Scalable and interpretable product recommendations via overlapping co-clustering

We consider the problem of generating interpretable recommendations by identifying overlapping co-clusters of clients and products, based only on positive or implicit feedback. Our approach is applicable on very large datasets because it exhibits almost linear complexity in the input examples and the number of co-clusters. We show, both on real industrial data and on publicly available datasets, that the recommendation accuracy of our algorithm is competitive to that of state-of-art matrix factorization techniques. In addition, our technique has the advantage of offering recommendations that are textually and visually interpretable. Finally, we examine how to implement our technique efficiently on Graphical Processing Units (GPUs).Comment: In IEEE International Conference on Data Engineering (ICDE) 201

Growth hacking model for B2B saas startups: Liquid case

The following project introduces a model of Growth Hacking strategies for business-tobusiness Software-as-a-Service startups that was developed in collaboration with and applied to a Portuguese startup called Liquid. The work addresses digital marketing channels such as content marketing, email marketing, social marketing and selling. Further, the company’s product, pricing strategy, partnerships and website communication are examined. Applying best case practices, competitor benchmarks and interview insights from numerous industry influencers and experts, areas for improvement are deduced and procedures for each of those channels recommended

Trademark Vigilance in the Twenty-First Century: An Update

The trademark laws impose a duty upon brand owners to be vigilant in policing their marks, lest they be subject to the defense of laches, a reduced scope of protection, or even death by genericide. Before the millennium, it was relatively manageable for brand owners to police the retail marketplace for infringements and counterfeits. The Internet changed everything. In ways unforeseen, the Internet has unleashed a tremendously damaging cataclysm upon brands—online counterfeiting. It has created a virtual pipeline directly from factories in China to the American consumer shopping from home or work. The very online platforms that make Internet shopping so convenient, and that have enabled brands to expand their sales, have exposed buyers to unwittingly purchasing fake goods which can jeopardize their health and safety as well as brand reputation. This Article updates a 1999 panel discussion titled Trademark Vigilance in the Twenty-First Century, held at Fordham Law School, and explains all the ways in which vigilance has changed since the Internet has become an inescapable feature of everyday life. It provides trademark owners with a road map for monitoring brand abuse online and solutions for taking action against infringers, counterfeiters and others who threaten to undermine brand value

Dynamics in Mobile Ecosystems

The main purpose of this thesis report is to examine the theory of ecosystems within the mobile industry and to create a framework that makes it possible to comprehend and manage the value creation in a practical setting. The theoretical part is characterized by mobile ecosystems since they are considered as a fast pace sector where new innovations are ruling the market. Due to these circumstances, the research question is directed at exploring how these ecosystems can look and function. With this in mind, the choice of exploring the B2B tool developer market of the mobile phone ecosystem was made, since it is a new and growing market ruled by innovations within the app economy. To be able to achieve this goal and to accomplish a link between theory and practice, a case study has been made on the mobile industry including several companies from the B2B tool developer sector. The research purpose is the identification of their roles among the other players in the ecosystem, services and challenges, and an examination of where the profit will migrate in the future. The case study research enables the report to discuss the challenges and future prospects for these B2B developers. Additionally, by teeing the theoretical research with the empirical findings, conclusions can be drawn on how to manage this industry in the future. The thesis report has concluded that the old way of using mobile services is superimposed by a new ecosystem relying on content creation by outside complementors. These complementors have gone from applying more of a vertical value chain and more or less developing most functions of the application in-house, to nowadays striving in the opposite direction. The modular market’s importance to platforms is evident as the support many of the key functions in generating value for end users. Because of this, an increased amount of funds are moving further down the funnel of the ecosystems. The predictions from the empirical material indicated a trend in consolidation. Most of the financial input is coming from enterprise developers and not small independent ones; therefore larger enterprise developers will be the ones financing the future application development tools

Work stream on differentiated treatment:Final report

This report analyses practices of differentiated treatment, whereby a platform applies dissimilar conditions to business users in equivalent situations, and explores the extent to which such practices constitute a potential source of “unfairness” in the relationship between platforms and businesses in the online platform economy. A distinction is made between practices of self-favouring, whereby a platform gives preferential treatment to its own vertically integrated activities over those of rivals, and more general practices of differentiated treatment where one or more business users are treated more favourably than one or more others. The report aims to provide guidance on how to assess the impact of differentiated treatment by online platforms from a technical, economic and legal perspective, and identifies areas requiring further scrutiny because of the especially problematic nature of certain practices implemented by platforms. Special scrutiny seems particularly needed for practices of differentiated treatment by vertically integrated platforms that are dominant or whose consumers single-home and have high switching costs. In these circumstances, the relevant harms can outweigh the efficiencies of differentiated treatment. Another area of attention is differentiated treatment that significantly harms business users and for which the platform does not have a legitimate justification. The extent to which legitimate reasons invoked by a platform can justify harm to businesses is a key issue for future consideration. Significant harm to business users may translate into consumer detriment through less choice and diversity of offerings. Specific future prohibitions of certain problematic practices of differentiated treatment to promote diversity, fairness or equality of opportunities for businesses should be coupled with effective monitoring and enforcement mechanisms. Two areas are of particular concern: 1) the observability of differentiated treatment by platforms arising from techniques such as personalisation and localisation; (2) the availability of effective redress for businesses against the restriction, suspension or termination of service by platforms

Toward a Better Understanding of the Intention to Use mHealth Apps: Exploratory Study

