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.

Repair of segmental bone defects with fiber-reinforced composite: a study of material development and an animal model on rabbits

The Repair of segmental defects in load-bearing long bones is a challenging task because of the diversity of the load affecting the area; axial, bending, shearing and torsional forces all come together to test the stability/integrity of the bone. The natural biomechanical requirements for bone restorative materials include strength to withstand heavy loads, and adaptivity to conform into a biological environment without disturbing or damaging it. Fiber-reinforced composite (FRC) materials have shown promise, as metals and ceramics have been too rigid, and polymers alone are lacking in strength which is needed for restoration. The versatility of the fiber-reinforced composites also allows tailoring of the composite to meet the multitude of bone properties in the skeleton. The attachment and incorporation of a bone substitute to bone has been advanced by different surface modification methods. Most often this is achieved by the creation of surface texture, which allows bone growth, onto the substitute, creating a mechanical interlocking. Another method is to alter the chemical properties of the surface to create bonding with the bone – for example with a hydroxyapatite (HA) or a bioactive glass (BG) coating. A novel fiber-reinforced composite implant material with a porous surface was developed for bone substitution purposes in load-bearing applications. The material’s biomechanical properties were tailored with unidirectional fiber reinforcement to match the strength of cortical bone. To advance bone growth onto the material, an optimal surface porosity was created by a dissolution process, and an addition of bioactive glass to the material was explored. The effects of dissolution and orientation of the fiber reinforcement were also evaluated for bone-bonding purposes. The Biological response to the implant material was evaluated in a cell culture study to assure the safety of the materials combined. To test the material’s properties in a clinical setting, an animal model was used. A critical-size bone defect in a rabbit’s tibia was used to test the material in a load-bearing application, with short- and long-term follow-up, and a histological evaluation of the incorporation to the host bone. The biomechanical results of the study showed that the material is durable and the tailoring of the properties can be reproduced reliably. The Biological response - ex vivo - to the created surface structure favours the attachment and growth of bone cells, with the additional benefit of bioactive glass appearing on the surface. No toxic reactions to possible agents leaching from the material could be detected in the cell culture study when compared to a nontoxic control material. The mechanical interlocking was enhanced - as expected - with the porosity, whereas the reinforcing fibers protruding from the surface of the implant gave additional strength when tested in a bone-bonding model. Animal experiments verified that the material is capable of withstanding load-bearing conditions in prolonged use without breaking of the material or creating stress shielding effects to the host bone. A Histological examination verified the enhanced incorporation to host bone with an abundance of bone growth onto and over the material. This was achieved with minimal tissue reactions to a foreign body. An FRC implant with surface porosity displays potential in the field of reconstructive surgery, especially regarding large bone defects with high demands on strength and shape retention in load-bearing areas or flat bones such as facial / cranial bones. The benefits of modifying the strength of the material and adjusting the surface properties with fiber reinforcement and bone-bonding additives to meet the requirements of different bone qualities are still to be fully discovered.

Combination of catalyst development and chemical reaction engineering : a key aspect to improve the hydrogen peroxide direct synthesis

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Development and evaluation of a recombinant DNA vaccine candidate expressing porcine circovirus 2 structural protein

Porcine circovirus 2 (PCV2) is generally associated with the porcine circovirosis syndrome, which is considered an important disease of swine and has potentially serious economic impact on the swine industry worldwide. This article describes the construction of a recombinant plasmid expressing the PCV2 structural protein and the evaluation of cellular and humoral immune responses produced by this recombinant vaccine in BALB/c mice. The vaccine candidate was obtained and analyzed in vivo, in an effort to determine the ability to induce a specific immune response in mice. DNA was extracted from a Brazilian PCV2 isolate and the gene coding for Cap protein was amplified by PCR and inserted into an expression plasmid. Groups of BALB/c mice were inoculated intra-muscularly and intradermally in a 15-day interval, with 100 µg and 50 µg of the vaccine construct, respectively. Another group was inoculated intramuscularly with 100 µg of empty plasmid, corresponding to the control group. Seroconversion and cellular response in BALB/c mice were compared and used for vaccine evaluation. Seroconversion was analyzed by ELISA. After a series of 3 immunizations the spleen cells of the immunized animals were used to perform lymphocyte proliferation assays. Seroconversion to PCV2 was detected by ELISA in the animals inoculated with the vaccine construct when compared with control groups. Lymphocyte proliferation assays showed a stronger cell proliferation in the inoculated animals compared with the control group. Thus, the vaccine candidate construct demonstrated to be able to induce both humoral and cellular responses in inoculated mice.

