Exploring the role of citizen journalism in slum improvement: the case of ‘Voice of Kibera’

This paper explores the role of citizen journalism in the improvement of slums through the Voice of Kibera (VoK) case study. To meet the research objectives, both qualitative and quantitative methods are applied. The study used content analysis, a survey and interview techniques. It concluded that citizen journalism in the VoK uses a participatory, bottom-up approach, with the residents taking a lead role in the production and consumption of news, and that it plays its part in improving the lives of people in Kibera, contributing to governance and processes of democracy. The core development values of participation and empowerment are central to this study, which examines how these values are being impacted on by information technology interventions in the communications area. The research also concludes that citizen journalism may be sustainable if it is financed, promoted, resourced with professional journalists, equipped with new technologies and citizens continue to participate. Lack of cooperation from the audience, finance both for the running of the project, salary and technical problems were cited as the major challenges of citizen journalism.     

Justification of Godunov’s scheme in the multidimensional case

The classical Godunov scheme for the numerical solution of 3D gas dynamics equations is justified in the multidimensional case. An estimate is obtained for the error induced by replacing the exact solution of the multidimensional discontinuity breakup problem (known as the Riemann problem) with the solution of the 1D problems with the data on the left and right of the interface of each cell without considering the complicated flow in the neighborhood of the cells’ vertices. It is shown that, in the case of plane interfaces, the error has the first order of smallness in the time step and the approximate solution converges to the solution of semidiscrete equations as the time step vanishes. In fact, the time integration of these equations using the explicit Euler method represents the Godunov scheme.     

Examining the antecedents of user gratification and its effects on individuals’ social network services usage: the moderating role of habit

User loyalty or continued use is critical to the survival and development of any website. Focusing on the social network services (SNSs) context, this study proposes a research model for investigating individuals’ use motivations and the moderating role of habit with regard to gratification and continuance intention. This research integrates two influential media communication theories, media system dependency (MSD) and uses and gratifications, to examine SNSs-related behaviors. To comprehend online users’ motivations in depth, three motivations derived from MSD (understanding, orientation and play dependency relations) are operationalized as reflective, second-order constructs. The three motivations are theorized to affect parasocial interaction positively, and parasocial interaction is hypothesized to positively affect the gratification that individuals derive from SNSs usage. Furthermore, this study hypothesizes that gratification positively affects individuals’ continuance intention. Finally, we theorize that habit moderates the impact of gratification on continuance intention. Data collected from 657 Facebook users provide strong support for all six hypotheses. The results indicate that individuals’ motivations (i.e., the understanding, orientation and play dependency relations) positively affect parasocial interaction, which in turn has a positive effect on gratification, and subsequently continuance intention. In addition, the results show that habit has a small but negative moderating effect on the relationship between gratification and continuance intention. Implications for theory and practice are discussed, and suggestions are made for future research.     

Situational awareness architecture for smart grids developed in accordance with dispatcher’s thought process: a review

The operational environment of today’s smart grids is becoming more complicated than ever before. A number of factors, including renewable penetration, marketization, cyber security, and hazards of nature, bring challenges and even threats to control centers. New techniques are anticipated to help dispatchers become aware of the accurate situations as they manipulate and navigate the situations as quickly as possible. To address the issues, we first introduce the background for this topic as well as the emerging technical demands of situational awareness in the dispatcher’s environment. The general concepts and technical requirements of situational awareness are then summarized, aimed at offering an overview for readers to understand the state-of-the-art progress in this area. In addition, we discuss the importance of integrating the architecture of support tools in accordance with the dispatcher’s thought process, which in fact guides correct and swift reactions in real-time operations. Finally, the prospects for situational awareness architecture are investigated with the goal of presenting situational awareness modules in an advanced and visualized manner.     

Sense’s standards and machine understanding of texts in the system for computer-aided testing of knowledge

This paper proposes an approach to interpreting a response an answer to a test task of an open form in a system for computer-aided testing of knowledge. The notion of a sense’s standard is introduced; and the method for building it based on the set of semantic equivalent phrases of natural language and use of sense’s standards for compression of a textual knowledge base are described.     

Evaluating the impact of smart technologies on harbor’s logistics via BPMN modeling and simulation

A smart Information and Communication Technology (ICT) enables a synchronized interplay of different key factors, aligning infrastructures, consumers, and governmental policy-making needs. In the harbor’s logistics context, smart ICT has been driving a multi-year wave of growth. Although there is a standalone value in the technological innovation of a task, the impact of a new smart technology is unknown without quantitative analysis methods on the end-to-end process. In this paper, we first present a review of the smart ICT for marine container terminals, and then we propose to evaluate the impact of such smart ICT via business process model and notation (BPMN) modeling and simulation. The proposed approach is discussed in a real-world modeling and simulation analysis, made on a pilot terminal of the Port of Leghorn (Italy).     

