A big data framework for network security of small and medium enterprises for future computing

The Journal of Supercomputing - Recently, there have been some concerns for the network control systems which have been built for the major closed national communication infrastructures in the...     

A novel lifecycle model for Web-based application development in small and medium enterprises

Software engineering’s lifecycle models have proven to be very important for traditional software development. However, can these models be applied to the development of Web-based applications as well? In recent years, Web-based applications have become more and more complicated and a lot of efforts have been placed on introducing new technologies such as J2EE, PhP, and.NET, etc., which have been universally accepted as the development technologies for Web-based applications. However, there is no universally accepted process model for the development of Web-based applications. Moreover, shaping the process model for small medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which have limited resources, has been relatively neglected. Based on our previous work, this paper presents an expanded lifecycle process model for the development of Web-based applications in SMEs. It consists of three sets of processes, i.e., requirement processes, development processes, and evolution processes. Particularly, the post-delivery evolution processes are important to SMEs to develop and maintain quality web applications with limited resources and time.     

Requirements engineering in small and medium enterprises

Little is known about requirements engineering practices in small and medium enterprises (SMEs). This paper summarises the results of a workshop on requirements engineering held with practitioners from 10 SMEs. The current state-of-the-practice, as reported by the practitioners, differs significantly, and so do their individual problems due to contextual issues (e.g., in-house vs. contract development, type of product). The participants were presented with a set of current requirements engineering principles, techniques, methods, and tools. Important concepts were motivated by small case studies and experiments which we employed as a vehicle for technology transfer. The design of these and their results are described, as well as the practitioner’s rating of the techniques and methods.     

An architecture framework for enterprise IT service availability analysis

This paper presents an integrated enterprise architecture framework for qualitative and quantitative modeling and assessment of enterprise IT service availability. While most previous work has either focused on formal availability methods such as fault trees or qualitative methods such as maturity models, this framework offers a combination. First, a modeling and assessment framework is described. In addition to metamodel classes, relationships and attributes suitable for availability modeling, the framework also features a formal computational model written in a probabilistic version of the object constraint language. The model is based on 14 systemic factors impacting service availability and also accounts for the structural features of the service architecture. Second, the framework is empirically tested in nine enterprise information system case studies. Based on an initial availability baseline and the annual evolution of the 14 factors of the model, annual availability predictions are made and compared with the actual outcomes as reported in SLA reports and system logs. The practical usefulness of the method is discussed based on the outcomes of a workshop conducted with the participating enterprises, and some directions for future research are offered.     

Towards a framework for business process re-engineering in small and medium-sized enterprises

Business process re-engineering (BPR) is the vogue, although somewhat discredited, change management method. It is as an information technology (IT)-based and customer-driven approach to organizational change, undertaken to enable superior performance, such as cost reduction, shorter cycle time, higher product quality and increased customer satisfaction. Although the literature on re-engineering principles and prospects is large, there is little empirical research evaluating the success or failure of BPR initiatives. This is especially so in small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in which the potential for BPR benefits may differ significantly from that in their larger counterparts. SMEs are the fastest growing segment of most economies and are perceived to be more flexible and adaptable in terms of structure and speed of response than larger organizations. The literature speculates that SMEs have as good a chance of re-engineering successfully as their larger counterparts, although this is untested. Yet, with limited resources, such as IT and BPR expertise, and financial constraints, SMEs may find it difficult to re-engineer. This paper addresses the role of BPR in SMEs and develops a framework to assess its implementation potential. Factors that facilitate and inhibit BPR performance are identified and analysed as the basis for empirical testing. A set of propositions is developed that allows operationalization of the framework. The ultimate goal is to develop a process and tool set to assist SMEs wishing to undertake business process re-engineering.     

Web Services在中小型企业电子商务上的应用

随着Internet的迅速发展,WebServices技术正逐渐成为新一代电子商务发展的核心。通过使用WebServices,现代电子商务可以帮助个人或企业从Internet上收集到更多的信息。本文讨论了WebServices的概念、体系架构和标准,着重介绍了WebServices在中小型企业电子商务上的应用,并分别给出企业内部与外部应用的模型,最后结合实例对比说明了WebSer-vices在电子商务上的智能化优势。     

Change processes and ergonomic improvements in small and medium enterprises

This article deals with the question of how change processes can create ergonomic improvements in small‐ and medium‐sized industrial enterprises. Drawing on experiences from two described and analyzed case studies in small‐ and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) and from ISO 9000 implementation processes previously studied, a hypothetical change framework is suggested through a theory generating approach. It separates change into action‐driven change, which is an active experiential improvement process, and into vision‐driven change, which is of a visionary design character. The ability to bring about problem solving into action was important for the success of the change processes. Furthermore, the nature of different hampering mechanisms concerning ergonomic improvements is discussed. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Hum Factors Man 14: 135–155, 2004.     

