Quality of Information as an indicator of Trust in the Internet of Things

The past decade has seen a rise in complexity and scale of software systems, particularly with the emerging of the Internet of Thing consisting of large scale and heterogeneous entities which results in difficulties in providing trustworthy services. To overcome such challenges, providing high quality information for IoT service provider as well as monitoring trust relationship of end-users toward the services are paramount. Such trust relationships are user-oriented and subjective phenomenon that hook on specific quality of data. Following this catalyst, we propose a mechanism to evaluate quality of information (QoI) for streaming data from sensor device; then use the QoI evaluation score as an indicator of trust. Concepts and assessment methodology for QoI along with a trust monitoring system are described. We also develop a framework that classifies streaming of data based on semantic context and generate QoI score as a relevant input for a trust monitoring component. This framework enables a dynamic trust management in the context of IoT for both end-users and services that empowers service providers to deliver trustworthy and high quality IoT services. Challenges encountered during implementation and contribution in standardization are discussed. We believe this paper offers better understanding on QoI and its importance in trust evaluation in IoT applications; also provides detailed implementation of the QoI and Trust components for real-world applications and services

Trust, sociability and stock market participation

We investigate the effects of both trust and sociability for stock market participation, the role of which has been examined separately by existing finance literature. We use internationally comparable household data from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe supplemented with regional information on generalized trust from the World Value Survey and on specific trust to financial institutions from Eurobarometer. We show that trust and sociability have distinct and sizeable positive effects on stock market participation and that sociability is likely to partly balance the discouragement effect on stockholding induced by low generalized trust in the region of residence. We also show that specific trust in advice given by financial institutions represents a prominent factor for stock investing, compared to other tangible features of the banking environment. Probing further into various groups of households, we find that sociability can induce stockholding among the less well off in Sweden, Denmark, and Switzerland where stock market participation is widespread. On the other hand, the effect of generalized trust is strong in countries with limited participation and low average trust like Austria, Spain, and Italy, offering an explanation for the remarkably low participation rates of the wealthy living therein

Latent segmentation of older adults in the use of social networks and e-banking services

Introduction. This study analyses heterogeneity in the online behaviour of elderly people. Previous research has centred on the socio-demographic segmentation of the elderly regarding their Internet use. Method. The novelty that this study adds is in determining this segmentation through variables that have been especially chosen for studies of the elderly and which are related to their utilitarian use of e-banking, compared to the more hedonic nature of using online social networks. Analysis. The sample was collected using 474 students over 55 years old enrolled in a class of experience in a University in the South of Europe (Spain). We use a latent class cluster model which is appropriate in situations of a posterior segmentation. Results. In dealing with such behaviour in situations of the elderly using these technologies, we have detected the presence of five groups or segments with highly differentiated use-related profiles concerning the variables analysed: venturesomeness, technology anxiety and selfconfidence in information and communication technologies use. Conclusion. We discover the existence of heterogeneity in the behaviour of the elderly regarding services available in Internet. The results support the idea proposed. The stereotype of the elderly cut off from technology is mistaken, as is shown by the different segments found

Managing Corporate Reputation

{Excerpt} Newly minted approaches to corporate reputation are already obsolete. Beyond gaining control of issues, crises, and corporate social responsibility, organizations need to reconceptualize and manage reputation in knowledge-based economies. Reputation is not about likability: it is the aggregate estimation in which a person or entity is held by individuals and the public against a criterion, based on past actions and perceptual representation of future prospects, when compared to other persons or entities. Since we cannot develop a personal relationship with every entity in the world, the regard in which a party is held is a proxy indicator of predictability and the likelihood the party will meet expectations, a useful earmark that facilitates sense and decision making against alternatives. Every day, through what amounts to a distributed means of social control, we assess and judge with effect the competence of individuals and organizations to fulfill expectations based on such social evaluation

