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1 – 10 of 229George Angelis, Stefanos Gritzalis and Costas Lambrinoudakis
The Grid is widely seen as the next generation Internet. Aims to share dynamic collections of individuals, institutions and resources by providing consistent, easy and inexpensive…
Abstract
The Grid is widely seen as the next generation Internet. Aims to share dynamic collections of individuals, institutions and resources by providing consistent, easy and inexpensive access to high‐end computational capabilities. Studies Grid security and specifically users' access control. It has been proved that the viability of these heterogeneous environments is highly dependent on their security design. Solutions trying to address all aspects of security were proposed by most existing Grid projects and collaborations; however the results were not always satisfactory. Reviews some of the most widely‐accepted security solutions, and collects the most efficient. Emphasizes access control procedures and the solutions addressing authentication and authorization issues. Identifies the most successful security schemes implemented and illustrates their effectiveness. Collects these mechanisms to form the backbone of a security mechanism, addressing authentication and authorization Grid‐specific problems. The proposed schemes can constitute the backbone of an effective Grid security architecture.
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Lourdes Fernandez, Elizabeth Kate Gandy, Heidi Y. Lawrence, Preet Bassi, Ernst Piercy, Debbie Sobotka, Marc Austin and Debra Lattanzi Shutika
The purpose of this paper is to offer guidelines and recommendations for launching and running sustainable programs involving partnerships between industries and universities…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to offer guidelines and recommendations for launching and running sustainable programs involving partnerships between industries and universities. Teaching technical writing and communication to fire and emergency services personnel is a task that requires forethought and intricate planning. The Advanced Technical Writing Certificate provided jointly by the Center for Public Safety Excellence and George Mason University balances the unique workplace needs of fire service professionals while working to ensure a high level of transfer and information retention.
Design/methodology/approach
This study will describe how the authors have developed and run a successful course series. The methods used to structure the courses are explained in detail, alongside the pedagogical theories that shaped information delivery. This paper offers a detailed guide to program development and implementation.
Findings
Providing a uniquely collaborative online environment and designing each module with the purpose of knowledge transfer have created an effective method by which advanced principles can be taught to working professionals in a relatively short period of time. By collaborating with subject matter experts and focusing on the utility of the material, the authors were able to create a highly effective course that served the needs of first responders.
Practical implications
Using the steps detailed in the article, programs like this could be replicated, allowing greater access to workplace learners of all kinds and a pathway to sustainable programs like these in universities. The research also details the importance of an adaptive course that continues to grow and improve.
Originality/value
By modeling the course and making use of experts, students are capable of learning complex topics with ease in a short amount of time.
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Mario Zappacosta and Sergio Gomez y Paloma
This paper aims to identify the future trends in the agro‐food sector over the next two decades. Ten national technology foresight studies have been reviewed with the purpose of…
Abstract
This paper aims to identify the future trends in the agro‐food sector over the next two decades. Ten national technology foresight studies have been reviewed with the purpose of (i) envisaging the future socio‐economic and technology framework of the sector and (ii) highlighting major agro‐food technology clusters and their future application.
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Federica Pascucci, Lucia Pizzichini, Andrea Sabatini, Valerio Temperini and Jens Mueller
This paper aims to gain insights into the paradoxical tensions emerging from circular business model innovation (CBMI) and how to overcome them by developing a theoretical…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to gain insights into the paradoxical tensions emerging from circular business model innovation (CBMI) and how to overcome them by developing a theoretical framework drawing on two theoretical streams: firstly, the paradox theory for shedding light on the often “invisible” contradictions generated by the implementation of circular economy (CE) principles in business model transformation; and secondly, the dynamic capability theory that can contribute to the investigation of how to manage these contradictions.
Design/methodology/approach
The study uses a longitudinal case study approach to gain an in-depth understanding of the transformation and challenges faced by an incumbent firm in adopting a circular business model. Qualitative research methods are used to explore the paradoxical tensions and dynamic capabilities involved in the process.
Findings
The study finds that incumbent firms face numerous challenges and paradoxical tensions in the CBMI process. These tensions arise from difficulties in implementing organizational changes, balancing competing priorities and managing conflicting goals. Dynamic capabilities are crucial in managing these tensions and facilitating the transition to a circular business model.
Research limitations/implications
This paper contributes to the theoretical development of paradox theory by applying it to the new field of CBMI which is currently slightly investigated and responds to the call for studies looking at more fine-grained types of sustainable business models. The study adds to previous literature that how the firm handles paradoxes and tensions influences the pace and results of the process. If the firm becomes discouraged during the early stages of identifying new opportunities, the pace slows down, and the firm becomes hesitant to collaborate more with partners. Furthermore, the ability to capitalize on these opportunities is affected by these tensions and contradictions.