An extensible DBMS for small and medium systems

An extensible, relational database management system called Requiem is described that offers users a truly relational interface, and is independent of query language. Requiem (relational query and update interactive system) is an interactive system with facilities for querying and updating a database. The organization of Requiem, the structure of its query language RQL, and the structure of the database are discussed     

如何在中小型软件企业中实施CMM

由SEI（软件工程研究所）开发的CMM（能力成熟度模型）对全球软件业产品质量和管理水平的提高产生了深远的影响。它最初是为大型企业制定的，但其管理思想同样适合于中小企业。本文将对此进行论述并给出建设性意见。     

SaaS模式的中小企业客户关系管理研究

客户关系管理是提高企业核心竞争力的关键之一,传统客户关系管理模式无法满足广大中小企业的需求。在讨论新的SaaS概念及SaaS模式与传统模式比较的基础上,分析了基于SaaS模式的中小企业客户关系管理优势,提出了基于SaaS模式的中小企业客户关系管理解决方案,构建了SaaS模式解决方案的逻辑体系结构,并指出了中小企业实施SaaS模式客户关系管理应注意的问题。     

Challenges and industry practices for managing software variability in small and medium sized enterprises

Software variability is an ability to change (configure, customize, extend) software artefacts (e.g. code, product, domain requirements, models, design, documentation, test cases) for a specific context. Optimized variability management can lead a software company to 1) shorter development lead time, 2) improved customer and improved user satisfaction, 3) reduced complexity of product management (more variability, same $) and 4) reduced costs (same variability, less $). However, it is not easy for software companies, especially small and medium size of enterprises to deal with variability. In this paper we present variability challenges and used practices collected from five SMEs. Our study indicates that increased product complexity can lead growing SMEs to the time-consuming decision-making. Many of the analyzed medium size of companies also expect improved tool support to help them to boost their productivity when managing increasingly complex products and increasing amount of variants In fact, in many of the analysed SMEs, a high level of automation in design, release management and testing are or become a key factor for market success By introducing the challenges and used practices related to variability the paper deepens understanding of this highly relevant but relatively under-researched phenomenon and contributes to the literature on software product line engineering.     

A tool for early workstation design for small and medium enterprises evaluated in five cases

Five case studies on production line design were described to study the effect of an early design support tool. Based on these case studies, the simple, interactive, real‐time, medium‐fidelity, mixed‐reality methodology was not only found to be a good early design stage evaluative tool for ergonomics and workflow, but a teaching tool as well. Despite some drawbacks, such as limited accuracy, mixed‐reality simulation appears to be a good compromise between cost and fidelity, especially for small to medium‐sized manufacturing enterprises, and gives important information on the layout focused on high efficiency and healthy postures. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

The antecedents and consequences of technology standardizations in Korean IT small and medium-sized enterprises

With rapid changes in the business environment, leading or utilizing technology standards may help firms gain better performance through competitive advantage. Such activities related to technology standards are likely to provide numerous opportunities or benefits to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the highly technological divide among firms. However, few studies have paid attention to drivers, obstacles, and results of technology standards activities in SMEs. Consequently, this study bridges this research gap by identifying the factors influencing technology standardizations, which in turn contribute to firm performance in SMEs. The analytic results of survey data collected from 250 SMEs in the Korean IT sector reveal that all technology standardizations have an effect firm performance. Benefits from standards, R&D capability, and insufficient resources are influential factors of all technology standardizations. However, support of related institutes only affects inbound standardization. This study discusses theoretical and practical implications on technology standardizations in SMEs based on these findings.     

