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Teams of software engineers working together in a collaborative manner to execute a software development process complete most software development work. Whilst there is much literature examining the software process and how to improve the software process, less attention has been paid to the issues of team working and specifically the impact of team dynamics on the software development process. Teamwork is more effective with the existence of positive team dynamic, as it encourages a better working environment with satisfied, fulfilled employees who will in turn be more productive. However, achieving and maintaining positive team dynamics in Very Small Entities (VSEs) is particularly challenging given the unique characteristics of VSE and limited resources in particular. This paper discusses the dynamics of software development teams (structure, process, communication, learning and sharing) and its impact on Software Process Improvement (SPI) in software VSEs based on empirical data collected in a groups of software VSEs. This paper shows that VSEs have a high level of team dynamics although their SPI initiatives are conducted on a small scale and in an informal and indirect manner. The results also indicated that this situation occurs due to the following factors in a team: working and social relationship, willingness to share, having a good interpersonal skill, and work closely with each other. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The Game Design Document (GDD) plays a key role in the design phase of every game development. A poorly elaborated GDD can lead to rework and loss of investment in production and postproduction phases. To address these issues, an analysis of several available GDDs found in the literature was performed, contrasting our findings with the best practices from Software Requirements Specification (SRS). Our improved GDD incorporates a common understanding of terms, quality assurance, decision making, definition of relations, boundaries, limitations and knowledge of game elements. Finally, our GDD is put side by side with a commercial GDD. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

ITS applications throughout the United States use a variety of mapping technologies to efficiently relay traffic information to both traffic agents and the general public. This paper describes the findings of a nationwide survey of the mapping approaches taken by traveler information websites. The technologies used within the Oklahoma ITS architecture are also presented within the context of this survey. The mapping technologies discussed include ArcGIS, MapServer, HTML-based techniques, Google Maps, Bing Maps, and OpenLayers. The tradeoffs that would be considered when evaluating the use of mapping technologies in new or existing ITS applications are presented for comparison. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Many companies and organizations, especially governmental agencies have been classifying their documents according to strictly controlled security levels. In this paper, we present security technologies enabling to convert security levels of the secure documents between different security domains. If a higher security level document should be converted to a lower security level document for being transferred to other security domain, this conversion technology would be very useful and necessary in such companies and organizations. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The discipline of software testing is increasingly drawing industry's attention to itself due to the demand for quality products and the high level of competition in the market. This scenario can be supported by a maturity model that continuously improves the discipline of testing when applied to the software development lifecycle. Therefore, MPT.BR, the acronym in Portuguese for Improving Test Processing. Brazil, is presented as a maturity model for testing to help when introducing testing disciplines in software organizations. It can be seen as an alternative for companies that aim to increase their product quality and ROI. MPT.BR has been applied over the last 3 years in small and medium-sized software organizations, the results of which will be discussed in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper describes the meta-data warehouse of Credit Suisse that is productive since 2009. Like most other large organizations, Credit Suisse has a complex application landscape and several data warehouses in order to meet the information needs of its users. The problem addressed by the meta-data warehouse is to increase the agility and flexibility of the organization with regards to changes such as the development of a new business process, a new business analytics report, or the implementation of a new regulatory requirement. The meta-data warehouse supports these changes by providing services to search for information items in the data warehouses and to extract the lineage of information items. One difficulty in the design of such a meta-data warehouse is that there is no standard or well-known meta-data model that can be used to support such search services. Instead, the meta-data structures need to be flexible themselves and evolve with the changing IT landscape. This paper describes the current data structures and implementation of the Credit Suisse meta-data warehouse and shows how its services help to increase the flexibility of the whole organization. A series of example meta-data structures, use cases, and screenshots are given in order to illustrate the concepts used and the lessons learned based on feedback of real business and IT users within Credit Suisse. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

