bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Shifting Discourses on E-Government
Authors: Córdoba José-Rodrigo , Orr Kevin
Published: May 2010

This chapter develops a synergy of ideas from systems-thinking and public policy analysis to help make better sense of why e-government initiatives unfold in particular ways. Specifically, the chapter emphasizes the importance of critical reflection about systems boundaries and local government traditions. These two notions complement each other and could help practitioners to understand the dynamics of contexts in which e-government initiatives develop. The aim of this synergy is to suggest an alternative for what we see as piecemeal planning and implementation approaches to e-government.
Electronic Government Implementation Projects with Multiple Agencies
Authors: Junqueira Alvaro , Diniz Eduardo Henrique , Fernandez Marcelo
Published: May 2010

Contemporary public administrations have been suffering several ways of pressure to promote modernization in their structures and services. One of governments’ options to meet that demand lies in the potential use of information and communication technology for the benefit of better service to citizens and greater state apparatus efficiency. This contemporary movement particularly connected with personal computing and the Internet arrival has been called Electronic Government (e-Gov). One of its actions relates to building government electronic services that integrate several government agencies in a collaborative format. However, e-Gov projects demanding integration to this degree have an implementation complexity that is greater than traditional projects, which reflects on low success rates worldwide. This paper investigates the good practices identification in multi-agency e-Gov project management. Using the PMBOK framework, this paper presents an in-depth study of Nota Fiscal Eletrônica - NF-e (Electronic Invoice) project implementation. This project was based on a nationwide integration of multiple agencies (26 State Tax Administrations, the Brazilian Federal Revenue Service and nineteen large companies) and faced major technical and management complexity. The results found suggest that the project was implemented in an informal way, however with impressive results. There were identified two complementary management models. The first model was nationwide, focused in Scope and Communication Management. The second model was local to each institution, focused in Cost, HR and Procurement Management.
E-Government and Its Evaluation in South East Europe
Authors: Kromidha Endrit , Córdoba José-Rodrigo
Published: May 2010

E-government (electronic government) has spread globally as a phenomenon that involves the use of information technologies supports delivery of public services. There are different actors and organisations being involved in e-government implementation and use, three of which are government organisations, businesses and citizens. In the case of government institutions, a common goal is to provide an appropriate service environment for both businesses and citizens. Citizens want to maximize their benefits received when for instance they pay taxes, and businesses have a goal to maximize profits. How to assess and improve e-government services is still a challenge in many countries. This chapter will offer some insights into the e-government phenomenon which could inform its future evaluation. The objective is to review e-government in the light of new public management (Barzelay, 2001), a term used in the last 30 years to describe new themes, styles, and patterns of public service management. This will lead us to consider alternative ways to evaluate e-government services (e-services). One of these is a technology acceptance model (TAM) to describe e-government related reforms in Albania and the Balkans region towards building a better understanding of how evaluation could be conducted. The insights from the Albanian case open up a number of opportunities that could be taken forward by policy makers, developers and other stakeholders. For those researching on e-government evaluation, the chapter offers a view of why we need to consider different aspects in the evaluation process.
Emerging Trends of Student Support Services in Indian Distance Education
Authors: Sharma Ramesh C.
Published: May 2010

Even though the concept of distance education emerged in the West/Europe, it is evident that the impact of this concept in terms of emergence of distance education institutions, student enrolment, and utilization of a variety of media are quite predominant in the context of Indian subcontinent especially India. The chapter traces briefly the history and growth of distance education in India. Various facets of student support are discussed followed by how various modes of ICT are employed as a part of student support. This chapter also examines the best practices adopted and emerging trends of students support by open universities in India. It also examines the role ICT has played and the future trends the ICT would enable effective student support.
Community@Brighton
Authors: Stanier Stan
Published: May 2010

This chapter details the implementation of a university-wide social networking platform “Community@ Brighton” – using the open source Elgg platform and describes the technical, institutional and educational issues arising from the two years of experience in running the platform. The strategic vision of providing a social network platform alongside an institutional VLE to provide an integrated Shared Learning Environment is also explored, including key case studies and discussion on the challenges such technologies place on existing models of online learning and teaching.
Personalising Teaching and Learning with Digital Resources
Authors: Burden Kevin , Atkinson Simon
Published: May 2010

This chapter describes the ways in which individual academics have sought to realise a degree of personalisation in their teaching practice through their engagement with the DiAL-e Framework (Digital Artefacts for Learner Engagement). The DiAL-e Framework (www.dial-e.net) is a new conceptual model, articulated as a paper-based and web-based tool, for designing learning engagements. The policy and theoretical context, evolution of the framework and the methodology used to utilise the framework with academic staff seeking to personalise the learning experience is outlined. Details of three case studies resulting from this early work are described and conclusions drawn as to how such frameworks might assist staff in thinking about personalised learning scenarios.
Blogs and the e-Flective Practitioner
Authors: Lowe Paul , Blythman Margo
Published: May 2010

In a context of mass higher education it can be a challenge to build a reasonable level of personalised learning into the student experience. This chapter explores the relationship between personalised learning, reflection and the use of blogs in the building of a collaborative learning community through opportunities to build professional identity. The authors outline how the postgraduate programme in the Media school at the London College of Communication, University of the Arts London uses web 2.0 tools on the photography programme, in particular blogs, in developing reflective practitioners within a collaborative community of practice. The unique opportunities presented by live blogs in opening up the process of articulating experience into learning, enhance what the authors characterise as the ‘E-flective practitioner’.
Building Practitioner Skills in Personalised eLearning
Authors: Pilkington Ruth
Published: May 2010

The chapter suggests the implementation of personalised learning within Higher Education raises fundamental issues and challenges when developing academic staff to support this form of learning and explores some of the challenges raised. It discusses the value of personalised learning for professional development in particular within the context of UK Professional Standards for HE staff. The chapter uses a case study to illustrate the issues and solutions offered by personalised eLearning and identifies particular issues of literacy, prior learning and comfort with respect to online delivery that need to be recognised for both developers and professional learners. The case study draws on a Joint Informations Systems Committee (JISC) funded project under the RePRODUCE banner and compares findings with existing traditional means of developing staff, as well as discussing the processes represented and the contributions that can be made when personalising learning more widely within HE.
Using ePortfolios in Higher Education to Encourage Learner Reflection and Support Personalised Learning
Authors: Peacock Susi , Morss Kate , Scott Alison , Hislop Jane , Irvine Lindesay , Murray Sue , Girdler Simon T.
Published: May 2010

Personalisation, with its emphasis on learner choice and lifelong learning, challenges educators to provide an innovative, student-centric educational experience. New technologies have great potential to support personalisation; however, institutions must review their approaches to assessment and feedback and their strategies to learning and teaching as well as increasing opportunities for collaborative learning and extending their external partnerships. This is a significant agenda for any institution. In this chapter, through the authors’ four case studies drawn from different subject areas in a higher educational institution, they illustrate how ePortfolios when integrated into the curriculum and combined with reflection can support personalised learning. The authors’ also discuss the challenges of such an approach including lack of learner engagement with the reflective process, an increase in tutor time, restricted learner access to technology and the need for dynamic ePersonalisation. They offer suggestions for educators in addressing such issues in order to provide a truly personalised learning experience.
Into the Great Wide Open
Authors: Thißen Dirk , Zimmermann Volker , Küchler Tilman
Published: May 2010

Personalisation is a key requirement to motivate learners to use learning technology and self-paced content. Whereas most research and technologies focus on personalisation of content, this paper focuses on the personalisation of the tools and platform technologies for learning. When designing a learning environment, most organisations worked in the past on their internal business processes and content but did not focus on what the learner really does with the learning tools the organisation provided to them. Changing the perspective to the user shows, that they create today “around the organisational solutions” their own technology-enhanced learning world using a whole set of technologies: Learning management system (LMS) of the company, learning management system of a further education institution or of a university, different social network platforms, search engines, open web services in the internet like blogs or wikis, and a lot more other applications. Therefore the challenge for organisations today is how they can manage this variety of technologies by also enforcing the creativity and motivation of the users to personalise and individualise their learning environment. This paper proposes a solution by describing an architecture for a responsive and open learning environment. It delivers examples and a procedure how such a solution can be built step-by-step. The approach can be used in schools, higher education institutions, corporations or further education institutions.
Shared Spaces and ‘Secret Gardens'
Authors: Orsini-Jones Marina
Published: May 2010

This chapter illustrates a curricular intervention carried out at Coventry University (UK) with undergraduate students reading English. It explores how the students maximised their use of the tools available within the ePortfolio software PebblePad. It discusses how the software tools were used to enhance and personalise the students’ learning experience and engage in the discourse of ‘becoming researchers’ in the second year module Dissertation Methods and Approaches. It proposes that the use of some ePortfolio tools helped many students to become critical and to actively engage in their ontological journey of transition to becoming independent thinkers. However it also reports that some problematic issues surfaced following the implementation of the curricular action: some students find active learning and active engagement in the scholarship of research ‘troublesome’. Finally this chapter gives consideration to how to integrate the lessons learned from this experience into the curriculum for the next cohort of students.
Physical Metaphorical Modelling with LEGO as a Technology for Collaborative Personalised Learning
Authors: Nolan Stuart
Published: May 2010

