bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Expanding the Strategic Role of Information Interactions in the Enterprise Environment
Authors: Olah Judit , Axvig Ole
Published: May 2011

In a modern enterprise environment, many information resources are available to people working to produce valuable output. Due to technology proliferation, remote work access, and multiple geographical locations generating their own solutions for local infrastructure challenges, as well as the fact that modern professionals are tasked to make decisions autonomously, it is not self-evident what types of information resources could or should be accessed in what order in order to move processes towards the desired product outcome. Our integrated model was developed using the results of an empirical study. The model puts a user-centered focus on business process model building by mapping all information interactions surrounding the business processes (i.e. creation, storage, management, retrieval of documents/ contents as well as information and data). The model characterizes the business processes by types of information interaction, analyzes process phases by those interactions and evaluates actual locations of information content extractions.
Achieving Agile Enterprise Through Integrated Process Management
Authors: Bahrami Ali
Published: May 2011

Project management tools are used to manage projects from time as well as from resource leveling perspectives. Workflow management systems guide users through processes by driving the processes based on formal process definitions also called workflow types. This paper describes integrated process management system that will integrate project management, business process modeling, simulation and workflow technologies in order to support scheduled workflow execution. The target will be achieved by utilizing a tool for modeling work processes which can semi automatically generate workflow processes based on scheduling tool and then exported it to workflow engine via web services using XML process definition language (XPDL). Addition of simulation capability allows testing workflows before deployment.
Building and Managing Modern E-Services
Authors: Hamilton J.
Published: May 2011

This chapter addresses the development cycle of recent ‘services’ models. It considers that all products involve services and consequently maybe be considered as service systems. First, the issue of ‘services’ is described; next, the enhancement of ‘services’ via value creation is described, along with the progression from supply and demand chains, to value chains, to service value chains, and finally to service value networks. This progression pathway has developed over time, and has enabled ‘service’ and ‘e-service’ businesses to deliver and further develop competitive business solutions. The combinations of integrated, highly competitive, e-supply chains delivering the final ‘services’ suite to the frontline business seller moves the e-supply chain model to a more advanced level. Today, the recent concept of utilizing service value networks offers a key to future competitive solutions. Service value networks house fully integrated e-demand and e-supply chains working in harmony to the deliver both services and e-services. They are also highly agile and offer customer-induced flexible business solutions to customer requests. This chapter highlights the progression to service value networks. In addition it also offers the manager a balanced scorecard structural mechanism via which management controls over e-services and service value networks may be developed and maintained.
Decision Support Systems in Indian Organized Retail Sector
Authors: Sharma Ankush , Vyas Preeta
Published: May 2011

Retailing is in a rapid state of change due to speedy technological developments, changing competitive positions, varying consumer behaviour as well as their expectations and liberalized regulatory environment. In such a scenario, information is crucial to plan and control profitable retail businesses and it can be an important source of competitive advantage so long as it is affordable and readily available. DSS (Decision Support Systems) which provide timely and accurate information can be viewed as an integrated entity providing management with the tools and information to assist their decision making.
Data Mining in Decision Support for Bioenergy Production
Authors: Ayoub Nasser , Naka Yuji
Published: May 2011

This chapter presents Data Mining, DM, as a planning and decision support tool for biomass resources management to produce bioenergy. Furthermore, the decision making problem for bioenergy production is defined. A Decision Support System, DSS that utilizes a DM technique, e.g. clustering, integrated with other group of techniques and tools, such as Genetic Algorithms, GA, Life Cycle Assessment, Geographical Information System, GIS, etc, is presented. A case study that shows how to tackle the decision making problem is also shown.
An Exploratory Study to Identify Complementary Resources to the Implementation of Web-Based Applications in a Paint Supply Chain
Authors: Lee Yootaek , Kim Jay , Miller Jeffery G.
Published: May 2011

This study focuses on identifying (a) the complementary resources that influence the successful implementation of Web-based applications for supply chain management, and (b) the degree to which certain types of complementary resources function to support the successful implementation of Web-based applications. An exploratory case study is employed to identify potential complementary resources that are required for the successful implementation of Web-based applications that support various portions of the supply chain management task. The utility of a potential complementary resource to each Web-based application for a supply chain task is evaluated to determine the relative value of the resource to the Webbased application. A matrix is then developed to show the degree to which a particular complementary resource is utilized to implement Web-based applications. The contribution of this study is to enhance our understanding of how Web-based applications and complementary resources can work together to create competitive advantages in supply chains.
A Post-Implementation Case Study and Review of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Implementations
Authors: Muscatello Joseph R. , Parente Diane H.
Published: May 2011

Enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, if implemented correctly, have shown that a firm can gain strategic and tactical advantages over their competition who do not implement such systems. However, with failure rates estimated to be as high as 50% of all ERP implementations, companies can be negatively impacted by a poorly performing ERP system. The research on ERP has focused on events leading to the selection, evaluation, and implementation of the ERP system. The intent of this updated research effort is to capture new theories that can help practitioners successfully manage ERP systems by performing a post-ERP implementation examination of eight corporations and a pertinent research review. This chapter is based on a qualitative research design involving case-study methodology. The propositions derived from the case study form a broad set of considerations that influence the success of an ERP system.
Investigation into the Impact of Integration of Mobile Technology Applications into Enterprise Architecture
Authors: Curtis David , Wu Ming-Chien (Mindy)
Published: May 2011

Enterprise Architecture (EA) is a role or function that primarily ensures the Information Technology strategy and implementation within an organization is correctly aligned with its business strategy and objectives. An EA function focuses on the collection and analysis of information including software applications, business processes, business information (data), technology, and governance (people). The result of this analysis delivers the technology strategy and the roadmap required to support what the organization is trying to achieve. Mobile Technology (MT) integration into the EA function creates the opportunities to deliver and respond to rapidly growing organizations that require immense flexibility from a technology perspective. This is so because mobility can overcome the boundaries of time and location in the dealings of the organization. The result of this extension is the creation of a Mobility Enterprise Architecture (M-EA) model, which will provide the organization with advantages of realtime business processing, better customer and end-user services, and the addition of increased control across the entire organization. This chapter brings together the experience of an Enterprise Architect with a Ph.D research candidate to investigate the M-EA model and its implementation. The chapter includes an overview of EA and M-EA models and also includes investigations of the advantages; limitations and blueprint overcome those challenges of M-EA implementation.
Business Process Modification Management
Authors: Urh Benjamin , Kern Tomaz , Roblek Matjaz
Published: May 2011

The pace of development of products and services has rapidly increased in the last two decades. Enterprises are expected to respond to new market requirements with their products and services in the shortest possible time. Expanding globalized markets makes response to the changing demand for products and services even more imperative for enterprises. Executives in companies have become aware that the saying, “Fail to keep pace with time and time will pass you by,” applies more than ever. This situation has become a factor to be reckoned with by all enterprises, causing a lot of headache to executives.
Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
Authors: Raisinghani Mahesh , Albur Abdu , Leferink Sue , Lyle Thomas , Proctor Stephen
Published: May 2011

This chapter discusses customer relationship management (CRM) as a customer-focused business strategy enhanced by technology that automates and enhances business processes to proactively manage profitable and long-term customer relationships. CRM solutions span a continuum of implementations from a narrow tactical implementation of a specific technical solution to a broad strategic implementation of a customer centric solution. Furthermore, the authors hope that understanding the underlying assumptions and theoretical constructs through the use of CRM will not only inform researchers of a better CRM design for studying e-commerce and Internet marketing, but also assist in the understanding of intricate relationships between different factors.
Towards a Systematic Method for Solutions Architecting
Authors: Shan Tony C. , Hua Winnie W.
Published: May 2011

Solutions architecting method (SAM) is defined as a methodical approach to dealing with the architecture complexity of enterprise information systems in IT solution designs. This comprehensive method consists of eight interconnected modules: framework for e-business architecture and technology, prescriptive artineering procedure, technology architecture planning, architecture stack and perspectives, rapid architecting process, architecture readiness maturity, generic application platform, and Tao of IT development & engineering. Collectively, these modules form a holistic discipline guiding the process of developing architected solutions in an enterprise computing environment. Several unconventional concepts and thinking styles are introduced in this overarching structure. This systematic method has been customized and adapted to be extensively applied in one form or another to develop various IT solutions across a broad range of industrial sectors. Reference solutions are presented and articulated to illustrate the exemplary implementations of some key elements in SAM. Best practice and lessons learned as well as future trends are discussed in the context.
A New Conceptual Framework for Greater Success with Integration of E-CRM
Authors: Letaifa Soumaya Ben
Published: May 2011

