A cross-border VMI to Russia and cultural impacts to the implementation

VMI (Vendor managed inventory) is a collaboration model between a supplier and a customer, where a supplier has the responsibility of the inventory replenishments. The tightened competition forces companies to collaborate, and VMI is a simple method to cooperate. The aim of this study was to create a cross-border VMI model from Finland to Russia in the case company. However, the cultural differences between the countries produce problems and therefore the cultural impacts to the model and implementation were taken into account. This study includes two parts: the first framework consists of operational principles, benefits, risks, criteria and success factors of VMI and the second concentrates on cultural aspects of the process change. As a result, an operating model for case company’s supply chain was created. In addition, the suggestions for avoiding the cultural impacts in the implementation were given.

Cultural aspects of globalizing university-industry knowledge interaction in China

Previous studies of the local involvement of multinational corporation (MNC) subsidiaries focus on host-country firms and local business partners such as suppliers and customers. The role of host-country universities in the same context of innovation networks is neglected. Furthermore, there are many organizational culture- and knowledge-related differences between universities and companies, and this is likely to pose additional challenges for successful collaboration. Early university-industry (U-I) studies have primarily been limited within a national boundary, being concerned with a single level of culture (i.e., at an organizational level) and one-way knowledge transfer from university to industry. Research on more dynamic knowledge interaction in multinational settings is lacking. This is particularly true in the business context of China. In today’s globalizing and rapidly changing organizations, addressing cultural differences and clashes is an everyday reality, and inter-cultural U-I collaboration is becoming a key asset for gaining global competitiveness. This study deals with Finnish MNC subsidiaries’ research collaboration with Chinese universities. It aims to explore the essence of such U-I collaboration and knowledge interaction, uncovering the deep functioning mechanisms of culture underlying effective collaborative knowledge creation and innovation. The study reviews critically different bodies of literature including knowledge management theories and studies, U-I collaboration and knowledge interaction, and cross-cultural research in terms of organizational knowledge generation and utilization. It adopts a case study strategy with qualitative research methods, and data is collected through in-depth interviews and participant observation. The study presents the following major findings: 1. In the light of a comprehensive analysis of U-I collaboration, an effective matching strategy is proposed, in the assumption that good alignment of knowledge interaction strategies and approaches with their corresponding knowledge type, capability development and research task may greatly enhance the effectiveness of cross-cultural U-I collaboration and knowledge interaction. 2. It is proposed that in the Chinese MNC context more dynamic types of knowledge interaction like knowledge co-creation should be of key concern particularly when dealing simultaneously with multi-disciplinary applied research of human factors and technologies. U-I knowledge interaction, otherwise, pays attention only to the study of one-way technology and knowledge transfer. 3. It is posited that the influence of culture on collaborative knowledge interaction can be studied in a valuable way when knowledge-related variables are simultaneously taken into account. A systematic analysis of the role of knowledge in cross-cultural knowledge interaction could best be approached from multi-aspects of knowledge including not only nature, characteristics and types of knowledge but also the process of knowledge (e.g., intensifications of knowledge interaction). 4. The study demonstrates the significant role of aspects of the host-country culture (e.g., Chinese guanxi) in U-I collaboration and knowledge interaction. This is evident, for instance, in issues related to interpersonal relationships and trust, true interest and the relatedness of the research, mutual commitment and learning, communication intensity and interaction, and awareness of cultural and knowledge-related differences between collaboration partners. Theoretical and practical implications of the findings are suggested and discussed.

