Using Media Technologies in English

English has long been the subject where print text has reigned supreme. Increasingly in our networked and electronically connected world, however, we can be using digital technologies to create and respond to texts studied in English classrooms. The current approach to English includes the concept of ‘multiliteracies,’ which suggests that print texts alone are necessary but not sufficient’ (E.Q, 2000) and that literacy includes the flexible and sustainable mastery of a repertoire of practices. This also includes the decoding and deployment of media technologies (E.Q, 2000). This has become more possible in Australia as secondary students have increasing access to computers and online platforms at home and at school. With the advent of web 2.0., with its interactive platforms and free media making software, teachers and students can use this software to access information and emerging online literature in English covering a range of text types and new forms for authentic audiences and contexts. This chapter is concerned with responding to literary and mediated texts through the use of technologies. If we remain open to trying out new textual forms and see our digital ‘native students’ (Prensky, 2007) as our best resource, we can move beyond technophobia, become digital travellers’ ourselves and embrace new digital forms in our classrooms.

Managing ubiquitous eco cities : the role of urban telecommunication infrastructure networks and convergence technologies

A successful urban management system for a Ubiquitous Eco City requires an integrated approach. This integration includes bringing together economic, socio-cultural and urban development with a well orchestrated, transparent and open decision making mechanism and necessary infrastructure and technologies. Rapidly developing information and telecommunication technologies and their platforms in the late 20th Century improves urban management and enhances the quality of life and place. Telecommunication technologies provide an important base for monitoring and managing activities over wired, wireless or fibre-optic networks. Particularly technology convergence creates new ways in which the information and telecommunication technologies are used. The 21st Century is an era where information has converged, in which people are able to access a variety of services, including internet and location based services, through multi-functional devices such as mobile phones and provides opportunities in the management of Ubiquitous Eco Cities. This paper discusses the recent developments in telecommunication networks and trends in convergence technologies and their implications on the management of Ubiquitous Eco Cities and how this technological shift is likely to be beneficial in improving the quality of life and place. The paper also introduces recent approaches on urban management systems, such as intelligent urban management systems, that are suitable for Ubiquitous Eco Cities.

Augmenting web service discovery by cognitive semantics and abduction

We argue that web service discovery technology should help the user navigate a complex problem space by providing suggestions for services which they may not be able to formulate themselves as (s)he lacks the epistemic resources to do so. Free text documents in service environments provide an untapped source of information for augmenting the epistemic state of the user and hence their ability to search effectively for services. A quantitative approach to semantic knowledge representation is adopted in the form of semantic space models computed from these free text documents. Knowledge of the user’s agenda is promoted by associational inferences computed from the semantic space. The inferences are suggestive and aim to promote human abductive reasoning to guide the user from fuzzy search goals into a better understanding of the problem space surrounding the given agenda. Experimental results are discussed based on a complex and realistic planning activity.

L'étendue internationale des nouvelles firmes de hautes technologies: le rôle du capital humain et de l'intention stratégique des fondateurs

De récentes recherches ont mis l’accent sur l’importance pour les nouvelles entreprises internationales de l’existence de ressources et de compétences spécifiques. La présente recherche, qui s’inscrit dans ce courant, montre en particulier l’importance du capital humain acquis par les entrepreneurs sur base de leur expérience internationale passée. Mais nous montrons en même temps que ces organisations sont soutenues par une intention délibérée d’internationalisation dès l’origine. Notre recherche empirique est basée sur l’analyse d’un échantillon de 466 nouvelles entreprises de hautes technologies anglaises et allemandes. Nous montrons que ce capital humain est un actif qui facilite la pénétration rapide des marchés étrangers, et plus encore quand l’entreprise nouvelle est accompagnée d’une intention stratégique délibérée d’internationalisation. Des conclusions similaires peuvent être étendues au niveau des ressources que l’entrepreneur consacre à la start-up : plus ces ressources sont importantes, plus le processus d’internationalisation tend à se faire à grande échelle ; et là aussi, l’influence de ces ressources est augmenté par l’intention stratégique d’internationalisation. Dans le cadre des études empiriques sur les born-globals (entreprises qui démarrent sur un marché globalisé), cette recherche fournit une des premières études empiriques reliant l’influence des conditions initiales de création aux probabilités de croissance internationale rapide.

Semantic and context-based retrieval of digital cultural objects [Published in Chinese]

Cultural objects are increasingly generated and stored in digital form, yet effective methods for their indexing and retrieval still remain an important area of research. The main problem arises from the disconnection between the content-based indexing approach used by computer scientists and the description-based approach used by information scientists. There is also a lack of representational schemes that allow the alignment of the semantics and context with keywords and low-level features that can be automatically extracted from the content of these cultural objects. This paper presents an integrated approach to address these problems, taking advantage of both computer science and information science approaches. We firstly discuss the requirements from a number of perspectives: users, content providers, content managers and technical systems. We then present an overview of our system architecture and describe various techniques which underlie the major components of the system. These include: automatic object category detection; user-driven tagging; metadata transform and augmentation, and an expression language for digital cultural objects. In addition, we discuss our experience on testing and evaluating some existing collections, analyse the difficulties encountered and propose ways to address these problems.

