Data management as a part of performance management: Case study about production reporting development project

Because of the increased availability of different kind of business intelligence technologies and tools it can be easy to fall in illusion that new technologies will automatically solve the problems of data management and reporting of the company. The management is not only about management of technology but also the management of processes and people. This thesis is focusing more into traditional data management and performance management of production processes which both can be seen as a requirement for long lasting development. Also some of the operative BI solutions are considered in the ideal state of reporting system. The objectives of this study are to examine what requirements effective performance management of production processes have for data management and reporting of the company and to see how they are effecting on the efficiency of it. The research is executed as a theoretical literary research about the subjects and as a qualitative case study about reporting development project of Finnsugar Ltd. The case study is examined through theoretical frameworks and by the active participant observation. To get a better picture about the ideal state of reporting system simple investment calculations are performed. According to the results of the research, requirements for effective performance management of production processes are automation in the collection of data, integration of operative databases, usage of efficient data management technologies like ETL (Extract, Transform, Load) processes, data warehouse (DW) and Online Analytical Processing (OLAP) and efficient management of processes, data and roles.

The board of directors as a part of family business governance – multilevel participation and board development

In this study, I examine the board of directors as a part of family business governance. Both boards and governance have increased their attractiveness as a research topic lately. Research on boards has concentrated mostly on the study of different board attributes, like composition, and the relationship of these attributes to the firm’s performance. Family business governance studies are criticized for ignoring the multifaceted needs of companies. More research observing the context and contingencies affecting the governance and board of directors is needed. The objective of this study is to clarify: 1) how the board participates in family business governance, and 2) how the board develops along with the firm’s and family’s development. The study is implemented as qualitative research, and the longitudinal process approach has been used as it provides the opportunity to examine development in context. Selection criteria for the two cases selected for this study are: active board of directors, at least one implemented succession, and interviewees available from two generations and from different positions in the firm. The data consists of interviews and secondary data, and it is collected from different data sources. The analysis was done selecting first some critical events from both cases to closer examination, and analysing them by using content analysis technique. Several conclusions were drawn basing on the findings. First, the family business board participates in the firm’s activities much more widely than it is customary to think. Second, the family business board is not a static part of the business, but it develops and it has to develop for different reasons. Third, ownership is not only the basis for the board’s activities or existence, but the relationship between the board and ownership is two-way. The board contributes to a large extent to the ownership decisions, and in this way to the management of ownership. Fourth, according to the cases, the board has many unrecognized possibilities to facilitate succession in family firms.

A recent change in size distribution of blue mussels (Mytilus edulis) in the western part of the Gulf of Finland

Markus Öst & Mikael Kilpi

Lobbying as a Part of Business Management

Lobbying by companies and the management techniques of lobbying have been fairly unknown territory. This study explains different theories related to lobbying including major political, economic and mathematical theories and their connections to lobbying. Existing lobbying networks in the European Union, especially at the European Union level, are explained. Lobbying organisations in the European Union are interconnected. Networks start at a local level, and have connections to national, European Union, international and sometimes to the global level. Relationships between business strategy and lobbying are studied with emphasis on issues management. Business strategy is often seen stemming from business environment analysis and stakeholder management. The issues management concept bridges aspects of business environment analysis and stakeholder management into a project type of management approach. The study includes two different empirical parts. A sample of public policy managers representing the European chemical industry was interviewed, and a chemical industry specific lobbying framework was built. This framework was then tested using a questionnaire sent to European public issues managers representing some of the largest European companies. Based on the results of the questionnaire, a generic framework on how large, European companies manage lobbying in general terms was developed.

Performance Measurement as Part of Management

To achieve success in a constantly changing environment and with ever-increasing competition, companies must develop their operations continuously. To do this, they must have a clear vision of what they want to be in the future. This vision can be attained through careful planning and strategising. One method of transforming a strategy and vision into an everyday tool used by employees is the use of a balanced performance measurement system. The importance of performance measurement in the implementation of companies' visions and strategies has grown substantially in the last ten years. Measures are derived from the company's critical success factors and from many different perspectives. There are three time dimensions: past, present and future. Many such performance measurement systems have been created since the 1990s. This is a case study whose main objective is to provide a recommendation for how the case company could make use of performance measurement to support strategic management. To answer this question, the study uses literature-based research and empirical research at the case company's premises. The theoretical part of the study consists of two sections: introducing the Balanced Scorecard and discussing how it supports strategic management and change management. The empirical part of this study determines the company's present performance measurement situation through interviews in the company. The study resulted in a recommendation to the company to start developing the Balanced Scorecard system. By setting up this kind process, the company would be able to change its focus more towards the future, beginning to implement a more process-based organisation and getting its employees to work together towards common goals.

management as a part of product lifecycle management

Tässä työssä käsitellään maailmanlaajuisen paperi- ja sellutehtaille laitteita toimittavan yrityksen Andritz:in dokumenttien hallintaa, keskittyen lähinnä yrityksen service- liiketoiminnan ja tuotteen elinkaaren hallinnan tarpeisiin. Tarkoituksena on selvittää kuinka aikaisemmin yritykselle muihin tarkoituksiin valittu dokumenttien hallinta-järjestelmä sopii Service-liiketoiminnan tarpeisiin. Työ perustuu kirjallisuutteen sekä tekijän työn ohella sekä haastatteluin keräämään näkemykseen liiketoiminnasta tällä alalla. Työssä käsitellään yleisellä tasolla dokumenttien hallintajärjestelmiä, niiden rakennetta ja perusominaisuuksia, sekä esitellään markkinoilla olevia erityylisiä ratkaisuja. Työssä esitellään myös Andritz:in dokumenttien hallinnan nykytilaa, tuotteen elinkaaren päävaiheet, dokumenttien hallinnan merkitys niissä ja nykyisin käytössä oleva dokumenttien hallintajärjestelmä. Näiden rinnalla pyritään tuomaan esille Service- liiketoiminnan erityispiirteet ja tarpeet dokumenttien hallinnalle niiden kannalta. Työhön on sisällytetty myös käytännön esimerkki dokumenttien hallinnasta suuressa käynnissä olevassa projektissa. Projektissa käytetään dokumenttihotelli palvelua dokumenttien projektin aikaiseen hallintaan. Hotellissa olevat dokumentit tulee siirtää myös Andritzin omaan järjestelmään, tämä siirto on tehty osana työtä.

TransPromo communication as a part of company’s marketing communications when the e-bill is a medium

The goal of this thesis was to research what TransPromo is, why companies want to implement TransPromo communication, and what the elements of effective Transpromo communication are. Furthermore, the goal was to develop a TransPromo communication strategy and a normative model for TeliaSonera Finland, which depicts the elements of effective TransPromo communication when the electronic bill is a medium. Abductive reasoning was utilized in this thesis, which means that empirical and theoretical worlds are alternating in researcher’s reasoning process. This thesis didn’t rely on any specific theory nor did it utilize any previous theoretical model. However, certain theoretical connections existed so this thesis cannot be considered purely inductive. The empirical part of this thesis was conducted by examining secondary industry data and by conducting specialist interviews at TeliaSonera Finland and Strålfors. Grounded Theory approach was utilized in the analysis of the interview data and content analysis was used in the analysis of secondary industry data. This thesis increases knowledge in the area of TransPromo communication, and provides one definition of TransPromo communication. As a result of this thesis, a TransPromo communication strategy and a normative model for TeliaSonera Finland was built. The model depicts the elements of the effective TransPromo communication when the e-bill is a medium. The TranPromo communication objective is to utilize transaction documents, such as bills, in order to deliver targeted and personalized marketing messages to current customers. The aim is to strengthen the customer relationship, and to enforce up-sell and cross-sell opportunities and cost savings.

Carbon footprint as part of a company’s external environmental communication

The aim of this thesis was to find out how the carbon footprint calculations can be utilized in the company’s external environmental communication, what is the demand for carbon footprint from the market, and how the other actors in the forest industry have approached the issue. The aim was to recognize the best practises to communicate carbon footprints and to find possibilities to extend the UPM-Kymmene Wood Oy’s mill specific carbon footprints. This research included a literature review, an inquiry to the UPM-Kymmene Wood Oy’s sales offices, and Internet survey concerning the external environmental communication in the forest industry and three small case studies based on mill specific parameters. The inquiry to the sales offices showed that the carbon footprint is not yet a common demand from the customers in the wood product sector. In addition, the Internet survey showed that generally in the forest industry, not much has been done concerning carbon footprint communication so far. The biggest challenge in carbon footprint communication is the variation in the knowledge level of the receivers. In addition btob and btoc communication situations demand a different approach to the issue. Carbon profile brochures developed in the company can be seen as suitable for btob communication situations. Case studies have shown that the contribution of final product transport to the overall carbon footprint was significant. It was recommended to include post mill transport in the carbon footprint information supplied to the btob customers. When discussing environmental communication on a general level it can be stated that a good external environmental communication is based on facts, is open and proactive and takes into account the needs of the receiver. However, the openness and the quality of external environmental communication are essentially strategic decisions. The significance of internal communication as well as the knowhow in the communication and marketing networks play a major role in achieving success in external environmental communication. Carbon footprints are only one part of good balanced external environmental communication. One specific environmental feature like carbon footprint should not be over emphasized to the detriment of other important environmental aspects.