1,283 research outputs found

    Configuration Management of Distributed Systems over Unreliable and Hostile Networks

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    Economic incentives of large criminal profits and the threat of legal consequences have pushed criminals to continuously improve their malware, especially command and control channels. This thesis applied concepts from successful malware command and control to explore the survivability and resilience of benign configuration management systems. This work expands on existing stage models of malware life cycle to contribute a new model for identifying malware concepts applicable to benign configuration management. The Hidden Master architecture is a contribution to master-agent network communication. In the Hidden Master architecture, communication between master and agent is asynchronous and can operate trough intermediate nodes. This protects the master secret key, which gives full control of all computers participating in configuration management. Multiple improvements to idempotent configuration were proposed, including the definition of the minimal base resource dependency model, simplified resource revalidation and the use of imperative general purpose language for defining idempotent configuration. Following the constructive research approach, the improvements to configuration management were designed into two prototypes. This allowed validation in laboratory testing, in two case studies and in expert interviews. In laboratory testing, the Hidden Master prototype was more resilient than leading configuration management tools in high load and low memory conditions, and against packet loss and corruption. Only the research prototype was adaptable to a network without stable topology due to the asynchronous nature of the Hidden Master architecture. The main case study used the research prototype in a complex environment to deploy a multi-room, authenticated audiovisual system for a client of an organization deploying the configuration. The case studies indicated that imperative general purpose language can be used for idempotent configuration in real life, for defining new configurations in unexpected situations using the base resources, and abstracting those using standard language features; and that such a system seems easy to learn. Potential business benefits were identified and evaluated using individual semistructured expert interviews. Respondents agreed that the models and the Hidden Master architecture could reduce costs and risks, improve developer productivity and allow faster time-to-market. Protection of master secret keys and the reduced need for incident response were seen as key drivers for improved security. Low-cost geographic scaling and leveraging file serving capabilities of commodity servers were seen to improve scaling and resiliency. Respondents identified jurisdictional legal limitations to encryption and requirements for cloud operator auditing as factors potentially limiting the full use of some concepts

    Information actors beyond modernity and coloniality in times of climate change:A comparative design ethnography on the making of monitors for sustainable futures in Curaçao and Amsterdam, between 2019-2022

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    In his dissertation, Mr. Goilo developed a cutting-edge theoretical framework for an Anthropology of Information. This study compares information in the context of modernity in Amsterdam and coloniality in Curaçao through the making process of monitors and develops five ways to understand how information can act towards sustainable futures. The research also discusses how the two contexts, that is modernity and coloniality, have been in informational symbiosis for centuries which is producing negative informational side effects within the age of the Anthropocene. By exploring the modernity-coloniality symbiosis of information, the author explains how scholars, policymakers, and data-analysts can act through historical and structural roots of contemporary global inequities related to the production and distribution of information. Ultimately, the five theses propose conditions towards the collective production of knowledge towards a more sustainable planet

    Indie encounters: exploring indie music socialising in China

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    Indie music, a genre deeply rooted in rock and punk music, is renowned for its independence from major commercial record labels. It has emerged as a choice for music consumers seeking alternatives to mainstream popular music, catering to a niche music preference. The minority nature of indie music not only provides its lovers with a profound space for individual expression and a sense of collective belonging but also introduces other challenges into their social lives. Recently, the field of music sociology has proposed a more diverse perspective to observe and analyse the intricate role of music for individuals and society. In this context, regarding Chinese indie music lovers with niche music preferences, how their indie music practices integrate into their social lives and how they navigate their niche music tastes have become worthwhile topics of exploration. Drawing on interviews with 31 Chinese indie music lovers and extensive online ethnography, this thesis investigates how Chinese indie music lovers comprehend and engage with indie music, and how the power of indie music shapes them and their social behaviours. I employ the theoretical framework of ‘music in action’ (Hennion, 2001; DeNora, 2011, 2016) and symbolic interactionism (Mead, 1934; Goffman, 1959; Blumer, 1969) to examine the dynamic and multifaceted roles of indie music in the social lives of Chinese indie music lovers. I develop a concept of ‘music socialising’ to delve into several key aspects of music lovers’ social practices. I contend that through various forms of musical activities such as music selection, live music attendance, and digital practices, indie music lovers exhibit strategic and reflexive characteristics in their music practices. These practices actively contribute to constructing and maintaining self and identity, negotiating social ties, and forming and mediating collectivity within a broader social landscape. It is through these processes that the music practices of Chinese indie music lovers are endowed with meanings, thereby shaping their social reality. This thesis presents a rich and nuanced picture of the social experiences of Chinese indie music lovers, uncovering the transformative power of their indie music practices. It presents a compelling argument for the significance of music as a social agency, highlighting the complex interactions between music, individuals, and society. By bridging theoretical insights with rich empirical data, this thesis contributes to our understanding of the socio-cultural dimensions of music, offering fresh perspectives on the role of indie music in contemporary Chinese society

