bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
E-Commerce in the Sub-Saharan Africa
Authors: Msiska Kenneth
Published: May 2011

Business firms continue to explore innovative ways of conducting business for many reasons. For electronic commerce (e-commerce) the reasons may range from the maximization of profits through an enlarged clientele to the reduction of operating costs. As the Internet continues to experience phenomenal growth in the sub-Saharan Africa, opportunities are being seized by various players to fully exploit the ‘Net’ as a reliable tool for communication, marketing and commerce. Through the Internet people are able to exchange information, even far afield, at reasonable costs, businesses are able to capture target markets for their products and services, and online shopping is no longer a pipe dream.
Education Trends in Thai Businesses Utilizing Information Technology
Authors: Arthur-Gray Heather , Campbell John
Published: May 2011

There is a “deep-rooted inequality situation in the Thai economy and society” (Krongkaewa & Kakwanib, 2003). This inequality permeates all aspects of Thai society, highlighting Thailand’s current economic vulnerability as they try to address policies that will support sustainable growth while reducing these inequalities. With growing concern about the digital divide, Thailand is an important and interesting region to study. These concerns have highlighted a widening technology gap causing a “new type of poverty called information poverty” (Marshall, Taylor, & Yu, 2003; UNDP, 1998). There has been very little prior research that has examined the take-up of information technology in this region. Although the digital divide has been the concern of all countries, there are now additional concerns about the information divide, which could increase further the gap between developed and developing countries. Education has been highlighted as an important area of policy focus. However, should developing countries such as Thailand be targeting their education resources towards specific fields that will support research and development into new technologies aimed at reducing the digital and information divide? “Women produce more than half the world’s food and spend most of their income on family welfare and food, but a lack of access to services, education and technologies keeps them uninvolved in the decision-making processes” (Sarker, 2003). Due to this lack of skills or literacy, women are unlikely to be able to directly use or even to understand the importance on information technology (Sarker, 2003). Thailand’s policy commitment to advancing science and technology should be in juxtaposition with higher “educational expenditures, technical training, and building institutions necessary to create a knowledge society” (Wilson III, 2000). This would support the notion that “pro-poor public access policies” would help overcome some of the educational and access barriers, as long as they were developed with “effective regulatory mechanisms” (Sarker, 2003). This research incorporates an analysis of educational trends within 31 non-agricultural Thai businesses in Chiang Mai, with a collective total number of employees of over 3,000, that were subjects of a pilot study conducted in the north of Thailand. This article considers the educational trends of employees in these businesses, which may support electronic enablement and digital divide reduction.
E-Mail as a Teaching Supplement in Tunisia
Authors: El Louadi Mohamed
Published: May 2011

Learning and knowledge dissemination using Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) is becoming increasingly prevalent in schools and universities around the world. Most institutions of higher learning now invest heavily in technologies such as the web and e-mail for students, staff, and faculty. ICT use is set to rise in emerging countries eager to move towards an “information society” where learning and knowledge are accessible to all.
Employability Management of ICT Professionals
Authors: Scholarios Dora , van der Schoot Esther , van der Heijden Beatrice
Published: May 2011

The article describes work conducted as part of the Indic@tor project funded by the European Commission (IST-2000-31070) and supported by the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO) (Aspasia program 015.000.114). The study examines the employability of ICT professionals and its management by small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Europe against the backdrop of the expanding but turbulent ICT sector. Employability can be defined as the extent to which employees have skills that the market and employers regard as attractive. The development of technical and professional workers is an area of high priority for governments concerned with creating an adequate supply of skilled labour and fuelling economic growth, while for SMEs, there is general concern about the supply and utilisation of ICT skills, high turnover of experienced staff, and the under supply of qualified new entrants into the profession (Cappelli, 2001; Hill & Stewart, 1999; ITNTO/AISS, 1999).
How the National E-Strategy Shapes Competitiveness in the Information Economy
Authors: Neumann Alf
Published: May 2011

The ongoing discussion on what e-strategy does and what it can do for national information and communication technology (ICT) development has brought up a variety of government functions for the ICT environment, readiness, and usage in a country. The ICT sector plays a key role in furthering the ICT development process. This paper sheds light on the connection between e-strategy and the development of dynamic ICT businesses in Tunisia. The central question is how far e-policies may not only create a supportive environment for ICT, but also contribute to sustained success and competitiveness of ICT firms.
ICT and the Tourism Information Marketplace in Australia
Authors: Taylor Andrew
Published: May 2011

n November 2003, the Australian Government released the Tourism White Paper, a medium- to long-term strategy for the Australian tourism industry. The Paper provides for funding to improve the availability of high-quality information for the development of tourism in regional areas of Australia. More than $21 million, a historically large amount, has been identified for “…extending the provision of quality research and statistics” (Prime Minister John Howard, Media Release, November 20, 2003).
ICT for Ethiopian Community Development
Authors: Negash Solomon
Published: May 2011

Ethiopia is the home of Lucy’s discovery claimed by science as the oldest female in the search for human beginning—dated 3.2 million years (Johanson & Edey, 1981; Foley, 1997, 2004); headquarters for Organization of African Union since its inception in 1973 (Encyclopedia Britannica Online, 2004); credited for the world heritage site of the churches of Lalibela, a building technology of ten churches hewed from solid rock (Salmon, 2003; United Nation Population Fund, 2001); the only African nation that did not succumb to colonialism, a nation with 13 months of sunshine, and a nation with a long history (Pankhurst, 1961 & 2004; Tegenu, 2004).
ITC Policy and Practice in the Fiji Islands
Authors: Hassall Graham
Published: May 2011

Since the establishment of Internet access in the Republic of the Fiji Islands in 1995, Internet policy has been developed in the country in the context of both national and regional development. Fiji has a significant tourism sector —15% of GDP in 2003 (Fiji Tourism Forum, 2003)—and Web-based information is an increasingly important source for potential visitors. The country also aspires to lead digital commerce in the region. In August 2004 the Qarese government affirmed its commitment to the “Bangkok Agenda Action Plan on Broadband and Information, Communication & Technology (ICT) development” (Bangkok Agenda Action Plan, 2004), an agreement calling for government action at a national, sub-regional and regional levels to encourage broadband access and usage. In addition to having one of the largest economies in the South Pacific, Fiji is host nation to a number of regional inter-governmental agencies, and this combination of national and regional interests is driving the rapid elaboration of ICT policy and utilization.
Political Online Communities in Saudi Arabia
Authors: Al-Saggaf Yeslam , Weckert John
Published: May 2011

The Internet was introduced in Saudi Arabia in late January 1999 after a long period of discussions and consultations within the Saudi authorities. Finally, it was agreed that a tailored version would be made available to the public. To enable this, a huge filter system was set up in Riyadh in conjunction with an American company. The reason for having such a filter system was that the Saudi authorities had serious concerns about the arrival of undesirable material (for example, pornography) on home computer screens and also for other cultural, religious, and political reasons.
Preparing African Higher Education Faculty in Technology
Authors: Kinuthia Wanjira
Published: May 2011

One of the most difficult challenges facing African higher education institutions (HEIs) is the successful resolution of the inherent tension that underlines efficient and effective utilization of existing resources on one hand and intensified demand for more and better education on the other (Okuni, 2001; Sawyerr, 2004). Although the potential of information and communication technologies (ICTs) to enhance participation in African HEIs has been widely recognized, its transformational capacity has barely been reached because of limited infrastructure, technological capacity, funding and sustainability of resources, and human resources and expertise. Poor infrastructure and weak regulatory policies and frameworks have resulted in inadequate access to affordable telephones, broadcasting, computers, and the Internet (Johnson, 2002).
Satellite Technology in Schools
Authors: Cosemans Anneleen
Published: May 2011

SchoolSat1 was an initiative to utilise advances in satellite technology to improve access to the Internet for Irish schools. It was partially funded by the European Space Agency under the ARTES 3 Multimedia Programme and ran from December 2001 until January 2003.The purpose of SchoolSat was to set up, manage and evaluate a pre-operational, satellite-based service for compulsory schools in Ireland. It had as a clear objective and expected outcome: the establishment of a business and deployment plan for a fully operational and sustainable service for the Irish compulsory school sector based on a strategic mix of uni-cast and multi-cast services.
Sustainable Telecentres for Local Development
Authors: Cocchiglia Michele
Published: May 2011

The telecentre movement is not at all old, having been born only in 1985 in Velmdalen, a small farming village in Sweden (Gomez et al., 1999). The concept is recognized and known by a large number of very different names: telecentre, telecottage, telekiosk, phone shop, telehaus, telestugen, cabinas publicas, multi-purpose access centre, multi-purpose community telecentre (MCT), community media centre (CMC), community learning centre (CLC), cybercafé, and so forth.
Telecommunications Sector and Internet Access in Africa
Authors: Phala Vanessa
Published: May 2011

