Cleavages in contemporary Finland : a study on party-voter ties

Cleavages have been central in understanding the relationship between political parties and voters but the credibility of cleavage approach has been increasingly debated. This is because of decreasing party loyalty, fewer ideological differences between the parties and general social structural change amongst other factors. By definition, cleavages arise when social structural groups recognize their clashing interests, which are reflected in common values and attitudes, and vote for parties that are dedicated to defend the interests of the groups concerned. This study assesses relevance of cleavage approach in the Finnish context. The research problem in this study is “what kind of a cleavage structure exists in Finland at the beginning of the 21st century? Finland represents a case that has traditionally been characterized by a strong and diverse cleavage structure, notable ideological fragmentation in the electorate and an ideologically diverse party system. Nevertheless, the picture of the party-voter ties in Finland still remains incomplete with regard to a thorough analysis of cleavages. In addition, despite the vast amount of literature on cleavages in political science, studies that thoroughly analyze national cleavage structures by assessing the relationship between social structural position, values and attitudes and party choice have been rare. The research questions are approached by deploying statistical analyses, and using Finnish National Election Studies from 2003, 2007 and 2011as data. In this study, seven different social structural cleavage bases are analyzed: native language, type of residential area, occupational class, education, denomination, gender and age cohorts. Four different value/attitudinal dimensions were identified in this study: economic right and authority, regional and socioeconomic equality, sociocultural and European Union dimensions. This study shows that despite the weak overall effect of social structural positions on values and attitudes, a few rather strong connections between them were identified. The overall impact of social structural position and values and attitudes on party choice varies significantly between parties. Cleavages still exist in Finland and the cleavage structure partly reflects the old basis in the Finnish party system. The cleavage that is based on the type of residential area and reflected in regional and socioeconomic equality dimensions concerns primarily the voters of the Centre Party and the Coalition Party. The linguistic cleavage concerns mostly the voters of the Swedish People’s Party. The classic class cleavage reflected in the regional and socioeconomic equality dimension concerns in turn first and foremost the blue-collar voters of the Left Alliance and the Social Democratic Party, the agricultural entrepreneur voters of the Centre Party and higher professional and manager voters of the Coalition Party. The conflict with the most potential as a cleavage is the one based on social status (occupational class and education) and it is reflected in sociocultural and EU dimensions. It sets the voters of the True Finns against the voters of the Green League and the Coalition Party. The study underlines the challenges the old parties have met after the volatile election in 2011, which shook the cleavage structure. It also describes the complexity involved in the Finnish conflict structure and the multidimensionality in the electoral competition between the parties.

Development of modular roll service concepts

The goal of this study was to find and develop new or improved service concepts for rolls in a paper machine and secondary targets were to find out what the KPIs and values of the concepts are. Two methodologies were utilized in researching this problem; firstly sales personnel were interviewed about customer values and KPIs and a questionnaire about service modules were sent out to four BSI (basic sales item) responsible persons. Throughout the research process differences in geographic regions were identified and several customer KPIs and values were discovered. The interviews showed that the main concern for customers is the cost of operations. The goal is to produce the same or in some cases more tons with smaller operating costs. The questionnaire standardized the data about service modules and made it possible to link these values, KPIs and concerns of customers to Valmet’s service offering. Eventually these service modules were used to create a service concepts that offer flexibility, cost savings, safety and peace of mind for the customers. With this new conceptual approach Valmet can more flexibly answer to customer quotations and modify the offering to better generate customer value and customer satisfaction. In addition a new BSI was defined and proposed for pilot projects.