LEGO Serious Play is a business development process where users build metaphorical models from LEGO bricks in order to explore and share their perceptions of various aspects of their working lives. They model important symbolic elements of their personality, emotions, working practices, organization, and the relationships between these elements in order to share stories that aid the construction of organizational knowledge. This chapter reports on trials using LEGO Serious Play with HE students from a range of subject areas who used metaphorical modelling to articulate their learning autobiographies, current situations, orientations to learning, and aspirations. The models helped students make informed choices and helped staff to understand their needs and personalise the learning provision appropriately
Methodological Aspects of the Evaluation of Individual E-Banking Services for Selected Banks in Poland
Authors: Chmielarz Witold
Published: May 2010

The main purpose of this chapter is the comparison of differences between results of three methods used for quality evaluation of individual e-banking services. The comparison has been conducted for selected sixteen banks in Poland. The author uses three types of research: traditional expert scoring method, AHP (Analytic Hierarchy Process) method and conversion method. After a general introduction, a detailed report of the results arising from this research is presented and analyzed. Finally, the author draws general conclusions from the analysis. He also discusses the future research regarding this topic.
Usability Techniques for Interactive Software and their Application in E-Commerce
Authors: Singh Shawren
Published: May 2010

The purpose of this chapter is to provide an overview of usability and usability techniques. It discusses interaction design with a bias on web-based technologies, focusing on usability and usability definitions. Usability principles are discussed with a particular focus on web usability, and some of the techniques that can be used to incorporate usability design and testing. The chapter also considers aspects of electronic commerce usability. These techniques are divided into usability evaluation, (heuristic evaluation, checklists, usability tests, think aloud approaches) followed by designing with usability in mind (including user and task analysis, walkthroughs, user experience and scenario-based usability). Several E-commerce case studies, from a developing economy perspective, are then analysed, before finally discussing E-commerce usability.
Integrating Accessibility Evaluation into Web Engineering Processes
Authors: Power Christopher , Freire André Pimenta , Petrie Helen
Published: May 2010

This chapter presents methodologies and techniques for performing accessibility evaluations on web applications. These methodologies are discussed in the context of performing them within a web engineering process, be it a traditional, unified or agile process. In this chapter the case is made that website commissioners and web engineers cannot afford to overlook accessible practices as they risk alienating an increasingly large user base who may require accessible web features.
Analyzing Learning Methods in a Functional Environment
Authors: de la Encina Alberto , Hidalgo-Herrero Mercedes , Rabanal Pablo , Rodríguez Ismael , Rubio Fernando
Published: May 2010

Developing cognitive programs is a complex task. Thus, special purpose languages can help developing such systems. This chapter presents a programming environment to help studying the behavior of cognitive models. This environment allows to easily define new cognitive processes, it simplifies the methods to interconnect them, and it also provides graphical information to analyze how a complex cognitive system is evolving. Moreover, it also includes observation facilities, so that the user can analyze the internal behavior of each of the cognitive entities appearing in the system. The authors illustrate the usefulness of their system by using several examples within the chapter.
Foundation and Classification of Nonconventional Neural Units and Paradigm of Nonsynaptic Neural Interaction
Authors: Bukovsky I. , Bila J. , Gupta M. M. , Hou Z. G. , Homma N.
Published: May 2010

This chapter introduces basic types of nonconventional neural units and focuses their mathematical notation and classification. Namely, the notation and classification of higher-order nonlinear neural units, time-delay dynamic neural units, and time-delay higher-order nonlinear neural units is introduced. The classification of nonconventional neural units is founded first according to nonlinearity of aggregating function, second according to the dynamic order, third according to time-delay implementation within neural units. Introduction into the simplified parallel of the higher-order nonlinear aggregating function of higher-order neural units revealing both the synaptic and nonsynaptic neural interaction is made; thus, a new parallel between the mathematical notation of nonconventional neural units and the neural signal processing of biological neurons and is drawn. Based on the mathematical notation of neural input inter-correlations of higher-order neural units, it is shown that higher-order polynomial aggregating function of neural inputs can be naturally understood as a single-equation representation consisting of synaptic neural operation plus nonsynaptic neural operation. Thus it unravels new simplified yet universal mathematical insight into understanding the higher computational power of neurons that also conforms to biological neuronal morphology according to nowadays achievements of biomedical sciences.
Approximate Query Answering with Knowledge Hierarchy
Authors: Lee Wookey , Shin Myung-Keun , Huh Soon Young , Park Donghyun , Kim Jumi
Published: May 2010

