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The PROACT® Root Cause Analysis: Quick Reference Guide (Reliability, Maintenance, and Safety Engineering)
by Mark A. Latino Robert J. Latino Kenneth C. LatinoRoot Cause Analysis, or RCA, "What is it?" Everyone uses the term, but everyone does it differently. How can we have any uniformity in our approach, much less accurately compare our results, if we’re applying different definitions? At a high level, we will explain the difference between RCA and Shallow Cause Analysis, because that is the difference between allowing a failure to recur or dramatically reducing the risk of recurrence.In this book, we will get down to basics about RCA, the fundamentals of blocking and tackling, and explain the common steps of any investigative occupation. Common investigation steps include: Preserving evidence (data)/not allowing hearsay to fly as fact Organizing an appropriate team/minimizing potential bias Analyzing the events/reconstructing the incident based on actual evidence Communicating findings and recommendations/ensuring effective recommendations are actually developed and implemented Tracking bottom-line results/ensuring that identified, meaningful metrics were attained We explore, "Why don’t things always go as planned?" When our actual plans deviate from our intended plans, we usually experience some type of undesirable or unintended outcome. We analyze the anatomy of a failure (undesirable outcome) and provide a step-by-step guide to conducting a comprehensive RCA based on our 3+ decades of applying RCA as we have successfully practiced it in the field. This book is written as a how-to guide to effectively apply the PROACT® RCA methodology to any undesirable outcome, is directed at practitioners who have to do the real work, focuses on the core elements of any investigation, and provides a field-proven case as a model for effective application. This book is for anyone charged with having a thorough understanding of why something went wrong, such as those in EH&S, maintenance, reliability, quality, engineering, and operations to name just a few.
The Palgrave Handbook of Interactive Marketing
by Cheng Lu WangInteractive marketing, as one of the fastest growing academic fields in contemporary business world, is the multi-directional value creation and mutual-influence marketing process through active customer connection, engagement, participation and interaction. Contemporary interactive marketing has moved beyond the scope of direct marketing or digital marketing, as the market is becoming a forum for conversations and interactions among connected actors or participants in platform ecosystems. The advancement of mobile technology with interactive content and personalized experience makes interactive marketing the new normal in the business world.This handbook contains the most comprehensive and cutting-edge knowledge in the interactive marketing field. The 41 chapters that are divided into eight sections cover all aspects of contemporary interactive marketing realm, including social media and influencer marketing, big data and machine learning in predictive analytics, mobile marketing and proximity marketing, interactive digital marketing and Omnichannel marketing, AI, VR and AR in business applications. With a focal point on interactive marketing, this handbook takes a multidiscipline perspective, from new technology innovations, social media and platform application, economic and cultural impacts, social and psychological analysis, and management and information system. This book provides a timely and comprehensive textbook companion and/or course project resource for college educators and students used for variety of graduate and undergraduate marketing courses, such as Digital Marketing, Internet Marketing, Social Media Marketing, New Media Communication, Marketing Analytics and Marketing Management, etc. It offers valuable references for academic researchers who are interesting conducting and publishing in interactive marketing research. The state-of-art review and emerging new trends presented in the book are particularly useful for research idea generation and conceptual development. The book also putts forward insightful guidelines and practical tools for business management in the application of new interactive marketing strategies and applications in the real world practices.
The Palgrave Handbook of Malicious Use of AI and Psychological Security
by Evgeny PashentsevThis handbook focuses on new threats to psychological security that are posed by the malicious use of AI and how it can be used to counteract such threats. Studies on the malicious use of AI through deepfakes, agenda setting, sentiment analysis and affective computing and so forth, provide a visual representation of the various forms and methods of malicious influence on the human psyche, and through this on the political, economic, cultural processes, the activities of state and non-state institutions. Separate chapters examine the malicious use of AI in geopolitical confrontation, political campaigns, strategic deception, damage to corporate reputation, and activities of extremist and terrorist organizations. This is a unique volume that brings together a multidisciplinary range of established scholars and upcoming new researchers from 11 countries. This handbook is an invaluable resource for students, researchers, and professionals interested in this new and developing field of social practice and knowledge.
