Activity patterns and foraging behaviour of Audouin's gulls at the Ebro Delta, NW Mediterranean.

Twenty Audouin��s gulls, Larus audouinii, breeding in the Ebro Delta (NW Mediterranean) were radio-tracked in 1998 to study their foraging behaviour and activity patterns. Some detrimental effects of tagging on the breeding success of the birds were detected, especially when both members of the pair were tagged. The results were actually constrained by the low number of locations due to natural breeding failure and failure in tag emission, as well as the adverse effect of tagging. However, through a combination of aircraft surveys at sea and a fixed station for automatic tracking of the presence of the birds at the colony, novel individual-based information of home ranges and activity patterns was obtained. Trawler fishing activity seemed to influence both the foraging range and habitat use: while trawlers operated, gulls overlapped their fishing grounds with vessels, probably to scavenge on discards. Very few locations were obtained during a trawling moratorium period, although they were all recorded in coastal bays and terrestrial habitats. During the trawling activity period, gulls ranged over a minimum convex polygon area of 2900 km2. Gulls were tracked up to 40 km from the colony, but some individuals were observed beyond 150 km while still breeding. Arrivals and departures from the colony were in accordance with the trawling timetable. However, most birds also showed some nocturnal foraging activity, probably linked to active fishing of clupeoids (following diel migrations) or to the exploitation of purse-seine fishing activity. Foraging trips lasted on average 15 hours: males performed significantly shorter trips than females, which spent more time outside the colony. The proportion of nocturnal time involved in the foraging trips was the same for males and females, but whilst all males initiated their trips both during the day and at night, some females only initiated their trips during the day. Hatching success was found to be related to foraging effort by males. Gulls spent on average ca. 38% of their time budget outside the nesting territory, representing the time devoted mainly to flying, foraging and other activities.

Consumer resistance to mobile commerce services

Oheinen opinn��ytety�� on kvalitatiivinen tutkimus kuluttajavastarinnasta mobiilin kaupank��ynnin palveluja kohtaan. Tutkimus kohdistuu l��ntisiin kulttuureihin, joissa kyseisen innovatiivisen palveluryhm��n levi��mist�� tukevat monet aikaisemmat innovaatiot kuten matkapuhelin, Internet, digitaaliset pankkipalvelut. Tutkimus esittelee innovaatioiden vastarintatekij��it�� ihmisen luonnollisena reaktiona t��m��n vakiintuneita el��m��ntapoja mullistavia keksint��j�� kohtaan nimenomaan l��ntisiss�� kulttuureissa, joissa kuluttajat ovat perinteisesti hyvin teknologiamy��nteisi��. Toisaalta tutkimusalueella on havaittavissa sosiaalisten ryhmien pirstoutuminen yh�� pienemmiksi alaryhmiksi, mik�� voi hidastaa sosiaalista oppimista. Tutkimus vastaa todelliseen tutkimusaukkoon. Aihe on samalla sek�� ajankohtainen ett�� relevantti vastatessaan nykyisin k��yt��v����n utopistiseen keskusteluun digitaalisen informaatioyhteiskunnan kehittymisest�� ja merkityksest�� modernille ihmiskunnalle. Tutkimuksen teoreettinen eksploratiivinen viitekehys rakentuu valikoiduista uusien tuotteiden ja palvelujen kehitt��misen, palvelumarkkinoinnin ja sosiaalisen oppimisen teorioista sek�� innovaatio- kommunikaatioteorioista. Empiirisen osan muodostavat kansainv��listen markkinatutkimuslaitosten ja haastateltujen asiantuntijoiden n��kemykset alan kehityksest��. Tutkimus osoittaa, ett�� kuluttajat eiv��t ole valmiita vastaanottamaan kehittyvien teknologioiden mahdollistamia mobiilin kaupank��ynnin palveluita ennen kuin ne vastaavat kuluttajien perustarpeisiin ja rakenteelliset vastarintatekij��t (alhainen k��ytett��vyys, matala lis��arvo, koetut riskit, perinnevastarinta, palveluryhm��n huono mielikuva) on poistettu. Tutkimus esitt����, ett�� mobiilin kaupank��ynnin alalla toimivien yritysten tulisi ty��skennell�� yhteisty��ss�� kesken����n ja kuluttajien kanssa luodakseen kuluttajien tarpeita ja toiveita vastaavia turvallisiksi koettuja mobiilin kaupank��ynnin palveluita. Tutkimus ehdottaa, ett�� kyselytutkimusten ohella k��ytett��isiin havaintomenetelmi��, jotta teknologiat voitaisiin valjastaa kuluttajien tarpeita ja kulutustottumuksia vastaaviksi.

