bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Using UML Notation for Modeling Business Interaction
Authors: Haraldson andra , Lind Mikael , Loausson Jan
Published: May 2011

Business modeling is concerned with asking questions and giving answers to these questions. In systems development different types of diagrams, notational rules, are used to document answers and to give inspiration to new questions. Popular notations used today are diagrams, such as use case diagrams and activity diagrams, within the Unified Modeling Language (UML). UML is claimed to be methodology-independent. Such a claim means that there is a need for theories to guide the analyst to direct attention towards desired aspects. This chapter deals with the issue of how business interaction and its support by information systems could be modeled by modeling techniques put forward in UML. A conceptual analysis has been performed, which reveals that it is possible and there is a need to use UML together with the proposed theories in order to arrive at an intentional and conscious design. The analysis has been structured around the concepts of action, actor and business process. The analysis shows that some basic foundations could be covered in the chosen diagrams, but that there is also a need to complement those diagrams with richer properties concerning all these concepts.
Using UML for Reference Modeling
Authors: Fettke Peter , Loos Peter , Zwicker Jörg
Published: May 2011

Within the Information Systems field, information modeling is a vital instrument to develop information systems. However, the modeling process is often resource-consuming and faulty. As a way to overcome these failures and to improve and to accelerate the development of enterprise-specific models, the concept of reference modeling has been introduced. A reference model is a conceptual framework and may be used as a blueprint for information systems development. Yet little research has been undertaken on using Unified Modeling Language (UML) for reference modeling. In this paper, we analyze potentials and limitations of using UML for reference modeling. Our investigation is based on the framework for research on conceptual modeling proposed by Wand & Weber. The framework comprises four elements: reference modeling languages, reference modeling methods, reference models, and reference modeling context. Each framework element is discussed with respect to possible applications and limitations of UML for reference modeling. As well, we illustrate further research opportunities.
Technology Contracting in the Public Sector
Authors: Petersen Milton L.
Published: May 2011

Many different types of large, complex technology-related initiatives (such as the implementation of modern enterprise resource planning systems) are now becoming more popular in the public sector, posing formidable challenges to the organizations undertaking them. This chapter examines, from the point of view of a practicing information technology attorney, various different challenges facing public entities in technology contracting, drawing on examples from various public-sector projects, as well as from relevant private-sector experiences. Observations and suggestions are provided with regard to the entire contracting process, from preparing for a project, networking with colleagues, and drafting an RFP, to the types of contractual provisions that might be appropriate in technology agreements, to suggested negotiation processes and strategies, to steps to take after the contracts are signed.
A Collaborative Communications Center and Public Safety Data Systems
Authors: Schulz Jerome A. , Tuma Richard
Published: May 2011

During 2004 Waukesha County, Wisconsin, implemented a collaborative 9-1-1 public safety communications center. This case study describes the implementation of the Waukesha County Communications Center (WCC) and illustrates the challenges involved when multiple governments collaborate on a project involving complex technology. The implementation of the new center provided an opportunity to move to advanced technology for all of the aspects of dispatch work. The project also provided an opportunity to implement an integrated criminal records system for all participating municipalities. The biggest dif?culties the WCC faced in the implementation process were a delay of several months in the switchovers from the old centers due to addressing problems and also some dif?culty in achieving response time on calls that was acceptable to the center’s partners. By late 2005, the new center had a number of plans in place to address these and other issues that commonly face projects of this magnitude.
A Petri Net-Based Specification Model Towards Verifiable Service Computing
Authors: Zhang Jia , Chang Carl K. , Kim Seong W.
Published: May 2011

The emerging paradigm of Web services opens a new way of engineering enterprise Web applications via rapidly developing and deploying Web applications by composing independently published Web-service components to conduct new business transactions. However, how to formally validate and reason about the properties of an enterprise system composed of Web-service components remains a challenge. This chapter introduces an advanced topic of enterprise service computing: the formal verification and validation of enterprise Web services. The authors introduce a Web-services net (WS-Net), which is an executable architectural description language incorporating the semantics of colored petri nets with the style and understandability of the object-oriented concept and Web-services concept. As an architectural model that formalizes the architectural topology and behaviors of each Web-service component as well as the entire system, WS-Net facilitates the simulation, verification, and automated composition of Web services.
Support Networks for Rural and Regional Communities
Authors: Denison Tom
Published: May 2011

