Median muotoilema : Muotoilun mediajulkisuus suomalaisessa talouslehdistössä

Designed by the Media The Media publicity of Design in the Finnish Economic Press The meaning of design has increased in consumer societies. Design is the subject of debate and the number of media discussions has also increased steadily. Especially the role of industrial design has been emphasised. In this study I examine the media publicity of design in the Finnish economic press from the late 1980s to the beginning of the 2000s. The research question is connected to media representations: How is design represented in the Finnish economic press? In other words, what are the central topics of design in the economic press, and to what issues are the media debates connected? The usually repeated phrase that design discussions take place only on the cultural pages of the daily press or in cultural contexts is being changed. Design is also linked to the consumer culture and consumers everyday practices. The research material has been collected from the Finnish economic press. The qualitative sample consists of articles from Kauppalehti, Taloussanomat and from several economic papers published by the Talentum Corporation. The approach of the research is explorative, descriptive and hermeneutic. This means that the economic press articles are used to explore how design is represented in the media. In addition, the characteristics of design represented in the media are described in detail. The research is based on the interpretive tradition of studying textual materials. Background assumptions are thus grounded in hermeneutics. Erving Goffman s frame analysis is applied in analysing the economic press materials. The frames interpreted from the articles depict the media publicity of design in the Finnish economic press. The research opens up a multidimensional picture of design in the economic press. The analysis resulted in five frames that describe design from various points of view. In the personal frame designers are described in private settings and through their personal experiences. The second frame relates to design work. In the frame of mastery of the profession, the designers work is interpreted widely. Design is considered from the aspects of controlling personal know-how, co-operation and the overall process of design. The third frame is connected to the actual substance of the economic press. In the frame of economy and market, design is linked to international competitiveness, companies competitive advantage and benefit creation for the consumers. The fourth frame is connected to the actors promoting design on a societal level. In the communal frame, the economic press describes design policy, design research and education and other actors that actively develop design in the societal networks. The last frame is linked to the traditions of design and above all to the examination of the cultural transition. In the frame of culture the traditions of design are emphasised. Design is also connected to the industrial culture and furthermore to the themes of the consumer culture. It can be argued that the frames construct media publicity of design from various points of view. The frames describe situations, action and the actors of design. The interpreted media frames make it possible to understand the relation of interpreted design actions and the culture. Thus, media has a crucial role in representing and recreating meanings related to design. The publicity of design is characterised by the five focal themes: personification, professionalisation, commercialisation, communalisation and transition of cultural focus from the traditions of design to the industrial culture and the consumer culture. Based on my interpretation these themes are guided by the mediatisation of design. The design phenomenon is defined more often on the basis of the media representations in the public discourses. The design culture outlined in this research connects socially constructed and structurally organised action. Socially constructed action in design is connected to the experiences, social recreation and collective development of design. Structurally, design is described as professional know-how, as a process and as an economic profit generating action in the society. The events described by the media affect the way in which people experience the world, the meanings they connect to the events around themselves and their life in the world. By affecting experiences, the media indirectly affects human actions. People have become habituated to read media representations on a daily basis, but they are not used to reading and interpreting the various meanings that are incorporated in the media texts.

