for Numeric and Symbolic Time Information
Authors: Mouhoub Malek , Liu Jia
Published: September 2010

We propose a probabilistic extension of Allen’s Interval Algebra for managing uncertain temporal relations. Although previous work on various uncertain forms of quantitative and qualitative temporal networks have been proposed in the literature, little has been addressed to the most obvious type of uncertainty, namely the probabilistic one. More precisely, our model adapts the probabilistic Constraint Satisfaction Problem (CSP) framework in order to handle uncertain symbolic and numeric temporal constraints. In a probabilistic CSP, each constraint C is given a probability of its existence in the real world. There is thus more than one CSP to solve as opposed to the traditional CSP where no such uncertainties exist. In a probabilistic temporal CSP, since we use the Interval Algebra where a constraint is a disjunction of Allen primitives, the probability is assigned to each of these Allen primitives rather than to the temporal constraint. This means that a probabilistic temporal CSP involves many possible temporal CSPs, each with a probability of its existence. Solving a probabilistic temporal CSP consists of finding a scenario that has the highest probability to be the solution for the real world. This is an optimization problem that we solve using a branch and bound algorithm we propose and involving constraint propagation. Experimental study conducted on randomly generated temporal problems demonstrates the efficiency in time of our solving method. In the case of uncertain numeric constraints, our TemPro framework for handling numeric and symbolic temporal constraints is extended to handle uncertain domains. An algorithm for dividing domains into non-overlapping areas is proposed. This algorithm guarantees that the generated possible worlds do not intersect. Probable worlds are then constructed by combining these areas. A new branch and bound algorithm, we propose, is finally applied to find the most robust solution.
Towards Knowledge Driven Individual Integrated Indicators of Innovativeness
Authors: Baczko Tadeusz , Kacprzyk Janusz , Zadrozny Slawomir
Published: September 2010

Innovativeness of the enterprises is a key factor for the development of a national economy and has a crucial impact on the prosperity of a country. Governments spend a lot of efforts developing, organizing and then implementing national innovation systems. Proper functioning of such a system requires a lot of information to be gathered. The situation has to be constantly monitored as the innovation is an inherently dynamic phenomenon. An important goal of information gathering is learning a profile and specifics of the most innovative enterprises, promote them and make them more visible. Due to that some non-standard data analysis techniques are needed which can provide results of data gathering in a form suitable for the specific goals of the analysis. In this paper a pioneering system for innovativeness evaluation based on integrated indicators constructed for individual enterprises in Poland is described. An evaluation methodology has been developed, incorporating both quantitative and qualitative characteristics of the enterprises. The linguistic summaries of data are shown to be a promising data analysis tool, meeting the criteria which are discussed as relevant for the task considered. Briefly, these summaries make it possible to grasp the very essence of the collected data and communicate it in an intuitive, natural language like form.
Şi̇kayet Çöz
Authors: Sariyer Nilsun
Published: September 2010

This study aims to discuss how an NGO should have its place in e-governance model. Particularly, instead of structuring a complaint office in each state unit, process of a non-governmental organization’s handling complaints have been evaluated. The aim is to demonstrate technological and administrative changes occurred in an NGO on its path from public to state in e-governance understanding by good will of a person and the activities of an NGO as public voice have been studied within the e-governance understanding. Actually this NGO shows the move from society to state and forms an example of total quality management by the technological and managerial changes occurred in its structure. This chapter is focused on a project, ‘Sikayetimiz.com’, which is an e-complaint on-line model providing various support services to the people at large in Turkey, discussed about its transformation stages leading to this format, put forward some important managerial and organizational issues including operational challenges.
Promoting E-Governance Through Capacity Development for the Global Environment
Authors: Perry Jim , Paas Leslie , Arreola Maria Eugenia , Santer Elena , Sharma Nalini , Bellali Johara
Published: September 2010

Solving the world’s great crises and taking advantage of the world’s greatest opportunities requires innovation and capacity. E-governance uses Information & Communication Technologies (ICT) to broaden participation and make problem solving more effective. Environmental issues represent some of the world’s greatest crises and most significant opportunities. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is a global leader in tackling such issues. UNEP’s Global Environmental Outlook (GEO) relies on contributions from many experts from all regions of the world. Because capacity development is critical to UNEP’s ability to fulfill its mandate, UNEP collaborated with the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) to commission more than 50 experts to develop training resources for integrated environmental assessment and reporting at the sub-global level. These resources were adapted to an eLearning format, significantly broadening their utility and reach. All materials are organized onto the Moodle Learning Management System and use a facilitated interaction model. The eLearning curriculum and approach has been peer reviewed and pilot tested. This research has further developed a blended learning, Train-the-Multipliers program to train facilitators. This eLearning implementation has clearly demonstrated potential and is advancing e-governance at global, regional, national and sub-national levels in the area of environmental assessment and reporting. Although UNEP’s position as a strong proponent of global environmental governance is unique, the detailed approach described for the eLearning programme is generic and therefore, would be a useful model for others who wish to develop eLearning curricula.
Vision Impairment and Electronic Government
Authors: Suomi Reima , Krebs Irene
Published: September 2010

