Semantic discovery and reuse of business process patterns

Patterns currently play an important role in modern information systems (IS) development and their use has mainly been restricted to the design and implementation phases of the development lifecycle. Given the increasing significance of business modelling in IS development, patterns have the potential of providing a viable solution for promoting reusability of recurrent generalized models in the very early stages of development. As a statement of research-in-progress this paper focuses on business process patterns and proposes an initial methodological framework for the discovery and reuse of business process patterns within the IS development lifecycle. The framework borrows ideas from the domain engineering literature and proposes the use of semantics to drive both the discovery of patterns as well as their reuse

Performance assessment of an architecture with adaptative interfaces for people with special needs

People in industrial societies carry more and more portable electronic devices (e.g., smartphone or console) with some kind of wireles connectivity support. Interaction with auto-discovered target devices present in the environment (e.g., the air conditioning of a hotel) is not so easy since devices may provide inaccessible user interfaces (e.g., in a foreign language that the user cannot understand). Scalability for multiple concurrent users and response times are still problems in this domain. In this paper, we assess an interoperable architecture, which enables interaction between people with some kind of special need and their environment. The assessment, based on performance patterns and antipatterns, tries to detect performance issues and also tries to enhance the architecture design for improving system performance. As a result of the assessment, the initial design changed substantially. We refactorized the design according to the Fast Path pattern and The Ramp antipattern. Moreover, resources were correctly allocated. Finally, the required response time was fulfilled in all system scenarios. For a specific scenario, response time was reduced from 60 seconds to less than 6 seconds

Xavier University Newswire

https://www.exhibit.xavier.edu/student_newspaper/3886/thumbnail.jp

Software Perfomance Assessment at Architectural Level: A Methodology and its Application

Las arquitecturas software son una valiosa herramienta para la evaluación de las propiedades cualitativas y cuantitativas de los sistemas en sus primeras fases de desarrollo. Conseguir el diseño adecuado es crítico para asegurar la bondad de dichas propiedades. Tomar decisiones tempranas equivocadas puede implicar considerables y costosos cambios en un futuro. Dichas decisiones afectarían a muchas propiedades del sistema, tales como su rendimiento, seguridad, fiabilidad o facilidad de mantenimiento. Desde el punto de vista del rendimiento software, la ingeniería del rendimiento del software (SPE) es una disciplina de investigación madura y comúnmente aceptada que propone una evaluación basada en modelos en las primeras fases del ciclo de vida de desarrollo software. Un problema en este campo de investigación es que las metodologías hasta ahora propuestas no ofrecen una interpretación de los resultados obtenidos durante el análisis del rendimiento, ni utilizan dichos resultados para proponer alternativas para la mejora de la propia arquitectura software. Hasta la fecha, esta interpretación y mejora requiere de la experiencia y pericia de los ingenieros software, en especial de expertos en ingeniería de prestaciones. Además, a pesar del gran número de propuestas para evaluar el rendimiento de sistemas software, muy pocos de estos estudios teóricos son posteriormente aplicados a sistemas software reales. El objetivo de esta tesis es presentar una metodología para el asesoramiento de decisiones arquitecturales para la mejora, desde el punto de vista de las prestaciones, de las sistemas software. La metodología hace uso del Lenguaje Unificado de Modelado (UML) para representar las arquitecturas software y de métodos formales, concretamente redes de Petri, como modelo de prestaciones. El asesoramiento, basado en patrones y antipatrones, intenta detectar los principales problemas que afectan a las prestaciones del sistema y propone posibles mejoras para mejoras dichas prestaciones. Como primer paso, estudiamos y analizamos los resultados del rendimiento de diferentes estilos arquitectónicos. A continuación, sistematizamos los conocimientos previamente obtenidos para proponer una metodología y comprobamos su aplicabilidad asesorando un caso de estudio real, una arquitectura de interoperabilidad para adaptar interfaces a personas con discapacidad conforme a sus capacidades y preferencias. Finalmente, se presenta una herramienta para la evaluación del rendimiento como un producto derivado del propio ciclo de vida software

Integrated ecological-economic modelling and assessment aproach for coastal ecosystem management

