Showing papers on "Service provider published in 2012"

This is Service Design Thinking: Basics – Tools – Cases

Abstract: How to design and market services to create outstanding customer experiences Service design thinking is the designing and marketing of services that improve the customer experience, and the interactions between the service providers and the customers. If you have two coffee shops right next to each other, and each sell the exact same coffee at the exact same price, service design is what makes you walk into one and not the other. Maybe one plays music and the other doesn't. Maybe one takes credit cards and the other is cash only. Maybe you like the layout of one over the other, or one has more comfortable seating. Maybe the staff at one is friendlier, or draws fun shapes on the top of their lattes. All of these nuances relate to service design. This Is Service Design Thinking combines the knowledge of twenty-three international authors and even more online contributors from the global service design community and is divided into three sections: * Basics: outlines service design thinking along five basic principles * Tools: describing a variety of tools and methods used in Service Design Thinking * Cases: vivid examples for the introduced fundamentals with real-life case studies from 5 companies that did inspiring projects within the field of Service Design At the end, a one-page "Customer Journey Canvas" is included, which can be used to quickly sketch any service on a single sheet of paper capturing different stakeholder concerns: e.g. customers, front-line staff and management.

Cooperative Provable Data Possession for Integrity Verification in Multicloud Storage

Abstract: Provable data possession (PDP) is a technique for ensuring the integrity of data in storage outsourcing. In this paper, we address the construction of an efficient PDP scheme for distributed cloud storage to support the scalability of service and data migration, in which we consider the existence of multiple cloud service providers to cooperatively store and maintain the clients' data. We present a cooperative PDP (CPDP) scheme based on homomorphic verifiable response and hash index hierarchy. We prove the security of our scheme based on multiprover zero-knowledge proof system, which can satisfy completeness, knowledge soundness, and zero-knowledge properties. In addition, we articulate performance optimization mechanisms for our scheme, and in particular present an efficient method for selecting optimal parameter values to minimize the computation costs of clients and storage service providers. Our experiments show that our solution introduces lower computation and communication overheads in comparison with noncooperative approaches.

Conceptualising value co-creation: A journey to the 1970s and back to the future

Abstract: Service-Dominant (S-D) Logic asserts that firms and customers always co-create value. This article argues that the co-creation of value term, as used by Vargo and Lusch (2008), is strongly metaphorical in its construction, and this metaphoric form acts as a barrier to focused empirical analysis. An alternative conceptualisation is offered. It is argued that value co-creation can be defined as the joint actions by a customer (or another beneficiary) and a service provider during their direct interactions. Value creation in such interactive contexts was studied as early as the 1970s in the early days of modern service marketing research. This article relies on two models from that time to develop a value co-creation logic and a conceptual model of value co-creation as an alternative schema to S-D logic.

Intra-vehicle information conveyance system and method

Abstract: System and method for conveying data between vehicles includes a data generating system arranged on a first vehicle to obtain or generate information about the first vehicle or conditions around the first vehicle, a first communications system arranged on the first vehicle and coupled to the data generating system for communicating with a wireless Internet service provider (ISP) and a second communications system arranged on a second vehicle and communicating with an ISP. The first communications system enables the information obtained or generated by the data generating system to be transmitted via the Internet to the second communications system. The first and second communications systems can communicate with the same ISP or different ISPs linked to one another.

Voice-enabled documents for facilitating operational procedures

Abstract: A voice-enabled document system facilitates execution of service delivery operations by eliminating the need for manual or visual interaction during information retrieval by an operator. Access to voice-enabled documents (400) can facilitate operations for mobile vendors, on-site or field-service repairs, medical service providers, food service providers, and the like. Service providers can access the voice-enabled documents by using a client device to retrieve the document, display it on a screen, and, via voice commands initiate playback of selected audio files containing information derived from text data objects selected from the document. Data structures (402, 406, 408) that are components of a voice-enabled document include audio playback files (406) and a logical association (408) that links the audio playback files (406) to user-selectable fields, and to a set of voice commands.

Quality of experience for HTTP adaptive streaming services

Abstract: The growing consumer demand for mobile video services is one of the key drivers of the evolution of new wireless multimedia solutions requiring exploration of new ways to optimize future wireless networks for video services towards delivering enhanced quality of experience (QoE). One of these key video enhancing solutions is HTTP adaptive streaming (HAS), which has recently been spreading as a form of Internet video delivery and is expected to be deployed more broadly over the next few years. As a relatively new technology in comparison with traditional push-based adaptive streaming techniques, deployment of HAS presents new challenges and opportunities for content developers, service providers, network operators and device manufacturers. One of these important challenges is developing evaluation methodologies and performance metrics to accurately assess user QoE for HAS services, and effectively utilizing these metrics for service provisioning and optimizing network adaptation. In that vein, this article provides an overview of HAS concepts, and reviews the recently standardized QoE metrics and reporting framework in 3GPP. Furthermore, we present an end-to-end QoE evaluation study on HAS conducted over 3GPP LTE networks and conclude with a discussion of future challenges and opportunities in QoE optimization for HAS services.

