A Semi-supervised Sensing Rate Learning based CMAB Scheme to Combat COVID-19 by Trustful Data Collection in the Crowd

Mobile CrowdSensing (MCS), through employing considerable workers to sense and collect data in a participatory manner, has been recognized as a promising paradigm for building many large-scale applications in a cost-effective way, such as combating COVID-19. The recruitment of trustworthy and high-quality workers is an important research issue for MCS. Previous studies assume that the qualities of workers are known in advance, or the platform knows the qualities of workers once it receives their collected data. In reality, to reduce their costs and thus maximize revenue, many strategic workers do not perform their sensing tasks honestly and report fake data to the platform. So, it is very hard for the platform to evaluate the authenticity of the received data. In this paper, an incentive mechanism named Semi-supervision based Combinatorial Multi-Armed Bandit reverse Auction (SCMABA) is proposed to solve the recruitment problem of multiple unknown and strategic workers in MCS. First, we model the worker recruitment as a multi-armed bandit reverse auction problem, and design an UCB-based algorithm to separate the exploration and exploitation, considering the Sensing Rates (SRs) of recruited workers as the gain of the bandit. Next, a Semi-supervised Sensing Rate Learning (SSRL) approach is proposed to quickly and accurately obtain the workers' SRs, which consists of two phases, supervision and self-supervision. Last, SCMABA is designed organically combining the SRs acquisition mechanism with multi-armed bandit reverse auction, where supervised SR learning is used in the exploration, and the self-supervised one is used in the exploitation. We prove that our SCMABA achieves truthfulness and individual rationality. Additionally, we exhibit outstanding performances of the SCMABA mechanism through in-depth simulations of real-world data traces.Comment: 18 pages, 14 figure

Data Platforms and Cities

This section offers a series of joint reflections on (open) data platform from a variety of cases, from cycling, traffic and mapping to activism, environment and data brokering. Data platforms play a key role in contemporary urban governance. Linked to open data initiatives, such platforms are often proposed as both mechanisms for enhancing the accountability of administrations and performing as sites for 'bottom-up' digital invention. Such promises of smooth flows of data, however, rarely materialise unproblematically. The development of data platforms is always situated in legal and administrative cultures, databases are often built according to the standards of existing digital ecologies, access always involves processes of social negotiation, and interfaces (such as sensors) may become objects of public contestation. The following contributions explore the contested and mutable character of open data platforms as part of heterogeneous publics and trace the pathways of data through different knowledge, skills, public and private configurations. They also reflect on the value of STS approaches to highlight issues and tensions as well as to shape design and governance

The Shape of Marketing Research in 2021

From an organizational strategy perspective, attributing changes to sweeping environmental triggers or long-term strategic planning means taking either an ecological or strategic viewpoint. The ecological-versus-strategic debate centers on the issue of environmental determinism versus strategic choice. Marketing research, as an industry, is faced with having to adapt to environmental changes (mostly technology-driven) with autonomous processes that vary from one company to another. Marketing research paves the way to customer relationship building, through which the marketing function introduces the customer to the firm. There is an increasing body of both academic and trade literature that addresses the strategic role of marketing and how marketing contributes to a firm\u27s performance. Marketing researchers will have to adapt beyond adjusting their skills and highlighting the newly gained powers to senior leaders

