Context-aware and automatic configuration of mobile devices in cloud-enabled ubiquitous computing

This is the author's accepted manuscript. The final publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00779-013-0698-3. Copyright @ Springer-Verlag London 2013.Context-sensitive (or aware) applications have, in recent years, moved from the realm of possibilities to that of ubiquity. One exciting research area that is still very much in the realm of possibilities is that of cloud computing, and in this paper, we present our work, which explores the overlap of these two research areas. Accordingly, this paper explores the notion of cross-source integration of cloud-based, context-aware information in ubiquitous computing through a developed prototypical solution. Moreover, the described solution incorporates remote and automatic configuration of Android smartphones and advances the research area of context-aware information by harvesting information from several sources to build a rich foundation on which algorithms for context-aware computation can be based. Evaluation results show the viability of integrating and tailoring contextual information to provide users with timely, relevant and adapted application behaviour and content

Every Cloud Has a Push Data Lining: Incorporating Cloud Services in a Context-Aware Application

We investigated context-awareness by utilising multiple sources of context in a mobile device setting. In our experiment we developed a system consisting of a mobile client, running on the Android platform, integrated with a cloud-based service. These components were integrated using pushmessaging technology.One of the key featureswas the automatic adaptation of smartphones in accordance with implicit user needs. The novelty of our approach consists in the use of multiple sources of context input to the system, which included the use of calendar data and web based user configuration tool, as well as that of an external, cloud-based, configuration file storing user interface preferences which, pushed at log-on time irrespective of access device, frees the user from having to manually configure its interface.The systemwas evaluated via two rounds of user evaluations (n = 50 users), the feedback of which was generally positive and demonstrated the viability of using cloud-based services to provide an enhanced context-aware user experience

The role of technology-ethical leadership interaction in minimising unethical acts:implications for research and practice

Various historical events and attitudes have demonstrated that ethical leaders might intentionally or unintentionally make unethical decisions. History suggests that ethical leaders relying on strong technology alone could make unforgivable mistakes, but their interaction can limit such mistakes. In this study, we suggest that the interaction between technology and ethical leadership is proposed as a key factor in precluding or minimising unethical decisions by providing checks and balances capable of reducing the potential for unethical acts. A conceptual model is offered, along with propositions to help guide future research and practice. The degree to which technology and ethical leadership interact represents one of the key factors in understanding the potential for ethical/unethical acts. This conceptual study does not contain empirical data. This study is the first attempt that proposes the need of technology-leadership interaction to minimise unethical acts

The role of technology-ethical leadership interaction in minimising unethical acts:implications for research and practice

Various historical events and attitudes have demonstrated that ethical leaders might intentionally or unintentionally make unethical decisions. History suggests that ethical leaders relying on strong technology alone could make unforgivable mistakes, but their interaction can limit such mistakes. In this study, we suggest that the interaction between technology and ethical leadership is proposed as a key factor in precluding or minimising unethical decisions by providing checks and balances capable of reducing the potential for unethical acts. A conceptual model is offered, along with propositions to help guide future research and practice. The degree to which technology and ethical leadership interact represents one of the key factors in understanding the potential for ethical/unethical acts. This conceptual study does not contain empirical data. This study is the first attempt that proposes the need of technology-leadership interaction to minimise unethical acts

Blended Learning: The Student Viewpoint

Background: Blended learning (BL) is defined as “a way of meeting the challenges of tailoring learning and development to the needs of individuals by integrating the innovative and technological advances offered by online learning with the interaction and participation offered in the best of traditional learning.” The Gulf Medical University (GMU), Ajman, UAE, offers a number of courses which incorporate BL with contact classes and online component on an E‑learning platform. Insufficient learning satisfaction has been stated as an obstacle to its implementation and efficacy.Aim: To determine the students’ perceptions toward BL which in turn will determine their satisfaction and the efficacy of the courses offered.Subjects and Methods: This was a cross‑sectional study conducted at the GMU, Ajman between January and December 2013. Perceptions of BL process, content, and ease of use were collected from 75 students enrolled in the certificate courses offered by the university using a questionnaire. Student perceptions were assessed using Mann–Whitney U‑test and Kruskal–Wallis test on the basis of gender, age, and course enrollment.Results: The median scores of all the questions in the three domains were above three suggesting positive perceptions on BL. The distribution of perceptions was similar between gender and age. However, significant differences were observed in the course enrollment (P = 0.02).Conclusion: Students hold a positive perception of the BL courses being offered in this university. The difference in perceptions among students of different courses suggest that the BL format offered needs modification according to course content to improve its perception.Keywords: Blended learning, Online learning, Students’ perception

