IMPLEMENTATION CHALLENGES FOR INFORMATION SECURITY AWARENESS INITIATIVES IN E-GOVERNMENT

With the widespread adoption of electronic government services, there has been a need to ensure a seamless flow of information across public sector organizations, while at the same time, maintaining confidentiality, integrity and availability. Governments have put in place various initiatives and programs including information security awareness to provide the needed understanding on how public sector employees can maintain security and privacy. Nonetheless, the implementation of such initiatives often faces a number of challenges that impede further take-up of e-government services. This paper aims to provide a better understanding of the challenges contributing towards the success of information security awareness initiatives implementation in the context of e-government. Political, organizational, social as well as technological challenges have been utilized in a conceptual framework to signify such challenges in e-government projects. An empirical case study conducted in a public sector organization in Greece was exploited in this research to reflect on these challenges. While, the results from this empirical study confirm the role of the identified challenges for the implementation of security awareness programs in e-government, it has been noticed that awareness programmers often pursue different targets of preserving security and privacy, which sometimes results in adding more complexity to the organization

THE SDGs IN THE REPORTS OF THE ITALIAN COMPANIES. RESEARCH DOCUMENT N. 16

The document represents the first result of the study conducted by the research group "SDGs and business reporting" and aims to be the starting point of a process for corporate awareness towards sustainable development objectives. The document reveals our country commitment on Agenda 2030; a commitment that involves the entire "Italian system" in pursuit of the 17 sustainable development goals, through the active role of Italian companies as operators. Hence, it not only creates economic value on sustainable development but also it sensitize other companies, end users and the community in general. Although the results depict a sustainable development goals reporting in becoming and not entirely conscious, they provide inputs for entrepreneurs, directors, managers, regulators, consultants, etc. who, for various reasons, are the actors in a process of profound business change that is affecting the corporate reporting and disclosures. The document provides, in this context, useful hints to a better understanding the new corporate reporting direction; indeed, reporting is increasingly affected by an accountability process and responsibility towards both internal and external stakeholders

Upholding family relationships in a context of increasing awareness of parental illness

Background: Children are affected when parents are ill and health care professionals are bound by law to consider children’s need for information on their parent’s illness. Effective interventions are available in settings other than primary health care, and possibilities seen by GPs and families have been described previously. Most patients in Sweden are treated in primary health care. It is suspected that parental health problems treated in primary care create a challenge and risk for the children. It is unknown how children and parents negotiate this situation and what strategies they use. Aim: The overall aim was to conceptualize the situation of ill parents and their children in primary health care, as a contribution towards the long-term goal of developing suitable and sustainable interventions for children as next of kin in primary care. Methods: Analysis of interviews with 32 parents and 23 of their children in three primary health care clinics using grounded theory method resulted in a conceptualization of (i) how these children view their situation (Study I) and (ii) a theory on the processes and typologies of upholding family relationships from the perspective of their parents (Study III). A systematic review exploring interventions for children of ill parents in all health care settings globally resulted in a full overview of the literature and, via content analysis, a resulting summary of what children and parents find helpful in interventions (Study II). All three studies were analytically integrated in this thesis. Results: Analysis of the interviews revealed that children feel burdened and lonely when their parents are ill (paper 1) and wish their parent to reveal (paper 3). Parents are aware that their children know they are ill and wish their parents to reveal, but often feel incapable to do so. A Grounded Theory conceptualizing what it takes to uphold family relationships in a context of increasing awareness of parental illness (paper 3) was developed. Six different awareness contexts are posed (closed, concealed, suspicious, conflicted, mutual pretence and open) and how parents manage, or often fail to manage them, are conceptualized. The theory hypothesises that to reveal the parent needs to manage their common awareness context about the illness. And to manage their common awareness context the parent must comprehend the illness and the child needs. Parents and children wish primary health care to support the often-needed learning processes. (Study 1 and 3). Thirty-two studies conducted in mental health (n=22), cancer care (n=6) and HIV care (n=4) were analysed in a systematic literature review. The quantitative studies showed a small-to-moderate effect on the health of the child. Systematic content analysis of qualitative results from mental health and cancer care generated new data concerning what both children and parents found useful in interventions (increased knowledge, improved communication, improved coping strategies and better capacity to handle negative feelings) and additional benefits perceived by the parents (observed changes in their children’s behaviour, increased understanding of their own child and enjoyment of the child’s respite). A synergy arises from the three papers that comprise this study to reveal that (i) the chronically ill parent and child share the same main concern of sustaining family equilibrium; (ii) explains how their interactions can create more positive or more negative awareness contexts about parental illness and (iii) elaborates how a family can be supported to shift from one context to another. Conclusions: This thesis impacted the theoretical literature on children as next of kin in primarily two ways, by making it clear that the theme child as next of kin is central, but previously overlooked, in primary health care and by contributing a theory of the detailed interactions of parent and child, showing how they manage or fail to manage their common awareness context about the parental illness. For practise this has implications. The study points out the current neglect of child as next of kin in primary health care and highlights ways in which to apply the intention of the law. It provides a conceptual framework which can be used to create an outline of suitable clinical actions, inform management of clinical reality, increase professional understanding of patients and increase parents understanding of how they can manage their awareness context with their children when ill

