��itiys kulttuurisina odotuksina

Tutkimuksen kohteena ovat ��itiydelle tuotetut kulttuuriset odotukset, joita tarkastellaan kahdella yhteiskunnallisella keskustelufoorumilla. Tutkimuksessa tarkastellaan yht����lt�� lastensuojelun perhety��ss�� toimivien ammattilaisten ja toisaalta median puhetta ��itiydest��. Tutkimuksen tavoitteena on tehd�� n��kyv��ksi vaihtoehtoisia tapoja konstruoida ��itiytt�� hyv��n�� tai riitt��m��tt��m��n�� sek�� haastaa pohtimaan erilaisten tulkintojen perusteita ja seurauksia lastensuojeluty��ss��. Kulttuuriset, ��itiytt�� koskevat odotukset vaikuttavat my��s siihen, miten ��itiys henkil��kohtaisella tasolla koetaan. ��itiyden kulttuurista m����rittely�� analysoidaan kahdesta tekstiaineistosta. Yhten�� aineistona ovat Stakesissa vuonna 1999 toteutetun Perhety��projektin yhteydess�� ker��tyt, lastensuojelussa toimivien perhety��ammattilaisten ryhm��keskustelut. Toisena aineistona on projektin ajankohtana ilmestyneist�� suomalaisista naisten- ja perhelehdist�� (Kotiliesi, Anna, Kaksplus) ker��tyt ��itien haastattelut. Tutkimuksessa kysyt����n 1) Mihin ammattilaisten ��itej�� koskeva huolipuhe kiinnittyy ja millaisia kulttuurisia ��itiyden odotuksia se konstruoi? 2) Millaisia ��itiyden odotuksia median ��itihaastattelut konstruoivat? 3) Millaisen ��itiyden odotushorisontin n��m�� puhek��yt��nn��t yhdess�� tuottavat? Analyysin teoreettis-metodologisina kulmakivin�� ovat sosiaalinen konstruktionismi ja feministinen tietok��sitys. Analyysimenetelm��n�� on laadullinen, aineistojen ehdoilla etenev��, feministisesti ja kriittisesti s��vyttynyt lukutapa, joka hy��dynt���� teemoittelun, diskurssianalyysin ja feministisen metodologian ideoita ja k��sitteit��. Analysoitavana olevissa keskusteluissa ��itiytt�� konstruoidaan lapsen tarpeiden (ammattilaiset) ja naisen tarpeiden (media) n��k��kulmista. Ammattilaiset puhuvat tilanteista, joissa ��itien toiminta rikkoo kulttuurista hyv��n ��idin kuvaa, vaarantaa lapsen hyvinvointia ja ��itiyteen joudutaan puuttumaan ammatillisesti. Ammattilaisten tulkinnat kuvaavat taitavaa lapsen edun n��k��kulmasta tehty�� arviointia, jonka kiintopisteen�� ovat ��idit yksil��llisine ominaisuuksineen ja piirteineen. Ammatillisen huolipuheen keski��ss�� ovat ��idin vuorovaikutussuhteet sek�� ��idin tunteet, k��ytt��ytyminen ja asenteet. Riitt��v���� ��itiytt�� konstruoi kodin luominen, kiintymyssuhteen rakentaminen ja lapsen ensisijaiseksi asettaminen. Sen sijaan vaikuttaa silt��, ettei ��itiyden arviointia juurikaan tehd�� suhteessa ��idin muihin identiteetteihin tai ��itiyden toteuttamisen kontekstiin. Paikoin ammattilaisten tulkinnat heijastavat my��s stereotyyppisi�� ja idealistisia odotuksia, joita vasten ��itiytt�� arvioidaan. T��llaiset piirteet voivat kertoa siit��, ett�� ��itien avuntarpeet j����v��t lastensuojeluty��ss�� kohtaamatta ja ymm��rt��m��tt��. Mediapuhe ��itiydest�� k��yd����n naiseuden ja ��itiyden mallien antamisen kontekstissa. Puheen keski��ss�� ovat mediajulkisuuteen p����sseiden naisten ��idiksi tuloon ja ��itiyden toteuttamiseen liittyv��t valinnat ja k��ytt��ytyminen. Mediapuhe on puhetta kulttuuristen ja ammatillisten ��itiyden odotusten rikkomisesta, uudelleen tulkinnasta ja niiden muovaamisesta itselle sopiviksi. Mediapuheessa hyv���� ��itiytt�� konstruoi ��idin itsen��isyys ja oma aika, sosiaalisen el��m��n rikkaus, ammatillinen identiteetti ja persoonalliset valinnat. Aineistojen kautta rakentuu moninaisten ja ristiriitaisten, ��itej�� eri suuntaan vet��vien kulttuuristen odotusten kirjo. Odotukset j��sentyv��t nelj��lle ulottuvuudelle: 1) lapselle omistautuva ��� itse����n toteuttava, 2) emotionaalinen side ��� rationaalinen teht��v��, 3) odotuksia toteuttava ��� omaehtoinen, 4) itsen��inen - ��itiytt�� jakava. ��itiyden toteuttaminen kulttuurisesti ���oikein��� on n��iden odotusten v��liss�� tasapainoilua. Ulottuvuuksien kautta esille tulevat kaksoisviestit voivat heikent���� ��itien itsetuntoa, tuottaa riitt��m��tt��myyden tunteita tai yllytt���� suorittamaan ��itiytt��. My��s ��itiyden ammatillinen tukeminen edellytt���� tasapainoilua, jottei ��itej�� idealisoida tai syyllistet�� kulttuurisia odotuksia vasten.

