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The development of mobile applications in multiple clouds environment is a complex task because of the lack of platform standards in cloud computing and mobile computing. The source code involves various proprietary programming libraries for different platforms. However, functionalities are inevitably changed over time, as well as the platform. Therefore, a great deal of development effort is required, when changes need to be made at functional and platform level. This paper aims to propose SIMON, a framework that eases complexity of the development to support software evolution.

SIMON shields the developer from the complexity of mobile and cloud platforms in the development of mobile applications in multiple clouds environment. The framework uses model of application design to automate the development and support execution of mobile applications in system environment that needs integration to the number of data sources located on multiple clouds. The framework is composed of prefabricated components that support function changeability and platform adaptability.

The framework is examined with the development of a sample application. After it is evaluated with scenarios that involve changing at functional and platform levels, the result shows significant reducing of the development effort by comparing with the other approaches.

The framework facilitates the implementation of mobile applications in the software system that involves integration to multiple clouds, and it supports software evolution with lesser development effort.

In the vision of pervasive computing, numerous heterogeneous devices, various information services, and users performing daily activities are physically co‐located in a environment. How can we coordinate the services and devices to assist a particular user in receiving a particular service so as to maximize the user’s satisfaction? To solve this human‐centered coordination issue, we propose an agent‐based service coordination framework for pervasive computing. It is called location‐aware middle agent framework. The middle agent takes account of the user location in cognitive way (based on location‐ontology), and determines best‐matched services for the user. Based on this coordination framework, we have developed a multi‐agent architecture for pervasive computing, called CONSORTS (Coordination System of Real‐world Transaction Services). In this paper, we first outline some requirements of the human‐centered service coordination in pervasive computing. Secondly, we describe location‐aware middle agent framework to fill the requirements. Lastly, we outline CONSORTS, an prototype of location‐aware middle agent framework, and two applications of CONSORTS, location‐aware information assistance services in a museum and wireless‐LAN based location systems on FIPA agent Networks.

Several new network types have emerged over the last couple of years. Many of these networks are being connected together to provide mobile users with the capability of staying always connected to the Internet which requires seamless transitions from one network to another without causing interruption to on‐going connections. To maintain connectivity during handoff, all the networks that are accessible to the mobile station need to be known. The paper aims to propose a novel energy‐efficient network discovery approach that enables fast discovery and selection of available access networks.

The performance of the proposed approach over an actual network testbed consisting of heterogeneous networks (such as wireless local area, cellular) is evaluated.

It was found that the approach yields between 12.4 and 19.1 per cent improvement in battery power consumption over other network discovery approaches.

The paper proposes and implements a novel scheme to discover wireless networks in a multi‐access environment consisting of heterogeneous networking technologies.

The purpose of this paper is to present a distributed multiple mobile robot system that provides a collaborative control and simulation environment.

A CORBA‐based cooperative system is designed to implement a robotic layered cooperative mechanism. The mechanism has three layers: mission, transport and execution. In order to realize a flexible and effective communication in the cooperative mechanism, an extended robot event service (federated event service) is proposed to improve the cooperative system's real time performance.

Experimentation has proved the validity and effectiveness of the system. The federated event service's latency is approximately 9 percent less than the standard event service latency when the CPU is determined.

The robotic modularized system includes the map‐building, path‐planning, robot task‐planning, simulation and actual robot control function modules, and uses CORBA to integrate the whole system. It is easy to implement a layered cooperative mechanism for multiple mobile robots. Given the problem on multiple robots cooperation latency, a useful extended robot event service is proposed.

The paper focuses on the distributed functional modular architecture, and the multiple robots cooperative layered mechanism. In the mechanism, an extended robot event service (federated event service) is proposed to reduce the cooperative system's real time latency. The conducted experiment validates the proposed system with a good performance for multiple mobile robots' cooperation.

Research on context‐aware systems design has received significant attention lately. One of the research directions on context‐aware systems is towards context‐aware frameworks adapted to domain‐specific requirements, aiming to improve their applicability in a variety of applications, which share common requirements. The purpose of this paper is to present the design of a domain‐specific context‐aware platform supporting context acquisition, presentation and rule‐based control.

The proposed platform uses a formal context model, based on ontologies description, aiming to provide a common representation of contextual information, facilitating thus integration and reusability in application domains, which embrace a common set of requirements. A context‐aware system has been built upon a well defined data model, which inherits a list of offered functionalities and/or services at the acquisition, presentation and reasoning level. The presented platform entails an event‐driven context‐based inference mechanism aiming to enable automated reasoning.

The proposed platform has been applied in two different case studies, aiming to provide a proof of concept towards the applicability of the proposed framework in different application areas through the offered integration and adaptation mechanisms. Evaluation results, in the frame of these case studies, show the ease of using the platform and its acceptable performance in practice.