Using a case study approach, this chapter examines the role of organizational networks in the success and failure of information and communications technology projects. Within a framework informed by the literature of information systems failure, the diffusion of innovation and social network analysis, it argues that information systems projects must take into account the social context in which they are implemented. To be successful such networks require a mix of extended and locally based support networks, because they provide access to much needed resources, including innovations, strategic advice, training, and support at the appropriate level. It further argues that the people who are working in a regional setting felt themselves to be in an extremely disadvantageous situation because they typically lacked support from similar networks. The author hopes that highlighting the importance of such support networks will lead to a better understanding of systems failure and success, and will contribute to improved policy formulation and practice.
The Syngenta Architecture Story
Authors: Hungerford P.
Published: May 2011

We share the experiences of an enterprise architecture (EA) practice within a young global company, Syngenta. We will see how EA within the company has evolved and matured. We will reveal our general architecture experiences, plus insights gleaned from case studies in widely differing business areas. EA nowadays aspires to cover all aspects of the enterprise—particularly business process and information. A theme that we emphasize is that architects can no longer dictate to the organization by reason of analytical/technical superiority, but need the skills to affect strategic decisions and directions by influencing. This leads to the conclusion that effective EA is as much a social activity as a technical one, where personal skills are clearly as important as analytical. In addition, we have found that considering architecture challenges through the lens of business efficiency, growth, and innovation provides a framework for a deeper understanding of the issues, constraints, inevitable trade-offs, and potential architecture solutions to particular business problems.
A Communications Model for Knowledge Sharing
Authors: Beck Charles
Published: May 2011

An integrative, systems-based model of knowledge sharing can provide a way of visualizing the interrelated elements that comprise a knowledge management system. This original model, building on a rhetorical process model of communication, includes both the objective and subjective elements within the human cognition. In addition, it clarifies the purpose and method elements at the center for any effective knowledge system. The model centers on the purpose elements of intentions and audience, and the method elements of technical tools and human processes. The output of knowledge sharing includes objective products and subjective interpretations. Feedback verifies the timeliness and efficiency in the process of building both information and knowledge.
Lessons Learned from Successes and Failures in Information Systems Outsourcing
Authors: Zuckweiler Kathryn M.
Published: May 2011

This chapter presents a process map of information systems outsourcing decisions and factors which influence the outcome of the outsourcing project at each decision point. The author takes a broad view of outsourcing projects and examines IS outsourcing successes and failures in context of project phase. Brief examples are provided to illustrate various outcomes of the decisions faced by both outsourcing vendor and client. The chapter also presents a summary of lessons learned about information systems outsourcing and recommendations for future research.
Managing Risks of IT Outsourcing
Authors: Legorreta Leonardo , Goyal Rajneesh
Published: May 2011

Outsourcing is one of the most talked about and widely debated topics. Over the past few years, firms have been outsourcing their IT operations at increasing rates. The fact that firms are turning to outside vendors in increasing numbers in order to meet their needs does not mean that outsourcing is without problems. Firms often enter outsourcing deals without considering risks or assuming that all risks lay with the external service provider. In this chapter, we provide an overview of IT outsourcing, its risks, and a model for managing those risks. We identify different firm-vendor configurations for sustaining long-term relationships aimed at diversifying risk over time and discuss the need for psychological contracts to manage such outsourcing relationships.
Mapping Entity Relationship Diagrams in Class Diagrams
Authors: Shoval Peretz
Published: May 2011

This chapter first explains why it might be preferred to first create an entity relationship diagram (ERD) and then map it to a class diagram. The chapter then describes the mapping rules, demonstrating the mapping process with several comprehensive examples.
Sourcing and Outsourcing Arithmetic
Authors: Sinha Tapen , Subhadra K.
Published: May 2011

This chapter studies outsourcing from the United States to India. First, we show that outsourcing is not taking most jobs out of the United States. Second, we argue that outsourcing does not contradict trade theory. Third, we analyze how India has come to occupy a preeminent position in outsourcing. Fourth, we show that the Indian dominance is likely to continue well into the next decade. Finally, we discuss some risks associated with outsourcing.
Holistic Trust Design of E-Services
Authors: Presti Stéphane Lo , Butler Michael , Leuschel Michael , Booth Chris
Published: May 2011

