Exploring the link between flexible working and organizational performance

The expansion of flexible work experienced since the 1980s in developed economies is consistent with a more generic trend towards organizational flexibility, which many authors see as essential in order to compete in the dynamic global environment (Volberda, 1998). From this point of view, the changing demands of the environment have forced organizations to seek the ability to adapt rapidly and effectively as a means to be successful or even to survive. In the quest for flexibility, every area of the organization has been scrutinized in order to render it as ¿agile¿ as possible. In the human resources arena, this analysis has led to the definition of diverse ¿flexible working practices¿ (FWP) that describe a wide range of employment practices, which differ from the traditional full-time job with a fixed salary and a permanent contract. These practices have been described using other terms, such as ¿alternative¿ (Polivka, 1996; Powell & Mainiero, 1999), ¿non-standard¿ (Kalleberg, 2000), or ¿atypical¿ (De Grip, Hoevenberg, &m Willems, 1997), which coincide in denoting their divergence from the most traditional forms of employment. This article will show that quite different practices have been embraced by the common term ¿flexible working practices.¿ Subsequently, the results of empirical research regarding the implications for organizational performance of a number of flexible practices will be commented on.

Identifying pedagogical, technological and organizational barriers in virtual learning environments

Virtual learning environments are online spaces where learners interact with other learners, teachers, resources and the environment in itself. Although technology is meant to enhance the learning process, there are important issues regarding pedagogical and organizational aspects that must be addressed. In this paper we review the barriers detected in a virtual university which exclusively uses Internet as the main channel of communication, with no face-to-face requirements exceptthose related to final evaluation.

La integración de Internet en la educación escolar española : situación actual y perspectivas de futuro

The main objectives and findings of this first research report are presented in thischapter. "The Implementation of the Internet in the Spanish Education System: State of Affairsand Future Prospects" is a large-scale research project that seeks to obtain relevant data about the introduction and dissemination of Information and Communication Technology, particularly the internet, in the practical and organizational general procedures of the Spanish schools and high schools. The project articulates the processes of ICT implementation on the primary andsecondary education levels embracing a holistic approach, propped up by an empirical and analytical research methodology. Thus, our survey does not intend to detect which is the impact of ICT on school activities but how all the agents involved in the school community incorporate ICT and what use they make of it. We are especially interested in identifying the teachers' pedagogical and professional uses of ICT, how students use it in their activities and to what extent it contributes in reinforcing teamwork andparticipation proceedings in the institutions, as well as the relations between the latter and their context. It is also of our interest to know the factors that exert the strongest influence on the way teachers, head teachers and students make use of ICT. Finally, we intend to identify the ways ICT may contribute to the improvement of educational practices.

Catalan law in the European context

The article provides an overview of the Catalan law at the European context. How the Catalan institutions can tackle on the Spanish Government policies and decisions in front of the European Union. And how the European Union Law and policies are implemented in a decentralized country such Spain where Autonomous Communities have their own Governments and Parliaments. There is also examined how this Spanish territorial decentralized structure affects the implementation of such EU norms and its control. Finally, there is exposed how Catalan institutions manage to participate in front of the European Union institutions. Which are the instruments that can guarantee this participation and which are the EU responses to them.

Individual Perception of Organizational Values

The objective of this master’s thesis was to examine how corporate values come true among the white-collar employees in the case organization. It was also studied if values were perceived similarly in the different departments. Impact of organizational position and education on value orientation was tested through hypotheses based on earlier values research. There are only few value scales available for measuring organizational values. The empirical study results indicate that personnel’s perception of organizational values can be measured statistically. When defining the scale it is utmost important to link the questions and claims close to the employees’ daily working environment. In this study, Work ethic appeared as the strongest organizational value reflecting respondents’ commitment to their duties. Related to corporate values, Performance was perceived as the strongest value and Emphasis on people the weakest. Value consensus between the departments varied. According to the previous research organizational position and educational level has an impact on value perceptions. In this study, employees in superior position or with higher education perceived organizational values to come true better than subordinates or employees with lower education. Empirical data (N=229) was collected by a web-based survey questionnaire among white-collar employees in the case organization in April 2008. Statistical analyses were performed by SPSS programme.

