28 February 2010

Call for papers: Measuring the impact of service innovations

A special issue of International Journal of Services Technology and Management

In most developed economies, services account for the majority of both employment and output. The development of service innovations is not only a challenge for the service enterprises and public organisations, but they are also considered as important triggers for the extension of service business in manufacturing firms. The ongoing trend from the production of goods towards that of services has given rise to an increasing body of research examining service innovations. Despite the growing number of studies, current literature provides only fragmentary insights into the relationship between service innovation and business performance. The goal of this special issue is to contribute to this gap.

There are several aspects that make it challenging to measure the impact of service innovations on performance. First, the relationship between service innovation and performance can be direct or indirect. Performance is a two-dimensional construct: objective performance based on financial and market-based measures and subjective performance measured e.g. by customer and employee-based indicators. Several researchers have suggested that superior subjective performance is a prerequisite for superior objective performance especially in service activities. Second, examining service innovation performance could be challenging due to the fact that service innovations are not necessarily the output of formal R&D but rather the outcome of daily business, customer and supplier collaboration or the optimisation of processes. It may be difficult to distinguish the contribution of innovations to performance because the distinction between conventional business and service innovations is not always clear. Finally, there are also data constraints and challenges relating to the availability of appropriate indicators to measure the impact of service innovations on performance. Current literature introduces a variety of indicators which are appropriate to measure innovation performance in manufacturing activities but not in service activities.

This special issue aims to add our knowledge through three aspects of how to measure the impact of service innovations on performance. First, it intends to introduce the systems, methods and indicators to measure the impact of service innovations on performance. Second, it provides empirical evidence on how the above tools have been used in practice and what kinds of interconnections have been found between service innovations and business performance. Third, it aims to provide a basis for evaluating the relevant approaches to managing service innovation performance in organisations.

The issue provides a global forum for presenting academically-thorough research and case studies. Its aim is to attract high-quality papers discussing the relationship between service innovations and business performance. Qualitative and quantitative as well as conceptual approaches defining, understanding and managing service innovation performance in enterprises or in public organisations are appropriate and appreciated. Contributions will be evaluated on the basis of their originality, clarity and relevance.

The types of contributions which may be appropriate for this special issue include but are not limited to:
  • Systems, methods and indicators for measuring the impact of service innovations on performance
  • Relationship between service innovations and objective performance, e.g. productivity, profitability, return on assets, sales and market share
  • Relationship between service innovations and subjective performance, e.g. customer loyalty and customer satisfaction, learning, knowledge accumulation and employee satisfaction
  • Interconnections between objective and subjective performance related to service innovations
  • Relationship between different types of service innovations and business performance
  • Service innovations as a driver of growth and sales performance
  • Service innovations as a source of productivity
  • The impact of service innovations on performance as the added value in manufacturing firms
  • The influence of service innovativeness on performance
  • Relationship between innovation capabilities and service innovation performance
  • The management of service innovation performance
Important Dates
Submission deadline: 30 September 2010
Author notification/review comments: 15 January 2011
Final manuscript due: 28 February 2011

Special issue: Control of uncertainties in experimental and numerical aerodynamics

International Journal of Engineering Systems Modelling and Simulation 2(1/2) 2010

Papers from the 44th Applied Aerodynamics Symposium of the Association AĆ©ronautique et Astronautique de France held in Nantes, France, 23-25 March 2009
  • Automatic grid adaptation for unstructured finite volumes
  • Quantification of thermodynamic uncertainties in real gas flows
  • Estimation of the accuracy of numerical simulations using Richardson extrapolation and a Hessian technique
  • Sensitivity analysis based on high fidelity simulation: application to hypersonic variable-cycle engine intake design
  • Empty wind tunnel flow field computations
  • Transient free convection in parallelogrammic cavities applied to the thermoregulation of avionics
  • AD-based perturbation methods for uncertainties and errors
  • Verification, validation and error estimation in CFD for compressible flows
  • Assessment of intrusive and non-intrusive non-deterministic CFD methodologies based on polynomial chaos expansions
  • Uncertainties and dispersion assessment: some challenges associated with missile aerodynamics
  • Heat flux estimation for materials with pyrolysis and ablation
  • Roughness receptivity in swept-wing boundary layers – experiments
  • Roughness receptivity in swept-wing boundary layers – computations

Special issue: Environmental sensor networks

International Journal of Sensor Networks 7(1/2) 2010
  • Closed-loop architecture for distributed collaborative adaptive sensing of the atmosphere: meteorological command and control
  • The National Weather Sensor Grid: a large-scale cyber-sensor infrastructure for environmental monitoring
  • A distributed algorithm for energy-aware clustering in WSN
  • Source nodes localisation algorithm for large-scale wireless sensor networks using self-organising isometric mapping
  • Wireless sensor networks for soil science
  • Analysis of random sleep scheme for wireless sensor networks
  • An efficient cluster-based self-organisation algorithm for wireless sensor networks
  • Continuous monitoring of global events in sensor networks
Additional Paper
  • Coverage and connected coverage problems for sensors embedded in a temperature-sensitive environment

Special issue: Microbial immobilisation technology for wastewater treatment

World Review of Science, Technology and Sustainable Development 6(2-4) 2009

Part I: Special Issue
  • Fixed biomass process and its resistance to elevated copper loads during carbon removal and nitrification of industrial wastewater
  • Effect of extended feeding time on aerobic granulation in SBR
  • Design of multistage activated sludge-biofilm reactors: a rational approach
  • Simulation of granulation index and its utility for predicting percentage granules in UASB reactors
  • The essential role of filling material in aerobic granular biomass generation in a periodic submerged biofilter
  • Characteristics of thermophilic granulation processes in UASB reactors
  • Dynamic changes in microbial diversity of aerobic granules
  • Nitrogen removal in a Sequencing Batch Biofilm Reactor: effect of carbon availability and intermittent aeration
Part II: Additional papers
  • A review of groundwater in islands using SWOT analysis
  • Question of software start-up finance: system dynamics simulation analysis
  • Dual focus in exploration and exploitation: the strategic path to sustainable competitive advantage
  • Assessing statistical standards for emerging industries. Applying OECD statistical codes to Italian biotech population lists
  • Preparing the public sector professional for the age of e-governance: an evaluation of an online learning experience
  • ICT industry in Serbia: condition and improvement by QMS

Special issue: Cultural and socio-technical aspects of ICT adoption

International Journal of Value Chain Management 4(1/2) 2010

Papers from the European and Mediterranean Conference on Information Systems (EMCIS 2008) held in Dubai, UAE, 25-26 May 2008.
  • Where in the world is internet jurisdiction: a US perspective
  • Conducting of the linkage between information systems strategy (ISS) and operation strategy: a case of an airline
  • Key performance indicators for IS/IT indirect human costs in the service sector
  • E-business deployment in Iranian IT firms: an empirical research on recommendations
  • Adoption and diffusion of free wireless internet parks in Qatar
  • Enterprise systems requirement analysis for process-centric continuous monitoring
  • Delivering knowledge in the field
  • Analysis of the dominant enterprise information assurance mechanisms
  • Validity of accounting model in the knowledge era
Additional Papers
  • Value cycle model: managing value through stakeholder management
  • Coordinating new product development and supply chain management

25 February 2010

Special issue: Kansei engineering, humanised informatics, and biometrics

International Journal of Biometrics 2(2) 2010
  • Statistical method for classifying cries of baby based on pattern recognition of power spectrum
  • Effects of musical tempo on multiple subjective impressions
  • Contextual affect analysis: a system for verification of emotion appropriateness supported with Contextual Valence Shifters
  • Kansei agent framework for Kansei engineering
  • Using Kansei Engineering with new JIT to accomplish cost advantage
  • An integrated psychophysiological research on the intervention of red colour for the stress-induced bodily reaction
  • Real-time rendering of colour-shift effect of metallic materials

Special issue: Swarm-based computing: foundation and application

International Journal of Innovative Computing and Applications 2(2) 2009
  • On mass effects to artificial physics optimisation algorithm for global optimisation problems
  • Boid particle swarm optimisation
  • Barebones particle swarm for multi-objective optimisation problems
  • Using selection to improve quantum-behaved particle swarm optimisation
  • Individual predicted integral-controlled particle swarm optimisation
  • Multi-swarm particle swarm optimiser with Cauchy mutation for dynamic optimisation problems
  • Optimal ballast scheme design for cargo ships using an improved genetic algorithm

24 February 2010

Call for papers: Urbanization and Environmental Issues in East Asia

A special issue of International Journal of Society Systems Science

Environmental pollution during rapid economic development is reaching worrying proportions in China and other East Asian areas, where urbanization is progressing along with industrialization. Urban growth takes place at regional level and is advanced by domestic social and economic development policies, while land use and transportation system changes occur in a highly dynamic system that involves many forces such as economic development, population growth, and policy decisions. As a result, energy consumption grows and waste discharges increase. In addition, trans-boundary and global environmental pollution including greenhouse gas emissions and acid deposition become international problems in East Asia which should be investigated from multiple disciplines and perspectives. These include social, economic, internal law, urban planning and environmental engineering systems.

