The analysis of facial beauty: an emerging area of research in pattern analysis

Much research presented recently supports the idea that the human perception of attractiveness is data-driven and largely irrespective of the perceiver. This suggests using pattern analysis techniques for beauty analysis. Several scientific papers on this subject are appearing in image processing, computer vision and pattern analysis contexts, or use techniques of these areas. In this paper, we will survey the recent studies on automatic analysis of facial beauty, and discuss research lines and practical application

Extracting meanings of event tourist experiences: A phenomenological exploration of Limassol carnival

The common examination of the event and tourism experience can reveal the attached meanings that exemplify the valued characteristics of a destination in the perceptions of tourists. From this standpoint, this study employed a phenomenological approach conducting eight unstructured interviews to explore the experience and assigned meanings of tourists who attended the carnival in Limassol, Cyprus. Results indicate that the meanings of tourist experiences in the carnival were extracted as continuously evolving products shaped by the interaction of two interrelated dramaturgical states, namely the generalized sociality and perceived community metamorphosis, and the interfering dimension of obstruction referring to organizational aspects constraining the tourist experience. The findings of this exploratory phenomenological study bring into the fore the need for more effectively incorporating events into a destination's product mix by designing experiences that leverage event meanings in synergy with unique destination features, thereby enhancing their impact on tourists. On these grounds, it is argued that the phenomenological perspective applied on the study of event tourism can enable destination marketing and management to develop a joint framework for cross-leveraging events and destination assets, hence, synergistically optimizing both social and tourism ends for host destinations. To this end, the study highlights the need for future research to start exploring systematically the relationship between the meanings of tourist experiences and the characteristics of a destination's product mix

How Design Plays Strategic Roles in Internet Service Innovation: Lessons from Korean Companies

In order to survive in the highly competitive internet business, companies have to provide differentiated services that can satisfy the rapidly changing users’ tastes and needs. Designers have been increasingly committed to achieving user satisfaction by generating and visualizing innovative solutions in new internet service development. The roles of internet service design have expanded from a narrow focus on aesthetics into a more strategic aspect. This paper investigates the methods of managing design in order to enhance companies’ competitiveness in internet business. The main research processes are to: (1) explore the current state of internet service design in Korea through in-depth interviews with professional designers and survey questionnaires to 30 digital design agencies and 60 clients; (2) compare how design is managed between in-house design groups and digital design agencies though the case studies of five Korean companies; and (3) develop a taxonomy characterizing four roles of designers in conjunction with the levels of their strategic contributions to internet service innovation: visualist, solution provider, concept generator, and service initiator. In addition, we demonstrate the growing contributions of the strategic use of design for innovating internet services, building robust brand equity, and increasing business performance. Keywords: Design Management; Internet Business; Internet Service Design; Digital Design; Digital Design Agency; In-House Design Group, Case Study</p

Comment développer la créativité des études utilisant la théorie enracinée ? Choix épistémologiques et stratégies pratiques dans la quête de créativité.