Contribution to improve mobility uses through context-awareness

Dey, in his paper “Towards a Better Understanding of Context and Context-Awareness”, argues that context-awareness is important in applications in which the user’s context changes rapidly, such as in mobile environments for ubiquitous computing. In his paper, Dey defines context as “any information that can be used to characterize the situation of an entity”. In mobile environments, the entity is the mobile device itself. The device is both pervasive and person-­centric; it can continuously capture information about its users and their context through its sensors. The use of context has gained importance in ubiquitous computing since the 1990s, and the technique has recently been used in mobile devices to improve their uses and applications. For mobile context-awareness to become a reality, further research is required, particularly in the field of context prediction, which can expand the possibilities of context-awareness applications by expanding the applications’ situation awareness. In this PhD dissertation, we focus on the use of data obtained through mobile device sensors and user behavior to derive and predict context to improve mobility for both the users’ experience and for the applications’ functionality. We contribute to context-­aware mobile computing by showing how mobile devices can automatically learn from the user’s context and can adapt to improve the mobile experience. We begin our work with a state-­‐of-­‐the-­‐art analysis of “context-awareness” proposals for mobile systems and applications and of the current tools used to infer context from the existing environmental variables. In this dissertation, we analyze the existing gaps in mobile environments and propose solutions to resolve these issues. We first define “context-­awareness” and propose an architecture to predict context from a mobility perspective. Numerous definitions of context, context-­awareness and architectures exist, but few focus exclusively on mobility. Moreover, all of the definitions are oriented towards context inference rather than towards a prediction of future context. We develop a model that captures, processes and unifies variables from heterogeneous sources for use by a machine-­learning algorithm that infers and predicts the context. We also test and benchmark several machine-­learning algorithms in our architecture so that we can recommend those algorithms that we consider most appropriate for inferring context in mobility environments. We propose the combination of on-­‐line prediction algorithms and classifier algorithms to enhance context derivation with future context prediction. We evaluate our proposal utilizing real data from the Reality Mining project, which captures data from the daily mobile usage of c.100 Nokia smart phones during an academic year. We conclude with an example of how to apply our proposed architecture and model, and we demonstrate its enrichment of the search experience with a mobile device by including a “context-awareness” module in mobile search engines. We use Bing as the search engine for all of our search examples. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Describe Dey, en su artículo “Towards a Better Understanding of Context and Context-Awareness” cómo la percepción del contexto (context-awareness) cobra importancia en las aplicaciones en las que el contexto del usuario cambia con rapidez, como es el caso en los entornos móviles de la computación ubicua. Dey, en su artículo, define contexto como “cualquier información que pueda usarse para caracterizar la situación de una entidad”. En entornos móviles, dicha entidad es el dispositivo móvil en sí mismo. Este aparato, al ser ubicuo y centrado en las personas, puede captar continuamente información tanto de los usuarios como de su contexto a través de sus sensores. El uso del contexto ha cobrado importancia en entornos de computación ubicua desde la década de los 90, y esta técnica se ha empleado en dispositivos móviles para mejorar su utilización y aplicación. Para que el área de percepción de contexto se convierta en una realidad, se necesita más investigación, sobre todo en el área de predicción de contexto que amplíe las posibilidades de las aplicaciones que usan información de su contexto. En esta tesis doctoral, nos centramos en el uso de los datos obtenidos de los sensores del móvil y en el comportamiento del usuario, para deducir el contexto presente predecir el contexto futuro, mejorando así la usabilidad del móvil y las funcionalidades de sus aplicaciones. Contribuimos a la computación de percepción del contexto móvil demostrando cómo los dispositivos móviles pueden aprender automáticamente sobre el contexto en el que está el usuario y adaptarse al mismo para mejorar la experiencia de movilidad. Comenzamos nuestro trabajo realizando un estudio del estado del arte de propuestas de percepción de contexto para sistemas y aplicaciones móviles, así como de las herramientas para intuir el contexto a partir de variables existentes del entorno. Analizamos las carencias que tienen en su aplicación al área de la movilidad y hacemos propuestas de cómo resolverlas a lo largo de la tesis. Primero sentamos las bases de la tesis definiendo el concepto de percepción de contexto (“context-awarenes”) y realizamos una propuesta de arquitectura de derivación del contexto actual y predicción del contexto futuro desde un punto de vista de un entorno móvil. Existen muchas definiciones de contexto, percepción de contexto y arquitecturas, pero hay pocas orientadas exclusivamente a movilidad. Además todas se centran en la derivación del contexto actual en vez de hacerlo en la predicción del contexto futuro. Desarrollamos un modelo que nos permite captar, procesar y unificar variables de fuentes heterogéneas para que puedan ser utilizadas por el algoritmo de aprendizaje automático para intuir y predecir contexto. También probamos y referenciamos varios algoritmos de aprendizaje automático para poder recomendar los algoritmos que consideramos más apropiados para intuir contexto en entornos de movilidad. Hacemos una propuesta de mejora en la que combinamos los algoritmos de predicción en línea con los algoritmos de clasificación para poder así predecir el contexto futuro además del contexto actual intuido por el clasificador. Evaluamos nuestra propuesta con datos reales de uso del móvil disponibles en el proyecto “Reality Mining”, en el cual se captan datos de uso diario de móviles de aproximadamente 100 Smartphones Nokia usados por estudiantes universitarios durante un año académico. Finalmente concluimos dando un ejemplo de cómo aplicar nuestra arquitectura y el modelo propuesto demostrando como enriquece la experiencia de búsqueda en un dispositivo móvil el hecho de incluir un módulo de percepción de contexto en los buscadores móviles. Usamos el buscador Bing para todos los ejemplos de búsquedas