Approximate Query Answering is important for incorporating knowledge abstraction and query relaxation in terms of the categorical and the numerical data. By exploiting the knowledge hierarchy, a novel method is addressed to quantify the semantic distances between the categorical information as well as the numerical data. Regarding that, an efficient query relaxation algorithm is devised to modify the approximate queries to ordinary queries based on the knowledge hierarchy. Then the ranking measures work very efficiently to cope with various combinations of complex queries with respect to the number of nodes in the hierarchy as well as the corresponding cost model.
Abstract DTD Graph from an XML Document
Authors: Fong Joseph , Shiu Herbert
Published: May 2010

Extensible Markup Language (XML) has become a standard for persistent storage and data interchange via the Internet due to its openness, self-descriptiveness and flexibility. This chapter proposes a systematic approach to reverse engineer arbitrary XML documents to their conceptual schema – Extended DTD Graphs ? which is a DTD Graph with data semantics. The proposed approach not only determines the structure of the XML document, but also derives candidate data semantics from the XML element instances by treating each XML element instance as a record in a table of a relational database. One application of the determined data semantics is to verify the linkages among elements. Implicit and explicit referential linkages are among XML elements modeled by the parent-children structure and ID/IDREF(S) respectively. As a result, an arbitrary XML document can be reverse engineered into its conceptual schema in an Extended DTD Graph format.
A Dynamic Model of Adoption and Improvement for Open Source Business Applications
Authors: Brydon Michael , Vining Aidan R.
Published: May 2010

This chapter develops a model of open source disruption in enterprise software markets. It addresses the question: Is free and open source software (FOSS) likely to disrupt markets for enterprise business applications? The conventional wisdom is that open source provision works best for low-level systemoriented technologies while large, complex enterprise business applications are best provided by commercial software vendors. The authors challenge the conventional wisdom by developing a two-stage model of open source disruption in business application markets that emphasizes a virtuous cycle of adoption and lead-user improvement of the software. The two stages are an initial incubation stage (the I-Stage) and a subsequent snowball stage (the S-Stage). Case studies of several FOSS projects demonstrate the model’s ex post predictive value. The authors then apply the model to SugarCRM, an emerging open source CRM application, to make ex ante predictions regarding its potential to disrupt commercial CRM incumbents.
Dimensions of UML Diagram Use
Authors: Dobing Brian , Parsons Jeffrey
Published: May 2010

The Unified Modeling Language (UML) is an industry standard for object-oriented software engineering. However, there is little empirical evidence on how the UML is used. This chapter reports results of a survey of UML practitioners. The authors found differences in several dimensions of UML diagram usage on software development projects, including frequency, the purposes for which they were used, and the roles of clients/users in their creation and approval. System developers are often ignoring the “Use Case-driven” prescription that permeates much of the UML literature, making limited or no use of either Use Case Diagrams or textual Use Case descriptions. Implications and areas requiring further investigation are discussed.
The Use of Ontology for Data Mining with Incomplete Data
Authors: Wang Hai , Wang Shouhong
Published: May 2010

Ontology has recently received considerable attention. Based on a domain analysis of knowledge representations in data mining, this chapter presents a structure of ontology for data mining as well as the unique resources for data mining with incomplete data. This chapter demonstrates the effectiveness of ontology for data mining with incomplete data through an experiment.
Spreading Activation Methods
Authors: Troussov Alexander , Levner Eugene , Bogdan Cristian , Judge John , Botvich Dmitri
Published: May 2010

Spreading activation (also known as spread of activation) is a method for searching associative networks, neural networks or semantic networks. The method is based on the idea of quickly spreading an associative relevancy measure over the network. The goal is to give an expanded introduction to the method. The authors will demonstrate and describe in sufficient detail that this method can be applied to very diverse problems and applications. They present the method as a general framework. First they will present this method as a very general class of algorithms on large (or very large) so-called multidimensional networks which will serve a mathematical model. Then they will define so-called micro-applications of the method including local search, relationship/association search, polycentric queries, computing of dynamic local ranking, etc. Finally they will present different applications of the method including ontology-based text processing, unsupervised document clustering, collaborative tagging systems, etc.
Transforming Consumer Decision Making in E-Commerce
Authors: Gudigantala Naveen , Song Jaeki , Jones Donald R.
Published: May 2010

