Journal articles on the topic 'Cloud-based payment systems (CBPS)'

A number of Cloud Providers have sprung up with different offers ranging from providing instances that looks much like physical hardware to application domain-specific offers. This study intends to propose a set of review criteria to evaluate existing Cloud computing providers to high level information about this emerging way of IT provisioning. Existing Cloud providers in the Iaas, Paas and SaaS were considered using, Architecture, Application Programming Interface, User Interface, Security, Fault tolerance and Scalability, Software implementation, Monitoring, Payment and Performance. This study is to assist Cloud users and researchers in making important decision in using Cloud Systems. The study exposed a refined method of further classification of Cloud based System. The classification will enable users to know open systems that are readily available for research, commercial systems for big projects and also be a good starting point for new comers into Cloud Computing environment.

Cloud storage auditing allows the users to store their data to the cloud with a guarantee that the data integrity can be efficiently checked. In order to release the user from the burden of generating data signatures, the proxy with a valid warrant is introduced to help the user process data in lightweight cloud storage auditing schemes. However, the proxy might be revoked or the proxy’s warrant might expire. These problems are common and essential in real-world applications, but they are not considered and solved in existing lightweight cloud storage auditing schemes. In this paper, we propose a lightweight identity-based cloud storage auditing scheme supporting proxy update, which not only reduces the user’s computation overhead but also makes the revoked proxy or the expired proxy unable to process data on behalf of the user any more. The signatures generated by the revoked proxy or the expired proxy can still be used to verify data integrity. Furthermore, our scheme also supports workload-based payment for the proxy. The security proof and the performance analysis indicate that our scheme is secure and efficient.

Regional General Hospital Dr. Zainoel Abidin (RSUDZA) is one of the public service installations that provide direct health services to the community, especially outpatient and inpatient services. RSUD dr. Zainoel Abidin has implemented a package payment system (INA-CBGs) since January 2014. One of the management elements of implementing this system is planning. Planning (planning) is a process that is very important of all other management functions, which specifically includes the actions to be carried out in order to achieve goals. This study uses a mixed method that uses a combination of descriptive quantitative research and qualitative research with a phenomenological approach through in-depth interviews with informants (in-depth interview). The data used to assess the effectiveness of implementing package payment systems (INA-CBGs) is secondary data taken from hospital medical records. The statistical results assess the frequency distribution by comparing the effectiveness before and after the implementation of the package payment system (INA-CBGs) at RSUD dr. Zainoel Abidin Banda Aceh. The results showed the INA-CBG system was more effective than the Fee for Service (FFS) payment system. The results of this study indicate an increase in efficiency based on service indicators before / after the application of the INA-CBG system, namely (BOR: 75% / 72%, AvLOS: 5 days / 4 days, TOI: 2 days / 1 day, BTO: 46 times / 58 times, GDR: 6 per 1000 patients with discharge / 27 per 1000 patients with discharge, and NDR: 8 per 1000/21 per 1000). It can be concluded that the planning process (planning) of the implementation of the package payment system (INA-CBGs) which has been implemented well by the RSUD Dr. Zainoel Abidin Banda Aceh, including the provision of adequate Human Resources (HR), provision of adequate facilities (infrastructure and facilities), the process of formulating and forming strategies and the process of preparing the budget. The implication of implementing this system has been to be able to increase the efficiency of hospital service performance.

Electronic commerce system is now developing at a huge speed, whose final objective is to electronize every phase of commercial activity. Electronic payment is the heart of electronic commerce. Along with electronic commerce development, electronic cash payment systems are also developing. How to achieve safe electronic transactions is the key to the development of electronic cash payment systems. There are two kinds of electronic cash system, on-line and off-line. As the security and effective electronic payment system has become an important part of electronic commerce, according to the new character of cloud computing, it can solve the problems that the electronic cash systems exist leakage of privacy, non-standard transactions and high cost in the traditional network. The paper describes the types of electronic payment and discusses the electronic cash payment safety based on cloud computing. The presented solution can reduce the hardware and software systems cost, particularly for the current electronic commerce security, with efficient and convenient interactive response to the trend.

Currently, there has been a paradigm shifted in the storing of electronic payment records (EPRs) on mobile distributed systems, wherein mobile devices are coupled with cloud computing to ease financial data transfers between consumers and stakeholders. This enhanced architecture allows low-cost online payment services with high versatility and EPR accessibility. Nevertheless, for e-payment platforms, such a new paradigm poses worries about data privacy and network security. A difficult challenge is how to reliably disseminate EPRs across mobile users while maintaining high-security security standards in the mobile cloud. This paper investigates and demonstrates the electronic payment approach of urban mobile pass cards’ dependability and excellence. Furthermore, on a mobile cloud platform, our technology integrates blockchain with the decentralized interplanetary file system (IPFS). We specifically create a reliable access control method on smart contracts to ensure secure EPR sharing across various clients and stakeholders. Our empirical results indicate that our concept provides a viable solution for data transfers on mobile clouds while protecting critical payment information from potential attacks. When compared to previous data sharing models, the system evaluation and security analysis show performance gains in lightweight access control architecture, minimal network latency with excellent security and data confidentiality levels.

Searchable encryption is a keyword-based ciphertext retrieval scheme, which can selectively retrieve encrypted documents on encrypted cloud data. Most existing searchable encryption schemes focus only on exact keyword searches and cannot return data of interest in fuzzy search. In addition, during the searchable encryption, the cloud server may return invalid results to the data user to save computing costs or for other reasons. At the same time, the user may refuse to pay the service fee after receiving the correct result. To solve the above problems, this paper proposes a fuzzy keyword searchable encryption scheme based on blockchain, which uses edit distance to generate fuzzy keyword sets and generates a secure index with verification tags for each fuzzy keyword set to verify the authenticity of the returned results. The penalty mechanism is introduced through the blockchain to realize the fairness of service payment between users and cloud servers. Security analysis shows that the scheme achieves non-adaptive semantic security. Performance analysis and functional comparison show that the scheme is effective and can meet the requirements of searching applications in the cloud environment.

With the explosive growth of data, cloud storage has become a widely used storage method. To protect the integrity and availability of data in cloud storage systems, multireplica provable data possession has gradually become a research hotspot. This paper uses smart contracts to replace traditional third-party auditor (TPA) and proposes a noninteractive multireplica provable data possession scheme based on smart contracts, making the verification process public, immutable, traceable, and able to be carried out periodically and automatically. This paper introduces the concept of noninteractivity to reduce the transaction fees caused by the frequent operation of blockchain in the verification process. By stipulating payment rules in the smart contract, we can ensure the fairness of all parties. Finally, we give the correctness proof of the scheme and the security proof in the random oracle model, comparing it with other schemes and verifying the practicability of our scheme through experiments.

The purpose of writing this paper is to provide an overview of the progress of cloud-based accounting systems that are applied to Student Financial Services (cashiers) at Raharja College. Implementation of this system is due to the existence of good management in college to solve the problem. This recurring scheduling feature in the cloud-based accounting system is a new breakthrough that is useful for paying for lectures that use the installment payment system. Where, students can pay tuition twice in installments, namely the period before the midterm exam and before the final exam. This feature is useful to minimize the existence of human error because it forgets billing input, bills are inputted twice with the same nominal, and sending invoices via email is not monitored. So, with the implementation of this system, the cashier's work on students in the installment system can be more effective and have a positive impact on the cashier's performance. This research was conducted using the literature review research method, to find useful theoretical foundations as a reference for solving problems that occur.

The environmental and health care challenges pose new requirements for the level of technological equipment responsible for uninterrupted financial flows. The research is based on the following indicators: gross domestic product; e-commerce revenue; the share of banks’ participation in e-commerce; the level of cash usage in developed and developing countries; online and offline payments in European countries. The following statistical sources were used: the IMF, Statista, McKinsey, Adobe Analytics, Blue Yonder, Oliver Wyman, BIS, etc. We detected that the European countries became one of the first to experience significant economic damage from Covid 19. Also, authors defined the key areas to overcome the crisis effects. They are the developed financial infrastructure, the flexibility of employers, and the modern technological equipment of companies. Ensuring the development of the financial infrastructure is possible only under the following conditions: existing payment instruments and innovations in this segment; adequate level of cybersecurity and prevention of free theft of personal data; opportunities for access to e-commerce, which would allow consumers to uninterruptedly receive the necessary goods for life, develop logistics and create a giant company; cloud technologies have become an effective solution for workers and employers because, without them, a significant part of workers would be out of work, and this would further reduce purchasing power and deepen the crisis. Modern financial technologies are in a period of their increasing consumer demand and the need for new advanced solutions to existing payment instruments. The next few years will be decisive in shaping a new dimension in the electronic payments system.

