bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
E-Government and E-Democracy in Latin America
Authors: Kaufman Ester
Published: May 2011

Latin America is suffering from many of the negative consequences of globalization, without benefiting from many of its advantages. Among the advantages are those derived from the increasing availability of ICT and from the potential development of citizens’ participation to foster e-democracy. In general, the corporation of ICT have not been carefully thought through by many of the governments in LAC. In the case of e-government, the effects of the underlying relationship models between government and society as portrayed on each country’s main portal site (hereinafter called “portal”) not only vary but generally do not show any appreciation of the transformation of government services. Mexico, Peru, Chile, Venezuela, Uruguay and Brazil appear to be engaged in the early processes of modernization of services, networking, and online access to governmental administration. The rest of LAC appear to be well behind these countries efforts.
Forging Partnerships to Provide Computer Literacy in Swaziland
Authors: Magagula Cisco M.
Published: May 2011

The challenges facing the world, especially developing countries like Swaziland, are many and varied. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) estimates that over two billion people, out of a global population of six billion, do not have access to education. The majority of these people are found in developing countries. As many as 113 million children do not attend school. More than one billion people still live on less than US$1 a day and lack access to safe drinking water. More than two billion people in the world in developing countries in particular, lack sanitation. Every year, nearly 11 million young children die before their fifth birthday, mainly from preventable illnesses. The risk of dying in childbirth in developing countries is one in 48 (UNDP, 2003). In most developing countries, especially in remote areas, the situation is exacerbated by lack of electricity.
ICT and Regional Development in Australia
Authors: Pease Wayne , Rowe Michelle , Wright Lauretta
Published: May 2011

Hervey Bay is located in the Wide Bay Burnett region of Queensland, Australia. Based on a number of economic and social indicators, the region can be described as disadvantaged (Planning Information Forecasting Unit, 2001). The median weekly income of the region is well below the Queensland state average. The overall unemployment rate for the region is around 16% with about 23% for youth unemployment. The population is aged with 20.7% of the population aged over 65 compared with the Queensland average of 12.4% (Paussa, 2003). Within the region the ratio of welfare payments to personal disposable income is 27.9% (Bray & Mudd, 1998), which is the second highest welfare recipient rate for a region in Australia.
ICT-Based Community Development Initiatives in South Africa
Authors: Arellano Nicole , Chigona Wallace , Moore Jeanne , Van Belle Jean-Paul
Published: May 2011

South Africa has seen many changes in the decade since the mid-1990’s but it is still struggling to rectify the damage caused by apartheid, which aimed to maintain white domination while extending racial segregation and emphasising territorial separation (Chokshi et al., 1995). The legacy of apartheid has left a large percentage of South Africa’s population living in poverty, many without proper housing or associated facilities and minimal, if any infrastructure. Another devastating effect of apartheid is the high percentage of illiteracy within South Africa due to the lack of educational amenities available to non-whites during that era. Fifty percent of the population of 42 million lives below the poverty line while 13.6% of the population aged 15 and over is not able to read or write (World Fact Book, 2003).
Improving Electronic Information Literacy in West African Higher Education
Authors: Poda Ibrahima , Brescia William F.
Published: May 2011

Electronic information literacy has gained increased importance with the advent of the new information and communication technologies which, driven by the convergence of computers and telecommunications media, are crucial for facilitating, supporting, and enhancing learning and for the knowledge-based economy of the future. In “Africa’s Information Society Initiative (AISI): An Action Framework to Build Africa’s Information and Communication Infrastructure,” African ICT experts appointed by the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), have described the potential of the Internet to improve learning in higher education and established the foundation for this to become a reality in Sub-Saharan Africa. The AISI document that the group of experts produced was adopted by the ECA Conference of Ministers as the African Information Society Initiative (AISI) in 1996.
The Information Society in Ukraine
Authors: Azarov Serge S.
Published: May 2011

In order to assess the prospects for the development of the information society in Ukraine, there is a need to consider the possible directions or approaches that such development might take. In The Diversity within Unity,Etzioni (2001) states: Two approaches are to be avoided: promoting assimilation and unbounded multiculturalism. Assimilation–which entails requiring minorities to abandon all of their distinct institutions, cultures, values, habits, and connections to other societies in order to fully mesh into the prevailing culture—is sociologically difficult to achieve and unnecessary for dealing with the issues at hand, as we shall see. It is morally unjustified because of our respect for some normative differences, such as to which gods we pray. Unbounded multiculturalism—which entails giving up the concept of shared values, loyalties, and identity in order to privilege ethnic and religious differences, presuming that nations can be replaced by a large number of diverse minorities—is also unnecessary. It is likely to evoke undemocratic backlashes, ranging from support for extremist, right-wing parties and populist leaders to anti-minority policies.
Modern Tools and Technologies for the Visually Impaired
Authors: Lahiri Anirban , Basu Anupam
Published: May 2011