Coping with Technology: A Study on Economic Methodology and Strategic Management of Technology

There is a broad consensus among economists that technologicalchange has been a major contributor to the productivity growth and, hence, to the growth of the material welfare in western industrialized countries at least over the last century. Paradoxically, this issue has not been the focal point of theoretical economics. At the same time, we have witnessed the rise of the importance of technological issues at the strategic management level of business firms. Interestingly, the research has not accurately responded to this challenge either. The tension between the overwhelming empirical evidence of the importance of technology and its relative omission in the research offers a challenging target for a methodological endeavor. This study deals with the question of how different theories cope with technology and explain technological change. The focusis at the firm level and the analysis concentrates on metatheoretical issues, except for the last two chapters, which examine the problems of strategic management of technology. Here the aim is to build a new evolutionary-based theoreticalframework to analyze innovation processes at the firm level. The study consistsof ten chapters. Chapter 1 poses the research problem and contrasts the two basic approaches, neoclassical and evolutionary, to be analyzed. Chapter 2 introduces the methodological framework which is based on the methodology of isolation. Methodological and ontoogical commitments of the rival approaches are revealed and basic questions concerning their ways of theorizing are elaborated. Chapters 3-6 deal with the so-called substantive isolative criteria. The aim is to examine how different approaches cope with such critical issues as inherent uncertainty and complexity of innovative activities (cognitive isolations, chapter 3), theboundedness of rationality of innovating agents (behavioral isolations, chapter4), the multidimensional nature of technology (chapter 5), and governance costsrelated to technology (chapter 6). Chapters 7 and 8 put all these things together and look at the explanatory structures used by the neoclassical and evolutionary approaches in the light of substantive isolations. The last two cpahters of the study utilize the methodological framework and tools to appraise different economics-based candidates in the context of strategic management of technology. The aim is to analyze how different approaches answer the fundamental question: How can firms gain competitive advantages through innovations and how can the rents appropriated from successful innovations be sustained? The last chapter introduces a new evolutionary-based technology management framework. Also the largely omitted issues of entrepreneurship are examined.

Improvement of Operational Efficiency effectiveness (OEE) using Six Sigma DMAIC Methodology ��� Case Bottomer line AD2378

Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) is the key metric of operational excellence. OEE monitors the actual performance of equipment relative to its performance capabilities under optimal manufacturing conditions. It looks at the entire manufacturing environment measuring, in addition to the equipment availability, the production efficiency while the equipment is available to run products, as well as the efficiency loss that results from scrap, rework, and yield losses. The analysis of the OEE provides improvement opportunities for the operation. One of the tools used for OEE improvement is Six Sigma DMAIC methodology which is a set of practices originally developed to improve processes by eliminating defects. It asserts the continuous efforts to reduce variation in process outputs as key to business success, as well as the possibility of measurement, analysis, improvement and control of manufacturing and business processes. In the case of the Bottomer line AD2378 in Papsac Maghreb Casablanca plant, the OEE figures reached 48.65 %, which is below the accepted OEE group performance. This required immediate actions to achieve OEE improvement. This Master thesis focuses on the application of Six Sigma DMAIC methodology in the OEE improvement on the Bottomer Line AD2378 in Papsac Maghreb Casablanca plant. First, the Six Sigma DMAIC and OEE usage in operation measurement will be discussed. Afterwards, the different DMAIC phases will allow the identification of improvement focus, the identification of OEE low performance causes and the design of improvement solutions. These will be implemented to allow further tracking of improvement impact on the plant operations.