This chapter examines how e-CRM has affected both organizational and individual behavior in a leading Canadian bank. The innovative and customer-driven culture of this bank pushed it toward early adoption of e-CRM technology. The findings emphasize the role played by many strategic and organizational dimensions in the success of e-CRM implementation. In fact, to make e-CRM efforts pay off, new business processes are required to achieve more effective and closer interactions with customers. The shift toward customer orientation needs to be supported by a shift in organizational objectives and processes. The results indicate that employees’ individual behavior successfully changed from a transactional to a relational perspective, and that training and coaching ensured a successful integration of e-CRM technology. Nevertheless, the employee reward and evaluation system, which should have been changed to leverage CRM impact, has surprisingly been forgotten. This deficiency is addressed by proposing a new framework for enhancing e-CRM effectiveness.
What About the Balance Between Law Enforcement and Data Protection?
Authors: Portela Irene Maria , Cruz-Cunha Maria Manuela
Published: May 2011

The Data Retention Directive (2006/24/EC) provides the obligation for providers of publicly available electronic communications services or of public communications networks to retain traffic and location data for six months up to two years for the purpose of the investigation, detection and prosecution of serious crime. In the regulatory framework imposed by this Directive, the Portuguese Law no. 32/2008, of 17 July, requires that providers of publicly available electronic communication services or of public communications networks retain specific communication data, so that such data can be accessed by competent authorities, exclusively for the purpose of investigation, detection and prosecution of serious crime. Retained (via digital storage) metadata of telecommunications acts change and transform into the content of something else: a surveillance program. The concept of a data space that provides movement within and between data described here illustrates the powers of data retention in an imaginable way. Considering potential uses and misuses of retained data such as traffic analysis, social network analysis and data mining, this chapter examines the degree of interference with the right to privacy posed by the data retention laws.
Certified Originality of Digital Contents by the Time Authentication
Authors: Ohashi Masakazu , Hori Mayumi
Published: May 2011

In our modern clock-ruled culture, it is not too much to say that no society can exist unless based on “time”. Computers, which are the key device of an information society, are equipped with high precision clocks to synchronize their entire circuit function. In an electronic environment or digital society built on computers, recordkeeping relates inevitably to the time that is ticked away by the clocks embedded in the computers. Time is thus the infrastructure of this information society.  To save the situation, a notion of time for the digital society should be properly defined and popularized, specifying the way and conditions of using it safely. The scope of discussion here focuses on some specific industries and applications for time-stamping technologies.   The study here presented in Chapter 5 will be further refined step by step as their validity is verified in actual use. Meanwhile, authors are planning to work on this study for standard time distribution, which is as important as time-stamp to time business.   
International Transfers of Personal Data
Authors: De Silva Sam
Published: May 2011

Developments in technology and the global nature of business means that personal information about individuals in the UK may often be processed overseas, frequently without the explicit knowledge or consent of those individuals. This raises issues such as the security of such data, who may have access to it and for what purposes and what rights the individual may have to object. The Data Protection Act 1998 provides a standard of protection for personal data, including in respect of personal data that is being transferred outside of the UK. Chapter 18 focus on how a UK data controller (the organisation that controls how and why personal data is processed and is therefore legally responsible for compliance) can fulfil its business and operational requirements in transferring personal data outside the EEA, whilst ensuring legal compliance.
Legislation-Aware Privacy Protection in Passive Network Monitoring
Authors: Lioudakis Georgios V. , Gaudino Francesca , Boschi Elisa , Bianchi Giuseppe , Kaklamani Dimitra I. , Venieris Iakovos S.
Published: May 2011

Passive network monitoring is very useful for the operation, maintenance, control and protection of communication networks, while in certain cases it provides the authorities with the means for law enforcement. Nevertheless, the flip side of monitoring activities is that they are natively surrounded by serious privacy implications and, therefore, they are subject to data protection legislation. Chapter 22 investigates the challenges related to privacy protection in passive network monitoring, based on a joint technical and regulatory analysis of the associated issues. After introducing the issue and its special characteristics, the chapter provides background knowledge regarding the corresponding legal and regulatory framework, as well as some related work. It then delves into the description of the legal and regulatory requirements that govern network monitoring systems, before providing an overview of a reference monitoring system, which has been designed with these requirements in mind.
The Senior Web Accessibility
Authors: Motte Isabelle , Noirhomme-Fraiture Monique
Published: May 2011

Web accessibility is a major question in present ICT legislation. An ageing population is a known phenomenon that makes older people become a specific interest group. In chapter 25 the authors present the evolution encountered in laws and standards due to specific concern about older people. This publication is related to the works of the W3C WAI-AGE group. The authors focus mainly in the adaptations encountered in W3C accessibility guidelines (WCAG) while considering the difficulties related to ageing.  The chapter also proposes some practical recommendations for web designers that want to develop websites targeting seniors, and finally gives some perspectives about accessibility legislation and standards.
Multimedia Educational Application for Risk Reduction
Authors: Iztúriz Ana , Barrientos Yolanda , González María A. , Rivas Larry , de Bezada Matilde V. , Ruíz Simón
Published: May 2011