Prácticas de gestión del conocimiento en los grupos de investigación: estudio de un caso

La gestión del conocimiento es una práctica organizativa que se está extendiendo a todo tipo de organizaciones, incluidas las universidades. Su estudio cuenta con distintos marcos basados en alguno, o en todos los procesos del ciclo de gestión del conocimiento. La presente investigación centra su atención en las prácticas de gestión del conocimiento dentro de los grupos de investigación de una universidad colombiana, así como en las características de dichos grupos, tomando como base el marco holístico del ciclo de gestión del conocimiento. Para captar el contexto de dichas prácticas, la metodología sigue la teoría fundamentada, por lo que se realizan entrevistas en profundidad dirigidas a los coordinadores de los grupos de investigación, de una muestra seleccionada aleatoriamente. Los resultados apuntan la necesidad de desarrollar en los grupos de investigación actividades que incidan en la identificación, el almacenamientoy el uso del conocimiento. Para ello se requiere, entre otras cosas, cualificar y asesorar a los investigadores en la planificación de las acciones de gestión del conocimiento cuando investigan y gestionan proyectos. Es preciso profundizar en el estudio de las etapas del ciclo vinculado con las dinámicas de los grupos de investigación, para fortalecer las capacidades de generación y transferencia de conocimiento.

Supplier's position in project marketing networks

The present study explores relationships between project marketers and their customers in project marketing context. The purpose of the study is to increase the understanding on supplier’s position in project marketing networks. Project marketing is representing a high volume in the international business, and the industrial network approach and the project marketing research cannot fully explain a supplier’s position in project marketing networks. Increased knowledge on project networks can also contribute to industrial marketing research more generally. Data for the present study was collected firstly during the pilot case study from project buyers in the paper and the steel industry in interviews. Secondly an entire project marketing case concerning a steel industry case was used as a data source. The data included interviews, correspondence between the supplier and the buyer, and project documents. The data of the pilot case was analysed with contents analysis, and in the case a deeper analysis based on the developed Stage Dimension framework was used. Supplier’s position in project marketing networks is a hierarchical and dynamic concept including a supplier’s position on the highest level. The dimensions of the position concept are the intermediate level, and the dimensions are based on the underlying components. Supplier’s position is composed from four organization related dimensions, and two individual actor related dimensions. The composition of the supplier’s position varies during the project marketing process, and consequently the relative importance of the dimensions is changing over the process. Supplier’s position in project marketing networks is shaped by incremental and radical changes. Radical changes are initiated by critical events. The study contributes to the research of industrial networks and project marketing. The theoretical contribution of the study is threefold: firstly it proposes a structure of the position concept in project marketing networks, secondly it proposes the Position Stage Dimension Component (PSDC) model for the development of supplier’s position during the project marketing process, and thirdly the study widens the critical event concept to cover the project marketing process both on the organizational and individual level. In addition to the theoretical contributions there are several managerial implications for planning and implementing marketing strategies in the project context.

Using appearance and context for outdoor scene object classification

We propose a probabilistic object classifier for outdoor scene analysis as a first step in solving the problem of scene context generation. The method begins with a top-down control, which uses the previously learned models (appearance and absolute location) to obtain an initial pixel-level classification. This information provides us the core of objects, which is used to acquire a more accurate object model. Therefore, their growing by specific active regions allows us to obtain an accurate recognition of known regions. Next, a stage of general segmentation provides the segmentation of unknown regions by a bottom-strategy. Finally, the last stage tries to perform a region fusion of known and unknown segmented objects. The result is both a segmentation of the image and a recognition of each segment as a given object class or as an unknown segmented object. Furthermore, experimental results are shown and evaluated to prove the validity of our proposal

Nursing Advocacy: A concept clarification in context of procedural pain care

The purpose of this study was to clarify the concept of advocacy in context of procedural pain care and to investigate the implementation of advocacy in that context. First, the concept of advocacy was described on the basis of a literature review (n = 89 empirical studies from 1990 to 2003). Then, the concept was described in the context of procedural pain care on the basis of interview data (n = 22 patients, 21 nurses) in a medical and surgical context. In the second phase, an instrument exploring the content of advocacy and the implementation of advocacy in context of procedural pain care was developed and validated. Then, the content of advocacy and implementation of it was explored in a sample of otolaryngeal patients (n = 405) and nurses (n = 118) in 12 hospitals. In the third phase, an update literature review (n = 35 empirical studies from 2003 to 2007) was conducted, and all data from phases one and two were reviewed in order to refine the elements the concept of advocacy, and the relationships between these elements. As a result of this study, advocacy in context of procedural pain care was defined as consisting of the dual aspects of patient advocacy and professional advocacy, and called nursing advocacy. It was divided into dimensions and subdimensions in which patient and nurse empowerment seems to play a vital role. All the data obtained lend support to this definition of nursing advocacy. Patients and nurses felt that nearly all of the activities that they considered as advocacy were implemented.

