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The purpose of this chapter is to develop a new perspective model of well-balanced information economy.

The methodological tools of this work are based on application of the method of comparative analysis for comparing the old and the new model of information economy, modeling of socio-economic systems, simplex-method as an algorithm for solving the optimization task of linear programming, related to improvement of the conceptual model of information economy, and the method of formalization for graphical presentation of a new model of information economy.

The developed and presented author’s perspective model of information economy envisages balancing in four main directions: infrastructural possibilities and readiness for their practical usage by society and business; state regulation and market self-management; existing and new information; and external information exchange. Despite the clarity and strictness of conceptual settings, the new model is peculiar for increased flexibility and adaptation to the peculiarities of the socio-economic practice of economic system. Thus, the new model of well-balanced information economy allows overcoming all drawbacks – logical mismatches and contradictions – of the existing (old) model of information economy.

Due to optimization of the conceptual model, its practical implementation in economic activities of modern socio-economic systems becomes possible – as a result of which, with accumulation of experience, it will be possible to assess true value of the idea of information economy’s formation for humanity and the global economic system.

This chapter explores how early theorising about information behaviour and the emergence of conceptual modelling in information behaviour research had its beginnings in thinking that was taking place in the very late 1970s and early 1980s in Europe and the USA. Some of these ideas were presented in papers that are very familiar and much cited, but others in papers which may be less familiar and, consequently, may not be much cited, but which together contribute to explain why the rapid development in conceptual thinking about, as opposed to the simple empirical study of, information behaviour took place from that period to the present. Four dimensions are identified which together underpin the emergence of conceptual modelling in contemporary information behaviour research. The four dimensions are (1) the adoption of a social science perspective, (2) a qualitative as opposed to a quantitative orientation, (3) a focus on the modelling of information behaviour and (4) a concern with empirical validation and exemplification in the development of such models. These four dimensions came together to provide a tacit rather than explicit framework for subsequent theorising about information behaviour, and in particular underpinned studies involved the conceptual modelling of information behaviour. Information behaviour research then began to develop conceptual models very different from the empiricism of earlier studies, and, at the same time exhibited a strong concern for the exemplification or validation of these models in empirical studies. This combination of theoretically based conceptual modelling and empirical exemplification and validation together gave much of the character to information behaviour research from the later 1970s and early 1980s, an influence that extends to the present.

The purpose of the work is to verify the offered hypothesis and to develop a new model of macro-economic balance, adapted to peculiarities of information economy.

The methodology of the research is based on equilibrium approach to studying socio-economic phenomena and processes. According to this approach, in order to determine the balance in information economy, the methods of abstracting and modeling of economic systems are used. The theoretical basis of the chapter is the classical macro-economic balance in “AD–AS” model (aggregate demand–aggregate supply model).

The research concluded that information economy envisages high specificity of the main commodity market – market of information as a product – and that behavior of sellers and buyers cannot be described correctly with the help of the classical two-dimensional model of demand and offer in macro-economics. In order to solve this problem, the author presents a new three-dimensional model of balance, which is adapted to peculiarities of information economy. This model shows that the aggregate demand and supply of information as a product in information economy depends not only on the level of market price for information but also on its value and preservation of its uniqueness. So apart from striving for lowest prices, consumers are interested in purchasing the most valuable information, which is not sold by sellers and is not available in the market. The market has only information that has no critical value for its owners and economy on the whole.

The author’s three-dimensional model of balance, adapted to peculiarities of information economy, is recommended for application.

As libraries and information services address the needs of users in an increasingly networked environment, there is a need for theoretical models to underpin research, development and practice. The characteristics and roles of traditional libraries and information services are described, and a variety of predictions about their future are examined. A number of recent models of the ‘electronic’ or ‘digital’ library are analysed, and the concept of the ‘hybrid’ library is described. On this basis a generic model of the library, using that term in its broadest sense, is developed. A number of application areas are identified.

The engineering education accreditation (EEA) is a principal quality assurance mechanism. However, at many education institutions, the most labor-intensive work of EEA process is accomplished manually. Without the support of computer and information technology, the EEA process leads to high labor intensity, low work efficiency and poor management level. The purpose of this paper is to build a complex network model and realize an information management system of talent training program for supporting the EEA process.

Based on polychromatic graph (PG), this paper builds a network model of talent training program for engineering specialty. The related information and data are organized and processed in this network model. From the bidirections of top-down and bottom-up, the user requirements are retrieved automatically in logic layer. Together with the specialty of mechanical engineering, the proposed PG-based network modeling method is applied and the corresponding information management system is realized.

The study results show that the PG-based network modeling method takes full advantages of the strong simulation ability of PG to model the complex network system and has some unique merits in formal expression of problem, efficient processing of information and lightweight realization of system. Further, the information management system of talent training program can reduce the tedious human labor and improve the management level of EEA process dramatically.

This paper proposes a PG-based network modeling method, in which the nodes and the edges can be painted by some unified colors to describe the different kinds of activities and the various types of interactions. Theoretically, this modeling method does not distinguish the activities, the interactions and their properties in graphic symbol and the problem size is diminished about a half. Furthermore, this paper provides an effective experience and idea to the education institutions for implementing the engineering education accreditation, increasing the education management efficiency and promoting the talent training quality.

The purpose of this paper is to elaborate the picture of the nature of integrated models for information behaviour from the perspective of conceptual growth in this field of study.

Conceptual analysis focusing on the ways in which the researchers have developed integrated models. The study concentrates on seven key models proposed by Bates, Choo and associates, Godbold, Robson and Robinson, and Wilson.