This special issue focuses on urbanization and environmental issues in East Asian areas. The objective is to provide an insight on the co-benefit framework of urbanization and trans-boundary environmental pollution control from multidisciplinary viewpoints. Qualitative and quantitative, social science and engineering approach studies are encouraged.

Topics of interest include but are not limited to:
  • Urbanization process and environmental policies
  • Urban analysis and modelling
  • Pollution resources and industrial structures
  • Energy industry and environmental pollution
  • Environmental pollution control systems
  • International and regional frameworks on global environmental problems
Important Dates
Deadline for submission of manuscripts: 30 October, 2010
Communication of peer review to authors: 20 March, 2011
Deadline for revised manuscripts: 31 May 2011

Special issue: Innovation in business value chain management

International Journal of Value Chain Management 3(4) 2009

Papers from the International Conference on Innovations in Redefining Business Horizons (IIRB 2008) held in Delhi, India, 18-19 December 2008.

See International Journal of Electronic Customer Relationship Management 4(1) 2010 for other papers from the conference.
  • A research framework using SERVQUAL instrument to analyse the quality of services provided by private institutions of higher learning in Malaysia
  • Service quality in cosmetic industry
  • An institutional analysis of Chinese business relationships
  • Pricing and cost recovery of urban water supply in Mangalore City Corporation area – a case study
  • Celebrity endorsement – a competitive tool for brand positioning
  • Techniques, process and enterprise application for e-CRM using data mining
  • Financing of small scale enterprises (SSEs): a survey of literature
  • Business excellence in global corporations through emotionally intelligent leadership

23 February 2010

300 published titles

The publication of the first issue of the International Journal of Aerodynamics brings to 300 the number of published journal titles in the Inderscience portfolio. This milestone was no sooner reached than the number increased with the arrival of the International Journal of Critical Computer-Based Systems. A further 60 titles are in development to begin publication in the next year or so.

First issue: International Journal of Critical Computer-Based Systems

Covering the engineering -including development and evaluation- of computer-based systems employed in mission and safety critical applications International Journal of Critical Computer-Based Systems deals with aspects such as context awareness, environmental factors, interaction with other types of system, dependability, resiliency, trustworthiness, survivability and performability.

There is a free download of the papers from this first triple issue, which is a special one on Modelling and performance analysis for system dependability.

First issue: International Journal of Aerodynamics

Providing an international forum and refereed authoritative source of information International Journal of Aerodynamics covers the development of science and technologies in all aspects of aerodynamics, including applications in aircraft, road and rail vehicles, structures,etc.

There is a free download of the papers from this first issue, which is a special one on ground effect aerodynamics.

Special issue: Nanotechnology in France II: C'nano RhƓne-Alpes

International Journal of Nanotechnology 7(4-8) 2010
  • Nanoelectronics with CMOS transistors: electrostatic and quantum effects
  • Germanium on insulator and new 3D architectures opportunities for integration
  • Oxides heterostructures for nanoelectronics
  • Simulation, modelling and characterisation of quasi-ballistic transport in nanometer sized field effect transistors: from TCAD to atomistic simulation
  • Molecular electronics and reconfigurable logic
  • Electronic properties of epitaxial graphene
  • Quantum coherence and magnetic scattering
  • Disorder in low dimensions: localisation effects in spin glass wires and cold atoms
  • New trends for the Kondo effect in nanostructures
  • Hybrid superconducting nanostructures: very low temperature local probing and noise
  • Superconducting quantum nano-circuits
  • Molecular nanomagnets: towards molecular spintronics
  • Functional nanostructures from clusters
  • (Ge,Mn): A ferromagnetic semiconductor for spin injection in silicon
  • Spin-transfer effect and its use in spintronic components
  • Nanophotonic structures
  • Spins in semiconducting nanostructures
  • Exciton-polariton Bose-Einstein condensation: advances and issues
  • Single photons from single CdSe quantum dot embedded in ZnSe nanowire
  • Electro-mechanics of resonating nanotubes and nanowires in the field emission environment
  • Bistable molecules development and Si surface grafting: two chemical tools used for the fabrication of hybrid molecule/Si CMOS component
  • Molecular engineering of biomolecules for nanobio-sciences
  • Biomimetic membranes and biomolecule immobilisation strategies for nanobiotechnology applications
  • Multifunctional nanoparticles: from the detection of biomolecules to the therapy
  • Some examples of micro-devices for biotechnology developed at the Department of Technologies for Life Sciences and Healthcare of the LETI

Call for papers: Environmental Risks and Sustainable Technology Development and Construction

A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Technology and Management

Today’s economic development is highly correlated to environmental risk issues. Environmental risk of pollution can take various forms. Seeking the best way for sustainable construction can help mange environment risks caused by pollution such as that of air, water, soil and the food we eat because this contributes to sustainable development of an eco-economic system and the quality of peoples’ life in our society.

This special issue aims to find out what is being done on a global level about the effects of the environment issues of pollution in sustainable development and the benefit of sustainable construction. Both theoretical and applied work is welcome.

Suitable topics include, but are not limited to, the following aspects:
  • Policies of environmental risks
  • The benefit of sustainable construction
  • Sustainable development of eco-economic systems
  • Assessment of risks from water, soil and air pollution
  • Ecosystem evaluation
  • Performance assessment of environmental risks
  • Eco-efficiency
  • Evaluation of pollution prevention tools
  • Sustainable construction impact of pollutants
  • Technological hazards and sustainable construction
  • Evaluation of environmental risk and safety
  • Other issues related to environmental risks and sustainable construction
Important Dates
Submission Deadline: 30 April, 2010
First-Round Reviews: 30 June, 2010
Camera-ready version: 30 August, 2010

IJSMM is a media partner for Lausanne International Sports Management Conference

International Journal of Sport Management and Marketing is a media partner for the Lausanne International Sports Management Conference to be held on 4-6 November 2010.

19 February 2010

Call for papers: Aerothermodynamics for Space Vehicles

A special issue of International Journal of Aerodynamics

Compared to the “old” aerothermodynamics of space vehicles developed mainly during the fifties and the sixties, there have been considerable advances made in this field over the last few decades. These advances have been achieved by spectacular progress in computer science, development of numerical methods and new measurement techniques. This scientific progress has inevitably led to the reduction of launching costs and therefore to better environment protection.

In this field, a score of scientific papers have been published in specialized journals. The aim of the present special issue is to bring to the attention of readers an overview of these achievements through leading scientific works in this field. The issue, devoted to the development of aerothermodynamics for space vehicles, will cover studies related to the high-speed flight of advanced launchers, reentry vehicles and planetary descent.

Suitable topics include but are not limited to:
  • The science and technology of classical aerodynamics;
  • Thermodynamics encompassing physical modelling
  • Computational fluid dynamics (CFD)
  • Wind tunnel testing
  • Measurement techniques and instrument developments;
  • Rarefied flows
  • Reentry flows
  • Propulsion
Important Dates
Proposition deadline (title, authors. 5-line description): 31 March 2010
Full manuscript submission: 31 October 2010
End of reviewing process: 31 January 2011
End of author corrections : 31 March 2011

Call for papers: Convergence of Technology, Nature and Space in Ubiquitous Cities

A special issue of International Journal of Knowledge-Based Development

Recent studies on ubiquitous, pervasive and augmented cities break a new ground in focusing on the impact of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) and their convergence on shaping urban space, service and human behaviour over time. Although the concept of 'Future City' has been introduced by many sci-fi movies such as Matrix, Minority Report, Island, and so on, quantitative accounts of the causal links and impacts of ‘ubiquitous computing networks’ have been underrepresented in the urban research.

