Abstract
The recent developments in information communication technologies (ICTs) and the emergence of the Internet, in particular, as a mainstream communications and transaction media has changed the way that governments, organisations, and citizens interact and operate. These developments have changed the best operational and strategic practices for organisations on a global level and altered the competitiveness of enterprises and regions around the world. ety Technology Advisory Group (ISTAG) (2003) as “a set of properties of an environment that we are in the process of creating.” This represents a new paradigm for how people can work and live together. According to the ISTAG vision statement, humans, in an ambient intelligent environment, will be surrounded by intelligent interfaces supported by computing and networking technology that is embedded in everyday objects, such as furniture, clothes, vehicles, roads, and smart materials—even particles of decorative substances like paint. Humans will live in an ambient intelligence space in which there will be seamless interoperation between different environments—home, vehicle, public space, work, leisure space, tourism destination, and so forth. This implies a seamless environment of computing, advanced networking technology, and specific interfaces, which should be aware of the specific characteristics of human presence and personalities; adapt to the needs of users; be capable of responding intelligently to spoken or gestured indications of desire; and even result in systems that are capable of engaging in intelligent dialogue (Buhalis & O’Connor, 2005).