654 research outputs found

    A proposal for media component brokerage

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    This paper describes how MPEG-4 object based video (obv) can be used to allow selected objects to be inserted into the play-out stream to a specific user based on a profile derived for that user. The application scenario described here is for personalized product placement, and considers the value of this application in the current and evolving commercial media distribution market given the huge emphasis media distributors are currently placing on targeted advertising. This level of application of video content requires a sophisticated content description and metadata system (e.g., MPEG-7). The scenario considers the requirement for global libraries to provide the objects to be inserted into the streams. The paper then considers the commercial trading of objects between the libraries, video service providers, advertising agencies and other parties involved in the service. Consequently a brokerage of video objects is proposed based on negotiation and trading using intelligent agents representing the various parties. The proposed Media Brokerage Platform is a multi-agent system structured in two layers. In the top layer, there is a collection of coarse grain agents representing the real world players – the providers and deliverers of media contents and the market regulator profiler – and, in the bottom layer, there is a set of finer grain agents constituting the marketplace – the delegate agents and the market agent. For knowledge representation (domain, strategic and negotiation protocols) we propose a Semantic Web approach based on ontologies. The media components contents should be represented in MPEG-7 and the metadata describing the objects to be traded should follow a specific ontology. The top layer content providers and deliverers are modelled by intelligent autonomous agents that express their will to transact – buy or sell – media components by registering at a service registry. The market regulator profiler creates, according to the selected profile, a market agent, which, in turn, checks the service registry for potential trading partners for a given component and invites them for the marketplace. The subsequent negotiation and actual transaction is performed by delegate agents in accordance with their profiles and the predefined rules of the market

    Self service technology : an overview of existing research

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    The purpose of this working paper is twofold. First the paper presents a review of the literature on self service technology (SST). The review categorizes the literature based on dependent variables studied in existing research. The review finds that most of the studies have focused on antecedents of attitude/intention/usage of SST, satisfaction with SST, and loyalty to SST. Also, the antecedents to each of the three main dependent variables are systemized in the review. The review shows that existing literature on SST hardly include moderating variables in the models tested. None of the articles aiming to explain loyalty to SST have included potential moderating effects in the models tested. The paper also gives an overview of potential dimensions for categorization of SST. Only a few of the articles reviewed gives insight into such dimensions. Given the limited focus on dimensions for categorization of self service technologies, the second purpose was to study how various channels vary along more general channel dimensions. A brief review of such dimensions is reported, and an exploratory study among students at Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration (NHH) is conducted illustrating how 11 channels are perceived along 16 dimensions. The results show significant differences between the channels in how they are perceived along all of the 16 dimensions studied. Finally, based on the review and the exploratory study conducted, some directions for future research are suggested

    Travel Agencies: From online channel conflict to multi-channel harmony

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    The adoption of Internet as a distribution channel and a privileged e-commerce tool has pressed Travel Agencies (TAs) to a latent channel conflict. Our main interest is to understand how the traditional independent travel agencies in Portugal deal with the online channel. We suggest that TAs have to develop an innovative business model based on the online and offline complementary channels, in order to achieve a multi-channel harmony

    To Cloud or not to Cloud. Strategic choices and IT governance in the digital transformation of a University

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    One late evening on 21st March 2015, Francesca \u2013 Head of Research and Teaching office at The University \u2013 ran the meeting and was hoping that the information and insights collected enabled her to make the right decision. She initiated the meeting by telling the story that few days ago on 15th March, during the presentation of a new digital solution for universities by MG company, she realized how different can be the instructors\u2019 practices in managing teaching materials and interacting with students. She gave examples of tools and functions used by University instructors such as personal webpages, blogs, Moodle, Dropbox, Google Drive, iTunes, WordPress, Facebook groups, Blackboard, etc. Francesca knew how important innovation is in a competitive higher education market. Therefore, Francesca has always been supportive on teaching experiments made by instructors. For instance, in 2007, she encouraged the Information Systems (IS) research group at University in adopting Moodle as a Learning Management System (LMS) for their IS courses. In 2014, the positive feedback collected from both students and instructors who used Moodle, led Francesca to pilot the system at University level. Simone, a member of the IS group, was in charge of the implementation and received full support from the IT Office. After one year, the new learning platform was available for any instructor interested in experimenting the Moodle functionalities. However, during the last exam session, the learning platform was down for few hours. Not only students were unable to access the teaching materials to prepare for the exams, but also professors were unable to assess students works! \u201cWhy not having one platform to support all our teaching practices? One channel to interact with our students\u201d she said. She asked for inputs and insights from a team of experts before making a decision. Francesca\u2019s idea was to have a single Learning Management System (LMS) supporting more than 60 programs in the four University departments. Now the problem was to select a proper technological solution, fitting with the needs of both students and instructors, and also reducing the risk of downtime. Especially knowing that many instructors will not be happy to standardize their practices, she wondered how to convince them to use the new system

    Intranet of the future: functional study, comparison of products and practical implementation