Inclination towards fraud among the participants in financial reporting process

Fraud is a significant ethical dilemma for businesses and harmful to the capital market participants.Financial reporting fraud is an intentional misstatement of financial information to mislead the financial statement users.It causes huge losses to the organizations, threatens the investors’ confidence on the published financial statements and erodes the image of accounting profession.This descriptive paper attempts to explore the inclination level towards financial reporting fraud among the participants in the financial reporting process and to determine the effect of their personal background on such inclination level.Using a sample of 121 Muslim participants in the financial reporting process at Malaysian banking institutions, the findings indicate that the inclination level is low.The inclination level is only affected by the working experience at the present bank and the bank type.The findings provide insights to the banks’ stakeholders on the inclination level of fraud among the participants in financial reporting process and are particularly useful to the top management of banking institutions for a better understanding on personal background items influencing fraud in financial reporting intention.Limitations and suggestions for future research conclude the paper

EMPLOYEE INTENTION TO WHISTLEBLOW INFORMATION SECURITY POLICY VIOLATION

Insider abuse has always been a significant threat to information security management in organization. In order to address this issue, in this research we propose whistleblowing as another complementary measure to other existent approaches to strengthen the internal information security management. In particular, we focus on an investigation of employee intention to whistle-blow information security policy (ISP) violation. Drawing on the theory of planned behavior and rational choice theory, we develop a theoretical model to understand the factors at the organizational and individual levels that might influence whistleblowing attitude and whistleblowing intention. Through a survey-based empirical investigation, we anticipate the results to enhance our existing knowledge on management of insider abuse against information security policy within organizations

Judgments of ethically questionable financial practices: a new perspective

Purpose: Research has suggested that ethics judgments should be made from an impartial perspective. However, people are often partial about their money. This study aims to investigate the extent to which perspectives – the perspective of those who can gain from the use of a financial practice and the perspective of those who can incur losses due to it – affect lay people’s ethics and legality judgments of the practice. In addition, it asks which factors influence their investment intentions. / Design/methodology/approach: The study uses a between-participant scenario experiment, in which participants are presented with cases of predatory trading and front running. Each participant is asked to take either a gain or loss perspective through the formulation of the presented cases. Subsequently, all participants make ethics, legality and investment intention judgments. / Findings: The authors establish that perspectives significantly affect people’s ethics judgments and, to a lesser extent, their legality judgments. People’s investment intentions depend on their perspectives, too, as well as on their financial considerations, ethics judgments, legality judgments and trust. / Originality/value: Research has focused on relatively stable determinants of people’s ethics judgments of financial practices. This paper shows that the situational prospect of profit can sway lay people’s judgments. When people take the gain perspective, they judge financial practices to be more ethical than when they take the loss perspective. Furthermore, people’s perspectives can distort their legality judgments and influence their investment intentions

The Effects of Antecedents and Mediating Factors on Cybersecurity Protection Behavior

This paper identifies opportunities for potential theoretical and practical improvements in employees\u27 awareness of cybersecurity and their motivational behavior to protect themselves and their organizations from cyberattacks using the protection motivation theory. In addition, it contributes to the literature by examining additional variables and mediators besides the core constructs of the Protection Motivation Model (PMT). This article uses empirical data and structural equation modeling to test the antecedents and mediators of employees\u27 cybersecurity motivational behavior. The study offers theoretical and pragmatic guidance for cybersecurity programs. First, the model developed in this study can partially explain how people may change their cybersecurity protection behavior about security threats and coping actions. Secondly, the result of the study indicates that security coping factors are reliable predictors in projecting individual intention to take protective measures. Third, organizational effort in combatting cyber threats and increasing employee awareness is significantly associated with the use of cyber threat coping processes. Additionally, several practical prescriptions are suggested based on gender, generations, and types of organizations. For example, government organizations have taken well-designed cybersecurity measures and developed detailed protocols to enhance employees’ motivational behavior. Finally, future cybersecurity training materials should adapt to the unique traits of different generations, especially the Gen Edge group and digital natives for all cybersecurity subjects