As a central issue of modern e-services, trust has to be tackled early during the development phases. We present and compare, in this chapter, various works and methodologies that contribute to this aspect. A holistic trust design methodology that combines useful aspects encountered in the existing works is then described in detail. It is based on a systematic analysis of scenarios that describe the typical use of the e-service by using a trust analysis grid. The trust analysis grid is composed of 11 trust issue categories, which cover the various aspects of the concept of trust, and is used to guide the design of the computing system by analyzing and refining the scenarios, and providing hints at the suitability of technologies for the scenario. We illustrate this methodology in several examples.
Developing Trust Practices for E-Health
Authors: Sillence Elizabeth , Briggs Pamela , Harris Peter , Fishwick Lesley
Published: May 2011

The number of people turning to the Internet to meet their various health needs is rising. As the prevalence of this form of e-health increases, so the issue of trust becomes ever more important. This chapter presents a brief overview of e-health and describes how and why people are using the Internet for health advice and information. In order to understand the trust processes behind this engagement, a staged model of trust is proposed. This model is explored through a series of in-depth qualitative studies and forms the basis for a set of design guidelines for developing trust practices in e-health.
Trust and Privacy Permissions for an Ambient World
Authors: Little Linda , Marsh Stephen , Briggs Pam
Published: May 2011

Ambient intelligence (AmI) and ubiquitous computing allow us to consider a future where computation is embedded into our daily social lives. This vision raises its own important questions and augments the need to understand how people will trust such systems and at the same time achieve and maintain privacy. As a result, we have recently conducted a wide reaching study of people’s attitudes to potential AmI scenarios with a view to eliciting their privacy concerns. This chapter describes recent research related to privacy and trust with regard to ambient technology. The method used in the study is described and findings discussed.
The Chase for OSS Quality
Authors: Luthiger Benno , Jungwirth Carola
Published: May 2011

This chapter explains why software users have good reasons to trust in the quality of OSS, even if they might have internalised the rule “If something has no price, it also has no value!” We present the idea that a system of incentives of both private programmers with their different motives to participate and companies paying their programmers for contributing to OSS, are responsible for the software quality—even if all programmers do not pursue a common purpose. The chapter delivers a conceptual framework from an economic perspective showing that every stakeholder can provide valuable input to the success of an open source project. Crowding out between contributors with different motivations does not necessarily exist even if companies with monetary intentions participate. Therefore, we assume OSS as an attractive forum for different interests that can seminally intertwine, while quality software is generated nearly as a by-product.
Linguistics of Computer-Mediated Communication
Authors: Tarsiero R.
Published: May 2011

This chapter introduces the embodied metaphor as a means of studying the multifaceted relationship between computer-mediated communication (CMC) and culture. It argues that the embodied metaphor offers a more reliable framework, as opposed to both deterministic and dispositional perspectives, in that it provides a way to understand, explain, and frame the user’s adaptive response to CMC. Furthermore, it also argues that culture has the potential to shape interactions by influencing the way metaphors are enacted. The author hopes that the aforementioned approach will provide a new understanding of the interplay between CMC and culture, informing future study design and bridging the existing gap between qualitative and quantitative research through action science.
Machine Translation as the Future of International Online Communication
Authors: St. Germaine-Madison N.
Published: May 2011

American “ownership” of the World Wide Web is on the decline. In fact, two-thirds to three-fourths of Internet users are not native speakers of English. It thus does not require a leap of logic to imagine how many more non-U.S. users would buy from American e-commerce sites or even purchase American-manufactured products if they had access to translations of these e-commerce pages and technical documents in their native languages. The most oftcited reason for not providing content in other languages, however, is the sheer cost involved of first hiring a translator to translate the original content and then keeping material updated. This chapter examines uses of machine translation as a mechanism for addressing these linguistic needs.
Classifying Web Users
Authors: Lee W.
Published: May 2011

In today’s global environment, a myriad of communication mechanisms enable cultures around the world to interact with one another and form complex interrelationships. The goal of this chapter is to illustrate an individual-based approach to understanding cultural similarities and differences in the borderless world. Within the context of Web communication, a typology of individual cultural value orientations is proposed. This conceptualization emphasizes the need for making distinctions first at the individual level, before group-level comparisons are meaningful, in order to grasp the complexity of today’s global culture. The empirical study reported here further demonstrates the usefulness of this approach by successfully identifying 16 groups among American Web users as postulated in the proposed typology. Future research should follow the implications provided in this chapter in order to broaden our thinking about the role of culture in a world of global communication.
Cyberspace and Online Education
Authors: Wang C.
Published: May 2011

