Comparing adult-youth and adult-adult online sexual solicitation: Manipulative behaviors, situational factors, and outcomes

Online sexual solicitation (solicitation) of youth has received widespread media and research attention during the last decade. The prevalence rates of youth who have experienced solicitation or solicitation attempts vary between studies depending on the methodology used (e.g., whether youth or adults are the target study group). In studies focusing on youth victims, the prevalence of solicitation attempts made by adults during the past year is typically reported to be between 5 and 9%. Adults who solicit youth online have been found to use deception and other manipulative behaviors to gain access to sexual activities with youth. However, previous studies have lacked a control group of adults who solicit other adults online. Without this comparison, one could argue that deceiving others online about one’s identity, and engaging in manipulative behaviors, is an inherent part of most online sexual interactions with strangers. Additionally, little is known about the associations between manipulative behaviors and the solicitation outcomes. In research concerning offline sexual behaviors, it has been noted that situational factors, such as sexual arousal, may alter both sexual interest and behavior. The effects of situational factors on online sexual behaviors have been less extensively studied (especially so with a quantitative approach); no studies have to date focused on adults’ solicitation of youth. Investigating the role of a lowered sexual age preference and the role of situational factors in the soliciting adults could be an important step in order to receive deeper knowledge of the role of traits and states in the context of solicitation. Additionally, there is a lack of knowledge of the effect of the age of the youth. Although previous studies on solicitation has found that older youth, compared with younger youth and children, are more often solicited, the possible reasons for this have not been investigated. Are adults who solicit youth affected by legal deterrence (through the legal age of consent), is it because older youth are more available online, or are the adults’ age preferences merely a product of a normally distributed age preference in the population? The purpose of the present thesis was fivefold: 1) to obtain an estimate of the frequency of adults’ solicitation of youth as self-reported and observed in actual behavior; 2) to explore whether the legal age of consent (LAC) affects solicitation frequency, or whether a normally distributed sexual age preference more accurately describe the proportion of solicited youth of different ages; 3) to investigate the associations of both traits (e.g., lower sexual age preference) and states (immediate situational factors, such as alcohol intoxication), and the solicitation target; 4) to explore whether adults who solicit youth and adults who solicit adults are equally deceitful and manipulative online, and whether the different solicitation outcomes are as common in both groups; and 5) to investigate whether the deceitful and manipulative behaviors engaged in had different associations with the solicitation outcomes depending on the age of the solicited. In the survey study, a convenience sample of 1393 adult participants (aged 18 years or older) self-reported any online communication with strangers during the past year. Of these, 56% (776 respondents) reported that they had solicited or attempted to solicit at least one stranger. Of the respondents, 453 (58.4%) were men, and 323 (41.6%) were women. Participants with only adult contacts (18 years or older) constituted the majority (640 respondents). In contrast, 136 individuals reported a youth contact (a 13 year old or younger, or a 14 to 17-year old). Approximately half of the participants were men in the adult contact group, while 75% of the participants were men in the youth contact group. Approximately 60% of the participants with youth contacts were recruited from two websites associated with a pedophilic sexual interest. In an online quasi-experimental study, with researchers impersonating youth of different ages (10–18 year olds) in chat rooms, 251 online conversations with chat room visitors made up the entire sample. All chat room visitors alleged to be men. The self-reported frequency of having solicited youth (0–17-year olds) during the past year was approximately 10% in our sample of adults who reported communicating with any strangers online. When we observed this behavior in chat rooms, we found that approximately 30% of the chat room visitors who believed they interacted with a 10 to 14 year old attempted to solicit the youth. We found that solicitation attempts increased equally much when increasing the age of the impersonated youth from 14 to 16, as from 16 to 18. Thus, we concluded that a normally distributed age preference in the population was a more plausible explanation to the effect of the age of the solicited, rather than the LAC (here; 15 and 16). If the chat room visitors would have been deterred only by the LAC, we would have expected that the change in amount of solicitation attempts from an illegal age group to a legal age group would have been significantly stronger than changes between age groups within illegal-illegal and legal-legal groups. Our subsample of survey participants from the pedophilia-related websites expectedly reported that they had solicited youth more often in comparison to the sample gathered through general (i.e., not associated with any particular sexual preference) websites. We also found that participants with a youth contact reported higher levels of sexual arousal and shame before the sexual interaction with their online contact, compared with participants with an adult contact. Additionally, the participants with youth contacts who reported consumption of child- and adolescent pornography also reported being more sexually aroused before the interaction, compared to the participants with youth contacts who did not report consumption of these kinds of pornography. We also found clear indications that the online sexual interaction had an alleviatory effect on reported levels of sadness, boredom and stress, independent of the age of the contact. Generally, the participants with youth and adult contacts reported deceiving their contacts as often and suggesting keeping the communication a secret from someone as often. Participants with a youth contact, however, reported using more persuasion techniques for online sexual purposes or for the purpose of an offline meeting, compared to those with an adult contact. In the chat rooms, we found that more indirect ways of future sexual communication (e.g., continuing chatting) was suggested by the chat room visitors that were under the assumption of interacting with youth aged 10 to 14, compared with more direct means (e.g., meeting offline). Survey participants with youth contacts who had used deception, suggested keeping the interactions a secret, and/or persuaded their contact by appealing to the contacts feelings of love and attachment for the participant had also more often engaged in cybersex with the contact. No other manipulative behaviors were associated with the other investigated solicitation outcomes (receiving a sexual picture, meeting offline, and engaging in sexual contact offline) within this group of participants. However, using deception, suggesting secrecy and using persuasion was also positively associated with certain solicitation outcomes within participants with an adult contact. In summary, adults’ solicitation of youth is much more frequent when observed in chat rooms than self-reported. Additionally, an underlying lowered sexual age preference seems to be a motivating factor on a group level in adults who solicit youth. We concluded that directed prevention efforts should be made on pedophiliarelated websites. Additionally, the role of situational factors, especially sexual arousal in persons with a pedo- or hebephilic sexual interest should be investigated further in the context of online sexual solicitation.

