Context-awareness privacy in data communications

Internet users consume online targeted advertising based on information collected about them and voluntarily share personal information in social networks. Sensor information and data from smart-phones is collected and used by applications, sometimes in unclear ways. As it happens today with smartphones, in the near future sensors will be shipped in all types of connected devices, enabling ubiquitous information gathering from the physical environment, enabling the vision of Ambient Intelligence. The value of gathered data, if not obvious, can be harnessed through data mining techniques and put to use by enabling personalized and tailored services as well as business intelligence practices, fueling the digital economy. However, the ever-expanding information gathering and use undermines the privacy conceptions of the past. Natural social practices of managing privacy in daily relations are overridden by socially-awkward communication tools, service providers struggle with security issues resulting in harmful data leaks, governments use mass surveillance techniques, the incentives of the digital economy threaten consumer privacy, and the advancement of consumergrade data-gathering technology enables new inter-personal abuses. A wide range of fields attempts to address technology-related privacy problems, however they vary immensely in terms of assumptions, scope and approach. Privacy of future use cases is typically handled vertically, instead of building upon previous work that can be re-contextualized, while current privacy problems are typically addressed per type in a more focused way. Because significant effort was required to make sense of the relations and structure of privacy-related work, this thesis attempts to transmit a structured view of it. It is multi-disciplinary - from cryptography to economics, including distributed systems and information theory - and addresses privacy issues of different natures. As existing work is framed and discussed, the contributions to the state-of-theart done in the scope of this thesis are presented. The contributions add to five distinct areas: 1) identity in distributed systems; 2) future context-aware services; 3) event-based context management; 4) low-latency information flow control; 5) high-dimensional dataset anonymity. Finally, having laid out such landscape of the privacy-preserving work, the current and future privacy challenges are discussed, considering not only technical but also socio-economic perspectives.

Monitorização e gestão em turismo : uma proposta de dashboard visual

A presente investigação propõe-se a atuar no sector turístico, uma vez que este é bombardeado diariamente por uma quantidade considerável de dados e informações. Atualmente, usufrui-se significativamente mais da tecnologia com a finalidade de promover e vender os produtos/serviços disponíveis no mercado. A par da evolução tecnológica, os utilizadores/clientes conseguem comprar, cada vez mais, à distancia de um clique os produtos turísticos que desejam. No entanto, há um variado leque de aplicações sobre o turismo que permitem entender os gostos e as necessidades dos turistas assim como a sua atitude para com o mesmo. Porém, nem as entidades nem os gestores turísticos usufruem inteligentemente dos dados que lhes são facultados. Estes tendem normalmente a prender-se pelo turismo em Portugal e de que forma é que a sua entidade é apresentada acabando por esquecer que os dados podem e devem ser utilizados para expandir o mercado assim como entender/conhecer potenciais mercados. Deste modo, o fundamento principal desta investigação remete para a criação de uma plataforma infocomunicacional que analise na totalidade os dados obtidos, assim como fornecer as ferramentas pertinentes para que se consiga fazer esta análise, nomeadamente através de uma representação infográfica adequada e estratégias de a comunicar aos stakeholders.. Para tal foi aplicada no âmbito desta dissertação a metodologia investigação/ação, vista como um processo cíclico que para além de incluir simultaneamente estas duas vertentes, vai alternando entre a ação e a reflexão critica sendo sustentada por bases teóricas. A criação do protótipo da plataforma Smart Tourism, resultou num sistema inovador que tenta responder aos indicadores escolhidos no Dashbord e ao problema infocomunicacional, tentando criar as bases necessárias para que as entidades consigam analisar de forma mais integrada/sistematizada e racional a atividade turística. Foi por isso, desenvolvido e avaliado qualitativamente um protótipo de base infocomunicacional visual (dashboard visual) que para além do que para além do que já foi referido, consegue proporcionar a gestão dos produtos, clientes, staff e parceiros, aumentando assim o valor deste sector.

