Customer expectation study in product development process and its role in strategy formulation

T��m�� ty�� on tehty kansainv��liselle mets��teollisuusyritykselle. Ty��n l��ht��kohtana oli tarve tutkia yrityksen mahdollisuuksia laajentaa toimintaansa uudelle markkinasegmentille, el��inruokapakkausmarkkinoille. Johtuen maailmanlaajuisesta el��inruoankulutuksen kasvusta, el��inruokapakkaukset ovat yritykselle mielenkiintoinen uusi markkina-alue. Onnistunut markkinoilletulo vaatii asiakastarpeiden ja -odotusten huomioimista tuotekehitys- ja markkinastrategian muodostamisessa. T��m��n ty��n tavoitteena oli selvitt���� asiakkaiden odotuksia el��inruokapakkauksille, sek�� mallintaa alalla vallitsevia ostoprosesseja. Asiakastarvetutkimus suunniteltiin perustuen kirjallisuuteen ja alustaviin markkina- ja asiakasanalyyseihin. Alustavat analyysit ovat tarpeellisia l��ht��tilanteen ja trendien selvitt��miseksi. Itse tutkimus toteutettiin semi-konstruktoituna teemahaastatteluna. Haastateltavat edustivat USA:n ja Euroopan johtavia el��inruokavalmistajia ja pakkausten jatkojalostajia. Ty��n tuloksena saatiin yksityiskohtaista tietoa asiakkaiden odotuksista el��inruokapakkauksille, paperin ominaisuuksille ja paperitoimittajille. Lis��ksi mallinnettiin ostoprosesseja paperitoimittajien, pakkausten jalostajien ja el��inruokavalmistajien v��lill��. Tulosten perusteella on analysoitu yrityksen mahdollisuuksia menesty�� uudella markkinasegmentill��. Lis��ksi ty��ss�� annettiin ehdotuksia tuotekehitys- ja markkinastrategian muodostamiseen.

The central histaminergic neurons in vitro, and their neuroprotective role in excitotoxic cell death in the postnatal rat hippocampus.

Histamine acts as a neurotransmitter in the central nervous system. Brain histamine in synthesized in neurons located to the posterior hypothalamus, from where these neurons send their projections to different parts of the brain. Released histamine participates in the regulation of several physiological functions such as arousal, attention and body homeostasis. Disturbances in the histaminergic system have been detected in diseases such as epilepsy, sleep disorders, anxiety, depression, Alzheimer���s disease, and schizophrenia. The purpose of this thesis was to develop optimal culture conditions for the histaminergic neurons, to study their detailed morphology, and to find out their significance in the kainic acid (KA)-induced neuronal death in the immature rat hippocampus. The morphology of the histaminergic neurons <i>in vitro</i> was comparable with the earlier findings. Histamine-containing vesicles were found in the axon but also in the cell body and dendrites suggesting a possibility for the somatodendritic release. Moreover, histamine was shown to be colocalized with the vesicular monoamine transporter 2 (VMAT2) suggesting that VMAT2 transports histamine to the subcellular storage vesicles. Furthermore, histamine was localized with ��-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in distinct storage vesicles and with neuropeptide galanin partly in the same storage vesicles suggesting different corelease mechanisms for GABA and galanin with histamine. In the organotypic hippocampal slice cultures, KA-induced neuronal death was first detected 12 h after the treatment being restricted mainly to the CA3 subregion. Moreover, cell death was irreversible, since the 48 h recovery period did not save the cells, but instead increased the damage. Finally, neuronal death was suggested to be necrotic, since intracellular apoptotic pathways were not activated, and the morphological changes detected with the electron microscopy were characteristic for necrosis. In the coculture system of the hippocampal and posterior hypothalamic slices, histaminergic neurons significantly decreased epileptiform burst activity and neuronal death in the hippocampal slices, this effect being mediated by histamine 1 (H1) and 3 (H3) receptors. In conclusion, the histaminergic neurons were maintained succesfully in the <i>in vitro</i> conditions exhibiting comparable morphological characteristics as detected earlier <i>in vivo</i>. Moreover, they developed functional innervations within the hippocampal slices in the coculture system. Finally, the KA-induced regionspecific, irreversible and necrotic hippocampal pyramidal cell damage was significantly decreased by the histaminergic neurons through H1 and H3 receptors.