However, there are questions remaining regarding the way in which the pervasive city, the so-called ‘u-City’, might impact on
  1. lifestyles and human behaviours
  2. urban planning and design
  3. urban services and infrastructure provision
  4. public participation and governance, and
  5. intra- and inter-city communication networks.
Recent discussions on wireless communication technologies and technology convergence have been dominated by the multi-media and/or telecommunication companies, with little regard to developing a broader structural understanding of how the technological development and convergence has an influence on the urban space and pathways to u-Cities.

This special issue welcomes submissions on questions including but not limited to:
  • How to design a Ubiquitous City (u-City) as a sustainable city to open urban spaces to nature, technology and human?
  • What aspects of u-City can be used to optimise urban service delivery and environment management goals?
  • How does technology convergence affect the prospects of different hierarchies of people and places in a u-City?
  • To what extent ubiquitous computing is impacting on the automatic production of spaces?
  • How do technologies, softwares and social geography interact with a u-City?
Important Dates
Expression of interest by: 31 May, 2010
Full papers by: 3 December, 2010

18 February 2010

Special issue: Developing sustainable products, processes and services

International Journal of Product Lifecycle Management 4(1-3) 2009
  • Life cycle assessment of products made of composite materials
  • Sustainability and product life cycle management – issues and challenges
  • Extending total life-cycle thinking to sustainable supply chain design
  • Warranty and sustainable improvement of used products through remanufacturing
  • Function performance evaluation and its application for design modification based on product usage data
  • Management of residual life cycle costs for sustainability in middle of life phase
  • The role of AIDC technologies in product recovery – an information quality perspective
  • Sustainability in the auto repair industry: a life cycle assessment application
  • Visualisation of LCA environmental impacts of electrical and electronic products using multidimensional scaling
  • Strategies for product recovery decisions
  • A state-of-the-art of industrial sustainability: definitions, tools and metrics
  • Life cycle thinking and sustainable food production
  • A product information and knowledge exchange framework: a multiple viewpoints approach
  • Modelling trade-offs in design-accompanying life cycle cost calculation

Call for papers: Data Mining Over Large Software and Courseware Repositories

A special issue of International Journal of Intelligent Engineering Informatics

Software repositories such as source code, source control systems, personnel communication archives, clients communication archives, defect tracking logs, etc., are important sources for managing software projects. Similarly, online courseware repositories are exponentially increasing with the introduction of low cost recording and delivery devices. Software and courseware practitioners invariably accept the benefits of mining information to support maintenance of software and courseware systems.

Research is now progressing to uncover ways in which data mining these repositories help to understand software development and software evolution, to support predictions about software development, and to exploit this knowledge concretely in planning future development. Current research in educational data mining explores lecture structure, course customisation, interesting components in a lecture, identifying concepts and related concepts to plan new courseware designs in future.

The goal of this special issue is to bring out the best practices, current research and promising trends in software development and courseware development through the analysis of data stored in software and courseware repositories.

Papers may address issues along general themes which include but are not limited to the following:
  • Analysis of ecosystems and mining of repositories across multiple collections
  • Prediction of future software qualities and courseware qualities
  • Models of software project evolution
  • Classification and prediction of software defects
  • Prediction of courseware usability
  • Techniques to model reliability and defect occurrences
  • Retrieval techniques for finding suitable components and fragments for reuse
  • Analysis of change patterns and trends
  • Visualisation models of mined data
  • Techniques and tools for capturing new forms of data
  • Approaches, applications, and tools for software repository mining
  • Metamodels, exchange formats, and infrastructure tools for code sharing and reusability
  • Case studies on extracting data from repositories
  • Methods of integrating mined data from various historical sources
Important Dates
Manuscript due: 15 August, 2010
Notification of acceptance: 15 October, 2010
Revised paper due: 15 November, 2010
Submission of final revised paper: 30 November, 2010

17 February 2010

Special issue: Creating the winning organisation: managing transition as an impact of innovation

World Review of Entrepreneurship, Management and Sustainable Development 6(1/2) 2010
  • Fostering innovation: transition from chimps to hyena and lion type innovative enterprise
  • Profiles of entrepreneurship and innovation: debate on business incubators in Brazil
  • Developing and deploying your own rules of innovation
  • Development of SMEs through clusters: a comparative study of India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka
  • Marketing capabilities: do they matter in INVs?
  • Internationalisation incentives and problems: insight from Malaysian SMEs
  • Assessing innovation quotient (InQ) of Indian auto component manufacturers
  • Business strategy and performance of small and medium manufacturing firms in Malaysia
  • Understanding the linkages between flexibility strategy and innovation
  • Embracing competitive renaissance by steering innovation velocity

Special issue: Mobility: adding flexibility to life-long learning communities

International Journal of Continuing Engineering Education and Life-Long Learning 20(1) 2010
  • How usable are eBooks in an mLearning environment?
  • Location-based communication techniques in parallel learning between the classroom and the field
  • Using log files from streaming media servers for optimising the learning sequence
  • Using handhelds to support students' outdoor educational activities
  • Enhancing communications in developing countries using SMS technology: the case of agricultural value chains in Cambodia
  • An adaptive teacher in an ever-changing ICT society
  • MISIR: recommendation systems in a knowledge management scenario
  • Creating a new mobile learning community with podcasting
  • Podcasting: are student competencies hindering its potential?
  • ICT as explicit factor in the evolution of life-long learning

Special issue: Life cycle thinking and engineering applications - Part 2

International Journal of Sustainable Manufacturing 2(1) 2010

More papers from the 15th CIRP International Conference on Life Cycle Engineering held in Sydney, Australia, 17-19 March 2008.

See also International Journal of Sustainable Manufacturing 1(4) 2009
  • Vibration-based approach to lifetime prediction of electric motors for reuse
  • Simplified environmental impact drivers for product life cycle
  • Application of nanostructured smart materials in sustainable buildings
  • Energy related environmental impact reduction opportunities in machine design: case study of a laser cutting machine
  • Use of an energy-saving concept to assess life-cycle impact in engineering
  • Size-effects and surface integrity in machining and their influence on product sustainability

Call for papers: Public Sector Accounting, IPSAS and Performance Management - Reforming for the Best?

A special issue of International Journal of Public Sector Performance Management

An increasing number of developed, developing or emergent countries are adopting International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) developed by the International Public Sector Accounting Standards Board (IPSASB). According to IPSASB, 71 countries so far have adopted or are planning to implement IPSASs or to develop accounting standards inspired by them. The implementation, however, is not homogeneous, and different paths can be observed.

Questions to be answered include, but are not limited to:
  • Why are so many countries implementing IPSASs?
  • What are the factors explaining this transformation respectively in developed, developing and emerging countries?
  • Why do IPSASs, an instrument conceived to harmonise public sector accounting, lead to so different implementations and results in different countries?
  • How can the quality of IPSASs, and their consistency with public sector information needs, be measured? Is there any evidence of their overall adequacy?
  • What is the impact of IPSASs on the management of public entities?
  • What is their impact on performance management?
  • What is the legitimacy of the IPSASB and the IPSASs it prepares?
All papers related to these issues in central and local governments are solicited.

Important Dates
Deadline for submission: 15 July, 2010
Final acceptance by: 20 December, 2010

14 February 2010

Special issue: Public transport management

World Review of Intermodal Transportation Research 3(1/2) 2010
  • The impact of governance modes on sustainable transport – the case of bus transport in Greater Manchester, UK
  • Integrated approach towards sustainable development
  • The role of land use and psycho-social factors in high density residents' work travel mode choices: implications for sustainable transport policy
  • Reducing uncertainty and supporting cognitive maps in travel information for public transport
  • The number of 'non-captives' as an indicator of the quality of public transport supply: an alternative quality measure in the context of mobility-management
  • 35M MAX: the first bus rapid transit system in Salt Lake County
  • Evaluating light rail as a short distance passenger transportation solution in a midsized town
Additional Papers
  • An efficiency study of airlines and air cargo/passenger divisions: a DEA approach
  • Port risk management and Public Private Partnerships: factors relating to risk allocation and risk sustainability
  • Up, Up, and Away: The dynamics of innovation in the US air cargo transportation industry
  • Market entry barriers in Finland's rail freight transport