Vision impaired are in a distinctive disadvantage when using computer screens based on visual presentation of data. Their situation becomes increasingly critical, as most society services, including issues such as eCommerce, eBusiness, eHealth, and eGovernment go on-line. Yet modern technologies can too offer solutions to their problems, both at hardware and software level, and often with reasonable cost. Effective ICT can open up new communication channels and functionalities for say totally blind people, that would not have been available for them otherwise. General sensitivity for this issue, and especially sensitivity among designers of governmental e-services must be developed. eGovernment is an especially demanding activity area as it comes to all sorts of imparities (not just vision impairment), as governmental services are often in a monopoly service delivery situation: citizen have to use them and there is often no other alternative. The issue binds it to the wider discussion on digital divide, where vision impairment is one cause for digital divide, and often very devastating, especially if still combined with other sources of digital divide.
The Competitive Growth Pattern of Mobile Telecommunications in Korea
Authors: Kim Moon-Soo , Lee Sungjoo
Published: September 2010

This study focuses on two perspectives from the competition between technologies and the change of market structure in terms of the number of operators in mobile service market. On the promise that the competition between the heterogeneous technologies as well as between the mobile service operators is a core driver of rapid diffusion, a diffusion model that can describe such two types of competition is proposed and further applied to the Korean mobile service case to examine the demand diffusion patterns of service and its characteristics. Through the empirical study on Korean mobile market, we investigate not only the effects on demand diffusion patterns by the competition between technologies and operators, but also strategic implications for the service providers and the policy-makers.
Requirements Engineering in the ICT4D Domain
Authors: Pitula Kristina , Sinnig Daniel , Radhakrishnan Thiruvengadam
Published: September 2010

Requirements engineering is an important stage in any software development. It is more so in the case of software development for social development projects in rural areas of the developing countries. ICT4D which stands for “Information and Communication Technologies for Development” is gaining more and more attention as computing is more widely affordable. This article is concerned with requirements engineering in the ICT4D domain. In many developing counties, a significant effort is being put into providing people in rural areas with access to digital content and services by using Information and Communication Technologies. Unfortunately most ICT4D projects pursue a top-down development model which is driven by the technology available and not by the very needs and social problems of the people living in rural communities (Frohlich et al., 2009). Existing technologies are often applied in a non-inclusive manner with respect to the local population, without sufficient adaptation or re-invention, and often without regard for user’s needs and their social contexts.
In Defence of Mobile Technologies Exploring the Socio-Technological Dimensions of M-Learning
Authors: Kok Ayse
Published: September 2010

There has been a rapid growth in the research concerning mobile phones and the delivery of the learning experience in developing countries in recent years. The aim of this chapter is to improve understanding of this expanding research area and in so doing consider the potential for mobile phone applications for the delivery of educational services for the poor. The current state of knowledge is assessed by reviewing the existing research articles drawn from both peer-reviewed academic journals and non-peer reviewed studies and other practitioner-orientated sources. Issues relating to educational needs and the measurement of impacts have been comparatively neglected, whilst application design and adoption have received greater attention. Emphasis tends to be on devices and new ways to deliver services, but ignores the broader context of educational services for the poor and tends to be technology-led (Duncombe, 2006). In order to correct this imbalance in research, the paper identifies key points relating to concepts, methodologies, issues addressed and evidence presented and provides pointers to future research directions.
Mobile Learning in China
Authors: Yang Yuqin , Wang Qiyun
Published: September 2010

Mobile learning (m-learning in short) has received increasing attention in the new millennium. Considerable interest in exploiting the unique capability of mobile technologies for teaching and learning arises from educators and technical developers in recent years. In this chapter, we present an overview of the development of m-learning in China, including the construction of m-learning infrastructure, and the research projects conducted by universities and companies. Also, suggestions for future development of m-learning are provided.
The Role of M-Government in Western China Development
Authors: Schlæger Jesper
Published: September 2010

This chapter explores the role of m-government in Western China development. Bureaucracy has been identified as a barrier for economic development in Western China. It is discussed how applications of m-government embedded in a larger reform agenda has reduced some of the growth stifling effects of bureaucracy. This chapter describes the content of ideas, institutions, and technologies of m-government to understand how fitting these levels has led to such an improvement in governance. Recommendations are made concerning continued emphasis on simple applications, rethinking government organisation, and increased discussion of the role of private service providers.
Understanding Mobile Phone Usage While Driving
Authors: de Kervenoael Ronan , Devletkusu Canan
Published: September 2010

In emerging markets, the amount of mobile communication and the number of occasions mobile phones are used are increasing. More and more settings appropriate or not for mobile phone usage are being exposed. Although prohibited by many governments, there is evidence that use of new mobile devices while driving are somehow becoming current everyday practice, hence legitimatizing usage for many users. Dominant dangerous behavior in the absence of enforced legal framework is being deployed and has become routine for many m-users. This chapter adopts a qualitative case study approach (20 cases) to examine the public transport drivers’ motives, logic and legitimacy processes. The question which these issues raise in the light of advancing m-technologies is: How do, in the context of emerging market, undesired emerging routines enactment get to be reflected upon and voluntarily disregarded to maximize the benefits of m-technologies while minimizing their drawbacks? Findings point out at multiple motives for usage including external social pressure through the ubiquitous 24/7 usage of m-technology, lack of alternative communication protocol, real time need for action and from an internal perspectives boredoms, lack of danger awareness, blurring of the boundaries between personal and business life and lack of job fulfillment are uncovered as key factors. As secondary dynamic factors such as education, drivers work’ histories, impunity, lack of strong consumer opposition appear central in shaping the development of the routines.
Mobile Technology and the Gulf Society
Authors: Sabry Khaled A. , Al-Nakeeb Ahmed , Alrawi Khalid W.
Published: September 2010

Globally, mobile technology alters the way individuals and groups conduct their day-to-day activities. It impacts on business, culture and society, as it changes the way people communicate, do business, socialise, and has considerable effect on its user’s perception and attitude. This chapter reviews and explores mobile technology growth in the Gulf region with particular focus on the use of mobile phones in the UAE. It further explores, through a snapshot survey, people’s perception, attitude, and possible implications of the technology on their behaviour. Based on the review and results of the survey we conclude with a discussion, recommendations and suggestions for future research.
Collaborating to Learn
Authors: Matzen Nita J. , Roberts William Edward , Barker Penny , Marklin Julie
Published: September 2010

STEM and ICT Instructional Worlds: The 3D Experience (STEM-ICT 3D) is funded by the National Science Foundation ITEST program. The project proposes to translate the success of earlier projects and reaches toward a model of implementing the use of 3D virtual immersive environments that can be replicated with other middle schools over time. STEM-ICT 3D is intended to inspire middle school students to pursue studies and careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), as well as prepare students with the skills necessary to succeed in STEM education and careers. This chapter presents an applied case study that describes the design of the project, examines the first phases of implementation, and explores the use of students as technical experts collaborating with teachers, the pedagogical experts, to build 3D virtual worlds for middle school instruction.
Scaffolding Discovery Learning In 3D Virtual Environments
Authors: Lee Mark J.W. , Dalgarno Barney
Published: September 2010

This chapter examines the importance of and possibilities for providing learner support and scaffolding in 3D virtual learning environments designed to promote and encourage learner exploration and discovery. The chapter begins with an overview of the need for scaffolding in discovery learning, before discussing scaffolding in technology-mediated learning environments. A framework is presented for understanding the types of scaffolding that can be provided in such environments. Using a case study based on the design of a 3D Virtual Chemistry Laboratory, examples illustrating the way each category of scaffolding within the framework could be provided within a 3D virtual environment are presented. The chapter concludes with coverage of the key considerations in designing scaffolded 3D virtual environments, as well as some of the important issues in adapting the concepts of scaffolding from face-to-face to technology-mediated environments.
Legal and Ethical Aspects of Teaching in Selected Social Virtual Worlds
Authors: Talab R. S. , Botterbusch Hope R.
Published: September 2010

