Helsinki hub – new traffic flows and business networks

This thesis is the Logistics Development Forum's assignment and the work dealing with the development of the Port of Helsinki as part of Helsinki hub. The Forum aims to develop logistics efficiency through public-private co-operation and development of the port is clearly dependent on both factors. Freight volumes in the Port of Helsinki are the biggest single factor in hub and, therefore, the role of the port of the entire hub development is strong. The aim is to look at how the port will develop as a result of changes in the foreign trade of Finland and the Northern European logistics trends in 25 years time period. Work includes the current state analysis and scenario work. The analyses are intended to find out, which trends are the most important in the port volume development. The change and effect of trends is examined through scenarios based on current state. Based on the work, the structure of Finnish export industry and international demand are in the key role in the port volume development. There is significant difference between demands of Finnish exporting products in different export markets and the development between the markets has different impacts on the port volumes by mass and cargo type. On the other hand, the Finnish economy is stuck in a prolonged recession and competition between ports has become a significant factor in the individual port's volume development. Ecological valuesand regulations have changed the competitive landscape and maritime transport emissions reductions has become an important competitive factor for short routes in the Baltic Sea, such as in the link between Helsinki and Tallinn.

The role of organization-level factors on informal learning process

This study discusses the nature of informal learning process in business organizations, and the importance of different organization-level factors in this process. The purpose of this study is to understand the role of organization-level factors on informal learning process with three subquestions: how informal learning process takes place in business organizations, what organizationlevel factors affects informal learning process, and how informal learning process is affected by organizational-level factors. The theoretical background of this study includes literatures on the concept of informal learning, its process, and organization-level factors that can affect informal learning process. The empirical research has been conducted in this study by face-to-face interviews. The interviews were conducted between June and August 2015 in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Thirteen interviews were made with the employees from different hierarchical levels from four freight forwarding MNCs in Bangladesh. Constant comparative analysis has been used to process the collected data until reaching a level of saturation. The empirical research found that all the phases in an informal learning process are not linear and sequential, and the role of organization-level factors on each phase varies with the degree and nature of each factor. In addition, the results also revealed that all the organization-level factors do not interact with each other while playing their role on informal learning process. The findings of this study considerably extend our understanding of the important role of HRD, manager, colleague, culture, and work structure on informal learning process in the workplace. However, future research in different organizational contexts is required to generalize the findings of this study.

Viability of part cargoes in tramp shipping company’s routing and scheduling decisions

Operational excellence of individual tramp shipping companies is important in today’s market, where competition is intense, freight revenues are modest and capital costs high due to global financial crisis, and tighter regulatory framework is generating additional costs and challenges to the industry. This thesis concentrates on tramp shipping, where a tramp operator in a form of an individual case company, specialized in short-sea shipping activities in the Baltic Sea region, is searching ways to map their current fleet operations and better understand potential ways to improve the overall routing and scheduling decisions. The research problem is related to tramp fleet planning where several cargoes are carried on board at the same time, which are here systematically referred to as part cargoes. The purpose is to determine the pivotal dimensions and characteristics of these part cargo operations in tramp shipping, and offer both the individual case company and wider research community better understanding of potential risks and benefits related to utilization of part cargo operations. A mixed method research approach is utilized in this research, as the objectives are related to complex, real-life business practices in the field of supply chain management and more specifically, maritime logistics. A quantitative analysis of different voyage scenarios is executed, including alternative voyage legs with varying cost structure and customer involvement. An on-line-based questionnaire designed and prepared by case company’s decision group again provides desired data of predominant attitudes and views of most important industrial customers regarding the part cargo-related operations and potential future utilization of this business model. The results gained from these quantitative methods are complied with qualitative data collection tools, along with suitable secondary data sources. Based on results and logical analysis of different data sources, a framework for characterizing the different aspects of part cargo operations is developed, utilizing both existing research and empirical investigation of the phenomenon. As conclusions, part cargoes have the ability to be part of viable fleet operations, and even increase flexibility among the fleet to a certain extent. Naturally, several hinderers for this development is recognized as well, such as potential issues with information gathering and sharing, inefficient port activities, and increased transit times.

Keskisuurten tieliikenteen tavarankuljetusyritysten keskeisimmät menestystekijät

Tämän kandidaatintutkielman tarkoituksena on tarkastella suomalaista tieliikenteen tavarankuljetusalaa ja tällä toimialla menestymistä. Tutkielman päätavoitteena on selvittää, mitkä ovat keskisuurten tieliikenteen tavarankuljetusyritysten keskeisimmät menestykseen vaikuttavat tekijät. Tutkielma on rajattu koskemaan suomalaisia 20-50 henkilöä työllistäviä tieliikenteen tavarankuljetusyrityksiä. Tutkimus toteutettiin kvalitatiivisesti ja tutkimuksen aineisto kerättiin puolistrukturoidun teemahaastattelun avulla. Tutkielmassa haastateltiin viittä toimitusjohtajaa rajausten mukaisista yrityksistä. Tämän tutkielman tulosten mukaan keskisuurten tieliikenteen tavarankuljetusyritysten keskeisimmät menestystekijät ovat keskittyminen ja erikoistuminen. Erikoistumisella tarkoitetaan erikoistumista johonkin tiettyyn kuljetuslajiin. Keskittymisellä tarkoitetaan pitkäjänteistä keskittymistä arvoa luoviin toimintoihin sekä yrityksen harjoittamaan kuljetuslajiin. Muita yksittäisiä menestystekijöitä olivat muun muassa: kaluston tuottavuuden parantaminen, työntekijöiden tuottavuuden parantaminen, hyvä kustannusjohtaminen, asiakassuhteiden hyvä johtaminen ja pätevien työntekijöiden pitäminen yrityksessä. Tutkielman tuloksissa havaittiin myös, että yrityksen harjoittaman kuljetuslajin vaikutus liiketoiminnan menestykseen todennäköisesti kasvaa tulevaisuudessa kabotaasin vapauttamisen myötä. Tutkielman tulosten yleistettävyyteen on suhtauduttava kuitenkin kriittisesti tutkielman pienestä otoksesta johtuen.