The paper presents the demand for the spread of payment systems. This is caused by the development of technology. The open issue of application of payment systems - fraud - is singled out. It is established that there is no effective algorithm that would be the standard for all financial institutions in detecting and preventing fraud. This is due to the fact that approaches to fraud are dynamic and require constant revision of forecasts. Prospects for the development of scientific and practical approaches to prevent fraudulent transactions in payment systems have been identified. It has been researched that machine learning is appropriate in solving the problem of detecting fraud in payment systems. At the same time, the detection of fraud in payment systems is not only to build the algorithmic core, but also to build a reliable automated system, which in real time, under high load, is able to control data flows and effectively operate the algorithmic core of the system. The paper describes the architecture, principles and operation models, the infrastructure of the automated fraud detection mechanism in payment systems. The expediency of using a cloud web service has been determined. The deployment of the model in the form of automated technology based on the Amazon Web Services platform is substantiated. The basis of the automated online fraud detection system is Amazon Fraud Detector and setting up payment fraud detection workflows in payment systems using a customizable Amazon A2I task type to verify and confirm high-risk forecasts. The paper gives an example of creating an anomaly detection system on Amazon DynamoDB streams using Amazon SageMaker, AWS Glue and AWS Lambda. The automated system takes into account the dynamics of the data set, as the AWS Lambda function also works with many other AWS streaming services. There are three main tasks that the software product solves: prevention and detection of fraud in payment systems, rapid fraud detection (counts in minutes), integration of the software product into the business where payment systems and services are used (for example, payment integration services in financial institutions, online stores, logistics companies, insurance policies, trading platforms, etc.). It is determined that the implementation of an automated system should be considered as a project. The principles of project implementation are offered. It is established that for the rational implementation of the project it is necessary to develop a specific methodology for the implementation of the software product for fraud detection in payment systems of business institutions.

The emergence of smart and innovative applications in diverse domains has inspired our lives by presenting many state-of-the art applications ranging from offline to smart online systems, smart communication system to tracking systems, and many others. The availability of smart internet enabled systems has made the world as a global village where people can collaborate, communicate, and share information in secure and timely manner. Innovation in information technology focuses on investigating characteristics that make it easier for the people to accept and distribute innovative IT-based processes or products. To provide elastic services and resource the Internet service provider developed cloud computing to support maximal number of users. Cloud computing is a subscription paradigm in which users do not buy various resources permanently, but they purchase it with block chain-driven payment schemes (credit cards). A flexible, on-demand, and dynamically scalable computer infrastructure is offered by cloud providers to its clients on charging some amount of subscription. This research article provides an introduction of cloud computing and the integration of IoT concept, its impacts on crowd and organizations, provision of various services, and analyzing and selecting the appropriate features using probability distribution function for enhancing cloud-based IoT capabilities. In ambiguous and complex situations, decision makers use quantitative techniques combined with traditional approaches to select the appropriate one among a group of features. Probability distribution function is used to evaluate the appropriate features that will enhance the capabilities of cloud-based IoT application.

Cloud computing is an emerging and technologies within the Information Technology field and also technological era. Cloud Computing is used in almost all sectors, fields, organizations and institutions; where Information Technology is used. Cloud computing deals with the delivery of computing infrastructure, application and many need based collaboration viz. hardware, software, networks, storage, interfaces as a service by the internet and similar systems. Cloud Computing is also known as virtualization technology as it supports from the remote places depending upon the needs of the users and from the centralized unit and systems. It also allows healthy computing services including storage, memory, processing with many advantages and facilities with several platforms; hence it is become widely recognized around the world. Most importantly also offers many add on facilities with low cost implementation for the infrastructure. Cloud Computing enables payment depending upon the need of the organization, client and institutions, and facilities offered. It also acts as virtual hardware and also provides elasticity, network based services. Among the stakeholders of Cloud Computing; the most important are growing is Agriculture Sectors. It is useful in pre production and post production of the agricultural systems. This paper talks about the basics of Cloud computing including current and future applications in agriculture and allied domains. Paper also deals with the issues, challenges of Cloud computing in agro and allied domain in brief. Paper also suggested few concerns on Cloud Computing application in smarter agriculture dealing and Agriculture Informatics is also been provided, herewith.

After the great success of mobile wallets, the Internet of Things (IoT) leaves the door wide open for consumers to use their connected devices to access their bank accounts and perform routine banking activities from anywhere, anytime, and with any device. However, consumers need to feel safe when interacting with IoT-based payment systems, and their personal information should be protected as much as possible. Unlike what is usually found in the literature, in this paper, we introduce two lightweight and secure IoT-based payment protocols based on an identity-based signature scheme. We adopt a server-aided verification technique to construct the first scheme. This technique allows to outsource the heavy computation overhead on the sensor node to a cloud server while maintaining the user’s privacy. The second scheme is built upon a pairing-free ECC-based security protocol to avoid the heavy computational complexity of bilinear pairing operations. The security reduction results of both schemes are held in the Random Oracle Model (ROM) under the discrete logarithm and computational Diffie–Hellman assumptions. Finally, we experimentally compare the proposed schemes against each other and against the original scheme on the most commonly used IoT devices: a smartphone, a smartwatch, and the embedded device Raspberry Pi. Compared with existing schemes, our proposed schemes achieve significant efficiency in terms of communication, computational and storage overheads.

Because the authentication method based on username-password has the disadvantage of easy disclosure and low reliability and the excess password management degrades the user experience tremendously, the user is eager to get rid of the bond of the password in order to seek a new way of authentication. Therefore, the multifactor biometrics-based user authentication wins the favor of people with advantages of simplicity, convenience, and high reliability. Now the biometrics-based (especially the fingerprint information) authentication technology has been extremely mature, and it is universally applied in the scenario of the mobile payment. Unfortunately, in the existing scheme, biometric information is stored on the server side. As thus, once the server is hacked by attackers to cause the leakage of the fingerprint information, it will take a deadly threat to the user privacy. Aiming at the security problem due to the fingerprint information in the mobile payment environment, we propose a novel multifactor two-server authenticated scheme under mobile cloud computing (MTSAS). In the MTSAS, it divides the authentication method and authentication means; in the meanwhile, the user’s biometric characteristics cannot leave the user device. Thus, MTSAS avoids the fingerprint information disclosure, protects user privacy, and improves the security of the user data. In the same time, considering user actual requirements, different authentication factors depending on the privacy level of authentication are chosen. Security analysis proves that MTSAS has achieved the authentication purpose and met security requirements by the BAN logic. In comparison with other schemes, the result shows that MTSAS not only has the reasonable computational efficiency, but also keeps the superior communication cost.

Purpose Cloud computing has disrupted the information technology (IT) industry. Associated benefits such as flexibility, payment on an on-demand basis and the lack of no need for IT staff are among the reasons for its adoption. However, these services represent not only benefits to users but also threats, with cybersecurity issues being the biggest roadblock to cloud computing success. Although ensuring data security on the cloud has been the responsibility of providers, these threats seem to be unavoidable. In such circumstances, both providers and users have to coordinate efforts to minimize negative consequences that might occur from these events. The purpose of this paper is to assess how providers and users can rely on social media to communicate risky events. Design/methodology/approach Based on the Situational Theory of Publics and trust, the authors developed three research questions to analyze stakeholders’ communication patterns after a security breach. By gathering Twitter data, the authors analyzed the data security breach faced by the Premera Blue Cross’ Web application. Findings The results indicate that Premera acted as the main source of information for Twitter users, while trustworthy actors such as IT security firms, specialists and local news media acted as intermediaries, creating small communities around them. Theoretical and practical implications are also discussed. Originality/value Social media could be used for diffusing information of potential threats; no research has assessed its usage in a cloud-based security breach context. The study aims to fill this gap and propose a framework to engage cloud users in co-securing their data along with cloud providers when they face similar situations.