Enhancing small business through mobile apps: a case study from Lagos, Nigeria

This thesis draws on the framework of dynamic capability (DC) in an effort to make sense of how small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs) use mobile apps in Lagos, Nigeria. There exists significant knowledge regarding the application of the DC framework in large firms but its application in smaller organisations has scarcely been researched. The knowledge of how SMEs use mobile apps is important at this time because it could help these SMEs compete favourably, despite unpredictable environments. Based on pragmatic philosophy and a mixed-methods research approach, the research was conducted in two phases. The first phase of the research used qualitative methods to identify the absorptive, adaptive and innovative capabilities of SMEs in Lagos with a view to discover the extent to which mobile apps are used as enablers and/or drivers of these capabilities. The findings from 20 SMEs identified 15 DC constructs whose impact on SMEs could be enhanced using appropriated mobile apps. The SMEs manifest adaptive capabilities, mainly through using appropriated mobile apps. The SMEs manifest adaptive capabilities, mainly through customer feedback and referrals, and demonstrate absorptive capabilities through the repackaging and repricing of their goods and/or service offerings. The innovative capabilities of SMEs became evident through the imitation and adaptation of offerings. The second phase of this research surveyed 1 162 SMEs in Lagos in an effort to validate the identified constructs through quantitative methods. Descriptive statistics of survey responses affirm the use of mobile apps by SMEs and it also indicated the underutilisation of mobile apps as a DC enabler. Further analysis, using covariance-based structural equation modelling (SEM) techniques and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), explored the fitness of a conceptual SME model. The model assembled seven latent variables namely: mobile app usage, adaptive capability, absorptive capability, innovative capability, opportunity sensing ability, opportunity shaping ability and opportunity seizing ability. Subsequently, 15 hypotheses aimed at understanding the relationships between the variables were developed. The findings from the quantitative analysis revealed that mobile app usage increases the adaptive, absorptive and innovative capabilities of SMEs. The results failed to establish a direct relationship between mobile app usage and opportunity sensing, shaping and seizing abilities. Furthermore, the use of the adaptive capability in taking advantage of opportunities could not be generalised in SMEs’ context. The research findings imply the existence of an untapped potential as far as the use of mobile apps by SMEs in Lagos is concerned. The findings suggest that SMEs in Lagos respond to opportunities by becoming innovative and they seldom exhibit innovation in order to create opportunities. Based on the heterogeneous nature of SMEs, it is difficult to suggest a clear-cut narrative as to how all SMEs should employ mobile apps to create and maximise opportunities. However, mobile apps could induce creativity when developed and applied to the contextual requirements of SMEs. The outcome of this research reflects a multidisciplined research experience. The study contributed to IS through the creation of a model for investigating mobile app usage by organisations from a DC perspective. The conceptual model designed in this study could be adapted to investigate the way in which mobile app usage influences organisations in other contexts. The study contributed to the area of Information Systems by revealing the application of the DC framework to SMEs in contrast to the usual practice of researching DC with large organisations in mind. This research work suggests implicit ways of enhancing SMEs which could aid policy makers. This study was limited in that it gathered data from SMEs in Lagos alone as Lagos represents the commercial centre of Nigeria. Considerations for future research include the comparison of DC of large and small organisations in Lagos to examine if similarities and/or contrasts exist. Furthermore, due to the evasive and heterogeneous nature of SMEs, it would be beneficial to delimit future research on SMEs along specific domains of interest.Iqoqa Lolu cwaningo lususelwa ohlakeni lokuthiwa ngamandla aphilayo (dynamic capability [DC]) emzameni wokuba umuntu aqonde ukuthi amabhizinisi amancane namaphakathi (ama-SME) awasebenzisa kanjani ama-apps ahanjiswayo eLagos, eNigeria. Lolu lwazi lubalulekile ngoba lungasiza la mabhizinisi ukuba ancintisane namanye ngokunempumelelo, noma izimo akuzo wona zingaqondakali kahle. Ucwaningo lwenziwa ngezigaba ezimbili. Isigaba sokuqala sahlonza ama-DC ama-SMSE eLagos, ngenhloso yokuthola ukuthi ngabe ama-apps ahanjiswayo asetshenziswa kangakanani ukukhuthaza kanye/noma ukuqhubela phambili la mandla aphilayo. Okwatholakala kuma-SME angama-20 kwaba ukuhlonzwa kwezinhlelo zama-DC ithonya lazo kuma-SME elalingase liphakame ngokusebenzisa ama-apps ahanjiswayo afanele. Ama-SME afakazela ama-DC ikakhulu ngokushiwo ngamakhasimende nalabo abathintiwe, nokuba kubonakale ngokuba impahla ekhishwayo ipakishwe kabusha, ifakelwe intengo entsha, noma kube yimpahla engukulingisa eyokuqala noma ilungiswe ifane neyokuqala. Ibanga lesibili lalolu cwaningo lwahlola ama-SME ayi-1 162 eLagos ukuzama ukuqinisekisa ngezinga lezinhlaka ezihlonziweyo. Izimpendulo ezavezwa ucwaningo zakwesekela ukusetshenziswa ngama-SME kwama-apps ahanjiswayo, zakhomba nokuthi awasetshenziswa ngokugcwele ama-apps ahanjiswayo njengokunika i-DC amandla. Okunye ukuhlaziya kwakhombiisa ukuthi ukusebenzisa ama-apps ahanjiswayo kwakungasiza ama-SME ngokwandisa amathuba awo. Nokho phela ukusebenzisa amathuba avelayo kwakungeke kwenzeke yonke indawo kuma-SME. Okuvezwa ucwaningo kukhombisa ukuthi kukhona ukusizakala okukhulu okungakafinyelelwa kukho mayelana nokusetshenziswa ngama-SME kwama-apps ahanjiswayo eLagos. Ucwaningo luphonsa itshe esivivaneni enkundleni yezinhlelo zokusebenza ngezolwazi ngokwembula ukusetshenziswa kohlaka lwe-DC kuma-SME uma kuqhathaniswa ngokuphambene nalokhu, okungukucwaninga okwejwayelekile nge-DC ezinhlanganweni ezinkulu. Lolu cwaningo luveza izindlela ezingekho obala zokuthuthukisa ama-SME, okungaba usizo kulabo ababhekene nokusungula imigomo yezwe.School of ComputingPh. D. (Information Systems

