Added Value-based Approach to Analyze Electronic Commerce and Mobile Commerce Business Models

In this contribution we propose to apply the theory of informational added values (IAV) on electronic commerce (EC) and mobile commerce (MC). We state that for the success of electronic and mobile offers it is not sufficient to merely make a conventional offer available with new media. Instead, the use of electronic and mobile communication technology is only remunerative if it results in obtaining distinct supplementary IAV. This depends on the exploitation of certain faculties of the used technology. For EC, we call these the four electronic added values (EAV): reduction of temporal and certain spatial limitations, reduction of technical limitations, multi-mediality of access and egalitarian access. For MC, we call these the four mobile added values (MAV): ubiquity, contextsensitivity,identifying functions and command and control functions. We can find EAV and MAV as typical properties of EC or MC applications. EAV are the basis for the superiority of Internet applications compared with offline solutions. The relationship between the separate EAV and IAV will be explained and analyzed. Proceeding analogously for mobile applications, we analyze the relationship between MAV and resulting IAV. The outcome is an extension of the theory of informational added values with the concept of electronic and mobile added values. This allows for an application of the theory to both EC and MC in order to analyze and qualitatively evaluate any given business model. For determining its crucial added value we have to identify the EAV/MAV which are capitalized and can deduce the IAV resulting for each party involved. The concept put forward is a suggestion to approach business models, with the focus on typical evaluation criteria for Internet/mobile business models. It is also suitable to compare different business models and to put their added value for the involved parties in a context. In this way, objective criteria are established reducing subjectivity and allowing to make certain predictions. The paper ends with a critical review and the perspective for further research

Temporal Ordered Clustering in Dynamic Networks: Unsupervised and Semi-supervised Learning Algorithms

In temporal ordered clustering, given a single snapshot of a dynamic network in which nodes arrive at distinct time instants, we aim at partitioning its nodes into $K$ ordered clusters $\mathcal{C}_1 \prec \cdots \prec \mathcal{C}_K$ such that for $i<j$, nodes in cluster $\mathcal{C}_i$ arrived before nodes in cluster $\mathcal{C}_j$, with $K$ being a data-driven parameter and not known upfront. Such a problem is of considerable significance in many applications ranging from tracking the expansion of fake news to mapping the spread of information. We first formulate our problem for a general dynamic graph, and propose an integer programming framework that finds the optimal clustering, represented as a strict partial order set, achieving the best precision (i.e., fraction of successfully ordered node pairs) for a fixed density (i.e., fraction of comparable node pairs). We then develop a sequential importance procedure and design unsupervised and semi-supervised algorithms to find temporal ordered clusters that efficiently approximate the optimal solution. To illustrate the techniques, we apply our methods to the vertex copying (duplication-divergence) model which exhibits some edge-case challenges in inferring the clusters as compared to other network models. Finally, we validate the performance of the proposed algorithms on synthetic and real-world networks.Comment: 14 pages, 9 figures, and 3 tables. This version is submitted to a journal. A shorter version of this work is published in the proceedings of IEEE International Symposium on Information Theory (ISIT), 2020. The first two authors contributed equall

Standardized Payment Procedures as Key Enabling Factor for Mobile Commerce

Companies are not going to invest into the development of innovative applications or services unless these can be charged for appropriately. Thus, the existence of standardized and widely accepted mobile payment procedures is crucial for successful business-to-customer mobile commerce. In this paper we reflect on the acceptance of mobile payment and examine the characteristics of current mobile payment procedures. The outcomes of the paper are a categorization of current mobile payment procedures with strategic, participation and operational criteria and, based on these results, the derivation of the five mobile payment standard types prepaid, mobile money, conventional settlement, premium rate number and dual-card. Finally, a prospect is given to possible further development of mobile payment procedures in the direction of an integrative universal mobile payment system (UMPS).

Enabling mobile commerce through mass customization

Mobile Commerce is a new degree of electronic commerce arises from the convergence of Internet and mobile communication technologies. In order to be successful in mobile business, it is not sufficient to simply transfer conventional Internet applications or E-Commerce business models on mobile devices. Added values for the customer are necessary. Typical informational added values in Mobile Commerce originate from ubiquity, context-sensitivity, identifying functions or command and control functions. Mobile devices implicate disadvantes, which can be equalized by individualization. For the simplest devices, this is satisfied with simple features like housings, ring tones or logos. The more upmarket the device is, the more the individualization focus is laid on the applications instead of the device itself. In terms of mass customization, the individualization of mobile devices and applications can be categorized as soft customization. Below this level, three kinds of customization habe to be distinguished: The first on is device adaptation which means the customization of the device itself. The next one is application adaptation and describes the customization of the applications through the customer or as self-individualization of the software. The last one is service composition and means the package of services or the customer-individual composition of applications and services, which ca be done either by the customer, by the provider or by collaboration of both. In this paper we show the importance of mass customization and its techniques for the success of mobile commerce.mass customization; M-Commerce; mobile added values; point-of-delivery-customization; service composition