    GPT models in construction industry: Opportunities, limitations, and a use case validation

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    Large Language Models (LLMs) trained on large data sets came into prominence in 2018 after Google introduced BERT. Subsequently, different LLMs such as GPT models from OpenAI have been released. These models perform well on diverse tasks and have been gaining widespread applications in fields such as business and education. However, little is known about the opportunities and challenges of using LLMs in the construction industry. Thus, this study aims to assess GPT models in the construction industry. A critical review, expert discussion and case study validation are employed to achieve the study's objectives. The findings revealed opportunities for GPT models throughout the project lifecycle. The challenges of leveraging GPT models are highlighted and a use case prototype is developed for materials selection and optimization. The findings of the study would be of benefit to researchers, practitioners and stakeholders, as it presents research vistas for LLMs in the construction industry

    Towards a Pedagogy of Human Connection : Understanding Teachers’ Experiences of Connection During a Pandemic

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    During the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, schools shuttered quickly and re-opened slowly. These decisions impacted the well-being of teachers and students. Upon re-opening, schools in New Jersey adopted a range of instructional approaches—including virtual and hybrid models—that prioritized safety and diminished human connections. This came at a time when rates of isolation and loneliness were increasing and the US was already experiencing a crisis of connection. To understand teachers’ experiences with human connection during the winter and second spring of the COVID-19 pandemic, this dissertation study recruited nine high school teachers from one school in New Jersey who met a total of nine times from January, 2021 through June, 2021, to discuss their experiences of connection. Through interpretative phenomenological analysis and a theoretical frame of human connection, this study found that teachers’ experiences were best described as dis/connections. Teachers’ pursuits of connection were undertaken to support learning and develop relationships. However, these efforts were not always reciprocated by students, administrators, or parents during the pandemic context, leading to experiences of disconnection. Multiple obstacles yielded a “wall” of disconnection, however, teachers adopted practices and perspectives to overcome this wall. Successful experiences of connection were marked by reciprocity and mutuality, supported by a capacity for vulnerability. Additionally, the group itself became a site for professional connection during a time of isolation. Teachers’ experiences of dis/connection during the pandemic reflected the political realities of teachers’ lives and the ways that mutual vulnerability and authenticity are necessary in schools and classrooms if human connection is expected to thrive. Implications from this study include the emergence of a framework for a pedagogy of human connection that aims to humanize teaching and learning in a context of cultural and social dehumanization

    Digitalization and Development

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    This book examines the diffusion of digitalization and Industry 4.0 technologies in Malaysia by focusing on the ecosystem critical for its expansion. The chapters examine the digital proliferation in major sectors of agriculture, manufacturing, e-commerce and services, as well as the intermediary organizations essential for the orderly performance of socioeconomic agents. The book incisively reviews policy instruments critical for the effective and orderly development of the embedding organizations, and the regulatory framework needed to quicken the appropriation of socioeconomic synergies from digitalization and Industry 4.0 technologies. It highlights the importance of collaboration between government, academic and industry partners, as well as makes key recommendations on how to encourage adoption of IR4.0 technologies in the short- and long-term. This book bridges the concepts and applications of digitalization and Industry 4.0 and will be a must-read for policy makers seeking to quicken the adoption of its technologies

    Rethink Digital Health Innovation: Understanding Socio-Technical Interoperability as Guiding Concept