The “information revolution” has not only transformed the world as we know it, but also its future potential. Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), with their major technological advances, have affected the lives and lifestyles of people across the globe, as well as the way institutions and organizations do business. However, not all outcomes of the spread of information technologies have been positive. A majority of the world’s population, especially those who live in poverty, have been largely bypassed by this revolution. The gap between them and the rest of the world has expanded precisely as a result of the facilitation capacity of these technologies for those who have access to them (Figueres, 2003). The majority of these people are situated in the African continent and other developing countries.
Intellectual Property Rights
Authors: Spinello Richard A. , Tavani Herman T.
Published: May 2011

This chapter presents some foundational concepts and issues in intellectual property. We begin by defining intellectual objects, which we contrast with physical objects or tangible goods. We then turn to some of the normative justifications that have been advanced to defend the granting of property rights in general, and we ask whether those rationales can be extended to the realm of intellectual objects. Theories of property introduced by Locke and Hegel, as well as utilitarian philosophers, are summarized and critiqued. This sets the stage for reviewing the case against intellectual property. We reject that case and claim instead that policy makers should aim for balanced property rights that avoid the extremes of overprotection and underprotection. Next we examine four different kinds of protection schemes for intellectual property that have been provided by our legal system: copyright laws, patents, trademarks, and trade secrets. This discussion is supplemented with a concise review of recent U.S. legislation involving copyright and digital media and an analysis of technological schemes of property protection known as digital rights management. Finally, we consider a number of recent controversial court cases, including the Napster case and the Microsoft antitrust suit. Many of the issues and controversies introduced in this chapter are explored and analyzed in greater detail in the subsequent chapters of this book.
Exporting Trademark Confusion
Authors: Bartow Ann
Published: May 2011

A judicial determination of “likelihood of confusion” is the linchpin of successful trademark infringement actions in the United States, and is often useful to prevail on a trademark dilution cause of action as well. Such determinations are exceedingly subjective, and often seem premised on a very low estimation of the intelligence and powers of discernment of the typical consumer. Many appear virtually pretextual, simply adopted as a necessary step in “protecting” trademarks and according trademark holders broad property-like rights that can impair competition and silence free speech. Though seemingly irrational and generally socially undesirable, U.S. “likelihood of confusion” jurisprudence has gained a foothold in cyberspace through dispute-resolution procedures addressing disputes about Internet domain names. In consequence, trademark holders generally prevail and are increasingly seen as holding inchoate rights in any domain name containing, alluding to, or similar to their trademarks across the globe, even though U.S. trademark law logically should not have extraterritorial application.
Feminism and Copyright in Digital Media
Authors: Burk Dan
Published: May 2011

This chapter examines the relationship between hypermedia and feminist discourse, critiquing the role of copyright in controlling or suppressing such discourses. Hypertext and related media may lend themselves to relational webs of meaning rather than linear progressions of meaning. Given the importance of non-hierarchical, associative webs to feminist discourse, digital media may lend themselves to feminist modes of thinking or, at a minimum, challenge dominant textual constructions. However, current copyright doctrine assumes that works remain linear, hierarchical, and controlled. The exclusive rights conferred by copyright and, most especially, the right of adaptation lend themselves to authorial control over not only the text, but to a reader’s use of the text. This deterrent characteristic of copyright has appeared in several recent legal disputes involving hypertext linking and annotation. Thus, copyright remains hostile to non-traditional collaborative or relational user engagement. This hostility may ultimately frustrate copyright’s purpose of promoting the “progress” of knowledge.
Web Defacements and Semantic Attacks
Authors: Janczewski Lech J. , Colarik Andrew M.
Published: May 2011

The mass use of the Internet as a trade and distribution tool has become the source of a new type of attack—the defacement of Web page content. Due to the nature of this activity, it is frequently referred to as Web graffiti. Indeed, there is a lot of commonality between real graffiti sprayed on walls and fences and its computer-based Web counterpart.
Networks, Ecosystems and Clusters
Authors: Vesa Jarkko
Published: May 2011

“Vertically integrated manufacturing firms are morphing into internal and external networks.” (Achrol & Kotler, 1999, p. 161) In the previous two chapters, we have reviewed various types of coordination mechanisms and discussed issues related to the boundaries of a firm. Different kinds of collaborative and network relationships have been presented as a means to increase cooperation between different players in an industry. Now is a good time to go a little bit deeper into the philosophy of networks. We will also familiarize ourselves with two interesting concepts of intercompany networking: business ecosystems and clusters.
Mobile Services in a Networked Economy
Authors: Vesa Jarkko
Published: May 2011