The 21st century has brought changes and innovations in educational technology that should be incorporated in the curriculum at all educational levels. Therefore, it is necessary to apply modern technologies in learning processes. This work was based on basic cognitive learning theories and principles, and used software, such as Freehand, Adobe Photoshop, Jigsaw Puzzle Creator, Brainsbraker and Jigsaw Puzzle Lite, to create a multimedia version of the SALTARIESGOS board game. The game was applied and validated with students from elementary school of 2nd, 4th, 5th and 6th grades. The results we obtained can be considered satisfactory based on the student’s opinion, and the pedagogical strategy was as an effective tool for achieving our goals. The educational contribution of this interactive version of the game will promote and sensitize school community members at different urban and rural areas, in order to enhance the preventive culture in disaster risk reduction.
MedISys
Authors: Linge Jens P. , Steinberger Ralf , Fuart Flavio , Bucci Stefano , Belyaeva Jenya , Gemo Monica , Al-Khudhairy Delilah , Yangarber Roman , van der Goot Erik
Published: May 2011

The Medical Information System (MedISys) is a fully automatic 24/7 public health surveillance system monitoring human and animal infectious diseases and chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) threats in open-source media. In this article, we explain the technology behind MedISys, describing the processing chain from the definition of news sources, scraping and grabbing articles from the internet, text mining, event extraction with the Pattern-based Understanding and Learning System (PULS, developed by the University of Helsinki), news clustering and alerting, to the display of results. The web interface and service applications are shown from a user’s perspective. Users can display world maps in which event locations are highlighted as well as statistics on the reporting about diseases, countries and combinations thereof and can apply filters for language, disease or location or filters with orthogonal categories, e.g. outbreaks, via their browser. Specific entities such as persons, organizations and locations are identified automatically.
Protecting Patient Information in Outsourced Telehealth Services
Authors: Logan Patricia Y. , Noles Debra
Published: May 2011

Hospitals have increasingly employed outsourcing to lower the cost of healthcare delivery and improve efficiency and quality, thereby, enabling more focus on core competencies of patient care, teaching, and research. Outsourcing presents a challenge for protecting patient information when new services are implemented or integrated into an existing healthcare information system. Enabling new outsourced telehealth services often requires “bolting on” security to legacy systems rather than “baking” it into the system. This chapter addresses security practices necessary for healthcare organizations implementing new telehealth services as part of an outsourced relationship. While a number of recommendations are available for security readiness assessments pursuant to HIPAA compliance, none directly addresses the challenge of implementing security for outsourced clinical services. A case study is presented for a recent implementation of teleradiology services within a large regional hospital. Using the case, system vulnerabilities are demonstrated and relevant best practices to mitigate exposing patient information are discussed.
A Secure and Trustful e-Ordering Architecture (TOES) for Small and Medium Size Enterprises (SMEs)
Authors: Papastergiou Spyridon , Polemi Despina
Published: May 2011

Although various European Union (EU) directives have established the proper legal framework for the provision of a trustful, legally accepted cross border transaction via electronic means, the consumers are still hesitant to use e-commerce. Lack of confidence with regard to the protection of privacy and security of electronic transactions is among the main reasons. This chapter attempts to form the appropriate confidence framework describing a set of privacy and security requirements that must be taken into account for e-ordering systems. In addition, it presents a trustful e-ordering architecture (TOES) that achieves to address these requirements based on extensible markup language (XML), XML cryptography, public key infrastructure (PKI), Web services policy language (WSPL), and Web services. TOES is an open, secure, interoperable, and affordable e-ordering system that respects the EU legislation.
TreeWorks
Authors: Harper Paul , Leite Jr. Evandro
Published: May 2011

Decision trees are hierarchical, sequential classification structures that recursively partition the set of observations (data) and are used to represent rules underlying the observations. This article describes the development of TreeWorks, a tool that enhances existing decision tree theory and overcomes some of the common limitations such as scalability and the ability to handle large databases. We present a heuristic that allows TreeWorks to cope with observation sets that contain several distinct values of categorical data, as well as the ability to handle very large datasets by overcoming issues with computer main memory. Furthermore, our tool incorporates a number of useful features such as the ability to move data across terminal nodes, allowing for the construction of trees combining statistical accuracy with expert opinion. Finally, we discuss ways that decision trees can be combined with Operational Research health care models, for more effective and efficient planning and management of health care processes.
The Fundamental Properties of Information-Carrying Relations
Authors: Demir Hilmi
Published: May 2011

