A user perspective of quality of service in m-commerce

This is the post-print version of the Article. The official published version can be accessed from the link below - Copyright @ 2004 Springer VerlagIn an m-commerce setting, the underlying communication system will have to provide a Quality of Service (QoS) in the presence of two competing factors—network bandwidth and, as the pressure to add value to the business-to-consumer (B2C) shopping experience by integrating multimedia applications grows, increasing data sizes. In this paper, developments in the area of QoS-dependent multimedia perceptual quality are reviewed and are integrated with recent work focusing on QoS for e-commerce. Based on previously identified user perceptual tolerance to varying multimedia QoS, we show that enhancing the m-commerce B2C user experience with multimedia, far from being an idealised scenario, is in fact feasible if perceptual considerations are employed

Using ontology engineering for understanding needs and allocating resources in web-based industrial virtual collaboration systems

In many interactions in cross-industrial and inter-industrial collaboration, analysis and understanding of relative specialist and non-specialist language is one of the most pressing challenges when trying to build multi-party, multi-disciplinary collaboration system. Hence, identifying the scope of the language used and then understanding the relationships between the language entities are key problems. In computer science, ontologies are used to provide a common vocabulary for a domain of interest together with descriptions of the meaning of terms and relationships between them, like in an encyclopedia. These, however, often lack the fuzziness required for human orientated systems. This paper uses an engineering sector business collaboration system (www.wmccm.co.uk) as a case study to illustrate the issues. The purpose of this paper is to introduce a novel ontology engineering methodology, which generates structurally enriched cross domain ontologies economically, quickly and reliably. A semantic relationship analysis of the Google Search Engine Index was devised and evaluated. Using Semantic analysis seems to generate a viable list of subject terms. A social network analysis of the semantically derived terms was conducted to generate a decision support network with rich relationships between terms. The derived ontology was quicker to generate, provided richer internal relationships and relied far less on expert contribution. More importantly, it improved the collaboration matching capability of WMCCM

E-COMMERCE IN AGRICULTURE: DEVELOPMENT, STRATEGY, AND MARKET IMPLICATIONS

Marketing,

ISO and Social Standardisation: Uncomfortable compromises in Global Policy-Making

This paper intends to explore the involvement of ISO, the world’s most iconic standard-setting institution, in the field of social responsibility, leading to the publication of the ISO26000 standard in November, 2010. Through several aspects of this experience, an almost decade-long process, I will show how ISO developed a new political structure aimed specifically at creating global policy, originating one the most sophisticated frameworks in existence to consensualise "universal" sociopolitical principles and infuse them with the legitimacy of a "global" technocracy and liberal institutions. Moreover, I will use the latest ISO26000 experience to argue that conceptual and institutional minimalism, which favours "soft" approaches towards global policy-making, paradoxically results from combining a technocratic aim for global compatibility with more participatory decision-making arrangements involving previously excluded socio-political actors. In that sense, ISO’s upgraded participatory mechanisms solved certain deadlocks suffered by previous initiatives only to affront and spark a new round of contradictions and consequences. Thus, I will conclude commenting on the intrinsic relationship between global standards, governance and complexity, and the difficulties of politically articulating programmes with dissimilar functional differentiation

Impact of Trade Facilitation Measures and Regional Trade Agreements on Food and Agricultural Tarde in South Asia

The study assess the extent to which trade facilitation in South Asia help to improve trade flows in South Asian countries and their trading partners.Trade Facilitation, Regional Trade Agreements, Food and Agricultural Trade, South Asia

Towards improving livestock export marketing support services in the Somali context: Survey findings and implications

This publication presents study carried out to provide empirical information that informs the debate and decision making process towards improving livestock trade and marketing in Somalia by enabling the development of effective and efficient marketing support services and accountable and competent rural institutions. The study focuses mainly on objectives which are to generate information that could be used to improve livestock export marketing institutions and support services. The study was conducted to: standardize quality and the criteria used for grading livestock for export; identify hazard analysis critical control points (HACCPs) along marketing chains; develop and formalize quality control systems; link primary, district & regional markets more effectively; reduce transactions costs for traders; increase competitiveness for producers; strengthen the regulatory role of local administrators; and to develop and disseminate relevant market information to stakeholders

Paving the way to net-zero : identifying environmental sustainability factors for business model innovation through carbon disclosure project data

Net-zero emission targets are crucial, given the environmental impact of the food and beverage industries. Our study proposes an environmentally focused Sustainable Business Model (SBM) using data from 252 food, beverage, and tobacco companies that reported to the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP). We investigated the risks, opportunities, business strategies, emission reduction initiatives, and supply chain interactions associated with climate change by analyzing their qualitative answers using the NVivo software. Following the grounded theory approach, we identified the Environmental Sustainability Factors (ESFs) that support businesses in meeting pollution reduction targets. The ESFs were integrated with Osterwalder’s business model canvas to create an archetype focused on delivering “net-zero” or “carbon neutral” value to customers. The model’s efficacy is enhanced by the advantages and motivations of environmental collaborations. The paper provides critical support for sustainability theories and assists Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to develop strategic business models for net-zero emission targets

Integrating Consumer Feedback Into Business Marketing Strategies

Consumer feedback and reviews are critical to the success of businesses because 49% of consumers trust online reviews more than other sources. The purpose of this multicase study was to explore marketing managers\u27 strategies for using consumer reviews to improve marketing success, brand awareness, and their clients\u27 profitability. The conceptual framework for this study was built upon organizational theory and disruptive innovation theory. The participants were recruited through local events, social media, and e-mail. Data were collected from public online records and semistructured telephone interviews using 1 marketing manager from each of 5 marketing agencies in North Texas. Thematic analysis and methodological triangulation of the data revealed themes of marketing objective, response, and reputation management. Based on the findings, the successful businesses focused on building relationships with consumers, and the business leaders prepared responses to reviews to ensure appropriateness. Other marketing managers can review the findings\u27 relevance to create or enhance successful marketing strategies, which could help to increase profitability. The implication for social change is that jobs would be created for enhancing the local economy and residents\u27 standards of living

A content analysis of green information on three major online search engines.

Master of Commerce in Management. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2017.In a world where information is critical to decision making, the search for information has been made easier by the ease of access to online platforms such as articles, reviews, statistics, videos, images and even social media. A growing trend and concern is green behaviour which has emerged from concerns about the sustainability and condition of the environment. A study of the content of available online information related to how consumers can be greener would be beneficial to marketers and businesses in the process of developing their strategies to address the needs of the green consumer. The objectives of this study were to determine the extent and content of the environmental information available online which is targeted at consumers and to identify who is providing the environmental information. The content of each website listed from the search engines was evaluated against criteria from a structured research questionnaire. The study was conducted in the form of a content analysis of three major search engines which were Google, Yahoo and Bing. The study found that recycling, reducing, green products and energy efficiency were the most prevelant solutions on the environmental information sites. Profit-orientated companies and educational institutions are the major providers of environmental information available online as they collectively contributed about 70% of the information available online. Businesses should align their products in such a way that they offer solutions to environmental challenges. This should further be translated and be visible in their product labels and websites. Green marketers should consider uploading environmental information which appeals to a child audience