Den Äldsta – livet är ett tillägnande : en vårdvetenskaplig explorativ studie av ett meningsbärande budskap och en innerlig visdom

In the background of the thematic The Eldest – life is acquiring one finds both previews and myths. Wisdom belongs to these myths. The hermeneutical philosophy refers to thinking as o movement from myth to logos in a dialogical oneness. The research uncovers dimensions in the element wisdom as empowered. The experiences of older are saved for further learning and transformation to younger with reference to vulnerable situations where common regulations are no more usefull. The interest goes to an Eldest. The Eldest in the study is pictorial in accordance to the main literature in the study.The Eldest is etymological, fictive and symbolic: – a man who understands higher matters of life, even Gods holy matters. She will set the fulfillment of others as the highest endowment out of an innermost ethos and an innermost wisdom. The innermost is wisdom. The aim is to discover a meaningful message in life is acquiring. In order to see and to learn from the experiences the study aim to uncover the innermost, an innermost wisdom out of a caritative approach. This innermost is anticipated as a longing for unity and health in dayly matters and in a caring ability for the other. The main overstatement is: What will this most meaningfull and innermost by the Eldest out of a living in factual life mirrored in a caring perspective be? Two questions expired; what will the meaningful message in the acquiring be? What will the innermost wisdom in serving the good be? This message and its innermost wisdom will get an expanded meaning out of a caring sentence: Man who dare – seeing back with gratitude, seeing forward in confidence, seeing aside with love and upward in fate wear that dignity, that holiness and that mercy and empathy which belong to life in its basics. The persons attending the research are situated in two contexts. One group has roots in the Lutheran church and the other in a caring profession. The datamaterial is formed out of the usages from these persons, from the spoken (conversation) and the written word (a guestbook). The usages as particular and common are continually integrated in the leading caring sentence from the beginning of the study to the end. The usages stand by the methodological for the final message and wisdom and at the same they form the operative dimension in the study, the evident and the validity. The overarching methodological approach is in the hermeneutic philosophy in accordance with the abductive logic. The usages out of two research groups are most significant in this deductive, inductive and abductive strategy. The usages from the research groups are confronted with the caring sentence in dialogical spaces, halts. The meaning and the innermost searched for will be pictured through the abductive and hermeneutic interpretation and will stand for an articulation of and a successively expansion of meaning. A twine of horizons out of the entire dissemination, the deductive and the inductive, creates the result, as the final message as the ground for an understanding of an even more embracing meaning in an innermost wisdom. The identified bearing movement in the groups in accordance with the caring sentence goes for something higher, something higher than me, to the wellbeing of the other. A conclusion is made and a thesis is identified. This thesis is out from the usages: What can I do in a creating of this caritative? An antithesis is also identified, is a man able to look outside one own and go to something higher, something greater? The synthesis is articulated as a dialogical movement from something … to something higher. The bridge could be maturation, transcendence, the divine or wisdom. The statement finds its root in the attending groups but a difference is also identified. This higher matter is different. The contexts and their meaningfulness decide. A final statement is: learn to see man and her matters hold in life.

A year after Crimea: continuity and change of Finnish-Russian relations reflected in the views of the government officials of Finland and Russia

This thesis discusses the dynamism of bilateral relations between Finland and Russia and their interconnection with wider EU-Russia relations in the sight of the recent conflict in Ukraine. In particular, incorporation of Crimea in the territory of Russia in March 2014 is believed to have triggered a series of disputes between the European Union and Russia and thus, have impacted the course of the bilateral Finnish-Russian relations. The study leans on a premise that there are some historical traditions and regularities in the Finnish foreign policy course towards Russia which make the bilateral Finnish-Russian relations special. These traditions are distinguished and described in the book “Russia Forever? Towards Pragmatism in Finnish/Russian relations” (2008) edited by H. Rytövuori-Apunen. Assuming that the featured traditions take place in modern relations between Finland and Russia, the aim of the thesis is to find out how these traditions reappear during the year shaped by the events in Ukraine. In order to do that, author follows the timeline of happenings around the Ukraine crisis starting with Crimea’s referendum on independence, and exams the way these events were commented on and evaluated by the key government officials and political institutions of Finland and Russia. The main focus is given to the Finnish official discourse on Russia during the study period. The data collection, consisting of mostly primary sources (ministerial press releases and comments, statements, speeches and blog posts of individual policy makers) is processed using the thematic analysis supported by the content analysis. The study reveals that the consequences of the Ukraine crisis have brought, among others, complications to the economic cooperation between Finland and Russia, and have stimulated the increased attention of the Finnish decision makers to the country’s security questions. As a result, the character and importance of some historical regularities of the Finnish foreign policies on Russia, like the Continental Dilemma, have taken new shape.

