“Convergence” is defined as the intertwinement of species or technologies. “Tech- logical convergence,” on the other hand, refers to a trend where a single product such as a cell phone, used in the past solely for communication, evolves into a product that functions not only as a communication device but incorporates the distinct function- ities of a number of other technologies, thereby enabling users to take pictures, listen to music, access the Web, send and receive e-mail messages, find their way, and so on, equally successfully. Social networks such as Facebook, YouTube, MySpace and LinkedIn, where users congregate, discuss certain issues, entertain themselves, and share information in t- tual, audio and video formats, are among the most frequented web sites. Social networks having Web 2. 0 features offer personalized services, allowing users to - corporate their own content easily and describe, organize and share it with others, thereby enriching users’ experience. More often than not, a capable cell phone is all you need to get access to such social networks and carry out all those tasks. Such tools tend to change our private, social and professional lives and blur the boundaries among them. In other words, our private, social and professional lives are converging, too: someone using a cell phone could be communicating with his/her friend(s), accessing information services, taking an exam using a learning management system, or conducting business.

Convergence has gained an enormous amount of attention in media studies within the last several years. It is used to describe the merging of formerly distinct functions, markets and fields of application, which has changed the way companies operate and consumers perceive and process media content. These transformations have not only led business practices to change and required companies to adapt to new conditions, they also continue to have a lasting impact on research in this area. This book’s main purpose is to shed some light on crucial phenomena of media and convergence management, while also addressing more specific issues brought about by innovations related to media, technologies, industries, business models, consumer behavior and content management. This book gathers insights from renowned academic researchers and pursues a highly interdisciplinary approach. It will serve as a valuable reference guide for students, practitioners and researchers interested in media convergence processes.

Information technology and its convergence issue is emerging rapidly as an exciting new paradigm with user-centric environment to provide computing and communication services. This area will be the most comprehensive topics with various aspects of advances in information technology and its convergence services. This book covers all topics as computational science and applications, electronics engineering, manufacturing technology, services, technical skill to control the robot, automatic operation and application, simulation and testing communication and many more.

The Media Convergence Handbook sheds new light on the complexity of media convergence and the related business challenges. Approaching the topic from a managerial, technological as well as end-consumer perspective, it acts as a reference book and educational resource in the field. Media convergence at business level may imply transforming business models and using multiplatform content production and distribution tools. However, it is shown that the implementation of convergence strategies can only succeed when expectations and aspirations of every actor involved are taken into account. Media consumers, content producers and managers face different challenges in the process of media convergence. Volume I of the Media Convergence Handbook encourages an active discourse on media convergence by introducing the concept through general perspective articles and addressing the real-world challenges of conversion in the publishing, broadcasting and social media sectors.

This volume aims to document the most important worldwide accomplishments in converging knowledge and technology, including converging platforms, methods of convergence, societal implications, and governance in the last ten years. Convergence in knowledge, technology, and society is the accelerating, transformative interaction among seemingly distinct scientific disciplines, technologies, and communities to achieve mutual compatibility, synergism, and integration, and through this process to create added value for societal benefit. It is a movement that is recognized by scientists and thought leaders around the world as having the potential to provide far-reaching solutions to many of today’s complex knowledge, technology, and human development challenges. Four essential and interdependent convergence platforms of human activity are defined in the first part of this report: nanotechnology-biotechnology-information technology and cognitive science (“NBIC”) foundational tools; Earth-scale environmental systems; human-scale activities; and convergence methods for societal-scale activities. The report then presents the main implications of convergence for human physical potential, cognition and communication, productivity and societal outcomes, education and physical infrastructure, sustainability, and innovative and responsible governance. As a whole, the report presents a new model for convergence. To effectively take advantage of this potential, a proactive governance approach is suggested. The study identifies an international opportunity to develop and apply convergence for technological, economic, environmental, and societal benefits. The panel also suggests an opportunity in the United States for implementing a program aimed at focusing disparate R and D energies into a coherent activity - a "Societal Convergence Initiative”. This study received input from leading academic, industry, government, and NGO experts from the United States, Latin America, Europe, Asia, and Australia.