中小企业ERP软件系统框架的研究

信息化是企业发展的必由之路,ERP软件的性能直接关系到企业信息化建设的成败,而中小企业具有多样个性化和不断发展变化的需求,使得ERP软件必须要有灵活的适应性和方便的扩展性,提出了开发中小企业ERP软件的系统框架,该框架由业务应用层、公用中间件、二次开发平台和底层支持平台4大部分组成,提出了通过业务单元及其"供-求"关系来集成整个系统,极大地提高了软件的生命力,基于该框架的中小企业ERP软件在电子制造行业的多个企业中得到了较好的应用.     

Making IT outsourcing work for smaller enterprises

Small and midsize enterprises - those with fewer than 100 employees - make up 95 percent of all US companies, and they collectively employ more than a third of the country's workforce. For companies of this size - and for regional and branch offices of large companies - deciding whether to outsource IT services can be a daunting task. Does IT outsourcing make sense for smaller firms? Done wisely, it can lower costs, focus in-house staff and eliminate wasted capacity.     

Towards a theoretical framework of SPI success factors for small and medium web companies

ContextThe context of this research is software process improvement (SPI) success factors for small and medium Web companies.ObjectiveThe primary objective of this paper is to propose a theoretical framework of SPI success factors for small and medium Web companies.MethodThe theoretical framework presented in this study aggregated the results of three previous research phases by applying principles of theoretical integration and comparative analysis. Those three previous phases were all empirical in nature, and comprise: a systematic review of SPI in small and medium Web companies [1], [2]; a replication study [3] and a grounded theory-based initial exploratory framework of factors in small and medium Web companies [4].ResultsThe theoretical framework includes 18 categories of SPI success factors, 148 properties of these categories and 25 corresponding relationships, which bind these categories together. With the help of these relationships, the categories and properties of SPI success factors can be directly translated into a set of guidelines, which can then be used by the practitioners of small and medium Web companies to improve the current state of SPI in their companies and achieve overall company success.ConclusionThe comprehensive theoretical framework of SPI success factors presented herein provides evidence regarding key factors for predicting SPI success for small and medium Web companies. The framework can be used as a baseline for a successful implementation of SPI initiatives in the mentioned domain.     

A practical framework for discussing IT infrastructure

Although increasingly important, IT infrastructure remains poorly defined. IT professionals need a practical framework to systematically discuss the nature, scope, evolution, and management of IT infrastructure. The guidelines presented can help one to think more clearly about infrastructure issues.     

An IT management assessment framework: evaluating enterprise architecture scenarios

Enterprise architecture, EA, is an established approach for the model-based and holistic management of IT. The scope of EA is however wide and the predominant EA frameworks suggest the creation of broad and detailed models. IT management cannot control all areas spanned by the present frameworks for EA models. In order to ensure well-informed decisions, IT management has a series of questions that need to be answered. This paper proposes an assessment framework that can be used to identify relevant questions for assessments of EA and EA scenarios, within the areas of EA that IT management can control. Three top dimensions in the proposed framework are presented: IT organization, IT systems, and Business organization. The framework further includes sub dimensions for identifying questions. An application of the assessment framework, as it was applied to assess EA scenarios in a power company, is also described.     

Assessing environmental impact of small and medium ceramic tile manufacturing enterprises in Thailand

Manufacturing processes employed by small and medium ceramic tile production enterprises in Thailand consume substantial amounts of energy. This study reveals that a small plant uses twice as much energy to produce one square meter of tile than does a medium plant. With the exception of global warming effects, the environmental impacts of a small plant are also larger than those of a medium plant, specifically with respect to ozone depletion, acidification and eutrophication. In addition, the environmental management perspective of the medium plant is based on cost reduction and social necessity. In contrast, the small plant has a negative attitude toward environmental management measures, taking the view that these are not appropriate concerns for small plants. These differing impacts and viewpoints suggest that environmental management in the small and medium plants should apply different approaches. On the one hand, the medium plant should emphasize the accelerated transfer of environmental knowledge to its personnel, while on the other, the owners of the small plant should be made to recognize the environmental impacts of their production activity and products. Additionally, potential benefits that might accrue to the plant owner from environmental impact mitigation should be highlighted.     

流固耦合仿真技术在中小型企业中的应用

随着有限元仿真技术的快速发展,流固耦合技术的应用范围越来越广.介绍3个典型的采用Abaqus等进行流固耦合仿真的应用案例.调查研究得出流固耦合仿真技术在中小型企业中的应用具有深层的意义和广阔的市场.