Towards System-Level Validation

Explosive growth of information technologies (IT) has prompted interest in examining the role of IT in new product development (NPD). Through desktop software and Web‐based tools, IT has been used to aid idea generation and product testing as well as for NPD activities such as process and portfolio management. Recent research suggests, however, that a gap exists between IT availability and usage. Given the importance of IT in creating business value through the development of new products and services, the present study seeks to identify factors that affect IT usage. Further, anecdotal evidence and conceptual studies intimate that the usage of IT tools for NPD can shorten time to market, can improve product quality, and can increase productivity. However, empirical substantiation of this impact is mostly nonexistent. The current study investigates the relationship between IT usage and two measures of new product performance: speed to market and market performance. Employing a mail‐survey methodology, the study uses data from a sample of practitioner members from the Product Development & Management Association to examine the effect of project risk, existence of a champion, autonomy, innovative climate, IT infrastructure, and IT embeddedness on the extent of IT usage. These data are also used to explore the impact of IT usage on speed to market and market performance. The results indicate that project risk, existence of a champion, and IT embeddedness positively affect the extent of IT usage for NPD. Additionally, IT usage positively and significantly influences the performance of the new product in the marketplace. Surprisingly, and contrary to popular belief, IT usage does not have any impact on speed to market. An important implication of this study is that IT usage influences performance but not in the way managers expect. Specifically, IT usage does not seem to affect speed to market but rather positively impacts the performance of the new product in the marketplace. This result suggests that IT usage in NPD provides far more value to firms than previously thought and provides evidence to support greater investments in IT for product development efforts. Other implications of the study are that unless IT is embedded into the NPD process and champions for IT tools exist, chances are that IT will not be used and its benefits will not be realized.

A central (and long-standing) debate in the fields of Information Technology (IT) and Economic Development has centered around what (if any) information and communications technologies are ethically “appropriate†for developing nations. IT has largely been developed in the industrialized West under capital-rich, labor-scarce economic conditions, and inherently, a technology will address the special constraints in its generative environment. Indeed, Schumacher pointed out long ago that “intermediate†technologies (developed especially for a developing nation’s special circumstances) might be preferable. Now, with the resurgence of interest in industrial technology (a la Schumpeter) as the driving force for economic development, policy makers, business leaders, and citizens in developing nations are asking whether advanced information and communications technologies are appropriate for the capital-scarce, labor-rich developing nations. Indeed, the real question may not be whether they are appropriate, but whether there is an inherent difference between industrial and information technology (which would make “intermediation†unnecessary or even detrimental), whether IT can be (or needs to be) effectively adapted, and whether lack of access to advanced IT bars developing economies from the global marketplace, thus impeding economic advancement. The current paper first presents the context in which “appropriateness†has been argued, including the question of whether being part of the global marketplace really benefits developing nations. The paper then outlines and provides criticism of the bipolar debate and activity to date, and offers a new approach to the question in the context of an “information age†world economy.

Smart Healthcare is envisioned as the combination of traditional healthcare augmented by smart bio-sensors, wearable devices, and a plethora of on-body sensors that communicate with smart hospitals, smart emergency response systems, and ambulances, through advanced information and communication technologies. The vision of smart healthcare as part of a smart city relies on the framework of the Internet of Things (IoT) as the underlying core technology that enables the design and operation of a city, whereby smart technology, energy grids, transportation, buildings, communication, and information technology, are all interconnected. This paper addresses some of the challenges faced in the IoT infrastructure, specifically secure communication and user authentication in the context of automated analysis of biomedical images and communication of the analysis results and related metadata in a smart healthcare framework. A hardware architecture for a secure digital camera integrated with the secure better portable graphics (SBPG) compression algorithm, suitable for applications in the IoT, is proposed in this paper. The focus of this paper is on patient data protection and authentication. The proposed SBPG architecture offers two layers of protection, concurrent encryption and watermarking, which address all issues related to security, privacy, and digital rights management. The experimental results demonstrate that the new compression technique BPG outperforms JPEG in terms of compression quality and compressed file size while providing increased image quality. High performance requirements of BPG have been met by employing two techniques: 1) insertion of an encrypted signature in the center portion of the image and 2) frequency-domain watermarking using blockwise DCT of size $8\times 8$ pixels. These approaches optimize the proposed architecture by decreasing computational complexity while maintaining strong protection, with concomitant increase of the speed of the watermarking and compression processes. A Simulink® prototype for the proposed architecture has been built and tested. To the best of our knowledge, the hardware architecture for BPG compression with built-in image authentication capability for integration with a secure digital camera is the first one ever proposed .