JNK regulates dendrite and spine architecture in the central nervous system influencing spatial learning and motor tasks

JNK1 is a MAP-kinase that has proven a significant player in the central nervous system. It regulates brain development and the maintenance of dendrites and axons. Several novel phosphorylation targets of JNK1 were identified in a screen performed in the Coffey lab. These proteins were mainly involved in the regulation of neuronal cytoskeleton, influencing the dynamics and stability of microtubules and actin. These structural proteins form the dynamic backbone for the elaborate architecture of the dendritic tree of a neuron. The initiation and branching of the dendrites requires a dynamic interplay between the cytoskeletal building blocks. Both microtubules and actin are decorated by associated proteins which regulate their dynamics. The dendrite-specific, high molecular weight microtubule associated protein 2 (MAP2) is an abundant protein in the brain, the binding of which stabilizes microtubules and influences their bundling. Its expression in non-neuronal cells induces the formation of neurite-like processes from the cell body, and its function is highly regulated by phosphorylation. JNK1 was shown to phosphorylate the proline-rich domain of MAP2 in vivo in a previous study performed in the group. Here we verify three threonine residues (T1619, T1622 and T1625) as JNK1 targets, the phosphorylation of which increases the binding of MAP2 to microtubules. This binding stabilizes the microtubules and increases process formation in non-neuronal cells. Phosphorylation-site mutants were engineered in the lab. The non-phosphorylatable mutant of MAP2 (MAP2- T1619A, T1622A, T1625A) in these residues fails to bind microtubules, while the pseudo-phosphorylated form, MAP2- T1619D, T1622D, Thr1625D, efficiently binds and induces process formation even without the presence of active JNK1. Ectopic expression of the MAP2- T1619D, T1622D, Thr1625D in vivo in mouse brain led to a striking increase in the branching of cortical layer 2/3 (L2/3) pyramidal neurons, compared to MAP2-WT. The dendritic complexity defines the receptive field of a neuron and dictates the output to the postsynaptic cells. Previous studies in the group indicated altered dendrite architecture of the pyramidal neurons in the Jnk1-/- mouse motor cortex. Here, we used Lucifer Yellow loading and Sholl analysis of neurons in order to study the dendritic branching in more detail. We report a striking, opposing effect in the absence of Jnk1 in the cortical layers 2/3 and 5 of the primary motor cortex. The basal dendrites of pyramidal neurons close to the pial surface at L2/3 show a reduced complexity. In contrast, the L5 neurons, which receive massive input from the L2/3 neurons, show greatly increased branching. Another novel substrate identified for JNK1 was MARCKSL1, a protein that regulates actin dynamics. It is highly expressed in neurons, but also in various cancer tissues. Three phosphorylation target residues for JNK1 were identified, and it was demonstrated that their phosphorylation reduces actin turnover and retards migration of these cells. Actin is the main cytoskeletal component in dendritic spines, the site of most excitatory synapses in pyramidal neurons. The density and gross morphology of the Lucifer Yellow filled dendrites were characterized and we show reduced density and altered morphology of spines in the motor cortex and in the hippocampal area CA3. The dynamic dendritic spines are widely considered to function as the cellular correlate during learning. We used a Morris water maze to test spatial memory. Here, the wild-type mice outperformed the knock-out mice during the acquisition phase of the experiment indicating impaired special memory. The L5 pyramidal neurons of the motor cortex project to the spinal cord and regulate the movement of distinct muscle groups. Thus the altered dendrite morphology in the motor cortex was expected to have an effect on the input-output balance in the signaling from the cortex to the lower motor circuits. A battery of behavioral tests were conducted for the wild-type and Jnk1-/- mice, and the knock-outs performed poorly compared to wild-type mice in tests assessing balance and fine motor movements. This study expands our knowledge of JNK1 as an important regulator of the dendritic fields of neurons and their manifestations in behavior.

