3,190 research outputs found

    Farm SMEs sustainability assessment based on Bellagio Principles. The case of Messinian Region, Greece

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    Purpose: Sufficient support of the sustainability of farm products embedded in a region (such as Products of Designated Origin / PDOs) to overcome significant obstacles to access domestic and remote markets. Main research question is how to overcome such inherent difficulties and transform them into challenges and opportunities to the new market environment. Design/methodology /approach: Combination of simplicity with the complicated issue of sustainability for awareness of small farmers SMEs and their collective representatives. Improve the understanding of the Sustainable Supply Chain Management (SSCM), to facilitate sustainability through use of the ‘Bellagio Principles’ for assessing sustainability of local farm products and facilitating further enhancement. Use of certain PDOs farm products of the Messinian region of Greece, such as local Sfela Feta cheese, olive oil, olives and raisins, to assess sustainability and improvement. Formation of a conceptual constructive action R&D framework of broader use in building-up and performing implementation of holistic supply chain strategy. Expected Findings: Providing better understanding of the SSCM. Insights on how SMEs co-operatives can collectively apply holistic strategies concerning local farm PDOs to fulfil competitiveness and sustainability requirements, under variant product and market conditions. Originality / Value : Improving the know-how, focusing on the sustainability of regional, traditional products and its effects upon supply chain performance and market access. Practical implications for regional-based farm SMEs in the design of holistic value creation strategies to produce sustainable competitive advantage. Interactive cause and effect dynamic implications of sustainable development on social, economic and physical environment

    Towards a new ITU-T recommendation for subjective methods evaluating gaming QoE

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    This paper reports on activities in Study Group 12 of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU-T SG12) to define a new Recommendation on subjective evaluation methods for gaming Quality of Experience (QoE). It first resumes the structure and content of the current draft which has been proposed to ITU-T SG12 in September 2014 and then critically discusses potential gaming content and evaluation methods for inclusion into the upcoming Recommendation. The aim is to start a discussion amongst experts on potential evaluation methods and their limitations, before finalizing a Recommendation. Such a recommendation might in the end be applied by non -expert users, hence wrong decisions in the evaluation design could negatively affect gaming QoE throughout the evaluation

    Lean Thinking For Lead-Time Reduction And Efficient Knowledge Creation In Product Development

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    There are many distinct differences between manufacturing process and Product Development (PD) process, so lean tools have to be customized to deliver results in the later domain. The main focus of this dissertation is to extend them to manage and improve the PD process in order to develop the product faster while improving or at least maintaining the level of performance and quality. For aforesaid purpose, value stream mapping (VSM) method is used to explore the wastes, inefficiencies, non-valued added steps in a single, definable process out of complete PD process. Besides numerous intangible benefits, VSM framework will help the development team to reduce the lead-time by over 50%. Next, a set of ten lean tools and methods is proposed in order to support and improve efficiency of the knowledge creation (KC) process. The approach establishes a KC framework in PD environment, and systematically demonstrates how these lean tools and methods conceptually fit into and play a significant role in enhancing the performance of KC process. Following this, each of them is analysed and appropriately positioned in a SECI (socialization-externalization-combination-internalization) mode depending on the best fit. Quick and correct KC at the right time aids in further improving the development lead-time and product quality. Such successful innovation is often associated with adoption and execution of all SECI modes within any PD phase. This dissertation attempts to argue with this general notion and to distinguish different PD phases\u27 affinity corresponding to distinct SECI mode. In this regard, an extended Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (EFAHP) approach to determine the ranking in which any PD phase is influenced from SECI modes is proposed. In the EFAHP approach, the complex problem of KC is first itemized into a simple hierarchical structure for pairwise comparisons. Next, a triangular fuzzy number concept is applied to capture the inherent vagueness in linguistic terms of a decision-maker. This dissertation recommends mapping the triangular fuzzy numbers (TFNs) with normal distributions about X-axis when the pessimistic value of one TFN is less than the optimistic value of other TFN (t23 ≤ t11). This allows us to develop a mathematical formulation to estimate the degree of possibility of two criteria as opposed to zero resulted by the use of the current technique in the literature. In order to demonstrate the applicability and usefulness of the proposed EFAHP in ranking the SECI modes, an empirical study of development phase is considered. After stringent analysis, we found that the combination mode was the mode that highly influenced the development phase