An on demand elastic service is cloud computing. At particular time, based on clients requirements, software, information, shared resources and other devices are provided in this. For supporting cost effective usage of computing resources, it is designed using distributed computing and virtualization advances and it enhances resource scalability. Based on requirement, business outcomes can scale up or down its resources. On-demand resource allocation challenges are created by customer demand management. To minimize energy, Dynamic Particle Swarm Optimization (DPSO) model is developed in available research works, where CPU utilization are regulated while operating at maximum frequency. Geographically distributed resources like computers, storage etc. are owned by self interested organizations or agents are available in large-scale computing systems of cloud computing. In their own benefit, this resource allocation algorithm can be manipulated by these agents and severe degradation in performance are produced due to its selfish behaviour and its efficiency is also very poor. To solve this kind of problem, a strategy is designed for developing a resource allocation protocols with load balancer in first phase of this research work. In this agents are forced to follow the rules and tell truth. In heterogeneous distributed systems, to solve load balancing problem, a truthful strategy is designed using this strategic theory. Optimal allocation algorithm based on Improved Elephant Herd Optimization (IEHO) is proposed where a truthful payment scheme is admitted by output function which satisfies voluntary participation. Good performance is exhibited by proposed approach as indicated in experimentation results.

The development of deep learning technology has promoted the wide application of face recognition in many scenarios such as mobile payment and social media, but the security of user data is facing great challenges. To protect the privacy of users, face authentication cannot be operated in plaintext. To solve this problem, a face feature ciphertext authentication scheme based on homomorphic encryption is proposed. First, the face image feature extraction is completed based on a deep learning model. Second, the face features are packaged into ciphertext by using homomorphic encryption and batch processing technology, and the face feature ciphertext is saved in the database of the cloud server. Third, combined with automorphism mapping and Hamming distance, a face feature ciphertext recognition method is designed, which can complete face recognition in the case of ciphertext. Finally, the integrity and consistency of face feature ciphertext recognition results before and after decryption are guaranteed by the one-time MAC authentication method. The whole framework can finish identity recognition without decrypting face feature coding, and the homomorphic ciphertext of face feature coding is saved in the database, so there is no risk of face feature coding leakage. Experiments show that the system has met the requirements of real application scenarios.

Data offloading algorithm is the foundation of urban Internet of Things, which has gained attention for its large size of user engagement, low cost, and wide range of data sources, replacing traditional crowdsensing in areas such as intelligent vehicles, spectrum sensing, and environmental surveillance. In data offloading tasks, users’ location information is usually required for optimal task assignment, while some users in remote areas are unable to access base station signals, making them incapable of performing sensing tasks, and at the same time, there are serious concerns about users’ privacy leakage about their locations. Until today, location protection for task assignment in data offloading has not been well explored. In addition, existing privacy protection algorithms and data offloading task assignment mechanisms cannot provide personalized protection for different users’ privacy protection needs. To this end, we propose an algorithm known as differential private long-term privacy-preserving auction with Lyapunov stochastic theory (DP-LAL) for data offloading based on satellite-terrestrial architecture that minimizes the total payment. This not only gives an approximate optimal total payment in polynomial time but also improves the issue of poor signal in remote areas. Meanwhile, satellite-terrestrial data offloading architecture integrates wireless sensor networks and cloud computing to provide real-time data processing. What is more, we have considered long-term privacy protection goals. We employ reverse combinatorial auction and Lyapunov optimization theorem to jointly optimize queue stability and total payment. More importantly, we use Lyapunov optimization theorem to jointly optimize queue stability and total payment. We prove that our algorithm is of high efficiency in computing and has good performance in various economic attributes. For example, our algorithms are personally rational, budget-balanced, and true to the buyer and seller. We use large-scale simulations to evaluate the proposed algorithm, and compare our algorithm with existing algorithms, our algorithm shows higher efficiency and better economic properties.

Conventional crop insurance systems are complex and often not economically feasible. Farmers are often reluctant to be covered for their crops due to lack of trust in insurance firms and the fear of delayed or non-payment of claims. In this paper, a blockchain based crop insurance solution is suggested. The solution suggested in this paper is an affordable, efficient, low cost crop insurance solution which will ensure many farmers are insured and benefiting from timely crop insurance. Currently the cost of administering insurance is an essential barrier to accessing this facility. With the proper use of blockchain based on ethereum this expense can be reduced dramatically. We have conducted various tests on platforms such as Google Cloud and found that the least throughput is 165 transactions. Upon analysis we have found that the time taken by the block formation is directly proportional to the timing of processing. The end-to-end average latency of the system was achieved as 31.2 s, which was quite effective for the infrastructure what we are using. Upon conducting acceptance testing, we found that the system suggested in the paper is effective and we are planning to release the application on open source platforms for future improvements.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the impact of the Digital Age on e-finance in five key areas: payment systems, cloud computing in financial services, valuation metrics for multisided platforms, quantum trading, cyber security – costs, benefits and protection. Design/methodology/approach It is an exhaustive review of technical developments and corporate practices in the area of electronic finance. Findings Electronic finance is a dominating force changing business models and systems in financial services. New developments are creating newer valuation metrics, and reinforcing the costs and benefits of security systems. Research limitations/implications This review concludes by pointing out potential areas of advancement in the coming decades and the possible evolution of newer e-finance models based on developments in artificial intelligence (AI) and internet of things (IoT) and its implications for managerial finance. Originality/value This is a review of the impact of electronic finance over the past two decades. Looking back electronic finance has significantly transformed the activities of corporations. Looking forward, financial managers have to watch for two important technical developments of AI and IoT and its potential impact on finance.

Successful operation of modern banking institutions significantly depends on the use of the latest information and communication technologies in process management, from motivation and communication with staff, to remote control of banking operations. Purpose of scientific research is a study of the principles and features of banking automated information system in terms of implementation of the latest information and cloud technologies by banking institutions. The object of scientific research is banking automated information system of banking institutions. The result of the article: research proved that the creation and selection of banking automated information system of banking institution is based on the planning of all systems related to the functioning of the complete infrastructure of the bank, built on information technology; the causes and consequences of various risk situations by channels of their occurrence (information Web-site, e-mail, network systems, system failures, electronic payment systems and data transmission systems, electronic channel) in the banking sector as a result of using a bank automated information system are substantiated; key areas of banking automated information system and the elements of the system of risk situations that arise in the banking sector as a result of the use of banking automated information system are described; main requirements for information support of banking institution and the main criteria for choosing banking automated information system of a banking institution are identified. Practical implications: priority ways of overcoming the risks of introduction of banking automated information system are offered, taking into account the scope and spread of risks. At the same time, the methods of providing cloud services used by banking institutions were evaluated. Value/originality: the introduction of a banking automated information system of a banking institution today is impossible without the use of cloud technologies (infrastructure as a service – IaaS, software as a service – SaaS, platform as a service – PaaS), each of which has a number of strengths and weaknesses.

