A State of the Art of Self Help Groups in India

This paper considers the strategies of self help group for micro-enterprise development in rural areas. It seeks to answer the question of whether and under which conditions self help groups are an effective vehicle for organizing and representing local people in the development of community based micro-enterprises. Focusing particularly on examples from India in the context of food as a local resource, special attention is paid to success and failure factors of self help groups. While self help group strategies have been applied in the past as a blind replication of success models without considering the intricacies involved in group formation, success of self help groups is based on a thorough understanding of local conditions and possibilities to intervene

Towards an evaluation framework for medical web applications

Copyright @ 2013 EMCIS.The main aim of this study is to review and analyse various evaluation frameworks used to assess the operational effectiveness of various Information Technology (IT) processes/applications and identify their strengths in order to form a new holistic framework for economic evaluation of web applications. This research aims to address the need for a new holistic evaluation framework for the purpose of the evaluation of the medical web applications. Over the last decade more and more, companies used accountancy techniques such as the frameworks analysed in this research. This new holistic framework that was developed will include also steps regarding the indirect and intangible costs and benefits identification and their incorporation in the evaluation process. Moreover the new emerging market of the medical websites and the embedded on them web applications requires also a new evaluation framework that will provide accurate results in the estimation of the efficiency of an investment on them. The paper first presents an introduction about why economic evaluation is important when evaluating the Information Technology in organizations. Various studies are reviewed, which highlight the ever increasing importance of integrating economic evaluation processes, such as Cost Benefit Analysis (CBA) and Return on Investment (ROI), into systems and processes of organizations and economic organizations, and analyse the factors that govern their role. Finally, the evaluation frameworks and methods that are found in these studies should be used as a part of a proactive systematic action plan that the organizations could use to avoid budget reduction due to incorrect planning. The next part of this study includes a comprehensive presentation and review of past frameworks used to evaluate Information Technology. The frameworks that are reviewed are the Framework for evaluation of information systems, the Information Technology Adoption Model (ITAM), the Total Evaluation and Acceptance Methodology (TEAM) framework, the ROI Process Model and HOT-fit evaluation framework for Health Information Systems

Innovation for a circular economy : exploring the adoption of PSS by UK companies in the baby products sector

Several authors have commented on the relatively slow rate at which Product Service Systems (PSS) have been adopted in B2B networks. Despite some prominent examples, such as the provision of integrated lighting systems to Sainsbury’s (supermarket chain) by Parkersell in the UK, and the ‘pay per copy’ (lease and take back) systems provided by copier companies such as Xerox and Canon, PSS has not been widely adopted even though the business case seems sound. Consequently, the question of identifying and overcoming barriers to PSS adoption has become an important research topic. In this study we explore barriers to the adoption of PSS in the UK baby products industry using a qualitative research design employing in-depth interviews with baby products suppliers (manufacturers) and buyers (retailers). The novelty of the approach adopted in this study is that key concepts from the Industrial Networks Approach are used to frame the analysis. Buyers and suppliers of baby products acknowledge the value of the PSS approach, but PSS adoption is found to require considerable adaptation to conventional patterns of inter-organizational interaction

Proposal to incorporate sustainability into ICT engineering studies

Amb el suport de la UNESCO, l'Educació per al Desenvolupament Sostenible (EDS) és un concepte clau per formar millors professionals, adaptats a les limitacions de recursos i la situació actual del nostre planeta. La sostenibilitat és una de les competències transversals més importants que tot professional i enginyer ha d'adquirir durant la seva formació. Intentar continuar creant i desenvolupant indústria, ciència i tecnologia sense pensar en la sostenibilitat provocaria el col·lapse del nostre planeta en poc temps. En conseqüència, qualsevol professional ha de tenir un coneixement bàsic per poder identificar els impactes ambientals, socials i econòmics que té el seu camp i aquesta experiència s'ha d'incorporar als plans d'estudis universitaris actuals de la manera més eficient i eficaç. Aquest document es centra en quin mètode és el més adequat per a la introducció de coneixements sobre sostenibilitat al Grau en Enginyeria de Tecnologies i Serveis de Telecomunicació de la UPC. A més, compta amb una revisió de la legislació vigent i una anàlisi de projectes amb diferents abasts - marc local-universitari (projecte intern de la UPC per introduir l'EDS als títols oficials universitaris: Pla Pilot Competència Sostenibilitat i Compromís Social), estatal (EDINSOST, projecte coordinat per la UPC que cerca avançar en l'educació en innovació per dotar els futurs graduats de les habilitats necessàries per catalitzar el canvi cap a una societat més sostenible) i europeu (Unite!, xarxa europea d'universitats que volen transformar l'educació superior europea en una educació innovadora i multidisciplinària) - per donar una perspectiva àmplia dels esforços actuals per introduir l'EDS. A més, per comparar les actuals accions de la UPC en la introducció d'aquest nou camp, s'analitzen les universitats politècniques del territori espanyol a través d'entrevistes directes i la revisió de les guies de les assignatures.Con el apoyo de la UNESCO, la Educación para el Desarrollo Sostenible (EDS) es un concepto clave para formar mejores profesionales, adaptados a las limitaciones de recursos y la situación actual de nuestro planeta. La sostenibilidad es una de las competencias transversales más importantes que todo profesional e ingeniero debe adquirir durante su formación. Intentar seguir creando y desarrollando industria, ciencia y tecnología sin pensar en la sostenibilidad provocaría el colapso de nuestro planeta en poco tiempo. En consecuencia, todo profesional debe tener un conocimiento básico para poder identificar los impactos ambientales, sociales y económicos que tiene su campo y esta experiencia debe incorporarse a los planes de estudios universitarios actuales de la manera más eficiente y eficaz. Este documento se centra en que método es el más adecuado para la introducción de conocimientos sobre sostenibilidad en el Grado en Ingeniería de Tecnologías y Servicios de Telecomunicación de la UPC. Además, cuenta con una revisión de la legislación vigente y un análisis de proyectos con diferentes alcances - marco local-universitario (proyecto interno de la UPC para introducir la EDS en los títulos oficiales universitarios: “Pla Pilot Competència Sostenibilidad i Compromís Social”), estatal (EDINSOST, proyecto coordinado por la UPC que busca avanzar en la educación en innovación para dotar a los futuros graduados de las habilidades necesarias para catalizar el cambio hacia una sociedad más sostenible) y europeo (Unite!, red europea de universidades que quieren transformar la educación superior europea en una educación innovadora y multidisciplinaria) - para dar una perspectiva amplia de los esfuerzos actuales para introducir la EDS. Además, para comparar las acciones actuales de la UPC en la introducción de este nuevo campo, se analizan las universidades politécnicas del territorio español a través de entrevistas directas y la revisión de las guías de las asignaturas.Supported by UNESCO, Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) is a key concept to create better professionals, adapted to the limitations of resources and current situation of our world. Sustainability is one of the most important transversal skills that every professional and engineer must acquire during their formation. Trying to continue creating and developing industry, science and technology without considering sustainability would cause our planet to collapse in a short time. Consequently, every professional should have a basic knowledge to be able to identify the environmental, social and economic impacts that their field have and this expertise must be added to actual university studies curricula in the most efficient and effective way .This document is focused in which method is the most adequate to the introduction of sustainability knowledge in the Bachelor's degree in Telecommunications Technologies and Services Engineering of UPC. Moreover, it counts with a revision of current legislation and, an analysis of projects with different scopes - local-university framework (internal UPC’s project to introduce ESD in the university official titles: “Pla Pilot Competència Sostenibilidad i Compromís Social”), state (EDINSOST, project coordinated by the UPC that seeks to advance in innovation education to provide future graduates with the necessary skills to catalyse change towards a more sustainable society) and European (Unite!, European network of universities wanting to transform European higher education into an innovative, and multidisciplinary education) - in order to give a wide perspective of current efforts to introduce ESD. Furthermore, to compare current actions of UPC in the introduction of this new field, polytechnic universities of Spanish territory are analysed through direct interviews and course guidelines revision

