38 resultados para SEMI-RIGID CONNECTION
Resumo:
Polymeric materials have been used in dental applications for decades. Adhesion of polymeric materials to each other and to the tooth substrate is essential to their successful use. The aim of this series of studies was two-folded. First, to improve adhesion of poly(paraphenylene) based rigid rod polymer (RRP) to other dental polymers, and secondly, to evaluate the usability of a new dentin primer system based on RRP fillers. Poly(paraphenylene) based RRP would be a tempting material for dental applications because of its good mechanical properties. To be used in dental applications, reliable adhesion between RRP and other dental polymers is required. In this series of studies, the adhesion of RRP to denture base polymer and the mechanical properties of RRP-denture base polymer-material combination were evaluated. Also adhesion of BisGMA-TEGDMA-resin to RRP was determined. Different surface treatments were tested to improve the adhesion of BisGMA-TEGDMA-resin to RRP. Results were based on three-point bending testing, Vickers surface hardness test and scanning electron microscope analysis (SEM), which showed that no reliable adhesion between RRP and denture base polymer was formed. Addition of RRP filler to denture base polymer increased surface hardness and flexural modulus but flexural strength decreased. Results from the shear bond strength test and SEM revealed that adhesion between resin and RRP was possible to improve by surface treatment with dichloromethane (DCM) based primer and a new kind of adhesive surface can be designed. The current dentin bonding agents have good immediate bond strength, but in long term the bond strength may decrease due to the detrimental effect of water and perhaps by matrix metalloproteinases. This leads to problems in longevity of restorations. Current bonding agents use organic monomers. In this series of studies, RRP filled dentin primer was tested in order to decrease the water sorption of the monomer system of the primers. The properties of new dentin primer system were evaluated in vitro by comparing it to commercial etch and rinse adhesive system. The results from the contact angle measurements and SEM showed that experimental primer with RRP reinforcement provided similar resin infiltration to dentin collagen and formed the resin-dentin interface as the control primer. Microtensile bond strength test and SEM revealed that in short term water storing, RRP increased bond strength and primer with BMEP-monomer (bis[2-(methacryloyloxy)-ethyl]phosphate) and high solvent concentration provided comparable bonding properties to the commercial control primers. In long term water storing, the high solvent-monomer concentration of the experimental primers decreased bond strength. However, in low solvent-monomer concentration groups, the long-term water storing did not decrease the bond strength despite the existence of hydrophilic monomers which were used in the system. These studies demonstrated that new dentin primer system reached the mechanical properties of current traditional etch and rinse adhesive system in short time water storing. Improved properties can be achieved by further modifications of the monomer system. Studies of the adhesion of RRP to other polymers suggest that adhesion between RRP and other dental polymers is possible to obtain by certain surface treatments.
Resumo:
Alumni are considered as precious resource of the institutions, thus improving alumni adminis-tration is critical. In information era, alumni administration is assisted by widespread information technology, such as social network sites. This paper aims to discover if a self-built information sys-tem would enhance alumni connection in the IMMIT context, and what kind of attributes would be helpful applying to the special context. The current online alumni services at other universities and at the IMMIT host university are analyzed, and then social media is introduced. After illustrating the social capital existing in IM-MIT, the type of the self-built information system is suggested, following an interpretation of the prototype. Two research models are utilized in this article: TAM and intentional social action model. The second model is adjusted with proposed parameters. Afterwards, a survey and an interview protocol are designed under the guidance of the models. The results are analyzed in several groups, and the proposed parameters are tested. A conclusion is drawn to indicate how to improve alumni‟s intention to use and how to achieve a better-accepted design.