Does public service delivery through new channels promote citizen trust in government? The case of smart devices*

ABSTRACT

From the government’s perspective, it is important to understand the factors that influence effective utilization of new service channels, particularly the use of smart devices. Furthermore, how the utilization of a new channel affects trust in the government is an important performance factor whose linkage mechanism also needs to be investigated. This study collected 417 questionnaires from Korean citizens who communicate with the government via smart devices; the questionnaires were analyzed using structural equation analysis. This research indicates that in order to maximize trust in government, service delivery via smart devices must be designed with a clear understanding of the three significant components of such communication, namely the service, channel, and citizens. The service selected must be appropriate to the characteristics of the channel, and service reform may be necessary, beyond using the channel simply as a service means. Citizens’ ability to utilize the channel must also be fully considered. In order to increase the efficacy of new channel utilization, fast implementation is less important than understanding how to satisfy citizens’ needs regarding use of the public service via a smart device.     

Accomplishing the layered modular architecture in digital innovation: The case of the car’s driver information module

Architectural theory of digital innovation contends that, to enhance physical products with digital capabilities, a layered modular architecture is required. This architecture hybridizes hierarchically arranged components of physical products with modules of digital functionality configured into layers. Despite considerable research adopting this architectural perspective on digital innovation, questions of how this hybrid architecture is accomplished organizationally and technologically lack both conceptual clarity and empirical illustration. Noting pervasive tensions that characterize digital innovation efforts and the contradictions between hierarchical and layered modular configurations, this paper seeks to answer the following research question: Given that the layered modular architecture needs to hybridize modular arrangements with opposing logics, how is it accomplished?Employing the concepts of digitalization, physical product hierarchy and digital control system to better theorize a product architecture’s movement from a modular to a layered modular architecture accompanied by organizational structures that enable this change, we abductively analyze the increasing digitization of a car’s Driver Information Module (DIM) over a 10 year period. We conclude by proposing three transformations through which the layered modular architecture is accomplished.     

E-recruiting and fairness: the applicant’s point of view

More and more companies currently recruit online, partly because of cost savings and competitive pressure, and partly because it is the best way to reach their target group of applicants. In our study, applicants’ perceptions of procedural fairness were examined in e-recruiting contexts. Using an adapted form of the Social Process Questionnaire on Selection, we found that 1,373 participants’ expectations regarding fairness were mediocre and always lower than the perceived importance of five procedural fairness aspects. Based on an experimental manipulation, we showed that feedback was particularly important in online application procedures, whereas participation had smaller effects. Furthermore, participants tend to rate procedural fairness for offline application procedures as fairer than for online procedures although they reported generally positive experiences with online applications in the past. Based on our results, we discuss practical implications and limitations.     

Mobile IT in health – the case of short messaging service in an HIV awareness program

ABSTRACT

This study aims to augment our understanding of user intention to use mobile IT in health. Experiential dispositions and technology perceptions around a mobile service that is currently in use to access other value-seeking services are integrated to present an enriched characterization of intention to use m-health. Primary data from a pressing health context in a developing economy are collected to validate the model. The results demonstrate that previous experience from value services received on a mobile service enhances user attention, which in turn positively impacts the perceived usefulness of an incoming m-health program, which then influences user intention to adopt m-health services delivered on that mobile service. Overall, the findings provide a comprehensive understanding of user intention to accept m-health. Additionally, our results provide insights toward the choice of mobile technology and indicate aspects of message framing that may ensure practicable deployment and successful implementation of m-health programs.     

The open question of the relation between square matrix’s eigenvalues and its similarity matrix’s singular values in linear discrete system

In linear discrete system, we often need to utilize similarity transformation to extend the solution ranges of its corresponding discrete matrix equations. Consequently, how to choose the similarity transformation matrix remains an open question in recent years. In this paper, by applying the theory of matrix’s Jordan canonical form and the related properties of nonnegative matrices, we construct the similarity transformation matrix of some special similarity transformation, then present a necessary and sufficient condition and a corresponding algorithm, thus solve the open question totally.     

Linking groundwater simulation and reservoir system analysis models: The case for California’s Central Valley

Groundwater is an important resource. In many developed basins it meets part or all of the water demands. In addition, the management of groundwater resources directly impacts stream flows through stream-aquifer interactions. Yet many reservoir system analysis models that are used for the management of surface water resources either include a simplified representation of the groundwater flow dynamics or rely on surrogate models (linear response functions, artificial neural networks, etc.) which are trained using more complex groundwater models. These approaches may introduce restrictive, sometimes inaccurate, representation of the groundwater flow dynamics and additional modeling steps. In this study a reservoir system analysis model that utilizes an LP solver is linked directly to a non-linear, three-dimensional, finite element groundwater model. The linked model is a general-purpose model and can be applied to any basin. Some of the features of the linked model are showcased by an application to California's Central Valley.     