To facilitate online consumer decision making, a number of e-commerce businesses are augmenting their Web site features. The Web-based decision support for consumers is often provided by eliciting consumer preferences directly or indirectly to generate a set of product recommendations. The software that captures consumer preferences and provides recommendations is called a Web-based decision support system (WebDSS). It is important for WebDSS to support consumers’ decision strategies. These decision strategies could be compensatory or non-compensatory in nature. Based on a synthesis of previous research, the authors argue that compensatory based WebDSS are perceived by consumers to be better than non-compensatory WebDSS in terms of decision quality, satisfaction, effort, and confidence. This chapter presents a study that examined the level of online support provided to the consumers’ execution of compensatory and non-compensatory strategies. The results based on investigating 375 e-commerce websites indicate that moderate levels of support exists for consumers to implement non-compensatory choice strategies, and virtually no support exists for executing multi-attribute based compensatory choice strategies. The results of this study suggest that there is an opportunity in waiting for e-commerce businesses to implement compensatory WebDSS to improve the decision making capabilities of their consumers.
Knowledge-Based Intermediaries
Authors: Orman Levent V.
Published: May 2010

A new generation of intermediaries is predicted to flourish in the emerging electronic markets. They rely on new information technologies such as the semantic web, rule-based triggers, and knowledge-based constraint maintenance systems. These technologies do not automate or reduce intermediation, but inspire new types of intermediaries that rely on the technologies and complement them with human organizations. An inter-organizational architecture based on multiple levels of intermediation is described, and arguments are presented for its usefulness in emerging electronic markets.
Strategy to Regulate Online Knowledge Market
Authors: Zhang Zuopeng (Justin) , Jasimuddin Sajjad M.
Published: May 2010

This chapter studies different levels of pricing strategies for an online knowledge market, where consumers ask and experts answer questions to make knowledge transactions. Consumers optimally price their questions to obtain answers and a firm manages the online knowledge market by determining the optimal price allocation to experts. This research identifies two types of consumers, spin-off and mainstream, depending on whether additional utilities will be derived from the market. In addition, we investigate how the firm can use minimal and maximal posting prices to regulate the knowledge market.
Analysis of the Relationship Existing between Business Commercial Information Technologies
Authors: Hernández Blanca , Jiménez Julio , Martín M.José
Published: May 2010

The objective of this work is to analyse the importance of firms’ previous experience with different information technologies (Internet, EDI) in their implementation of e-CRM and B2B e-commerce. Moreover, we also study the role of e-CRM in B2B development. With this objective, we have analyzed 109 firms belonging to the IT sector. The results show that experience with IT such as EDI or the Internet has a direct influence on the use of e-CRM. There is also a direct and positive transmission of knowledge from e-CRM to B2B e-commerce, even though they have not yet been adopted intensively by firms. Firms need to be aware of the interrelations that exist between the different information technologies. The experience accumulated from using an IT can be considered an important aspect of organisational knowledge, which allows firms to obtain a number of benefits as a result of applying other IT that are complementary.
Small Business Performance Impacts of Information Systems Strategic Orientation
Authors: Rajendran R. , Vivekanandan K.
Published: May 2010

Businesses invest in developing information systems resources to gain competitive advantages. Literature has demonstrated the requirement of strategic alignment in converting these competitive advantages into sustained superior business performance. The knowledge of information systems strategic orientation and its impact on business performance will enable these businesses to fine tune their strategic information systems applications portfolio in achieving required strategic alignment. This chapter describes a research study that focuses on the information systems strategic orientation of small businesses and investigates its relationship with their perceived business performance. The organizational impact of adoption of the initial stages of electronic business development is also examined. The data were collected from small businesses on nine strategy areas, through mail survey. The result reveals three multifaceted dimensions of information systems strategic orientation. These dimensions of strategic orientation have significantly influenced their business performance. This phenomenon is explained with a model named Linear Strategic Alignment Model. For the adopters of Web presence, all these three dimensions remain significant in explaining their business performance.
Information Age
Authors: Yamamoto Gonca Telli
Published: May 2010