Background: An increasing number of mobile health (mHealth) apps are becoming available for download and use on mobile devices. Even with the increase in availability and use of mHealth apps, there has still not been a lot of research into understanding the intention to use this kind of apps. Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate a technology acceptance model (TAM) that has been specially designed for primary health care applications. Methods: The proposed model is an extension of the TAM, and was empirically tested using data obtained from a survey of mHealth app users (n=310). The research analyzed 2 additional external factors: promotion of health and health benefits. Data were analyzed with a PLS–SEM software and confirmed that gender moderates the adoption of mHealth apps in Spain. The explanatory capacity (R2 for behavioral intention to use) of the proposed model was 76.4%. Likewise, the relationships of the external constructs of the extended TAM were found to be significant. Results: The results show the importance of healthy habits developed by using mHealth apps. In addition, communication campaigns for these apps should be aimed at transferring the usefulness of eHealth as an agent for transforming attitudes; additionally, as more health benefits are obtained, ease of use becomes greater. Perceived usefulness (PU; β=.415, t0.001;4999=3.442, P=.001), attitude toward using (β=.301, t0.01;499=2.299, P=.02), and promotion of health (β=.210, t0.05;499=2.108, P=.03) were found to have a statistically significant impact on behavior intention to use eHealth apps (R2=76.4%). Perceived ease of use (PEOU; β=.179, t0.01;499=2.623, P=.009) and PU (β=.755, t0.001;499=12.888, P=78.2%). Furthermore, PEOU (β=.203, t0.01;499=2.810, P=.005), health benefits (β=.448, t0.001;499=4.010, P<.001), and promotion of health (β=.281, t0.01;499=2.393, P=.01) exerted a significant impact on PU (R2=72.7%). Finally, health benefits (β=.640, t0.001;499=14.948, P<.001) had a statistically significant impact on PEOU (R2=40.9%), while promotion of health (β=.865, t0.001;499=29.943, P<.001) significantly influenced health benefits (R2=74.7%). Conclusions: mHealth apps could be used to predict the behavior of patients in the face of recommendations to prevent pandemics, such as COVID-19 or SARS, and to track users’symptoms while they stay at home. Gender is a determining factor that influences the intention to use mHealth apps, so perhaps different interfaces and utilities could be designed according to gender

The e-health opportunity for the telecommunication industry and Portugal Telecom: a case study

JEL classification system: M10 - General Business Administration; I100 - Health: GeneralElectronic-Health (e-health) is a recent answer to some pressing challenges on health. Aging of western societies and treatments’ rising costs raised doubts about health systems’ sustainability. Individuals, companies and public administration alike are looking for technology to find aid in addressing these challenges. Several industries are tacking those issues offering innovative solutions among which Telecommunication’s. Nonetheless, this industry is facing challenges from over-the-top players menacing its business model. Portugal Telecom shares these challenges and is looking to diversify to guarantee future growth, namely, by developing in e-health solutions. This case study follows two important threads in strategy literature: diversification and the resource-based view, applied Portugal Telecom and the e-health opportunity. As a case study, it aims providing readers a tool to better understand and employ strategic management concepts and frameworks in an applied business context. E-health as an opportunity for growth to Telecommunication companies and Portugal Telecom is described from three points of view: i) an actual market need ii) that may be addressed by Telecommunication companies and iii) should be addressed by those companies as they need to grow. It is shown how increasing concern with health issues by individuals, general public, companies and public administration is driving technology to find innovative answers to those same issues (i). Then, it is explained how Telcos may and in fact are addressing those issues, namely, by developing e-health solutions for their customers (ii). Finally, it is argued why Telcos should address this opportunity due their eroding revenues and margins (iii).‘Electronic-health’ (e-saúde) é uma resposta recente a alguns desafios na saúde. O envelhecimento das sociedades ocidentais e custos crescentes dos tratamentos levantaram dúvidas acerca da sustentabilidade do sistema de saúde. Indivíduos, empresas e administração pública procuram tecnologia capaz de ajudá-los a enfrentar esses desafios. Várias indústrias endereçam esses problemas oferecendo soluções inovadoras, incluindo a indústria das telecomunicações. Porém, esta indústria enfrenta desafios de concorrentes ‘over-the-top’ que ameaçam o seu modelo de negócio. A Portugal Telecom partilha estes desafios e procura diversificar o negócio para garantir crescimento futuro, desenvolvendo soluções de e-Saúde. Este estudo de caso segue duas linhas da literatura de gestão: diversificação e a visão baseada-em-recursos, aplicada à Portugal Telecom e à oportunidade da e-saúde. Como estudo de caso, procura oferecer aos leitores uma ferramenta para melhor compreender e empregar conceitos / enquadramentos teóricos de gestão estratégica num contexto de negócio. A e-saúde como oportunidade de crescimento para empresas de Telecomunicações e a Portugal Telecom é descrita sob três perspetivas: i) uma necessidade real do mercado ii) que pode ser endereçada por empresas de Telecomunicações e iii) deve ser endereçada por essas empresas que precisam de crescer. Mostra-se como a preocupação crescente com problemas de saúde pelos indivíduos, público geral, empresas e administração pública tem levado a respostas tecnológicas inovadoras para esses problemas (i). Posteriormente, explica-se como as Telcos podem e estão a endereçar esses problemas, nomeadamente, via soluções de e-saúde (ii). Finalmente, argumenta-se porque devem as Telcos endereçar esta oportunidade devido à erosão de receitas e margens (iii)

Understanding churn and its reasons: The GuestU case

In the age of computerisation, entrepreneurs around the world aim to revolutionise their field with ground-breaking ICTs. GuestU is one of those offering mobile application development to small and medium-sized tourism enterprises. To assure the young start-ups steady growth this paper aims to identify reasons for the high customer churn risk. Primary data is used to analyse end-user behaviour and particularly the success of acquisition and activation. Results show troubling download quantities as well as retention rates leading to the recommendations for GuestU to incentivise and guide their customers in increasing promotion for the applications