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    Diese Dissertation sucht nach einem theoretischem GrundgerĂŒst, um komplexe, digitale Gesundheitsinnovationen so zu entwickeln, dass sie bessere Erfolgsaussichten haben, auch in der alltĂ€glichen Versorgungspraxis anzukommen. Denn obwohl es weder am Bedarf von noch an Ideen fĂŒr digitale Gesundheitsinnovationen mangelt, bleibt die Flut an erfolgreich in der Praxis etablierten Lösungen leider aus. Dieser unzureichende Diffusionserfolg einer entwickelten Lösung - gern auch als Pilotitis pathologisiert - offenbart sich insbesondere dann, wenn die geplante Innovation mit grĂ¶ĂŸeren Ambitionen und KomplexitĂ€t verbunden ist. Dem geĂŒbten Kritiker werden sofort ketzerische Gegenfragen in den Sinn kommen. Beispielsweise was denn unter komplexen, digitalen Gesundheitsinnovationen verstanden werden soll und ob es ĂŒberhaupt möglich ist, eine universale Lösungsformel zu finden, die eine erfolgreiche Diffusion digitaler Gesundheitsinnovationen garantieren kann. Beide Fragen sind nicht nur berechtigt, sondern mĂŒnden letztlich auch in zwei ForschungsstrĂ€nge, welchen ich mich in dieser Dissertation explizit widme. In einem ersten Block erarbeite ich eine Abgrenzung jener digitalen Gesundheitsinnovationen, welche derzeit in Literatur und Praxis besondere Aufmerksamkeit aufgrund ihres hohen Potentials zur Versorgungsverbesserung und ihrer resultierenden KomplexitĂ€t gewidmet ist. Genauer gesagt untersuche ich dominante Zielstellungen und welche Herausforderung mit ihnen einhergehen. Innerhalb der Arbeiten in diesem Forschungsstrang kristallisieren sich vier Zielstellungen heraus: 1. die UnterstĂŒtzung kontinuierlicher, gemeinschaftlicher Versorgungsprozesse ĂŒber diverse Leistungserbringer (auch als inter-organisationale Versorgungspfade bekannt); 2. die aktive Einbeziehung der Patient:innen in ihre Versorgungsprozesse (auch als Patient Empowerment oder Patient Engagement bekannt); 3. die StĂ€rkung der sektoren-ĂŒbergreifenden Zusammenarbeit zwischen Wissenschaft und Versorgungpraxis bis hin zu lernenden Gesundheitssystemen und 4. die Etablierung daten-zentrierter Wertschöpfung fĂŒr das Gesundheitswesen aufgrund steigender bzgl. VerfĂŒgbarkeit valider Daten, neuen Verarbeitungsmethoden (Stichwort KĂŒnstliche Intelligenz) sowie den zahlreichen Nutzungsmöglichkeiten. Im Fokus dieser Dissertation stehen daher weniger die autarken, klar abgrenzbaren Innovationen (bspw. eine Symptomtagebuch-App zur Beschwerdedokumentation). Vielmehr adressiert diese Doktorarbeit jene Innovationsvorhaben, welche eine oder mehrere der o.g. Zielstellung verfolgen, ein weiteres technologisches Puzzleteil in komplexe Informationssystemlandschaften hinzufĂŒgen und somit im Zusammenspiel mit diversen weiteren IT-Systemen zur Verbesserung der Gesundheitsversorgung und/ oder ihrer Organisation beitragen. In der Auseinandersetzung mit diesen Zielstellungen und verbundenen Herausforderungen der Systementwicklung rĂŒckte das Problem fragmentierter IT-Systemlandschaften des Gesundheitswesens in den Mittelpunkt. Darunter wird der unerfreuliche Zustand verstanden, dass unterschiedliche Informations- und Anwendungssysteme nicht wie gewĂŒnscht miteinander interagieren können. So kommt es zu Unterbrechungen von InformationsflĂŒssen und Versorgungsprozessen, welche anderweitig durch fehleranfĂ€llige ZusatzaufwĂ€nde (bspw. Doppeldokumentation) aufgefangen werden mĂŒssen. Um diesen EinschrĂ€nkungen der EffektivitĂ€t und Effizienz zu begegnen, mĂŒssen eben jene IT-System-Silos abgebaut werden. Alle o.g. Zielstellungen ordnen sich dieser defragmentierenden Wirkung unter, in dem sie 1. verschiedene Leistungserbringer, 2. Versorgungsteams und Patient:innen, 3. Wissenschaft und Versorgung oder 4. diverse Datenquellen und moderne Auswertungstechnologien zusammenfĂŒhren wollen. Doch nun kommt es zu einem komplexen Ringschluss. Einerseits suchen die in dieser Arbeit thematisierten digitalen Gesundheitsinnovationen Wege zur Defragmentierung der Informationssystemlandschaften. Andererseits ist ihre eingeschrĂ€nkte Erfolgsquote u.a. in eben jener bestehenden Fragmentierung begrĂŒndet, die sie aufzulösen suchen. Mit diesem Erkenntnisgewinn eröffnet sich der zweite Forschungsstrang dieser Arbeit, der sich mit der Eigenschaft der 'InteroperabilitĂ€t' intensiv auseinandersetzt. Er untersucht, wie diese Eigenschaft eine zentrale