Topics discussed in this chapter include Generations Y and Z and their acceptance of virtual reality, the increase in the number of virtual worlds, gaming virtual worlds, and the social virtual worlds for educators selected for inclusion in this discussion. Open source virtual world platform portability issues are discussed in connection with the acquisition, development, and control of virtual property. The line between “play spaces” and real life is discussed in terms of the application of the “magic circle” test to teaching in virtual worlds with a real-money based virtual currency system, as well as how faculty can reduce student legal and ethical problems. Virtual world law is examined in light of the terms of service (TOS) and end-user license agreements (EULAs), the concept of virtual property, community standards/behavioral guidelines, safety/privacy statements, intellectual property and copyright. Ethical aspects of teaching in virtual worlds include a definition and analysis of griefing/abuse, harassment, false identity, and ways that each world handles these problems. Whyville, SmallWorlds, and Second Life are examined in terms of legal and ethical aspects Research findings and legal and ethical teaching guidelines are presented for those teaching courses using virtual worlds, with special considerations for teaching in Second Life. These topics are for informational purposes, only. Instructors should seek competent legal counsel.
JavaMOO Virtual Cells for Science Learning
Authors: Vender Bradley , Borchert Otto , Dischinger Ben , Hokanson Guy , McClean Phillip , Slator Brian  M.
Published: September 2010

One of the World Wide Web Instructional Committee (WWWIC) at North Dakota State University’s (NDSU) long running projects is the Virtual Cell, a desktop immersive virtual environment developed for biology education. The focus of the content in the Virtual Cell is cellular biology, and the underlying focus of the content modules is the scientific method and analytical reasoning. However, the technical challenges encountered during the course of the project include designing deployable server architectures, designing robust simulations, and developing high quality animations without losing interactivity.
Signing Avatars
Authors: Adamo-Villani Nicoletta , Hayward Kyle
Published: September 2010

The chapter focuses on signing avatars and their potential to improve deaf education. In sections 1 and 2, the authors give an overview of what signing avatars are and the benefits of using animated characters for deaf education. In section 3, they explain how signing avatars are created. In particular, in subsection 3.1, they describe different types of 3D models and skeletal deformation systems, and in subsection 3.2 the authors discuss a variety of methods used to animate manual and non-manual signs. In section 4 they report the state of the art in signing avatars’ research and development and we discuss existing limitations and future trends. Section 5 includes a case study on the production of the signing avatars for SMILE™ and Mathsigner™ Conclusive remarks are presented in section 6.
Crouching Tangents, Hidden Danger
Authors: Garcia-Ruiz Miguel A. , Tashiro Jayshiro , Kapralos Bill , Martin Miguel Vargas
Published: September 2010

In this chapter, the authors examine different types of serious games for healthcare education and pose some hard questions about what they know and do not know about their effectiveness. As part of our analysis, the authors explore general aspects of the use of educational simulations as teaching-learning-assessment tools, but try to tease out how to study the potential such tools might have for leading students toward developing misconceptions. Being powerful instruments with the potential of enhancing healthcare education in extraordinary ways, serious games and simulations have the possibility of improving students’ learning and skills outcomes.Their contribution is an overview of current education technologies related to serious games and simulations with a perspective of potential development of misconceptions in the healthcare education community, with a special focus on millennial students. In addition, the authors provide insight on evidence-based learning and give a perspective of future trends.
Mitigating Negative Learning in Immersive Spaces and Simulations
Authors: Hai-Jew Shalin
Published: September 2010

The growing popularization of immersive virtual spaces and simulations has enhanced the ability to “model” various environments, scenarios, decision-making contexts, and experiential learning for a variety of fields. With these subliminal semi-experiential affordances have also come some challenges. Foremost is the challenge of designing virtual experiential learning that does not result in “negative learning.” Negative learning involves unintended messages which lead to learners with illogical or inaccurate perceptions about reality. Negative learning may be subtle; it may exist at an unconscious or subconscious level; it may be biasing even without learner awareness. This chapter addresses some of the risks of negative learning in immersive spaces and simulations and proposes some pedagogical design, facilitation, and learner empowerment strategies to address negative learning—to increase confidence and assurance in the immersions.
Diegetic Music
Authors: Berndt Axel
Published: September 2010

Music which is performed within the scene is called diegetic. In practical and theoretical literature on music in audio-visual media, diegetic music is usually treated as a side issue, a sound effect-like occurrence, just a prop of the soundscape that sounds like music. A detailed consideration reveals a lot more. The aim of this chapter is to uncover the abundance of diegetic occurrences of music, the variety of functions they fulfill, and issues of their implementation. The role of diegetic music gains importance in interactive media as the medium allows a nonlinearity and controllability as never before. As a diegetic manifestation, music can be experienced in a way that was previously unthinkable except, perhaps, for musicians.
Causing Fear, Suspense, and Anxiety Using Sound Design in Computer Games
Authors: Toprac Paul , Abdel-Meguid Ahmed
Published: September 2010

