bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Understanding Citizens' E-Readiness as a Precondition to Building a Responsive E-Government
Authors: Nguyen Tuyen Thanh , Schauder Donald Elkin
Published: May 2010

This chapter explores preconditions for the successful development of e-government in Vietnam, particularly the readiness of the population to access and use ICTs. It reports the results of in-depth interviews in 2006 with 38 citizens in various regions of the country, which focused on patterns of non-use and use of ICTs and particularly the Internet. The chapter explores obstacles to effective use of Internet based services amongst both ICT nonusers and users, and implications are drawn for the development and uptake of e-government services. In the light of the interview data and relevant literature, suggestions are offered as to how the Government of Vietnam might better use ICTs to improve communication between citizens and government, with a view to building a more informed and empowered society.
Human-Computer Interaction
Authors: Barón Susana Berenice Vidrio
Published: May 2010

Human Computer Interaction is a relatively new field. It has borrowed theories, techniques, and tools from such diverse disciplines such as computer science, management of information systems, sociology, anthropology, psychology, and design. The Web design process needs to evolve in order to include the constructs and tools provided by multidisciplinary research. Culture has been proven to have a direct influence in the way a Web site can be both evaluated and designed. In order to attract and retain users, electronic government Web site designers must acknowledge that culture plays a key role when it comes to user acceptance. The best way to approach the users, who in the case of an electronic government are the citizens, is a citizen-centered approach that must be incorporated into the Website design process.
Security Aware Development of E-Government Systems
Authors: Serrano Daniel , Maña Antonio , Pujol Gimena , Donnan David , Latanicki Joseph
Published: May 2010

University of Málaga, Spain; University of Málaga, Spain; University of Málaga, Spain; Thales Services – Theresis, France; Thales Services – Theresis, France
Self Service Technologies in Retail Financial Sector
Authors: Rajagopal Dr. , Rajagopal Ananya
Published: May 2010

The rationale of shifting conventional practices to technology based operations, its implications on customer value and performance of banking institutions are argued in the paper. This paper also discusses managerial implications on converging self service technologies with the customer value and business performance in retail banking.
Measuring Variability Factors in Customer Values, Technology Convergence and Profit Optimization in a Retailing Firm
Authors: Rajagopal Dr.
Published: May 2010

Estimating value drivers for a new product can be tricky because there is no direct historical data. However, we can assume that the impact from changes in price or availability of complements will be similar to what other markets have experienced. Following discussion in the chapter develops the framework for measuring the consumer values in reference to establishing the long run relationship by the firm and optimizing its profit levels. The discussions in the chapter attempt to endure the core issues of consumer values in retailing the products and services as how to conceptualize consumer values, how to measure it, and how to manage it.
Decision Support Systems in Indian Organized Retail Sector
Authors: Sharma Ankush , Vyas Preeta
Published: May 2010

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.
Dynamics of Buyer-Seller Co-Dependency in Optimizing Functional Efficiency
Authors: Rajagopal Dr. , Rajagopal Amritanshu
Published: May 2010

The role of sales network is fundamental within the value creation chain of the firm, as creating shareholder value is strictly linked with creating buyer value. As supplier networks are the main point of contact with buyers, choosing the best possible supply structure is vital. Firms are increasingly implementing electronic distribution strategies to augment existing physical infrastructure for product and service delivery. The study analyzes the impact of channel function performance on relationship quality which is moderated by the extent dependence structure of the relationship. In this process, the impact of supplier function performance on different dimensions of relationship quality in reference to satisfaction, trust, commitment and conflict under various dependence structures have also been diagnosed and analysed.
E-Banking Management
Authors: Shah Mahmood , Clarke Steve
Published: May 2010

This chapter is an introduction to the themes covered in the book. It sets the background, defines the context and provides a basis for the material covered inthe subsequent chapters.
An Overview of E-Banking
Authors: Shah Mahmood , Clarke Steve
Published: May 2010

The purpose of this chapter is to discuss various aspects of e-banking including the sequence of evolution of e-banking as well as other issues which this has brought with it. The chapter starts with the general model of e-commerce to set the scene for subsequent sections, including a brief overview of how e-banking evolved and where it is heading in near future.
Human Involvement and E-Banking
Authors: Shah Mahmood , Clarke Steve
Published: May 2010

The aim of this chapter is to offer the reader a means by which human involvement in e-banking may be evaluated and improved. At the heart of this problem lies a need to characterise human involvement, since, once the issues are clear, the specific e-banking factors can be related to them in the form of a model.
Key to Success
Authors: Shah Mahmood , Clarke Steve
Published: May 2010