How to survive and grow has always been a serious problem faced by the small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) on a B2B platform. A lot of researches in entrepreneurship field have proved the positive effects of entrepreneurial orientation on firms' performance, but few researchers studied how entrepreneurial orientation influences performance. Based on the institutional theory, this paper introduces legitimacy and reputation to try to explain how competitive aggressiveness affects SMEs' performance in a B2B environment. Based on the analysis of data from 400 SMEs on a B2B platform, several interesting findings are concluded. Competitive aggressiveness has a very significant positive influence on SMEs' performance. It is more important to firms on a B2B platform than traditional firms. Both legitimacy and reputation plays a moderator role in this process, the better corporate legitimacy and reputation are, the stronger this influence is. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In today's complex and changing world, government and business organizations need to reuse and share not only data and computing facilities, but also organizational policies, constraints, regulations and processes in order to achieve inter-organizational collaboration and coordination. Organizational resources as well as organizations' partnership can change at any time in a dynamic environment. Thus, inter-organizational processes must be flexible. This paper presents an integrated rule and process specification language for specifying collaborating organizations' resources, and a meta-rule enhanced, event-triggered, distributed rule processing and process enactment technique to achieve the interoperation of operations, rules and processes, and the dynamic construction and processing of inter-organizational processes. The language and the processing technique are used to implement and evaluate USDA's Standard Operating Procedure for demonstrating the collaboration among involved organizations in the event of a plant disease or pest outbreak. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Responses from open-ended survey questions regarding undergraduate students' connections to community were collected from five different institutions, ranging from a large research institution in the Pacific Northwest to a small teaching college in the Northeast. Our results show that, regardless of institution or U.S. geographical location, STEM students felt connected to family more than any other community in their undergraduate experience. At institutions where faith plays a role in the institutional mission and culture, connections to religious organizations (especially church) were a close second in the strong connections to community that students reported in their lives. Across institutions, friends played a strong role in the communities in which students participated, and traditional extracurricular activities (non-academic clubs within the institution itself) also provided a significant source of connection for many students. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In this fast growing world, rapid alterations in technologies result in having a huge influence on humans' standard of living, increase global opportunities and globalize shareholders' activities. Executives all over the world are expected to utilize the right technology in order to gain the high level of success for their organizations. These executives require sustainable knowledge, techniques and tools that will allow them to continue to advance and remain ahead of the competition in the business environment. In this paper, we consider the techniques that will give a clear analysis of how social capital can be created within virtual teams or organizations and what value is created with the help of social capital. It will help organizations to examine the type of value they already created with social capital and its reflection in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Cloud Computing -- some treat it as a catchphrase, others as the next step in evolution of their organization and the Internet. However, what is for sure is that, it is a way of leveraging less expensive services based environment providing cost-effective solutions to various organizations to cater for their computing needs, without investing in computing infrastructure. However, cloud computing, just like other formats of computing, is not free from issues. One of the major barriers in adoption of cloud is security. Once migrated to cloud, you do not know where your data is physically stored, what laws and regulations govern the same and most important of all, who has access to it. This paper explores security issues related to cloud computing and proposes a paradigm for securing cloud. The paper investigates some of the key research challenges of implementing cloud-aware security solutions which can plausibly secure the ever-changing and dynamic cloud environment, followed by conclusion where we try to entail the whole research and try to formulate a practical security paradigm, which will enable the cloud providers and consumers to ensure that their data and valuable assets are safe from otherwise prying eyes. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Smart grid technology is progressing worldwide. Various Countries are investing to transform their traditional power grid to Smart grid. They have started realigning their organization to support a Smart grid vision. At this initial stage some software models are required to quantifiably evaluate, monitor the progress and plan for the realization of a smart grid. At present some models like Smart Grid Interoperability Maturity Model, Smart Grid Investment Model, Smart Grid Maturity Model and Smart Grid Conceptual Model are available. Smart Grid Interoperability Maturity Model is used to measure the current status of automation in the areas like transmission, distribution and demand side resources. The Smart Grid Investment Model is used in calculating different smart grid investments, along with their strategies. Smart Grid Maturity model is used in planning of utilities in smart grid transformation; prioritize the tasks and measuring their progress at every stage. Smart Grid Conceptual Model is used to analyze different standards and interoperations of smart grid development. A new proposed Smart Grid Monitoring Model will help in understanding smart grid deployment and capability within electric utility companies. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In order to evaluate the management innovation capabilities of small and medium-sized high-tech enterprises in Shanghai, a questionnaire of management innovation capabilities evaluation is used in the paper. The study is based on 26 questionnaires collected from those high-tech companies. Analysis results show that the promotion of enterprise management innovation capabilities relied on a series of the construction of dynamic capabilities, which include innovation strategy, innovation culture, management of innovation process, product and service innovation, core technology and intellectual ability, organization structure and partner network. At present, enterprises in Shanghai are more concerned about the field of strategic planning, and are less focused on building up their core technology and intellectual ability. In the future, these enterprises must make greater efforts in the construction of innovation culture, innovation process management and further strengthen their networks of coordination. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Composed of knowledge acquisition, transfer, application and innovation, customer knowledge management's influences on customer knowledge management performance has been the subject of numerous studies. But relative empirical results are lacking in regard to how corporate optimization efforts of organizational environment will improve its customer knowledge management performance. To further investigate the impacts of organizational supporting factors to customer knowledge management performance, this paper proposes that a dynamic IT system is a key organizational environment supporting factor, which is based on knowledge management, having customer-orientated corporate culture, optimized organizational structure and inter-functional coordination. Against this background, we empirically tested the influences of organizational environment supporting factors on customer knowledge management performance, measured by balanced scorecard. The empirical results show that the organizational environment supporting factor, constituted from customer knowledge management orientation, exerts significant enhancing influences on customer knowledge management performance. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper uses structural interview method to research how different performance assessment types and different participants will produce different value identity for civil servants. Specific research path is that firstly, discussing general value identity for civil servants; secondly, analyzing individual cognition diversity and potential cognitive conflicts because of different participants and right distribution; finally, putting forward how different value preference and cognitive conflicts impact on the supervision of government performance assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

There exists "the prisoner's difficulty" between employees in the process of their knowledge sharing. Only by the way of being shared can knowledge develop and increase. Meanwhile, the effectiveness of knowledge sharing depends highly on the design of the organization structure. The author of this thesis which is based on the Game theory, by introducing the concept of "knowledge potential", analyzes the law of their knowledge sharing between different roles and gets the key source of knowledge sharing---introducing the strategy of stock ownership incentive to the staff with high-potential knowledge. The author makes a simulation experiment of an enterprise with nearly one-hundred employees on the Netlogo platform in this thesis, and sets different parameters of the knowledge sharing level to see how incentive mechanism can bring in the maximum income to the enterprise. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Interest in applications of Business Intelligence (BI) in different areas of the economy has been growing from year to year. In recent years, it has been increasing in Poland as well. A relatively new area of using this systems is the healthcare area. Intelligent techniques provide an effective computational methods and robust environment for business intelligence in the healthcare domain. It seems to be very important, due to the fact, that much of the data storage in all kinds of system used in healthcare organizations resides in proprietary silos which makes access difficult [1]. What is worth noting using of BI systems is determined by the efficiency of the intelligent techniques, methodologies and tools. This paper discusses the essence of BI, characteristics of the healthcare sector and potential applications of BI systems in the healthcare sector. Also tools and examples of BI systems used in the sector are presented in the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In the paper attempts to identify the systemic aspects of the use of CRM tools for the integration of distributed processes organization. The overriding criterion for the applicability of CRM is to increase the efficiency of management the virtual organization. Presents the requirements and restrictions for the virtualization of access to technical resources, technology and information in the so-called. "Cloud" as a way to reduce costly IT investments especially in the SME-class organizations. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Modern microelectronics has settled for good in embedded systems that run our everyday life in areas of home entertainment, telecommunications, medical equipment, various industrial applications, even military and aerospace systems. Increasing complexity of these systems requires new tools for development, testing and security analysis. Presented work is an ongoing effort to create from scratch a Free and Open framework for low-level access (In-Circuit-Emulation and On-Chip-Debug) into ARM-Cortex [7] based devices that use new SWD bus (a JTAG alternative). LibSWD [1] is a BSD-licensed software library and it is being integrated into well known Open-Source applications such as UrJTAG [11] and OpenOCD [12]. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Cloud Computing is becoming increasingly established and offers several opportunities to obtain IT services in an on-demand manner. Especially infrastructure services, like storage and scalable computing resources, are gaining relevance and provide alternatives to conventional sourcing models. Despite the Cloud paradigm of flexible and limitless scalability the lack of standardization presents a big challenge in this context. Due to many providers, which are using different Cloud software including proprietary interfaces, the interoperability in the Cloud remains a theoretical construct. In this paper we examine standardization approaches within Cloud Computing and provide a comparison to practical implementations of interfaces of relevant Cloud software on the market. Finally, characteristics for a potential Cloud standard on the infrastructure level will be postulated. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This work suggests a strategy for quality evaluation of the customers' service in the telecommunications sector. The strategy comprises a model and methods for evaluation. Two main determinants of the quality of service are measured: service ethics and handling of complaints. The evaluation is performed by two complex indicators: for service ethics; for involvement in the process of handling complaints. The two complex indicators are formed on the basis of hierarchic structure of weighted primary measures. The selection of primary indicators is made in accordance with the logic of ISO 10001 and ISO 10002 standards. The paper is a result of scientific project, researching the activity of leading telecommunication operators in Bulgaria. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper investigates whether Enterprise Ontology is instrumental in modelling global IT Service Management processes to enable the quantitative minimization of their ecological impact. These processes can become extremely complex, especially in global operational environments. This complexity is due to several factors, such as the numbers of involved organizations, people and different working procedures, but also of deliverables and tasks that are within scope. Additionally, a high pace of change can also add to the challenge of managing IT Service Management processes. As ecology and sustainability are becoming more and more important, Green IT Service Management which aim it is to minimize the ecological impact of IT Service Management, is introduced. For this purpose, it is necessary to apply process models that describe the operational reality accurately, but that also enable quantification and minimization of the related ecological impact. In this context, the question is examined if Enterprise Ontology makes it possible to design the enterprise architecture as well as the related processes that satisfy these criteria. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Use of life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology for information and communications technology (ICT) equipment, networks, services and organizations is growing in importance. The complexity of conducting LCA for ICT has led to several initiatives (e.g. by ITU-T and ETSI) to develop standardized methodologies. LCA is an important methodological platform for understanding environmental impact of various product systems and is found to provide a good basis for prioritization of a company's environmental work. However, results of an LCA are always model-based representations of the real environmental impact, and the absolute impact of a certain equipment, network, service or organization is beyond reach. LCA results are only valid under the assumptions of the study and are still associated with substantial uncertainty, which needs to be considered to the extent needed to understand the study results. This paper demonstrates that by examples related to uncertainty and variability of scenarios and data. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Cox-Maze surgery is an effective procedure to terminate atrial fibrillation (AF) in patients requiring open-heart surgery associated to another heart disease. After the intervention, AF spontaneous reversion occurs immediately in some patients, but not in others. This work analyzes 23 twelve-lead preoperative ECGs from patients in AF to predict immediate termination of the arrythmia. To carry out the prediction, three indices have been studied: the dominant atrial frequency (DAF), the sample entropy (SampEn) and the fibrillatory waves average power (fWP). Results for the DAF yielded a Sensitivity (Se), Specificity (Sp) and Accuracy (Acc) of 78%, 71% and 74%, respectively. For SampEn 78%, 79% and 78%, respectively and for fWP were 89%, 71% and 78%, respectively. Finally, to improve the prognosis capability a classification tree combining the analyzed parameters was created yielding Se, Sp and Acc of 89%, 93% and 91%, respectively. As conclusion, the combination of fWP with DAF and SampEn has provided very auspicious results to predict whether AF would terminate immediately after the Cox-Maze surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