In this section, the processes leading to the information age and mobile technology are examined. The affects of certain inventions are discussed through having a look at the period which began when human kind gained the ability to direct energy with the invention of fire, and continued with the construction of simple machinery, and then reaching the Industrial Revolution with the influence of the modern scientific approach. Here, the appearance of technological development and technique in order to provide ease for people are being inspected. In the development and advancement of the human being, it is suggested that the work that initially required raw power, was transferred to simple machinery, and then to normal machinery. Many technological innovations with many contributions to living are taken into account from fairy tales to films made through the use of virtual means as the products of the creative mind related with the passion of invention. Passage to the Industrial Revolution has been triggered with the appearance of the required ideas for the invention of the work performer and caller forces or intelligent machines.
Mobile Communication
Authors: Yamamoto Gonca Telli
Published: May 2010

The dictionary definition of mobile is capable of moving or being moved, movable (http://www.merriamwebster. com/dictionary/mobile). Mobile technology considers the portable, movable and usable movement devices and the systems that operate such devices. Therefore, mobile technology has a tremendously wide scope with the services it presents, the installation systems and the devices used on such systems. The developments in this technology come out in dizzying speed. The realized innovations offer people the means of life that gradually mobilize and merge into very different options. In this section, first the definition of mobile communication is examined in detail and the issues and characteristics regarding how it became involved in life and popularized are discussed. Special care is shown for systems such as the wireless internet and GPS-Galileo which support mobile communication. Their features and the means provided by these systems are explained. The technological developments in mobile communication began from 0G with the establishment of communication satellites, mobile phones and radio connections, and with the formation of global telephone networks and wideband areas, and they are now detailed up to 4G, which is to take place in our lives in the future. At this stage, especially the 2.5G system used in our present time technology and also Bluetooth, ultra wide band, ad hoc wireless systems that have been developed in transition to 3G are also interrelated. Besides, the mobile phone is the most commonly used device of mobile communication and its features are also discussed. Finally, the development of mobile communication with user dimensions is evaluated and its various functions added compared to other means of communication are discussed.
Mobilizing World
Authors: Yamamoto Gonca Telli
Published: May 2010

The human being benefits from his or her ability to communicate and turn knowledge into action in order to sustain its ability to survive on this planet, the earth. As a result of the fast life conditions imposed on humanity, point-to-point relationships have begun to be established in a faster way and the idea to use technology to acquire and share knowledge has become widespread. Doing the right thing leads to improving and advancing the standard of life. The products of the mind can now be produced easier than ever by scope of technology. Intercommunication between people begins with talking; humans first talk and then express his or her emotions and opinions. Mobile telephone is the name of the latest technology which creates a worldwide area to talk in. One can easily notice how much the sector and its applications have developed only by looking at the first mobile phone which was launched in the world. Motorola Dyna TAC 8000x is one of these telephones. Its dimensions are 13x1.75x3.5. This is a brick-size device and you had to pay US $3,995 to own it in 1983. In return, what you would get was just a telephone which provides just voice communication and which could be used while moving. This affected concurrently users, families, types of entertainment even health issues and payments. The positive and negative effects have appeared in the evolutionary stage. Like the virtual environment (Han, Kim & Lee, 2005), the mobile environment which is used in order to cover customers’ needs for communication, information and entertainment is related to marketing with its different spirals and own sanctions. In this chapter we would like to give short notices for future researchers about the present conditions of major important topics and some new trends of these subjects.
Mobile Affected Socialization
Authors: Yamamoto Gonca Telli
Published: May 2010

While mobile intrusion comes to life insidiously, it has been affecting our lives in many different ways. At first social networking and some implementations such as mobile dating comes to mind. On the other hand, mobile literacy and educational implementations are evolving and spreading rapidly with the facilities of mobile systems. Having turned into one of the most important elements that trigger and develop the social genes in the twentieth century, communication technology is also drawing the attention with its impacts that direct socialization. Internet and cyberspaces which are used in mobile communication create communication organs with their multi but non-conflicting features for person to person connections, where individuals focus on a unity through the utilization of different modes to connect (Urry, 2002). This environment is suitable to create virtual societies where many people join with various reasons and they should also be considered in terms of marketing. The inclusion of people on the Internet as social actors evokes gathering metaphor on the background. General behaviors of any kind of gathering such as chatting, discussing, challenging and keeping secrets are also seen on this platform (Sproull & Faraj, 1997). Chat rooms, organized clubs, facebook type of websites, and virtual games are places where people spend time or perform communication-based activities.
Problems
Authors: Yamamoto Gonca Telli
Published: May 2010

