Framing the Conflict

Frame perspective can be used to contextualize action: to a certain degree it both explains, why individuals behave as they do, and emphasizes various restrictions upon individuals. “Its central feature is the experience of individuals and the organizing of experience when interacting with others” (Persson, 2015). The study aimed at revealing the ways of framing the conflict. Data were collected from undergraduate students at Mykolas Romeris University (N = 138). Findings show that most students perceived conflict in negative versus positive terms. Identifying the images of conflict students made statements mostly about the situations that have become aggressive, both verbally and physically.

The State of People and Knowledge in the GCC Countries per a New Index and the Future Ahead

The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, with their rich oil resources, are facing the problem of fallen oil prices on the one hand, and reduced oil reserves on the other. As a result, they are moving toward less dependence on oil, and increasing dependence on people and knowledge. This paper develops a wide scope “people and knowledge index (PKI)” using relevant international indicators made available by various international organizations. The index includes “ten building blocks.” Four of these blocks are concerned with the “core issues” of people and knowledge; while the other six blocks are related to the “environment issues” according to which people and knowledge interact. The paper assesses the GCC countries according to the index revealing their strengths and weaknesses, and enabling the derivation of guidelines for their future development. The resulting guidelines consider how the GCC countries can direct their future development toward a high and growing standard of living, while reducing dependence on oil. Finally, the future use of the new index is highlighted.

Toward Knowledge Technology Synchronicity Framework for Asynchronous Environment

While distance learning education continues to grow, online instructors face certain asynchronous uncertainties when it comes to knowledge exchange with students. To counteract such uncertainties and minimize teaching deficiencies expected to occur in asynchronous learning environments, this study examines a set of knowledge building blocks that play a role in the online knowledge exchange process. Knowledge technology synchronicity framework for asynchronous environment is proposed that integrates knowledge seeking behavior, knowledge properties, knowledge domains, knowledge types, knowledge tools, and technology synchronicity. A real-life case is provided to integrate the framework in practice.

A Framework of Key E-Services Issues

E-services are becoming of increasing importance for government and for business services. They provide benefits to all parties concerned, including: service providers, users, and the society at large. This paper presents a framework of key issues that an e-service should enjoy. The framework is based on three main domains: the e-service strategy; its architecture; and its performance. Each of these domains is structured in three groups of issues, which are associated with: management; targeted features, and the people concerned. Per this structure, the framework considers “45” key e-services issues; and these issues are derived from the available literature and from previous experience. A survey using the framework is conducted to assess the level of awareness of IT staff, working in the field, in the importance of these key issues, as this awareness reflects their practices in e-services. The outcome shows that further awareness is needed, in various key issues, to improve future e-service practices.

Corporate Social Responsibility

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a western concept that is penetrating Middle Eastern countries, and the UAE is the most appropriate region to offer insights into CSR because other Middle Eastern countries are not adopting the concept quite as quickly as the UAE. One indication of CSR in UAE is its transparent firms. This paper explores the current stage of CSR implementation in Arab countries, with special attention given to the UAE. An in-depth study was conducted to explore CSR implementation among local managers. Primary data from 198 questionnaires and case studies were analyzed to obtain valuable insights into the current state of CSR in the UAE. Key concepts are highlighted regarding the definition and practice of CSR in the UAE. Secondary data from both western and eastern cultures were also analyzed to examine the extent of adoption and adaptation of CSR and corporate philanthropy from multiple perspectives. Findings suggest all organizations, both local and multinational, must consider environmental and stakeholder interests in order to become global. Some confusion appears to exist between the concept of philanthropy and CSR. Some CSR highlighted by firms includes following regulations effectively and efficiently, adopting environmentally friendly business processes, organizing seminars, and creating awareness of the concept among peers. Although CSR is maturing in the Middle East, UAE firms need to improve CSR to compete with the practices that have become the CSR standard in western countries. In the last few years, governments and local organizations have strictly enforced business ethics and environmental regulations to support the growth of CSR in the country.

A E-Business Case of Study

The main purpose of this research was to find relations between the chemical composition of the wines and the wine testers' opinions on the wine quality. We used in our study a dataset which contains examples of red wine from Vinho Verde, Portugal. Firstly, we did an analysis on the attributes of the examples, in the dataset, to find correlations between quantitative and qualitative properties in wines. Secondly, we performed clustering using the algorithms k-means and x-means. Additionally, we used the J48 algorithm for getting a decision tree and then to extract first order logic rules. We concluded that, there is a relation between physicochemical properties and quality of wines. This result opens the possibility of further analysis and perhaps this could lead to use fewer wine testers and therefore, our research could bring benefit to the wine industry.

The Role and Implementation of New Technologies in the ELT (English Language Teaching)

Emerging technologies have become a part of daily life of each student. To keep up with time, education has to evolve and customize providing the learner with a more meaningful learning environment. More and more teachers are introducing Learning Technologies (LT) for training purposes since they can serve as powerful tools for efficient student participatory learning. The technology-aided learning environment enhances learning outcomes in language acquisition and stimulates the implementation of quality learning. The aim of this research is to emphasize the importance of applications of learning technologies in the language classroom and to present an overview of the practical tools available for technology-mediated language learning, their effective ICT implementation and use. The study analyzes the strategies and techniques for the ICT integration by means of introducing the Computer Language Lab (CLL) in the Secondary School Setting. It describes personal experience and best practice in the use of learning technologies with secondary school students.

Leveraging Temporal Markers to Detect Event from Microblogs

One of the marvels of our time is the unprecedented development and use of technologies that support social interaction. Social mediating technologies have engendered radically new ways of information and communication, particularly during events; in case of natural disaster like earthquakes tsunami and American presidential election. This paper is based on data obtained from Twitter because of its popularity and sheer data volume. This content can be combined and processed to detect events, entities and popular moods to feed various new large-scale data-analysis applications. On the downside, these content items are very noisy and highly informal, making it difficult to extract sense out of the stream. Taking to account all the difficulties, we propose a new event detection approach combining linguistic features and Twitter features. Finally, we present our system that aims (1) detect new events, (2) to recognize temporal markers pattern of an event, (3) and to classify important events according to thematic pertinence, author pertinence and tweet volume.

The Implementation of DSSim

This paper presents the decisions taken during the implementation of DSSim (DSSim stands for Similarity based on Dempster-Shafer) our multi-agent ontology mapping system. It describes several types of agents and their roles in the DSSim architecture. These agents are mapping agents which are able to perform either semantic or syntactic similarity. Our architecture is generic as no mappings need to be learned in advance and it could be easily extended by adding new mapping agents in the framework. The new added mapping agents could run different similarity algorithms (either semantic or syntactic). In this way, DSSim could assess which algorithm has a better performance. Additionally, this paper presents the algorithms used in our ontology alignment system DSSim.

Social Education Institution a Way to Achieve Sustainable Education in Remote Areas

This research aims to discover the effort of accomplishing Sustainable Development Goals in developing country. Adopting qualitative method and case study approach, this research held in Bajulmati, Indonesia. The result of this research shows that social education institution establishment by society in remote area can answer the problems to reach Sustainable Development Goals. The establishment process is begun by the external party in remote area to provide medium to discuss problem. The first stage of Sustainable Development Goals accomplishment is attained by implementing Sustainable Education by giving long-live learning education for children and training for adult. The second stage is making Sustainable Economic around society by making business from the potential resources. After doing sustainable education and economic, it can achieve Sustainable Development Goals. In this study, it will figure out that social education institution in Bajulmati can be an example for another remote area to achieve Sustainable Development Goals.