Virtual Collaborative R&D Teams in Malaysia Manufacturing SMEs

This paper presents the results of empirical research conducted during March to September 2009. The study focused on the influence of virtual research and development (R&D) teams within Malaysian manufacturing small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). The specific objective of the study is better understanding of the application of collaborative technologies in business, to find the effective factors to assist SMEs to remain competitive in the future. The paper stresses to find an answer for a question “Is there any relationship between company size, Internet connection facility and virtuality?”. The survey data shows SMEs are now technologically capable of performing the virtual collaborative team, but the infrastructure usage is less. SMEs now have the necessary technology to begin the implementation process of collaboration tools to reduce research and development (R&D) time, costs and increase productivity. So, the manager of R&D should take the potentials of virtual teams into account

Virtual Collaborative R&D Teams in Malaysia Manufacturing SMEs

This paper presents the results of empirical research conducted during March to September 2009. The study focused on the influence of virtual research and development (R&D) teams within Malaysian manufacturing small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). The specific objective of the study is better understanding of the application of collaborative technologies in business, to find the effective factors to assist SMEs to remain competitive in the future. The paper stresses to find an answer for a question “Is there any relationship between company size, Internet connection facility and virtuality?”. The survey data shows SMEs are now technologically capable of performing the virtual collaborative team, but the infrastructure usage is less. SMEs now have the necessary technology to begin the implementation process of collaboration tools to reduce research and development (R&D) time, costs and increase productivity. So, the manager of R&D should take the potentials of virtual teams into account.Small and medium enterprises, Collaborative tools, Questionnaires, Virtual teams

Mytholudics:understanding games as/through myth

This dissertation outlines a mythological framework for understanding how games produce meaning. I first theorise mythology as it applies to games and play. This is expressed through a cycle showing how mythology is embedded in the production of games and how it impacts the interpretation of games. This is then operationalised as a method for the analysis of games. I call my theorisation and analytical approach mytholudics. I then apply mytholudics in ten analyses of individual games or game series, split into two lenses: heroism and monstrosity. Finally, I reflect on these analyses and on mytholudics as an approach.Mythology here is understood through two perspectives: Roland Barthes’ theory outlined in Mythologies (1972/2009) and Frog’s (2015, 2021a) understanding of mythology in cultural practice and discourse from a folklore studies perspective. The Barthesian approach establishes myth as a mode of expression rather than as an object. This has naturalisation as a key feature. Otherwise-arbitrary relations between things are made to seem natural. Frog’s mythic discourse approach understands mythology as “constituted of signs that are emotionally invested by people within a society as models for knowing the world” (2021a, p. 161). Mythic discourse analysis focuses on the comparison of mythic discourses over time and across cultures.Barthes and Frog broadly share an understanding of mythology as a particular way of communicating an understanding of the world through discourse. Mythology is then not limited to any genre, medium or cultural context. It can include phenomena as diverse as systems, rules, customs, rituals, stories, characters, events, social roles and so on. What is important is how these elements relate to one another. Games consist of the same diverse elements arranged in comparable configurations, and so this perspective highlights the otherwise hidden parallels between mythology and games.I argue for analysing games as and through myth. Games as myth means viewing the game as an organising structure that works analogously to mythology. Elements are constructed and put into relation with one another within a gameworld, which the player then plays in and interprets. Games through myth means seeing games as embedded within cultural contexts. The cultural context of development affects the mythologies that can be seen to influence the construction of the game, while the cultural context of the player affects how they relate to the game and the mythologies channelled through it.A mytholudic approach helps us to understand how games make meaning because it focuses on the naturalised and hidden premises that go into the construction of games as organising structures. By analysing the underpinnings of those organising structures, we can outline the model for understanding the world that is virtually instantiated and how they are influenced by, influence and relate to models for understanding the world—mythologies—in the real world

From Bare Metal to Virtual: Lessons Learned when a Supercomputing Institute Deploys its First Cloud

As primary provider for research computing services at the University of Minnesota, the Minnesota Supercomputing Institute (MSI) has long been responsible for serving the needs of a user-base numbering in the thousands. In recent years, MSI---like many other HPC centers---has observed a growing need for self-service, on-demand, data-intensive research, as well as the emergence of many new controlled-access datasets for research purposes. In light of this, MSI constructed a new on-premise cloud service, named Stratus, which is architected from the ground up to easily satisfy data-use agreements and fill four gaps left by traditional HPC. The resulting OpenStack cloud, constructed from HPC-specific compute nodes and backed by Ceph storage, is designed to fully comply with controls set forth by the NIH Genomic Data Sharing Policy. Herein, we present twelve lessons learned during the ambitious sprint to take Stratus from inception and into production in less than 18 months. Important, and often overlooked, components of this timeline included the development of new leadership roles, staff and user training, and user support documentation. Along the way, the lessons learned extended well beyond the technical challenges often associated with acquiring, configuring, and maintaining large-scale systems.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figures, PEARC '18: Practice and Experience in Advanced Research Computing, July 22--26, 2018, Pittsburgh, PA, US

Volume 2015 - Issue 1 - Winter, 2015

https://scholar.rose-hulman.edu/rose_echoes/1092/thumbnail.jp

A Social Network Perspective on the Success of Open Source Software: The Case of R Packages

In this paper, we seek to identify the factors that influence the impact of open source software (OSS) on users community through the analysis of the evolution of the OSS network. Based on longitudinal data collected from the comprehensive R archive network (CRAN), we empirically examine how the network of R packages evolves over time and exert its influence on the scientific community. We find that critical network features derived from CRAN, such as page-rank, closeness, and betweenness centralities, play a significant role in determining the impact of each package on the research and publication activities in the scientific community. Furthermore, the performance of R packages can be explained as a flow of information from the core to the periphery that exhibits strong spillover effects