What young people want from health-related online resources: a focus group study

The growth of the Internet as an information source about health, particularly amongst young people, is well established. The aim of this study was to explore young people's perceptions and experiences of engaging with health-related online content, particularly through social media websites. Between February and July 2011 nine focus groups were facilitated across Scotland with young people aged between 14 and 18 years. Health-related user-generated content seems to be appreciated by young people as a useful, if not always trustworthy, source of accounts of other people's experiences. The reliability and quality of both user-generated content and official factual content about health appear to be concerns for young people, and they employ specialised strategies for negotiating both areas of the online environment. Young people's engagement with health online is a dynamic area for research. Their perceptions and experiences of health-related content seem based on their wider familiarity with the online environment and, as the online environment develops, so too do young people's strategies and conventions for accessing it

THE IMPACT OF BRAND IMAGE AND BRAND AWARENESS ON REPURCHASE INTENTION THROUGH PERCEIVED QUALITY (Study on Lake Toba, North Sumatera)

Nowadays, Tourism, one of the Indonesian foreign exchange has been giving high role in raising the Indonesia GDP. Number of tourist in Indonesia is increasing significantly. Whereas, the number of the local visitors who came to Lake Toba (one of the biggest tourism place in Indonesia) increasing slowly. The aim of this research is to examine the factors that may influence tourist to visit Lake destination. The study surveyed 185 visitors who came to Lake Toba. The survey period was from the third week of July 2015 until the forth week of July 2015. The data analyses were conducted by confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling. The results of statistical analysis reflected that most of the visitors of Lake Toba are highly concern about Brand Image four times more than Brand Awareness. This study demonstrated that brand image and brand awareness positively affected perceived quality, moreover, perceived quality was factors that influenced the tourist to visit Lake Toba

INTERNET RETAIL IN A DEVELOPING COUNTRY: PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT AND BUSINESS OPERATIONS

This study investigates Internet retailers in a developing country. It aims to investigate the characteristic of business profiles and operations, and to describe performance measurement implemented and its use. Internet-based research was adopted by combining a questionnaire email survey with web content analysis to study Indonesian Internet retailers. The results show that the majority of Indonesian Internet retailers are immature, small size, and without store-presence. The business operation practices, such as ordering, payment, and communication, indicate some differences from those in developed economies. Though Indonesian Internet retailers are still immature, they have measured various aspects of business performance. Those measured more performance indicators are likely to use the information more intensively to support decision making. This study has limitations such as the small number of responses, which might prevent the generalization of the results. The findings could be used by local Internet retailers to improve the business operations and performance measurement, as well as global Internet retailers entering Indonesian market to adopt some local operation practices

German and Israeli Innovation: The Best of Two Worlds

This study reviews – through desk research and expert interviews with Mittelstand companies, startups and ecosystem experts – the current status of the Israeli startup ecosystem and the Mittelstand region of North Rhine- Westphalia (NRW), Germany. As a case study, it highlights potential opportunities for collaboration and analyzes different engagement modes that might serve to connect the two regions. The potential synergies between the two economies are based on a high degree of complementarity. A comparison of NRW’s key verticals and Israel’s primary areas of innovation indicates that there is significant overlap in verticals, such as artificial intelligence (AI), the internet of things (IoT), sensors and cybersecurity. Israeli startups can offer speed, agility and new ideas, while German Mittelstand companies can contribute expertise in production and scaling, access to markets, capital and support. The differences between Mittelstand companies and startups are less pronounced than those between startups and big corporations. However, three current barriers to fruitful collaboration have been identified: 1) a lack of access, 2) a lack of transparency regarding relevant players in the market, and 3) a lack of the internal resources needed to select the right partners, often due to time constraints or a lack of internal expertise on this issue. To ensure that positive business opportunities ensue, Mittelstand companies and startups alike have to be proactive in their search for cooperation partners and draw on a range of existing engagement modes (e.g., events, communities, accelerators). The interviews and the research conducted for this study made clear that no single mode of engagement can address all the needs and challenges associated with German-Israeli collaboration