Forming i barnehagen i lys av Reggio Emilias atelierkultur

Forming (Arts and crafts) and children’s creative action with materials and tools are less in use in the kindergarten than before. Political focus on children’s early learning has led to shifts in kindergartens toward other specific disciplines, and requirements for individual testing also of the smallest children’s competencies within these. Kindergarten teachers, educators, researchers and participants in social debate have pointed out that there are epistemological contradictions in descriptions of kindergarten quality as well as between current kindergarten policy documents and requirements for the kindergartens’ staff. Meanwhile, the content and methods in many kindergartens are inspired by practice and philosophy in the municipal kindergartens in Reggio Emilia, Italy. Correlation between kindergartens’ formingprojects and experiences from Reggio Emilia is actualized in particular through the workshop and the studio’s role in children’s learning processes. One starting point for the thesis’ problem area is a documented need for more knowledge about kindergarten’s educational content. The overarching goal of the thesis is to develop new knowledge about how learning takes place in kindergarten through examining the field of forming in kindergartens inspired by Reggio Emilia’s atelier culture. The thesis is theoretically anchored within pragmatism, and ties kindergarten’s aesthetic operations with materials and tools to socio-cultural perspective, social constructivism and post humanistic theory. The empirical material is obtained through a qualitative study with ethnography as methodological approach. The fieldwork is conducted in kindergarten, with two leading research questions: 1) How is atelierism perceived and unfolded in Norwegian Reggio Emilia-inspired kindergartens, and 2) how is forming perceived and unfolded in Norwegian Reggio Emilia-inspired kindergartens. A comprehensive and multifaceted material is analyzed, and the results are presented in the form of three themes: The physical environment, Relations and actions in interplay, and Expression forms and forms of expression. Each of these topics are supported by examples from kindergartens’ adult voices and the constructed empirical material. Insights into how learning takes place in the kindergarten subject of forming with inspiration from the Reggio Emilia atelier culture is discussed in the tension between educational philosophy, Nordic kindergarten tradition and neoliberal trends that kindergarten teachers must adhere to. Learning potentials in children’s opportunities for action in forming in light of the atelier appears in the results of the empirical study. The educational context described is characterized by experimental and playful actions where children’s sensations, curiosity and resistance are interacting with the identity of materials and tools. The results imply aesthetic, ethical, democratic and ecological reflections, which are also valid on a practical action level. The thesis contributes to description and understanding of kindergarten’ content and young children’s learning, the importance of atelier culture as inspiration for the kindergarten, and the further development of methodology and documentation of knowledge expressions.

