Smart Tourism Intermingling with Indian Spiritual Destinations: Role of e-WoM Sentiments in marketing

The purpose of this study is to see how smart tourism and sentiments help tourists seeking spiritual experiences that are deep-rooted in ancient Indian traditions as opposed to materialistic getaways. Exploratory research through sentiments of YouTube and Tweets followers are collected in sample. A qualitative-quantitative research method is used in this paper to analyse the sentiments on Indian popular spiritual destinations. Smart tourism allows larger, coordinated efforts for Innovation, quality of life and sustainable tourism through rich data infrastructure within the ambit of specific destinations. Within a context, personalisation and real-time monitoring can occur where sentiments are positive or highly positive for that matter. Fundamental to tourists’ experiences is an aesthetic obsession with authenticity. The diversity of smart technologies applicable to experiences in the smart spiritual tourism sphere is still to be defined on a more granular level where religion still holds the glue. This paper seeks to explore the smart tourism experience concept applied to spirituality (STES) in more depth to facilitate further contributions. A smart tourism experience can be co-created for better delivery and a conducive environment for such an experience to emerge. Each spiritual destination is unique and complex. Policy responses can address the impact mainly through knowledge (human) resources

In the palm of your hand: supporting rural teacher professional development and practice through the use of mobile phones and other handheld digital devices

Given the huge growth of mobile phone access in Sub Saharan Africa (Minges, 2004) some of the most innovative uses of mobile devices are now to be found in the development context (Economist, 2005). Reviews of the use of mobile technologies point to a range of current and potential development for learning in classrooms, homes and the community (e.g. Naismith et al). This paper draws on the experience of two projects: a large scale project for SMS mediated school administration in Kenya and a small scale research project using eBooks and other digital tools for teacher professional development and practice, carried out in predominantly rural schools in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. This research is set in the wider context of the emerging theory, practice and evaluation of the use of mobile technologies for improving teaching and learning (Leach 2006, Power & Thomas 2006, Traxler & Kukulska-Hulme 2006). The paper considers the potential of currently common mobile phones to aid communication and break down isolation amongst rural teachers and the design, use and evaluation of e-book learning resources on handheld mobile devices, such as current ‘smart-phones’, which the authors anticipate will soon be the ‘normal’ ubiquitous mobile phone. Whilst there is only a small body of evidence on the application of mobile technologies to teacher learning, impacts on teacher development remain a matter for debate. Findings suggest that given the right conditions, uses of mobile technology can significantly enhance teacher professional learning and practice

Air Quality Prediction in Smart Cities Using Machine Learning Technologies Based on Sensor Data: A Review

The influence of machine learning technologies is rapidly increasing and penetrating almost in every field, and air pollution prediction is not being excluded from those fields. This paper covers the revision of the studies related to air pollution prediction using machine learning algorithms based on sensor data in the context of smart cities. Using the most popular databases and executing the corresponding filtration, the most relevant papers were selected. After thorough reviewing those papers, the main features were extracted, which served as a base to link and compare them to each other. As a result, we can conclude that: (1) instead of using simple machine learning techniques, currently, the authors apply advanced and sophisticated techniques, (2) China was the leading country in terms of a case study, (3) Particulate matter with diameter equal to 2.5 micrometers was the main prediction target, (4) in 41% of the publications the authors carried out the prediction for the next day, (5) 66% of the studies used data had an hourly rate, (6) 49% of the papers used open data and since 2016 it had a tendency to increase, and (7) for efficient air quality prediction it is important to consider the external factors such as weather conditions, spatial characteristics, and temporal features

The material politics of smart building energy management: A view from Sydney\u27s commercial office space

The potential of cities in leveraging energy transformation is increasingly recognised, with a growing focus on urban built environments. In this paper we focus on smart building energy management as an increasingly pivotal material means through which energy transformation comes to matter in cities, and through which buildings are politicised in the negotiation of energy transformation. We advance a material political analysis of the case of Sydney\u27s premium commercial office building sector to explore how such buildings are conferred with political capacity. We explicitly extend this material politics framework to pluralise the \u27whereabouts\u27 of the politics of energy transformation, expanding recognition of the sites and moments of negotiation through which these politics are enacted, authority shaped, and where trajectories of energy transformation begin to be fashioned. Drawing on this extended conception of politics, the paper traces how the political capacity of buildings comes to matter through smart building energy management platforms as they are negotiated through the context of Sydney\u27s policy settings, the political-economy of the top tier commercial office sector, and building management cultures. We conclude with observations on how smart building energy management platforms might contribute to the shaping of particular trajectories, possibilities and limits for energy transformation advanced through the built environment