Friedman (2005) argues that the rapid growth of Internet technology is fundamentally changing human life in modern societies. This Internet revolution is also having an impact on higher education in the United States. More than half of all institutions of higher education in the U.S. now offer entirely online or blended courses. The issue becomes more complex when the learners are international students who come from extremely different cultural backgrounds. This chapter explores the nature of cyberculture, and describes how cyberculture affects the online learning experiences of international students. Through the exploration of cyberculture and online education, this chapter reveals what increased global online access is beginning to mean for participants in online education.
A Visual Language for Design Pattern Modeling and Instantiation
Authors: Maplesden David , Hosking John , Grundy John
Published: May 2011

In this chapter we describe the Design pattern modeling language, a notation supporting the specification of Design pattern solutions and their instantiation into UML design models. DPML uses a simple set of visual abstractions and readily lends itself to tool support. DPML Design pattern solution specifications are used to construct visual, formal specifications of Design patterns. DPML instantiation diagrams are used to link a Design pattern solution specification to instances of a UML model, indicating the roles played by different UML elements in the generic Design pattern solution. A prototype tool is described, together with an evaluation of the language and tool.
Modeling and Reasoning about Design Patterns in Slam-Sl
Authors: Herranz Angel , Moreno-Navarro Juan José
Published: May 2011

In this chapter, a formal model for Design patterns is studied. The formal specification of a Design pattern is given as a class operator that transforms a design given as a set of classes into a new design that takes into account the description and properties of the Design pattern. The operator is specified in the Slam-Sl specification language, in terms of pre and postconditions. Precondition collects properties required to apply the pattern and postcondition relates input classes and result classes encompassing most of the intent and consequences sections of the pattern. Formalization is mandatory for reasoning about Design patterns and for implementing assistant tools.
Dynamically Generated Web Content
Authors: Papastavrou Stavros , Samaras George , Evripidou Paraskevas , Chrysanthis Panos K.
Published: May 2011

This chapter takes a tutorial approach to present the Web-related technologies and content middlewares that attempt to accelerate the generation and optimize the delivery of dynamic content. It covers the historical aspects of dynamic content and presents the reasoning behind its introduction while discussing early content middlewares such as the CGI and FastCGI. It then presents the evolution of content middlewares along the lines of contacted research. The discussion focuses on popular techniques that mostly include content caching and content fragmentation. It also discusses a variety of other research efforts such as hardware and low-level acceleration techniques, active caching, and delta encoding. Finally, the authors hope that this chapter will server as an introductory tutorial to students and researchers in the field of dynamic Web content technology.
Information Flows in a New Zealand Sheep Meat Supply Chain
Authors: Schroeder Andreas , Hope Beverley G.
Published: May 2011

Recent outbreaks of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), foot-and-mouth disease, and bird flu have heightened awareness of traceability and information flows in agricultural industries. Existing supply chain research has focused on supply chains for manufactured goods, but the agricultural industry differs from manufacturing, being characterized by horizontal alliances and imprecise output predictions arising from uncontrollable factors such as weather and rates of natural increase. This chapter explores the downstream information flows in a sheep meat supply chain. It identifies stakeholders and the nature and efficiency of their information exchanges. Findings show that important information is generated in several tiers along the supply chain, but this information is not always shared and opportunities for increased supply chain competitiveness are lost. The lack of information sharing is explained by the unwillingness of partners to commit to tight contractual agreements, the lack of adequate technological infrastructure, and the absence of regulations mandating certain information flows.
Strategic Alliances of Information Technology Among Channel Members
Authors: Hsu H. Y. Sonya , Shih Stephen C.
Published: May 2011

This chapter explores novel ways of improving flexibility, responsiveness, and competitiveness via strategic information technology (IT) alliances among channel members in a supply chain network. To gain competitiveness, firms have to constantly update their operational strategies and information technologies through collaborative efforts of a “network” of supply chain members rather than the efforts of an individual firm. In sum, the foci of this chapter are: (1) an overview of supply chain management (SCM) issues and problems, (2) supply chain coordination and integration, (3) the latest IT applications for improved supply chain performance and coordination, and (4) strategic IT alliances. This chapter concludes with a discussion of business implications and recommendations of future research.
Monitoring Supply Chain Flows through Improved Performance Measurement of Extended Processes
Authors: Busi Marco
Published: May 2011

