An Analysis of incentives mechanisms and evaluation on BitTorrent

Since the first peer-to-peer communities appeared, their number of users has increased considerably owing to the benefits they offer compared to their alternative architectures in the sharing and distribution of multimedia content. However, due to its distributed nature, they can suffer an important problem of misuse: free-riding. Free-riding consists on users consuming resources without contributing to the system. Such behaviour not only is not fair for the rest of the users, but also threatens the success of this type of nets. With the motivation to avoid free-riding, the mechanisms of incentives were born. They provide the system with a method to motivate the nodes and make them share their resources with the other users. In one word, they provide the net with the needed fairness to achieve a good performance for all users. This thesis is organised in two main parts. In the first part there is a comprehensive study of the state of the art regarding the incentive mechanisms, resulting in a classification depending on the characteristics of the studied algorithms. That study provides the reader with a first sight of the strengths and weaknesses of each algorithm. In the second part there is a test scenario based in the virtualization of machines that was useful to evaluate empirically some of the studied algorithms. Finally, a series of experiments were carried out in order to compare some characteristics of these algorithms and thus verify or deny the conclusions resulted in the study of the state of the art

Implementing Knowledge Management

The growing reliance on intellectual assets to gain competitive advantage has necessitated the development and implementation of knowledge management systems in order to collect, organize and transfer all of the knowledge accumulated by modern organizations.  This study is presented as a consolidation of previous research performed in this area, and integrates this work with a meta-analysis of two real life case studies.  The corresponding results suggest that the tacit/explicit dimension of knowledge is a strong indicator of the type of knowledge management strategy a given company should follow

State of the Field: Human Sociality and our Expanding Circle

The first part of this essay provides a brief summary of this journal’s first editorial, which examined eight needed developments and eight critical contexts for global inquiry. The second part addresses our expanding circle of ethics, which starts with kin but has gradually increased to include tribes, states, nations, and even the world. It is our expanding circle of ethics that has led to a heightened awareness of equality, the product of a noble goal with origins in recent social justice movements. The aim of this essay is to assert that the field has a promising future by including both the local and the global, a position that reflects how our own moral sense has moved beyond kin relations to the entire human family