In the conditions of digitization of the globalized world economy, Ukrainian enterprises have an informational request for methodical recommendations regarding the technique of conducting and computerized accounting of electronic money payments, which are an innovative form of settlement transactions. The purpose of the study was to form actual methodological recommendations regarding the organization of automated accounting of payments in electronic money at the enterprise, as well as to justify the choice of the necessary software product for this purpose. To achieve the goal, the method of morphological analysis, comparative and critical analysis, system-structural approach, bibliographic method was used. Ukrainian enterprises are suggested to implement accounting work with electronic money in two successive steps. The transformations that will take place in the accounting work for settlement transactions of the enterprise in the case of the introduction of national digital currencies are substantiated. The technological possibilities of using neural networks for processing arrays of data regarding electronic money calculations carried out in payment systems are explained. It has been proven that, according to the forecasted trends, it is expedient for Ukrainian enterprises to switch from local accounting software products to the use of cloud services. Functional capabilities of 12 cloud-based software solutions popular in Ukraine for automating accounting and analytical work were analysed, from the point of view of the possibility of computerized accounting of settlement operations in electronic money. The advantages and disadvantages of individual SaaS services are explained, and the expedient ones are recommended for use. Recommendations were made to adjust the Order on accounting policy, following the scheme of organizational and procedural measures developed in the work. It is proposed to assess the compliance of the existing accounting software product with management information requests that arise when using electronic money to make payments. The recommendations were developed on the basis of a detailed study of the prospects for the further popularization of electronic money. The study is of practical interest for Ukrainian enterprises that involve in their business innovative payment solutions in the conditions of rapid digitalization of the economy

In recent times, electronic money (e-money) has gained significant popularity in the form of smartphone applications, barcodes, and smart card systems. In previous research, we have developed a smartcard-based device equipped with a dual interface to facilitate electronic transactions using contact or contactless technology. These methods involve initiating a connection with a cloud server, where all transaction data are recorded with full encryption. This device also supports payment activities, as well as checking or topping up account balances by utilizing contact and contactless smart cards, which are produced in Indonesia by PT. Xirka Silicon Technology. The aforementioned research did not explain the significance of a database which actually plays a vital role in the system’s data storage. Therefore, this research aims to provide detailed information on the design of this database. Furthermore, five web pages are designed including, token generator, token list, partner list, payments, and transactions to provide specific services requested by users via a web URL through the database that stores transaction activities carried out by the device.

Seasonal malaria chemoprevention (SMC) is a World Health Organization-recommended intervention to protect children under the age of 5 in Africa’s Sahel region. While SMC remains highly effective in decreasing malaria cases, implementing countries face several challenges regarding collecting quality data; monitoring coverage and compliance and overcoming delays in campaigns due to late payment to field distributors.To address these challenges, the National Malaria Control Programmes of Benin, The Gambia, Ghana and Nigeria introduced digital data collection (DDC) tools to support their SMC campaigns. To facilitate cross-country learning, this paper investigates the impact of using DDCs in SMC campaigns by comparing country responses.Country experience suggests that in comparison to paper-based data collection systems, using DDC tools help to overcome data quality and operational challenges; cloud-based features also made data more accessible. Thus, scaling up DDC tools and linking them with routine national health management systems could help generate robust evidence for malaria policy development and programming. Of note, evidence from Benin showed that using digital tools reduced the time to pay staff and volunteers by 5 weeks. In Benin’s experience, DDC also offered cost benefits (1.5 times cheaper) versus the use of paper-based tools.The authors note that no application offers greater benefits than the other—countries will select a technology that best suits their needs. Several applications are currently being used and newer ones are also being developed. Another option is to develop in-house applications that can be adjusted to local health programmes.Cost-effectiveness studies to inform on whether DDCs offer cost advantages would be beneficial. More studies on DDC are needed from SMC-implementing countries to identify additional benefits and drawbacks of digital applications. These will similarly help national malaria policy and programming efforts.

A large number of Internet of Things (IoT) devices such as sensor nodes are deployed in various urban infrastructures to monitor surrounding information. However, it is still a challenging issue to collect data in a low-cost, high-quality, and reliable manner through IoT technique. Although the recruitment of mobile vehicles (MVs) to collect urban data has proved to be an effective method, most existing data collection systems lack a trust detection mechanism for malicious terminal nodes and malicious vehicles, which should lead to security vulnerabilities in practice. This paper proposes a novel data collection strategy based on a layered trust mechanism (DC-LTM). The strategy recruits MVs as data collectors of the sensor nodes based on the data value in the city, evaluates the trustworthiness of the data reported by the nodes, and records the results to the cloud data center. Furthermore, in order to make the data collection system more efficient and trust mechanism more reliable, we introduce unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) dispatched by data centers to actively verify the core sensor node data and use the core sensor data as baseline data to evaluate the credibility of the vehicles and the trust value of the whole network sensor nodes. Different from the previous strategies, UAVs adopts the DC-LTM method to obtain the node data while actively obtaining the trust value of MVs and nodes, which effectively improves the quality of data acquisition. Simulation results show that the mechanism effectively distinguishes malicious vehicles that provide false data in exchange for payment and reduces the total cost of system recruitment payments. At the same time, the proposed incentive mechanism encourages vehicle to complete the evaluation task and improves the accuracy of node trust evaluation. The recognition rates of false data attacks and flooding attacks as well as the recognition error rate of normal nodes are 100%, 98.9%, and 3.9%, respectively, which improves the quality of system data collection as a whole.

A huge percentage of people especially in developed countries spend a good chunk of their wealth in managing their health conditions. In order to adequately administer healthcare, governments and various organizations have embraced advanced technology for automating the health industry. In recent past, electronic health records have largely been managed by Enterprise Resource Planning and legacy systems. Big data framework steadily emerge as the underlying technology in healthcare, which offers solutions that limits capacity of others systems in terms of storage and reporting. Automation through cloud services supported by storage of structured and unstructured health data in heterogeneous environment has improved service delivery, efficiency, medication, diagnosis, reporting and storage in healthcare. The argument support the idea that big data healthcare still face information security concern, for instance patient image sharing, authentication of patient, botnet, correlation attacks, man-in-the-middle, Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS), blockchain payment gateway, time complexities of algorithms, despite numerous studies conducted by scholars in security management for big data in smart healthcare. Some security technique include digital image encryption, steganography, biometrics, rule-based policy, prescriptive analysis, blockchain contact tracing, cloud security, MapReduce, machine-learning algorithms, anonymizations among others. However, most of these security solutions and analysis performed on structured and semi-structured data as opposed to unstructured data. This may affect the output of medical reporting of patients’ condition particularly on wearable devices and other examinations such as computerized tomography (CT) Scans among others. A major concern is how to identify inherent security vulnerabilities in big healthcare, which generate images for transmission and storage. Therefore, this paper conducted a comparative survey of solutions that specifically safeguards structured and unstructured data using systems that run on big data frameworks. The literature highlights several security advancements in cryptography, machine learning, anonymization and protocols. Most of these security frameworks lacks implementation evidence. A number of studies did not provide comprehensive performance metrics (accuracy, error, recall, precision) of the models besides using a single algorithm without validated justification. Therefore, a critique on the contribution, performance and areas of improvements discussed and summarized in the paper.

Through the use of blockchain technology, sensitive information may be securely communicated without the need to replicate it, which can assist in decreasing medical record mistakes and saving time by eliminating the need to duplicate information. Furthermore, the information is timestamped, which further enhances the security of the data even further. The deployment of blockchain technology in a range of healthcare situations may enhance the security and efficiency of payment transactions. In this way, only those who have been allowed access to patient medical information can see or modify such information. It is proposed in this study that blockchain technology be used to provide an accessible data storage and retrieval mechanism for patients and healthcare professionals in a healthcare system that is both safe and efficient. As of 1970, a variety of traditional knowledge-based approaches such as Personal Identification Recognition Number (PIRN), passwords, and other similar methods have been made available; however, many token-based approaches such as drivers’ licenses, passports, credit cards, bank accounts, ID cards, and keys have also been made available; however, they have all failed to establish a secure and reliable transaction channel. Because they are easily misplaced, stolen, or lost, they are usually unable to protect secrecy or authenticate the identity of a legitimate claimant. Aside from that, personally identifiable information such as passwords and PINs is very prone to fraud since they are easily forgotten or guessed by an imposter. Biometric identification and authentication (commonly known as biometrics) are attracting a great deal of attention these days, particularly in the realm of information security systems, due to its inherent potential and advantages over other conventional ways for identifying and authenticating. As a result of the device’s unique biological characteristics, which include features such as fingerprints, facepalms, hand geometry (including the iris), and the device’s iris, it can be used in a variety of contexts, such as consumer banking kiosks, airport security systems, international ports of entry, universities, office buildings, and forensics, to name a few. It is also used in several other contexts, including forensics and law enforcement. Consequently, every layer of the system—sensed data, computation, and processing of data, as well as the storage and administration of data—is susceptible to a broad variety of threats and weaknesses (cloud). There does not seem to be any suitable methods for dealing with the large volumes of data created by the fog computing architecture when normal data storage and security technologies are used. Because of this, the major objective of this research is to design security countermeasures against medical data mining vulnerabilities that originate from the sensing layer and data storage in the Internet of Things’ cloud database, both of which are discussed in more depth further down. A key allows for the creation of a distributed ledger database and provides an immutable security solution, transaction transparency, and the prohibition of tampering with patient information. This mechanism is particularly useful in healthcare settings, where patient information must be kept confidential. When used in a hospital environment, this method is extremely beneficial. As a result of incorporating blockchain technology into the fog paradigm, it is possible to alleviate some of the current concerns associated with latency, centralization, and scalability.