If you are an Executive in a large organization Scrum / agile helps address a number of issues that you face in releasing products -- improving quality, predictability, engagement of your people, and productivity. You've got help in the form of an Agile Coach and you understand that change is required to get these benefits, not only for the Scrum teams directly affected but also in the way you think about and approach development projects. The transition is making progress, and you are seeing improvements at all levels but you cannot help feeling that you've lost an understanding of the key decisions that the organization needs to make. You still have to run the business, to make commitments, and to release products. In the past you had information from the product teams that allowed you to understand where the issues were. That information seems to have disappeared. When you ask for it, you are given a "release burn-up chart" and are told that "Scrum means we respond to change" and "we don't do big upfront planning any more." How can you get what you need and still be "Scrum", still be "agile"? [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Scaling Product Ownership isn't something that happens overnight. It is an intentional and thoughtful process. Many organizational considerations must be made and teamsmust be optimized and assembled correctly. The following is an experience report on how the Department of Defense and the United States Air Force scaled product ownership on a multimillion dollar [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In recent years many organizations have to pay attention to knowledge as organizational intangible capital. The knowledge is considered as a very important resource. So, many organizations pay attention on knowledge management and that enforce the organizations to become more effective and efficient in using their resources. This leads to competitive advantage. In the recent year organizations use the different type of information technology for effective and efficient process of knowledge management. This paper provides the research results of knowledge management processes in organizations in Republic of Macedonia. Also it is going to give a review of different information technology which is used in particular stage of knowledge management processes in organizations in Republic of Macedonia and their influence on organizational effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Maturity model is applied in armored materiel warehouse logistics capability appraisal, an armored materiel warehouse logistics capability maturity model based on ANN is proposed and the logistics capability appraisal indexes are set up. The treatment method of “the dimensional analysis plus main composition analysis” is adopted in the input index and “GA-AHP plus collecting value statistics” is adopted in the output index. The model is also applied for other type warehouse logistics capability appraisal. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Drawing on other ethics scales which are grounded in virtue, deontology, utilitarianism and justice principles, we developed a four-partite integration ethics scale. Other ethics scales emphasized on people classification according to their beliefs based on criterion used to make ethical decision and the ethicality of decisions. We suggested that our four-partite integration ethics scale could provide a complimentary role in terms of rules to follow; utilitarianism endow with cost benefit analysis to bestow justice in dealing business with virtuous characters. The integration enables for the expansion of scope and understanding of ethical analyses in order to help business people to solve specific problems in specific situation and context in volatile business environment; in which widely open to constraints and complexities. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper discusses the issues concerning ethics, governance and regulatory systems of charitable organizations in Malaysia, highlights the key challenges in managing the organizations, and suggests a better approach that needs to be adopted by the charitable organizations in Malaysia to eradicate the bad practices that can lead to fraud and mismanagement. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Critical Success Factors (CSF) is used to measure an organization's performance in achieving its mission. In building maintenance, CSF is important as it can identify the cause of failure as well as improving the system. The aim of this paper is to derive a generic concept of CSF in maintenance management to be used by various organizations in Malaysia. This paper reviews the current practices of maintenance management in local authorities in Malaysia. The focus is the management of maintenance including setting up an organization, policies and quality standards. The target group for sampling of data are the local authorities in Selangor. Two stages are involved in the study and this paper presents the first stage of data collection. Based on a literature review and the findings, the critical factors for success are identified. It is believed that CSF can enhance the management process and work planning, which would result in a more economic use of resources and a corresponding reduction in the total cost of maintaining buildings. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This study attempts to assess the level of mandatory disclosures in the annual report of Malaysian Federal Statutory Bodies (FSB) and to empirically investigate the hypothesized impact of several organization characteristics on the extend of annual report mandatory disclosure. A Mandatory Disclosure Index (MDI) was developed consisting 40 mandatory items which were extracted from Malaysian Treasury Circular Number 4, 2007 [1] to assess the level of disclosure in the 2009 annual reports of 117 FSB. Irrespective of the nature of businesses, all organizations are expected to make full disclosure of the selected items. The association between the level of disclosure and the chosen firm characteristics were examined using multiple regression analysis. The study reveals that FSB disclosed moderate at 61.6 per cent. The findings also indicate that self-generated income and surplus/deficit made a unique and statistically significant contribution to the prediction of the mandatory disclosure level scores. In addition, business and socioeconomic categories play significant roles to the mandatory disclosure level. The remaining variables such as a government grant, size, year, public utility, education and research, were found to be insignificant in explaining the variation of mandatory disclosures. The outcome of this study provides valuable information to the ministers, parliament, taxpayers and citizen in evaluating the extent of mandatory disclosure by the FSB. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper presents the results of a study that aims to examine the perceptions on organizational learning capabilities (OLC) namely organizational culture and teamwork cooperation of librarians in an academic library. Questionnaires were distributed to selected academic librarians in one large public university in Malaysia. Almost three-quarter (72%) of the questionnaires were returned for analysis. Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses were used to analyze the data. The result shows that respondents' perception on organizational culture, teamwork cooperation and knowledge performance are very similar and moderately positive in their opinion. A strong relationship exists between organizational culture and teamwork cooperation. The results are important to the librarians and the academic libraries for enhancing the skills of learning and acquiring new knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The issues of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) have received growing attention in recent years. However, previous studies on CSR were largely focused on developed countries. This is because CSR practices have long been associated with big corporations in developed countries such as Mark & Spenser, Johnson & Johnson, Volkswagen, and Coca-Cola. It has been argued that organizations operations and interaction with other stakeholder to a certain degree have an impact on society and the environment regardless of the size of the organization. Hence, CSR is critical in all firms, large and small. Despite the importance of CSR in all organizations, there is a lack of literature on CSR concerning small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Thus, the main purpose of this paper is to explore the awareness of CSR concept among SMEs in Malaysia. In addition, this study is to investigate CSR initiatives implemented by SMEs as well as attempt to understand the challenges and barriers to CSR commitment. This is an exploratory study which employs a qualitative strategy as it provides deeper understanding of the phenomenon understudy. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Through the analysis of the different iterations of the Geometry Mobile (GEM) project, a mobile learning effort in the field of mathematics, we have identified a major architectural issue to be addressed in the design and implementation of m-learning applications. Due to the dynamic nature of the field many challenging requirements are continuously emerging. One of them relates to the possibility to support collaborative activities that demand sharing resources between students and their mobile devices in constantly changing conditions. These situations generate the need of using decentralized distributed architectures in which mobile devices can share resources to carry out the activity covering the concerns defined by the different stakeholders. This paper describes our current efforts connected to identifying a set of requirements for M-Learning activities. Thereafter, we elaborate on why a decentralized distributed system (DDS) can be used to provide a novel solution to tackle the mentioned above problems. Moreover, initial aspects related to the design of a DDS, including a self-adaptation mechanism are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Corporate Technology Development Center (CT DC) within Siemens is spread across 5 countries in Central Eastern Europe (CEE) and multiple cities across India. The primary activities are centered on software development for products and solutions across all four Siemens sectors. With this global setup, the CT DC is able to offer to the Siemens Sectors services covering the full SW development life-cycle, both as "near-shoring" services - mainly from Central Eastern Europe - as well as "off-shoring" -- typically from the big low cost locations in India. For CEE being relatively closer to the headquarters in Germany, the business processes and challenges there are quite different from that in India with its different structures and local environment. Further differences are regulatory requirements, languages, projects, expertise, culture, etc. Despite of these disparities, it was felt that it makes a lot of sense to identify areas where these two organizations could learn, use synergies and benefit from each other. This paper elaborates the approach taken in harmonizing the best of both worlds. The entire harmonization exercise was focused on 4 major categories -- trainings, processes, tools and knowledge management. The paper describes each category in detail. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The purpose of this paper is to present the 2DAM-WAVE, an evaluation method that enables organizations to assess their capability in global software development and to discover improvement opportunities. Organizations can be evaluated in two ways, using questionnaires on a web tool, that gives a fast but undetailed result and a more resourceful way, that uses interviews and artifacts analysis for more detailed and extensive results. This evaluation method uses as reference the WAVE capability model, which documents patterns of evolution in the practice of the internal offshoring of software. This evaluation method has been used in a Brazilian unit of a large company and is already scheduled to be applied to an Indian unit of another big company. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Data validation is one of the most important and, possibly, most under-valued task in an organization. Without clean data, an organization cannot employ sophisticated analysis and optimization tools to strive for excellence in operations, delivery or planning. Organizations have started to realize the value of data and its impact on their efficiency. Typically, they either develop in-house solutions or purchase industry standard solutions. In this work, we propose an alternative of data validation as a service offering. We argue that such a service would be a profitable proposition for both the parties, provider as well as consumer. We present a general framework to enable such an offering. We provide details on one such implementation that we carried to showcase the viability of such an approach. We propose multiple variants of the offering to handle privacy concerns of the consumer. Finally, we present a set of initial results comparing the different variants. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Configuration information in network devices is stored in an internal data structure that can be accessed through various means. However, the exact organization of the parameters, and therefore the actual way of reaching them, does not necessarily reflect a semantically sound view of the configuration operations in all situations. In this paper, we propose the use of configuration dependency rules to provide a semantic virtualization of the parameters. We show how this virtualization can be superimposed with minimal interference over current configuration protocols, taking Netconf as an example. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Sustainable energy management and related green engineering design and manufacturing processes are affecting every aspect of our lives. Sustainable energy management, product and process engineering, green, lean and quality design, manufacturing / system energy management rules and principles are offered with a focus on the new ISO 50001:2011 International Energy Management Standard. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Firms may have a number of motivations for understanding the carbon footprint of an information and communication technology product. Meeting corporate sustainability targets, complying with emissions reductions mandates, or achieving “green” products rankings are frequent motivators, but, increasingly, eco-label schemes are beginning to pressure early adopters and laggards alike to calculate and understand their product's carbon footprints. However, the rules by which carbon footprints are calculated continue to evolve as the understanding of the science behind calculations improves. This document provides an overview of several leading information technology labels and standards, as well as the European Union's efforts to refine and validate the associated measurement methodologies. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In this paper, the electrical energy audit performed for the development of the electrical energy efficiency measures EEMs in Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Penang is discussed. The energy audit showed that the buildings consumed a monthly average electrical energy of 1.5 million kWh and having a potential to save 0.15 million kWh of energy, a 10% electrical energy saving potential. The energy audit was carried out on the lighting system and air conditioning system in UiTM Penang, the systems consuming 25% and 56% of total electrical energy utilized by UiTM respectively and the equipment were found to be operating at low energy efficiency. Failure to switch off electrical equipment even when not required being in operation, absence of switch signage's, inadequate effective control systems, low efficient equipments and systems were identified to be the major causes of energy losses and wastes in the buildings. To improve the electrical energy performance in buildings, an enhanced level of awareness to reduce energy waste, the use of efficient equipment and control systems is found to be the most effective energy efficiency measures strategy to improve the lighting and air conditioning system efficiency in the buildings. The benefits of implementing the energy efficiency measures in buildings are substantial both in terms of energy savings and cost savings. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The entropy has been widely used to measure the confused degree of the organization, which provides the chain between the analysis and the application for the enterprise's strategy management. According to the nature of the entropy and the entropy theory, we give the business system's entropy model. Then we analyze family enterprise's political characters and entropy flow. Furthermore, the entropy flow of the family enterprise is also uncertain in different development stage. Finally, we give some management advices for a family enterprise based on the theory of entropy. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This research is in progress as part of the development model of service quality that already exists. Research on the effects of organizational control on the quality of service has not been done. The objective of this preliminary study is to identify the influence of organizational control on the quality of hospital services. Many studies about service quality have been conducted by previous studies. The research findings indicate that the control of the organization is an important variable that needs to be included into the model of service quality of hospital services. The diagnostic control system was applied in implementing the control at the hospital, while the general condition of service quality has been good except for infrastructure and quality of personal services. The research findings of this study will be use to complete the model of service quality that already exist. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