Originality/value
This paper contributes to the literature by empirically investigating the process of CBMI in incumbent firms. It fills the gap in existing research by examining the existence of paradoxical tensions in a real-life setting and exploring the role of dynamic capabilities in managing these tensions. The findings provide practical insights for firms seeking a transition towards a CE and highlight that the ability to sense the external context should be developed as the new business model entails a central role of external actors.
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Damien Brun, Susan M. Ferreira, Charles Gouin-Vallerand and Sébastien George
Smart eyewear, such as augmented or virtual reality headset, allows the projection of virtual content through a display worn on the user’s head. This paper aims to present a…
Abstract
Purpose
Smart eyewear, such as augmented or virtual reality headset, allows the projection of virtual content through a display worn on the user’s head. This paper aims to present a mobile platform, named “CARTON”, which transforms a smartphone into smart eyewear, following a do-it-yourself (DIY) approach. This platform is composed of three main components: a blueprint to build the hardware prototype with very simple materials and regular tools; a software development kit (SDK) to help with the development of new applications (e.g. augmented reality app); and, finally, a second SDK (ControlWear) to interact with mobile applications through a Smartwatch.
Design/methodology/approach
User experiments were conducted, in which participants were asked to create, by themselves, the CARTON’s hardware part and perform usability tests with their own creation. A second round of experimentation was conducted to evaluate three different interaction modalities.
Findings
Qualitative user feedback and quantitative results prove that CARTON is functional and feasible to anyone, without specific skills. The results also showed that ControlWear had the most positive results, compared with the other interaction modalities, and that user interaction preference would vary depending on the task.
Originality/value
The authors describe a novel way to create a smart eyewear available for a wide audience around the world. By providing everything open-source and open-hardware, they intend to solve the reachability of technologies related to smart eyewear and aim to accelerate research around it.
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Constance Dumalanede, Kavita Hamza and Marielle Payaud
This study aims to highlight the processes that private organisations implement to improve access to health care services for low-income communities in Brazil.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to highlight the processes that private organisations implement to improve access to health care services for low-income communities in Brazil.
Design/methodology/approach
A qualitative research based on a comparative case study was conducted in São Paulo. A for-profit organisation and a not-for-profit one were compared to scrutinise how they adapt themselves to the social context they are embedded in; while improving their service accessibility.
Findings
Both kinds of organisations have succeeded to reach their goal of improving the access and reducing the time frame of health care services to low-income populations. Their initial business model (BM) makes them face their own challenges that they face with different strategies. It affects their way of communicating, their organisational culture, the patients’ expectations and their level of inclusiveness.
Research limitations/implications
The research is context-dependent because of the specific conditions of the health public system in Brazil. When shaping health care BMs, the national context must be taken into account and the service marketing components should be used to enhance patients’ value co-creation in the health care service delivery process.
Practical implications
The research gives insights to organisations that seek to adapt their BM to improve health-care access to low-income populations.
Social implications
Health-care access plays a key role in improving populations’ living conditions and reach one of the sustainable development goals of the United Nation.
Originality/value
Health care services access at the bottom of the pyramid remains under-studied. The paper brings value by comparing for-profit and non-profit organisations, which have the same social goal of improving health-care access to low-income populations while developing different practices to deal with their own challenges.
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Davide Giusino, Marco De Angelis, Rudolf Kubík, Carolyn Axtell and Luca Pietrantoni
The purpose of this study is to describe the implementation of a digital-based team coaching intervention aimed at improving team communication in the workplace through social…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to describe the implementation of a digital-based team coaching intervention aimed at improving team communication in the workplace through social network visualization. The study examined recipients’ perceptions of the intervention at two time points and assessed the temporal stability of various factors, including the intervention’s integrity, design, transferability, acceptance and the usability of the adopted visualization tool. The moderating role of digital usability was also evaluated.
Design/methodology/approach
Four team coaching sessions were delivered to 62 participants from seven teams across three departments within a large public health-care organization in Northern Italy. Perceptions of the intervention dimensions were collected after the second and fourth sessions.
Findings
Results indicated that, at both time points, recipients appreciated the intervention’s integrity and usability more than its design, transferability and acceptance. Furthermore, no significant changes in recipients’ perceptions were observed over time. The transferability of the intervention was significantly associated with its acceptance, but only when the usability of the digital tool was high.
Research limitations/implications
The study enriches existing literature on digital interventions in group communication by focusing on process dimensions like recipients’ perceptions of various aspects and the implementation process. Furthermore, the study underscores the potential of integrating specific techniques such as sociomapping and coaching within health-care organizations, encouraging more research and development in these areas.
Practical implications
The study emphasizes the critical role of usability and integrity in digital-based team coaching interventions, suggesting that high-quality, user-friendly tools not only lead to initial effectiveness but also sustain positive impacts over time, while also increasing transferability and acceptance.
Originality/value
The present study uniquely deploys a longitudinal approach to examine recipients’ perceptions of a digital-based intervention that combines social network visualization and team coaching to enhance team communication.
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