Role of references in international industrial marketing : a theory-building case study about supplier’s processes of utilizing references

Scientific studies regarding specifically references do not seem to exist. However, the utilization of references is an important practice for many companies involved in industrial marketing. The purpose of the study is to increase the understanding about the utilization of references in international industrial marketing in order to contribute to the development of a theory of reference behavior. Specifically, the modes of reference usage in industry, the factors affecting a supplier's reference behavior, and the question how references are actually utilized, are explored in the study. Due to the explorative nature of the study, a research design was followed where theory and empirical studies alternated. An Exploratory Framework was developed to guide a pilot case study that resulted in Framework 1. Results of the pilot study guided an expanded literature review that was used to develop first a Structural Framework and a Process Framework which were combined in Framework 2. Then, the second empirical phase of the case study was conducted in the same (pilot) case company. In this phase, Decision Systems Analysis (DSA) was used as the analysis method. The DSA procedure consists of three interviewing waves: initial interviews, reinterviews, and validating interviews. Four reference decision processes were identified, described and analyzed in the form of flowchart descriptions. The flowchart descriptions were used to explore new constructs and to develop new propositions to develop Framework 2 further. The quality of the study was ascertained by many actions in both empirical parts of the study. The construct validity of the study was ascertained by using multiple sources of evidence and by asking the key informant to review the pilot case report. The DSA method itself includes procedures assuring validity. Because of the choice to conduct a single case study, external validity was not even pursued. High reliability was pursued through detailed documentation and thorough reporting of evidence. It was concluded that the core of the concept of reference is a customer relationship regardless of the concrete forms a reference might take in its utilization. Depending on various contingencies, references might have various tasks inside the four roles of increasing 1) efficiency of sales and sales management, 2) efficiency of the business, 3) effectiveness of marketing activities, and 4) effectiveness in establishing, maintaining and enhancing customer relationships. Thus, references have not only external but internal tasks as well. A supplier's reference behavior might be affected by many hierarchical conditions. Additionally, the empirical study showed that the supplier can utilize its references as a continuous, all pervasive decision making process through various practices. The process includes both individual and unstructured decision making subprocesses. The proposed concept of reference can be used to guide a reference policy recommendable for companies for which the utilization of references is important. The significance of the study is threefold: proposing the concept of reference, developing a framework of a supplier's reference behavior and its short term process of utilizing references, and conceptual structuring of an unstructured and in industrial marketing important phenomenon to four roles.

Electrochemistry and green chemical processes: electrochemical ozone production

After an introductory discussion emphasising the importance of electrochemistry for the so-called Green Chemical Processes, the article presents a short discussion of the classical ozone generation technologies. Next a revision of the electrochemical ozone production technology focusing on such aspects as: fundamentals, latest advances, advantages and limitations of this technology is presented. Recent results about fundamentals of electrochemical ozone production obtained in our laboratory, using different electrode materials (e.g. boron doped diamond electrodes, lead dioxide and DSAÒ-based electrodes) also are presented. Different chemical processes of interest to the solution of environmental problems involving ozone are discussed.

Learning and selection processes

In this paper I defend a teleological explanation of normativity, i. e., I argue that what an organism (or device) is supposed to do is determined by its etiological function. In particular, I present a teleological account of the normativity that arises in learning processes, and I defend it from some objections

The Role of Surfactant Properties of Extractants in Hydrometallurgical LiquidLiquid Extraction Processes

The amphiphilic nature of metal extractants causes the formation of micelles and other microscopic aggregates when in contact with water and an organic diluent. These phenomena and their effects on metal extraction were studied using carboxylic acid (Versatic 10) and organophosphorus acid (Cyanex 272) based extractants. Special emphasis was laid on the study of phase behaviour in a pre neutralisation stage when the extractant is transformed to a sodium or ammonium salt form. The pre neutralised extractants were used to extract nickel and to separate cobalt and nickel. Phase diagrams corresponding to the pre neutralisation stage in a metal extraction process were determined. The maximal solubilisation of the components in the system water(NH3)/extractant/isooctane takes place when the molar ratio between the ammonia salt form and the free form of the extractant is 0.5 for the carboxylic acid and 1 for the organophosphorus acid extractant. These values correspond to the complex stoichiometry of NH4A•HA and NIi4A, respectively. When such a solution is contacted with water a microemulsion is formed. If the aqueous phase contains also metal ions (e.g. Ni²+), complexation will take place on the microscopic interface of the micellar aggregates. Experimental evidence showing that the initial stage of nickel extraction with pre neutralised Versatic 10 is a fast pseudohomogeneous reaction was obtained. About 90% of the metal were extracted in the first 15 s after the initial contact. For nickel extraction with pre neutralised Versatic 10 it was found that the highest metal loading and the lowest residual ammonia and water contents in the organic phase are achieved when the feeds are balanced so that the stoichiometry is 2NH4+(org) = Nit2+(aq). In the case of Co/Ni separation using pre neutralised Cyanex 272 the highest separation is achieved when the Co/extractant molar ratio in the feeds is 1 : 4 and at the same time the optimal degree of neutralisation of the Cyanex 272 is about 50%. The adsorption of the extractants on solid surfaces may cause accumulation of solid fine particles at the interface between the aqueous and organic phases in metal extraction processes. Copper extraction processes are known to suffer of this problem. Experiments were carried out using model silica and mica particles. It was found that high copper loading, aromacity of the diluent, modification agents and the presence of aqueous phase decrease the adsorption of the hydroxyoxime on silica surfaces.

IT architecture for category driven corporate procurement measurement

The purpose of this thesis was to investigate creating and improving category purchasing visibility for corporate procurement by utilizing financial information. This thesis was a part of the global category driven spend analysis project of Konecranes Plc. While creating general understanding for building category driven corporate spend visibility, the IT architecture and needed purchasing parameters for spend analysis were described. In the case part of the study three manufacturing plants of Konecranes Standard Lifting, Heavy Lifting and Services business areas were examined. This included investigating the operative IT system architecture and needed processes for building corporate spend visibility. The key findings of this study were the identification of the needed processes for gathering purchasing data elements while creating corporate spend visibility in fragmented source system environment. As an outcome of the study, roadmap presenting further development areas was introduced for Konecranes.

Foliar photochemical processes and carbon metabolism under favourable and adverse winter conditions in a Mediterranean mixed forest, Catalonia (Spain)

Evergreen trees in the Mediterranean region must cope with a wide range of environmental stresses from summer drought to winter cold. The mildness of Mediterranean winters can periodically lead to favourable environmental conditions above the threshold for a positive carbon balance, benefitting evergreen woody species more than deciduous ones. The comparatively lower solar energy input in winter decreases the foliar light saturation point. This leads to a higher susceptibility to photoinhibitory stress especially when chilly (< 12 C) or freezing temperatures (< 0 C) coincide with clear skies and relatively high solar irradiances. Nonetheless, the advantage of evergreen species that are able to photosynthesize all year round where a significant fraction can be attributed to winter months, compensates for the lower carbon uptake during spring and summer in comparison to deciduous species. We investigated the ecophysiological behaviour of three co-occurring mature evergreen tree species (Quercus ilex L., Pinus halepensis Mill., and Arbutus unedo L.). Therefore, we collected twigs from the field during a period of mild winter conditions and after a sudden cold period. After both periods, the state of the photosynthetic machinery was tested in the laboratory by estimating the foliar photosynthetic potential with CO2 response curves in parallel with chlorophyll fluorescence measurements. The studied evergreen tree species benefited strongly from mild winter conditions by exhibiting extraordinarily high photosynthetic potentials. A sudden period of frost, however, negatively affected the photosynthetic apparatus, leading to significant decreases in key physiological parameters such as the maximum carboxylation velocity (Vc,max), the maximum photosynthetic electron transport rate (Jmax), and the optimal fluorometric quantum yield of photosystem II (Fv/Fm). The responses of Vc,max and Jmax were highly species specific, with Q. ilex exhibiting the highest and P. halepensis the lowest reductions. In contrast, the optimal fluorometric quantum yield of photosystem II (Fv/Fm) was significantly lower in A. unedo after the cold period. The leaf position played an important role in Q. ilex showing a stronger winter effect on sunlit leaves in comparison to shaded leaves. Our results generally agreed with the previous classifications of photoinhibition-tolerant (P. halepensis) and photoinhibitionavoiding (Q. ilex) species on the basis of their susceptibility to dynamic photoinhibition, whereas A. unedo was the least tolerant to photoinhibition, which was chronic in this species. Q. ilex and P. halepensis seem to follow contrasting photoprotective strategies. However, they seemed equally successful under the prevailing conditions exhibiting an adaptive advantage over A. unedo. These results show that our understanding of the dynamics of interspecific competition in Mediterranean ecosystems requires consideration of the physiological behaviour during winter which may have important implications for long-term carbon budgets and growth trends.