Resumo:
The main aims of the present report are to describe the current state of railway transport in Russia, and to gather standpoints of Russian private transportation logistics sector towards the development of new railway connection called Rail Baltica Growth Corridor, connecting North-West Russia with Germany through the Baltic States and Poland. North-West Russia plays important role not only in Russian logistics, but also wider European markets as in container sea ports handling is approx. 2.5 mill. TEU p.a. and handling volume in all terminals is above 190 million tons p.a. The whole transportation logistics sector is shortly described as an operational environment for railways – this is done through technical and economic angles. Transportation development is always going in line with economics of the country, so the analysis on economical development is also presented. Logistics integration of the country is strongly influenced by its engagement in the international trade. Although, raw material handling at sea ports and container transports (imports) are blossoming, domestic transportation market is barely growing (in long-term perspective). Thus, recent entrance of Russia into World Trade Organization (WTO) is analyzed theme in this research, as the WTO is an important regulator of the foreign trade and enabler of volume growth in foreign trade related transportation logistics. However, WTO membership can influence negatively the development of Russia’s own industry and its volumes (these have been uncompetitive in global markets for decades). Data gathering in empirical part was accomplished by semi-structured case study interviews among North-West Russian logistics sector actors (private). These were conducted during years 2012-2013, and research compiles findings out of ten case company interviews. Although, there was no sea port involved in the study, most of the interviewed companies relied in European Logistics within significant parts in short sea shipping and truck combined transportation chains (in Russian part also using railways). As the results of the study, it could be concluded that Rail Baltica is seen as possible transport corridor in most of the interviewed companies, if there is enough cargo available. However, interviewees are a bit sceptical, because major and large-scale infrastructural improvements are needed. Delivery time, frequency and price level are three main factors influencing the attractiveness of Rail Baltica route. Price level is the most important feature, but if RB can offer other advantages such as higher frequency, shorter lead times or more developed set of value-added services, then some flexibility is possible for the price level. Environmental issues are not the main criteria of today, but are recognized and discussed among customers. Great uncertainty exists among respondents e.g. on forthcoming sulphur oxide ban on Baltic Sea shipping (whether or not it is going to be implemented in Russia). Rather surprisingly, transportation routes to Eastern Europe and Mediterranean area are having higher value and price space than those to Germany/Central Europe. Border crossing operations (traction monopoly at rails and customs), gauge widths as well as unclear decision-making processes (in Russia), are named as hindering factors. Performance standards for European connected logistics among Russian logistics sector representatives are less demanding as compared to neighbourhood countries belonging to EU.
Resumo:
This thesis focuses on collaborative activities with regard to environmental issues both within the firm and outside the firm with the key suppliers and customers, i.e. internal and external environmental collaboration. Integrating environmental thinking into supply chain management has received increasing interest in recent years. The relational view and the natural resource-based-view together suggest that environmental capabilities can be built jointly with supply chain partners and used to gain sustained competitive advantage. Several studies have been undertaken to analyse the connection between environmental activities and firm performance but most studies have taken only economic performance into account. This study pays attention also to two other dimensions of firm performance, intra-firm supply chain performance and environmental performance, and aims at presenting the linkages between them and environmental collaboration. This thesis creates a research framework for the connections between environmental collaboration and firm performance and suggests approaches to analyse these. In order to find out the key concepts and their relationship, an extensive literature review is conducted. The research framework proposes a positive connection between internal and external environmental collaboration and all three dimensions of firm performance. In addition, environmental performance and intra-firm supply chain performance are expected to contribute positively to economic performance. Hence, firms are suggested to benefit from environmental collaboration both within the firm and outside the firm. Empirical testing of the developed research framework is out of the scope of this study. However, this thesis proposes using a mixed methods research approach, including survey research and multiple case studies. Finland State of Logistics 2012 survey commissioned by the Finnish Ministry of Transport and Communications and conducted by Turku School of Economics is used as an example of data for the quantitative phase. The applicability of these two methods is discussed at a general level and with regard to analysing the research framework developed in the thesis. Future research will aim at the development of the research framework and the methods in order to confirm the connection between environmental collaboration and firm performance.