Suositteluverkostot pääomasijoittajan hankevirran lähteenä

VCs with better networks outperform their peers, get to invest in the most prestigious syndicates, and have more investment opportunities in general. Networks are crucial for many VCs since they can source up to 80% of their deal flow through referrals from their networks. Academia has only covered dyadic relations the referee has and the number of referrals without forming a comprehensive network perspective on referrals. While many VCs rely heavily on referrals, their referral networks are composed very differently, and they are highly curious about how other VCs are managing their referral networks. The research question for the study is: How do VCs’ referral networks for deal sourcing operate? This question is answered with the help of sub-questions to understand motives for making referrals, motives for choosing a referral recipient, importance of referrals and their share of investments, main characteristics of referral networks, and tools VCs use to build and maintain referral networks. This study is as an inductive case study with mostly exploratory focus and some explanatory elements. The basis of the study is a systematic literature review that guided the data collection. The primary data source was eleven semi-structured interviews with VCs from Helsinki and London, and relevant internal documents from their VC firms supported the interviews. Referees have different motives for making referrals, namely financial incentives, investment syndication, creating future options to invest, and altruistic help with possible future reciprocity. The referee’s choice for choosing the referral recipient is affected by VC firm and personal brand, knowledge of VC’s focus, how VC treats referrals, the strength of a relationship, VC’s encouragement for referrals, and possible vested interest. Referrals account for a significant share of VCs’ deal flow, and their share is even higher in investments indicating higher quality compared to other deal flow sources. The main characteristics of referral networks are size and activity of referral network, centrality and roles of connections, and strength of relationships with them. VCs’ referral networks are created by previous work experience, investing and working with companies, explicitly building and maintaining a network, and being reciprocal. The most notable theoretical contribution of the study is the identification and high-level explanation of referral networks in venture capital. In addition to explaining the referral phenomenon and its importance, the study offers several other managerial implications for VCs including tracking deal flow and referral sources accurately, encouraging referrals from portfolio founders, and treating referrals as well as possible. For founders, the message is simple: get a referral to a VC instead of approaching cold.Pääomasijoittajat, joilla on parempi verkosto, menestyvät paremmin, pääsevät mukaan kilpailtuihin sijoituksiin ja saavat enemmän sijoitusmahdollisuuksia. Verkostot ovat elintärkeitä pääomasijoittajille, sillä he voivat löytää jopa 80% sijoituksistaan verkoston suosittelemina. Akatemia on tutkinut vain kahdenvälisiä suhteita, joita suosittelijalla on sekä suositteluiden määrää muodostamatta kokonaisvaltaista kuvaa suositteluverkostoista. Monet pääomasijoittajat luottavat paljon suositteluihin, heidän suositteluverkostonsa ovat hyvin erilaisia, ja he ovat erittäin kiinnostuneita siitä, miten muut pääomasijoittajat rakentavat suositteluverkostojaan. Diplomityön tutkimuskysymyksenä on: Kuinka pääomasijoittajien suositteluverkostot toimivat sijoitusmahdollisuuksien löytämisessä? Tähän vastataan apukysymysten avulla, jotta ymmärretään motiivit suositteluiden tekemiselle, motiivit suosittelun saajan valinnalle, suositteluiden tärkeys ja osuus sijoituksista, suositteluverkoston pääominaisuudet ja työkalut, joita pääomasijoittajat käyttävät suositteluverkostojen rakentamiseen sekä ylläpitoon. Tämä tutkimus on induktiivinen case-tutkimus, jossa on kuvaileva ote, mutta myös selittäviä piirteitä. Tutkimuksen pohjan muodostaa systemaattinen kirjallisuuskatsaus, joka ohjasi aineiston keräystä. Aineiston päälähteenä oli yksitoista puolistrukturoitua haastattelua helsinkiläisille ja lontoolaisille pääomasijoittajille. Haastattelujen tukena käytettiin pääomasijoittajien sisäisiä dokumentteja. Suosittelijoilla on eri motiiveja suositteluihin: taloudelliset kannustimet, yhteissijoitukset, tulevien sijoitusoptioiden luominen ja epäitsekäs auttaminen mahdollisella tulevalla vastavuoroisuudella. Suosittelun saajan valintaan vaikuttaa pääomasijoittajan henkilökohtainen ja yrityksen brändi, tieto pääomasijoittajan sijoituskriteereistä, pääomasijoittajan käytös suositteluita kohtaan, suhteen vahvuus, pääomasijoittajan aktiivisuus suositteluiden pyytämisessä ja mahdollinen taloudellinen intressi. Suositukset ovat merkittävä osa pääomasijoittajan hankevirrasta, ja niiden osuus sijoituksista on vielä suurempi, mikä viittaa suositusten olevan muita parempi hankevirran lähde. Suositteluverkoston pääominaisuudet ovat koko ja aktiivisuus, kontaktien keskeisyys ja roolit sekä suhteen vahvuus. Pääomasijoittajien suositteluverkostoon vaikuttaa aikaisempi työkokemus, sijoittaminen ja työskentely yritysten kanssa, verkoston rakentaminen ja ylläpitäminen sekä vastavuoroisuus. Tutkimuksen teoreettinen pääkontribuutio on suositteluverkostojen tunnistaminen ja ylätason selittäminen. Suositteluiden ymmärtämisen lisäksi ohjeet pääomasijoittajille ovat hankevirran tarkka seuraaminen, suositteluiden pyytäminen yrittäjiltä ja suositeltujen yrittäjien hyvä kohtelu. Yrittäjille viesti on yksinkertainen: etsi suosittelu pääomasijoittajalle kylmän yhteydenoton sijaan

What motivates posting online travel reviews? Integrating gratifications with technological acceptance factors

Purpose –The aim of the present study is to understand the effect of travelers’ motivations and technological acceptance factors on intentions to post online reviews. Design- Uses and gratification and the extended unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT2) were applied as the basis of the present study. Methodology – A structured questionnaire was designed on the basis of the previous literature. 600 questionnaires were distributed out of which 273 valid responses were considered for statistical analysis. Findings – The results reveal that altruism, reciprocity, effort expectancy, habit and hedonic motivations have positive influence, whereas economic rewards negatively influence the intentions of travelers to post online reviews. However, there is no significant relationship between social influence and review posting intentions of travelers. Moreover, a significant relationship was observed between altruism and effort expectancy; reciprocity and effort expectancy and habit and effort expectancy. Further, both behavioural intentions and habit were significant predictors of actual usage. Originality/ Value – The present study is among the few studies which investigate the effect of motivational factors in conjunction with technological acceptance factors on travel review posting intentions

Using families\u27 Funds of Knowledge literacy to enhance family-school relationships

This paper presents the initial findings from an ethnographic case study, in a small South Jersey town. Using a socio-cultural framework and drawing from Moll and Gonzalez\u27s funds of knowledge study, the specific aim of the study was to investigate the literacy practices students bring to the classroom, families\u27 views of home to school connection, educators\u27 impression of the family school partnership, and the role of student\u27s funds of knowledge in the classroom. Three second grade families participated in home visits which involved in-depth interviews detailing family literacies including culture, traditions, family background, early literacy practices, and value of education. To understand the school\u27s prospective, the elementary principal and two second grade teachers were interviewed about culturally relevant pedagogy, parent-school connection, and their knowledge of the families. Results revealed missed opportunities to connect to students\u27 funds of knowledge while teaching due to time, curriculum, and background knowledge of students. Results from home visits revealed that while daily routines differed, the participating families valued education, family time, kindness, and hard work. Parents indicated that while pleased with the school, they present examples of missed opportunities for parent involvement. Results are discussed in terms of implications for integrating families\u27 funds of knowledge into the curriculum to allow for more inclusion and engagement