The mobile telephony business used to be reasonably simple in the past: mobile services were provided by national monopolies, so nobody really cared about building fancy brand images or creating funny names like Orange, O2, or 3. The service itself was well defined as it was all about being able to have a telephone conversation while being on the move. The services were targeted predominantly to an audience that consisted of “55-year-old male using mobile phone in his work” (Williamson, 2003, p. 20). But then came along deregulation which opened up the mobile market for new players that were forced to differentiate their services and image. The increasing competition lowered the prices of handsets and mobile phone calls to such an extent that even ordinary people (i.e., consumers paying for their own mobile phones and telephone bills) could afford their own cellphones. Roughly at the same time, somebody got the idea that you could send short text messages with your mobile phone — now as the digital mobile networks allowed for new kinds of value-added services. All of a sudden, the mobile business was not only about making phone calls; it was increasingly about communicating with friends, relatives, colleagues, and customers — either by voice or data messaging. It did not take long before the Japanese started to develop something totally new. NTT DoCoMo decided to create a new kind of mobile service that would focus on nonvoice services to consumers: the target audience was not the busy businessmen but their wives and children (Matsunaga, 2003). The new service called i-mode became extremely popular in a very short time, and soon, two other Japanese operators followed the example of NTT DoCoMo and created their own mobile Internet services. The European operators tried to replicate the success of the Japanese mobile operators in Europe, but they failed miserably. Despite the high hopes, WAP was a disaster for everybody involved: the users hated it, the operators could not make profitable business out of it, and the venture capitalists lost their investments as thousands of start-ups went bust. The European operators, and the industry in general, missed what is important in creating successful consumer services: mobile services business is not about technology — it is about building networks and ecosystems in order to be able to offer business customers and consumers total concepts that are both easy to use and also make their lives easier.
Look Them Straight Between the Eyes
Authors: Jones Robert , Oyung Rob , Pace Lisa Shade
Published: May 2011

When you first meet someone, you start noticing things. You notice what the person is wearing, the color of their hair, their height, the build of their body, what their voice sounds like, and maybe some sort of pleasant or not so pleasant odor. You notice the expression on their face. They may look happy, nervous, serious, angry, or perhaps inquisitive. You begin to form opinions and perceptions about that person and maybe even anticipate the type of interaction you’re about to have with them. Some people say they can pick up a certain “vibe” when they meet people. But what happens when these physical cues aren’t available? What happens when the first interaction is on the phone or via e-mail? Many people would say, “That’s not the best way.” Of course, virtual teams do not have the luxury of meeting face to face frequently (if at all) and must do without many of these visual cues. This chapter will discuss the dynamics behind the myths that revolve around the idea that in the business environment, you must be able to “look them straight between the eyes” to be successful.
Mostly Virtual
Authors: Jones Robert , Oyung Rob , Pace Lisa Shade
Published: May 2011

In the mostly virtual model, team members are spread around the globe. This model sometimes can evolve slowly. Perhaps a team starts with one or two members working remotely. Then, company reorganizations, mergers, or acquisitions may spark the need for additional geographically distributed team members. Alternatively, we’ve also seen cases where a team was formed to be mostly virtual and distributed from the beginning in order to meet a business need (the PC COC team we mentioned earlier serves as a key example).
How Teams Work Virtually
Authors: Jones Robert , Oyung Rob , Pace Lisa Shade
Published: May 2011

In this chapter, we will discuss some of the ways that virtual teams that we have participated in have worked together, and we will provide several case studies from our experiences. As background, it is important to remember that virtual teams can have several goals for operation.
Team Building
Authors: Jones Robert , Oyung Rob , Pace Lisa Shade
Published: May 2011

Team building as a whole is generally looked at as a non-essential or a waste of time. In most teams, it is just ignored. In others, varying degrees of effort are made to build a sense of camaraderie. These range from exchanging digital photographs of each other to playing interactive games.
E-Lancing
Authors: Jones Robert , Oyung Rob , Pace Lisa Shade
Published: May 2011

Forming teams in a virtual environment is typically an ad hoc process. Usually, project managers draw from talent inside their organizations or from people that they or other team members know from previous interactions. You’re really limited by who you know or by the size of your extended social network. So how do you know that you have formed the strongest team possible with people who have the specific knowledge and experience that your project needs? Ideally, as a project manager, you could advertise the types of skills you are looking for, and people could apply to work on that project based on their availability, expertise, and interest.
Policies for Web Security Services
Authors: Stoupa Konstantina , Vakali Athena
Published: May 2011

This chapter analyzes the various types of policies implemented by the Web security services. According to X.800 definition, there are five basic Web security services categories: authentication, non-repudiation, access control, data integrity, and data confidentiality. In this chapter, we discuss access control and data privacy services. Access control services may adopt various models according to the needs of the protected environment. In order to guide the design of access control models, several policy-expressing languages have been standardized. Our contribution is to describe and compare the various models and languages. Data privacy policies are categorized according to their purpose, that is, whether they express promises and preferences, manage the dissemination of privacy preferences, or handle the fulfillment of the privacy promises. The chapter is enriched with a discussion on the future trends in access control and data privacy.
Interactivity Techniques
Authors: Douma Michael , Dediu Horace
Published: May 2011

