A framework for the development and maintenance of adaptive, dynamic, context-aware information services

This paper presents an agent-based methodological approach to design distributed service-oriented systems which can adapt their behaviour according to changes in the environment and in the user needs, even taking the initiative to make suggestions and proactive choices. The highly dynamic, regulated, complex nature of the distributed, interconnected services is tackled through a methodological framework composed of three interconnected levels. The framework relies on coordination and organisational techniques, as well as on semantically annotated Web services to design, deploy and maintain a distributed system, using both a top-down and bottom-up approach. We present results based on a real use case: interactive community displays with tourist information and services, dynamically personalised according to user context and preferences.Preprin

Artificial Intelligence and Corporate Decisions: Fantasy, Reality or Destiny

Fueled by the ever-growing significance of big data and advances in AI, tasks in relation to decision-making in contemporary societies have been increasingly delegated to AI at different levels. While there is massive investment all over the world related to one side of AI, namely engineering, it is also important to create rules and competence related to humanistic AI and its effects on people and societies. This article aims to examine AI’s role in the boardroom and associated legal challenges, by exploring the interplay between AI and corporate law and governance. We observe that the delegation of board tasks to AI may tackle situations where urgent decisions need to be made on the basis of a large quantity of data. AI will also ease the tension between plausible hypotheses for the formal analysis of business judgments and a lack of capability to understand and subsequently choose among the options available to directors. As a powerful tool to radicalize and change decision makers’ habits and rationales, AI can assist or advise directors in using big data more effectively and efficiently for more informed and higher-quality decisions, which will result in higher perceived legitimacy. Therefore, we propose the imposition of a duty to use AI to suggest options and disclose the responses of the board to these suggestions, in order to satisfy the standard of care for rational decision making by prudent and diligent directors, and to promote the fair, accountable, and transparent application of AI in the boardroom

A framework for e-records in support of e-government implementation in the Tanzania public service

Effective e-records management is considered an integral part for successful implementation of e-government. While many previous studies have been carried out on e-government implementation, few investigated e-records management in supporting successful implementation of e-government in Tanzania with a view to developing the best framework. The specific objectives of the study were to: determine e-records readiness in the Tanzania Public Service; assess e-government implementation status in the Tanzania Public Service; establish the effectiveness of existing e-records legal, policy and regulatory framework in support of e-government; determine the e-records knowledge and skills of staff in the Public Service; find out the extent to which the National Archives (RAMD) is involved in the management of e-records and e-government implementation in the Public Service; and to develop a framework for the management of e-records and e-government implementation. The study based on interpretive research paradigm and adopted qualitative research method. A sample size of 50 respondents was drawn from four public offices namely: the Ministry of Public Service (PO-PSM), Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA), E-Government Agency (e-GA) and the Records and Archives Management Department (RAMD). Data was collected through interviews and personal observation and was analysed using thematic analysis. Findings revealed that although there is evidence of availability and use of e-records across government institutions in Tanzania, the e-records readiness and efficiency levels in support of e-government were low; the management of e-records is not yet streamlined to the majority registries; and e-Government implementation maturity level is low. Findings revealed that although there is evidence of availability and use of e-records across government institutions in Tanzania, the e-records readiness and efficiency levels in support of e-government were low; the management of e-records is not yet streamlined to the majority registries; and e-Government implementation maturity level is low. Further findings indicated that the existing legislations, policies and regulations are inadequate and ineffective particularly on matters relating to e-records management and e-government implementation; records personnel, action officers and IT staff were not conversant with procedures and practices of e-records management; and that, there is poor involvement of RAMD in ERM a situation that slows down implementation e-government. The study concluded that, the current practices for managing electronic records in support of e-government implementation in Tanzania were inadequate. Even the existing national e-government strategy does not incorporate the management of electronic records as an important aspect towards successful implementation of e-government in the country. The study has recommended a framework for effective management of e-records in support of e-government implementation; e-records management training for records personnel, IT staff and secretaries; development of RAMD website; identification of ERM software specifications; customization of ISO standards to suit Tanzanian environment; amendment of the existing Archival legislation; and benchmarking from successful governments.Information ScienceD. Litt. et Phil.(Information Science

