The role of trust in the transition from traditional to electronic B2B relationships in agri-food chains

E-business adoption rates in the agri-food sector are rather low, despite the fact that technical barriers have been mostly overcome during the last years and a large number of sophisticated offers are available. However, concerns about trust seem to impede the development of electronic relationships in the agri-food chains as trust is of particular importance in any exchange of agri-food products along the value chain. Drawing on existing research, characteristics and dimensions of trust are initially identified both in traditional and in electronic B2B relationships and a typology of trust is proposed. The aim of the paper is to provide an overview of the implementation and use of trust elements that e-commerce offers dedicated to agri-food sector. This assessment will show the current situation and discuss gaps for further improvement with the objective to facilitate the uptake of e-commerce in agri-food chains. © 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The temperature dependence of the electro-optic kerr effect in solutions

A novel Kerr cell of greater optical path length and temperature stability has been designed and built. The Kerr effect experimental has been substantially automated using an Apple IIe computer. Software has been written allowing the computer to partially control the Kerr effect equipment and to acquire and analyse the relevant data.The temperature dependent electro-optic Kerr effect of 2-methyl-4-nitroaniline, p-nitroaniline, nitrobenzene, aniline, and toluene as solutions in 1, 4-dioxane has been studied. The Kerr effect measurements combined with dipole moment, depolarisation ratio, dielectric, and electronic polarisation measurements have been used to calculate the first hyperpolarisability of the solute.Although first hyperpolarisabilities for the compounds studied have been measured in various physical states using a variety of experimental techniques, it is gratifying to find that the values presented in this thesis have a linear relationship with values reported by other workers.

OTDM network processing using all-optical and electro-optical devices

The current optical communications network consists of point-to-point optical transmission paths interconnected with relatively low-speed electronic switching and routing devices. As the demand for capacity increases, then higher speed electronic devices will become necessary. It is however hard to realise electronic chip-sets above 10 Gbit/s, and therefore to increase the achievable performance of the network, electro-optic and all-optic switching and routing architectures are being investigated. This thesis aims to provide a detailed experimental analysis of high-speed optical processing within an optical time division multiplexed (OTDM) network node. This includes the functions of demultiplexing, 'drop and insert' multiplexing, data regeneration, and clock recovery. It examines the possibilities of combining these tasks using a single device. Two optical switching technologies are explored. The first is an all-optical device known as 'semiconductor optical amplifier-based nonlinear optical loop mirror' (SOA-NOLM). Switching is achieved by using an intense 'control' pulse to induce a phase shift in a low-intensity signal propagating through an interferometer. Simultaneous demultiplexing, data regeneration and clock recovery are demonstrated for the first time using a single SOA-NOLM. The second device is an electroabsorption (EA) modulator, which until this thesis had been used in a uni-directional configuration to achieve picosecond pulse generation, data encoding, demultiplexing, and 'drop and insert' multiplexing. This thesis presents results on the use of an EA modulator in a novel bi-directional configuration. Two independent channels are demultiplexed from a high-speed OTDM data stream using a single device. Simultaneous demultiplexing with stable, ultra-low jitter clock recovery is demonstrated, and then used in a self-contained 40 Gbit/s 'drop and insert' node. Finally, a 10 GHz source is analysed that exploits the EA modulator bi-directionality to increase the pulse extinction ratio to a level where it could be used in an 80 Gbit/s OTDM network.

E-business adoption in Saudi Arabian private sector

Despite the proliferation of e-business adoption by organisations and the world-wide growth of the e-business phenomenon, there is a paucity of empirical studies that examine the adoption of e-business in the Middle East. The aim of our study is to provide insights into the salient e-business adoption issues by focusing on Saudi Arabian businesses. We developed a conceptual model for electronic business (e-business) adoption incorporating nine factors. Survey data from 550 businesses were used to test the model and hypotheses. The findings of the study suggest that firm's technological readiness, top management Support, technology orientation, consumer readiness, trading partner readiness and regulatory support are important facilitators of e-business adoption. In addition, the study finds that, competitive pressure and organisational customer and competitor orientation is not a predictor for e-business adoption. The implications of the findings are discussed and suggestions for future inquiry are presented.

