The internet of everything sustainable advantages and synergies in clustered retail

The Internet of Everything (IoE) is a concept introduced by Cisco as the succeeding phase of the Internet of Things (IoT), consisting in creating a network connection of objects, people, processes and data (Cisco 2013). The novelty in this concept is that instead of referring simply to the network connection of physical objects, the IoE allows for connected ‘things’ to send higher-level information back to machines, computers, and people for further evaluation and decision making (Cisco 2013). ! This dissertation aims to analyze the IoE concept’s strategic impact in clustered retails. In order to contextualize the concept and, later, perform the correct analysis of the subject, a review of the technologies at its core and Cisco’s perspective of IoE’s realization in retail is made. Furthermore, making up the core of sustainable strategic advantage analysis, a review is made regarding Resource-based View (RBV) model according to Barney’s framework and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) through Payne and Frow’s framework. In the subsequent chapter, the model of analysis is explained, incorporating the proposition that a smartphone application is, at a first phase, the optimal presentation layer for consumers. Empirical data collection is then performed through a questionnaire intended to give answer to the dissertation’s research question of sustainable competitive advantage. The results, collected from a population sample of 120 respondents, ascertained the importance of the smartphone app and its most appealing features. The strategic applicability of IoE in clustered retail is, then, confirmed through the application of both RBV and CRM models, which verify the system’s potential to generate sustained competitive advantage, confirming the dissertation’s main objective.A Internet of Everything (IoE) – ou a Internet de Tudo - é um conceito introduzido pela Cisco como fase sucessora da Internet of Things (IoT) – ou a Internet das Coisas -, caracterizada por criar uma rede de conectiva de objectos, pessoas, processos e informação (Cisco 2013). A novidade introduzida por este conceito é de que, em vez de fazer referência apenas à rede de conexões de objectos físicos, o IoE permite à rede de ‘coisas’ o envio de informação de qualidade superior de volta para máquinas, computadores, e pessoas para avaliações e decisões adicionais (Cisco 2013). O objectivo desta dissertação assenta na análise do impacto estratégico do conceito de IoE em retalho conglomerado. De modo a contextualizar o conceito e, mais tarde, proceder à correcta análise do tópico, uma revisão da tecnologia basilar e da perspectiva da Cisco em relação à implementação da IoE em retalho é realizada. Ademais, constituindo a origem da análise à vantagem estratégica sustentável, uma revisão é feita a ambos os modelo de Resource-base View (RBV), de acordo com enquadramento de Barney, e Customer Relationship Management (CRM) – ou Gestão de Relacionamento com o Cliente -, através do enquadramento de Payne e Frow. No capítulo subsequente, o modelo de análise é explicado, incluindo a proposição que uma aplicação para smartphone seria, numa primeira fase, o canal de ligação e apresentação ao consumidor ideal. A recolha de dados empíricos é, de seguida, executada através de um questionário, pretendendo dar resposta dar resposta à pergunta central da dissertação relativa à vantagem competitiva sustentável. Os resultados, recolhidos de uma amostra populacional de 120 inquiridos, determinaram a importância da aplicação para smartphones e quais as suas características mais apelativas. A aplicabilidade estratégica da IoE em retalho conglomerado é, assim, confirmada através da aplicação de ambos os modelos de RBV e CRM, que certificam o potencial do sistema em gerar vantagem competitiva sustentável, confirmando assim o objectivo principal da dissertação

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

Weathering the Nest: Privacy Implications of Home Monitoring for the Aging American Population

The research in this paper will seek to ascertain the extent of personal data entry and collection required to enjoy at least the minimal promised benefits of distributed intelligence and monitoring in the home. Particular attention will be given to the abilities and sensitivities of the population most likely to need these devices, notably the elderly and disabled. The paper will then evaluate whether existing legal limitations on the collection, maintenance, and use of such data are applicable to devices currently in use in the home environment and whether such regulations effectively protect privacy. Finally, given appropriate policy parameters, the paper will offer proposals to effectuate reasonable and practical privacy-protective solutions for developers and consumers

Addressing the Failure of Anonymization: Guidance from the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation

It is common practice for companies to “anonymize” the consumer data that they collect. In fact, U.S. data protection laws and Federal Trade Commission guidelines encourage the practice of anonymization by exempting anonymized data from the privacy and data security requirements they impose. Anonymization involves removing personally identifiable information (“PII”) from a dataset so that, in theory, the data cannot be traced back to its data subjects. In practice, however, anonymization fails to irrevocably protect consumer privacy due to the potential for deanonymization—the linking of anonymized data to auxiliary information to re-identify data subjects. Because U.S. data protection laws provide safe harbors for anonymized data, re-identified data subjects receive no statutory privacy protections at all—a fact that is particularly troublesome given consumers’ dependence on technology and today’s climate of ubiquitous data collection. By adopting an all-or-nothing approach to anonymization, the United States has created no means of incentivizing the practice of anonymization while still providing data subjects statutory protections. This Note argues that the United States should look to the risk-based approach taken by the European Union under the General Data Protection Regulation. Their data protection laws utilize multiple tiers of anonymization, which vary in their potential for deanonymization. Under this approach, pseudonymized data—i.e., certain data that has had PII removed but can still be linked to auxiliary information to re-identify data subjects—falls within the scope of the governing law, but receives relaxed requirements designed to incentivize pseudonymization and thereby reduce the risk of data subject identification. This approach both strikes a balance between data privacy and data utility, and affords data subjects the benefit of anonymity in addition to statutory protections ranging from choice to transparency

A systematic review of crime facilitated by the consumer Internet of Things

The nature of crime is changing — estimates suggest that at least half of all crime is now committed online. Once everyday objects (e.g. televisions, baby monitors, door locks) that are now internet connected, collectively referred to as the Internet of Things (IoT), have the potential to transform society, but this increase in connectivity may generate new crime opportunities. Here, we conducted a systematic review to inform understanding of these risks. We identify a number of high-level mechanisms through which offenders may exploit the consumer IoT including profiling, physical access control and the control of device audio/visual outputs. The types of crimes identified that could be facilitated by the IoT were wide ranging and included burglary, stalking, and sex crimes through to state level crimes including political subjugation. Our review suggests that the IoT presents substantial new opportunities for offending and intervention is needed now to prevent an IoT crime harvest