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    Future intranet: functional study, comparison of products and practical implementation 1. Introduction The project has fulfilled three goals: 1) To perform a study of the functionalities which have to be covered in a modern intranet (web 2.0, unified communication, collaboration, etc) 2) To perform a comparison of tools of the market which can be used to implement intranets (commercial and open source products) 3) To test three of these tools (Oracle WebCenter, Liferay Portal and Microsoft SharePoint) and develop a prototype with Oracle WebCenter. In addition, it includes a research about the evolution of the Intranets among the time, as well as a work to discover the current state of this kind of platforms over the entire world. In this introductory research it is also convenient to include other topics which are not strictly technical involving the use of this Intranet. To be more concrete, there is an analysis of the importance of the human role and management of the Intranet, the process of deploying a new Intranet in an organization and methods to evaluate the performance of this new system.   2. Functional study The approach taken to fulfil this goal is to develop a theoretical model describing the relationship between the Intranet and its users, and a complete set of functionalities which could be covered in the Intranet of the future. These functionalities are categorized in groups. The project describes these groups and the functionalities included on them. 3. Comparison of products The project will describe and compare several technologies which can be used to develop an Intranet that we have previously modelled. The purpose here is to discover the strong points and weaknesses of each technology if it was used to develop the Intranet we desire. After having done such a review, the project focuses on three technologies and performs an extensive evaluation of them. Finally, an extensive comparison between these three technologies is done, highlighting where they offer better solutions and performance compared to the other possibilities. 4. Practical implementation The project focuses on three technologies: Oracle WebCenter, Liferay Portal and Microsoft SharePoint. Then, a prototype which covers a set of functionalities of the modelled Intranet has been built with Oracle WebCenter

    Understanding what drives consumers’ electronic word-of-mouth behavior in a multichannel, multimedia and multiscreen environment

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    JEL Classification: M31, M39O objectivo da presente dissertação consiste em investigar a intenção dos consumidores em escolher canais electrónicos quando decidem partilhar informação (boca-a-boca) com outras pessoas, num ambiente de múltiplos canais e dispositivos. O estudo explora as motivações dos consumidores aquando pretendem transmitir informação, com o objctivo de perceber o que os leva a (1) envolver-se neste tipo de comunicação, especificamente na indústria das companhias aéreas, e (2) associar essas motivações à intençao de uso de vários canais electrónicos para a partilha da informação. Foi realizado um questionário online, determinando uma amostra de 103 adultos portugueses, de forma a analisar quantitativamente as hipóteses propostas, através de análises estatísticas para factores e associações lineares entre as variáveis. Os resultados sugerem que as motivações dos consumidores para a partilha de informação influenciam positivamente a escolha de múltiplos canais electrónicos para a sua transmissão, sendo que a preocupação pelos outros, ajudar a empresa, e expressar maus sentimentos consistem nas principais motivações. Foi ainda verificado que o conhecimento prévio sobre um canal influencia positivamente a sua posterior utilização. A dissertação ainda oferece sugestões para as empresas desenvolverem estratégias sobre a utilização de canais electrónicos no contexto da intenção dos consumidores em partilhar informação sobre a empresa. Desta forma, o estudo prevê um avanço no conhecimento na área de gestão de múltiplos canais electrónicos, através da investigação das motivações que levam os consumidores a escolher certos canais na transmissão de informação.he purpose of the current dissertation is to investigate the intention of consumers to channel usage when engaging in electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) communications, in a context of multichannel, multimedia and multiscreen environment. The study explores consumer’s motivations for eWOM in order to understand what takes consumers (1) to engage in this type of communication, specifically in the airline services industry, and (2) associate these motivations to channel usage intention and consequent multichannel behavior. A questionnaire was conducted, with a sample of 103 Portuguese adults, in order to perform a quantitative statistical analysis with factor analysis and linear regression between the variables. Findings suggest that eWOM motivations influences multichannel behavior, being concern for others, helping the company, and venting negative feelings the principal motivations for a multichannel behavior. Additionally, obtained findings suggest that perceived channel knowledge has a positive important in explaining consumer’s choice of online channels. The research offers suggestions to develop multichannel strategies in a context of eWOM intentions as this study advances knowledge in the multichannel management field by investigating why and how consumers choose channels for transmitting eWOM

    Linking eye-tracking technologies with the physical retail sector – a comprehensive study and recommendations for a market approach

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    This study evaluates the value of Eyeware’s eye tracking technology for commercialization in the retail industry. Combining theoretical frameworks of technology adoption with first-hand feedback from retail experts and end-consumers, findings suggest that Eyeware’s technology has value for retailers that understand the need for innovating, that have sufficient resources and whose needs fit with Eyeware’s solution. To increase the market entry’s success, it is recommended that the company engages in some kind of partnership or joint venture, as well as finds a way to avoid legal constrictions regarding data privacy, among other recommendations

    Going Social: Tapping Into Social Media for Nonprofit Success

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    Designed for nonprofit professionals as a means to discover and deploy social media programs that further an organization's mission
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