Today, people all over the globe are reaping the fruits of modern technology. One can now use a hoard of devices, ranging from desktop PCs (personal computers) to handy palmtops, for accessing information in one’s day-to-day life. But, unfortunately the visually impaired have hardly gained anything form such a mammoth information revolution. Over the past few decades their only means of availing information was through embossed Braille books and audio books. Braille books relating to any particular subject are almost impossible to find, and in most cases they do not even exist. On the other hand Audio books were typically stored on magnetic tapes, and this did not facilitate navigation to different portions of the text.
Open and Distance Programme for Rural Women
Authors: Siwe Sylvie Siyam , Loe Clarisse Loumou
Published: May 2011

In the Upper Nkam culture in Cameroon, with about 200,000 inhabitants, women (51% of the population) are the core of the community, in charge, from generation to generation, of the management of the household and the transmission of cultural heritage. But when comes the time to take decisions that can influence the future of the community, because of the weakness of their resources, their illiteracy and cultural inhibitions, they are marginalised. Considering its advantages, open and distance learning seems to be the best solution to solve this problem.
Radio for Social Development
Authors: Craddock Patrick , Duncan Peggy
Published: May 2011

“Tell me a story” is an established educational technique. “Tell me a story” using radio is an application of this technique, but instead of having one or several listeners, it is possible to reach thousands or millions of people throughout both urban and rural areas. The Archers, was a British radio drama serial that started its life with educational objectives and has been broadcasting for decades to a large dedicated audience of millions (Gallagher, 1975). This article will describe how a radio drama education project expanded into small local communities, each with its own community radio station, and how the actors in the radio drama addressed specific health issues of a particular area through the use of live performances.
Remote Indigenous Australian Communities and ICT
Authors: Dyson Laurel Evelyn
Published: May 2011

Australia has approximately 1,291 indigenous communities, of which 1,210 are geographically isolated or located in rural areas some distance from centres of population (ABS, 1999). These remote communities are characterized by low socio-economic status and are highly disadvantaged in terms of basic health, education and other services.
Locke and Intellectual Property Rights
Authors: Scanlan Michael J.
Published: May 2011

This chapter considers certain features of Locke’s account in Chapter V of his Second Treatise concerning how a natural right of ownership can arise in previously unowned goods. We note that some take this theory to be still applicable in our own day in situations of original acquisition of ownership in intellectual property. The chapter explains how a quasi-Lockean theory could support a very limited natural right to a species of intellectual property. But it also notes that this theory by itself is not strong enough to support a natural right in an intellectual property of the sort given by copyright. Such property rights must be provided as a result of positive law.
Would Be Pirates
Authors: Mortensen Melanie J.
Published: May 2011

The debate in Canada that occurred prior to the amendment of the Copyright Act regarding the regulation of television retransmission on the Internet emblematizes significant ethical issues arising from shifts in communications technologies. The alleged piracy of Internet retransmitters demonstrates the broader consequences of the regulation of communications technologies and intellectual property at a variety of levels. Future treatments of new media innovations should be spared the retransmitters’ fate, whereby the innovators were called “pirates” and the law was amended to make them appear so in response to industry pressure. Instead, appropriate criteria should be determined with ethical foundations to administer decisions regarding the responsible governance of communications technologies. Legal, political, and social observations complete the analysis in this chapter, whereby such considerations are raised to advocate a principled approach to the regulation of new media and innovations in communications technologies.
Cyber-Terrorism
Authors: Janczewski Lech J. , Colarik Andrew M.
Published: May 2011

In this time of increased threats of terrorist attacks, are IT professionals really facing a new type of danger resulting from these activities? In our opinion, the answer is both yes and no. Let us explain. Major information system users, such as government agencies, military installations, major banks, and so forth, were and are prepared for handling such attacks. The destruction of part of the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. did not stop the U.S. Department of Defense from functioning, nor did the collapse of the Twin Towers create a permanent crisis on Wall Street. The fact is, however, that trading on the New York Stock Exchange was suspended for some time, and many small companies with offices in the Twin Towers did not survive the disaster. But no long-term nationwide disruption was triggered, in an economical sense. Similar attacks have happened to other large corporations, and their consequences have been minimized through redundancy implementations and considerable resources. On the other hand, most businesses are small to medium sized and, as such, may not be prepared to handle terrorist threats due to the lack of resources (i.e., specialized skill sets, facilities, etc.).
Identification, Authentication, and Access Control
Authors: Janczewski Lech J. , Colarik Andrew M.
Published: May 2011