Taidetta vai terapiaa?. Yhteisötaiteen, taideterapian ja hyvinvointiajattelun rajankäyntiä Turun kulttuuripääkaupunkivuoden 2000 & 11 OMAKUVAA -hankkeessa

Tässä työssä tarkastellaan yhteisötaiteen yhteyttä taideterapiaan ja taiteen hyvinvointi-vaikutuksia. Tutkimuksen kohteena on Turku 2011 –kulttuuripääkaupunkivuoden hanke 2000 & 11 OMAKUVAA ja sen tuottama kirjajulkaisu Omakuva on jokaisen kuva (2011). Työssä tarkastellaan hankkeessa esiintynyttä terapia-ajattelua ja hyvinvointia kulttuurista –ilmiötä. Lisäksi työssä tarkastellaan 2000 & 11 OMAKUVAA -hanketta julkisena taiteena ja sen sijoittumista yhteisötaiteen kentälle. Terapia- ja hyvinvointiajattelun ilmenemistä tarkastellaan erityisesti yhteisötaiteen ja 2000 & 11 OMAKUVAA –hankkeen yhteydessä esiintyneiden käsitteiden ja käsitteellis-tyksien kautta. Yhteisötaiteeseen liittyviä käsitteitä käsitellään nojautuen erityisesti tai-teen tohtori Lea Kantosen väitökseen Teltta. Kohtaamisia nuorten taidetyöpajoissa. Tärkeimpiä yhteisötaiteen taideterapiaan ja hyvinvointiin liittäviä käsitteitä ovat mm. identiteetti, voimaantuminen ja omaelämäkerrallisuus. Tutkimustuloksina esitetään, että 2000 & 11 OMAKUVAA –hankkeessa ja yhteisötai-teessa yleisesti esiintyy paljon taideterapiaan ja taiteen hyvinvointivaikutuksiin liitettä-vää käsitteistöä, ja että tämän käsitteistön tarkempi tutkiminen ja vakiinnuttaminen olisi tärkeää tulevaisuuden tutkimustyön kannalta. Lisäksi esitetään, että yhteisötaidetta joka pyrkii hyvinvointivaikutuksiin, tulisi toteuttaa mahdollisimman monialaisesti.

Nucleotides as Antiviral Compounds. On the Feasibility of an Esterase-dependent Prodrug Strategy for 2-5A

Nukleotidien ja oligonukleotidien analogeilla on merkittävä rooli virusten aiheuttamien tautien hoidossa. Tämän kaltaiset yhdisteet voivat estää spesifisesti virusten proteiineja tai aktivoida luontaista immuunijärjestelmää, jossa 2-5A:ksi kutsutut lyhyet 2´,5´-sitoutuneet oligomeerit ovat keskeisiä tekijöitä. Nukleotideihin ja oligonukleotideihin pohjautuvien lääkkeiden tehokkuus riippuu pääasiassa aihiolääkestrategiasta, jolla niiden sisäänottoa soluun tehostetaan. Tavanomaisessa aihiolääkestrategiassa negatiivisesti varautuneet fosfaattiryhmät suojataan rasvaliukoisilla biohajoavilla suojaryhmillä, jotta molekyyli läpäisee solukalvon helpommin. Solun sisällä aihiolääke muuttuu aktiiviseksi lääkeaineeksi, kun suojaryhmät irtoavat solun entsyymien, kuten esteraasien vaikutuksesta. Väitöskirjassa arvioitiin esteraasin katalysoiman aihiolääkestrategian soveltuvuutta 2-5A-trimeerille syntetisoimalla kaksi erilaista 2-5A-aihiolääkekandidaattia ja tutkimalla 2-5A:n purkautumista karboksiesteraasi-entsyymin vaikutuksesta. Suojaryhmäsuunnitelma perustui esteraasilabiileihin 2,2-disubstituoituihin asyylioksipropyyliryhmiin ja asyylioksimetyyliryhmiin, joilla suojattiin trimeerien fosfaatti- ja 3´-hydroksyyliryhmät. Tulokset osoittivat, että esteraasilabiilien suojaryhmien irtoaminen 2-5A:sta hidastui merkittävästi, kun yhdisteeseen kertyi negatiivista varausta. Lisäksi suojaryhmien hajotessa muodostui elektrofiilisiä alkyloivia aineita, jotka ovat mahdollisesti toksisia. Näistä syistä johtuen kehitettiin kuusi uudenlaista 2,2,-disubstituoitua 4-asyylitio- 3-oksobutyyliryhmää fosfodiestereiden suojaamiseksi. Suojaryhmät irtoavat sekä esteraasin katalysoimana, että lämpötilan vaikutuksesta. Tämä on hyödyllinen ominaisuus silloin, kun entsyymin affiniteetti negatiivisesti varattuun substraattiin heikkenee. Suojaryhmien hydrolyyttinen ja entsymaattinen stabiilisuus on helposti säädeltävissä, jotta suojauksen purkautumisen nopeus voidaan optimoida. Vapautuneet suojaryhmät eivät ole merkittävästi alkyloivia, sillä niiden ei havaittu alkyloivan glutationia.