Climate change, contemporary society and engineering practice: a sustainability journey

[Abstract]: Climate change, Contemporary Society and engineers share an indivisible pathway towards sustainability through the means of technology. Climate change and sustainability are now new domains that require a better understanding by engineers. Ten years ago sustainability was a development for the future however the absence of climate certainty in contemporary society has raised sustainability awareness to the forefront of societal debate. While sustainability in theory is defined as the capacity to maintain a certain process or state indefinitely. However the literal meaning of “indefinitely” in sustainability definition poses a set of intriguing questions, is indefinite human survival a plausible proposition in a finite world. For this reason efforts in the fight against climate change are becoming a global effort, since it requires global cooperation and greater scientific consensus to reduce carbon emissions and consequently the planet’s energy footprint. We recognize that Sustainability ought to be economically viable, ecologically sound and sensitive; socially responsible and culturally appropriate. Surrounded by this realm of thinking all these mentioned definitions are equal measures that fail to address the importance of “technology” as a subject in the climate change and sustainability debate. Since this generation had inherited the historical legacy of nonrenewable energy technologies. The term “technology” in this context implies any technical system that can result in and/or be well described in terms of a process by which humans modify nature to meet their needs and wants. This paper seeks to investigate the underlying philosophical frames and the nature of the issues of sustainability present to engineers. It explores the notion of “Sustainability” and “technology “in engineering practice. Further, we argue that in order to establish a clear, measurable, actionable, and universally accessible working definition of sustainable engineering practices. climate change and technology life cycle need to be inclusive to sustainability

Participation and Agency: the experiences of young people in a Scottish secondary school

The purpose of this study is to better understand the classroom experiences of current secondary school students, in light of the present policy drive towards participation. Using an approach with ethnographic intent (participant observation, interviewing, shadowing and field notes) this research explores six students’ experiences, in one secondary school in Scotland. Emerging themes from the literature, regarding participation and participatory approaches, suggest that these can be understood in different ways, ranging from economic instrumentalism to democratic renewal. This study took a fresh theoretical approach, employing an ecological, temporal-relational understanding of the achievement of agency. This understanding acknowledges a young person’s awareness of, and capacity to engage with, a range of different possible actions, by means of a particular context at a particular time. This approach provided theoretical tools, with which to interpret aspects of these students’ school experiences. The findings are detailed in terms of teacher-student relationships, the cultural realm, and young people’s aspirations. Students’ achievement of agency in the school setting is complex, but one major finding is that the quality and type of teacher-student relationship are significant in enabling these students to achieve agency. Peer relationships and ties beyond the school gates are also significant. The ecological understanding of agency provides a basis for educators to better understand the interdependence of the individual and the environment and to explore how participation might afford a wider range of possibilities for young people. This reflection on participation is important if we want to shape educational ecologies to encourage practices which facilitate the achievement of agency by young people

Once a deacon always a deacon? What understanding do priests in the Church of England have of the diaconate, and their identity as a deacon.

The Church of England is proud of its threefold ministry. The sentence “once a deacon, always a deacon” is regularly used. Reports have been written on the diaconate, agreements with Porvoo and the Lutheran churches have been made on the diaconate. And every couple of years someone writes about deacons in the church times. But the visible diaconate in the local churches seems absent, there is no talk about the diaconate in the local churches. The diaconate seems to be neglected in daily life. This research was designed to find out how Church of England priests at parish level think about their diaconate. What is their understanding of their first ordination? The context is the Church of England. Eight priests were interviewed to find about their knowledge of the diaconate, what their own understanding is on the subject. Do they still have a deacon identity after their ordination to priest and can we find the diaconate at grass root level in the Church of England. The priests interviewed were all first ordained after 2001, and had all been in the ministry for more than 5 years. Through literature the doctrine and the theology of the Church of England were researched and this was used as a theoretical framework to set the interviews in a context, as well as to gain insight in the current understanding of the Church of England of the diaconate. The diaconate has gone through changes since the first deacons were appointed in the early church. Understanding of the Greek diakon-words have changed, especially in the last 20 years. Has the church changed its views and understanding as well? The method used was qualitative interviews. Eight interviews were held and the answers were used as data in the research, seen in the background of the literary framework. This is a limited research, but the findings showed a lack of understanding and knowledge of the modern diaconate. There lies a great opportunity for the Church of England to work towards change. There was however proof of the diaconate in the church. Many of the activities in the churches can be classified under diaconal activities, but an awareness around the subject is lacking. It is my hope that this thesis will help open up a dialogue and further research on the subject of the diaconate within the Church of England. With better training, education and more awareness on the subject of the diaconate, a priest could truly be a deacon for life, as well as a priest

Teaching of English as a performing art: reflecting on its role in the curriculum

This paper is a reflection on how conceptualising the teaching of English as a performing art within the English Language school curriculum in Malaysia can play a meaningful and practical role in developing an adequate moral stance of students towards other members of its plural society. It is argued that, in addition to being an interesting and creative way of teaching language, the different forms of performing art also present a realistic experience of others. It offers an opportunity for pupils through the use of aesthetics to better inform pupils’ perception of others centred in a realism brought to life by the arts. This argument is considered within the context of Malaysia, as a plural society and the roles of the teaching and learning of language in developing a much more adequate moral sensibility about others through imagination and perception. The argument draws on Murdoch’ ideas about the relationship between ethics and art and the authentic representation of the reality of life in plural society it offers. Based on the argument forwarded, it is suggested that a conceptualisation of English Language Teaching as a performing art can play a deeply meaningful role in developing the moral sensibilities of pupils towards other members of the society in raising their awareness and understanding about others as people. The paper concludes by recommending that this idea of the teaching of English is adopted depending on the aim of the curriculum

The Culture Conundrum: Classroom Challenges in the Asian Millennium

―Those who know nothing of foreign languagesknow nothing of their own.‖ Johann W Goethe. This studywill aim to highlight the importance of learning,understanding and assimilating cross cultural awarenessand developing tolerance towards other cultures andcultural mores in the context of a technological explosionthrough the use of cyber-media and globalization. Firstlythe importance of cultural understanding in an era of FreeTrade Agreements (FTA) and how institutions andorganisations will need to reinvent themselves will bediscussed. This is necessary in order to become morecompetitive in order to survive in a world dominated bythe emergence of Asian Economies as Powerhouses, giventhe economic recovery in Asia, much faster than in theWest with more V shaped countries; which has led thewest to use the term, Asian Millennium and thesignificance of the G 20 summit rather than the G8 of thepast. The next focus will be on how the paradigm shift inbusiness models has morphed, the example of ―Lenovo‖and ―Siemens‖ models will be highlighted, wherebusiness no longer happens to be a brick and mortarindustry where money alone matters. What matters morenow is how businesses can realign their models to becomemore competitive as the challenges of globalization posemore demands on businesses and their ability to adapt tocross cultures and tune themselves. This study will arguethat understanding cultures better and developing businessmodels based on cross cultural awareness and tolerancewill be the keys for both educational institutions andglobal corporations alike to succeed in the AsianMillennium and for the west to be aware of Asian culturesnow