Examining the Role of Rebranding in Perceived Image of a Product Line

The main objective for this study was to explore certain organization’s product line rebranding process and its impact on product line’s perceived image. The case company is a global paper, packaging and forest products company, business segment paper board. The audience explored is one of the company’s major customers, merchant in Germany. The research was performed as a descriptive case study with a purpose to provide longitudinal insight into the product line image and its eventual alteration as a result of the case company’s rebranding process. Mainly qualitative methods were used for conducting the research. The data for the empirical part was collected with a web-based survey at two different points of time; before the rebranded products entered the market and after they had been available approximately six months. The results of this study reveal that the case company has performed well in its attempt to improve product line’s brand image through rebranding. It was found that between the two brand image measurements the product brand image seems to have improved in all of the areas which according to theoretical framework of this study contribute to formation of brand image; brand associations, marketing communications and interpersonal relationships, not forgetting the original platform that initiated the change; technical quality modifications. In other words it may be concluded that as technical quality was brought to a new level, also assessments about the brand image improved respectively.

The harm principle and the greatest happiness principle: the missing link

In this article I present a possible solution for the classic problem of the apparent incompatibility between Mill's Greatest Happiness Principle and his Principle of Liberty arguing that in the other-regarding sphere the judgments of experience and knowledge accumulated through history have moral and legal force, whilst in the self-regarding sphere the judgments of the experienced people only have prudential value and the reason for this is the idea according to which each of us is a better judge than anyone else to decide what causes us pain and which kind of pleasure we prefer (the so-called epistemological argument). Considering that the Greatest Happiness Principle is nothing but the aggregate of each person's happiness, given the epistemological claim we conclude that, by leaving people free even to cause harm to themselves, we still would be maximizing happiness, so both principles (the Greatest Happiness Principle and the Principle of Liberty) could be compatible.

Determinants of cash holdings in Finnish industrial sector: measuring the impact of financial crisis 2007- 2010

This thesis studies cash and short term investments to net assets ratio of Finnish industrial companies during financial crisis, and how different firm specific and macro economical variables affect cash and short term investments. The data consists of quarter level interim reports. Regression analysis was used to find out the effects of different variables. Regression models were formed based on previous studies on cash holdings. It was found that firms studied held more cash during financial crisis than before it. Cash and short-term investments acted as substitute of net working capital. Leverage had a positive and significant relationship to cash and short term investment ratio. It was also found out that firms have a target cash and short term investments ratio.

Dialogue in the crisis of representation : realism and antirealism in the context of the conversation between theologians and quantum physicists in Göttingen 1949-1961

The aim of this study is to analyse the content of the interdisciplinary conversations in Göttingen between 1949 and 1961. The task is to compare models for describing reality presented by quantum physicists and theologians. Descriptions of reality indifferent disciplines are conditioned by the development of the concept of reality in philosophy, physics and theology. Our basic problem is stated in the question: How is it possible for the intramental image to match the external object?Cartesian knowledge presupposes clear and distinct ideas in the mind prior to observation resulting in a true correspondence between the observed object and the cogitative observing subject. The Kantian synthesis between rationalism and empiricism emphasises an extended character of representation. The human mind is not a passive receiver of external information, but is actively construing intramental representations of external reality in the epistemological process. Heidegger's aim was to reach a more primordial mode of understanding reality than what is possible in the Cartesian Subject-Object distinction. In Heidegger's philosophy, ontology as being-in-the-world is prior to knowledge concerning being. Ontology can be grasped only in the totality of being (Dasein), not only as an object of reflection and perception. According to Bohr, quantum mechanics introduces an irreducible loss in representation, which classically understood is a deficiency in knowledge. The conflicting aspects (particle and wave pictures) in our comprehension of physical reality, cannot be completely accommodated into an entire and coherent model of reality. What Bohr rejects is not realism, but the classical Einsteinian version of it. By the use of complementary descriptions, Bohr tries to save a fundamentally realistic position. The fundamental question in Barthian theology is the problem of God as an object of theological discourse. Dialectics is Barth¿s way to express knowledge of God avoiding a speculative theology and a human-centred religious self-consciousness. In Barthian theology, the human capacity for knowledge, independently of revelation, is insufficient to comprehend the being of God. Our knowledge of God is real knowledge in revelation and our words are made to correspond with the divine reality in an analogy of faith. The point of the Bultmannian demythologising programme was to claim the real existence of God beyond our faculties. We cannot simply define God as a human ideal of existence or a focus of values. The theological programme of Bultmann emphasised the notion that we can talk meaningfully of God only insofar as we have existential experience of his intervention. Common to all these twentieth century philosophical, physical and theological positions, is a form of anti-Cartesianism. Consequently, in regard to their epistemology, they can be labelled antirealist. This common insight also made it possible to find a common meeting point between the different disciplines. In this study, the different standpoints from all three areas and the conversations in Göttingen are analysed in the frameworkof realism/antirealism. One of the first tasks in the Göttingen conversations was to analyse the nature of the likeness between the complementary structures inquantum physics introduced by Niels Bohr and the dialectical forms in the Barthian doctrine of God. The reaction against epistemological Cartesianism, metaphysics of substance and deterministic description of reality was the common point of departure for theologians and physicists in the Göttingen discussions. In his complementarity, Bohr anticipated the crossing of traditional epistemic boundaries and the generalisation of epistemological strategies by introducing interpretative procedures across various disciplines.