This chapter builds on previous chapters and brings together the technical, managerial and social issues discussed in this book so far, to offer practical solutions to the e-banking related problems. We have also included two detailed e-banking case studies of medium sized banks to illustrate our propositions. The chapter covers a number of practical dimensions such as common tools used to evaluate e-banking initiatives, real reasons for banks to implement e-banking, factors which led to their success as well as the ones which caused considerable problems.
E-Banking Project Management
Authors: Shah Mahmood , Clarke Steve
Published: May 2010

Project management is an important concept in business development. Often, the development of information technology or managing change will be run as projects, and managed using various well established project management techniques and tools. E-banking is often treated like a large scale project and broken into several small scale projects to manage various different aspects (called project portfolios), ranging from BPR to make the organization ready for online operations, to actual implementation of e-banking technologies.
Strategy Development for E-Banking
Authors: Shah Mahmood , Clarke Steve
Published: May 2010

This chapter focuses predominantly on the development of a toolset for e-banking strategic planning. But before moving on to this, the following section briefly outlines some of the relevant issues drawn from the domain of corporate strategy.
Electronic Constitution
Authors: Amoretti Francesco
Published: May 2010

In “Electronic Constitution: A Braudelian Perspective”, Francesco Amoretti presents a model for the analysis of time and space structures of digital networks based on the braudelian triad of times: structure, conjuncture and event. Taking the incipit by a short description of this tri-partition, he proposes a historical method to frame the products of innovation processes such as the Internet in their wider socio-economical context. He thus argues that the world wide Web (WWW), with its enormous quantity of easy-accessible and easy-produced information, is just the evenementielle of a historical process that could represent a new conjuncture, with its own dynamics and phases based on the structure of capitalist world system. The thesis at the base of this work is that Internet, rather than being a revolutionary technology that will subvert the current organization of social and economic production, is a technological instruments that gives to institutions and organizations a way to re-organize their assets and processes in order to start a new conjuncture of capitalistic structures. Most of the authors and scholars debating the transformative power of the Internet have up to day focused their attention on the WWW as the locus of a democratising and participative movement that take the technology in service of civil society. With this chapter Amoretti shed light on the character of continuity that the Internet has regarding such traditional categories of political economy as hierarchy and institutional enforcement.
Old and New Rights
Authors: Di Meglio Mauro , Gargiulo Enrico
Published: May 2010

This chapter offers a long-term perspective on citizenship, questioning one of the basic assumptions of most of the literature on this topic, that is, the nation-state as unit of analysis. Through the adoption of a world-systemic perspective, two basic aspects of the history of citizenship stand out. Firstly, the fundamentally exclusive nature of this category, as it emerged and developed over the history of the modern world-system, since at least the “long 16th Century”. And, secondly, that well before the so-called “information revolution” of the last decades, “technology” has shaped the Western social imagination, acting, in various and changing historical forms, as an effective instrument of control and supremacy, producing asymmetric and inegalitarian effects, and providing a yardstick of the different “levels of development” of Western and non-Western peoples. In this view, the most recent phase of the history of citizenship, his e-form, seems to replicate, in new ways, the explanations of the gap existing both between and within countrie—now conceptualized as “digital divide”—and, at the same time, the illusory universalistic promise of an expansion of the citizenship and the rights associated to it.
The EU and the Information Society
Authors: Casula Clementina
Published: May 2010

The rhetoric used worldwide by policymakers in promoting the uptake of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) emphasizes the advantages deriving for all citizens from the advent of the Information Society (IS). Among the democratic features of the IS particularly praised are despatialisation processes, leading to a sort of “death of distance” mainly benefitting the inhabitants of territories traditionally located in peripheral and backward areas, as well as the enlarged global market. However, research shows that the uptake of ICT varies territorially, mainly following wealth distribution, among other variables. This consideration would corroborate the view of those reading the rhetoric over IS as a facade covering the restructuring of capitalist economy at the global level and arguing that the uptake of ICT, based on an unequal model of development, further strengthens rather than reduces the territorial and socio-economic divides between centres and peripheries. The chapter confronts those two readings of the main rationale behind policymaking for the development of an IS by looking at the case of the European Union (EU). The argument is that, although global economic competition in the ICT sector seems to be the mainspring that led the EU to promote policies for the IS, social concerns are emerging as the flagship of the policy, increasingly tuned with other policies within a wider European developmental strategy, which may start up a new field on which to compete for global leadership.
World Wide Weber
Authors: Pejout Nicolas
Published: May 2010