Telahiomon tuotannon läpimenoajan ja laadun optimointi

Tämän diplomityön tarkoituksena on tunnistaa UPM Kymin telahiomon tuotannon läpimenoaikaan sekä laatuun vaikuttavia tekijöitä ja löytää keinot niiden optimoimiseksi, jotta hiontatuotannon kustannustehokkuus parantuisi. Tutkimusmenetelminä työssä käytetään Kymin telahiomon tuotannon läpimenoaikojen telakohtaista mittaamista ja hionnasta tehtyjen mittausraporttien, pinnoituksista ja hionnoista tehtyjen ostotilauksien sekä SAP R/3-toiminnanohjausjärjestelmästä saatavan kunnossapitodatan tutkintaa. Tiedon lähteenä on käytetty myös kirjallisuutta ja UPM henkilöstön sekä toimittajien haastatteluita. Muiden telahiomojen aikaansaamaan laatuun ja tuotannon läpimenoaikaan verrattuna Kymin telahiomon keskimääräiset hiontatuotannon läpimenoajat ovat telasta riippuen kaksinkertaisia tai jopa lähes nelinkertaisia, vaikka pinnankarheus jää osassa teloista alle asetetun tavoitteen. Telahiomojen muototoleransseissa ei ole niin merkittäviä eroja, mitkä selittäisivät Kymin pidemmät hiontatuotannon läpimenoajat. Tämän takia muototoleransseja ei ole päädytty muuttamaan työn aikana, mutta käyttökokemusten mukaan pinnankarheusvaatimusta voidaan laskea. Telahiontaprosessin muotohiontavaihe on suurin hiontatuotannon läpimenoaikaan ja kustannuksiin vaikuttava tekijä. Hiontamenetelmien ja hionta-arvojen optimoimisella, hiontatyökalujen lastuamiskyvyn ylläpitämisellä, telahiontatuotannon yliprosessoinnin ehkäisyllä ja laatutoleransseihin tyytymisellä voidaan lyhentää kymmeniä tunteja telahiomon tuotannon läpimenoaikaa. Mittausraporttien mukaan merkittävin muutos telahiontaprosessin kustannuksiin ja hiontatuotannon läpimenoaikaan saadaan noudattamalla laatutoleransseja. Telojen kunnossapitoon liittyviä kustannuksia syntyy turhaan lisää, kun vaihdetaan ja hiotaan käyttökelpoisia teloja sekä uudelleen pinnoitetaan teloja, joiden pinnoitepaksuus on vielä riittävä. Pinnoitepaksuuden seurannalla voidaan minimoida telojen ennenaikaiset uudelleenpinnoitukset. Mittalaitteiden avulla pystyy optimoimaan telojen hiontavälit. Hiontavälien optimointi lyhentää myös hiontajonoa. Tällöin voidaan hyödyntää suunnitellun hiontajärjestyksen tuomia etuja tehokkaammin ja saavuttaa nopeampia tuotannon läpimenoaikoja.

Motivations behind clicking the share-button

The main objective of this study is to examine the motivations behind sharing information and other content in social media. The goal was also to research how social media has changed information sharing behavior online. The theoretical part of the study covers social media marketing, motivations and Rioux’s framework of Information-Acquiring–and-Sharing in Internet environments. Marketer’s abilities to influence information sharing is explained through the MOA-model. The empirical research was conducted by using deductive research methods to assess Rioux’s framework of IA&S behavior in social media. This study included interviews of 12 respondents. The data was collected and analyzed by using qualitative research methods. This study confirms Rioux’s findings. Everyday information needs motivate information acquiring behavior. The findings show that social and emotional needs for maintaining relationships and the need for participation are considered as the most important internal motivations of sharing information and other content on social media. External motivations include expectations of others, environmental norms, and opportunities to win money. Social media strengthens the motivation for sharing information by offering a platform for satisfying these needs. It has also increased information sharing online due to its ease of use.

Facilitating corporate entrepreneurial behavior: A study of corporate entrepreneurial behavior in corporate banking

This study discusses the pronounced importance of corporate entrepreneurial behavior, CEB, facilitation and enablement as a key dimension in the rapidly changing business environment within companies. The research target is a large finance company in Finland, where regulations, compliance and processes restrict and refine extensively business approach. The purpose of this study is to foster the understanding of corporate entrepreneurial behavior and requirements and identify the supporters and inhibitors of facilitation of it. Furthermore, this study examines who should be driving the implementation and offer concrete outcome for the company to get the facilitation started and berth it as part of the organizational culture and values. The theoretical background is constructed from literature related to concept of corporate entrepreneurial behavior, factors supporting and hindering the facilitation based on previous studies and innovation management. Furthermore theoretical framework of middle managers entrepreneurial behavior in facilitation process was researched. Additionally top down and bottom up approach of conversational space building within the organization in order to foster innovation and involving mindset and behavior was in the core literature. The empirical research conducted for the study consists three parts; innovation audit questionnaire, semi-structured interviews and secondary data from previously made research within the case company. Questionnaire and interviews were targeted to eight middle managers within the company, the head of branch regions in corporate segment. The secondary data was collected from over 300 employees in the case company by an external company. Research results were analyzed mainly by themes and source division in adaption with the theoretical framework. The study finds that facilitation of CEB should be a strategic choice and requires strong management support and examples. Behavior should be involved with organizational culture, values, structures and processes. The companies´ willingness to take risks and encourage employees at all levels to participate and be involved by taking ownership and responsibility is in the core. CEB is found to be a key dimension in increasing employee satisfaction and engagement, competitive advantages and economic growth of companies. There is increased interest towards CEB in the case company but there is lack in the mutual consensus of it. CEB is not in the strategy although the mindset and support from management is in place. There is no concrete enablement and space for innovation and CEB although the platform would be receptive. Further research is needed to build shared vision of CEB and how to make it a part of the organizational culture and values in addition to building the conversational space.