The governmental organization's role in railway freight market's liberalization -building knowledge through Swedish and Polish operators' experiences

Globalization has increased transport aggregates��� demand. Whilst transport volumes increase, ecological values���im portance has sharpened: carbon footprint has become a measure known world widely. European Union together with other communities emphasizes friendliness to the environment: same trend has extended to transports. As a potential substitute for road transport is noted railway transport, which decreases the congestions and lowers the emission levels. Railway freight market was liberalized in the European Union 2007, which enabled new operators to enter the markets. This research had two main objectives. Firstly, it examined the main market entry strategies utilized and the barriers to entry confronted by the operators who entered the markets after the liberalization. Secondly, the aim was to find ways the governmental organization could enhance its service towards potential railway freight operators. Research is a qualitative case study, utilizing descriptive analytical research method with a normative shade. Empirical data was gathered by interviewing Swedish and Polish railway freight operators by using a semi-structured theme-interview. This research provided novel information by using first-hand data; topic has been researched previously by utilizing second-hand data and literature analyses. Based on this research, rolling stock acquisition, needed investments and bureaucracy generate the main barriers to entry. The research results show that the mostly utilized market entry strategies are start-up and vertical integration. The governmental organization could enhance the market entry process by organizing courses, paying extra attention on flexibility, internal know-how and educating the staff.

Blended learning and student time-use in engineering education

Aiheen laajempi artikkeli on julkaistu konferenssi-CD:ll��.

Project owner���s and outside engineering consultant���s role in power plant implementation projects

The purpose of this study was to investigate the nature of co-operation between a project owner and an outside engineering consultant in combined heat and power plant implementation projects. Moreover, as another focal subject of the study was to familiarize the purchasing behavior of the energy producer and how an outside engineering consultant participated into different stages of the purchasing process. The study was carried out as a multiple case study including altogether six Finnish power plant implementation projects that had been taken into commercial use during 1995 ��� 2015. By adjusting the findings of empirical interview data and comparing those to the theoretical framework concerning, among others, Finnish energy production, engineering consulting businesses, delivery methods of construction project and finally the purchasing process, it can be concluded that especially in the power plant implementation projects in the past have a great influence to decisions made during the project. The role of the main engineering consultant is to act as an assistant, who helps to achieve the project goals successfully rather than an advisor who only knows how the project should be conducted. At least in these five project cases this was the case, meaning that the final decision power always remaining with project owner.

Conference Proceedings. Assessing Language and (Inter) cultural Competences in Higher Education. Evaluation des comp��tences langagi��res et (inter) culturelles dans l���enseignement sup��rieur

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.

Middle school mediocrity : quality and inequality in secondary education

Centrala teman i min avhandling ��r parallellskolesystem, linjedelning och segregering i h��gstadier och gymnasier. Det finns stora skillnader mellan l��nder g��llande den ��rskurs d�� eleverna sorteras in i olika niv��er genom skilda klasser eller skolor. I Tyskland och Nederl��nderna till exempel delas eleverna upp f��re h��gstadiet medan Sverige och Finland har enhetsskolor p�� h��gstadieniv��. Jag argumenterar att parallellskolesystem har en positiv effekt p�� elevernas testresultat i ��rskurserna f��re linjedelningen. Eleverna har incitament att jobba h��rdare f��r att komma p�� i den akademiska linjen. Jag unders��ker incitamentseffekter empiriskt, och hittar m��nster konsistenta med incitamentseffekter b��de i brittisk och i internationell data. Det andra bidraget i avhandlingen ��r metodologiskt. Nationalekonomer brukar behandla testresultat fr��n t.ex. IQ-tester eller internationella PISA-unders��kningar som om absoluta niv��n p�� po��ngantalen har betydelse i sig. I verkligheten antyder de endast en rangordning. Jag visar att normalf��rdelade testresultat i m��nga fall ligger tillr��ckligt n��ra dess pengav��rde p�� arbetsmarknaden f��r att ��nd�� kunna tolkas som absoluta.

