Informatica

Our research is devoted to development of information infrastructure for e-service semi-automatic provision by using distributed data warehouses (DWs) of water protection domain. Development of software for semi-automatic service provision is based on artificial planner and structure of goals adapted for specialized needs of end users. Such e-service preparation mechanism can work under the unified coherent framework for solving the environment protection problems by evaluation of the processes of water consumption and contamination. The possibilities of integration of distributed DWs of water management sector into web portal meeting the requirements of conceptual interoperability are presented. Design approach is based on development of decision support system (DSS) that is designed as multilayered system with multi–componential, interoperable structure of databases (DBs), which are under responsibility of different public administration institutions such as European Environment Information and Observation Network (EIONET) and national environment protection agencies. The infrastructure of EIONET is used for supporting and improving data and information flows. The Water resource management information system (WRMIS) became the kernel component of DSS. WRMIS prototype facilitates data flows between the institutions and gives access to data for relevant institutions and the public providing e-services using proposed DSS. The research investigations are made according to the requirements of European Union Water Framework Directive, Sustainable Development Strategy and ReportNet as the EIONET infrastructure for supporting and improving data and information flows. Additional means are integrated in the structures of DSS as knowledge representation techniques based on conceptual schemas, data flow diagrams, and decision-making rules. The on-line management techniques are based on assurance of interoperability by using Open Web Platform W3C standards for web service development, such as XML, SOAP, HTTP, etc.

Trust is an important factor for successful e-commerce and e-media applications. However, these media inherently disable many ordinary communication channels and means, and affect trust forming factors. Therefore cyber environment requires additional support when it comes to trust. This is also one key reason why computational trust management methods are being developed now for some fifteen years, while another key reason is to enable better decision making through mathematical modeling and simulations in other areas. These methods are grounded on certain premises, which are analyzed in this paper. On this basis, Qualitative assessment dynamics (QAD for short) is presented that complements the above methods. As opposed to other methods, it is aligned with certain principles of human reasoning. Therefore it further extends the scope of other computational trust management technologies that are typically concerned with artificial ways of reasoning, while QAD gives a basis also for applications in ordinary environments where humans are involved. By using this methodology, experimental work will be presented, applied to the area of organizations and human factor management.