Many of African States are focusing on ICTs and developing e-government infrastructures in order to fasten and improve their “formalisation strategy”. This philosophy drives the South African State in its impressive efforts to deploy an efficient and pervasive e-government architecture for its citizens to enjoy accurate public services and for this young democracy to be “useful” to them. By focusing on the South African case, people will be able to understand the role of ICTs as tools to register, formalize and normalise, supporting the final objective of Weberian rationalisation. The author will consider the historical process of this strategy, across different political regimes (from Apartheid to democracy). He will see how it is deployed within a young democracy, aiming at producing a balance between two poles: a formal existence of citizens for them to enjoy a “delivery democracy” in which they are to be transparent; an informal existence of citizens for them to live freely in their private and intimate sphere. In this tension, South Africa, given its history, is paradigmatic and can shed light on many other countries, beyond Africa.
The Fabrication of Networked Socialities
Authors: Landri Paolo
Published: May 2010

This chapter is dedicated to analyse the fabrication of networked socialities, that is to address the complex interweaving of technologies of information and communication and the manifold instantiations of sociality. Networked socialities are digital formations being produced out of the intertwining of social logics outside and inside digital spaces and society. Such contribution is organized as follows: first, it will present the theoretical frame necessary to grasp the fabrication of sociologies in our information age, drawing on some concepts elaborated by the social studies of science and technology, together with the studies of the global digital worlds. Then, it will highlight the analytical fruitfulness of this perspective by describing some digital formations, such as social network sites, virtual communities of practice, and electronic markets. Finally, it will discuss the effects and the implications of such fabrication as a re-configuration of social, the emerging post-social relationships as well as the increasing fragility of knowledge societies.
Exploring a Professional Social Network System to Support Learning in the Workplace
Authors: Basiel Anthony “Skip” , Coyne Paul
Published: May 2010

The authors of this chapter explore how professionals can network, collaborate and capture informal learning in an online work-based environment. It addresses the pedagogical approaches that underpin emerging Web 2.0 technological trends and provide recommendations for future use of such online environments.
Web 2.0 Driven Sustainability Reporting
Authors: Süpke Daniel , Gómez Jorge Marx , Isenmann Ralf
Published: May 2010

Web 2.0 driven sustainability reporting describes an emerging digital approach powered through Web 2.0 technologies for companies communicating sustainability issues. Such a computer-based application of Detailed Table of Contents semantics overcomes the limitations of orthodox methods and provides an array of specific capabilities to improve sustainability communication both, for companies (reporters), and their various stakeholders (report readers), that is, along interactivity, customisation ,and reporting à la carte, stakeholder dialogue, and participation. This chapter gives an outline on this up-and-coming sustainability reporting approach along three categories: (i) Media-specific trends in sustainability reporting are observed. (ii) New opportunities Web 2.0 technologies are offering for corporate sustainability reporting are identified. (iii) The concept and implementation of a software tool for sustainability reporting à la carte is presented making clear the movement away from early reporting stages towards the advanced one of a Web 2.0 driven approach.
Mailing Lists and Social Semantic Web
Authors: Fernández Sergio , Berrueta Diego , Shi Lian , Labra Jose E. , Ordóñez de Pablos Patricia
Published: May 2010

Electronic Mailing lists are a key part of the Internet. They have enabled the development of social communities who share and exchange knowledge in specialized and general domains. In this chapter the authors describe methods to capture some of that knowledge which will enable the development of new datasets using Semantic Web technologies. In particular, the authors present the SWAML project, which collects data from mailing lists. The authors also describe smushing techniques that normalize RDF datasets capturing different resources that identify the same one. They have applied those techniques to identify persons through the mailing lists of open source communities. These techniques have been tested using a dataset automatically extracted from several online open source communities.
Teachers' Personal Knowledge Management in China Based Web 2.0 Technologies
Authors: Zhao Jingyuan
Published: May 2010

Knowledge is taken as core competitive power in the current society. The teacher as an educational operator often touch much knowledge, if they could manage knowledge efficiently, the work efficiency will be increased greatly. To mine knowledge and make tacit knowledge explicit, teachers should manage personal knowledge. By the survey of teachers’ personal knowledge management in China, the study finds some problems in terms of Chinese teachers’ personal knowledge management, especially many Chinese teachers are not good at making use of Web technologies to assist them on managing knowledge and communicating with other teachers. One studying focus of Web 2.0 technologies is personal knowledge management, and Web 2.0 provides a series of effective tools and platforms for personal knowledge management. The chapter discusses on the concept of teachers’ personal knowledge management, and presents the strategies of teachers’ personal knowledge management based Web 2.0 technologies, using for reference for teachers’ personal knowledge management practice.
Application of Semantic Web Based on the Domain-Specific Ontology for Global KM
Authors: Joo Jaehun , Lee Sang M. , Jeong Yongil
Published: May 2010

