Carlo Batini - Böcker

This book provides a systematic and comparative description of the vast number of research issues related to the quality of data and information. It does so by delivering a sound, integrated and comprehensive  overview of the state of the art and future development of data and information quality in databases and information systems.To this end, it presents an extensive description of the techniques that constitute the core of data and information quality research, including record linkage (also called object identification), data integration, error localization and correction, and examines the related techniques in a comprehensive and original methodological framework. Quality dimension definitions and adopted models are also analyzed in detail, and differences between the proposed solutions are highlighted and discussed. Furthermore, while systematically describing data and information quality as an autonomous research area, paradigms and influences deriving from other areas, such as probability theory, statistical data analysis, data mining, knowledge representation, and machine learning are also included. Last not least, the book also highlights very practical solutions, such as methodologies, benchmarks for the most effective techniques, case studies, and examples. The book has been written primarily for researchers in the fields of databases and information management or in  natural sciences who are interested in investigating properties of data and information that have an impact on the quality of experiments, processes and on real life. The material presented is also sufficiently self-contained for masters or PhD-level courses, and it covers all the fundamentals and topics without the need for other textbooks. Data and information system administrators and practitioners, who deal with systems exposed to data-quality issues and as a result need a systematization of the field and practical methods in the area, will also benefit from thecombination of concrete practical approaches with sound theoretical formalisms.

This book provides a systematic and comparative description of the vast number of research issues related to the quality of data and information. It does so by delivering a sound, integrated and comprehensive  overview of the state of the art and future development of data and information quality in databases and information systems.To this end, it presents an extensive description of the techniques that constitute the core of data and information quality research, including record linkage (also called object identification), data integration, error localization and correction, and examines the related techniques in a comprehensive and original methodological framework. Quality dimension definitions and adopted models are also analyzed in detail, and differences between the proposed solutions are highlighted and discussed. Furthermore, while systematically describing data and information quality as an autonomous research area, paradigms and influences deriving from other areas, such as probability theory, statistical data analysis, data mining, knowledge representation, and machine learning are also included. Last not least, the book also highlights very practical solutions, such as methodologies, benchmarks for the most effective techniques, case studies, and examples. The book has been written primarily for researchers in the fields of databases and information management or in  natural sciences who are interested in investigating properties of data and information that have an impact on the quality of experiments, processes and on real life. The material presented is also sufficiently self-contained for masters or PhD-level courses, and it covers all the fundamentals and topics without the need for other textbooks. Data and information system administrators and practitioners, who deal with systems exposed to data-quality issues and as a result need a systematization of the field and practical methods in the area, will also benefit from thecombination of concrete practical approaches with sound theoretical formalisms.

This book argues that “organizing” is a broader term than managing, as it entails understanding how people and machines interact with each other;

Poor data quality can seriously hinder the effectiveness of organizations and businesses. This book offers state of the art understanding of the issues surrounding data quality, and sound practical advice for analyzing and improving data quality in the real world.

Cooperative Information Systems have emerged as a central concept in a variety of applications, projects, and systems in the new era of e-business. The conference at which the papers in this volume were presented was the ninth international conference on the topic of Cooperative Information Systems (CoopIS 2001), and was held in Trento, Italy on September 5-7, 2001. Like the previous conferences, CoopIS 2001 has been remarkably successful in bringing together representatives of many di?erent ?elds, spanning the entire range of e?ective web-based Cooperative Information Systems, and with interests ranging from industrial experience to original research concepts and results. The 29 papers collected here out of the 79 ones that were submitted, dem- strate well the range of results achieved in several areas such as agent te- nologies, models and architectures, web systems, information integration, m- dleware technologies, federated and multi-database systems. The papers th- selves, however, do not convey the lively excitement of the conference itself, and the continuing spirit of cooperation and communication across disciplines that has been the hallmark of these conferences.We would especially like to thank our keynote speakers: Philip A. Bernstein (Microsoft Research, USA), Edward E. Cobb (BEA Systems, USA), and Ma- izio Lenzerini (Universit'a di Roma "La Sapienza", Italy) for providing a portrait of the best contemporary work in the ?eld. We would also like to thank the many people who made CoopIS 2001 possible.

Poor data quality can seriously hinder the effectiveness of organizations and businesses. This book offers state of the art understanding of the issues surrounding data quality, and sound practical advice for analyzing and improving data quality in the real world.

Motivation for the Book This book aims to describe a comprehensive methodology for service-oriented inf- mation systems planning, considered in particular, in eGovernment initiatives. The methodology is based on the research results produced by the Italian project "eG- ernment for Mediterranean Countries (eG4M)," granted by the Italian Ministry of University and Research from 2005 to 2008. The concept of service is at the center of the book. The methodology is focused on quality of services as a key factor for eGovernment initiatives. Since its grou- ing is in a project whose goal has been to develop a methodology for eGove- ment in Mediterranean countries it is called eG4M. Furthermore, eG4M aims at encompassing the relationships existing between ICT technologies and social c- texts of service provision, organizational issues, and juridical framework, looking at ICT technologies more as a means than an end. eG4M satis es a real need of constituencies and stakeholders involved in eGovernment projects, con rmed in the eG4M experimentations and in previous preliminary experiences in the Italian P- lic Administrations.A structured process is needed that provides a clear perspective on the different facets that eGovernment initiatives usually have to challenge and disciplines the complex set of decisions to be taken. The available approaches to eGovernment usually provide only one perspective to public managers and local authorities on the domain of intervention, either te- nological, organizational, legal, economic, or social.

Motivation for the Book This book aims to describe a comprehensive methodology for service-oriented inf- mation systems planning, considered in particular, in eGovernment initiatives. The methodology is based on the research results produced by the Italian project "eG- ernment for Mediterranean Countries (eG4M)," granted by the Italian Ministry of University and Research from 2005 to 2008. The concept of service is at the center of the book. The methodology is focused on quality of services as a key factor for eGovernment initiatives. Since its grou- ing is in a project whose goal has been to develop a methodology for eGove- ment in Mediterranean countries it is called eG4M. Furthermore, eG4M aims at encompassing the relationships existing between ICT technologies and social c- texts of service provision, organizational issues, and juridical framework, looking at ICT technologies more as a means than an end. eG4M satis es a real need of constituencies and stakeholders involved in eGovernment projects, con rmed in the eG4M experimentations and in previous preliminary experiences in the Italian P- lic Administrations.A structured process is needed that provides a clear perspective on the different facets that eGovernment initiatives usually have to challenge and disciplines the complex set of decisions to be taken. The available approaches to eGovernment usually provide only one perspective to public managers and local authorities on the domain of intervention, either te- nological, organizational, legal, economic, or social.