Characteristics of Mobile Payment Procedures

Companies are not going to invest into the development of innovative applications or services unless these can be charged for appropriately. Thus, the existence of standardized and widely accepted mobile payment procedures is crucial for successful business-to-customer mobile commerce. The acceptance of mobile payment procedures depends on costs, security and convenience issues. For the latter, it is important that a procedure can be used over the different payment scenarios mobile commerce, electronic commerce, stationary merchant and customer-to-customer. Current payment procedures can be categorized with strategic, participation and operational criteria, using the morphological method. The proposed scheme allows to unambiguously identify and characterize any given mobile payment procedure. The design of today's mobile payment procedures should less try to optimize on the future mobile commerce problems but focus on the ease of spreading in the electronic commerce setting as lead-in scenario.

An Approach for Assessment of Electronic Offers

Internet and mobile technology enable businesses to invent new business models by applying new forms of organization or offering new products and services. In order to assess these new business models there has to be a methodology that allows identifying advantages that are caused by electronic and mobile commerce. The proposed approach builds upon the theory of informational added values that provides a classification of gains produced by information work. This theory is extended by the definition of categories of technology inherent added values that result in informational added values. These informational added values can be perceived by users of information products and services and therefore be used to assess electronic offers. The relationship between technology inherent and informational added values will be clarified with examples of real business models. Furthermore, a classification of basic business model types will be provided.

Specters and possession of neoliberal democracy: Contemporary critical political philosophies and the legacy of C.B. Macpherson

The paper is a part of the project of retrieving C.B. Macpherson’s thesis of possessive individualism and his contribution to investigations about democratic theory and the “Western political ontology” valuable especially in today’s context of expansion, crisis and – arguably – subsequent, experienced today, revival of the project of “neoliberal democracy”. The aim of my paper is to present theory of possessive individualism as the missing center of critical theory of democracy. The task is conducted through a brief reconstruction of Macpherson’s investigations into the history of liberal doctrine and argumentation about the continuing validity and firmness of this approach despite its alleged “definitive refutation” in contemporary historiography of modern social and political thought

Benedict XVI’s teaching on homilies

Ks. Wojciech TurowskiThe author bases on the Popes adhortations Sacramentum caritatis and Verbum Domini. The Pope pays attention to the subject of a homily,its functions and features. Following the spirit of the Second Vatican Council, he recalls the unity of God and His Word,which makes a preacher particularly responsible for what he says. Benedict XVI treats the homily as a part of the liturgy and points out its three functions: integrative, preparatory and updating. The preacher cannot make the Word of God his own ‘property’, spread his private opinions, focus on subjects not inspired by the liturgy or not corresponding with the Church’s teaching. The homily should be concrete, conveyed with the language to be clear for everyone and putting the person of Jesus in the centre. The preacher’s involvement in what he says is very important and the well updated Gospel strengthens the faith, brings joy and spurs into mission.Wyższe Seminarium Duchowne w Łomż

An Investigation of Mechanical Properties of DNA Origami Nanostructures

Structural DNA nanotechnology is a rapidly growing field with a wide array of potential applications, such as solving basic problems in structural biology and biophysics, designing nanoscale engineering tools, enabling targeted drug delivery, and more broadly, creating self-assembling biological nanomachines and nanomaterials. Scaffolded DNA origami is a recently developed method of designing 3D nanoscale structures from DNA. With this approach, structures on the order of 100 nm can be designed with CAD-like software and self-assembled in solution. Previous research has proven the ability to create novel nanoscale structures via DNA origami, but there are several barriers to more widespread application of the technology to new areas. In order to build a structure (like a gear) or more complicated devices for specific applications, the mechanical properties of the construction material must be known. The theoretical method to model nanoscale mechanics treats DNA double helices as solid cylinders that are rigidly attached for their entire length. This research assesses this assumption, attempting to quantify how well the theoretical model predicts experimental mechanics. To examine the effect of cross section on persistence length, filaments with three cross sections (6-, 12-, and 18-helices) were designed, fabricated, and analyzed. The mean persistence length of the 6- and 18-helix filaments was 1,345 nm and 7,660 nm as compared to the theoretical values of 2,700 nm and 23,400 nm, respectively. The results of the 12-helix filaments were inconclusive. The experimental persistence length was found to lie near the middle of the range from the assumption that none of the helices were rigidly attached at any point (low end) to the assumption that the helices are all rigidly attached for the entire length (high end).The Ohio State University College of EngineeringNo embarg