This chapter introduces an application of the Semantic Web based on ontology to the tourism business. Tourism business is one promising area for Semantic Web applications. To realize the potential of the Semantic Web, we need to find a killer application of the Semantic Web in the knowledge management (KM) area. The ontology as a key enabler is designed and implemented under a framework of the Semantic- Web-driven KM system in a tourism domain. Finally, we discussed the relationship between the Semantic Web and KM processes.
Designing Online Learning Communities to Encourage Cooperation
Authors: Mowbray Miranda
Published: May 2010

This chapter is concerned with how to design an online learning community in such a way as to encourage cooperation, and to discourage uncooperative or antisocial behavior. Rather than restricting design to visual and interface issues, the author takes a wide view, touching on aspects of the governance, social structure, moderation practices, and technical architecture of online learning communities. The first half of the chapter discusses why people behave antisocially in online learning communities, and ways to discourage this through design. The second half discusses why on the other hand people behave cooperatively in online learning communities, and ways to encourage this through user-centered design, applying some results of experiments in social psychology. The chapter is intended to be of practical use to designers of online learning communities.
Building Virtual Learning Communities
Authors: Augar Naomi , Raitman Ruth , Lanham Elicia , Zhou Wanlei
Published: May 2010

This chapter introduces the concept of virtual learning communities and discusses and further enhances the theory and definitions presented in related literature. A model comprising four criteria essential to virtual learning communities is presented and discussed in detail. Theory and case studies relating to the impact of virtual learning communities on distance education and students from diverse cultural groups are also examined. In addition, this chapter investigates the enabling technologies and facilitation that is required to build virtual learning communities. Other case studies are used to illustrate the process of building virtual learning communities. Emerging technologies such as Wikis and video lectures are also analysed to determine the effects they have on building and sustaining effective virtual learning communities.
Building Virtual Communities through a De-Marginalized View of Knowledge Networking
Authors: Vat Kam Hou
Published: May 2010

The chapter investigates an actionable context of knowledge networking, from the perspective of sustainable development which should accommodate the building of communities in cyberspace so much exemplified in today’s Internet and World Wide Web. The premise of this exploration is that members, or participants, in any community are engaged in learning that is critical to the survival and reproduction of that community. Through community participation, learners find and acquire models and have the opportunity themselves to become models and apprentices of others. This investigation provides a basis for thinking about the possibilities of a virtual community and the dynamics of its construction across a variety of computer-based contexts. The design and refinement of technology as the conduit for extending and enhancing the possibilities of virtual community building is an essential issue, but the role of the individuals as participants in such a community is as important. The idea of sustainable knowledge networking is to bring about continual learning and change for the community in need. The emergent challenge of such a mission is to demarginalize many of the non-technical issues of building virtual communities for knowledge transfer and learning. The chapter concludes by reiterating the challenge of expositing what it means to create an appropriate context of knowledge networking through which purposeful actions can be supported with the elaboration of suitable information technologies.
Enriched Conceptualization of Subtyping
Authors: Halpin Terry
Published: May 2010

When modeling information systems, one often encounters subtyping aspects of the business domain that can prove challenging to implement in either relational databases or object-oriented code. In practice, some of these aspects are often handled incorrectly. This chapter examines a number of subtyping issues that require special attention (e.g. derivation options, subtype rigidity, subtype migration), and discusses how to model them conceptually. Because of its richer semantics, the main graphic notation used is that of second generation Object-Role Modeling (ORM 2). However, the main ideas could be adapted for UML and ER, so these are also included in the discussion. A basic implementation of the proposed approach has been prototyped in Neumont ORM Architect (NORMA), an open-source tool supporting ORM 2.
OntoFrame
Authors: Leppänen Mauri
Published: May 2010

A large number of strategies, approaches, meta models, techniques and procedures have been suggested to support method engineering (ME). Most of these artifacts, here called the ME artifacts, have been constructed, in an inductive manner, synthesizing ME practice and existing ISD methods without any theory-driven conceptual foundation. Also those ME artifacts which have some conceptual groundwork have been anchored on foundations that only partly cover ME. This chapter presents an ontological framework, called OntoFrame, which can be used as a coherent conceptual foundation for the construction, analysis and comparison of ME artifacts. Due to its largeness, the authors here describe its modular structure composed of multiple ontologies. For each ontology, they highlight its purpose, subdomains, and theoretical foundations. The authors also outline the approaches and process by which OntoFrame has been constructed and deploy OntoFrame to make a comparative analysis of existing conceptual artifacts.
Concepts and Strategies for Quality of Modeling
Authors: van Bommel Patrick , Hoppenbrouwers Stijn , Proper Erik , Roelofs Jeroen
Published: May 2010