Context exchange between devices in mobile environment

Context awareness is emerging on mobile devices. Context awareness can be used to improve usability of a mobile device. Context awareness is particularly important on mobile devices due the limitations they have. At first in this work, a literature review on context awareness and mobile environment is made. For aiding context awareness there exist an implementation of a Context Framework for Symbian S60 devices. It provides a possibility for exchanging the contexts inside the device between the client applications of the local Context Framework. The main contribution of this thesis is to design and implement an enhancement to the S60 Context Framework for providing possibility to exchange context over device boundaries. Using the implemented Context Exchange System, the context exchange is neither depending on the type of the context nor the type of the client. In addition, the clients and the contexts can reside on any interconnected device. The usage of the system is independent of the programming language since in addition to using only Symbian C++ function interfaces it can also be utilized using XML scripts. The Meeting Sniffer application, which uses the Context Exchange System, was also developed in this work. Using this application, it is possible to recognize a meeting situation and suggest device profile change to a user.

Consum de premsa comarcal tradicional i en línia a Catalunya. Estudi de camp sobre preferències i hàbits de persones adultes en el context multipantalla

Aquesta recerca estudia el consum de premsa comarcal tradicional i en línia per part de lectors, radiooients i usuaris web residents a Catalunya. Per fer-ho, es va crear una enquesta en línia oberta a majors d’edat en què es destaca que: els mitjans de comunicació nacionals tradicionals són els més consumits, seguits pels mitjans de comunicació comarcals tradicionals; que hi ha una tendència a la disminució de consum de notícies en línia a mesura que augmenta l’edat, i que l’accés als mitjans de comunicació en línia es fa més a través d’ordinador portàtil, seguit de l’ordinador de sobretaula i després mitjançant el telèfon intel·ligent. Això desvetlla un panorama multipantalla en construcció, en la cerca d’una identitat i un model de negoci.

Simulating fuel consumption and vehicle emissions in an Australian context

Road transport is a major source of air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions around the world. There is an increasing interest in accurate information on local vehicle emission levels for policy development and sustainable traffic management. Previous studies have shown that emission predictions for the Australian situation need to reflect both the Australian fleet and driving behaviour to avoid unreliable outcomes. This paper discusses a new Australian vehicle emission software (PΔP) and a case-study where traffic simulation software (Aimsun) is combined with PΔP to demonstrate how consistent results can be achieved for the Australian situation. The case-study is an Australian city modelled using the microscopic simulator to generate the required trajectory data of each individual vehicle for the emission model. The simulation results are used in a number of ways: to assess the impacts of urban driving behaviour on fuel consumption, to create maps showing where and when elevated emission levels occur and to compare results with another program (COPERT Australia). The paper will also discuss where further research is required.

Older consumers adopting information and communication technology: Evaluating opportunities for health care applications