Resumo:
With caring science as its foundation and by means of the perioperative dialogue, the intended contribution and overall aim of this present thesis is to describe what play is and could be in the caring reality, an ideal model. The perioperative dialogue is the nurse anaesthetists’ pre-, intra- and post-operative dialogues with the children they care for in connection with anesthesia. The thesis is composed according to Schopenhauer’s notion that the road to science presupposes the world seen as performances, and has an all-pervading hermeneutic approach. The performances of the thesis are: the performance of all performances, the empirical performance, the transcendental performance and the universal performance. The performance of all performances originates in the theoretical perspective of the thesis and describes what play and its characteristics are. This performance is realized through the hermeneutic interpretation of the etymology and original meaning of the word play along with texts from caring science, philosophy, anthropology and the history of religion. The empirical performance originates in four empirical studies where caring is organized as a perioperative dialogue. In study I, the material was collected with the help of participating observations and semi-structured interviews, in study II, with the help of the critical incident method and in study III, with the help of conversation interviews. In study IV, play develops into a clinical caring science research method. The research participants consist of children with special needs, children with a pronounced fear of anaesthesia, parents of children with severe autism and nurse anaesthetists. The empirical performance relates in what way play manifests in a perioperative child context by interpreting the results from the empiric in the light of the characteristics of play. The transcendental performance is enacted in the playhouse of health and presents a picture of the essence of play, the playing. In the playhouse of health, the light, winged movement of play is actualized when what was previously too difficult, too heavy and pinioned instead is as easy as anything. The eye of love and compassion knows the art of deciphering the secret script where the Other’s holiness resides, even if mere glimpses of it appear. The universal performance depicts three caring acts where the entrance consists of entering play, the ideal of which is realized in the unmasked openness face to face, that which protects the playing human being against encroachment and an unwanted audience. In the second caring act, entering play plays on to the finely-tuned interplay between human beings in the winged play of beauty and dignity. In the third caring act, the world’s deepest plays are staged on the stage of caring, in the sense that the innermost being of each individual, the universal will joins in and allows individuals to live as playing human beings who are at home with themselves and the world. The captivating, graceful and friendly play works from within itself, as long as it illumined by the light of claritas can play undisturbed on the stage of caring where it – like an unclouded mirror of its own ideal watches over children’s health.
Resumo:
The recent emergence of low-cost RGB-D sensors has brought new opportunities for robotics by providing affordable devices that can provide synchronized images with both color and depth information. In this thesis, recent work on pose estimation utilizing RGBD sensors is reviewed. Also, a pose recognition system for rigid objects using RGB-D data is implemented. The implementation uses half-edge primitives extracted from the RGB-D images for pose estimation. The system is based on the probabilistic object representation framework by Detry et al., which utilizes Nonparametric Belief Propagation for pose inference. Experiments are performed on household objects to evaluate the performance and robustness of the system.
Resumo:
In recent years, chief information officers (CIOs) around the world have identified Business Intelligence (BI) as their top priority and as the best way to enhance their enterprises competitiveness. Yet, many enterprises are struggling to realize the business value that BI promises. This discrepancy causes important questions, for example: what are the critical success factors of Business Intelligence and, more importantly, how it can be ensured that a Business Intelligence program enhances enterprises competitiveness. The main objective of the study is to find out how it can be ensured that a BI program meets its goals in providing competitive advantage to an enterprise. The objective is approached with a literature review and a qualitative case study. For the literature review the main objective populates three research questions (RQs); RQ1: What is Business Intelligence and why is it important for modern enterprises? RQ2: What are the critical success factors of Business Intelligence programs? RQ3: How it can be ensured that CSFs are met? The qualitative case study covers the BI program of a Finnish global manufacturer company. The research questions for the case study are as follows; RQ4: What is the current state of the case company’s BI program and what are the key areas for improvement? RQ5: In what ways the case company’s Business Intelligence program could be improved? The case company’s BI program is researched using the following methods; action research, semi-structured interviews, maturity assessment and benchmarking. The literature review shows that Business Intelligence is a technology-based information process that contains a series of systematic activities, which are driven by the specific information needs of decision-makers. The objective of BI is to provide accurate, timely, fact-based information, which enables taking actions that lead to achieving competitive advantage. There are many reasons for the importance of Business Intelligence, two of the most important being; 1) It helps to bridge the gap between an enterprise’s current and its desired performance, and 2) It helps enterprises to be in alignment with key performance indicators meaning it helps an enterprise to align towards its key objectives. The literature review also shows that there are known critical success factors (CSFs) for Business Intelligence programs which have to be met if the above mentioned value is wanted to be achieved, for example; committed management support and sponsorship, business-driven development approach and sustainable data quality. The literature review shows that the most common challenges are related to these CSFs and, more importantly, that overcoming these challenges requires a more comprehensive form of BI, called Enterprise Performance Management (EPM). EPM links measurement to strategy by focusing on what is measured and why. The case study shows that many of the challenges faced in the case company’s BI program are related to the above-mentioned CSFs. The main challenges are; lack of support and sponsorship from business, lack of visibility to overall business performance, lack of rigid BI development process, lack of clear purpose for the BI program and poor data quality. To overcome these challenges the case company should define and design an enterprise metrics framework, make sure that BI development requirements are gathered and prioritized by business, focus on data quality and ownership, and finally define clear goals for the BI program and then support and sponsor these goals.