Thesis submitted to the Faculty of Sciences and Technology, New University of Lisbon, for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Environmental SciencesOver the past few decades, policy-makers have defined new instruments to address coastal ecosystem degradation. Emerging coastal management frameworks highlight the use of the best available knowledge about the ecosystem to manage coastal resources and maintain ecosystem’s services. Progress is required, however, in translating data into useful knowledge for environmental problem solving. This thesis aims to contribute to research assessing changes in coastal ecosystems and benefits generated due to management actions (or to the lack thereof). The overall objectives are to assess the ecological and economic impacts of existing management programmes, as well as future response scenarios and to translate the outcomes into useful information for managers. To address these objectives, three different approaches were developed: A multilayered ecosystem model A multilayered ecosystem model was developed to simulate management scenarios that account for the cumulative impacts of multiple uses of coastal zones. This modelling field is still at an early stage of development and is crucial, for instance, to simulate the impacts of aquaculture activities on the ecosystem, accounting for multiple farms and their interactions with other coastal activities. The multilayered ecosystem model is applied in this thesis to test scenarios designed to improve water quality and manage aquaculture. An ecological-economic assessment methodology (ΔDPSIR approach) The Differential Drivers-Pressure-State-Impact-Response (ΔDPSIR) approach further develops the integrated approach by providing an explicit link between ecological and economic information related to the use and management of coastal ecosystems. Furthermore, the ΔDPSIR approach provides a framework to synthesise scientific data into useful information for the evaluation of previously adopted policies and future response scenarios. The ΔDPSIR application is tested using different datasets and scales of analysis, including: (i)assessment of the ecological-economic impacts of the scenarios at the waterbody/watershed level, using the multilayered ecosystem model outputs, and (ii) evaluation of the ecologicaleconomic effects of aquaculture options at the individual aquaculture level, using data from an abalone farm. These are two important scale of analysis for the development of an ecosystem approach to aquaculture.A dynamic ecological-economic model (MARKET model) One of the missing links in ecosystem modelling is with economics. The MARKET model was developed to simulate the feedbacks between the ecological-economic components of aquaculture production. This model was applied to simulate shellfish production in a given ecosystem under different assumptions for price and income growth rates and the maximum available area for cultivation. Further application of the MARKET model at a wider scale might be useful for understanding the ecological and economic limitations on global aquaculture production. This integrated ecological-economic modelling and assessment approach can be further applied to address new coastal management issues, such as coastal vulnerability to natural catastrophes. It can also support implementation of current legislation and policies, such as the EU Integrated Coastal Zone Management recommendation or the development of River Basin Management Plans following the EU Water Framework Directive requirements. On the other hand, the approach can address recurring coastal management needs, such as the assessment of the outcomes of past or on-going coastal management plans worldwide, in order to detect symptoms of the overuse and misuse of coastal ecosystems.Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology(FCT) as a Ph.D. scholarship (SFRH/BD/25131/2005.European Union, Sixth Framework Programme FP6-2002-INCO-DEV-1 SPEAR (INCO-CT-2004-510706) projec

Combining SOA and BPM Technologies for Cross-System Process Automation

This paper summarizes the results of an industry case study that introduced a cross-system business process automation solution based on a combination of SOA and BPM standard technologies (i.e., BPMN, BPEL, WSDL). Besides discussing major weaknesses of the existing, custom-built, solution and comparing them against experiences with the developed prototype, the paper presents a course of action for transforming the current solution into the proposed solution. This includes a general approach, consisting of four distinct steps, as well as specific action items that are to be performed for every step. The discussion also covers language and tool support and challenges arising from the transformation

An empirical study of the role of emotional intelligence and effective leadership in a workplace environment of change

This thesis investigates the relationship between emotional intelligence (EI), leadership styles and outcomes of leadership, within the workplace environment of the National Health Service (NHS) in the UK; which is endemic with change (Allen, 2009; Iles & Cranfield, 2004). The broad question posited is: Within the context of change, what is the nature of the association between EI, leadership styles and leadership outcomes, from the perspective of both leaders and their followers?There is a dearth of published research on EI and leadership within the context of change which makes this study particularly timely. The study employs two different models of EI that have evolved from ‘ability-based’ (Palmer & Stough, 2001; Mayer & Salovey, 1997) and ‘personality-based’ (Bar-On, 1997; Higgs & Dulewicz, 2002) theoretical perspectives. This is the first substantive study to have embraced both models and the intention here was to identify similarities and differences between the two perspectives in the context of organisational change leadership.Although there is extensive research on leadership, there still exists an acute need for EI and leadership research based on follower perspectives (Lindebaum & Cartwright, 2010; Notgrass, 2010). This study addresses this gap by investigating both leader self-perceptions and follower-perceptions of their leaders. This study has been conducted in two phases. Phase 1 focuses on leader self-perceptions. Phase 2 focuses on the combination of leader self-perceptions and follower-perceptions of their leaders.In Phase 1, this thesis postulates that within dynamic environments such as the NHS, different types of linkages can be argued between EI and the different leadership styles (Transformational Leadership, Transactional Leadership and Laissez Leadership) while suggesting that EI will predict Transformational Leadership. Furthermore, this thesis postulates that EI and Transformational Leadership will have a positive impact on leadership outcomes.In Phase 2, this thesis considers both leader and follower perspectives and identifies leaders who overestimate, underestimate or are in-agreement with followers, in evaluating their own Transformational Leadership capabilities. Based on this, the leaders are classified into self-other-agreement categories of overestimators, underestimators, in-agreement/good and in-agreement/poor leaders. Thereafter, this thesis postulates varying levels of leader EI and Outcomes of Leadership (depending upon their self-other-agreement categories) as adjudged by their followers. Similar differences across the self-other-agreement categories of the leaders are predicted in terms of the linkage between EI and Transformational Leadership as perceived by the followers.The ontology of this research is realist and the epistemology is positivist (Burrell & Morgan, 1979). Data has been collected in two phases - from leaders in the NHS and then their reporting staff. Phase 1 target population was identified as NHS staff in leadership positions involved in implementing change management initiatives. Phase 2, target population was identified as the direct reports of phase 1 participants. Phase 1 entailed purposive judgment sampling followed by random sampling. Phase 2 adopted convenience sampling.Both phases were completed through surveys. In phase 1, leaders completed a self-report of the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire, the Swinburne University Emotional Intelligence Test (SUEIT) and the Higgs & Dulewicz Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire (EIQ). The Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale has been employed to check for possible response bias. Self developed research items were employed to obtain information regarding the extent and nature of the respondents’ involvement with change. Leaders, who consented to participate in phase 2, identified 3 to 5 reporting staff for participation. In phase 2, reporting staff completed rater-forms of the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire and the EI 360 degree questionnaires. A number of qualitative interviews have been conducted with leaders to obtain contextual data regarding the nature of the changes, impacting upon the lives of NHS staff.Phase 1 findings based on self-ratings of leaders indicated a strong positive relationship between EI and Transformational Leadership, and between EI and one factor of Transactional Leadership (contingent reward). Contrary to the hypothesis, a negative relationship was found between EI and Laissez Faire Leadership. Regression analysis revealed that both the EI models significantly predicted Transformational Leadership. Furthermore, both EI and Transformational Leadership demonstrated a strong positive relation with Outcomes of Leadership. This study also reports higher Transformational Leadership scores for females and higher EI scores for females according to one of the Swinburne University EI model. Supplementary findings showed that; while predicting Transformational Leadership, the Higgs and Dulewicz EI model had incremental predictive validity over the Swinburne University EI model.Phase 2 findings based on follower perceptions confirmed the postulation that overestimators demonstrate lower EI and Outcomes of Leadership than other leader categories. Underestimators were perceived as manifesting higher EI and higher Outcomes of Leadership.The link between leader self-ratings of EI and follower-ratings of their leaders’ Transformational Leadership across the self-other-agreement categories was also examined. Findings supported arguments that EI and Transformational Leadership will be significantly associated for overestimators but not for underestimators. Some contradictory results were generated for the in-agreement/good/poor categories in terms of EI and Transformational Leadership correlations. These contradictory findings may be attributable to the difference in the factorial constitution and psychometric properties of the two EI models. More research is also recommended on the in-agreement sub-categorisation of focal leaders as good/poor.This study provides empirical evidence suggesting that EI predicts Transformational Leadership, effective in the context of change. EI also positively correlated with aspects of Transactional Leadership, helpful in successfully leading change. Therefore, investing in training and development of leaders’ EI has the strong potential improve the ability of change leaders.Underestimators were rated by followers as the highest on EI and Outcomes of Leadership, while overestimators were adjudged as the lowest on EI and Outcomes of Leadership. Therefore, underestimating leaders are arguably most suited to effectively lead dynamic change, as in the NHS. Female leaders manifested higher Transformational Leadership and also higher EI on one of the EI models. This provides some justification to enhance leadership responsibilities of women within transformational environments like the NHS.The clear indication that high EI predicts Transformational Leadership and high EI relates to lower Laissez-Faire Leadership can have recruitment and selection implications favouring the appointment of individuals with high EI in the NHS facing endemic change. However, there is a need to exercise caution and not simply use EI measures alone for placements and recruitment/selection. Nonetheless these results and the measures of EI and leadership could be beneficial in self development, career counselling and other social contexts in the National Health Services

Xavier University Newswire

https://www.exhibit.xavier.edu/student_newspaper/3856/thumbnail.jp