80 research outputs found

    Guaranteed access over consumer-level connections

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    Tässä opinnäytetyössä tutkitaan konseptia Redundant Array of Independent Internet Connections (RAIIC), jossa ajatuksena on tarjota luotettava yhteys usean halvan ja epäluotettavan liittymän yli. Yhtä epäluotettavaa liittymää käytetään kerrallaan tämän tilaa jatkuvasti tarkkaillen. Jos yhteyden tila heikkenee, järjestelmä siirtää liikenteen toiselle liittymälle ilman että kommunikoivat osapuolet huomaavat muutosta. Näin ollen voidaan tarjota virtuaalinen, luotettava bittiputki halpojen yhteyksien yli. Tutkimusta varten kehitimme Mobile IP -protokollaan pohjautuvan toteutuksen. Tällä pääsimme testaamaan konseptia oikeassa tietoverkossa. Mittasimme, miten liittymän vaihtaminen vaikuttaa loppukäyttäjän kokemaan palvelunlaatuun. TCP-protokollalla liittymän vaihto vastasi palvelussa 1 - 1.5 sekunnin katkoa, joka on vielä hyvinkin siedettävä. VoIP-palvelun laatu ei laskenut alle kohtalaisen tason (Mean Opinion Score -asteikolla "Fair").The scope of this thesis was providing guaranteed access over an array of unguaranteed and cheap consumer-grade connections. We tested how well high-availability access can be created with Redundant Array of Independent Internet Connections (RAIIC). In RAIIC, multiple unreliable connections are bundled together. Customer traffic is transferred on one connection at a time. State of the current connection is constantly monitored. If connectivity deteriorates, the system switches the traffic onto another unreliable connection. Connection switching should be invisible to the communicating nodes. For this study we developed a Mobile IP based implementation. We were able to test the concept on running code. We measured how the connection switching affects the end-user experience and the results seemed quite promising. On TCP the switching corresponded to 1 - 1.5 second outage, which is considered to be well tolerable. VoIP quality remained "Fair" in Mean Opinion Score metrics

    Comnet: Annual Report 2012

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    Fields of Individuals and Neoliberal Logics: Japanese Soccer Ideals and the 1990s Economic Crisis

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    This article explores the relationship between popular representations of soccer and the rise of neoliberal discourse celebrating a new individualism in Japan at the turn of the millennium, a time when the country experienced sharp economic decline and consequent economic restructuring. Examining dominant vocabularies and practices present in coaching discourse, on soccer fields, and in media portrayals of Japanese men’s and women’s professional leagues, the author argues that rather than a coincidental, coeval mirroring between two seemingly unrelated realms—sports and economic transformations—these relationships point to the positioning of soccer over the past 20 years in Japan as a site to educate and physically train individualistic sensibilities and perspectives suitable to and reinforcing of a neoliberal labor market and governmental system

    Financing Africa: Through the crisis and beyond.

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    [Dataset available: http://hdl.handle.net/10411/17679]

    The use of homemade food selling and delivery applications: investigating the adoption and post-adoption among Saudi female micro-entrepreneurs

