Engineering Commons^™

Web-Services – The Next Evolutionary Stage Of E-Business, Santosh S. Venkatraman

Journal of International Technology and Information Management

Web-Services are a set of new technologies that promise to take “service-oriented” distributed computing to a whole new level, and eventually take e-business to the next evolutionary stage. Web-Services, in a nutshell, let organizations bridge communication gaps among their information systems, and build new software applications by “stitching” together existing ones. It is capable of integrating applications written in different programming languages, developed by different vendors, and running on different servers with dissimilar operating systems. Web- Services would enable companies to seamlessly connect their information systems and business processes with those of their partners and customers – thus ushering in …

Customer Relationship Management (Crm): A Comparative Study Between U.S.A. And Spain, Jesus Garcia De Madariaga

Journal of International Technology and Information Management

This paper surveys the marketing executives of the top companies in Spain with more than 100 million euros on net sales and reports the status of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) solutions in their companies. The results are compared with the U.S.A. status reported by a previous study developed by InformationWeek Research in 2000 with a sample based on Fortune 500. One hundred and thirty-six companies participated in this study. The data provides insights into the strengths and weaknesses of the CRM in Spain in comparison with USA. Some viable actions are recommended to improve the usage of CRM and to …

A Conceptual Framework For E-Branding Strategies In The Non-Profit Sector, Horst Treiblmaier, Irene Pollach, Arne Floh

Journal of International Technology and Information Management

E-branding provides non-profit organizations (NPOs) with new opportunities to communicate their missions, which is of paramount importance in a market segment that competes for donations and voluntary labor. Since successful e-branding is determined by both internal and external communication strategies, we developed a framework which explains the interdependency of these two factors in NPOs. Our findings are based on qualitative interview data and a website analysis of eleven Austrian NPOs. The NPOs' internal and external e-communication strategies are categorized into three successive levels each and combined in a two-dimensional grid, which shows how NPOs integrate their communication strategies.

Xml: Gateway For Data Mobility And Universal Connectivity, Emmanuel Uzoma Opara

Journal of International Technology and Information Management

Extensible Markup Language (XML) started as an effort to simplify the standard Generalized Markup Language (SGML), which was the International Organization for Standardization’s (ISO) standard for defining data vocabularies. This study investigates XML technology as a substitute to SGML that would be Web friendly, and easy to learn and use while supporting a variety of applications for faster and more efficient data mobility on the Web. It describes several compelling reasons why XML is a useful technology for representing structured data mobility. XML is a markup language used for data structure in a textual form. A specific goal of XML …

Extensible Markup Language (Xml) For Competitive Advantage, William P. Wagner, Ralph Hilken, Q B. Chung

Journal of International Technology and Information Management

eXtensible Markup Language (XML) has received much attention in the popular press lately as a new technology designed to facilitate information sharing among business entities. One of the biggest problems that companies are experiencing today with XML is that many executives do not understand what XML is and why it is important, nor do they understand what its potential impact on their information strategy might be. In this paper, we present an overview of XML and a framework for generating IS strategic alternatives, which was introduced in its original form in the 1980s. This framework is adapted to suit the …

An Investigation Of Internet Auction Markets: Evidence From Ebay, Kevin Bracker, Ken Smith

Journal of International Technology and Information Management

The purpose of this paper was to examine a market with different characteristics than a typical “financial” market using high frequency continuous transactions data. The market selected for this purpose was an Internet auction market for collectibles, specifically Ty Glory BearsTM sold on the eBay, Inc. web site. This market was chosen for its relatively high activity and homogeneity. The results indicated evidence of signaling related to seller’s reputation and product information, seasonality based on day-of-the-week, and limited market dept h.

Examining The Benefits Of Project Management Professional (Pmp) Certification For Is Project Managers And Organizations, Robert C. Mahaney, Bertie M. Greer

Journal of International Technology and Information Management

The project management professional (PMP) certification has gained a positive reputation among project managers as well as with HR managers and recruiters. However, the organizational benefits are untested. This paper examines the business value of PMP certification. The three questions this study investigates are, “What value does certification give project managers?” “What value does certification give organizations?” and “How can organizations encourage project managers to pursue certification?” Content analysis of transcripts from twenty-five structured interviews identified several reasons businesses should encourage their project managers to pursue PMP certification, but many of the benefits are not easily quantified.