Customer experience modeling: from customer experience to service design

Abstract: Purpose – Customer experience has become increasingly important for service organizations that see it as a source of sustainable competitive advantage, and for service designers, who consider it fundamental to any service design project.Design/methodology/approach – Integrating contributions from different fields, CEM was conceptually developed to represent the different aspects of customer experience in a holistic diagrammatic representation. CEM was further developed with an application to a multimedia service. To further develop and build CEM's models, 17 customers of a multimedia service provider were interviewed and the data were analyzed using Grounded Theory methodology.Findings – Combining multidisciplinary contributions to represent customer experience elements enables the systematization of its complex information. The application to a multimedia service highlights how CEM can facilitate the work of multidisciplinary design teams by providing more insightful inputs to service design.Originality/...

System and method for providing electronic multi-merchant gift registry services over a distributed network

Abstract: An online Gift Registry Service provides registration of information for a gift registrant and allows access to the registry by potential gift giver users. In addition, users can tag items of interest at participating Service Provider (SP) sites and the SP sites will register these items with the Gift Registry Service on the user's behalf. It further provides a streamlined checkout process for purchasing these gift items with the registered SP sites (e.g. World Wide Web sites) over a distributed public network. Users and Service Providers (SP) initially register with the Gift Registry Service and are provided additional functionality. For users, a reminder service is provided to notify individuals automatically upon the trigger of certain events, such as important dates or product sales from online merchants. In addition, there are various occasion planning services available such as distribution lists, discussion groups, and other related resources for multiple events including weddings, baby showers, etc. These other resources include sending out announcements, reserving halls, and contracting services of related businesses for the occasion. A distinct advantage of this system is that users can perform all the planning for the event online in the comfort of their home or office. Service Providers on the other hand, can register system notification messages to be triggered on pre-determined events. In addition, Service Providers can obtain marketing information to tailor their products and services.

Research Note---Effects of Individual Self-Protection, Industry Self-Regulation, and Government Regulation on Privacy Concerns: A Study of Location-Based Services

Abstract: This study seeks to clarify the nature of control in the context of information privacy to generate insights into the effects of different privacy assurance approaches on context-specific concerns for information privacy. We theorize that such effects are exhibited through mediation by perceived control over personal information and develop arguments in support of the interaction effects involving different privacy assurance approaches (individual self-protection, industry self-regulation, and government legislation). We test the research model in the context of location-based services using data obtained from 178 individuals in Singapore. In general, the results support our core assertion that perceived control over personal information is a key factor affecting context-specific concerns for information privacy. In addition to enhancing our theoretical understanding of the link between control and privacy concerns, these findings have important implications for service providers and consumers as well as for regulatory bodies and technology developers.

Targeted television advertising based on profiles linked to multiple online devices

Abstract: A profile provider: (i) associates a primary online device (OD1) with a set-top box (STB); (ii) a location of OD1 at some point in time is estimated to be “near” the STB, thereby establishing a STB proxy location; (iii) one or more secondary online devices (OD2s) are observed to be located “near” the STB proxy location and are associated with the STB; and (iv) a television advertisement is selected to be directed to the STB, which selection is based at least in part on profile information linked to one of the associated OD2s. The method can be particularly advantageous in situations wherein: the STB is not connected to any computer network; the STB is not ever connected to the same local area network as OD1 or OD2; or television service (used by the STB) and online access (used by OD1 and OD2s) are provided by different service providers.

Verifiable device assisted service usage billing with integrated accounting, mediation accounting, and multi-account

Abstract: A wireless device capable of communicating over a first wireless network and a second wireless network, the wireless device comprising one or more processors for executing one or more agents including an application interface agent for assisting in applying a policy by communicating with a software component associated with a service activity, the policy for reducing data usage over the first wireless network associated with the service activity, the policy enabling control of the service activity on the first wireless network that is different from how the service activity is controlled on the second wireless network, the one or more agents configured to: obtain a user input specifying at least an aspect of the policy, identify that the wireless device is connected to the first wireless network, identify an intended, attempted, or successful data communication over the first wireless network associated with the service activity, and apply the policy.