CTQ process flow development and the impact for cost of quality

Tämä työ tehtiin Kone Industrial Oy:lle Major Projects yksikköön, laatuosastolle. Kone Major Projects yksikkö keskittyy erikoisiin ja suuriin hissi- ja liukuporras projekteihin. Työn tavoitteena oli luoda harmonisoitu prosessi hissikomponenttien laaduntarkkailua varten sekä tarkastella ja vertailla kustannussäästöjä, jota tällä uudella prosessilla voidaan saavuttaa. Tavoitteena oli saavuttaa 80-prosentin kustannussäästöt laatukustannuksissa uuden laatuprosessin avulla. Työn taustana ja tutkimusongelmana ovat lisääntyneet erikoisprojektit ja niiden myötä lisääntynyt laaduntarkkailun tarve. Ongelmana laaduntarkkailussa voitiin pitää harmonisoidun ja selkeän prosessin puuttumista C-prosessikomponenttien valmistuksessa. Lisäksi kehitysprosessin aikana luotiin vanhojen työkalujen pohjalta keskeinen laaduntarkkailutyökalu, CTQ-työkalu. Työssä käsitellään ensin Konetta yhtiönä ja selvitetään Koneen keskeisimmät prosessit työn taustaksi. Teoria osuudessa käsitellään prosessin kehitykseen liittyviä teorioita sekä yleisiä laatukäsitteitä ja esitetään teorioita laadun asemasta nykypäivänä. Lopuksi käsitellään COQ eli laatukustannusten teoriaa ja esitellään teoria PAF-analyysille, jota käytetään työssä laatukustannusten vertailuun case esimerkin avulla. Työssä kuvataan CTQ prosessin luominen alusta loppuun ja case esimerkin avulla testataan uutta CTQ prosessia pilottihankkeessa. Tässä case esimerkissä projektin bracket eli johdekiinnitysklipsi tuotetaan uuden laatuprosessin avulla sekä tehdään kustannusvertailu saman projektin toisen bracketin kanssa, joka on tuotettu ennen uuden laatuprosessin implementoimista. Työn lopputuloksena CTQ prosessi saatiin luotua ja sitä pystyttiin testaamaan käytännössä case esimerkin avulla. Tulosten perusteella voidaan sanoa, että CTQ prosessin käyttö vähentää laatukustannuksia huomattavasti ja helpottaa laadunhallintaa C-prosessikomponenttien tuotannossa.

A Model-Based Development and Verification Framework for Distributed System-on-Chip Architecture

The capabilities and thus, design complexity of VLSI-based embedded systems have increased tremendously in recent years, riding the wave of Moore’s law. The time-to-market requirements are also shrinking, imposing challenges to the designers, which in turn, seek to adopt new design methods to increase their productivity. As an answer to these new pressures, modern day systems have moved towards on-chip multiprocessing technologies. New architectures have emerged in on-chip multiprocessing in order to utilize the tremendous advances of fabrication technology. Platform-based design is a possible solution in addressing these challenges. The principle behind the approach is to separate the functionality of an application from the organization and communication architecture of hardware platform at several levels of abstraction. The existing design methodologies pertaining to platform-based design approach don’t provide full automation at every level of the design processes, and sometimes, the co-design of platform-based systems lead to sub-optimal systems. In addition, the design productivity gap in multiprocessor systems remain a key challenge due to existing design methodologies. This thesis addresses the aforementioned challenges and discusses the creation of a development framework for a platform-based system design, in the context of the SegBus platform - a distributed communication architecture. This research aims to provide automated procedures for platform design and application mapping. Structural verification support is also featured thus ensuring correct-by-design platforms. The solution is based on a model-based process. Both the platform and the application are modeled using the Unified Modeling Language. This thesis develops a Domain Specific Language to support platform modeling based on a corresponding UML profile. Object Constraint Language constraints are used to support structurally correct platform construction. An emulator is thus introduced to allow as much as possible accurate performance estimation of the solution, at high abstraction levels. VHDL code is automatically generated, in the form of “snippets” to be employed in the arbiter modules of the platform, as required by the application. The resulting framework is applied in building an actual design solution for an MP3 stereo audio decoder application.

What is behind the OpenDOAR? New Development and Community Benefits

Presentation at Open Repositories 2014, Helsinki, Finland, June 9-13, 2014

The interplay of JNK and SCG10 during cortical development and in excitotoxic responses in brain

Initially identified as stress activated protein kinases (SAPKs), the c-Jun Nterminal kinases (JNKs) are currently accepted as potent regulators of various physiologically important cellular events. Named after their competence to phosphorylate transcription factor c-Jun in response to UVtreatment, JNKs play a key role in cell proliferation, cell death or cell migration. Interestingly, these functions are crucial for proper brain formation. The family consists of three JNK isoforms, JNK1, JNK2 and JNK3. Unlike brain specific JNK3 isoform, JNK1 and JNK2 are ubiquitously expressed. It is estimated that ten splice variants exist. However, the detailed cellular functions of these remain undetermined. In addition, physiological conditions keep the activities of JNK2 and JNK3 low in comparison with JNK1, whereas cellular stress raises the activity of these isoforms dramatically. Importantly, JNK1 activity is constitutively high in neurons, yet it does not stimulate cell death. This suggests a valuable role for JNK1 in brain development, but also as an important mediator of cell wellbeing. The aim of this thesis was to characterize the functional relationship between JNK1 and SCG10. We found that SCG10 is a bona fide target for JNK. By employing differential centrifugation we showed that SCG10 co-localized with active JNK, MKK7 and JIP1 in a fraction containing endosomes and Golgi vesicles. Investigation of JNK knockout tissues using phosphospecific antibodies recognizing JNK-specific phosphorylation sites on SCG10 (Ser 62/Ser 73) showed that phosphorylation of endogenous SCG10 was dramatically decreased in Jnk1-/- brains. Moreover, we found that JNK and SCG10 co-express during early embryonic days in brain regions that undergo extensive neuronal migration. Our study revealed that selective inhibition of JNK in the cytoplasm significantly increased both the frequency of exit from the multipolar stage and radial migration rate. However, as a consequence, it led to ill-defined cellular organization. Furthermore, we found that multipolar exit and radial migration in Jnk1 deficient mice can be connected to changes in phosphorylation state of SCG10. Also, the expression of a pseudo-phosphorylated mutant form of SCG10, mimicking the JNK1- phopshorylated form, brings migration rate back to normal in Jnk1 knockout mouse embryos. Furthermore, we investigated the role of SCG10 and JNK in regulation of Golgi apparatus (GA) biogenesis and whether pathological JNK action could be discernible by its deregulation. We found that SCG10 maintains GA integrity as with the absence of SCG10 neurons present more compact fragmented GA structure, as shown by the knockdown approach. Interestingly, neurons isolated from Jnk1-/- mice show similar characteristics. Block of ER to GA is believed to be involved in development of Parkinson's disease. Hence, by using a pharmacological approach (Brefeldin A treatment), we showed that GA recovery is delayed upon removal of the drug in Jnk1-/- neurons to an extent similar to the shRNA SCG10-treated cells. Finally, we investigated the role of the JNK1-SCG10 duo in the maintenance of GA biogenesis following excitotoxic insult. Although the GA underwent fragmentation in response to NMDA treatment, we observed a substantial delay in GA disintegration in neurons lacking either JNK1 or SCG10.

Development and applications of the SWAN rating scale for assessment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: a literature review

This study reviewed the use of the Strengths and Weaknesses of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity-symptoms and Normal-behaviors (SWAN) rating scale in diagnostic and evolutive approaches to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and in correlational studies of the disorder. A review of articles published in indexed journals from electronic databases was conducted and 61 articles on the SWAN scale were analyzed. From these, 27 were selected to a) examine use of SWAN in research on attention disorders and b) verify evidence of its usefulness in the areas of genetics, neuropsychology, diagnostics, psychiatric comorbidities, neuroimaging, pharmacotherapy, and to examine its statistical reliability and validity in studies of diverse populations. This review of articles indicated a growing use of the SWAN scale for diagnostic purposes, for therapy, and in research on areas other than ADHD, especially when compared with other reliable scales. Use of the scale in ADHD diagnosis requires further statistical testing to define its psychometric properties.

Production of yeast extracts from whey for food use: market and technical considerations

Whey is produced in large amounts by cheese industries. This by-product can be used for biomass production by yeast cultivation, resulting in commercially attractive products. The use of yeast extracts as source of flavour enhancer consists of an expansible market, encouraged by costumer's choice for natural additives. The development of a suitable and economically viable project for the generation of valued-added by-products, may allow the dairy industry to diversify their portfolio and increase their rentability.

Development and characterization of thin printed films for gas sensing applications