Are you among the millions of ChatGPT users/experimenters around the world? Or impatiently parked on the waitlist? OpenAI launched ChatGPT in late November 2022 with little fanfare. Within a week, the company reported 1 million users. Within the first month, it exceeded 57 million users. Since then, it has been updated several times and a UBS analyst estimated in February that the artificial intelligence (AI) language tool reached 100 million users. The website exceeded 13 million daily visitors as of January. On 1 February, OpenAI announced a ChatGPT Plus monthly subscription plan to give priority access to the chatbot. Clearly, AI language tools are fulfilling the needs and/or satisfying the curiosity of novices and more experienced AI users. Microsoft took notice and in January confirmed the extension of its partnership with OpenAI, an investment rumored to be $10 billion (not confirmed by Microsoft). Microsoft Azure will also continue as the exclusive cloud provider for the tool since OpenAI uses Azure to train its models. ChatGPT (generative pretrained transformer) is not the only AI tool available. Microsoft upgraded its Bing AI search engine, which is powered by an upgraded model of ChatGPT. ChatSonic, also built on top of ChatGPT, can access the internet. Jasper Chat, based on GPT 3.5 with OpenAI as its partner, was built for advertising and marketing businesses. Google Bard is an experimental conversational AI service powered by Google’s own next-generation language model. Character AI revolves around the concept of personas, trained with conversations in mind. Users choose from various personalities (e.g., Elon Musk, Tony Stark, Socrates, US President Biden, Kayne West, etc.) vs. interacting with a single AI chatbot. YouChat is built into a search engine and trained on a ChatGPT model. It holds conversations with full access to the internet. Caktus AI, not available as a free service, is aimed toward students and touted by the company as “the first-ever educational AI tool.” It helps with student content ranging from essays to writing paragraphs and extends to discussions, questions, and coding. There’s also a bot for programmers, GitHub Copilot X, which suggests and completes code and functions in real time. There are many more options and sure to be plenty more developed with specific user types in mind (e.g., technical specialties, business communications, conversational, special interests). All will have their own pros and cons. A retired systems engineer, formerly with General Dynamics Canada, Rob Miller, wrote a column in Canada’s National Observer about his experience using ChatGPT as a research tool for a story about carbon capture and storage—he gave a mixed review. As AI tools gain attention and provide assistance to a wide range of authors and researchers, SPE recently announced its policy for authors who use the tools to generate content for their papers. AI-generated content may be used within SPE publications, but under specific conditions. Open-source libraries, such as those used in ChatGPT and others, are not fail-safe solutions, as evidenced on 20 March when OpenAI took the chatbot offline due to a bug “which allowed some users to see titles from another active user’s chat history,” according to the company. “It’s also possible that the first message of a newly created conversation was visible in someone else’s chat history if both users were active around the same time.” OpenAI also discovered that “the same bug may have caused the unintentional visibility of payment-related information of 1.2% of the ChatGPT Plus subscribers who were active during a specific 9-hour window. … it was possible for some users to see another active user’s first and last name, email address, payment address, the last four digits (only) of a credit card number, and credit card expiration date.” I’d like to hear about your experience with ChatGPT or any of the other options. How did you use it? What type of content were you generating? If you were aiming for assistance with technical content related to oil/gas/energy, how useful was the chatbot? Share your comments and pros and cons at JPT Comments.

With the wide adoption of the Internet, organizations establish collaborative networks to execute Collaborative Business Processes (CBPs). Current approaches of Process-Aware Information Systems (PAISs) to implement and execute CBPs have shortcomings: high costs and complexity of IT infrastructure to deploy the PAISs; poor support for organization autonomy, decentralized execution, global view of message exchange, and peer-to-peer interactions; and rigid platforms for generating and deploying PAISs on-demand according to the CBPs agreed in collaborative networks. To overcome these issues, this work proposes a cloud-based platform for the management of CBPs. The platform provides cloud services that enable the generation and deployment on-demand of the PAISs required to implement the agreed CBPs, as well as the execution on-demand of CBPs by fulfilling the abovementioned issues. The use of cloud computing also implies to deal with privacy, elasticity, and portability issues; the platform offers proper approaches to deal with them.

Purpose This study aims to investigate the impact of skills and knowledge of employees, economic situations of the company, current IT infrastructure, payment fashion, cloud availability, and cloud privacy and security on the productivity of the human resources in the COVID-19 era. Design/methodology/approach Over the past few years, the advent of cloud-assisted technologies has dramatically advanced the Information Technology (IT)-based industries by providing everything as a service. Cloud computing is recognized as a growing technology among companies around the world. One of the most critical cloud applications is deploying systems and organizational resources, especially systems whose deployment costs are high. Manpower is one of the basic and vital resources of the organization, and organizations need an efficient workforce to achieve their goals. But, in the COVID-19 era, human resources' productivity can be reduced due to stress, high labor force, reduced organizational performance and profits, unfavorable organizational conditions, inability to manage and lack of training. Therefore, this study tries to investigate the productivity of human resources in the COVID-19 era. Data were collected from the medium-sized companies through a questionnaire. Distributed questionnaires were conducted on the Likert scale. The model is assessed using the structural equation modeling technique to examine its reliability and validity. The study is a library method and literature review. A case study was conducted through a questionnaire and statistical analysis by SPSS 25 and SMART-PLS. Findings Based on the findings, the skills and knowledge of employees, the economic situations of the company, payment fashion, cloud availability and the current IT infrastructures of the company have a positive impact on human resource efficiency in the COVID-19 era. But cloud privacy and security have a negative effect on the productivity of human resources. The findings can be the basis for companies and organizations in the COVID-19 era. Research limitations/implications This study has some restrictions that need to be considered in evaluating the obtained results. First, due to the prevalence of Coronavirus, access to information from the companies under study was limited. Second, this research may have overlooked other variables that affect human resource productivity in the COVID-19 era. Prospective researchers can examine the impact of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and Supply Chain Management (SCM) on the human resource's productivity in the COVID-19 era. Practical implications The results of this research are applicable for all companies, their departments and human resources in the COVID-19 era. Originality/value In this paper, human resources' productivity in the COVID-19 era is pointed out. The presented new model provides a complete framework for investigating cloud-based enterprise resource planning systems affect the productivity of human resources in the COVID-19 era.

AbstractDynamic auction-based resource allocation models require little global price information, are decentralized and suitable for the distributed systems like cloud computing. For the cloud computing market, we proposed a Truthful Dynamic Combinatorial Double Auction (TDCDA) model to improve the social welfare and resource utilization. In our model, multiple cloud service providers and cloud users bid for various resources in a dynamic environment. We adopted a payment scheme to ensure truthfulness for all participants, which motivates bidders to reveal their true preferences. Since the combinatorial auction allocation with goal of economic efficiency is NP-hard, we developed a greedy mechanism to achieve the approximately efficient solution. Considering both parties’ interests and the resource scarcity, this model also ensures fairness and balances resource allocation. The proposed model is proven to be approximately efficient, incentive compatible, individually rational and budget-balanced. Simulation results show that the model not only achieves economic efficiency, but also improves resource allocation and meets resource needs for more cloud users.

Due to lack of server reliability and user data privacy encryption of data is required before the cloud is outsourced. We have found a compromised method within the blockchain in order to perform a keyword search which is secured on data that is encrypted against malicious service providers and users in cloud. SSE: Privately offers the cloud storage used in symmetric search encryption (SSE) systems, which cannot be regarded as a true cloud. The cloud service is also known to be credible. Let us start by emphasizing the importance of data storage within a public chain. The client is allowed by system to upload them in form which is encrypted, data content is distributed to the nodes of cloud and make sure that the data is available through encryption techniques. Presentation of a blockchain based system for providing the keyword search service with secure storage of distributed data. TKSE performs verifiability on server side so that true cloud servers are protected from being posed by owners of malicious data in the data storage process. Furthermore, technology of blockchain and hash functions are used to allow payment which is fair without third parties involvement for research fees, although if cloud or user is harmful. Our review of security and evaluation of performance show that TKSE is efficient and safe and be suited for cloud computing.