The Strategic Intent and Launching of a Knowledge Management Tool in a Complex Organisation, case Stora Enso Consumer Boards

Informaatiotulva ja organisaation monimutkaisuus luoneet tarpeen tiet��myksen hallinnalle. T��m��n tutkimuksen tavoitteena on tunnistaa muutostarpeet, jotka portaalin k��ytt����notto tiet��myksenhallintaty��kaluna luo. Tutkimuksessa verrataan my��s uusia ty��kaluja olemassa oleviin sek�� arvioidaan organisaation kyky�� siirt���� tiet��myst�� virtuaalisesti. Kirjallisuutta vastaavanlaisista projekteista ei ole ollut saatavilla, sill�� k��ytt����notettava teknologia on melko uutta. Samaa teknologiaa on k��yt��ss�� hieman eri alueella, kuin t��ss�� projektissa on tavoitteena. Tutkimus on tapaustutkimus, jonka p����asialliset l��hteet ovat erilaisissa kokouksissa tuotettuja dokumentteja. Tutkija on osallistunut aktiivisesti projektity��h��n, joten osa taustatiedoista perustuu tutkijan huomioihin sek�� viel�� keskusteluihin. Teoriaosassa k��sitell����n tiet��myksen jakamista tiet��myksen hallinnan ja virtuaalisuuden n��k��kulmasta. Muutoksen hallintaa on k��sitelty lyhyesti tiet��myksenhallintaty��kalun k��ytt����notossa. Tutkimus liittyy Stora Enso Consumer Boardsin tiet��myksen hallintaprojektiin.

INFLUENCE OF INFORMATION ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF CONSUMING FRUIT ON CONSUMER PREFERENCES IN TEMUCO, REGION OF THE ARAUCAN��A

ABSTRACT With the aim of identifying strategies to increase fruit consumption in Temuco, consumer segments were classified according to the importance and preference of theattributes type of fruit, package/ brand, benefit associated with fruit consumption and price. A survey was applied to 400 people in Temuco,Chile, distributed using a simple allocation: 200 working adults and 200university students. The questionnaire included the SWFL (Satisfaction with Food-related Life) scale, respondents’ fruit consumption habits and their characteristics. Using conjoint and cluster analyses, three segments were distinguished: Group 1 (22.0%) gave greatest importance to the package/brand and preferred themessage “prevents diseases” and “without information”; Group 2 (47.5%) gave greatest importance to the package/brand and preferred the message “prevents diseases”; Group 3 (30.5%) assigned greatest importance to the price and preferred the message “contains antioxidants”. The segments differed in their level of satisfaction with food-related life, self-declared lifestyle, age and presence of university students. The results provide input to promote fruit consumption in working adults and university students.

Image and value of product brand in industrial markets: Case Stora Enso Consumer Packaging Boards