The purpose of this dissertation is to analyse older consumers' adoption of information and communication technology innovations, assess the effect of aging related characteristic, and evaluate older consumers' willingness to apply these technologies in health care services. This topic is considered important, because the population in Finland (as in other welfare states) is aging and thus offers a possibility for marketers, but on the other hand threatens society with increasing costs for healthcare. Innovation adoption has been under research from several aspects in both organizational and consumer research. In the consumer behaviour, several theories have been developed to predict consumer responses to innovation. The present dissertation carefully reviews previous research and takes a closer look at the theory of planned behaviour, technology acceptance model and diffusion of innovations perspective. It is here suggested that there is a possibility that these theories can be combined and complemented to predict the adoption of ICT innovations among aging consumers, taking the aging related personal characteristics into account. In fact, there are very few studies that have concentrated on aging consumers in the innovation research, and thus there was a clear indent for the present research. ICT in the health care context has been studied mainly from the organizational point of view. If the technology is thus applied for the communication between the individual end-user and service provider, the end-user cannot be shrugged off. The present dissertation uses empirical evidence from a survey targeted to 55-79 year old people from one city in Southern-Carelia. The empirical analysis of the research model was mainly based on structural equation modelling that has been found very useful on estimating causal relationships. The tested models were targeted to predict the adoption stage of personal computers and mobile phones, and the adoption intention of future health services that apply these devices for communication. The present dissertation succeeded in modelling the adoption behaviour of mobile phones and PCs as well as adoption intentions of future services. Perceived health status and three components behind it (depression, functional ability, and cognitive ability) were found to influence perception of technology anxiety. Better health leads to less anxiety. The effect of age was assessed as a control variable, in order to evaluate its effect compared to health characteristics. Age influenced technology perceptions, but to lesser extent compared to health. The analyses suggest that the major determinant for current technology adoption is perceived behavioural control, and additionally technology anxiety that indirectly inhibit adoption through perceived control. When focusing on future service intentions, the key issue is perceived usefulness that needs to be highlighted when new services are launched. Besides usefulness, the perception of online service reliability is important and affects the intentions indirectly. To conclude older consumers' adoption behaviour is influenced by health status and age, but also by the perceptions of anxiety and behavioural control. On the other hand, launching new types of health services for aging consumers is possible after the service is perceived reliable and useful.

Managing the Front End of Innovation in a Networked Company Environment - Combining Strategy, Processes and Systems of Innovation

The objective of the thesis is to enhance the understanding about the management of the front end phases of the innovation process in a networked environment. The thesis approaches the front end of innovation from three perspectives, including the strategy, processes and systems of innovation. The purpose of the use of different perspectives in the thesis is that of providing an extensive systemic view of the front end, and uncovering the complex nature of innovation management. The context of the research is the networked operating environment of firms. The unit of analysis is the firm itself or its innovation processes, which means that this research approaches the innovation networks from the point of view of a firm. The strategy perspective of the thesis emphasises the importance of purposeful innovation management, the innovation strategy of firms. The role of innovation processes is critical in carrying out innovation strategies in practice, supporting the development of organizational routines for innovation, and driving the strategic renewal of companies. The primary focus of the thesis from systems perspective is on idea management systems, which are defined as a part of innovation management systems, and defined for this thesis as any working combination of methodology and tools (manual or IT-supported) that enhance the management of innovations within their early phases. The main contribution of the thesis are the managerial frameworks developed for managing the front end of innovation, which purposefully “wire” the front end of innovation into the strategy and business processes of a firm. The thesis contributes to modern innovation management by connecting the internal and external collaboration networks as foundational elements for successful management of the early phases of innovation processes in a dynamic environment. The innovation capability of a firm is largely defined by its ability to rely on and make use of internal and external collaboration already during the front end activities, which by definition include opportunity identification and analysis, idea generation, profileration and selection, and concept definition. More specifically, coordination of the interfaces between these activities, and between the internal and external innovation environments of a firm is emphasised. The role of information systems, in particular idea management systems, is to support and delineate the innovation-oriented behaviour and interaction of individuals and organizations during front end activities. The findings and frameworks developed in the thesis can be used by companies for purposeful promotion of their front end processes. The thesis provides a systemic strategy framework for managing the front end of innovation – not as a separate process, but as an elemental bundle ofactivities that is closely linked to the overall innovation process and strategy of a firm in a distributed environment. The theoretical contribution of the thesis relies on the advancement of the open innovation paradigm in the strategic context of a firm within its internal and external innovation environments. This thesis applies the constructive research approach and case study methodology to provide theoretically significant results, which are also practically beneficial.

Una monografia inèdita de Gaziel sobre la premsa espanyola: context, comentari i edició

Text inèdit de Gaziel, prologat pel professor Manuel Llanas, que constitueix una monografia sobre la situació de la premsa diària espanyola. Es tracta d’una anàlisi històrica sobre el període comprès entre 1875 i 1942, amb una visió prospectiva final. L’autor divideix la periodització en tres fases: i) el passat (1874-1936); ii) el present, referit a la situació en la immediata postguerra; iii) el futur, on s’apunta una concepció normativa del periodisme. En cadascuna d’aquestes fases, la premsa és estudiada des de la dimensió política, professional, industrial i econòmica.