The Palgrave Handbook of Sustainable Digitalization for Business, Industry, and Society
by Myriam Ertz Urvashi Tandon Shouheng Sun Joan Torrent-Sellens Emine SarigöllüThis handbook conceptualizes sustainable digitalization and discusses the role of digitalization in addressing business and societal challenges. Divided into eight sections, the book opens by an introductory chapter examining the theoretical foundations of the field. Part 1 explores the first dimension of sustainable digitalization, namely digitalization for sustainability (DFS) or how digitalization could address several of the sustainable development goals. Part 2 addresses the second dimension of sustainable digitalization. Titled responsible digital (RD), it covers the potential risks of increased digitalization and outlines strategies for governing digitalization for sustainable development to avoid the risks summarized earlier in the book. Tying digitalization to such topics as smart agriculture, industry 4.0, education, ecological transition, climate, clean water, food production, and social well-being, this handbook provides a framework for the emerging field of sustainable digitalization.
The Palgrave Handbook of fintech in Africa and Middle East: Connecting the Dots of a Rapidly Emerging Ecosystem (Reference Works in Business and Management)
by Amira Kaddour Konstantinos Tsanis Heather C. Webb Olayinka David-WestThis book tells the African FinTech stories and provides a comprehensive overview of the current situations within the five economic zones in Africa - the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the East African Community (EAC), the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), and the Arab Maghreb Union (AMU), North Africa and the GCC countries. It explores the intersection of finance and technology, highlighting the latest trends and innovations in the African FinTech landscape, and examines the technology behind financial services in Africa, including mobile money services, blockchain, and digital payment solutions. It addresses the economic impact of FinTech on African countries, including how it is transforming financial inclusion, entrepreneurship, and investment. It discusses the regulatory and policy environment for FinTech in Africa and Middle East, including how governments and policymakers are responding to the growth of the sector and what challenges they face with real-life examples of African entrepreneurs who are leveraging technology to innovate and disrupt traditional financial services, highlighting their successes, challenges, and impact on the sector. It offers real-world case studies to illustrate how FinTech is being used in African and Middle East communities with a deeper understanding of its impact on individuals and businesses. It will be helpful for entrepreneurs, academics, bankers, consultants, investors, and policymakers.
The Palgrave International Handbook of School Discipline, Surveillance, and Social Control
by Aaron Kupchik Emmeline Taylor Jo DeakinTruly international in scope, this Handbook focuses on approaches to discipline, surveillance and social control from around the world, critically examining the strategies and practices schools employ to monitor students and control their behavior. Bringing together leading scholars from a range of disciplinary backgrounds, the chapters scrutinize, analyze and compare schools' practices across the globe, providing a critical review of existing evidence, debates and understandings, while looking forward to address emerging important questions and key policy issues. The chapters are divided into four sections. Part 1 offers accounts of international trends in school discipline, surveillance and punishment; Part 2 examines the merging of school strategies with criminal justice practices; Part 3 focuses on developments in school technological surveillance; and Part 4 concludes by discussing restorative and balanced approaches to school discipline and behavior management. As the first Handbook to draw together these multiple themes into one text, and the first international comparative collection on school discipline, surveillance and social control, it will appeal to scholars across a range of fields including sociology, education, criminology, critical security studies and psychology, providing a unique, timely, and indispensable resource for undergraduate educators and researchers.
The Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2
by Brian Matsumoto Carol F. RoullardThe Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2: The Unofficial Quintessential Guide provides a wealth of information and professional insights for owners of this powerful HD camera. With its electronic viewfinder and interchangeable lenses, the GH2 is capable of not only recording professional-quality still images, but has the added ability to record HD video as well. The mirrorless design enhances the camera's versatility beyond that of most digital single lens reflex (DSLR) cameras. With the appropriate adapters, it can use virtually any manufacturer's manual focus, legacy lens. It is smaller than a typical DSLR in both size and weight, and retains automatic focusing while recording videos capability that is missing in many DSLR cameras. With the GH2, Panasonic has significantly expanded the video capabilities beyond those of previous models. Among the improvements is the ability to adjust the frame rate and shutter speed when filming video, giving users greater control over the movie-making process. In this guide, authors Brian Matsumoto and Carol F. Roullard explore and explain the features and capabilities of the GH2 camera in detail, as they cover everything from the basic features of the camera to numerous advanced photographic applications. The informative text is illustrated with example images throughout. Readers will learn how to: Control the most basic camera functions-focus and exposure Navigate the camera's menu system Achieve a range of artistic effects using various camera settings Use the camera's automated controls, and override those controls to obtain better exposure Use the GH2 in its video mode to obtain HD videos Post-process images and videos on a computer Expand the camera's use by mounting it on a telescope or microscope And much more...