The monitoring and control of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) level is of great interest for a wide range of application areas including food quality control, defense and antiterrorist applications and air quality monitoring e.g. in mines. H2S is a very poisonous and flammable gas. Exposure to low concentrations of H2S can result in eye irritation, a sore throat and cough, shortness of breath, and fluid retention in the lungs. These symptoms usually disappear in a few weeks. Long-term, low-level exposure may result in fatigue, loss of appetite, headache, irritability, poor memory, and dizziness. Higher concentrations of 700 - 800 ppm tend to be fatal. H2S has a characteristic smell of rotten egg. However, because of temporary paralysis of olfactory nerves, the smelling capability at concentrations higher than 100 ppm is severely compromised. In addition, volatile H2S is one of the main products during the spoilage of poultry meat in anaerobic conditions. Currently, no commercial H2S sensor is available which can operate under anaerobic conditions and can be easily integrated in the food packaging. This thesis presents a step-wise progress in the development of printed H2S gas sensors. Efforts were made in the formulation, characterization and optimization of functional printable inks and coating pastes based on composites of a polymer and a metal salt as well as a composite of a metal salt and an organic acid. Different processing techniques including inkjet printing, flexographic printing, screen printing and spray coating were utilized in the fabrication of H2S sensors. The dispersions were characterized by measuring turbidity, surface tension, viscosity and particle size. The sensing films were characterized using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy and an electrical multimeter. Thin and thick printed or coated films were developed for gas sensing applications with the aim of monitoring the H2S concentrations in real life applications. Initially, a H2S gas sensor based on a composite of polyaniline and metal salt was developed. Both aqueous and solvent-based dispersions were developed and characterized. These dispersions were then utilized in the fabrication of roll-to-roll printed H2S gas sensors. However, the humidity background, long term instability and comparatively lower detection limit made these sensors less favourable for real practical applications. To overcome these problems, copper acetate based sensors were developed for H2S gas sensing. Stable inks with excellent printability were developed by tuning the surface tension, viscosity and particle size. This enabled the formation of inkjet-printed high quality copper acetate films with excellent sensitivity towards H2S. Furthermore, these sensors showed negligible humidity effects and improved selectivity, response time, lower limit of detection and coefficient of variation. The lower limit of detection of copper acetate based sensors was further improved to sub-ppm level by incorporation of catalytic gold nano-particles and subsequent plasma treatment of the sensing film. These sensors were further integrated in an inexpensive wirelessly readable RLC-circuit (where R is resistor, L is inductor and C is capacitor). The performance of these sensors towards biogenic H2S produced during the spoilage of poultry meat in the modified atmosphere package was also demonstrated in this thesis. This serves as a proof of concept that these sensors can be utilized in real life applications.

Development and assessment of acceptability and nutritional properties of a light snack

A light snack was developed using a fat replacer as a flavor fixative agent. The product presented a calorie reduction of up to 47.5% in comparison with products available on the market. The impact of this fat replacer on the sensory properties was determined by comparing this light snack to the traditional ones. No significant difference in texture was observed; however, there was a difference in color (deltaE = 8.67), due mainly to luminosity (deltaL = 7.79). The light snack presented high sensory acceptability (7.27 ± 1.3; 82.5% of grades were > 7 on 9-point hedonic scale); no significant difference in snack acceptability was observed. However, the traditional snack was significantly preferred in sensory terms (p < 0.05). In an opinion survey when the consumers were informed about snack composition, 75% of them said that they would buy the light snack instead of the traditional one. The caloric and fat reductions allow the use of the claims "light snack" and "fat free", in accordance with the legislation of various countries. We conclude that it is technologically possible to use a fat replacer in snack production, resulting in a sensory acceptable light snack with great potential to replace traditional ones.

Development and characterization of orally-disintegrating films for propolis delivery

This study aimed at evaluating the effect of different concentrations of hydrolyzed collagen (HC) on the properties of an orally disintegrating film containing propolis ethanol extract (PEE) as an active component. The films were evaluated in terms of total phenols, mechanical properties, solubility, contact angle, disintegration time, and microstructure. The films were prepared by casting with 2 g of protein mass (gelatin and HC), 30 g of sorbitol/100 g of protein mass, and 100 g of PEE/100 g of protein mass. HC was incorporated at concentrations of 0, 10, 20, and 30 g/100 g of protein mass. It was found that increased concentrations of HC reduced tensile strength and increased elongation; however, all films showed plastic behavior. An increase in solubility at 25 ºC, a reduction in the contact angle, and disintegration time were also observed. Thus, higher concentrations of collagen led to more hydrophilic and more soluble polymeric matrices that showed shorter dissolution time, favoring the use of these materials as carriers for active compounds to be delivered in the oral cavity.

User Experience Patterns for/of Innovation by Design: A Survey on Design Practices in the Software Development and Innovation Lifecycle

The User Experience (UX) designers are undoubtedly aware of how many UX design methods currently exist and that sometimes it becomes a problem to choose an appropriate one. What are all of methods that designers have in their “arsenal”? When can they use them? This thesis presents the research on the design methods in the contemporary context of User Experience (UX) and Innovations by using a survey approach. The study is limited to cover the domain of consumer mobile services development and provider companies around the world. The study follows 2 clear objectives: (1) to understand what design methods are currently used in that context and to what extent they are used (2) to identify at what stage according to the UX design thinking process for creating innovations they are placed. The study contributes to the research in the field of UX design and Innovations and extends the knowledge in that field together with communities’ (UXPA, SIGCHI, SIGSOFT) members’ cooperation. The research is vital due to lack of information on design practices and their application in the chosen context.

Land Use Map

This map shows the entire campus master plan and details what each area of land would be used for.