An analysis of peer-to-peer networks with altruistic peers

We develop a new model of the interaction of rational peers in a Peer-to-Peer (P2P) network that has at its heart altruism, an intrinsic parameter reflecting peers’ inherent willingness to contribute. Two different approaches for modelling altruistic behavior and its attendant benefit are introduced. With either approach, we use Game Theoretic analysis to calculate Nash equilibria and predict peer behavior in terms of individual contribution. We consider the cases of P2P networks of peers that (i) have homogeneous altruism levels or (ii) have heterogeneous altruism levels, but with known probability distributions. We find that, under the effects of altruism, a substantial fraction of peers will contribute when altruism levels are within certain intervals, even though no incentive mechanism is used. Our results corroborate empirical evidence of large P2P networks surviving or even flourishing without or with barely functioning incentive mechanisms. We also enhance the model with a simple but powerful incentive scheme to limit free-riding and increase contribution to the network, and show that the particular incentive scheme on networks with altruistic peers achieves its goal.

The theory of planned behaviour applied to search engines as a learning tool

Abstract Search engines have been developed for helping learners to seek online information. Based on theory of planned behaviour approach, this research intends to investigate the behaviour of using search engines as a learning tool. After factor analysis, the results suggest that perceived satisfaction of search engine, search engines as an information retrieval tool, and sharing search experience and information are three significant factors to affect individual behavioural intention to use search engines as a learning tool. In addition, the research elaborates that individual Internet and search engine experiences will affect these three factors. Moreover, the result also offers evidence that today's computers are popular for the application of communication and information retrieval.     

Exploring managers' intention to use business intelligence: the role of motivations

In recent years, the amount of information has been growing quickly within organisations. Thus, several organisations have implemented analytics and business intelligence (BI) for Big Data solutions. To effectively foster the acceptance and usage of BI, this study examines how the motivational factors of both expectancy theory and social exchange theory (SET) affect managers' willingness to utilise BI. A survey of 271 managers supports the proposed model. The results show that intangible rewards of expectancy theory significantly influence the intention to read information (IRI) through the desire to make good decisions. Benefit factors (organisational rewards, reputation, and reciprocity) of SET are significantly associated with the desire to exchange reports (DER). The IRI significantly directly and indirectly influences the intention to create reports through the DER. Given the empirical findings, this study provides theoretical and managerial insights for organisations.     

A unified model of knowledge sharing behaviours: theoretical development and empirical test

Research and practice on knowledge management (KM) have shown that information technology alone cannot guarantee that employees will volunteer and share knowledge. While previous studies have linked motivational factors to knowledge sharing (KS), we took a further step to thoroughly examine this theoretically and empirically. We developed a unified model that is comprehensive and yet parsimonious, based on the decomposed theory of planned behaviour (DTPB) with three sets of critical antecedents: psychological, organisational and technological that are theorised to influence KS behaviours. Results of a field survey of knowledge workers support the majority of hypothesised relationships, and explained 41.3% of the variance in the actual KS behaviours and 60.8% of the variance in the intention to share knowledge. These results far exceed the predictive powers achieved by previous studies. Among our significant findings include a strong positive influence of perceived enjoyment in helping others (PEH) and a strong negative influence of perceived loss of knowledge power (PLK). Based on the findings, we discussed the study's implications for research and practice.     

A study of executives' use of biometrics: an application of theory of planned behaviour

Biometrics has become an important alternative in user authentication to a system. The Brunei Government has embarked on various e-government projects. Some of these projects embed biometric mechanism for authentication. The acceptance of biometric security services appears to be affected by several factors, some of which may be the personal attitude of the users, influences of normality and context in which it is used. The study focuses on 155 executives from the 10 ministries of Brunei Darussalam to explore the behavioural intent of the executives towards biometrics through their attitudes. The theory of planned behaviour (TPB) was used as a reference framework, to understand the intention of using biometrics. The data analyses through Smart-PLS suggest that government officers’ attitudes towards biometrics is a predictor of behavioural intention, whereas, subjective norms is a predictor of attitude, perceived behavioural control, behavioural intention and behaviour, i.e. the use of the biometric technology. The implications of these findings are discussed and some conclusions are drawn.     

Digital piracy intention: a comparison of theoretical models

Digital piracy intention research has yielded different sets of piracy intention determinants based on various theoretical models. In this study, we reviewed the digital piracy literature and empirically compared two theoretical models, which are the models most often used: the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) and the Hunt–Vitell ethical decision model. Data were obtained from university students in South Korea, and structural equation modelling (SEM) was employed to examine and compare the two competing theoretical models in terms of explanatory power, overall model fit and paths' significance. The findings of this study revealed that the TPB is a more appropriate model for predicting digital piracy than the Hunt–Vitell ethical decision model.     