13 February 2010

Call for papers: Systems Thinking in Inter-Organizational Collaboration

A special issue of International Journal of Applied Systemic Studies

Management studies have long investigated the evolution of collaboration as it occurs within organizational boundaries. However, the widespread deployment of e-business strategic thinking, e-services and Internet-related technologies has enabled new options for collaborating and sharing ideas, activities and projects among organizations that may be scattered in different geographies and cultural domains. The resulting interconnected organizations can be thought of as complex systems comprised of heterogeneous components that work together for accomplishing joint tasks.
Hence, exploring the potential effects of applying systems thinking in inter-organizational collaboration may pave the future of e-Business. Relevant key questions that are raised include:
  • How and why do organizations collaborate?
  • How does co-creation take place?
  • How can systemic thinking (models, methodologies, tools) be used for managing distributed collaboration?
  • How does innovation take place in such a business environment and how should companies change to adapt to this new scenario, leveraging the opportunities provided by new e-business technologies?
Papers to be included in this special issue should be focused on one or more of the following subjects (the list is indicative rather than exhaustive):
  • Inter-firm networks
  • Technology transfer in networks
  • Systems thinking applications (models, methodologies, tools) in inter-firm networks
  • E-business applications in cross-enterprise collaboration
  • Designing and developing cross-enterprise e-services (e.g. for e-government, health care, education)
  • Systemic methodologies for cross-enterprise innovation
Case studies, surveys and papers based on empirical data are preferred; a rigorous research methodology is required, as well as a review of existing literature and adequate reference to bibliographical sources.

Important Dates

Deadline for (extended) abstract submission: 25 March 2010
Response by Guest Editor: 25 April 2010
Deadline for full paper submission: 31 July 2010

Call for papers: Applied Project Management Systems

A special issue of International Journal of Applied Systemic Studies

Rich Karlgaard, Forbes editor, during the The Forbes Leadership Networks Forum that took place at Palo Alto, California, 2 October, 2008, noted: "...The practice of project management will be the activity that makes or breaks many global companies in this economic environment..."

So, as organizations continue to face tough challenges in this globalized and turbulent economic environment, the need for excellent applied project management systems becomes even more pronounced. Limited resources (5M - Money, Men, Materials, Machines and Methods) will always drive organizations to be more innovative, more productive and more agile.

Without adequate project management systems in place, the risks to estimate, cost, schedule, and complete projects can become insurmountable. All projects must be professionally managed by using efficient project management systems that must be in place.

Questions raised include:
  • How can I assess and improve the project management maturity of individual team members?
  • Are technical skills more important than soft (human) skills in project teams?
  • How to measure and how to improve the project management maturity of an organization?
  • What cost estimation and schedule estimation techniques are appropriate to use throughout the project life cycle?
  • How can I avoid scope creep?
  • Can I do simulation to my schedule plan?
  • How can PERT help us increase estimations and reduce risks?
  • How can I use quality as a competitive advantage tool?
  • What is the appropriate method for change management?
  • How can configuration management be handled in any project?
  • What is an effective Project Management Information System (PMIS)?
  • What is an appropriate team collaboration system?
  • How risk is associated with different procurement contracts?
Papers to be included in this special issue should be focused on one or more of the following subjects (the list is indicative rather than exhaustive):
  • Stakeholder management systems
  • Scope creep avoidance systems
  • Time estimation techniques for better estimation
  • Cost estimation methods for fixed, variable, direct and indirect costs
  • Earned value management (EVM)
  • Quality management systems
  • Dynamic critical path scheduling
  • Critical chain techniques
  • Human resources
  • Soft skills quantification
  • Communication systems for stakeholder effective communication
  • Qualitative and quantitative risk management
  • Project Management Information Systems (PMIS)
  • Effective procurement systems
  • Linking PMIS systems with ERP systems
  • Configuration management systems
  • Team collaboration tools
Important Dates
Deadline for (extended) abstract submission: 25 March 2010
Response by guest editor: 25 April 2010
Deadline for full paper submission: 31 July 2010

Call for papers: Multimedia Signal Processing and Communications

A special issue of International Journal of Multimedia Intelligence and Security

In the past few years, multimedia signal processing and communication over networks has become the driving technology of many novel multimedia applications, such as IPTV, VoIP, video surveillance, online games, digital learning, etc. It is anticipated that multimedia signal processing and communications will continue to play an important role in the future Internet and to stimulate the creation of many interesting and novel applications.

This special issue is intended to foster the dissemination of state-of-the-art research in the area of multimedia signal processing and communication. Original research articles are solicited in all aspects of multimedia signal processing and communication including emerging technologies, theoretical studies, practical applications, and experimental prototypes. Submissions of high quality papers describing mature results or on-going work are invited. Additionally, this special issue will also select the best papers from the IEEE International Symposium on Computer, Communication, Control and Automation, Tainan, Taiwan, 5-7 May, 2010.

Topics of interest include but are not limited to the following:
  • Multimedia intelligent computing
  • Multimedia information retrieval
  • Multimedia analysis
  • Audio, image, and video signal processing
  • Signal processing for media integration
  • Advanced image and video coding algorithms
  • Hardware and software design for multimedia applications
  • Multimedia computing systems and applications
  • Multimedia communications
  • Multimedia security and content protection
  • Scalable video coding and transmission
  • Next generation wireless systems and services
Important Dates
Full Manuscript Due: 30 June, 2010
Acceptance Notification: 30 September, 2010
Revised Manuscript Due: 30 November, 2010
Final Manuscript Due: 31 December 31, 2010

12 February 2010

Call for papers: Biosignals for User Authentication/Identification

The inaugural issue of International Journal of Cognitive Biometrics

The inaugural issue of the journal will focus mainly (but not exclusively) on the deployment of biosignals such as EEG and ECG as tools for user authentication/identification. However, authors wishing to submit papers on other topics within the IJCB remit should please do so.

Biosignals have the potential to yield a window into the current cognitive and emotional state of an individual. Natural variability between individuals provides a basis from which one can expect a reasonable level of uniqueness across individuals. A primary research effort must engage in examining exactly how unique biosignals are, not only across individuals but within individuals across repeated measures. Secondly, how are biosignals influenced by task performance – are there specific tasks that can facilitate the extraction of potentially unique features embedded within a particular biosignal? This of course begs the question of determining the depth of the feature space of biosignals, a topic that is central to this inaugural issue. This step may be explored by utilising a variety of authentication methods – such as textual based password systems, graphical and VR based mechanisms, game playing based mechanisms, and as yet additional mechanisms awaiting disclosure.

Once this set of basic research steps have been examined in a thorough and comprehensive fashion, we can begin to properly claim to have added a new approach to user authentication, that we term Cognitive Biometrics. This call is dedicated to setting this examination into action, and we solicit submissions on the following set of topics, which include but are not limited to:
  • Quantitative methods for feature extraction from EEG, ECG, and related biosignals
  • examination of the individuality of biosignals – such as their heritability
  • the reproducibility of biosignals under a variety of experimental conditions
  • Various technology based approaches to biosignal extraction – such as dry electrodes and related technologies
  • Machine learning approaches to biosignal feature extraction
  • The effects of physical health, mental status, and ageing on the feature space of biosignals
  • The influence of task performance – are there specific tasks that elicit more stable biosignal features?
  • The influence of multi-tasking on biosignal stability
  • Multi-modal biosignal based approaches to user authentication and/or identification
  • Incorporating a biosignal based approach into more 'traditional' authentication schemes
  • Any other topics that are related to biosignal acquisition within a context suitable for biometric applications
Important Dates
Manuscript Due: 1 July, 2010
First Round of Reviews: 1 September, 2010
Publication Date: 1 January, 2011

11 February 2010

Newly announced journal: International Journal of Instrumentation Technology

International Journal of Instrumentation Technology - to begin publication in 2011 - will deal with modelling, simulation, design, and implementation aspects of measurement and control technology. Applications papers will include those which describe new realisations of established methods for measurement and instrumentation along with the latest research.

Special issue: Innovations in adsorption technology

International Journal of Environmental Technology and Management 12 (2-4) 2010
  • Starch-based biosorbents for dyes in textile wastewater treatment
  • Removal of basic dye (basic magenta) using low-cost biosorbents from aqueous solutions: kinetic and equilibrium studies
  • Modified biopolymer adsorbent for the removal of dissolved organic pollutants
  • Hydrophobicity in biosorptive flotation for metal ion removal
  • Removal of bivalent and trivalent ions by Spirulina platensis biomass: batch experiments and biosorbent characterisation
  • Biosorption of lead by the immobilised fungus Phanerochaete chrysosporium in a packed bed column
  • Biosorption of inorganic mercury onto marine alga Sargassum tenerrimum: batch and column studies
  • Removal of chromium(III) from water samples by a low-cost sorbent: application to a mixture of chromium(III) and chromium(VI)
  • Cadmium(II) adsorption by activated carbon: batch studies and reversibility
  • Wagner A. Carvalho, Cristiane I.C.B. Zanin, Cristiane Zanutelo, Flavia C.A. Figueiredo, Utilisation of Andisols as possible low-cost adsorbent to remove Cr (VI) from aqueous solution
  • Desorption kinetics and leaching study of arsenic from arsenite/arsenate-loaded Natural Laterite
  • Removal of phosphate and fluoride from optoelectronic wastewater by calcite
  • Competitive sorption of Cu(II), Eu(III) and U(VI) ions on dunite in aqueous solutions: a potentiometric study
  • Removal of Zn(II) ions from aqueous solution using rice (Oryza sativa) husk in a sequential bed adsorption column
  • Sorption of heavy metals by modified chelating ion exchangers
  • Selective extraction of cadmium by polymer inclusion membranes containing PVC and Aliquat 336: role base polymer and extractant
  • Nanohybrid anionic surfactant-akaganeite: preparation, structural analysis and cations sorption
  • Heavy metals removal from water by adsorption on propylthiol-functionalised mesoporous silica obtained by co-condensation
  • Electromagnetically vibrated Solid-Phase Microextraction for the analysis of organic compounds

Special issue: Multimedia networking and application systems

International Journal of Applied Systemic Studies 3(1) 2010
  • A transactional agent model for distributed object systems
  • Performance evaluation of wavelength assignment methods for WDM networks
  • A remote experiment system with individual guidance and report preparation support functions
  • A pure P2P synchronous collaborative system
  • A Kansei retrieval method using physical features of Japanese crafts
  • Redundant architecture in Cooperative Search Engine
  • Evaluation of traffic dispersion methods for synchronous distributed multimedia data transmission on multiple links for group of mobile hosts
  • A broadcast type Hierarchical Group communication protocol
  • The architecture of DIVINE: an object database server for collaborative virtual environment

Call for papers: Lasers in Manufacturing

A special issue of International Journal of Mechatronics and Manufacturing Systems

Laser material processing represents a large number of processes which are growing rapidly in different industrial applications. There are some processes that have been developed since 1980s and actually represent highly consolidated processes, such as cutting, welding or marking, that are being applied on different materials. On the other hand, other processes are still at a pre-industrial stage. These processes, such as laser cladding or laser texturing, represent new alternatives to traditional manufacturing processes but have not achieved minimum reliability and industrial standards yet. Laser material processing includes other processes such as laser hardening, polymer or dissimilar material laser welding and many rapid manufacturing processes.

This special issue invites the submission of high quality research articles related to recent research works and advances in laser material processes and systems, including control, monitoring, process modelling, etc.

Suitable topics include, but are not limited to, the following:
  • Laser material procesing modelling
  • Laser sources and equipment
  • Laser material processing control and monitoring
  • Material behaviour and mechanical testing of laser processed parts
  • Remote welding and remote cutting processes
  • Laser welding equipment and processing, including hybrid welding processes.
  • Laser micro/nano technologies
Important Date
Submission: 31 March, 2011

Call for papers: Heterogeneity in Financial Markets

A special issue of International Journal of Behavioural Accounting and Finance

This special issue is concerned with the impact of heterogeneity in beliefs on financial markets. A particular field of behavioural economics, heterogeneous agent models (HAMs), has recently been gaining more recognition in other areas particularly finance and financial markets, which is the focus here. HAMs do not assume full irrationality of investors, but assume that agents are boundedly rational, i.e. they make rational decision based on limited information sets. Moreover, different agents can make different decisions depending on their beliefs. Models based on boundedly rational agents have been relatively successful in explaining some of the stylized facts observed in financial markets, such as bubbles, crashes, volatility clustering, while some of the observed puzzles could not be explained based on conventional models and theories in finance. However, most research to date has relied on simulation-based evidence, i.e. empirical evidence from these models is lacking.

The aim of this special issue is to publish high quality research papers that enhance our understanding of the impact of heterogeneity in beliefs on financial markets. The guest editors welcome submission in any area of finance. As most of the previous studies have been of a theoretical/simulation-based nature, the guest editors seek and encourage the submission of empirical papers using real-life data that apply the principle of heterogeneity in beliefs.

Topics of interest include, but not limited to:
  • The impact of heterogeneity on investment decision making
  • The impact of heterogeneity in explaining volatility dynamics
  • The impact of heterogeneity in explaining bubbles and crashes
  • The impact of heterogeneity in explaining some of empirical puzzles
Important Date
Deadline for manuscript submission: 1 September, 2010

8 February 2010

Call for papers: Multicriteria Decision Making for Energy and Environmental Policy and Planning

A special issue of International Journal of Multicriteria Decision Making

Climate change and sustainable development (SD) are listed at the top of the agenda for most politicians and decision makers. In addition to this, as believed by most energy experts and analysts, the measurement of policy options’ sustainability will be able to provide an empirically solid foundation for energy and environmental policy analysis.

In this context, coherent and transparent decision support methods could assist decision makers in energy and environmental policy and planning towards a sustainable energy system. Multicriteria decision making (MCDM) methods can be an important tool in energy and environmental policy making, providing the flexibility and capacity to assess policy options’ implications for the economic, environmental, technological and social framework.

This special issue aims also to foster discussion and exchange experience on MCDM decision support models and methods for energy and environmental policy and planning, which focus on the sustainable development of the energy sector.

Topics of interest focus on the use of MCDM methods in energy and environmental policy and planning and include, but are not limited to:
  • Policy-making for countries' SD needs and priorities
  • Policy-making for supporting the deployment and diffusion of low-carbon technologies
  • Decision support for assessing energy systems, environmental policies and politics
  • Computational models to deal with energy sector's related uncertainties
  • Computerised software design, development and testing for energy policy analysis
  • Decision support strategies toward sustainable energy technology transfer
  • Representation and aggregation models to deal with the implications of SD as an energy policy objective
  • Frameworks for energy and environmental policy options' evaluations (e.g. such as scenarios, technologies, operational plans)
  • Real life applications of energy and environmental policy
  • Case studies and comparative analyses.
Important Dates
Submissions deadline: 30 June 2010

Call for papers: New Trends on Intelligent Systems Design

A special issue of International Journal of Innovative Computing and Applications

Intelligent systems design is a promising research field of modern artificial intelligence. Its goal is to deal with natural and artificial systems, and develop new and advanced theories and technologies. Recently, intelligent systems design has becoming popular due to their capabilities in handling many real world complex problems.

The objective of this special issue is to bring researchers from academic and industry together to report and review the latest progresses in this field, and to explore future directions.

Relevant topics include, but are not limited to, the following:
  • Intelligent systems architectures and applications
  • Intelligent data mining
  • Intelligent control and automation
  • Intelligent agents
  • Intelligent knowledge management
  • Intelligent image and signal processing
  • Other associated areas
Important Dates
Submit article: 15 August 2010
Acceptance Notification: 15 December 2010
Submit revised, final paper: 15 January 2011
Expected Publication Date: 2011

Call for papers: Recent Advances on Intelligent Information Systems

A special issue of International Journal of Intelligent Information and Database Systems

Intelligent information processing is a forefront interdisciplinary research topic in computer science. It is a comprehensive application-oriented discipline. Its goal is to deal with massive and complex information, and develop new and advanced theories and technologies. In recent years, it has increasingly been combined with artificial intelligence technologies to allow computer systems to more intelligently process information. Intelligent information processing research covers fundamental theories, application-oriented theories, key technologies and applications at multiple levels. Not only the high theoretical research value, but also the infrastructures for countries’ economies are of great importance.

Suitable topics include, but are not limited to:
  • Computational intelligence
  • Bayesian networks
  • Data mining
  • Machine learning
  • E-learning
  • Fuzzy and rough sets
  • Swarm intelligence
  • Other related topics
Important Dates
Deadline for (extended) abstract submission: 15 August 2010
Response by guest editor: 15 November 2010
Deadline for full paper submission: 15 December 2010

Call for papers: Sustainability, Risk and Environmental Challenges of the 21st Century

A special issue of International Journal of Business Continuity and Risk Management

Sustainability is a central theme in decision making for organizations pursuing long term strategies. This focus is necessary to ensure the resiliency of the environment in which business continuity is not jeopardized and economic security is not placed in peril. Nevertheless, careful analysis is necessary to ensure that implemented approaches do not have unintended consequences which are hazardous in some unseen fashion.

There is a vibrant debate going on regarding global warming and climate change, with increasing concern over the preservation of the ecosystem. Proponents of the global warming theory warn about the cataclysmic effects of neglecting the environment in designing systems for the 21st century. Others believe that the environmental changes are natural phenomena that need to go through their natural cycles - that they are not necessarily man-made, but a natural outcome of the interaction among the celestial bodies in the Universe.

While the jury is still out on the causes of global warming, there is no doubt that it is important to begin to analyze the effects of technology decisions on the environment. Airplanes are getting more powerful and consume a lot more fuel than they did 50 years ago. The “explosion” of electronic devices has resulted in a very dense network of communications hardware all over the world. Population growth has increased energy consumption – particularly fossil fuels. There has also been a dramatic increase in the level of awareness in developing countries regarding the impact of economic activity on the global environment. Countries that were oblivious of the interdependence of their economic activity with other countries are beginning to engage in dialog with other international organizations to pursue programs that are in consonance with the evolution of energy-efficient systems.

These new attitudes present opportunities for industries in these countries to engage in environmentally-friendly activities so as to be able to play significant roles in the global market place. Virtually any new enterprise has to perform an impact analysis to determine the extent to which the enterprise affects the ecological balance of the world. It is therefore important that technology and business experts engage in research to assess the risks and benefits associated with expansion of their activities so as to meet the environmental challenges of the 21st century.

Suitable topics include but are not limited to:
  • Strategic importance of energy conservation in the 21st century
  • Business continuity and sustainability
  • Impact of technology on the environment
  • Environmental innovations in information technology
  • Unintended consequences sustainability strategies
  • Risk management technology investment
  • The role of oil and gas production on emerging technologies
  • Contingency planning against energy shortages
  • Environmental terrorism
  • Ethical issues in sustainability
  • Business models for a healthy environment
  • Computational intelligence for mitigating disasters
  • Modeling risk decisions with imprecise information
  • Forecasting trends in environmental conservation
  • Information security and resiliency
  • Crisis detection and decision making
Important Dates
Submission of Abstract (1 -2 pages): 1 May, 2010
Notification to Author: 15 May, 2010
Submission of Paper: 1 November, 2010
Notification to Author: 15 December, 2010
Submission of Final Paper: 1 February, 2011

Call for papers: Brazil, Russia, India, China & Co: Myths and Realities about the Emerging Countries

A special issue of International Journal of Economics and Business Research

The special issue aims at providing a thorough analysis of economic and geopolitical impacts related to the rise of the new emerging countries. In the context of the recent financial crisis, oil scarcity and environmental challenges, this analysis is more than needed. For this issue, we encourage submissions of theoretical and empirical papers on emerging countries, regional integrations involving emerging countries as well as on other economic and geopolitical issues.

Topics include but are not limited to the following, as long as they touch on emerging countries:
  • International trade and country characteristics
  • Emerging countries and the global financial crisis
  • Actual strengths and weaknesses of emerging countries
  • Emerging countries and international organisations
  • What new role for emerging countries?
Important Date
Deadline for submission: 30 December, 2010

4 February 2010

Special issue: New materials and technology: ceramics, polymers and metals

International Journal of Materials and Product Technology 37(3/4) 2010
  • The effect of nano-Si3N4 on properties of silicon nitride ceramics
  • Microstructure and mechanical properties of ZrB2-based composites with laminated structure
  • Wear properties of microbeads prepared by colloidal injection moulding
  • Porous ceramic from particle-stabilised foams via gelcasting
  • Preparation and characterisation of nano-sized beta-tricalcium phosphate with a PS template method
  • A simple hydrothermal method to synthesise highly pure hexagonal and rhombus Ī±-LiAlO2 nanosheets
  • Design and preparation of chitosan/HA composite scaffolds for tissue engineering with long-bone-like structure
  • Effect of colouring agent on colourisation and structure of Li2O-Al2O3-SiO2 glass ceramics
  • Ceramic ball pen and mathematical modelling
  • Preparation of nanometer magnesium aluminate spinel powders by sol-gel method
  • Low temperature preparation of perpendicularly oriented ZnO nanosheet films and application to Dye-sensitised Solar Cells
  • Failure site transition in Pb-free solder joints caused by manufacturing variabilities in BGA and MLF components in low cycle fatigue analysis
  • Determination of residual strain by combining EBSD and DIC techniques
  • Controlled release of Berberine Chloride by electrospun core/shell PVP/PLCL fibrous membranes
  • Study of a halogen-free flame-retarded Polypropylene composition with balanced strength and toughness
  • Interfacial interaction of clay with binary blends of polyamide 6 with High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) and HDPE-graft-acrylic acid studied by Positron Annihilation Lifetime Spectroscopy
  • Curing, thermal stability and composite properties for blends of the novel bismaleimide and cyanate containing naphthalene
  • Interfacial stress analysis in tensile of Polypropylene/CaCO3 composites

Call for papers: Cultural Heritage and Tourism: Trends and Innovative Strategies for Learning and Management

A special issue of International Journal of Web Based Communities

The main scope of the special issue is to focus on the changes and the impact of the technology in heritage sites, museums and on cultural tourism. Many of the contexts and challenges faced by heritage institutions are the result of rapid changes at the nexus of society and technology. One of the issues that was not taken into account in initial applications was the human factor. Most technological applications require a design and documentation; managing and updating that depend on the institutions. To obtain satisfactory results requires a common understanding of the main factors involve in cultural communication. Managing those resources (i.e. databases, news, etc.) involves developing interfaces for content managers (CMS) adapted to the institutions and users. The topic is even more important when content providers are even the general public (Web 2.0 or Web 3.0) which is the case in web based communities. The special issue aims to develop a view of digital heritage informed by both theory and the practical methods and skills necessary to become creative and effective new media professionals and users in the heritage and tourism sector.

Contributed papers may deal with, but are not limited to:

Learning communities
  • Virtual learning environments and Issues
  • Evaluation of technologies applied to heritage
  • Best practice examples concerning heritage sites and museum management
  • Educational experience from heritage, museums and tourism
  • Heritage (cultural, historical, natural, etc.)
  • New tools and platforms for m-learning, management and development of learning resources
  • Creative technology and learning
  • Evaluation and assessment
New Media and E-Society
  • Digital museum and heritage
  • Innovative technology
  • Tourism impacts
  • E-learning organisational issues
  • Case studies examining and identifying successes
  • Users, design and interactivity
  • Reports and empirical evaluation of resources, programs, web pages, etc
Important Dates
Submission of Title and Extended Abstract deadline: 30 January, 2010
Full paper submission deadline: 15 March, 2010
Final version of the paper: 30 April, 2010

3 February 2010

Call for papers: User Modelling through Real Sense Media for Adaptive and Personalized Systems

A special issue of International Journal of Data Analysis Techniques and Strategies

Adaptive and personalized systems capture the users’ intentions and model them so as to adapt themselves according to the user or group of users for collaboration between users and systems and recommendations. User modelling is highly necessary in various applications such natural language understanding, dialogue systems, computer-based educational systems, online learning environments, computer supported collaboration systems, cooperative and decentralized systems, recommender systems for e-commerce, movies, news and entertainment, etc.

Currently, most of the user modelling systems capture users’ intentions, interests and preferences through textual formats. Thereby they do not leverage interests that are available in various other forms such as multimedia. Furthermore, recent advances in computing, networking and mobile media technologies help users to express their intentions involving all five human senses, which we call real sense media or multiple sense media.

This special issue aims at bringing out best practices, current research and promising trends in user modelling involving real sense media methods and techniques. Thus, adaptation systems can model users who are behind the request, their personal setting, their intentions, preferences and the context of the person with the ultimate goal of answering information requests with appropriate and relevant information.

Topics of interests include but not limited to the following:
  • Capturing user intentions through multiple senses media
  • Capturing user interests, preferences and affective states through multiple senses media
  • Modelling users knowledge, skills, needs, and preferences
  • Real sense media architectures for user modelling
  • Privacy and security for user modelling
  • Learning and prediction from user modelling
  • Performance issues of user modelling systems
  • Semantic metadata standards for user modelling
  • Platforms and environments for users
  • Applications such as e-commerce, e-health, e-learning, digital libraries, e-culture, recommender systems, IR systems, social networks, cooperative systems, e-agriculture, entertainment and gaming
Important Dates
Manuscript due: 15 August, 2010
Notification of acceptance: 15 October, 2010
Revised paper due: 15 November, 2010
Submission of final revised paper: 30 November, 2010

Call for papers: Challenges in Scalable Context Aware Multimedia Computing

A special issue of International Journal of Multimedia Intelligence and Security

Recent advances in computing, networking, and ICT devices such as laptops, iPods, personal digital assistants (PDA), cellular phones and iPhones have resulted in the development of intelligent context aware multimedia applications. The context aware technologies such as pervasive and ubiquitous computing are creating a revolution in multimedia applications which has a significant impact across consumers, enterprises, healthcare, culture, agriculture, and educational domains. However several challenges still remain in the context of multimedia retrieval such as indexing, querying, searching, retrieving, streaming, personalizing and mining multimedia data.

The main aim of this special issue is to bring out a collection of efficient techniques and applications in the area of context aware multimedia computing. Specifically the special issue will address new methods and techniques for multimedia retrieval that are scalable and context aware. It will also offer efficient ideas and methods to deliver and distribute multimedia content and services over wired and wireless networks at large scale, considering protocols, standards and security issues. Finally, we are also interested to report novel applications that exploit unique advantages which are offered by context aware multimedia computing, including telemedicine, home entertainment, games, surveillance, e-health and e-culture.

Topics of interest include but are not limited to the following:
  • Scalable techniques for multimedia indexing, retrieval and mining
  • Scalable multimedia personalization, streaming and delivery
  • Privacy and security issues for intelligent pervasive computing
  • Multimedia services for cooperative and decentralized networks
  • Multimedia context aware QoS support for complex networks
  • Protocols for multimedia networks
  • Online gaming (services, architectures, protocols, and security)
  • Interactive multimedia systems and applications
  • Distributed services middleware and systems for multimedia communications
  • TV-centric home networks, digital TV, and home-networked entertainment and games
  • Multimedia languages, standards, and formats for multichannel content distribution
  • Multimedia metadata standards such as MPEG7, TV Anytime and Topic maps
  • GRID and distributed systems for multimedia content production and retrieval
  • Web services for content distribution; distribution with P2P architectures
Important Dates
Manuscript due: 15 August, 2010
Notification of acceptance: 15 October, 2010
Revised paper due: 15 November, 2010
Submission of final revised paper: 30 November, 2010

Call for papers: Intra-industry Trade, Theory and Empirics

A special issue of International Journal of Economics and Business Research

In the past, many country-specific and industry-specific empirical studies attempted to identify the determinants of intra-industry trade (IIT). Today, it is generally accepted that vertical intra-industry trade (VIIT) can be explained by traditional theories. Fragmentation theory suggests that, as cost for services decline around the world, the multiple stages involved in goods’ production take place across two or more countries. Currently, the international economics literature is experiencing a boom in research measuring labour market adjustment and intra-industry trade called Smooth Adjustment Hypothesis (SAH). For this special edition, we encourage submissions of theoretical and empirical papers on SAH as well as on other emerging themes in intra-industry trade.

Topics include but are not limited to the following, as long as they touch on intra-industry trade:
  • Intra-industry trade and country characteristics
  • Intra-industry trade and industry characteristics
  • Intra-industry trade and fragmentation/ outsourcing
  • Changes of employment and marginal intra-industry trade
  • Theoretical models
  • Emerging intra-industry trade themes
Important Date
Deadline for submission: 30 December, 2010

Special issue: Classifying the classifiers in bioinformatics research

International Journal of Computational Intelligence in Bioinformatics and Systems Biology 1(3) 2010
  • Risk haplotype pattern discovery for gene mapping by recursive partitioning method based on weighted classification trees
  • Table of periodic properties of human immunodeficiency virus inhibitors
  • A minimum classification error framework suitable for multicriteria gene selection: discovery of differentially methylated genes in small B-cell lymphomas
  • Evaluation of machine learning techniques for prostate cancer diagnosis and Gleason grading
  • Automatic brain MRI segmentation scheme based on feature weighting factors selection on fuzzy c-means clustering algorithms with Gaussian smoothing
  • A comparative study of multi-classification methods for protein fold recognition

Special issue: Innovations in redefining business horizons

International Journal of Electronic Customer Relationship Management 4(1) 2010

Papers from the International Conference on Innovations in Redefining Business Horizons (IIRB 2008) held in Delhi, India, 18-19 December 2008.
  • A framework of outsourcing relationship marketing: a focus on the Malaysian hotel industry
  • Total quality management and its impact on innovation performance: a study with respect to large and medium manufacturing organisations in India
  • A conceptual understanding of the impact of marketspace on the four P's of marketing
  • Mechanisms that drive cognitive performance across business expertise development – an integrated cross-cultural study
  • A simple approach to valuing Asian rainbow options
  • User's perspective of factor(s) influencing for ERP implementation in small and medium enterprises in India
  • Service quality gap and customers' satisfaction of private sector banks: an empirical study

Special issue: Product lifecycle management

International Journal of Manufacturing Technology and Management 19(3/4) 2010
  • Development of Product Lifecycle Management metrics: measuring the impact of PLM
  • Product Lifecycle Quality (PLQ): a framework within Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) for achieving product quality
  • Mechatronics Design Methodology applied at manufacturing companies
  • Multidisciplinary integrated design optimisation platform and application on active suspension
  • Integrated PLM-process-approach for the development and management of telecommunications products in a multi-lifecycle environment
  • Intelligent process modelling using Feed-Forward Neural Networks
  • A survey on the integration of product and package development
  • The impact of Product Lifecycle Management on virtual team creation: a concept change model for heightened productivity
  • Product Lifecycle Management in support of green manufacturing: addressing the challenges of global climate change
  • Entry-level engineering professionals and Product Lifecycle Management: a competency model
  • PLM-based certification process in aeronautics extended enterprise
  • Application of PLM in higher education procurement

Special issue: Life cycle thinking and engineering applications – Part I

International Journal of Sustainable Manufacturing 1(4) 2009

The 15th CIRP International Conference on Life Cycle Engineering held in Sydney, Australia, 17-19 March 2008.
  • Methodology for the design of sustainable production systems
  • Supporting development of modular products utilising simplified LCA and fuzzy logic
  • A Bayesian decision support system for vehicle component recovery
  • Characteristics of the automotive remanufacturing enterprise with an economic and environmental evaluation of alternator products
  • Exhausting lifetime by multitiered reuse with forced circulation in closed-loop manufacturing
  • An integrated methodology for assessing physical and technological life of products for reuse

1 February 2010

Special issue: Behavioural accounting

International Journal of Behavioural Accounting and Finance 1(3) 2010
  • Balanced scorecard design preferences according to subjects' knowledge and expertise
  • Understanding the behavioural aspects of costing systems in public health organisations
  • The effect of a superior's preference and process control on a subordinate's information processing strategy
  • A theoretical model of cognitive factors that affect auditors' performance and perceived independence
  • Measuring type I and type II errors in an estimation model: an empirical analysis; the case of bankruptcy

Special issue: Product service solutions in life-cycle activities

International Journal of Internet Manufacturing and Services 2(1) 2009
  • A competitive framework for industrial product-service systems
  • A new conceptual architecture to enable iPSS as a key for service-oriented manufacturing executive systems
  • IT-supported value-added chains for the integration of products and services
  • Achieving mass customisation through servicification
  • A systematic approach for predictive maintenance service design: methodology and applications
  • An effective and efficient method to design services: empirical study for services by an investment-machine manufacturer

Call for papers: Exploring Careers of Skilled Immigrants in the Middle-East

A special issue of International Journal of Business and Globalisation

The management research on international mobility remains focused on immigrants in the ‘West’ such as in Europe and U.S.A (Al Ariss and Ɩzbilgin, 2010; Inal, Ɩzbilgin and Karataş-Ó¦zkan, 2009). Nevertheless, career of skilled immigrants in the Middle-East is under-researched in the management studies (Healy and Ɩzbilgin, 2003). Accordingly, we know little on the career barriers and also on the opportunities as well as the strategies that immigrants in the Middle-East use to advance their careers. This theme is of great importance as of the large numbers of immigrants in this region. For example, organizations in oil exporting countries within the region are in need of employing expatriates from different parts of the world ( Richardson and McKenna, 2003). However, in complete contrast to this openness towards attracting an international workforce, granting work and citizenship rights in some Middle-Eastern countries is a very complicated process.