Resumo:
The purpose of this exploratory research is to study the role of emotional branding in building brand personality. The research is conducted from the perspective of the consumer, more specifically the Finnish Generation Y females. The aim of the thesis is to gain insights and understanding on the key concepts and contribute to the Generation Y literature. In addition, the research examines the effect of certain cultural implications on the process of building brand personality. The research was conducted as an embedded single-case study, in which qualitative data was collected through semi-structured interviews with a sample of six consumers and personal observation within one of the concept stores of the case company. In order to triangulate the data, secondary sources were utilized to gain more information about the case company. The results indicated a connection between emotional branding and the formulation of brand personality, which can be manipulated according to the brand personality drivers. Congruence with consumer self-conceptualization and set of values were discovered to strengthen the emotional bonding. As the end result, the research was able to clarify the process-thinking behind emotional branding.
Resumo:
Tässä sivuaineen tutkielmassa tarkastellaan, miten naisiin viittaavat sanat on käännetty suomalaisen, mutta pääosin englanniksi puhutun Love Connection -tosi-tvohjelman suomenkielisissä tekstityksissä. Tavoitteena on selvittää, millä tavoin suomen ja englannin puhekielen erot naispuolisiin henkilöihin viitattaessa näkyvät ruututeksteissä, ja millaisia käännösstrategioita ohjelman kääntäjä on sarjaa suomentaessaan käyttänyt. Lisäksi tv-ohjelmassa tehtyjä naisiin kohdistuvia viittauksia verrataan ohjelman englanninkielisessä mainoslehtisessä käytettyihin naisiin viittaaviin sanoihin. Tutkimuksen primäärimateriaali koostui Love Connection -tv-sarjan 12 osasta sekä niiden suomenkielisestä tekstityksestä, ohjelman Yhdysvaltoihin suunnatusta mainoslehtisestä sopivien osallistujien löytämiseksi sekä sarjan kääntäjän haastattelusta. Tutkimus toteutettiin sekä kvalitatiivisin että kvantitatiivisin menetelmin. Tv-ohjelman jaksoista litteroitiin englanninkielinen puhe ja suomenkielinen tekstitys niiltä osin kuin vähintään toisessa esiintyi viittaus naispuoliseen henkilöön, kuten woman/nainen tai girl/tyttö. Aineistosta poimitut viittaukset sijoitettiin lähdekirjallisuuden pohjalta luotuihin kategorioihin sen mukaan, millaista käännösstrategiaa niihin oli sovellettu. Lisäksi tarkasteltiin, millaisia eroja sovelletuissa käännösstrategioissa ilmeni ohjelman osallistujien tekemien viittausten välillä sekä toisaalta yksilöhaastattelujen ja keskustelutilanteiden välillä. Analyysi ja kääntäjän haastattelu osoittivat, että suurin osa viittauksista käännettiin suomeksi lähimmällä semanttisella vastineella, mutta myös poistoja ja korvauksia esimerkiksi pronominilla oli tekstityksen vaatimien tila- ja aikarajoitusten vuoksi käytetty runsaasti. Merkittävin tutkimushavainto oli, että joissakin yhteyksissä englannin kielen sana girl oli käännetty suomeksi sanalla nainen suoran käännösvastineen sijasta, koska suomen kielen sana tyttö ei kyseisissä konteksteissa olisi soveltunut käytettäväksi aikuisesta naisesta puhuttaessa. Suomalaisten tuottajien laatimassa englanninkielisessä mainoksessa esiintyi suurelta osin kuvaannollisia, sukupuolineutraaleja henkilöviittauksia, eikä girl-sanaa käytetty kertaakaan. Audiovisuaalisten käännösten kautta välittyvää naiskuvaa viihdegenren televisioohjelmissa on toistaiseksi tutkittu vähän, joten jatkotutkimusten kannalta vaihtoehtoja on runsaasti. Tulosten laajemman sovellettavuuden arvioimiseksi naisten puhuttelua voisi tutkia tarkemmin muissa, kansainvälisesti tunnetuissa tositv-formaateissa esimerkiksi vertailemalla eri maissa esitettäviä ohjelmaversioita.
