Partner Criteria and Life Cycle Impacts: Case UPM

The study examines partner selection criteria and the life cycle impacts on them. The target is to define the relevant criteria that should be applied in case of a partnership. In this context partnership means strategic supplier relationship. It is also examined how these criteria change on the different stages of the product and business life cycle. The empirical part is a description of developing Criteria selection tool in the case company. The study is conducted as a qualitative research using constructive and action research methodologies. The Criteria selection tool is a MS Excel workbook, giving the relevant set of supplier criteria depending on the business case. The most essential criteria, the tool will suggest for partner suppliers, are related to strategic fit, development potential and collaborative aspects. On the early stages of the life cycles the criteria related to research and development and growth potential are significant. On the late stages of the life cycles cost reduction potential becomes very important.

Danza movimiento terapia y abuso sexual

L'organització mundial de la salut, assenyala que la major part de les agressions sexuals tenen com a víctimes a dones i nenes, i són perpetrades per homes i nens. En alguns països, gairebé una de cada quatre dones ha estat víctima de violència sexual per part de la seva parella i fins a una tercera part de les adolescents han sofert una iniciació sexual forçada. Estudis especialitzats fan referència al percentatge de dones que han sofert alguna forma d'abús sexual abans dels 18 anys. En el mateix sentit, enquestes mundials assenyalen que entre el 10% i el 69% de les dones diuen haver estat agredides físicament per una parella masculina en algun moment de la seva vida. La violència sexual infantil provoca a les seves víctimes una sèrie de repercussions i seqüeles, psicològiques, emocionals, socials; compromet el desenvolupament integral de l'individu, i provoca l'aparició d'una sèrie de patologies a l'edat adulta. La present investigació fa una revisió teòrica de la violència sexual, de la violència de gènere, i de les aportacions del procés de recuperació a través de la dansa moviment teràpia d'aquesta població. També es mostra el recorregut del marc d'actuació dels organismes d'ordre públic de la ciutat de Barcelona per a l'atenció i detecció en casos d'abús sexual

International Partner Management in the Software Industry

The purpose of this research is to describe how the scope of internationalization affects partner management in software companies. The effects are analyzed separately for small and large companies. Partner management is described from three perspectives: who should manage partnerships, how they should be managed and how does the context affect the choice of management style. Inductive case study is selected as research design. Eventually four case companies are chosen. The findings reveal that the size of the company affects the volume whereas the scope of internationalization affects the choice of partner management activities. Companies with high scope of internationalization required a more formal yet flexible management system whereas companies with low scope of internationalization relied more on the informal relations and personal management.

Buying behavior of public organizations and its influence on export partner governance

Public organizations form a significant part of any economy, yet their buying behavior has received very little attention. Operating with complex public sector is further complicated when sales and marketing activities are done by foreign export partners. This thesis explores the buying behavior of public organizations and how partnership governance is influenced by it. The theoretical part focuses on two subjects. Firstly the strictly regulated purchase process, rigid decision making and other special characteristics of public organizations are examined. Secondly the thesis examines partnership governance forms and how coordination is arranged in the relationships. The empirical part investigates the subjects of public organization buying behavior and partnership governance using a case study of a Finnish SME and their two export partners. The findings suggest high degree of uniformity between public organizations enables the use of unilateral governance forms. By creating mutual dependence through training the possibility of adopting a purely bilateral governance form exists as well.

Comparing service contract prices of outsourcing partner

The main objective of this Master’s thesis is to find out which one of the two pricing models is the most cost-effective. In this thesis there are two companies that have made an outsourcing contract, in which they have a possibility to choose between two different pricing models. The first model is so called FTE (Full Time Employee) -based. The total cost will be based on the amount of outsourced person-workyears. The second pricing model is the transaction-based, in which the price will be formed according to the amount of transactions. Changing the pricing model from FTE-based to the transaction-based will also incur other costs. It is very important that these other costs are also taken into consideration, so that it is possible to determine the total costs of the pricing models. These other costs are direct costs, indirect costs and performance related costs of outsourcing. Activity based-costing (ABC) was used in order to find out the trues indirect costs of the outsourced processes. Performance related costs are related to quality, so Pareto-analysis was used to analyse the costs. Based on all of that, a framework for service related cost analysis was developed. Quality costs were almost impossible to quantify, so quality had to be taken into consideration in a qualitative way. Furthermore, considering only the indirect and direct costs in a quantitative way and quality costs in a qualitative way, it was possible to find a conditional solution for the research question.

Julkisen sektorin tietointensiivisen palvelutoiminnan make, buy or partner -työkalu

Tämän pro gradu tutkielman tarkoitus on rakentaa Make, buy or partner työkalu julkisen sektorin tietointensiivisten palveluiden ulkoistuksiin liittyviin päätöksentekotilanteisiin. Tutkielman teoreettinen viitekehys muodostetaan transaktiokustannusteoriasta johdetusta Make, buy or partner analyysista, jota täydennetään palvelutuotannon kontekstiin sopivaksi palvelun ja tiedon erityisluonteilla. Näin ollen saadaan kokonaisvaltaisempi näkemys työkalun pohjaksi. Tutkielman empiirinen osuus suoritetaan kvalitatiivisena tapaustutkimuksena julkisen sektorin organisaatiossa. Teorian ja empirian valossa muodostetaan kohdeorganisaatiolle työkalu ulkoistamisen päätöksenteon tueksi. Työkalun ansiosta kohdeorganisaatio pystyy tekemään laadukkaampia ja pitkäjänteisempiä päätöksiä.

International research partnerships: establishing partner selection criteria in the university-university context

The main objective of the study was to identify and evaluate criteria for international partner selection in university-university context. This study attempted at promoting better understanding of how universities should proceed in selecting partners for producing joint research publications. Thus, the aim of the study was to gain an understanding of how research collaborations can be developed and how partners can be selected. The choice of a right partner has been identified as a precondition for partnership success. In international research collaborations partnering scientists with different skills and backgrounds bring together complementary knowledge into research projects, which in most cases results in a higher quality output. Therefore, prior to selecting a partner, the set of criteria should be established. This research examined twelve Russian universities with the status of national research university as potential partners for Lappeenranta University of Technology, and selected the most appropriate universities based on established set of criteria. Potential partners’ evaluation was done using secondary sources by tracking partners’ academic success during the period 2005 – 2010. Based on established criteria, the study calculated the partnership index for each university. The results of the research reveal that among twelve examined universities there are four potential partners who have been rather active in publishing scientific articles during 2005 – 2010.

Social Solidarity and Fear of Crime - Community and Individual Approaches in Responses to Mass Violence after School Shootings

The aim of this study was to examine community and individual approaches in responses to mass violence after the school shooting incidents in Jokela (November 2007) and Kauhajoki (September 2008), Finland. In considering the community approach, responses to any shocking criminal event may have integrative, as well as disintegrative effects, within the neighborhood. The integration perspective argues that a heinous criminal event within one’s community is a matter of offence to collectively held feelings and beliefs, and increases perceived solidarity; whereas the disintegration perspective suggests that a criminal event weakens the social fabric of community life by increasing fear of crime and mistrust among locals. In considering the individual approach, socio-demographic factors, such as one’s gender, are typically significant indicators, which explain variation in fear of crime. Beyond this, people are not equally exposed to violent crime and therefore prior victimization and event related experiences may further explain why people differ in their sensitivity to risk from mass violence. Finally, factors related to subjective mental health, such as depressed mood, are also likely to moderate individual differences in responses to mass violence. This study is based on the correlational design of four independent cross-sectional postal surveys. The sampling frames (N=700) for the surveys were the Finnish speaking adult population aged 18–74-years. The first mail survey in Jokela (n=330) was conducted between May and June 2008, approximately six months from the shooting incident at the local high-school. The second Jokela survey (n=278) was conducted in May–June of 2009, 18 months removed from the incident. The first survey in Kauhajoki (n=319) was collected six months after the incident at the local University of Applied Sciences, March– April 2009, and the second (n=339) in March–April 2010, approximately 18 months after the event. Linear and ordinal regression and path analysis are used as methods of analyses. The school shootings in Jokela and Kauhajoki were extremely disturbing events, which deeply affected the communities involved. However, based on the results collected, community responses to mass violence between the two localities were different. An increase in social solidarity appears to apply in the case of the Jokela community, but not in the case of the Kauhajoki community. Thus a criminal event does not necessarily impact the wider community. Every empirical finding is most likely related to different contextual and event-specific factors. Beyond this, community responses to mass violence in Jokela also indicated that the incident was related to a more general sense of insecurity and was also associating with perceived community deterioration and further suggests that responses to mass violence may have both integrating and disintegrating effects. Moreover, community responses to mass violence should also be examined in relation to broader social anxieties and as a proxy for generalized insecurity. Community response is an emotive process and incident related feelings are perhaps projected onto other identifiable concerns. However, this may open the door for social errors and, despite integrative effects, this may also have negative consequences within the neighborhood. The individual approach suggests that women are more fearful than men when a threat refers to violent crime. Young women (aged 18–34) were the most worried age and gender group as concerns perception of threat from mass violence at schools compared to young men (aged 18–34), who were also the least worried age and gender group when compared to older men. It was also found that concerns about mass violence were stronger among respondents with the lowest level of monthly household income compared to financially better-off respondents. Perhaps more importantly, responses to mass violence were affected by the emotional proximity to the event; and worry about the recurrence of school shootings was stronger among respondents who either were a parent of a school-aged child, or knew a victim. Finally, results indicate that psychological wellbeing is an important individual level factor. Respondents who expressed depressed mood consistently expressed their concerns about mass violence and community deterioration. Systematic assessments of the impact of school shooting events on communities are therefore needed. This requires the consolidation of community and individual approaches. Comparative study designs would further benefit from international collaboration across disciplines. Extreme school violence has also become a national concern and deeper understanding of crime related anxieties in contemporary Finland also requires community-based surveys.