Cultural and textual properties in the translation and interpretation of allusions. An analysis of allusions in Dorothy L. Sayers’ detective novels translated into Finnish in the 1940s and the 1980s

Kulttuuriset ja tekstuaaliset tekijät alluusioiden kääntämisessä ja tulkinnassa. Alluusiot Dorothy L. Sayersin 1940- ja 1980-luvuilla suomennetuissa salapoliisiromaaneissa Väitöskirja käsittelee alluusioiden kääntämistä ja tulkintaa. Alluusio on intertekstuaalinen viittaus, jonka tulkitsemiseen tarvitaan implisiittistä tietoa tutuksi oletetusta viittauskohteesta. Käännösongelma alluusiosta tulee, mikäli kohdekulttuurin lukijat eivät tunne viittauskohdetta eivätkä voi päätellä alluusion merkitystä. Tutkimus pyrkii kuitenkin uuden analyysimenetelmän avulla osoittamaan, että vieraat alluusiot eivät välttämättä johda tulkintaongelmiin. Väitöskirja jakautuu kahteen osaan: analyysimenetelmän kehittämiseen (luvut 1-5) sekä tapaustutkimukseen (luvut 6-7). Kehitetyn menetelmän avulla pystytään analysoimaan aikaisempaa tarkemmin, millaisia tulkintamahdollisuuksia alluusiot tarjoavat eri lukijakunnille ja miten lähdetekstin alluusioiden kulttuuriset ja tekstuaaliset piirteet korreloivat käännösstrategioiden kanssa. Tapaustutkimus selvittää, millaisia tulkintamahdollisuuksia Dorothy L. Sayersin 1940- ja 1980-luvuilla suomennettujen salapoliisiromaanien alluusiot tarjosivat aikansa suomalaisille lukijoille. Tavoitteena on myös hahmottaa, miten suomentajien käännösratkaisut ja alluusioiden tulkintamahdollisuudet liittyvät toisaalta lähdetekstin alluusioiden piirteisiin ja toisaalta kohdekulttuurin kontekstiin. Tapaustutkimus tarjoaa näin uutta tietoa suomennoskirjallisuuden ja salapoliisiromaanien historiasta. Analyysimenetelmä määrittelee aikaisempaa alluusioita ja intertekstuaalisuutta käsitelleen tutkimuksen pohjalta ne kulttuuriset ja tekstuaaliset piirteet, jotka vaikuttavat alluusioiden kääntämiseen ja tulkintaan. Kulttuurisessa mielessä alluusio voi olla tietylle lukijakunnalle tuttu tai tuntematon. Tekstuaalisia tekijöitä ovat alluusion muodon ja tyylin tunnusmerkillisyys sekä alluusion pintamerkityksen koherenttius uudessa tekstikontekstissa, ilman tietoa viittauskohteesta. Alluusioiden tulkinnassa on perinteisesti erotettu toisaalta allusiivinen tulkintamahdollisuus, jossa alluusio on lukijoille tuttu ja yhdistettävissä viittauskohteeseensa, toisaalta kulttuuritöyssy, jonka muodostaa lukijoille tuntematon ja pintamerkitykseltään inkoherentti alluusio. Tutkimuksessa määritellään kulttuuristen ja tekstuaalisten tekijöiden perusteella lisäksi kaksi muuta mahdollisuutta. Pseudo-allusiivisessa tulkinnassa tuntematon alluusio erottuu ympäröivästä tekstikontekstista tyyliltään ja on koherentti ainakin kuvaannollisessa mielessä ilman viittauskohdettaan. Ei-allusiivisessa tulkinnassa taas vieras alluusio sulautuu kontekstiin sekä muodoltaan että merkitykseltään niin, ettei lukija edes huomaa mahdollista alluusiota. Tulkintamahdollisuuksien jakauma antaa yleiskuvan siitä, miten tietty lukijakunta pystyi tulkitsemaan tekstin alluusioita. Lisäksi analyysi tarkastelee lähdetekstin ja käännöksen välillä tulkintamahdollisuuksissa tapahtuneita muutoksia sekä niiden vaikutusta tulkinnan vaatimaan vaivannäköön (effort) ja alluusion funktioihin. Tapaustutkimus perehtyy Sayers-suomennosten kulttuurikonteksteihin tarkastelemalla salapoliisiromaanien asemaa suomalaisessa kirjallisuusjärjestelmässä, suomennoksilta odotettuja piirteitä sekä suomentajien ammattikuvaa, taustoja ja työoloja. Tulosten perusteella alluusioiden kääntäminen oli vaativa tehtävä sekä 1940- että 1980-luvun suomentajille. Lähdetekstien alluusioista 60–70 prosenttia oli todennäköisesti kohdelukijoille vieraita. Molempina aikakausina suomennoksilta odotettiin silti sekä kielellistä sujuvuutta että lähdetekstin merkitysten välittämistä. 