31 January 2008

Special issue: Sustainable consumption and innovation

International Journal of Innovation and Sustainable Development 2(2) 2007

Papers from the first conference of the Sustainable Consumption Research Exchange (SCORE!) network, held on 23 -25 November 2006 in Wuppertal, Germany.
  • Prioritising sustainable consumption patterns: key decisions and environmental gains
  • Leisure activities, time and environment
  • Eco-labelling and consumers: towards a re-focus and integrated approaches
  • How to convince the unconvincibles? A mass mediated approach to communicate sustainable lifestyles to a low-interest target group
  • The role of households in SCP agenda. A one-actor show or concerted action?
  • Experiments for transitions: an interactive approach to setting up breakthrough experiments
  • Linking policy and practice in sustainable production and consumption: an assessment of the role of NGOs

Special issue: Nanotechnology research activities in Australia

International Journal of Nanotechnology 5(2/3) 2008
  • Nanoporous silicon GRIN lenses
  • Organic modification of mesoporous silicon rugate filters: the influence of nanoarchitecture on optical behaviour
  • On the vibration assisted fluidisation of silica nanoparticles
  • Continuum modelling of gigahertz nano-oscillators
  • Nanofluidics and the Navier boundary condition
  • Molecular dynamics simulations of organoclays and polymer nanocomposites
  • Water purification by functionalised self-assembled monolayers on silica particles
  • Toward colloid-based biosensors for SNP genotyping and personalised medicine applications
  • Quantum transport in one-dimensional GaAs hole systems
  • Functionalising carbon nanotubes
  • Atomic-scale silicon device fabrication
  • Nanostructured self-assembly materials formed by non-ionic urea amphiphiles

30 January 2008

Newly announced journal: International Journal of Environmental Engineering

International Journal of Environmental Engineering - to begin publication in 2009 - will encourage environmental protection and innovative solutions to ensure healthy, safe, and efficient industrial operations. It will promote feasible system design, development, and management bringing together the sustainable technologies, people, and sound processes. It will provide cross-learning between various scientific and technological, as well as business and economics, disciplines comprising agriculture, fisheries, transportation, oil and gas, mining, metallurgy, and areas of conflict, taking into account environment, health and safety, and public concerns.

29 January 2008

Call for papers: The Comparative Analysis of Local Government Performance Measurement Systems: A Global Perspective

Call for papers: The Comparative Analysis of Local Government Performance Measurement Systems: A Global Perspective

A special issue of International Journal of Public Sector Performance Management

Across the globe, local governments and their brethren regional and national governments, are facing the growing prospect of undertaking performance measurement and management. Extensive research has been conducted over the last two decades on understanding the evolution of performance measurement systems (PMSs), their adoption and, in some cases their effectiveness, both subjective and objective (see, for example, Poister, 2003). More recently, progress has been made in understanding challenges in measuring and comparing bureaucracies across countries at the national level (see, for example, Van de Walle, 2005, 2006).

The next stage or evolution in this arena of interest is the comparison of local government performance and bureaucracy. This is particularly important given the continuing push by many international agencies for devolution or decentralisation of government functions (for example, OECD, 2001). In order to address this lack of a unifying framework, this call for papers seeks work that will build our theoretical, conceptual and empirical understanding of the functioning of local government performance measurement systems and benchmarking efforts across countries and the potential implications of the functioning of such systems on comparisons across countries.

Specifically, we are seeking papers that include, but are not limited to, the following topics:
  • Comparing performance measurement systems across local governments
  • Discussion and analysis of cross-national benchmarking projects concerning local governments
  • Theoretical issues connected to the comparison of local public sector performance across countries
  • Consequences at the policy and managerial level of cross-national comparisons
  • Performance measurement in local and regional government in the reporting process to the EU (accountability for funds).
Important Dates
Submission of full paper before: 1 June, 2008
Notification of acceptance before: 15 August, 2008
Submission of final and revised manuscripts: 1 November, 2008

Special issue: Pollutant control by microbial technology

International Journal of Environment and Pollution 32(1) 2008
  • Biodegradation of phenol in refinery wastewater by pure cultures of Pseudomonas aeruginosa NCIB 950 and Pseudomonas fluorescence NCIB 3756
  • Microbial degradation of phenols: a review
  • The process of flotation: an efficient solid/liquid separation technique for biological materials
  • Treatment of distillery anaerobic effluent in a hybrid biological reactor
  • Potential of biofiltration for VOCs emission control and safety aspects
  • Phenol degradation and microbial characteristics in upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactors at ambient and mesophilic temperatures
  • Behaviour of bacterial extracellular polymeric substances from activated sludge: a review
  • Distribution and characterisation of nitrogen-utilising bacteria in a eutrophic shallow lake in eastern China
  • Characterisation of a bioassay using the marine alga Dunaliella tertiolecta associated with spectroscopic (visible and infrared) detection
  • Supporting the development of environmentally sustainable technologies and products: the role of innovation, informal cooperation and governmental agency

Special issue: Entrepreneurship, innovation and economic development: a policy framework

International Journal of Foresight and Innovation Policy 4(1/2) 2008
  • The structure and location of business R&D: recent trends and measurement implications
  • Driving forces for innovation: are they measurable?
  • From entrepreneurship to economic growth: a three-stage approach
  • Assessing the value of e-businesses in emerging markets: spotlight on Romania
  • Science Parks: what they are and how they need to be evaluated
  • Average patent pendency and examination errors: a queuing theoretic analysis
  • Demographic change and regional competitiveness: the effects of immigration and ageing
  • Locus of control and cross-cultural adjustment of expatriate managers
  • Religion and state economic growth in the USA

Newly announced journal: International Journal of Advanced Mechatronic Systems

Research and experiments in the synergistic integration of mechanical engineering, electronic control and systems concepts have contributed significantly to the design of systems, devices, processes and products. International Journal of Advanced Mechatronic Systems - to begin publication in 2009 - will provide concise and quantitative expressions of the theoretical and practical developments in mechatronic systems and is set up to reflect the relevant generic studies.

27 January 2008

Call for papers: Air Pollution Control Technologies by Wet Scrubbing Techniques

Call for papers: Air Pollution Control Technologies by Wet Scrubbing Techniques

A special issue of International Journal of Environment and Waste Management

Atmospheric pollution is considered to be most dangerous pollutant of our ecosystem as it has direct influence over all living and nonliving things and its control by isolation and then cleaning becomes beyond man’s effort unless the pollutants are controlled at the source itself. A diverse variety of pollutants are emitted into the atmosphere by both natural, anthropogenic and industrial activities sources.

To control air pollution in chemical and allied process industries, wet scrubbing process plays a vital role to remove particulate and gaseous pollutants simultaneously. There are large varieties of wet scrubbers in use, the most important of which are spray towers and chambers, packed and plate columns, impingement type scrubbers, multi-stage bubble column, multi-jet column and the venturi scrubbers. These wet scrubbers used in practice to offer a choice between the liquid dispersed and gas dispersed systems. It is very important to incorporate design changes, modifications to enhance the efficiency of collection of air pollutants due to the stringent regulations in reasonably low energy dissipation.

Therefore, the aim of this special issue is to bring together research finding focusing research and development on air pollution abatement and control technologies with special reference to wet scrubbing processes and related areas.

Original research paper or reviews are invited in the following themes, which is not exhaustive:
  • Air pollution control techniques
  • Selection criteria of wet scrubbing techniques
  • Wet scrubbing processes of air pollution control
  • Design and hydrodynamics characteristics of air pollution control devices.
  • Air pollution modelling
  • Air pollution monitoring and EIA
  • Dispersion of air pollutants
  • Environmental effects of air pollutants
  • Green technologies of air pollution prevention
  • Air pollution control from stationary sources
  • Case studies of air pollution control in chemical process plant
Important Dates
Deadline for paper submission: 30 May, 2008
First turn of papers review: 30 June, 2008
Second turn of papers review: 30 August, 2008
Final papers submission: 30 October, 2008

Call for papers: Technology transfer and intellectual property

Call for papers: Technology transfer and intellectual property

A special issue of International Journal of Technology Transfer and Commercialisation

Intellectual property (copyright, trademark, and patent) rights, once considered the bailiwick of a small group of elite researchers, are now the focus of corporations, universities and many small businesses around the globe. In the US, for example, almost all research universities now patent and license technology and even small colleges are becoming involved in this process.

This new focus has fostered the formation of startup companies, generated jobs, and created better relations between educational institutions and their communities. Germany and Japan are seeking to jump on this bandwagon, inspired in the US by the Bayh-Dole amendment. This legislation allows educational institutions, engaged in government funded research, to license their inventions to corporations, retaining a portion of the royalties generated. The option of an exclusive license is often an adequate inducement to encourage the private sector to undertake the risk of product development which public sector entities are not well-suited to pursue. Concomitantly, students are becoming increasingly aware of the commercial potential of their work and engineering and business curricula reflect a rising interest in entrepreneurship and product development.

