Abstract: A recommendation information providing method is provided for providing recommendation information concerning a recommended object appropriate for a customer. A recommendation information transmission apparatus stores recommended object information concerning a plurality of recommended objects and relationships among respective recommended objects. And, in the case that a customer clicks the link concerning a recommended object or purchases a recommended object, or the like, the behavior information with respect to the behavior is stored. Then, by calculating degree of recommendation for each recommended object using these pieces of recommended object information and behavior information the recommended object which is to be recommended to the customer is determined so that the recommendation information concerning the determined recommended object is provided to the customer.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for monitoring a physical process comprising a plurality of interacting attributes where the attributes are components of the physical process. The method and apparatus locates defective attributes and defective interactions between interacting attributes within the physical process. The apparatus comprises a processor, and input member and a hierarchical data structure. Data concerning the attributes of the physical process are input and organized into the hierarchical data structure. A response variable and a variation in the response variable for each population in the hierarchical data structure is determined, and used to identify defects in the physical process.