This book is a first. It fills a major gap in the market and provides a wide snapshot of intelligent technologies for inconsistency resolution. The need for this resolution of knowledge inconsistency arises in many practical applications of computer systems. This kind of inconsistency results from the use of various resources of knowledge in realizing practical tasks. These resources are often autonomous and use different mechanisms for processing knowledge about the same real world. This can lead to compatibility problems.

This book provides user studies and theories related to user-centered technology design processes for e-government projects. The book mainly discusses inherent issues of technology design implications, user experiences, and guidelines for technology appropriation. Ethnographic studies focusing on real life examples will enable readers to understand the problems in an effective way. Furthermore, the theories and results will help researchers and practitioners to handle these challenges in an efficient way. E-Government is about harnessing the information revolution to improve the efficiency of government processes and the lives of citizens. It aims at a citizen centered approach to governance through effective use of the Internet and Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). E-Government promotes transparency and effectiveness of a government's processes as well as citizens' participation (e-participation) in the affairs of the government. Whereas E-government projects are huge undertakings for government departments, a user-centric approach requires citizens' participation in the design and delivery of e government services. In both these respects, there are huge challenges and governments require long term commitment as well as correct planning and availability of financial resources to address them. System design for e-governmental applications is inherently a complex process. In successful e-government projects, appropriately designed technology infrastructure plays a pivotal rule. The technology appropriation process requires that e-government technologies should be in line with the work practices of end users, so that successful usage of these technologies can be realized. E-governmental systems which fail to take into account such human factors result in failure and wasting huge amounts of public money as well as a loss of confidence of the public in such technological infrastructures. It is highly important that citizens are enabled to have access to the appropriate information technology, have knowledge and skills to use the available technology, and have the positive commitment to affect the governments' strategies. So, enabling citizens to effectively participate is much more difficult. This book addresses these inherent challenges and available opportunities with respect to user-centric e-government.

This is a practical guide to solutions for forecasting demand for services and products in international markets - and much more than just a listing of dry theoretical methods. Leading experts present studies on improving methods for forecasting numbers of incoming patent filings at the European Patent Office. These are reviewed by practitioners of the existing methods, revealing that it may not always be wise to trust established regression approaches.

Much of our life is consumed looking for quantitative relationships. For example, How much more sleep do I need at night to make me feel better? How many calories do I need to eliminate to lose weight? How much larger does my budget on the job need to be for me to be more effective? All these quantitative questions are preceded, and depend on, qualitative questions. For example, before I decide how much extra sleep I need at night, I need to determine if extra sleep will actually make me feel better. In another example, I need to determine if a larger budget will make me more effective on the job, before I think about how much more money I will need. What elements influence job performance, and how do they interact? We spend much of our life trying to find answers to such quantitative and qualitative questions. We are, then, in search of a kind of intelligence that includes numbers but is also above and beyond them. We call it "supernumerary" intelligence (SI). To aid our quest for SI, we use Quantitative CyberQuest (QCQ) and the Public Administration Genome Project (PAGP) as useful tools. QCQ is a philosophy as well as an analytic tool that helps in exploring the supernumerary. QCQ is particularly wellsuited for sorting out variables as well as their interrelations. It involves a combination of statistics, systems analysis, research methodology, qualitative research, and artificial intelligence. QCQ also provides a relatively easy to understand but still powerful set of tools and guidancemechanisms to pilot (the "Cyber" part) users in their "Quest" for supernumerary relationships.

This book illustrates the role of software architecture and its application in business. The author describes enterprise architecture along with business architecture to show the role of software architecture in both areas. The place of software architecture in business is outlined from many perspectives in this context. The book outlines quality attributes and how managers can use software architecture to build high quality products. Topics include business software architecture, dealing with qualities, achieving quality attributes, managing business qualities, software product line, Internet of Things (IOT), and Service Oriented Business Architecture. The book is intended to benefit students, researchers, software architects, and business architects. Provides quick and easy access to all the important aspects of software architecture in business; Highlights a wide variety of concepts of software architecture in a straightforward manner, for students, practitioners, or architects; Presents different applications of software architecture in business.

Based on over 200 interviews, this new book provides rich insights and practices on the toughest challenges facing offshore client/supplier relationships. While many client organizations found benefits to be gained from the offshoring of IT work, others struggled to realize any cost savings or other improvements. How can these mixed experiences be reconciled? The research reveals that offshore outsourcing can deliver on its promises, but only if both clients and suppliers diligently manage the details. In this book, the authors provide specific practices that managers can use, and detailed case studies which illustrate how these practices are embedded and enacted within client and supplier firms.

The need for enterprise flexibility in an era of rapidly advancing technology, increasing competition, and globalization, is apparent. Flexibility can be thought of as an ability of the enterprise to quickly and efficiently respond to market changes and to bring new products and services quickly to the market place. Beyond this definition, a truly flexible enterprise should proactively change the market through its ability to create new and innovative products and services. The proposed book is intended to provide a conceptual framework of Flexible Enterprise supported by researches/case applications in various types of flexibilities exhibited by a flexible enterprise. The selected papers from a variety of issues concerning the planning and operation of a flexible enterprise are organized into following four parts:

I Enterprise and Strategic Flexibility

II Organizational Flexibility

III Business Process and Information Systems Flexibility

IV Operations Flexibility "

Includes global case studies of organizations in the cultural sector to facilitate translation of theory into practice Author team combines academic and practitioner expertise Unique combination of fundraising and creative/cultural industries

Recently, the emergence of wireless and mobile networks has made possible the admission of electronic commerce to a new application and research subject: mobile commerce, defined as the exchange or buying and selling of commodities, services, or information on the Internet through the use of mobile handheld devices. In just a few years, mobile commerce has emerged from nowhere to become the hottest new trend in business transactions. However, the prosperity and popularity of mobile commerce will be brought to a higher level only if information is securely and safely exchanged among end systems (mobile users and content providers). Advances in Security and Payment Methods for Mobile Commerce includes high-quality research papers and industrial and practice articles in the areas of mobile commerce security and payment from academics and industrialists. It covers research and development results of lasting significance in the theory, design, implementation, analysis, and application of mobile commerce security and payment.

Speed as a factor for success Our modern industrial society lives life in the fast lane. The catchwords "faster," "shorter," "more powerful" reflect what we experience in almost all aspects of our lives. Whether at home or at work, we are constantly on the move and in a rush. In our private lives we find rapid exchange of inf- mation most entertaining and we are fascinated by the wide range of inf- mation that pours in on us from all around the world, mainly via the new media. It gives us the feeling of being a part of the action everywhere and all the time. Seldom are we aware that the only reason this flood of inf- mation, often referred to as "overstimulation," does not lead to overkill is that we manage to organize our time effectively. There are many parallels to this in the business world. Here too, a great deal of time pressure is exerted from outside; goals are set ever higher and deadlines become tighter. In other words, demands on our time demand faster reaction. Crucial information travels around the globe - across all time zones - in a matter of seconds. In fact, instead of CET or CEST, it would make sense to have a single time zone for the worldwide network called GST for Global Simultaneous Time. In business more so than in p- vate life, we are almost constantly online.

Digital networking technologies are empowering organizations to form dynamic networks, generating exceptional or 'smart' results. These Smart Business Networks (SBNs) enable individual organizations to compete more effectively and to respond better to a changing world. This idea attracted a diverse group of academic scholars and business professionals to Beijing from May 19-23, 2008, hosted by Tsinghua University. They discovered new ways to manage network resources, operate business processes across a network, create a business operations platform, understand the importance of network position and the smart mastering of technology. Effective managers, they concluded, must have a firm understanding of these fundamental network concepts in order to orchestrate the networks of the future. This book presents the results of an intense and energizing event which resulted in new theoretical foundations and practical insights.

This book explores recent advances in the Internet of things (IoT) via advanced technologies and provides an overview of most aspects which are relevant for advance secure, distributed, decentralized blockchain technology in the Internet of things, their applications, and industry IoT. The book provides an in-depth analysis of the step-by-step evolution of IoT to create a change by enhancing the productivity of industries. It introduces how connected things, data, and their communication (data sharing) environment build a transparent, reliable, secure environment for people, processes, systems, and services with the help of blockchain technology.

Current thinking about how to improve strategic planning (now upgraded to strategic thinking) and decision making by managers at all levels is to employ some aspect of information systems technology. Although this approach has worked well for most organizations, chief executives are now asking their managers to do what they do best but to do it better. But how? Future thinking about improving strategic thinking and decision making involves integrating creativity with the latest in information systems. Hence, the power of the computer can be an important means to assist managers in doing what they do better when employing a creative computer software approach.

Initially, the text looks at a number of areas that are impacted by creativity, with special emphasis on creative computer software. Management decision making is examined from a problem-finding or a forward-looking viewpoint that can benefit from utilizing creative computer software. Not only is this software useful for organizing ideas, but also for getting managers involved in networking ideas in different locations of a company. But more importantly, this software centers on the generation of new ideas. To demonstrate the generation of these ideas, the final part of the text gives a number of real-world applications of creative computer software. Particular emphasis is placed on Idea Fisher 4.0, an effective software package for generating new products and services.

This book highlights the latest research articles presented at the second Digital Marketing & eCommerce Conference in June 2021. Papers include a diverse set of digital marketing and eCommerce-related topics such as user psychology and behavior in social commerce, influencer marketing in social commerce, social media monetization strategies, social commerce characteristics and their impact on user behavior, branding on social media, social media-based business models, user privacy and security protection on social media, social video marketing and commerce, among other topics.