Inteligência coopetitiva setorial: uma proposta de modelo

The business environment context points at the necessity of new forms of management for the sustainable competitiveness of organizations through time. Coopetition is characterized as an alternative in the interaction of different actors, which compete and cooperate simultaneously, in the pursuit of common goals. This dual relation, within a gain-increasing perspective, converts competitors into partners and fosters competitiveness, especially that of organizations within a specific sector. The field of competitive intelligence has, in its turn, assisted organizations, individually, in the systematization of information valuable to decision-making processes, which benefits competitiveness. It follows that it is possible to combine coopetition and competitive intelligence in a systematized process of sectorial intelligence for coopetitive relations. The general aim of this study is, therefore, to put forth a model of sectorial coopetitive intelligence. The methodological outlining of the study is characterized as a mixed approach (quantitative and qualitative methods), of an applied nature, of exploratory and descriptive aims. The Coordination of the Strategic Roadmapping Project for the Future of Paraná's Industry is the selected object of investigation. Protocols have been designed to collect primary and secondary data. In the collection of the primary ata, online questionary were sent to the sectors selected for examination. A total of 149 answers to the online questionary were obtained, and interviews were performed with all embers of the technical team of the Coordination, in a total of five interviewees. After the collection, all the data were tabulated, analyzed and validated by means of focal groups with the same five members of the Coordination technical team, and interviews were performed with a representative of each of the four sectors selected, in a total of nine participants in the validation. The results allowed the systematization of a sectorial coopetitive intelligence model called ICoops. This model is characterized by five stages, namely, planning, collection, nalysis, project development, dissemination and evaluation. Each stage is detailed in inputs, activities and outputs. The results suggest that sectorial coopetition is motivated mainly by knowledge sharing, technological development, investment in R&D, innovation, chain integration and resource complementation. The importance of a neutral institution has been recognized as a facilitator and incentive to the approximation of organizations. Among the main difficulties are the financing of the projects, the adhesion of new members, the lack of tools for the analysis of information and the dissemination of the actions.

Aplicação das tecnologias de informação e comunicação como estratégia para a retenção de aunos

Este artigo aborda a aplicação das Tecnologias de Informação e Comunicação como estratégias de boas práticas que conduzem à retenção e captura de alunos do ensino superior. É baseado num estudo de caso de oito anos, de utilização de um completo sistema de informação. Este sistema, além de constituir um ERP, de suporte às actividades de gestão académica, dispõe ainda de uma forte componente de SRM que confere suporte às actividades administrativas e lectivas. É descrito em que medida o sistema apresentado facilita a interacção e comunicação entre os membros da comunidade académica, recorrendo à internet, com serviços disponíveis na Web complementando-os com correio electrónico, SMS e CTI. Através de uma percepção, sustentada por análise empírica e por resultados de inquéritos, demonstra-se como este tipo de boas práticas pode elevar o nível de satisfação da comunidade. Muito em particular, é possível combater o insucesso escolar, evitar que alunos abandonem os seus cursos antes do seu término e que os recomendem a potenciais alunos. Em complemento, este tipo de estratégia permite ainda fortes economias na gestão da instituição, elevando o seu valor. Como trabalho futuro, é apresentada a nova fase do projecto que envereda pela aplicação de Business Intelligence para optimização do processo de gestão, tornando-o pró-activo. Também é apresentada a visão tecnológica que orienta os novos desenvolvimentos, para uma arquitectura baseada em serviços Web e linguagens de definição processual.

Technology strategies in the process of student retention and efficiency of academic management

This article discusses the application of Information and Communication Technologies and strategies for best practices in order to capture and maintain faculty students' attention. It is based on a case study of ten years, using a complete information system. This system, in addition to be considered an ERP, to support the activities of academic management, also has a strong component of SRM that provides support to academic and administrative activities. It describes the extent to which the presented system facilitates the interaction and communication between members of the academic community, using the Internet, with services available on the Web complementing them with email, SMS and CTI. Through a perception, backed by empirical analysis and results of investigations, it demonstrates how this type of practice may raise the level of satisfaction of the community. In particular, it is possible to combat failure at school, avoid that students leave their course before its completion and also that they recommend them to potential students. In addition, such a strategy also allows strong economies in the management of the institution, increasing its value. As future work, we present the new phase of the project towards implementation of Business Intelligence to optimize the management process, making it proactive. The technological vision that guides new developments to a construction based on Web services and procedural languages is also presented.

Modelo de gestão do conhecimento para a unidade organizacional de saúde

Nos últimos anos têm surgido vários debates e estudos sobre a importância do conhecimento. As organizações consideram a Gestão do Conhecimento (GC) uma vantagem competitiva, capaz de gerar riqueza e poder. Para tal necessitam de desenvolver mecanismos e de ter pessoas com capacidade de criar, compartilhar e disseminar conhecimentos na organização. As Tecnologias de Informação e os Sistemas de Informação são uma ferramenta de grande impacto na GC, pois assumem um papel importante no sucesso e na renovação dos conhecimentos. A partir do Modelo de GC desenvolvido por Nonaka e Takeuchi, o Modelo Metavisão, e as técnicas de Business lntelligence, elaborou-se um Modelo de Gestão do conhecimento para a Unidade de Saúde. Com este modelo pretende-se obter beneficies, que passam pelo desenvolvimento de mecanismos de comunicação interna, formação e melhorias no processo de tomada de decisão. ABSTRACT; During the last years, debates and studies have arisen in relation to the importance of knowledge. The organizations consider Knowledge Management a competitive advantage, capable of generating wealth and power. Therefore, new mechanisms have to be developed in the organizations and employ people with capacity to create, share and disseminate knowledge. The information and Communication Technology is an important tool and has a great impact on Knowledge Management because it assumes an important role in the success and the renovation of knowledge. The Model of Knowledge Management developed by Nonaka and Takeuchi, the "Metavision" Model and the techniques of Business intelligence were the starting point to elaborate a Model of Knowledge Management for a Health Unit. With this model we aim to obtain benefits, such as development of mechanisms of internal communication, training plans and improvement during the process of decision making.

Insights

The South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce Business Intelligence Department monthly publishes Insights in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. The monthly newsletter provides economic indicators, employment rates and changes by county, nonfarm employment trends, and other statistics.

Uma arquitetura de referência para o processamento distribuído de stream de dados em soluções analíticas de near real-time

Dissertação (mestrado)—Universidade de Brasília, Faculdade de Tecnologia, Departamento de Engenharia Elétrica, 2015.

Virtual Enterprise Process Management: An Application to Industrial Maintenance

Part 2: Behaviour and Coordination

Estágio TAP/Megasys - Data Warehouse & Reporting

Mestrado em Gestão de Sistemas de Informação

Hotel Vila Galé Lagos

Dissertação de Mestrado, Direção e Gestão Hoteleira, Escola Superior de Gestão, Hotelaria e Turismo, Universidade do Algarve, 2016

Inteligencia de negocios aplicando la metodología RFM a las cuentas de los Socios de la COAC Jardín Azuayo

El presente proyecto:Inteligencia de negocios, aplicando la metodología RFM a las cuentas de los socios de la COAC Jardín Azuayo, se desarrolla sobre la necesidad de la institución de contar con herramientas eficientes y eficaces para la toma de decisiones y conocimiento del socio. Primero, se determina la importancia de construir una herramienta de Inteligencia de Negocios dentro de Jardín Azuayo que permita obtener información clara y concisa en tiempo real para la toma de decisiones. Segundo, se continúa con el desarrollo de metodologías para la gestión del valor del socio a través del conocimiento de sus necesidades analizando la información histórica de su última transacción realizada, la frecuencia con la que acude para acceder a los servicios que ofrece la Cooperativa y el monto promedio por transacción. Finalmente, al combinar la herramienta de Inteligencia de Negocios para la obtención de información y la aplicación de metodologías para el conocimiento del socio, se ha podido plantear dos estrategias básicas para la afianzar la fidelización del socio con la Cooperativa.

