Corporate document mining for technology intelligence: An analysis of needs, utilization and possibilities

This paper focuses on document data, one of the most significant sources for technology intelligence. To help organisations use their knowledge in documents effectively, this research aims to identify what organizations really want from documents and what might be possible to obtain from them. The research involves a literature review, a series of in-depth/on-site interviews and a descriptive analysis of document mining applications. The output of the research includes: a document mining framework; an analysis of the current condition of document mining in technology-based organisations together with their future requirements; and guidelines for introducing document mining into an organisation along with a discussion on the practical issues that are faced by users. Copyright © 2011 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd.

Engineering as a tool for improving human habitat

The conventional approaches to poverty alleviation in the slums entail a cocktail of interventions in health, education, governance and physical improvements, often stretching the scarce resources far and thin. Driven by the 'poverty' mindset, physical measures such as minimal paving, public water posts and community latrines actually brand the slums apart instead of assimilating them into the urban infrastructure fabric. The concept of Slum Networking proposes comprehensive water and environmental sanitation infrastructure as the central and catalytic leverage for holistic development. At costs less than the conventional 'slum' solutions, it tries to penetrate a high quality urban infrastructure net deeply into the slums to assimilate them into the city rather than lock them in as disadvantaged islands. Further, it transcends resource barriers and 'aid' through innovative partnerships and the latent resource mobilisation potential of the so-called 'poor'. This paper examines Slum Networking as implemented in Sanjaynagar in Ahmedabad, India and compares it with a similar settlement with no interventions in Ahmedabad. It assesses the knock-on impact of physical infrastructure on health, education and poverty. Finally, it evaluates the multiplier effect of physical infrastructure and the partnerships on the subsequent investments by the community in its own shelter and habitat. Copyright © 2009 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd.