Knowledge Structuring for Sustainable Development and the Hozo Tool

Author(s):  
Jenny S. Huang ◽  
Kouji Kozaki ◽  
Terukazu Kumazawa

The search for more actionable knowledge lies at the core of Sustainability Science and its implicit desire to improve the lives of various stakeholders without disrupting the balance of Nature and efficient use of all available resources. In this chapter, the authors have examined current shortfalls in knowledge-centric research and proposed the creation of an Ontology-based open-source tool to create a more practical approach for researchers to facilitate both thought and decision-making process in order to solve pressing issues with place-based actions. The effectiveness of the Hozo Tool is then examined and validated using four case studies in an attempt to both refine the current models and propose the necessary steps to create a more holistic knowledge ecosystem – one that might ultimately facilitate broader collaboration worldwide.

Author(s):  
Hamid R. Nemati ◽  
Christopher D. Barko

An increasing number of organizations are struggling to overcome “information paralysis” — there is so much data available that it is difficult to understand what is and is not relevant. In addition, managerial intuition and instinct are more prevalent than hard facts in driving organizational decisions. Organizational Data Mining (ODM) is defined as leveraging data mining tools and technologies to enhance the decision-making process by transforming data into valuable and actionable knowledge to gain a competitive advantage (Nemati & Barko, 2001). The fundamentals of ODM can be categorized into three fields: Artificial Intelligence (AI), Information Technology (IT), and Organizational Theory (OT), with OT being the core differentiator between ODM and data mining. We take a brief look at the current status of ODM research and how a sample of organizations is benefiting. Next we examine the evolution of ODM and conclude our chapter by contemplating its challenging yet opportunistic future.


2008 ◽  
pp. 2289-2295 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hamid R. Nemati ◽  
Christopher D. Barko

An increasing number of organizations are struggling to overcome “information paralysis” — there is so much data available that it is difficult to understand what is and is not relevant. In addition, managerial intuition and instinct are more prevalent than hard facts in driving organizational decisions. Organizational Data Mining (ODM) is defined as leveraging data mining tools and technologies to enhance the decision-making process by transforming data into valuable and actionable knowledge to gain a competitive advantage (Nemati & Barko, 2001). The fundamentals of ODM can be categorized into three fields: Artificial Intelligence (AI), Information Technology (IT), and Organizational Theory (OT), with OT being the core differentiator between ODM and data mining. We take a brief look at the current status of ODM research and how a sample of organizations is benefiting. Next we examine the evolution of ODM and conclude our chapter by contemplating its challenging yet opportunistic future.


Author(s):  
S. M. Amin Hosseini ◽  
Albert de la Fuente ◽  
Oriol Pons ◽  
Carmen Mendoza Arroyo

AbstractOne of the main challenges in assisting displaced persons who have lost their homes as a result of a natural hazard is the provision of adequate post-disaster accommodations, such as temporary housing. Although the need for temporary housing has increased around the world in recent years, it has been criticized on economic, environmental, and social grounds. A universal approach to post-disaster accommodations cannot successfully deal with this issue because each recovery process involves a unique set of conditions. Therefore, rather than defining a specific strategy, this study aims to present an approach capable of producing customized strategies based on contextual and social conditions. To this end, first, the main factors influencing the choice of post-disaster accommodations are identified through five case studies. It is concluded that all of the factors can be organized into three main vertices to simplify the highly complex issues involved in post-disaster accommodations. The case studies also show that the decision-making process consists of two main parts. To date, a recurring failure to distinguish between these two parts has led to unsuitable outcomes. Thus, this paper presents a new decision-making methodology, consisting of multiple steps, phases, and indicators based on the main vertices.


