Open Government Data (OGD) initiatives can deliver many cultural and institutional benefits. This is why many governments are trying to establish an OGD ecosystem. However, although many countries ...have made good progress in doing so, some face significant challenges. In such cases, country-specific studies can prove valuable in understanding not only the current situation, but also in defining the obstacles to progress. As far as the authors of this paper can determine, this study is the first to examine the benefits of, and barriers to, implementation of the OGD initiative Saudi Arabia. The study conducts and analyses interviews with Saudi Arabian government officials in both leadership and technical positions, in order to obtain an informed view of the OGD initiative in Saudi. The study contributes to the existing knowledge base by identifying the main benefits of the Saudi Arabian Open Government Initiative and the barriers to its implementation.
Information sharing via social networking systems (SNS) is a common practice among academics, as well as others, that brings substantial benefits. At the same time, privacy concerns are widespread ...among SNS users, which may tend to inhibit their maximising the benefit from using the systems. This paper investigates the proposition that SNS user attitudes and behaviour are affected by privacy concerns, and that the effects are subject to significant cultural factors. A broad assessment of the literature provides the context for the study. Working in the context of Saudi Arabia, we apply a mixed-methods approach beginning with in-depth interviews, exposing in detail a range of views and concerns about privacy and SNS use, also allowing us to identify three key factors that bear on SNS usage and users' concerns. Analysis of these factors in the light of the "theory of reasoned action" derives a structural model predicting several hypotheses relating the factors and users' attitudes and behaviour. We assess the model through development of a questionnaire, administered to a large pool of academic participants, that allows us to examine how the model responds in general, and via multigroup partial least squares analyses, differentially to gender and to culturally distinct (Arab vs. non-Arab) constituents of the participant group. Results show good support for the hypotheses and clear gender and culture effects. Picking up issues from the interviews, discussion focuses on users' views about SNS providers' privacy policies and their inadequacy regarding culturally specific ethical concerns. We argue that these views may reflect different regulatory environments in combination with other cultural factors.
Recent advances in technology have made truly open and accessible government significantly more realisable. One of the ways in which governments are using this technology is in the implementation of ...online portals that allow open (i.e., public and unrestricted) access to data and use of data. Such portals can be used by citizens and professionals to facilitate improved decision-making across a wide range of areas, from car-parking to promoting entrepreneurialism. However, the existence of portals per se is not enough. To maximise their potential, users must also feel that they are both accessible and usable. To gain insights into the current state of usability of OGD portals for professionals working in data-related areas, a comparative study of the portals of the G7 group was carried out, using a mixed methodology. This is the first specific comparison of these portals for such users, as well as the first study to add a user-centred qualitative dimension to the research. The study’s findings showed that the G7 countries are not maximising the potential of their portals or collaborating effectively. Addressing these issues, and building better cross-national consistency, would help to improve the value delivered by investment in OGD portals. The study also further supported an existing user-centred, heuristic evaluation framework for application to a more specific user group, as well as more generally.
Information sharing via social networking systems (SNS) is a common practice among academics, as well as others, that brings substantial benefits. At the same time, privacy concerns are widespread ...among SNS users, which may tend to inhibit their maximising the benefit from using the systems. This paper investigates the proposition that SNS user attitudes and behaviour are affected by privacy concerns, and that the effects are subject to significant cultural factors. A broad assessment of the literature provides the context for the study. Working in the context of Saudi Arabia, we apply a mixed-methods approach beginning with in-depth interviews, exposing in detail a range of views and concerns about privacy and SNS use, also allowing us to identify three key factors that bear on SNS usage and users' concerns. Analysis of these factors in the light of the "theory of reasoned action" derives a structural model predicting several hypotheses relating the factors and users' attitudes and behaviour. We assess the model through development of a questionnaire, administered to a large pool of academic participants, that allows us to examine how the model responds in general, and via multigroup partial least squares analyses, differentially to gender and to culturally distinct (Arab vs. non-Arab) constituents of the participant group. Results show good support for the hypotheses and clear gender and culture effects. Picking up issues from the interviews, discussion focuses on users' views about SNS providers' privacy policies and their inadequacy regarding culturally specific ethical concerns. We argue that these views may reflect different regulatory environments in combination with other cultural factors.
Efficient body monitoring sensors Floos, Ahmad Yahya M.; Al-Mogren, Ahmad S.
2015 World Congress on Information Technology and Computer Applications (WCITCA),
06/2015
Conference Proceeding
Body sensor Networks (BSNs) are becoming increasingly as significant with the passage of time. Which are utilized and implementation in big demand for monitoring and measurement physiological ...parameters. BSNs are originated from WSN so they are having several similar characteristics. BSNs contain of numbers outside wearing sensor nodes are located and deploying over the human body or wearable around clothes. Which are continuously gathering data parameters of body area, to use for intelligent system in smart environments. BSNs need new transmission approaches that are effectively capable with requirements involve data transference, extremely low power level, and motility of the body area around it's smart environments. BSNs place the main techniques, challenges it covers are sensors, data gathering, and network communication on many aspects of network architecture. This paper produced Body Sensors Network Product based on virtual Hypercube structure backbone termed Smart BodyNet with a data gathering approach and internal routing between nodes to attempt several challenging BSNs network design issues in a new generation of smarter world. The Hypercube is an effective interconnection network a high-quality connectivity and maximum battery life are key benefits in their implementation as the backbone. In this work we use the interoperability, smart phone to do two tasks, first work as a base station to process, receive the gathered data from intelligent sensor nodes and to work as a gateway for attaching the movable and portable (Smart BodyNet) product to any other networks in smartest world involving integrated internet of things.
Smart BodyNet for Hypercube Body Sensor Network Floos, Ahmad Yahya M.; Al-Mogren, Ahmad S.
2015 5th National Symposium on Information Technology: Towards New Smart World (NSITNSW),
02/2015
Conference Proceeding
Body sensor Networks (BSNs) over the span of time are increasingly becoming significant and widely adopted. They are being utilized and implemented for monitoring and measurement the physiological ...parameters in both human beings and animals. BSNs are comprised of number of sensor nodes located and deployed over the human body or could be deployed in wearable form over the clothes. These sensors continuously gather the set parameters data of body area, to be used in the intelligent system in smart environments. BSNs need new transmission approaches that are both effective and capable of handling the requirements that involve data transference, functioning on extremely low power levels, and motility of the body area in the smart environments. BSNs are subjected to intensive research in major methods, challenges like sensors, data gathering, and network communication and many aspects of network architecture. This paper presents a Body Sensors Network Product based on virtual Hypercube structure backbone termed Smart BodyNet. Complemented by a data gathering approach and internal routing methodology between nodes to address several challenging BSNs network design issues in a environmented contributing to the smarter world. The Hypercube is an effective interconnection network whose main hallmarks are high-quality connectivity and maximum battery life as a backbone. In this work we leverage the concept of interoperability, smart phone to perform 2 (two) tasks. First, function as a base station to process, receive the gathered data from intelligent sensor nodes and secondly, to work as a gateway for attaching the movable and portable (Smart BodyNet) product to any other networks in the potential smart world involving integrated internet of things.
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