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The intelligent agent object (IAO) system is a multi‐paradigm development environment which can be used to create intelligent agent systems for manufacturing or other domains. The IAO system was developed from the rule‐based object (RBO) system which is a programming environment integrating both the rule‐based and object‐oriented paradigms. Propagation‐oriented programming, access‐oriented programming and group‐oriented programming are among the extensions included in the IAO system. Its most unusual contribution is the propagation‐oriented programming paradigm which is not found in most systems. A key application is the messenger inferencing structure which is a user‐extendable framework supporting multiple knowledge representation, meta‐inference control, and distributed inference. This allows the IAO system to go beyond predicate logic based production rule programming. New developments are also introduced for access‐oriented programming. The IAO system can be used to develop integrated manufacturing systems such as the prototype automated guided vehicle planning and control system, which is briefly described.

In Mémoires of a cabinotier (Memoir of a watchmaker), a 60-year history of the Genevan watch manufacture (1931), the author Paul Maerky recalls his early years apprenticing in Saint-Gervais, Geneva’s horological district, better known as La Fabrique. Located in the heart of Geneva on the right bank of the river Rhone, the Saint-Gervais district established itself as a major Swiss center of horological production spanning the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Maerky’s autobiography is a lively and detailed account of apprenticed life in Saint-Gervais from 1871 to 1876. Drawing from this narrative source, this chapter discusses the Saint-Gervais apprenticeship system as a multisited educational phenomenon, whereby public spaces are conceptualized as an extension of the workshop or the habitual locus of horological knowledge and skill acquisition. This case study of the Saint-Gervais horological craft community in the 1870s analyzes the manner in which youthful apprentices interact with public spaces. Through the physical exploration of the district and its various educational loci, apprentices acquire spatial and relational knowledge. This chapter also discusses the metaphorical meanings assigned to places and their educational function within the context of nineteenth century watchmaking apprenticeship, during which apprentices undertake a metaphorical quest which takes them from childhood into adulthood as full-fledged members of the Genevan watchmaking community. In addition, this case study discusses the function of practical jokes as social mechanisms that regulate youth’s interaction with public spaces. As alternative educational loci, public spaces serve threefold educational functions: (1) to federate an otherwise heterogeneous working-class population around a common identity delineated by known physical and cultural boundaries; (2) to promote apprentice autonomy and foster distrust vis-à-vis outsiders; and (3) to create the setting for youth socialization through play or conflict. This chapter comments on alternative educational loci as relayed by Paul Maerky’s memoir, which include the streets, public fountains, the road to school, and eateries.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate different effects of three network externality factors, i.e. local network size, network strength, and total network size, on online messenger, online community, chat room and e‐mail services.

In the paper hypotheses are tested with a regression model using a survey data collected from 107 MBA students at a business school in South Korea.

The paper finds that the three network externality factors have different effects on the users' future usage intention for the four Internet services. Local network size is significant for online messenger services, local network size and network strength are significant for online community services, and total network size is significant for chat room services. For email services, none of the network externality factors are significant.

The paper shows that a total network size is an important network externality factor affecting the success of a network. However, users' satisfaction with network services and two additional network externality factors, local network size and network strength, are also important determinants. To generalize the finding, investigations into other network services in other environments and into some offline networks are necessary.

The paper shows that depending on types of networks, managers can focus on different important network externality factors in managing their networks.

Building upon uncertainty reduction theory, this work aims to explore how four uncertainty reduction factors (i.e. online property review, online textual description, online visual description and online instant messenger) mitigate property quality uncertainty and property fit uncertainty, which further influence Airbnb use intention.

This work tests the proposed research model using a structural equation modeling approach with 335 Airbnb users.

The findings reveal that the online property review, online textual description, online visual description and online instant messenger can efficiently mitigate property quality uncertainty and property fit uncertainty, which ultimately influence Airbnb use intention.

This study provides useful insights on mitigating property uncertainty in the peer-to-peer (P2P) accommodation platforms. Researchers are encouraged to investigate the boundary conditions that influence the effectiveness of uncertainty reduction strategies in alleviating property uncertainty.

P2P accommodation service providers are suggested to take actionable uncertainty reduction strategies to mitigate property uncertainty in online P2P accommodation platforms.

First, this study advances research on P2P accommodation by identifying two key types of property uncertainty, namely, property quality uncertainty and property fit uncertainty. Second, this study extends research on P2P accommodation by proposing contextualized passive, active and interactive uncertainty reduction strategies in mitigating property uncertainty. Third, this study extends uncertainty reduction theory to the P2P accommodation context. Fourth, this study enriches uncertainty reduction theory by verifying the mediating effects of property quality uncertainty and property fit uncertainty.