Dynamic capabilities as enablers of value co-creation between an MBA school and its students

This study presents an understanding of how a U.S. based, international MBA school has been able to achieve competitive advantage within a relatively short period of time. A framework is built to comprehend how the dynamic capability and value co-creation theories are connected and to understand how the dynamic capabilities have enabled value co-creation to happen between the school and its students, leading to such competitive advantage for the school. The data collection method followed a qualitative single-case study with a process perspective. Seven semi-structured interviews were made in September and October of 2015; one current employee of the MBA school was interviewed, with the other six being graduates and/or former employees of the MBA school. In addition, the researcher has worked as a recruiter at the MBA school, enabling to build bridges and a coherent whole of the empirical findings. Data analysis was conducted by first identifying themes from interviews, after which a narrative was written and a causal network model was built. Thus, a combination of thematic analysis, narrative and grounded theory were used as data analysis methods. This study finds that value co-creation is enabled by the dynamic capabilities of the MBA school; also capabilities would not be dynamic if value co-creation did not take place. Thus, this study presents that even though the two theories represent different level analyses, they are intertwined and together they can help to explain competitive advantage. The MBA case school’s dynamic capabilities are identified to be the sales & marketing capabilities and international market creation capabilities, thus the study finds that the MBA school does not only co-create value with existing students (customers) in the school setting, but instead, most of the value co-creation happens between the school and the student cohorts (network) already in the recruiting phase. Therefore, as a theoretical implication, the network should be considered as part of the context. The main value created seem to lie in the MBA case school’s international setting & networks. MBA schools around the world can learn from this study; schools should try to find their own niche and specialize, based on their own values and capabilities. With a differentiating focus and a unique and practical content, the schools can and should be well-marketed and proactively sold in order to receive more student applications and enhance competitive advantage. Even though an MBA school can effectively be treated as a business, as the study shows, the main emphasis should still be on providing quality education. Good content with efficient marketing can be the winning combination for an MBA school.

How Cloud Services may Enable SMEs to Overcome International Growth Challenges: Finnish SMEs in the IT Industry

Digitalization and technology megatrends such as Cloud services have provided SMEs with a suitable atmosphere and conditions to internationalize and seek for further business growth. There is a limited amount of research on Cloud services from the business perspective and the limitations and challenges SMEs encounter when pursuing international business growth. Thus, the main research question of this study was how Cloud services may enable Finnish SMEs to overcome international growth challenges. The research question was further divided into three sub-questions dealing with matters related to features and characteristics of Cloud services, limitations and challenges Finnish SMEs experience when pursuing international growth of business, and benefits and advantages of utilizing Cloud services to mitigate and suppress international growth challenges. First, the theoretical framework of this study was constructed based on the existing literature on Cloud services, SMEs, and international growth challenges. After this, qualitative research approach and methodology were applied for this study. The data was collected through six semi-structured expert interviews in person with representatives of IBM, Exidio, Big Data Solutions, and Comptel. After analyzing the collected data by applying thematic analysis method, the results were compared with the existing theory and the original framework was modified and complemented accordingly. Resource scarcity, customer base expansion and retention, and lack of courage to try new things and take risks turned out to be major international growth challenges of Finnish SMEs. Due to a number of benefits and advantages of utilizing Cloud services including service automation, consumption-based pricing model, lack of capital expenditures (capex) and huge upfront investments, lightened organization structure, cost savings, speed, accessibility, scalability, agility, geographical expansion potential, global reaching and covering, credibility, partners, enhanced CRM, freedom, and flexibility, it can be concluded that Cloud services can help directly and indirectly Finnish SMEs to mitigate and overcome international growth challenges and enable further business growth.