Análise sensorial de goiabadas de marcas comerciais

Avaliação sensorial de goiabadas foi realizada por meio da análise descritiva quantitativa utilizando 9 amostras do mercado brasileiro (6 do mercado interno e 3 do externo) de 6 marcas comerciais. Goiabada é o produto resultante do processamento das partes comestíveis de goiabas sadias, desintegradas, com açúcares, com ou sem adição de água, agentes geleificantes, ajustadores de pH e de outros ingredientes e aditivos permitidos até consistência apropriada, sendo termicamente processada e acondicionada de modo a assegurar a sua perfeita conservação. Foram selecionados e treinados os julgadores, e sob orientação de um lider, estabelecidos atributos e suas definições elaborando-se um glossário. Os atributos sensoriais que descreveram a goiabada foram: sinerese, presença de bolhas, cavidades e pontos escuros na superfície e no fundo da amostra retirada da lata, brilho, cor, aparência geral, firmeza, tipo de corte, resistência ao corte, adesividade na boca, arenosidade, coesividade, aroma de goiaba, doçura, acidez e sabores de goiaba, caramelizado, estranho e remanescente e qualidade global. Os resultados da análise sensorial das amostras de goiabada analisadas possibilitaram agrupar as amostras por meio da análise discriminante passo a passo, em cinco grupos com características sensoriais distintas. As amostras CE, SF e VE constituíram três grupos distintos e diferiram significativamente (alfa = 5%) entre si e do restante. As amostras AI e AE constituíram o 4º grupo e o 5º grupo foi formado pelas amostras EI, EE, PE e CI.

ESTABILIDADE DO MOLHO DE TOMATE EM DIFERENTES EMBALAGENS DE CONSUMO

O presente estudo teve como objetivo avaliar a estabilidade do molho de tomate em diferentes embalagens de consumo (vidro, metálica e cartonada), após simulação de transporte e estocagem a 23 e 35oC, por um período 240 dias ao abrigo da luz. O parâmetro de cor avaliado separadamente não influenciou significativamente a perda de qualidade dos produtos a 23oC, mas teve influência significativa à 35oC. O molho de tomate acondicionado na embalagem cartonada apresentou maior perda de cor em relação às demais, devido às características intrínsecas deste tipo de embalagem, sobretudo sua maior permeabilidade ao oxigênio, provocando um maior escurecimento e a conseqüente redução na vida útil do produto. Considerando-se este aspecto, a taxa de deterioração da cor na embalagem cartonada, comparativamente às demais foi, em termos médios, cerca de 1,7 e 1,9 vezes superior às embalagens metálicas e de vidro, nas temperaturas de 23 e 35oC, respectivamente. O parâmetro sensorial mais crítico e utilizado como indicativo da vida útil foi a perda de qualidade (PQ), uma vez que englobou as alterações de cor e sabor do produto. O molho acondicionado na embalagem cartonada apresentou valores de PQ entre 3,5 e 4,1 vezes superior aos valores obtidos para o produto nas embalagens de vidro e metálica à 23oC, respectivamente. Na temperatura de 35oC, as taxas foram 2,1 e 1,6 vezes superiores, respectivamente. De forma geral, as embalagens de vidro e metálicas apresentaram um desempenho similar entre si, com melhores características de proteção ao produto, devido à barreira oferecida quanto à entrada de oxigênio.

