CFP: Asian Perspectives

CFP Journal of Virtual Worlds Issue on Asian Perspectives & Special Seminar on Virtuallity in the 11th Wuhan International Conference on E-Business, May 26-27, 2012 in Wuhan, China

The Journal of Virtual Worlds Research (http://jvwresearch.org/) is happy to announce the call for this “Asian Perspectives on Virtual Worlds” issue with a special Seminar on “Virtuallity as a Frontier for MIS research” as part of The Eleventh Wuhan International Conference on E-Business (An AIS Affiliated Conference) (http://www.whiceb.com/), May 26-27, 2012 in Wuhan, China.

Enclosed are details re:

1. The issue Call for JVWR

2. The seminar on Virtuallity, and

3. The Entire conference:

 

1. JVWR issue on Asian Perspectives on Virtual Worlds

Guest Editors

Kenneth Y T Lim, National Institute of Education, Singapore

Young Hoan Cho, National Institute of Education, Singapore

Michael Vallance, Future University, Hakodate, Japan

Deadlines

Authors submission of abstract: Mar 1, 2012 using the Journal the system (login at the top right of the journal site, state that you aim at the Asian Perspective issue.) Abstract submission will give authors quick feedback and allow editors to identify reviewers asap.

Editors submit comments: Mar 15.

Authors submission of full paper: Jun 1, 2012

Editors review report and initial decision to authors: Jul 1, 2012

Authors submission of revision: Aug 1, 2012

Editors final decision and comments to authors: Aug 15, 2012

Authors submission of completed, final version of paper: Sep 01, 2012

Staff editor & authors work till Planned Publication Date: Sep 30, 2012

About

We are interested in topics like socio-cultural framings of virtual worlds, game-based worlds and the communities that emerge within them as well as special technologies that have emerged in the region. Commentators such as Engeström (1999) have given us lenses through which to investigate such interactions and growth.

When highlighting patterns of usage of virtual worlds, the mass media tends to draw generalisations from anecdotal extremes of the neglect of families and acts of gang-related or self-inflicted violence; other generalisations are drawn about the outsourcing of the acquisition of in-game resources. We argue that understandings of virtual worlds from Asian perspectives must be broader than these naîve generalisations.

The purpose of this special issue is to seek a nuanced landscape of virtual worlds from Asian perspectives – a landscape which encompasses both peaks and valleys, as opposed to one which emphasizes some at the expense of others.

Congruent with this approach, the question of whether there are indeed “Asian perspectives” and the forms these might take, might be articulated along the following lines of inquiry:

  • a straightforward sub-regional approach (such as, but not limited to, the impact of virtual worlds in northeast Asia);
  • position papers and academic research which foreground the evolutionary trajectory of community-growth as embedded within Oriental (as opposed to Occidental) cultures;
  • in this latter regard, considerations might even be taken of the distinctions – and interplay – between the in-world actions of protagonists as informed by their respective cultural worldviews, and their wider constructs of identity and self within their home-cultures as they participate in their regular everyday activities.

We therefore invite position papers and interim reports of research studies which might shed light on the preceding issues, such as – but not limited to:

  • comparative studies on the use, understandings and significance of virtual worlds and game-based worlds across Oriental and Occidental cultures;
  • ethnographies of protagonists and players living and operating within Asian societies;
  • longitudinal studies of in-world and cross-world community emergence and growth from Asia;
  • research studies on interventions within a diversity of Asian contexts, such as formal education and / or non-formal learning;
  • descriptive studies of protagonists and players of Asian origin, focusing on how their in-world actions and identities might have been shaped by wider cultural factors – and vice versa.

Guidelines

We welcome submissions in the form of full research papers, research-in-brief papers, “think-pieces,” essays, monographs, interactive online exhibits with accompanying detailed descriptions, and other forms of scholarship.