Creating an Experiential Learning Based Multi-Disciplinary Program

For many years, curriculum development has considered learning outcomes at the program level largely via learning outcomes at the course level. Some programs have modified their designs to use different structures such as condensed courses or project based learning. Recently, there has been an increased interest in experiential learning as a way to facilitate student acquisition of real-world applicable capabilities while enhancing student learning of ‘soft skills’ such as professionalism, communication, and team management. Historically, such engagement including complexities of real-world problems has been accomplished through internships, co-op, capstone courses, or project based learning. In this paper we present an innovative model for experiential curriculum design based on skill requirements and learning outcomes derived from industry needs combined with technology enabled learning. The curriculum has been designed in a highly modular approach to ensure flexibility in student learning pathways to meet the requirements of the work related learning projects that are integrated as part of the program design. The conceptual model of this approach to curriculum design will be presented through a case study of the development of the informatics program at UOIT. Areas of caution are explored to identify recommendations for risk mitigation when developing a program utilizing this type of learning environment. In particular, student selection, technical infrastructure requirements, learning outcome measurement, faculty scheduling, and program management are considered

Sustainability in design: now! Challenges and opportunities for design research, education and practice in the XXI century

Copyright @ 2010 Greenleaf PublicationsLeNS project funded by the Asia Link Programme, EuropeAid, European Commission

Human-centered design for advanced services: A multidimensional design methodology

Advanced services have caught the attention of industries and academics as a way to exploit new customer value propositions. However, the existing design methodologies for advanced services are limited to partially addressing one or some key design elements, hence causing confusion in practice. Moreover, human factors are not often addressed, even though the design for advanced services requires human-centered thinking. Aiming to advance the body of research, the current study aims to conceptually propose a multidimensional design methodology called DIMAND that captures the key design elements and their relations in a single-view structure in accordance with a human-centric approach. Specifically, DIMAND encapsulates the (i) life-cycle service design interrelated with other key design elements—(ii) stakeholder networks, (iii) new service development methods, and (iv) design skills—that must be considered to develop effective advanced service design. Based on a hybrid research design, DIMAND was conceptually developed through systematic reviews and structured analysis of existing design methodologies, as well as an elicitation of expert knowledge in the domain through the analytical hierarchy process (AHP). For validation, the average usability score of DIMAND as evaluated by 26 practitioners was 72.2, which falls into “excellence” on the simplified system usability scale (SUS), hence confirming its potential utility. As a result, DIMAND offers a novel and holistic guideline for design practitioners and engineers to obtain coherence in all the life-cycle design processes by simultaneously taking these key design elements and their relations into account, making the design of advanced services more practical

Entrepreneurship education in the third-level sector in Ireland

Entrepreneurship education is now a key part of the tertiary-level educatin landscape in many countries around the globe. Institutions are creating the type of learning environments that are conducive to encouraging and supporting student enterprise and graduate entrepreneurship. Going byond notions of employability, entrepreneurship capacities enable graduates to create their own futures, exploit the opportunities that emerge in their complex and unpredicatable worlds, and better contribute to economic development and well-being. This report demonstrates that Ireland is no exception. The evidence presented illustrates that there is no shortage of entrepreneurial activity across the island. Institutions are spreading provision outside of the business school and across the campus. Government support is stimulating interest and growth amongst students in science, engineering, technology and the arts