Rediscovering profitability in entrepreneurship : evidence from Finnish high-technology start-ups

Denna avhandling utmanar sambandet mellan tillv��xt och l��nsamhet. L��nsamhet, som borde vara f��retagens st��rsta prioritet har n��stan totalt f��rsvunnit fr��n entrepren��rskapsf��ltet. Ist��llet har den blivit ersatt av en fokus p�� tillv��xt och framf��rallt h��g tillv��xt. Den nuvarande allm��nna normen verkar vara att tillv��xt blint prioriteras ��ver l��nsamhet. Detta beror p�� det f��rvr��ngda sambandet mellan tillv��xt och l��nsamhet; antagandet att h��g tillv��xt f��rr eller senare kommer att leda till h��g l��nsamhet. S��ledes ses tillv��xt som ett m��tt p�� ett f��retags framg��ng och som ett m��l v��rt att efterstr��va. Det har blivit fokuset i allm��n media och entrepren��rskapsforskning, n��got beslutfattarna f��rs��ker st��da och uppmuntra, entrepren��rerna vill uppn�� och finansi��rerna vill skapa. Allt detta, oftast p�� bekostnad av l��nsamhet. Denna avhandling str��var efter att f�� en ��ndring p�� detta genom att utmana denna nuvarande norm. Avhandlingens empiriska del fokuserar sig p�� nya finska h��gteknologif��retag inom bio- och IT-branschen. Tillv��xtfenomenet studeras i tre olika kontexter: forskningen (en analys p�� 118 artiklar i ledande entrepren��rskaps och managementjournaler), praktiken (en finansiell analys p�� 1039 nya f��retag) och bland intressenternas perspektiv (23 intervjuer med entrepren��rer, beslutsfattare, offentliga finansi��rer och riskfinansi��rer). Resultaten bekr��ftar en stark f��rvr��ngning av tillv��xt och l��nsamhet inom de tre studerade kontexterna. Den finansiella analysen bekr��ftar resultaten av senare forskning och visar att l��nsamhet, ist��llet f��r tillv��xt, ��r f��ruts��ttningen f��r fortsatt l��nsam tillv��xt. Resultaten st��mmer oberoende av f��retagens ��lder. Det visas ��ven att en ��ndring i strategisk position ��r osannolik och mycket sv��r att genomf��ra. Detta lyfter fram n��dv��ndigheten f��r startade f��retag att fokusera sig p�� r��tt saker genast fr��n start; skapandet av en l��nsam aff��rsmodell.

Emancipating and developing learning activity: Systemic intervention and re-instrumentation in higher education.

The central theme of this thesis is the emancipation and further development of learning activity in higher education in the context of the ongoing digital transformation of our societies. It was developed in response to the highly problematic mainstream approach to digital re-instrumentation of teaching and studying practises in contemporary higher education. The mainstream approach is largely based on centralisation, standardisation, commoditisation, and commercialisation, while re-producing the general patterns of control, responsibility, and dependence that are characteristic for activity systems of schooling. Whereas much of educational research and development focuses on the optimisation and fine-tuning of schooling, the overall inquiry that is underlying this thesis has been carried out from an explicitly critical position and within a framework of action science. It thus conceptualises learning activity in higher education not only as an object of inquiry but also as an object to engage with and to intervene into from a perspective of intentional change. The knowledge-constituting interest of this type of inquiry can be tentatively described as a combination of heuristic-instrumental (guidelines for contextualised action and intervention), practical-phronetic (deliberation of value-rational aspects of means and ends), and developmental-emancipatory (deliberation of issues of power, self-determination, and growth) aspects. Its goal is the production of orientation knowledge for educational practise. The thesis provides an analysis, argumentation, and normative claim on why the development of learning activity should be turned into an object of individual|collective inquiry and intentional change in higher education, and why the current state of affairs in higher education actually impedes such a development. It argues for a decisive shift of attention to the intentional emancipation and further development of learning activity as an important cultural instrument for human (self-)production within the digital transformation. The thesis also attempts an in-depth exploration of what type of methodological rationale can actually be applied to an object of inquiry (developing learning activity) that is at the same time conceptualised as an object of intentional change within the ongoing digital transformation. The result of this retrospective reflection is the formulation of ���optimally incomplete��� guidelines for educational R&D practise that shares the practicalphronetic (value related) and developmental-emancipatory (power related) orientations that had been driving the overall inquiry. In addition, the thesis formulates the instrumental-heuristic knowledge claim that the conceptual instruments that were adapted and validated in the context of a series of intervention studies provide means to effectively intervene into existing practise in higher education to support the necessary development of (increasingly emancipated) networked learning activity. It suggests that digital networked instruments (tools and services) generally should be considered and treated as transient elements within critical systemic intervention research in higher education. It further argues for the predominant use of loosely-coupled, digital networked instruments that allow for individual|collective ownership, control, (co-)production, and re-use in other contexts and for other purposes. Since the range of digital instrumentation options is continuously expanding and currently shows no signs of an imminent slow-down or consolidation, individual and collective exploration and experimentation of this realm needs to be systematically incorporated into higher education practise.