1,070,829 research outputs found

    Buzz: Face-to-Face Contact and the Urban Economy

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    This paper argues that existing models of urban concentrations are incomplete unless grounded in the most fundamental aspect of proximity; face-to-face contact. Face-to-face contact has four main features; it is an efficient communication technology; it can help solve incentive problems; it can facilitate socialization and learning; and it provides psychological motivation. We discuss each of these features in turn, and develop formal economic models of two of them. Face-to-face is particularly important in environments where information is imperfect, rapidly changing, and not easily codified, key features of many creative activities.Agglomeration, clustering, urban economics, face-to-face

    Buzz: Face-to-Face Contact and the Urban Economy

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    This paper argues that existing models of urban concentrations are incomplete unless grounded in the most fundamental aspect of proximity; face-to-face contact. Face-to-face contact has four main features; it is an efficient communication technology; it can help solve incentive problems; it can facilitate socialization and learning; and it provides psychological motivation. We discuss each of these features in turn, and develop formal economic models of two of them. Face-to-face is particularly important in environments where information is imperfect, rapidly changing, and not easily codified, key features of many creative activities.Agglomeration, clustering, urban economics, face-to-face

    A framework on information behaviour of SME managers for decision-making on emerging ICTs

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    The aim of this study is to explore the perceived information needs and information behaviours of manager of UK small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). As technology advancement and innovation are changing rapidly affecting organisations in different ways, organization executives are introducing new technologies for their operations and business environment becomes more complex and dynamic, government introducing different policies to guide the use of these emerging ICTs. As a result, information becomes significant during adoption decision-making process for SME managers to make an inform decision. To achieve this aim, a framework is developed based on existing literature, using the technology organization environmental (TOE) model as the theoretical underpinning for empirical investigation on information behaviour of SME managers in this study. This study is qualitative in nature, and semi-structured face-to-face interviews were conducted with twenty SME managers in the UK service sector. The interviews were recorded and transcribed. Following Myers and Newman’s (2007) guidelines for qualitative interview and triangulation method were used to validate the conceptual framework and established the research rigour and quality. The research findings explained information behaviours of SME managers in the contexts of technology organisation environment as information behaviour triggered and perceived information needs during the adoption decision in SMEs. These findings provide further insight into ICT adoption in SMEs through information behaviours and highlighted the significant of sources of information and pre-information needed during the decision-making process. The research also contributes to theory in the information systems field by using relevant literature from information science field to explore information behaviours of SME managers. Future research can be done in other sectors of the economy to show more holistic behaviours of SME managers

    Informational precaution

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    In environmental ethics, the precautionary principle states that parties should refrain from actions in the face of scientific uncertainties about serious or irreversible harm to public health or the environment. A similar principle is lacking when judging effects of information technology. Such a principle would be helpful in guiding discussions, and that is why we try to develop a precautionary principle for information technology in this paper.\ud \ud As the effects of information technology are primarily social, social sustainability would be a key concept in developing the principle, where environmental sustainability fulfils this role in the traditional one. However, present definitions of social sustainability often consider it as an additional condition for environmental sustainability, rather than as an end in itself. Social sustainability, as meant in this paper, is the property of a development that it safeguards the continuity and stability of a social system. This may include maintaining trust and power relations in society. Based on this definition of social sustainability, we establish a precautionary principle with respect to the social sustainability of information technology.\ud \ud The principle of informational precaution, as we call it, aims at protecting the social environment of technology by providing information security, just as the traditional precautionary principle aims at protecting the natural environment of technology by providing physical, chemical and biological safety. By providing causal insulation in the infosphere, i.e. separation of pieces of information, information technology may be able to protect the social environment. The principle of informational precaution then states that people should refrain from changing causal insulations in the infosphere, if there is uncertainty about possible serious or irreversible harm to society.\u

    The Virtual Library : changing roles and ethical challenges for librarians

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    In this age of Information Technology, there have been so many opportunities for the Librarians for involvement in an information-based society including electronic and multimedia publishing, Internet based-information services, global networking, web based digital resources etc. The base of recorded information is growing at an accelerating rate, in increasing varieties of formats (texts, numeric, graphic, video, audio, image, electronic, etc.). Virtual Library can be defined as the Internet based Digital Library. The concept of “Virtual Library” is that any person who has a computer by which he can make connection to the library networks can access not only the resources of the library but also access variety of information that is available nationally and internationally through networks, like Internet, Intranet without being physically present in library. This article explains what is meant by a Virtual Library and to build a virtual library in what way the Librarians have to change their roles to face the challenges of modern Information Technologies in the changing environment. Also this article, discusses about the changing role of librarians, the skills needed to build a virtual library and how the virtual information should be collected, managed, preserved and disseminated to the millennium users