Ubiquitous Healthcare Information System: Toward Crossing the Security Chasm

Ubiquitous healthcare information system is increasingly seen as a viable option for reducing the inherent time lag and inaccuracies in the traditional model of healthcare and promoting the delivery and practice of evidence-based healthcare―as and when needed―without any location and time constraints. Although promising, the realization of ubiquitous healthcare information system brings several threats and risks rooted in real-time collection, analysis, storage, transmission, and access of critical medical data. In this research, we address information security concerns pertaining to the paradigm of ubiquitous healthcare information system. To accomplish this we use National Institute for Standards and Technology’s (NIST’s) system development lifecycle model (SDLC) as the underlying framework to explore the current state of ubiquitous healthcare from the perspective of security. We then leverage the model to propose future research directions in this area. By implementing the NIST’s SDLC model in such a manner, we offer a different dynamic of healthcare security that has not been addressed in literature before

Mapping underground assets in the UK: Project Iceberg. Work Package 1, market research into current state of play and global case studies

Project Iceberg is an exploratory project undertaken by Future Cities Catapult, British Geological Survey (BGS) and Ordnance Survey (OS). The project aims to address the serious issue of the lack of information about the ground beneath our cities and the un-coordinated way in which the subsurface space is managed. Difficulties relating to data capture and sharing of information about subsurface features are well understood by some sectors and have been explored in previous research and industry reports, many of which are highlighted in this report. This study does not replicate past work, but rather reviews outcomes and explores the barriers to wider uptake of subsurface management systems within integrated city management. The long-term goal is to help increase the viability of land for development and de-risk future investment through better management of subsurface data. To help achieve this, our study aims to enable a means to discover and access relevant data about the ground’s physical condition and assets housed within it, in a way that is suitable for modern, data driven decision-making processes. The project considers both physical infrastructure i.e. underground utilities and natural ground conditions i.e. geological data and is divided into three different work packages: Work Package 1: Market research and analysis Work Package 2: Data operation systems and interoperability for a subsurface data platform Work Package 3: Identification of use cases for a subsurface data platform This report summarises the findings of work package 1 and identifies the following key findings and recommendations. There is substantial potential for commercialisation of data tools and data services using an integrated surface-subsurface data platform, which would support, for example, urban planning, redevelopment, infrastructure assessments and street works. Realising the full benefit of these opportunities relies on the sharing of data beyond statutory undertakers, albeit with suitable controls in place. Statutory undertakers do not necessarily have the national overview, capability or remit to develop an integrated platform. Stakeholders acknowledge that incomplete subsurface information means that land value is not being protected or worse, is being diminished and that organisations are incurring 6 indirect costs due to project delays and requirements for additional surveys. However, the direct costs of obtaining subsurface data and the indirect costs incurred because of incomplete access to subsurface data is largely unknown. Amendments to existing and introduction of new data standards (PAS 128 and PAS 256) make provision for more consistent and accurate data capture of buried utilities. Sharing of more accurate utility data will be facilitated and links to building information models and smart city standards will be more explicit. However, currently, storage of data and the integrity of data stores is not being addressed consistently at national level. There is a currently a lack of national standard that addresses commercial sensitivities and security risks concerning subsurface data sharing that can potentially guide “the right people getting access to the right and comprehensive set of data, at the right time without fear that parts of it have been redacted or manipulated” Investment in research and innovation to support the development of tools to identify the location of buried infrastructure has been successful and new systems are being brought to the market that will enable more accurate mapping of underground infrastructure. Precedents have been set for the sharing of underground utility data of national importance – exemplar projects, such as the VAULT and Greater Manchester Open Data Infrastructure Map (GMODIN), demonstrate successful collaboration across the utility sector to generate an integrated utility infrastructure map. Meanwhile adoption of AGS data formats by the ground investigation community has led to large-scale sharing of geotechnical data. National scale sharing of buried utility data has only been demonstrated in Scotland, largely driven by nationalised utilities. Upscaling of exemplar projects across the UK needs prioritising. The National Infrastructure Commission, Infrastructure Projects Authority and Digital Built Britain should take leadership of the development of an integrated data framework that combines surface and subsurface data. Future legislation and standards may be required to ensure the accurate and standardised capture and supply of buried infrastructure data. The benefits and business opportunities that may be delivered through an integrated data framework that embeds subsurface data are not sufficiently highlighted to stakeholders. Thus, the incentives and business drivers to collaborate on a subsurface data platform need to be better illustrated. Project Iceberg WP3 goes some way to addressing this but further work is needed