1940-luvun suomentajien tehtävää vaikeutti lisäksi mm. se, että suomentaminen oli enimmäkseen sivutoimista ja englanti oli harvoin parhaiten hallittu vieras kieli. Nämä olosuhteet lienevät vaikuttaneet etenkin vähäarvoisena pidetyn salapoliisikirjallisuuden suomennoksiin. 1980-luvulla suomentajien aikataulut olivat realistisempia, englannin taidot parempia ja päätoiminen suomentaminen mahdollista. Myös salapoliisiromaanien arvostus oli lisääntynyt. Sekä 1940- että 1980-luvun suomennoksissa kohdelukijoille vieraitakin alluusioita oli usein säilytetty, mikäli ne olivat koherentteja ilman viittauskohdettaan. Sen sijaan vieraita ja pintamerkitykseltään epäselviä alluusioita oli muokattu tai poistettu. Kuitenkin 1980-luvun suomentajat säilyttivät lähdetekstin alluusioita useammin ja tarkemmin kuin 1940-luvun suomentajat. Varsinkin poisjättämistä esiintyi 1940-luvun suomennoksissa enemmän. Alluusioiden tulkintamahdollisuudet olivat kaikissa käännöksissä muuttuneet sikäli, että melko harvat suomennetut alluusiot olivat enää kohdelukijoiden tunnistettavissa. Toisaalta myös kulttuuritöyssyt olivat harvinaisia. Erot 1940- ja 1980-luvun suomennosten välillä näkyivätkin pseudo-allusiivisissa ja ei-allusiivisissa tulkintamahdollisuuksissa. 1980-luvun suomennoksissa vieraat alluusiot oli johdonmukaisesti säilytetty niin, että käännetyt alluusiot voitiin tulkita pseudo-alluusioiksi. Sen sijaan 1940-luvun suomennoksissa vieraita alluusioita oli usein muokattu tai jätetty pois tavalla, joka johti ei-allusiiviseen tulkintaan. Kohdelukijoiden kannalta 1980-luvun suomennettujen alluusioiden tulkitseminen lienee vaatinut jonkin verran enemmän vaivaa. Toisaalta pseudo-allusiivisten käännösten pohjalta oli useimmiten mahdollista rakentaa koherentti tulkinta, ja monesti ne jopa välittivät samankaltaisia funktioita kuin lähdetekstin alluusiot. 1940-luvun suomennosten muokkaukset ja poistot periaatteessa helpottivat tulkintaa, mutta mahdollisia kulttuuritöyssyjä esiintyi edelleen, jopa kääntäjän tekemien muutosten seurauksena. 1940-luvun suomennoksissa myös käännettyjen alluusioiden funktiot olivat muuttuneet enemmän lähdetekstin alluusioihin nähden. Kaiken kaikkiaan 1980-luvun suomennokset olivat lähempänä oman aikansa hyvän käännöksen piirteitä. Toisaalta alluusioiden muokkaaminen sai 1940-luvun suomennokset muistuttamaan enemmän perinteistä arvoituksen ratkaisuun keskittyvää salapoliisiromaania, joten tältä osin ne lienevät vastanneet kohdelukijoiden odotuksia. Kulttuurikontekstin vaikutus siis näkyi sekä käännösstrategioissa että käännettyjen alluusioiden tulkintamahdollisuuksissa. Tutkimustuloksissa korostui kuitenkin myös se, että lähdetekstin alluusion pintamerkitys saattaa vaikuttaa käännösratkaisuihin. Lisäksi käännetyt pseudo-alluusiot saattavat välittää samankaltaisia funktioita kuin lähdetekstin alluusiot. Toisin kuin yleensä on esitetty, kohdelukijoille vieraiden alluusioiden säilyttäminen saattaakin siis olla toimiva ratkaisu.