    EVALUATING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE FOR OPERATIONS IN THE INFORMATION ENVIRONMENT

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    Recent advances in artificial intelligence (AI) portend a future of accelerated information cycles and intensified technology diffusion. As AI applications become increasingly prevalent and complex, Special Operations Forces (SOF) face the challenge of discerning which tools most effectively address operational needs and generate an advantage in the information environment. Yet, SOF currently lack an end user–focused evaluation framework that could assist information practitioners in determining the operational value of an AI tool. This thesis proposes a practitioner’s evaluation framework (PEF) to address the question of how SOF should evaluate AI technologies to conduct operations in the information environment (OIE). The PEF evaluates AI technologies through the perspective of the information practitioner who is familiar with the mission, the operational requirements, and OIE processes but has limited to no technical knowledge of AI. The PEF consists of a four-phased approach—prepare, design, conduct, recommend—that assesses nine evaluation domains: mission/task alignment; data; system/model performance; user experience; sustainability; scalability; affordability; ethical, legal, and policy considerations; and vendor assessment. By evaluating AI through a more structured, methodical approach, the PEF enables SOF to identify, assess, and prioritize AI-enabled tools for OIE.Outstanding ThesisMajor, United States ArmyApproved for public release. Distribution is unlimited

    Building trust in AI Systems

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    Artificial Intelligence has integrated as a part of humans’ daily life while at the same time the AI-enabled services and applications are widely considered distrustful. Because the majority of the users are not expert in Machine Learning, not to mention Deep learning, it is important to create trustworthy AI services that understand humans but also explains themselves in an easily understandable way. This type of approach to Artificial Intelligence is called Explainable Hu- man-Centered thinking and it has been discovered as a solution for the distrust problem between human-AI interaction. This research is a qualitative study of User-Experience of different AI-based applications and services that are used in daily life activities such as navigation or checking grammar mistakes. The goal is to find UX elements that affect to user’s trust-perception of the service or application and create a united list of these elements based on previous literature. This list can be used for designing better, explainable, and human-centered AI, but it also fulfills its purpose by gathering together and validating research of the field. The results showed that even in the most strongly trusted services and applications, users can notice problems such as privacy issues or missing explainability. However, many of the commonly used services pro- vide added value for its user and they are relatively better than the other similar services. Based on the results, this study discusses also critically whether implementing HAI is only a UX-de- sign problem but rather a part of sharing knowledge of trustworthy AI and not accepting non- transparent functions and data usage.Tekoäly on integroitunut osaksi ihmisten jokapäiväistää elämää, mutta yleisesti tekoälyperustaisia palveluja ja sovelluksia ei pidetä luotettavina. T ämän lisäksi välillä palveluja tai sovelluksia käyttäessä on mahdotonta todentaa, onko käyttäjä kosketuksissa ihmisen vai koneen kanssa ja mihinkä käyttäjän saama informaatio, kuten ohjeet tai ehdotukset, perustuvat. Koska tämän tyyppinen käyttäjäkokemus lisää epäluottamusta ihmisen ja tietokoneen kanssakäymisessä ja koska suurin osa käyttäjistä ei ole koneoppimisen asiantuntijoita, on tärkeää luoda luotettavia tekoälypalveluja, jotka ymmärtävät ihmisiä ja selittävät omaa toimintaansa helposti ymmärrettävällä tavalla. Tämän tyyppistä lähestymistapaa tekoälyyn kutsutaan selittäväksi ihmiskeskiseksi (explainable human-centered) ajatteluksi ja sitä on pidetty ratkaisuna nimenomaiseen ihmisen ja tekoälyn välisen epäluottamuksen ongelmaan. Tämä kvalitatiivinen tutkimus tarkastelee käyttäjäkokemusta erilaisissa tekoälypohjaisista sovelluksista ja palveluista, joita käytetään jokapäiväisessä elämässä, kuten navigoinnissa tai esimerkiksi kieliasun tai kielioppivirheiden tarkastuksessa. Tavoitteena on löytää UX-elementit, jotka vaikuttavat käyttäjän kokemukseen luottamuksesta käyttäessään palvelua tai sovellusta, ja luoda yhtenäinen luettelo näistä elementeistä aiemman kirjallisuuden perusteella. Tätä luetteloa voidaan käyttää apuna ihmiskeskeisessä tekoälysuunnittelussa, mutta se täyttää tarkoituksensa myös kokoamalla yhteen ja validoimalla alan aiempaa tutkimusta nimenomaan tekoälyperusteisista sovelluksiin liittyen. Kirjallisuuskatsaus esittelee tutkimuksen keskeiset käsitteet, kuten tekoälyn, luottamuksen ja käyttäjäkokemuksen. Lisäksi tässä osiossa kerätään yhteen tärkeimmät edellisissä tutkimuksissa jo identifioidut UX-elementit, jotka vaikuttavat käyttäjän kokemaan luottamukseen muun muassa web-suunnittelussa. Itse tutkimus jakaantuu kolmeen vaiheeseen, jossa ensimmäisenä tekoälyperustaiset sovellukset listataan perustuen alan kirjallisuuden tyyppimääritelmiin sekä käyttäjämäärä arvioiden mukaan. Toisessa vaiheessa, valitut sovellukset ja palvelut listattiin luotetuimmasta epäluotettavimpaan perustuen lyhyeen kyselytutkimukseen. Viimeiseksi syvähaastattelu, perustuen kriittisten tapahtumien tekniikkaan, suoritettiin kyselyyn vastanneille. Avoimilla kysymyksillä kartoitettiin tietoja tapahtumasta, jossa käyttäjä tunsi luottamusta tai epäluottamusta käyttäessään valittua tekoälyperusteistasovellusta tai palvelua. Tulokset analysoitiin teemoittamalla havaitut UX elementit, jotka lisäävät luottamusta tai vähentävät epäluottamusta ja vertaamalla niitä listaan alan edellisistä havainnoista luottamukseen liittyen. Tuloksena saatiin tutkimuksen tavoitteen mukainen lista, jossa on validoitu kirjallisuuden havaintoja, että lisätty uusia havaintoja luottamukseen vaikuttavista UX- elementeistä perustuen tehtyihin käyttäjähaastatteluihin. Kaiken kaikkiaan tämän tutkimuksen tärkeimmät havainnot vahvistivat luettelon tärkeistä UX- elementeistä, jotka on otettava huomioon luotaessa käyttäjien ja tekoälyjärjestelmien välistä luottamusta, mutta samalla vain luotettavien palvelujen suunnittelu ei riitä. Yksi tutkimuksen johtopäätös onkin, että kyselyn osallistujat käyttivät näitä palveluja, vaikka monet olivat huolissaan esimerkiksi omasta yksityisyydestään tai järjestelmän epämääräisestä datakäytöstä. Näin ollen nämä tulokset osoittavat, että käyttäjät hyväksyivät nämä käytännöt, koska sovelluksen tai palvelun käyttäminen toi suhteellista etua muihin palveluihin verrattuna tai merkittävää lisäarvoa käyttäjän jokapäiväiseen elämään. Näiden tulosten perusteella, tässä tutkimuksessa keskustellaan myös kriittisesti siitä, onko HAI:n (Human Centered Artificial intelligence) eli ihmiskeskeisen tekoälyn käyttöönotto vain UX-suunnittelun ongelma, vaan pikemminkin osa koulutusta ja tiedon jakamista luotettavasta tekoälystä jolloin käyttäjät eivät hyväksy läpinäkymättömiä toimintoja tai tietojen väärinkäyttöä, vaan vaativat luotettavia ja avoimia käytäntöjä, jotka selitetään heille erilaisten käyttöliittymäelementtien kautta

