Elicitation of requirements for innovative visual patent retrieval based on interviews with experts

Patent searching is a complex task and is mainly performed by experts in the field. Research shows that the integration of drawings into the search process is considered useful by experts and should therefore play a more important role in patent retrieval. In this study, experts were interviewed to find out when and in what form patent drawings should be integrated into the search process. The study combines qualitative data analysis and techniques from requirements engineering resulting in the context sensitive method called Q-rEx.Analysis. The interviews were analysed with a mixed form of deductive and inductive category formation and combined with standards of patent retrieval systems. Experts want patent drawings to be more integrated in the search process to better analyse the relevance of patents. Therefore, in this study, requirements for innovative visual patent retrieval have been derived from actual user needs. The method presented in this study contributes to transparent and comprehensible user-centred elicitation of requirements regarding innovative visual patent retrieval. Not only the method needs further testing but also the integration of the requirements must be evaluated in additional user research.Peer Reviewe

A socio-technical-based process for questionnaire development in requirements elicitation via interviews

Software development is the process of building systems that solve users’ need and satisfy stakeholders’ objectives. Such needs are determined through requirements elicitation, which is considered an intensive, complex, and multi-disciplinary process. Traditional methods of elicitation often fail to uncover requirements that are critical for successful and wide-scale user adoption because these methods primarily focus on the technical aspects and constraints of the systems rather than considering a socio-technical perspective. The success of information system development involves the identification of the social, organizational and technical features of the systems, which in turn can result in a more acceptable system by users. In this paper, we propose a requirements elicitation process based on socio-technical (ST) systems theory. The process leverages ST system components to help identify a set of ST imbalances, which in turn help in requirements elicitation. The applicability of the process is demonstrated using empirical investigation with a randomized two-group experimental design, where the objective is to see the potential of the proposed process to enhance analysts’ understanding of socio-technical aspects of a domain, interview readiness, and questionnaire quality

Implementing Corporate Social Responsibility Strategies to Enhance the Profitability of Firms

Ineffective corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategies can negatively impact a company’s competitive advantage. A lack of competitive advantage may lead a business leader to experience poor performance and lost profits. Grounded in the stakeholder theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies some commercial banking, loan, and savings association leaders used to ensure successful CSR programs to enhance profitability. Participants comprised four leaders in Puerto Rico who successfully established CSR strategies to improve organizational profitability. Data were collected from semistructured interviews and banking websites. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. Three themes emerged: engage communities in CSR activities, improve business practices, and strengthen organizational CSR. A key recommendation for CSR leaders is to engage the community through sports, art, music, educational, and environmental activities. The implications for positive social change include the potential to helping society with employment opportunities and an improved healthy natural environment

Implementing Corporate Social Responsibility Strategies to Enhance the Profitability of Firms

Ineffective corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategies can negatively impact a company’s competitive advantage. A lack of competitive advantage may lead a business leader to experience poor performance and lost profits. Grounded in the stakeholder theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies some commercial banking, loan, and savings association leaders used to ensure successful CSR programs to enhance profitability. Participants comprised four leaders in Puerto Rico who successfully established CSR strategies to improve organizational profitability. Data were collected from semistructured interviews and banking websites. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. Three themes emerged: engage communities in CSR activities, improve business practices, and strengthen organizational CSR. A key recommendation for CSR leaders is to engage the community through sports, art, music, educational, and environmental activities. The implications for positive social change include the potential to helping society with employment opportunities and an improved healthy natural environment

Strategies to Manage Reduced Demand Among Mattress Manufacturers in Puerto Rico

The COVID-19 pandemic reduced consumer demand in Puerto Rico, resulting in manufacturing jobs decreasing from 76,000 in March 2020 to 72,600 in August 2020, and the PMI decreasing falling from 50.5 to 48.1 in the same period. Owners of mattress manufacturing firms in Puerto Rico who lack strategies to increase consumer demand risk financial losses. Grounded in the strategic management theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies owners of mattress manufacturing firms in Puerto Rico use to increase demand for mattresses. The participants included three owners of mattress manufacturing firms in Puerto Rico who successfully increased demand for mattresses. Data were collected from semistructured interviews and company documents related to mattress sales and demand. Thematic analysis of the data resulted in four themes: having inventory for immediate sales increased the demand for mattresses, marketing in social networks increased the demand for mattresses, establishing good prices increased the demand for mattresses, and delivering excellent customer service increased the demand for mattresses. A key recommendation is for owners of mattress manufacturing firms to post the amount of inventory available at their manufacturing facilities on their websites in response to the importance the buyers place buyers\u27 importance on buying products at the manufacturing facilities. The implications for positive social change include the potential of improved health benefits of more frequent mattress replacement and increased revenue that could translate into a larger more extensive tax base that local governments could use to implement community-based projects

Strategies to Manage Reduced Demand Among Mattress Manufacturers in Puerto Rico

The COVID-19 pandemic reduced consumer demand in Puerto Rico, resulting in manufacturing jobs decreasing from 76,000 in March 2020 to 72,600 in August 2020, and the PMI decreasing falling from 50.5 to 48.1 in the same period. Owners of mattress manufacturing firms in Puerto Rico who lack strategies to increase consumer demand risk financial losses. Grounded in the strategic management theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies owners of mattress manufacturing firms in Puerto Rico use to increase demand for mattresses. The participants included three owners of mattress manufacturing firms in Puerto Rico who successfully increased demand for mattresses. Data were collected from semistructured interviews and company documents related to mattress sales and demand. Thematic analysis of the data resulted in four themes: having inventory for immediate sales increased the demand for mattresses, marketing in social networks increased the demand for mattresses, establishing good prices increased the demand for mattresses, and delivering excellent customer service increased the demand for mattresses. A key recommendation is for owners of mattress manufacturing firms to post the amount of inventory available at their manufacturing facilities on their websites in response to the importance the buyers place buyers\u27 importance on buying products at the manufacturing facilities. The implications for positive social change include the potential of improved health benefits of more frequent mattress replacement and increased revenue that could translate into a larger more extensive tax base that local governments could use to implement community-based projects