Decision Support for Distributed Database Fragmentation and Allocation Schema Design

If peer to peer distributed database systems meet current expectations, they are likely to replace virtually all centralized database systems over the next decade. One impediment to the proliferation of peer to peer distributed database systems is the lack of proven and established normative methodologies for designing distributed database fragmentation and allocation schemas. The literature discussed here serves as the basis of research-in-progress for designing, implementing, and empirically evaluating a support system to aid distributed database fragmentation and allocation schema decision making. Future manuscripts are planned that describe the prototype decision support system and our empirically-based experiences

Identifying Relevant Socio-Theoretic Foundations for Supporting Multi-Issue IT Cloudsourcing Negotiations

Service level agreement (SLA) negotiations involving cloud-based information technology (IT) service providers and customers are now commonplace. Although historical research on negotiation has often relied on economic foundations, the important nature of IT service levels to organizations’ operational effectiveness suggests that negotiation complexities in the context of cloud-based outsourcing (or cloudsourcing) cannot be well understood by relying on economic perspectives alone. To that end, this paper reports on experiments designed to determine the relevance of competing sociotheoretic frameworks as they pertain to IT cloudsourcing negotiations. Contributions include a rigorous examination of hypotheses derived from social exchange theory, equity theory, learning theory, and the win–win theories of negotiation. Additional contributions include the development of methodological constructs (using the Euclidean geometry) that reflect the complex nature of IT cloudsourcing SLAs, i.e., that they are composed of numerous service category contract clauses where negotiation tradeoffs within a service category as well as across service categories are possible. We find strong support for the relevance of the social exchange theory to IT cloudsourcing negotiations, as well as moderate support for the win-win theories of negotiation. Our conclusions provide clear directions for extending our work into the realm of negotiation support systems, and we rely on our findings to conjecture that IT cloudsourcing negotiation is a unique context for sociotheoretic negotiation research due to the inherent importance of information technologies to organizations’ operational effectiveness

Merging Accountancy and Computer Information Systems Programs at Arizona State University:A Snapshot of Current Progress and Continuing Challenges

This article provides a brief report on progress and continuing challenges facing the recently merged accountancy and computer information systems programs at Arizona State University. It provides a case study of programmatic evolution and curricular redesign in information systems. Distinctions between computer information systems programs and programs in other functional areas of business are becoming blurred. Students are increasingly choosing to enter dual degree programs which combine computer information systems educational preparation with preparation in more traditional functional areas of business. Additionally, increasing numbers of recruiters are hiring students from both traditional functional areas and computer information systems programs. This report describes a curricular strategy involving the merged programs which integrates interleaved program delivery, heterogeneous cohorts, and an intertwined prerequisite structure

Does Distance Matter? The Influence of ICT on Bilateral Trade Flows

Information and communication technology (ICT) has altered previous notions of distance and led to discussions in the popular press of the “death of distance.” Geographic distance typically results in diminished trade flows between countries, but does ICT play a role in overcoming geographic distance? This article examines the key hypothesis that ICT reduces the cost associated with the conduct of international trade between distant countries. In this research, we examine bilateral trade flows and geographic distance data for 175 different countries. We use a gravitational model to determine if physical and cultural distance matters in how ICT affects bilateral trade flows. Our methodology involves the use of 14,511 country pairs, for which we can represent and evaluate the effects of our distance measures. We find that greater bilateral trade flows occur between countries with higher Internet use, suggesting that the presence of common digital infrastructure between countries will enhance their trade. We also found that ICT use has a more positive impact on bilateral trade flows between large economies than it does for smaller economies. Finally, ICT use by more distant trading partners appears to have a more positive impact on trade than it does on countries that are nearer to one another

The Long-Term Care System in Denmark

This document provides an overview of the long-term care system, the number and develop-ment of beneficiaries and the long-term care policy in Denmark. The report is part of the first stage of the European project ANCIEN (Assessing Needs of Care in European Nations), commissioned by the European Commission under the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7). The first part of the project aims to facilitate structured comparison of the long-term care systems and policies in European Nations. Thus, this report is one of comparable reports provided for most European countries

Phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors have distinct effects on the hemodynamics of the liver

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The NO - cGMP system plays a key role in the regulation of sinusoidal tonus and liver blood flow with phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE-5) terminating the dilatory action of cGMP. We, therefore, investigated the effects of PDE-5 inhibitors on hepatic and systemic hemodynamics in rats.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Hemodynamic parameters were monitored for 60 min. after intravenous injection of sildenafil and vardenafil [1, 10 and 100 μg/kg (sil1, sil10, sil100, var1, var10, var100)] in anesthetized rats.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Cardiac output and heart rate remained constant. After a short dip, mean arterial blood pressure again increased. Systemic vascular resistance transiently decreased slightly. Changes in hepatic hemodynamic parameters started after few minutes and continued for at least 60 min. Portal (var10 -31%, sil10 -34%) and hepatic arterial resistance (var10 -30%, sil10 -32%) decreased significantly (p < 0.05). At the same time portal venous (var10 +29%, sil10 +24%), hepatic arterial (var10 +34%, sil10 +48%), and hepatic parenchymal blood flow (var10 +15%, sil10 +15%) increased significantly (p < 0.05). The fractional liver blood flow (total liver flow/cardiac output) increased significantly (var10 26%, sil10 23%). Portal pressure remained constant or tended to decrease. 10 μg/kg was the most effective dose for both PDE-5 inhibitors.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Low doses of phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors have distinct effects on hepatic hemodynamic parameters. Their therapeutic use in portal hypertension should therefore be evaluated.</p

Toward an Adaptive Enterprise Modelling Platform

For the past three decades, enterprise modelling (EM) has been emerging as a significant yet complex paradigm to tackle holistic systematic enterprise analysis and design. With a high fluctuation in the global economy, industrial stability and technology shift, the necessity of such paradigms becomes crucial in determining the decisions that an enterprise can make for surviving in such a highly dynamic business ecosystem. EM practices have focused for a long time, on the design-time of enterprise systems. Recently, there has been a rapid development in data analytics, machine learning and intelligent systems from which an EM platform can benefit. EM needs to cope with the new changes in both business and technology; it should also help architects to determine optimum decisions and reduce complexity in technical infrastructure. In this paper, the author discusses several challenges facing enterprise modelling practices and offers an architectural notion for future development focusing on the requirements of a platform that can be called intelligent and adaptive