A Note on the periodic orbits and topological entropy of graph maps

This paper deals with the relationship between the periodic orbits of continuous maps on graphs and the topological entropy of the map. We show that the topological entropy of a graph map can be approximated by the entropy of its periodic orbits

Defining a Performance Measurement System for Technology Marketing Team by Using the Balanced Scorecard Method

This thesis was produced for the Technology Marketing unit at the Nokia Research Center. Technology marketing was a new function at Nokia Research Center, and needed an established framework with the capacity to take into account multiple aspects for measuring the team performance. Technology marketing functions had existed in other parts of Nokia, yet no single method had been agreed upon for measuring their performance. The purpose of this study was to develop a performance measurement system for Nokia Research Center Technology Marketing. The target was that Nokia Research Center Technology Marketing had a framework for separate metrics; including benchmarking for starting level and target values in the future planning (numeric values were kept confidential within the company). As a result of this research, the Balanced Scorecard model of Kaplan and Norton, was chosen for the performance measurement system for Nokia Research Center Technology Marketing. This research selected the indicators, which were utilized in the chosen performance measurement system. Furthermore, performance measurement system was defined to guide the Head of Marketing in managing Nokia Research Center Technology Marketing team. During the research process the team mission, vision, strategy and critical success factors were outlined.

PREDICTING THE BOILING POINT OF PCDD/Fs BY THE QSPR METHOD BASED ON THE MOLECULAR DISTANCE-EDGE VECTOR INDEX

The quantitative structure property relationship (QSPR) for the boiling point (Tb) of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) was investigated. The molecular distance-edge vector (MDEV) index was used as the structural descriptor. The quantitative relationship between the MDEV index and Tb was modeled by using multivariate linear regression (MLR) and artificial neural network (ANN), respectively. Leave-one-out cross validation and external validation were carried out to assess the prediction performance of the models developed. For the MLR method, the prediction root mean square relative error (RMSRE) of leave-one-out cross validation and external validation was 1.77 and 1.23, respectively. For the ANN method, the prediction RMSRE of leave-one-out cross validation and external validation was 1.65 and 1.16, respectively. A quantitative relationship between the MDEV index and Tb of PCDD/Fs was demonstrated. Both MLR and ANN are practicable for modeling this relationship. The MLR model and ANN model developed can be used to predict the Tb of PCDD/Fs. Thus, the Tb of each PCDD/F was predicted by the developed models.

The development and evaluation of a distance learning system in ophthalmology

INTRODUCTION: Web-based e-learning is a teaching tool increasingly used in many medical schools and specialist fields, including ophthalmology. AIMS: this pilot study aimed to develop internet-based course-based clinical cases and to evaluate the effectiveness of this method within a graduate medical education group. METHODS: this was an interventional randomized study. First, a website was built using a distance learning platform. Sixteen first-year ophthalmology residents were then divided into two randomized groups: one experimental group, which was submitted to the intervention (use of the e-learning site) and another control group, which was not submitted to the intervention. The students answered a printed clinical case and their scores were compared. RESULTS: there was no statistically significant difference between the groups. CONCLUSION: We were able to successfully develop the e-learning site and the respective clinical cases. Despite the fact that there was no statistically significant difference between the access and the non access group, the study was a pioneer in our department, since a clinical case online program had never previously been developed.

Applications of graph transformation in tools for domain-specific modeling languages

The use of domain-specific languages (DSLs) has been proposed as an approach to cost-e ectively develop families of software systems in a restricted application domain. Domain-specific languages in combination with the accumulated knowledge and experience of previous implementations, can in turn be used to generate new applications with unique sets of requirements. For this reason, DSLs are considered to be an important approach for software reuse. However, the toolset supporting a particular domain-specific language is also domain-specific and is per definition not reusable. Therefore, creating and maintaining a DSL requires additional resources that could be even larger than the savings associated with using them. As a solution, di erent tool frameworks have been proposed to simplify and reduce the cost of developments of DSLs. Developers of tool support for DSLs need to instantiate, customize or configure the framework for a particular DSL. There are di erent approaches for this. An approach is to use an application programming interface (API) and to extend the basic framework using an imperative programming language. An example of a tools which is based on this approach is Eclipse GEF. Another approach is to configure the framework using declarative languages that are independent of the underlying framework implementation. We believe this second approach can bring important benefits as this brings focus to specifying what should the tool be like instead of writing a program specifying how the tool achieves this functionality. In this thesis we explore this second approach. We use graph transformation as the basic approach to customize a domain-specific modeling (DSM) tool framework. The contributions of this thesis includes a comparison of di erent approaches for defining, representing and interchanging software modeling languages and models and a tool architecture for an open domain-specific modeling framework that e ciently integrates several model transformation components and visual editors. We also present several specific algorithms and tool components for DSM framework. These include an approach for graph query based on region operators and the star operator and an approach for reconciling models and diagrams after executing model transformation programs. We exemplify our approach with two case studies MICAS and EFCO. In these studies we show how our experimental modeling tool framework has been used to define tool environments for domain-specific languages.