Two Developing Countries With Two Different Economic Results: A Comparative Study Of Thailand & Morocco, Debora J. Gillard

Journal of International Technology and Information Management

After visiting Thailand in 1996 and Morocco in 2001, it was very evident that these two countries had many similarities. Both countries are ruled by monarchs, both are developing countries, and both have overcome many adversities. However, today we find these two countries are very different in their involvement in the global community and in their local economic development. This paper is a study of similarities and differences in the development of Thailand and Morocco which has resulted in the current economic status.

Review Of The Opnet It Guru Software, Jeng-Chung Victor Chen

Journal of International Technology and Information Management

The OPNET IT GURU has been in existence for years and designed to be used for the industry and the academics. The simulation software is now in version 10.0 and equipped with abundant features such as: modeling network topology and traffic, application impact assessment, and server capacity planning. The features of modeling network topology and traffic are ideal for network engineers to experiment different kinds of scenarios before implementation of any networks, which in turn could cost the organizations less on the IT budget. The application impact assessment is useful when measuring the end-to-end time of the deployed or to-be-deployed …

Building Relationships That Last: Integrating Public Relations Into Web Design, Richard V. Mccarthy, Jay E. Aronson, Robert Petrausch

Journal of International Technology and Information Management

This paper explores the relationship between web site design, public relations strategy, and a consumer’s intention to return to a web site. This relationship is defined through a model that explores the influence of information satisfaction, particularly when the web site design is congruent with the consumer’s expectations. The public relations dimension extends the consumer web site design model by interjecting a long-term focus on relationship building that organizations will need to make electronic commerce a viable investment in information technology resources. This is significant because it recognizes the importance of developing loyalty and trust online.

Deciding On The Appropriateness Of B2b Reverse Auction Technology Adoption: An Ahp Approach Combined With Integer Programming, Tobias Schoenherr

Journal of International Technology and Information Management

Although Business-to-Business online reverse auctions have emerged as a promising purchasing tool, no research has been found that provides a model to assess the reverse auction decision in a systematic way. This paper fills this gap by presenting an integrated approach, utilizing Analytic Hierarchy Process techniques and an Integer Programming Formulation, to decide whether Reverse Auction Technology (RAT) adoption is cost-effective and appropriate. The model developed is a practical decision support tool that allows for the consideration of both qualitative and quantitative decision factors, and for the adoption of multiple modes of RATs, which are contrasted to traditional purchasing.

A Genetic Algorithm Assisted Hybrid Approach To Web Information Integration, Jia-Lang Seng, Ming-Hsiung Ying

Journal of International Technology and Information Management

No abstract provided.

Studying The Value Of Information Sharing In E-Business Supply Chain Management, Aryya Gangopadhyay, Zhensen Huang

Journal of International Technology and Information Management

The supply chain management of goods and services involves multiple trading partners such as raw-material suppliers, manufacturers, distributors, and retailers. Every one of these trading partners need to determine their requirements, in terms of merchandise, and match them against availability, pricing, and cost of transportation. At every step of the supply chain economics information retrieval is a crucial and recurring process. In this paper we study information sharing as a strategy for improved decision making that can increase the profitability of the entire supply chain. We describe various different models for information sharing and illustrate the benefits of information sharing …

Improving Workflow In Home Healthcare Industry: A Case Study, Mohan Rao, Norma Teran, Michael Savard

Journal of International Technology and Information Management

Home healthcare industry is facing increasing pressure to change business processes and manage information flow electronically. With the help of a case example, this paper describes how a web- based system could improve the workflow communication problems in home healthcare companies. Every department of the case company has its own software to assist in everyday operations but is unable to communicate with one another electronically. All documents necessary in the coordination of care have to move physically between departments. The proposed solution is a web-based electronic form management system that would improve regulatory compliance and operating efficiency.

Inside Unlv, Gian Galassi, Jennifer Vaughan, Carol C. Harter, Richard Flaherty, Rebecca Mills

Inside UNLV

No abstract provided.

Surveying Cost Growth, Michael A. Greiner, Vince Sipple, Edward D. White

Faculty Publications

Cost growth that weapon systems incur throughout their acquisition life cycle concerns those who work in the acquisition environment. One way to reduce the amount of unexpected cost growth is to develop better cost estimates. In attaining better cost estimates though, it is often helpful to understand and account for potential cost drivers. Several cost studies, some of which specifically focus on the aircraft industry, have been performed documenting and investigating these growth factors. Overviews of these various cost growth studies are presented as other tools for the cost estimators and program managers.