The best practices in the formation phase of Sino-Finnish joint ventures in China: For Finnish software companies

This study discusses the formation phase of Chinese-Finnish joint ventures in China. The purpose of this thesis is to create best practices for Finnish software companies in forming a joint venture with a local Chinese company in China. Therefore, the main research question, in what are the best practices for forming Sino-Finnish joint ventures in China for Finnish software firms, is examined through four different themes within the joint venture formation phase; the motives, the partner se-lection, the choice of a joint venture type and joint venture negotiations. The theoretical background of the study consists of literature relating to the establishment process of Sino-Western joint ventures in China. The empirical research conducted for this study is based on the expert interviews. The empirical data was gathered via nine semi-structured interviews with both Chinese and Finnish experts in software and technology industry, who have experience or knowledge in establishing Sino-Finnish joint ventures in China. Thematic analysis was used to cat-egorize and interpret the interview data. In addition, a thematic network was built to act as a basis of the analysis. According to the main findings, the main motives for Finnish software companies to establish a joint venture in China are lack of skills or experience, little resources to enter on their own, and China’s large market. The main motives for Chinese companies are to gain new technology or man-agerial skills, and expand internationally. The intellectual property rights (IPR) have recently im-proved a lot in China, but the Finnish companies’ knowledge on IPR is inadequate. The Finnish software companies should conduct a market and industry research in order to understand their po-sition in the market and to find a suitable location and potential joint venture partners. It is essential to define partner selection criteria and partner attributes. In addition, it is important to build the joint venture around complementary motives and a win-win situation between the joint venture partners. The Finnish companies should be prepared that the joint venture negotiations will be challenging and they will take a long time. The challenges can be overcome by gaining understanding about the Chinese culture and business environment. The findings of this study enhance understanding of the joint venture formation phase in China. This study provides guidelines for Finnish software companies to establish a joint venture in China. In addition, this study brings new insights to the Sino-Western joint venture literature with its soft-ware industry context. Future research is, however, necessary in order to gain an understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of a joint venture as an entry mode into China for Finnish soft-ware companies.

Fostering product innovation by learning through exporting in Eastern Europe

This study discusses the importance of learning through the process of exporting, and more specifically how such a process can enhance the product innovativeness of a company. The purpose of this study is to investigate the appropriate sources of learning and to suggest an interactive framework for how new knowledge from exporting markets can materialize itself into product innovation. The theoretical background of the study was constructed from academic literature, which is related to concepts of learning by exporting, along with sources for learning in the market and new product development. The empirical research in the form of a qualitative case study was based on four semi-structured interviews and secondary data from the case company official site. The interview data was collected between March and April 2015 from case company employees who directly work in the department of exporting and product development. The method of thematic analysis was used to categorize and interpret the collected data. What was conclusively discovered, was that the knowledge from an exporting market can be an incentive for product innovation, especially an incremental one. Foreign customers and competitors as important sources for new knowledge contribute to the innovative process. Foreign market competitors’ influence on product improvements was high only when the competitor was a market leader or held a colossal market share, while the customers’ influence is always high. Therefore, involving a foreign customer in the development of a new product is vital to a company that is interested in benefiting from what is learned through exporting. The interactive framework, which is based on the theoretical background and findings of the study, suggests that exporting companies can raise their product innovativeness by utilizing newly gained knowledge from exporting markets. Except for input, in the form of sources of learning, and product innovation as an output, the framework contains a process of knowledge transfer, the absorptive capacity of a firm and a new product development process. In addition, the framework and the findings enhance the understanding of the disputed relationship between an exporting experience and product innovation. However, future research is needed in order to fully understand all the elements of the framework, such as the absorptive capacity of a firm as well as more case companies to be processed in order to increase the generalization of the framework

ISA-standardien mukaisen tilintarkastusprosessin tehostaminen – evidenssiä Suomesta

