Track Chair: Hans-Dieter Zimmermann, University of Koblenz-Landau and University of St. Gallen

Mobile communication and ambient intelligence are currently driving the frontiers of e-business related developments. These technologies are further steps towards a ubiquitous availability of information and communication technology characterized by ubiquitous computing, ubiquitous communication, and intelligent user interfaces putting humans at the centre of technological developments. They will further impact value creation in terms of new intra- and inter-organisational arrangements, relationships between different actors, new processes of value creation, novel products and services, and new service and technology infrastructures.
Areas of application range from RFID tags reshaping the supply chain, organisational design towards responsive, agile, adaptable and flexible ‘ambient organisations’, home appliances creating intelligent environments, and business model design comprising product and service design challenges to user-targeted issues like human-computer-interaction and the design of superior customer experience. Several firms and industries are already dealing with the challenges of integrating mobile communication and ambient intelligence concepts into their strategic and operational activity.

Accordingly, this track will focus on the understanding of the technological developments on the one hand by analysing the latest developments and their potentials in the field of mobile communication and ambient intelligence including new portable and ubiquitous devices, network technologies like ad-hoc networks, human-computer interface design, standards, etc. On the other hand, the utilization of these technologies will be studied in a business context. Emphasis will be put on issues like innovative products and customer-driven product development, emergent business models, impact on organisations and industries, future organisation of work, including new work methods and collaborative work environments, adoption and diffusion issues as well as human and societal concerns.

Suggested topics:

-	Definitions, scope and evolution of research in mobile communication and ambient intelligence
-	Mobile communication and ambient intelligence devices, platforms and their network integration
-	Human computer interaction design
-	Innovative business applications
-	Challenges for user-centred product and service design
-	Designing and delivering superior customer experience in a mobile communication and ambient intelligence context
-	Business model development based on mobile communication and ambient intelligence infrastructure and applications
-	Managerial and organisational impacts of mobile communication and ambient intelligence trends
-	Impact on specific industries (e.g. financial services, logistics, healthcare)
-	Innovative work methods and collaborative work environments for the mobile user and worker
-	Adoption and diffusion of mobile communication and ambient intelligent applications and services
-	Economic impacts (on productivity, process improvements, job quality, etc.)
-	Human and societal concerns.