Comparison and integration of MEG and fMRI

MEG directly measures the neuronal events and has greater temporal resolution than fMRI, which has limited temporal resolution mainly due to the larger timescale of the hemodynamic response. On the other hand fMRI has advantages in spatial resolution, while the localization results with MEG can be ambiguous due to the non-uniqueness of the electromagnetic inverse problem. Thus, these methods could provide complementary information and could be used to create both spatially and temporally accurate models of brain function. We investigated the degree of overlap, revealed by the two imaging methods, in areas involved in sensory or motor processing in healthy subjects and neurosurgical patients. Furthermore, we used the spatial information from fMRI to construct a spatiotemporal model of the MEG data in order to investigate the sensorimotor system and to create a spatiotemporal model of its function. We compared the localization results from the MEG and fMRI with invasive electrophysiological cortical mapping. We used a recently introduced method, contextual clustering, for hypothesis testing of fMRI data and assessed the the effect of neighbourhood information use on the reproducibility of fMRI results. Using MEG, we identified the ipsilateral primary sensorimotor cortex (SMI) as a novel source area contributing to the somatosensory evoked fields (SEF) to median nerve stimulation. Using combined MEG and fMRI measurements we found that two separate areas in the lateral fissure may be the generators for the SEF responses from the secondary somatosensory cortex region. The two imaging methods indicated activation in corresponding locations. By using complementary information from MEG and fMRI we established a spatiotemporal model of somatosensory cortical processing. This spatiotemporal model of cerebral activity was in good agreement with results from several studies using invasive electrophysiological measurements and with anatomical studies in monkey and man concerning the connections between somatosensory areas. In neurosurgical patients, the MEG dipole model turned out to be more reliable than fMRI in the identification of the central sulcus. This was due to prominent activation in non-primary areas in fMRI, which in some cases led to erroneous or ambiguous localization of the central sulcus.

Measurements of adequacy of anesthesia and level of consciousness during surgery and intensive care

The adequacy of anesthesia has been studied since the introduction of balanced general anesthesia. Commercial monitors based on electroencephalographic (EEG) signal analysis have been available for monitoring the hypnotic component of anesthesia from the beginning of the 1990s. Monitors measuring the depth of anesthesia assess the cortical function of the brain, and have gained acceptance during surgical anesthesia with most of the anesthetic agents used. However, due to frequent artifacts, they are considered unsuitable for monitoring consciousness in intensive care patients. The assessment of analgesia is one of the cornerstones of general anesthesia. Prolonged surgical stress may lead to increased morbidity and delayed postoperative recovery. However, no validated monitoring method is currently available for evaluating analgesia during general anesthesia. Awareness during anesthesia is caused by an inadequate level of hypnosis. This rare but severe complication of general anesthesia may lead to marked emotional stress and possibly posttraumatic stress disorder. In the present series of studies, the incidence of awareness and recall during outpatient anesthesia was evaluated and compared with that of in inpatient anesthesia. A total of 1500 outpatients and 2343 inpatients underwent a structured interview. Clear intraoperative recollections were rare the incidence being 0.07% in outpatients and 0.13% in inpatients. No significant differences emerged between outpatients and inpatients. However, significantly smaller doses of sevoflurane were administered to outpatients with awareness than those without recollections (p<0.05). EEG artifacts in 16 brain-dead organ donors were evaluated during organ harvest surgery in a prospective, open, nonselective study. The source of the frontotemporal biosignals in brain-dead subjects was studied, and the resistance of bispectral index (BIS) and Entropy to the signal artifacts was compared. The hypothesis was that in brain-dead subjects, most of the biosignals recorded from the forehead would consist of artifacts. The original EEG was recorded and State Entropy (SE), Response Entropy (RE), and BIS were calculated and monitored during solid organ harvest. SE differed from zero (inactive EEG) in 28%, RE in 29%, and BIS in 68% of the total recording time (p<0.0001 for all). The median values during the operation were SE 0.0, RE 0.0, and BIS 3.0. In four of the 16 organ donors, EEG was not inactive, and unphysiologically distributed, nonreactive rhythmic theta activity was present in the original EEG signal. After the results from subjects with persistent residual EEG activity were excluded, SE, RE, and BIS differed from zero in 17%, 18%, and 62% of the recorded time, respectively (p<0.0001 for all). Due to various artifacts, the highest readings in all indices were recorded without neuromuscular blockade. The main sources of artifacts were electrocauterization, electromyography (EMG), 50-Hz artifact, handling of the donor, ballistocardiography, and electrocardiography. In a prospective, randomized study of 26 patients, the ability of Surgical Stress Index (SSI) to differentiate patients with two clinically different analgesic levels during shoulder surgery was evaluated. SSI values were lower in patients with an interscalene brachial plexus block than in patients without an additional plexus block. In all patients, anesthesia was maintained with desflurane, the concentration of which was targeted to maintain SE at 50. Increased blood pressure or heart rate (HR), movement, and coughing were considered signs of intraoperative nociception and treated with alfentanil. Photoplethysmographic waveforms were collected from the contralateral arm to the operated side, and SSI was calculated offline. Two minutes after skin incision, SSI was not increased in the brachial plexus block group and was lower (38 ± 13) than in the control group (58 ± 13, p<0.005). Among the controls, one minute prior to alfentanil administration, SSI value was higher than during periods of adequate antinociception, 59 ± 11 vs. 39 ± 12 (p<0.01). The total cumulative need for alfentanil was higher in controls (2.7 ± 1.2 mg) than in the brachial plexus block group (1.6 ± 0.5 mg, p=0.008). Tetanic stimulation to the ulnar region of the hand increased SSI significantly only among patients with a brachial plexus block not covering the site of stimulation. Prognostic value of EEG-derived indices was evaluated and compared with Transcranial Doppler Ultrasonography (TCD), serum neuron-specific enolase (NSE) and S-100B after cardiac arrest. Thirty patients resuscitated from out-of-hospital arrest and treated with induced mild hypothermia for 24 h were included. Original EEG signal was recorded, and burst suppression ratio (BSR), RE, SE, and wavelet subband entropy (WSE) were calculated. Neurological outcome during the six-month period after arrest was assessed with the Glasgow-Pittsburgh Cerebral Performance Categories (CPC). Twenty patients had a CPC of 1-2, one patient had a CPC of 3, and nine patients died (CPC 5). BSR, RE, and SE differed between good (CPC 1-2) and poor (CPC 3-5) outcome groups (p=0.011, p=0.011, p=0.008, respectively) during the first 24 h after arrest. WSE was borderline higher in the good outcome group between 24 and 48 h after arrest (p=0.050). All patients with status epilepticus died, and their WSE values were lower (p=0.022). S-100B was lower in the good outcome group upon arrival at the intensive care unit (p=0.010). After hypothermia treatment, NSE and S-100B values were lower (p=0.002 for both) in the good outcome group. The pulsatile index was also lower in the good outcome group (p=0.004). In conclusion, the incidence of awareness in outpatient anesthesia did not differ from that in inpatient anesthesia. Outpatients are not at increased risk for intraoperative awareness relative to inpatients undergoing general anesthesia. SE, RE, and BIS showed non-zero values that normally indicate cortical neuronal function, but were in these subjects mostly due to artifacts after clinical brain death diagnosis. Entropy was more resistant to artifacts than BIS. During general anesthesia and surgery, SSI values were lower in patients with interscalene brachial plexus block covering the sites of nociceptive stimuli. In detecting nociceptive stimuli, SSI performed better than HR, blood pressure, or RE. BSR, RE, and SE differed between the good and poor neurological outcome groups during the first 24 h after cardiac arrest, and they may be an aid in differentiating patients with good neurological outcomes from those with poor outcomes after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

Uuden median murros Alma Mediassa, Sanoma Oy:ssä ja Yleisradiossa 1994-2004

This is a qualitative and multimethodological comparative study, which consists of two main parts: examining the development of new media and analysing and comparing the new media strategies of the three companies studied (Alma Media, Sanoma and the Finnish Broadcasting Company Yleisradio). The study includes the first large-scale review in Finnish of the development of new media, paying attention to the birth of the Internet as well as to mobile media, web TV and any other element of new media. It also concentrates on the function of electronic distribution channels before the age of the Internet, e.g. cable text and videotext. Answers about how the three traditional Finnish media houses began spreading their content to the Internet and wireless applications in 1994–2004 are also given. In researching the new media strategies the study pays special attention to the attitudes that the three media companies adopted towards the Internet and other forms of new media in their strategies during the years in question. By analysing and comparing, e.g., the companies’ strategies and their investments, the study ascertains whether the companies had a joint functional model in adopting new media or acted totally on their own without taking too much notice of the media field overall. The study makes extensive use of previously published material. The researcher has also interviewed almost twenty people who were involved in getting the companies’ new media functions under way. The methods for the interviews were dialogue and snowball sampling. The researcher has created a classification in which he divides the business strategies into four different categories: active strategy, careful strategy, permissive strategy, and passive strategy. In comparing and analysing the companies the researcher has used the classification devised by Allan Afuah & Christopher L. Tucci. The seven element classification consists of dominant managerial logic, competency trap, fear of cannibalisation and loss of revenue, channel conflict, political power, co-opetitor power and emotional attachment. In analysing the company strategies the researcher has also noted the classifications of convergence made by Everette E. Dennis and Graham Murdock as well as the aspects formulated by Sylvia Chan-Olmsted and Louisa Ha concerning the success of the companies in adopting the Internet into their functions. Based on all these classifications and by further developing them the researcher analyses and compares the success of the new media strategies of the three Finnish companies. The outcome of the study is a conclusion as to what kind of strategies the companies have carried out their new media functions and how they have succeeded in it.