Increasing strategic importance of logistics-related processes demands a higher integration of performance management and supply chain management. Despite the increasing focus on supply chain management and business collaboration, studies in the area of performance management still narrowly look at the single enterprise and its “within-enterprise” processes. Most of these existing studies are losing relevance in today’s industrial dynamics, where business models, such as that of the supply chain, are merely the tip of an emerging trend in new organization alliances, boundary redefinition, and market structures. This chapter goes beyond existing work to develop a better understanding of the issue of performance management from a supply chain management perspective. The goal is to demonstrate how today’s manufacturing systems and processes could be measured and managed in the context of the extended business of which they are part—back through the supplier chain and forward into the distribution and customer chain. The chapter’s intended major outcomes for its readers are: a clearer understanding of the concept of supply chain management through performance, and a process for designing a supply chain performance measurement system. Additional information emerges throughout the chapter.
Digital Cinema as Disruptive Technology
Authors: Culkin Nigel , Morawetz Norbert , Randle Keith
Published: May 2011

The distribution and exhibition of motion pictures are at a crossroads. Ever since the medium was invented in the 1890s the “picture” has been brought to the spectator in the form of photochemical images stored on strips of celluloid film passed in intermittent motion through a projector. Now, at the beginning of the 21st century, an entirely new method has emerged, using digitally stored data in place of film and barely needing any physical support other than a computerised file. This opens an intriguing portfolio of revenue-generating opportunities for the movie exhibitor. This chapter will give an overview of current developments in digital cinema (d-cinema). It will examine potential new business models in an industry wedded to the analogue process. The authors will consider the strategies of companies at the forefront of the technology; implications associated with the change; and how different territories might adapt in order to accommodate this transition.
The KM Business Infrastructure
Authors: Wickramasinghe Nilmini , Von Lubitz Dag
Published: May 2011

This book provides comprehensive coverage of all areas (people, process, and technology) necessary to become a knowledge-based enterprise. It presents several frameworks facilitating the implementation of a KM initiative and its ongoing management so that pertinent knowledge and information are always available to the decision maker, and so the organization may always enjoy a sustainable competitive advantage
Interactive IR in Online Database Environments
Authors: Xie Iris
Published: May 2011

The Internet has introduced the concept and capability of information retrieval to millions of users. There is an increasing growth in databases, producers, vendors, records, and searches. Williams (2006) has monitored the growth of the online industry for about 30 years. From 1975 to 2005, databases increased considerably, from 301 to 17539, database records from 52 million to 21.02 billion, and database entries from 301 to 16532. The number of producers has not grown as fast as databases because one producer might publish multiple databases. The number of publishers increased from 200 to 3208 from 1975 to 2005. In 2005, the average producer produced 5.13 databases. Because each vendor might provide services from multiple databases, the number of vendors grew at a slower pace from 105 to 2811.
The Nature of Strategic Intelligence, Current Practice and Solutions
Authors: Xu M. , Kaye R.
Published: May 2011

This chapter discusses the nature of strategic intelligence and the challenges of systematically scanning and processing strategic information. It reveals that strategic intelligence practice concentrates on competitive intelligence gathering, non-competitive related intelligence have not yet been systematically scanned and processed. Much of the intelligence is collected through informal and manual based systems. Turning data into analyzed, meaningful intelligence for action is limited to a few industry leaders. The chapter proposed a corporate intelligence solution, which comprises of three key intelligence functions, namely organizational-wide intelligence scanning, knowledge enriched intelligent refining, and specialist support. A corporate radar system (CRS) for external environment scanning, which is a part of the organizational-wide intelligence scanning process is explored in light of latest technology development. Implementation issues are discussed. The chapter develops insight of strategic intelligence, and the solution could significantly enhance a manager’s and a company’s sensibility and capability in dealing with external opportunities and threats.
Information Architecture and Navigation Design for Web Sites
Authors: Benyon David
Published: May 2011

Information architecture concerns how to structure the content of an information space. Information architects design information spaces. Staying with the notion of information space leads us to the realisation that people need to be able to both conceptualise an information space and find their way through that information space to where they want to go. People need to be able to navigate information space. In this chapter we explore two key issues of web site design; information architecture and the design of navigation support. In order to do this we draw upon theories of information spaces and theories of navigation in urban spaces. From these theories a number of practical features of web sites are described.
Usability Evalutation
Authors: Zhang Zhijun
Published: May 2011

This chapter introduces the different ways of conducting usability evaluation, which is categorized under four methods: model or metrics based, inquiry, inspection, and testing. Under each method, a list of techniques is described, focusing on when and how each technique should be applied. The chapter also summarizes various studies that compared the effectiveness of different usability evaluation techniques. At the end, guidelines for practitioners and an agenda for researchers are offered. After reading this chapter, the audience should gain an overview of the research and practice of usability evaluation and understand the different criteria for selecting the appropriate technique for a particular project.
Modelling Interactive Behavior with a Rational Cognitive Architecture
Authors: Peebles David , Cox Anna L.
Published: May 2011

