Resources and capabilities approach to online strategy – Multiple-case study of Finnish magazines' online services

Most Finnish periodical magazines have a website, often an online service. The objective of this thesis is to understand the magazines’ resources and capabilities and match them with online strategies’ goals and objectives. The thesis’ theoretical part focuses on explaining and classifying resources, capabilities, goals and objectives, and applying everything into Finnish magazine publishing context. In the empirical part, there is a comparative case study of four magazines. The findings indicate that with cooperating, advertising and community hosting capabilities magazines may utilize their human, brand, content and customer base resources. The resources can be further addressed to reach profitability, customer-centricity and brand congruency goals.

The Role of Preannouncing In Innovation Launch Strategy

The objective of this master’s thesis was to examine the role of preannouncing in innovation launch strategy. Preannouncing was studied from three different angles that were preannouncement usage, preannouncement timing and preannouncement goals and from two different perspectives that were the firm’s internal strategy and the external circumstances. The firm’s internal strategy encompassed the product strategy the firm had chosen. The external circumstances consisted of the industry, the nature of competition and the nature of market. Additionally, the product’s performance in the short term was studied in order to be able to speak out whether it is advantageous to preannounce. The empirical study was conducted as a partial replication study. The data for the empirical part was collected with a wide mailing and Internet enquiry in October 2008 – June 2009. Sample (N = 713) consisted of Finnish firms representing different industries and innovation activities. The data collection produced 272 answers and thus, the final response rate of the study was 38.15 %. The data was analyzed by using Microsoft Excel and statistical analysis program SAS Enterprise Guide. As a conclusion, the major results indicate that even if the firms use preannouncing quite often (54.8 % of the respondents), preannouncing behavior cannot be explained by industry. However, out of other external circumstances, the customer related turbulence affects on preannouncing usage. It was also revealed that the product type has an effect on preannouncing behavior. Additionally, preannouncement timing was noticed to differ according to audiences (distributors and end users).

Is it possible to utilize VIX for a profitable trading strategy of S&P 500 Index?

The goal of this research was to make an overall sight to VIX® and how it can be used as a stock market indicator. Volatility index often referred as the fear index, measures how much it costs for investor to protect his/her S&P 500 position from fluctuations with options. Over the relatively short history of VIX it has been a successful timing coordinator and it has given incremental information about the market state adding its own psychological view of the amount of fear and greed. Correctly utilized VIX information gives a considerable advantage in timing market actions. In this paper we test how VIX works as a leading indicator of broad stock market index such as S&P 500 (SPX). The purpose of this paper is to find a working way to interpret VIX. The various tests are made on time series data ranging from the year 1990 to the year 2010. The 10-day simple moving average strategy gave significant profits from the whole time when VIX data is available. Strategy was able to utilize the increases of SPX in example portfolio value and was able to step aside when SPX was declining. At the times when portfolio was aside of S it was on safety fund like on treasury bills getting an annual yield of 3 percent. On the other side just a static number’s of VIX did not work as indicators in a profit making way.

Effects of Silica Based Biomaterials on Bone Marrow Derived Cells - Material Aspects of Bone Regeneration

Silica based biomaterials, such as melt-derived bioactive glasses and sol-gel glasses, have been used for a long time in bone healing applications because of their ability to form hydroxyapatite and to stimulate stem cell proliferation and differentiation. In this study, bone marrow derived cells were cultured with bioactive glass and sol-gel silica, and seeded into porous polymer composite scaffolds that were then implanted femorally and subcutaneously in rats to monitor their migration inside host tissue. Bone marrow derived cells were also injected intraperitoneally. Transplanted cells migrated to various tissues inside the host, including the lung, liver spleen, thymus and bone marrow. The method of transplantation affected the time frame of cell migration, with intraperitoneal injection being the fastest and femoral implantation the slowest, but not the target tissues of migration. Transplanted donor cells had a limited lifetime in the host and were later eliminated from all tested tissues. Bioactive glass, however, affected the implanted cells negatively. When it was present in the scaffold no donor cells were found in any of the tested host tissues. Bioactive glass S53P4 was found to support both osteoblastic and osteoclastic phenotype of bone marrow derived cells, but it was resistant to the resorbing effect of osteoclastic bone marrow derived cells, showing that bioactive glass is rather dissolved through physicochemical reactions than resorbed by cells. Fast-dissolving silica sol gel in microparticulate form was found to increase collagen formation by bone marrow derived cells, while slow dissolving silica microparticles enhanced their proliferation, suggesting that the dissolution rate of silica controls the response of bone marrow derived cells.

Integrating eco-innovation principles into regional strategy and policy: case of Päijät-Häme region, Finland

This study focuses on the integration of eco-innovation principles into strategy and policy at the regional level. The importance of regions as a level for integrating eco-innovative programs and activities served as the point of interest for this study. Eco-innovative activities and technologies are seen as means to meet sustainable development objective of improving regions’ quality of life. This study is conducted to get an in-depth understanding and learning about eco-innovation at regional level, and to know the basic concepts that are important in integrating eco-innovation principles into regional policy. Other specific objectives of this study are to know how eco-innovation are developed and practiced in the regions of the EU, and to analyze the main characteristic features of an eco-innovation model that is specifically developed at Päijät-Häme Region in Finland. Paijät-Häme Region is noted for its successful eco-innovation strategies and programs, hence, taken as casework in this study. Both primary (interviews) and secondary data (publicly available documents) are utilized in this study. The study shows that eco-innovation plays an important role in regional strategy as reviewed based on the experience of other regions in the EU. This is because of its localized nature which makes it easier to facilitate in a regional setting. Since regional authorities and policy-makers are normally focused on solving its localized environmental problems, eco-innovation principles can easily be integrated into regional strategy. The case study highlights Päijät-Häme Region’s eco-innovation strategies and projects which are characterized by strong connection of knowledge-producing institutions. Policy instruments supporting eco-innovation (e.g. environmental technologies) are very much focused on clean technologies, hence, justifying the formation of cleantech clusters and business parks in Päijät-Häme Region. A newly conceptualized SAMPO model of eco-innovation has been developed in Päijät-Häme Region to better capture the region’s characteristics and to eventually replace the current model employed by the Päijät-Häme Regional Authority. The SAMPO model is still under construction, however, review of its principles points to some of its three important spearheads – practice-based innovation, design (eco-design) and clean technology or environmental technology (environment).