Rolle fĂŒr Innovationsvorhaben in der Digital Health DomĂ€ne einnehmen soll. Denn InteroperabilitĂ€t beschreibt, vereinfacht ausgedrĂŒckt, die FĂ€higkeit von zwei oder mehreren Systemen miteinander gemeinsame Aufgaben zu erfĂŒllen. Sie reprĂ€sentiert somit das Kernanliegen der identifizierten Zielstellungen und ist Dreh- und Angelpunkt, wenn eine entwickelte Lösung in eine konkrete Zielumgebung integriert werden soll. Von einem technisch-dominierten Blickwinkel aus betrachtet, geht es hierbei um die GewĂ€hrleistung von validen, performanten und sicheren Kommunikationsszenarien, sodass die o.g. InformationsflussbrĂŒche zwischen technischen Teilsystemen abgebaut werden. Ein rein technisches InteroperabilitĂ€tsverstĂ€ndnis genĂŒgt jedoch nicht, um die Vielfalt an Diffusionsbarrieren von digitalen Gesundheitsinnovationen zu umfassen. Denn beispielsweise das Fehlen adĂ€quater VergĂŒtungsoptionen innerhalb der gesetzlichen Rahmenbedingungen oder eine mangelhafte PassfĂ€higkeit fĂŒr den bestimmten Versorgungsprozess sind keine rein technischen Probleme. Vielmehr kommt hier eine Grundhaltung der Wirtschaftsinformatik zum Tragen, die Informationssysteme - auch die des Gesundheitswesens - als sozio-technische Systeme begreift und dabei Technologie stets im Zusammenhang mit Menschen, die sie nutzen, von ihr beeinflusst werden oder sie organisieren, betrachtet. Soll eine digitale Gesundheitsinnovation, die einen Mehrwert gemĂ€ĂŸ der o.g. Zielstellungen verspricht, in eine existierende Informationssystemlandschaft der Gesundheitsversorgung integriert werden, so muss sie aus technischen sowie nicht-technischen Gesichtspunkten 'interoperabel' sein. Zwar ist die Notwendigkeit von InteroperabilitĂ€t in der Wissenschaft, Politik und Praxis bekannt und auch positive Bewegungen der DomĂ€ne hin zu mehr InteroperabilitĂ€t sind zu verspĂŒren. Jedoch dominiert dabei einerseits ein technisches VerstĂ€ndnis und andererseits bleibt das Potential dieser Eigenschaft als Leitmotiv fĂŒr das Innovationsmanagement bislang weitestgehend ungenutzt. An genau dieser Stelle knĂŒpft nun der Hauptbeitrag dieser Doktorarbeit an, in dem sie eine sozio-technische Konzeptualisierung und Kontextualisierung von InteroperabilitĂ€t fĂŒr kĂŒnftige digitale Gesundheitsinnovationen vorschlĂ€gt. Literatur- und expertenbasiert wird ein Rahmenwerk erarbeitet - das Digital Health Innovation Interoperability Framework - das insbesondere Innovatoren und Innovationsfördernde dabei unterstĂŒtzen soll, die Diffusionswahrscheinlichkeit in die Praxis zu erhöhen. Nun sind mit diesem Framework viele Erkenntnisse und Botschaften verbunden, die ich fĂŒr diesen Prolog wie folgt zusammenfassen möchte: 1. Um die Entwicklung digitaler Gesundheitsinnovationen bestmöglich auf eine erfolgreiche Integration in eine bestimmte Zielumgebung auszurichten, sind die Realisierung eines neuartigen Wertversprechens sowie die GewĂ€hrleistung sozio-technischer InteroperabilitĂ€t die zwei zusammenhĂ€ngenden Hauptaufgaben eines Innovationsprozesses. 2. Die GewĂ€hrleistung von InteroperabilitĂ€t ist eine aktiv zu verantwortende Managementaufgabe und wird durch projektspezifische Bedingungen sowie von externen und internen Dynamiken beeinflusst. 3. Sozio-technische InteroperabilitĂ€t im Kontext digitaler Gesundheitsinnovationen kann ĂŒber sieben, interdependente Ebenen definiert werden: Politische und regulatorische Bedingungen; Vertragsbedingungen; Versorgungs- und GeschĂ€ftsprozesse; Nutzung; Information; Anwendungen; IT-Infrastruktur. 4. Um InteroperabilitĂ€t auf jeder dieser Ebenen zu gewĂ€hrleisten, sind Strategien differenziert zu definieren, welche auf einem Kontinuum zwischen KompatibilitĂ€tsanforderungen aufseiten der Innovation und der Motivation von Anpassungen aufseiten der Zielumgebung verortet werden können. 5. Das Streben nach mehr InteroperabilitĂ€t fördert sowohl den nachhaltigen Erfolg der einzelnen digitalen Gesundheitsinnovation als auch die Defragmentierung existierender Informationssystemlandschaften und trĂ€gt somit zur Verbesserung des Gesundheitswesens bei. Zugegeben: die letzte dieser fĂŒnf Botschaften trĂ€gt eher die FĂ€rbung einer Überzeugung, als dass sie ein Ergebnis wissenschaftlicher BeweisfĂŒhrung ist. Dennoch empfinde ich diese, wenn auch persönliche Erkenntnis als Maxim der DomĂ€ne, der ich mich zugehörig fĂŒhle - der IT-Systementwicklung des Gesundheitswesens

