Strategic Information Systems Planning (SISP) in the banking sector: An Investigation of Strategic Information Systems Planning (SISP) in the Saudi Banking Sector

The improvement of SISP practices has rapidly become one of the most critical issues facing many organisations, including banks. Globally, the banking sectors, including the Saudi one, have developed and implemented many IS strategies. Several systems have been executed to support the countries’ economies which have benefited from the increased trading resulting from the greater flexibility in time and costs associated with banking transactions. To continue these achievements and to improve SISP processes, several factors require careful investigation based on their relationship to SISP success; which include SISP objectives, SISP internal factors, external consultant functions, SISP external factors, measurements of SISP success, key stakeholders’ roles, and triggers. Therefore this study investigates the impact of these factors on SISP success. Data were collected in three phases. Phase 1 was an initial study with one or two interviews with the IT directors of each bank in the Saudi banking sector comprising the central bank and 11 commercial banks. The outcomes informed the development of a survey that was used in Phase 2; to investigate a sample containing a central bank, a domestic commercial bank and a domestic-foreign commercial bank to determine their SISP processes. 157 completed questionnaires were returned from the bank executives, business and IT directors and consultants. In Phase 3, 57 interviews confirmed and explained the quantitative results from Phase 2. Therefore, an in-depth case study was made in the three banks during Phases 2 and 3. The research results support previous findings on the SISP’s seventeen objectives collected by several researchers across different industries and in various countries. Furthermore, the research condenses these seventeen objectives into five more practical and achievable objectives for the banking sector. These are: 1) planning and deployment of information systems; 2) leading organisation changes; 3) improving stakeholders’ involvement and communication; 4) achieving the strategic priorities; and 5) alignment of organisational policies and architecture for business and IS. In addition, the findings identify the factors according to their relationship with SISP success and therefore explore several elements with positive, negative or no impact on SISP success in the banking sector. The thesis presents conclusions and suggests areas for further research

Non-destructive, laser-based individual tree aboveground biomass estimation in a tropical rainforest

Recent methods for detailed and accurate biomass and carbon stock estimation of forests have been driven by advances in remote sensing technology. The conventional approach to biomass estimation heavily relies on the tree species and site-specific allometric equations, which are based on destructive methods. This paper introduces a non-destructive, laser-based approach (terrestrial laser scanner) for individual tree aboveground biomass estimation in the Royal Belum forest reserve, Perak, Malaysia. The study area is in the state park, and it is believed to be one of the oldest rainforests in the world. The point clouds generated for 35 forest plots, using the terrestrial laser scanner, were geo-rectified and cleaned to produce separate point clouds for individual trees. The volumes of tree trunks were estimated based on a cylinder model fitted to the point clouds. The biomasses of tree trunks were calculated by multiplying the volume and the species wood density. The biomasses of branches and leaves were also estimated based on the estimated volume and density values. Branch and leaf volumes were estimated based on the fitted point clouds using an alpha-shape approach. The estimated individual biomass and the total above ground biomass were compared with the aboveground biomass (AGB) value estimated using existing allometric equations and individual tree census data collected in the field. The results show that the combination of a simple single-tree stem reconstruction and wood density can be used to estimate stem biomass comparable to the results usually obtained through existing allometric equations. However, there are several issues associated with the data and method used for branch and leaf biomass estimations, which need further improvement

The thermoelectric magnetic field of isotropic inclusions in anisotropic metals

In this paper we model the thermoelectric magnetic field around isotropic inclusions in anisotropic media. It is demonstrated that while the presence of the inclusion will be the dominant source of the thermoelectric signal, the anisotropy of the host material will affect the signal. Although such a phenomenon will occur for all shapes of inclusions, for simplicity we shall demonstrate our theoretical and numerical modeling on the more mathematically tractable case of a cylindrical inclusion aligned along an axis of symmetry of an anisotropic metal medium

Thermoelectrically induced magnetic field of elliptical cylindrical and spheroidal inclusions

In this paper we extend the recently developed models that predict the magnetic field produced by thermoelectric currents around spherical and cylindrical inclusions to the case of elliptical cross-section cylindrical and spheroidal inclusions. The extra geometrical complications are handled by utilizing already available solutions of similar problems in hydrodynamics and electricity. It is shown that the results reduce to those of the previous models when the aspect ratios of the inclusions equal unities

The role of anisotropy in the thermoelectric detection of holes in metals

In this paper we demonstrate that the presence of thermoelectric anisotropy, no matter how small, can be exploited to unmask the presence of cracks and holes in metals. This is in direct contrast with situations involving isotropic metals where such detection is not possible. Although such a phenomenon will occur for all types and shapes of cracks and holes, for simplicity we shall demonstrate our theoretical and numerical modeling on the more mathematically tractable case of a cylindrical hole aligned along an axis of symmetry of an anisotropic metal medium