Kokoonpantavuuden parantaminen uusien konepajatuotteiden verkostotuotannossa

Verkostotoiminta asettaa haasteita suunnittelutyölle, valmistukselle, hankintatoimelle ja laadunhallinnalle, jotka kaikki vaikuttavat kokoonpanon sujuvuuteen. Suunnittelun ja valmistuksen yhteistyö on entistäkin haasteellisempaa, kun osavalmistus toteutetaan erillisillä toimittajilla. Tämän diplomityön tavoitteena on selvittää The Switch Drive Systems Oy:n tuotteiden kokoonpantavuuden parantamisen mahdollisuuksia sekä toimia yrityksen kokoonpantavuuteen liittyvien toimintamallien kehittämisen perustana. Diplomityöstä on olemassa myös julkinen versio. Työ alkaa kirjallisuuskatsauksella, jossa kuvataan kokoonpanoystävällisyyttä ja kokoonpanoystävällistä toimintaa kattaen suunnittelun, osien ja osakokoonpanojen valmistamisen verkostotuotannossa sekä kokoonpanotyön. Toimittajayhteistyötä ja laadunhallintaa käsitellään näiden lukujen yhteydessä. Työn käytännön osuudessa kartoitetaan The Switchin tuotteiden ja yrityksen toimintatapojen kokoonpanoystävällisyyden parantamismahdollisuuksia. Tämä toteutettiin The Switchin henkilöstön sekä osakokoonpanojen ja osien toimittajien haastatteluilla, toiminnan tarkkailulla sekä piirustuksiin ja prosessikuvauksiin perehtymällä. Kokoonpantavuuden ja valmistettavuuden systemaattinen huomioiminen on kannattavaa suunnittelun alusta alkaen. Tässä tulee mm. hyödyntää sekä toimittajien että The Switchin kokoonpanossa olevaa tietoa ja kokemusta.

Diesel/biodiesel soot oxidation with ceo2 and ceo2-zro2-modified cordierites: a facile way of accounting for their catalytic ability in fuel combustion processes

CeO2 and mixed CeO2-ZrO2 nanopowders were synthesized and efficiently deposited onto cordierite substrates, with the evaluation of their morphologic and structural properties through XRD, SEM, and FTIR. The modified substrates were employed as outer heterogeneous catalysts for reducing the soot originated from the diesel and diesel/biodiesel blends incomplete combustion. Their activity was evaluated in a diesel stationary motor, and a comparative analysis of the soot emission was carried out through diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. The analyses have shown that the catalyst-impregnated cordierite samples are very efficient for soot oxidation, being capable of reducing the soot emission in more than 60%.