The Pandas Workshop: A comprehensive guide to using Python for data analysis with real-world case studies
by Thomas V. Joseph Blaine Bateman William So Saikat BasakLearn the fundamentals of data science with Python by analyzing real datasets and solving problems using pandasKey FeaturesLearn how to apply data retrieval, transformation, visualization, and modeling techniques using pandasBecome highly efficient in unlocking deeper insights from your data, including databases, web data, and moreBuild your experience and confidence with hands-on exercises and activitiesBook DescriptionThe Pandas Workshop will teach you how to be more productive with data and generate real business insights to inform your decision-making. You will be guided through real-world data science problems and shown how to apply key techniques in the context of realistic examples and exercises. Engaging activities will then challenge you to apply your new skills in a way that prepares you for real data science projects.You'll see how experienced data scientists tackle a wide range of problems using data analysis with pandas. Unlike other Python books, which focus on theory and spend too long on dry, technical explanations, this workshop is designed to quickly get you to write clean code and build your understanding through hands-on practice. As you work through this Python pandas book, you'll tackle various real-world scenarios, such as using an air quality dataset to understand the pattern of nitrogen dioxide emissions in a city, as well as analyzing transportation data to improve bus transportation services.By the end of this data analytics book, you'll have the knowledge, skills, and confidence you need to solve your own challenging data science problems with pandas.What you will learnAccess and load data from different sources using pandasWork with a range of data types and structures to understand your dataPerform data transformation to prepare it for analysisUse Matplotlib for data visualization to create a variety of plotsCreate data models to find relationships and test hypothesesManipulate time-series data to perform date-time calculationsOptimize your code to ensure more efficient business data analysisWho this book is forThis data analysis book is for anyone with prior experience working with the Python programming language who wants to learn the fundamentals of data analysis with pandas. Previous knowledge of pandas is not necessary.
The Paradigm Shift from a Linear Economy to a Smart Circular Economy: The Role of Artificial Intelligence-Enabled Systems, Solutions and Legislations (Studies in Systems, Decision and Control #586)
by Abdalmuttaleb M. A. Musleh Al-Sartawi Mansoor Alaali Arafat Salih AydinerThe concept of the circular economy has attracted the attention of scholars, researchers, professionals, and policymakers in recent years. The notion is characterised as an economy that intends to keep products, stocks, work in progress and materials at their highest utility and value continually, distinguishing between their technical and biological cycles. It is devised as a continuous positive development cycle that reserves and improves natural resources, optimizes outputs, and minimizes supply chain related risks by overseeing limited stocks and renewable flows of the stocks. Several legislations and policies are being developed to motivate and integrate SDGs and net zero-related approaches in companies, among which the circular economy (CE) is gaining momentum due to its documented impact on the elements of the SDGs and net zero.Efficient management of resources and utility via artificial intelligence is vital towards a smart circular economy by minimising waste/losses, pollution, and extraction of virgin resources. It is important to note that there is a difference between smart and traditional circular economies. This book focuses on the former and makes distinctions in terms of how technology systems and solutions can be effectively and efficiently implemented.This book &“The Paradigm Shift from a Linear Economy to a Smart Circular Economy: The Role of Artificial Intelligence-Enabled Systems, Solutions and Legislations&” discusses the transition from linear to smart circular economy by dissecting the role of artificial intelligence and other technologies such as big data, IoT and blockchain in such transformations. The book further aims to provide a platform for researchers, professionals, and students to closely investigate, discuss and examine the theories, philosophies, <span class="NormalT
The Paradox of Democracy: Free Speech, Open Media, and Perilous Persuasion