Há compatibilidade entre a "tecnologia social" de Nelson e a "causalidade vebleniana" de Hodgson?

Is there compatibility between Nelson's 'Social Technology' and Hodgson's 'Veblenian Causality'? This paper aims to discuss the role and the relationship among the concept of institutions and the economic growth process, through the Neo-Schumpeterian and Institutionalist approaches. Both of them constitute a new research agenda differentiated and opposite to the mainstream. In the first part of the paper we discuss the research agenda proposed by Richard Nelson who emphasizes the necessity to unpack the institution concept throughout the social technology notion. In the second part we discuss Geoffrey Hodgson's contribution that suggests inserting this process in an evolutionary perspective, which has in habits, norms and social behavior his major characteristic.

Democracia e eficiência: a difícil relação entre política e economia no debate contemporâneo

Democracy and efficiency: hard relations between politics and economy. Many economists see politics as an irrational activity. They also think state action usually generates market inefficiencies and democratic institutions, such as elections, often work as obstacles to sound economic measures. Showing that vision has been embedded into the main currents of economic thought since the last century, we also argue those ideas are exported to great part of contemporary political science, including the area of public policies. Examining the literature, we show that rational choice political scientists, as the economists, claim governability and effective decisions will be guaranteed mainly through concentrated arenas or through insulated arrangements able to protect policy makers from political interference. In other words, governability depends on the reduction of the political arenas. On the contrary, we reject this technocratic solution of splitting politics from economy. With the support of classical pluralist thinkers, we stand another conception, arguing politics is the privileged social space for building interests and values in an institutionalized way. The difficulties to surpass current international crises since 2008 reveal this is a crucial problem: reducing politics would prevent societies from improving institutional solutions which are the only ones able to give space to emerging conflicts and, then, reach eventual consensus around them.

Opettajattareksi sopimaton? Diskurssianalyysi seminaarien naisoppilaiden poikkeavuuden tulkinnasta ja kontrollista Suomessa 1860 -1960 -luvuilla