In their Works titled “High Tech/High Touch: Technology and Our Accelerated Search for Meaning” (2001), Naisbitt, Naisbitt and Philips express that technology should be questioned due to its aggressive and brutal speed and that cultural desensitization cannot be prevented, and that it would cause certain social conflicts. Besides, they also draw the attention to the importance of balance in human-technology relationships, and to the issue of balancing material miracles with the spiritual demands of man while creating technology. It is highlighted that due to the continuous tracing caused by technology, both technological immoralities and related personal concerns will continuously increase and spread along society. With respect to health, high speed technology can cause to extreme stress and tiredness and other problems as its coercive effects may increase because technology proposes eternal series of formations and continuously pushes the limits of mind.
E-Government Capabilities for 21st Century Security and Defense
Authors: Ladner Roy , Petry Fred , McCreedy Frank
Published: May 2010

In this article we provide an overview of e-government as it pertains to national security and defense within the Department of Defense (DoD) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS). We discuss the adoption of Web services and service-oriented architectures to aid in information sharing and reduction of IT costs. We also discuss the networks on which services and resources are being deployed and explain the efforts being made to manage the infrastructure of available services. This article provides an overview of e-government for national security and defense and provides insight to current initiatives and future directions.
Administrative Leadership and the Electronic City
Authors: Streib Greg , Navarro Ignacio
Published: May 2010

Much has been written about the benefits of e-government, but far less has been written about how the e-government revolution will be staffed. Many questions remain about whether we have the capacity to develop and provide new e-government services. This chapter seeks to add to our knowledge in this area by examining three perspectives on the readiness of administrative leaders for effective development of e-government systems and strategies. The authors examine the lingering division of policy and administration, present an assessment of the technology knowledge of city managers, and finish with an examination of the leadership strategies available to administrative leaders in city government for achieving the kind of comprehensive changes that many e-government initiatives require. The authors find challenges in each of these important areas and also opportunities. The chapter concludes with recommendations for administrative leaders to break free from these different barriers to success.
Factors Influencing Career Choice for Women in the Global Information Technology Workforce
Authors: Trauth Eileen M. , Quesenberry Jeria L. , Huang Haiyan
Published: May 2010

The increased cultural diversity emanating from the globalization of the IT sector presents challenges for gender research in the IT field. In an effort to address these challenges, this chapter presents an analysis of cultural factors influencing the career choices of women in the IT workforce. A review of the literature on cultural factors suggests the need for both greater analysis of cultural influences on women in the IT workforce and more nuanced theorizing about gender and IT. Hence, the authors employ the individual differences theory of gender and IT as a theoretical lens for examining, in greater detail, the variation in ways that perceptions of women’s roles are embedded in a culture. The chapter then documents the influence of these perceptions on female IT career choices. Finally, the authors show how socio-cultural factors moderate these influences. The data employed in this chapter draws from a qualitative data set of interviews with 200 women from four separate studies of women in the IT workforces in Australia, Ireland, New Zealand and the United States. The themes that emerged from this analysis speak to the influence of cultural attitudes about maternity, childcare, parental care and working outside the home on a woman’s choice of an IT career. The authors also saw evidence that other socio-cultural factors add further variation to gendered cultural influences: gendered career norms, social class, economic opportunity, and gender stereotypes about aptitude. These results lend empirical support to the emergent individual differences theory of gender and IT that theorizes within-gender variation with respect to issues related to gender and IT. They also point to areas where educational and workplace interventions can be enacted to address the under representation of women in the IT field.
Discovering Computer Security Awareness Levels Among U.S. and Chinese Computer Users
Authors: Schmidt Mark B. , Johnston Allen C. , Arnett Kirk P. , Chen Jim Q. , Li Suicheng
Published: May 2010

Despite the recent increased attention afforded malware by the popular press, there appears to be a dearth in user awareness and understanding of certain aspects of the security paradigm. This chapter presents a comparison of user awareness levels of rootkits, spyware, and viruses between U.S. and Chinese users. The results of a survey of 210 U.S. respondents and 278 Chinese respondents indicate that respondents’ awareness and knowledge of rootkits is well below that of spyware and viruses. Data analysis further reveals that there are significant differences in Chinese and U.S. user perceptions with regard to spyware and computer viruses. However, there is no difference in cross-cultural awareness with regard to rootkits. Due to the ubiquitous nature of the Internet, rootkits and other malware do not yield at transnational borders. An important step to mitigate the threats posed by malware such as rootkits is to raise awareness levels of users worldwide.
The Impact of Leadership Style on Knowledge Sharing Intentions in China
Authors: Huang Qian , Davison Robert M. , Liu Hefu , Gu Jibao
Published: May 2010