A process-oriented framework (QoMo) is presented that aims to further the study of analysis and support of processes for modeling. The framework is strongly goal-oriented, and expressed largely by means of formal rules. The concepts in the framework are partly derived from the SEQUAL framework for quality of modelling. A number of modelling goal categories is discussed in view of SEQUAL/QoMo, as well as a formal approach to the description of strategies to help achieve those goals. Finally, a prototype implementation of the framework is presented as an illustration and proof of concept.
Service Oriented Architecture
Authors: Erickson John , Siau Keng
Published: May 2010

This chapter presents the basic ideas underlying Service Oriented Architecture as well as a brief overview of current research into the phenomena also known as SOA. SOA is defined, and principal components of one proposed SOA framework are discussed. The more relevant historical background behind the move toward SOA is presented, including SOA antecedents such as Web Services, SOAP, and CORBA, and enabling technologies such as XML and EJB. A basis for understanding SOA is presented, based on Krafzig, Banke, and Slama’s (2005) three-level hierarchical perspective. The common SOA components including UDDI, Application Programming Interface, Service Bus, Service Contract, Interface, Implementation, Data, and Business Logic are also presented. Finally, relevant research in four categories is presented, including implementation strategies, patterns and blueprints, tool development, standards proposals, or modifications (including middleware), and ontological or meta-model development or modification.
Designing Web Information Systems for a Framework-Based Construction
Authors: Silva Souza Vítor Estêvão , de Almeida Falbo Ricardo , Guizzardi Giancarlo
Published: May 2010

In the Web Engineering area, many methods and frameworks to support Web Information Systems (WISs) development have already been proposed. Particularly, the use of frameworks and container-based architectures is state-of-the-practice. In this chapter, we present a method for designing frameworkbased WISs called FrameWeb, which defines a standard architecture for framework-based WISs and a modeling language that extends UML to build diagrams that specifically depict framework-related components. Considering that the Semantic Web has been gaining momentum in the last few years, we also propose an extension to FrameWeb, called S-FrameWeb, that aims to support the development of Semantic WISs.
An Agent Based Formal Approach for Modeling and Verifying Integrated Intelligent Information Systems
Authors: Dias da Silva Leandro , da Silva Oliveira Elthon Allex , Almeida Hyggo , Perkusich Angelo
Published: May 2010

In this chapter a formal agent based approach for the modeling and verification of intelligent information systems using Coloured Petri Nets is presented. The use of a formal method allows analysis techniques such as automatic simulation and verification, increasing the confidence on the system behavior. The agent based modelling allows separating distribution, integration and intelligent features of the system, improving model reuse, flexibility and maintenance. As a case study an intelligent information control system for parking meters price is presented.
Knowledge Economy for Innovating Organizations
Authors: Wickramasinghe Nilmini
Published: May 2010

Today’s knowledge economy is dynamic, complex, and global. Every organization faces numerous challenges in trying to survive let alone thrive in such an environment. It is essential for innovating organizations to understand the key drivers of the knowledge economy so that they can better position themselves and thereby reap the rewards of a sustainable competitive advantage. The following addresses this by discussing knowledge and the key drives of the knowledge economy.
Using Bluetooth for Indoor User Positioning and Informing
Authors: Garofalakis John , Mettouris Christos
Published: May 2010

The continuous evolution of wireless technologies has made them ideal for use in many different applications, including user positioning. Until now, user positioning applications were focused mainly on providing users with exact location information. This makes them computational heavy while often demanding specialized software and hardware from mobile devices. In this chapter, we present a new user positioning application. The application is intended for use with m-commerce by sending informative and advertising messages to the users after locating their position indoors. The application is based exclusively on Bluetooth. The positioning method we use, while efficient, is nevertheless simple. The m-commerce based messages can be received without additional software or hardware installed. After discussing the available technologies and methods for implementing indoor user positioning applications, we shall focus on implementation issues, as well as the evaluation of our application after testing it. Finally, conclusions are extracted and future work is proposed.
RFID for Identification of Stolen/Lost Items
Authors: Ayoade John , Symonds Judith
Published: May 2010

Standards organisations such as EPC Global work to provide global compatibility between RFID readers and tags (EPCGlobal, 2007). This is essential to ensure that product identification numbers can be accessed along a supply chain by a range of producers, manufacturers and retailers. If all that is stored on the RFID tag is a universal product code, then public access is appropriate. However, where the tag might store more information than just the product identification details, and this data might be private, there is a need to protect such information. The objective of this chapter is to test a security framework designed to authenticate RFID readers before allowing them to access private data stored on RFID tags.
RFID Technology for Agri-Food Tracability Management
Authors: Gandino Filippo , Sanchez Erwing Ricardo , Montrucchio Bartolomeo , Rebaudengo Maurizio
Published: May 2010

