We all like to know how reliable and how risky certain situations are, and our increasing reliance on technology has led to the need for more precise assessments than ever before. Such precision has resulted in efforts both to sharpen the notions of risk and reliability, and to quantify them. Quantification is required for normative decision-making, especially decisions pertaining to our safety and wellbeing. Increasingly in recent years Bayesian methods have become key to such quantifications. Reliability and Risk provides a comprehensive overview of the mathematical and statistical aspects of risk and reliability analysis, from a Bayesian perspective. This book sets out to change the way in which we think about reliability and survival analysis by casting them in the broader context of decision-making. This is achieved by: Providing a broad coverage of the diverse aspects of reliability, including: multivariate failure models, dynamic reliability, event history analysis, non-parametric Bayes, competing risks, co-operative and competing systems, and signature analysis. Covering the essentials of Bayesian statistics and exchangeability, enabling readers who are unfamiliar with Bayesian inference to benefit from the book. Introducing the notion of “composite reliability”, or the collective reliability of a population of items. Discussing the relationship between notions of reliability and survival analysis and econometrics and financial risk. Reliability and Risk can most profitably be used by practitioners and research workers in reliability and survivability as a source of information, reference, and open problems. It can also form the basis of a graduate level course in reliability and risk analysis for students in statistics, biostatistics, engineering (industrial, nuclear, systems), operations research, and other mathematically oriented scientists, wherein the instructor could supplement the material with examples and problems.

This handbook provides a comprehensive overview of Partial Least Squares (PLS) methods with specific reference to their use in marketing and with a discussion of the directions of current research and perspectives. It covers the broad area of PLS methods, from regression to structural equation modeling applications, software and interpretation of results. The handbook serves both as an introduction for those without prior knowledge of PLS and as a comprehensive reference for researchers and practitioners interested in the most recent advances in PLS methodology.

In strategic management and organizational theory, organizational effectiveness denotes the broadest domain of business performance. "What is the optimal structural configuration for organizational ambidexterity and to what extent is it contingent upon firm type?" To answer this research question, this study employs a two-step approach. In the first step, Sebastian Kortmann determines a structural configuration that generally supports organizational ambidexterity. Then, in a second step, he draws upon structural contingency theory and investigates to what extent this optimal structural configuration is dependent on firm type. ​

The book presents the latest studies on the work–life balance of millennial (also known as Generation Y) building professionals in Singapore and South Korea. Its main goal is to compare and contrast the workplace attitudes of millennials, and to provide guidelines that help supervisors in the construction industry manage their employees’ expectations regarding work–life balance. Accordingly, it explains and links various principles regarding work–life conflicts, work–life enrichments and the work–life interface. Furthermore, the book introduces readers to coping strategies, a dimension that has not yet been explored substantially and has the potential to contribute significantly to the study and understanding of work–life balance. The book makes recommendations for the top management on assigning a capable leader to drive the changes in the organization, and on empowering the leader to implement effective strategies for promoting work–life balance, especially for the millennials who are now playing an increasing central role in the global construction sector.

This book presents powerful tools for integrating interrelated composites--such as capabilities, policies, treatments, indices, and systems--into structural equation modeling (SEM). Jörg Henseler introduces the types of research questions that can be addressed with composite-based SEM and explores the differences between composite- and factor-based SEM, variance- and covariance-based SEM, and emergent and latent variables. Using rich illustrations and walked-through data sets, the book covers how to specify, identify, estimate, and assess composite models using partial least squares path modeling, maximum likelihood, and other estimators, as well as how to interpret findings and report the results. Advanced topics include confirmatory composite analysis, mediation analysis, second-order constructs, interaction effects, and importance–performance analysis. Most chapters conclude with software tutorials for ADANCO and the R package cSEM. The companion website includes data files and syntax for the book's examples, along with presentation slides.