For specific submission instructions and detailed descriptions of the different submission formats visit: http://jvwresearch.org

Further Information

Please contact:

Kenneth Y T Lim voyager AT mac.com

Young Hoan Cho younghoan.cho AT nie.edu.sg

Michael Vallance mvallance AT mac.com

2. A Special Seminar on Virtuallity as a Frontier for MIS Research as Part of The Eleventh Wuhan International Conference on E-Business

Wuhan Logos

The JVWR will host a seminar at The Eleventh Wuhan International Conference on E-Business (An AIS Affiliated Conference)  (http://www.whiceb.com/), May 26-27, 2012 in Wuhan, China. It is widely recognized in the region and beyond as an excellent and fascinating academic conference on e-Business. Topics include, but are not limited to, e-Business and development, IT/IS for E-Business, Knowledge Management and Business Intelligence, Human Behaviors in IS Application, Innovation Management and IT Application, and Operations & Services Management. The conference paper submission deadline is Jan 20, 2012.

Talks include:

a. The Five Challenges of Virtual Worlds Research

Dr. Yesha Y. Sivan — Tel Aviv Academic College. Tel Aviv, Israel.

Abstract:

Real virtual worlds are defined as an integration of four factors: 3D, Community,

Creation, and Commerce (AKA 3D3C). The more we have of these factors the

closer we get to real virtual worlds. In that sense IMVU, Second Life, and Entropia

are more real virtual worlds than Club Penguin, World of Warcraft, and SIMS online.

In the talk five research challenges that deal with interface, money,

dependency, identity, and scale-ability.

Bio:

Dr. Yesha Sivan is the head of the Information Systems Program (http://is.mta.ac.il) at the School of Management and Economy at the Tel-Aviv-Yaffo academic college (http://www.mta.ac.il). He is also the founder of Metaverse Labs (MVL) – a leading think tank focusing on connecting virtual and real worlds. Dr. Sivan professional experience includes developing and deploying innovative solutions for corporate, hi-tech, government, and defense environments (see for example: the Harvard 9-Keys for Knowledge Infrastructure). He published numerous papers in the areas of Strategy and IT, knowledge, 3D3C virtual worlds, and standards. Dr. Sivan received his doctorate from Harvard University. His avatar is Dera Kit, and his blog is http://www.dryesha.com. He has taught EMBA, MBA, engineering and design in the areas of strategic value of IT, the emergence of virtual worlds, and software development in virtual worlds.

b. Six Learnings Framework for Curriculum in Fictive Worlds

Dr. Kenneth Y T Lim — Office of Education Research, National Institute of Education, Singapore

Abstract:

Since 2010, some schools in Singapore have been using Second Life in the teaching and learning of key concepts in geography, such as geomorphology and map literacy. These interventions have been in-part funded by the Ministry of Education and the National Institute of Education in Singapore. The curricular units designed around these topics have been informed by the Six Learnings framework for curriculum design in fictive worlds and virtual environments, which was conceptualized by Kenneth in 2008. Since then, the framework and findings have been shared at both geographical- and virtual worlds-related conferences in Southeast Asia, Britain and the United States. In this talk, Kenneth will share some of the critical insights and the underlying philosophy which have informed these investigations.

Bio:

Kenneth Y T Lim is a Research Scientist at the Office of Education Research, National Institute of Education, Singapore. His research interests are the affordances for learning of fictive worlds and virtual environments such as Second Life. To this end, he works closely with teachers from schools in Singapore, and with the Ministry of Education, to develop curricular interventions which leverage these affordances.

c. Monetizing Virtual Worlds: the Case of Anshe Chung Studios

Ailin Graef — CEO of Anshe Chung Studios, Ltd. (Hubei, China)

Abstract:

Globally accessible virtual worlds provide an opportunity for new

forms of collaboration and organization. In this workshop Ailin Graef

will discuss several successful virtual world use-cases in the

for-profit, non-profit and educational sectors. She will also share

her experience in harvesting talent in China and overseas to create

value in virtual worlds.

