Dynamic quantization for multisensor estimation over bandlimited fading channels with fusion center feedback.

This paper considers the state estimation of hidden Markov models(HMMs) in a network of sensors which communicate with the fusion center viafinite symbols by fading channels. The objective is to minimize the long term meansquare estimation error for the underlying Markov chain. By using feedback fromthe fusion center, a dynamic quantization scheme for the sensor nodes is proposedand analyzed by a Markov decision approach. The performance improvement byfeedback, as well as the effect of fading, is illustrated

Does IT Payoff? Strategies of Two Banking Giants

Nominee for Best PaperBanks have long been among the most intensive users of information technology (IT). Globalization has further accentuated banks' reliance on IT, leading to further increase in their IT investment. It is not all that clear, however, whether these investments pay off. This case presents the complexities involved in measuring IT investment by comparing and contrasting the IT strategies of two of the world's largest banks: HSBC and Citigroup. Will the IT investment strategies adopted by HSBC and Citigroup enhance their operational efficiency or strategic positions? Which of the two banks will have higher returns on their IT investments in the long run? How should they measure such returns?link_to_subscribed_fulltex

Does IT Payoff? Strategies of Two Banking Giants

Banks have long been among the most intensive users of information technology (IT). Globalization has further accentuated banks’ reliance on IT, leading to further increase in their IT investment. It is not all that clear, however, whether these investments pay off. This case brings to the fore the complexities involved in measuring IT investment by comparing and contrasting the IT strategies of two of the world’s largest banks: HSBC and Citigroup. Will the IT investment strategies adopted by HSBC and Citigroup enhance their operational efficiency or strategic positions? Facing financial turmoil, HSBC and Citigroup adopted different IT strategies. Which of them is more appropriate? Which of the two banks will have higher returns on their IT investments in the long run? How should they measure such returns

Tug of War between the Retailers and Consumers: The Phenomenon of Group Purchase in China

Retailing shops are the contact points between customers and supply chain. On one hand, the retailers need to satisfy the customers by providing the right and enough products to ensure the service level; on the other hand, the retailers also need to minimize the costs while satisfying the customers. This paper uses a case study of GOME is to illustrate Tuangou, a relatively new phenonmenon that has spread rapidly in China, and to show how the company responded to the group purchasing shoppers. The case presents a tug of war happening between the retailers and consumers. The implications of Tuangou to the stakeholders in group purchase are also discussed