This chapter deals with the use of RFID technology for improving management and security of agri-food products. In order to protect health and to make transparent the production flow of alimentary commodities, traceability is becoming mandatory for food products in an increasing number of countries. Everywhere, innovative solutions are investigated by agri-food companies in order to improve their traceability management systems. The RFID technology seems to be able to solve in a very efficient way the requirements for traceability systems, however some technological problems, such as the lack of consolidated systems, and the costs are the main obstacles to the wide adoption of RFID-based traceability systems. In this chapter the peculiarities of agri-food traceability and the most relevant results reached by the state-of-the-art research studies are detailed.
RFID and Assisted Living for the Elderly
Authors: Parry David , Symonds Judith
Published: May 2010

Radio-frequency Identification (RFID) offers a potentially flexible and low cost method of locating objects and tracking people within buildings. RFID systems generally require less infrastructure to be installed than other solutions but have their own limitations. As part of an assisted living system, RFID tools may be useful to locate lost objects, support blind and partially sighted people with daily living activities, and assist in the rehabilitation of adults with acquired brain injury. This chapter outlines the requirements and the role of RFID in assisting people in these three areas. The development of a prototype RFID home support tool is described and some of the issues and challenges raised are discussed. The system is designed to support assisted living for elderly and infirm people in a simple, usable and extensible way in particular for supporting the finding and identification of commonly used and lost objects such as spectacles. This approach can also be used to extend the tagged domain to commonly visited areas, and provide support for the analysis of common activities, and rehabilitation.
From Fixed to Mobile Convergence
Authors: Ayoade John
Published: May 2010

The aim of Fixed-Mobile Convergence (FMC) is to provide both fixed-line and mobile telephony services to users through the same handset which could switch between networks and support both wide-area mobile network access and local-area connection to fixed-line technology, typically through a local wireless connection. An important feature of FMC is to allow users to access a consistent set of services from any fixed or mobile terminal via any compatible access point, independent of access network it is attached to. The chapter discusses the benefits and challenges of the FMC. It also analyse the efforts that have been put into realising the potentials that FMC promised in the nearest future.
Handling RFID Data Using a Data-on-Tag Approach
Authors: Pais Sarita , Symonds Judith
Published: May 2010

RFID tags can store more data and can update this data through local processing. This is in contrast to the EPC global standard of data-on-network. In order to illustrate this concept of data-on-tag a single case study of a smart laundry bin is undertaken. The laundry bin is able to process the count of soiled linen tagged with RFID at the time of Pickup. Thus the processing is taking place at the time of data capture and does not depend on the central database with expensive middleware. Further, data modelling for data stored at different objects like linen, laundry bin and pickup PDA is undertaken. Issues and solutions for this are discussed at the end.
An Agent-Based Library Management System Using RFID Technology
Authors: Purvis Maryam , Ebadi Toktam , Savarimuthu Bastin Tony Roy
Published: May 2010

The objective of this research is to describe a mechanism to provide an improved library management system using RFID and agent technologies. One of the major issues in large libraries is to track misplaced items. By moving from conventional technologies such as barcode-based systems to RFID-based systems and using software agents that continuously monitor and track the items in the library, we believe an effective library system can be designed. Due to constant monitoring, the up-to-date location information of the library items can be easily obtained.
Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Technology
Authors: Wyld David
Published: May 2010

We are in the midst of what may become one of the true technological transformations of our time. RFID (radio frequency identification) is by no means a new technology. RFID is fundamentally based on the study of electromagnetic waves and radio, pioneered in the 19th century work of Faraday, Maxwell, and Marconi. The idea of using radio frequencies to reflect waves from objects dates back as far as 1886 to experiments conducted by Hertz. Radar was invented in 1922, and its practical applications date back to World War II, when the British used the IFF (Identify Friend or Foe) system to identify enemy aircraft (Landt, 2001). Stockman (1948) laid out the basic concepts for RFID. However, it would take decades of development before RFID technology would become a reality. Since 2000, significant improvements in functionality, decreases in both size and costs, and agreements on communication standards have combined to make RFID technology viable for commercial and governmental purposes. Today, RFID is positioned as an alternative way to identify objects with the ubiquitous bar code.
A Theory of Organizational Cognition
Authors: Nobre Farley Simon , Tobias Andrew M. , Walker David S.
Published: May 2010