The goal of this special issue is to investigate, describe, and evaluate the current role IP rights play in facilitating the transfer of technology. With this knowledge, organizations, as well as entrepreneurs, can identify and adopt a strategy to take advantage of IP rights.

We are looking forward to receiving contributions including, but not limited to, the following topics:
  • Innovation and intellectual property
  • Idea development
  • Cross-discipline and cross-university fertilisation
  • Commercialisation infrastructure evolution
  • Case studies in commercialisation
  • Start-up formation
  • Software and business method patents
  • Licensing issues
  • Revenue sharing
  • Students and intellectual property rights
  • Confidentiality agreements
  • Union contract provisions concerning IP rights
  • Legislation and technology transfer
  • Sponsored research and external relationships
  • Public policy regarding IP rights
  • International issues
Types of submission:
  • Position articles [3500-5000 words]
  • Research articles [5000-6000 words]
  • Empirical surveys [3000-5000 words]
  • Case studies [2500-5000 words]

Important Dates
Deadline for Paper Submissions: 15 May 2008
Review Deadline: 15 July 2008
Notification of Acceptance: 15 August 2008
Deadline for Revised Papers: 30 October 2008

Special issue: Nanofabrication of biomaterials, components and devices

International Journal of Nano and Biomaterials 1(3) 2008
  • The development of nanoparticulate materials for biodegradable bone fracture plates: (I)
  • Polypyrrole incorporating biomolecules
  • The influence of coating technology on the mechanical performance of montmorillonite nanoclay reinforced acrylic bone cement
  • Induction of adipose tissue regeneration by chemically-modified hyaluronic acid
  • Electrospun nanofibres of polycaprolactone, and their use for tendon regeneration
  • Effect of nanoscale topography on fibronectin adsorption to sputter deposited calcium phosphate thin films
  • Nano-scale manipulation of silicate-substituted apatite chemistry impacts surface charge, hydrophilicity, protein adsorption and cell attachment
  • Manufacturing a nanometre scale surface topography with varying surface chemistry to assess the combined effect on cell behaviour
  • Electrical properties of biogenic material: bilirubin rich gallstone
  • Diamond film deposition on M2 steel using TiN interlayers

First issue: Afro-Asian Journal of Finance and Accounting

The first issue of Afro-Asian Journal of Finance and Accounting has just been published.

Scholarly research into finance and accounting issues affecting Africa, the Middle-East and Asia is currently wanting. A contributing factor is the lack of suitable journals dedicated to publishing high quality research on finance and accounting issues specifically affecting these regions. The journal bridge this gap in the finance and accounting literature and will help to generate greater research into these disciplines in Africa, the Middle-East and Asia. A major feature of the journal will be to emphasise the implications of this development and the effects on businesses, academics and professionals.

There is a free download of the papers from this issue.

First issue: International Journal of Innovation and Regional Development

The first issue of International Journal of Innovation and Regional Development has just been published.

The journal covers the regional dimensions of innovation and development. Due to the acceleration of technological development and adoption, and greater market competition, innovation is a prerequisite for enterprises to survive. Such innovation could be in the shape of new product development, new system adoption, web-based collaboration, e-learning, and so on. The span of innovation activity spreads not only in the manufacturing sector, but to the service sector as well.

Innovation takes place at the local, regional and international context, and often occurs under the spell of an entrepreneurial spirit and within small firms. Furthermore, joint venture for innovation does happen between firms. Joint partnerships for innovation at various levels create the need to investigate innovation in its regional context as well as understand its impact on the economy. Regional synergies for innovation are a dynamic way to advance an entity’s research performance; these studies lead to the establishment of best practices .

There is a free download of the papers from this issue

25 January 2008

Call for papers: Decision Models, Decision Aids and Strategic Decision Making

Call for papers: Decision Models, Decision Aids and Strategic Decision Making

A special issue of International Journal of Management and Decision Making

The aim of this special issue is to look into how the growth in the use of decision making models and computer-based decision aids such as decision support systems and intelligent-based systems, comprising expert systems and neural networks, impacts on various aspects of the strategic decision making. Such strategic decisions are capable of shaping the future direction, position and earnings of business organisations.

The developments in decision making models decision aids technology is taking place simultaneously with increase pressure on corporate entities particularly the multinationals operating in a globalised world of business. It would be interesting therefore to assess the level of use and the impact of these tools on the complex decision making process associated with managerial strategies. These strategies might be at corporate, SBU or functional level.

This special issue should be able to shed light on the motivation for the use of decision models and decision aids in strategic management, the impact of such tools on the quality of strategic decisions and the overall performance of entities in question, the current challenges posed by the use of these decision making tools and techniques and their future implications.

Manuscripts for the special issue are invited dealing with theoretical development, empirical research and/or case studies. Both academics’ and practitioners’ contributions are welcome.

Topics may include, but are not limited to:
  • Conceptual development of the relationship between decision making models and corporate strategies
  • Conceptual development of the relationship between computer-based decision aids and corporate strategies
  • The impact of decision making models and decision aids on strategic decisions relating to:
  • Outsourcing
  • Investment and finance
  • Business integration
  • Recruitment, promotion and HR policy issues
  • Marketing
  • Audit and control
  • MNC/SMEs
  • Arguments for or against the use of decision making models and computer-based decision aids in formulating corporate strategies
  • Current issues in decision models, decision aid and strategic decision making
  • Methodological issues in decision models, decision aids and strategic decision making
  • Case studies on effective decision making models
Important Dates
Submission deadline: 31 July, 2008
Notification of Acceptance: 30 September, 2008

1000 up!

Its nice to record that there have now been 1000 posts in this blog since it started in June 2006.
We hope it is being of value to readers.
Comments are always welcome - using the comments feature or by email to support@inderscience.com

Special issue: Privacy and security aspects of data mining

International Journal of Information and Computer Security 2(1) 2008
  • Privacy preserving data obfuscation for inherently clustered data
  • A fuzzy programming approach for data reduction and privacy in distance-based mining
  • A novel data distortion approach via selective SSVD for privacy protection
  • Data mining performance on perturbed databases: important influences on classification accuracy
  • Random orthogonal matrix masking methodology for microdata release

Special issue: Knowledge, technology and the digital divide: global perspectives

International Journal of Knowledge and Learning 3(6) 2007
  • Measuring the international digital divide: an application of Kohonen self-organising maps
  • Gender differences in the acceptance of information and communication technologies: the case of internet usage
  • Evaluating digital inclusion projects: a livelihood approach
  • Approaching the digital divide in Sub-Saharan Africa: technological determinism or social constructivism?
  • Integrating Web 2.0 in e-learning environments: a socio-technical approach

24 January 2008

Call for papers: Methods, Tools and Applications in Transport and Logistic Services

Call for papers: Methods, Tools and Applications in Transport and Logistic Services

A special issue of International Journal of Services Sciences

Planning, management and control of transport and logistic services for passengers and freight are generally complex or large-scale problems. They present economic, social, organisational and environmental aspects that need to be addressed. This special issue solicits original research papers, both theoretical and practical, and in both strategic and tactical aspects of operations management.

Papers addressing the all the stages in providing service support to transport and logistics at different territorial scale using analytical approaches are highly welcome. While the special issue focuses on service management and evaluation, analytical and practical papers (pilot projects and case studies specially with real data) dealing with service planning and innovation technologies are also most welcome, as are papers addressing all types of modal transport and logistic networks worldwide.

The topics we are interested in include, but are not limited to
  • Urban public transport
  • Multimodal passenger transport
  • ICT services
  • Intermodal transport systems
  • Logistics networks
  • Global logistics systems
  • City logistics
  • Urban freight transport
  • Logistic outsourcing
  • Third-parties logistics providers
  • Logistics platforms
  • Sustainable transport systems
All analytical approaches such as welcome, including, but not only:
  • Modelling and simulation
  • Multi-objective programming
  • Optimisation techniques
  • Heuristic algorithms
  • Decision support systems
  • Data mining
  • Performance evaluation
  • Customer satisfaction evaluation
  • Duality control
  • Benchmark analysis
  • Soft-OR approaches
  • Statistical analysis
Due to multi-disciplinary nature of transport and logistic services, papers from different disciplines and from different cultural background in different countries are also desirable.

Important Dates
Full paper due: 30 April 2008
Notification of status of paper: 30 June 2008
Notification of acceptance: 30 July 2008
Final version of paper due: 30 September 2008

Call for papers: Homeland Security – Compliances and Effects

Call for papers: Homeland Security – Compliances and Effects

A special issue of International Journal of Electronic Finance

Research and development in the areas of homeland security is mission critical to the national interest of all countries. While it may be true that most of the terrorism related cases are targeted at the United States, Spain, England, Japan, and Saudi Arabia, just to name a few, governments and citizens of all nations are affected by the increasingly complex and number of compliance measures instituted across the globe.