Programmatic management of software resources in a content framework environment

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products are disclosed for dynamically integrating software resources (such as web services and other back-end software resources) using the services of a content framework (such as a portal platform). A portlet model is leveraged to allow programmatic portlets to serve as proxies for web services, thereby extending portlets beyond their traditional visual role. A deployment interface and a system interface are described for these portlet proxies. The deployment interface is used for composing new web services, and a composition tool is described. The system interface allows for run-time management of the web services by the portal platform. The service provider for a particular function may be bound to the portlet proxy at development time or at run-time.

Examining mobile banking user adoption from the perspectives of trust and flow experience

Abstract: Due to the high perceived risk and poor experience associated with using mobile banking, it is critical for service providers to build users' trust and improve their experience. Integrating both perspectives of trust and flow experience, this research examined the factors affecting mobile banking user adoption. The results indicate that structural assurance is the main factor affecting trust, whereas ubiquity and perceived ease of use are the main factors affecting flow experience. Trust has a significant effect on flow experience, and both factors determine usage intention, which in turn affects actual usage. Thus mobile service providers need to concern both trust and flow experience to facilitate user adoption and usage of mobile banking services.

Systems and methods for using reputation scores in network services and transactions to calculate security risks to computer systems and platforms

Abstract: Instrumented networks, computer systems and platforms having target subjects (devices, transactions, services, users, organizations) are disclosed. A security orchestration service generates runtime operational integrity profiles representing and identifying a level of threat or contextual trustworthiness, at near real time, of subjects and applications on the instrumented target platform. Methods and systems are disclosed for calculating security risks by determining subject reputation scores. In an embodiment, a system receives a query for a reputation score of a subject, initiates directed queries to external information management systems to interrogate attributes associated with the subject, and analyzes responses. The system receives a hierarchical subject reputation score based on a calculus of risk and returns a reputation token. In another embodiment, a method provides real time attestation of a subject's reputation to a service provider using an endpoint trust agent, and a trust orchestrator comprising a reputation broker and a trust broker.

Initial delay vs. interruptions: Between the devil and the deep blue sea

Abstract: End user quality perception in the context of Internet applications is often characterized by waiting times before service consumption as well as interruptions during service consumption. In particular in case of bad network conditions, network and service providers have to trade off between these two impairment types, i.e. between the devil and the deep blue sea. In this paper we investigate this tradeoff in order to guide the design and development of Internet applications and network management approaches. The contribution of this paper is twofold. Firstly, we quantify the impact of initial delays on the user perceived Quality of Experience (QoE) for different application scenarios by means of subjective laboratory and crowdsourcing studies. We show that QoE for a given waiting time strongly depends on the concrete application at hand but that rating diversity remains fairly application-invariant. Secondly, using the example of YouTube video streaming we compare the influence of initial delays and interruptions (stallings) during watching. Our results demonstrate that users are extremely sensitive to interruptions and that services should be designed accordingly e.g. by increasing initial delay for prebuffering to overcome lack of resources.

Single sign on for cloud

Abstract: Systems and methods for single sign on to a cloud. The system includes a cloud service provider and a tenant. The cloud service provider has a consumer unit and a portal. The consumer unit provides an interface for a user to connect to the cloud service provider. The portal providing a cloud service to the user, the portal has a first authentication system that issues a security token request and that is connected to the consumer unit. The tenant includes the user and a second authentication system. The second authentication system signs the security token request. The consumer unit is adapted to communicate with the first authentication system using a first protocol and adapted to communicate with the second authentication system using a second protocol.

The devil is in the (implementation) details: an empirical analysis of OAuth SSO systems

Abstract: Millions of web users today employ their Facebook accounts to sign into more than one million relying party (RP) websites. This web-based single sign-on (SSO) scheme is enabled by OAuth 2.0, a web resource authorization protocol that has been adopted by major service providers. The OAuth 2.0 protocol has proven secure by several formal methods, but whether it is indeed secure in practice remains an open question. We examine the implementations of three major OAuth identity providers (IdP) (Facebook, Microsoft, and Google) and 96 popular RP websites that support the use of Facebook accounts for login. Our results uncover several critical vulnerabilities that allow an attacker to gain unauthorized access to the victim user's profile and social graph, and impersonate the victim on the RP website. Closer examination reveals that these vulnerabilities are caused by a set of design decisions that trade security for implementation simplicity. To improve the security of OAuth 2.0 SSO systems in real-world settings, we suggest simple and practical improvements to the design and implementation of IdPs and RPs that can be adopted gradually by individual sites.