Complexity Optimization in Product Development with Modularization

A company’s competence to manage its product portfolio complexity is becoming critically important in the rapidly changing business environment. The continuous evolvement of customer needs, the competitive market environment and internal product development lead to increasing complexity in product portfolios. The companies that manage the complexity in product development are more profitable in the long run. The complexity derives from product development and management processes where the new product variant development is not managed efficiently. Complexity is managed with modularization which is a method that divides the product structure into modules. In modularization, it is essential to take into account the trade-off between the perceived customer value and the module or component commonality across the products. Another goal is to enable the product configuration to be more flexible. The benefits are achieved through optimizing complexity in module offering and deriving the new product variants more flexibly and accurately. The developed modularization process includes the process steps for preparation, mapping the current situation, the creation of a modular strategy and implementing the strategy. Also the organization and support systems have to be adapted to follow-up targets and to execute modularization in practice.

The Role of Tactical Marketing Decisions on New Product Performance: The Moderating Effect of Entry Timing

This study focuses on observing how Finnish companies execute their new product launch processes. The main objective was to find out how entry timing moderates the relationship between launch tactics (namely product innovativeness, price and emotional advertising) and new product performance (namely sales volume and customer profitability). The empirical analysis was based on data collected in Lappeenranta University of Technology. The sample consisted of Finnish companies representing different industries and innovation activities. Altogether 272 usable responses were received representing a response rate of 37.67%. The measures were first assessed by using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) in PASW Statistics 18 and then further verified with confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) in LISREL 8.80. To test the hypotheses of the moderating effects of entry timing, hierarchical regression analysis was used in PASW Statistics 18. The results of the study revealed that the effect of product innovativeness on new product sales volume is dependent on entry timing. This implies that companies should carefully consider what would be the best time for entering the market when launching highly innovative new products. The results also depict a positive relationship between emotional advertising and new product sales volume. In addition, partial support was found for a positive relationship between pricing and new product customer profitability.

Integrating environmental aspects into product development process

Various regulations and customer requirements have made it necessary for Vacon Oyj to pay more attention to the environmental aspects in its processes. The main purpose of this master’s thesis project is to define how environmental aspects could be integrated into Vacon’s product development process. The aim is to find out the most important environmental aspects for the company to address, to examine how these could be taken into account during the development process and to map the critical factors that need consideration in order to ensure the successful integration of environmental aspects into the design process. Based on the customer requirements and evolving regulations the most important aspects for Vacon include minimizing the amount of harmful substances, improving the recyclability and energy efficiency of the product and moreover providing meaningful information related to these aspects. To tackle these issues, a new DfE process was developed, tasks in each phase were described and responsibilities were indicated. To ensure the success of the DfE process, management commitment, support of other processes and significant improvements in ways the information is managed are required. The developers should be provided with training and support. Environmental expertise and knowledge in-house should be developed and establishing meaningful environmental indicators is suggested.

