01 • January 2005
Table of contents
- Broadband Access in the European Union: An Enabler for Technical Progress, Business Renewal & Social Development
I.P. Chochliouros, A.S. Spiliopoulou-Chochliourou. abstract - The World Wide Web as a Globalising Catalyst Consequence for Cross-Cultural Web Interface Design
H. Stengers, M. Baetens, F. Boers, O. De Troyer. abstract - Intelligent Web Agents for a 3D Virtual Community
T.M. Dave, Y.-Q. Zhang, G.S. Owen, R. Sunderraman. abstract - Use of GDSS for Evaluating Web Design Assignments in Web-Based Environment
B. Ramadoss, S.R. Balasundaram. abstract - Empowering Role of Enterprise Information Portals in Knowledge Management
A. Hejazi. abstract - Information Security Challenges Facing TEISME Business Operations in the UK
C.A. Shoniregun, S. Nwankwo, C. Imafidon, P. Wynarczyk. abstract
Paper abstracts (issue 01 • January 2005)
Broadband Access in the European Union:
An Enabler for Technical Progress,
Business Renewal & Social Development
Ioannis P. Chochliouros
Anastasia S. Spiliopoulou-Chochliourou
Full paper PDF (142Kb)
Broadband can be evaluated as a practical enabler for evolution, innovation and progress in many distinct sectors and it covers numerous activities. Under normal conditions, broadband can efficiently support market development and growth. It also strengthens competitiveness and forwards the evolution of the wider Information Society sector, especially in period where there are strong indications for market recovery, in terms of finance and investment. Broadband is at the heart of the convergence of telecommunication, information technology and broadcasting. The paper discusses a variety of possible broadband technologies/platforms. Furthermore, we investigate and discuss principal technical and business challenges related to such a potential expansion, by taking into account other relevant concerns (such as development and availability of different forms of content, trust and security options, copyright and related rights, etc.). In addition, we study specific features for the evolution of innovative, ‘content-rich’ broadband applications and/or novel e-Services. Broadband deployment has the potential to bring valuable new services, stimulate economic activity, improve productivity, and advance economic opportunity for societies around the globe. However, society must be able to translate the full benefits of such innovations into productivity gains, economic growth, employment and social cohesion. . The paper summarises with main concluding remarks originating from recent developments at the European level, as well as with some concerns in creating a competitive broadband access market, based on probable synergies between the public and the private sector.
The World Wide Web as
a Globalising Catalyst Consequence
for Cross-Cultural Web Interface Design
Hélène Stengers
Martine Baetens
Frank Boers
Olga De Troyer
Full paper PDF (132Kb)
In the light of the existing literature on the issue of cross-cultural interface design, we carried out a small-scale study with the participation of 16 modern language students, with a view to ascertain cultural differences in local homepages, specifically those of universities. Our predictions with regard to cross-cultural variation were based on Hofstede (1997). Contrary to expectations, the students reported very little evidence of cultural differences in interface design. Subsequently, an online survey was conducted among webmasters of university web sites in an attempt to provide preliminary explanations for the unexpected findings. It would seem that the Internet has promoted the emergence of a cosmopolitan online culture, a hybrid culture overriding traditional cultural differences.
Intelligent Web Agents for
a 3D Virtual Community
Tushar M. Dave
Yan-Qing Zhang
G. Scott Owen
Raj Sunderraman
Full paper PDF (270Kb)
In this paper, we propose an Avatar-based intelligent agent technique for 3D Web based virtual online communities based on distributed artificial intelligence, intelligent agent techniques, and knowledge bases in a digital library. One of the goals of this joint NSF (IIS-9980130) and ACM SIGGRAPH Education Committee (ASEC) project is to create a virtual community of educators and students who have a common interest in computer graphics, visualisation, and interactive techniques. In this virtual community (ASEC World) using VRML-based technology, Avatars represent the educators, students, and other visitors to the world. Intelligent agents represented as specially dressed Avatars will be available to assist the visitors to ASEC World. The basic Web client/server architecture of the intelligent knowledge-based avatars is given. Importantly, the intelligent Web agent software system for the 3D virtual community is implemented successfully. In the future, useful data and knowledge for a specific education application (or another application) will be input into the avatar database and the avatar rule base, and then the intelligent 3D Web agent software system will have real applications.
Use of GDSS for Evaluating Web Design
Assignments in Web-Based Environment
Balakrishnan Ramadoss
Sadhu R. Balasundaram
Full paper PDF (179Kb)
With the advent and growing popularity of the Internet and World Wide Web, as well as the improvement in Web site development tools, there is a tremendous movement towards learning through the web. The greatest advantage of using the WWW is the ability to link resources in many different formats (text, images, sound and video), making this a very rich and powerful medium. The Internet have enabled the connection of all components in the teaching process, namely instructors, learners, institutions and learning materials in a unique virtual world. Performance assessment of students in the courses registered is one of the major phases of web based learning environment. Collaborative performance assessment is often the preferred methodology where proper decision making techniques can be applied to decide upon the performance of the students. This paper answers how Group Decision Support System (GDSS) is used in evaluating the students’ performance for the subject ‘Web Design’ in a web-based environment.
Empowering Role of
Enterprise Information Portals in
Knowledge Management
Alireza Hejazi
Full paper PDF (94Kb)
The increasing role of enterprise information portals (EIPs) in different applications of information including knowledge management (KM), makes it a necessity to elaborate the issue in a more serious and scientific way. The contribution and role that these kinds of portals have in empowering KM made us to provide a theoretical framework through offering a conceptual basis for present and future KM trends. This paper broadens a perspective through which EIPs capabilities in KM come under consideration by those who are busy with their content management tasks. The perspective regarded here is more theoretical rather than technical.
Information Security Challenges
Facing TEISME Business Operations in the UK
Charles A. Shoniregun
Sonny Nwankwo
Chris Imafidon
Peter Wynarczyk
Full paper PDF (268Kb)
One of the major challenges facing the technologically advanced world is how businesses can function through vast interrelated and complex network, without sacrificing human creativity and individuality. Against a backcloth of psychedelic change the Technology Enabled Information Small Medium Enterprises (TEISMEs) must create plan and control their business operations to achieve high goals. TEISMEs are SMEs that provide services based on 80% electronic transmission of sensitive and non-sensitive information and 20% human interaction, within their normal cause of business operations. By our definition, the amalgamation of Technology Enabled Information (TEI) and Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs) has given birth to TEISMEs. The TEISMEs business operation relies exceptionally and heavily on information transfer via the internet. This paper discusses the information security challenges facing TEISMEs business operations in UK. A questionnaire survey was conducted to find out how safe and what security control measures are used by TEISMEs as a result of their reliance on TEI. The question posed by this paper is that, ‘can absolute security be attainable on TEISME business operations or not’.