The introduction of the Internet enables financial transactions through digital payments, supporting the vision of a cashless society. The appearance of the corona virus (COVID-19) had a significant impact on how we handled currency in the past and marked a turning point in the shift from cash to contactless digital payments. By enabling devices to provide goods and services without requiring human involvement, Internet of Things (IoT) technology also advances digital payments. This study presented an Internet of Things (IoT)-enabled cashless vending machine that combines cloud computing and payment gateway for placing orders and making purchases via mobile applications. The system enables a pre-installed mobile application to scan a Quick Response (QR) code attached to a vending machine's body, opens a web-based virtual machine through the code, enables users to select and order items from the virtual vending, initiates and authorizes a digital payment through an IoT gateway installed inside the physical vending machine by connecting users' and vendors' financial entities, and then disburses the purchased goods. It uses an ATmega 2560 Microcontroller, a Esp8266 Wi-Fi module, mobile application software, and payment gateway API to run on the Arduino platform. After 150 consecutive API test calls, the system selected a product with an average response time of 14500 milliseconds. This outcome demonstrates a successful time for enhancing customer purchasing experiences with digital payment systems and an adaptable and reasonably priced intelligent vending machine based on the Internet of Things to be introduced for mass production. Key Words: smart canteen, ordering system, blynk, android phone, vending machine,

Abstract Cloud storage has been widely used in remote data management, although correct storage of the outsourced file is still challenging in practice. Proofs of Retrievability (PoRs), a storage-oriented cryptographic tool, support integrity checking and efficient retrieval of the file. However, due to the lack of a fully credible oversight mechanism or a serious dependence on a trusted third party, most PoRs are incapable of achieving essential and straightforward trust between participants (i.e. the client and server). While blockchain shows promise in solving this trust issue, existing blockchain-based storage systems are scenario-constrained as they require private/permissioned or special-construct blockchains. Consequently, none of these systems provide robust and decentralized trustworthiness. We propose a general Blockchain-based Automatic Audit (BAA) scheme for PoR without limitations based on specific blockchain types. Specifically, we present BAA via stitching together a carefully designed or chosen array of sub-components such as storage proofs and Turing-complete smart contracts. We also integrate BAA with specific PoR models to prove its strong generality and availability. To our best knowledge, our proposal is the first blockchain-based approach that enhances traditional PoR models with both automatic audit and fair payment. The final analysis and implemented prototype on Ethereum demonstrate the utility of BAA.

An virtually infinite number of connected information and communication technology (ICT) resources can be found using a method known as cloud computing. Customers can use these resources on-demand over a network in the form of a public IP because both infrastructure and applications are fully owned and managed by third parties.To enhance staff performance and services in the context of transactions made by parties engaged in the buying and selling industry, a computer-based system is required, particularly for cashiers who handle customer payment transactions. There are still a lot of cashier programs available today that can only be accessed via a device linked to the same network or over the local network.In order to facilitate transactions and enable remote control, this research makes use of cloud computing technology that employs Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) offerings. IaaS is a service that "rents" out fundamental information technology resources, such as storage space, computing power, memory, operating systems, network capacity, and others, so that customers can use them to execute their applications.Azure gives developers access to tools like Visual Studio and the ability to construct applications in a variety of languages, including.NET, Java, and Node.js. Because businesses don't have to worry about the expense of server equipment, implementing cloud computing can make it simpler for them to manage their business apps and finances. The ability for store administrators to use this program remotely (online) may then be aided or made simpler by this IaaS solution.

In this paper the model and applied information system are proposed for modelling cash flow of insurance funds with use cloud data storage. Cash flow valuation is performed taking into account contextual characteristics of an insured under conditions of stochastic uncertainty. The proposed insurance cash flow model of the financial fund of insurance company allow to account the financial solvency probability based on the analysis of contextual properties of insureds, that increase the estimation accuracy of the modeling cash flows. Also, the model takes into account insurance bonus non-payment during the insurance company operation. In this paper, we propose a structure of an informational system, which is called “Insurance Life”. This system supports downloading and uploading data with the cloud service pCloud according to safety requirements of data. The main results of the research are introduced into practice of the operation of insurance companies in forms of software applications and results of calculations.

Retail 4.0 is the newest approach to Industry 4.0-based retail organization. Industry 4.0 involves the industry transformation to the most robotic production, which is controlled by intelligent systems based on cyber-physical devices with usage of Internet of things, cloud information resources, big data processing, and virtual reality. The paper proposes two promising tasks for the implementation of Retail 4.0 technologies in the practices of traditional hypermarkets and supermarkets with low investments. The first task concerns the optimization of the buyer's route, and the second task concerns the optimization of the route of the store employee who completes the online order. It is assumed that the trolleys with RFID-modules and a system of radio frequency identification of the location of devices are available in a supermarket. Task of routine optimization for a buyer with a smart trolley is reduced to a generalized traveling salesman task. The possibility of dynamic adaptation of the route due to changes in the availability of aisles and stock of goods is considered. Three monetization ways of the proposed routine optimization service are proposed. They are based either on direct payment by the buyer for optimal routing service, or indirect payment through increased loyalty or the ability to promote additional products through the recommendation module. Recommendations are provided at hand, i.e. directly in the trading zone near the area of visibility to the recommending product. The second task concerns the optimal completion of online orders by store employees. In addition to the possibility of dynamic adaptation of the route, to save time, it is additionally suggested to complete two similar small orders at the same time. The principles by which it is possible to identify the most similar pairs of orders from the point of view of their picking routes have been formulated.

AbstractThe COVID-19 pandemic has caused many entrepreneurs and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to adapt their business models and business strategies to the consequences caused by the pandemic. In order to identify the main innovations and technologies adopted by SMEs in the pandemic, in the present study, we used a database of 56,941 tweets related to the coronavirus to identify those that contained the hashtag #SMEs. The final sample was analyzed using several data-mining techniques such as sentiment analysis, topic modeling and textual analysis. The theoretical perspectives adopted in the present study were Computer-Aided Text Analysis, User-Generated Content and Natural Language Processing. The results of our analysis helped us to identify 15 topics (7 positive: Free support against Covid-19, Webinars tools, Time Optimizer and efficiency, Business solutions tools, Advisors tools, Software for process support and Back-up tools; 4 negative: Government support, Payment systems, Cybersecurity problems and Customers solutions in Cloud, and and 4 neutral: Social media and e-commerce, Specialized startups software, CRMs and Finance and Big data analysis tools). The results of the present study suggest that SMEs have used a variety of digital tools and strategies to adapt to the changing market conditions brought on by the pandemic, and have been proactive in adopting new technologies to continue to operate and reach customers in a connected era. Future research should be directed towards understanding the long-term effects of these technologies and strategies on entrepreneurial growth and value creation, as well as the sustainability of SMEs in the new era based on data-driven decisions.

This research, based on a review of secondary information, explores how the government of China and the country's leading technological enterprises are working together to develop infrastructure for next-generation digital technologies, e.g. artificial intelligence, cloud computing, quantum computing, 5G networks, navigation satellites, and fiber optic cables; to establish technical norms and standards; and to provide services and digital content, e.g. digital messaging applications, mobile payment systems, and e-commerce platforms, to emergent markets; as well as how digital corporate giants of China like Alibaba, Huawei, Baidu, ZTE, China Telecom, China Mobile, China Unicom, and Tencent have been challenging the prevailing status quo. Beijing seeks to assert its dominant role in world affairs through the Digital Silk Road (DSR) to globally influence and control a sizable part of the digital economy. The DSR has significant potential for enhancement of digital interdependence with the underdeveloped and some advanced economies by bridging the gap created by the absence of a critical infrastructure of global digital technology. There is no viable competitor to the DSR's exciting and long-term vision of a globally connected digital future for facilitating mutual growth and collaboration that will ultimately push for a dependency of other countries on DSR under the Belt and Road Initiative.