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    On a global scale, businesses have effectively utilised intermediary digital marketplaces, such as Amazon and Alibaba by implementing a range of optimal strategies that integrate these platforms into their business models. Various intermediary mobile applications exist to provide support for micro-entrepreneurs engaged in the production of handmade food across diverse contexts, like Curryful and The Chef. The existing body of literature pertaining to female micro-entrepreneurs in Saudi Arabia who operate home-based businesses examines the advantages and drawbacks associated with commonly used trading platforms in the country, such as social media and intermediary physical shops. However, this literature fails to address the adoption and post-adoption phenomena of homemade food selling and delivery applications that have emerged in the Saudi homemade food sector in recent times. Furthermore, there is a dearth of scholarly research in the domain of Information Systems that investigates the adoption and usage of this technology, specifically within the context of handmade food businesses in other contexts. In contrast, a considerable body of research exists that examines the adoption and implementation of comparable technologies in diverse business sectors across multiple industries. In addition, most Saudi micro-entrepreneurs have not yet discovered the potential of using these marketplaces to support their homemade food businesses. This study provides significant and notable theoretical contributions to the current Information Systems literature by examining new business phenomena associated with the transition of micro-entrepreneurs from intermediary physical shops to homemade food selling and delivery applications. This study investigates the reasons behind this transition and explores the impacts of incorporating this technology on micro-entrepreneurs' lives, businesses, and attitudes towards its continued usage. This research adopts a qualitative interpretive framework and a series of semi-structured interview-based research design. The relevant data is collected from three sources and Gioia's methodology is followed to analyse the data abductively. The data is explained and interpreted through the lens of several theories. The findings suggest that many inhibitors constrain the micro-entrepreneurs' use of intermediary physical shops. Thus, their unmotivated experiences with these shops have pushed them to use homemade food selling and delivery applications. Moreover, other technological, organisational and environmental reasons have pulled them to adopt this new technology in the Saudi homemade food sector. It is also found that the applications provide micro-entrepreneurs with many benefits. However, for some micro-entrepreneurs, registration in this technology is shown to be useless. Consequently, the results of this work show that some micro-entrepreneurs continued with the application while others stopped using it. The results also reveal the different and interesting impacts of Covid-19 and some mooring reasons for future continued use intentions. The results clearly demonstrate that micro-entrepreneurs have a pivotal role in influencing their business. This study's findings help to construct an integrative conceptual model that illustrates these phenomena, which contributes to explaining the adoption and post-adoption phenomena of this technology among female micro-entrepreneurs. There are no studies on this type of technology or a framework that fully explains these two phenomena (switching reasons, and value of use and continuance use reasons) and how they relate to each other before this study. Thus, this model is seen as a major addition to the Information Systems literature. Additional significant theoretical contributions pertain to the incorporation of the entrepreneurial bricolage theory, which is being utilised for the first time in the Information Systems literature. Furthermore, the expectancy-confirmation model in this domain has been expanded by incorporating compatibility as an additional reason for continued technology use, alongside satisfaction. The third significant theoretical contribution is the introduction of new concepts to the literature regarding two new types of intermediate marketplaces used by micro-entrepreneurs, namely intermediate physical stores and homemade food selling and delivering mobile applications, as well as the description of their business models and the experiences of these entrepreneurs. Furthermore, this study holds several practical consequences. The findings of this study provide significant consequences for several stakeholders. Specifically, they provide light on the extent to which entrepreneurs have utilised the help offered by the Saudi government, as well as the genuine requirements of these individuals. These findings also help in explaining female micro-entrepreneurs' realistic experiences with these intermediary markets in the Saudi home-made food sector, which can help the owners of these markets improve their services and support. The research findings also shed light on the barriers and challenges faced by female micro-entrepreneurs in accessing or continuing the use of these intermediary markets, such as limited financial resources and lack of marketing skills. By understanding these obstacles, stakeholders can develop targeted interventions and provide tailored support to empower female micro-entrepreneurs in the Saudi home-made food sector. Ultimately, this research aims to foster an environment conducive to growth and sustainability for female micro-entrepreneurs, enabling them to contribute significantly to the local economy and society. These practical implications will positively contribute to enhancing the home-working experience of micro-entrepreneurs and their customers

    Determining key research areas for healthier diets and sustainable food systems in Viet Nam

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    Vietnamese food systems are undergoing rapid transformation, with important implications for human and environmental health and economic development. Poverty has decreased, and diet quality and undernutrition have improved significantly since the end of the Doi Moi reform period (1986-1993) as a result of Viet Nam opening its economy and increasing its regional and global trade. Yet poor diet quality is still contributing the triple burden of malnutrition, with 25 percent stunting among children under age 5, 26 percent and 29 percent of women and children, respectively, anemic, and 21 percent of adults overweight. Agricultural production systems have shifted from predominantly diverse smallholder systems to larger more commercialized and specialized systems, especially for crops, while the ‘meatification’ of the Vietnamese diet is generating serious trade-offs between improved nutrition and sustainability of the Vietnamese food systems. The food processing industry has developed rapidly, together with food imports, resulting in new and processed food products penetrating the food retail outlets, trending towards an increase in the Westernized consumption patterns that are shifting nutrition-related problems towards overweight and obesity and, with it, an increase of non-communicable disease-related health risks. While regulatory policies exist across the food system, these are not systematically implemented, making food safety a major concern for consumers and policy makers alike. Where data exists, it is not easy to aggregate with data from across food system dimensions, making it difficult for Viet Nam to make an informed analysis of current and potential food system trade-offs. In our research, we reviewed existing literature and data, and applied a food systems framework to develop an initial food systems profile for Viet Nam and to identify a comprehensive set a of research questions to fill current data gaps identified through the review. Insights on these would provide the comprehensive evidence needed to inform policy makers on how to develop new food systems policies for Viet Nam, and further refine and improve existing policies to achieve better quality diets and more sustainable food systems in Viet Nam. Based on these, we then engaged with stakeholders to develop research priorities in the Viet Nam context and identified 25 priority research questions. This paper aims to stimulate such reflections by clearly outlining key areas for research, government policy, and development programs on priority investment to build the evidence base around inclusive food systems interventions that aim to result in healthier diets and more sustainable food systems for Viet Nam