Bio:

Ailin Graef is a pioneer in virtual world entrepreneurship and

monetization of computer game economies. In 2006, using the pseudonym

“Anshe Chung”, she became the world’s first virtual world millionaire

and received global media recognition for building a virtual real

estate business inside Second Life. Since then she has been involved

in the creation of several successful 3D social media startup

companies including Anshe Chung Studios, Ltd. (Hubei), Virtuatrade,

LLC (PA), Reality Network, Ltd. (Wuhan), Frenzoo, Ltd (HK) and 3D

Avatar School, Ltd (HK).

Ailin originally graduated from Beijing Foreign Studies University and taught at the Huanggang Normal University before becoming involved with online media.

For participation at the workshop in Wuhan please contact : Info AT jvwresearch.org

3. About The 11th Wuhan International Conference on E-Business http://www.whiceb.com/

About

The annual Wuhan International Conference on E-Business (WHICEB) promotes intellectual research and facilitates academic and corporate networking in e-business and relevant fields. The conference aims at presenting innovative initiatives, solutions and approaches to making the Internet a productive and efficient alternative for the new eWorld. As emerging digital environments generate new ways of communication and interaction between individuals, organizations and societies we need to examine the structures, processes and operations to ensure our migration to a more reliable eWorld. We also have to identify entrepreneurial opportunity of e-business and to help enterprises for the challenges ranging from technological to behavioral issues, from marketing to privacy issues, from effectiveness to security issues. Moreover, it is essential that managers, employees and citizens take actions at both the macro and the micro levels; our discourse focuses on designing suitable organizational configurations, effective and efficient processes, new kinds of products and services, and necessary infrastructures and technologies. In this global world, we need to leverage technologies and manage processes of services and products for the e-business.

Wuhan International Conference on E-Business holds annually in May, and is widely recognized in the region and beyond as an excellent and fascinating academic conference. We have successfully held ten WHICEB conferences in the past since 2000. We welcome paper submissions from different aspects of business and from different disciplines. Conference proceedings will be listed in the Index to Scientific & Technical Proceedings® (ISTP) or in the Index to Social Sciences and Humanities Proceedings® (ISSHP). The proceedings will also be available at AIS eLibrary, and will be  submitted to EI (Engineering index). Selected best papers from the proceeding will be recommended to the following international academic journals/special issues: Electronic Markets-The International Journal on Networked business, International Journal of Information Technology and Management, International Journal of Services Technology and Management ,International Journal of Mobile Learning and Organization, International Journal of Revenue Management , Chinese Journal of Management, International Journal of Networking and Virtual Organizations, International Journal of Business Process Integration and Management ,International Journal of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Electronic Government: An International Journal, Journal of Theoretical and Applied Electronic Commerce Research, China Journal of Information Systems, etc.

Conference Topics

There are six major tracks in this conference.  Topics listed below are suggested but not limited to.

E-Business and Developments – Topics including E- Commerce issues and developments, E-Business strategy and risks ,E-Business impacts across organizations ,E -Business value chain management, E -Business applications in service industries, Enablers and inhibitors of e-commerce in SMEs, Web-based marketing and mobile marketing, Privacy, security, and trust of e-commerce and mobile business , E-Health, Collaboration and innovation in online social networks, Collaboration and innovation in e-Government ,Web-based education and training, E-Business policies & regulations

IT/IS for E-Business – Topics including Workflow and business process tools and management for e-business, Services computing in e-business, Cloud computing ,Components, services and solutions for e-business ,Collaboration information systems and technology, ERP applications and business process innovation ,Adoption and diffusion of green IT/IS, Web-based Information Systems and Applications, Security and privacy methods and solutions for enabling e-business

