A Service Oriented Approach (SOA) to the IT-based Protection of Critical Infrastructures-A First Approach to Integrate SOA into a Complex Operational Analysis within Risk Assessment and Risk Management Processes

The design and optimization of comfortable decision support systems becomes more and more important. One disadvantage of many complex systems is that they often consist of a large amount of heterogeneous single applications that are inefficiently integrated into the overall process. This happens as such processes tend to grow over time, caused by an increase of complexity and supplementary demands by users for further functionalities, which leads to demands of new applications that are added to the system and need not always be compatible to the legacy applications. This results in process inefficiencies such as breakings in the media chain, high coordination effort, redundancy and an inefficient handling of information as the processing time increases. In case of threat on a critical infrastructure element, a fast and flexible acquisition, processing, and allocation of information are crucial. Flexibility, fast adaptability, and high process efficiency are central characteristics of a Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) which qualifies it to be used in the context of OR analysis in order to protect optimally the critical infrastructure. This contribution gives an introduction in SOA as well as an overview of an integration of SOA-elements within the analysis of complex critical infrastructures. We combine an approach from an operational point of view together within a service-orientated framework within such a complex decision support process of an OR/MS-analyst

Empirical Research on Urban Public Transportation in the Context of Population Growth and the Demographic Development

Urban mobility is one of the most important challenges cities face nowadays. Half of the world population is living in urban areas, and more of them is becoming city-based, going for jobs and studies in metropolitan areas. The present paper aims to analyze different transport systems in order to obtain a series of conclusions on issues related to public transport worldwide in the context of increasing the population in urban areas. Therefore, the article will illustrate some of the major solutions and strategies used by public authorities all over the world

Financial Spending Behavior Patterns Based on Education, Gender and Age

This paper develops an analysis in the field of financial spending behavior. The study will focus particularly on habits based on education level, gender and age. Towards this objective, we will present and test three hypotheses based on the education level for the respondents, the differences between males and females, and the correlation between the spending behavior and age. Unlike most of the previous studies, this analysis has a double approach. First of all, it presents several findings regarding differences in terms of spending behaviour and also conclusions in terms of explaining financial patterns. We contribute to the literature examining the concern over the spending behaviour of individuals from Romania. Furthermore, this contribution is focused on understanding and explaining the results and their influence using statistical analysis

SOA Approach to the IT-based Protection of CIP [video]

Video: Stefan Pickl: SOA Approach to the IT-based Protection of CIP. A talk for the Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) Metrics and Tools Conference, June 200

The Assesment of the Decayed Lime Wood Polymeric Components by TG and FT-IR Parameters Correlation

The restoration and conservation practices of wooden artifacts increasingly need more nondestructive, inexpensive and no-time consuming diagnosis methods. A number of twelve samples of lime wood in various states of degradation from furniture and panel painting were investigated by thermal analysis and infrared spectroscopy. The present work was undertaken to quantify the degree of complementarity of the TG and FT-IR methods by assessing >the ration between cellulose, hemicelluloses and lignin of the decayed lime wood by the correlation of the parameters RTG = ΔmHC /ΔmL from TGA data, and R1FTIR = Aab1370/Aab1505, R2FTIR = Abz1370/Abz1505, R3 FTIR = Iab1370/Iab1505, R4FTIR = Ibz1370/Ibz1505 , from the corresponding peaks of cellulose and hemicelluloses at ~ 1370 cm-1 and of lignin at 1505 cm-1 in FT-IR spectra, where RTG is the ratio between the mass loss of cellulose & hemicelluloses ΔmHC and the mass loss of lignin ΔmL; R1FTIR, R2FTIR, are the ratio between the absolute peaks area Aab1370/Aab1505, and the normalized peaks area Abz1370/Abz1505, respectively, while R3FTIR, R4FTIR are the ratio between the absolute peaks intensity Iab1370/Iab1505, and the normalized peaks intensity Ibz1370/Ibz1505, respectively. We found that the TG parameter decreases in the same order as FT-IR parameters R1 FTIR, R2FTIR, R3FTIR, R4FTIR, and relates well in the values with R1FTIR