Soro urêmico inibe a expressão in vitro da quimiocina SDF-1: possível impacto da toxicidade urêmica na lesão endotelial

Introdução: A disfunção endotelial é importante na patogênese da doença cardiovascular (DCV) relacionada à doença renal crônica (DRC). Stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1) é uma quimiocina que mobiliza células endoteliais progenitoras (EPC) e em conjunto com a interleucina-8 (IL-8) podem ser usadas como marcadores de reparo e lesão tecidual. Objetivo: Neste trabalho, foi investigado o efeito do meio urêmico na expressão de SDF-1 e IL-8 in vivo e in vitro. Métodos: A inflamação sistêmica foi avaliada por meio da proteína C-reativa (PCR) e interleucina-6 (IL-6). IL-8 e SDF-1 foram avaliados por ELISA como marcadores de disfunção endotelial e reparo tecidual, respectivamente. Os estudos in vitro foram realizados em células endoteliais umbilicais humanas (HUVEC) expostas ao meio urêmico ou saudável. Resultados: Foram incluídos nesse estudo 26 pacientes em hemodiálise (HD) (17 ± 3 meses em diálise, 52 ± 2 anos, 38% homens e 11% diabéticos). As concentrações séricas de PCR, IL-6, SDF-1 e IL-8 foram 4,9 ± 4,8 mg/ml, 6,7 ± 8,1 pg/ml, 2625,9 ± 1288,6 pg/ml e 128,2 ± 206,2 pg/ml, respectivamente. Houve correlação positiva entre PCR e IL-6 (ρ = 0,57; p < 0,005) e entre SDF-1 e IL-8 (ρ = 0,45; p < 0,05). Os resultados in vitro demonstraram que a expressão de SDF-1 pelas HUVEC após 6 horas de tratamento com meio urêmico é menor comparada ao tratamento com meio saudável (p < 0,05). Após 12 horas de tratamento, ocorreu aumento de IL-8 quando as HUVECs foram expostas ao meio urêmico (p < 0,005). Conclusão: Sugerimos que SDF-1 e IL-8 nos pacientes em HD podem ser usados para mensurar a extensão do dano e consequente ativação vascular na uremia.

The quest for a better understanding of chronic kidney disease complications: an update on uremic toxins

Chronic kidney disease is characterized by a progressive reduction of glomerular filtration rate and/or the appearance of proteinuria, and subsequently the progressive retention of organic waste compounds called uremic toxins (UT). Over the last decades, a large number of such compounds have been identified and their effects on organs and tissues, especially the cardiovascular system, has been demonstrated. In this review, we present the current classification of UT, as proposed by the EUTox Group, and the effects of some of the probably most important UTs, such as phosphate, FGF-23, PTH, AGEs, indoxyl sulfate and para-cresyl sulfate. We provide an overview on therapeutic approaches aimed to increase their extracorporeal removal via convective and/or adsorptive strategies and to lower their intestinal production/ absorption via dietetic and pharmacological interventions. The recognition that multiple toxins contribute to the uremia supports the need for new therapeutic targets, with a potentially positive impact on CKD progression and survival.

”Kolleekoitten kommentteja omien ajatusten tueksi”. Facebookin verkkoyhteisöiden merkitys opettajille ja opettajien puhetavat taito- ja taideaineiden arvioinnista verkkoyhteisöissä

Tässä tutkimuksessa tutkimme mitä merkityksiä opettajat antavat Facebookin verkkoyhteisöille sekä minkälaisia puhetapoja opettajat käyttävät puhuessaan peruskoulun taito- ja taideaineiden arvioinnista verkkokeskusteluissa. Tutkimuksemme on tärkeä kasvatustieteellisellä kentällä, koska tätä aihetta ei ole tutkittu aikaisemmin. Tutkimusotteemme on kvalitatiivinen ja fenomenografinen. Tutkimusmenetelminä olemme käyttäneet sisällönanalyysia ja diskurssianalyysia soveltuvin osin. Tutkimusaineistomme on opettajien käymät verkkokeskustelut Facebookin verkkoyhteisöissä. Keskustelut käsittelevät taito- ja taideaineiden arviointia. Tutkimuksemme osoitti, että verkkoyhteisöt ovat tärkeä osa opettajien ammatillista kehittymistä, verkostoitumista ja työssäjaksamista. Verkkoyhteisöt toimivat matalan kynnyksen paikkoina, joissa opettajat voivat käydä keskustelua työhön liittyvissä asioissa. Verkkoyhteisöjen merkitykset opettajille olivat kollegiaalisen tuen tarjoaminen, kollegiaalisen tuen tarve ja yhteisöllisyys. Verkkokeskusteluista tuli toistuvasti esiin peruskoulun taito- ja taideaineiden arvioinnin haastavuus. Verkkoyhteisöissä esiintyi erilaisia opettajien puhetapoja liittyen taito- ja taideaineiden arviointiin. Puhetavat olivat arvioinnin kokeminen, kodin ja koulun yhteistyö ja työssäjaksaminen.