Measuring Processes of a New Packaging Solutions with the Balanced Scorecard, case DigiCup

The aim of this study was to create a Balanced Scorecard to the DigiCup solution. The first goal was to create process descriptions to the few critical processes. The second goal was to define appropriate measurements, according to customer survey as well as following the Balanced Scorecard process description, to manage the critical success factors. The overall goal of this study was to create a performance measurement system for the solution which guides the operation towards continuous improvement. This study was conducted by using both qualitative and quantitative methods, and the analysis was done by using a case study method. The material was gathered from the current customers, the management and the employees using structured, semi-structured and open group and individual interviews. The current customers were divided into retailers and direct customers of the DigiCup solution. The questions which the customers were asked were related to the information about interviewee, company, business strategy, market, satisfaction survey and future requirements. The management defined the strategy and took part in specifying the perspectives, objectives and measurements to the Balanced Scorecard of the DigiCup solution. The employees participated into the choosing of the metrics. The material consisted from altogether sixteen interviews. At the beginning of the study the product development, the order-delivery as well as the printing processes was chosen to be the critical processes of the DigiCup solution. These processes were concentrated on already in the literature review while trying to find the characteristics of these processes as well as the critical success factors and the appropriate measurements, which could be utilized when creating the Balanced Scorecard to the DigiCup solution according to the customer survey. The appropriate perspectives, objectives and measurements were found to the DigiCup solution. The chosen measures works as a basis for the development of IT-reporting tool. As a conclusion it can be stated that when discussing a new business, where the objectives are changing according to which development’s phases the company is in, the measurement should be updated often enough.

Tree structure and richness in an Atlantic Forest fragment: distance from anthropogenic and natural edges

Approximately 7.2% of the Atlantic rainforest remains in Brazil, with only 16% of this forest remaining in the State of Rio de Janeiro, all of it distributed in fragments. This forest fragmentation can produce biotic and abiotic differences between edges and the fragment interior. In this study, we compared the structure and richness of tree communities in three habitats - an anthropogenic edge (AE), a natural edge (NE) and the fragment interior (FI) - of a fragment of Atlantic forest in the State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (22°50'S and 42°28'W). One thousand and seventy-six trees with a diameter at breast height > 4.8 cm, belonging to 132 morphospecies and 39 families, were sampled in a total study area of 0.75 ha. NE had the greatest basal area and the trees in this habitat had the greatest diameter:height allometric coefficient, whereas AE had a lower richness and greater variation in the height of the first tree branch. Tree density, diameter, height and the proportion of standing dead trees did not differ among the habitats. There was marked heterogeneity among replicates within each habitat. These results indicate that the forest interior and the fragment edges (natural or anthropogenic) do not differ markedly considering the studied parameters. Other factors, such as the age from the edge, type of matrix and proximity of gaps, may play a more important role in plant community structure than the proximity from edges.

Future prospects of short distance rail based passenger transport in Northern Europe

The worlds’ population is increasing and cities have become more crowded with people and vehicles. Communities in the fringe of metropolitans’ increase the traffic done with private cars, but also increase the need for public transportation. People have typically needs traveling to work located in city centers during the morning time, and return to suburbs in the afternoon or evening. Rail based passenger transport is environmentally friendly transport mode with high capacity to transport large volume of people. Railways have been regulated markets with national incumbent having monopoly position. Opening the market for competition is believed to have a positive effect by increasing the efficiency of the industry. National passenger railway market is opened for competition only in few countries, where as international traffic in EU countries was deregulated in 2010. The objective of this study is to examine the passenger railway market of three North European countries, Sweden, Denmark and Estonia. The interest was also to get an understanding of the current situation and how the deregulation has proceeded. Theory of deregulation is unfolded with literature analyses and empirical part of the study is constructed from two parts. Customer satisfaction survey was chosen as a method to collect real life experiences from the passengers and measure their knowledge of the market situation and possible changes appeared. Interviews of experts from the industry and labor unions give more insights and able better understanding for example of social consequences caused from opening the market for competition. Expert interviews were conducted by using semi-structured theme interview. Based on the results of this study, deregulation has proceeded quite differently in the three countries researched. Sweden is the most advanced country, where the passenger railway market is open for new entrants. Denmark and Estonia are lagging behind. Opening the market is considered positive among passengers and most of the experts interviewed. Common for the interviews were the labour unions negative perspective concerning deregulation. Despite the fact deregulation is considered positive among the respondents of the customer satisfaction survey, they could not name railway undertakings operating in their country. Generally respondents were satisfied with the commuter trains. Ticket price, punctuality of trains and itinerary affect the most to customer satisfaction.

