An auction framework for DaaS in cloud computing and its evaluation

Data-as-a-service (DaaS) is the next emerging technology in cloud computing research. Small clouds operating as a group may exploit the DaaS efficiently to perform the substantial amount of work. In this paper, an auction framework is studied and evaluated when the small clouds are strategic in nature. We present the system model and formal definition of the problem and its experimental evaluation. Several auction DaaS-based mechanisms are proposed and their correctness and computational complexity is analysed. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first and realistic attempt to study the DaaS in a strategic setting. We have evaluated the proposed approach under various simulation scenarios to judge on its usefulness and efficiencyPeer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

The management of academic workloads: full report on findings

The pressures on UK higher education (from explicit competition and growth in student numbers, to severe regulatory demands) are greater than ever, and have resulted in a steady increase in measures taken by universities to actively manage their finances and overall quality. These pressures are also likely to have impacted on staff and, indeed, recent large surveys in the sector have indicated that almost half of respondents find their workloads unmanageable. Against this background it would seem logical that the emphasis on institutional interventions to improve finance and quality, should be matched by similar attention given to the allocation of workloads to staff, and a focus on how best to utilise people’s time - the single biggest resource available within universities. Thus the aim of this piece of research was to focus on the processes and practices surrounding the allocation of staff workloads within higher education. Ten diverse organisations were selected for study: six universities in the UK, two overseas universities and two non higher education (but knowledge-intensive) organisations. In each, a crosssection of staff was selected, and in-depth interviews carried out. A total of 59 such interviews were carried out across the ten organisations. By identifying typical practices, as well as interesting alternatives, views on the various strengths and weaknesses of each of their workload allocation approaches was collated; and associated factors requiring attention identified. Through an extensive process of analysis, approaches which promoted more equitable loads for individuals, and which might provide synergies for institutions were also investigated

COIN@AAMAS2015

COIN@AAMAS2015 is the nineteenth edition of the series and the fourteen papers included in these proceedings demonstrate the vitality of the community and will provide the grounds for a solid workshop program and what we expect will be a most enjoyable and enriching debate.Peer reviewe

Flexibility in contracting

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Multi-Agent Systems

This Special Issue ""Multi-Agent Systems"" gathers original research articles reporting results on the steadily growing area of agent-oriented computing and multi-agent systems technologies. After more than 20 years of academic research on multi-agent systems (MASs), in fact, agent-oriented models and technologies have been promoted as the most suitable candidates for the design and development of distributed and intelligent applications in complex and dynamic environments. With respect to both their quality and range, the papers in this Special Issue already represent a meaningful sample of the most recent advancements in the field of agent-oriented models and technologies. In particular, the 17 contributions cover agent-based modeling and simulation, situated multi-agent systems, socio-technical multi-agent systems, and semantic technologies applied to multi-agent systems. In fact, it is surprising to witness how such a limited portion of MAS research already highlights the most relevant usage of agent-based models and technologies, as well as their most appreciated characteristics. We are thus confident that the readers of Applied Sciences will be able to appreciate the growing role that MASs will play in the design and development of the next generation of complex intelligent systems. This Special Issue has been converted into a yearly series, for which a new call for papers is already available at the Applied Sciences journal’s website: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/applsci/special_issues/Multi-Agent_Systems_2019

Music 2025 : The Music Data Dilemma: issues facing the music industry in improving data management

© Crown Copyright 2019Music 2025ʼ investigates the infrastructure issues around the management of digital data in an increasingly stream driven industry. The findings are the culmination of over 50 interviews with high profile music industry representatives across the sector and reflects key issues as well as areas of consensus and contrasting views. The findings reveal whilst there are great examples of data initiatives across the value chain, there are opportunities to improve efficiency and interoperability

Building Collaborative Governance in Times of Uncertainty: Pracademic Lessons from the Basque Gipuzkoa Province

266 p.Democratic societies are being challenged to look for new ways of doing politics that involve different stakeholders, particularly citizens. This book looks at public authorities' attempts to put society at the core of public policies in the form of collaborative governance. It provides a full account of a major case from the provincial council of Gipuzkoa (Basque Country, Spain): 150 projects, more than 900 organisations, and 50.000 participants and beneficiaries. ‘Pracademic’ lessons learned derive from the interaction among 50 practitioners engaged in the day-to-day practice of the case and scholars from different countries. Topics included relate to major challenges that collaborative governance reforms are facing across the world: structures, institutionalisation, relationships, leadership, accountability, innovation, experimentation, communication, intangible resources, trust, and assessment of outcomes (particularly in terms of Sustainable Development Goals or SDGs). Ultimately, issues of democracy arise from a case covering a comprehensive list of policies: health, employment, elderly care, energy, cybersecurity, electromobility, artificial intelligence, immigration, education, social equity, and culture. This book is intended for students, professionals and scholars interested in fostering the study and practice of democracy.Published with the support of the Diputación Foral de Gipuzko

Ethical and Governance Challenges in Population Biobanking: the case of the global Anti-Doping Administration & Management System

This study is an ethical analysis of the governance and regulatory dimensions of biobanking with specific reference to the Anti-Doping Administration Management System (ADAMS) of the global regulator of anti-doping in sports, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). The study focuses on four key ethico-governance issues: (i) consent; (ii) benefit-sharing; (iii) harmonization of ethics and governance; and (iv) conditions for the secondary research uses of data originally collected for doping control purposes. It is argued that the consent process prior to data collection, storage and analysis is problematic, since athletes may not refuse the request to provide data sought by anti-doping authorities without forfeiting their eligibility to compete. The process requires simultaneous permission for research and testing which creates ambiguity, compounded by the unequal relationship between athletes and WADA. A range of alternative models are explored and a case is made for an approach that combines broad consent with iterative, or ‘reflexive’ governance and stakeholder involvement including education around research. Furthermore, ethical issues remain concerning governance and regulation for population research and use of data more generally between legal jurisdictions and within diverse populations. It is also argued that WADA’s claim to harmonization through its operational methods, regulation and governance, is not sufficiently well-defined outside of specific legal uses and is therefore too blunt a tool for ethical governance in global sport contexts. This thesis proposes reforms to existing WADA processes including consent processes and moves toward more reflexive governance frameworks that allow contextual nuance and iterative development, respecting differing needs within a shared structure. Specific recommendations are made to enhance accountability for potential secondary uses of ADAMS data for research. A distinction is drawn between anti-doping and broader biomedical research in developing ethically justifiable pathways that reduce the potential for coercion and empower athletes as contributors and potential beneficiaries

IT Laws in the Era of Cloud-Computing

This book documents the findings and recommendations of research into the question of how IT laws should develop on the understanding that today’s information and communication technology is shaped by cloud computing, which lies at the foundations of contemporary and future IT as its most widespread enabler. In particular, this study develops on both a comparative and an interdisciplinary axis, i.e. comparatively by examining EU and US law, and on an interdisciplinary level by dealing with law and IT. Focusing on the study of data protection and privacy in cloud environments, the book examines three main challenges on the road towards more efficient cloud computing regulation: -understanding the reasons behind the development of diverging legal structures and schools of thought on IT law -ensuring privacy and security in digital clouds -converging regulatory approaches to digital clouds in the hope of more harmonised IT laws in the future