Measuring Online Students' Ability To Apply Programming Theory: Are Web Courses Really Working?, Kathryn A. Marold, Wayne Haga

Journal of International Technology and Information Management

As a response to troubling doubts about the success of Web-delivered courses that include problem solving and critical thinking skills, the authors gathered data from two online sections of the CIS Application Programming with Visual Basic course at Metropolitan State College of Denver over two semesters and compared it with the data from classroom sections. T-tests showed a significant difference in the means of student projects and tests that required application of theory learned. All sections of the course used the same syllabus and assignments and were taught by the same instructor. Internet students scored significantly lower in theory portions …

A Study Of The Relationship Between Internet Diffusion And Culture, Ravi Nath, N.R. Vasudeva Murthy

Journal of International Technology and Information Management

The unevenness in the diffusion rates of the Internet across nations is commonly referred to as the “digital divide.” Technological, economic and political factors are often mentioned as the primary contributing factors to this digital gap. However, there is sufficient evidence in support of the proposition that a nation’s culture also plays a role in how citizens adopt and use technology innovations. This paper examines the relationship between the cultural dimensions proposed by Hofstede and the Internet adoption rate of nations. Data from sixty-two countries are used to establish a regression model and the empirical results show that cultural traits …

The Impacts Of Conflicts On Requirements Uncertainty And Project Performance, Houn-Gee Chen, James J. Jiang, Jun-Cheng Chen, J T. Shim

Journal of International Technology and Information Management

Conflict is a pervasive phenomenon that permeates information systems development and implementation. The literature has indicated that conflicts, due to their association with negative emotion, will negatively influence IS project development, even after controlling for the effects of conflict management and resolution; however, the negative emotional characteristic of conflict alone has a limited explanatory power of IS project success. The purpose of this study is to provide additional insight, by including requirement uncertainty as the mediator variable, of the impacts of conflicts on project performance. Surveys were sent to Taiwan’s top 1600 companies and the results support the hypotheses. The …

Development Of An It Balanced Scorecard, Theophilus B.A. Addo, Chee W. Chow, Kamal M. Haddad

Journal of International Technology and Information Management

There is a generally acknowledged dearth of metrics for effectively measuring organizational performance. This is particularly true of the IT function, whose contribution to a firm’s “bottom line” has been frequently called to question. This paper describes the development of a performance measurement tool called the Balanced Scorecard, which can be used to assess IT performance within the context of overall corporate strategy and financial performance. Data for the scorecard was obtained via a survey of senior IT executives in various organizations. The paper concludes with a set of guidelines for successfully implementing an IT Balanced Scorecard, as well as …

The Demand For Information Technology Knowledge And Skills: An Exploratory Investigation, Stuart D. Galup, Ronald Dattero, Jim J. Quan

Journal of International Technology and Information Management

Organizations are always in search of appropriate information technology knowledge and skills to carry out normal business operations. Such demand is directly impacted by the overall economic conditions. During stressful economic times, managers, facing tough budgetary pressure, are forced to examine more thoroughly what knowledge and skills are needed to survive. This paper investigates the desired information technology knowledge and skills that employers are searching for in these turbulent times. We examine the content of job advertisements for information technology professionals placed in an online job placement website over a 2 year period, 2001-2002.

Trust, Collaboration, And Financial Return In Conservation/Development Partnerships, New England Environmental Finance Center

Economics and Finance

In early 2002 the New England Environmental Finance Center hosted a series of roundtable discussions among municipal officials, residential developers, land trust representatives, and others about "Innovative Approaches to Land Conservation and Smart Growth". Among our observations was that for many of the over 20 conservation/development partnerships we discussed in the series, creation and maintenance of trust was central to success or failure of various stages of the partnership. This suggested a link between creation of trust and financial return for traditionally opposed project partners.

To further examine this matter, we interviewed 11 round table participants and asked questions about …

Why Toyota And Honda Topped The 2002 J.D. Power Quality Study, Susan Lightle, Kenneth Yale Rosenzweig, John Talbott

Accounting Faculty Publications

Toyota again topped the annual J. D. Power and Associates quality study released in late May of 2002. Toyota scored the highest mark ever with l 07 defects per l 00 vehicles, while Honda came in second with 113 defects. The study was based on responses of approximately 65,000 new car owners queried during their first 90-days of ownership.

