Automatic Verification and Diagnosis of Security Risk Assessments in Business Process Models

Organizations execute daily activities to meet their objectives. The performance of these activities can be fundamental for achieving a business objective, but they also imply the assumption of certain security risks that might go against a company's security policies. A risk may be de ned as the effects of uncertainty on the achievement of the goals of a company, some of which can be associated with security aspects (e.g., data corruption or data leakage). The execution of the activities can be choreographed using business processes models, in which the risk of the entire business process model derives from a combination of the single activity risks (executed in an isolated manner). In this paper, a risk assessment method is proposed to enable the analysis and evaluation of a set of activities combined in a business process model to ascertain whether the model conforms to the security-risk objectives. To achieve this objective, we use a business process extension with security-risk information to: 1) de ne an algorithm to verify the level of risk of process models; 2) design an algorithm to diagnose the risk of the activities that fail to conform to the level of risk established in security-risk objectives; and 3) the implementation of a tool that supports the described proposal. In addition, a real case study is presented, and a set of scalability benchmarks of performance analysis is carried out in order to check the usefulness and suitability of automation of the algorithms.Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología TIN2015-63502-C3-2-

The Effects of Knowledge Spillovers, Incubators and Accelerator Programmes on the Product Innovation of High-Tech Start-Ups: A Mixed Methods Approach

The Knowledge Spillover Theory of Entrepreneurship (KTSE) focuses on exploring how entrepreneurs use uncommercialised knowledge spillovers into funding a new venture. This phenomenon explores the role of geographical proximity on the exploration of entrepreneurial opportunities that result in the creation of start-ups that promote the evaluation of the economic growth in regions. However, the definition of knowledge spillovers and the mechanisms measurements to evaluate high-tech entrepreneurs during the first years of operation continues to be an elusive research area in the field of entrepreneurship and innovation. This doctoral thesis seeks to shed light on the effects of knowledge spillovers, incubators, and accelerators on high-tech start-ups performance and survival. Knowledge Spillovers research focuses on the effects of economics and the characteristics of countries on start-ups. However, there is a clear gap in stating a definition of knowledge spillovers and taxonomy with other disciplines. Research so far assumes that entrepreneurs automatically absorb knowledge spillovers. This work takes a different approach by identifying the processes, mechanisms and companies that facilitate using knowledge spillovers towards innovation. The doctoral research focused on obtaining primary data from entrepreneurs at the individual level. The study conducted a sequential mixed method exploratory design to empirically develop a model that identifies the types of knowledge spillovers used by companies at the seed and growth stages. A qualitative phase conducted a multiple-case study approach involving 32 semi-structured interviews with chief executive officers and co-founders of high-tech start-ups that attended incubator and accelerator programmes in Greater London, United Kingdom. The resultant conceptual model identified the start-up's strategic decisions to form alliances and partnerships through accelerator programmes, incubators and networking events. The results also suggest that entrepreneurs are likely to allocate Research and Development (R&D) budgets to hire human capital and invest in training to implement information technologies that allow them to overcome geographical proximity and engage in product innovation. The qualitative phase's objective was to identify the mechanisms, processes, definitions of knowledge spillovers, and to guide factor analysis to generalise the findings. The qualitative findings guided the development of incoming and network knowledge spillovers formative constructs that evaluate alliances with organisations and information sources. The results led to quantitative models' development to evaluate the start-up's absorptive capacity and product innovation. The quantitative phase conducted a validation and generalisation of the qualitative model using factor analysis from a sample of 556 founders of high and medium-tech start-ups operating in the United Kingdom. The findings highlighted that tacit and explicit knowledge spillovers positively affect the company's creation during the process of potential absorptive capacity. The results suggested that the entrepreneur valuation of the business idea based on their experience, or by conducting market research through interviews, surveys, and asking experts in the field. The entrepreneurial journey is supported by incubators or accelerator programmes through networking events and the provision of headquarters. The activities undertaken in these programmes provide access to investment from venture capitalists, and headquarters for start-ups to run their operations. This process leads to the development of alliances and partnerships that enable access to knowledge spillovers. Entrepreneurs wound to take the managerial decisions to hire highly skilled human capital and incorporate technological tools and conduct R&D. Furthermore, the model three variant of KST-QNCM proves that the founder's start-ups type of industry's background and academic qualifications influence start-ups operations and objectives. The research's main contribution to knowledge is the developed Knowledge Spillovers model of High-Tech Start-ups (KMS-HTS). The model states propositions and the statistical effects from constructs and variables during the phases of identifying the business idea and creation of the company, establishment and development, and scaling up and the company's future. The model provides a clear description of entrepreneurs' processes and mechanisms to implement knowledge spillovers towards innovation. The model also provides a taxonomy and sources of knowledge under the classification of network and incoming knowledge spillovers that can be implemented in disciplines not linked to economic and econometric models. The thesis provides strong empirical evidence on different approaches taken by entrepreneurs based on the type of industry. The model revealed that high-technology start-ups follow a unidirectional process of absorption and implementation of knowledge spillovers to develop new products through exploratory innovation. Thus, high-tech start-ups become potential sources of knowledge spillovers for entrepreneurs and companies through R&D that generate research outputs, patents, and academic publications. On the other hand, Medium-high technology and knowledge-intensive companies aim to engage in a product development cycle focused on developing a product prototype from existing technology to participate in local and international markets. Under this category, companies can engage in exploratory or exploitative innovation by using information technologies to acquire additional knowledge spillovers