Improving and User Interface to E-Procurement Software Used in Asset Accounting and Investigating Effects to Efficiency

This diploma thesis has been done to international organization which takes care from the accounting actions of two major companies. In this organization are used three different purchasing tools which are used when new asset master data is wanted to input to SAP R/3- system. The aim of this thesis is to find out how much changing the user interface of one of these three e-procurement programs will affect to overall efficiency in asset accounting. As an addition will be introduced project framework which can be used in future projects and which help to avoid certain steps in the development process. At the moment data needs to be inputted manually with many useless mouse clicks and data needs to be searched from many various resources which slow down the process. Other organization has better tools at the moment than the myOrders system which is under investigation Research was started by exploring the main improvement areas. After this possible defects were traced. Suggested improvements were thought by exploring literature which has been written from usability design and research. Meanwhile also directional calculations from the benefits of the project were done alongside with the analysis of the possible risks and threats. After this NSN IT approved the changes which they thought was acceptable. The next step was to program them into tool and test them before releasing to production environment. The calculations were made also from implemented improvements and compared them to planned ones From whole project was made a framework which can be utilized also to other similar projects. The complete calculation was not possible because of time schedule of the project. Important observation in the project was that efficiency is not improved not only by changing the GUI but also improving processes without any programming. Feedback from end user should be also listened more in development process. End-user is after all the one who knows the best how the program should look like.

Koneinvestoinnin suunnittelu valmistavaan teollisuuteen

Tämän diplomityön tavoitteena oli tutustua ohutlevyjen nykyaikaisiin koneellisiin leikkausmenetelmiin ja tutkia niiden soveltuvuutta yrityksen tarpeisiin. Kohdeyrityksessä investoinnin tarve jakautui tuottavuusinvestoinnin, korvausinvestoinnin ja strategisen investoinnin kesken. Tavoitteena oli luoda investointipolku, jonka avulla poissuljettiin menetelmät, jotka eivät soveltuneet yrityksen tuotantoon. Työn kirjallisuusosuudessa tarkastellaan teoriatietoja, jotka liittyvät yleisesti nykyaikaisiin ohutlevyjen leikkausmenetelmiin sekä investointiprojektin suunnitteluun ja toteutuksen teoriaan. Lisäksi käsitellään investointeihin liittyviä kannattavuus- ja kustannuslaskennan perusperiaatteita. Työn empiirisessä osassa selvitettiin yrityksen ohutlevyosien valmistuksen periaatteita nykytila-analyysin avulla. Tämän perusteella määritettiin nykyaikaisista markkinoilla olevista menetelmistä yritykselle soveltuvin. Tutkimuksen perusteella laserleikkaus oli menetelmistä soveltuvin. Perusinvestoinniltaan laser oli vaihtoehtoisista menetelmistä kallein, mutta se soveltui käytettävyyden, tehokkuuden, joustavuuden ja muiden ominaisuuksiensa perusteella parhaiten tuotannon tarpeisiin. Työn merkittävimmät tulokset osoittivat, että investoinnin kannattavuus riippui koneelle saatavasta käyttösuhteesta. Uusien koneiden tehokkuus lyhentäisi tuotannon läpimenoaikoja, mutta ilman riittävää kapasiteetin käyttöastetta kappaleiden omakustannusarvo nousisi. Lopputulokset ja suositukset on esitetty työn lopussa.

Microwave Processes in Ferrite-ferroelectric Layered Structure

This work is devoted to investigation of wave processes in new hybrid ferrite/ferroelectric structures. Spin wave devices based on ferrite films have disadvanteges. And their applications are limited. Investigated structures allow to overcome disadvantages. This investigation helps to create new class of devices. Electromagnetic analysis of hybrid spin-electromagnetic waves in ferrite/ferroelectric structures were done. As a result dispersion relation was found. Numerical solution of this dispersion relation gave us follow results. These structures can be effectively tuned by external electric and magnetic field. Methods to increase tuning range were suggested. It was found that such structures have one basic disadvantage which is connected with presence of thick ferroelectric layer. To solve this problem is to use thin ferroelectric films. But this decreases tuning range. It was confirmed by experiment that this structures can be effectively tuned by electric and magnetic fields. Resonance characteristics of ferrite/ferroelectric resonator were succesfully tuned by magnetic and electric field.