The article discusses the importance of implementing smart urban mobility projects in the context of smart city strategies. The object of the study is the global experience of implementing smart urban mobility programs. The subject of the study is the theoretical and practical aspects of justifying and defining indicators for the implementation of urban mobility projects. Research methods: generalization – defining the tasks and indicators of urban mobility projects in terms of stakeholders and urban mobility solutions for Ukrainian cities; analysis and synthesis – studying the world experience of implementing urban mobility programs and developing proposals based on it; system analysis – justifying the place and importance of urban mobility development in smart city strategies. The article proposes the principle of stakeholders in defining the objectives of urban mobility projects and indicators to assess the success of their implementation. The stakeholder principle takes into account the fact that the problems to be solved can be very different for each of the stakeholders. The main stakeholders are the city's residents, the city's authorities, and the business community involved in transportation and transportation infrastructure. A system of indicators for the implementation of smart urban mobility is proposed. The author summarizes the global experience of implementing urban mobility projects and individual start-ups, in particular in cities such as Venice, Barcelona, Poznan, Lublin, Hamburg and Prague. The author proposes project solutions for smart urban mobility in Ukrainian cities based on the generalization of results from the implementation of smart mobility programs and projects in European cities. These solutions include mobility as a service, intelligent urban traffic management, cloud solutions for smart parking, urban micromobility management, and digital passenger information systems. The proposed solutions aim to create shared mobility services, a unified payment system for public transportation, intelligent traffic management services, optimized use of parking spaces, electronic notification of parking availability, a system of bicycles and electric scooters, and a system of digital signage and mobile applications for passengers.

The world has entered the phase of the "fourth industrial revolution", which is a continuation of other technological phases and focuses on the intensive introduction of information and communication technologies. It has tendency towards the digitalization of all physical assets-a phenomenon that became possible only in the era of digitalization. The digital revolution is characterized by the active spread of the Internet, ICT, cloud technologies, the creation of digital platforms, the existence of stable sources of communication, the use of artificial intelligence. The digital economy is a system of social, cultural, economic and technological relations based on information, network, telecommunication technologies between the government, the business community and citizens, which creates digital value and promotes the efficient consumption of goods and services through the widespread use of network technologies, leading to continuous innovative changes in management methods. The basis for the development of the digital economy in the world is the development of digital infrastructure and the rapid integration of society into a changing situation. Automation in almost all areas is becoming more widespread. The Republic of Armenia has not been left out of this paradigm. The process of digitalization in Armenia started in the early years of independence. Despite the existing obstacles, Armenia has all the prerequisites to become a high-tech industrial country. In recent years, electronic transactions in the country have highly developed and the number of users of digital technologies has increased. The digital infrastructure in the country is developing year by year: communication, telecommunications, e-government, internet trade, payment systems. Given the threat of war in the country, digitalization should also be considered in the military industry. In this context, new requirements are imposed on the economic policy of the country, which should be aimed at the establishment of a national innovation system and the provision of institutional and economic conditions necessary for the promotion of innovation.

