An Architecture for Information Commerce Systems

The increasing use of the Internet in business and commerce has created a number of new business opportunities and the need for supporting models and platforms. One of these opportunities is information commerce (i-commerce), a special case of ecommerce focused on the purchase and sale of information as a commodity. In this paper we present an architecture for i-commerce systems using OPELIX (Open Personalized Electronic Information Commerce System) [11] as an example. OPELIX provides an open information commerce platform that enables enterprises to produce, sell, deliver, and manage information products and related services over the Internet. We focus on the notion of information marketplace, a virtual location that enables i-commerce, describe the business and domain model for an information marketplace, and discuss the role of intermediaries in this environment. The domain model is used as the basis for the software architecture of the OPELIX system. We discuss the characteristics of the OPELIX architecture and compare our approach to related work in the field

Teamwork Quality And Service Innovation Performance Of Virtual Teams

Virtual teams (VTs) have emerged as a new form of organizational structure supported by enabling information and communication technologies (ICT) that are able to meet future service innovation challenges of the fast-changing business environment. How effective are these virtual teams in comparison to traditional face-to-face groups? Is the teamwork quality similar and is information exchanged as effectively? The objective of this research is to investigate these issues by developing a research model that combines the task-technology fit and teamwork quality concepts and by using a laboratory experiment to examine the effect of task complexity, media characteristics, and teamwork quality on service innovation performance and satisfaction. The results will offer holds important implications for research and practice in the areas of both service innovation and IT

Collaborative trails in e-learning environments

This deliverable focuses on collaboration within groups of learners, and hence collaborative trails. We begin by reviewing the theoretical background to collaborative learning and looking at the kinds of support that computers can give to groups of learners working collaboratively, and then look more deeply at some of the issues in designing environments to support collaborative learning trails and at tools and techniques, including collaborative filtering, that can be used for analysing collaborative trails. We then review the state-of-the-art in supporting collaborative learning in three different areas – experimental academic systems, systems using mobile technology (which are also generally academic), and commercially available systems. The final part of the deliverable presents three scenarios that show where technology that supports groups working collaboratively and producing collaborative trails may be heading in the near future

Prospects and Pitfalls of Statistical Testing: Insights from Replicating the Demographic Prisoner's Dilemma

This paper documents our efforts (and troubles) in replicating Epstein's (1998) demographic prisoner's dilemma model. Confronted with a number of ambiguous descriptions of model features we introduce a method for systematically generating a large number of model replications and testing for their equivalence to the original model. While, qualitatively speaking, a number of our replicated models resemble the results of the original model reasonably well, statistical testing reveals that in quantitative terms our endeavor was only partially successful. This fact hints towards some unstated assumptions regarding the original model. Finally we conduct a number of statistical tests with respect to the influence of certain design choices like the method of updating, the timing of events and the randomization of the activation order. The results of these tests highlight the importance of an explicit documentation of design choices and especially of the timing of events. A central lesson learned from this exercise is that the power of statistical replication analysis is to a large degree determined by the available data.Agent-Based Model, Verification, Comparative Computational Methodology, Prisoners Dilemma, Replication, Demographic Prisoners Dilemma

An analysis of online and blended learning environments : measuring approach and learning outcomes in corporate settings

Organizations use training as an investment with the desirable end goal of gaining a valuable employee, despite cost and time constraints on their organization. This review investigates how e-Learning and blended learning training methods are currently used in organizations. It measures the Return-On-Investment of e-Learning and blended learning training methods within corporate learning environments and examines means to improve learning outcomes for learners and the organization. For this review, peer-reviewed journals were evaluated to analyze e-Learning and blended learning methods and outcomes. Conclusions reveal that both e-Learning and blended learning training models are being successfully used in corporate training modules. Factors such as development costs, training time, and course design will affect learner outcome and productivity and profitability for organizations. Additional research is needed to verify long term ROI for organizations using online or blended learning methods for means of training

IMPLEMENTATION OF E-LEARNING AS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE EDUCATIONAL PROCESS

The paper aims to examine current tendencies in implementing e-learning as an integral part of the educational process. The relevance of e-learning as an advanced and effective technology of intensification and digitalization of teaching is proved. Theoretical research methods are used to analyze scientific, pedagogical and psychological researches on the issues of using e-learning while teaching students. Synthesis and analysis refine the conceptual apparatus of the study. Methods of induction and deduction have been used to establish links between basic concepts and their peculiarities, the research method has been applied to formulate conclusions of the study, the prognostic method has helped to substantiate innovations in the educational process with the use of e-learning. Scientific views have been analyzed regarding the definition of e-learning. A scientific approach to implementing e-learning in educational institutions has been carried out. Modern methods forms of e-learning have been identifies and their classification into person-oriented and group-oriented ones have been developed depending on the target audience and particular objectives of the class. It is resulted that blended e-learning can be considered as the most suitable and farsighted one. Within our investigation it has been concluded that e-learning is an effective and innovative educational technology that can improve the teaching process in educational institutions. It is been established that implementation of innovative e-learning methods at the foreign language classes have increased foreign language proficiency of students, let us involve all the group into active work, provided the best conditions for gaining listening and reading skills, increased motivation for learning, promoted personal development of students, made the teaching process student-centered.

Innovation and R & D activities in virtual team

Innovation plays a central role in economic development, at the regional and national level. In the competitive environment companies are obliged to produce more rapidly, more effectively and more efficiently in new product development, which is a result of research and development (R&D) activities. It is necessary for them to put together different capabilities and services with the goal, through cooperation between suppliers and customers, service providers and scientific institutions to achieve innovations of high quality. Depending on the type of industry, the type of business, the type of innovation and the strategic objectives that have been set, firms will regularly have to modify the way in which their R\&D and innovation are organized. Nowadays, shift from serial to simultaneous and parallel working in innovation has become more commonplace. Literature's have shown that collaboration is as a meta-capability for innovation. By a comprehensive reviewing of literature this article after define virtual teams and its characteristics, addressing virtual environment innovation and the relationship to R&D activities. Finally conclude that innovation cannot be successful, unless the knowledge and information in the R&D project are effectively captured, shared and internalized by the R&D project?s virtual team members