Test of the Clustering Hypothesis in the Helsinki Exchanges

This paper investigates the clustering pattern in the Finnish stock market. Using trading volume and time as factors capturing the clustering pattern in the market, the Keim and Madhavan (1996) and the Engle and Russell (1998) model provide the framework for the analysis. The descriptive and the parametric analysis provide evidences that an important determinant of the famous U-shape pattern in the market is the rate of information arrivals as measured by large trading volumes and durations at the market open and close. Precisely, 1) the larger the trading volume, the greater the impact on prices both in the short and the long run, thus prices will differ across quantities. 2) Large trading volume is a non-linear function of price changes in the long run. 3) Arrival times are positively autocorrelated, indicating a clustering pattern and 4) Information arrivals as approximated by durations are negatively related to trading flow.

Kuluttajien kokemukset lastenvaatteiden ja -tarvikkeiden verkkokaupan palvelun laadusta sosiaalisen median keskusteluissa

Tämän pro gradu- tutkielman tavoitteena oli löytää kuluttajien palvelukokemukseen vaikuttavat tekijät lastenvaatteiden- ja tarvikkeiden -verkkokaupassa. Empiirinen tutkimus lähestyi aihetta netnografian avulla. Aineistoksi tähän tutkielmaan valittiin sosiaalisen median keskustelut. Tutkimuksen teoreettinen osa muodostui kolmesta aiheesta: verkko-ostamisesta ja palvelun laadusta, sosiaalisesta mediasta sekä word-of-mouth-viestinnästä. Verkko-ostamisessa käsiteltiin ostamisen eri vaiheet, kuluttajien motivaatiot verkosta ostamiseen, sekä siihen liittyvät riskit ja tarkasteltiin sähköisen palvelun laatua. Sosiaalinen media-luku kertoi sosiaalisen median käytöstä sekä eri medioista. Word-of-mouth-viestintä esitteli perinteisen word-of-mouth-viestinnän lisäksi sähköisen WOM-viestinnän ulottuvuudet. Empiirinen tutkimus oli laadullinen ja se toteutettiin netnografisesti. Netnografia on etnografiaan perustuva menetelmä, jota käytetään internet-aineistoissa. Aineiston analysoinnissa käytettiin teemoittelua. Aihetta lähestyttiin faktanäkökulmasta, eli tutkimuksessa oltiin kiinnostuneita niistä tosiasioista joita keskustelijat kertoivat. Aineisto kerättiin perhe-aiheisten lehtien keskustelupalstoilta sekä blogeista Google-haun avulla. Sosiaalisen median keskustelut valittiin aineistoksi, koska niistä uskottiin saatavan kaikkein totuudenmukaisinta tietoa, johon tutkijan kysymyksen asettelu ei vaikuta. Spontaanit keskustelut antavat erilaista tietoa kuin suoran kysymyksen vastaukset. Tutkimuksen tuloksena löytyi seitsemän teemaa, joita keskusteluissa käsiteltiin. Nämä ovat toimitus, palvelu, palautus ja normalisointi, ulkoasu ja toimivuus, hinta, maksaminen sekä tuotteet ja valikoima. Sen sijaan teorian pohjalta odotettavissa olleet turvallisuus ja yksityisyys eivät tulleet aineistosta lainkaan esiin. Erityisen huonona palveluna asiakkaat pitivät varastosaldojen paikkansapitämättömyyttä, hitaita toimituksia sekä epäystävällistä palvelua. Hyvää palvelua olivat nopeat toimitukset sekä yksilöllinen palvelu ja reklamaatioiden hyvä hoito.