Philosophers have used information theoretic concepts and theorems for philosophical purposes since the publication of Shannon’s seminal work, “The Mathematical Theory of Communication”. The efforts of different philosophers led to the formation of Philosophy of Information as a subfield of philosophy in the late 1990s (Floridi, in press). Although a significant part of those efforts was devoted to the mathematical formalism of information and communication theory, a thorough analysis of the fundamental mathematical properties of information-carrying relations has not yet been done. The point here is that a thorough analysis of the fundamental properties of information-carrying relations will shed light on some important controversies. The overall aim of this chapter is to begin this process of elucidation. It therefore includes a detailed examination of three semantic theories of information: Dretske’s entropy-based framework, Harms’ theory of mutual information and Cohen and Meskin’s counterfactual theory. These three theories are selected because they represent all lines of reasoning available in the literature in regard to the relevance of Shannon’s mathematical theory of information for philosophical purposes. Thus, the immediate goal is to cover the entire landscape of the literature with respect to this criterion. Moreover, this chapter offers a novel analysis of the transitivity of information-carrying relations.
Biological Information as Natural Computation
Authors: Dodig-Crnkovic Gordana
Published: May 2011

The dynamics of natural systems, and particularly organic systems, specialized in self-organization and complexity management, presents a vast source of ideas for new approaches to computing, such as natural computing and its special case organic computing. Based on paninformationalism (understanding of all physical structures as informational) and pancomputationalism or natural computationalism (understanding of the dynamics of physical structures as computation) a new approach of info-computational naturalism emerges as a result of their synthesis. This includes naturalistic view of mind and hence naturalized epistemology based on evolution from inanimate to biological systems through the increase in complexity of informational structures by natural computation. Learning on the info-computational level about structures and processes in nature and especially those in intelligent and autonomous biological agents enables the development of advanced autonomous adaptive intelligent artifacts and makes possible connection (both theoretical and practical) between organic and inorganic systems.
Identity in the Real World
Authors: Casu Matteo , Albergante Luca
Published: May 2011

The notion of identity has been discussed extensively in the past. Leibniz was the first to present this notion in a logically coherent way, using a formulation generally recognized as “Leibniz's Law”. Although some authors criticized this formulation, Leibniz's Law is generally accepted as the definition of identity. This work interprets Leibniz's Law as a limit notion: perfectly reasonable in a God's eye view of reality, but very difficult to use in the real world because of the limitedness of finite agents. To illustrate our approach we use “description logics” to describe the properties of objects, and present an approach to relativize Leibniz's Law. This relativization is further developed in a semantic web context, where the utility of our approach is suggested.
Seeing for Knowing
Authors: Vallverdú Jordi
Published: May 2011

From recent debates about the paper of scientific instruments and human vision, we can conclude that we don't see through our instruments, but we see with them. All our observations, perceptions and scientific data are biologically, socially, and cognitively mediated. So, there is not ‘pure vision’, nor ‘pure objective data’. At a certain level, we can say that we have an extended epistemology, which embraces human and instrumental entities. We can make better science because we can deal better with scientific data. But at the same time, the point is not that be ‘see’ better, but that we only can see because we design those cognitive interfaces. Computational simulations are the middleware of our mindware, acting as mediators between our instruments, brains, the worlds and our minds. We are contemporary Thomas, who believe what we can see.
Embodying Cognition
Authors: Casacuberta David , Ayala Saray , Vallverdú Jordi
Published: May 2011

After several decades of success in different areas and numerous effective applications, algorithmic Artificial Intelligence has revealed its limitations. If in our quest for artificial intelligence we want to understand natural forms of intelligence, we need to shift/move from platform-free algorithms to embodied and embedded agents. Under the embodied perspective, intelligence is not so much a matter of algorithms, but of the continuous interactions of an embodied agent with the real world. In this paper we adhere to a specific reading of the embodied view usually known as enactivism, to argue that 1) It is a more reasonable model of how the mind really works; 2) It has both theoretical and empirical benefits for Artificial Intelligence and 3) Can be easily implemented in simple robotic sets like Lego Mindstorms (TM). In particular, we will explore the computational role that morphology can play in artificial systems. We will illustrate our ideas presenting several Lego Mindstorms robots where morphology is critical for the robot’s behaviour.
Urban Traffic Characteristics and Urban Stormwater Quality
Authors: Gunawardena Janaka , Goonetilleke Ashantha , Egodawatta Prasanna , Ayoko Godwin , Kerr Jason
Published: May 2011