In this chapter we discuss a number of recent studies that demonstrate the use of rational analysis (Anderson, 1990) and cognitive modelling methods to understand complex interactive behaviour involved in three tasks: icon search, graph reading, and information retrieval on the World Wide Web. We describe the underlying theoretical assumptions of rational analysis and the ACT-R cognitive architecture (Anderson & Lebiere, 1998), a theory of cognition that incorporates rational analysis in its mechanisms for learning and decision making. In presenting these studies we aim to show how such methods can be combined with eye movement data to provide detailed, highly constrained accounts of user performance that are grounded in psychological theory. We argue that the theoretical and technological developments that underpin these methods are now at a stage that the approach can be more broadly applied to other areas of web use.
Cross-Modal Correlation Mining Using Graph Algorithms
Authors: Pan Jia-Yu , Yang Hyung-Jeong , Faloutsos Christos
Published: May 2011

Multimedia objects like video clips or captioned images contain data of various modalities such as image, audio, and transcript text. Correlations across different modalities provide information about the multimedia content, and are useful in applications ranging from summarization to semantic captioning. We propose a graph-based method, MAGIC, which represents multimedia data as a graph and can find cross-modal correlations using “random walks with restarts.” MAGIC has several desirable properties: (a) it is general and domain-independent; (b) it can detect correlations across any two modalities; (c) it is insensitive to parameter settings; (d) it scales up well for large datasets; (e) it enables novel multimedia applications (e.g., group captioning); and (f) it creates opportunity for applying graph algorithms to multimedia problems. When applied to automatic image captioning, MAGIC finds correlations between text and image and achieves a relative improvement of 58% in captioning accuracy as compared to recent machine learning techniques.
Knowledge Discovery in Biomedical Data Facilitated by Domain Ontologies
Authors: Sidhu Amandeep S. , Kennedy Paul J. , Simoff Simeon
Published: May 2011

In some real-world areas, it is important to enrich the data with external background knowledge so as to provide context and to facilitate pattern recognition. These areas may be described as data rich but knowledge poor. There are two challenges to incorporate this biological knowledge into the data mining cycle: (1) generating the ontologies; and (2) adapting the data mining algorithms to make use of the ontologies. This chapter presents the state-of-the-art in bringing the background ontology knowledge into the pattern recognition task for biomedical data.
Outlier Detection Strategy Using the Self-Organizing Map
Authors: Hadzic Fedja , Dillon Tharam S.
Published: May 2011

Real world datasets are often accompanied with various types of anomalous or exceptional entries which are often referred to as outliers. Detecting outliers and distinguishing noise form true exceptions is important for effective data mining. This chapter presents two methods for outlier detection and analysis using the self-organizing map (SOM), where one is more suitable for categorical and the other for continuous data. They are generally based on filtering out the instances which are not captured by or are contradictory to the obtained concept hierarchy for the domain. We demonstrate how the dimension of the output space plays an important role in the kind of patterns that will be detected as outlying. Furthermore, the concept hierarchy itself provides extra criteria for distinguishing noise from true exceptions. The effectiveness of the proposed outlier detection and analysis strategy is demonstrated through the experiments on publicly available real world datasets.
Trading E-Coalition Modeling for Supply Chain
Authors: Tiako P.
Published: May 2011

As the Internet grew and evolved, it became more widely used by everyone. What once was utilized by the military and used for academic purposes is now employed by companies for e-business marketing strategies and alliances in the supply chain. Historically, companies have found many ways to work together, playing different roles with regard to manufacturing, supplying, selling, delivering, and buying in the supply chain. Most of the time, according to role, members of each company get together in a shared space (i.e., marketplace) to work on a particular project (i.e., delivering quality goods or services to customers). The emergence of the Internet has brought an appropriate media to expand markets and enable collaboration with partners in all stages of product manufacturing, testing, and delivering through electronic commerce. Support for these collaborations over the Internet, called e-coalition here, is what this chapter is about.
Coordination of a Supply Chain with Satisficing Objectives Using Contracts
Authors: Shi C. , Chen B.
Published: May 2011

