Nothing But Net: American Workers and the Information Economy

Explores the implications of the information economy for American workers, including worker experience with computers, perceptions about their future in the information economy, and the role of government in how technology affects jobs and prosperity in the information age

Culture and e-commerce: An exploration of the perceptions and attitudes of Egyptian internet users

This paper examines the perceptions and attitudes that Egyptian users hold towards electronic shopping sites. Internet sites are globally available, opening up huge potential markets for online retailers. However, it remains unclear whether sites designed for the US or European markets will be acceptable in other cultures. This paper describes an exploratory card sorting study conducted with Egyptian consumers. The study was designed to examine the e-commerce interface features that are most salient to this user group and to explore how these relate to user intentions to engage in internet shopping. The results support the role of site familiarity in predicting purchase intentions within this cultural setting

Developing Artificial Intelligence Agents for a Turn-Based Imperfect Information Game

Artificial intelligence (AI) is often employed to play games, whether to entertain human opponents, devise and test strategies, or obtain other analytical data. Games with hidden information require specific approaches by the player. As a result, the AI must be equipped with methods of operating without certain important pieces of information while being aware of the resulting potential dangers. The computer game GNaT was designed as a testbed for AI strategies dealing specifically with imperfect information. Its development and functionality are described, and the results of testing several strategies through AI agents are discussed

Modeling the Costs and Environmental Benefits of Disposal Options for End-of-Life Electronic Equipment: The Case of Used Computer Monitors

Managing the growing quantity of used electronic equipment poses challenges for waste management officials. In this paper, we focus on a large component of the electronic waste stream—computer monitors—and the disposal concerns associated with the lead embodied in cathode ray tubes (CRTs) used in most monitors. We develop a policy simulation model of consumers’ disposal options based on the costs of these options and their associated environmental impacts. For the stock of monitors disposed of in the United States in 1998, our preliminary findings suggest that bans on some disposal options would increase disposal costs from about $1 per monitor to between$3 and $20 per monitor. Policies to promote a modest amount of recycling of monitor parts, including lead, can be less expensive. In both cases, the costs of the policies exceed the value of the avoided health effects of CRT disposal.end-of-life electronics, waste stream, cost-benefit analysis

Centralized vs. decentralized computing : organizational considerations and management options

The long-standing debate over whether to centralize or decentralize computing is examined in terms of the fundamental organizational and economic factors at stake. The traditional debate is examined and found to focus predominantly on issues of efficiency vs. effectiveness, with solutions based on a rationalistic strategy of optimizing in this tradeoff. A more behavioralistic assessment suggests that the driving issues in the debate are the politics of organization and resources, centering on the issue of control. The economics of computing deployment decisions is presented as an important issue, but one that often serves as a field of argument that is based on more political concerns. The current situation facing managers of computing, given the advent of small and comparatively inexpensive computers, is examined in detail, and a set of management options for dealing with this persistent issue is presented

The Interface of Technology in Culinary Arts Education

Introduction: A culinary educator must make many decisions that affect the day-to-day activities in both the classroom and the lab. One of the more important decisions is how to select the most appropriate technology to implement for use in teaching and administrative activities. The research presented here is intended to help the educator identify specific needs, decide where the use of technology is desirable, and offer information designed to help the educator make an informed decision about using technology as a teaching tool. Purpose Statement: The purpose of this paper is to inform the culinary educator about the technology available for use in both the classroom and the lab setting. There is an ever-increasing pool of technology, making it more important than ever that the educator choose the appropriate lab/kitchen equipment and software programs for use in a specific culinary program. Making an informed decision ensures maximum usefulness of the technology in the setting

Pioneer brand advantage with UK consumers

Telah dilakukan kegiatan Lesson Study (LS) dalam rangka pengembangan kompetensi pendidik bidang biologi di perguruan tinggi untuk agar mengembangkan dan mengimplementasikan pembelajaran biologi yang berorientasi pada character building sekaligus meningkatkan kualitas pembelajaran. Secara spesifik, fokus pencapaian kegiatan LS ini adalah: 1) pengembangan kemampuan dosen biologi dalam mengembangan dan mengimplementasikan pembelajaran biologi umum dengan socioscientific issues-based instruction secara kolegial dalam tim LS, dan 2) menumbuhkembangkan karakter peduli dan reflective judgement mahasiswa pendidikan kimia dalam konteks ilmu biologi umum. Prosedur pelaksanaan LS ini mengikuti tahap-tahap plan-do-see, yang dilaksanakan sebanyak tiga putaran. Instrumen yang digunakan meliputi: 1) perangkat pembelajaran biologi umum berbasis socioscientific issues, 2) lembar pengamatan aktivitas dosen, 3) lembar pengamatan aktivitas belajar mahasiswa, dan 4) lembar penilaian reflective judgment. Data yang diperoleh dianalisis secara deskriptif. Hasil kegiatan LS menunjukkan adanya dinamika, tantangan dan hambatan yang dialami baik oleh dosen model maupun subjek mahasiswa

The dynamics of computerization in a social science research team : a case study of infrastructure, strategies, and skills

This paper examines the dynamics of Computerization in a PC-oriented research group through a case study. The time and skill in integrating computing into the labor processes of research are often significant "hidden costs" of computerization. Computing infrastructure plays a key role in reducing these costs may be enhanced by careful organization. We illustrate computerization strategies that we have found to be productive and unproductive. Appropriate computerization strategies depend as much on the structuring of resources and interests in the larger social setting, as on a technical characterization of tasks

Computer and Internet Use by Great Plains Farmers

We use data from a 2001 survey of Great Plains farmers to explore the adoption, usage patterns, and perceived benefits of computers and the Internet. Our adoption results suggest that exposure to the technology through college, outside employment, friends, and family is ultimately more influential than farmer age and farm size. Notably, about half of those who use the Internet for farm-related business report zero economic benefits from it. Whether a farmer perceives that the Internet generates economic benefits depends primarily on how long the farmer has used the Internet for farm business and for what purposes.Farm Management, Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies,