Nikitas Nikitakos

Information technology network security risk assessment and management framework for shipping companies

Shipping companies are high-vulnerability information handling organizations (HIHOs). In the past, such companies used exclusively HIHO private communication networks and own satellite resources in order to share and transport sensitive information. In recent years, the ability for the HIHO network users to exploit the advantages of the low-vulnerability information handling organizations’ (LIHOs) value added networks, has led to the need for augmentation of the HIHO networks. In the maritime sector, a push-and-pull effect on the need and demand to transfer information onboard and ashore has led many companies to experiment with interconnected HIHO and LIHO open distributed systems and networks, for their ship-to-shore communications. Security then becomes an issue in a domain, onboard–ashore data transmissions, where little information on the level of risk is available. This paper proposes a risk assessment and management framework to assist in countermeasure selection and level of LIHO network use definition. The model is ultimately applicable where information on potential risks and their impact is minimum and simultaneously changeable. The model is connected to a security profile for interconnected HIHO and LIHO open distributed systems and networks.

An Intelligent Fault Monitoring and Risk Management Tool for Complex Critical Infrastructures: The SERSCIS Approach in Air-Traffic Surface Control

We provide novel results on the development of an intelligent risk management and threat monitoring visualization tool realized within the EU funded project SERSCIS (Semantically Enhanced, Resilient and Secure Critical Infrastructure Services). After a brief overview of existing risk management methods for Critical Infrastructures (CIs), the SERSCIS objectives, motivation and components we proceed in describing the highly complex task of aircraft management process and the adopted risk assessment and evaluation methodology for the implementation of the threat analysis - monitoring solution in the aircraft surface operations sector. In particular our case study and proof - of - concept prototype concentrates on the technical support and information presentation capacity to decision makers and human - in the loop - operators for optimizing the dynamic and adaptive behavior of the interconnected ICT systems in an Airport Collaborative Decision making (A-CDM) test case scenario of the European Air Traffic System.

Managing port e-services in a socio-technical context

The paper presents a theoretical framework and an empirical examination of the provision of port e-services through exploratory research. The presented survey examines the socio-technical environment in which port e-services are developed and provided, as well as the related investment decision making and evaluation procedures, in the Greek port sector. A number of hindering and enabling management and organisational factors are identified towards fully exploiting ICT capabilities and port e-services; our framework is deemed to be applicable to ports with similar geopolitical, economic, industrial and management characteristics to those of the examined organisations. The research outcome is a first step towards the provision of a systematic, unified framework for analysing and planning port e-services initiatives, in a socio-technical context.

Evaluation of electronic maritime services using fuzzy logic techniques

Our paper proposes an innovative methodological approach in order to evaluate e-business services. We assume a Multicriteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) framework, where sets of general and domain-specific criteria are used to judge the relative performance of e-services under evaluation. In this paper we present the main characteristics of the evaluation framework, including the assessment of the evaluation criteria and their relative importance, the evaluation of the performance and the final ranking of e-services. The proposed methodology has the innovative feature of embodying techniques of fuzzy logic theory into the classical multicriteria decision analysis. We present an application of our methodology in the maritime sector where we assume an e-services platform model, which supports operational and commercial activities of shipping companies on the internet. In the presented case study, we apply the proposed methodology in order to evaluate six electronic maritime services using totally 16 criteria.

Experimental Research in Operation Management in Engine Room by using Language Sentiment/Opinion Analysis

The paper argues for the necessity of a combination mixed methods research (MMR) methods (questionnaire, interview) and sentiment/opinion techniques to personal satisfaction analysis at the maritime and training education and proposes a generic, but practical research approach for this purpose. The proposed approach concerns the personal satisfaction evaluation of Engine Room simulator systems and combines the speech recording (sentiment/opinion analysis) for measuring emotional user responses with usability testing (SUS tool). The experimental procedure presented here is a primary effort to research the emotion analysis (satisfaction) of the users-students in Engine Room Simulators. Finally, the ultimate goal of this research is to find and test the critical factors that influence the educational practice and user’s satisfaction of Engine Room Simulator Systems and the ability to conduct full-time system control by the marine crew.

The Introduction of Innovative Services in a State Owned Airline: A Case Study of an IT Migration Project

This study critically examines the transition process followed by a state-owned airline in a major IT migration project (introduction of novel electronic services). The change management process proposed by Kotter (1995) is examined in relation to the different phases identified, based on an interview based qualitative research. Focusing on the project team leaders a set of results is identified / determined, which provides significant insight into the key factors, deficiencies and outcomes of the project, with reference to the characteristics of a state-owned company. Further elaboration of the proposed methodology is deemed to be applicable in the identification of the weak and strong points of similar change projects.

The development of a strategic risk analysis framework for interconnected surface transportation systems

Transportation networks are centre to the daily lives of millions of citizens around the world. By design, they are open and freely accessible systems that may be exploited for malicious purposes. Transportation networks, especially in dense urban environments, are integral part of larger synergistic systems forming a network of networks. The present paper introduces a strategic risk assessment framework for assessing risks stemming from security incidents in interconnected, interdependent and heterogeneous transportation networks. The developed framework attempts to build upon existing operational risk analysis frameworks of transportation operators and the organisation of major events. The derived risk assessment approach is designed to estimate risk in interconnected transportation networks and ultimately estimate a holistic risk in the network of networks.

Autopilot adjustment using CBR

A ships autopilot adjustment is a matter of utmost importance since it affects its safety, command as well as fuel and time efficiency. Numerous techniques usually based on models which simulate the weather and loading conditions are used in order to achieve optimum adjustment. Nevertheless, perfect steering is not yet accomplished mainly due to the infinite number of different situations during sea passages. We claim that a CBR approach which selects the best out of a finite, pre-installed set of device configurations using specific criteria can compete with existing methods and continuously improves itself during the ships life cycle.

Real Time Awareness for MRV Data

The European Union (EU) has recently proposed a system for monitoring, reporting and verifying (MRV) of CO2 emissions in relation to large ships that are using its ports. These ships would thereby be obliged to monitor four parameters on a voyage basis: fuel consumption, distance travelled, time spent at sea and cargo carried. The monitored parameters would need to be verified; different indicators based on these parameters would have to be reported on an annual basis. In the current analysis, a real time system based on complex event processing for early detection of the risks associated with this MRV framework is put forward. Stream reasoning is an approach that can be used if information (in the form of assertions) arrives as a stream of (time stamped) inputs. The specific architecture considers events from a finite time window and not only at a single instant. This approach has two distinctive features that could improve the overall performance of the system, as well as the quality of data handling: the associated knowledge base can be continuously updated and the reasoning goals are continuously re-evaluated as new assertions arrive. A conceptual framework to facilitate MRV anomaly detection in order to help ships to early identify and correct arising risks is presented. In order to ensure resilience, techniques associated with airport electronic data real time risk assessment provide the underlying foundation.

The Implementation of Goffee and Jones’s Types of Organizational Culture in a Greek State-Owned Organization that Introduced New Technologies

Abstract Organizational culture plays a significant role in corporations. The introduction of new technologies creates significant changes and requires the contribution of an efficient organizational culture to produce positive results. The use of the various typologies of organizational culture can assist managers to identify the type of culture that is present in the organization and can provide useful guidelines on how to adapt to or change the existing culture, in order to make it more effective, particularly when introducing new technologies. Goffee and Jones (1996, 2003), based on the concepts of sociability and solidarity, proposed four types of culture: (a) networked, (b) mercenary, (c) communal, and (d) fragmented. This paper examines the development of these concepts and types of culture in a state-owned organization in Greece, following the organization’s decision to introduce significant new technologies. This organization had a unique blend of characteristics. Quantitative research was conducted using a questionnaire compiled specifically for this case. Factor analysis was used for statistical analysis of the data. While the introduction of new technologies was successfully completed, the findings of this study highlight certain features of sociability and solidarity and the types of culture that contain them, which have contributed to the successful introduction and adoption of new technologies.