Influence of distance, geometry and number of control stations on quality of local geodetic networks for the purpose of georeferencing of rural properties

The implementation of local geodetic networks for georeferencing of rural properties has become a requirement after publication of the Georeferencing Technical Standard by INCRA. According to this standard, the maximum distance of baselines to GNSS L1 receivers is of 20 km. Besides the length of the baseline, the geometry and the number of geodetic control stations are other factors to be considered in the implementation of geodetic networks. Thus, this research aimed to examine the influence of baseline lengths higher than the regulated limit of 20 km, the geometry and the number of control stations on quality of local geodetic networks for georeferencing, and also to demonstrate the importance of using specific tests to evaluate the solution of ambiguities and on the quality of the adjustment. The results indicated that the increasing number of control stations has improved the quality of the network, the geometry has not influenced on the quality and the baseline length has influenced on the quality; however, lengths higher than 20 km has not interrupted the implementation, with GPS L1 receiver, of the local geodetic network for the purpose of georeferencing. Also, the use of different statistical tests, both for the evaluation of the resolution of ambiguities and for the adjustment, have enabled greater clearness in analyzing the results, which allow that unsuitable observations may be eliminated.

Innovaatioprosessi Balanced Scorecard johtamisjärjestelmässä - Tärkeimmät tekijät prosessin onnistumiseksi

Työn tarkoituksena on tutkia, mitkä ovat tärkeimpiä tekijöitä, joita Balanced Scorecard johtamisjärjestelmää käyttävän organisaatioiden tulee huomioida innovaatioprosessinsa suunnittelussa ja toteutuksessa. Lisäksi työssä tutkitaan, millaisia kytkentöjä innovaatioprosessilla on BSC-johtamisjärjestelmän muihin osa-alueisiin sekä onko BSC ylipäätään sopiva johtamisjärjestelmä innovatiivisuutta tavoittelevalla organisaatiolle. Tutkimusstrategiana on kvalitatiivinen tutkimus ja tutkimusmetodina puolestaan puolistrukturoimaton haastattelu. Työn tärkein tutkimustulos on, että BSC-johtamisjärjestelmää käyttävän organisaation innovaatioprosessin onnistuminen ratkaistaan pitkälti aivan muualla kuin prosessin sisällä itsessään. Organisaation tulee ensinnäkin keskittyä edistämään innovaatioille suotuisaa kulttuuria, tässä organisaation arvot ovat yksi tärkein työväline. Toiseksi, organisaation tulee systemaattisesti kehittää yhteistyötä eri funktioiden ja niissä työskentelevien ihmisten välillä. Kolmanneksi, organisaation tulee mitata systemaattisesti niitä asioita, jotka indikoivat innovaatioiden edellytyksistä ja itse innovaatioprosessin toimivuudesta. Kaikki kolme mainittua tulosta liitetään työssä kirjoittajan toimesta yläkäsitteen johtaminen alle. Työssä tuodaan myös esille se, että organisaatioiden on syytä tarkastella edellä mainittuja kolmea teemaa kahdessa aikaulottuvuudessa – ajassa ennen innovaatioita ja varsinaisen innovaation jälkeen. Siten kunkin kolmen teeman olennaisin sisältö riippuukin aikaperspektiivistä. Yhtenä olennaisena johtopäätöksenä työn tekijä esittää, että BSC-johtamisjärjestelmää käyttävän organisaation ei tulisi investoida merkittävästi varsinaiseen innovaatioprosessiinsa ennen kuin se on kyennyt luomaan innovatiivisuutta tukevaa kulttuuria oppimisen ja kasvun näkökulmassa. Ilman innovaatioita tukevaa kulttuuria prosessissa itsessään tuskin on laadukasta sisältöä. Tämä johtopäätös on selkeä viesti organisaatioille toiminnan priorisoinnin kannalta.

