Search results

Computer‐assisted language learning (CALL) comes in many different flavors. The purpose of this paper is to focus on developing an integrated e‐learning environment that allows improving language skills in specific contexts. Integrated e‐learning environment means that it is a web‐based solution that performs language learning tasks using common working environments such as, for instance, web browsers or e‐mail clients. It should be accessible on different platforms, even on mobile devices. Natural language processing (NLP) forms the technological basis for developing such a learning framework. The use of NLP technologies, or in broader view artificial intelligence technologies, in CALL has also been dubbed intelligent CALL. The paper gives an overview of the state of the art in this area.

On the one hand, the paper explains creation processes for NLP resources and gives an overview of language corpora. On the other hand, it describes existing NLP standards. Based on the authors' requirements, the paper gives special attention to the evaluation and comparison of toolkits that can suitably support the planned implementation. In consideration of the evaluation results, the authors give a closer look at the system architecture of the CALL platform. An outlook at the end points out necessary developments in e‐learning to keep in mind.

Based on evaluation result, the authors have designed the framework architecture for the intelligent integrated CALL (iiCALL) system. A first prototype shows a web browser plug‐in communicating with the framework started in an Apache Tomcat server environment.

The paper presents an extended version of a paper that has been selected as one of the invited papers for journal special issue consideration at iiWAS2010. It focuses on the evaluation of several NLP toolkits which might be of importance for those who plan to integrate NLP technologies in their projects.

The purpose of this paper is to analyse the increasing commercialisation of professional football in France, and its implications for clubs’ governance and management.

A historical analysis using a narrative approach based on historical data from various sources, will allow for identifying the emergence of and shifts in institutional logics. Due to the role of the state in the subject in question, particular attention was paid to parliamentary documents.

Rather than replacing the former logic, a new commercial logic coexists alongside this, leading to institutional pluralism.

The paper outlines the governance implications of institutional pluralism of football clubs; thus opening up new perspectives for future research on clubs’ governance. It does not, however, provide a response to these implications and therefore further research is needed to analyse how clubs’ managers can shape organisational identity and make it more consistent.

Governance and management issues in football might be explained by the multiple logics clubs are facing. Football clubs’ managers thus need to take these logics into account when addressing their key stakeholders, and have to work on shaping a consistent organisational identity.

This article is original in that it analyses the commercialisation of football as a move towards a more complex institutional pluralism, rather than a change in the dominant logic. This perspective is valuable for managers because it helps them to identify the levers they should work on to better manage clubs’ stakeholders. It is also useful for academics in terms of opening up new ways to conceive clubs’ governance.

The purpose of this paper is to develop a novel model for maintenance backlog (MB) of physical assets and structure it in a framework for integrated planning (IPL).

Reliability theory principles for modelling MB are used. Furthermore, to structure a framework for IPL, literature study combined with earlier case studies is used.

The framework for IPL facilitates the model of MB. In addition to providing real-time diagnosis indicators, MB is regarded as valuable information for decision support in IPL.

Development of MB applied to IPL.

The purpose of this paper is to address the management of supply chains within the construction industry. Supply chains in this sector evidence a marked tendency to waste and inefficiency. One approach to improving this situation, which is the subject of intense discussion by both scientists and practitioners, is the establishment of strategic partnerships integrated with the scientific observation of the processes involved. This paper aims to present a case study of such a strategic alliance among German building contractors whose goal it is to cover the entire life cycle of a building, from its planning to its ultimate facility management. The paper seeks to focus on the establishment and implementation of an aggregated strategic alliance and its success factors.

The research methodology is based on a case study of a German network of builders and trade contracting companies. Data collection tools included observation of workshops and meetings, semi‐structured interviews and access to key documentation, IT‐infrastructure and archives of the network.

Key factors of success in strategic alliances within the construction industry are: central coordination among the partners employing decentralised task management; application of an appropriate IT‐solution; and mutual trust among the cooperating partners.

While there is growing literature in the field of supply chain management within the construction industry there is less empirical evidence providing practical examples of managing supply chains in this area. Strategic alliances are a crucial requisite for the successful management and integration of services and production within the construction industry.