In the area of corporate finance, every transaction generated at and through all financial institutions, be it via regular business channels or the Internet, must now be carefully monitored. To ensure effectiveness, studies into the type of data captured, processes developed, and reports customised are mission critical to the attaining of homeland security. From the perspective of public finance, homeland security can affect the economic development and well being of nations. Excessive security measures can adversely affect revenue generation because physical and electronic barriers of all types do hinder or reduce the exchange of good and services among nations. For border communities, it can even bring a city or an industry to financial ruin.

The focus of this Special Issue is on the assessment of homeland security compliances. Manuscripts dealing with corporate and public financial effects are especially welcomed. Assessment areas are broadly defined to include all outcomes that can affect individuals, transactions, industry sectors, communities, or nations. Quality manuscripts containing (a) real world case studies, (b) taxonomies that are based on grounded theories, (c) robust methodologies and empirical results, and (d) assessment instruments, technologies, and techniques with proven success, are especially encouraged.

Subject coverage of the special issue includes, but is not limited to:
  • Types, effectiveness and costs of surveillance technologies
  • Implementation, effectiveness and cost of homeland security methodologies
  • Acceptance of homeland security compliance measures
  • Global Internet crime and terrorism
  • Data capture, process development and compliance system customization
  • Determining the return on investment of homeland security measures
  • Government grant allocation for homeland security
  • Government expenditures on homeland security
  • Suspicious activity reporting systems
  • Efficacy and effects of homeland security on global economic development
  • Effects of homeland security measures on border economic development
  • Homeland security and health economics
  • Definitions and assurances of continuous compliance
  • Real-time global financial reporting and surveillance systems
  • Curriculum and training of personnel for homeland security compliance
Important Dates
Abstract of Intent (Optional but highly encouraged): 15 November, 2008
Full Paper Deadline: 15 January, 2009
Notification of Acceptance: 15 March, 2009
Final Version of Paper: 15 May, 2009

Call for papers: Performance of Public Policy and Venture Capital

Call for papers: Performance of Public Policy and Venture Capital

A special issue of International Journal of Public Sector Performance Management

Venture capital firms not only fund but also proactively support the development of high-potential companies in the early stages of their development and growth, often creating highly skilled employment in new innovative areas where other sources of finance are hard to access. For private equity and venture capital to contribute to sustained economic growth, competitiveness and innovation policymakers must ensure coherent, inclusive policies, which will enable the industry to continue to provide a continuous financing cycle for start ups, spin-offs, company transition and buyout investments. The further development of fiscal, legal and regulatory frameworks that are more conductive to entrepreneurship, innovation and investment is central to economic health and competitiveness.

For countries to remain competitive, policymakers should support regulations that encourage investments, improve tax and legal measures to develop a truly favourable environment, and ease the raising and deployment of private equity and venture capital funds to drive a high-growth entrepreneurial economy. The patenting activity is also conductive to the creation of global competitive advantage through intellectual property rights. Those rights are key to supporting and financing innovation, as no-one would allocate resources in new technologies without the perspective of securing return on investment.

The special issue welcomes studies that focus on the public strategies for private equity and adopt a theoretical or empirical approachs to explaining the performance of the public policy support to venture capital and innovation, including, but not limited to the following topics:
  • The performance of public sector as a key venture capital player
  • The impact of public incentives (management package, stock options¡K) and fiscal advantages on the local private equity industry (venture capital and leveraged buy out)
  • Value added contribution of business incubators, sciences parks, clusters and public seed funds to local economy and regional development
  • Public venture capital strategy in emerging countries (Asia, MENA...)
  • Impact of public "small caps" stock markets on the Venture capital industry through IPO (as Le Marché Alternext in France)
Important Dates
Deadline for submission: 30 May, 2008
Notification of acceptance before: 15 September, 2008
Submission of final and revised manuscripts: 1 December, 2008

Call for papers: Recent Advances on Mechatronics

Call for papers: Recent Advances on Mechatronics

A special issue of International Journal of Modelling, Identification and Control

This special issue focuses on researching into mechatronic systems by using dynamic systems modelling, identification and control techniques. Original research articles are particularly welcome on studying of new technologies for the synergistic combination of precision mechanical engineering, electronic control and systems, which will cover a wide range of application areas such as consumer product design, instrumentation, manufacturing methods, computer integration, and process and device control.

Relevant topics include, but are not limited to, the following:
  • Mechatronics design philosophy
  • Design of machines, devices and systems possessing a degree of computer based intelligence
  • Process and device control
  • Instrumentation and manufacturing methods
  • Design ideas on computer integration
Important Date
Submission deadline: 1 July, 2008

Special issue: Multiagent systems and software architecture

International Journal of Agent-Oriented Software Engineering 2(1) 2008

Revised papers from a special track at Net.ObjectDays 2006
  • View composition in multiagent architectures
  • On the modularity assessment of aspect-oriented multiagent architectures: a quantitative study
  • Engineering manufacturing control systems using PROSA and delegate MAS
  • Architectural design of a situated multiagent system for controlling automatic guided vehicles

23 January 2008

Call for papers: Cognitive Radio Systems

Call for papers: Cognitive Radio Systems

A special issue of International Journal of Autonomous and Adaptive Communications Systems

Cognitive radio is a highly promising communications paradigm to address the spectrum insufficiency problem. Currently, different wireless systems are regulated by a fixed spectrum assignment strategy. This policy partitions the whole spectrum into a large number of different ranges. Each piece is specified for a particular system. This leads to undesirable situations where some systems may only use the allocated spectrum to a limited extent while others have very serious spectrum insufficiency situation. In addition, wireless channel is inherently characterised by unreliability. This may lead to context-dependent large-scale shadowing or small-scale fading. Furthermore, the future generation broadband wireless networking promises to provide multimedia services under the co-existence of heterogeneous networks.

These challenges and requirements result in the problem of scarce spectrum becoming even worse and motivate new technologies to efficiently use spectrum. Cognitive radio is believed to be a technology with a high potential to address these issues. It refers to the potentiality that the systems are aware of context and capable of reconfiguring themselves based on the surrounding environments and their own properties with respect to traffic load, congestion situation, network topology, and wireless channel propagation etc. However, cognitive radio wireless systems are still in the very early stage of research and development. There are a number of technical, economical, and regulatory challenges to be addressed.

The aim of this special issue is to present a collection of high-quality research papers that report the latest research advances in this field from physical and network layers to practical applications.

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:
  • Signal Processing
  • MIMO
  • Channel coding
  • Resource management
  • Mobility management
  • Energy management
  • Cross-layer design and optimization
  • Cooperation schemes
  • Routing
  • Medium Access Control
  • QoS provisioning
  • Security
  • Cognitive multi-hop networks
  • Spectrum management (e.g. spectrum sensing, spectrum sharing)
  • Model and performance evaluation
  • Game theory in cognitive radio
  • Standards, e.g. IEEE 802.22
  • Regulation and business model
  • Testbed, experiment, implementation, standards, and practical applications

Important Dates
Manuscript Due: 1 January, 2009
Acceptance Notification: 1 April, 2009
Camera-ready Due: 1 June, 2009

Call for papers: Applications of Power Electronics in Wind and Solar Energy

Call for papers: Applications of Power Electronics in Wind and Solar Energy

A special issue of International Journal of Power Electronics

Renewable energy sources are experiencing a rapid growth due to environmental concerns and rising costs of fossil fuels. Although, they provide many benefits, their high penetration has introduced many technical challenges and issues, including power quality, reliability, safety and protection, load management, power generation intermittency, grid interconnections and control, new regulations, and grid operation economics.

This Special Issue deals with the applications of power electronics in wind and solar energy systems to alleviate the above problems.

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:
  • Power converter topologies and controls for wind turbines and solar PV systems
  • Operation and control of energy storage units integrated with wind turbines and solar PVs
  • Modelling and simulation of wind and solar power electronics converters
  • Grid interconnections issues including power quality and reactive power control
  • Protection, islanding, and low voltage ride through capabilities
  • Power electronics interface and control for wind turbine doubly-fed induction and PM synchronous generators
  • Operation and control of wind turbines and solar PVs for distributed generations
  • Wind and solar power electronics systems prognostics and diagnostics
  • Wind and solar power intermittency solutions and load management
  • Intra-wind farm safety, protection, and power control
  • New trends in wind and solar energy conversion
  • Small wind turbine and solar PV systems for residential applications
Important Dates
Paper due: 30 April, 2008
Acceptance notification: 15 June, 2008
Final paper version due: 15 July, 2008

Call for papers: AIT-driven Manufacturing and Management

Call for papers: AIT-driven Manufacturing and Management

A special issue of International Journal of Manufacturing Technology and Management

Automated identification technology (AIT) comprises RFID (radio frequency identification), bar coding, biometrics and smart cards, etc. AIT streamlines production and manufacturing process. It also reshapes or even revolutionizes supply chain and management. AIT is exploding with more opportunities for professionals and better service for the people.