A systematic methodology to analyse the performance and design configurations of business interoperability in cooperative industrial networks

This thesis proposes a methodology for modelling business interoperability in a context of cooperative industrial networks. The purpose is to develop a methodology that enables the design of cooperative industrial network platforms that are able to deliver business interoperability and the analysis of its impact on the performance of these platforms. To achieve the proposed objective, two modelling tools have been employed: the Axiomatic Design Theory for the design of interoperable platforms; and Agent-Based Simulation for the analysis of the impact of business interoperability. The sequence of the application of the two modelling tools depends on the scenario under analysis, i.e. whether the cooperative industrial network platform exists or not. If the cooperative industrial network platform does not exist, the methodology suggests first the application of the Axiomatic Design Theory to design different configurations of interoperable cooperative industrial network platforms, and then the use of Agent-Based Simulation to analyse or predict the business interoperability and operational performance of the designed configurations. Otherwise, one should start by analysing the performance of the existing platform and based on the achieved results, decide whether it is necessary to redesign it or not. If the redesign is needed, simulation is once again used to predict the performance of the redesigned platform. To explain how those two modelling tools can be applied in practice, a theoretical modelling framework, a theoretical Axiomatic Design model and a theoretical Agent-Based Simulation model are proposed. To demonstrate the applicability of the proposed methodology and/or to validate the proposed theoretical models, a case study regarding a Portuguese Reverse Logistics cooperative network (Valorpneu network) and a case study regarding a Portuguese construction project (Dam Baixo Sabor network) are presented. The findings of the application of the proposed methodology to these two case studies suggest that indeed the Axiomatic Design Theory can effectively contribute in the design of interoperable cooperative industrial network platforms and that Agent-Based Simulation provides an effective set of tools for analysing the impact of business interoperability on the performance of those platforms. However, these conclusions cannot be generalised as only two case studies have been carried out. In terms of relevance to theory, this is the first time that the network effect is addressed in the analysis of the impact of business interoperability on the performance of networked companies and also the first time that a holistic approach is proposed to design interoperable cooperative industrial network platforms. Regarding the practical implications, the proposed methodology is intended to provide industrial managers a management tool that can guide them easily, and in practical and systematic way, in the design of configurations of interoperable cooperative industrial network platforms and/or in the analysis of the impact of business interoperability on the performance of their companies and the networks where their companies operate

Framework for digital preservation of electronic government in Ghana

The global perspective on digital revolution is one that has received a rapturous approval from information professionals, scholars and practitioners. However, such an approval has come at a great cost to memory institutions as the preservation of digital information has proved to be a complex phenomenon to memory institutions. Guided by the multi method design and underpinned by the triangulation of questionnaires, interviews, observation and document analysis, the study examined digital preservation of e-government in Ghana. Findings revealed that the creation of databases, digital publication, emails, website information and tweets were often ocassioned by the use of ICT, e-government, and application of legislations and public policies. It observed that these types of digital records were in urgent need for preservation as most of the ministries and agencies were unable to access their digital records. While the application of a digital preservation tool (Lots of Copies Keeps Stuff Safe) was a familiar terrain to the ministries and agencies, there was expressed lack of awareness about digital preservation support organisations and digital preservation standards. The study identified funding, level of security and privacy, skills training and technological obsolescence as factors that pose key threats to digital preservation. It noted backup strategy, migration, metadata and trusted repositories as the most widely implemented preservation strategy across the ministries and agencies. On the other hand, cloud computing, refreshing and emulation were the least implemented preservation strategies used to address the digital preservation challenges . The study recommends that the ministries and agencies can address many of the digital preservation challenges if they leverage on collaborative and participatory opportunities. Such collaborative and participatory opportunities involve the use of experts from other institutions to share resources and use a common protocol through cloud computing and Open Data. It further recommends that the process of developing a digital preservation policy can be guided by a template document from other jurisdictionsInformation ScienceD. Litt et Phil. (Information Science