The series "Studies in Computational Intelligence" (SCI) publishes new developments and advances in the various areas of computational intelligence – quickly and with a high quality. The intent is to cover the theory, applications, and design methods of computational intelligence, as embedded in the fields of engineering, computer science, physics and life science, as well as the methodologies behind them. The series contains monographs, lecture notes and edited volumes in computational intelligence spanning the areas of neural networks, connectionist systems, genetic algorithms, evolutionary computation, artificial intelligence, cellular automata, self-organizing systems, soft computing, fuzzy systems, and hybrid intelligent systems. Critical to both contributors and readers are the short publication time and world-wide distribution - this permits a rapid and broad dissemination of research results. The purpose of the 10th IEEE/ACIS International Conference on Computer and Information Science (ICIS 2011) was held on May16-18, 2011 in Sanya, Hainan Island, China is to bring together scientist, engineers, computer users, students to share their experiences and exchange new ideas, and research results about all aspects (theory, applications and tools) of computer and information science, and to discuss the practical challenges encountered along the way and the solutions adopted to solve them The conference organizers selected the best 20 papers from those papers accepted for presentation at the conference in order to publish them in this volume. The papers were chosen based on review scores submitted by members of the program committee, and underwent further rigorous rounds of review.

It is a great pleasure to share with you the Springer LNCS proceedings of the Second World Summit on the Knowledge Society, WSKS 2009, organized by the Open - search Society, Ngo, http://www.open-knowledge-society.org, and held in Samaria Hotel, in the beautiful city of Chania in Crete, Greece, September 16–18, 2009. The 2nd World Summit on the Knowledge Society (WSKS 2009) was an inter- tional scientific event devoted to promoting dialogue on the main aspects of the knowledge society towards a better world for all. The multidimensional economic and social crisis of the last couple of years has brought to the fore the need to discuss in depth new policies and strategies for a human centric developmental processes in the global context. This annual summit brings together key stakeholders involved in the worldwide development of the knowledge society, from academia, industry, and government, including policy makers and active citizens, to look at the impact and prospects of - formation technology, and the knowledge-based era it is creating, on key facets of l- ing, working, learning, innovating, and collaborating in today’s hyper-complex world. The summit provides a distinct, unique forum for cross-disciplinary fertilization of research, favoring the dissemination of research on new scientific ideas relevant to - ternational research agendas such as the EU (FP7), OECD, or UNESCO. We focus on the key aspects of a new sustainable deal for a bold response to the multidimensional crisis of our times.

As industries are rapidly being digitalized and information is being more heavily stored and transmitted online, the security of information has become a top priority in securing the use of online networks as a safe and effective platform. With the vast and diverse potential of artificial intelligence (AI) applications, it has become easier than ever to identify cyber vulnerabilities, potential threats, and the identification of solutions to these unique problems. The latest tools and technologies for AI applications have untapped potential that conventional systems and human security systems cannot meet, leading AI to be a frontrunner in the fight against malware, cyber-attacks, and various security issues. However, even with the tremendous progress AI has made within the sphere of security, it’s important to understand the impacts, implications, and critical issues and challenges of AI applications along with the many benefits and emerging trends in this essential field of security-based research. Research Anthology on Artificial Intelligence Applications in Security seeks to address the fundamental advancements and technologies being used in AI applications for the security of digital data and information. The included chapters cover a wide range of topics related to AI in security stemming from the development and design of these applications, the latest tools and technologies, as well as the utilization of AI and what challenges and impacts have been discovered along the way. This resource work is a critical exploration of the latest research on security and an overview of how AI has impacted the field and will continue to advance as an essential tool for security, safety, and privacy online. This book is ideally intended for cyber security analysts, computer engineers, IT specialists, practitioners, stakeholders, researchers, academicians, and students interested in AI applications in the realm of security research.

Offers twelve chapters of discussion surrounding various tools and methods utilized by scholars and academics. This title covers a range of approaches for strategists, managers, and researchers.