This chapter provides a theoretical foundation for the study of how emotions are affected by game sound as well as empirical evidence for determining how to promote fear, suspense, and anxiety in players using sound effects. Four perspectives on emotions are described: Darwinian, James-Lange, cognitive, and social constructivist. Three basic properties of diegetic sound effects were studied: volume, timing, and source. Results strongly suggest that the best sound design for causing fear is high volume and timed sound effects (synchronized game sound with visual moment) and somewhat suggest that sourced sound effects also promote fear. For anxiety, results strongly suggest that the best sound design is medium volume sound effects. Results also suggest that acousmatic and untimed sound effects evoke suspense rather than anxiety. Low volume sound effects are not effective at evoking fear, suspense, and anxiety due to potential masking by other sounds. Implications and future research directions are presented.
Uncanny Speech
Authors: Tinwell Angela , Grimshaw Mark , Williams Andrew
Published: September 2010

With increasing sophistication of realism for human-like characters within computer games, this chapter investigates player perception of audio-visual speech for virtual characters in relation to the Uncanny Valley. Building on the findings from both empirical studies and a literature survey, a conceptual framework for the uncanny and speech is put forward which includes qualities of speech sound, lip-sync, human-likeness of voice, and facial expression. A cross-modal mismatch for the fidelity of speech with image can increase uncanniness and as much attention should be given to speech sound qualities as aesthetic visual qualities by game developers to control how uncanny a character is perceived to be.
Spatial Sound for Computer Games and Virtual Reality
Authors: Murphy David , Neff Flaithrí
Published: September 2010

In this chapter, we discuss spatial sound within the context of Virtual Reality and other synthetic environments such as computer games. We review current audio technologies, sound constraints within immersive multi-modal spaces, and future trends. The review process takes into consideration the wide-varying levels of audio sophistication in the gaming and VR industries, ranging from standard stereo output to Head Related Transfer Function implementation. The level of sophistication is determined mostly by hardware/system constraints (such as mobile devices or network limitations), however audio practitioners are developing novel and diverse methods to overcome many of these challenges. No matter what approach is employed, the primary objectives are very similar—the enhancement of the virtual scene and the enrichment of the user experience. We discuss how successful various audio technologies are in achieving these objectives, how they fall short, and how they are aligned to overcome these shortfalls in future implementations.
Guidelines for Sound Design in Computer Games
Authors: Alves Valter , Roque Licínio
Published: September 2010

The inconsequential exploitation of sound in most computer games, both in extent and nature, contrasts with its prominence in our daily lives and with the kind of associations that have been explored in domains such as music and cinema. Sound design remains the craft of a talented minority and the unavailability of a public body of knowledge on the subject has greatly contributed to this state of affairs. This leads to a mix of alienation and best-judgment improvisation in the broader development community. A sensitivity to the potential of sound for the enrichment of the experience—with emphasis on game specifics—is, therefore, necessary. This study presents a contribution to the practice of sound design for computer games. An approach to intentional sound design, informed by multi-disciplinary interpretations of concepts including emotion, context, acoustic ecology, soundscape, resonance, and entrainment, is distilled into a set of design guidelines that holistically address the different sound layers.
Overview of Knowledge Discovery in Databases Process and Data Mining for Surveillance Technologies and EWS
Authors: Batmaz Inci , Köksal Güser
Published: September 2010

Development of more effective early warning systems (EWSs) for various applications have been possible during the past decade due to advancements in information, detection, data mining (DM) and surveillance technologies. These application areas include economy, banking, finance, health care, bioinformatics, production and service delivery, hazard and crime prevention and minimization of other social risks involving the environment, administrations, politics and human rights. This chapter aims to define knowledge discovery in databases (KDD) process in five steps: Data preparation, data preprocessing, DM, evaluation and interpretation, and implementation. DM is further explained in descriptive and predictive mining categories with their functions and methods used or likely to be used in EWSs. In addition to well-known structured data types, mining of advanced data types such as spatial, temporal, sequence, images, multimedia and hypertexts is also introduced. Moreover, it presents a brief survey of overview and application papers and software in the EWS literature.
On the Nature and Scales of Statistical Estimations Divergence and its Linkage with Statistical Learning
Authors: Simchera Vassiliy , Koyuncugil Ali Serhan
Published: September 2010