Sosiaalisen median odotuksia ja käyttötarpeita osana asiantuntijaorganisaation viestintää

Tarkastelen pro gradu -tutkielmassani työyhteisön viestintätapojen muutosta ja sosiaalisen mediai roolia muutoksessa. Tutkimukseni tavoitteena on jäsentää ja ymmärtää sosiaalisen median roolia työyhteisön viestinnässä ja tarkastella miten sosiaalinen media taipuu tietoperustaisen asiantuntiorganisaation tarpeisiin. Tutkimuksen teoreettisessa osuudessa selvitän sitä, miten työn tekemisessä tapahtuneet muutokset ovat muuttaneet työyhteisön tapaa ja tarvetta viestiä. Työn tekemisen uusia muotoja ja verkostoitumista jäsennän tutkimuskirjallisuuden Alvesson (2000), Gruber & Palonen (2007), Kasvio & Tjäder (2007), Sennett (2007) kautta. Työn uusia muotoja voidaan kuvata käsitteillä asiantuntijakeskeisyys, tietointensiivisyys ja tietoperustainen työ. Kuva tutkimuksessani myös sosiaalisen median käsitettä sekä sen tunnusomaisuuksia. Tarkastelen tietoperustaisen asiantuntijaorganisaation odotuksia ja käyttötarpeita sosiaaliselle medialle Elisa Juholinin (2008) määrittelemän työyhteisöviestinnän uuden agendan (agendamalli) viitekehykses Tutkimukseni empiirisessä osuudessa tarkastelen aihetta yhden tietoperustaisen asiantuntijaorganisaation jäsenten kautta. Tavoitteeni on selvittää 1) millaisia odotuksia asiantuntijaorganisaatiossa työskentelevillä on sosiaalisen median käytöstä osana työyhteisön viestintää sekä 2) millaisia käyttötarpeita asiantuntijaorganisaatiossa työskentelevillä on sosiaalis* median käytöstä osana työyhteisön viestintää. Tutkimusotteeni on laadullinen, ja aineiston keruur menetelmänä käytän fokusryhmäkeskustelua sekä teemahaastattelua. Analysoin aineiston teemoittelemalla. Aineiston koodauksessa käytin Atlas.ti -ohjelmaa. Tutkimukseni perusteella voidaan todeta, että tärkeimpänä sosiaalisen median odotuksiin ja käyttötarpeisiin liittyi ajatus käyttäjälähtöisyydestä ja vuorovaikutuksesta. Käyttäjälähtöisyys ja vuorovaikutus näkyivät erityisesti odotuksena viestinnän rutiinien, tiedon ja osaamisen jakamisena entistä avoimempaan ; vuorovaikutteisempaan suuntaan. Tutkimus antaa viitteitä siitä, että sosiaalisen median sovelluksilla on mahdollista tukea vuorovaikutusta juuri niissä työyhteisöviestinnän tehtävissä, joissa vuorovaikutus jää helposti vähäiseksi. Sosiaalisen median sovelluksia tarvitaan myös tietoperustaisen asiantuntijaorganisaation osaamisen ja ns. hiljaisen tiedonjakamiseen. Tutkimuksen perusteella sosiaalinen media osana työyhteisön viestintää taipuu tiedontarpeen tyydyttäjänä, tarjoaa vaihtoehdon viestintäkanaville ja viestinnän toimintamalleille, mahdollistaa osallistumaan ja vaikuttamaan työyhteisön asioihin sekä tarjoaa tavan koota työyhteisössä olevaa osaamista ja hiljaista tietoa.