It is a known fact that terrorists are developing a keen set of technology skills to further their agendas. As previously stated, they use IT for their operational purposes as well as for launching attacks. In the IT domain, identification/authentication of a user is the first step in gaining access to system resources. Identity theft attacks are the simplest way to accomplish this objective, as was discussed in the preceding chapter. In these times of increased security awareness, IT managers must examine very carefully their identification and authentication subsystems to prevent the disabling or bypassing of the system by an unauthorized party. In this section, we will discuss identification, authentication methods, access control, and how to strengthen these methods for added resistance against possible attacks.
Personnel Security
Authors: Janczewski Lech J. , Colarik Andrew M.
Published: May 2011

The importance of security issues relating to personnel policies has and continues to be a factor in the overall protection of organizational systems. Apart from the general managerial issues related to information security discussed earlier in the book, this chapter will concentrate on discussing the security issues related to contractual agreements between companies and their employees, and what the implications are. These issues include the following:
Anatomy of the Mobile Services Industry
Authors: Vesa Jarkko
Published: May 2011

“After 20 years of talking, this so-called convergence of computing and communications is happening.” Craig R. Barrett, CEO of Intel (BusinessWeek Online, March 8, 2004) The reasons for writing this book are twofold: first, the importance of the mobile industry for the future success of the whole ICT industry cannot be overemphasized. Second, the mobile industry itself is an ideal target for analyzing the impact of technological innovations, deregulation, and global competition on industry structure and different ways of collaboration between companies in the industry. Within the context of this “high clockspeed” industry, mobile services represent even more interesting research topic due to the additional complexity, which results from the shift from traditional voice services to mobile multimedia services. The increase in the amount of complexity in the mobile industry is one of the key themes of this book: it is argued here that business gets more complex as the industry moves from voice-centric services to mobile multimedia services, which contain voice, text, graphics, and video. When thinking about the concept of complexity of an industry, it is important to keep in mind that there are various aspects of complexity that affect the way in which business is done in a given industry or market. Within the context of mobile services, the two important dimensions of complexity are technical complexity and commercial complexity, as described in Figure 1. What we can see in the diagram is that as mobile telephony moved from analog technology to digital technology, the technical complexity of the networks and handsets increased dramatically.
Mobile Markets vs. Mobile Ecosystems
Authors: Vesa Jarkko
Published: May 2011

Now as we have gone through the characteristics of the three case markets, it is time to figure out what our analysis has revealed. In other words, what can we tell about the differences between the Japanese and the European mobile services markets — or more specifically, the Finnish and the UK market? It is time to merge the theoretical discussions of Chapters IV to VI, and the case analyses of Chapters VII to X in order to gain a better understanding of the current structure and the future trends of the mobile data services industry. Let us start by comparing the three markets by using the Double Helix model.
It's the Exception, Not the Norm
Authors: Jones Robert , Oyung Rob , Pace Lisa Shade
Published: May 2011

Much of the early literature on managing a successful virtual team or on how to successfully implement a telecommuting program made the assumption that most team members were co-located, and the remote user was the exception. The goal for the virtual team, therefore, was to make sure that these one or two remote individuals were able to work within the team on a best-effort basis rather than one encouraging all team members to act virtually. A good example of where this situation might exist is in programs where telecommuting is positioned as a perk, as opposed to a business benefit. In this chapter, we will discuss Myth #7 and Myth #8.
Human Resources Advantages
Authors: Jones Robert , Oyung Rob , Pace Lisa Shade
Published: May 2011

Prior to the rise of virtual teams, hiring the right person for a job usually meant one of two things—limiting the pool of candidates or spending big bucks. Unless a company is willing to spend to fly people in for interviews or to pay for company moves, it must hire within commuting distance of its facility. This may work out okay if you are in an employer’s market and located in an area that has many people with the skill set for which you are looking (e.g., engineers in Silicon Valley). But what if it’s an employee’s market, and you’re located in an area that lacks employees with your required skill set? Most likely, you’ll end up compromising on what you really wanted in an employee. There is a big difference between the best available software engineer in Acworth, Georgia, and the best available software engineer in the Untied States.
Managing a Virtual Team
Authors: Jones Robert , Oyung Rob , Pace Lisa Shade
Published: May 2011