Total cost model to compare own and partner manufacturing

Target of this study was to develop a total cost calculation model to compare all costs from manufacturing and logistics from own factories or from partner factories to global distribution centers in a case company. Especially the total cost calculation model was needed to simulate an own factory utilization effect in the total cost calculation context. This study consist of the theoretical literature review and the empirical case study. This study was completed using the constructive research approach. The result of this study was a new total cost calculation model. The new total cost calculation model includes not only all the costs caused by manufacturing and logistics, but also the relevant capital costs. Using the new total cost calculation model, case company is able to complete the total cost calculations taking into account the own factory utilization effect in different volume situations and volume shares between an own factory and a partner factory.

The Construction of ‘Disciplinary’ Violence Against Children — Social Workers’, Police Officers’ and Parents’ Rationales

This dissertation examines parental disciplinary violence against children in authority records and in the criminal procedure in Finland. The main aim is to analyze disciplinary violence, how it is defined, and how it is constructed as a crime by social workers, the police, and parents. This dissertation consists of four sub-studies and a summary article. In the first sub-study, I examine how disciplinary violence appears in child welfare documents and analyze the decision-making processes and measures taken by the child welfare workers. The second sub-study, utilizing police interview data, examines police officers’ perceptions of disciplinary violence, its criminalization, and its investigation. In addition to this analysis of police officers’ own perceptions, in the third sub-study, I use reports of crime and pre-trial investigation documents to look at what a typical suspicion of disciplinary violence coming to the attention of the police is and examine the decision-making processes of the police. Utilizing authority data, the fourth sub-study analyzes how parents rationalize the use of disciplinary violence to the authorities investigating these suspicions. The research provides findings that are unprecedented in Finland. Firstly, it was shown that social workers’ decision-making processes in suspicions of disciplinary violence follow three pathways of reasoning, with many factors taken into consideration; and in less than one-third of the cases, a request for criminal investigation has been made to the police. Secondly, it was verified that police officers hold different perceptions of disciplinary violence, and these perceptions have multiple effects on the investigation of these cases and the construction of disciplinary violence as a crime. Thirdly, the analysis of the reports of crime and pre-trial investigation documents showed that almost two-thirds of the cases of disciplinary violence had been sent to a prosecutor by the police and, thus, defined as a crime. However, in many cases, acts of disciplinary violence were often seen as ‘educational, petty one-off incidents’ and a possible trial and punishment for the perpetrator were seen as unreasonable. Fourthly, it was found that parents often try to neutralize and rationalize the violence they have used against their children, for example, either by denying the victim, the criminal intent, or the entire act, or relying on the necessity of the forbidden act. The dissertation concludes that disciplinary violence is defined and constructed in authority policies and practices, first and foremost, by the severity of the act, the nature of the act as continuous or singular, the perceived harm caused by the act to a child, and the perceptions of authorities regarding physical punishment of children. The asymmetrical power setting present in disciplinary violence and parents’ legitimized right to raise and discipline their children partly seem to explain why criminal-law processing of these suspicions of violence and understanding these as crimes is difficult. Finally, this research calls for more coherent and consistent authority practices and policies, achieved by educating authorities and increasing awareness on disciplinary violence, questions the need for a concept like ‘disciplinary’ violence, and suggests more emphasis on unambiguous perceptions of a child’s best interest.