This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 5th International Conference on Convergence and Hybrid Information Technology, ICHIT 2011, held in Daejeon, Korea, in September 2011. The 85 revised full papers presented were carefully reviewed and selected from 144 submissions. The papers are organized in topical sections on communications and networking; motion, video, image processing; security systems; cloud, RFID and robotics; industrial application of software systems; hardware and software engineering; healthcare, EEG and e-learning; HCI and data mining; software system and its applications.

Learn to utilize social media strategies that inspire behavior change in any landscape Strategic Social Media: From Marketing to Social Change, Second Edition combines best social media marketing practices with the application of traditional communication, behavior change, and marketing theories. More than a basic "how-to" guide, this innovative resource balances social media theory and real-world practice in a variety of areas, including advocacy, public health, entertainment, and education. With a clear and readable style, the authors explain the power and possibilities of social media to influence personal relationships and social change. The media environment of today is more mobile, visual, and personalized than ever before. In the second edition of Strategic Social Media, the authors incorporate advances in the field such as enhanced visual communication, digital experience sharing, omnichannel marketing, IoT, artificial intelligence, mass personalization, and social e-commerce. An entirely new chapter on utilizing social media for personal branding efforts is accompanied by new and updated examples, action plans, business models, and international case studies throughout. Covers all key aspects of strategic social media: landscape, messages, marketing and business models, social change, and the future Highlights opportunities to break down barriers with institutions of power, achieve greater transparency, and mobilize users through social media Contains social media strategies readers can apply to any past, present, or future social media platform Helps practitioners make better decisions about brand objectives and evaluate and monitor social media marketing efforts Provides clear guidance on crafting social media messages that reach intended audiences and ignite dialogue and behavior change Offering comprehensive coverage of both the theory and practice of facilitating behavior change in social media audiences, Strategic Social Media: From Marketing to Social Change, Second Edition, is essential reading for undergraduate and graduate students in digital and social media marketing courses, social media practitioners, entrepreneurs, digital content creators, journalists, activists, and marketing and public relations professionals.

The Media Convergence Handbook sheds new light on the complexity of media convergence and the related business challenges. Approaching the topic from a managerial, technological as well as end-consumer perspective, it acts as a reference book and educational resource in the field. Media convergence at business level may imply transforming business models and using multiplatform content production and distribution tools. However, it is shown that the implementation of convergence strategies can only succeed when expectations and aspirations of every actor involved are taken into account. Media consumers, content producers and managers face different challenges in the process of media convergence. Volume II of the Media Convergence Handbook tackles these challenges by discussing media business models, production, and users' experience and perspectives from a technological convergence viewpoint.

Enterprise Systems have been used for many years to integrate technology with the management of an organization but rapid technological disruptions are now creating new challenges and opportunities that require urgent consideration. This book reappraises the implementation and management of Enterprise Systems in the digital age and investigates the vital link between business processes, information technology and the Internet for an organization’s competitive advantage and success. This book primarily focuses on the implementation, operation, management and integration of Enterprise Systems with fastemerging disruptive technologies such as blockchains, big data, cryptocurrencies, artificial intelligence, cloud computing, data mining and data analytics. These disruptive technologies are now becoming mainstream and the book proposes several innovations that organizations need to adopt to remain competitive within this rapidly changing landscape. In addition, it examines Enterprise Systems, their components, architecture, and applications and enlightens readers on the benefits and shortcomings of implementing them. This book contains primary research on organizations, case studies, and benchmarks ERP implementation against international best practice.

This handbook covers the vast field of business information systems, focusing particularly on developing information systems to capture and integrate information technology together with the people and their businesses.Part I of the book, “Health Care Information Systems”, focuses on providing global leadership for the optimal use of health care information technology (IT). It provides knowledge about the best use of information systems for the betterment of health care services. Part II, “Business Process Information Systems”, extends the previous theory in the area of process development by recognizing that improvements in intra-organizational business processes need to be complemented by corresponding improvements in inter-organizational processes. Part III deals with “Industrial Data and Management Systems” and captures the main challenges faced by the industry, such as the changes in the operations paradigm of manufacturing and service organizations. Finally, Part IV, “Evaluation of Business Information Systems”, discusses the empirical investigation into the adoption of systems development methodologies and the security pattern of the business systems along with the mathematical models.