While participating on a virtual team, a team member has his or her own set of challenges, and managing the virtual team involves some additional responsibilities. A people manager or program manager is expected to lead, be an example for the rest of the team, and help pull the members together to accomplish something collectively that they could not accomplish alone. Time, budget, and scope are the three main attributes of a program that can be documented, managed, and measured. Operating principles and culture are the soft skills that can contribute to the success or failure of the program or project on which a team is working.
Impact of Culture, Affiliation, and Shared Goals
Authors: Jones Robert , Oyung Rob , Pace Lisa Shade
Published: May 2011

As we mentioned in Section 1, technology provides only a portion of the solution for addressing the challenges of virtual teams. Team and organizational cultures are key indicators of the potential success of virtual teams, while shared goals provide a way to unify the group. Team affiliation, as we will see, plays a lesser part in ensuring the success of virtual teams but is a reality of the complex organizational structures we see today and evolving in the future.
The Virtual Organization
Authors: Jones Robert , Oyung Rob , Pace Lisa Shade
Published: May 2011

While this book has highlighted the successful (and some of the less than successful) techniques and applications of virtual teams, the future evolution of virtual teams is yet to be seen within the marketplace. Clearly, many external forces within the marketplace could potentially either drive further utilization of virtual teams within organizations, while other factors might point toward a diminished use of such models. In this chapter, we’ll discuss three potential paths that the use of virtual teams within the enterprise might take, and discuss in more detail the scenario that we feel is most likely.
Creating a Policy-Aware Web
Authors: Weitzner Daniel J. , Hendler Jim , Berners-Lee Tim , Connolly Dan
Published: May 2011

In this chapter, we describe the motivations for, and development of, a rule-based policy management system that can be deployed in the open and distributed milieu of the World Wide Web. We discuss the necessary features of such a system in creating a “Policy Aware” infrastructure for the Web and argue for the necessity of such infrastructure. We then show how the integration of a Semantic Web rules language (N3) with a theorem prover designed for the Web (Cwm) makes it possible to use the Hypertext Transport Protocol (http) to provide a scalable mechanismfor the exchange of rules and, eventually, proofs for access control on the Web. We also discuss which aspects of the Policy Aware Web are enabled by the current mechanism and describe future research needed to make the widespread deployment of rules and proofs on the Web a reality.
Web Content Filtering
Authors: Bertino Elisa , Ferrari Elena , Perego Andrea
Published: May 2011

The need to filter online information in order to protect users from possible harmful content can be considered as one of the most compelling social issues derived from the transformation of the Web into a public information space. Despite that Web rating and filtering systems have been developed and made publicly available quite early, no effective approach has been established so far, due to the inadequacy of the proposed solutions. Web filtering is then a challenging research area, needing the definition and enforcement of new strategies, considering both the current limitations and the future developments of Web technologies—in particular, the upcoming Semantic Web. In this chapter, we provide an overview of how Web filtering issues have been addressed by the available systems, bringing in relief both their advantages and shortcomings, and outlining future trends. As an example of how a more accurate and flexible filtering can be enforced, we devote the second part of this chapter to describing a multi-strategy approach, of which the main characteristics are the integration of both list- and metadata-based techniques and the adoption of sophisticated metadata schemes (e.g., conceptual hierarchies and ontologies) for describing both users’ characteristics and Web pages content.
Trustworthy Data Sharing in Collaborative Pervasive Computing Environments
Authors: Yau Stephen S.
Published: May 2011

Collaborative Pervasive Computing Applications (COPCAs) can greatly improve the investigative capabilities and productivity of scientists and engineers. Users of COPCAs usually form groups to collaboratively perform their tasks using various computing devices, including desktop computers, pocket PCs, and/or smart phones, over Mobile Ad hoc Networks (MANET), LAN, and the Internet. These users usually share various types of data, including research ideas (documents), experimental and statistical data (numerical data, graphics, stream audio/video). A very important issue for sharing data in Collaborative Pervasive Computing Environments (COPCEs) is trustworthiness. To support trustworthy data sharing among groups of users of COPCAs, secure group communication, trustworthyshared data discovery, flexible access control mechanisms, effective data replication, data quality assurance mechanisms, and intrusion detection mechanisms are needed. In this chapter, the challenges, current state-of-the-art, and future research directions for trustworthy data sharing in COPCEs are presented. In particular, discussions will be focused on research issues and future research directions for trustworthy shared data discovery and flexible access control in service-based COPCAs.
Open Learning Environments
Authors: Salmi Hannu
Published: May 2011