    Indian Banking – NEW Vision 2030

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    Dynamic changes are taking place in the Indian banking industry .The purpose of this paper is to access and analyze the future of Indian banking in the coming competitive era. With the help of ratio analysis method and various statistical techniques ,evaluates the performance of banking industry .In the post – second banking reforms era, Indian banks are very fastly changing and ready to face the global challenges. The paper has been divided into two parts, i.e pre-ebanking period and post -ebanking period. The paper concludes that the performance of banks much better in the post ebanking period. Only those banks will survive in future, which are intensively using information technology in day-to-day activities. The present paper highlights the changing face of Indian banks and predicts the future for 2030. Information technology has altered the face of Indian banks and it has positively affected the productivity and profitability of banks. The presence of Indian banks in the global market is continuously increasing

    Practices of Using Blockchain Technology in ICT under the Digitalization of the World Economy

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    Abstract. Pursuing the purpose of effective functioning in today's conditions, the business is forced to transform rapidly, to modernize at all levels. The world is changing, erasing the limits of its certainty. Companies need quality transformations and strategies that are effective in the face of rapid change towards "deep" digitization. Massive corporate management systems increasingly need the flexibility to keep pace with change. And companies with an innovative culture are more in need of creative tasks than implementing detailed regulations. In the post-industrial time of digital economy, issues related to the development of the information sphere, the media and communications, the usage of modern information systems to develop the economy and stabilize social development as a whole, come first. The basic principles of practical application of Blockchain are investigated in the work. The stages of development of Blockchain technology, the stages of development of Blockchain technologies by time, the application of distributed registry technology in Blockchain applications, the principles of construction and operation of Blockchain have been specified. The benefits of using NEM for business are substantiated and the components of Proxima X technology, protocols and service layers, on-line and off-line protocols, decentralized applications are exposed

    Reaching Families through Social Media: Training Extension Professionals to Implement Technology in Their Work

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    Cooperative Extension professionals have a long tradition of helping improve the lives of the families they serve by sharing research-based information. More than ever, families are getting their information online, creating a need for Extension professionals to deliver content via technology. This article describes a training designed to teach Extension professionals ways to increase their reach to families through the use of technology in their work. Extension professionals attended an 8-hour, face-to-face training in which they completed a pre, post, and follow-up survey. Results from the training indicated that this training was effective in changing attitudes about the usefulness of technology and increasing their use of social media to reach families

    BS7799: A Suitable Model for Information Security Management

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    The world is changing rapidly as technology marches forward and the modern business world expands to take advantage of the new technology. Security is seen as fundamental to rapid changing E-business. To satisfy the urgent need for security on the Internet, organisations need to face these challenges and need a suitable management model for information security management. This paper presents the current foundation of information security standard and analyses the framework of BS7799 British information security model. It describes the basic properties of the important security management processes: security policy, security standards, access control, security architecture. It provides an opportunity for security manager to gain security management knowledge and recognise the important procedures and mechanisms to improve the process of information security management

    A road-map to personalized context-aware services delivery in construction

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    Existing mobile IT applications in the construction industry are constrained by their reliance on static methods of information delivery, which are often not appropriate to meet changing work demand resulting from dynamic project conditions. This paper focuses on a new interaction paradigm i.e. context-aware information delivery (CAID), which promises to make information provisioning more responsive to workers’ changing work demands. A roadmap to personalized CAID in construction is laid out, with a focus on creating a pervasive user-centred intelligent work environment capable of serving relevant information needs of busy construction professionals by intelligent interpretation of their context. Research approach includes use of scenario planning method. Face-to-face unstructured interviews were arranged with 28 industry and technology experts for scenario validation and provided input for the road-mapping exercise. The research demonstrates that the realisation of the CAID vision is within reach and will tremendously enhance the value proposition of mobile information technology in the construction industry. Context-relevant and personalised information delivery will save valuable time and has the potential to improve efficiency and productivity. It can make construction ICT applications and worker’s immediate work environment more responsive to work demands, thereby allowing better management of construction projects. A key challenge is to link various technology enabling elements with methodological, cultural, social and organisational aspects specific to the construction industry. This would require a multi-disciplinary approach requiring input from different fields, including computer science, ergonomics, social studies and the construction industry
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