As a result of the old-style electric grid's inability to handle the extensive incorporation of renewable energy resources and distributed renewable energy resources into the electric grid. In the twenty-first century, smart grid technology has entered the picture. Because smart grids operate on two-way communication, communication and information technology are critical to the smart grid's effective operation. The advanced version of the smart grid structure is presented in this article. Furthermore, this article discusses existing and advanced communication and information technology. Finally, the manuscript discusses future research advancements in communication and the most crucial information technologies, such as the Internet of Things (IoT), cloud computing, fog and edge computing, and blockchain in the smart grid. So, the smart grid can manage the massive integration of renewable energy resources while providing customers with efficient, sustainable, and reliable power.KeywordsIoT-Internet of ThingICT-Information and Communication TechnologyCC: Cloud Computing

IntroductionThere is still no evidence to base interventions on neuropsychological rehabilitation or cognitive stimulation related with learning development. There are two main problems to solve. The first is the sustainability of the clinical interventions. The second one is the lack of evidence. This is not derived at all from a lack of studies but to methodological difficulties finding trials suitable for meta-analysis. This is a real hazard for translational research because of the difficulties of developers in testing new designs and showing efficacy, and also for the development of the body of knowledge, making difficult to find main theories and design appropriate experiments.Description of careICTs have profoundly modified this scenario. Advances in communication technologies allow delivery of intensive, personalized, monitored neuropsychological intervention, through telerehabilitation platforms, and cognitive neuroscience based content, to guide plastic changes towards the recovery of more appropriate behaviour. Advances in information technologies have provide new possibilities to assess efficacy, opening new pathways to knowledge discovery from databases generated from clinical practice.ConclusionInstitute Guttmann, from its initiative PREVIRNEC, is pioneering the application of this dual approach, bridging knowledge to the end user through communication technologies (internet) and extracting implicit knowledge (efficacy on neuropsychological rehabilitation) from data generated from each intervention.

Changes in advanced information and communication technologies have fundamental implications for the way we communicate, produce, and use information, and accumulate knowledge. Although there can be little doubt of this, the investigative tools and concepts that would enable us to uncover the dynamics of such changes have proven elusive to disciplinary-based scholars in the social sciences. Our aim in this chapter is to outline the theoretical frameworks that underpin our investigations of how actors in the information and communication technology supplier, user, and policy-making communities are actively participating in the innovation processes that generate the technical and institutional conditions that are contributing to pervasive changes in industrial activities and everyday life.

The developments taking place in information and communication technology are increasing competition in financial institutions worldwide. Thus, the deployment of advanced technologies is essential to achieve a competitive edge. Recently, the banking industry was highly affected by the technology evolution that transformed the way banks deliver their services, using technologies such as automated teller machines, phones, the Internet, credit cards, and electronic cash. In line with global trends, retail banking in Egypt has been undergoing many changes. In the past, banks faced significant uncertainty regarding investments in advanced technologies, but recently, banks have been investing heavily in technology to maintain a competitive edge. However, to better forecast the future, banks need to understand the different factors influencing customers choice between traditional and unconventional banking instruments. This case covers the introduction and diffusion of retail banking in Egypt and the development in electronic delivery channels and payment systems in its marketplace. The case represents a model for the application of advanced information and communication technology in the context of a developing nation.