Conference Proceedings. Assessing Language and (Inter) cultural Competences in Higher Education. Evaluation des compétences langagières et (inter) culturelles dans l’enseignement supérieur

This epublication contains papers that were presented at the conference “Assessing Language and (Inter) cultural Competences in Higher Education” which took place at the University of Turku (Finland) on 30.8.1.9.2007. The online proceedings may be downloaded and used provided the source is acknowledged.

Intercultural bridges in teenagers' theatrical events : performing self and constructing cultural identity through a creative drama process

The overriding aim of this drama educational case study is to deepen the understanding of meaning making in a creative intercultural youth theatre process and to examine it in the context of the 10th European Children's TheatreEncounter. The research task is to give a theoretical description of some key features of a creative drama process as the basis for theory about meaning makingin physical theatre. The first task is to illuminate the culture-historical connections of the multilayered practice of the EDERED-association. The second taskis to analyse and interpret theatrical meaning making. The ethnographical research site is regarded as a theatrical event. The analysis of the theatrical eventis divided into four segments: cultural contexts, contextual theatricality, theatrical playing and playing culture. These segments are connected with four research questions: What are the cultural contexts of a creative drama process? How can the organisation of the Encounter, genres, aesthetic codes and perception ofcodes be seen to influence the lived experiences of the participants? What are some of the key phases and characteristics in a creative practice? What kind of cultural learning can be interpreted from the performance texts? The interpretative question concerns identity and community (re)construction. How are the categories, `community´ and `child´ constructed in the Encounter culture? In this drama educational case study the research material (transcribed interviews, coded questionnaire answers, participant drawings, videotaped process text and performance texts) are examined in a multi-method analysis in the meta-theoretical framework of Dewey's naturalistic pragmatism. A three-dimensional research interest through a combination of lived experiences, social contexts and cultural-aesthetical practices compared with drama-educational practices required the methodological project of cultural studies. Furthermore, the critical interpretation of cultural texts is divided into three levels of analyses which are called description, structural analysis and theoretical interpretation. Dialogic validity (truthfulness, self-reflexivity and polyvocality) is combined with contextual validity (sensitivity to social context and awareness of historicity) and with deconstructive validity (awareness of the social discourses). My research suggests that itis possible, by means of physical theatre, to construct symbolic worlds where questions about intercultural identity and multilingual community are examined and where provisional answers are constructed in social interaction.

The cultural dimension in focus : promoting awareness of diversity and respect for difference in a Finland-Swedish EFL classroom