Setting performance targets and managing to achieve them is fundamental to business success. As a result, it is common for managers to adopt a satisficing objective—that is, to maximize the probability of achieving some preset target profit level. This is especially true when companies are increasingly engaged in short-term relationships enabled by electronic commerce. In this chapter, our main focus is a decentralized supply chain consisting of a supplier and a retailer, both with the satisficing objective. The supply chain is examined under three types of commonly used contracts: wholesale price, buy back, and quantity flexibility contracts. Because a coordinating contract has to be Pareto optimal regardless of the bargaining powers among the agents, we first identify the Pareto-optimal contract(s) for each contractual form. Second, we identify the contractual forms that are capable of coordination of the supply chain with the satisficing objectives. In contrast to the well-known results for the supply chain with the objectives of expected profit maximization, we show that wholesale price contracts can coordinate the supply chain with the satisficing objectives, whereas buy back contracts cannot. Furthermore, quantity flexibility contracts have to degenerate into wholesale price contracts to coordinate the supply chain. This provides an important justification for the popularity of wholesale price contracts besides their simplicities and lower administration costs. Finally, we discuss possible extensions to the model by considering different types of objectives for different agents.
Using "Blended Learning" to Develop Tertiary Students' Skills of Critique
Authors: Lajbcyier Paul , Spratt Christine
Published: May 2011

Devising pedagogical strategies that will engage students in ways which will assure the development of their skills of critique and analysis presents a challenge to tertiary teachers. This chapter draws on data from a recent case-based evaluation study to argue that innovative assessment and the development of social presence in online learning environments can contribute to developing skills of critique and analysis in tertiary students. The paper is underpinned by the belief that creative thinking about curriculum issues must continue to lead debates about tertiary pedagogy, the use of educational technologies and online learning. It concludes by posing implications for further research in pedagogical practices in tertiary settings, in particular it presents a discussion of the potential of ‘blended learning’ and ‘variation theory’ for leading such research.
Using a Blended Model to Improve Delivery of Teacher Education Curriculum in Global Settings
Authors: Wright Vivian H. , Stanford Ronnie , Beedle Jon
Published: May 2011

This chapter describes how teacher educators have used a blended approach, online and traditional delivery, to structure course content for its international master’s program. The authors discuss challenges they had to overcome, lessons learned, and students’ reflections upon the blended approach.
Project-Based Online Group Collaborative Learning Characteristics
Authors: Du Jianxia , Harvard Byron , Adams James , Ding Gang , Yu Wei-Chieh
Published: May 2011

This chapter illustrates a framework for Online Group Collaborative Learning based upon Piaget’s concepts of assimilation and accommodation and upon Vygotsky’s theory of social interaction. This chapter examined how an online project based learning approach affected students’ cognitive skills development and their motivation, and explored factors leading to successful collaborative projects. The findings indicated that in a project based online group environment unique characteristics exist for: leadership style and individual role, goal setting and project management, accountability and commitment, peer supportive relationships, individual accomplishment and group accomplishments, and mixed gender and race group preference.
Knowledge Management Success Factors and Models
Authors: Jennex Murray E. , Olfman Lorne
Published: May 2011

This chapter surveys knowledge management (KM) and knowledge management system (KMS) success factors and models. It also provides a framework for assessing KM and KMS success models. The framework uses three criteria: how well the model fits actual KMS success factors, the degree to which the model has a theoretical foundation, and if the model can be used for both types of KMS. The framework then is applied to four KMS success models found in the literature and is determined to be a useful framework for assessing KMS success models.
Eliciting Tacit Knowledge Using the Critical Decision Interview Method
Authors: Taylor Hazel
Published: May 2011

Interest in the capture of tacit knowledge within organizations has risen in recent years. However, while the capture of explicit knowledge is relatively straightforward, methods for eliciting tacit knowledge are less well-developed. This chapter briefly overviews a number of strategies for eliciting tacit knowledge and then provides a detailed examination of one of these strategies: the critical decision interview approach. The critical decision interview method can assist expert respondents to articulate tacit knowledge by probing beyond their espoused theories about their actions to reveal their practice. Tacit knowledge then can be identified by contrasting respondents’ practices with theoretical prescriptions for best practice in the field. The application of the method in an investigation of risk management in IT projects is described, and the effectiveness of this method for surfacing tacit knowledge is discussed.
Exploring Similarities Across High-Dimensional Datasets
Authors: Sequeira Karlton , Zaki Mohammed J.
Published: May 2011