This chapter shares our observations, research, and experience with creating interactivity. We explore useful techniques for creating interactive science-oriented online displays, and describe a series of occasions and methods for making exhibits interactive. For each technique, the design issue is described, the methods for addressing the issue are summarized, and there is a discussion of the approach. We explore what kinds of interactivity have proven to work well online, and, perhaps more importantly, what does not work. Generally, technical solutions are prescriptive rather than descriptive, leaving the actual implementation up to the programmers involved in the project.
Storytelling-Based Edutainment Applications
Authors: Hoffman Anja , Gobel Stefan , Schneider Oliver , Iurgel Ido
Published: May 2011

Within this chapter, the authors — all members of the Digital Storytelling group at ZGDV Darmstadt e.V. — provide an overview of the potential of storytelling-based edutainment applications and approaches for narrative learning applications. This covers not only online applications, but also off-line edutainment components, as well as hybrid scenarios combining both types. The chapter is structured into five parts. At the beginning, a global scenario of edutainment applications for museums is introduced and key issues concerning the establishment of edutainment applications and the level of interactivity for online applications are highlighted. These open and relevant issues are discussed within a technology-oriented, state-of-the art analysis concentrating on the authoring process, storytelling aspects, dramaturgy and learning issues. Based on this brief STAR analysis, storytelling methods and concepts, as well as a technical platform for the establishment of storytelling-based edutainment applications, are described. The strengths and weaknesses of these approaches are discussed within the context of the edutainment projects, art-E-fact and DinoHunter Senckenberg. Finally, the major results are summarized in a short conclusion and further research and application-driven trends (context: museums) are pointed out.
The Music Room
Authors: Challis Di
Published: May 2011

To explore the synergies of an integration of the conceptual and practice worlds, this chapter draws on part of an Australian Committee for University Teaching and Staff Development funded project for students of architecture and construction. Composing Architecture — The Music Room, involved 74 second-year students at an Australian university. The case study is used as an illustration of curriculum design, including assessment aimed at creating learning experiences that were purposeful, rich in their complexity, and mirrored the demands of a profession fostering development in a supportive environment. To support this aim the elements of the music room project were tested against proposed criteria for authentic learning. While recognising the differing views of scholars and challenging some claimed attributes, the case study indicates that, irrespective of discipline, there are some fundamental shared understandings of what an authentic learning environment entails.
Constructing a Clinical Experience in the Classroom
Authors: Jamison Jennifer R.
Published: May 2011

This chapter demonstrates how contemporary chiropractic education uses authentic “classroom” learning opportunities to prepare students for the clinical practice. Safe professional practice requires a combination of factual knowledge and mastery of those thinking processes required to update and selectively utilise fresh information. This chapter demonstrates how three problem-solving formats can be used to aid students achieve both of these learning objectives. The first scenario describes how, by requiring students to formulate a personal nutrition program, they become aware of the impact dietary choices have on health. An example is then provided of how skills acquired in the area of nutrition can be expanded to incorporate the various dimensions of wellness and transferred into a situation in which a wellness program is negotiated with a client. The final scenario explores how simulated cases can be used in the classroom to create a cognitive environment that simulates and prepares students for the clinical consultation.
Using IT to Augment Authentic Learning
Authors: Jones Sandra
Published: May 2011

This chapter discusses how information technology (IT) can be used to augment the authenticity of the learning experience in student-centred learning environments. It argues that technology provides the opportunity to embed students in learning activity by bridging the gap between the “real world” and the classroom. The particular learning environment used to illustrate this is a restaurant complex with a number of outlets that was designed by the author to provide a common work environment. Using the Distributed Learning System (DLS) to which all students have access, the author was able to increase the authenticity of the “case” by first, having students access information (as employees and/or lessees’) about the commercial conditions facing the company, and its policies and practices). Second, “employees” were able to communicate through discussion boards. Third, students were able to access resources through hyperlinks to external Web sites. The author concludes that there is need for a mixture of face-to-face and virtual learning opportunities in order to add real-world authenticity to experiential learning opportunities.
Object-Oriented Modeling in UML2
Authors: Roussev Boris
Published: May 2011