Recovery and refining of manganese as by-product from hydrometallurgical processes

The consumption of manganese is increasing, but huge amounts of manganese still end up in waste in hydrometallurgical processes. The recovery of manganese from multi-metal solutions at low concentrations may not be economical. In addition, poor iron control typically prevents the production of high purity manganese. Separation of iron from manganese can be done with chemical precipitation or solvent extraction methods. Combined carbonate precipitation with air oxidation is a feasible method to separate iron and manganese due to the fast kinetics, good controllability and economical reagents. In addition the leaching of manganese carbonate is easier and less acid consuming than that of hydroxide or sulfide precipitates. Selective iron removal with great efficiency from MnSO4 solution is achieved by combined oxygen or air oxidation and CaCO3 precipitation at pH > 5.8 and at a redox potential of > 200 mV. In order to avoid gypsum formation, soda ash should be used instead of limestone. In such case, however, extra attention needs to be paid on the reagents mole ratios in order to avoid manganese coprecipitation. After iron removal, pure MnSO4 solution was obtained by solvent extraction using organophosphorus reagents, di-(2-ethylhexyl)phosphoric acid (D2EHPA) and bis(2,4,4- trimethylpentyl)phosphinic acid (CYANEX 272). The Mn/Ca and Mn/Mg selectivities can be increased by decreasing the temperature from the commonly used temperatures (40 –60oC) to 5oC. The extraction order of D2EHPA (Ca before Mn) at low temperature remains unchanged but the lowering of temperature causes an increase in viscosity and slower phase separation. Of these regents, CYANEX 272 is selective for Mn over Ca and, therefore, it would be the better choice if there is Ca present in solution. A three-stage Mn extraction followed by a two-stage scrubbing and two-stage sulfuric acid stripping is an effective method of producing a very pure MnSO4 intermediate solution for further processing. From the intermediate MnSO4 some special Mn- products for ion exchange applications were synthesized and studied. Three types of octahedrally coordinated manganese oxide materials as an alternative final product for manganese were chosen for synthesis: layer structured Nabirnessite, tunnel structured Mg-todorokite and K-kryptomelane. As an alternative source of pure MnSO4 intermediate, kryptomelane was synthesized by using a synthetic hydrometallurgical tailings. The results show that the studied OMS materials adsorb selectively Cu, Ni, Cd and K in the presence of Ca and Mg. It was also found that the exchange rates were reasonably high due to the small particle dimensions. Materials are stable in the studied conditions and their maximum Cu uptake capacity was 1.3 mmol/g. Competitive uptake of metals and acid was studied using equilibrium, batch kinetic and fixed-bed measurements. The experimental data was correlated with a dynamic model, which also accounts for the dissolution of the framework manganese. Manganese oxide micro-crystals were also bound onto silica to prepare a composite material having a particle size large enough to be used in column separation experiments. The MnOx/SiO2 ratio was found to affect significantly the properties of the composite. The higher the ratio, the lower is the specific surface area, the pore volume and the pore size. On the other hand, higher amount of silica binder gives composites better mechanical properties. Birnesite and todorokite can be aggregated successfully with colloidal silica at pH 4 and with MnO2/SiO2 weight ratio of 0.7. The best gelation and drying temperature was 110oC and sufficiently strong composites were obtained by additional heat-treatment at 250oC for 2 h. The results show that silica–supported MnO2 materials can be utilized to separate copper from nickel and cadmium. The behavior of the composites can be explained reasonably well with the presented model and the parameters estimated from the data of the unsupported oxides. The metal uptake capacities of the prepared materials were quite small. For example, the final copper loading was 0.14 mmol/gMnO2. According to the results the special MnO2 materials are potential for a specific environmental application to uptake harmful metal ions.