Co-production and Third Sector Social Services in Europe: Some Concepts and Evidence

Abstract: The third sector is poised to play a leading role in public sector innovations in the twenty-first century. The third sector can enhance, facilitate, and promote greater citizen participation in the determination, provision, and governance of social services through co-production. This article explores some crucial conceptual issues related to the co-production of public services and the role of the third sector. It also provides some brief empirical evidence of the potential of the third sector, not merely as a service provider, but also as a facilitator of the re-democratization of the European welfare state. Here, collective action and third sector provision are crucial for distinguishing between co-production heavy and light. The conclusion focuses on the ability of the public, third, and for-profit sectors to embrace greater citizen participation and co-production.

SecuredTrust: A Dynamic Trust Computation Model for Secured Communication in Multiagent Systems

Abstract: Security and privacy issues have become critically important with the fast expansion of multiagent systems. Most network applications such as pervasive computing, grid computing, and P2P networks can be viewed as multiagent systems which are open, anonymous, and dynamic in nature. Such characteristics of multiagent systems introduce vulnerabilities and threats to providing secured communication. One feasible way to minimize the threats is to evaluate the trust and reputation of the interacting agents. Many trust/reputation models have done so, but they fail to properly evaluate trust when malicious agents start to behave in an unpredictable way. Moreover, these models are ineffective in providing quick response to a malicious agent's oscillating behavior. Another aspect of multiagent systems which is becoming critical for sustaining good service quality is the even distribution of workload among service providing agents. Most trust/reputation models have not yet addressed this issue. So, to cope with the strategically altering behavior of malicious agents and to distribute workload as evenly as possible among service providers; we present in this paper a dynamic trust computation model called "SecuredTrust.” In this paper, we first analyze the different factors related to evaluating the trust of an agent and then propose a comprehensive quantitative model for measuring such trust. We also propose a novel load-balancing algorithm based on the different factors defined in our model. Simulation results indicate that our model compared to other existing models can effectively cope with strategic behavioral change of malicious agents and at the same time efficiently distribute workload among the service providing agents under stable condition.

Generating Private Recommendations Efficiently Using Homomorphic Encryption and Data Packing

Abstract: Recommender systems have become an important tool for personalization of online services. Generating recommendations in online services depends on privacy-sensitive data collected from the users. Traditional data protection mechanisms focus on access control and secure transmission, which provide security only against malicious third parties, but not the service provider. This creates a serious privacy risk for the users. In this paper, we aim to protect the private data against the service provider while preserving the functionality of the system. We propose encrypting private data and processing them under encryption to generate recommendations. By introducing a semitrusted third party and using data packing, we construct a highly efficient system that does not require the active participation of the user. We also present a comparison protocol, which is the first one to the best of our knowledge, that compares multiple values that are packed in one encryption. Conducted experiments show that this work opens a door to generate private recommendations in a privacy-preserving manner.

Energy-Aware Autonomic Resource Allocation in Multitier Virtualized Environments

Abstract: With the increase of energy consumption associated with IT infrastructures, energy management is becoming a priority in the design and operation of complex service-based systems. At the same time, service providers need to comply with Service Level Agreement (SLA) contracts which determine the revenues and penalties on the basis of the achieved performance level. This paper focuses on the resource allocation problem in multitier virtualized systems with the goal of maximizing the SLAs revenue while minimizing energy costs. The main novelty of our approach is to address-in a unifying framework-service centers resource management by exploiting as actuation mechanisms allocation of virtual machines (VMs) to servers, load balancing, capacity allocation, server power state tuning, and dynamic voltage/frequency scaling. Resource management is modeled as an NP-hard mixed integer nonlinear programming problem, and solved by a local search procedure. To validate its effectiveness, the proposed model is compared to top-performing state-of-the-art techniques. The evaluation is based on simulation and on real experiments performed in a prototype environment. Synthetic as well as realistic workloads and a number of different scenarios of interest are considered. Results show that we are able to yield significant revenue gains for the provider when compared to alternative methods (up to 45 percent). Moreover, solutions are robust to service time and workload variations.

Cost-Driven Scheduling of Grid Workflows Using Partial Critical Paths

Abstract: Recently, utility Grids have emerged as a new model of service provisioning in heterogeneous distributed systems. In this model, users negotiate with service providers on their required Quality of Service and on the corresponding price to reach a Service Level Agreement. One of the most challenging problems in utility Grids is workflow scheduling, i.e., the problem of satisfying the QoS of the users as well as minimizing the cost of workflow execution. In this paper, we propose a new QoS-based workflow scheduling algorithm based on a novel concept called Partial Critical Paths (PCP), that tries to minimize the cost of workflow execution while meeting a user-defined deadline. The PCP algorithm has two phases: in the deadline distribution phase it recursively assigns subdeadlines to the tasks on the partial critical paths ending at previously assigned tasks, and in the planning phase it assigns the cheapest service to each task while meeting its subdeadline. The simulation results show that the performance of the PCP algorithm is very promising.