Power and its forms: hard, soft, smart

What is smart power? What kind of power is it? Is it really a new form of power? How many forms, features, and shapes does it take? How can we recognize and manage it? How do scholars describe it? This MPhil thesis aims to answer these and other questions regarding the dimension of power with a specific focus on smart power. This is a first attempt to study smart power in the broader context of power analysis and therefore I will follow two approaches. First of all, I will contextualize smart power, touching on the debate of power as an academic and political concept. Secondly, the idea is to investigate how power manifests itself in the realms of international and social relations. To this end, I will address three “ideal” forms of power, notably hard, soft and – finally - smart power. We already know that hard power is commonly associated in IR with realism: it is about power politics, force, and violence. Hard power is, to a certain extent, the oldest form of power; it is connected to the idea of an anarchic, untamed international system, where countries do not recognize any superior authority. Order is the result of competition for power and wars. The possession and acquisition of resources is the key to success. Soft power is something completely different. In order to understand soft power a methodological change is required. A state, an organization or a single person can exercise power with means other than violence and force. Persuasion, example, seduction, and myth: these are the resources of soft power. It is being able to convince or persuade others to follow your example, to want what you want, rather than coercing them. Soft power is about a world in which international institutions matter, in which war is not the only way to settle conflicts and in which the ones to succeed are the most powerful, in terms of natural, economic and financial resources and are not necessarily the best equipped. And finally, what is smart power? Where does it come from? We know that smart power is a new and to a certain extent popular concept, which was coined by Joseph Nye in the USA and is used to describe a new way of dealing with and managing power. Nye conceptualizes smart power as something lying somewhere between hard and soft power, a sort of “third way” in the complex jungle of power relations. But Nye also stresses that smart power is something “beyond” hard and soft, a sort of new approach that fits particularly well into the realm of international relations and foreign politics. This is why we will analyse Nye’s approach in depth, as well as the US debate about smart power and the concrete use of this concept by the US administration. Finally, we will investigate why smart power is becoming popular in the EU as well. Here again, policy-makers seem confident about using this new concept as a political programme that involves institutions and policy reforms. To sum up, my argument is that smart power is definitely a new form of power and this MPhil dissertation aims at introducing it into the academic debate, studying it from a theoretical, scientific point of view, investigating its origins, and the historical and political context in which it gained popularity and – finally – testing its possible declination in real scenarios of international politics

The influence of acceptance and adoption drivers on smart home usage

Purpose: This study aims to develop a comprehensive adoption model that combines constructs from various theories and tests these theories against each other. The study combines a technology acceptance model, innovation diffusion theory and risk theory. It develops this model in a smart home applications context. Design/methodology/approach: The study is based on an online survey consisting of 409 participants, and the data are analyzed using structural equation modeling. Findings: Each theory provides unique insights into technology acceptance and numerous constructs are interrelated. Predictors from innovation diffusion and risk theory often display indirect effects through technology acceptance variables. The study identifies risk perception as a major inhibitor of use intention, mediated through perceived usefulness. Results reveal that the most important determinants of use intention are compatibility and usefulness of the application. Research limitations/implications: Studies which do not examine different theories together may not be able to detect the indirect effects of some predictors and could falsely conclude that these predictors do no matter. The findings emphasize the crucial role of compatibility, perceived usefulness and various risk facets associated with smart homes. Originality/value: This study broadens the understanding about the necessity of combining acceptance and adoption drivers from several theories to better understand the usage of complex technological systems such as smart home applications

Blockchain, Leadership And Management: Business AS Usual Or Radical Disruption?

The Internet provided the world with interconnection. However, it did not provide it with trust. Trust is lacking everywhere in our society and is the reason for the existence of powerful intermediaries aggregating power. Trust is what prevents the digital world to take over. This has consequences for organisations: they are inefficient because time, energy, money and passion are wasted on verifying everything happens as decided. Managers play the role of intermediaries in such case: they connect experts with each others and instruct them of what to do. As a result, in our expert society, people's engagement is low because no one is there to inspire and empower them. In other words, our society faces an unprecedented lack of leadership. Provided all those shortcomings, the study imagines the potential repercussions, especially in the context of management, of implementing a blockchain infrastructure in any type of organisation. Indeed, the blockchain technology seems to be able to remedy to those issues, for this distributed and immutable ledger provides security, decentralisation and transparency. In the context of a blockchain economy, the findings show that value creation will be rearranged, with experts directly collaborating with each others, and hierarchy being eliminated. This could, in turn, render managers obsolete, as a blockchain infrastructure will automate most of the tasks. As a result, only a strong, action-oriented, leadership would maintain the organisation together. This leadership-in-action would consist in igniting people to take action; coach members of the organisations so that their contribution makes sense in the greater context of life

Smart Speaker im Lichte der StPO

Smart speakers are now ubiquitous in the everyday lives of millions of citizens. Regarding current considerations to use smart speakers in the context of law enforcement, it is only a matter of time until they will also be dealt with by the highest courts. This dissertation examines to what extent smart speakers can be used for criminal prosecution under current law. It outlines the practical problems of accessing data generated by smart speakers, the degree to which such access can be reconciled with the case law already been handed down, and the constitutional law and criminal procedure aspects that have to be considered in the context of the usability of such data.PublishedSmart Speaker sind im Alltag von Millionen Bürger mittlerweile allgegenwärtig. Angesichts aktueller Überlegungen Smart Speaker auch im Rahmen der Strafverfolgung einzusetzen, dürfte es nur noch eine Frage der Zeit sein, bis diese auch die höchstrichterliche Rechtsprechung beschäftigen. Die Arbeit beantwortet, inwiefern Smart Speaker de lege lata zur Strafverfolgung genutzt werden können. Es wird dargestellt, welchen praktischen Problemen sich ein Zugriff auf die mittels Smart Speaker generierten Daten gegenübersieht, inwiefern sich ein solcher Zugriff mit der bereits ergangenen Rechtsprechung vereinbaren lässt und welche verfassungsrechtlichen und strafprozessualen Aspekte im Rahmen der Verwertbarkeit solcher Daten zu beachten sind