An exploration of the experience of implementing the second step violence prevention curriculum in one primary general learning disabilities class /

Violence has always been a part of the human experience, and therefore, a popular topic for research. It is a controversial issue, mostly because the possible sources of violent behaviour are so varied, encompassing both biological and environmental factors. However, very little disagreement is found regarding the severity of this societal problem. Most researchers agree that the number and intensity of aggressive acts among adults and children is growing. Not surprisingly, many educational policies, programs, and curricula have been developed to address this concern. The research favours programs which address the root causes of violence and seek to prevent rather than provide consequences for the undesirable behaviour. But what makes a violence prevention program effective? How should educators choose among the many curricula on the market? After reviewing the literature surrounding violence prevention programs and their effectiveness, The Second Step Violence Prevention Curriculum surfaced as unique in many ways. It was designed to address the root causes of violence in an active, student-centred way. Empathy training, anger management, interpersonal cognitive problem solving, and behavioural social skills form the basis of this program. Published in 1992, the program has been the topic of limited research, almost entirely carried out using quantitative methodologies.The purpose of this study was to understand what happens when the Second Step Violence Prevention Curriculum is implemented with a group of students and teachers. I was not seeking a statistical correlation between the frequency of violence and program delivery, as in most prior research. Rather, I wished to gain a deeper understanding of the impact ofthe program through the eyes of the participants. The Second Step Program was taught to a small, primary level, general learning disabilities class by a teacher and student teacher. Data were gathered using interviews with the teachers, personal observations, staff reports, and my own journal. Common themes across the four types of data collection emerged during the study, and these themes were isolated and explored for meaning. Findings indicate that the program does not offer a "quick fix" to this serious problem. However, several important discoveries were made. The teachers feU that the program was effective despite a lack of concrete evidence to support this claim. They used the Second Step strategies outside their actual instructional time and felt it made them better educators and disciplinarians. The students did not display a marked change in their behaviour during or after the program implementation, but they were better able to speak about their actions, the source of their aggression, and the alternatives which were available. Although they were not yet transferring their knowledge into positive action,a heightened awareness was evident. Finally, staff reports and my own journal led me to a deeper understanding ofhow perception frames reality. The perception that the program was working led everyone to feel more empowered when a violent incident occurred, and efforts were made to address the cause rather than merely to offer consequences. A general feeling that we were addressing the problem in a productive way was prevalent among the staff and students involved. The findings from this investigation have many implications for research and practice. Further study into the realm of violence prevention is greatly needed, using a balance of quantitative and qualitative methodologies. Such a serious problem can only be effectively addressed with a greater understanding of its complexities. This study also demonstrates the overall positive impact of the Second Step Violence Prevention Curriculum and, therefore, supports its continued use in our schools.

The relation between video game violence and aggression

Experimental research has shown that playing violent video games produces higher levels of aggressive cognition, aggressive affect, physiological arousal, and aggressive behavior (in the short-term) than non-violent video games (see Anderson, Gentile & Buckley, 2007). However, there are two major limitations with these studies. First, the majority of experimental studies that have compared the effects of violent versus non-violent video games on aggression have failed to equate these games in terms of competitiveness, difficulty, and pace of action. Thus, although the common finding is that violent video games produce higher levels of aggression than nonviolent video games, other unmatched factors beyond the actual violent content may be responsible for the elevated levels of aggression. Second, previous experimental studies have tended to use a measure of aggression that may also measure competitiveness, leading to questions about whether violent video games are related to aggression or competitiveness. The present thesis addressed these two issues by fIrst equating a violent and non-violent video game on competitiveness, difficulty and pace of action in Experiment I , and then comparing the effect of each game on aggressive behavior using an unambiguous measure of aggressive behavior (i.e., the Hot Sauce Paradigm). We found that video game violence was not sufficient to elevate aggressive behavior compared to a non-violent video game. Practical implications and directions for future research are discussed.