TUTKIMUKSEN TAVOITTEET Tutkielman tavoitteena oli luoda ensin yleisk��sitys tuotemerkkimarkkinoinnin roolista teollisilla markkinoilla, sek�� suhdemarkkinoinnin merkityksest�� teollisessa merkkituotemarkkinoinnissa. Toisena oleellisena tavoitteena oli kuvata teoreettisesti merkkituoteidentiteetin rakenne teollisessa yrityksess�� ja sen vaikutukset myyntihenkil��st����n, ja lis��ksi haluttiin tutkia tuotemerkkien lis��arvoa sek�� asiakkaalle ett�� myyj��lle. Identiteetti ja sen vaikutukset, erityisesti imago haluttiin tutkia my��s empiirisesti. L��HDEAINEISTO JA TUTKIMUSMENETELM��T T��m��n tutkielman teoreettinen osuus perustuu kirjallisuuteen, akateemisiin julkaisuihin ja aikaisempiin tutkimuksiin; keskittyen merkkituotteiden markkinointiin, identiteettiin ja imagoon, sek�� suhdemarkkinointiin osana merkkituotemarkkinointia. Tutkimuksen l��hestymistapa on kuvaileva eli deskriptiivinen ja sek�� kvalitatiivinen ett�� kvantitatiivinen. Tutkimus on tapaustutkimus, jossa caseyritykseksi valittiin kansainv��linen pakkauskartonki-teollisuuden yritys. Empiirisen osuuden toteuttamiseen k��ytettiin www-pohjaista surveyt��, jonka avulla tietoja ker��ttiin myyntihenkil��st��lt�� case-yrityksess��. Lis��ksi empiirist�� osuutta laajennettiin tutkimalla sekund����ril��hteit�� kuten yrityksen sis��isi�� kirjallisia dokumentteja ja tutkimuksia. TULOKSET. Teoreettisen ja empiirisen tutkimuksen tuloksena luotiin malli jota voidaan hy��dynt���� merkkituotemarkkinoinnin p����t��ksenteon tukena pakkauskartonki-teollisuudessa. Teollisen brandinhallinnan tulee keskitty�� erityisesti asiakas-suhteiden brandaukseen ��� t��t�� voisi kutsua teolliseksi suhdebrandaukseksi. Tuote-elementit ja ���arvot, differointi ja positiointi, sis��inen yrityskuva ja viestint�� ovat teollisen brandi-identiteetin peruskivi��, jotka luovat brandi-imagon. Case-yrityksen myyntihenkil��st��n tuote- ja yritysmielikuvat osoittautuivat kokonaisuudessaan hyviksi. Paras imago on CKB tuotteilla, kun taas heikoin on WLC tuotteilla. Teolliset brandit voivat luoda monenlaisia lis��arvoja sek�� asiakas- ett�� myyj��yritykselle.

Flocking behaviour: Agent-based simulation and hierarchical leadership.

We have studied how leaders emerge in a group as a consequence of interactions among its members. We propose that leaders can emerge as a consequence of a self-organized process based on local rules of dyadic interactions among individuals. Flocks are an example of self-organized behaviour in a group and properties similar to those observed in flocks might also explain some of the dynamics and organization of human groups. We developed an agent-based model that generated flocks in a virtual world and implemented it in a multi-agent simulation computer program that computed indices at each time step of the simulation to quantify the degree to which a group moved in a coordinated way (index of flocking behaviour) and the degree to which specific individuals led the group (index of hierarchical leadership). We ran several series of simulations in order to test our model and determine how these indices behaved under specific agent and world conditions. We identified the agent, world property, and model parameters that made stable, compact flocks emerge, and explored possible environmental properties that predicted the probability of becoming a leader.

Nutrient enrichment and water depth modify consumer control in rocky shore macroalgal communities

The objective of my thesis is to assess mechanisms of ecological community control in macroalgal communities in the Baltic Sea. In the top-down model, predatory fish feed on invertebrate mesograzers, releasing algae partly from grazing pressure. Such a reciprocal relationship is called trophic cascade. In the bottom-up model, nutrients increase biomass in the food chain. The nutrients are first assimilated by algae and, via food chain, increase also abundance of grazers and predators. Previous studies on oceanic shores have described these two regulative mechanisms in the grazer - alga link, but how they interact in the trophic cascades from fish to algae is still inadequately known. Because the top-down and bottom-up mechanisms are predicted to depend on environmental disturbances, such as wave stress and light, I have studied these models at two distinct water depths. There are five factorial field experiments behind the thesis, which were all conducted in the Finnish Archipelago Sea. In all the experiments, I studied macroalgal colonization - either density, filament length or biomass - on submerged colonization substrates. By excluding predatory fish and mesograzers from the algal communities, the studies compared the strength of the top-down control to natural algal communities. A part of the experimental units were, in addition, exposed to enriched nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations, which enabled testing of bottom-up control. These two models of community control were further investigated in shallow (<1 m) and deep (ca. 3 m) water. Moreover, the control mechanisms were also expected to depend on grazer species. Therefore different grazer species were enclosed into experimental units and their impacts on macroalgal communities were followed specifically. The community control in the Baltic rocky shores was found to follow theoretical predictions, which have not been confirmed by field studies before. Predatory fish limited grazing impact, which was seen as denser algal communities and longer algal filaments. Nutrient enrichment increased density and filament length of annual algae and, thus, changed the species composition of the algal community. The perennial alga <i>Fucus vesiculosus</i>A and the red alga <i>Ceramium tenuicorne</i> suffered from the increased nutrient availabilities. The enriched nutrient conditions led to denser grazer fauna, thereby causing strong top-down control over both the annual and perennial macroalgae. The strength of the top-down control seemed to depend on the density and diversity of grazers and predators as well as on the species composition of macroalgal assemblages. The nutrient enrichment led to, however, weaker limiting impact of predatory fish on grazer fauna, because fish stocks did not respond as quickly to enhanced resources in the environment as the invertebrate fauna. According to environmental stress model, environmental disturbances weaken the top-down control. For example, on a wave-exposed shore, wave stress causes more stress to animals close to the surface than deeper on the shore. Mesograzers were efficient consumers at both the depths, while predation by fish was weaker in shallow water. Thus, the results supported the environmental stress model, which predicts that environmental disturbance affects stronger the higher a species is in the food chain. This thesis assessed the mechanisms of community control in three-level food chains and did not take into account higher predators. Such predators in the Baltic Sea are, for example, cormorant, seals, white-tailed sea eagle, cod and salmon. All these predatory species were recently or are currently under intensive fishing, hunting and persecution, and their stocks have only recently increased in the region. Therefore, it is possible that future densities of top predators may yet alter the strengths of the controlling mechanisms in the Baltic littoral zone.

Innovation process management of complex consumer products and services in new innovation paradigm ��� case location based business

Innovation is the word of this decade. According to innovation definitions, without positive sales impact and meaningful market share the company���s product or service has not been an innovation. Research problem of this master thesis is to find out what is the innovation process of complex new consumer products and services in new innovation paradigm. The objective is to get answers to two research questions: 1) What are the critical success factors what company should do when it is implementing the paradigm change in mass markets consumer business with complex products and services? 2) What is the process or framework one firm could follow? The research problem is looked from one company���s innovation creation process, networking and organization change management challenges point of views. Special focus is to look the research problem from an existing company perspective which is entering new business area. Innovation process management framework of complex new consumer products and services in new innovation paradigm has been created with support of several existing innovation theories. The new process framework includes the critical innovation process elements companies should take into consideration in their daily activities when they are in their new business innovation implementing process. Case company location based business implementation activities are studied via the new innovation process framework. This case study showed how important it is to manage the process, look how the target market and the competition in it is developing during company���s own innovation process, make decisions at right time and from beginning plan and implement the organization change management as one activity in the innovation process. In the end this master thesis showed that all companies need to create their own innovation process master plan with milestones and activities. One plan does not fit all, but all companies can start their planning from the new innovation process what was introduced in this master thesis.