by Zac Gershberg Sean IllingA thought-provoking history of communications that challenges ideas about freedom of speech and democracy.“A book that provides valuable context for the latest assaults on democracy. . . . A clear and informative history.” —Kirkus ReviewsAt the heart of democracy lies a contradiction that cannot be resolved, one that has affected free societies since their advent: Though freedom of speech and media has always been a necessary condition of democracy, that very freedom is also its greatest threat. When new forms of communication arrive, they often bolster the practices of democratic politics. But the more accessible the media of a society, the more susceptible that society is to demagoguery, distraction, and spectacle. Tracing the history of media disruption and the various responses to it over time, Zac Gershberg and Sean Illing reveal how these changes have challenged democracy—often with unsettling effects.The Paradox of Democracy captures the deep connection between communication and political culture, from the ancient art of rhetoric and the revolutionary role of newspapers to liberal broadcast media and the toxic misinformation of the digital public sphere. With clear-eyed analysis, Gershberg and Illing show that our contemporary debates over media, populism, and cancel culture are not too different from the democratic cultural experiences of the past. As we grapple with a fast-changing, hyper-digital world, they prove democracy is always perched precipitously on a razor’s edge, now as ever before.“Gershberg and Illing suggest that democracy isn’t really about the rules and institutions that usually leap to mind. . . . Fundamentally, they say, democracy is a culture of free and open communication. And that openness makes it vulnerable to subversion from within.” ―The Boston Globe“The Paradox of Democracy is as provocative as it is unpredictable. It carefully and engagingly expands our understanding of how democracy works—and struggles—in a society where free expression is foundational and where media is undergoing revolutionary and rapid change. It will change how you think.” —Washington Post
The Paradox of Transgression in Games (Routledge Advances in Game Studies)
by Kristine Jørgensen Torill Elvira MortensenThe Paradox of Transgression in Games looks at transgressive games as an aesthetic experience, tackling how players respond to game content that shocks, disturbs, and distresses, and how contemporary video games can evoke intense emotional reactions. The book delves into the commercial success of many controversial videogames: although such games may appear shocking for the observing bystander, playing them is experienced as deeply rewarding for the player. Drawing on qualitative player studies and approaches from media aesthetics theory, the book challenges the perception of games as innocent entertainment, and examines the range of emotional, moral, and intellectual experiences of players. As they explore what players consider transgressive, the authors ask whether there is something about the gameplay situation that works to mitigate the sense of transgression, stressing gameplay as an aesthetic experience. Anchoring the aesthetic game experience both in play studies as well as in aesthetic theory, this book will be an essential resource for scholars and students of game studies, aesthetics, media studies, philosophy of art, and emotions.
The Paradoxes of Free Speech: Challenges and Controversies in Contemporary India
by Pallavi Devi and Alankar KaushikThis book explores the enduring tensions between free expression and regulation in an era of disinformation, surveillance, and digital monopolies. It brings together leading legal scholars, journalists, and media experts to examine the normative justifications for free speech, its role in democracy, personal autonomy, and knowledge production, while addressing its evolving challenges.The book traces the historical foundations of free speech, from colonial-era censorship to contemporary legal and philosophical debates. It examines the role of global tech giants like Google, Facebook, and Twitter in content regulation, exposing their lack of transparency and accountability. Key discussions include the dangers of algorithmic governance, the weaponization of fake news, and the judiciary’s role in interpreting free speech in the context of sedition, gendered struggle, hate speech, digital hate and violence and media freedoms. Additionally, the book features an insightful interview with a veteran Indian journalist on the shifting landscape of press freedom in India.This book is an essential read for Constitutional law students, political scientists, researchers, policymakers, media professionals, and anyone interested in the future of free speech and expression in the world. It offers a nuanced understanding of how legal frameworks, technology, and politics shape the fundamental right to speech in today’s complex internet age.
The Paradoxes of Network Neutralities (Information Policy)
by Russell A. NewmanAn argument that the movement for network neutrality was of a piece with its neoliberal environment, solidifying the continued existence of a commercially driven internet.Media reform activists rejoiced in 2015 when the FCC codified network neutrality, approving a set of Open Internet rules that prohibitedproviders from favoring some content and applications over others—only to have their hopes dashed two years later when the agency reversed itself. In this book, Russell Newman offers a unique perspective on these events, arguing that the movement for network neutrality was of a piece with its neoliberal environment rather than counter to it; perversely, it served to solidify the continued existence of a commercially dominant internet and even emergent modes of surveillance and platform capitalism. Going beyond the usual policy narrative of open versus closed networks, or public interest versus corporate power, Newman uses network neutrality as a lens through which to examine the ways that neoliberalism renews and reconstitutes itself, the limits of particular forms of activism, and the shaping of future regulatory processes and policies.Newman explores the debate's roots in the 1990s movement for open access, the transition to network neutrality battles in the 2000s, and the terms in which these battles were fought. By 2017, the debate had become unmoored from its own origins, and an emerging struggle against “neoliberal sincerity” points to a need to rethink activism surrounding media policy reform itself.
The Participatory Condition in the Digital Age (Electronic Mediations #51)
by Christine Ross Jonathan Sterne Darin Barney Gabriella Coleman Tamar TembeckJust what is the &“participatory condition&”? It is the situation in which taking part in something with others has become both environmental and normative. The fact that we have always participated does not mean we have always lived under the participatory condition. What is distinctive about the present is the extent to which the everyday social, economic, cultural, and political activities that comprise simply being in the world have been thematized and organized around the priority of participation. Structured along four axes investigating the relations between participation and politics, surveillance, openness, and aesthetics, The Participatory Condition in the Digital Age comprises fifteen essays that explore the promises, possibilities, and failures of contemporary participatory media practices as related to power, Occupy Wall Street, the Arab Spring uprisings, worker-owned cooperatives for the post-Internet age; paradoxes of participation, media activism, open source projects; participatory civic life; commercial surveillance; contemporary art and design; and education. This book represents the most comprehensive and transdisciplinary endeavor to date to examine the nature, place, and value of participation in the digital age. Just as in 1979, when Jean-François Lyotard proposed that &“the postmodern condition&” was characterized by the questioning of historical grand narratives, The Participatory Condition in the Digital Age investigates how participation has become a central preoccupation of our time. Contributors: Mark Andrejevic, Pomona College; Bart Cammaerts, London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE); Nico Carpentier, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB – Free University of Brussels) and Charles University in Prague; Julie E. Cohen, Georgetown University; Kate Crawford, MIT; Alessandro Delfanti, University of Toronto; Christina Dunbar-Hester, University of Southern California; Rudolf Frieling, California College of Arts and the San Francisco Art Institute; Salvatore Iaconesi, La Sapienza University of Rome and ISIA Design Florence; Jason Edward Lewis, Concordia University; Rafael Lozano-Hemmer; Graham Pullin, University of Dundee; Trebor Scholz, The New School in New York City; Cayley Sorochan, McGill University; Bernard Stiegler, Institute for Research and Innovation in Paris; Krzysztof Wodiczko, Harvard Graduate School of Design; Jillian C. York.