Cultural distance and negotiation behavior : Perception of entrepreneurs operating in Turku

This thesis investigates the influence of cultural distance on entrepreneurs’ negotiation behaviour. For this purpose, Turku was chosen as the unit of analysis due to the exponential demographic change experienced during the last two decades that has derived in a more diversified local environment. The research aim set for this study was to identify to what extent entrepreneurs face cultural distance, how cultural distance influences the entrepreneur’s negotiation behaviour and how can it be addressed in order to turn dissimilarities into opportunities. This study presented the relation and apparent dichotomy of cultural distance and global culture, including the component of diversity. The impact of cultural distance in the entrepreneurial mindset and its consequent effect in negotiation behaviour was presented too. Addressing questions about the way individuals perceive, behave and interact allowed the use of interviews for this qualitative research study. In the empirical part of this study it was found that negotiation behaviour differed in terms of how congenial entrepreneurs felt when managing cultural distance, encompassing their performance. It was also acknowledged that after time and effort, some of the personal traits were enhanced while others reduced, allowing for more flexibility and adaptation. Furthermore, depending on the level of trust and shared interests, entrepreneurs determined their attitudinal approach, being adaptive or reactive subject to situational aspects. Additionally, it was found that the acquisition of cultural savvy not necessarily conveyed to more creativity. This experiential learning capability led to the proposition of new ways of behaviour. Likewise, it was proposed that growing cultural intelligence bridge distances, reducing mistrusts and misunderstandings. The capability of building more collaborative relationships allows entrepreneurs to see cultural distance as a cultural perspective instead of as a threat. Therefore it was recommended to focus on proximity rather than distance to better identify and exploit untapped opportunities and better perform when negotiating in whichever cultural conditions.

Balanced Scorecard yrityksen toiminnan mittarina ja strategisena apuvälineenä : Case: Metalliteollisuusyritys

Organisaatiot toimivat yhä nopeammin muuttuvassa liiketoimintaympäristössä, jolloin myös päätöksenteon taustalla vaikuttavan tiedon on oltava kokonaisvaltaista ja joustavaa. Myös toimivan strategian merkitys nykyaikaisessa liiketoiminnassa on korostunut entisestään, ja strategia on kyettävä nopeasti mukauttamaan olosuhteiden muuttuessa. Robert S. Kaplanin ja David Nortonin kehittämä Balanced Scorecard -mittaristo on saavuttanut merkittävän aseman erilaisten organisaatioiden toiminnanohjauksen suorituskykymittaristona, jonka avulla strategia pyritään muuttamaan käytännön toiminnaksi jokaisella organisaatiotasolla. Tässä tutkimuksessa tarkastellaan tuloskortin käyttöönoton taustalla vaikuttavia syitä ja kriteerejä, joiden on täytyttävä, jotta Balanced Scorecard toimii ja palvelee organisaatioita toiminnan mittaamisessa ja strategian viestimisessä. Tavoitteena on tutkia kohdeyrityksen tuloskortin käyttöönottoprosessia, sen onnistumista ja sen vaikutuksia. Lisäksi tutkimuksessa tuodaan esille ongelmia ja kriittisiä kohtia, joita tasapainotetun tuloskortin käyttöönottamiseen ja käyttöön liittyy. Tutkimus on luonteeltaan laadullinen, toiminta-analyyttinen case-tutkimus. Kohdeyrityksestä teemahaastattelujen, aineiston tarkastelun ja havainnoinnin kautta kerättyä dataa analysoidaan jo olemassa olevan teoreettisen viitekehyksen avulla. Tutkimustuloksissa korostuu erityisesti johdon sitoutumisen merkitys BSC-projektin ja sen käytön aikana. Balanced Scorecardin katsotaan tuoneen organisaatioon kaivattuja hyötyjä: yhtenäisempää, tiiviimpää, tasapainoisempaa ja hierarkkisempaa mittaamista. Kuitenkin, mittariston hyödyntäminen näyttää jääneen vajaaksi, ja johdon taholta kaivataan enemmän seurantaa ja mittareiden kehittämiseen puuttumista. Mittaristoon kaivataan myös enemmän tasapainoa ja näkyvyyttä. Kohdeyrityksessä tasapainotetun mittariston kokonaisvaltaiseen hyödyntämiseen voidaan siis katsoa olevan vielä matkaa. Johdon sitoutumisella ja esimerkillä on suuri merkitys tasapainotettua mittaristoa implementoitaessa ja käytettäessä. Mittariston yhtenäisyyteen ja strategian mukaisuuteen tulee panostaa riittävästi niin mittariston käyttöönottovaiheessa kuin myöhemminkin. Yhteistyö ja kokemusten ja näkemysten vaihtaminen ovat tärkeitä tuloskorttiprosessin osatekijöitä. Tuloskortin käyttäjien erilaiset taustat tulee ottaa huomioon etenkin perehdytys- ja opastusvaiheessa. Motivaatio tuloskortin hyödyntämiseen syntyy ennen kaikkea johdon kiinnostuksen ja seurannan kautta, minkä on hyvä olla näkyvää ja jatkuvaa. Tuloskorttiprojekti jatkuu myös varsinaisen käyttöönoton jälkeen mittariston kehittämisen ja sen käyttämiseen kannustamisen ja opastamisen muodossa.