La théorie enracinée a été initialement développée pour proposer une alternative aux méthodes hypothético-déductives, qui formaient le courant majeur de la sociologie des années 1960, en visant à créer de nouvelles connaissances en se fondant sur les pratiques sociales. Face à l’ambition de vouloir créer de nouvelles connaissances au travers de l’utilisation de la théorie enracinée, de nombreux chercheurs mentionnent les difficultés inhérentes à cette méthode dans le développement de théories innovantes (Fendt & Sachs, 2008; Guillemette, 2006; Shalley, Gilson, & Blum, 2000). Cependant, la créativité reste une notion sous évaluée dans la littérature associée à la théorie enracinée. Les commentaires à propos de la créativité sont soit diffus(Charmaz, 2000 ; Glaser & Strauss, 1967 ; Strauss & Corbin, 1990) , soit limités (Dey, 1999 ; Douglas, 2003 ; Fendt & Sachs, 2008 ; Goulding, 2001 ; Locke, 2001 ; Wells, 1995). Ce papier cherche à clarifier dans quelles mesures la créativité joue un rôle dans le développement d’une théorie enracinée, ainsi que comment atteindre un certain niveau de créativité. Nous discutons d’abord les implications des choix épistémologiques dans les différentes versions de la théorie enracinée sur les potentialités de créativité dans le processus de recherche. Nous montrons que la place de la créativité diffère selon les approches utilisées : orthodoxe (Glaser and Strauss, 1967), pragmatique (Corbin & Strauss, 1990, 2008 ; Strauss & Corbin, 1990, 1998)ou constructiviste (Charmaz, 2000, 2006). Nous proposons trois stratégies de recherche permettant d’aider le chercheur dans sa quête de créativité. Nous nous appuyons sur près de dix années de pratique et d’enseignement de la théorie enracinée pour montrer comment les pratiques mentionnées peuvent aboutir à une meilleure créativité du chercheur. Nous ne proposons pas une liste exhaustive des techniques et stratégies mais mettons l’accent sur trois d’entre elles : le travail en groupe, les connaissances en art et la créativité in vivo.Grounded Theory (GT) methodology was originally proposed as an alternative to hypothetic deductive methods, aiming at creating new knowledge on the basis of the emergence of latent social patterns. While this ambition of creating fresh knowledge seems appropriate, there are difficulties inherent to the development of innovative and creative grounded theories (Fendt & Sachs, 2008 ; Guillemette, 2006 ; Shalley et al., 2000). However, creativity is an under evoked issue in the literature on GT. Mentions of creativity in GT literature is either diffuse (Charmaz, 2000 ; Glaser & Strauss, 1967 ; Strauss & Corbin, 1990) or scant (Dey, 1999 ; Douglas, 2003 ; Fendt & Sachs, 2008 ; Goulding, 2001 ; Locke, 2001 ; Wells, 1995). Our communication contributes to clarify to what extent creativity has a place in GT as well as how to enhance it. We first discuss the implications of epistemological choices underlying different versions of GT on the role of creativity in the research process. From early works of the pioneers (Glaser and Strauss, 1967), new GT versions have been developed, either focusing on the tactics to develop grounded theories in a practical way (Corbin & Strauss, 1990, 2008 ; Strauss & Corbin, 1990, 1998) or on its epistemological background (Charmaz, 2000, 2006). We show that the quest for creativity differs among these existing GT approaches. We also present three creativity-enhancing strategies to help researchers in their quest for creativity. We derive from our almost 10-year experience of developing GT as researchers and instructors to show how these strategies lead to creativity. We do not ambition to give an exhaustive set of techniques and strategies, but we focus on three of them, namely the collective work, the use of art knowledge, and in vivo creativity.méthode de recherche; épistémologie; théorie enracinée; créativité; sensibilité théorique; Management Research; Epistemology; Theoretical Sensitivity; Creativity; Grounded Theory;

Enactivism and ethnomethodological conversation analysis as tools for expanding Universal Design for Learning: the case of visually impaired mathematics students

Blind and visually impaired mathematics students must rely on accessible materials such as tactile diagrams to learn mathematics. However, these compensatory materials are frequently found to offer students inferior opportunities for engaging in mathematical practice and do not allow sensorily heterogenous students to collaborate. Such prevailing problems of access and interaction are central concerns of Universal Design for Learning (UDL), an engineering paradigm for inclusive participation in cultural praxis like mathematics. Rather than directly adapt existing artifacts for broader usage, UDL process begins by interrogating the praxis these artifacts serve and then radically re-imagining tools and ecologies to optimize usability for all learners. We argue for the utility of two additional frameworks to enhance UDL efforts: (a) enactivism, a cognitive-sciences view of learning, knowing, and reasoning as modal activity; and (b) ethnomethodological conversation analysis (EMCA), which investigates participants’ multimodal methods for coordinating action and meaning. Combined, these approaches help frame the design and evaluation of opportunities for heterogeneous students to learn mathematics collaboratively in inclusive classrooms by coordinating perceptuo-motor solutions to joint manipulation problems. We contextualize the thesis with a proposal for a pluralist design for proportions, in which a pair of students jointly operate an interactive technological device