The Passage: The original post-apocalyptic virus thriller: chosen as Time Magazine's one of the best books to read during self-isolation in the Coronavirus outbreak (The Passage Trilogy #1)
by Justin CroninAmy Harper Bellafonte is six years old and her mother thinks she's the most important person in the whole world.She is.Anthony Carter doesn't think he could ever be in a worse place than Death Row.He's wrong.FBI agent Brad Wolgast thinks something beyond imagination is coming.It is.THE PASSAGE.(p) 2010 Penguin Random House LLC
The Passage: The original post-apocalyptic virus thriller: chosen as Time Magazine’s one of the best books to read during self-isolation in the Coronavirus outbreak
by Justin CroninNOW A MAJOR TV SERIES!'THE STAND meets THE ROAD' Entertainment Weekly'Enthralling ... richly imagined. Above all, Amy is a superb creation, believably human yet beguilingly enigmatic' Sunday TimesAmy Harper Bellafonte is six years old and her mother thinks she's the most important person in the whole world.She is.Anthony Carter doesn't think he could ever be in a worse place than Death Row.He's wrong.FBI agent Brad Wolgast thinks something beyond imagination is coming.It is.'Read 15 pages, and you will find yourself captivated; read 30 and you will find yourself taken prisoner and reading late into the night. It had the vividness that only epic works of fantasy and imagination can achieve. What else can I say? This: read this book and the ordinary world disappears' Stephen King
The Passionate Photographer 2nd Ed: Ten Steps Towards Becoming Great: the Remastered Edition of the Bestselling Classic Work for All Photographers
by Steve SimonTake your passion for photography and close the gap between what you hope to achieve and what you do, following one of the world's most highly regarded photographers. This book will help you think about your photography and find a visual voice. It follows a clear structure which will make it useful for any reader, and is fully illustrated with Simon's own inspiring photography and some work from the historical greats. Simon's understanding of photography makes for a book filled with tips you can immediately fold into your own shooting, quickly establishing your own vision, learning what to concentrate on in a shot, and pushing you beyond your comfort zone. It also includes "lessons learned" from Steve's experience, so you can neatly side-step some problems even the pros have had to endure.
The Passionate Programmer: Creating a Remarkable Career in Software Development
by Chad FowlerSuccess in today's IT environment requires you to view your career as a business endeavor. In this book, you'll learn how to become an entrepreneur, driving your career in the direction of your choosing. You'll learn how to build your software development career step by step, following the same path that you would follow if you were building, marketing, and selling a product. After all, your skills themselves are a product.The choices you make about which technologies to focus on and which business domains to master have at least as much impact on your success as your technical knowledge itself--don't let those choices be accidental. We'll walk through all aspects of the decision-making process, so you can ensure that you're investing your time and energy in the right areas.You'll develop a structured plan for keeping your mind engaged and your skills fresh. You'll learn how to assess your skills in terms of where they fit on the value chain, driving you away from commodity skills and toward those that are in high demand. Through a mix of high-level, thought-provoking essays and tactical "Act on It" sections, you will come away with concrete plans you can put into action immediately. You'll also get a chance to read the perspectives of several highly successful members of our industry from a variety of career paths.As with any product or service, if nobody knows what you're selling, nobody will buy. We'll walk through the often-neglected world of marketing, and you'll create a plan to market yourself both inside your company and to the industry in general.Above all, you'll see how you can set the direction of your career, leading to a more fulfilling and remarkable professional life.
The Past, Present, and Future of JavaScript
by Axel RauschmayerWhat’s next for JavaScript? Its phenomenal rise from a simple client-side scripting tool to a versatile and flexible programming language exceeded everyone’s expectations. Now, hopes and expectations for JavaScript’s future are considerable.In this insightful report, Dr. Axel Rauschmayer explains how the combination of several technologies and opportunities in the past 15 years turned JavaScript’s fortunes. With that as a backdrop, he provides a detailed look at proposed new features and fixes in the next version, ECMAScript.next, and then presents his own JavaScript wish list—such as an integrated IDE.Understand the key role that XMLHttpRequest, JSON, jQuery, V8, Node.js, and other advances playedExamine proposed fixes for ECMAScript.next through code examplesDiscover how JavaScript is becoming a better target for compilersExplore the technologies that will help JavaScript provide support for concurrencyLearn how HTML5 is a compelling platform for JavaScript in web, mobile, and desktop applicationsDr. Rauschmayer is a consultant and trainer for JavaScript, web technologies, and information management.
The Path of Speech Technologies in Computer Assisted Language Learning: From Research Toward Practice (Routledge Studies in Computer Assisted Language Learning #Vol. 4)
by V. Melissa Holland F. Pete FisherThis collection examines the promise and limitations for computer-assisted language learning of emerging speech technologies: speech recognition, text-to-speech synthesis, and acoustic visualization. Using pioneering research from contributors based in the US and Europe, this volume illustrates the uses of each technology for learning languages, the problems entailed in their use, and the solutions evolving in both technology and instructional design. To illuminate where these technologies stand on the path from research toward practice, the book chapters are organized to reflect five stages in the maturation of learning technologies: basic research, analysis of learners’ needs, adaptation of technologies to meet needs, development of prototypes to incorporate adapted technologies, and evaluation of prototypes. The volume demonstrates the progress in employing each class of speech technology while pointing up the effort that remains for effective, reliable application to language learning.