The objective of this special issue is to publish the state-of-the-art of automated identification technology in manufacturing technology and management.

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:
  • RFID applications in automotive industry
  • RFID-based production process monitoring and controlling (tooling tracking, manufacturing, parts receiving and assembly)
  • RFID in controlling and monitoring products and materials
  • Lean manufacturing and RFID
  • RFID applications in fixed-position layouts and wireless manufacturing
  • RFID in logistical control or supply chain management
  • RFID middleware and data management
  • Finding the business value in the RFID data.
  • RFID in inventory control and management
  • RFID in global trade and e-business or e-commerce
  • Return on investment (ROI) of RFID in manufacturing and business
  • Integrating RFID with legacy supply chain management (SCM) systems
  • Integrating RFID with legacy manufacturing systems
  • RFID-empowered enterprise resource planning (ERP)
  • Security and privacy issues of RFID
  • RFID standards and standardisation
  • 2D Bar codes in automotive and aerospace industries
  • Bar codes and manufacturing innovation
  • Bar codes for logistics or supply chain management
  • Bar code-empowered enterprise resource planning (ERP)
  • Architectures for integrating legacy information systems with bar code technology.
  • Hybrid systems (combining RFID and bar code technology)
Important Dates
Submission of full papers before: 15 August, 2008
Notification of acceptance: 15 October, 2008
Submission of revised and final manuscripts: 15 December, 2008

Special issue: Future of knowledge intensive industries: industry and R&D – trends and ways of organising them

International Journal of Technology Management 41(3/4) 2008
  • The knowledge-bridging role of Technical and Scientific Services in knowledge-intensive industries
  • Knowledge-intensive service activities in software business
  • From consortium to e-science: an evolutionary track of organising technology development
  • Managing intellectual property in inter-firm R&D collaborations in knowledge-intensive industries
  • Determinants of the valuation of intangible assets – a contrast between Taiwanese and American IC design houses
  • Competitive advantage of IT and effects on strategy and structure: knowledge-intensive vs manufacturing industries
  • Network structures and the reproduction of resources for sustainable innovation
  • An exit for the IT industry?: Market saturation and the convergence of ubiquitous technology for manufacturing and service sectors

Special issue: Microfabrication

International Journal of Manufacturing Technology and Management 13(2/3/4) 2008
  • Study on normal grinding force in ultrasonic aided grinding of sintered Nd-Fe-B permanent magnet
  • Micromachining of bipolar plates used in proton exchange membrane fuel cells
  • Analytical prediction of stability lobes in high-speed milling and their application to micromilling
  • Soft-pad grinding of 300 mm wire-sawn silicon wafers: finite element analysis with designed experiments
  • Fabrication and characterisation of nitrogen-doped diamond microtools
  • Analysis of heat affected zone in the micro-electric discharge machining
  • Experimental investigation into electrochemical discharge microdrilling on advanced ceramics
  • Study of WEDM parameter phenomena for microfabrication
  • Microgroove pattern machined by excimer laser dragging
  • Analysis of edge effects on flexible forming of sheet metal using plasma arc
  • Influence of process parameters on joining strength in microplasma arc welding
  • Determination of thermal stress distribution in metallic layer during selective laser sintering using finite element method
  • Bulk micromachining for SOI based microsystems using double side XeF2 etching
  • Parametric analysis of magnetorheological abrasive flow finishing process
  • Principle and applications of MEMS: a review
  • Review of MEMS metrology solutions
  • Carbon as a MEMS material: micro and nanofabrication of pyrolysed photoresist carbon

21 January 2008

Call for papers: The Challenge of building an Innovation Strategy in the Global Environment

Call for papers: The Challenge of building an Innovation Strategy in the Global Environment

A special issue of International Journal of Innovation and Regional Development

Enterprises and organisations worldwide can and do learn to manage the process for success by consciously building and developing their “innovation capability”. Building a capability to organise and manage innovation is a great achievement and requires understanding of where and how innovation can be used to strategic advantage.

Innovation can be used to strategic advantage through organisational responses to technological opportunities and market imperatives. There is a need to understand the what, why and when of innovation activity that adds value for the private sector firms, enables the start-up and growth of new enterprises, or improves the public services. The challenge is for enterprises to be aware of the extensive space within which innovation possibilities exist and to develop a strategic portfolio which covers this territory effectively, balancing resources and risks.

Factors that have a major influence on the ability of a firm to develop and create value through innovation include the national system of innovation, the market position or power within the international value chain, the capability and processes of the firm, including research, technical and market knowledge, production, marketing and distribution, and ability to identify and exploit external sources of innovation, especially international networks.

The initiatives for creating a global environment for innovation strategy foster interactions between academia and industry for sharing ideas and experiences and for developing and implementing new processes and technology. Given the role of academia in developing innovation strategy and capability in the global environment, the aim of this special issue is to provide a common platform to researchers, scholars and practitioners to address issues relating to the subjects mentioned in the next section. Manuscripts based on innovation orientations are particularly suitable for this issue, as are comparative studies conducted in developing countries. Designing and developing suitable strategies, techniques, tools and models for business innovation and research have become an essential function of researchers and practitioners in a global economy; new strategies, techniques and tools for innovation and research in business will be the main focus of this special issue.

Suitable topics include but are not limited to:
  • Strategy innovations
  • Innovation and research in marketing
  • Sustainability and innovation
  • Global supply chain and networks
  • Organisational competitiveness
  • Innovation in small and medium enterprises
  • Empirical analysis and case studies in business innovation and research
  • Benchmarking and best practices in innovation activities
  • Role of IT/IS in business innovation and research
  • Organisational learning in innovation management
  • Research methodology and theory relating to innovation
  • Performance implications of strategic alliances
  • Performance measures and metrics in business innovation and research
  • Innovation evidence on retailing
  • Innovation in outsourcing and logistics
  • Entrepreneurship and innovation
  • Building relationship for technological innovation
  • Innovation in service industries
  • Business of healthcare innovation
  • New product and process innovation
  • Agriculture/seafood supply chain innovation
  • Business and technological innovation
  • Innovation in organisational leadership
  • Managing creativity and innovation
  • Designing IT for business innovation
  • Innovation management in global environment
  • Real estate business innovation
  • Knowledge management and technology transfer
  • E-business/e-commerce
Important Dates
Submission of manuscripts: 30 June, 2008
Decision on the manuscripts: 15 September, 2008
Submission of the revised manuscripts: 30 October, 2008
Final decision on the manuscripts: 30 December, 2008

Call for papers: Modelling and Simulation Education

Call for papers: Modelling and Simulation Education

A special issue of International Journal of Simulation and Process Modelling

Many educational institutions have begun to offer courses, certificates or entire degree programs in modelling and simulation (M&S). This special issue solicits papers that explore the emerging field of M&S education and the issues surrounding its development and use.

M&S is fast becoming a familiar term and tool among students in the sciences, social sciences, and engineering. But it is more than that. M&S is a discipline with its own body of knowledge, theory, and research methodology. At the core of the discipline is the fundamental notion that models are approximations for the real-world. Models are created approximating an event. The model is then followed by simulation, which allows for the repeated observation of the model. Analysis, the ability to draw conclusions, verify and validate (V&V), and make recommendations based on various iterations/simulations of the model, is the third component to modelling. These basic precepts coupled with visualization, the ability to represent data as a way to interface with the model, make M&S a problem-based discipline that allows for repeated testing of a hypothesis. Teaching these precepts and providing research and development opportunities are core to M&S education and research.

This special issue looks to provide the theories, tools, methodology, and case studies that engage the application of M&S in traditional uses such as serving as the primary training mechanism for the military as well as the expanding variety of domains that use M&S as a teaching tool to include health care professionals, emergency managers, and educators at all levels from grade school through graduate school. The research may come from any discipline or application area of modelling and simulation.

