Industry 4.0 is changing disruptively all the industrial processes from their base, and metrology is being challenged by this new ‘wave’ of rethinking industry. Therefore, new quality control systems ...are being conceived for measurement purposes, as well as being installed in factories, which represents a huge management challenge, towards handling and processing a large amount of data, as well as developing the required theory for metrology assessment. In this paper, three examples of machine vision systems are presented, which are used to highlight some of the main issues that metrology must deal within this new paradigm. As a main conclusion, every company needs to design its own roadmap towards implementing the adequate methods and processes to be properly adapted and aligned with this new generation of metrology-related systems.
Information and communication technology enables extension services to farmers in developing countries. Although they have been deployed and adopted by farmers, the causal mechanisms (i.e., processes ...through which a result is brought about) underlying their adoption and use have not been adequately studied. This study uses the Critical Realism philosophical perspective to understand and integrate the various factors into a consistent and coherent model for adopting information and communication technology‐based extension services by agricultural extension officers in Mali. The study gathered data from 26 extension officers and farmers in Koulikoro and Segou, Mali. We analyzed the data using thematic analysis with the help of the qualitative data analysis software NVivo. The results revealed that the successful adoption of information and communication technology based extension services is the leading factor that can cause extension officers' satisfaction with agricultural extension services. This satisfaction drives societal change, that is, farmers improving their knowledge of extension services and extension officers efficiently disseminating them. In turn, this change may result in higher yield and, thus, better productivity. These findings guide policymakers, managers, and network providers for higher productivity in developing countries.
This study aimed to investigate the experiences of people with intellectual disability (ID) using information and communication technologies (ICTs) and the ways these technologies foster social ...connectedness. In partnership with a community mental health organization, this qualitative descriptive study explored the experiences of 10 people with ID using ICTs. Participants described how ICTs Opened the Door to Possibilities in their life – ICTs provided an avenue for connecting with other people, a means to pursue personal interests and a tool for organizing everyday life. Opening the door to possibilities was further understood as movement towards digital inclusion for people with ID, conceptualized as the fit between social opportunity and personal skills. We have identified the prominent role social supports play in creating (and constraining) opportunities for digital inclusion, and that digital inclusion has the potential to enable social connectedness and the development of agency. Consideration of the complex interaction between social opportunity and personal skills, and the mediating influence of supports, will enhance the inclusion of people with ID.
The objective of this study is to critically review the smart city research paradigm and to find possible pitfalls, conflicting results and topics for further study and improvement. A qualitative ...comparison of the smart city initiatives in selected target countries and cities were done. The research strategy in this study approximates the grounded theory, utilising inductive reasoning to generate arguments and conclusions about the form, validity and future of the smart city. Various actors responsible to convert a traditional city to a smart city are defined and analysed within the context of this study. The main conclusion of this study was that the current research on smart city does not fully address the complex nature, conflicts and interdependencies of the smart city objectives. Moreover, the study found that the smart city initiatives form complex and multidisciplinary platforms that require holistic evaluation as the current evaluation methods and rankings of the smart cities vary considerably, making the evaluation of the success of the smart cities difficult.
•This study critically reviews the smart city research and to find possible strategies for improvement.•A comparison of the smart city initiatives in selected target countries were done.•This study approximates the grounded theory, utilising inductive reasoning to generate the smart city.•Various actors responsible to convert a traditional city to a smart city are defined and analysed.•The main conclusion of this study was that the current research on smart city does not fully address the complex nature, conflicts and interdependencies.
The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of information and communication technology (ICT) use for employees by exploring affective ICT events and their relation to employee recovery. We ...conducted two daily diary studies with knowledge workers in Germany. In study 1 (N = 153), we followed a qualitative approach by developing a taxonomy of negative and positive ICT events at work and at home. We found 11 negative (e.g., multichannel use, work e-mails in the evening) and 10 positive ICT event clusters (e.g., utilizing idle times, availability at home). In study 2 (N = 154), we examined how the occurrence of ICT-related events in the evening is related to detachment from work and sleep quality using a multilevel design. Study 2 provided a differentiated picture of relationships between evening ICT events and recovery. Overall, results indicate that work-related ICT events in the evening—even in cases where they are appraised as positive—are detrimental for employee recovery. Our study contributes to the refinement of the operationalization of ICT use for future analyses of ICT impacts and sheds light on the differential effects of specific types of ICT events. ICT use conceptualized as the occurrence of affective events helps to advance our understanding of the diversity of ICT-related experiences. The negative effects of handling work e-mails at home imply that organizations should engage in optimizing their “e-mail culture.”
Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) can be used in agriculture to provide farmers with a large amount of information. Precision agriculture (PA) is a management strategy that employs information ...technology to improve quality and production. Utilizing wireless sensor technologies and management tools can lead to a highly effective, green agriculture. Based on PA management, the same routine to a crop regardless of site environments can be avoided. From several perspectives, field management can improve PA, including the provision of adequate nutrients for crops and the wastage of pesticides for the effective control of weeds, pests, and diseases. This review outlines the recent applications of WSNs in agriculture research as well as classifies and compares various wireless communication protocols, the taxonomy of energy-efficient and energy harvesting techniques for WSNs that can be used in agricultural monitoring systems, and comparison between early research works on agriculture-based WSNs. The challenges and limitations of WSNs in the agricultural domain are explored, and several power reduction and agricultural management techniques for long-term monitoring are highlighted. These approaches may also increase the number of opportunities for processing Internet of Things (IoT) data.
Blockchain technology, while still challenged with key limitations, is a transformative Information and Communications Technology (ICT) that has changed our notion of trust. Improved efficiencies for ...agricultural sustainable development has been demonstrated when ICT-enabled farms have access to knowledge banks and other digital resources. UN FAO-recommended ICT e-agricultural infrastructure components are a confluence of ICT and blockchain technology requirements. When ICT e-agricultural systems with blockchain infrastructure are immutable and distributed ledger systems for record management, baseline agricultural environmental data integrity is safeguarded for those who participate in transparent data management. This paper reviewed blockchain-based concepts associated with ICT-based technology. Moreover, a model ICT e-agriculture system with a blockchain infrastructure is proposed for use at the local and regional scale. To determine context specific technical and social requirements of blockchain technology for ICT e-agriculture systems, an evaluation tool is presented. The proposed system and tool can be evaluated and applied to further developments of e-agriculture systems.
Smart cities use information and communication technologies (ICTs) to scale services include utilities and transportation to a growing population. In this paper, we discuss how smart city ICTs can ...also improve healthcare effectiveness and lower healthcare cost for smart city residents. We survey current literature and introduce original research to offer an overview of how smart city infrastructure supports strategic healthcare using both mobile and ambient sensors combined with machine learning. Finally, we consider challenges that will be faced as healthcare providers make use of these opportunities.
•We identify and examine the critical barriers to big data analytics.•We apply Delphi-based analytic hierarchy process.•We collect data from five Bangladeshi manufacturing companies.•We perform ...sensitivity analysis to justify the robustness of the barrier rankings.
Recently, big data (BD) has attracted researchers and practitioners due to its potential usefulness in decision-making processes. Big data analytics (BDA) is becoming increasingly popular among manufacturing companies as it helps gain insights and make decisions based on BD. However, there many barriers to the adoption of BDA in manufacturing supply chains. It is therefore necessary for manufacturing companies to identify and examine the nature of each barrier. Previous studies have mostly built conceptual frameworks for BDA in a given situation and have ignored examining the nature of the barriers to BDA. Due to the significance of both BD and BDA, this research aims to identify and examine the critical barriers to the adoption of BDA in manufacturing supply chains in the context of Bangladesh. This research explores the existing body of knowledge by examining these barriers using a Delphi-based analytic hierarchy process (AHP). Data were obtained from five Bangladeshi manufacturing companies. The findings of this research are as follows: (i) data-related barriers are most important, (ii) technology-related barriers are second, and (iii) the five most important components of these barriers are (a) lack of infrastructure, (b) complexity of data integration, (c) data privacy, (d) lack of availability of BDA tools and (e) high cost of investment. The findings can assist industrial managers to understand the actual nature of the barriers and potential benefits of using BDA and to make policy regarding BDA adoption in manufacturing supply chains. A sensitivity analysis was carried out to justify the robustness of the barrier rankings.
The purpose of this study was to gain a deeper understanding of the effects of information communication technology adoption on the innovativeness of medium and large-size manufacturing industries in ...Adama City, Ethiopia. The study employed a qualitative multiple-case study approach, interviewing top managers from five purposefully selected companies. Semi-structured interviews were used for in-depth discussions, and the data was analyzed using a cross-case analysis technique to identify common themes across all companies. The research findings revealed that information communication technology adoption supports the manufacturing industries by increasing production speed, enabling product promotion, performing online orders, and improving communication and organizational work structure. However, adoption is hindered by internal issues like unskilled workers, uncommitted managers, reluctant investors, financial limitations, and external challenges such as supply shortages, expensive equipment, poor education and policy systems, political instability, and lack of international payment options like PayPal and credit card bank services. Despite supporting innovation, information and communication technology used in manufacturing remains limited due to internal and external factors. The study recommends increased awareness training and government action on infrastructure, policy, and education to improve information and communication technology adoption.
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