Leadership practices for sustainable success: The case of the Norwegian energy sector

Denne EMBA master oppgaven hadde som mål å finne måter å endre tankegangen til energisektoren gjennom å utforske relevant litteratur som kan gi energisektoren den ledelsepraksisen den trenger for å lykkes og samtidig være en del av løsningen på klimaendringene. Det var å vise at det å ta samfunnsansvar gir muligheter og ikke er en trussel. Forskningsspørsmålet var: Hvilken lederpraksis kreves for at energisektoren skal lykkes gjennom det grønne skiftet? Basert på datainnsamlingen ble det funnet noen ledelsepraksiser. For det første er det antydet at ledelse bør betraktes som noe som gjøres i et kollektiv mot et felles formål, det gjøres ikke av et enkelt individ. For det andre bør organisasjonene etablere et høyere formål for å sikre at organisasjonen skaper verdier til det beste for samfunnet samtidig som de produserer overskudd. For det tredje må organisasjoner innen sektoren realisere sitt samfunnsansvar for sine interessenter, og at det å ta dette ansvaret øker selskapenes overskudd og sikrer langsiktig suksess. For det fjerde kan designtenkningsparadigme gi verktøyene for å sikre god strategisk beslutningstaking og skape engasjement rundt innovasjon og endringsarbeid.This EMBA thesis set out to find ways to change the mindset of the energy sector trough exploring relevant literature that could provide the energy sector with the leadership practices it needs to be successful while also being part of the solution to the climate change. It was to show that taking social responsibility could be and opportunity and not a threat. The research question was: What leadership practices is required for the energy sector to gain success through the green shift? Based on the data collection, some leadership practices were found. First, it’s suggested that leadership should be viewed as something that is done in a collective towards a shared purpose, it’s not done by a single individual. Second, the organisations should establish a higher purpose to ensure that the organisation creates value for the greater good while also producing profits. Third, organisations within the sector needs to realise their social responsibility for its stakeholders and that taking this responsibility increase the company’s profits and ensure long term success. Fourth, design thinking paradigm can provide the tools to ensure good strategic decision making and create engagement around innovation and change efforts

Sustainable business model perspectives for the electric vehicle industry : the case of battery second use