Traffic generated pollutants are a significant threat to achieving sustainable urban and transport development goals. This chapter presents a comprehensive methodology formulated to estimate traffic generated key pollutants to receiving water, based on urban traffic and climate variables. The overall purpose of this research is to aid decision makers in assessing the long term sustainability of urban waterways by providing a methodology for predicting key pollutant loads to receiving waters for future traffic growth and climate change scenarios. There are five key steps in the methodology, which are: air sampling and testing, dry pollutant deposition sampling and testing, pollutant build-up sampling and testing, data analysis and development of mathematical relationships, and mathematical modelling. The methodology focuses on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, heavy metals and particulate matter as they are the key traffic generated pollutants found in urban stormwater and receiving waters. Firstly, mathematical relationships are developed to establish linkages between traffic generated pollutants present in the atmospheric and ground phases. Secondly, mathematical relationships are developed to predict the variation of pollutant concentrations with traffic and climate parameters, thereby formulating a methodology to predict traffic generated key pollutant loads on urban road surfaces. As part of the research methodology, mathematical modelling is carried out to predict receiving water quality changes due to pollutant wash-off from urban road surfaces. The study sites were selected to represents traffic characteristics in the Gold Coast region, Australia. The outcomes of this research study will help regulatory authorities to formulate strategies to reduce traffic generated key pollutant loads to urban waterways under future traffic and climate change scenarios. This, in turn, will help to ensure the long term sustainability of urban water systems.
Infrastructure Sustainability
Authors: Moragaspitiya Praveen , Thambiratnam David , Perera Nimal , Chan Tommy
Published: May 2011

High density development has been seen as a contribution to sustainable development. However, a number of engineering issues play a crucial role in the sustainable construction of high rise buildings. Non linear deformation of concrete has an adverse impact on high-rise buildings with complex geometries, due to differential axial shortening. These adverse effects are caused by time dependent behaviour resulting in volume change known as ‘shrinkage’, ‘creep’ and ‘elastic’ deformation. These three phenomena govern the behaviour and performance of all concrete elements, during and after construction. Reinforcement content, variable concrete modulus, volume to surface area ratio of the elements, environmental conditions, and construction quality and sequence influence on the performance of concrete elements and differential axial shortening will occur in all structural systems. Its detrimental effects escalate with increasing height and non vertical load paths resulting from geometric complexity. The magnitude of these effects has a significant impact on building envelopes, building services, secondary systems, and lifetime serviceability and performance. Analytical and test procedures available to quantify the magnitude of these effects are limited to a very few parameters and are not adequately rigorous to capture the complexity of true time dependent material response. With this in mind, a research project has been undertaken to develop an accurate numerical procedure to quantify the differential axial shortening of structural elements. The procedure has been successfully applied to quantify the differential axial shortening of a high rise building, and the important capabilities available in the procedure have been discussed. A new practical concept, based on the variation of vibration characteristic of structure during and after construction and used to quantify the axial shortening and assess the performance of structure, is presented.
A Survey of P2P Data-Driven Live Streaming Systems
Authors: Pianese Fabio
Published: May 2011

Data-driven peer-to-peer live streaming systems challenge and extend the traditional concept of overlay for application-layer multicast data distribution. In such systems, software nodes propagate individually-named, ordered segments of the stream (called chunks) by independently conducting exchanges with their neighboring peers. Chunk exchanges are solely based on information that is available locally, such as the status of a node’s receive buffer and an approximate knowledge of the buffer contents of its neighbors. In this Chapter, we motivate and retrace the emergence of P2P data-driven live streaming systems, describe their internal data structures and fundamental mechanisms, and provide references to a number of known analytical bounds on the rate and delay that can be achieved using many relevant chunk distribution strategies. We then conclude this survey by reviewing the deployment status of the most popular commercial systems, the results from large-scale Internet measurement studies, and the open research problems.
The 3rd Generation Partnership Project Packet-Switched Streaming (3GPP-PSS)
Authors: Adibi Sasan , Mendahawi Nayef , Wijayanathan Maiyuran
Published: May 2011

Streaming is a service by which real-time data traffic is transferred between the streaming server and the wireless/wired device. Streaming was initially designed for broadband Internet audio and video transmissions, which soon expanded to cover mobile networks as well. The third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) was created in 1998, which embodied collaboration agreements of numerous telecommunication standardization organizations and bodies, initially targeted for evolved GSM and UMTS (WCDMA) networks. The 3GPP Packet Switched Streaming (3GPP-PSS) specifications define the framework for streaming capabilities for 3GPP mobile devices and networks, including the functionality, interoperability, media types and compatibility specifications. This chapter embodies the chronological advances of 3GPP-PSS and discussions on the general specifications of different releases, including Release 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 with a focus on the Quality of Service (QoS) support.
Data Reengineering of Legacy Systems
Authors: Millham Richard C.
Published: May 2011