Knowledge Management and Business Intelligence – Topics including Knowledge management processes and structures, Knowledge management in virtual teams and distributed contexts, Design,  development and use of knowledge management systems, Capturing and sharing knowledge in social networks, Data, text, and Web mining for business intelligence, Real-time decision making based on business intelligence, Leveraging business intelligence systems for knowledge creation, Business intelligence systems and collaborative business

Human Behavior in IS Applications – Topics including Human and social factors in e-business and IS adoption and deployment, Cultural factors for adoption and use of IT/IS, The impact of IS on human behavior in organizations, The impact of social networking web sites on human behavior in communications, IS impact people’s willingness or ability to switch to a new system, The social and behavioral impacts of emerging technology ,Organizational and human factors and the success of virtual teams, Human behavior change with the proliferation of online social networking.

Innovation Management and IT applications – Topics including ICT-enabled process innovation and analytics within and between organizations, IT outsourcing-enabled business transformation and new inter-organizational forms, IT project management methodologies, Entrepreneurship in technology innovation strategy, Strategic management, SME’s development strategy, Human resource management, Innovation and management of production systems, IT applications in accounting and finance management, Emerging market risk management, Development of capital markets in emerging economies, Cost control methods and international economics management.

Operations & Services Management – Topics including Green supply chain management, Distribution logistics service management, Customer relationship management in operations & service, Inter-organization cooperation and management, Service requirements analysis, modeling and design, Integration of IT services architecture and management with customer services, Methodologies and techniques for automated service composition and delivery, Business value of service and value co-creation, Quality control and management in operations &service, Service economics, risk, supply chain and life cycle

Details

Important Dates

Submission deadline for full manuscript: January 20, 2012

Acceptance announcement: February 28, 2012

Deadline for final camera-ready paper: March 15, 2012

Registration: March 15, 2012

Conference date: May 26-27, 2012

Paper submission 

Please use the manuscript submission system to submit your papers to WHICEB 2012 in http://www.whiceb.com

Submitted manuscripts in English will be limited to 8 pages and the additional page charge is $20 per page. The manuscripts must be formatted using the Conference Proceedings template. Formatting instructions can be found on the conference website.

Organizers

The Center for International Cooperation in E-Business ,China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, China

School of Economics and Management, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, China

College of Business, Alfred University, Alfred, New York, USA

International Business Interface Inc. (IBII), USA

Sponsors

The Association for Information Systems(AIS)

China Association for Information Systems (CNAIS)

The China Information Economics Society

Baden-Wuerttemberg Cooperative State University Heidenheim, Heidenheim, Germany

Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology University, Melbourne, Australia

Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey

College of Business & Public Administration, University of North Dakota, USA

School of Management, New Jersey Institute of Technology, New Jersey, USA

FHS St. Gallen, University of Applied Sciences, St. Gallen, Switzerland

College of Management, Huazhong University of Sciences & Technology Wuhan, China

Business School, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China

College of Information Management, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China

College of Management, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan, China

Xinhua College of Finance and Insurance, Zhongnan University of Economics and Law, Wuhan, China

School of Business and Administration, Zhongnan University of Economics and Law, Wuhan, China

Information Management Department, Huazhong Normal University, Wuhan, China

Graduate School of Systems Engineering, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China

China E-Commerce Association Wuhan Representative Office, Wuhan, China

China Journal of Information Systems, School of Economics and Management, Tsinghua University, China

Chinese Journal of Management, Huazhong University of Technology and Sciences, Wuhan, China

Co-Chairs

Jing Zhao, CICEB, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan

Wilfred V. Huang, Alfred University (fhuang AT alfred.edu)

Editor

Frank G Duserick, Alfred University, USA

Contact at:

Zhang Yao , Luxi Lin, Jing Wang, Chunming Wu and Zhen Zhu (Conference Coordinator)

E-mail:wuhaniceb AT gmail.com for authors outside China ,  whiceb AT yahoo.com.cn for authors in China

Address: School of Economics and Management, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, P. R. China