Tutkimus sijoittuu konstruktivismin ja kasvatuksen historian alueille. Tutkin diskurssianalyysin keinoin miten opettajiksi opiskelevien tyttö- ja naisoppilaiden poikkeavuuden tulkintoja on luotu, ylläpidetty ja uusinnettu 1860-1960 -lukujen Suomessa. Huomio on siinä miten opettajaseminaarien tyttö- ja naisoppilaiden käyttäytymistä on tulkittu poikkeavaksi opettajakokousten pöytäkirjojen teksteissä; miten poikkeavuutta on luotu diskursseilla - ja miten diskurssit ja niiden tulkinnat ovat olleet sukupuolitettuja. Tutkimusaiheeseen diskurssianalyysi soveltuu niin metodiksi kuin viitekehykseksikin, koska poikkeavuuden, normaalin ja epänormaalin rakentuminen tapahtuu kielenkäytön, vuorovaikutuksen ja sosiaalisen toiminnan keskinäisissä suhteissa. Pyrkimyksenä on tietoisuuden lisääminen niistä prosesseista, joissa näitä poikkeavuuden tulkintoja luotiin. Aineistoni koostuu rangaistustapauksista, jotka ovat kirjattu viiden opettajaseminaarin opettajakokousten pöytäkirjoihin vuosien 1863 - 1962 välisenä aikana. Rikkomustapauksia on yhteensä 1436, joista 194 tyttöoppilaiden tekemiä. Ajanjakso alkaa kansalaisyhteiskunnan ja kansanopetuksen synnystä ja päättyy peruskoulun alkuvaiheisiin. Vaikka seminaarien virallinen ja julkinen säännöstö oli kohdistettu yhtälailla nais- ja miesoppilaille, sisälsivät diskursseihin kätkeytyvät normistot seminaarien tyttö- ja naisoppilaille omat erilliset rajat, joiden ylittäminen teki heistä poikkeavia. Tyttö- ja naisoppilaiden poikkeavuus opettajaseminaareissa on ollut poikkeamista Jumalan säätämästä järjestyksestä, jossa naisella on määrätty paikkansa, asemansa ja tehtävänsä. Kun poika- ja miesoppilaiden normeista ja seminaarien säännöistä poikkeamisia on käsitelty opettajakokouksissa rikoksina, on tyttö- ja naisoppilaiden rikkeitä pyritty näkemään sairauden kaltaisina moraalia ja ymmärrystä heikentävinä tiloina. Ennen kaikkea ne ovat olleet rikkomuksia oikeanlaista naiseutta eli ”tosinaiseuden” mallia vastaan. Naisopettajuuden malli kansan äitinä ja mallikansalaisena sekä nöyrän, alistuvan, vaatimattoman ja säyseän ”tosinaisen” mallit olivat lähes yhdenmukaiset ja ne ovat luoneet ja ylläpitäneet tyttö- ja naisoppilaiden toiseutta. Diskurssit, joilla tätä toiseutta ylläpidettiin, elivät opettajaseminaarien pöytäkirjateksteissä liki sadan vuoden ajan vain painotuserojen muuttuessa hieman. Toivon työni herättävän pohdintaa siitä, mitä saattaisivat olla oman aikamme vastaavanlaiset itsestäänselvyydet, jotka otamme annettuina ja jotka kyseenalaistamattomina totuuksina rajoittavat niin kasvatettavien kuin kasvattajienkin omaksi itsekseen tulemista.

Democracy over governance

Varieties of institutional economics are available to evaluate varieties of capitalism. These methodologies dig behind preferences and technology to arrive at the ground on which agents make choices. The individual is at the foundation of these edifices, neoclassical and otherwise. Consequently, the denouement of all these models is that the market knows best in the absence of effective counterfactuals. A natural corollary is that the task of the government is to set effective mechanisms in place in order to approach the best outcomes. In contrast, we propose a framework which contends with the modern economy as an aggregate that evolves in historical time. Problems like effective demand failures are endemic to capitalist economies. Therefore, systematic State intervention is essential to their functioning. In particular, political economy teaches us that intervention must be in the interest of wage earners. In contrast to the earlier model, the fabric of norms and conventions that facilitate the growth and development of economies must emerge from the consciousness and practices of the working class.

Implementation of educational change in Finland: The case of the undivided basic education reform

For the past decades, educational large-scale reforms have been elaborated and implemented in many countries and often resulted in partial or complete failure. These results brought researchers to study policy processes in order to address this particular challenge. Studies on implementation processes brought to light an existing causal relationship between the implementation process and the effectiveness of a reform. This study aims to describe the implementation process of educational change in Finland, who produced efficient educational reforms over the last 50 years. The case study used for the purpose of this study is the national reform of undivided basic education (yhtenäinen peruskoulu) implemented in the end of the 1990s. Therefore, this research aims to describe how the Finnish undivided basic education reform was implemented. This research was carried out using a pluralist and structuralist approach of policy process and was analyzed according to the hybrid model of implementation process. The data were collected using a triangulation of methods, i.e. documentary research, interviews and questionnaires. The data were qualitative and were analyzed using content analysis methods. This study concludes that the undivided basic education reform was applied in a very decentralized manner, which is a reflection of the decentralized system present in Finland. Central authorities provided a clear vision of the purpose of the reform, but did not control the implementation process. They rather provided extensive support in the form of transmission of information and development of collaborative networks. Local authorities had complete autonomy in terms of decision-making and implementation process. Discussions, debates and decisions regarding implementation processes took place at the local level and included the participation of all actors present on the field. Implementation methods differ from a region to another, with is the consequence of the variation of the level of commitment of local actors but also the diversity of local realities. The reform was implemented according to existing structures and values, which means that it was in cohesion with the context in which it was implemented. These results cannot be generalized to all implementation processes of educational change in Finland but give a great insight of what could be the model used in Finland. Future studies could intent to confirm the model described here by studying other reforms that took place in Finland.