There are many mountains in the western region, when earthquakes, landslides and debris flows happened which would cause serious traffic accidents, and bring the great losses to the people's life and property, it is important to establish traffic events' early warning system under the disaster condition. This paper discusses the early warning system's basic concepts, contents, functions, and the organization of the traffic events' early warning system under the disaster condition from the theory, and set up the traffic events' early warning system under the disaster condition, at last the system solutions is researched. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The purpose of this paper is to interpret and address the unique challenges faced by Human Intensive IT Services Organizations*1 using a Cybernetics Lens. A framework is being proposed based on Ashby's Law of Requisite Variety and Stafford Beer's Viable Systems Model. Software is an artifact requiring large-scale human effort. IT is unlike other engineering industries because it produces non-material products. IT employs skilled intellectual workforce (that works with, and produces, ideas). IT is unlike other intellectual workforce intensive industries, such as the newspaper business or the entertainment industry because the ideas it produces actually control machines, that is to say that these ideas are formal, precise and unambiguous, and not open to interpretation[1]. Given this complex characteristic of the IT industry, we need to see if the organizations are equipped to support the building blocks, i.e. the Human Resources of this complex industry adequately. Dealing with the needs of such resources in IT services business environment through appropriate Human Resource interventions is a challenge. It is difficult to comprehend and deal with this complexity. While some can be managed by introducing appropriate processes, others may require Systemic Structural Interventions. The author proposes to use concepts from the field of Cybernetics to address the complexity. Variety, the cybernetic measure for complexity is being proposed along with System 3 and System 4 of the Viable Systems Model as key functions for Structural Interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper focuses on methods to influence change in the safety market of today; taking it from one that has historically focused on meeting construction safety codes, to one that has the desire to exceed construction safety codes. A change in our markets, on a corporate and individual level, is needed to a degree that structure owners are motivated to increase the level of safety within the structure or in the design of a new structure that exceeds existing safety codes. This paper presents two paths through which corporations and individuals could be influenced to shift their prioritization toward exceeding existing safety standards. The first path is through realizing incentives for going above and beyond when it comes to safety. The second path includes marketing campaigns directed toward individuals based on the psychological variables surrounding behavior change. This paper will describe the factors needed to consider when following those two paths. It will also review the success that the green sustainability market has experienced through understanding of the background behind Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) and the United States Green Building Council (USGBC). To some degree, these two programs can be used as a blueprint for a similar movement around safety. Many structures have been positively impacted by sustainable designs that also benefit the environment, the economy and well being of many. It has taken an international presence and safety must do the same. The goal and end result of such a program/movement in the safety market would help to reduce the number of lives lost and the financial impact of fires, natural disasters, electrocutions and other events that occur each year. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper will attempt to define what electrical safety leadership is and how it can be used to make significant changes. If there is to be continuing change in the electrical safety culture, there need to be leaders who are willing to take up the cause. Leadership is not something that is appointed or assigned, but is something that is earned as a result of knowledge, abilities, and commitment. Leadership is needed at the individual level, site level, corporate level, and societal level. Leaders need to be recruiting and developing other leaders to spread the level of influence in changing the electrical safety culture. Organizations such as the Petroleum Chemical Industry Committee (PCIC) and the Electrical Safety Workshop (ESW) should be developing electrical safety leaders. This paper will also attempt to outline some steps that can be taken to develop electrical safety leaders. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Adoption of cloud computing has reached an important inflection point that is impacting IT and business strategies and models throughout the industry. There is lack of empirical evidence how cloud adoption and certain capabilities of cloud in particular, impact individual aspects of IT effectiveness like IT quality of service, user satisfaction, and IT helpfulness to users. The intent of this research was to contribute to the body of knowledge that could be applied by researchers, businesses, and IT organizations alike to achieve optimal results by focusing on the most useful capabilities of cloud based services and solutions and elements within them. The study findings provided statistical evidence that certain elements within cloud compatibility have much stronger correlation with various aspects of IT effectiveness than the rest. The new knowledge gained would enhance the decision-making process for IT managers when considering the adoption of cloud technologies and its business models. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Communication and knowledge are changing the world. At the same time they challenge universities whose conventional model shows limits. The request of different forms of knowledge and different types of knowledge workers direct the future of universities. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]