2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abbasali Ebrahimian ◽  
Seyed-Hossein Hashemi-Amrei ◽  
Mohammadreza Monesan

Introduction. Appropriate decision-making is essential in emergency situations; however, little information is available on how emergency decision-makers decide on the emergency status of the patients shifted to the emergency department of the hospital. This study aimed at explaining the factors that influence the emergency specialists’ decision-making in case of emergency conditions in patients. Methods. This study was carried out with a qualitative content analysis approach. The participants were selected based on purposive sampling by the emergency specialists. The data were collected through semistructured interviews and were analyzed using the method proposed by Graneheim and Lundman. Results. The core theme of the study was “efforts to perceive the acute health threats of the patient.” This theme was derived from the main classes, including “the identification of the acute threats based on the patient’s condition” and “the identification of the acute threats based on peripheral conditions.” Conclusions. The conditions governing the decision-making process about patients in the emergency department differ from the conditions in other health-care departments at hospitals. Emergency specialists may have several approaches to decide about the patients’ emergency conditions. Therefore, notably, the emergency specialists’ working conditions and the others’ expectations from these specialists should be considered.


2015 ◽  
Vol 67 (1) ◽  
pp. 215-220 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valentin Grecu

Abstract There is rarely an optimal solution in sustainable development but most frequently a need to build compromises between conflicting aspects such as economic, social and environmental ones and different expectations of stakeholders. Moreover, information is rarely available and precise. This paper will focus on how to use indicators to monitor sustainable development, integrating the information provided by many of them into a complex general sustainability index. Having this general indicator is essential for decision makers as it is very complicated to evaluate the performance of the organization based on multiple indicators. The objective of this paper is to find mathematical algorithms for simplifying the decision-making process by offering an instrument for the evaluation of the sustainability progress.


Author(s):  
Rashim Wadhwa

International student mobility is the core element of the internationalization of higher education. In recent years, a significant change has been observed in the outlook of individuals which is giving a boost to this phenomenon. Within this context, the present chapter analyzed the phenomenon of international student mobility through different approaches by providing critical outlook. An attempt has been made to list the important determinants which influence the decision-making process of international students.


Author(s):  
Zulaima Chiquin ◽  
Kenyer Domínguez ◽  
Luis E. Mendoza ◽  
Edumilis Méndez

This chapter presents a Model to Estimate the Human Factor Quality in Free/Libre Open Source Software (FLOSS) Development, or EHFQ-FLOSS. The model consists of three dimensions: Levels (individual, community, and foundation), Aspects (internal or contextual), and Forms of Evaluation (self-evaluation, co-evaluation, and hetero-evaluation). Furthermore, this model provides 145 metrics applicable to all three levels, as well as an algorithm that guides their proper application to estimate the systemic quality of human resources involved in the development of FLOSS, guide the decision-making process, and take possible corrective actions.


Author(s):  
Jiayin Hang ◽  
Heidi Hohensohn ◽  
Klaus Mayr ◽  
Thomas Wieland

This chapter intends to show how companies can benefit from open source software and its development culture and how the open source communities could, in turn, be stimulated and accelerated. One of the first major steps for businesses that plan to act in this context is to accept that open source projects have their own communication culture. After explaining this fact, we illustrate its relevance on the basis of a case study in which an open source framework was used to build a commercial product. The decision-making process and the lessons learned from it point out some guidelines, particularly for companies that offer projects rather than products. As there are, however, more parties involved than just the developers when OSS is discussed as a business opportunity, we also classify the different players in the software business such as distributors, system integrators, and software/hardware vendors. Findings on roles and their motivations and restraints, partially based on a survey carried out within our research project, point up this categorization. The authors hope that this overview of the benefits and pitfalls will encourage more companies to make use of and invest in the open source way to develop and deploy software.


Author(s):  
Emad Abu-Shanab ◽  
Raya Al-Dalou'

The relationship between citizens and governments is the core of e-government. E-participation is one of the political dimensions of e-government which focuses on informing, consulting, involving, collaborating, and empowering citizens to take part of the decision making process. This study adopted a framework for the five levels of e-participation and tried to test such model empirically using 400 responses from Jordanians. The study tried to measure Jordanian perceptions towards e-participation initiatives and practices in Jordan, and to measure the achievements on each level as perceived and reported by subjects. Results indicated that the highest perceived level was e-involving, and the lowest was e-consulting. Also, the CFA results indicated a distorted distribution of items between the major levels. Results of other issues explored are discussed further in this study.


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