The purpose of this doctoral research dissertation is to examine sustainable business model (SBM) perspectives for the rapidly developing Battery Second Use (B2U) market within the emerging electric vehicle (EV) industry. Previous research has shown that a global mass market adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) is still hindered by the high costs of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Repurposing degraded EV batteries in second use applications holds the potential to reduce first-cost impediments of EVs. The research on new business models is limited. The ones that emerge rapidly within the EV and battery second use (B2U) industries focus mainly on economic aspects without integrating social and environmental dimensions. Simultaneously, the emerging research topic around sustainable business models (SBMs) seem to be able to bridge the environmental management concerns in conjunction with economic and social changes.This thesis further develops and extends extant literature by addressing this paucity through offering an interdisciplinary approach by drawing upon key perspectives from the emerging sustainable technology of EVs and its underlying B2U market in relation to SBMs. The research entails both, qualitative and quantitative assessments, to examine the correlation between SBMs and B2U. Major results indicate that B2U has led to innovative cross-sectoral multi stakeholder business relationships, particularly relevant for the previously isolated automotive and energy markets that are now investigating the full potential of second life batteries and hence new business opportunities for the first time in history. B2U holds the potential to facilitate current unsustainable practices in the EV industry. This in turn, will lead towards a faster EV market uptake and improvements of overall sustainability performance through SBM perspectives. Therefore, it was discovered that prospective innovative business models for B2U, which take a multi-stakeholder network centric business model design rather than firm-centric one, may prove to be a viable business case for sustainability. It was further unearthed that B2U leads to shared sustainable value creation mechanism for the EV industry (and newly emerging stakeholders) as part of innovative SBMs. Therefore, this doctoral dissertation proposes a new B2U innovative business model framework that records and explains the stakeholder relationships as an innovative and forming phenomenon, as well as opens new roads for future discussion among researchers and practitioners. This doctoral dissertation has addressed a paucity and inter-disciplinary literature gap and met an industrial and academic need accordingly. Overall, a new research stream emerges on SBMs for EV B2U and it is hoped that more contributions will follow to increase the impact and value of sustainable waste & resource management and the circular economy.El propósito de esta tesis doctoral de investigación, es examinar las diferentes perspectivas de los "Sustainable Business Models" (SBMs) para el mercado de "Battery Second Use" (B2U) ya que este se está desarrollando rápidamente dentro de la industria emergente del vehículo eléctrico (EV). Investigaciones anteriores han demostrado que la aceptación de vehículos eléctricos (EV) en el mercado mundial todavía se ve obstaculizada por los altos costes de las baterías de iones de litio (LIBs). La reutilización de baterías usadas de vehículos eléctricos (EV) en aplicaciones de "segundo uso" (B2U) tiene el potencial de reducir el alto coste de EV en la actualidad. La investigación de nuevos modelos de negocio es limitada. Los modelos que emergen rápidamente dentro de la industria tanto de EV como B2U se enfocan principalmente en aspectos económicos, sin tener en cuenta la importancia de la sociedad y del medio ambiente. Simultáneamente, la investigación en el nuevo campo de los SBMs parece ser capaz de encontrar la solución a las preocupaciones de la gestión medio ambiental a la vez que los cambios económicos y sociales. Esta tesis desarrolla y extiende aún más la literatura interdisciplinaria existente al abordar esta escasez y al ofrecer un enfoque interdisciplinario aprovechando las perspectivas claves de la tecnología sostenible emergente EV y su mercado B2U subyacente en relación con SBM. La investigación implica evaluaciones cualitativas y cuantitativas, para examinar la correlación entre SBMs y B2U. Los principales resultados indican que B2U ha conducido a nuevas relaciones comerciales en múltiples sectores y entre diferentes partes interesadas ("stakeholders"), particularmente relevante para los mercados automotrices y de energía que ahora están investigando todo el potencial de las baterías de segunda vida y, por lo tanto, nuevas oportunidades comerciales por primera vez en la historia. B2U tiene el potencial de facilitar las prácticas actuales no sostenibles en la industria de vehículos eléctricos. Esto, a su vez, conducirá a una adopción más rápida del mercado de vehículos eléctricos y a mejoras del rendimiento general de sostenibilidad a través de las perspectivas de SBMs. Por lo tanto, se ha descubierto que los posibles modelos de negocio innovadores para B2U que se basen en un modelo de negocio centrado en la red de múltiples partes interesadas en lugar del modelo centrado en una empresa podría ser un caso de negocio viable para asegura la sostenibilidad. Además, se ha descubierto que B2U conduce a un mecanismo de creación de valor sostenible compartido en la industria de vehículos eléctricos (y las nuevas partes interesadas emergentes) como parte de SBM innovadores. Por lo tanto, esta tesis doctoral propone un nuevo modelo de negocio innovador de B2U que registra y explica las relaciones con las partes interesadas como un fenómeno innovador y formador, así como abrir nuevos caminos para una futura discusión entre investigadores y profesionales. Esta tesis doctoral ha abordado una brecha de escasez y literatura interdisciplinaria y ha respondido a una necesidad industrial y académica en consecuencia. En general, surge un nuevo flujo de investigación sobre SBM para EV B2U y se espera que se sigan aportando más contribuciones para aumentar el impacto y el valor de la gestión sostenible de residuos y la economía circular.Postprint (published version