Incentive Mechanisms for Participatory Sensing: Survey and Research Challenges

Participatory sensing is a powerful paradigm which takes advantage of smartphones to collect and analyze data beyond the scale of what was previously possible. Given that participatory sensing systems rely completely on the users' willingness to submit up-to-date and accurate information, it is paramount to effectively incentivize users' active and reliable participation. In this paper, we survey existing literature on incentive mechanisms for participatory sensing systems. In particular, we present a taxonomy of existing incentive mechanisms for participatory sensing systems, which are subsequently discussed in depth by comparing and contrasting different approaches. Finally, we discuss an agenda of open research challenges in incentivizing users in participatory sensing.Comment: Updated version, 4/25/201

The Effects of Repeating Purchase Cues and Mixed Reviews on Product Attribution

Prior research has shown that negative online reviews are more valuable than positive reviews due to differences in casual attribution for positive versus negative information such that negative reviews tend to be relatively attributed more to the product (vs. reviewer) than positive reviews. We propose that the presence of repeating purchase cues, which indicates using a product for a reasonable period of time, reduces the relative extent to which positive reviews are attributed to the reviewer and mitigates the negativity bias. We also evaluate the behavior of customers when online reviews include positive and negative information at the same time, and propose that characteristics of mixed reviews are closer to negative reviews than positive reviews. An experimentation involving 74 subjects shows that causal attribution to a product is negatively related to review valence, but that this relationship is less for reviews that contain repeated purchase information

The Decision to Share Information and Rumors: Examining the Role of Motivation in an Online Discussion Forum

The focus of this study is to examine the motivations of online community members to share information and rumors. We investigated an online community of interest, the members of which voluntarily associate and communicate with people with similar interests. Community members, posters and lurkers alike, were surveyed on the influence of extrinsic and intrinsic motivations, as well as normative influences, on their willingness to share information and rumors with others. The results indicated that posters and lurkers are differently motivated by intrinsic factors to share, and that extrinsic rewards like improved reputation and status-building within the community are motivating factors for rumor mongering. The results are discussed and future directions for this area of research are offered

Game theory for dynamic spectrum sharing cognitive radio

This thesis was submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy and was awarded by Brunel University on 21 June 2010.‘Game Theory’ is the formal study of conflict and cooperation. The theory is based on a set of tools that have been developed in order to assist with the modelling and analysis of individual, independent decision makers. These actions potentially affect any decisions, which are made by other competitors. Therefore, it is well suited and capable of addressing the various issues linked to wireless communications. This work presents a Green Game-Based Hybrid Vertical Handover Model. The model is used for heterogeneous wireless networks, which combines both dynamic (Received Signal Strength and Node Mobility) and static (Cost, Power Consumption and Bandwidth) factors. These factors control the handover decision process; whereby the mechanism successfully eliminates any unnecessary handovers, reduces delay and overall number of handovers to 50% less and 70% less dropped packets and saves 50% more energy in comparison to other mechanisms. A novel Game-Based Multi-Interface Fast-Handover MIPv6 protocol is introduced in this thesis as an extension to the Multi-Interface Fast-handover MIPv6 protocol. The protocol works when the mobile node has more than one wireless interface. The protocol controls the handover decision process by deciding whether a handover is necessary and helps the node to choose the right access point at the right time. In addition, the protocol switches the mobile nodes interfaces ‘ON’ and ‘OFF’ when needed to control the mobile node’s energy consumption and eliminate power lost of adding another interface. The protocol successfully reduces the number of handovers to 70%, 90% less dropped packets, 40% more received packets and acknowledgments and 85% less end-to-end delay in comparison to other Protocols. Furthermore, the thesis adapts a novel combination of both game and auction theory in dynamic resource allocation and price-power-based routing in wireless Ad-Hoc networks. Under auction schemes, destinations nodes bid the information data to access to the data stored in the server node. The server will allocate the data to the winner who values it most. Once the data has been allocated to the winner, another mechanism for dynamic routing is adopted. The routing mechanism is based on the source-destination cooperation, power consumption and source-compensation to the intermediate nodes. The mechanism dramatically increases the seller’s revenue to 50% more when compared to random allocation scheme and briefly evaluates the reliability of predefined route with respect to data prices, source and destination cooperation for different network settings. Last but not least, this thesis adjusts an adaptive competitive second-price pay-to-bid sealed auction game and a reputation-based game. This solves the fairness problems associated with spectrum sharing amongst one primary user and a large number of secondary users in a cognitive radio environment. The proposed games create a competition between the bidders and offers better revenue to the players in terms of fairness to more than 60% in certain scenarios. The proposed game could reach the maximum total profit for both primary and secondary users with better fairness; this is illustrated through numerical results