How purchase intention consummates purchase behaviour: the stochastic nature of product valuation in electronic commerce

This study challenges the conventional assumption that online customers with high purchase intention routinely move to the purchase stage. To this end, the process of how online customers form purchase intention and behaviour is examined. On the basis of product value distribution (PVD), we propose that the hypothetically expected product value (i.e. PVD average) determines purchase intention, whereas the actual probability of attaining the expected product value (i.e. PVD variance) moderates purchase behaviour. This proposal indicates that the expected product value has significance only when repeated purchase is assumed given that most consumers do not repeatedly purchase the same product in reality. Thus, the actual probability of attaining the expected product value more critically affects customer behaviour than does its expected value. The effectiveness of the research model is verified by conducting a survey on 300 online mall shoppers in Korea. The results confirm model effectiveness.     

A multi-level analysis of factors affecting software developers’ intention to reuse software assets: An empirical investigation

Reuse of software assets in application development has held promise but faced challenges. In addressing these challenges, research has focused on organizational- and project-level factors while neglecting grass-root level adoption of reusable assets. Our research investigated factors associated with individual software developers’ intention to reuse software assets and integrated them in TAM. Towards that end, 13 project managers were interviewed and 207 software developers were surveyed in India. Results revealed that the technological-level (infrastructure), and individual-level factors (reuse-related experience and self-efficacy) were major determinants. Implications are discussed.     

Using a cognition-motivation-control view to assess the adoption intention for Web-based learning

People expect Web technology to facilitate learning, particularly in higher education. A key issue involves the factors motivating the adoption of the Web for learning. Drawing upon social cognitive theory (SCT) and the theory of planned behavior (TPB), this study adopts a cognition-motivation-control view to assess learner adoption intentions for Web-based learning. The proposed model is validated by surveying 319 undergraduate students who had enrolled in Web-based courses and attended a 12-hour training program on using a Web-based system for academic learning. The empirical findings identified that efficacy control and efficacy expectations can be used to guide learner adaptation learning behaviors on the Web. The limitations of this study are discussed and future research directions suggested.     

Online environmental community members’ intention to participate in environmental activities: An application of the theory of planned behavior in the Chinese context

This study investigated the factors associated with online environmental community members’ intention to participate in environmental activities in the Chinese context, employing the framework of the theory of planned behavior (TPB). Using data from a survey of community members (N = 211), structural equation modeling analyses confirmed the roles of subjective norm and self-efficacy in affecting intention to participate in environmental activities. Unlike other TPB studies, however, the study discovered that attitude was not significantly associated with intention. In addition, other relevant factors, including ego involvement, group identification, perceived salience of environmental problems, perceived popularity of environmental activities, and perceived interactivity of the community websites, were found to be associated with the intention of participation, either directly or indirectly. The theoretical and practical implications were discussed.     

Toward an understanding of the behavioral intention to use mobile banking

Although millions of dollars have been spent on building mobile banking systems, reports on mobile banking show that potential users may not be using the systems, despite their availability. Thus, research is needed to identify the factors determining users' acceptance of mobile banking. While there has been considerable research on the technology acceptance model (TAM) that predicts whether individuals will accept and voluntarily use information systems, limitations of the TAM include the omission of an important trust-based construct in the context of electronic/mobile commerce, and the assumption that there are no barriers preventing an individual from using an IS if he or she chooses to do so. Based on literature relating to the theory of planned behavior (TPB) and the TAM, this study extends the applicability of the TAM in a mobile banking context, by adding one trust-based construct (“perceived credibility”) and two resource-based constructs (“perceived self-efficacy” and “perceived financial cost”) to the model, while paying careful attention to the placing of these constructs in the TAM's existing nomological structure. Data collected from 180 users in Taiwan were tested against the extended TAM, using the structural equation modeling approach. The results strongly support the extended TAM in predicting users' intentions to adopt mobile banking. Several implications for IT/IS acceptance research and mobile banking management practices are discussed.     

An investigation into the effects that digital media can have on the learning outcomes of individuals who have dyslexia

The effects that media can have on task performance have been greatly debated over the years. Whilst agreement has begun to emerge on the effects media have on cognitive performance, little is understood about the relationship between such media effects and individual differences such as individuals who have dyslexia. This paper presents findings from a study that investigated the effects computer-based media can have on the learning outcomes of individuals who have dyslexia. The purpose of the study was to obtain data that informed the development and design of e-learning and distance learning materials for universal use. The research process was based on Dual Coding Theory and refined by current theories on dyslexia. Findings from the research are intended to help academics and providers of e-learning materials to improve the design and delivery of their learning contents.     

对等网络中基于节点相似性的改进破圈搜索算法

对等网络中资源搜索算法的研究是近十几年的一个研究热点.当前无结构对等网中的搜索算法很多是基于泛洪算法的改进,这些算法在网络中查全率和查准率都比较高,但由于在搜索过程中产生大量的冗余信息导致对等网的扩展性很差,不能满足大范围组网的要求.本文提出一种对等网中基于稳定性和相似性的改进破圈路由搜索算法,在此算法中,如果节点在路由中发现与另外几个节点形成一个圈,则节点根据与圈中邻居节点之间的稳定性和内容相似性等因素选择其中的一个邻居节点转发信息.在这种破圈法构造的拓扑结构中采用泛洪协议去搜索资源,转发信息数将从指数级增长有效地减少到常数值,并且资源搜索成功率始终在一个稳定的范围.仿真实验表明所提算法在保证一定搜索成功率的前提下大大减少了搜索中产生的冗余信息.     

Categorical approach to the construction of fuzzy graph grammars

The categorical approach is proposed to the formalization of fuzzy graph grammars obtained as a result of generalization of sequential graph grammars. This approach takes into consideration the basic types of fuzziness that arise in constructing categories of fuzzy objects and describing transformations of fuzzy graphs generated by fuzzy sets. All the problems of undecidability that are well known for Chomsky grammars are proved to hold true for fuzzy graph grammars. __________ Translated from Kibernetika i Sistemnyi Analiz, No. 4, pp. 130–144, July–August 2006.     

Promoting the integration of technology in teaching: An analysis of the factors that increase the intention to use technologies among Italian teachers

Background: The rapid spread of COVID-19 forced many countries to adopt severe containment measures, transferring all didactic activities into virtual environments. However, the integration of technology in teaching may present difficulties, especially in some countries, such as Italy. Objectives: The present study analyzed how the two main factors of the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), namely perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use, combined with online teaching self-efficacy, were associated with the intention to use technology to teach. We posited a moderated moderation model in which perceived usefulness represented the main predictor, with self-efficacy and perceived ease of use as moderators of intention to use technology to teach. Method: The model was tested through multiple regressions, using the PROCESS macro on SPSS 26 with a sample of 178 upper secondary school teachers in Italy. Results and conclusions: Regressions showed that each variable significantly predicted the intention to use technology. In addition, a moderation effect of self-efficacy on the perceived usefulness of using technology was found for medium and high-level of perceived ease of use of technology. Implications: The present study provides targeted implications for distance education policy and practice to promote its adoption (or the blended modality) in Italian upper schools.     

An alternative approach to characterize the topology of complex networks and its application in epidemic spreading

Based on the mean-field approach, epidemic spreading has been well studied. However, the mean-field approach cannot show the detailed contagion process, which is important in the control of epidemic. To fill this gap, we present a novel approach to study how the topological structure of complex network influences the concrete process of epidemic spreading. After transforming the network structure into hierarchical layers, we introduce a set of new parameters, i.e., the average fractions of degree for outgoing, ingoing, and remaining in the same layer, to describe the infection process. We find that this set of parameters are closely related to the degree distribution and the clustering coefficient but are more convenient than them in describing the process of epidemic spreading. Moreover, we find that the networks with exponential distribution have slower spreading speed than the networks with power-law degree distribution. Numerical simulations have confirmed the theoretical predictions.     

An Application of Independent, Increasing, Free-Choice Petri Nets to the Synthesis of Policies that Enforce Liveness in Arbitrary Petri Nets

The class of Independent, Increasing, Free-Choice Petri nets (II-FCPNs) was introduced in (Sreenivas, 1997c), where it is shown that any II-FCPN can be made live via supervision using a readily available policy. In a live Petri net (PN). Petri Net Theory and Modeling of systems. Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, Reisig (1985). Petri Nets. Springer, Berlin), it is possible to fire any transition from every reachable marking, although not necessarily immediately. In this paper we identify a class of PNs, where every transition is controllable, that are not necessarily II-FCPNs, that can be made live via supervision using a readily available policy constructed from the policy that enforces liveness in an II-FCPN.