Papers may include either theoretical or empirical research. Suitable themes in this issue include but are not limited to the following:
  • Modelling and simulation as its own discipline
  • Modelling and simulation body of knowledge: what should be included?
  • Modelling and simulation curriculum: engineering, science, or multidisciplinary?
  • Modelling and simulation research and its role in education
  • Modelling, simulation, and gaming as a teaching tool
  • Modelling and simulation and workforce development: what are the challenges?
Important Dates
Full paper submission due: 15 April 2008
Notification: 15 June 2008
Final (camera-ready) paper due: 15 September 2008

Special issue: Towards ubiquitous wireless communication: the integration of 3G/WLAN networks

International Journal of Wireless and Mobile Computing 2(4) 2007
  • Interworking of 3G cellular networks and wireless LANs
  • A generic architecture for 'always best connected' UTMS/WLAN mobile networks
  • Towards all-IP wireless networks: architectures and resource management mechanism
  • Design and implementation of an integrated accounting architecture for distributed UMTS and WLAN networks
  • Optimising uplink scheduling in an integrated 3G/WLAN network
  • Modelling and evaluation of the 3G mobile networks with hot-spot WLANs
  • Wireless video streaming over integrated 3G and WLAN networks
  • Ad hoc assisted handoff for real-time voice in IEEE 802.11 infrastructure WLANs
  • User assignment strategies for throughput maximisation in hierarchical wireless networks
  • Mobility model used for QoS management for wireless multimedia networks
  • Delay and traffic based on-demand routing algorithms for improving energy efficiency in mobile ad hoc networks

20 January 2008

Call for papers: Treatment Processes for Mixed Organic Wastes, Residual Biosolids and Wastewaters

Call for papers: Treatment Processes for Mixed Organic Wastes, Residual Biosolids and Wastewaters

A special issue of International Journal of Environment and Waste Management

Progress worldwide indisputably relies on many industrial, agricultural and manufacturing processes. These processes are, however, also the main generators of various types of wastes, process biological residues and wastewaters that are normally discharge as undesired materials. However, the presentation and discussion of original research information and case studies on the generation, characterisation, monitoring, traditional and novel treatment technologies and processes, handling, reuse and eventual disposition of solid wastes, residual biosolids and process wastewaters from the manufacturing industry, both in industrialised and in economically developing countries, are more than ever justified in order to design and implement proactive methodologies which foster sustainable development.

IJEWM is designed for scientists, engineers, and managers, regardless of their discipline, who are involved in scientific, technical and other issues related to solid waste management and wastewater treatment processes. Although the dissemination and application of innovative technical information in the related fields are extremely important, the implementation of sustainable waste management practices also requires a thorough understanding of the pertinent legal, social, economic, and regulatory issues involved. Whilst the latter non-technical factors accompany the implementation of the treatment and handling technologies in the management of the wastes, it is of prime importance to first disseminate and exchange the findings of similar research and other related technical experiences.

The aim of this special issue is to present a mix of the research work and case studies that best serve to help understand and keep pace with the issues related to and technical progress achieved in solid waste management and wastewater treatment technology.

Original research papers, technical reviews and case studies are invited in the following and related areas:
  • Characterisation of agricultural, municipal and other biological/biochemical process residues, wastes and wastewaters
  • Composting in its various forms
  • Vermicomposting
  • Anaerobic digestion processes
  • Fermentation processes
  • Sludge handling, treatment and disposal
  • Sewage sludge treatment
  • Biological and chemical treatment of residual biosolids, municipal solid wastes, healthcare wastes, industrial and textile wastewaters, processing food industries, animal and meat processing industries, and dairy products industries
  • Thermal treatment of biosolids residues/wastes
  • Modelling of organic waste treatment processes
Important Dates
Deadline for paper submission: 15 April 2008
Deadline of papers review: 14 June 2008
Deadline for submission of revised papers: 15 July 2008
Deadline for re-review of papers requiring major revision: 15 August 2008
Deadline for second revisions of papers if required: 30 August 2008

Call for papers: Advanced Product Design and Manufacturing

Call for papers: Advanced Product Design and Manufacturing

A special issue of International Journal of Computer Applications in Technology

With the advent of globalisation, manufacturing enterprises today are facing many challenges, ranging from product design to manufacturing. In response to increasing customer demand and dynamic competition, companies are under high pressure to shorten time-to-market by providing tailored products to customer for the economy of scope, and to reduce time-to-volume via mass production for the economy of scale. These requirements are driving technology needs to speed up product design and development, and to enhance manufacturing capability and capacity. Innovations in advanced product design and manufacturing have continued to expand and attract attention to address these challenges.

The goal of this special issue is to publish new ideas and the most recent developments in advanced product design and manufacturing. Selected papers from the International Conference on Product Design and Manufacturing Systems, 2007 (PDMS2007) will also be included in this issue. One of the main focuses of the conference is to provide the opportunity for scholars from all over the world to discuss their recent research advances in the area of product design and manufacturing.

However, the special issue is not limited to papers selected from the conference. It will accept submitted general papers on the topic, through the same general peer review processes.

The scope of the issue covers, but is not limited to:
  • Creativity and innovation in design and conceptual design methods
  • Concurrent/collaborative design and web-based design
  • Design for manufacturing and assembly
  • Knowledge-based systems in design
  • Mass customisation (MC)
  • Internet-based manufacturing
  • Agile manufacturing and lean production
  • Concurrent engineering
  • Modeling and evaluation of manufacturing system
Important dates
Deadline for submission of manuscripts: 29 February 2008
Communication of peer reviews to authors: 31 May 2008
Deadline for revised manuscripts: 30 June 2008

Call for papers: Measurement and Instrumentation in Advanced Manufacturing

Call for papers: Measurement and Instrumentation in Advanced Manufacturing

A special issue of International Journal of Computer Applications in Technology

Measurement and instrumentation are essential for verifying product conformance to design specifications. There is an increasing demand for measurement and instrumentation to support the globalised manufacturing industry. The research in this area targeting various manufacturing issues has expanded and the development of modern instrumentation has ignited innovation in advanced manufacturing technology.

The goal of this special issue is to publish new ideas and the most recent developments in measurement and instrumentation for advanced manufacturing. Selected papers from the International Conference on Product Design and Manufacturing Systems, 2007 (PDMS2007) will be published. One of the focuses of the conference is to provide the opportunity for scholars from all over the world to discuss their recent research advances in the area of measurement and instrumentation in advanced manufacturing.

However, the special issue is not limited to papers selected from the conference. It will accept submitted general papers on the topic, through the same general peer review processes.

The scope of the issue covers, but is not limited to:
  • Modern and intelligent instrumentation design
  • Measurement methods and signal analysis
  • Integrated and internet based measurement technologies
  • Software technologies for automated measurement
  • In-Process inspection and instruments
  • Numerical methods and evaluation in advanced manufacturing
Important Dates
Deadline for submission of manuscripts: 29 February 2008
Communication of peer reviews to authors: 31 May 2008
Deadline for revised manuscripts: 30 June 2008

Call for papers: Accounting and Finance for SMEs

Call for papers: Accounting and Finance for SMEs

A special issue of International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business

Accounting and finance are integral activities in all firms. In SMEs, they represent a unique challenge because of differing organisational contexts and differing owner objectives. In this special issue, authors are invited to share their interpretation of these challenges through contributions based on empirical data or by taking a more conceptual and theoretical perspective.

Themes of particular interest include, but are not limited to:
  • Identifying techniques and processes used in SMEs in respect of financial accounting, management accounting and finance activities
  • Analysing differences between techniques and processes used in SMEs and those used in large organisations (or across different-sized organisations)
  • Evaluating the importance of accounting and financial management techniques (such as budgeting and regular reporting) to SME success
  • Exploring theoretical foundations for unique aspects of accounting and finance identified in SMEs
  • Analysing the advantages and disadvantages of allowing differential reporting practices between SMEs and other organisations (especially in an environment of International Financial Reporting Standards)
  • Identifying potential alternative measures of risk return relationships in the absence of external market data to inform a CAPM approach
  • Evaluating the contributions to SME success from venture capitalists, business angels and other informal financial sources
Important Date
Deadline for submission of papers: 31 July, 2008

Call for papers: Public Health and Policy

Call for papers: Public Health and Policy

A special issue of International Journal of Healthcare Technology and Management

The purpose of the proposed special issue is to examine the issues related to public health. This issue is open , but not limited, to theoretical and empirical papers in international health, pharmoeconomics, health economics, health care financing, urban and rural health, health disparities, environmental health and epidemiological studies.

Suitable topics include, but are not limited to:
  • Health care administration
  • Health policy and management
  • Health management information
  • Health informatics
  • Pharmoeconomics
  • Pharmacy administration
  • Public health
  • Epidemiology and environmental health
  • International health
  • Health economics and finance
Important Date
Deadlines for submission: 31 January, 2009

Call for papers: Data Management in Ad Hoc and Sensor Networks for the Information Explosion Era

Call for papers: Data Management in Ad Hoc and Sensor Networks for the Information Explosion Era

A special issue of International Journal of Communication Networks and Distributed Systems

Recently, ad hoc networks and sensor networks have been designed, developed and applied in many applications such health and cyber infrastructure monitoring, defence against chemical and biological leaks, forest fire etc. Some of these applications generate large amounts of data. We are thus in a time referred to as the “information explosion era”. In the information explosion era, managing data in an environment with limitations on energy consumption, bandwidth, connectivity and frequent disconnections, poses many challenging issues. This special issue is intended to address some of these challenges.