Cytotoxic and antiviral activities of the essential oils from Tunisian Fern, Osmunda regalis

This study was undertaken to assess the in vitro cytotoxic and antiviral activities of the essential oil (EO) from Tunisian fern, Osmunda regalis. The essential oil was obtained by hydrodistillation and its chemical composition was determined by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (GC-FID and GC–MS) analyses that allowed detecting 85.35% of the components. The main compounds were hexahydrofarnesyl acetone (11.82%), 2,4-di-t-butylphenol (6.80%), and phytol (6.46%). Cytotoxicity of the essential oil was assessed on HEp-2 cell line using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) test. Antiviral activity was also evaluated in vitro against Coxsackievirus B4 (CV-B4), an enterovirus implicated in a variety of diseases such as myocarditis, type 1 diabetes and central nervous system diseases, by measuring cell viability following viral infection (using MTT) and appreciating the reduction of cytopathic effect (CPE). Hence, the 50% cytotoxic concentration (CC50), 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) and selectivity index (SI) were determined. The essential oil turned out to be non-toxic against the tested cell line (CC50 = 1772.41 ± 0.95) μg/mL, have a relevant anti-Coxsckievirus B4 activity (IC50 = 2.24 ± 0.99) μg/mL and a high SI (789.66). Results presented here suggest that O. regalis EO is a potentially promising new source as active antiviral agent

Noncontacting thermoelectric detection of material imperfections in metals

This project was aimed at developing a new noncontacting thermoelectric method for nondestructive detection of material imperfections in metals. The method is based on magnetic sensing of local thermoelectric currents around imperfections when a temperature gradient is established throughout a conducting specimen by external heating and cooling. The surrounding intact material serves as the reference electrode therefore the detection sensitivity could be very high if a sufficiently sensitive magnetometer is used in the measurements. This self-referencing, noncontacting, nondestructive inspection technique offers the following distinct advantages over conventional methods: high sensitivity to subtle variations in material properties, unique insensitivity to the size, shape, and other geometrical features of the specimen, noncontacting nature with a substantial stand-off distance, and the ability to probe relatively deep into the material. The potential applications of this method cover a very wide range from detection metallic inclusions and segregations, inhomogeneities, and tight cracks to characterization of hardening, embrittlement, fatigue, texture, and residual stresses

Chemical Composition, Antioxidant and Cytotoxic Activities of Essential Oil of the Inflorescence of Anacamptis coriophora subsp. fragrans (Orchidaceae) from Tunisia

The chemical composition of the essential oil produced by steam distillation of the inflorescences of naturally growing Anacamptis coriophora (L.) R. M. Bateman, Pridgeon & M. W. Chase subsp.fragrans (Pollini) R. M. Bateman, Pridgeon & M. W. Chase (Orchidaceae) from Kroumiria, north-west Tunisia was studied by GC-MS, which led to the identification of 19 volatile components, representing 97% of the oil. The main constituents were methyl-(E)-p-methoxycinnamate (29.3%), 13-heptadecyn-1-ol (18.6%), 2,5-dimethoxybenzyl alcohol (14.1%) and 4-(1,1,3,3-tetramethylbutyl)-phenol (9.0%). DPPH radical scavenging revealed a weak antioxidant activity. In addition, the antiproliferative effects were evaluated on BxPC3 human pancreatic carcinoma cells and on 2008 human ovarian cancer cells showing significant effect. This is the first report of the chemical composition of essential oils obtained from A. coriophora subsp. fragrans inflorescences for North Africa. Further studies are needed to understand fully the possible mechanism of action behind the cytotoxic activity of the essential oil

Aboveground biomass estimation in tropical rain forest based on terrestrial laser scanning

Estimation of forest biomass is significant for measuring the roles of forests as carbon sources and for supporting sustainable forest management. However, tree biomass is difficult to measure directly over large area. Hence, this study presents an advanced technology non-destructive approach to produce biomass estimation at plot scale using terrestrial laser scanning data in tropical rainforest. This study was carried out in the forest campus of Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM), Kepong, Selangor. Three plots were established with a circular shape of 25 meters radius for each plot and 360ºscanned by terrestrial laser scanner. The main tree attributes that will be measured is diameter at breast height that extracted by using terrestrial laser scanning and ground measurement of diameter at breast height at these three plot. As the results, the overall total of aboveground biomass using terrestrial laser scanning data is 38.68 ton per hectare while for overall total aboveground biomass of census data is 38.09 ton per hectare. Comparison analyses between biomass terrestrial laser scanning and biomass census indeed root mean square at 0.37 for three plots a t-test -1.206 (p = 0.233). As conclusions, terrestrial laser scanner techniques is potential to be used as a tool for plot scale aboveground biomass estimation in high density tropical rain forest