PurposeWhile trade shows remain an important customer relationship management (CRM) tool, recent advancements in information technology (IT) have raised concerns about the future of trade shows. This study aims to examine the antecedents and consequences of IT integration into trade shows.Design/methodology/approachThe study uses a questionnaire-based survey with senior and middle managers in the aviation services, resulting in 135 valid responses from industry professionals. The data were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modelling.FindingsThe findings demonstrate differential but significant impact of perceptions toward website design and firm motivations toward the integration IT in the three stages of trade shows marketing. The results also show significant impact of IT usage on the perceptions toward the accomplishment of trade show objectives. Further, the results vary according to the levels of experience of the professionals.Research limitations/implicationsThis study did not account for the differences in perceptions toward IT implementation across personnel from different departments, such as IT, finance and operations management. In addition, it did not examine situational factors and individual characteristics as additional antecedents of IT usage in trade shows, including pricing, return on investment, convenience and the social media.Practical implicationsExhibitors are advised to integrate IT in supporting pre-trade show activities to approach potential customers. Exhibitors should integrate electronic interactions and personal communications during the show to reduce the amount of unanswered customer queries, focusing on timeliness and accuracy of information content, ease of navigation and graphic attractiveness of corporate websites, as effective CRM tools.Originality/valueThis paper offers novel insights into hitherto unknown aspects of trade show performance. The results have managerial implications for adopting IT as a CRM tool for effective trade show management.

Major social shifts in the economy conditioned by Information and Communication Technology (ICT) have led to equal shifts in the labor market. In this paper, the use of ICT skills in Serbia is presented through an analysis of the microdata from the survey “The Usage of Information and Communication Technology on individuals/households in the Republic of Serbia for 2020”. Results showed that Internet users have increased in the last five years. According to results, in 2020, 78.4% of people between 16 and 74 used computers in the last three months. The number of unemployed who used a computer in 2020 was 83.6%, and the number of employed who used a computer was 92.7%. Students used computers 99.8% in 2020. On the other hand, 96.3% of employed used the Internet in 2020, while 89.2% of unemployed used Internet at the same period. The use of e-government web services is almost present to the same extent among students, the employed and unemployed. Unlike online shopping, students are most likely to use e-government services, even though the employed and unemployed both use online shopping equally. However, comparing statistical data, Serbia is not at the European level in ICT usage , which can significantly jeopardise individuals' position in the labor market. There are substantial distinctions between youth and older individuals, especially regarding advanced skills. This affects the creation of digital exclusion, which increases the lack of resources that can be employed in better-paid jobs. The main solution for solving the digital divide is education to ensure equal competitiveness for all individuals on the labor market.

The global energy landscape has always been dominated by fossil fuels, but with the intensification of climate change and environmental issues, people realize that the traditional energy system must be transformed. In order to integrate renewable energy and improve the sustainability and resilience of the energy system, smart grids have emerged. Smart grid is a modern grid system based on advanced communication, control and information technology, which can integrate renewable energy more effectively. As one of the renewable energy sources, solar energy plays an important role in the smart grid. It has the advantages of wide distribution, environmental protection, and renewable, and with technological progress and cost reduction, solar power generation is widely used in smart grids. Similarly, wind energy, another important renewable energy source, also plays an important role in the smart grid. The continuous development of wind turbine technology has made wind power generation more efficient and reliable, and the integration with smart grid infrastructure has further improved the efficiency of wind energy utilization. In addition, hydrogen energy has great potential as a clean energy carrier, but the storage and distribution of hydrogen energy in smart grid systems still face challenges.

Information technology (IT) users with intellectual disabilities (ID) are likely to experience online privacy violations without adequate support from their caregivers. Given that aging users face additional challenges when using IT than their younger counterparts, the goal of this exploratory study is to investigate caregivers' strategies and barriers for helping to protect the privacy of aging IT users with ID. Six caregivers (four paid caregivers, two family members) of aging users with ID completed a series of six focus groups about their experiences assisting the people they support with using IT, including their strategies and barriers for helping to protect these users' privacy. Participants were also asked about their own attitudes and experiences related to online privacy and information security. Based on our inductive thematic analysis of the qualitative data, participants used three main strategies to help protect the privacy of aging users with ID: (1) restricting access to personal information, (2) limiting disclosure of personal details, and (3) providing just-in-time instruction and feedback. We also identified four key barriers to privacy protection: (1) limited awareness and knowledge about information security, (2) balancing privacy and autonomy, (3) maintaining professional boundaries, and (4) residential care services' policies. Inclusive and transdisciplinary research is needed to address the elevated privacy and security risks for aging IT users with ID, and provide caregivers with training on how to support this population to use IT safely. Technology developers should create solutions to decrease aging users with ID's dependence on caregivers for privacy protection.