This chapter describes the changes in the role of informal learning education in science centres. It shows by several cases how the rapid development of modern information and communication technologies after the mid-1990s has influenced the traditional hands-on exhibitions to move towards open learning environments. The reported experiences of the different types of Web-based solutions in science canters provide evidence and practical hints for further development of traditional exhibitions towards open learning environments. Results underscore the role of intrinsic motivation as the key element for learning. The prices and other thresholds for using existing ICT-based learning solutions have decreased considerably, and now the main consideration is whether there are enough social innovations, that is, are there meaningful content and use for the innovative technology? To create an open learning environment from the elements of the exhibition and the Internet is clearly one of the main challenges of science centres.
Use of Log Analysis and Text Mining for Simple Knowledge Extraction
Authors: Hin Leo Tan Wee , Subramaniam R. , Meng Daniel Tan Teck
Published: May 2011

Log analysis of server data has been used to study the Web site of the Singapore Science Center, which is the largest Web site among all science centers in the world. This has yielded a wealth of data, which has been useful in assessing the effectiveness of the content hosted on the site. Additionally, the use of text-mining to structure an effective query interface for the Science Net database, which is an online repository of over 6,000 questions and answers on science and technology, is assessed. A commentary on the use of log analysis for virtual science centers is also presented.
The Educational Approach of Virtual Science Centers
Authors: Bernier Roxane
Published: May 2011

This chapter looks at ways of examining informal e-learning environments to address innovative pedagogy, from two well-known institutions, where the theme of science is promoted within virtual centers, in a manner that is motivating for both online and onsite visitors. The author argues that real-time interactions such as Web casting act as a focus that enriches the people’s interest and thus enhances the notion of Public Understanding of Research (PUR), while “being socialized” through the scientific community. Science centers have recently expanded their mission beyond hands-on interactive exhibits, by adopting a reflective perspective drawn from a multidisciplinary approach to technological progress; that is, covering sociological, political, historical, philosophical and even ethical issues through online conferences and live demonstrations for visitors to become involved in topical debates. This allows them to form their own viewpoints on contemporary concerns ranging from genetic engineering and sustainability to space exploration. Within the diversity of educational resources offered by virtual science centers, it is suggested that museologists should emphasize a comprehensive description of scientific-related matters, tackling subjects, people and places, rather than objects themselves in order to genuinely fulfill a social need and arouse the audience’s curiosity.
Agile Outsourcing to India
Authors: Roussev Boris , Akella Ram
Published: May 2011

The combination of low labor costs, technological sophistication, project management skills, and successful software establishment makes India a particularly attractive location for software production outsourcing. Furthermore, in most situations, information and communication technologies render virtual presence practically equivalent to physical presence, thus enabling effective communication and cooperation in a distributed mode. This chapter introduces a project structure creating agile conditions for large outsourcing software projects. The agility advantage is achieved by scaling down a large project into a number of small-sized projects working in agile settings. We divide the work into R&D activities, located onsite, and production activities, located offsite. The proposed approach makes Agile applicable to the stressed condition of outsourcing environments without compromising the quality and the pace of the software development effort. Creating a context congenial to agile methods hinges on maintaining a good balance between the functions and sizes of onsite and offsite teams, on redefining the developers’ roles, and on reorganizing the information flow between the different development activities to compensate for the lack of customer onsite, team co-location, and tacit project knowledge.
Agile RUP
Authors: Evans Gary K.
Published: May 2011

The Rational Unified Processâ (RUP) is the de facto iterative software development process in use today. But it is huge (over 3,200 files), prescriptive, and generic rather than concise, agile, and specific. Organizations moving to RUP are often confused about how to apply it to their culture, unsure how much of it to adopt, and wary of how they can adapt it to their specific software projects. This chapter starts with a brief summary of the traditional waterfall development process, then offers an overview of RUP, its philosophy and distinctive features. Then the general philosophy of agile development is discussed. The body of the chapter defines a small set of activities that have been successfully applied in commercial “Agile” RUP projects by the author. The chapter then discusses how some of the major stakeholder groups on a software project are affected by moving to an agile process.
Model-Based Development
Authors: Lara Juan D. , Guerra Esther , Vangheluwe Hans
Published: May 2011

Since the beginning of computer science more than 50 years ago, software engineers have sought techniques resulting in higher levels of quality and productivity. Some of these efforts have concentrated in increasing the level of abstraction in programming languages (from assembler to structured languages to object-oriented languages). In the last few years, we have witnessed an increasing focus on development based on high-level, graphical models. They are used not only as a means to documentthe analysis and design activities, but also as the actual “implementation” of the application, as well as for automatic analysis, code, and test case generation. The notations used to describe the models can be standard and general purpose (for example, UML) or tightly customized for the application domain. Code generation for the full application is only accomplished for specific, well-understood application domains. A key initiative in this direction is OMG’s Model-Driven Architecture (MDA), where models are progressively transformed until executable code is obtained. In this chapter, we give an overview of these technologies and propose ideas following this line (concerning metamodeling and the use of visual languages for the specification of model transformation, model simulation, analysis and code generation), and examine the impact of model-based techniques in the development process.
Enabling the Glass Pipeline
Authors: Ruhi Umar , Turel Ofir
Published: May 2011