Työvoiman hallintajärjestelmän käyttöönoton vaikutukset liiketoimintatiedon hallintaan: Tapaustutkimus siivousalalla

Tehokas työvoiman hallinta on elintärkeää erityisesti palvelualan yrityksille, joiden liiketoimintamalli perustuu täysin henkilöstön panokseen ja liiketoiminnan suurin kuluerä muodostuu palkoista. Yritykset ovat pyrkineet automatisoimaan työvoiman hallintaansa jo vuosikymmeniä, ja liike-elämä pyrkii tarjoamaan jatkuvasti uusia tapoja organisoida ja hallita työvoimaa. Tämä tutkimuksen tavoitteena on selvittää, kuinka työvoiman hallintajärjestelmän käyttöönotto on vaikuttanut sen pääasiallisten käyttäjien liiketoimintatiedon hallintaan. Tutkimuksen kohdeyrityksenä on kiinteistö- ja toimitilapalveluyritys, joka tarjoaa erilaisia tukipalveluita, joista suurin osa kiinteistön ylläpito- ja siivouspalveluina. Kohdeyrityksessä on otettu käyttöön uusi työvoiman hallintajärjestelmä, joka on muuttanut siivouspalveluiden esimiesten työskentelytapoja olennaisesti. Tutkimuksessa keskitytään tutkimaan ja analysoimaan siivouspalveluiden esimiesten työn muutoksia. Teoreettisena lähestymistapana on käytetty työvoiman hallinnan ja liiketoimintatiedon hallinnan teorioita. Tutkimuksen toteutuksessa on hyödynnetty sekä laadullisia että määrällisiä tutkimusmetodeja. Aluksi on haastateltu kohdeyrityksen esimiehiä, jonka jälkeen kaikille esimiehille, jotka käyttävät järjestelmää, on lähetetty kyselylomake. Reilu kaksi kolmasosaa vastaajista koki saaneensa toiminnan organisoimisen kannalta hyödynnettävää tietoa, mutta melkein puolet vastaajista ei ollut tehnyt minkäänlaisia muutoksia alueensa kohteisiin ja työmääräyksiin. Esimiehistä enemmistö koki järjestelmän käyttöönoton parantaneen asiakastyytyväisyyttä sekä reklamaatioiden vähentyneen, mikä on merkittävä parannus entiseen toimintatapaan verrattuna. Voidaan sanoa, että vastaajat ovat jakaantuneet kahteen leiriin; osa on ottanut järjestelmän onnistuneesti omaan ja alaistensa käyttöön ja kokee siitä saatavan paljonkin hyötyä. Toinen osa ei koe hyötyvänsä järjestelmästä tarpeeksi sen työmäärään nähden, tai sitten hyötyä ei koeta ollenkaan. Tutkimuskysymyksenä oli, miten työvoiman hallintajärjestelmän käyttöönotto on vaikuttanut liiketoimintatiedon hallintaan. Vastauksena on, että järjestelmä on lisännyt niiden esimiesten tiedon määrää, jotka ovat onnistuneesti ottaneet järjestelmän osaksi omaa toimintaansa ja kokevat saavansa hyötyä järjestelmästä. Osa esimiehistä on myös hyödyntänyt saamaansa tietoa päätöksenteossaan. Selkeää on, että vaikutukset eivät koske kaikkia esimiehiä samalla tavoin. Esimiesten työn prosesseja, kuten työajanseurantaa ja työvuorosuunnittelua, järjestelmä on osittain muuttanut radikaalistikin. Työvuorosuunnittelu ei kokenut samanlaista muutosta kuin työajanseuranta, joka muuttui olennaisesti järjestelmän käyttöönoton myötä. Järjestelmä on tuonut mitattavia hyötyjä, mutta kaikkia esimiehiä nämä hyödyt eivät koske. Voidaan siis sanoa, että potentiaalia on, mutta ongelmaksi muodostuu, miten hyödyt saadaan koskettamaan kaikkia järjestelmän tämänhetkisiä ja myös tulevia käyttäjiä.