Synopolies: The use of cryptographic technologies to impede competition in multiple jurisdictions

Many jurisdictions have developed mature infrastructures, both administratively and legislatively, to promote competition. Substantial funds have been expended to monitor activities that are anticompetitive and many jurisdictions also have adopted a form of "Cartel Leniency Program", first developed by the US Federal Trade Commission, to assist in cartel detection. Further, some jurisdictions are now criminalizing cartel behaviour so that cartel participants can be held criminally liable with substantial custodial penalties imposed. Notwithstanding these multijurisdictional approaches, a new form of possibly anticompetitive behaviour is looming. Synergistic monopolies („synopolies‟) involve not competitors within a horizontal market but complimentors within separate vertical markets. Where two complimentary corporations are monopolists in their own market they can, through various technologies, assist each other to expand their respective monopolies thus creating a barrier to new entrants and/or blocking existing participants from further participation in that market. The nature of the technologies involved means that it is easy for this potentially anti-competitive activity to enter and affect the global marketplace. Competition regulators need to be aware of this potential for abuse and ensure that their respective competition frameworks appropriately address this activity. This paper discusses how new technologies can be used to create a synopoly.

Business on-line? An empirical study of factors leading to the adoption of Internet technologies by Australian SMEs

E-commerce technologies such as a website, email and the use of web browsers enables access to large amounts of information, facilitates communication and provides niche companies with an effective mechanism for competing with larger organisations world-wide. However recent literature has shown Australian SMEs have been slow in the uptake of these technologies. The aim of this research was to determine which factors were important in impacting on small firms' decision making in respect of information technology and e-commerce adoption. Findings indicate that generally the more a firm was concerned about its competitive position such a firm was likely to develop a web site. Moreover the 'Industry and Skill Demands' dimension suggested that as the formal education of the owner/manager increased, coupled with the likelihood that the firm was in the transport and storage or communication services industries, and realising the cost of IT adoption was in effect an investment, then such a firm would be inclined to develop a web site.

Mobile data technologies and SME adoption and diffusion : an empirical study on barriers and facilitators

The technological environment in which Australian SMEs operate can be best described as dynamic and vital. The rate of technological change provides the SME owner/manager a complex and challenging operational context. Wireless applications are being developed that provide mobile devices with Internet content and e-business services. In Australia the adoption of e-commerce by large organisations has been relatively high, however the same cannot be said for SMEs where adoption has been slower than other developed countries. In contrast however mobile telephone adoption and diffusion is relatively high by SMEs. This exploratory study identifies attitudes, perceptions and issues for mobile data technologies by regional SME owner/managers across a range of industry sectors. The major issues include the sector the firm belongs to, the current adoption status of the firm, the level of mistrust of the IT industry, the cost of the technologies and the applications and attributes of the technologies.

Exploring the needs for SMEs for mobile data technologies : the role of qualitative research techniques

The seemingly exponential nature of technological change provides SMEs with a complex and challenging operational context. The development of infrastructures capable of supporting the wireless application protocol (WAP) and associated 'wireless' applications represents the latest generation of technological innovation with potential appeals to SMEs and end-users alike. This paper aims to understand the mobile data technology needs of SMEs in a regional setting. The research was especially concerned with perceived needs across three market segments : non-adopters, partial-adopters and full-adopters of new technology. The research was exploratory in nature as the phenomenon under scrutiny is relatively new and the uses unclear, thus focus groups were conducted with each of the segments. The paper provides insights for business, industry and academics.

Mobile data technologies and small business adoption and diffusion : an empirical study of barriers and facilitators

The technological environment in which contemporary small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) operate can only be described as dynamic. The exponential rate of technological change, characterised by perceived increases in the benefits associated with various technologies, shortening product life cycles and changing standards, provides for the SME a complex and challenging operational context. The primary aim of this research was to identify the needs of SMEs in regional areas for mobile data technologies (MDT). In this study a distinction was drawn between those respondents who were full-adopters of technology, those who were partial-adopters, and those who were non-adopters and these three segments articulated different needs and requirements for MDT. Overall, the needs of regional SMEs for MDT can be conceptualised into three areas where the technology will assist business practices; communication, e-commerce and security

Who needs it? An exploratory investigation into the reaction of small and medium enterprises to mobile data technologies

The technological environment in which contemporary small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) operate can only be described as dynamic. The seemingly exponential nature of technological change, characterised by perceived increases in the benefits associated with various technologies, shortening product life cycles and changing standards, provides for the small and medium-sized enterprise a complex and challenging operational context. The development of infrastructures capable of supporting the Wireless Application Protocol (WAP)and associated 'wireless' applications represents the latest generation of technological innovation with potential appeal to SMEs and end-users alike. The primary aim of this research was to understand the mobile data technology needs of SMEs in a regional setting. The research was especially concerned with perceived needs across three market segments; non-adopters of new technology, partial-adopters of new technology and full-adopters of new technology. Working with an industry partner, focus groups were conducted with each of these segments with the discussions focused on the use of the latest WP products and services. Some of the results are presented in this paper.