Resumo:
The objective of this Master’s Thesis was to research factors influencing and enhancing individual level knowledge sharing in offshore projects which often involve uncertainty of the knowledge provider’s own future. The purpose was to understand why individuals are willing to share their knowledge under these kinds of circumstances. In addition the goal was to identify obstacles to interpersonal knowledge sharing in order to understand how to mitigate their influence. The research was conducted as a qualitative multiple case study in a global IT company, and the data was gathered using semi-structured personal theme interviews within two different offshore projects. In order to a gain a wider perspective on the matter, some management representatives were interviewed as well. Data was analysed with the inductive content analysis method. Results of the study indicate that individuals are willing to share their knowledge despite of uncertainty if they are motivated, if they are provided with opportunities to do so, and if they have skills, competence and experience to share their knowledge. A strong knowledge sharing culture in the organization or team also works as a strong incentive for individual level knowledge sharing. The findings suggest that even under uncertain conditions it is possible to encourage people to share their knowledge if uncertainty can be decreased to a bearable level, a robust and personal connection and relationship between the knowledge provider and acquirer can be created and suitable opportunities for knowledge sharing are provided. In addition, based on the results the support and commitment of management and HR in addition to favourable environmental circumstances play an essential role in building a bridge between the knowledge provider and acquirer in order to create a virtual environment and space for knowledge sharing: Ba.
Resumo:
The primary purpose of this research is to develop an enhanced understanding of how consumption values influence environmentally responsible consumption of print and digital media. Theoretical elaboration considers the associations of functional, social and emotional consumption values, green consumer segmentation and media consumption. Additionally, the purpose is to identify consumer perceptions of print and digital media’s environmental responsibility. Empirical analysis was based on qualitative interviews with a sample of 20 Finnish consumers categorized in two segments: young adults and middle aged consumers. Primary data collection was conducted through individual, semi-structured interviews. To analyze the respondents’ approach on the topic, the interviews disclosed themes of media consumption, perceived environmental friendliness of media, norms of behavior and consumers’ general consumption patterns. The results implicate functional value dominated the consumption decision-making process both in a general level and in media consumption. In addition to functional value, environmental responsibility does provide consumers with both emotional and social values. Analysis on perceived environmental responsibility of media demonstrated consumers generally perceive digital media as an environmentally responsible alternative because it does not create physical paper waste. Nevertheless, the perceptions of environmental responsibility and media consumption patterns lacked a consistent connection. Though, both theory and empirical results indicated an average consumer lacks a comprehensive understanding of digital and print media’s life-cycle and hence their environmental advantages and disadvantages.
Resumo:
The objective of this Master’s Thesis is to find individuals’ inducements that assist innovation adoption in the framework of sustainable food system. The purpose of the thesis is to examine the reasons why individuals adopt sustainable approaches, and furthermore, to see by what means the transition to the more sustainable food system could be accelerated. The study’s focal point is on the micro level, even if the wider purpose is to accelerate the holistic change of food system in the near future. The study consists of a literature review and a qualitative research, which is actualized with semi-structured interviews. The results indicate that individuals adopt innovations based on their strong intrinsic motivation. The main inducements were environment-related and health-related aspects, and individual’s deep connection to the countryside. The effect of social circle and doing good actions with the consuming behavior were also highlighted. Strongest barriers to innovation adoption seem to be price sensitivity, lack of easiness, and lack of interest in food. The findings indicate also that the most significant means that could ease the individuals’ decision to adopt an innovation are health-related aspects, educating and learning, environmental aspects, and decreasing the prices. Although the theoretical part of the study highlights the effect of positive reinforcement, the empirical part neglects it.