Revitalizando caraterísticas culturais na publicidade da Nigéria no contexto de um paradigma sistêmico

This study investigated cultural pieces of advertising to indicate the ways that publicists deploy socio-cultural resources as normative channels of persuading readers to consumption. To achieve that goal, ten advertisements of financial, food, and telecommunications industries, harvested from The Punch newspaper, the Internet and erected advertising frameworks, functioned as data of analysis. After stratifying the advertisements into appropriate organizations, the terminology of ‘Below the clause’, functioned as the processing instrument. This allowed the application of graphic illustrations to account for the frequency of communicative components. The analysis revealed the employment of nominal groups (the lessons; this Eid) as playing dominant roles in the constructs, verbal groups (taste; celebrate) and prepositional phrases (from all of us at Fidelity Bank®; of commerce), also operated as stimulating structures. Although negligible, minor clause (Happy Workers’ Day; Eid Mubarak) are relevant grammatical elements of inducement. Besides anchorage and relaying functions interlocking the texts, one observed ambiguity (your work; Bae) in the Union Bank® and Wema Bank® advertisements. Connotations facilitated the communication of Mama don land and the big bottle of Coca-Cola®; the spirit of our nation and green-white-green dresses; your work and Maman Aisha; and the sacrifice of Christ with the crown of thorns. Contexts such as Yorùbá traditions, family  ffairs, religious nuances, savings, and historical notions are propagated cultural endowments that influenced the advertisements’ meaning potential. As a result, the analysts might suggest that advertisers ought to consistently decorate their campaigns with cultural fortunes. Such behavior has the capacity to educate and influence readers to consumption in their various regional domains. Este estudio investigó piezas culturales de publicidad para indicar las formas en que los publicistas utilizan los recursos socioculturales como canales normativos para persuadir a los lectores al consumo. Para lograr ese objetivo, se emplearon a manera de datos de análisis diez anuncios de industrias financieras, alimentarias y de telecomunicaciones, obtenidos del periódico The Punch, internet y marcos publicitarios. Después de estratificar los anuncios en las organizaciones apropiadas, la terminología “por debajo de la cláusula”, funcionó como instrumento de procesamiento. Esto permitió la aplicación de ilustraciones gráficas para tener en cuenta la frecuencia de los componentes comunicativos. El análisis reveló el empleo de grupos nominales (las lecciones; este Eid) con un rol dominante en las construcciones, grupos verbales (sabor; celebraciones) y frases de preposición (de todos nosotros en Fidelity Bank®; de comercio); que también actuaban como estructuras estimulantes. Aunque insignificantes, las cláusulas menores (feliz día del trabajador; Eid Mubarak) son elementos gramaticales relevantes de inducción. Además de las funciones de anclaje y retransmisión que interconectan los textos, se observó ambigüedad (su trabajo; Bae) en los anuncios de Union Bank® y Wema Bank®. Las connotaciones facilitaron la comunicación de Mama don land y la botella grande de Coca-Cola®; el espíritu de nuestra nación y los vestidos verde-blanco-verde; su trabajo y Maman Aisha; y el sacrificio de Cristo con la corona de espinas. Contextos como las tradiciones yorùbá, asuntos familiares, matices religiosos, el ahorro y nociones históricas son dotaciones culturales propagadas que influyeron en el potencial del significado de los anuncios. Como resultado, los analistas podrían sugerir que los anunciantes deberían adornar sus campañas de manera consistente con aspectos culturales apreciados por el público. Ese comportamiento tiene la capacidad de educar y manipular a los lectores para que consuman en sus diversos dominios regionales.Este estudo pesquisou peças culturais de publicidade para indicar as formas como publicitários empregam recursos socioculturais como canais normativos para persuadir os leitores a consumir. Para atingir esse objetivo, dez peças de publicidade das indústrias financeira, de alimentos e telecomunicações coletadas do jornal The Punch, da internet e de estruturas constituídas de publicidade serviram como dados para a análise. Após classificar a publicidade dentro das organizações adequadas, a expressão “por baixo da oração” (“below the clause”), serviu como instrumento de processamento. Isso permitiu a aplicação de ilustrações gráficas para evidenciar a frequência de componentes comunicativos. A análise revelou o uso de grupos nominais (the lessons; this Eid) desempenhava um papel dominante nos constructos, grupos verbais (taste; celebrate) e orações preposicionadas (from all of us at Fidelity Bank®; of commerce), também operavam como estruturas estimuladoras. Mesmo que insignificante, orações menores (Happy Workers’ Day; Eid Mubarak) são elementos gramaticais relevantes da persuasão. Além da ancoragem e das funções de retransmissão que interconectam os textos, foi observada ambiguidade (your work; Bae) na publicidade do Union Bank® e Wema Bank®. Conotações facilitaram a comunicação da Mama don land e a garrafa grande de Coca-Cola®; the spirit of our nation e vestidos verde-branco-verdes; your work e Maman Aisha; e o sacrifício de Cristo com a coroa de espinhos. Contextos tais como os das tradições Yorùbá, situações de família, nuances religiosas, poupanças e noções históricas são dotes culturais propagados que influenciaram no potencial do significado da publicidade. Como resultado, os analistas poderiam sugerir que os publicitários devessem ilustrar de forma consistente suas campanhas com fortunas culturais. Este comportamento tem a capacidade de educar e influir aos leitores ao consumo em seus vários domínios regionais