Electric-drive-based control and electric energy regeneration in a hydraulic system

Over the recent years, development in mobile working machines has concentrated on reducing emissions owing to the tightening rules and needs to improve energy utilization and reduce power losses. This study focuses on energy utilization and regeneration in an electro-hydraulic forklift, which is a lifting equipment application. The study starts from the modelling and simulation of a hydraulic forklift. The energy regeneration from the potential energy of the load was studied. Also a flow-based electric motor speed control was suggested in this thesis instead of the throttle control method or the variable displacement pump control. Topics related to further development in the future are discussed. Finally, a summary and conclusions are presented.

Enterprise architecture – the foundation for a strategy

This artcle describes work done with enterprise architecture of the National Digital Library. The National Digital Library is an initiative of the Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture. Its purpose is to promote the availability of the digital information resources of archives, libraries and museums, and to develope the long-term preservation of digital cultural heritage materials. Enterprise architectures are a tool for strategic management and planning. An enterprise architecture also functions as an aid at a more practical level. It shows, for example, what kind of changes and improvements may be made in one system without overlap or conflict with other systems.

Strategy for 2012–2015 : The Centres for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment create sustainable well-being

ELY Centres strategy brocshure.

Strategic alliances as an international entry strategy: Finnish cleantech SMEs and the Indian market

The demand for environmental technologies, also called cleantech, is growing globally but the need is especially high in emerging markets such as India where the rising economy and rapid industrialisation have led to increasing energy needs and environmental degradation. The market is of great potential also for the Finnish cleantech cluster that represents advanced expertise in several fields of environmental technologies. However, most of the Finnish companies in the field are SMEs that face challenges in their internationalisation due to their limited resources. The objective of this study was to estimate, whether strategic alliances could be an efficient entry strategy for Finnish cleantech SMEs entering the Indian market. This was done by studying what are the key factors influencing the international entry mode decision of Finnish cleantech SMEs, what are the major factors affecting the entry of Finnish cleantech SMEs to the Indian market and how do Finnish cleantech SMEs use strategic alliances in their internationalisation process. The study was realised as a qualitative multi-case study through theme interviews of Finnish cleantech SME representatives. The results indicated that Finnish cleantech SMEs prefer to enter international markets through non-equity and collaborative modes of entry. These entry modes are chosen because of the small size and limited resources of companies, but also because they want to protect their innovative technologies from property rights violations. India is an attracting market for Finnish cleantech SMEs mainly because of its size and growth, but insufficient environmental regulation and high import tariffs have hindered entry to the market. Finnish cleantech SMEs commonly use strategic alliances in their internationalisation process but the use is rather one-sided. Most of the formed strategic alliances are low-commitment, international contractual agreement in sales and distribution. Alliance partner selection receives less attention. In the future, providing Finnish cleantech SMEs with international experience and training could help in diversifying the use of strategic alliances and increase their benefits to SME internationalisation.

Immigration Strategy for Northern Ostrobothnia 2015

A strategy process was completed in the ESF project “Promotion of Work-related Immigration”, which was implemented at Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment for North Ostrobothnia, and an immigration strategy was drawn up for Northern Ostrobothnia on the basis of the process. Information was collected about the situation in Northern Ostrobothnia from the point of view of immigration and the future availability of labour. The intention was to use the information as background material for the strategy. Employers’ need for support in recruiting foreign labour was investigated with a broad inquiry, to which 1000 respondents replied. The strategy process was carried out together with an outside consultant (Net Effect Oy) by arranging three workshops and a seminar where the workshop results were summarised. A large number of companies, authorities, municipalities, associations, project actors and immigrants engaged in immigration issues participated in the workshops. The draft strategy is based on their experiences about immigration and on statistical data, background inquiries and surveys. To ensure the accuracy of the draft strategy, comments were requested from several parties and received from 64 organisations. The core of the immigration strategy consists of an initial analysis, values, a vision and priorities. The strategy is composed of three priorities. The key aim of the priority Internationalisation and Supporting Diversity is to support diversity in schools, workplaces and people’s everyday lives e.g. through attitude development and by promoting internationalisation in companies and education institutions. The aim of the priority Supporting Entrepreneurship and Recruiting Foreign Labour is to promote entrepreneurship among immigrants and the recruitment of foreign labour and to develop the forecasting of educational needs. The priority Developing Integration Services, Regional Cooperation and Networks, in turn, seeks to develop the service structure and policies of immigrant integration and to increase cooperation and exchange of information between regional actors engaged in integration issues. The aim is to use the strategy as a guideline document for immigration issues in Northern Ostrobothnia. The strategy is used to coordinate the existing organisations and operations dealing with immigration issues. In addition, it contains a future-oriented focus and underlines the management of new immigration projects and operations. The main party responsible for the implementation of the strategy is the Immigration Committee. In addition, responsible parties have been assigned to each measure. The implementation of the immigration strategy will be monitored annually on the basis of indicators.