A Retrospective-Longitudinal Examination of the Relationship between Apportionment of Seat Time in Community-College Algebra Courses and Student Academic Performance

During the past decade, there has been a dramatic increase by postsecondary institutions in providing academic programs and course offerings in a multitude of formats and venues (Biemiller, 2009; Kucsera & Zimmaro, 2010; Lang, 2009; Mangan, 2008). Strategies pertaining to reapportionment of course-delivery seat time have been a major facet of these institutional initiatives; most notably, within many open-door 2-year colleges. Often, these enrollment-management decisions are driven by the desire to increase market-share, optimize the usage of finite facility capacity, and contain costs, especially during these economically turbulent times. So, while enrollments have surged to the point where nearly one in three 18-to-24 year-old U.S. undergraduates are community college students (Pew Research Center, 2009), graduation rates, on average, still remain distressingly low (Complete College America, 2011). Among the learning-theory constructs related to seat-time reapportionment efforts is the cognitive phenomenon commonly referred to as the spacing effect, the degree to which learning is enhanced by a series of shorter, separated sessions as opposed to fewer, more massed episodes. This ex post facto study explored whether seat time in a postsecondary developmental-level algebra course is significantly related to: course success; course-enrollment persistence; and, longitudinally, the time to successfully complete a general-education-level mathematics course. Hierarchical logistic regression and discrete-time survival analysis were used to perform a multi-level, multivariable analysis of a student cohort (N = 3,284) enrolled at a large, multi-campus, urban community college. The subjects were retrospectively tracked over a 2-year longitudinal period. The study found that students in long seat-time classes tended to withdraw earlier and more often than did their peers in short seat-time classes (p < .05). Additionally, a model comprised of nine statistically significant covariates (all with p-values less than .01) was constructed. However, no longitudinal seat-time group differences were detected nor was there sufficient statistical evidence to conclude that seat time was predictive of developmental-level course success. A principal aim of this study was to demonstrate—to educational leaders, researchers, and institutional-research/business-intelligence professionals—the advantages and computational practicability of survival analysis, an underused but more powerful way to investigate changes in students over time.

What Is a Firm’s Life Expectancy? Empirical Evidence in the Context of Portuguese Companies

It is a fact that the uncertainty about a firm’s future has to be measured and incorporated into a company’s valuation throughout the explicit analysis period – in the continuing or terminal value within valuation models. One of the concerns that can influence the continuing value of enterprises, which is not explicitly considered in traditional valuation models, is a firm’s average life expectancy. Although the literature has studied the life cycle of a firm, there is still a considerable lack of references on this topic. If we ignore the period during which a company has the ability to produce future cash flows, the valuations can fall into irreversible errors, leading to results markedly different from market values. This paper aims to provide a contribution in this area. Its main objective is to construct a mortality table for non-listed Portuguese enterprises, showing that the use of a terminal value through a mathematical expression of perpetuity of free cash flows is not adequate. We provide the use of an appropriate coefficient to perceive the number of years in which the company will continue to operate until its theoretical extinction. If well addressed regarding valuation models, this issue can be used to reduce or even to eliminate one of the main problems that cause distortions in contemporary enterprise valuation models: the premise of an enterprise’s unlimited existence in time. Besides studying the companies involved in it, from their existence to their demise, our study intends to push knowledge forward by providing a consistent life and mortality expectancy table for each age of the company, presenting models with an explicitly and different survival rate for each year. Moreover, we show that, after reaching a certain age, firms can reinvent their business, acquiring maturity and consequently postponing their mortality through an additional life period.

Aplicaciones de los modelos de predicción bio-inspirados en la administración

Las organizaciones y sus entornos son sistemas complejos. Tales sistemas son difíciles de comprender y predecir. Pese a ello, la predicción es una tarea fundamental para la gestión empresarial y para la toma de decisiones que implica siempre un riesgo. Los métodos clásicos de predicción (entre los cuales están: la regresión lineal, la Autoregresive Moving Average y el exponential smoothing) establecen supuestos como la linealidad, la estabilidad para ser matemática y computacionalmente tratables. Por diferentes medios, sin embargo, se han demostrado las limitaciones de tales métodos. Pues bien, en las últimas décadas nuevos métodos de predicción han surgido con el fin de abarcar la complejidad de los sistemas organizacionales y sus entornos, antes que evitarla. Entre ellos, los más promisorios son los métodos de predicción bio-inspirados (ej. redes neuronales, algoritmos genéticos /evolutivos y sistemas inmunes artificiales). Este artículo pretende establecer un estado situacional de las aplicaciones actuales y potenciales de los métodos bio-inspirados de predicción en la administración.