    Word Find Game

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    An exploration of online information spaces that support instructional design and teacher professional development

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    Members in online communities of practice (CoPs) take advantage of information and communication technologies (ICTs) to exchange practical or work-related knowledge in asynchronous online environments. Practical knowledge represents individuals' mental models allowing them to interact with the environment and perform tasks. With ICTs, practical knowledge accumulates over time and becomes an integral part of online CoPs. Due to ease of implementation, content management systems (CMSs) and social media platforms, primarily Facebook, have enabled the emergence of large online CoPs. However, research has shown that online CoPs are not conducive information spaces for seeking solutions independently, and hashtags used for topic organization are not representative of the wealth of practical knowledge. This three-article dissertation describes design recommendations for supporting the information needs of community members by analyzing the practical knowledge in instructional design and technology (IDT) that rely on a CMS and the Facebook platform and conducting usability testing to improve an existing teacher professional development CoP. By applying natural language processing (NLP) and usability testing, quantitative and qualitative approaches were implemented to examine the practical knowledge and help guide the design of information spaces that enable members to search for solutions through better topic representations or categories. The results of the first study showed that the e-learning development CoP emphasized producing online articles related to educational technology and the lack of transparency in evaluating such materials. The results of the second study showed that the four IDT CoPs on the Facebook platform were characterized by the lack of effective topic structures representative of the accumulated knowledge and the lack of community protocols for curating knowledge and taking corrective actions toward misinformation. The third study relied on usability testing to design an information space to support educators' ability to align materials with Missouri teacher standards. This three-article dissertation suggests five design features that online CoPs can implement in addressing the shortcomings of asynchronous online environments, including (1) improving topic organization, (2) establishing community protocols, (3) increasing transparency, (4) improving search functions, and (5) leveraging NLP in future web technologies. Lastly, the dissertation discussed the results of the three published studies, offered recommendations for improving online CoPs as conducive information spaces, and provided future directions.Includes bibliographical references

    The Impact of Psychological Trauma on Finance: Narrative Financial Therapy Considerations in Exploring Complex Trauma and Impaired Financial Decision Making

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    The current paper aims to foster new discussion on the complex, deleterious, and conflated relationship between psychological trauma and financial management processes. Trauma and financial distress are interconnected, affecting the cognitive, behavioral, emotional, and relational aspects of our lives. A case vignette is presented for financial therapists which utilizes an integrated, trauma-informed approach addressing the lasting impact of childhood trauma on financial management behaviors and the client’s life story. Treatment modalities consider narrative financial therapy, four categories of sexual and financial shame, and four phases of trauma restoration. Ethical and practice implications are discussed
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