The purpose of this paper is to provide explanation for the economic development of the earliest Islamic state. It focuses on the role of human capital as the most important element of this model and focuses on four dimensions of development of human personality in Islam: the incentive structure, rules of behavior, institutions and policies.

A review and analysis of the measures and policies that Prophet of Islam and his successors adopted are made to arrive at the underlying economic model of development.

The major finding is the role of human capital in the development of the economy at that time.

The contribution of the paper is to identify the critical role of education and skills for the development of the economy at present.

Governing principles of the world countries' current foreign policies are based on nationalism and in the realization of this aspiration, human rights in other countries are less considered and demands of national interests on other issues are surpassed. Islam, in principle, is opposite to this approach. However, national interests are important in Islam, but Islam does not try to achieve this target by destruction of other countries and rights violations of their peoples. Interests of Islam's government are based on expediency of humankind as a whole and its foreign policy should be arranged in a way to fulfill this target. In this regard, the purpose of this paper is to introduce the basic principles of foreign policy in Islam based on the Sufi standpoint.

Islam aims to improve humanities based on moralities and spiritualities. Some principles for reaching this goal based on Islamic Sufism standpoints are provided.

In total, 32 principles are introduced.

Comparative researches in other religions' Gnosticism will be helpful.

These principles can be used for applied debates in the field and be ended to new international regulations.

Delicateness, truthfulness, and righteousness of Islamic Sufism, may turn the attentions of scholars and researchers to this viewpoint, and enable a new set of regulations to be codified.

Political scientists have not touched the topic from a Sufi point of view. This paper brings this approach to a new challenging arena.

THE Messenger, Miles M38, is a three‐seater communication aeroplane designed for the R.A.F. It is a type that has obvious possibilities as a private aeroplane for post‐war use.

The purpose of this viewpoint paper is to investigate the general rules of diplomacy and the manner of the Islamic government's behavior with other nations and governments from the viewpoint of Sufi mystics. This viewpoint is of the opinion that the aim of diplomacy in Islam is not only to get benefits for the country. The author argues that the aim of diplomacy in Islam is to develop human transcendence by divine teachings and is superior to just material benefits and privileges exchange. Basically, the Islam's government does not look at the other countries as a source of exploitation but as a brother or neighbor attempting to organize relations. In the current system of international relations in the world, so much attention has been paid to material benefits; but ethics and spiritualities are ignored.

Islamic diplomacy with the aim of improving the moralities and spiritualities attempts to create relations with other countries. Some principles for reaching this goal based on Islamic Sufism standpoints are provided.

A total of 23 principles are introduced.

Comparative researches in other religions' Gnosticism will be helpful.

These principles can be used for applied debates in the field and be added to new international regulations.

The author argues that the delicateness, truthfulness, and righteousness of Islamic Sufism, may turn the attentions of scholars and researchers to this viewpoint, and a new set of regulations to be codified.

Political scientists have not touched the topic from a Sufi point of view. This paper brings this approach to a new challenging arena for those who are engaged in it.

This paper aims to investigate the general rules of diplomacy and the manner of the Islamic government's behavior with other nations and governments from the viewpoint of Sufi mystics. The aim of diplomacy in Islam is not only summarized in getting benefits for her country. The aim of diplomacy in Islam is to develop human transcendence by divine teachings and is superior to just material benefits and privileges exchange. Basically, the Islam's government does not look at the other countries as a source of exploitation but as a brother or neighbor attempting to organize relations. In the current system of international relations in the world, so much attention has been paid to material benefits; but ethics and spiritualities are ignored.

Islamic diplomacy with the aim of improving moralities and spiritualities attempts to create relations with other countries. Some principles for reaching this goal based on Islamic Sufism standpoints are provided.

A total of 23 principles are introduced.

Comparative research in other religions' Gnosticism will be helpful.

These principles can be used for applied debates in the field and be ended to new international regulations.

Delicateness, truthfulness, and righteousness of Islamic Sufism, may turn the attentions of scholars and researchers to this viewpoint, and a new set of regulations to be codified.

Political scientists have not touched the topic from a Sufi point of view. This paper brings this approach to a new challenging arena for those who are engaged in it.

To identify controls that can harness the power and capabilities of instant messengers (IM) while minimizing potential security risks.

A risk analysis method and (CIS)² model are used.

IM is a great tool for enterprise productivity. However, it has so many risks, but one could identify and control these risks with technical and managerial countermeasures.

This paper fails to provide detailed and specific risks of commercial IMs, and the case study provided in this paper focuses on the technical rather than managerial issues.

A very helpful case study which provides general risks and controls of recent IMs for the security officers of various organizations.

This paper outlined the risks of IM and potential controls for securing public IM in the workplace.