This book discusses the main techniques and newest trends to manage and optimize the production and service systems. The book begins by examining the three main levels of decision systems in production: the long term (strategic), the middle term (tactical) and short term (operational). It also considers online management as a new level (a sub level of the short term). As each level encounters specific problems, appropriate approaches to deal with these are introduced and explained. These problems include the line design, the line balancing optimization, the physical layout of the production or service system, the forecasting optimization, the inventory management, the scheduling etc. Metaheuristics for Production Systems then explores logistic optimization from two different perspectives: internal (production management), addressing issues of scheduling, layout and line designs, and external (supply chain management) focusing on transportation optimization, supply chain evaluation, and location of production. The book also looks at NP-hard problems that are common in production management. These complex configurations may mean that optimal solutions may not be reached due to variables, but the authors help provide a good solution for such problems. The effective new results and solutions offered in this book should appeal to researchers, managers, and engineers in the production and service industries.

The core belief underlying this book is that the most useful and effective models to strengthen our intelligence are system ones, developed following the logic of Systems Thinking. Such models can explore complexity, dynamics, and change, and it is the author's view that intelligence depends on the ability to construct models of this nature. The book is designed to allow the reader not only to acquire simple information on Systems Thinking but above all to gradually learn the logic and techniques that make this way of thinking an instrument for the improvement of intelligence. In order to aid the learning and practice of the Systems Thinking discipline, the author has abandoned a rigid formal language for a more discursive style. He writes in the first person, with an ample number of citations and critical analyses, and without ever giving in to the temptation to use formal mathematics.

Based on the 2005 publication The Financial Appraisal Profile Model , this book discusses how the FAP model can present an integrated process for the appraisal of financial and strategic benefits and the assessment of risk in ICT (Information Communication Technology) project proposals.

Strategic Knowledge Management Technology applies the knowledge-based view of the firm, which builds on the resource-based theory. The value shop is identified as the typical value configuration for knowledge firms. This book applies a stages of growth model for knowledge management technology, where firms develop from the person-to-tools strategy, via the person-to-person strategy and the person-to-documents strategy, to the person-to-systems strategy. The case of law firms is extensively explored. IS/IT strategy for knowledge management is developed within the framework of the Y model.

This book seeks to promote the structured, standardized and accurate use of software measurement at all levels of modern software development companies. To do so, it focuses on seven main aspects: sound scientific foundations, cost-efficiency, standardization, value-maximization, flexibility, combining organizational and technical aspects, and seamless technology integration. Further, it supports companies in their journey from manual reporting to automated decision support by combining academic research and industrial practice. When scientists and engineers measure something, they tend to focus on two different things. Scientists focus on the ability of the measurement to quantify whatever is being measured; engineers, however, focus on finding the right qualities of measurement given the designed system (e.g. correctness), the system's quality of use (e.g. ease of use), and the efficiency of the measurement process. In this book, the authors argue that both focuses are necessary, and that the two are complementary. Thus, the book is organized as a gradual progression from theories of measurement (yes, you need theories to be successful!) to practical, organizational aspects of maintaining measurement systems (yes, you need the practical side to understand how to be successful). The authors of this book come from academia and industry, where they worked together for the past twelve years. They have worked with both small and large software development organizations, as researchers and as measurement engineers, measurement program leaders and even teachers. They wrote this book to help readers define, implement, deploy and maintain company-wide measurement programs, which consist of a set of measures, indicators and roles that are built around the concept of measurement systems. Based on their experiences introducing over 40,000 measurement systems at over a dozen companies, they share essential tips and tricks on how to do it right and how to avoid common pitfalls.

Quality and standardisation in e-learning have become crucial success factors for organisations in learning, education and training: E-Learning has changed from an early adopter stage to an integrated part of learning scenarios leading to major changes in educational organisations towards quality orientation.

For building a knowledge society, it is critically important to thoroughly understand quality and standards in e-learning. The handbook provides a cross-national perspective on these issues and draws a clear picture of the situation in quality development and standardisation. It covers topics of a rather foundational nature in quality and standardisation research as well as descriptions of quality approaches, instruments, standards, experiences and best practices. The Handbook is directed to learners, professionals, researchers and policy makers people creating the next generation of learning. "

This book presents research in artificial techniques using intelligence for energy transition, outlining several applications including production systems, energy production, energy distribution, energy management, renewable energy production, cyber security, industry 4.0 and internet of things etc. The book goes beyond standard application by placing a specific focus on the use of AI techniques to address the challenges related to the different applications and topics of energy transition. The contributions are classified according to the market and actor interactions (service providers, manufacturers, customers, integrators, utilities etc.), to the SG architecture model (physical layer, infrastructure layer, and business layer), to the digital twin of SG (business model, operational model, fault/transient model, and asset model), and to the application domain (demand side management, load monitoring, micro grids, energy consulting (residents, utilities), energy saving, dynamic pricing revenue management and smart meters, etc.).