The Path to an Intelligent Enterprise: The Art and Practice of Business Intelligence Strategy (Future of Business and Finance)
by Reinhold Exner Alexander ZunicBusiness Intelligence (BI) and data-driven decision-making have long been atop the priority list for companies. However, many companies continue to struggle to keep up. The collision between rising management expectations, rapid technological advancements, and organizational rigidity, along with traditional ways of working, often hampers progress. This book aims to contextualize innovations like Big Data, the Internet of Things, and Artificial Intelligence, which have predominantly been discussed from a technology-centric standpoint, within a business framework. It presents compelling evidence that companies without a well-organized and leveraged business intelligence strategy are prone to squandering money and resources on hasty and improvised BI initiatives. The book delves into effective business intelligence application, equipping practitioners with a solid understanding of successful practices and how to implement them. Practical tips and accelerators, including a template for documenting a BI strategy for organizations, are provided. The book is intended for business professionals and decision-makers responsible for strategic BI initiatives, as well as practitioners and users of business intelligence systems.
The Patient Revolution
by Krisa TailorIn The Patient Revolution, author Krisa Tailor--a noted expert in health care innovation and management--explores, through the lens of design thinking, how information technology will take health care into the experience economy. In the experience economy, patients will shift to being empowered consumers who are active participants in their own care. Tailor explores this shift by creating a vision for a newly designed health care system that's focused on both sickness and wellness, and is driven by data and analytics. The new system seamlessly integrates health into our daily lives, and delivers care so uniquely personalized that no two people are provided identical treatments. Connected through data, everyone across the health care ecosystem, including clinicians, insurers, and researchers, will be able to meet individuals wherever they are in their health journey to reach the ultimate goal of keeping people healthy. The patient revolution has just begun and an exciting journey awaits us. Praise for the patient revolution "A full 50% of the US population has at least one chronic disease that requires ongoing monitoring and treatment. Our current health care system is woefully inadequate in providing these individuals with the treatment and support they need. This disparity can only be addressed through empowering patients to better care for themselves and giving providers better tools to care for their patients. Both of those solutions will require the development and application of novel technologies. In Krisa Tailor's book The Patient Revolution, a blueprint is articulated for how this could be achieved, culminating in a vision for a learning health system within 10 years." --Ricky Bloomfield, MD, Director, Mobile Technology Strategy; Assistant Professor, Duke Medicine "In The Patient Revolution, Krisa Tailor astutely points out that 80% of health is impacted by factors outside of the health care system. Amazon unfortunately knows more about our patients than we do. The prescriptive analytics she describes will allow health care providers to use big data to optimize interventions at the level of the individual patient. The use of analytics will allow providers to improve quality, shape care coordination, and contain costs. Advanced analytics will lead to personalized care and ultimately empowered patients!" --Linda Butler, MD, Vice President of Medical Affairs/Chief Medical Officer/Chief Medical Information Officer, Rex Healthcare "The Patient Revolution provides a practical roadmap on how the industry can capture value by making health and care more personalized, anticipatory, and intuitive to patient needs." --Ash Damle, CEO, Lumiata "Excellent read. For me, health care represents a unique economy--one focused on technology, but requiring a deep understanding of humanity. Ms. Tailor begins the exploration of how we provide care via the concepts of design thinking, asking how we might redesign care with an eye toward changing the experience. She does an excellent job deconstructing this from the patient experience. I look forward to a hopeful follow-up directed at changing the provider culture." --Alan Pitt, MD, Chief Medical Officer, Avizia "Whether you're a health care provider looking to gain an understanding of the health care landscape, a health data scientist, or a seasoned business pro, you'll come away with a deeper, nuanced understanding of today's evolving health care system with this book. Krisa Tailor ties together--in a comprehensive, unique way--the worlds of health care administration, clinical practice, design thinking, and business strategy and innovation." --Steven Chan, MD, MBA, University of California, Davis
The Pattern On The Stone: The Simple Ideas That Make Computers Work
by W. Daniel HillisMost people are baffled by how computers work and assume that they will never understand them. What they don’t realize--and what Daniel Hillis’s short book brilliantly demonstrates--is that computers’ seemingly complex operations can be broken down into a few simple parts that perform the same simple procedures over and over again. Computer wizard Hillis offers an easy-to-follow explanation of how data is processed that makes the operations of a computer seem as straightforward as those of a bicycle. Avoiding technobabble or discussions of advanced hardware, the lucid explanations and colorful anecdotes in The Pattern on the Stone go straight to the heart of what computers really do. Hillis proceeds from an outline of basic logic to clear descriptions of programming languages, algorithms, and memory. He then takes readers in simple steps up to the most exciting developments in computing today--quantum computing, parallel computing, neural networks, and self-organizing systems. Written clearly and succinctly by one of the world’s leading computer scientists, The Pattern on the Stone is an indispensable guide to understanding the workings of that most ubiquitous and important of machines: the computer.