Tilintarkastuksen sääntely on lisääntynyt merkittävästi 2000-luvulla. Samalla kilpailu on kiristynyt, tilintarkastuspalkkiot alentuneet ja raportointiaikataulut tiukentuneet. Näistä tekijöistä johtuen tilintarkastuksen tehostamiselle on tarvetta. Tämän tutkielman tavoitteena on selvittää ja tutkia, miten tilintarkastusprosessia voidaan tehostaa sekä arvioida eri tehostamiskeinojen käyttöarvoa punnitsemalla niiden mahdollisuuksia ja haasteita. Tutkielman empiirinen osa on toteutettu laadullisena tutkimuksena. Aineisto on kerätty haastattelemalla suomalaisia tilintarkastajia ja analyysimenetelmänä on käytetty teemoittelua. Empiirisessä osassa tutkitaan, miltä teoriasta löydettyjen tehostamiskeinojen käyttömahdollisuudet näyttävät käytännössä ja selvitetään, millä muilla keinoilla tilintarkastusprosessia voidaan tehostaa. Tutkimuksen perusteella tilintarkastuksen suunnitteluvaihetta voidaan tehostaa tilintarkastajien erikoistumisen, dokumentoinnin standardoinnin, sähköisen materiaalin tehokkaamman hyödyntämisen ja palvelukeskusten hyödyntämisen avulla. Toteutusvaihetta voidaan tehostaa näiden lisäksi big data -menetelmillä ja kontrollien tarkastuksella.

Spectral Retinal Images Reconstruction

While red-green-blue (RGB) image of retina has quite limited information, retinal multispectral images provide both spatial and spectral information which could enhance the capability of exploring the eye-related problems in their early stages. In this thesis, two learning-based algorithms for reconstructing of spectral retinal images from the RGB images are developed by a two-step manner. First, related previous techniques are reviewed and studied. Then, the most suitable methods are enhanced and combined to have new algorithms for the reconstruction of spectral retinal images. The proposed approaches are based on radial basis function network to learn a mapping from tristimulus colour space to multi-spectral space. The resemblance level of reproduced spectral images and original images is estimated using spectral distance metrics spectral angle mapper, spectral correlation mapper, and spectral information divergence, which show a promising result from the suggested algorithms.

Finnish Maritime Personnel's Conceptions on Safety Management and Safety Culture

The purpose of this thesis is to explore Finnish maritime personnel’s conceptions of safety management and its relationship with the concept of safety culture. In addition, the aim is to evaluate the impact of the ISM Code on the prevailing safety culture in the Finnish shipping business. A total of 94 interviewees and seven Finnish shipping companies were involved in this study. Thematic interviews were applied as the main research method for the study. The results were analysed qualitatively. The results indicate that maritime safety culture can simultaneously demonstrate features of integration, differentiation and ambiguity. Basically, maritime personnel have a positive attitude towards safety management systems since they consider safety management beneficial and essential in general. However, the study also found considerable criticism among the interviewees. The interviewed maritime personnel did not criticise the ISM Code as such, yet they criticised the way the ISM Code has been applied in practise. In order to understand the multiple perspectives of safety culture more comprehensively, multiple theoretical perspectives and methodological approaches are needed. This study indicates that safety culture and the impacts of the ISM Code should not be unambiguously studied solely quantitative methods or qualitative methods. By examining safety culture from several methodological and theoretical perspectives, one may gain a more versatile and holistic overview of safety culture.

Opportunity meets uncertainty. Towards sustainable business in the Arctic region

The Arctic region is experiencing a significant change in terms of climate change and a growing economic interest towards its natural resources and emerging business opportunities. The purpose of this study is to explore how can Finnish companies create sustainable business in the Arctic. This is done by examining the arctic business environment, identifying sectors with growth potential, addressing challenges related to operating in the Arctic and suggesting how to ensure sustainability and succeed in the globally competed arctic market. The theoretical framework is based on theories of sustainable development, corporate social responsibility and the role of strategy in creating sustainable business. Empirical data was collected by using qualitative research methods: first, background knowledge was formed based on written documents and, secondly, six expert interviews were conducted in early 2014. The interviewees represented the viewpoints of companies, political decision makers and NGO’s. The analysis of the data was conducted using thematic categorization. The empirical findings of the study suggest that in order to create sustainable business in the Arctic companies should adopt a long-term perspective, embrace a holistic approach to sustainability, understand interdependencies between the dimensions of sustainability and aim at high-level engagement in responsible behavior. To succeed in the arctic market core competencies, customer needs, multivendor cooperation and long-term presence need to be invested in on a company level. In addition, to promote and advance arctic development on a national level support is needed in terms of investments in infrastructure, funding research and design, creating a regulative framework and removing barriers of trade.