As context‐aware applications within specific domains share common requirements, it becomes mandatory to offer solutions, like the proposed in this paper, which can be easily adapted to application semantics and can be reused with different levels of abstractions in order to meet specific requirements. The present paper proposes a domain‐specific platform, which applies on a variety of application types with a common set of requirements.

The purpose of this study is to develop and validate empirically a research model that depicts the relationships between the identified key value proposition attributes of mobile value‐added services and the core factors of brand equity.

Survey data collected from 497 mobile value‐added service consumers were examined using structural equation modeling to validate the research model.

The results indicate that the mobile service attributes of personalization, identifiability, and perceived enjoyment have significant positive influences on the key brand equity factors, including brand loyalty, perceived quality, brand awareness, and brand associations. Additionally, the results confirm the significance of all four of the brand equity factors in interpreting consumer purchase intention in the context of mobile value‐added service consumption.

The research results provide insights into how mobile value‐added services may be better designed and delivered to enhance brand equity and, in turn, profits.

While the market potential of mobile value‐added services and the importance of brand equity have both been widely recognized, the development and empirical validation of a model that specifically depicts the determinants of mobile value‐added service consumption from a brand‐equity perspective has not yet been undertaken. Consequently, this study investigates the relationships among key m‐commerce attributes, core brand‐equity components, and consumer behaviors. The research results have extended the application and advanced the understanding of previous mobile‐commerce and brand‐equity theories in the context of mobile value‐added service consumption.

The bursting of the e‐bubble affected expectations with regard to mobile initiatives and willingness to invest in them very negatively. Business managers request detailed and thorough analyses prior to engaging in mobile initiatives. The paper aims to present a method, with which mobile business can be introduced to the customer relationship management (CRM) field.

The paper follows the design science paradigm as outlined by March and Smith, and Hevner et al.

The findings provide a framework for the definition of a mobile CRM strategy derived from the corporate strategy, suggest a method for the identification and exploitation of the mobilization potential in CRM processes in line with the strategy, and provide guidance for the design of mobile information systems to support these processes.

The proposed method extends the body of available methods with a method for the introduction of mobile ISs into marketing, sales and service organizations. As design research, it does not strive for statistical generalization. The level of detail given in the elements of the method is to be increased in further research.

The method helps to reduce risk and uncertainty of mobile CRM initiatives, since it provides a structured and consistent procedure for the definition of goals, the identification of potentials for the fulfillment of these goals as well as recommendations for the systematic exploitation of these potentials.

With the application of this structured method, an organization should be able to avoid the pitfalls of technology‐driven information technology initiatives which various companies have experienced, particularly with mobile technologies.

The purpose of this paper is to propose a conceptual architecture for the development of an auction business‐to‐consumer marketplace where sellers offer available resources and services aiming to maximize their revenue while on‐the‐move travelers bid for them subject to the geographical area they are located in.

Based on previous findings from the literature and aggregate results from a preliminary field survey, core communication requirements, marketplace architecture, and communication workflows are presented.

Findings from the literature and field study exhibit a great potential for the successful use of location sensitive auction applications in tourism sector. Mobile auctions seem attractive for the efficient allocation and pricing of travel resources by abolishing the internet's barriers related to travelers computing requirements; furthermore, location‐based services (LBS) may reduce significantly the communication costs for sellers. The proposed marketplace is beneficial for a number of stakeholders beyond sellers, like auctioneer, mobile communications providers, and LBS providers.

The proposed architecture is in conceptual form and is currently under development. Infrastructure issues (like communication load, required bandwidth and protocol) are being investigated. Future research will focus on the integration of the architecture in an extended multi‐provider environment forming virtual enterprises. The viability and acceptance of the proposed model should be further investigated through an extended detailed market survey.

To the authors' best knowledge it is the first attempt to propose a location‐sensitive auction marketplace for tourism services.

The purpose of this study is to draw concepts from marketing and information systems research and integrate them in the context of M-commerce. The authors develop a conceptual model of technology readiness (TR) affecting perceived ubiquity (PQ) (of smartphones) and PQ affecting M-commerce adoption (MA) incorporating the moderating effect of privacy concerns (PC) on the relation between PQ and MA along with the constructs perceived usefulness (PU) and perceived ease of use (PEU).

The conceptual model was formulated using a set of qualitative research procedures (four focus group discussions) and tested using two questionnaire-based surveys (with 372 and 431 respondents each) in India. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted followed by structural equation modeling for the quantitative data.

Results from the quantitative study indicate a significant effect of TR on PQ, PU and PEU. All three latter constructs had a significant effect on MA. A significant moderating effect of PC on the relation between PQ and MA was also observed.

The study findings enhance the literature on the antecedents of successful adoption of M-commerce and establish the role of PQ as a significant influencer of MA.

The study findings would enable service providers with a new and relevant model of M-commerce adoption.

The major contribution of the study is the development and validation of a model that has attitudinal variables related to technology usage and their relations to M-commerce adoption.