Implementation of educational change in Finland: The case of the undivided basic education reform

For the past decades, educational large-scale reforms have been elaborated and implemented in many countries and often resulted in partial or complete failure. These results brought researchers to study policy processes in order to address this particular challenge. Studies on implementation processes brought to light an existing causal relationship between the implementation process and the effectiveness of a reform. This study aims to describe the implementation process of educational change in Finland, who produced efficient educational reforms over the last 50 years. The case study used for the purpose of this study is the national reform of undivided basic education (yhtenäinen peruskoulu) implemented in the end of the 1990s. Therefore, this research aims to describe how the Finnish undivided basic education reform was implemented. This research was carried out using a pluralist and structuralist approach of policy process and was analyzed according to the hybrid model of implementation process. The data were collected using a triangulation of methods, i.e. documentary research, interviews and questionnaires. The data were qualitative and were analyzed using content analysis methods. This study concludes that the undivided basic education reform was applied in a very decentralized manner, which is a reflection of the decentralized system present in Finland. Central authorities provided a clear vision of the purpose of the reform, but did not control the implementation process. They rather provided extensive support in the form of transmission of information and development of collaborative networks. Local authorities had complete autonomy in terms of decision-making and implementation process. Discussions, debates and decisions regarding implementation processes took place at the local level and included the participation of all actors present on the field. Implementation methods differ from a region to another, with is the consequence of the variation of the level of commitment of local actors but also the diversity of local realities. The reform was implemented according to existing structures and values, which means that it was in cohesion with the context in which it was implemented. These results cannot be generalized to all implementation processes of educational change in Finland but give a great insight of what could be the model used in Finland. Future studies could intent to confirm the model described here by studying other reforms that took place in Finland.

Expressing the self in postmodern travel consumption: a case study of students

The study approaches student travel from the perspective of postmodern consumption. The background is in the observation that the student travel market has a vast potential, but it is not necessarily capitalized upon to the extent it could. This might partly have to do with the peculiarities of postmodernity: consumption is characterized by unpredictability and abstract motives. The research questions are built around what constitutes student travel consumption and how can students be categorized according to motivation, behaviour and values. Also identity and expressiveness are present and it is evaluated, if travel services facilitate these background is the observation that the student travel market has a vast potential, but it is not necessarily capitalized upon to the extent it could be. This might partly have to do with the peculiarities of postmodernity: consumption is characterized by unpredictability and abstract motives. The research questions are built around what constitutes student travel consumption and how can students be categorized according to motivation, behaviour and values. Also identity and expressiveness are present and it is evaluated whether travel services facilitate these constructs. The topic is approached by discovering the key concepts such as self-identity. This was done in order to create survey questions that reflect the underlying theories. The survey was sent to chosen student groups of Turku School of Economics. The data was analyzed using statistical methods, mainly principal component analysis, in order to categorize students’ motives and behaviour into distinct profiles. The findings indicate that students have a high level of awareness in their travel consumption choices. Travel services seem to facilitate identity and lifestyle expressiveness, one central dimension of postmodernity. Psychographics such as motivation seem to work well as a segmentation criteria when it comes to the student traveler market. Travel offers students an opportunity for relaxation, escape, enjoyment and gaining new experiences and social contacts. Furthermore, the enjoyment of the travel experience extends to the pre- and post-trip time.