The Pattern On The Stone: The Simple Ideas That Make Computers Work (SCIENCE MASTERS)
by Daniel HillisWill computers become thinking machines? A scientist at the cutting-edge of current research gives his provocative analysis.The world was shocked when a computer, Deep Blue defeated Gary Kasparov, arguably the greatest human chess player ever to have lived. This remarkable victory, and other, more day-to-day innovations, beg serious questions: what are the limits of what computers can do? Can they think? Do they learn?Discussions of these questions tend to get muddled because most people have only the vaguest idea of how computers actually work. This book explains the inner workings of computers in a way that does not require a profound knowledge of mathematics nor an understanding of electrical engineering. Starting with an account of how computers are built and why they work, W. Daniel Hillis describes what they can and cannot do - at the present time - before explaining how a computer can surpass its programmer and, finally, where humanity has reached in its quest for a true Thinking Machine.
The PayTech Book: The Payment Technology Handbook for Investors, Entrepreneurs, and FinTech Visionaries
by Susanne Chishti Markos Zachariadis Tony Craddock Robert CourtneidgeThe only globally-crowdsourced book on the future of payments (“PayTech”), offering comprehensive understanding of a rapidly evolving industry at the centre of global commerce The movement of money between individuals, organisations and governments is crucial to the world economy. The payments industry has undergone immense transformation – new regulations, technologies and consumer demands have prompted significant changes to the tools, products and use cases in payments, as well as presented lucrative opportunities for entrepreneurs and FinTech professionals. As payment technologies become faster and more efficient, companies and investors are increasingly favouring PayTech innovation due to better customer experience, increased revenues and manageable risks. The PAYTECH Book brings together a diverse collection of industry experts to provide entrepreneurs, financial services professionals and investors with the answers they need to capitalise on the highly profitable PayTech market. Written by leaders in the global FinTech and payment sectors, this informative volume explains key industry developments and presents valuable first-hand insights from prominent industry practitioners. Contributors include advisors and consultants to the payments and financial services industry, entrepreneurs and business owners utilising cutting-edge PayTech capabilities, academic researchers exploring the social-political-economic impact of PayTech and many others. Detailed chapters cover essential topics such as cybersecurity, regulation and compliance, wholesale payments and how payment systems currently work and how PayTech can improve them. This book: Defines PayTech and identifies its key players Discusses how PayTech can transform developed markets and accelerate growth in emerging economies Describes how PayTech fits into the larger FinTech ecosystem Explores the future of PayTech and its potential as an agent of social change and financial inclusion Provides diverse perspectives on investment in PayTech and what consolidation and expansion will look like The PAYTECH Book: The Payment Technology Handbook for Investors, Entrepreneurs and FinTech Visionaries is an indispensable source of information for FinTech investors and entrepreneurs, managers from payments companies and financial services firms and executives responsible for payments in government, corporations, public sector organisations, retailers and users of payments.