During the past 2 years, traditional freight transportation intermediaries, which include freight forwarders, brokers, and third-party logistics (3PL) providers, have been joined by new intermediaries. The main drivers in the development of these new companies are advances in information and communications technologies, development of web-based or online freight transportation marketplaces, and worldwide emergence of business-to-business electronic marketplaces and business-to-consumer e-tailers. Advances in information technology enable many new operational paradigms and, potentially, the efficient integration of supply chains. These new companies are examined, including their potential benefits and costs of shifting from traditional 3PL to these online service providers. Also addressed is the extent to which changes in the industries appear to be more of a transition than a large-scale transformation.

This paper points out the relationship of influences and key aspects of the implementation of ICT in the study with students, future preschool teachers, that largely affects the students' expansion of general and professional competencies at the Preschool Teachers' Training College in Kikinda. The research was conducted in the period from October to November 2014, Likert questionnaires were used, and 300 students from the first to the third year of study were interviewed. By analyzing of results, four key aspects can be observed regarding students' communication relationships with Preschool Teachers' Training College in Kikinda, their communication relationship with colleagues, their communication with colleagues outside the Republic of Serbia and their communication with many educational institutions and professional associations. It is concluded that the use of advanced information and communication technologies is, mostly, an essential need for students to upgrade professional competencies that greatly influences the effects of expanding knowledge in order to integrate theory and practice. Results indicate that the effects of the use of information and communication technologies influence the students` capacities to increase the correlations between the formal and informal aspects of education, between primary institutions for preschool teachers education - Preschool Teachers' Training College in Kikinda of and numerous professional elite groups: governmental and non-governmental organizations, institutes, colleges and kindergartens. Also, the results of the questionnaire created for research use of information and communication technologies, confirm the hypothesis that the use of new information and communication technologies certainly influence the process of building quality study, and later easily find an employment in the upbringing and education fields.

Purpose of the paper : The paper wants to explore new technological frontiers applied to museum sector, starting from more established - in some ways already outdated - information and communication technologies (ICT) up to the foreshadowing of new possibilities of valorization for tangible and intangible museum heritage, thanks to the coming of the Internet of Things . Methodology : Beyond literary review and beyond direct knowledge, the method of the research is inductive-predictive type; in particular, the method crossed available information about the most advanced information and communication technologies (ICT) with valorization needs of museums sector, in order to outline possible applications. Findings : In this way, the paper gets to a possible application model of the Internet of Things in the museum field, with particular reference to the realization of an adaptive guidance system, which is able to harmoniously combine museum knowledges with visitors “experiential” knowledge. Research limits : Research limits are in its theoretical-deductive-predictive nature, well before the support of an empirical test, through a process of experimentation. Practical implications : As for managerial issues, the solutions outlined in the paper have important implications for museum lives in terms of strategies, product policies as well as several reflections on marketing actions and, last but not least, on financial aspects. Originality of the paper : The paper is one of the first attempts to foreshadow the possible impact of the Internet of Things on museum management and launches a debate that could be central in the next future, in this as well as in other fields.

The purpose of this study is to search for ways to report an actual survey and its analysis case of my 947 students in the spring semester, 2023 conducted to identify the characteristics and interests of digital native learners and reflect them in effective instructional design and operation. In order to develop effective video contents and establish strategies for using learning materials in cyber education, learners' satisfaction and dissatisfaction with their cyber classes must first be clearly recognized. In addition, the characteristics of learners identified through questionnaire analysis are reflected in class design and operation. Learners who are digital natives not only naturally accept the cyber class environment applied with advanced information and communication technology, but also actively utilize it for learning. With the rapidly growing development of information and communication technology, the traditional educational paradigm is also changing. Existing theories of cyber learning that the separation of time and space between professors and learners restricts interaction through mutual communication also discuss areas that must change according to this advanced educational environment.