Organisaatiokulttuuri, arvot ja sisäinen yrittäjyys kasvuyrityksen kulmakivenä

Yritysten menestystä on perinteisesti pyritty määrittelemään ulkoa käsin. Vain vähän tutkimuksia on pystynyt linkittämään sisäisiä ilmiöitä kuten organisaatiokulttuuri tai sisäinen yrittäjyys kasvuun ja suorituskykyyn. Tutkimus on laadullinen tapaustutkimus, jossa syvennyttään tarkastelemaan ICT-toimialan kasvuyritykseen yrityskulttuurin olemusta, ilmenemismuotoja sekä yrityksen arvopohjaa ja sisäisen yrittäjyyden elementtejä. Syvällisen ymmärryksen saavuttamiseksi tutkimuksen empiirinen aineisto tuotetaan aineistotriangulaatiolla hyödyntäen sekä puolistrukturoituja yksilöteemahaastatteluja (2), sosiaalisen median työkalua virtuaalikeskusteluun (170) ja ryhmähaastattelu (3). Ilmiötä tarkastellaan sosiaalisen rakentumisen näkökulmasta. Tuotetun aineiston analyysin perusteella voidaan todeta, että organisaatiossa oleva kulttuuri koetaan tärkeäksi ja siitä löytyvät toimintamallit vahvasti omaksi. Kulttuuria leimaavat yrityksen toimintaa ohjaavat filosofiat ja periaatteet, eli arvot, joita viedään organisaatioon vahvan verkostoitumisen ja vuorovaikutuksen kautta henkilöstöön. Arvot kumpuavat asiakaslähtöisyyden lisäksi. yrittäjähenkisyydestä, reiluudesta, henkilöstön hyvinvoinnista, vastuullisesta tekemisestä sekä kasvuyritysasenteesta. Ne konkretisoituvat toimintamalleihin ja –tapoihin, jotka yrityksessä mielletään omaksi, erityiseksi kulttuuriksi. Sosiaalinen identiteetti ja yhteisöllisyys ovat erittäin vahva. Henkilöt kokevat voivansa sisäisen yrittäjyyden kautta vaikuttaa yrityksen kasvutarinaan ja he kokevat organisaation mahdollisuuksien alustana, näin ollen he kokevat itsensä ja osaamisensa tarpeelliseksi yritykselle.

Online problem-based learning : perceptions of nursing educators /

A qualitative study was conducted to detennine 5 nursing educators' perceptions about the online application of a problem-based learning strategy in undergraduate nursing education. The question asked in the study was: Can the essential elements of face-to-face problem-based learning be supported in an online format? The data for this study came from 2 individual tape-recorded interviews with each of the 5 participants over a 3-month period and from a researchjournaI. The educators felt that student-centered learning and critical thinking could be supported within an online format. However, they noted that challenges could exist in terms of developing tutor roles, fostering student self-direction, facilitating group process and connections, and incorporating a nursing philosophy of online learning. The importance of tailoring an online problem-based learning course to reflect educators' philosophies and values in nursing emerged as an important theme from the interview responses. Overall, the participants suggested that an ideal environment would blend both face-to-face and online elements and that fewer elements would be offered in the first 2 years of the nursing program. They described a hybrid model of problem-based learning in which the online component could be used to support face-to-face sessions.

The effectiveness of a health versus appearance message on pregnant women's intentions to exercise postpartum : the moderating role of self-monitoring

Despite the confimied health benefits of exercise during the postpartum period, many new mothers are not sufficiently active. The present research aimed to examine the effectiveness of 2 types of messages on intention to exercise after giving birth on 2 groups of pregnant women (low and high self-monitors) using the Theory of Planned Behavior as a theoretical basis. Participants were 2 1 8 pregnant women 1 8 years of age and older (Mean age = 27.9 years, SD = 5.47), and in their second or third trimester. Women completed a demographics questionnaire, a self-monitoring (SM) scale and the Godin Leisure Time Exercise Questionnaire for current and pre-pregnancy exercise levels. They then read one of two brochures, describing either the health or appearance benefits of exercise for postpartum women. Women's attitudes, social norms, perceived behavioral control, and intentions to exercise postpartum were then assessed to determine whether one type of message (health or appearance) was more effective for each group. A MANOVA found no significant effect (p>0.05) for message type, SM, or their interaction. Possible reasons include the fact that the two messages may have been too similar, reading any message about exercise may result in intentions to exercise, or lack of attention given to the brochure. Given the lack of research in this area, more studies are necessary to confirm the present results. Two additional exploratory analyses were conducted. Pearson correlations found higher levels of pre-pregnancy exercise and current exercise to be associated with more positive attitudes, more positive subjective norms, higher perceived behavioral control, and higher intention to exercise postpartum. A hierarchical regression was conducted to determine the predictive utility of attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control on intention for each self-monitoring group. Results of the analysis demonstrated the three independent variables significantly predicted intention (p < .001) in both groups, accounting for 58-62% of the variance in intention. For low self-monitors, attitude was the strongest predictor of intention, followed by perceived behavioral control and subjective norm. For high self-monitors, perceived behavioral control was the strongest predictors, followed by attitudes and subjective norm. The present study has practical and real world implications by contributing to our understanding of what types of messages, in a brochure format, are most effective in changing pregnant women's attitudes, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control and intention to exercise postpartum and provides ftirther support for the use of the Theory of Planned Behavior with this population.