Object-orientation (OO) is a powerful design methodology, which has firmly moved into the mainstream of software development. In 2002, both the IEEE John von Neumann Medal and the ACM Turing Award (the Nobel Prize for Computing) were awarded to the scholars who started the object-oriented journey back in 1967. Despite this recognition, object-orientation is far from being the dominant technology of choice. Contrary to the common belief, a recent authoritative study reports that only 30% of the software companies rely on OO technologies, and that the waterfall model is still the most popular lifecycle model of software development. In this introductory chapter, we present the fundamental concepts and principles of object-oriented modeling with UML version 2. Born out of the efforts to resolve the software crisis, UML has taken such a hegemonic role that we fear object-orientation may undergo a population “bottleneck.” In biology, this is an event that dangerously cuts the amount of genetic diversity in a population. The objectives of this chapter are as follows: 1) to present the influential ideas in the evolution of object-orientation; 2) to identify the lasting trends in object-orientation; 3) to introduce the core UML modeling languages and some of the techniques closely associated with them; and 4) to discuss some of the challenges with object-oriented modeling. In addition, we present the E-ZPass system, a system of moderate complexity used as a running example in the first five chapters of this book. This presentation is the book’s cornerstone. There is not a single chapter in the rest of this volume that does not assume an overdetermined <> reader.
MDA with xUML
Authors: Roussev Boris
Published: May 2011

xUML epitomizes the convergence of visual modeling with model manipulation programming. The results of this merger are executable models and model-driven software development. This chapter presents the fundamental notions of constructing executable domain models with xUML, as well as the principles of the MDA approach. In particular, we define the new roles of the developers in development processes based on MDA and the MDA activity workflow. We discuss also the output artifacts from each activity. As new technologies require new software development processes, we present an iterative and incremental model-driven process, combined with techniques for project planning and progress estimation based on BERT and ERNIE. We show how model executability creates congenial conditions for the application of higher-order cognitive skills in the software development process, and for the substitution of liberal creativity with design automation.
Management Planning in a Changing Development Environment
Authors: Russ Melissa L. , McGregor John D.
Published: May 2011

Technologies such as aspect-oriented and generative programming bring new capabilities to object-oriented software development. They do not simply replace existing techniques; they change the shape of the development environment. Development is a multi-dimensional landscape of organizational patterns such as software product lines, of meta-information such as build scripts and templates, and of technologies such as model-driven development. Traditional patterns of development management are not sufficient to effectively manage development in this emerging context. In this chapter we provide an overview of some existing and emerging elements, describe how they affect development, and present a management framework for planning software development.
RUP and eXtreme Programming
Authors: Pollice Gary
Published: May 2011

The Rational Unified Processâ, or RUPâ, and eXtreme Programming (XP) are two popular software development methodologies or processes. Most people tend to think of them as opposing methods, where a project may adopt one or the other, but certainly not both. This essay describes how the two can be applied together to improve the software development practices of an organization.
Designing Integrated Supply Chains
Authors: Lee Chean
Published: May 2011

This chapter introduces the concept of Supply Chain Management (SCM). It provides a broad definition of supply chain, the drivers for integrated supply chains design, and current challenges in global supply chains. More importantly, this chapter provides the reader an insight into aligning corporate strategy, people mindset, process design, and technology in designing an integrated supply chain. A real-life example in the health care industry is provided. The example aims to give readers the identification of supply chain bottlenecks, the right methodology to map the AS IS processes, and the redesign of simplified supply chain processes. Finally, the guidelines for supply chain management implementation issues, such as vendor selections and team building, are addressed.
LOSIMOPU
Authors: Tsuji Hiroshi , Saga Ryosuke , Konzo Takefumi , Akihiro Akihiro
Published: May 2011

This chapter presents a software simulator called LOSIMOPU. LOSIMOPU allows users to build a supply chain model and analyze the sensitivity of logistics on assigned policy and capacity under uncertainty. LOSIMOPU consists of five kinds of participants (end-customer, intermediate supplier, end-supplier, transportation server, and electronic payment server) and an e-marketplace for the supply chain. Each participant is implemented as a distributed object so that it runs concurrently and has capacity and policy for playing its role. The e-marketplace defines the trade protocol for the workflow management and transaction analysis. LOSIMOPU visualizes expected indices of assigned parameters for decision support. This chapter discusses the background of the proposal, the goal of the simulator, the milestone, the technical issues for development, and the prototype system.
A Time-Dependent Supply Chain Network Equilibrium Problem
Authors: Chen Huey-Kuo , Chou Huey-Wen
Published: May 2011