Knowledge management (KM) is a dominant theme in the behavior of contemporary organizations. While KM has been extensively studied in developed economies, it is much less well understood in developing economies, notably those that are characterized by different social and cultural traditions to the mainstream of Western societies. This is notably the case in China. This chapter develops and tests a theoretical model that explains the impact of leadership style and interpersonal trust on the intention of information and knowledge workers in China to share their knowledge with their peers. All the hypotheses are supported, showing that both initiating structure and consideration have a significant effect on employees’ intention to share knowledge through trust building: 28.2% of the variance in employees’ intention to share knowledge is explained. The authors discuss the theoretical contributions of the chapter, identify future research opportunities, and highlight the implications for practicing managers.
Within-Culture Variation and Information Technology
Authors: Gerow Jennifer E. , Galy Edith , Thatcher Jason Bennett , Srite Mark
Published: May 2010

This study examines within-culture variance in the influence of values on perceptions and use of information technology (IT). Based on cross-cultural research, the authors suggest cultural values influence technology acceptance and use. Specifically, this chapter argues masculinity/femininity and individualism/ collectivism directly influence personal innovativeness with IT, computer anxiety, and computer self-efficacy and have a mediated effect on perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and use of IT. Overall, analysis provides support for the research model. Results suggest masculinity/femininity influences computer self-efficacy, computer anxiety, and personal innovativeness with IT. The authors also offer implications for research and practice.
Identifying Risk Factors and Enhancing Protective Factors to Prevent Adolescent Victimization on the Internet
Authors: Call Megan E. , Burrow-Sanchez Jason J.
Published: May 2010

The Internet is widely used among adolescents. Although the Internet is a beneficial tool for youth, some children and adolescents are at risk for being victimized online. Media reports portraying online predators and their victims have received increasing publicity. However, some information in these stories can be inaccurate or misleading. Therefore, it is important that mental health professionals and parents receive accurate information about online victimization in order to protect youth from harm. The purpose of this chapter is to provide research-based information on adolescent Internet use and the risk factors associated with online victimization. Further, recommendations for increasing protective factors are provided as a means to keep youth safe while using the Internet.
Cyberbullying Internationally Increasing
Authors: Aoyama Ikuko , Talbert Tony L.
Published: May 2010

Cyberbullying is a growing phenomenon among adolescents, teens, and young adults who either perpetrate and/or are the recipients of harassing and threatening behaviors through the use of technologies such as emails, Internet communities and social networking Web sites, chat rooms, and cell phones. The incidences of cyberbullying have increased predominantly among students who are residents of technologically advanced countries throughout North America, Europe, and Asia (Anderson & Sturm, 2007; Li, 2006). Several studies have shown that as many as 57% of school age students in the U.S. have experienced some types of cyber harassment (Cook, Williams, Guera & Tuthill, 2007; Hinduja & Patchin, 2005; Lenhart, 2007; Li, 2004). However, many schools and teachers may not fully be aware of the increase of cyberbullying and the psycho-emotional and physical problems that arise from both the perpetuation and the receipt of cyberbullying. The purpose of this chapter is to present the characteristics and theoretical frameworks that define and contextualize cyberbullying including the international prevalence and related statistics, backgrounds and profiles of perpetrators, and adults’ roles (Campbell, 2005; Cook, et al., 2007; Kennedy, 2005; Lenhart, 2007; Willard, 2005). This chapter will also provide educators and parents with prevention and intervention strategies to address cyberbullying among youth. Useful Web resources and additional readings are listed as well.
Modelling Concepts for BIM
Authors: van Nederveen Sander , Beheshti Reza , Gielingh Wim
Published: May 2010

Building Information Modelling (BIM) is potentially a great technology for the expression of knowledge, supporting interoperability and communication throughout the life-cycle of a building. In fact, Building Information Modelling is not a simple technology. It requires a sound understanding of a number of abstract modelling concepts. Next to being a technology, BIM can also be regarded as a method for making a low or non-redundant (i.e. with every fact represented only once) model of an artefact that is sufficient to realize it as well as simulating it before it actually becomes physical reality. This chapter discusses the modelling concepts of BIM: what is Building Information Modelling, what is a Building Information Model and what are its rationale and objectives? A clear distinction will be made between (a) that what is being modelled, such as requirements, function, boundary conditions, building configuration, connectivity, shape, processes lifecycle aspects and discipline views, and (b) how it can be modelled, such as through parametric models, part libraries, nD models, various representations and presentations, including visualizations. Finally, there is a brief discussion of relevant methods and languages for information modelling, such as ISO 10303 (STEP, EXPRESS), BuildingSMART (IFC, IFD and IDM), process modelling and recent ontology-based approaches.