Internet-based applications in the agri-food supply chain:a survey on the Greek canning sector

In the agri-food industry, Internet-based applications changed the way companies conduct business mainly by facilitating activities that were already taking place, rather by giving birth to virtual networks creation. Due to the specific characteristics of the sector, Internet's huge potential has not been fully exploited yet, still remaining a new communication tool. This paper aims at giving empirical insights regarding the use of Internet-based applications in the agri-food supply chain, by focusing on the Greek fruit canning sector. In particular, the paper identifies companies' perceptions regarding perceived benefits, constrained factors and motivation factors towards the use of Internet-based applications. Results indicate that companies recognise benefits arising from the use of Internet, however they still use traditional ways when communicating with their partners. Regarding transportation issues, while companies' overall satisfaction is rather moderate and differs significantly from the importance placed on a number of criteria, companies are still sceptical in using Electronic Transportation Marketplace. © 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Signal processing using opto-electronic devices

All-optical signal processing is a powerful tool for the processing of communication signals and optical network applications have been routinely considered since the inception of optical communication. There are many successful optical devices deployed in today’s communication networks, including optical amplification, dispersion compensation, optical cross connects and reconfigurable add drop multiplexers. However, despite record breaking performance, all-optical signal processing devices have struggled to find a viable market niche. This has been mainly due to competition from electro-optic alternatives, either from detailed performance analysis or more usually due to the limited market opportunity for a mid-link device. For example a wavelength converter would compete with a reconfigured transponder which has an additional market as an actual transponder enabling significantly more economical development. Never-the-less, the potential performance of all-optical devices is enticing. Motivated by their prospects of eventual deployment, in this chapter we analyse the performance and energy consumption of digital coherent transponders, linear coherent repeaters and modulator based pulse shaping/frequency conversion, setting a benchmark for the proposed all-optical implementations.

Electronic information sharing in local government authorities:factors influencing the decision-making process

Local Government Authorities (LGAs) are mainly characterised as information-intensive organisations. To satisfy their information requirements, effective information sharing within and among LGAs is necessary. Nevertheless, the dilemma of Inter-Organisational Information Sharing (IOIS) has been regarded as an inevitable issue for the public sector. Despite a decade of active research and practice, the field lacks a comprehensive framework to examine the factors influencing Electronic Information Sharing (EIS) among LGAs. The research presented in this paper contributes towards resolving this problem by developing a conceptual framework of factors influencing EIS in Government-to-Government (G2G) collaboration. By presenting this model, we attempt to clarify that EIS in LGAs is affected by a combination of environmental, organisational, business process, and technological factors and that it should not be scrutinised merely from a technical perspective. To validate the conceptual rationale, multiple case study based research strategy was selected. From an analysis of the empirical data from two case organisations, this paper exemplifies the importance (i.e. prioritisation) of these factors in influencing EIS by utilising the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) technique. The intent herein is to offer LGA decision-makers with a systematic decision-making process in realising the importance (i.e. from most important to least important) of EIS influential factors. This systematic process will also assist LGA decision-makers in better interpreting EIS and its underlying problems. The research reported herein should be of interest to both academics and practitioners who are involved in IOIS, in general, and collaborative e-Government, in particular. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Értékteremtés e-kereskedelemmel – kitörési lehetőség a recesszió sújtotta magyar kiskereskedelemben? (Value creation of e-commerce – Chance to break out for the recession-hit Hungarian retail sector?)