Researchers have employed four main approaches to develop integrated models. First, such frameworks are based on the juxtaposition of individual models. Second, integrated models are built by cross-tabulating the components of diverse models. Third, such models are constructed by relating similar components of individual models. Finally, integrated models are built by incorporating components taken from diverse frameworks. The integrated models have contributed to conceptual growth in three major ways: first, by integrating formerly separate parts of knowledge; second, by generalizing and explaining lower abstraction-level knowledge through higher level constructs; and third, by expanding knowledge by identifying new characteristics of the object of study.

The findings are based on the comparison of seven models only. The integrated frameworks of information retrieval were excluded from the study.

The study pioneers by providing an in-depth analysis the nature of integrated models for information behaviour. The findings contribute to the identification of the key factors of information behaviour.

The goal is to find a systemic information assembling mechanism, which would describe not only a human being's way of organizing the accepted information but also the general information regularities of this process, applied to different information objects.

Mathematical formalism of Informational Macrodynamics is employed for system modeling of the object's regularities and the main systemic mechanisms. The developed systemic assembling mechanism joins a chaotic oscillation of incoming information frequencies, initiating a chaotic resonance, into a cooperative attractor. A chain of sequentially built attractors generates a collective information dynamic network (IN), whose hierarchy models the multiple information contributions. An information structure of the IN node's attractors is memorized by the key‐lock connections of resonance frequencies.

The results indicate that formalized functions of the assembling cooperative information mechanisms represent a general attribute of a system.

A wide area of applications includes behavior analysis, cognition, artificial intelligence, data organization and management, social systems, and education.

The considered results bring together the formal systemic model of the regularities of collective macrodynamics and the mathematical evaluation of a complex individual's behavior in a collective environment.

Energy analysis (EA) within a building information modelling (BIM) enables consistent data integration in central repositories and eases information exchange, reducing rework. However, data loss during information exchange from different BIM uses or disciplines is frequent. Therefore, a holistic approach for different BIM uses enables a coherent life cycle information flow. The life cycle information flow drives the reduction of data loss and model rework and enhances the seamless reuse of information. The latter requires a specification of the EA key performance indicators (KPIs) and integrating those in the process.

The paper presents a set of KPIs extracted from the developed EA process maps and interviews with expert stakeholders. These KPIs stem from the literature review and link to the benefits of EA through industry expert review. The study includes (1) development and validation of EA process maps adjusted to requirements from different stakeholders. (2) KPIs aligned with the EA process map, (3) identification of the drivers that can facilitate life cycle information exchange and (4) opportunities and obstacles for EA within BIM-enabled projects.

This paper depicts a viable alternative for EA process maps and KPIs in a BIM-enabled AEC design industry. The findings of this paper showcase the need for an EA within BIM with these KPIs integrated for a more effective process conforming to the current Open BIM Alliance guidance and contributing towards sustainable life cycle information flow.

The limitation of the research is the challenge of generalising the developed EA process maps; however, it can be adjusted to fit defined organisational use. The findings deduced from the developed EA process map only show KPIs to have the ability to facilitate adequate information flow during EA.

The AEC industry will benefit from the findings of this primary research as the industry will be able to contrast its process maps and KPIs to those developed in the paper.

This paper benefits the societal values in EA for the built environment in the design stages. The subsequent life cycle information flow will help achieve a consistent information set and decarbonised built environment.

The paper offers a practical overview of process maps and KPIs to embed EA into BIM, reducing the information loss and rework needed in the practice of this integration. The applicability of the solution is contrasted by consultation with experts and literature.

This paper aims to propose a conceptual model for improving the organization of user needs information in the big data environment.

A conceptual model of the organization of user needs information based on Linked Data techniques is constructed. This model has three layers: the Data Layer, the Semantic Layer and the Application Layer.

Requirements for organizing user needs information in the big data environment are identified as follows: improving the intelligence level, establishing standards and guidelines for the description of user needs information, enabling the interconnection of user needs information and considering individual privacy in the organization and analysis of user needs.

This Web of Needs model could be used to improve knowledge services by matching user needs information with increasing semantic knowledge resources more effectively and efficiently in the big data environment.

This study proposes a conceptual model, the Web of Needs model, to organize and interconnect user needs. Compared with existing methods, the Web of Needs model satisfies the requirements for the organization of user needs information in the big data environment with regard to four aspects: providing the basis and conditions for intelligent processing of user needs information, using RDF as a description norm, enabling the interconnection of user needs information and setting various protocols to protect user privacy.

This paper aims to discuss the idea that businesses, for survival in the market, need a competitive edge. This edge can be achieved by focusing on business processes as informational work (IW) systems rather than physical work systems and then to focus on achieving information integrity. In order to achieve this aim the strategy should be to model a business process to achieve both operational and goal integrity. An analytical framework for the same is to be described.

The paper uses an analytical approach. First a literature survey is conducted to find out whether the business process models being followed currently are sufficient to give a competitive edge to business. Subsequently, the information integrity approach is introduced and a framework is suggested to model the business processes.

The main findings of the paper are that the current business processes which are physical in nature need to be perceived as information oriented processes. Moreover, these IW systems need to process information with integrity. The paper explains the concept of information integrity in a detailed way by covering all aspects of the same, namely identification of business process as a multistage information system, explanation of information as a function of recipient, suggesting a structure of a good business process model, identifying the criticality of information integrity for business competitive advantage and listing the emerging information integrity requirements.

The paper adds value because it analytically puts forth the complete check list of activities for business process modeling with information integrity.