Complexity analysis of the Pawlak’s flowgraph extension for re-identification in multi-camera surveillance system

The idea of Pawlak’s flowgraph turned out to be a useful and convenient container for a knowledge of objects’ behaviour and movements within the area observed with a multi-camera surveillance system. Utilization of the flowgraph for modelling behaviour admittedly requires certain extensions and enhancements, but it allows for combining many rules into a one data structure and for obtaining parameters describing how objects tend to move through the supervised area. The main aim of this article is presentation of the complexity analysis of proposed modification of flowgraphs. This analysis contains considerations of issues such as memory efficiency and computational complexity of operations on the flowgraph. The measures related to space and time efficiency were also included.     

An emotion-aware music recommender system: bridging the user’s interaction and music recommendation

Multimedia Tools and Applications - In emotion-aware music recommender systems, the user’s current emotion is identified and considered in recommending music to him. We have two motivations...     

Predicting customer behavior in the market-space: a study of Rayport and Sviokla’s framework

The rapidly evolving phenomenon of the World Wide Web and the creation of a new international arena for electronic commerce have expanded the possibilities for the marketing of products and services. The role played by customer behavior in the market-space is still not entirely understood and calls for investigations into the significance of customer attitudes and loyalty. In this article, a model is developed; it examines the significance of content, context, and infrastructure in determining customer loyalty. An empirical study involving 145 subjects was conducted to test this model and to gain a better understanding of the relationship between customer belief about a Web site (specifically, an e-publishing site) and customer behavior (such as attitudes toward brand and customer loyalty).The results indicate that customer attitude is influenced by belief about brand equity (value), which is affected by the content, context, and infrastructure. Customer loyalty is determined by attitude and belief about the context in which the products or services are offered. These findings provide a better understanding of customer behavior associated with Web sites in the market-space, also confirm the proposition of Rayport and Sviokla that ‘customer loyalty is developed at the context level’.     

Adaptation of an automotive dialogue system to users’ expertise and evaluation of the system

Spoken dialogue systems (SDSs) can be used to operate devices, e.g. in the automotive environment. People using these systems usually have different levels of experience. However, most systems do not take this into account. In this paper, we present a method to build a dialogue system in an automotive environment that automatically adapts to the user’s experience with the system. We implemented the adaptation in a prototype and carried out exhaustive tests. Our usability tests show that adaptation increases both user performance and user satisfaction. We describe the tests that were performed, and the methods used to assess the test results. One of these methods is a modification of PARADISE, a framework for evaluating the performance of SDSs [Walker MA, Litman DJ, Kamm CA, Abella A (Comput Speech Lang 12(3):317–347, 1998)]. We discuss its drawbacks for the evaluation of SDSs like ours, the modifications we have carried out, and the test results.

The mediating role of the dimensions of the perceived risk in the effect of customers’ awareness on the adoption of Internet banking in Iran

One of the major issues banks are faced with in providing Internet Banking (IB) services is the adoption of these services by the customers. This study seeks answer to the question that whether bank customers’ awareness of the services and advantages of IB is effective in reducing the negative effect of customers’ perceived risk on their intention of IB adoption. To this end, the two constructs of the dimensions of the perceived risk and IB awareness are simultaneously considered. Besides, in the research model, the effect of IB awareness on each dimension of the perceived risk and the effect of these dimensions on intention of IB adoption by the customers are investigated. The results indicate that IB awareness acts as a factor reducing all dimensions of the perceived risk (including time, financial, performance, social, security, and privacy). In addition, it was found out that except for social risk, other dimensions of the perceived risk have significantly negative effect on the intention of IB adoption. Finally, proving the direct and positive effect of IB awareness on adoption intention, it was concluded that the dimensions of customers’ perceived risk plays a mediating role in the positive effect of IB awareness on IB adoption intention. In this respect, management approaches centered on the concept of IB awareness are offered for reducing the dimensions of customers’ perceived risk.     

Equiparadoxicality of Yablo’s Paradox and the Liar

It is proved that Yablo’s paradox and the Liar paradox are equiparadoxical, in the sense that their paradoxicality is based upon exactly the same circularity condition—for any frame ${\mathcal{K}}$ , the following are equivalent: (1) Yablo’s sequence leads to a paradox in ${\mathcal{K}}$ ; (2) the Liar sentence leads to a paradox in ${\mathcal{K}}$ ; (3) ${\mathcal{K}}$ contains odd cycles. This result does not conflict with Yablo’s claim that his sequence is non-self-referential. Rather, it gives Yablo’s paradox a new significance: his construction contributes a method by which we can eliminate the self-reference of a paradox without changing its circularity condition.