Besides the well-known commonplace, and sometimes also simply fantastic reasons for the existing breaks in the estimations of one and the same phenomena, substitution of concepts, manipulations, intentional distortions, all possible manipulations and frank lie there are their own technological reasons in the statistics for the similar breaks, which are being generated by some sort of circumstances of insurmountable force, which one should differ from well-known posy reasons, and therefore to consider in a special order. Predetermined objectively by conditioned divergence of the theoretical and empirical distributions, gaps between a nature and phenomenon, shape and its content, word and deed, these reasons (different from subjective reasons), limited by the extreme possibilities of human existence, can be overcome through the expansion of humans knowledge’s, which assumes reconsideration of the very basis of the modern science. Below we present some of the approaches towards such a reconsideration, which opens possibilities for the reduction of the huge gaps in modern statistical estimations of the same phenomena and its linkage with statistical learning.
Black-Necked Swans and Active Risk Management
Authors: Lai Tze Leung , Shen Bo
Published: September 2010

This chapter gives a review of recent developments in sequential surveillance and modeling of default probabilities of corporate and retail loans, and relates them to the development of early warning or quick detection systems for managing the risk associated with the so-called “black swans” or their close relatives, the black-necked swans.
Data Mining Used for Analyzing the Bankruptcy Risk of the Romanian SMEs
Authors: Vasilescu Laura Giurca , Siminica Marian , Pirvu Cerasela , Ionascu Costel , Mehedintu Anca
Published: September 2010

The small and medium enterprises (SMEs) represent the backbone of the economy, playing a major economic and social role in the process of developing a dynamic economy. But the recent evolutions in the financial markets, the international financial crisis, the increased competition on markets, the lack of financial resources and the insufficient adaptation of many firms to the requests of the European market are new threats which can determine the bankruptcies of the Romanian SMEs. In this context, starting from the necessity to design an early warning system, we will elaborate a new model for analysis of bankruptcy risk for the Romanian SMEs that combine two main categories of indicators: financial ratios and non-financial indicators. The authors‘ analysis is based on data mining techniques (CHAID) in order to identify the firms’ categories accordingly to the bankruptcy risk levels. Through the proposed analysis model they try to offer a real surveillance system for the Romanian SMEs which can allow an early signal regarding the bankruptcy risk.
Data Mining in the Investigation of Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing
Authors: George Ibrahim , Kavakli Manolya
Published: September 2010

In this chapter, the authors explore the operational data related to transactions in a financial organisation to find out the suitable techniques to assess the origin and purpose of these transactions and to detect if they are relevant to money laundering. The authors‘ purpose is to provide an AML/CTF compliance report that provides AUSTRAC with information about reporting entities‘ compliance with the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Act 2006. Their aim is to look into the Money Laundering activities and try to identify the most critical classifiers that can be used in building a decision tree. The tree has been tested using a sample of the data and passing it through the relevant paths/scenarios on the tree. The success rate is 92%, however, the tree needs to be enhanced so that it can be used solely to identify the suspicious transactions. The authors propose that a decision tree using the classifiers identified in this chapter can be incorporated into financial applications to enable organizations to identify the High Risk transactions and monitor or report them accordingly.
Data Mining and Explorative Multivariate Data Analysis for Customer Satisfaction Study
Authors: Lombardo Rosaria
Published: September 2010

By the early 1990s, the term “data mining” had come to mean the process of finding information in large data sets. In the framework of the Total Quality Management, earlier studies have suggested that enterprises could harness the predictive power of Learning Management System (LMS) data to develop reporting tools that identify at-risk customers/consumers and allow for more timely interventions (Macfadyen & Dawson, 2009). The Learning Management System data and the subsequent Customer Interaction System data can help to provide “early warning system data” for risk detection in enterprises. This chapter confirms and extends this proposition by providing data from an international research project investigating on customer satisfaction in services to persons of public utility, like education, training services and health care services, by means of explorative multivariate data analysis tools as Ordered Multiple Correspondence Analysis, Boosting regression, Partial Least Squares regression and its generalizations.
SME as a Service
Authors: Delgado José Carlos Martins
Published: September 2010

The market evolves at an increasingly faster pace. Enterprises, and in particular SMEs (Small and Medium Enterprises), besides having to stay agile, competitive and aware of competition, must give customers what they need (customized products or services) when they need it. The classical business paradigm (carefully studying what customers have bought in the past to predict what they will buy in the near future and derive a strategy from it) is not agile and adequate enough anymore. This chapter discusses a customer-centric business paradigm with enough agility to follow the patterns of customers’ needs and the ability to customize specific needs as a variant of some pattern, turning the very low volume customer market into a viable business opportunity. The customization and corresponding production result from concrete user requests and not anticipation of demand. We call it EaaS (Enterprise as a Service) and is particularly adequate to SMEs.
Constrains Associated to E-Business Evolution
Authors: Pires José Adriano , Gonçalves Ramiro
Published: September 2010