Kimutatható-e az e-kereskedelem hatása a vállalati teljesítményre a recesszióval küzdő magyar kiskereskedelmi piacon? A hagyományos bolti értékesítés vagy on-line kereskedelem vezet hazánkban jobb pénzügyi teljesítményhez? Ezekre a kérdésekre a magyar IKT (infokommunikációs technológiai) kiskereskedők 187 elemű mintáján igyekeznek a szerzők választ keresni, az adatgyűjtést újszerű módon részben automatizált webpókokra bízva, következtetéseiket pedig elsősorban klaszterelemzési technikákra építve. Megállapítják, hogy bár a legjobb bolti kereskedők többnyire valamivel nagyobb és stabilabb profitrátákkal jellemezhetők a válság éveiben is, a piac megtartása és növelése terén már egyértelműen az e-kereskedők jeleskedtek. Eredményeik szerint az e-kereskedelem hozzásegítheti a kiskereskedőket a munkaerő-hatékonyság növeléséhez is, ám ha gyors rendelkezésre állással vagy alacsony árakkal csábítják vevőiket, akkor a profittöbblet egy részét felőrölheti a magasabb készlettartási igény vagy az árverseny. _____ The study examines whether e-commerce has a significant impact on corporate performance on the Hungarian retail market struggling with the effects of economic downturn. Is it brick-and-mortal retail or e-commerce that leads to a better financial performance? Using the innovative data gathering tools of automotive web crawlers the authors seek answers to these questions on a sample of 187 Hungarian ICT retailers. Based on cluster analysis they conclude that while the best traditional retailers have somewhat higher and more stable profitability ratios even during the years of recession, e-tailers are more successful in retaining and increasing their market share. E-commerce is also associated with higher human resource productivity, but the possible profit surplus originating from this advantage could be jeopardized in the long run as new electronic traders typically attract their customers by shorter service time or lower prices.

Effective energy conservation and management in the building sector : the answer to the energy predicament

Modern civilization has developed principally through man's harnessing of forces. For centuries man had to rely on wind, water and animal force as principal sources of power. The advent of the industrial revolution, electrification and the development of new technologies led to the application of wood, coal, gas, petroleum, and uranium to fuel new industries, produce goods and means of transportation, and generate the electrical energy which has become such an integral part of our lives. The geometric growth in energy consumption, coupled with the world's unrestricted growth in population, has caused a disproportionate use of these limited natural resources. The resulting energy predicament could have serious consequences within the next half century unless we commit ourselves to the philosophy of effective energy conservation and management. National legislation, along with the initiative of private industry and growing interest in the private sector has played a major role in stimulating the adoption of energy-conserving laws, technologies, measures, and practices. It is a matter of serious concern in the United States, where ninety-five percent of the commercial and industrial facilities which will be standing in the year 2000 - many in need of retrofit - are currently in place. To conserve energy, it is crucial to first understand how a facility consumes energy, how its users' needs are met, and how all internal and external elements interrelate. To this purpose, the major thrust of this report will be to emphasize the need to develop an energy conservation plan that incorporates energy auditing and surveying techniques. Numerous energy-saving measures and practices will be presented ranging from simple no-cost opportunities to capital intensive investments.

The non-timber forest products sector in nepal : policy issues in plant conservation and utilization

The non-timber forest products (NTFPs) sector in Nepal is being promoted with the concept of sustainable management as articulated by the Convention on Biological Diversity. To promote and regulate this sector, Nepal adopted the Herbs and NTFP Development Policy in 2004. The goal of this thesis was to assess the effectiveness of this policy along with other forestry and natural resource policies in Nepal concerning the conservation and sustainable use of NTFPs. I conducted open-ended semi-structured interviews with 28 key informants in summer 2006 in Nepal where I also collected relevant documents and publications. I did qualitative analysis of data obtained from interviews and document review. The research found many important issues that need to be addressed to promote the NTFP sector as envisioned by the Government of Nepal. The findings of this research will help to further implement the policy and promote the NTFP sector through sustainable management practices.

Reaganomics and its effects on pricing and participation in the regular paying sector of the National School Lunch Program in Dade County public high schools

Problem: This research proposes to examine the effects of Reaganomics on pricing and participation in the regular paying sector of the National School Lunch Program in Dade County Public High Schools. Subproblems: The first subproblem is to examine the effects of Reaganomics on pricing in the regular paying sector of the National School Lunch Program in Dade County Public High Schools. The second subproblem is to examine the effects of Reaganomics on participation in the regular paying sector of the National School Lunch Program in Dade County Public High Schools. Hypotheses: The first hypothesis is that Reaganomics has resulted in price increases to the regular paying sector of the National School Lunch Program in Dade County Public High Schools. The second hypothesis is that Reaganomics has decreased the percentage of the regular paying sector participating in the National School Lunch Program in Dade County Public High Schools.

A domain-specific search engine for the construction sector

Mémoire numérisé par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal.

Domain-specific question answering system : an application to the construction sector

Mémoire numérisé par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal.

A domain-specific search engine for the construction sector

Mémoire numérisé par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal.

Domain-specific question answering system : an application to the construction sector

Mémoire numérisé par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal.