This chapter highlights the differences that exist between the e-commerce (EC) perspective of SMEs and the EC perspective from the researchers’ point of view. First the main aspects of SME EC found in a literature review are pointed out and then the results of a SME survey are presented. The findings of this survey, conducted with Austrian SMEs in the automotive industry sector, show for exampl...

The complementary blending of cold-pressed meadowfoam seed oil methyl esters (MFME) with soybean and waste cooking oil methyl esters (SME and WCME) was investigated. MFME prepared from cold-pressed meadowfoam oil exhibited an exceptionally high induction period (IP) of 66.2 h whereas SME and WCME yielded considerably lower values of 5.9 and 4.5 h, respectively. The kinematic viscosities (KVs) o...

This paper explores how interviews a¤ect the matching process when worker productivity is private information. Wages are determined by a single round of strategic bargaining after the worker is interviewed. The implications of this hiring process for the e¢ ciency of matching and the incidence and severity of statistical discrimination are considered. The better are …rms at identifying producti...

In this paper we introduce a formal approach to architectural design patterns based on an object-oriented model integrated with a process-oriented method for describing the patterns. The object-oriented model is based on the Abstract Data View (ADV) concept, which is a formal model for subjectivity in that it explicitly distinguishes between two kinds of objects, namely application objects and ...

In this paper we describe one of the authors’ experiences working for an IT service provider in an SME environment. The paper starts with an analysis of the factors typical for the SME business environment and discusses the typical shortcomings resulting from this constellation. Finally, a theory is proposed why the potential of object-oriented methods is not yet realized in the SME environment...

This case study introduces a four step approach used by a Singapore small and medium enterprise (SME) in implementing a cloud computing based integrated management system (IMS) to meet ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and OHSAS 18001 certification requirements. The objectives of this case study are to study: (1) the challenges encountered by an SME during the IMS integration process at each of the four lev...

The blaTEM-1 β-lactamase gene has become widespread due to the selective pressure of β-lactam use and its stable maintenance on transferable DNA elements. In contrast, blaSME-1 is rarely isolated and is confined to the chromosome of carbapenem resistant Serratia marcescens strains. Dissemination of blaSME-1 via transfer to a mobile DNA element could hinder the use of carbapenems. In this study,...

This paper presents a case-based planning system, called FAR-OFF, as an alternative approach to heuristic search generative planners, like HSP and FF. The FAR-OFF system introduces the use of a new similarity metric, called ADG (Action Distance-Guided), that is more accurate than other similarity metrics, and it also incorporates techniques to decrease the retrieval time, like the Footprint-bas...

Data privacy continues to be a very important topic, as our dependency on electronic communication maintains its current growth and private data is shared between multiple devices, users and locations. The growing amount and the ubiquitous availability of personal private data increases the likelihood of data misuse, where private data may be used against the privacy preferences of the person t...