Network effects: Scale development and implications for new product performance

More and more innovations currently being commercialized exhibit network effects, in other words, the value of using the product increases as more and more people use the same or compatible products. Although this phenomenon has been the subject of much theoretical debate in economics, marketing researchers have been slow to respond to the growing importance of network effects in new product success. Despite an increase in interest in recent years, there is no comprehensive view on the phenomenon and, therefore, there is currently incomplete understanding of the dimensions it incorporates. Furthermore, there is wide dispersion in operationalization, in other words, the measurement of network effects, and currently available approaches have various shortcomings that limit their applicability, especially in marketing research. Consequently, little is known today about how these products fare on the marketplace and how they should be introduced in order to maximize their chances of success. Hence, the motivation for this study was driven by the need to increase our knowledge and understanding of the nature of network effects as a phenomenon, and of their role in the commercial success of new products. This thesis consists of two parts. The first part comprises a theoretical overview of the relevant literature, and presents the conclusions of the entire study. The second part comprises five complementary, empirical research publications. Quantitative research methods and two sets of quantitative data are utilized. The results of the study suggest that there is a need to update both the conceptualization and the operationalization of the phenomenon of network effects. Furthermore, there is a need for an augmented view on customers’ perceived value in the context of network effects, given that the nature of value composition has major implications for the viability of such products in the marketplace. The role of network effects in new product performance is not as straightforward as suggested in the existing theoretical literature. The overwhelming result of this study is that network effects do not directly influence product success, but rather enhance or suppress the influence of product introduction strategies. The major contribution of this study is in conceptualizing the phenomenon of network effects more comprehensively than has been attempted thus far. The study gives an augmented view of the nature of customer value in network markets, which helps in explaining why some products thrive on these markets whereas others never catch on. Second, the study discusses shortcomings in prior literature in the way it has operationalized network effects, suggesting that these limitations can be overcome in the research design. Third, the study provides some much-needed empirical evidence on how network effects, product introduction strategies, and new product performance are associated. In general terms, this thesis adds to our knowledge of how firms can successfully leverage network effects in product commercialization in order to improve market performance.

Military crisis management in the next decade (2020-2030) : inducing consent or relying on compliance?

The most outstanding conceptual challenge of modern crisis management is the principle of consent. It is not a problem only at the operational level - it challenges the entire decision-making structures of crisis management operations. In post-cold war times and especially in the 21st century, there has been a transition from peacekeeping with limited size and scope towards large and complex peace operations. This shift has presented peace operations with a dilemma. How to balance between maintaining consent for peace operations, whilst being able to use military force to coerce those attempting to wreck peace processes? To address such a dilemma, this research aims to promote understanding, on what can be achieved by military crisis management operations (peace support operations) in the next decade. The research concentrates on the focal research question: Should military components induce consent or rely on the compliance of conflicting parties in crisis management operations of the next decade (2020 – 2030)? The focus is on military – political strategic level considerations, and especially on the time before political decisions to commit to a crisis management operation. This study does not focus on which actor or organisation should intervene. The framework of this thesis derives from the so called ‘peacebuilding space’, the scope of peace operations and spoiler theory. Feasibility of both peace enforcement and peacekeeping in countering future risk conditions are analysed in this framework. This future-orientated qualitative research uses the Delphi-method with a panel of national and international experts. Citation analysis supports identification of relevant reference material, which consists of contemporary literature, the Delphi-questionnaires and interviews. The research process followed three main stages. In the first stage, plausible future scenarios and risk conditions were identified with the Delphi-panel. In the second stage, operating environments for peace support operations were described and consequent hypotheses formulated. In the third stage, these hypotheses were tested on the Delphi-panel. The Delphi-panel is sufficiently wide and diverse to produce plausible yet different insights. The research design utilised specifically military crisis management and peace operations theories. This produced various and relevant normative considerations. Therefore, one may argue that this research; which is based on accepted contemporary theory, hypotheses derived thereof and utilising an expert panel, contributes to the realm of peace support operations. This research finds that some degree of peace enforcement will be feasible and necessary in at least the following risk conditions: failed governance; potential spillover of ethnic, religious, ideological conflict; vulnerability of strategic chokepoints and infrastructures in ungoverned spaces; as well as in territorial and extra-territorial border disputes. In addition, some form of peace enforcement is probably necessary in risk conditions pertaining to: extremism of marginalised groups; potential disputes over previously uninhabited and resource-rich territories; and interstate rivalry. Furthermore, this research finds that peacekeeping measures will be feasible and necessary in at least risk conditions pertaining to: potential spillover of ethnic, religious, ideological conflict; uncontrolled migration; consequences from environmental catastrophes or changes; territorial and extra-territorial border disputes; and potential disputes over previously uninhabited and resource-rich territories. These findings are all subject to both generic and case specific preconditions that must exist for a peace support operation. Some deductions could be derived from the research findings. Although some risk conditions may appear illogical, understanding the underlying logic of a conflict is fundamental to understanding transition in crisis management. Practitioners of crisis management should possess cognizance of such transition. They must understand how transition should occur from threat to safety, from conflict to stability – and so forth. Understanding transition is imperative for managing the dynamic evolution of preconditions, which begins at the outset of a peace support operation. Furthermore, it is pertinent that spoilers are defined from a peace process point of view. If spoilers are defined otherwise, it changes the nature of an operation towards war, where the logic is breaking the will of an enemy - and surrender. In peace support operations, the logic is different: actions towards spoilers are intended to cause transition towards consent - not defeat. Notwithstanding future developments, history continues to provide strategic education. However, the distinction is that the risk conditions occur in novel futures. Hence, lessons learned from the past should be fitted to the case at hand. This research shows compelling evidence that swaying between intervention optimism and pessimism is not substantiated. Both peace enforcement and peacekeeping are sine qua non for successful military crisis management in the next decade.