In recent years, the prospect of information exchange independent of time and place has been a compelling driver for organizations worldwide to adopt mobile technology applications in their various business practices. In particular, the application of mobile technology in Supply Chain Management has drawn widespread attention from researchers and practitioners who endorse adaptive and agile supply chain processes. This chapter discusses the applications of mobile technologies in various areas of supply chain management and the potential benefits of those technologies along the dimensions of reduced replenishment time and transactions and billing cycles. Among other discussions, the role of mobile procurement, inventory management, product identification, package tracking, sales force, and field service automation technologies is highlighted. To substantiate the basis for adopting mobile technologies for supplychain management, different market drivers for mobile applications are exemplified and applied to the three macro-level processes of supplier relationship management, internal supply chain management, and customer relationship management; a resulting typology of mobile supply chain management applications is presented.
Global Enterprise Transitions
Authors: Lan Yi-chen , Unhelkar Bhuvan
Published: May 2011

Globalization, especially in the business world of the 21st century, is inevitable. Today, almost all businesses face intense competition all around the globe. The rapid changes in the global environment force enterprises to seek suitable business strategies to sustain them. This leads enterprises to change the way they conduct and operate businesses, and transform themselves in a way that will enable them to cope with the global challenges, compete globally and eventually grow. The winners in this phenomenon are the companies that implement their business operations in the most creative and innovative manner possible. Needless to say, this is done through the incorporation of information and communication technology (ICT) into business strategies and goals. In the past few years, IT has been recognized as an imperative factor that drives companies towards global operations (Palvia et al., 2002). Globalization is an all-pervasive phenomena in today’s world, with the business providing a significant context to the overall process. As former U.S. President Bill Clinton (2002) stated in his address at the University of California, Berkeley:
Global Enterprises- Visions and Structures
Authors: Lan Yi-chen , Unhelkar Bhuvan
Published: May 2011

Successful globalization requires good strategic vision and its implementation. Strategic vision refers to what an enterprise expects to be its ideal image in the long-term future. In the context of globalization, this ideal image is a primary driver for the enterprise’s planning and implementation of GET. The guidelinefor such an envisioning process will be the planning of a strategic vision for the enterprise’s future position. In this regard, it is worth noting what Tregoe and Tobia (1990) have to say: “In the companies we know that are successfully making the transition to a more collaborative organization, the key to success is developing and then living by a common strategic vision. When you agree on an overall direction, you can be flexible about the means to achieve it. …. Really powerful visions are simply told. The Ten Commandments, the Declaration of Independence, a Winston Churchill World War II speech — all present messages that are so simple and direct you can almost touch them. Our corporate strategies should be equally compelling.” It is vital for the success of GET that we develop a strategic vision of a global organization that is as palpable as some of the visions in day-to-day lives.
Channel Choices and Revenue Logistics of Software Companies Developing Mobile Games
Authors: Rajala Risto , Rossi Matti , Ruunainen Virpi , Vihinen Janne
Published: May 2011

In this chapter, we explore the revenue logics and related product distribution models of mobile game developer companies. Mobile gaming is facing a transformation in both technical infrastructures and business models as it grows at a very fast pace. The former change originates from the technological shift of the environment of use; for example, from specific game consoles toward mobile phone platforms. The latter change relates to the possibility of delivering and playing games online, which affects both the distribution partnerships and the revenue stream options of mobile game vendors. We present a set of possible business models for game developers and concentrate on the possible combinations of revenue logics and distribution models for different games.
E-Government and E-Governance
Authors: Bovaird Tony
Published: May 2011

This chapter suggests that e-government and e-governance initiatives can potentially have major organizational impacts through three mechanisms: improved decision-making, more intensive and productive use of databases, and better communications. These mechanisms impact on both the internal organization of public agencies and their configuration of networks and partnerships. E-enablement therefore makes obsolete many existing organizational structures and processes and offers the prospect of transformation in both service delivery and public governance arrangements. However, the organizational changes which can be effected through the e-revolution are only just beginning to become evident. While it seems likely that existing organizational configurations in the public sector will not be sustainable, the most appropriate ways forward will only be uncovered through much experimentation within e-government and e-governance programmes. In the nature of experimentation, many of these initiatives will turn out to be unproductive or cost-ineffective, but that is perhaps the necessary price to pay for the level of public sector transformation which now appears to be in prospect.
Transformed Government
Authors: Culbertson Stuart
Published: May 2011