Suitable topics include, but are not limited to, the following, within ad hoc and sensor network architectures:
  • Replication and caching
  • In-network data aggregation
  • Data security
  • Content management
  • Context aware computing
  • Mobile agents
  • Query routing and processing
  • Energy-efficient data processing
  • Predicting events and data
  • Inconsistency and reliability
  • Data streaming
  • Middleware and cross-layered architecture
  • Economic models for routing and computing
  • Data indexing
  • Applications in health care and cyber infrastructure
Important Dates
Full Papers Due: 30 May, 2008
Notification of Acceptance: 1 August, 2008
Camera-ready Papers Due: 15 August, 2008

New title: International Journal of Oil, Gas and Coal Technology

The first issue of International Journal of Oil, Gas and Coal Technology has just been published.

It is concerned with exploration, production, processing and refining, storage and transportation, economical, managerial, business, environmental, safety and security issues related to oil, natural gas, coal and petrochemicals as well as manufacturing and refining of biofuels.

There is a free download of the papers from this issue.

18 January 2008

Special issue: Learning and interacting in the Web: social networks and social software in the Web 2.0

International Journal of Knowledge and Learning 3(4/5) 2007
  • Towards a dynamic theory of virtual communities
  • The future of e-learning: a shift to knowledge networking and social software
  • Semantics-supported cooperative learning for enhanced awareness
  • Weblogs and internal communication in a corporate environment: a case from the ICT industry
  • Analysing interaction behaviour in network supported collaborative learning environments: a holistic approach
  • Social network analysis of self-taught e-learning communities
  • Using chat as a complement to discussion board in small-group online seminars: How is student participation affected?
  • Sociality and learning in social software
  • From folksonomies to ontologies: employing wisdom of the crowds to serve learning purposes
  • Trialogical learning in public: FlashMeeting recording and reuse in a peer-learning context
  • Red Gate Corner: a Web 2.0 prototype for knowledge and learning concerning China business and culture

17 January 2008

Call for papers: Decision Support Systems and Knowledge Management in SME

Call for papers: Decision Support Systems and Knowledge Management in SME

A special issue of International Journal of Management and Decision Making

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are a vital part of any national economy. Nowadays, to survive in the global knowledge-based economy, SMEs have to improve their products, services and processes, exploiting their intellectual capital in a dynamic network of knowledge-intensive relations inside and outside their borders. The managerial challenge, then, consists of creating new knowledge management (KM) configurations – in terms of technological and organisational tools – leading to organisational models sustainable from the competitive point of view. On the other hand, it is nowadays clear that advanced decision support systems (DSS) as well as business information systems (BIS) assist enterprises in automating and integrating corporate cross-functions and provide the basis for business process management integration in order to minimise costs and increase efficiency and effectiveness of enterprises.

This special issue’s aim is to provide a means for the publication and scientific interchange of information among researchers, practitioners, scientists and engineers in related disciplines, on an international basis, on all aspects of the application of DSS, BIS and KM in SMEs. The issue will also focus on barriers and drivers of ICT adoption by SMEs, policy issues related to BIS diffusion to SMEs, including lessons learnt, and best cases from recent research in this field.

Original research papers pursuing the journal style are invited in the following areas but may also address closely related topics:
  • Barriers and drivers of ICT adoption by SMEs
  • DSS/BIS applications in SMEs
  • Intelligent systems for SMEs
  • SMEs and the use of enterprise systems (ERP and CRM)
  • SMEs and e-business
  • Knowledge management in SMEs
  • Data mining in SMEs
  • Policy issues related to ICT diffusion to SMEs
  • Lessons learnt and case studies
Important Dates
Paper submission: 15 May 2008
Notification of acceptance: 15 July 2008
Final paper submission: 15 September 2008

Call for papers: Autonomous Coordinated Multi-Robot Systems under Dynamic Environments

Call for papers: Autonomous Coordinated Multi-Robot Systems under Dynamic Environments

A special issue of International Journal of Computer Applications in Technology

With recent advances in all aspects of the technology associated with computing, energy, sensing, and networking infrastructure, more progress has been made in the developing of multi-robot systems for potentially dynamic, challenging, and hazardous environments. Some examples of such applications include search and rescue, mine detection, hazardous material collection (or cleanup), reconnaissance, smart home/office, surveillance, construction, planetary exploration, and transportation. Since human assistance in these challenging environments is limited due to distance or the need for quick response to changing circumstances, more advanced techniques, such as nature-inspired swarm intelligence, self-adaptive, self-organised, and self-evolving, would be desirable for these multi-robot systems, which are still unsolved research areas.

This special issue is aimed at introducing the most significant recent developments on the topics of multi-robot systems under dynamic environments. Researchers are invited to submit their original papers to this special issue. Papers of both theoretical and practical application nature are welcome. Authoritative review of the state of the art and directions for future research in the field is also interested.

The scope of the issue covers, but not limited to:
  • Cooperative control
  • Coordination of multi-robot systems
  • Hybrid multi-robot systems
  • Collective behaviour
  • Swarm robotics and other SI-inspired systems
  • Nature-inspired algorithms based on collective behaviours
  • Robot soccer
  • Security and privacy in multi-robot systems
  • Robotic surveillance and security
  • Multi-robot self-organisation
  • Self-adaptive systems
  • Smart sensors and sensor networks
  • Robot and multi-robot learning
Important Dates
Full paper submission due: 31 May, 2008
First round review completed: 31 August, 2008
Final notification: 30 September, 2008
Final manuscripts due: 31 October, 2008

Call for papers: Automated Biometric Technology and its Applications

Call for papers: Automated Biometric Technology and its Applications

A special issue of International Journal of Intelligent Systems Technologies and Applications

Automated biometric technology has attracted significant attention from both academia and industry. Biometric features can be retinas, irises, fingerprints, hand geometries, signatures, audio, faces, palm prints, ears, gait, DNA, etc. Choice of biometric features depends on factors such as accuracy, robustness, sensor size and cost. Numerous theoretical and implementation advances have made automatic biometric authentication not only technically feasible, but also economically practical. Automated biometric systems have been widely used in many applications such as surveillance, digital libraries, forensic work, law enforcement, human computer intelligent interaction, and banking. For applications requiring higher levels of security, biometrics can be integrated with other authentication means such as smart cards and passwords.

This special issue is aimed at introducing novel pattern recognition techniques applied to biometric authentication and identification, state-of-the-art methods for biometric sensing, and social impacts of biometric technology. Researchers are invited to submit their original papers to this special issue. Papers of both theoretical and practical application nature are welcome. Authoritative reviews of the state of the art and directions for future research in the field are also welcome.

The scope of the issue covers, but is not limited to:
  • Face tracking and recognition
  • Face expression recognition
  • 3D face recognition
  • Speaker recognition
  • Palm print analysis
  • Iris recognition
  • Gait analysis
  • Fingerprint classification
  • DNA classification for biometric applications
  • Multi-modal biometric techniques
  • Biometric sensors
  • Biometric systems
  • Biometric application case studies
  • Social impacts of biometric technology
Important Dates
Full paper submission due: 31 May, 2008
First round review completed: 31 August, 2008
Final notification: 30 September, 2008
Final manuscripts due: 31 October, 2008

Call for papers: Tangible and Embedded Interaction

Call for papers: Tangible and Embedded Interaction

A special issue of International Journal of Arts and Technology

With technological advances, computing has progressively moved beyond the desktop into new physical and social contexts. As physical artifacts gain new computational behaviours, they become reprogrammable, customisable, repurposable, and interoperable in rich ecologies and diverse contexts. They also become more complex, and require intense design effort in order to be functional, usable, and enjoyable. Designing such systems requires interdisciplinary thinking. Their creation must not only encompass software, electronics, and mechanics, but also the system's physical form and behaviour, its social and physical milieu, aesthetics, and beyond.

The new conference series “Tangible and Embedded Interaction” (TEI), which first took place in Baton Rouge, Louisiana in 2007, and 2008 in Bonn, Germany, demonstrates the international interest and the many dimensions of the work in this area. It has had a multidisciplinary audience with artists, designers, technology builders, ethnographers and HCI specialists, even touching upon robotics and interactive buildings.

We invite short (statements / works in progress / design sketches: 1000 words, plus figures, max. 2 pages) and long submissions on tangible and embedded interaction. Work addressing related HCI issues, design, use contexts, tools and technologies, and interactive art are all welcome. We particularly welcome interdisciplinary submissions across these themes.

Suitable topics include but are not limited to:
  • Case studies and evaluations of deployments
  • Analysis of key challenges, proposals of research agenda
  • Relation of tangible and embedded interaction to other paradigms
  • Programming tools, toolkits, software architectures
  • Novel interactive uses of sensors+actuators, electronics+mechatronics
  • Design guidelines, methods, and processes
  • Novel application areas, innovative solutions/systems
  • Theoretical foundations, frameworks, and concepts
  • Philosophical, ethical and social implications
  • Interactive theatre and cinema
  • Interfaces specific to particular cultures
  • Usability and enjoyment, aesthetics
  • Advantages and weaknesses of these kinds of systems
  • Learning from the role of physicality in everyday environments
  • Embodied interaction, movement, and choreography of interaction
  • Role of physicality for human perception, cognition and experience
  • Teaching tangible/embedded interaction design, and best practices
Submissions can either contain new original work, or be revised versions of previously published papers. Revised versions need to contain at least 30% new content, providing (e.g.) more details or extensions with follow-up research. Authors should provide access to an online version of the previously published version (to ease work for reviewers) and explicate how the new version differs. Each submission should be written in a way that is accessible to the multidisciplinary audience of the journal.

Important Dates
Abstract (optional): 2 April, 2008
Paper submission: 21 April, 2008
Acceptance notification: 11 June, 2008
Camra ready papers due: 9 July, 2008

Call for papers: Complex Network Systems: Methods, Theories, and Applications

Call for papers: Complex Network Systems: Methods, Theories, and Applications

A special issue of International Journal of Systems, Control and Communications

This special issue focuses on the highly multidisciplinary researches into the methods, theories and applications of complex network systems. The past decade has witnessed significant progress in the field of complex networks, including the deeper theoretical understanding, as well as the successful applications, of various large-scale complex networking systems. The special issue aims at promoting the latest research on complex networks, to serve as a representative collection and frontier exchange of this fast developing field.

Topics including but not limited to:
  • Evolving complex network models and design algorithms
  • New features and theoretic analyses of complex network systems
  • Synchronisation and control of complex dynamical networks
  • Emergent behaviours and patterns on complex networks
  • Complex networks and biological systems
  • Complex networks and communication systems
  • Complex networks and computer software systems
  • Complex networks and social economic systems
  • Complex dynamic networks and multi-agent systems
Important Date
Deadlines for submission: 31 May, 2008

Special issue: Risk management in financial services

International Journal of Financial Services Management 3(1) 2008
  • Risk management in the UK insurance industry: the changing state of practice
  • Accounting for credit risk: are the rules setting the right incentives?
  • The value of risk reporting: a critical analysis of value-at-risk disclosures in the banking sector
  • Restoring reputation and repairing legitimacy: a case study of impression management in response to a major risk event at Allied Irish Banks plc
  • Credibility of managerial forecast disclosure in market and regulated settings

16 January 2008

Special issue: Diamond and diamond-coated tools for machining precision surfaces

International Journal of Surface Science and Engineering 1(4) 2007
  • Direct production of nitrogen-doped diamond microtools
  • Study on shaping spherical Poly Crystalline Diamond tool by Micro-electro-Discharge Machining and micro-grinding with the tool
  • Polishing of diamond composite cutting tools
  • High-efficiency machining of single-crystal germanium using large-radius diamond tools
  • CVD diamond coating: a technology for tools of future
  • Tribological and mechanical properties of DLC film obtained on metal surface by an enhanced and low-cost pulsed-DC discharge
  • Fluorinated DLC for tribological applications
  • Nano precision on-machine profiling of curved diamond cutting tools using a white-light interferometer

Newly announced journal: International Journal of Information and Decision Sciences

International Journal of Information and Decision Sciences - to begin publication in 2009 - will provide an international forum for practitioners and researchers, both for-profit and nonprofit organisations, along with information technology professionals, software developers, and vendors, to exchange, share and present useful and innovative ideas and work relating to decision making. It will emphasise the presentation and distribution of ground-breaking and original theories and concepts which can shape future directions of research. These, when applied, can enable policy makers, government officials, business managers, and different decision makers to spread over various advanced techniques and new applications of information technology. It also supports discussions on how information systems can promote decision making, and also in turn, how the advances brought about by these decision making practices can affect the growth in, and future application of, information technology. All models (normative, descriptive, cognitive, and prescriptive) are encouraged.

Newly announced journal: International Journal of Financial Markets and Derivatives

International Journal of Financial Markets and Derivatives - to begin publication in 2009 - will address the advancement of contemporary research in the field of financial markets and derivatives. It is an internationally competitive, peer-reviewed journal dedicated to serve as the primary outlet for theoretical and empirical research in all areas of international markets and derivatives.

15 January 2008

Newly announced journal: International Journal of Quality and Innovation

International Journal of Quality and Innovation - to begin publication in 2009 - will serve as a platform to encourage the creation of knowledge and the exchange of information on the issues of quality and innovation that businesses face, with a particular interest in how quality and innovation may be integrated into a coherent and powerful strategic package, and the dilemmas and tensions faced in pursuing quality and innovation concurrently.

Issues of quality and innovation involve complex and intricate challenges for leadership and management, such as organisational change, culture, processes and technologies. Moreover, the challenges faced may differ from industry to industry and from country to country. Therefore, the challenges will have to take into account the specific nature of the industry in question, the professional and customer profile, the historical background of the country or region, local habits and practices, ethics and even religious beliefs. The journal will reflect this complexity.

Call for papers: Strategic e-Procurement Management

Call for papers: Strategic e-Procurement Management

A special issue of International Journal of Procurement Management

As the traditional purchasing activity declines in efficacy, e-procurement grows in intensity. However, with procurement professionals now realising that new e-procurement processes need to be contextualised, many organisations operate multiple e-procurement solutions. An overall e-procurement strategy should incorporate the alignment of various processes and solutions, as organisations pursue different digitisation migration paths and confront different issues at each distinct stage. Advances in e-business technology have opened up new possibilities for how companies can create value.

Several themes of research concerning the assessment and the benefits of e-procurement have advanced the academic literature. Constant change has meant that the traditional procurement function is now being asked to generate more value. It can no longer be merely considered just as a function with a defined set of operational tasks. To date, however, many organisations have not recognised the full scope of strategic performance benefits that e-procurement makes possible. Indeed, organisations’ narrow focus on cost reduction is obscuring the bigger picture, i.e. that the e-procurement activity will continue to rise up the corporate ladder.

A successful e-procurement implementation project can become a positive enabler of capability in that it allows processes to be conducted better, faster, differently, more efficiently, in parallel or allows completely new processes to be implemented. Yet, some practitioners are now questioning whether the benefits of e-procurement have been oversold and are looking to re-invent their e-procurement processes. Moreover, the various change management problems that impede successful implementation, illustrate potential avenues for researchers and practitioners.

Articles in this special issue will consider, but are not limited to, some of the recent developments in e-procurement practice such as:
  • Strategic procurement
  • Collaborative e-procurement
  • E-procurement performance measurement
  • Relationship between e-procurement expectation and real life experiences
  • Public sector e-procurement
  • Military e-procurement
  • Service sector e-procurement
These areas are just indicative and this special issue would welcome papers that contribute to both the theory and practice of e-procurement.

Important Dates
Abstracts and proposals (max1500 words) by: 29 February, 2008
Final drafts of accepted papers by: 31 July 2008

Special issue: Knowledge dynamics on semantic web and social networks

International Journal of Intelligent Information and Database Systems 1(3/4) 2007
  • Implicit user credibility extraction for reputation rating mechanism in B2C e-commerce
  • Enterprise integration framework and semantic metadata in financial industry
  • Centrality measurement on semantically multiplex social networks: divide-and-conquer approach
  • On utilising social networks to discover representatives of human communities
Regular Papers
  • Intelligent decision support feedback using Multi-Agent System in a defence maintenance environment
  • Mapping XML Schema to Entity Relationship and Extended Entity Relationship Models
  • Real-time control of decentralised autonomous flexible manufacturing systems by using memory and oblivion
  • Privacy-preserving support vector machine classification
  • A hybrid object based model combining probability and fuzzy set theories

13 January 2008

Special issue: Exergy analyses and applications

International Journal of Exergy 5(2) 2008

Selected papers from the Second International Green Energy Conference held in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada from 25-29 June 2006
  • Finite volume computations of convective exergy losses in microfluidic devices
  • The entropy matrix generated exergy model for a Photovoltaic heat exchanger under critical operating conditions
  • Exergy analysis of advanced transcritical CO2 air conditioning cycles
  • Exergy analysis and performance evaluation of CNG to LNG converting process
  • Evaluation of a process simulator for modelling and analysis of Rankine cycle steam power plants
  • Exergetic performance investigation of a turbocharged stationary diesel engine
  • Exergy analysis of SI engines
  • Energy and exergy analyses in a thermal process of a production line for a cement factory and applications
  • Energy and exergy analyses of a steam reforming process for hydrogen production

12 January 2008

Call for papers: High Performance Processes and Systems in the Automotive Industry

Call for papers: High Performance Processes and Systems in the Automotive Industry

A special issue of International Journal of Automotive Technology and Management

The automotive industry is in the midst of profound change due to a fierce and growing competition, shifts in consumer demands, high labour costs, among others. In order to combat the challenges of the 21st century, automotive manufacturers have been forced to implement high performance systems. Research clearly indicates that the high performing organisations of the future will bear little resemblance to the structures, processes, and systems of the 20th century. Those who master what creates high performance in organisations will have a competitive edge. Companies like Harley Davidson and Celestica are examples of leading companies who have purposefully designed themselves for high performance. In these organisations, there is a clear operating philosophy that clarifies the underlying beliefs, values, and principles that drive the behaviour of the organisation. The tasks, structures, information requirements, decision making, people selection training issues, support systems and processes, and reward systems are designed for high performance, recognising they are all interdependent, and all impact results.