In 1984, Working Group 8.2 of the International Federation for Information Processing (IFIP) threw down the gauntlet at its Manchester conference, challenging the traditionalist orthodoxy with its uncommon research approaches and topics. Manchester 1984, followed by research methods conferences in Copenhagen (1990) and Philadelphia (1997), marked the growing legitimacy of the linguistic and qualitative turns in Information Systems research and played a key role in making qualitative methods a respected part of IS research. As evidenced by the papers in this volume, Working Group 8.2 conferences showcase fresh thinking, provocative sessions, and intellectual stimulation. The spirited, at times boisterous, and always enlivening debate has turned WG8.2 conferences into life-changing and discipline-changing inspirational events.
Information Systems Research: Relevant Theory and Informed Practice comprises the edited proceedings of the WG8.2 conference, "Relevant Theory and Informed Practice: Looking Forward from a 20-Year Perspective on IS Research," which was sponsored by IFIP and held in Manchester, England, in July 2004. The conference attracted a record number of high-quality manuscripts, all of which were subjected to a rigorous reviewing process in which four to eight track chairs, associate editors, and reviewers thoughtfully scrutinized papers by the highly regarded as well as the newcomers. No person or idea was considered sacrosanct and no paper made it through this process unscathed. All authors were asked to revise the accepted papers, some more than once; thus, good papers got better. With only 29 percent of the papers accepted, these proceedings are significantly moreselective than is typical of many conference proceedings.
This volume is organized in 7 sections, with 33 full research papers providing panoramic views and reflections on the Information Systems (IS) discipline followed by papers featuring critical interpretive studies, action research, theoretical perspectives on IS research, and the methods and politics of IS development. Also included are 6 panel descriptions and a new category of "bright idea" position papers, 11 in all, wherein main points are summarized in a pithy and provocative fashion.

Linking Government Data provides a practical approach to addressing common information management issues. The approaches taken are based on international standards of the World Wide Web Consortium. Linking Government Data gives both the costs and benefits of using linked data techniques with government data; describes how agencies can fulfill their missions with less cost; and recommends how intra-agency culture must change to allow public presentation of linked data. Case studies from early adopters of linked data approaches in international governments are presented in the last section of the book. Linking Government Data is designed as a professional book for those working in Semantic Web research and standards development, and for early adopters of Semantic Web standards and techniques. Enterprise architects, project managers and application developers in commercial, not-for-profit and government organizations concerned with scalability, flexibility and robustness of information management systems will also find this book valuable. Students focused on computer science and business management will also find value in this book.

Motivation for the Book This book aims to describe a comprehensive methodology for service-oriented inf- mation systems planning, considered in particular, in eGovernment initiatives. The methodology is based on the research results produced by the Italian project "eG- ernment for Mediterranean Countries (eG4M)," granted by the Italian Ministry of University and Research from 2005 to 2008. The concept of service is at the center of the book. The methodology is focused on quality of services as a key factor for eGovernment initiatives. Since its grou- ing is in a project whose goal has been to develop a methodology for eGove- ment in Mediterranean countries it is called eG4M. Furthermore, eG4M aims at encompassing the relationships existing between ICT technologies and social c- texts of service provision, organizational issues, and juridical framework, looking at ICT technologies more as a means than an end. eG4M satis es a real need of constituencies and stakeholders involved in eGovernment projects, con rmed in the eG4M experimentations and in previous preliminary experiences in the Italian P- lic Administrations. A structured process is needed that provides a clear perspective on the different facets that eGovernment initiatives usually have to challenge and disciplines the complex set of decisions to be taken. The available approaches to eGovernment usually provide only one perspective to public managers and local authorities on the domain of intervention, either te- nological, organizational, legal, economic, or social.

This timely book offers rare insight into the field of cybersecurity in Russia -- a significant player with regard to cyber-attacks and cyber war. Big Data Technologies for Monitoring of Computer Security presents possible solutions to the relatively new scientific/technical problem of developing an early-warning cybersecurity system for critically important governmental information assets. Using the work being done in Russia on new information security systems as a case study, the book shares valuable insights gained during the process of designing and constructing open segment prototypes of this system. Most books on cybersecurity focus solely on the technical aspects. But Big Data Technologies for Monitoring of Computer Security demonstrates that military and political considerations should be included as well. With a broad market including architects and research engineers in the field of information security, as well as managers of corporate and state structures, including Chief Information Officers of domestic automation services (CIO) and chief information security officers (CISO), this book can also be used as a case study in university courses.