E-government is, in many respects, a campaign to transform governments. For both officials inside government and the citizens and clients that these governments serve, it is vital that governments achieve “early wins” in the e-government campaign in order to lay the foundation for bolder changes that may be required to advance to the next steps. While no government has achieved full transformation, several examples have emerged that demonstrate the transformative power of e-government on the business and structures of public administrations.
Drop the "e"
Authors: Holmes Douglas
Published: May 2011

This chapter was prepared originally for the 2002 Task Force of the OECD Project on the Impact of E-Government and was updated in 2004 for inclusion in the book, Practicing E-Government: A Global Perspective. The chapter addresses the risk of low public awareness and declining political interest as barriers to e-government, and considers ways governments can develop better marketing techniques to “sell” online services and the e-government concept to both groups. The term “marketing” is used loosely to mean both the presentation and promotion of actual online services to encourage people to use them, and the presentation and promotion of the theory and concept of e-government to ensure political understanding of its benefits to society. The chapter has two parts plus an initial Executive Summary that summarizes the points raised in both sections. Part A discusses demand-side issues: the lack of awareness and confusion among users and potential users of electronic services and how these issues can be addressed with various marketing techniques. While the greatest factor contributing to low take-up of electronic services continues to be poor Internet access and a lack of computer skills, the purpose of this report is not to address social exclusion issues. It is recognized that the digital divide is gradually being bridged and therefore the chapter primarily considers the person who has access to a computer but, for a variety of reasons, does not use it to access government services. Part B looks at the supply side and ways to market the concept of e-government to decision-makers — politicians and senior level bureaucrats — who are responsible for supporting and funding the development of online services and for removing remaining regulatory and legal barriers. The chapter does not address culture change within the public sector and the need to shift the mindset of government employees from traditional department-centric thinking into more customer-centric and user-friendly approaches. Overcoming employee resistance to new working methods requires more management skills than marketing skills. But marketing techniques can be used to address the risk of a backlash against e-government as declining political interest in the Internet generally and in e-government specifically coincides with the need to develop more complex and expensive electronic services and information systems. The author would like to thank Stefan Czerniawski, David Hickman, Chris Roberts, and Rod Quiney for their contributions.
Identifying Effective Funding Models for E-Government
Authors: Reeder Franklin S. , Pandy Susan M.
Published: May 2011

Historically, and some would argue quite properly, most major information technology investments have been considered and allocated in the context of the particular programs that those investments would support. As some OECD countries have made electronic enabling government processes (e-government) a visible priority, alternative, more horizontal, approaches to securing and managing the required investments have emerged.
The Game of Defense and Security
Authors: Barlow Michael
Published: May 2011

This chapter covers the emerging area of the use of commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) computer games for military, defense and security purposes. A brief background is provided of the historic link between games and military simulation, together with the size and scope of the modern computer game industry. Considerable effort is dedicated to providing a representative sample of the various defense and security usages of COTS games. Examples of current usage are drawn from a range of nations including the United States (U.S.), Australia, Denmark, Singapore and Canada. Coverage is broken into the three chief application areas of training, experimentation and decision-support, with mention of other areas such as recruitment and education. The chapter highlights the benefits and risks of the use of COTS games for defense and security purposes, including cost, acceptance, immersion, fidelity, multi-player, accessibility and rapid technological advance. The chapter concludes with a discussion of challenges and key enablers to be achieved if COTS games are to obtain their true potential as tools for defense and security training, experimentation and decision-support. Aspects highlighted include the dichotomy between games for entertainment and “serious” applications; verification, validation and accreditation; collaboration between the games industry and defense; modifiability, interoperability; quantifying training transfer; and a range of technological challenges for the games themselves.
Simulating Complexity-Based Ethics for Crucial Decision Making in Counter Terrorism
Authors: Andrews Cecilia , Lewis Edward
Published: May 2011