This chapter deals with a time-dependent supply chain network equilibrium (TD-SCNE) problem, which allows product flows to be distributed over a network, not only between two successive sectors in the same time period (a transaction), but also between two successive periods for the same agency (an inventory). Since product price and flow interactions are inherently embedded within it, the TD-SCNE problem is formulated as a variational inequality (VI) model. A three-loop-nested diagonalization method, along with a specially designed supernetwork representation, then is proposed and demonstrated with a numerical example. In equilibrium, for each time-dependent retailer agency or demand market, the product prices of transactions are the same and minimum, no matter when or where the product comes from, which is a realization of the Wardropian first principle. The proposed framework can be extended with minor modifications to other TD-SCNE-related equilibrium problems.
Systems and Processes Framework in Global Business Transition
Authors: Lan Yi-chen , Unhelkar Bhuvan
Published: May 2011

Having argued for and created a vision of the global entity, we now consider the system and process framework for GET. During global transition, organizations often face many explicit as well as implicit factors that could delay or, in the worst cases, even destroy the globalization process. In order to eliminate these unnecessary incidents, enterprises need to identify, document and follow the activities of the process of GET. In the past decade, researchers have made significant efforts to identify the global information systems management (GISM) activities. Most notable are Senn’s six key information technology issues (Senn, 1992), and the eight multinational categories of global information technology challenges by Palvia and Saraswat (1992). Based on the implication of activities on the process of globalization, six categories are identified to facilitate classification and collation of the GISM activities (Figure 3.1). The core concept of categorization intends to provide the organizations with an abstract overview of concerns in relation to the transition to globalization. These categories are labeled as:
Introduction
Authors: Hara Veikko , Mikkonen Karri , Saarinen Timo , Tinnila Markku , Vesa Jarkko
Published: May 2011

The convergence of information technology, communications, and content raises the question of how service and content providers can best guarantee a seamless customer experience in a multi-service, multi-channel, and multi-device business environment of tomorrow. In this chapter, we argue that one way to achieve this goal is for service and content providers to join forces with new types of channel partners called service mediaries. In this chapter, we analyze the current structure and future trends of multi-channel service delivery by using two frameworks: the BUMMAT model (Kallio et al., 1999), which focuses on service delivery from end-user perspective; and the Future Value Chain framework (Hara, 1999), which describes the layered structure of the future service delivery business. By combining these two perspectives, we offer an in-depth analysis of the various tasks and processes that are needed in order to deliver the newkinds of services and content in a multi-channel context. We will discuss the implications of these findings for telecom operators who are interested in transforming their business models from the voice- and access-centric paradigm to a data- and service-centric business model, where a company’s core competence will be in managing customer information instead of managing access networks. Our objective also is to help service and content providers to understand the current development in the telecom market, so that they have better chances to position themselves in the emerging value networks of digital services.
Consumer and Merchant Adoption of Mobile Payment Solutions
Authors: Mallat Niina , Dahlberg Tomi
Published: May 2011

As payments by mobile phones are an enabling technology, the adoption of mobile payments is believed to significantly influence the successful emergence of electronic and mobile commerce. In recent years, several mobile payment solutions have been launched, including the Mobipay in Spain, Moxmo in The Netherlands, M-pay in UK, and Pan-European SimPay. With the exception of mobile service purchases, however, consumer and merchant acceptance of these solutions has remained marginal. We discuss consumer and merchant adoption of mobile payments and suggest drivers and barriers for this adoption. We also describe potential mobile payment application areas and identify areas in which mobile payments have the highest and lowest possibility to succeed. The information is based on extensive research conducted among Finnish consumers and merchants. The relevance of the results to other markets also is considered briefly in the discussion section of this chapter.
Consumers on the Road from E-Communication to E-Shopping
Authors: Elkela Kari , Kokkonen Tuomas , Nikali Heikki
Published: May 2011

This chapter deals with the effect of new forms of consumer communication on shopping behavior. New communication technologies are in a constant state of development, and much debate is taking place concerning the multi-channel communication society. However, in reality, people are continually switching from one channel to another. In this regard, what is important is from whose point of view the system eventually will be controlled. It also can be argued that the opinions and needs of ordinary people have not necessarily received the strongest focus in developing multi-channel technology. This chapter is divided into three main sections. First, the development in message volumes and new technologies within the past decade is analyzed. Second, consumer preferences concerning the means of communication when receiving marketing information are analyzed.Third, the evolution and current state of B2C e-commerce and changes in consumers’ purchasing habits are discussed. Finally, a future vision of consumer behavior in a multi-channel world is presented.
The Effects of Digital Marketing on Customer Relationships
Authors: Merisavo Marko
Published: May 2011