Photo by National Cancer Institute on Unsplash INTRODUCTION Gift-giving by patients or their families to physicians has happened since there were patients and physicians, and in many places, it’s still quite common. It’s also potentially problematic, and the why and how of it offer important insight into the physician-patient relationship and human relationships more broadly. Yet ethicists, regulators, and the public have not paid much systematic attention. In the United States, no federal or state legislation directly addresses it. Only in the past two decades did the American Medical Association (AMA) release guidance to physicians about it. That guidance, which permits physicians to accept certain gifts by certain patients under certain circumstances, namely, when it will not influence their medical judgment or cause hardship to the gift-giver, is vague and incomplete – indeed, it’s all of 200 words.[1] Other physician professional organizations have little to add.[2] A few academics and opinion columnists have studied or reflected on the psychology of gift-giving and -receiving and recommended everything from categorical rejection of patient gifts[3] to erring on the side of accepting them, provided they are of modest value, and the motivation behind them can be discerned.[4] However, insufficient attention has been paid to the when and where of those gifts or the significance of clinic-, hospital- or other systems-level ethical safeguards. ANALYSIS When deciding whether they will accept a gift from a patient or their family, physicians must balance the possibility that the gift could cloud medical judgment, lead to favoritism, exploitation, and slippery slopes, or pressure other patients to give, and perhaps even debase the meaning of medical treatment, against the prospect that gift-giving could increase patient trust and satisfaction, as well as empower patients and respect their autonomy and culture.[5] Performing this harm-benefit calculation case by case is challenging and time-consuming. Unsurprisingly, many physicians opt simply to tell would-be gift-giving patients that they appreciate the sentiment, but, as a rule, they accept no gifts. I submit many physicians do this also because they are unaware of how meaningful giving a gift can be for patients or anyone in a disadvantaged position with respect to the gift recipient. They may also not know that there are simple accountability mechanisms they can institute that may prevent many of the possible adverse consequences of gift-giving and -receiving in the context of the physician-patient or physician-patient-family relationship. Unfortunately, many instances in which accepting a gift would have led to net benefit are foregone. It is my belief a consensus could quickly be formed about which types of gifts would clearly be wrong to accept. Few would defend the physician who agrees to use a patient’s villa in the Bahamas or welcomes expensive jewelry or lewd photos. The timing and intent of a gift also matter. Few would forgive the physician who accepted even a modestly valuable voucher to eat at a patient’s restaurant while their eligibility for transplant was being debated or after they had run out of opioid painkillers and were denied a prescription renewal. On the other hand, I doubt even Charles Weijer or the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Prince Edward Island, which views accepting gifts from patients as “boundary crossing,”[6] would demand an orthopedic surgeon turn down the happy picture a pediatric patient drew after recovering from a hip injury and resuming sports. They are also unlikely to criticize an oncology team that graciously receives a fruitcake baked by the sister of an elderly cancer patient after the decision was made and agreed to, around Christmastime, not to initiate another round of chemotherapy. These unlikely refusals may be because rejecting those gifts, all things considered, would seem cruel. But it might also be because there is disagreement about what constitutes a gift: whether it must be a tangible object (are heartfelt thank-yous and hugs not also “gifts”?) or whether it must be something that requires the physician actively do something, e.g., get on a plane. These disagreements about definitions may also partially underlie disagreements about practice. Suppose a patient in a sparsely populated, heavily wooded part of Maine takes it upon himself to offer a sack of apples from his orchard to his internist, who regularly waives fees for those who cannot pay them or will make a house call at any time of the night. In that case, the internist may not consider the apples a gift. He may not think of them as payment or re-payment either. They may exist in some in-between category, much like the knitted slippers brought in by a patient in whose culture “thank you” is seldom said. But clearly, some things are widely perceived as gifts or to have substantial gift-like character. Should they, at least, be rejected? I don’t think so. The act of gift-giving and -receiving can be a sort of ritual and gradually lead to trust and closeness.[7] Perhaps a shy patient whose wife previously sent chocolates to his physician around Christmastime will come to see the physician as a part of his extended family. Perhaps he needs to do so to feel comfortable talking about his erectile dysfunction. Gifts can be expressions of caring.[8] Perhaps an elderly Texan patient imagines her younger physician, whom she has known for thirty years and often sees at the grocery store, as her son and asks to prepare a homecoming mum (traditionally a chrysanthemum flower corsage) for his children’s school dance. Perhaps doing so will give her purpose, make her feel useful, as all her own children have moved away. Giving gifts may also provide patients with a sense of control and help them feel as if less of a power imbalance exists between them and their physician. Perhaps a young judge, who is not used to not being in control, and was previously misdiagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, is now struggling to come to terms with his Lupus. Perhaps giving the physician who made the correct diagnosis a moderately-priced bottle of scotch restores his confidence or sense of pride to. Gifts are also undoubtedly important to the recipient. When medical providers receive a gift, they may interpret it as a sign that they are valued. While it would be wrong to practice medicine to receive gifts or expect them, there are times, like when ERs and ICUs are overwhelmed because of a viral pandemic,[9] which threatens the will to continue working, and most anything (within reason) that bolsters resolve can be considered good. There is also no obvious distinction between the satisfaction physicians normally receive on seeing their patients recover or being thanked or smiled at and what they feel when they receive a small or “token” gift, like a plate of homemade cookies. The point is that the physician-patient relationship is a human one. Many advocate it should be personal, that physicians should be emotionally invested in their patients, care about and have compassion for them in ways that professional oaths do not fully capture.[10] This dynamic is particularly important in primary care or when the physician-patient relationship continues for long periods. According to one Israeli study, many patients even wish for a relationship with their physician akin to friendship. Those who felt they had such a relationship were more satisfied with their care than those who believed the relationship was business-like.[11] The precedent for this “friendship between unequals” goes back at least to the time of Erasmus, some five hundred years ago.[12] There may be good reasons for physicians to draw the line before friendship, but if accepting certain gifts builds intimacy, and that intimacy does not cross over into an inappropriate relationship, e.g., a sexual or romantic relationship, and if it has the chance to improve healthcare outcomes through improved mood or early disclosure of problems, I think it should be done. Physicians have a prima facie duty to do good for their patients.[13] Most physicians want to do good for their patients and respect their traditions and preferences. I suspect that accepting the gifts from the patients in the examples above would do a lot of good, or at least that rejecting them could do significant harm, including making them or their families feel estranged from the medical community, impeding future care. Physicians might be more comfortable accepting gifts if receiving gifts would not subject them to scrutiny or penalty. They also may feel better if they knew that receiving gifts would not harm their patients and that rejecting gifts might. They should document all gifts they receive.[14] This will enable them to detect if gifts from a particular patient are increasing in frequency or lavishness or changing markedly in character, which could warrant attention. I maintain this “Gift Log” should be maintained in common with everyone at the clinic or in the relevant hospital department and potentially made available to hospital administration for audit. Investigation might be necessary if a gift is given (and accepted) with no explicable context, e.g., not near holiday season or after a treatment milestone is achieved. When possible, gifts should be shared communally, such as placing fruit baskets or chocolates in the staff room. Other gifts, like artwork, can be displayed on the walls. Others should be encouraged to hold physicians accountable if they feel patients who have given gifts receive preferential treatment, including something as seemingly small as priority for appointment bookings. Appearances matter and even the appearance of impropriety can affect the public’s trust in medicine. The culture of medicine has already changed such that nurses now reproach physicians they feel violate the standard of care,[15] and this would be an extension of that trend. Depending on the set-up of the practice, a staff member can be designated for receiving gifts and politely declining those that ought to be declined. Staff members should tell patients, who give gifts in full view of other patients, that they cannot do so in the future. Physicians can politely rebuff patients who wish to give inappropriate gifts, or gifts at inappropriate times and suggest they donate to charity instead. Medical practices and hospitals should develop a gift policy in consultation with staff and patients to avoid needlessly rejecting gifts that benefit both doctor and patient and to avoid pressuring patients into giving gifts. The policy should be flexible to account for the crucial human element in any provider-patient relationship and the cultural nuances of any practice setting. Psychiatrists, who work with particularly vulnerable patients, may need to be more vigilant when accepting gifts.[16] CONCLUSION Though we tend to think health innovation occurs in urban medical centers and spreads outward, there may be something big-city physicians can learn from their rural colleagues about personalized patient-physician relationships. The value of gifts is only one example. Normalizing the acceptance of patient gifts in appropriate restricted circumstances has the added benefit of shining a spotlight on the acceptance of patient gifts in dubious ones. By bringing an already fairly common practice into the open and talking about it, we can create policies that respect patients as persons, prevent abuse, and deconstruct the stereotype of the austere and detached physician. While there is no reason to think that gift-giving would get out of control if appropriate safeguards are put in place, the medical community can always re-evaluate after a period, or an individual medical practice can re-evaluate based on the circumstances of their practice environment. Gift-giving, especially when gifts are of small monetary value, should be recognized as a culturally appropriate gesture with meaning far beyond that monetary value. It is best governed by reasonable gift-giving policies, not banned altogether. - [1] Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs. “Ethics of Patient-Physician Relationships.” In AMA Code of Medical Ethics, 11. Chicago: American Medical Association, 2021. https://www.ama-assn.org/sites/ama-assn.org/files/corp/media-browser/code-of-medical-ethics-chapter-1.pdf. [2] Sulmasy, Lois Snyder, and Thomas A. Bledsoe. “American College of Physicians Ethics Manual.” Annals of Internal Medicine 170, no. 2_Supplement (January 15, 2019): S1–32. https://doi.org/10.7326/M18-2160; Committee on Bioethics. “Pediatrician-Family-Patient Relationships: Managing the Boundaries.” Pediatrics 124, no. 6 (December 1, 2009): 1685–88. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2009-2147. [3] Weijer, Charles. “No: Gifts Debase the True Value of Care.” Western Journal of Medicine 175, no. 2 (August 2001): 77. [4] Lyckholm, Laurie J. “Should Physicians Accept Gifts From Patients?” JAMA 280, no. 22 (December 9, 1998): 1944–46. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.280.22.1944; Spence, Sean A. “Patients Bearing Gifts: Are There Strings Attached?” BMJ 331, no. 7531 (December 22, 2005): 1527–29. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.331.7531.1527; Gaufberg, Elizabeth. “Should Physicians Accept Gifts from Patients?” American Family Physician 76, no. 3 (August 1, 2007): 437; Caddell, Andrew, and Lara Hazelton. “Accepting Gifts from Patients.” Canadian Family Physician 59, no. 12 (December 2013): 1259–60. [5] See above commentators and Drew, Jennifer, John D. Stoeckle, and J. Andrew Billings. “Tips, Status and Sacrifice: Gift Giving in the Doctor-Patient Relationship.” Social Science & Medicine 17, no. 7 (January 1, 1983): 399–404. https://doi.org/10.1016/0277-9536(83)90343-X. [6] College of Physicians and Surgeons of Prince Edward Island. “Respecting Boundaries.” Accessed April 4, 2021. https://cpspei.ca/respecting-boundaries/. [7] The Atlantic’s Marketing Team. “What Gifting Rituals from Around the Globe Reveal About Human Nature.” The Atlantic, 2018. https://www.theatlantic.com/sponsored/hennessy-2018/what-gifting-rituals-around-globe-reveal-about-human-nature/2044/. [8] Parker-Pope, Tara. “A Gift That Gives Right Back? The Giving Itself.” The New York Times, December 11, 2007, sec. Health. https://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/11/health/11well.html. [9] Harlan, Chico, and Stefano Pitrelli. “As Coronavirus Cases Grow, Hospitals in Northern Italy Are Running out of Beds.” Washington Post. Accessed April 4, 2021. https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/italy-coronavirus-patients-lombardy-hospitals/2020/03/12/36041dc6-63ce-11ea-8a8e-5c5336b32760_story.html. [10] Frankel, Richard M. “Emotion and the Physician-Patient Relationship.” Motivation and Emotion 19, no. 3 (September 1, 1995): 163–73. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02250509. [11] Magnezi, Racheli, Lisa Carroll Bergman, and Sara Urowitz. “Would Your Patient Prefer to Be Considered Your Friend? Patient Preferences in Physician Relationships.” Health Education & Behavior 42, no. 2 (April 1, 2015): 210–19. https://doi.org/10.1177/1090198114547814. [12] Albury, W. R., and G. M. Weisz. “The Medical Ethics of Erasmus and the Physician-Patient Relationship.” Medical Humanities 27, no. 1 (June 2001): 35–41. https://doi.org/10.1136/mh.27.1.35. [13] Beauchamp, Tom L., and James F. Childress. Principles of Biomedical Ethics. 7th edition. New York: Oxford University Press, 2012. [14] Caddell and Hazelton, 2013. [15] See, e.g. Peplau, Hildegard E. “A Glance Back in Time: Nurse-Doctor Relationships.” Nursing Forum 34, no. 3 (1999): 31–35. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1744-6198.1999.tb00991.x and Ahmad, Ahmir. “The Doctor-Nurse Relationship: Time for Change?” British Journal of Hospital Medicine (2005), September 27, 2013. https://doi.org/10.12968/hmed.2009.70.Sup4.41642. [16] Hundert, Edward M. “Looking a Gift Horse in the Mouth: The Ethics of Gift-Giving in Psychiatry.” Harvard Review of Psychiatry 6, no. 2 (January 1, 1998): 114–17. https://doi.org/10.3109/10673229809000319.