Net Neutrality and Investment Incentives

This paper analyzes the effects of net neutrality regulation on investment incentives for Internet service providers (ISPs) and content providers (CPs), and their implications for social welfare. We show that the ISP’s decision on the introduction of discrimination across content depends on a potential trade-off between network access fee and the revenue from the trade of the first-priority. Concerning the ISP’s investment incentives, we find that capacity expansion affects the sale price of the priority right under the discriminatory regime. Because the relative merit of the first priority, and thus its value, becomes relatively small for higher capacity levels, the ISP’s incentive to invest on capacity under a discriminatory network can be smaller than that under a neutral regime where such rent extraction effects do not exist. Contrary to ISPs’ claims that net neutrality regulations would have a chilling effect on their incentive to invest, we cannot dismiss the possibility of the opposite.net neutrality, investment (innovation) incentives, queuing theory, hold-up problem, two-sided markets, vertical integration

Scaling Investment in Renewable Energy Generation to Achieve Sustainable Development Goals 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) and 13 (Climate Action) and the Paris Agreement: Roadblocks and Drivers

The zero-carbon energy transition is the solution to the 2022 energy crisis and a fundamental part of the solution to the global climate crisis. Yet, there are relatively low levels of investment in renewable energy in developing countries, hindering their achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and contribution to the Paris Agreement goals. In 2021, the Asia–Pacific region (excluding China) accounted for less than 8% of investments in energy transition technologies, Latin America and the Caribbean for less than 4%, and Africa and the Middle East for less than 2%. Annual investment in zero-carbon energy in developing economies other than China has stagnated since the Paris Agreement was signed in 2015. To put the world on track to reach net-zero emissions by 2050, annual capital spending on zero-carbon energy in developing countries must increase by more than seven times, to more than USD 1 trillion, by the end of the 2020s. There is therefore an urgent need to address the drivers of public and private finance for investment in renewable electricity generation, network infrastructure, and end-use sectors to meet the Paris Agreement and two complementary SDGs: ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all (SDG 7); and taking urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts (SDG 13). This report sheds light on roadblocks to scaling up investments in renewables while distilling solutions from international experience and brings clarity to where international and national efforts should urgently be focused to address the deterrents of investment in renewables and enable zero-carbon energy security and prosperity

A Normative-Institutional to Water-Energy Nexus: A Case Analysis of Brazil

The multiple targets contained in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) often crosscut and refer to more than one SDG, suggesting the need to consider the potential for synergies and trade-offs. Different targets are interlinked positively or negatively, supported by empirical evidence. The close relationship between water, electricity and sustainable development has been on the international political radar for some time. The lack of integrated planning, policies and objectives between sectors disputing common-pool resources has long been a major obstacle to sustainability. The literature on water-energy nexus highlights the need for co-management across these sectors, whereby joint planning and solutions under better integrated governance of resources could make action more efficient and cost-effective to advance the SDGs. Brazil has been chosen as a case study, because its electricity sector depends on water to keep affordable tariffs, which in turn serves as input to important electricity intensive sectors (water). Hydrological factors (droughts) and non-hydrological factors (e.g. chronic delays in delivery of new plants) have impacted on water availability, which led to constraints for hydro power generation. Electricity prices have risen, while water quantity and quality have plunged, affecting multiple users and ecological integrity. All of which impact negatively on livelihoods and water services and sanitation, with electricity representing the fastest growing costs for the latter. Most of the existing work has favoured integration of water and electricity sectors based on quantitative approach to address the interlinkages between them and tackle trade-offs. However, from a legal perspective, very little is known about how these sectors should be integrated in practice. The novel combination of qualitative research methods based on metrics, historical-institutional analysis, questionnaire and interviews served as instruments for the assessment of the water-electricity nexus issues and development of a new legal approach to manage conflicts arising in Brazil. This study proposes a normative- institutional approach that offers a flexible, integrated and adequate legal treatment to overcome the conflicts between water and electricity in the context of asymmetrical governance, policies, regulation, planning and environmental injustices. Split in substantive, institutional and procedural dimensions this approach is necessary to enhance participatory and equitable resource management based on the laws of balancing principles through fair, rational, inclusive and transparent procedures, which can address different dimensions of resource nexus. It was concluded that for water- electricity nexus thinking to be connected to the idea of integration it will be necessary to consider justice in order to advance the SDGs in a holistic and fair manner