Revealing the Landscape of Privacy-Enhancing Technologies in the Context of Data Markets for the IoT: A Systematic Literature Review

IoT data markets in public and private institutions have become increasingly relevant in recent years because of their potential to improve data availability and unlock new business models. However, exchanging data in markets bears considerable challenges related to disclosing sensitive information. Despite considerable research focused on different aspects of privacy-enhancing data markets for the IoT, none of the solutions proposed so far seems to find a practical adoption. Thus, this study aims to organize the state-of-the-art solutions, analyze and scope the technologies that have been suggested in this context, and structure the remaining challenges to determine areas where future research is required. To accomplish this goal, we conducted a systematic literature review on privacy enhancement in data markets for the IoT, covering 50 publications dated up to July 2020, and provided updates with 24 publications dated up to May 2022. Our results indicate that most research in this area has emerged only recently, and no IoT data market architecture has established itself as canonical. Existing solutions frequently lack the required combination of anonymization and secure computation technologies. Furthermore, there is no consensus on the appropriate use of blockchain technology for IoT data markets and a low degree of leveraging existing libraries or reusing generic data market architectures. We also identified significant challenges remaining, such as the copy problem and the recursive enforcement problem that-while solutions have been suggested to some extent-are often not sufficiently addressed in proposed designs. We conclude that privacy-enhancing technologies need further improvements to positively impact data markets so that, ultimately, the value of data is preserved through data scarcity and users' privacy and businesses-critical information are protected.Comment: 49 pages, 17 figures, 11 table

Enabling the Development and Implementation of Digital Twins : Proceedings of the 20th International Conference on Construction Applications of Virtual Reality

Welcome to the 20th International Conference on Construction Applications of Virtual Reality (CONVR 2020). This year we are meeting on-line due to the current Coronavirus pandemic. The overarching theme for CONVR2020 is "Enabling the development and implementation of Digital Twins". CONVR is one of the world-leading conferences in the areas of virtual reality, augmented reality and building information modelling. Each year, more than 100 participants from all around the globe meet to discuss and exchange the latest developments and applications of virtual technologies in the architectural, engineering, construction and operation industry (AECO). The conference is also known for having a unique blend of participants from both academia and industry. This year, with all the difficulties of replicating a real face to face meetings, we are carefully planning the conference to ensure that all participants have a perfect experience. We have a group of leading keynote speakers from industry and academia who are covering up to date hot topics and are enthusiastic and keen to share their knowledge with you. CONVR participants are very loyal to the conference and have attended most of the editions over the last eighteen editions. This year we are welcoming numerous first timers and we aim to help them make the most of the conference by introducing them to other participants

Hybrid intelligent decision support system for distributed detection based on ad hoc integrated WSN & RFID

This thesis was submitted for the award of Doctor of Philosophy and was awarded by Brunel University LondonThe real time monitoring of environment context aware activities, based on distributed detection, is becoming a standard in public safety and service delivery in a wide range of domains (child and elderly care and supervision, logistics, circulation, and other). The safety of people, goods and premises depends on the prompt immediate reaction to potential hazards identified in real time, at an early stage to engage appropriate control actions. Effective emergency response can be supported only by available and acquired expertise or elaborate collaborative knowledge in the domain of distributed detection that include indoor sensing, tracking and localizing. This research proposes a hybrid conceptual multi-agent framework for the acquisition of collaborative knowledge in dynamic complex context aware environments for distributed detection. This framework has been applied for the design and development of a hybrid intelligent multi-agent decision system (HIDSS) that supports a decentralized active sensing, tracking and localizing strategy, and the deployment and configuration of smart detection devices associated to active sensor nodes wirelessly connected in a network topology to configure, deploy and control ad hoc wireless sensor networks (WSNs). This system, which is based on the interactive use of data, models and knowledge base, has been implemented to support fire detection and control access fusion functions aimed at elaborating: An integrated data model, grouping the building information data and WSN-RFID database, composed of the network configuration and captured data, A virtual layout configuration of the controlled premises, based on using a building information model, A knowledge-based support for the design of generic detection devices, A multi-criteria decision making model for generic detection devices distribution, ad hoc WSNs configuration, clustering and deployment, and Predictive data models for evacuation planning, and fire and evacuation simulation. An evaluation of the system prototype has been carried out to enrich information and knowledge fusion requirements and show the scope of the concepts used in data and process modelling. It has shown the practicability of hybrid solutions grouping generic homogeneous smart detection devices enhanced by heterogeneous support devices in their deployment, forming ad hoc networks that integrate WSNs and radio frequency identification (RFID) technology. The novelty in this work is the web-based support system architecture proposed in this framework that is based on the use of intelligent agent modelling and multi-agent systems, and the decoupling of the processes supporting the multi-sensor data fusion from those supporting different context applications. Although this decoupling is essential to appropriately distribute the different fusion functions, the integration of several dimensions of policy settings for the modelling of knowledge processes, and intelligent and pro-active decision making activities, requires the organisation of interactive fusion functions deployed upstream to a safety and emergency response.Saudi government, represented by the Ministry of Interior and General Directorate of Civil Defenc

Data Platforms and Cities

This section offers a series of joint reflections on (open) data platform from a variety of cases, from cycling, traffic and mapping to activism, environment and data brokering. Data platforms play a key role in contemporary urban governance. Linked to open data initiatives, such platforms are often proposed as both mechanisms for enhancing the accountability of administrations and performing as sites for 'bottom-up' digital invention. Such promises of smooth flows of data, however, rarely materialise unproblematically. The development of data platforms is always situated in legal and administrative cultures, databases are often built according to the standards of existing digital ecologies, access always involves processes of social negotiation, and interfaces (such as sensors) may become objects of public contestation. The following contributions explore the contested and mutable character of open data platforms as part of heterogeneous publics and trace the pathways of data through different knowledge, skills, public and private configurations. They also reflect on the value of STS approaches to highlight issues and tensions as well as to shape design and governance