Strategiaymmärryksen tavoittelu balanced scorecardin kehittämisessä strategiseksi ohjausjärjestelmäksi: case Boliden Harjavalta

Strategisen ohjausjärjestelmän ajatus on ollut olemassa jo vuosikymmeniä. Sen merkitys yrityksille ei ole kuitenkaan ainakaan vähentynyt. Balanced scorecard on taas kehitetty vuonna 1992 alun perin suorituksen mittaukseen, joskin sen käyttötarkoituksen on nykyään esitetty olevan johdon strategisena järjestelmänä. On kuitenkin havaittu, että vain harva yritys saavuttaa BSC:n käytössä strategisesti ohjaavan tason. Viitekehysten väliin on myös kehitetty jaottelu, jolla BSC.stä on mahdollista luoda strateginen ohjausjärjestelmä ja tehdä siitä tätä kautta strategisesti ohjaava. Se ei kuitenkaan huomioi joitakin sekä BSC:lle että strategiselle ohjausjärjestelmälle oleellisiksi esitettyjä tekijöitä. Lisäksi tutkimuskirjallisuus tarkastelee tekijöiden tärkeyttä yksittäin, eikä niiden yhteisvaikutuksen merkitystä ole pyritty aiemmin selvittämään. Tämän tutkielman tavoitteena onkin selvittää, mikä merkitys missiolla ja visiolla, kriittisillä menestystekijöillä, kausaalisuhteilla sekä avaintavoitteiden ja strategian ymmärrettäväksi tekemisellä on strategiaymmärryksen saavuttamiselle, kun balanced scorecardista kehitetään strateginen ohjausjärjestelmä. Tutkielma toteutettiin toimintatutkimuksena. Tutkielman teoreettisessa osuudessa käsitellään balanced scorecardia, sen käyttöä ja kritiikkiä sekä sen käytön onnistumiseen liittyviä tekijöitä. Myös Simonsin viitekehyksen mukaista strategista ohjausjärjestelmää sekä sen kehittämiseen liittyviä Otleyn jaottelun mukaisia osa-alueita ja niiden riittävyyttä tarkastellaan. Teoreettinen osio pohjautuu aihepiirin aiempaan tutkimukseen. Tutkielman empiirisessä osiossa tutustutaan case-yritykseen ja kehitetään sille suunnitelma uudesta BSC:stä ja sen käyttötavoista, joilla se vastaa strategista ohjausjärjestelmää. Suunnitelma kehitetään täydennettyä jaottelua käyttäen. Aineisto on kerätty teemahaastattelujen, palavereiden sekä tietojärjestelmiin tutustumisen kautta. Tutkielmassa päädyttiin johtopäätökseen, että mission ja vision, kriittisten menestystekijöiden, kausaalisuhteiden, palkitsemistapojen ymmärrettäväksi tekeminen sekä avaintavoitteiden ja strategian viestintä ja koulutus johtavat parhaassa tapauksessa koko organisaation kattavaan strategiaymmärrykseen, jonka on nähty olevan toimivan BSC:n perusedellytys sekä välttämätöntä sille, että kaikki strategisen ohjausjärjestelmän kontrollimuodot toteutuvat. Lisäksi se, että yrityksen johtoryhmä joutuu pohtimaan yhdessä läpi kaikki edellä mainitut tekijät kehitysprosessin aikana, yksinkertaistaa heidän tapaansa keskustella strategiasta ja ikään kuin pakottaa pilkkomaan sen pienempiin ja konkreettisempiin osiin, joiden avulla strategiaa voidaan ymmärrettävämmin viedä organisaatiossa eteenpäin. Lisäksi se sitoo johtoryhmän käyttämään niin paljon aikaansa työkalun kehittämiseen, että todennäköisyys sen käytölle ja päivittämiselle kasvaa.