Nutritional behaviour and beliefs of ski-mountaineers: a semi-quantitative and qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Endurance athletes are advised to optimize nutrition prior to races. Little is known about actual athletes' beliefs, knowledge and nutritional behaviour. We monitored nutritional behaviour of amateur ski-mountaineering athletes during 4��days prior to a major competition to compare it with official recommendations and with the athletes' beliefs. METHODS: Participants to the two routes of the 'Patrouille des Glaciers' were recruited (A, 26��km, ascent 1881��m, descent 2341��m, max altitude 3160��m; Z, 53��km, ascent 3994��m, descent��4090��m, max altitude 3650��m). Dietary intake diaries of 40 athletes (21 A, 19 Z) were analysed for energy, carbohydrate, fat, protein and liquid; ten were interviewed about their pre-race nutritional beliefs and behaviour. RESULTS: Despite belief that pre-race carbohydrate, energy and fluid intake should be increased, energy consumption was 2416&#8201;��&#8201;696 (mean&#8201;��&#8201;SD) kcal&#8201;��&#8201;day(-1), 83&#8201;��&#8201;17��% of recommended intake, carbohydrate intake was only 46&#8201;��&#8201;13��% of minimal recommended (10��g&#8201;��&#8201;kg(-1)&#8201;��&#8201;day(-1)) and fluid intake only 2.7&#8201;��&#8201;1.0��l&#8201;��&#8201;day(-1). CONCLUSIONS: Our sample of endurance athletes did not comply with pre-race nutritional recommendations despite elementary knowledge and belief to be compliant. In these athletes a clear and reflective nutritional strategy was lacking. This suggests a potential for improving knowledge and compliance with recommendations. Alternatively, some recommendations may be unrealistic.

Regional differences of physical activity and sedentary behaviour in Swiss children are not explained by socio-demographics or the built environment.

OBJECTIVE: We evaluated whether regional differences in physical activity (PA) and sedentary behaviour (SB) existed along language boundaries within Switzerland and whether potential differences would be explained by socio-demographics or environmental characteristics. METHODS: We combined data of 611 children aged 4 to 7 years from four regional studies. PA and SB were assessed by accelerometers. Information about the socio-demographic background was obtained by questionnaires. Objective neighbourhood attributes could be linked to home addresses. Multivariate regression models were used to test associations between PA and SB and socio-demographic characteristics and neighbourhood attributes. RESULTS: Children from the German compared to the French-speaking region were more physically active and less sedentary (by 10-15 %, p &lt; 0.01). Although German-speaking children lived in a more favourable environment and a higher socioeconomic neighbourhood (differences p &lt; 0.001), these characteristics did not explain the differences in PA behaviour between French and German speaking. CONCLUSIONS: Factors related to the language region, which might be culturally rooted were among the strongest correlates of PA and SB among Swiss children, independent of individual, social and environmental factors.

Smoking behaviour, involuntary smoking, attitudes towards smoke-free legislations, and tobacco control activities in the European Union

The six most important cost-effective policies on tobacco control can be measured by the Tobacco Control Scale (TCS). The objective of our study was to describe the correlation between the TCS and smoking prevalence, self-reported exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS) and attitudes towards smoking restrictions in the 27 countries of the European Union (EU27).

Platform pricing and consumer foresight: The case of airports

Airports have become platforms that derive revenues from both aeronautical and commercial activities. The demand for these services is characterized by a one-way complementarity in that only air travelers can purchase retail goods at the airport terminals. We analyze a model of optimal airport behavior in which this one-way complementarity is subject to consumer foresight, i.e., consumers may not anticipate in full the ex post retail surplus when purchasing a flight ticket. An airport sets landing fees, and, in addition, also chooses the retail market structure by selecting the number of retail concessions to be awarded. We find that, with perfectly myopic consumers, the airport chooses to attract more passengers via low landing fees, and also sets the minimum possible number of retailers in order to increase the concessions��� revenues, from which it obtains the largest share of profits. However, even a very small amount of anticipation of the consumer surplus from retail activities changes significantly the airport���s choices: the optimal airport policy is dependent on the degree of differentiation in the retail market. When consumers instead have perfect foresight, the airport establishes a very competitive retail market, where consumers enjoy a large surplus. This attracts passengers and it is exploited by the airport by charging higher landing fees, which then constitute the largest share of its profits. Overall, the airport���s profits are maximal when consumers have perfect foresight. Keywords: two-sided markets, platform pricing, one-way demand complementarity, consumer foresight. JEL classification: L1, L2, L93.