Development of an IS change reason - IS change type combination matrix

Firms change their information systems (IS) for various reasons, ranging from compliance with government regulations to the development of new capabilities. When making these changes a firm can choose between four different IS change types: IS introduction, IS extension, IS replacement, and IS merger. This paper proposes that change reasons and change types are interrelated, and that certain reason-type combinations are more likely than others to result in a successful IS change. To identify these combinations, an IS change reason–IS change type matrix is developed. While the matrix is created from prior IS research, we conducted a focus group study of IS professionals to further explore and refine the matrix. The findings from the focus group study reveal that some IS change reason–IS change type combinations are more appropriate than others to carry out the IS change project successfully. We also present three examples of IS change projects to illustrate the use and value of the matrix in practice

Quantum Theory and Conceptuality: Matter, Stories, Semantics and Space-Time

We elaborate the new interpretation of quantum theory that we recently proposed, according to which quantum particles are considered conceptual entities mediating between pieces of ordinary matter which are considered to act as memory structures for them. Our aim is to identify what is the equivalent for the human cognitive realm of what physical space-time is for the realm of quantum particles and ordinary matter. For this purpose, we identify the notion of 'story' as the equivalent within the human cognitive realm of what ordinary matter is in the physical quantum realm, and analyze the role played by the logical connectives of disjunction and conjunction with respect to the notion of locality. Similarly to what we have done in earlier investigations on this new quantum interpretation, we use the specific cognitive environment of the World-Wide Web to elucidate the comparisons we make between the human cognitive realm and the physical quantum realm.Comment: 14 page

Meaning-focused and Quantum-inspired Information Retrieval

In recent years, quantum-based methods have promisingly integrated the traditional procedures in information retrieval (IR) and natural language processing (NLP). Inspired by our research on the identification and application of quantum structures in cognition, more specifically our work on the representation of concepts and their combinations, we put forward a 'quantum meaning based' framework for structured query retrieval in text corpora and standardized testing corpora. This scheme for IR rests on considering as basic notions, (i) 'entities of meaning', e.g., concepts and their combinations and (ii) traces of such entities of meaning, which is how documents are considered in this approach. The meaning content of these 'entities of meaning' is reconstructed by solving an 'inverse problem' in the quantum formalism, consisting of reconstructing the full states of the entities of meaning from their collapsed states identified as traces in relevant documents. The advantages with respect to traditional approaches, such as Latent Semantic Analysis (LSA), are discussed by means of concrete examples.Comment: 11 page

A machine vision extension for the Ruby programming language

Dynamically typed scripting languages have become popular in recent years. Although interpreted languages allow for substantial reduction of software development time, they are often rejected due to performance concerns. In this paper we present an extension for the programming language Ruby, called HornetsEye, which facilitates the development of real-time machine vision algorithms within Ruby. Apart from providing integration of crucial libraries for input and output, HornetsEye provides fast native implementations (compiled code) for a generic set of array operators. Different array operators were compared with equivalent implementations in C++. Not only was it possible to achieve comparable real-time performance, but also to exceed the efficiency of the C++ implementation in several cases. Implementations of several algorithms were given to demonstrate how the array operators can be used to create concise implementations.</p

Quantum Particles as Conceptual Entities: A Possible Explanatory Framework for Quantum Theory

We put forward a possible new interpretation and explanatory framework for quantum theory. The basic hypothesis underlying this new framework is that quantum particles are conceptual entities. More concretely, we propose that quantum particles interact with ordinary matter, nuclei, atoms, molecules, macroscopic material entities, measuring apparatuses, ..., in a similar way to how human concepts interact with memory structures, human minds or artificial memories. We analyze the most characteristic aspects of quantum theory, i.e. entanglement and non-locality, interference and superposition, identity and individuality in the light of this new interpretation, and we put forward a specific explanation and understanding of these aspects. The basic hypothesis of our framework gives rise in a natural way to a Heisenberg uncertainty principle which introduces an understanding of the general situation of 'the one and the many' in quantum physics. A specific view on macro and micro different from the common one follows from the basic hypothesis and leads to an analysis of Schrodinger's Cat paradox and the measurement problem different from the existing ones. We reflect about the influence of this new quantum interpretation and explanatory framework on the global nature and evolutionary aspects of the world and human worldviews, and point out potential explanations for specific situations, such as the generation problem in particle physics, the confinement of quarks and the existence of dark matter.Comment: 45 pages, 10 figure

Towards a Simpler Selection Process for Maintenance Strategies

Recent research at four large manufacturing sites in the North East of England showed that maintenance organisations were failing because they were locked in a cycle of quick fix and mend despite deploying extensive planned maintenance policies. Consequently they were unable to plan and formulate strategies because they did not have the time. Simple and quick tools were needed to select the best maintenance approach for the machines and the plant. Two possible selection tools were developed. Firstly a truth table was produced based on the key characteristics of each maintenance approach and these mapped against simplified failure mode combinations. This offered a quick and easy selection method for machines, based on failure mode patterns. Secondly, the macro level was addressed using a conceptual model employing a 2x2 matrix. This consisted of two axes, the level of machine failures and the level of improvement activity. The resulting framework was used to predict how maintenance organisations would progress from a state of reactive maintenance towards world class. Then informed by the truth table it was possible to select an appropriate maintenance approach which was most suitable for each stage. It is suggested that these two methods offer simple and quick approaches to guide vital maintenance decision making at plants in difficulty. This of course does not preclude the need to develop maintenance strategies but rather facilitates this process by freeing up time and resources