These results do not surprise us, as we have been fortunate to make numerous sojourns to the Toyota plant in Georgetown, Kentucky, and observe the manufacturing processes. These trips were normally facilitated by a former Japanese student of ours, Minako Yanke, …

Viewing The Learning Process: Assessment Via Usability Testing, Vicki M. Eller, Steve Eugene Watkins, Richard H. Hall

Business and Information Technology Faculty Research & Creative Works

Learning through Computer-Based Activities Provides a Multi-Modal Approach in Which the User Can Select the Educational Media and Process. Effective Development of These Activities Requires an Understanding of User Interactivity. Traditional Assessment, Such as Test Scores and Subjective Surveys, Looks at End Results and Attitudes. This Method Does Not Monitor the Learning Process. in Particular Developer Needs to Accommodate Diverse Usage Preferences and Choices. Hence, Assessment Should Involve Usability Measures that Are Quantitative and Qualitative. Usability Testing Records Usage Patterns and User Reactions. a Usability Laboratory Was Created at the University of Missouri-Rolla. It is Supplements the Traditional Assessment for …

Inside Unlv, Gian Galassi, Katrina Hudak, Carol C. Harter, Eric Sandgren, Tom Hagge

Inside UNLV

No abstract provided.

Task Allocation Via Multi-Agent Coalition Formation: Taxonomy, Algorithms And Complexity, Hoong Chuin Lau, L. Zhang

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Coalition formation has become a key topic in multiagent research. In this paper, we propose a preliminary classification for the coalition formation problem based on three driving factors (demands, resources and profit objectives). We divide our analysis into 5 cases. For each case, we present algorithms and complexity results. We anticipate that with future research, this classification can be extended in similar fashion to the comprehensive classification for the job scheduling problem.

Inside Unlv, Gian Galassi, Cayrn Key, Carol C. Harter, Patrick Ferrillo

Inside UNLV

No abstract provided.

Santa Clara Magazine, Volume 45 Number 2, Fall 2003, Santa Clara University

Santa Clara Magazine

12 - 'A FAVORITE ABODE OF SCIENCE' By Elizabeth Kelley Gillogly '93. A new exhibit of Santa Clara University's scientific equipment from 1851-1900 reveals the Jesuits' early dedication to scientific inquiry, and the ways in which the University contributed to the history of science.

14 - COMING HOME By Mitch Finley '73. More than 60 million Americans are Catholic, but millions of them are estranged from the Church. More often than you might think, however, "lapsed Catholics" decide to come home to the Church. Why did they leave? And what brings them back?

18 - STUDENTS TO THE RESCUE By …

2003 Scholars And Artists Bibliography, Michael Schwartz Library, Cleveland State University, Friends Of The Michael Schwartz Library

Scholars and Artists Bibliographies

This bibliography was created for the annual Friends of the Michael Schwartz Library Scholars and Artists Reception, recognizing scholarly and creative achievements of Cleveland State University faculty, staff and emeriti

Resolution Of Multiple Ssdna Structures In Free Solution Electrophoresis, Eve F. Fabrizio, Ali Nadim, James D. Sterling

Business and Information Technology Faculty Research & Creative Works

By using high concentrations of buffer, electroosmotic flow within uncoated channels of a microfluidic chip was minimized, allowing the free solution electrophoretic separation of DNA. More importantly, because of the ability to efficiently dissipate heat within these channels, field strengths as high as 600 V/cm could be applied with minimal Joule heating (< 2 °C). As a result of the higher field strengths, separations within an 8-cm-long channel were achieved within a few minutes. However, when the electrophoretic separation of single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) less than 22 bases in length was performed, containing the fluorophore Texas Red as an end label, more than the expected single peak was observed at this high electric field. On the other hand, the free solution electrophoresis of a double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) consisting of a random sequence did exhibit the expected single peak. The appearance of these multiple peaks for ssDNA is shown to be dependent upon the base content and sequence of the ssDNA as well as on the chemical structure of the fluorophore used to tag the DNA for detection. Specifically, the peaks can be attributed to different secondary structures that result either from hydrophobic interactions between the DNA bases and an uncharged fluorescent dye or from G-quadruplexes within guanine-rich strands.