Technological advance of the last decades created an atmosphere in which the organizations are forced to look actively for new options for the cost reduction, in addition to, simultaneously, seeking to compete more effectively in their markets. This context requires focused, swift, more flexible and more competitive organizations which are forced, many times, to implement radical changes in the way they conduct business, employ people and use technology. Despite the recognition and the attention given to electronic business (or e-business) over the last years, this type of business hasn’t yet achieved a desirable maturity stage. This problem, current and stated over the last years, demands research efforts so that a solution can be found to solve it. In this chapter, the authors explore a range of constraints which are suggested by the literature to influence e-business evolution, so that organizations could be better equipped in anticipating any difficulties while in progress through their e-business initiatives.
An Integrative Framework on the Psychological Variables Explaining the Consumers’ Use of E-Commerce-Based Recommendation Systems
Authors: Martínez-López Francisco J. , Gázquez-Abad Juan Carlos , Rodríguez-Ardura Inma , Cabal-Cruz Claudia C.
Published: September 2010

A conceptual model to understand the consumer’s adoption and use of certain website recommendation system is presented; the research problem is tackled from a psychological perspective. The authors base on, adapt and integrate classical theories of consumer behavior with particular theories developed in the framework of computer-mediated environments. The model proposed, along with the relations analyzed among the variables considered (a total of 16 research propositions), should be of help for recommendation systems designer and website managers, in order to work with systems more aware of the psychological process experienced by consumers when interacting with them.
Knowledge Integration in the Creative Process of Globally Distributed Teams
Authors: Reis Rosana Silveira , Curzi Ylenia
Published: September 2010

The aim of this chapter is to analyse knowledge integration in the creative process of globally distributed teams as they develop new products. Mainstream researches and studies focus on knowledge integration in terms of transference of knowledge; they highlight its relevance with respect to innovation and creativity, and investigate the conditions that assure or inhibit it. The creative process in globally distributed teams is fairly unexplored by academic literature. With only a few exceptions, the literature focuses on virtual teams: i.e., distributed teams where factors such as culture, time zone and language are irrelevant to the development of the activities carried out by team members. The authors concentrate their efforts in looking for how knowledge integration happens in the creative process in globally distributed teams. For this reason, they shall rely on a research method founded on the notions of adequate causation and objective possibility. On this basis, they have compared two empirical cases in order to answer their research question. The authors have thus analysed six global product development projects carried out by globally distributed teams belonging to a Swedish company working with teams in France and Brazil; and an Italian company working with teams in Tunisia. The data has been gathered through participant observations, semi-structured interviews and document analysis from 2007 to 2009. This contribution is grounded in the analysis of the existing literature and in the data collected on the field.
Production Competence and Knowledge Generation for Technology Transfer
Authors: Hipkin Ian
Published: September 2010

The ability to execute the physical part of manufacturing will assume greater importance as new technology and knowledge become significant drivers of strategic direction. The case studies described in this chapter address the interaction between technology transfers (TT), production competence and knowledge in enhancing performance in manufacturing organizations. Reference to British and South African case studies provides a useful comparison of production competence in the developed and developing world. In both countries, operators and maintainers lacked detailed knowledge of equipment functionality and performance parameters. United Kingdom (UK) companies demonstrated a deeper understanding of fundamental principles of the underlying production process, enabling them to remedy production deficiencies more thoroughly. South African companies showed greater management commitment to training and group solving approaches.
KM in Higher Learning Institutions
Authors: Haron Haryani , Alias Rose Alinda
Published: September 2010

This study reports the findings from an interpretive exploration of tacit knowledge construction and application among the Malaysian academicians. In the knowledge era, higher learning institutions are increasingly exposed to marketplace pressures similar to other business. Therefore, it is pertinent for higher learning institutions to leverage on their knowledge for sustainability. However, efforts to leverage on tacit knowledge faced difficulties due to lack of understanding of tacit knowledge within its contextual boundary. The ambiguities surrounding tacit knowledge require deeper understanding of its construction and application to manage it as an important resource for academic institutions. The study discovered that tacit knowledge is constructed through implicit learning from the accumulated past experiences. Tacit knowledge is applied by the academicians as their adaptation strategies in appropriate job situation to fulfil the academic excellence norm.
Knowledge Management Enablers and Knowledge Sharing Process
Authors: Salleh Kalsom , Ikhsan Syed Omar Sharifuddin Syed , Ahmad Syed Noh Syed
Published: September 2010