Strike hard, strike sure - Operation Musketeer : British military planning during the Suez Crisis, 1956

Operation Musketeer, a combined joint Anglo-French operation aimed at regaining control of the Suez Canal in 1956, has received much attention from scholars. The most common approach to the crisis has been to examine the political dimension. The political events that led Prime Minister Anthony Eden’s cabinet to decide to use military force against the wishes of their superior American ally and in the face of American economic pressure and a Soviet threat to attack Paris and London with rockets have been analysed thoroughly. This is particularly the case because the ceasefire and eventual withdrawal were an indisputable defeat of British policy in the Middle East. The military operation not only ruined Prime Minister Eden’s career, but it also diminished the prestige of Britain. It was the beginning of the end, some claim. The British Empire would never be the same. As the consequences of using force are generally considered more important than the military operations themselves, very little attention has been paid to the military planning of Operation Musketeer. The difference between the number of publications on Operation Corporate of the Falklands War and Operation Musketeer is striking. Not only has there been little previous research on the military aspects of Musketeer, the conclusions drawn in the existing works have not reached a consensus. Some historians, such as Correlli Barnett, compare Musketeer to the utter failures of the Tudor landings and Gallipoli. Among significant politicians, Winston Churchill, who had retired from the prime ministership only a year before the Suez Crisis, described the operation as “the most ill-conceived and ill-executed imaginable”. Colin McInnes, a well-known author on British defence policy, represents the middle view when he describes the execution as “far from failure”. Finally, some, like Julian Thompson, the Commander of 3 Commando Brigade during the Falklands War, rate the military action itself as being successful. The interpretation of how successful the handling of the Suez Crisis was from the military point of view depends very much on the approach taken and the areas emphasised in the subject. Frequently, military operations are analysed in isolation from other events. The action of a country’s armed forces is separated from the wider context and evaluated without a solid point of comparison. Political consequences are often used as validated criteria, and complicated factors contributing to military performance are ignored. The lack of comprehensive research on the military action has left room for an analysis concentrating on the military side of the crisis.

Production of a product similar to gelatin from chicken feet collagen

Chicken feet can be used as an alternative source of collagen for the development of new products. In this sense, the aim of this study was the production of a product similar to gelatin from collagen extracted from chicken feet and the evaluation of sensory quality. The products were produced in two distinct flavors, with grape flavor called GU and pineapple flavor called GA. Subsequently, we compared these formulations with gelatin of a trademark established in the market. We used in the verification of sensory acceptability of products a hedonic scale of 9 points and the availability of consuming the product by 30 untrained tasters. According to the results, all formulations showed good levels of acceptability, indicating the collagen from chicken feet as an alternative source of high quality in the production of gelatin.