Xianjun Geng

A sender-receiver framework for knowledge transfer

The shift to more distributed forms of organizations and the prevalence of interorganizational relationships have led to an increase in the transfer of knowledge between parties with asymmetric and incomplete information about each other. Because of this asymmetry and incompleteness, parties seeking knowledge may not be able to identify qualified knowledge providers, and the appropriate experts may fail to be motivated to engage in knowledge transfer. We propose a sender-receiver framework for studying knowledge transfer under asymmetric and/or incomplete information. We outline four types of information structures for knowledge transfer, and focus on the sender-advantage asymmetric information structure and the symmetric incomplete information structure. We develop formal game-theoretical models, show how information incompleteness and asymmetry may negatively influence knowledge transfer, and propose solutions to alleviate these negative impacts. Implications for knowledge transfer research and practice are also discussed.

Defeating distributed denial of service attacks

Security experts generally acknowledge that the long-term solution to distributed denial of service attacks is to increase the security level of Internet computers. Attackers would then be unable to find zombie computers to control. Internet users would also have to set up globally coordinated filters to stop attacks early. However, the critical challenge in these solutions lies in identifying the incentives for the Internets tens of millions of independent companies and individuals to cooperate on security and traffic control issues that do not appear to directly affect them. We give a brief introduction to: network weaknesses that DDoS attacks exploit; the technological futility of addressing the problem solely at the local level; potential global solutions; and why global solutions require an economic incentive framework.

Operationalizing the essential role of the information technology artifact in information systems research: gray area, pitfalls, and the importance of strategic ambiguity

In this paper we argue that a large gray area of information systems research exists, whose relevance to the information technology artifact is subject to significant debate even among IS scholars who support the essential role of the IT artifact. As we explain, not explicitly addressing this gray area can have negative, although often inadvertent, effects on the innovative nature of IS research; we explore this danger through three pitfalls. We then propose a stance of strategic ambiguity to deal with the gray area. Strategic ambiguity calls for deliberately withholding judgment on the relevance of research in the gray area and acceptance of gray-area research provided it meets the excellence required by professional journals. We believe that strategic ambiguity benefits innovative IS research without harming the essential role of the IT artifact.

Defending wireless infrastructure against the challenge of DDoS attacks

This paper addresses possible Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attacks toward the wireless Internet including the Wireless Extended Internet, the Wireless Portal Network, and the Wireless Ad Hoc network. We propose a conceptual model for defending against DDoS attacks on the wireless Internet, which incorporates both cooperative technological solutions and economic incentive mechanisms built on usage-based fees. Cost-effectiveness is also addressed through an illustrative implementation scheme using Policy Based Networking (PBN). By investigating both technological and economic difficulties in defense of DDoS attacks which have plagued the wired Internet, our aim here is to foster further development of wireless Internet infrastructure as a more secure and efficient platform for mobile commerce.

Defeating DDoS attacks by fixing the incentive chain

Cooperative technological solutions for Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attacks are already available, yet organizations in the best position to implement them lack incentive to do so, and the victims of DDoS attacks cannot find effective methods to motivate them. In this article we discuss two components of the technological solutions to DDoS attacks: cooperative filtering and cooperative traffic smoothing by caching. We then analyze the broken incentive chain in each of these technological solutions. As a remedy, we propose usage-based pricing and Capacity Provision Networks, which enable victims to disseminate enough incentive along attack paths to stimulate cooperation against DDoS attacks.

Optimal Design of Consumer Contests

A consumer contest is a sales promotion technique that requires participants to apply certain skills as they compete for prizes or awards. This article is the first to employ a game-theoretical approach to investigate consumer contest design issues, including prize structure, segmentation, and handicapping. First, the authors find that both skill distribution and the number of contestants play an important role in determining the optimal prize structure in consumer contests. Specifically, if the skill distribution has the increasing hazard-rate property, it is optimal for a marketer to use a winner-take-all design. In large contests, for the winner-take-all approach to be optimal, it suffices to have the increasing hazard-rate property only at the high end of the skill distribution. Second, increasing contest size is beneficial to the marketer. Third, a less dispersive skill distribution leads to higher consumption by consumers at all skill levels and thus is beneficial to the marketer. The marketer may achieve less dispersive skill distributions by (1) segmenting or screening contestants according to their skill levels and (2) adopting a performance evaluation scheme that handicaps high-skilled contestants.

Profiting from value-added wireless services

Energized by the prospect of a mobile commerce era, wireless telecommunication providers have spent hundreds of billions of dollars just to buy radio spectrum rights in auctions around the world. Costs for wireless infrastructure, equipment, and marketing will add hundreds of billions more. Wireless providers do not expect payoffs from such a huge investment any time soon but instead are focusing on rapidly gaining market share before the rollout of third-generation (3G) wireless technology. Many wireless providers are struggling to turn their infrastructure services into a profitable business. By tying with differentiated value-added services, a wireless infrastructure provider can increase its market power and thus its profit. The large size, stability, and long-term presence of wireless infrastructure providers should allow them to overcome inherent constraints on their ability to differentiate products. By continually striving to build up relations with certain types of service providers, they can gain reputations as specialists, even if the cooperating service providers repeatedly change. As a result, wireless infrastructure providers can attract a pool of loyal consumers and use this asset to negotiate favorable contracts with service providers.

Profiting from partial allowance of ticket resale

For a seller that markets event tickets both in advance and on spot, a concern is that ticket resale may hurt its profitability. The conventional wisdom is for the seller to consider completely banning resale if possible. This article considers an alternative strategy in which resale is only partially restricted; specifically, resale is banned on spot but still allowed in advance. Using a two-period model in which buyers have discreet valuations, the authors show that it is possible for partial resale to outperform no resale (and also unrestricted resale at the other extreme) in terms of seller profitability when the following conditions hold: when the seller has limited capacity, when the number of high-valuation buyers is small enough, and when the number of early arrivers is not too large. An implication of this research is that when consumers conduct advance and spot resale in different channels, such as advance resale online and spot resale offline, the seller may be better off adopting different resale policies for different channels.

Scaling Web services with capacity provision networks

With the increasing proliferation of c-commerce and e-business activities, many service providers are turning to Web caching solutions to move important content and processes closer to end users. Uncertainties in user demand and rapid market changes pose significant impediments to effective cache planning and deployment solutions, however. The authors have developed capacity provision networks to support a specific type of Web caching in the vertical segment of ISPs, NSPs, and similar entities. In this scenario, an entity can be a provider at one time and a user at another, depending on cache capacity requirements.

Radically New Product Introduction Using On-line Auctions

Rapid technological innovation and changing market expectations in electronic commerce are pushing companies to develop strategies for radically new products. Fast and unbiased new marketing research methods are needed to reduce the associated risks. A full-revelation mechanism is a crucial element of these new methods. It can be implemented with a two-round, second-price, sealed-bid auction. The process of marketing research is accelerated by conducting the auction on-line.