We are interested in empirical and conceptual research that investigates the careers of skilled people undertaking an international mobility to or within the Middle-East region. This includes persons relocating to the Middle-East from European countries, Canada, U.S.A as well as from other countries. This also includes people moving from one Middle-Eastern country to another (such as the case of many Palestinians, Lebanese and Syrians) (Yapp, 1995). This international mobility could be undertaken on temporarily or permanent basis.

Countries in the Middle-East as well as immigrants in this region are not homogeneous ( Tanova, Karatas-Ɩzkan and Inal 2008). Accordingly, we are interested in studies that situate the career experiences of the immigrants within national and historical settings. This situational approach would offer a good representation of the diversity of careers available for immigrants in this region. Papers could examine the career of immigrants from micro-individual, meso-organizational, and macro contextual levels (Ɩzbilgin, 2006; Syed, 2008). Contributors might decide to focus on one of these levels or to have a multilevel study. Papers using different methodological approaches and inter-disciplinary perspectives are welcome.

References:
Al Ariss, A. and M. Ɩzbilgin (2010). ‘Understanding Self-Initiated Expatriates: Career Experiences of Lebanese Self-initiated Expatriates’, Thunderbird International Business Review, 54(4).
Inal, G., M., Ɩzbilgin, M. Karatas-Ɩzkan (2009). Understanding Turkish Cypriot Entrepreneurship in Britain. In T. Kucukcan and V. Gungor (eds), Turks in Europe: Culture, Identity, Integration, Amsterdam: Turkevi Research Centre, pp. 483-513.
Ɩzbilgin, M. F. (2006). ‘Relational methods in organization studies: a review of the field’. In O. Kyriakidou and M. F. Ɩzbilgin (eds), Relational Perspectives in Organizational Studies. A Research Companion, pp. 244-264. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar.
Ɩzbilgin, M. and G. Healy (2003). ‘"Don't mention the war" - Middle Eastern careers in context’, Career Development International, 8(7), pp. 325 - 327.
Richardson, J. and S. McKenna (2003). ‘International experience and academic careers: what do academics have to say?’, Personnel Review, 32(6), pp. 774-795.
Syed, J. (2008). ‘Employment prospects for skilled migrants: A relational perspective’, Human Resource Management Review, 18 (1), pp. 28-45.
Tanova, C., M. Karatas-Ɩzkan and G. Inal (2008). ‘The process of choosing a management career. Evaluation of gender and contextual dynamics in a comparative study of six countries: Hungary, Israel, North Cyprus, Turkey, UK and the USA’, Career Development International, 13(4), pp. 291-305.
Yapp, M. (1995). The Near East Since the First World War. London: Longman.

Suitable topics include but are not limited to:
  • From a regional comparative perspective, what are the limitations and opportunities that the different state policy interventions in the Middle-East present for skilled immigrants' career development?
  • At a national level, how do state policy interventions in the different Middle-Eastern countries influence the career experiences of skilled immigrants?
  • How does the intersection of gender and ethnicity affect skilled immigrants' career development in the context of employment in the Middle-East?
  • At the micro-individual level, what explains how skilled immigrants can have successful (or unsuccessful) careers in the Middle-East?
  • What do we know about immigrant entrepreneurs in the context of the Middle-East?
  • Within career and management studies, what theoretical frameworks/sensitizing concepts could be suitable to study careers of skilled immigrants in the Middle-East?
  • What interdisciplinary approaches (e.g. sociological, political, socio-cultural, ideological and economical) could be suitable to examine their career experiences?
Important Date
Deadline for submissions: 30 November 2010

Call for papers: The Role of Expatriates, Inpatriates and Cross-functional Global Teams in Transition Economies

A special issue of International Journal of Human Resources Development and Management

During the last 20 years the transition countries have experienced different degrees of decentralization, deregulation, and market-oriented transformation. They have also changed the characteristics of the labour market from an exclusively formal and public one to one that is extremely polarized, with pre-transition formal employment in the state sector coexisting with an often highly informal emerging private market.

Current transformations of CEE (Central Eastern Europe) needs:
  • A highly skilled professional workforce for the new 'knowledge-economy';
  • comparability of educational outputs and knowledge worldwide;
  • mobility of graduates and workforce;
  • growing employability in MNCs.
For over 30 years, much of the literature on IHRM has focused on the issue of expatriation. The Grainger, R. J. & Nankervis, A. R. (2001) paper examines the foundations of earlier views of 'expatriate management', and suggests ways in which a new paradigm, more reflective of modern globalisation, might be developed. Gerhart (2005, 178) justifies the question, to what extent Western Strategic Global Human Resource Management (SGHRM) framework is valid for other (in this case, CEE) contexts by saying: “This is a concern because it seems unlikely that one set of HR practices will work equally well no matter what context This requires the effective identification and specification of the issue of expatriation and inpatriation. Although CEE is still comprised of mostly ‘sending’ countries, it is likely that some of them will soon become ‘receiving’ countries, suggesting a shift to the brain circulation form of migration. These countries, also called ‘buffer zone countries’, will probably become attractive for immigrants from distant places because they are located along the EU border (IOM 2003).

As the globalisation of the business world continues with ever faster changes, new trends have emerged within the field of role of expatriate management for transition countries. To what extent and in what ways are MNCs and their managers becoming truly “international”? This special issue aims to give voice to researchers from around the world on this issue of innovative SGHRM practices and specifically questions how SGHRM practices, such as the role of global organizations’ recruitment, retraining and redeployment, performance appraisal and compensation, enhance corporate performance during the change process. To what extent is SGHRM practice predominantly ethnocentric or ‘truly global’?

Although submitted manuscripts may focus on theory development, empirical testing, or case analysis, they should further understanding of why and how knowledge transfer can and do influence economic development in theory and practice. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:
  • Knowledge paradigm in transition countries
  • Internationalization of HRM through reverse transfer
  • Role of MNC for transition countries
  • Learning transfer in multinational companies
  • Approaches in the diffusion of knowledge or
  • Careers and flexibility in the new economy
  • Importance of knowledge network
  • Dual careers
  • Global careers
  • Internal and external social networks
  • Cross cultural training
  • The language barrier
  • Global virtual teams
  • 'Born global' or international entrepreneurial ventures
  • Important implications for Western-CEE partners in HRM
  • The role of expatriates, inpatriates and cross-functional global teams in developing and disseminating effective HR practices
  • Organizational learning in MNCs
  • Global organizations: an ethical perspective
  • Role of multiculturalism
  • Knowledge sourcing by foreign multinational
  • Government funded programmes
  • Grants and cooperative agreements

Important Date
Paper Submission Deadline: 31 October, 2010

Call for papers: Climate Change

A special issue of Interdisciplinary Environmental Review

A history of the evolution of carbon trading schemes and current practice in Europe helps put in perspective the current hesitancy of political parties in advanced nations to decide upon carbon reduction targets, pricing mechanisms, permit allocation techniques and public investment. Within the debate, there has been no in-depth discussion of viable alternatives, neither has there been a focus on whether 'climate change' and all its effects is due to factors other than carbon emissions. Such factors include deliberate deforestation, inappropriate farming methods, bad river, water, catchment and land management.

This special issue is devoted to questions such as:
  • Will the debate on climate change ever be resolved?
  • Is it necessary to accept climate change facts in order for governments to take action on reversing land degradation and water shortage issues?
  • Why are schemes for carbon emissions trading being advocated as the ultimate solution
  • What vested interests are involved in terms of an agency paradigm that could explain such advocacy?
  • Can carbon emissions be accurately measured and priced?
  • How will this reverse climate change
  • What is extent of land degradation world wide?
  • Do all countries have a problem of food and water shortages both now and in the future?
The debate needs the skills of many disciplines to solve and this special issue seems to open up the debate to all

Topics include but are not limited to the following, as long as they touch on climate change, land and water management, food and water shortages and security:
  • Land degradation
  • Catchment management
  • Droughts
  • Carbon levels in soils
  • Carbon capture
  • Alternative energy sources
  • Emerging nations vs developed nations
  • Contributions to the reversal of land
  • Water degradation
Important Date
Deadline for submission: May 30th, 2010