Chapter III introduces definitions, premises, and propositions towards a theory of organizational cognition. It proposes principles about organizational cognition and thus it clearly distinguishes organizational cognition from the concept of organizational learning. It outlines the concept of hierarchic levels of cognition in organizational systems and thus it proposes cognition as an important element of the organization. It presents new definitions on organizations, environment along with the relations between them through cognitive perspectives. Such definitions include concepts of intelligence, cognition, autonomy, and complexity for organizations. It derives a definition of environmental complexity and it proceeds by introducing propositions about the relations between organizational complexity and environmental complexity. While the former is synonymous with organizational cognition, the latter is synonymous with environmental uncertainty.
Principles of Cognitive Machines
Authors: Nobre Farley Simon , Tobias Andrew M. , Walker David S.
Published: May 2010

This chapter presents principles of cognitive machines. It presents definitions of intelligence, cognition, autonomy, and complexity for machines. It proposes a definition of cognitive machines and it presents theories and technologies behind cognitive machines, where the technologies are selected according to some criteria.
Design of Cognitive Machines
Authors: Nobre Farley Simon , Tobias Andrew M. , Walker David S.
Published: May 2010

This chapter is concerned with the design of cognitive machines. These machines and their models were chosen in order to increase and to improve: i. The degree of cognition of the organization, ii. the capability of the organization for information processing and management, and iii. the ability of the organization to make decisions. Therefore Chapter VI introduces the design of cognitive machines with capabilities to carry out complex cognitive tasks in organizations - and in particular the task of decision-making which involves representation and organization of knowledge via concept identification and categorization along with the manipulation of perceptions (or percepts)1, concepts2, and mental models3. The ability of these machines to manipulate a percept provides them with higher levels of information-processing than other symbolic-processing machines4; and according to the theory of levels of processing in cognition (Reed, 1988), these machines can mimic (even through simple models) cognitive processes of humans (Nobre, 2005). Percepts and thus concepts5 (along with mental models) are described by words, propositions and sentences of natural language (Zadeh, 2001).
Analysis of Cognitive Machines in Organizations
Authors: Nobre Farley Simon , Tobias Andrew M. , Walker David S.
Published: May 2010

This chapter introduces analyses of cognitive machines and perspectives about their participation in organizations. Therefore, it connects cognitive machines with the discipline of organizations. The analyses of cognitive machines comprise concepts of bounded rationality, economic decision-making and conflict resolution (Nobre, 2005). From such an analysis, this book advocates that these machines can be used to reduce or to solve intra-individual and group dysfunctional conflicts which arise from decision-making processes in organizations. Therefore, they can provide organizations with higher degrees of cognition, and consequently reduce the relative level of complexity and uncertainty of the environment. This chapter also derives a theorem on the implications of cognitive machines for organizations and the environment. It concludes by presenting perspectives about the work relationships between cognitive machines, their designer and the organization.
Findings for the Industrial Case Study
Authors: Nobre Farley Simon , Tobias Andrew M. , Walker David S.
Published: May 2010

Chapter XI presents results, analyses, and conclusions about the industrial case study. From a micro perspective, it presents findings of the management control system of the organization process performance. In particular, it gives special attention to the analysis of data of a set of five successive large-scale software projects which were engineered and managed in the Telecommunications Management Networks (TMN) Section of NEC of Brazil (NOB). These data include project cost (C) and project requirements completeness (R) and they represent the state variables of the software process of the TMN Section. C and R are fed into the cognitive machine which performs the computation of performance indexes of the software process of the TMN Section. The performance indexes include Customer Satisfaction (CS) and Project Management Quality (PMQ). The process of mapping the inputs (C and R) to the outputs (CS and PMQ) was illustrated earlier in Figure 10.2. In this perspective, organization process performance is synonymous with the TMN Section’s process performance. From a macro perspective, this chapter presents analysis and conclusions about the main correlations between measures of organization process improvement and organizational cognition. Findings indicate that improvements in the level of organization process performance are associated with improvements in the level of organization process maturity. Proceeding further, we associate these results with improvements in the degree of organizational cognition. Chapter XI also outlines the main contributions and limitations found with the implementation of The Capability Maturity Model in the organization of study.
Implications of Cognitive Machines for Organizations
Authors: Nobre Farley Simon , Tobias Andrew M. , Walker David S.
Published: May 2010