From Plan to Reality: Applications of the European eGovernment Action Plan 2016-2020 on the National and Institutional Level - a Comparison between Germany, the United Kingdom and Estonia

Since the development of eGovernment systems is gaining worldwide momentum, the European Union is constantly increasing its efforts to induce the development of eGovernment systems in its member states. The currently running strategy is the ’eGovernment Action Plan 2016-2020’, which understands itself as a catalyst for developments in the member states. Despite these ongoing efforts by the European Union regarding eGovernment, stud- ies are repeatedly revealing that the quality and acceptance by the citizens of dig- ital public services are varying heavily within the EU. Being based on the same political guidelines provided by the EU, the national strategies implemented the core principles to different degrees. These different implementation rates, analyzed for Germany, the United Kingdom and Estonia, supplement the holistic analysis of the eGovernment policies, applications and usage in each member state. This gets proven by the connection of this indicator with related studies in the field of eGov- ernment applications and usage within the European Union. The aim of this thesis is, on the one hand, to quantify differences in the implementa- tion of the ’eGovernment Action Plan 2016-2020’ into national policies in Germany, the UK and Estonia and, on the other hand, establish this indicator as a valuable asset for evaluating and monitoring the eGovernment efforts by the EU member states

Investigating digital agility:Using a chatbot to scaffold learning opportunities for students

This research investigates how humanities students develop digital agility through targeted digital supports throughout their degree. Ensuring higher education students are digitally agile is of interest to academics in other degree programmes. Based on students’ prevalent use of text messaging, a chatbot was chosen as the platform to provide these supports. This research found it valuable to think through a self-regulated learning lens to ascertain the variety of needs and competencies that support students in their studies and in the future. The synthesis of digital competencies frameworks and policy documents provide an understanding of the diversity of competencies needed in this evolving landscape. Incorporating learning agility and design provides a holistic understanding of evolving digital needs. My definition of digital agility is the agency to use technology to create, design, communicate, collaborate and thrive in a changing digital landscape. A design-based research approach was chosen as it provides a balance of theory, artefact design and practice. Designbased research facilitated collaborating with students and academic staff over three iterative cycles of design, development, and evaluation, that shaped and aligned the chatbot to provide students with timely digital supports. The findings present that this collaboration with students and academic staff is needed to ensure alignment with disciplinary digital needs. Findings also highlighted the significant role assignment requirements play in driving digital agility. The main contributions to knowledge are: a digital agility framework incorporating: management of learning agility, research, communication, collaboration and data agility; design principles for future researchers to create their own intervention; and an improved understanding of the needs of students in support of their digital agility. Recommendations for practice and policy are also discussed. A limitation of the study is that it is confined to one degree programme in one institution during one academic year

Laws and Emerging Technologies

Technologies will have a huge impact on society in the coming years and will bring new challenges and legal challenges to the legal sector worldwide. On the other hand, the new communications era also brings many new legal issues, such as those derived from e-commerce and payment services, intellectual property, or the problems derived from the use of new technologies by young people

Decision Support Systems

Decision support systems (DSS) have evolved over the past four decades from theoretical concepts into real world computerized applications. DSS architecture contains three key components: knowledge base, computerized model, and user interface. DSS simulate cognitive decision-making functions of humans based on artificial intelligence methodologies (including expert systems, data mining, machine learning, connectionism, logistical reasoning, etc.) in order to perform decision support functions. The applications of DSS cover many domains, ranging from aviation monitoring, transportation safety, clinical diagnosis, weather forecast, business management to internet search strategy. By combining knowledge bases with inference rules, DSS are able to provide suggestions to end users to improve decisions and outcomes. This book is written as a textbook so that it can be used in formal courses examining decision support systems. It may be used by both undergraduate and graduate students from diverse computer-related fields. It will also be of value to established professionals as a text for self-study or for reference

Factors Influencing Customer Satisfaction towards E-shopping in Malaysia

Online shopping or e-shopping has changed the world of business and quite a few people have decided to work with these features. What their primary concerns precisely and the responses from the globalisation are the competency of incorporation while doing their businesses. E-shopping has also increased substantially in Malaysia in recent years. The rapid increase in the e-commerce industry in Malaysia has created the demand to emphasize on how to increase customer satisfaction while operating in the e-retailing environment. It is very important that customers are satisfied with the website, or else, they would not return. Therefore, a crucial fact to look into is that companies must ensure that their customers are satisfied with their purchases that are really essential from the ecommerce’s point of view. With is in mind, this study aimed at investigating customer satisfaction towards e-shopping in Malaysia. A total of 400 questionnaires were distributed among students randomly selected from various public and private universities located within Klang valley area. Total 369 questionnaires were returned, out of which 341 questionnaires were found usable for further analysis. Finally, SEM was employed to test the hypotheses. This study found that customer satisfaction towards e-shopping in Malaysia is to a great extent influenced by ease of use, trust, design of the website, online security and e-service quality. Finally, recommendations and future study direction is provided. Keywords: E-shopping, Customer satisfaction, Trust, Online security, E-service quality, Malaysia