    NEMISA Digital Skills Conference (Colloquium) 2023

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    The purpose of the colloquium and events centred around the central role that data plays today as a desirable commodity that must become an important part of massifying digital skilling efforts. Governments amass even more critical data that, if leveraged, could change the way public services are delivered, and even change the social and economic fortunes of any country. Therefore, smart governments and organisations increasingly require data skills to gain insights and foresight, to secure themselves, and for improved decision making and efficiency. However, data skills are scarce, and even more challenging is the inconsistency of the associated training programs with most curated for the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines. Nonetheless, the interdisciplinary yet agnostic nature of data means that there is opportunity to expand data skills into the non-STEM disciplines as well.College of Engineering, Science and Technolog

    Perceptions and Knowledge of Information Security Policy Compliance in Organizational Personnel

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    All internet connected organizations are becoming increasingly vulnerable to cyberattacks due to information security policy noncompliance of personnel. The problem is important to information technology (IT) firms, organizations with IT integration, and any consumer who has shared personal information online, because noncompliance is the single greatest threat to cybersecurity, which leads to expensive breaches that put private information in danger. Grounded in the protection motivation theory, the purpose of this quantitative study was to use multiple regression analysis to examine the relationship between perceived importance, organizational compliance, management involvement, seeking guidance, and rate of cybersecurity attack. The research question for this study was focused on the relationship between perceived importance of cybersecurity, senior management involvement, use of organizational ISPC, seeking of information or guidance on cybersecurity, and organizational security breach incidence. Data was collected from the United Kingdom’s 2021 Cyber Security Breaches Survey. Multiple linear regression analysis yielded that the four independent variables were not predictive of instances of cybersecurity breach or attack. The implications for positive social change include the potential to actively promote and publicly address cybersecurity as personal privacy increasing becomes a matter of public safety. One key recommendation is for IT leaders to pursue methodologically rigorous and uniform operationalization throughout IT research and practice, including the pursuit of replicable data of detailed resolution. The results of this study may potentially be used to reduce the risks for cybersecurity breaches, which ultimately contributes to social change by furthering the right of privacy and the protection of personal information
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