Very often, related data may be collected by a number of sources, which may be unable to share their entire datasets for reasons like confidentiality agreements, dataset size, and so forth. However, these sources may be willing to share a condensed model of their datasets. If some substructures of the condensed models of such datasets, from different sources, are found to be unusually similar, policies successfully applied to one may be successfully applied to the others. In this chapter, we propose a framework for constructing condensed models of datasets and algorithms to find similar substructure in pairs of such models. The algorithms are based on the tensor product. We test our framework on pairs of synthetic datasets and compare our algorithms with an existing one. Finally, we apply it to basketball player statistics for two National Basketball Association (NBA) seasons, and to breast cancer datasets. The results are statistically more interesting than results obtained from independent analysis of the datasets.
Graph-Based Data Mining
Authors: Li Wenyuan , Ng Wee-Keong , Ong Kok-Leong
Published: May 2011

With the most expressive representation that is able to characterize the complex data, graph mining is an emerging and promising domain in data mining. Meanwhile, the graph has been well studied in a long history with many theoretical results from various foundational fields, such as mathematics, physics, and artificial intelligence. In this chapter, we systematically reviewed theories and techniques newly studied and proposed in these areas. Moreover, we focused on those approaches that are potentially valuable to graph-based data mining. These approaches provide the different perspectives and motivations for this new domain. To illustrate how the method from the other area contributes to graph-based data mining, we did a case study on a classic graph problem that can be widely applied in many application areas. Our results showed that the methods from foundational areas may contribute to graph-based data mining.
Data Caching in a Mobile Database Environment
Authors: Lim Say Ying , Taniar David , Srinivasan Bala
Published: May 2011

In this chapter, we present an extensive study of the available types of data caching in a mobile database environment. We explore the different types of possible cache management strategy that can be adopted in a mobile environment. Generally, it is important to be able to cache frequent access data items because very often mobile users may require to downloading the same data over again. And by having the ability to cache the data, would helps avoid having to re-download the same data again. We include some discussions regarding the issues that arise from cache management strategy as well as include investigation on using cache management strategy involving location dependent data.
User Perceptions of the Usefulness of E-Mail and Instant Messaging
Authors: Houle Philip , Strader Troy , Ramaswami Sridhar
Published: May 2011

This chapter describes research that explores the impact of unsolicited traffic on the perceived usefulness of electronic message technologies. Two technologies were explored: e-mail and instant messaging. The hypothesis is that unsolicited message traffic would have negative effects on the perceived usefulness of the technologies. However, the findings did not support this expected result. Users of the technologies appear to cope with the unsolicited traffic in a variety of ways. The implications of results are discussed from the perspective of managers, researchers, marketers, service providers, and public policy makers.
Semi-Automatic Derivation and Application of Personal Privacy Policies
Authors: Yee George
Published: May 2011

The recent fast growth of the Internet has been accompanied by a similarly fast growth in the availability of Internet e-business services (e.g., electronic book seller service, electronic stock transaction service). This proliferation of e-business services has in turn fueled the need to protect the personal privacy of e-business users or consumers. We propose a privacy policy approach to protecting personal privacy. However, it is evident that the derivation of a personal privacy policy must be as easy as possible for the consumer. In this chapter, we define the content of personal privacy policies using privacy principles that have been enacted into legislation. We then present two semi-automated approaches for the derivation of personal privacy policies. The first approach makes use of accepted privacy rules obtained through community consensus (from research and/or surveys). The second approach makes use of privacy policies already existing in a peer-to-peer community. We conclude the chapter by explaining how personal privacy policies can be applied in e-business to protect consumer privacy.
Proactively Composing Web Services as Tasks by Semantic Web Agents
Authors: Ermolayev Vadim , Keberle Natalya , Kononenko Oleksandr , Terziyan Vagan
Published: May 2011

This chapter presents the framework for agent-enabled dynamic composition of Semantic Web services. The approach and the framework have been developed in several research and development projects by ISRG and IOG. The core of the methodology is the new understanding of a Semantic Web service as a capability of an intelligent software agent supplied with the proper ontological description. It is demonstrated how diverse Web services may be composed and mediated by dynamic coalitions of software agents collaboratively performing tasks for service requestors. Middle agent layer is introduced to conduct the transformation of a Web service request to the corresponding task, agent-enabled cooperative task decomposition and performance. Discussed are the formal means to arrange agents’ negotiation, to represent the semantic structure of task-activity-service hierarchy and to assess fellow-agents’ capabilities and credibility factors. It is argued that the presented technique is applicable to various application domains. Presented is the ongoing work on designing and implementing agent-based layered architecture for intelligent rational information and document retrieval. Finally, the discussion of the OntoServ.Net framework for the development of P2P mobile service infrastructures for industrial asset management provides the extension of the Web service composition approach.