In the knowledge based economy era, the success of an organization lies more in its intellectual capital and system capabilities than its physical assets and financial capital. Therefore, professional intellects such as lawyers, doctors, systems analysts, accountants are an important source of intelligence for most organizations. Knowledge Management (KM) in a public sector organization can take advantage the transfer and sharing process of experiences, ideas and expertise of the organization’s professional intellects for the organization’s knowledge assets with the support of information technology. Therefore, this chapter presents the knowledge sharing model that interconnects KM enablers and knowledge sharing process for KM implementation success in the public sector accounting organization in Malaysia. Survey questionnaires were used as the main instrument to collect data from all public sector accountants working in the Accountant General’s Department (AGD) which is an accounting specialist department of the Federal Government in Malaysia. This selected knowledge intensive accounting organization has a large pool of public sector accountants and the core competencies of the organization are to provide timely accounting information and quality accounting services to all agencies of the Federal Government. Therefore, knowledge management (KM) in this case study organization is concerned with the flow of accounting knowledge during the sharing process of public sector accountants and getting value through the knowledge flow for the organizational performance. Since the main task of the AGD is heavily related to accounting process and technology for its financial data integrity, the statistical results of this case study research provide evidence that knowledge sharing technology has a high significant impact on the knowledge sharing performance as compared to other moderate significant factors such as leadership roles to create knowledge sharing culture, ICT skills and know-how of accountants and the ICT infrastructure and software for the accounting information system.
Flexibility and Security of Careflow Systems Modeled by Petri Nets
Authors: Mikolajczak Boleslaw
Published: September 2010

The purpose of this chapter is to present an interplay of two important structural and behavioral features of robust intelligence in careflow systems, called flexibility and multi-level security. The chapter deals with design and analysis of careflow systems, i.e. workflow systems with applications in broadly understood healthcare industry. The authors focus on providing a robust intelligence to such systems in a form of structural and behavioral flexibility. They analyze several forms of design and run-time flexibility. However, the authors focus on case handling systems, exception handling, and on careflow systems with sub-processes called worklets. They also present how to model multi-level security within careflow systems that already have desired forms of flexibility. This implies that flexibility and security are conceptually independent and can therefore be modeled with Petri nets separately and incrementally in sequential order, first flexibility and then security. The authors apply Petri nets and colored Petri nets as conceptual modeling tool. They use example of Cutaneous Melanoma (CM) to illustrate some of our considerations.
Adapting Adult Learning Theories for Online Learning
Authors: Brewer Ernest W. , Headlee Nancy S.
Published: September 2010

This chapter explores prominent adult learning theories and their contributions to the understanding and the delivery of adult education. Such theories define and identify characteristics commonly found among adult learners and provide insight regarding factors that can enhance the integration of adult education and information communication technologies. These theories in adult education emanate from educational leaders representing varied perspectives based upon a broad range of activities and interests. However, the commonality among them is to support the unique needs of the adult learner and to contribute to the continual growth and development of the field toward the inevitable incorporation of information communication technologies.
Impact of Virtual Learning Environments on the Future of Adult Education and Training
Authors: Deggs David , Grover Kenda , Kacirek Kit
Published: September 2010

The use of distance education technologies has become more common in adult education and training programs over the past few decades as educators and trainers have made great strides to utilize these technologies to meet the increasingly demanding needs of adult learners. Meanwhile virtual learning has become a popular form of distance education, although it has only been implemented to a limited scope within adult education and training compared to other areas of education. This chapter explores the advances that have occurred with distance education technologies including standardized course management systems, investments in technology systems, and refinement of instructional delivery methods. The chapter also explores future trends that are likely to emerge regarding the use of virtual learning for adult education and training and also provide guidance to adult educators and trainers who plan to utilize virtual learning.
Key Aspects of Teaching and Learning in the Online Environment
Authors: Witte Maria Martinez , Witte James E. , Westenkirchner Suzy
Published: September 2010

Online education provides increased accessibility and possibilities for learners in various locations and situations. Once learners decide to participate in online education, there are key aspects to consider in the teaching and learning environment to ensure the experience is effective. The purpose of this chapter is to identify characteristics of adults as learners and the role of learners and instructors in this setting. In addition, fostering competent online learners requires a dedicated support system and effective feedback processes. Future trends consist of an increase in informal learning and a decrease in formal training and workshops. Informal learning tools are being used to change the culture and learning curve within educational and organizational communities. This trend will also impact the form and function of learning assessments within the teaching and learning online environments.