Managerial Careers in the IT Industry: Women in China and in Finland

This research focuses on the career experiences of women managers in the IT industry in China and Finland, two countries with different cultures, policies, size of population, and social and economic structures regarding work-life support and equal opportunities. The object of this research is to present a cross-cultural comparison of women���s career experiences and how women themselves understand and account for their careers. The study explores how the macro and the micro levels of cultural and social processes become manifested in the lives of individual women. The main argument in this thesis is that culture plays a crucial role in making sense of women���s career experiences, although its role should be understood through its interrelationship with other social processes, e.g., institutional relations, social policies, industrial structures and organizations, as well as globalization. The interrelationship of a series of cultural and social processes affects individuals��� attitudes to, and arrangement and organization of, their work and family lives. This thesis consists of two parts. The first part introduces the research topic and discusses the overall results. The second part comprises five research papers. The main research question of the study is: How do cultural and social processes affect the experiences of women managers? Quantitative and qualitative research methods, which include in-depth interviews, Q-methodology, interpretive analysis, and questionnaires, are used in the study. The main theoretical background is culturally sensitive career theory and the theory of individual differences. The results of this study are viewed through a feminist lens. The research methodology applied allows new explorations on how demographic factors, work experiences, lifestyle issues, and organizational cultures can jointly affect women���s managerial careers. The sample group used in the research is 42 women managers working in IT companies in China (21) and Finland (21). The results of the study illustrate the impact of history, tradition, culture, institutional relations, social politics, industry and organizations, and globalization on the careers of women managers. It is claimed that the role of culture ��� cultural norms within nations and organizations ��� is of great importance in the relationship of gender and work. Women���s managerial careers are affected by multiple factors (personal, social and cultural) reflecting national and inter-individual differences. The results of the study contribute to research on careers, adding particularly to the literature on gender, work and culture, and offering a complex and holistic perspective for a richer understanding of pluralism and global diversity. The results of the study indicate how old and new career perspectives are evidenced in women managers in the IT industry. The research further contributes to an understanding of women���s managerial careers from a cross-culture perspective. In addition, the study contributes to the literature on culture and extends understanding of Hofstede���s work. Further, most traditional career theories do not perceive the importance of culture in determining an individual���s career experience and this study richens understanding of women managers��� careers and has considerable implications for international human resource management. The results of this study emphasize the need, when discussing women managers��� careers, to understand the ways by which gendering is produced rather than merely examining gender differences. It is argued that the meaning of self-knowledge is critical. Further, the environment where the careers under study develop differs greatly; China and Finland are very different ��� culturally, historically and socially. The findings of this study should, therefore, be understood as a holistic, specific, and contextually-bound.

A Practical Micro Mechanical Model Based Local Approach Methodology for the Analysis of Ductile Fracture of Welded T-Joints

This thesis concentrates on developing a practical local approach methodology based on micro mechanical models for the analysis of ductile fracture of welded joints. Two major problems involved in the local approach, namely the dilational constitutive relation reflecting the softening behaviour of material, and the failure criterion associated with the constitutive equation, have been studied in detail. Firstly, considerable efforts were made on the numerical integration and computer implementation for the non trivial dilational Gurson Tvergaard model. Considering the weaknesses of the widely used Euler forward integration algorithms, a family of generalized mid point algorithms is proposed for the Gurson Tvergaard model. Correspondingly, based on the decomposition of stresses into hydrostatic and deviatoric parts, an explicit seven parameter expression for the consistent tangent moduli of the algorithms is presented. This explicit formula avoids any matrix inversion during numerical iteration and thus greatly facilitates the computer implementation of the algorithms and increase the efficiency of the code. The accuracy of the proposed algorithms and other conventional algorithms has been assessed in a systematic manner in order to highlight the best algorithm for this study. The accurate and efficient performance of present finite element implementation of the proposed algorithms has been demonstrated by various numerical examples. It has been found that the true mid point algorithm (a = 0.5) is the most accurate one when the deviatoric strain increment is radial to the yield surface and it is very important to use the consistent tangent moduli in the Newton iteration procedure. Secondly, an assessment of the consistency of current local failure criteria for ductile fracture, the critical void growth criterion, the constant critical void volume fraction criterion and Thomason's plastic limit load failure criterion, has been made. Significant differences in the predictions of ductility by the three criteria were found. By assuming the void grows spherically and using the void volume fraction from the Gurson Tvergaard model to calculate the current void matrix geometry, Thomason's failure criterion has been modified and a new failure criterion for the Gurson Tvergaard model is presented. Comparison with Koplik and Needleman's finite element results shows that the new failure criterion is fairly accurate indeed. A novel feature of the new failure criterion is that a mechanism for void coalescence is incorporated into the constitutive model. Hence the material failure is a natural result of the development of macroscopic plastic flow and the microscopic internal necking mechanism. By the new failure criterion, the critical void volume fraction is not a material constant and the initial void volume fraction and/or void nucleation parameters essentially control the material failure. This feature is very desirable and makes the numerical calibration of void nucleation parameters(s) possible and physically sound. Thirdly, a local approach methodology based on the above two major contributions has been built up in ABAQUS via the user material subroutine UMAT and applied to welded T joints. By using the void nucleation parameters calibrated from simple smooth and notched specimens, it was found that the fracture behaviour of the welded T joints can be well predicted using present methodology. This application has shown how the damage parameters of both base material and heat affected zone (HAZ) material can be obtained in a step by step manner and how useful and capable the local approach methodology is in the analysis of fracture behaviour and crack development as well as structural integrity assessment of practical problems where non homogeneous materials are involved. Finally, a procedure for the possible engineering application of the present methodology is suggested and discussed.

Calculation of the carbon footprint of Finnish barley products - methodology and possible applications

The purpose of this thesis was to define how product carbon footprint analysis and its results can be used in company's internal development as well as in customer and interest group guidance, and how these factors are related to corporate social responsibility. From-cradle-to-gate carbon footprint was calculated for three products; Torino Whole grain barley, Torino Pearl barley, and Elovena Barley grit & oat bran, all of them made of Finnish barley. The carbon footprint of the Elovena product was used to determine carbon footprints for industrial kitchen cooked porridge portions. The basic calculation data was collected from several sources. Most of the data originated from Raisio Group's contractual farmers and Raisio Group's cultivation, processing and packaging specialists. Data from national and European literature and database sources was also used. The electricity consumption for porridge portions' carbon footprint calculations was determined with practical measurements. The carbon footprint calculations were conducted according to the ISO 14044 standard, and the PAS 2050 guide was also applied. A consequential functional unit was applied in porridge portions' carbon footprint calculations. Most of the emissions from barley products' life cycle originate from primary production. The nitrous oxide emissions from cultivated soil and the use and production of nitrogenous fertilisers contribute over 50% of products' carbon footprint. Torino Pearl barley has the highest carbon footprint due to the lowest processing output. The reductions in products' carbon footprint can be achieved with developments in cultivation and grain processing. The carbon footprint of porridge portion can be reduced by using domestically produced plant-based ingredients and by making the best possible use of the kettle. Carbon footprint calculation can be used to determine possible improvement points related to corporate environmental responsibility. Several improvement actions are related to economical and social responsibility through better raw material utilization and expense reductions.

Choice of Business Process Modeling Methodology - Case Northern Dimension Research Centre (NORDI) in Lappeenranta University of Technology

The main outcome of the master thesis is innovative solution, which can support a choice of business process modeling methodology. Potential users of this tool are people with background in business process modeling and possibilities to collect required information about organization���s business processes. Master thesis states the importance of business process modeling in implementation of strategic goals of organization. It is made by revealing the place of the concept in Business Process Management (BPM) and its particular case Business Process Reengineering (BPR). In order to support the theoretical outcomes of the thesis a case study of Northern Dimension Research Centre (NORDI) in Lappeenranta University of Technology was conducted. On its example several solutions are shown: how to apply business process modeling methodologies in practice; in which way business process models can be useful for BPM and BPR initiatives; how to apply proposed innovative solution for a choice of business process modeling methodology.

The politics of multicultural encounters : feminist postcolonial perspectives

Det m��ngkulturella diskuteras livligt i den offentliga debatten idag. F��r att utveckla diskussionen ��r det viktigt att ta reda p�� vad som st��der bra m��ngkulturalism och vilka f��ruts��ttningar som finns f��r det m��ngkulturella i dagens Finland. Dessa fr��gor analyseras i Salla Tuoris doktorsavhandling "The politics of multicultural encounters. Feminist postcolonial perspectives." Avhandlingen behandlar hur det m��ngkulturella skapas i det s�� kallade "projektsamh��llet", det vill s��ga ett samh��lle d��r en stor del av arbete organiseras i projekt. Studien baserar sig p�� f��ltarbete inom ett EU-finansierat syssels��ttningsprojekt f��r invandrade kvinnor som p��gick under 2002-2006 (och en bredare kontext av m��ngkulturellt arbete). Boken f��r en dialogen mellan feministiska postkoloniala analyser och vardagslivspolitiken. Studien belyser rasismens f��rekomst i Finland. Rasismen beskrivs ofta som baksidan av det m��ngkulturella, och den f��rknippas intimt med den invandring som skett sedan 1990-talet. Men rasism borde f��rst��s som ett bredare fenomen, menar Tuori, det ��r mera ��n en medveten ideologi eller ett avsiktligt motiv. Arbetslivets diskriminerande strukturer samt s��dan praxis i skolor, p�� arbetsplatser eller i grannskapet som leder till oj��mst��lldhet, ��r ocks�� rasism. Det ��r viktigt att granska ocks�� hur expertis skapas inom det m��ngkulturella. Ett av studiens centrala bidrag ��r att lyssna p�� invandrares kunskap. I den etnografiska analysen framkommer att de invandrades kunskap inte alltid h��rs, eller s�� uppfattas det inte som allm��ngiltig kunskap, utan som enskilda erfarenheter. Att inte lyssna kan leda till oj��mst��llda praxis, utan att det n��dv��ndigtvis inneh��ller en avsiktlig tanke att diskriminera. Studiet behandlar ocks�� m��jligheter och betydelser av "empowerment" (bem��ktigande, deltagande) i ett syssels��ttningsprojekt. "Empowerment" f��rst��s oftast som f��rst��rkning av individers, ibland ocks�� gruppers, egen handlingsf��rm��ga vilket leder till ��kat handlingsutrymme. Begreppet anv��nds ocks�� inom socialpolitik och pedagogik. Som b��st fungerar "empowerment" som en kombination av f��r��ndrade yttre maktf��rh��llanden och ��kad personlig f��rm��ga och d�� kan det vara ett verktyg f��r att st��rka det m��ngkulturella samh��llet. Avhandlingen bidrar dessutom med ny kunskap om "projektsamh��llet" ur det enskilda projektets perspektiv. Det m��ngkulturella arbetet i Finland organiseras framf��rallt som projekt, vilket skapar strama tyglar f��r arbetet. Projekten ska svara mot det som finansi��ren anser vara viktiga tyngdpunkter och bearbeta sitt eget arbete d��refter. Projektarbete inneb��r ocks�� st��ndiga rapporter, utv��rderingar och "mainstreaming", vilket inneb��r att det administrativa f��r en f��rh��llandevis stor roll i projekten. I det m��ngkulturella arbetet inneb��r detta att syssels��ttningseffekten av sj��lva projekten riktas framf��rallt till dem som arbetar med f��rvaltningen och inte de som arbetar med projektens huvudm��l eller i sj��lva projekten - och som oftast ��r finl��ndare av finsk bakgrund.

Methodology for an AMB system commissioning

This master���s thesis is focused on the active magnetic bearings system commissioning. The scope of the work is to test the existent procedures with old and new prototypes of an AMB system and additionally automate necessary steps instead of their hand tuning, because determination of rotor clearances and finding effective rotor-origins are time consuming and error prone. The final goal is to get a documented and mostly automated step by step methodology for end efficient system���s commissioning.