This study addresses the role of EFL education, its potential and shortcomings, and the challenges the future of EFL education will bring. It is argued that new societal demands and the limited time we have at our disposal in the classroom make it necessary to rethink goals and content and move away from the transmissionof limited sets of facts and information to helping students develop awareness and competences that can be applied in many different situations, also in a perspective of lifelong learning. The overall aim of the current study is to problematize and increase understanding of the implementation of cultural aspects in the language classroom by addressing the interrelated what, why and how of the cultural dimension within EFL education. This has been conducted by means of theoretical explorations into the area, alongside an attempt at promoting intercultural competence (IC) in a more systematic and insightful manner within my own educational praxis. The focus of the intercultural work in the classroom was on the promotion of awareness of difference and diversity, as well as respect for such difference through the ability to decenter from cultural norms and behavior that previously have been taken for granted. These are two elements that have been suggested as fundamental for other work with IC in the classroom and for the realization of important aspects of the underlying values of basic education. In the context of this study, IC comprises several interconnected components supportingeach other in a variety of ways, with the further aim being interaction with and respect for difference in general, not only concerning e.g. representatives ofcertain English-speaking communities. The methodology was informed by action research, with myself in the role of the teacher-researcher or the reflective practitioner. For the purpose of the project I was authorized to take on the EFL education for the three years of upper comprehensive school of one random class of students originally assigned to one of the language teachers of the selected Finland-Swedish school. Thus, the class of 17 students was not specifically chosen for the project, and the aims and contents chosen for the development project were placed within the framework of the ordinary curriculum. By exploring the students¿ insights concerning different English-speaking cultural groups, mainly through a set of questionnaires, it was possible to outline the work with the cultural dimension in the classroom for the following three years. Work progress was evaluated at specific stages, and the final project evaluations were conducted through individual student interviews in grade 9. The interviews were focused on possible development of students¿ insights concerning different aspects of the cultural dimension. In particular this concerned awareness of difference and diversity, including modification of stereotypes, as well as the ability to decenterin order to be better able to respect such difference. I also explored students¿ awareness and views of the activities and approaches used in class, as well asaffordances both inside and outside the EFL classroom in relation to these intended insights. A further focus area was the perceived relevance to students of different aspects of the cultural dimension. The frameworks and approaches adopted for the work in the classroom all have in common that they are based on a constructivist framework, where knowledge is constructed and reconstructed through interaction with one¿s social and cultural environment, including interaction with others. Reflective processes precede or are simultaneous with the learning of basic factual knowledge. This entails a view of learning as a progression from simple to more complex models rather than as a progression from facts to understanding and analysis. Here, the development of intercultural competence is seen asa cyclical process, or along a spiral curriculum, from simple to more complex levels through a combination of cognitive, affective and behavioral elements within a framework of experiential learning. This project has shown one possible wayforward concerning the development of intercultural competence within EFL education through a more systematic and comprehensive approach regarding linguistic and cultural aspects. The evaluation of the educational process explored in the study suggests the possibilities for work with the promotion of awareness of difference and diversity concerning some specific context that, based on students¿ prior knowledge and preconceptions, would benefit from further work. In this case, the specific context primarily concerned different aspects of both cultural and linguistic conditions in the UK. It is also suggested that many students developed the ability to decenter, described in the study as integral to being able to respect otherness. What still remains to be explored are more individualized approaches considering students¿ different levels of departure. Further work alsoneeds to be put into how to apply insights gained in these specific situations to more general contexts. It is also necessary to explore the use of the suggested approaches in a wider range of different contexts.

Cultural differences in web-based health information seeking of Finnish and Japanese students

Abstrakti

Environmental inFluences on the Adoption of Open Innovation: Analysis of Structural, Institutional and Cultural Impacts

The concept of open innovation has recently gained widespread attention, and is particularly relevant now as many firms endeavouring to implement open innovation, face different sets of challenges associated with managing it. Prior research on open innovation has focused on the internal processes dealing with open innovation implementation and the organizational changes, already taking place or yet required in companies order to succeed in the global open innovation market. Despite the intensive research on open innovation, the question of what influences its adoption by companies in different contexts has not received much attention in studies. To fill this gap, this thesis contribute to the discussion on open innovation influencing factors by bringing in the perspective of environmental impacts, i.e. gathering data on possible sources of external influences, classifying them and testing their systemic impact through conceptual system dynamics simulation model. The insights from data collection and conceptualization in modelling are used to answer the question of how the external environment affects the adoption of open innovation. The thesis research is presented through five research papers reflecting the method triangulation based study (conducted at initial stage as case study, later as quantitative analysis and finally as system dynamics simulation). This multitude of methods was used to collect the possible external influence factors and to assess their impact (on positive/negative scale rather than numerical). The results obtained throughout the thesis research bring valuable insights into understanding of open innovation influencing factors inside a firm’s operating environment, point out the balance required in the system for successful open innovation performance and discover the existence of tipping point of open innovation success when driven by market dynamics and structures. The practical implications on how firms and policy-makers can leverage environment for their potential benefits are offered in the conclusions.