Exploring Sellers' Experiences in the C2C Online Auction Environment

Online auction websites are becoming increasingly important as an intermediary for both sellers and buyers. They offer consumers an alternative source of goods to those sold at retail stores and other second-hand traditional consumer-to-consumer (C2C) channels, such as garage sales or flea markets. They also represent a new market model which incorporates a new distribution channel and a new means of establishing prices. Some researchers predict that retailers are now facing a new competition and the potential for declining sales as a result of the cannibalisation effect of the C2C online auction market. Noticeably, although much research has been carried out in an attempt to understand online auctions in relation to buying behaviour, little effort has been made to investigate the dynamic nature of individual sellers, in particular C2C sellers, in the online auction environment. Therefore, this study is aimed at filling in the gaps by exploring the sellers' behaviour and experiences in the C2C online auction environment. Its objectives are: (1) to explore the learning process that individual sellers go through in the C2C online auction environment; and (2) to find out what skills and techniques are commonly used by sellers and how these skills have been applied when marketing their products in the online auction environment. This study used a qualitative method, and a market-oriented ethnography was adopted. Data was collected through semi-structured in-depth interviews with sellers on TradeMe and from a wide range of archival documents. Nineteen sellers were recruited to participate into this study. Consequently, a learning model has been built, based on the consumer socialisation model, to explain the learning process of sellers as they become experienced in the C2C online auction environment. The findings from this study highlighted that sellers went through a learning process to become more experienced in online auctions. Moreover, different learning methods occurred at different stages of the learning process, including social interaction, observing and imitating, rewards and punishments, and other sources of information. This study also demonstrated the fact that sellers both implicitly and explicitly perceived the importance of marketing strategies and tactics and had extensively applied them. Several implications and recommendations arise from this study, including the need for more in-depth research on sellers' behaviour and experiences, using a longitudinal approach. Additionally, it is recommended that TradeMe should continue to improve their auction site in order to attract more sellers which, in turn, will lead to a greater number of buyers

Staying the hand of fortune : a pluralist approach to the regulatory strategies of luck egalitarian distributive justice

How can we pursue egalitarian distributive justice? Starting from the assumption that an egalitarian distribution of advantage is one in which no one is worse off than anyone else as a matter of luck, this thesis examines how such a distribution might be brought about. It begins with an investigation of how the luck egalitarian ideal should be interpreted, advancing a critique of the ‘attributivist’ approach to conceptualizing luck developed by Andrew Mason and a (limited) defence of the ‘metaphysical’ approach favoured by G. A. Cohen and others. It then turns to the question of what can be done about the inegalitarian influence of luck on people’s levels of advantage, proposing a pluralist approach to the regulatory strategies of luck egalitarian distributive justice. It argues that, in addition to ‘redistributive compensation’, strategies of ‘levelling’ and ‘direct structural regulation’ should be included in the luck egalitarian armoury. The thesis then applies these arguments to a case study of contemporary internships in the UK. While internships have become a crucial route into employment within many professional sectors, they have yet to receive any sustained critical attention from egalitarian political philosophers. The thesis demonstrates how the distribution of internships contributes to distributive injustice and then examines the various regulatory actions luck egalitarians might endorse in response to that injustice. The ways in which contemporary injustice is produced are many and varied: the pluralist approach to luck egalitarian regulatory strategies provides a useful and clear framework within which to identify and evaluate the many and varied ways in which we might respond