Legacy systems, from a data-centric view, could be defined as old, business-critical, and standalone systems that have been built around legacy databases, such as IMS or CODASYL, or legacy database management systems, such as ISAM (Brodie & Stonebraker, 1995). Because of the huge scope of legacy systems in the business world (it is estimated that there are 100 billion lines of COBOL code alone for legacy business systems; Bianchi, 2000), data reengineering, along with its related step of program reengineering, of legacy systems and their data constitute a significant part of the software reengineering market. Data reengineering of legacy systems focuses on two parts. The first step involves recognizing the data structures and semantics followed by the second step where the data are converted to the new or converted system. Usually, the second step involves substantial changes not only to the data structures but to the data values of the legacy data themselves (Aebi & Largo, 1994).
Extending Enterprise Architecture with Mobility
Authors: Wu Ming-Chien (Mindy) , Unhelkar Bhuvan
Published: May 2011

The Enterprise Architecture (EA) brings together various business processes, technologies, standards, systems, and IT infrastructure of the organization. This chapter considers extending the EA with mobility so that it would facilitate easier implementation of applications that overcomes the boundaries of time and location. This extension of EA with mobility will result in a comprehensive Mobility Enterprise Architecture (M-EA) that will provide the business with advantages of real-time business processes, reduced costs, increased client satisfaction, and better control. This chapter outlines the M-EA framework, which is based on the literature review, initial modeling, and a case study carried out by the lead authors. Later, the framework is validated by another case study carried out at international software development organization. Further validation of the model is envisaged through action research in multinational organizations.
Challenges and Solutions for Complex Business Process Management
Authors: Wang Minhong , Kumar Kuldeep
Published: May 2011

A business process displays complexity as a result of multiple interactions of its internal components and interaction between the process and its environment. To manage complexity and foster flexibility of business process management (BPM), we present the DCAR architecture for developing complex BPM systems, which includes decomposition of complex processes (D); coordination of interactive activities (C); awareness of dynamic environments (A); and resource selection and coordination (R). On the other hand, computing technologies, such as object-oriented programming, component-based development, agent-oriented computing, and service-oriented architecture have been applied in modeling and developing complex systems. However, there is considerable ambiguity involved in differentiating between these overlapping technologies and their use in developing BPM systems. No explicit linkage has been established between the requirement of complex BPM and the supporting technologies. In this study, we use the DCAR architecture as the foundation to identify the BPM requirements for employing technologies in developing BPM systems. Based on an examination of the both sides (BPM requirements and supporting technologies), we present a clear picture of business process complexity with a systemic approach for developing complex BPM systems by using appropriate computing technologies.
ERP Systems Supporting Lean Manufacturing in SMEs
Authors: Halgeri Pritish , McHaney Roger , Pei Z. J.
Published: May 2011

Small and medium enterprises (SMEs), more than ever, are being forced to compete in a global economy with increasingly complex challenges. This new economy has forced SMEs to become more responsive and agile in operational, tactical and strategic areas while requiring thoughtful integration between business functions and manufacturing/ production/ service operations. Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and Lean manufacturing are two production control methodologies that have been implemented in various ways. In early incarnations, ERP systems were considered a hindrance to Lean manufacturing efforts and were criticized for encouraging large inventories and slower production. The explosive growth of e-business methodologies and the resulting pressure to become nimble and embrace rapid change forced many SMEs to rethink their production approaches, particularly in regard to where they stand in relation to these two methodologies. Over time, ERP vendors recognized the power and advantages of Lean manufacturing and developed ways to incorporate Lean-related features into their software. The main objective of this chapter is to explore how ERP and Lean methodologies can coexist in SMEs. The chapter discusses misconceptions about the fit between ERP and Lean then summarizes differences and synergies between the two methodologies. The chapter emphasizes how linking ERP and Lean methods can lead to competitive advantage then explores key Lean toolsets available in leading ERP systems used by SMEs. Further focus is provided with additional insight on several leading ERP vendors offering Lean-enabled software modules. These include Oracle, TTW WinMan and Pelion Systems.
Achieving Business Benefits from ERP Systems
Authors: Mishra Alok
Published: May 2011

Enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems are becoming popular in medium and large-scale organizations all over the world. As companies have to collaborate across borders, languages, cultures, and integrate business processes, ERPs will need to take globalization into account, be based on a global architecture, and support the features required to bring all the worldwide players and processes together. Due to the high cost of implementation for these systems, organizations all over the world are interested in evaluating their benefits in the short and long terms. This chapter discusses various kinds of business benefits in a comprehensive way in order to justify the acquisition and implementation of ERP systems in organizations in the present global context.
The Management of CRM Information Systems in Small B2B Service Organisations
Authors: Gurau Calin
Published: May 2011

The new communication and information systems have significantly increased the possibilities offered to professional companies for developing and maintaining long-term customer relationships. However, technology alone cannot ensure the success of CRM strategies. The implementation of a customercentred culture, shared by the entire professional organisation, requires the combination of human resources, expertise and technology in order to identify and satisfy the needs of the existing customers. Considering a sample of French and UK professional SMEs, this chapter investigates the type of CRM strategy implemented by these firms, as well as the usage intensity of various communication channels, both by companies and clients. The satisfaction of client organisations is analysed from a multi-level perspective and a diagnostic procedure is proposed in order to identify the gap between the perceptions service provider firms and clients on various dimensions of the CRM process.
Managing Temporal Data
Authors: Tansel Abdullah Uz
Published: May 2011

In general, databases store current data. However,the capability to maintain temporal data is a crucial requirement for many organizations and provides the base for organizational intelligence. A temporal database maintains time-varying data, that is, past, present, and future data. In this chapter, we focus on the relational data model and address the subtle issues in modeling and designing temporal databases. A common approach to handle temporal data within the traditional relational databases is the addition of time columns to a relation. Though this appears to be a simple and intuitive solution, it does not address many subtle issues peculiar to temporal data, that is, comparing database states at two different time points, capturing the periods for concurrent events and accessing times beyond these periods, handling multi-valued attributes, coalescing and restructuring temporal data, and so forth, [Gadia 1988, Tansel and Tin 1997]. There is a growing interest in temporal databases. A first book dedicated to temporal databases [Tansel at al 1993] followed by others addressing issues in handling time-varying data [Betini, Jajodia and Wang 1988, Date, Darwen and Lorentzos 2002, Snodgrass 1999].
Understanding Information Technology Implementation Failure
Authors: Boudreau Marie-Claude , Holmström Jonny
Published: May 2011

This chapter uses the theory of loose coupling to explain failure in the adoption of an information technology aimed at improving collaboration across one organization’s internal boundaries. The research details an interpretive case study of a single organization, MacGregor Crane, in which relatively autonomous individuals are only loosely connected in terms of their daily interactions. The company implemented Lotus Notes© in an attempt to increase collaboration. However, this effort failed because employees in various units, particularly engineering, were reluctant to share information across unit boundaries. In light of these findings, it is suggested that the successful implementation of a collaborative IT within a loosely coupled organization should involve the reconsideration of the organizational members’ roles and functions.
Preparedness of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises to Use Information and Communication Technology as a Strategic Tool
Authors: Antlova Klara
Published: May 2011

The objective of this chapter is to emphasize issues connected with adoption of information and communication technology (ICT) as a strategic tool contributing to further organizational growth. This understanding is based on the results of a qualitative analysis of a group of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Gradual development of a group of 30 organizations has been monitored over the last fifteen years during their co-operation with the Technical University of Liberec. These organizations have hosted one-year student placements where students, as part of their Bachelor’s degree course, undertake a long term work experience enabling them to integrate the practical and theoretical aspects of their course. The research focused on SME management’s approach to ICT, its utilization for competitive advantage and its relation to and defining of business strategy. Other aspects of the study looked at the effect of ICT on organizational performance, knowledge and skills of the employees, training and organizational culture. The results indicate that successful and growing companies have gradually established business, information and knowledge strategies and make strategic use of ICT.
Studying Human Resource Information Systems Implementation using Adaptive Structuration Theory
Authors: Ruël Huub
Published: May 2011

Research on Human Resource Information Systems (HRIS) implementation lacks theoretical depth and richness. For that reason this paper applies a theory to HRIS implementation developed by Gerardine DeSanctis and Marshal Scott Poole originally for studying information systems implementation, namely Adaptive Structuration Theory (AST). AST is based on Structuration Theory, a theory from sociology, and assumes that information systems and organizations are fundamentally interrelated. They influence each other mutually. In this paper concepts from AST are applied to a HRIS implementation at Dow Chemicals. The case shows how a HRIS’ philosophy through appropriation by end-users is being realized in HRIS outcomes.