Resumo:
Tutkimuksen tavoitteena oli selvittää, millaiset ajattelumallit korostuvat menestyksekkäässä ketjuliiketoimintajohtamisessa tasapainotetun tuloskortin eri näkökulmien osalta. Tutkimuskohteena olivat kuusi päivittäistavarakaupan ketjuliiketoiminnan asiakasrajapinnassa työskentelevää Osuuskauppa Keskimaan S-marketpäällikköä. Ajattelua tutkittiin kognitiivisesta näkökulmasta. Tutkimus toteutettiin laadullista tutkimusmenetelmää, kognitiivista kartoitusta hyödyntäen. Karttojen rakentamiseen käytetty tutkimusaineisto hankittiin puolistrukturoitujen teemahaastattelujen avulla. Tutkimuksen teoreettinen viitekehys rakennettiin mielen sisäisten skeemojen ja kognitiivisten karttojen kautta päätöksenteonteorioihin. Tutkimuksen tulosten perusteella asiakasnäkökulmassa menestyminen edellyttää liikeideaa kunnioittavaa ja konseptin tinkimättömään toteuttamiseen keskittyvää johtamisajattelua. Henkilöstönäkökulmassa menestyminen korostaa kokonaisvaltaisen esimiestyön ja moniulotteisten vuorovaikutussuhteiden merkitystä, joiden ilmeneminen on kognitiivisia rakenteita ja prosesseja monimuotoisempi kokonaisuus. Prosessinäkökulmassa menestyminen edellyttää selkeiden ohjeiden vaalimiseen ja niiden johtamiseen keskittyvää ajattelutapaa. Menestys talousnäkökulmassa kokoaa tuloskortin eri näkökulmat yhteen, korostaen kokonaisuuden hahmottamisen tärkeyttä sekä toimialan ja ketjuliiketoiminnan business-logiikan ymmärtämisen merkitystä osana operatiivista ketjuliiketoimintajohtamista. Lisäksi tutkimus vahvistaa aiempien tutkimustulosten mukaisesti, että kognitiivisen kartan rikkaudella, yhtenäisyydellä, johdonmukaisuudella, kartan sisältämien suorituskykymittareihin viittaavien mainintojen määrällä sekä esimiehen kokemalla vaikutusmahdollisuudella on yhteys liiketoimintamenestyksen kanssa. Kokonaisuutena päivittäistavarakaupan ketjuliiketoiminnan menestyksekkäässä johtamisessa näyttää korostuvan rationaalisuutta ja loogisuutta korostava ajattelutapa, joka tukeutuu vahvasti ketjuliiketoiminnan perusprosesseihin.
Resumo:
Tämän eksploratiivisen tutkimuksen tarkoituksena on tutkia yrittäjän persoonallisuuden roolia ekologisesti suuntautuneen brändin identiteetin ja assosiaatioiden rakentamisessa. Tutkimus on tehty yrittäjän näkökulmasta, jonka kontekstina ovat pienet ja keskisuuret yritykset. Tämä tutkimus pyrkii laajentamaan ja saamaan ymmärrystä keskeisistä käsitteistä, ja samalla edistämään PK-yrityksiin liittyvää kirjallisuutta. Tämän lisäksi tutkimus tarkastelee mitä assosiaatioita ekologisesti suuntautunut brändi korostaa identiteetissään. Tutkimus suoritettiin tapaustutkimuksena. Laadullista primääridataa kerättiin teemahaastattelemalla yrittäjää, havainnoimalla yhtä case-yrityksen messuosastoa, sekä keräämällä yrittäjän persoonallisuusattribuutteja. Jotta tutkimus saavuttaisi myös datan triangulaation, sekundääristä dataa kerättiin vahvistamaan aiempaa tutkimusta. Yhtenä sekundäärilähteenä toimivat kaksi artikkelia, jotka auttoivat vahvistamaan aiemmin esiin nostetut yrittäjän persoonallisuusattribuutit. Persoonallisuusattribuutteja verrattiin case-yrityksen brändin identiteettiin, jotta yrittäjän persoonallisuuden rooli brändin identiteetin rakentamisessa saataisiin selville. Tulokset osoittivat yhteyden brändin identiteetin ja yrittäjän persoonallisuuden välillä ekologisesti suuntautuneessa case-yrityksessä. Tulokset paljastivat myös joitakin yleisiä assosiaatioita joita luodaan ja vahvistetaan brändin identiteetin eri osa-alueiden avulla.