Analyses and predictions about the implications of cognitive machines for organizations are a topic of further research which demands a high level of imagination in connection with the knowledge available in the literature of interdisciplinary fields of research. Under such a perspective, this chapter presents an outline of some possible implications. It starts by discussing literature results on the benefits of information technology (IT) to organizations. It proceeds by associating IT with cognitive machines, and thus it presents some implications of cognitive machines for organizations.
Contribution and Extensions
Authors: Nobre Farley Simon , Tobias Andrew M. , Walker David S.
Published: May 2010

This book has provided many contributions to the concepts of organizational cognition and cognitive machines, but most importantly, we have to acknowledge that this work has put forwards new challenges and new perspectives to our understanding on the participation of cognitive machines in organizations. It introduced analyses on the implications of cognitive machines for organizations and it proposed the concept of Computational Organization Management Networks – whose structure, processes and agents form the base of new organizations. The contents of such contributions are presented in the next sections of this chapter.
The Role of National Culture on E-Recruitment in India and Mexico
Authors: Rao Pramilla
Published: May 2010

This chapter will address the role of national culture on e-recruitment practices in India and Mexico. The GLOBE (Global Leadership and Organizational Behavior Effectiveness) cultural study on 61 countries will be used to discuss the role of cultural dimensions on e-recruitment practices in these two countries. The chapter will also discuss the beginnings of e-recruitment trends in India and Mexico, challenges of e-recruitment for United States multinationals, national culture profile, and implications for multinational managers. This conceptual chapter will provide hypotheses for the cultural dimensions discussed. Specifically, this study will address the role of power-distance, in-group collectivism, gender egalitarianism and uncertainty-avoidance on e-recruitment practices.
Exploring Perceptions about the Use of e-HRM Tools in Medium Sized Organizations
Authors: Bondarouk Tanya , ter Horst Vincent , Engbers Sander
Published: May 2010

This research focuses on acceptance of Human Resource Information Systems (HRIS) in medium sized organizations. We look at general SME’s in The Netherlands. The goal of this research is to analyse the perceptions about the use of HRIS as there is currently very little knowledge about it in “medium sized organizations”. To support the explorative nature of the research question, four case studies were selected in organizations that were using HRIS. Overall we conclude that the use of e-tools in medium sized organizations is perceived as useful, whereas not easy to use. The organizations involved perceive that the use of HRIS helps them to make HRM more effective.
Employee Life-Cycle Process Management Improvement with Web-Enabled Workflow Systems
Authors: Welicki Leon , Juan Javier Piqueres , Martin Fernando Llorente , de Vega Hernandez Victor
Published: May 2010

Employee life-cycle processes management (hiring new employees, changing their conditions, and dismissing them) is a critical task that has a big impact in HR Information Systems. If these processes are not handled correctly the consistency of HR databases is compromised. In many cases (especially in small and mid-size business) these processes are implemented using semi-manual procedures based on unstructured information. In this chapter the authors will present the results of our real-world experience building a Web-enabled workflow system for managing employee life-cycle process instances in the context big Spanish telecommunications company.
Information Technologies' Impact on Individual Learning Process
Authors: Guechtouli Manel , Guechtouli Widad
Published: May 2010

Information Technologies (IT) seem to be affecting individuals and organizations’ communication and behaviors since many years now. This chapter is about understanding the possible impact of IT on the process of individual learning in a community of practice; in other words the authors wonder if those technologies can possibly help increasing individual competencies in order to improve their learning. They will specifically compare communication in two IT (the email and the web forum) by using agentbased simulation. Results show that each technology has a different impact on individual learning and that communication through emails appear to make individuals learn slower than on a Web forum. Conclusions are widely discussed.
Coordination of Virtual Teams
Authors: Parot Isabelle
Published: May 2010

In this communication, the author attempts to answer the question of coordination in virtual teams (or remote teams). Virtual teams can result from economic choices but they can also be a choice in terms of available resources and need of very specific skills. The coordination is thus intra-organizational. How this coordination takes place? Firstly, this chapter will describe conceptually the process of coordination in situations of remote work, and more precisely, in the case of an intra-organizational coordination in virtual teams. The authors will discuss the debate wither it is trust or control that is needed for the coordination for virtual teams. Secondly, they are going to present empirical findings about virtual teams’ coordination, in high technological firms. Lastly, they are going to illustrate how a number of economic, organizational and cultural factors can impact the coordination process in those virtual teams.
The Demand for E-Government Standards
Authors: Blind Knut , Gauch Stephan
Published: May 2010

The chapter provides an overview and subsequent analysis of the demand for e-government standards in the EU. It describes the requirements for e-government standards in the EU, based on a number of ongoing national initiatives. A recently developed typology of service standards is used to structure the need for e-government standards demand in various dimensions. It turns out that the rather complex organisational structure of governmental organisations is the most important driving force for developing e-government standards.