    The use of homemade food selling and delivery applications: investigating the adoption and post-adoption among Saudi female micro-entrepreneurs

    Get PDF
    On a global scale, businesses have effectively utilised intermediary digital marketplaces, such as Amazon and Alibaba by implementing a range of optimal strategies that integrate these platforms into their business models. Various intermediary mobile applications exist to provide support for micro-entrepreneurs engaged in the production of handmade food across diverse contexts, like Curryful and The Chef. The existing body of literature pertaining to female micro-entrepreneurs in Saudi Arabia who operate home-based businesses examines the advantages and drawbacks associated with commonly used trading platforms in the country, such as social media and intermediary physical shops. However, this literature fails to address the adoption and post-adoption phenomena of homemade food selling and delivery applications that have emerged in the Saudi homemade food sector in recent times. Furthermore, there is a dearth of scholarly research in the domain of Information Systems that investigates the adoption and usage of this technology, specifically within the context of handmade food businesses in other contexts. In contrast, a considerable body of research exists that examines the adoption and implementation of comparable technologies in diverse business sectors across multiple industries. In addition, most Saudi micro-entrepreneurs have not yet discovered the potential of using these marketplaces to support their homemade food businesses. This study provides significant and notable theoretical contributions to the current Information Systems literature by examining new business phenomena associated with the transition of micro-entrepreneurs from intermediary physical shops to homemade food selling and delivery applications. This study investigates the reasons behind this transition and explores the impacts of incorporating this technology on micro-entrepreneurs' lives, businesses, and attitudes towards its continued usage. This research adopts a qualitative interpretive framework and a series of semi-structured interview-based research design. The relevant data is collected from three sources and Gioia's methodology is followed to analyse the data abductively. The data is explained and interpreted through the lens of several theories. The findings suggest that many inhibitors constrain the micro-entrepreneurs' use of intermediary physical shops. Thus, their unmotivated experiences with these shops have pushed them to use homemade food selling and delivery applications. Moreover, other technological, organisational and environmental reasons have pulled them to adopt this new technology in the Saudi homemade food sector. It is also found that the applications provide micro-entrepreneurs with many benefits. However, for some micro-entrepreneurs, registration in this technology is shown to be useless. Consequently, the results of this work show that some micro-entrepreneurs continued with the application while others stopped using it. The results also reveal the different and interesting impacts of Covid-19 and some mooring reasons for future continued use intentions. The results clearly demonstrate that micro-entrepreneurs have a pivotal role in influencing their business. This study's findings help to construct an integrative conceptual model that illustrates these phenomena, which contributes to explaining the adoption and post-adoption phenomena of this technology among female micro-entrepreneurs. There are no studies on this type of technology or a framework that fully explains these two phenomena (switching reasons, and value of use and continuance use reasons) and how they relate to each other before this study. Thus, this model is seen as a major addition to the Information Systems literature. Additional significant theoretical contributions pertain to the incorporation of the entrepreneurial bricolage theory, which is being utilised for the first time in the Information Systems literature. Furthermore, the expectancy-confirmation model in this domain has been expanded by incorporating compatibility as an additional reason for continued technology use, alongside satisfaction. The third significant theoretical contribution is the introduction of new concepts to the literature regarding two new types of intermediate marketplaces used by micro-entrepreneurs, namely intermediate physical stores and homemade food selling and delivering mobile applications, as well as the description of their business models and the experiences of these entrepreneurs. Furthermore, this study holds several practical consequences. The findings of this study provide significant consequences for several stakeholders. Specifically, they provide light on the extent to which entrepreneurs have utilised the help offered by the Saudi government, as well as the genuine requirements of these individuals. These findings also help in explaining female micro-entrepreneurs' realistic experiences with these intermediary markets in the Saudi home-made food sector, which can help the owners of these markets improve their services and support. The research findings also shed light on the barriers and challenges faced by female micro-entrepreneurs in accessing or continuing the use of these intermediary markets, such as limited financial resources and lack of marketing skills. By understanding these obstacles, stakeholders can develop targeted interventions and provide tailored support to empower female micro-entrepreneurs in the Saudi home-made food sector. Ultimately, this research aims to foster an environment conducive to growth and sustainability for female micro-entrepreneurs, enabling them to contribute significantly to the local economy and society. These practical implications will positively contribute to enhancing the home-working experience of micro-entrepreneurs and their customers

    QueueLinker: データストリームのための並列分散処理フレームワーク

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    早大学位記番号:新6373早稲田大
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