Mapping Knowledge Area Analysis in E-Learning Systems Based on Cloud Computing

Traditional educational systems and learning have been significantly impacted by the quick growth of information and communication technology. Moreover, the learning process is increasingly important for socioeconomic and business success in our modern society. Therefore, at present, cloud computing is crucially important in connection with e-learning systems. The goal of this research is to conduct a thorough assessment of scientific production in the field of e-learning and cloud technology fields using the bibliometric analysis method’s quantitative approach in order to comprehensively review and analyze the subject. The current study reviews the literature by focusing on specific research areas and revealing certain trends. The research examines 637 articles published between 2007 and 2022 in the Web of Science database (WoS) using the VOSviewer software version 1.6.18 (Leiden University, The Netherlands) and bibliometrix R-package. The goal of this research is to conduct a thorough assessment of scientific production in the field of e-learning and cloud technology fields using the bibliometric analysis method’s quantitative approach to comprehensively review and analyze the subject. Currently, there is no unified approach and extensive bibliometric review that tackle both of these topics cohesively; thus, this research aims to fill this gap. The results shed light on the structure, evolution, main trends, and effect of the research field of e-learning systems based on cloud computing by intensively evaluating and analyzing the scientific output, key contributions to the subject, and possible directions for future research. The most productive country in terms of scientific knowledge and number of citations is China. It is noteworthy that the interest of researchers comes from various regions of the world, while the most prolific authors come from Serbia, Japan, and Romania. The average citation number per document is 6.8, while the most citations were obtained by highly influential article about critical factors influencing learner satisfaction for successful e-learning. Regarding the conceptual structure that assists researchers to understand keyword evolution and trend, four clusters were identified, which reside around the topics “Technology”, “Education”, “Delivery Systems” and “Cloud services”. Given these points, the current study’s implications reveal the significance of e-learning technologies based on cloud computing, along with the direct correlation between these two elements

Side-scan sonar mapping of anthropogenically influenced seafloor: A case-study of Mangalia Harbor, Romania

Abstract. This paper focuses on identifying and analyzing objects and seafloor features from Mangalia Harbor (Romania). The area was surveyed using a side-scan sonar. After explaining, briefly, the methodology used in scanning and data processing, the results are discussed: a mosaic showing the seafloor of the harbor, which is the basis of further descriptions of some representative areas, and the contact analyses of the debris left from human activity. Furthermore, their position was established taking into consideration the possibility of cleaning the harbor. We concluded that the identified objects, such as wrecks, metal frames do not represent a real danger for navigation. Nevertheless, a mound of rocks situated near the main channel could cause trouble to large ships

Exploring the Research Regarding Frugal Innovation and Business Sustainability through Bibliometric Analysis

Nowadays, innovation is valued as being of utmost significance when evaluating measures of sustainable development and performance constructs. The current research develops investigations into the field of frugal innovation (FI) and how this process can contribute to business sustainability. This study performs a comprehensive evaluation of scientific production through the quantitative method of bibliometric analysis to facilitate our understanding of the current structure of studies and to highlight future research paths on FI and business sustainability. The paper maps the literature by narrowing its research topics and identifying certain patterns. Using the Web of Science database (WoS) on a sample of 2072 documents, descriptive and performance analyses were conducted. The VOSviewer software was used to perform the science mapping of the conceptual, intellectual, and social structure that provides scholars with a quantified and graphic representation of the FI and business sustainability field. The trend towards the analysis of business sustainability and consumer behaviour in the context of FI is highlighted. Annual scientific production and citation analysis reveal significant growth in international interest and scientific production, indicating an increasing line of inquiry for this topic at the start of the twenty-first century. The prominent scholars in the field are of European origin, while the highly active countries in the subject of FI and business sustainability are the USA, Germany, England, the Netherlands, and India, with major collaborations across the globe. This paper covers the limits identified by previous scholars by detailing the knowledge base and by using science mapping tools to document the structure of the literature; distinguish key journals, articles, and authors; and highlight new emerging topics of research

Exploring the Research Regarding Frugal Innovation and Business Sustainability through Bibliometric Analysis

Nowadays, innovation is valued as being of utmost significance when evaluating measures of sustainable development and performance constructs. The current research develops investigations into the field of frugal innovation (FI) and how this process can contribute to business sustainability. This study performs a comprehensive evaluation of scientific production through the quantitative method of bibliometric analysis to facilitate our understanding of the current structure of studies and to highlight future research paths on FI and business sustainability. The paper maps the literature by narrowing its research topics and identifying certain patterns. Using the Web of Science database (WoS) on a sample of 2072 documents, descriptive and performance analyses were conducted. The VOSviewer software was used to perform the science mapping of the conceptual, intellectual, and social structure that provides scholars with a quantified and graphic representation of the FI and business sustainability field. The trend towards the analysis of business sustainability and consumer behaviour in the context of FI is highlighted. Annual scientific production and citation analysis reveal significant growth in international interest and scientific production, indicating an increasing line of inquiry for this topic at the start of the twenty-first century. The prominent scholars in the field are of European origin, while the highly active countries in the subject of FI and business sustainability are the USA, Germany, England, the Netherlands, and India, with major collaborations across the globe. This paper covers the limits identified by previous scholars by detailing the knowledge base and by using science mapping tools to document the structure of the literature; distinguish key journals, articles, and authors; and highlight new emerging topics of research