“Counter-terrorism refers to the practices, tactics and strategies that governments, militaries and other groups adopt in order to fight terrorism.” Counter Terrorism (CT) is a complex system driven by political, stress and time pressures that contribute to the enormous difficulty that involved people face in making sustainable ethical decisions. This chapter proposes a systems planning approach for enhancing the sustainability of crucial ethical decisions in CT. First, we describe the need for enhancing crucial ethical decision-making using some recent cases. Next, we evaluate the relevance and utility of a systems planning approach in providing such enhancements for CT. We develop the “ideal state” for tools and techniques to be used for crucial ethical decision-making in CT. We propose the POWER systems planning framework as a model for advancing towards this ideal state Finally, we consider how games and simulation could be used to envision and inform, aid synthesis of and support evaluation of decision-making through the POWER model.
SMEs ECT Reality
Authors: Elsammani Zakia
Published: May 2011

Lack of strategic planning in e-commerce and subsequently e-business adoption within small- to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) has been strongly reported in literature. This chapter presents SMEs’ Web presence implementation patterns and unravels the reasons behind the lack of strategic planning when adopting Electronic Commerce Technologies (ECT). The chapter presents findings from semi-structured interviews from 11 SMEs in the Northwest of the UK. Findings reflect the difference in development and management practices of Web presence, between the more able Need Pull SMEs that identified the need to adopt ECT, and the less able Technology Push SMEs that were mostly influenced by change agent diffusion and awareness efforts. Over time, each group of SMEs reflect a different pattern in ECT implementation. This chapter depicts the issues that hinder SMEs, particularly in micro and small, in moving beyond Web site adoption.
A Community Web Site Initiative
Authors: Fulford Heather
Published: May 2011

This chapter reports on a study investigating a community Web site project operating in a UK village community. The aim of the study is to determine the impacts the online business directory component of this community Web site is having on the small businesses in the village, including consideration of the benefits they are deriving from their participation in the directory, the problems they have encountered through their participation, and the effects their involvement is having on their wider Internet adoption strategy and decisions. The findings highlight the value of community Web sites for small businesses, both for those that have already adopted various Internet applications into their operations, as well as for non-adopters of the Internet. It is suggested that existing discussions of small business approaches to Internet adoption might usefully be extended to incorporate the role of community Web sites.
SMEs and Government Policies—Worlds Apart
Authors: Wiggins Anne
Published: May 2011

A significant number of government projects and policy initiatives have been introduced in recent years to motivate e-business adoption and implementation by SMEs. This chapter examines a number of those introduced during the five-year period 1999-2004. This research aims to develop our understanding of UK government policies and initiatives directed towards SMEs. It was constructed with a view to instruct feasible changes in policymaking, in order to render the process and outcome more relevant to SMEs. The implication is that future policy initiatives may become more appropriate, coherent, and accessible to SME owner/managers.
Managing Knowledge in SMEs
Authors: Desouza Kevin C. , Awazu Yukika
Published: May 2011

In this chapter we discuss seven peculiarities about knowledge management practices at small- to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). We draw our findings from a nine-month investigation of knowledge management practices at 25 SMEs. Managing knowledge is a critical capability for SMEs to master because it helps them leverage their most critical resource. Organizational knowledge is the most salient resource at the disposal of SMEs in terms of availability, access, and depth. Successful SMEs are those who can leverage their knowledge in an effective and efficient manner, so as to make up for deficiencies in traditional resources, like land, labor, and capital. In our research, we discovered that SMEs do not manage knowledge the same way as larger organizations do. Viewing SME knowledge management practices as scaled down versions of the practices found in larger organizations is incorrect. SMEs have understandable resource constraints, and hence have to be creative in working around these limitations in order to manage knowledge. Therefore, the goal of this chapter is to describe peculiarities in SME knowledge management practices, with the hope of enticing scholars and practitioners to follow-up with more detailed research undertakings.
Factors Affecting E-Business Adoption by SMEs in Sub-Saharan Africa
Authors: Ifinedo Princely
Published: May 2011

The use of information communication technologies (ICT) especially the Internet by small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) is on the increase in many regions of the world, including Africa. Nevertheless, empirical evidence from Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) regarding the factors that affect the adoption of e-business is scarce. In that regard, the main objective of this chapter is to fill the research gap with an exploratory study that is aimed at eliciting views from SMEs in Nigeria. This article made use of a theoretical framework encompassing organizational, external and technological contexts to deliberate the issue. A survey is conducted in three Nigerian cities and the findings of the study are presented. The implication of the study is discussed and future research directions also given.
Beyond the GA
Authors: Charles Darryl , Fyfe Colin , Livingstone Daniel , McGlinchey Stephen
Published: May 2011

The last two chapters introduced the standard GA, presented an example case study and explored some of the potential pitfalls in using evolutionary methods. This chapter focuses on a number of extensions and variations of the standard GA. While there is not room to cover them all, many extensions to GAs have been proposed usually in response to situations in which the simple GA does not perform particularly well.