Female administrators and the mentors who give them full support /

A looming attrition rate, a steady increase in the number of women in administration, and a lack of Canadian research all provided the rationale for this study. The problem in this study was to investigate the needs and challenges of new female administrators and to examine the role that mentors play in addressing these issues. This study also explored the perceived benefits of having a mentor. This study examined the inductive year of 33 female administrators from 3 Ontario school boards. It was a qualitative and quantitative design, using questionnaire and interview data. It was found that the majority felt that they struggled with biases and expectations that were gender specific. The challenges that were perceived to be most prevalent were categorized into 4 thematic areas: Maintaining Balance, Feeling Pressured, The Perceptions of Others, and Being Challenged by Others. Regarding the benefits of mentoring, the participants perceived mentoring to be most beneficial in terms of professional growth, followed by learning how to run a school, and then career advancement. The significance of this study was threefold: it had theoretical implications as well as implications for practice and future research. Suggestions included: facilitating longitudinal relationships, having the board become more actively involved in facilitating the relationship, and implementing an internship program. This study attempted to extend the current literature by theorizing that a mentorship is cyclical in nature. Future research could include program design and implementation, as well as providing consistent and accessible mentoring opportunities for all.

The nature experiences of wilderness recreation leaders : throwing a stone

Through this descriptive exploratory study, the ways that wilderness recreation leaders experience nature are illuminated, deconstructing the assumed environmental benefits of and practices used in outdoor recreation (Haluza-Delay, 2001). This study also offers a foundation for advancing an environmental ethic among wilderness recreation leaders, participants, and organizations. With the continued degradation of and threats to natural environments, and the rising popularity of outdoor recreation participation, the outdoor recreation professional can be a leader in promoting human reconnections to the Earth (Henderson, 1999). Leaders of outdoor recreation experiences play an important role in encouraging these revived relationships to natural settings and can contribute to the necessary environmental consciousness shift needed within Western society (Hanna, 1995; Jordan, 1996). The purpose of this research was to describe the lived-experience in nature of wilderness recreation leaders. Specifically, a phenomenological method of inquiry was used to describe the meaning of nature, the connections and relationships to nature, and the behaviours and emotions experienced in nature by a group of wilderness canoe trip leaders employed by a residential summer camp. In addition to the implications of this research, achieving this outcome provides a rich descriptive understanding of wilderness leaders' experiences—a basis from which to extend future research endeavours and programmatic practices that promote effective environmental outcomes of outdoor recreation participation. Each of the five study participants was employed in the summer of 2003 by an Ontario residential summer camp organization that sponsors extended wilderness river canoe trips for youth. Two in-depth and semi-structured interviews were performed with each participant, asking them to reflect on the canoe trip that they led for the summer camp organization during 2003. Phenomenological data was analyzed according to Colaizzi's (1978) thematic analysis process. Consistent with van Manen's (1997) emphasis on phenomenological writing, the final result presents the essence of the nature experiences of wilderness recreation leaders in the format of a narrative description. This narrative piece is the culmination of this research effort. Throughout the journey, however, various foundations within the outdoor recreation field, such as minimum impact principles, environmentally responsible behaviours, anthropocentric and ecocentric worldviews, and effective leadership are deconstructed and discussed.

An inquiry into the barriers to participation within the fitness industry for people living with mobility challenges

This qualitative study was designed to inquire about the barriers to participation within the fitness industry for people living with mobility challenges. i\n examination of the insights, stolies~ and experiences with barriers through interviews gi ven by 4 people living with mobility challenges (PMC) formed the core of the research. An analysis of the interviews from the 4 PMC informants was performed at t\\/O levels. First, a content analysis served to identify general and specific categories related to barrier issues within various fitness environments. Secondly, in-depth thematic analyses of the entries related to the insights and stories from the 4 informants which emerged from the content analysis of the data gave rise to fi ve thematic statements. From the thematic statements a fitness industry awareness protocol was created in the fonn of a statement response questionnaire. The protocol, which was given to 4 fitness assessors/trainers, \vas used to provide a snapshot of the fitness industry's readiness to work vvith disability. Throughout the process, the four PNIC informants formed a collaborati vely involved group of coresearchers, adding their voices to the narrative of the fitness-barrier experience. The result of the study suggests that barriers to participation within the fitness industry for PMC exist in various forms and levels of severity. The results also suggest that the fitness industry needs to better prepare their people and environment for working with people with physical disabilities, such as PMC, and provide a more open and positi ve environment for participation. Within the context of any fitness-related environment, recognizing that barriers to participation do exist, and acknowledging and accepting people with disabilities for who they are as indi viduals, will serve to develop a relationship where fitness practitioners and people with disabilities can work towards creating an inviting, inclusive, accessible, and barrier-free fitness environment for all.

School integration and the friendships of youth with developmental disabilities

- The present study was an investigation into the effect ofschool integration on the friendships ofyouth with developmental disabilities and their peers without disabilities. The youths, their parents, and their teachers provided insights into the youths' friendships. A qualitative paradigm was used in this research. The researcher guided the collection and analysis ofthe data with the phenomenologicallifeworld existentials of body, space, time, and human relation (Van Manen, 1990). Individual interviews were conducted with each youth, and group interviews were conducted with each triad (a youth, their parent(s), and their teacher) to discuss the youth's friendships and the supports necessary to facilitate the friendships. Through phenomenological analysis of the data, four thematic statements emerged: friendships are far from perfect, to have a friend you have to be a friend, parents as choreographers offriendship, and teachers as reluctant partners in friendship facilitation. Based on the results ofthis study, it was concluded that the development of friendships between youth with developmental disabilities and their peers without disabilities was happening in integrated school settings. However, it was also evident that the support ofteachers and parents alike were required to facilitate the development and maintenance ofsuch friendships. Recommendations for practice are discussed, including the need for active participation by the youth's parents in the facilitation offriendships, and the use ofa "circle offriends" to facilitate friendship development. Also discussed are the recommendations for further research, including the need for the youth's friends to be interviewed regarding their friendships with the youth with disabilities, and the need for researcher observation ofth~ friendships in action. Further research could also explore the role ofthe mother versus the father in facilitating friendships, and the role of recreation and leisure opportunities in the ,development offriendships.

Valuing and encouraging critical reflection in pre-service teacher education

This qualitative study was designed to investigate aspects related to valuing and encouraging critical reflection in pre-service teacher education. An examination of the place and function of practicum logbooks as used at Covenant Canadian Reformed Teachers' College, a small private college which offers pre-service teacher education formed the core of the research. An analysis of the practicum logbooks written by five student teachers during three different practicum placements was performed at two levels. First, a content analysis served to identify general and specific categories within the practice teaching contextas a learning experience. Secondly, in-depth intuitive and thematic analyses of the entries which related specifically to reflection as a learning experience gave rise to critical questions. Throughout the process, the five participants formed an active and involved group of co-researchers, adding their voices to the narrative of the learning experience. Variables such as personality type, learning style and self-directedness added a dimension which deepened and emiched the study. The result of the study suggests that practicum logbooks form a valuable base for valuing and encouraging critical reflection in pre-service teacher education. The results also suggest that not all students appear to be equally capable of critical reflection. Recognizing that teacher education exists as a continuum appears to support the findings that in their journey along this continuum, student teachers not only move from reflection-on-action to reflection-in-action, but also from content to process to premise reflection. An awareness of contributing factors such as personality type, degree of risk-taking, preferred learning style and self-directedness on the part of teacher-educators will serve to create a climate of trust in which student teachers can safely develop critical reflection, using practicum logbooks as one possible medium.