The purpose of the special issue is to provide a forum for the dissemination of current and future activities pertaining to the role, application, and impact of high performance in the automotive sector. The focus of the issue is to highlight state-of-the-art research and applications in the field of product innovation management, new product development, intelligent customer requirements and relations, risk management, decision support, resources management, supply chain management, change management, product lifecycle analysis and engineering, etc. and their impact on high performance in the automotive sector. Specifically, we seek to explore the role of high performance in the automotive sector. What are the current trends to achieving high performance? How effective are current high performance processes and systems and the transfer mechanisms among partners? What are the drivers of high performance modeling and simulation and what are the critical success factors? What new approaches and skills are required for high performance managers? What are the barriers to effective high performance organisations and how might these be overcome?

This special issue aims to provide a forum for addressing these questions. Two types of papers are solicited:
  • Theoretical research papers that provide original work on current trends and issues in high performance processes and systems.
  • Applied research papers that deal with the design, implementation and evaluation of high performance processes and systems in the automotive sector.
Papers to be included in this special issue should be focused on one or more of the following subjects (although the list is indicative rather than exhaustive):
  • The road to high performance through after sales
  • High performance service
  • High performance supply chains
  • High performance work teams
  • Innovative approaches to leading and managing human capital to drive high performance
  • Transforming procurement for high performance
  • Driving high performance through outsourcing
  • High performance enabled through technology, e.g. RFID
  • Transforming CRM to achieve high performance
  • New approaches to product development
  • Using lean six sigma to drive business results to achieve high performance
  • Enterprise reporting and corporate performance management
  • Advances in alternative fuel technologies
  • Focusing on sustainability to achieve high performance
The special issue welcomes both empirical and theoretical contributions related to the proposed topics Case studies, surveys and papers based on empirical data are preferred; a rigorous research methodology is required, as well as a review of existing literature and adequate reference to bibliographical sources.

Important Dates
Deadline for (extended) abstract submission: 30 June 2008
Response by guest editor: 31 July 2008
Deadline for full paper submission: 30 September 2008

Call for papers: Decision Support in Medicine

Call for papers: Decision Support in Medicine

A special issue of International Journal of Biomedical Engineering and Technology

The process from innovation to routine clinical use is long and complex. Many computerised decision support systems fail to reach the clinical environment for a number of reasons. Some systems for example may be highly theoretical with little relevance to the real world. Others may have been technology-driven. The question of evaluation often arises when looking into new technology. Randomised-controlled trials (RCT) help to a great extent in the evaluation process. However, RCTs are not always feasible or cost-effective.

The focus of this special issue is to review the state-of-the-art of the various stages in the development of DSS in medicine and implications to clinical users and healthcare providers.

Original contributions on novel, robust, user and environment constraints aware, interoperable and effective solutions to existing problems within the aforementioned context are invited. Authors are requested to submit manuscripts including, but not limited to, the following topics:
  • Image and data analysis to aid diagnosis and prognosis
  • Signal processing
  • Pattern recognition analysis
  • Design and development of computerised DSS
  • Evaluation methods prior to clinical use
  • Clinical trials and randomised-controlled trials
  • Deployment methods of DSS including the use of the Internet
  • Ethical issues related to the use of DSS in clinical practice
  • Cost-effectiveness and cost-benefit analysis of DSS
Important dates
One page proposal deadline: 7 March, 2008
Full paper submission deadline: 30 May, 2008
Review results and notification: 3 July, 2008
Submission of revised papers: 29 August, 2008
Final acceptance of papers: 26 September, 2008

Call for papers: Advances in Micro and Nanomanufacturing Processes

Call for papers: Advances in Micro and Nanomanufacturing Processes

A special issue of International Journal of Nanomanufacturing

In the past ten years, significant strides have been made in the development of micro and nanomanufacturing techniques. Advances in micro and nanofabrication in recent years include developments in atomic force manipulation, soft lithography, self assembly processes, sintering, micromachining, microcasting, molding processes, hot embossing, injection molding, printing, stamping, imprint rolling, etching, plasma etching, ion milling, PVD and CVD deposition of micro and nanostructures, to name but a few.

Therefore, the goal of this special issue is to publish the current state-of-the-art in micro and nanomanufacturing and to provide a forum for developing next generation micro and nanomanufacturing processes.

The subject coverage of this special issue includes, but is not limited to, topics that address:
  • Fundamental research and developments on micro and nanomanufacturing;
  • Applied research and developments on micro and nanomanufacturing processes;
  • Applications of fundamental and applied research in micro and nano engineering industries;
  • Emerging fields of micro and nanomanufacturing.
Research that spans several fields is particularly welcome.

Important Dates
Deadline for submission of manuscripts: 31 December 2008
Communication of peer reviews to authors: 28 February 2009
Deadline for revised manuscripts: 31 March 2009

Special issue: New methodologies for the risk analysis of enterprises

International Journal of Business Performance Management 10 (2/3) 2008
  • New contents and perspectives in the risk analysis of enterprises
  • Risk insolvency predictive model maximum expected utility
  • Synthetic indicator model of dynamism
  • An analysis of the key-variables of default risk using complex systems
  • A database for the analysis of experiments on enterprise insolvency risks: the case of DB COMPLEX
  • A rating model simulation for risk analysis

Special issue: Organisational blogs

International Journal of Information Technology and Management 7(2) 2008
  • Organisation and employee congruence: a framework for assessing the success of organisational blogs
  • Corporate-level blogs of the Fortune 500 companies: an empirical investigation of content and design
  • A cross cultural study of corporate blogs in the USA and Korea
  • CEO blogs: credibility issues
  • Investigating the influence of employee blogging on IT workers' organisational citizenship behaviour
  • Ethical aspects of web log data mining
  • Current usage of organisational blogs in the public sector
  • Sharing knowledge with conversational technologies: web logs versus discussion boards

Special issue: Safety of VVERs

International Journal of Nuclear Energy Science and Technology 3(3) 2007
  • Neutron fluence attenuation through VVERs and mock-ups of reactor pressure vessels
  • Leak tightness testing system for nuclear fuel assemblies in wet conditions of interim spent fuel storage
  • Evaluation of fuel rod cladding failure during a loss-of-coolant accident
  • Experimental facilities for VVER thermal hydraulic research and code validation (COVERS)
  • Application of Mossbauer and positron annihilation spectroscopies for monitoring of WWER RPV steel degradation
  • Burn-up credit methodology validation in Bulgaria
  • Experimental investigation of the late phase of spent fuel pool accidents
  • Safety analysis of a VVER-440 spent fuel storage pool
  • Dynamic behaviour of fuel cost component in total electricity cost of nuclear power plants with WWER-type power units

Special issue: New developments in dental nanomaterials, implants and devices

International Journal of Nano and Biomaterials 1(2) 2007
  • Modelling on the mechanical properties of nanocomposite hydroxyapatite/PMMA/carbon nanotube coatings
  • Effect of nanofillers in adhesive and aesthetic properties of dental resin-composites
  • Nanoindentation of orthodontic archwires: variation of elastic modulus and hardness within a stainless steel wire
  • Incorporation of montmorillonite nanoclay to acrylic bone cement: effect on mechanical properties and morphology
  • Properties of CNT reinforced: PMMA nanocomposites and PMMA treated in NH3-gaseous atmospheric dielectric barrier discharge
  • Dental drilling in severe and demanding environments
  • Diamond coated molybdenum dental tools for machining orthodontic bridgework materials

10 January 2008

Call for papers: Power Converters: Modeling, Simulation, Analysis, Topologies, Control Technologies, Secondary Issues and Applications

Call for papers: Power Converters: Modeling, Simulation, Analysis, Topologies, Control Technologies, Secondary Issues and Applications

A special issue of International Journal of Power Electronics

This Special Issue deals with modelling, simulation, analysis, control technologies, real time implementations, verifications, topologies, secondary issues and applications of power converters.

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:
  • Resonant converters
  • DC-DC converters
  • Chaos and control in power converters
  • EMI/EMC issues in power converters
  • Application of AI and learning control in power converters
  • Novel converter topologies
  • Modelling, analysis and simulation of power electronic converters and controls
  • Control technology applied to power converters
  • Switch-mode power supplies and UPS/telecommunications power supplies
  • Device drivers and power integrated circuits (PIC)
  • Active filtering and unity power factor correction circuits
  • Power factor correctors in converter systems
  • Snubbers - design methodologies and impact
  • Fundamentals of the matrix converter technology and other AC-AC converters
  • Vienna rectifiers
Important Dates
Paper due: 31 March, 2008
Acceptance notification: 15 May, 2008
Final paper version due: 15 June, 2008