Developing the Sourcing with the Purchasing Tool in the Chemical Company

The aim of this research was to investigate Tikkurila Oyj's Vantaa factories' current status in procurement and to develop the reporting of purchases and purchase warehouses, and to measure the activities during the implementation of the new purchasing tool. The implemented purchasing tool was based on ABC-analysis. Based on its reports the importance of performance measurements for the operations of the company, and the purpose of getting transparency to the company's supply chain on the part of purchasing were examined. A successful purchase- and material operation calls for accurate knowledge and professional skills. The research proved that with a separate purchasing tool, that analyses the existing information of the company's production management system, it is possible to get added value to whole supply chain's needs. The analyses and reports of the purchasing tool enable a more harmonized purchasing process at the operative level, and create a basis for internal targets and to their follow-up. At the same time the analyses clarify the current status and development trends of procurement fresh to the management. The increase of the possibilities of exploitation of information technology enables a perfect transparency to the case company's purchase department.

Aineettomat markkinointiresurssit – brändi, imago ja maine

Tämän kandidaatintyön tarkoituksena on tarkastella aineettomien markkinointiresurssien – brändin, imagon ja maineen – määritelmiä sekä niiden etuja yrityksen liiketoiminnassa. Tarkastelu toteutetaan B2B-liiketoimintaympäristössä. Työ rakentuu viidestä osiosta, joista ensimmäisessä käsitellään aineettomia markkinointiresursseja ja niihin kuuluvaa suhdepääomaa. Toisessa, kolmannessa ja neljännessä osiossa käsitellään suhdepääomaan kuuluvien brändin, imagon ja maineen määritelmiä, etuja ja vaikutuksia yrityksen liiketoiminnassa. Viidennessä osiossa esitellään edellä mainittujen tekijöiden vaikutuksia asiakkaan ostopäätösprosessiin. Työssä käytetyn aineiston pohjalta tehtiin johtopäätös, että B2B-liiketoiminnassa toimiva yritys on yleensä itse brändi, jolla on sekä imago että maine. Brändi-imago ja brändin maine ovat merkittävässä roolissa asiakkaan ostopäätösprosessissa. Työn lopussa esitetään erilaisia asiakkaan ostopäätösprosessia kuvaavia malleja. Käytetyn aineiston ja mallien pohjalta on muodostettu malli brändi-imagon ja brändin maineen vaikutuksista asiakkaan ostopäätösprosessin eri tekijöihin.

Quality and analysis of administration processes in server operations

IT outsourcing refers to the way companies focus on their core competencies and buy the supporting functions from other companies specialized in that area. Service is the total outcome of numerous of activities by employees and other resources to provide solutions to customers' problems. Outsourcing and service business have their unique characteristics. Service Level Agreements quantify the minimum acceptable service to the user. The service quality has to be objectively quantified so that its achievement or non-achievement of it can be monitored. Usually offshoring refers to the transferring of tasks to low-cost nations. Offshoring presents a lot of challenges that require special attention and they need to be assessed thoroughly. IT Infrastructure management refers to installation and basic usability assistance of operating systems, network and server tools and utilities. ITIL defines the industry best practices for organizing IT processes. This thesis did an analysis of server operations service and the customers’ perception of the quality of daily operations. The agreed workflows and processes should be followed better. Service providers’ processes are thoroughly defined but both the customer and the service provider might disobey them. Service provider should review the workflows regarding customer functions. Customer facing functions require persistent skill development, as they communicate the quality to the customer. Service provider needs to provide better organized communication and knowledge exchange methods between the specialists in different geographical locations.