Viewing the use of digital channels in marketing from a customer relationship perspective offers several benefits to a marketer. Brand communication can be frequent and personalized, and different options for a dialogue exist. The benefits of dialogue include learning from and about customers, revealing their needs and interests, and being able to provide them with better and more personal service. From a customer perspective, the Internet has given power to get up-to-date information, to compare products and services more easily, and to get in touch with marketers. In a digital environment, customers increasingly use self-service and have more options to initiate action. A customer’s perceived value of using digital channels and interacting with a marketer can come in several ways; it could be money, time, information, convenience, and so forth. This chapter examines how marketers can use digital channels to develop and strengthen customer relationships. In our framework, brand communication, service, personalization, and interactivity are suggested to be the key elements.
Shifting Perspective from Design to Business
Authors: Nilsson Andreas
Published: May 2011

This chapter investigates potential business value based on the results of a design-oriented research project. The objective of the research was to design mobile applications and services that support spectators in situ at a trotting track. Ethnographic field studies have guided the development of the system TrottingPal. The research has conducted system evaluation through two field trials in the authentic setting with target users. By extending the scope to relate also to other stakeholders in this setting, additional benefits from the TrottingPal system are revealed. This chapter suggests that the designed technology targeted at spectators does not offer only a potential business relation between an event organizer and spectators; rather, it offers new channels for customer relations such as sponsorship and strengthens the locality at the track.
Digital Television and Multi-Channel in Europe
Authors: Orava Janne , Perttula Mika
Published: May 2011

This chapter introduces digital television as part of a multi-channel environment in a European context. It argues that digital television in general is in its early stage, that European markets for digital television are fragmented, that development occurs in a country dependently, and that digital television’s development pace will have notable effects for the development of a multi-channel communication environment. Furthermore, the authors hope that understanding the development of digital television in a multi-channel context will not only inform researchers of the digital television and multi-channel communication in general, but also will provide some insight into the challenges they are facing on their way to maturity.
Are Multi-Channel Technologies Adopted in Online Consumer Auction Markets in Finland?
Authors: Vesa Jarkko , van Heck Eric
Published: May 2011

In this chapter, we analyze factors relevant for adopting multi-channel technologies in online auction markets. Its focus is on how multi-channel technologies, such as Web and Internet technologies, digital TV technologies, and wireless technologies, are used in online consumer auction markets. Using a conceptual framework that identifies four factors that could explain the adoption of multi-channel technologies, we analyze five Finnish consumer auction markets: Huuto.Net, Keltainen Pörssi, QXL Finland, Systeemi.Net, and Tori. Our analysis shows that the Internet and World Wide Web are the predominant—and, in most cases, the only—online channel available to the users. Furthermore, not even the Web technologies are used to their full potential. This chapter suggests that media richness and the ability to provide multiple modes of communication relationships stimulate the adoption of multi-channel technologies. Conclusions are presented and implications are drawn for future research.
Meeting the Demands of Wide- Audience End Users
Authors: Peffers Ken , Tuunanen Tuure
Published: May 2011

This chapter identifies seven problems associated with requirements elicitation, where the intended users are external to the firm; it proposes characteristics for requirements elicitation methods to resolve the problems and tells the story of a new method that supports the resolution of six of the seven problems. Diverse, external users with little relationship to the organization present special problems for requirements elicitation. We identify seven problems for requirements elicitation with wide audience end users (WAEU): context, reach, modeling, model aggregation, presentation, consensus building, and the requirements-design interface. We also identify seven characteristics for requirements elicitation methods to support solutions for these problems. We develop the critical success chains (CSC) method to support six of the seven characteristics and demonstrate its use to develop applications for mobile financial services at Digia, Inc, a Helsinki-based software development firm. Current research efforts are addressing the seventh problem.
Introduction
Authors: Khan Badrul
Published: May 2011

Advances in information technology, coupled with the changes in society, are creating new paradigms for education and training. These massive changes have tremendous impact on our educational and training systems. Participants in this educational and training paradigm, require rich learning environments supported by well-designed resources (Reigeluth & Khan, 1994). They expect on-demand, anytime/anywhere high-quality instruction with good support services. To stay viable in this global competitive market, providers of education, and training must develop efficient and effective learning systems to meet the society’s needs. Therefore, there is a tremendous demand for affordable, efficient, easily accessible, open, flexible, well-designed, learner-centered, distributed, and facilitated learning environments.
Institutional Issues
Authors: Khan Badrul
Published: May 2011

Institutions should develop comprehensive strategic and business plans for successful e-learning initiatives. Political factors often have significant impact upon the success of e-learning (Berge, 2001). Institutional funding and resources for delivering and maintaining e-learning are critical. Therefore, e-learning strategies must be aligned with and fully supported by the institutions’ missions and strategic plans. E-learning initiatives require orchestration of personnel with diverse skills sets (Belanger & Jordan, 2000).