Ikääntyvät työelämässä. Päihittääkö nuoruus ja koulutus aikuisuuden ja kokemuksen?

The Ageing in Working Life. Do Adolescence and Schooling Beat Adulthood and Experience? This study examines the changes in the work and the work organisations of employees in the fields of health care and retail trade who have turned 45 and their experience of change. In addition, the question of how ageing employees experience their status in post-modern working life is explored. Attention is also focused on the choices and decisions connected with staying at work and retiring. These views are examined in relation to professions and professional cultures. Thematic interviews (N=98) were used to gather the material. The effects of the market liberalistic turn in welfare policy are clearly seen in the everyday work of the health care professions. These changes were examined from the point of view of managing by outcomes and quality assurance, multi-professional cooperation, flexibility in the division of labour, and the spread of market-like procedures. The discourse of those in involved retail trade was dominated by extremely tight global market competition and control of outcomes, and by the structural changes taking place in the retail trade sector. This change discourse was to a large extent a reaction to those changes in the functional environment which were experienced as negative and to the conflict between their own professional identity and professional ethics on the one hand, and their functional environment on the other. There were also obstacles connected with professional culture: defending one's own station and power, guarding the 'frontier', showed up in attitudes towards new management and organisation models or towards structural and functional reforms. The deep structures of professional culture and the mindset of the actors change much more slowly than the functional practices of organisations. For those in a supervisory position, the loss of power due to becoming part of a chain or because of the introduction of a team organisation model was not an easy thing to accept. The nurses and others in related fields felt that they were forced to do work that was below their level of training and professional skill. For sales personnel and those who did assisting work in health care, power and the possibility of having an influence were not so important, as long as they were able to do their work in their own way and were trusted. This view is often completely forgotten, for example, in various organisation models in which power and the possibility of having an influence entwined with power are taken for granted as being clearly positive and desired aspects of job satisfaction. Up to date professional skills were experienced as being important from the point of view of professional identity and self-worth. Thus, training can be understood as a moral obligation, which in turn is intertwined with professional ideology. In the rhetoric of adult education, an adult is expected to be an active player who will seek training again and again if working life so requires. The dark side of this ideology, which leads to feelings of guilt, was apparent in the thoughts of the respondents. Am I never good enough at my job; why must I continually strive for better, additional qualifications? The majority of the respondents evaluated their expertise as being at quite a high level. This self-confidence did not extend to applying for a job. Job recruitment was seen as a situation in which age discrimination reached its peak. The interviewees were unanimous about the idea that society favours the young. Especially among those in the retail trade sector, there was a feeling that it would be difficult, if not impossible, to find a new job of the same level or a permanent post if they were made redundant. Age discrimination was also apparent in the retail trade field in the form of older employees being retired against their will or transferred to other tasks. It was felt that ruthless forced retirement of older workers was part of the personnel policy of some organisations. The importance of one's outward appearance was connected with the theme of discrimination. This phenomenon is described using the concept of the double standard of ageing in feminist research. An ageing woman is relegated to an inferior position due to both her age and her sex. A culture that would both make possible and allow various types of choices regardless of age, which is described as being characteristic of the post-modern era, does not seem to be very topical in the practice of working life. It is important for employees that the management and the personnel policy that is being implemented makes them feel like both their contribution and they as individuals are appreciated, that their opinions are listened to and that they are noticed as persons. The interviewees hoped for gratitude and a concern for the well-being of employees that shows in everyday life. They valued training and activities aimed at maintaining their work ability, but thought that better coping at work and a pleasant working environment cannot be achieved through such measures as along as the foundation is 'in a mess'. Development of the quality of working life is the only thing that can improve job satisfaction and get people to remain in the work force longer than at present. There should be a sufficient number of properly trained employees at the work place. It was important to the respondents that they be able to stay on their job to the end with honour, since compromising with their own quality standards or acting contrary to their ideal self-image in terms of professional ethics would strike a blow to their professional self-esteem. They called for the development of various types of workplace flexibility, and felt that they have the right to a lightened workload and to early retirement. Early retirement was even seen as an altruistic deed: it would free up a place for younger workers. Thoughts of retirements were explained by familiar factors such as health and finances, life situation, the enticement of free-time, as well as by various factors related to work. It is very important to ageing employees that their work has meaningful content. The values related to self-fulfilment are felt to be of great importance, and if they cannot be realised at work, the respondents wanted more free time, either through retirement or in the form of flexibility in working life.

Letkuventtiilin mitoitus säätökäyttöön

Tässä diplomityössä käydään läpi IEC-60534 -standardin mukainen säätöventtiilin mitoitus kokoonpuristumattomille ja –puristuville virtauksille laskennassa tarvittavine yhtälöineen. Teoreettisessa osassa esitellään RF-letkuventtiilien rakennetta ja ominaisuuksia. Lisäksi käydään läpi putkivirtauksen perusperiaatteita. Koska letkuventtiilissä virtaavana fluidina on usein jokin liete, on työssä esitelty menetelmä lietevirtauksen aiheuttaman paine-eron laskentaan. Työssä on käsitelty myös kavitaation syntyä, laskennalliset mahdollisuudet kavitaation ennustamiseen sekä keinoja kavitaation estämiseksi. Kokeellisessa osassa suoritettiin mittauksia kolmella erikokoisella RF-letkuventtiilillä, joissa kussakin käytettiin kolmea erityyppistä letkua. Mittausten perusteella pystyttiin laskemaan kapasiteettikertoimet sekä määrittämään säätökäyrät mitatuille venttiileille ja letkutyypeille. Näistä tuloksista säätökäyrille sovitettiin yhtälöt, joiden perusteella saatiin laskettua kapasiteettikertoimien arvot myös muille venttiilikoille.

Arkeologia

Arkeologian kokoelma sijaitsee kirjaston lainattavassa kokoelmassa. Se koostuu runsaasta 6000 niteestä monografioita. Lisäksi hankitaan kattavasti kotimaisia jatkuvia julkaisuja, n. 80 nimekettä pohjoismaisia, n. 35 venäläisiä ja n. 10 Baltian arkeologiaa käsitteleviä kausijulkaisuja (tiedot joulukuulta 2009). Kokoelma karttuu suurelta osin tieteellisen julkaisuvaihdon ja ostojen kautta. Arkeologia kuuluu kirjaston keskeisiin aihealueisiin. Kokoelmassa painottuu erityisesti kotimainen arkeologia, jota pyritään kartuttamaan kattavasti. Lisäksi kartutetaan aktiivisesti lähialueiden arkeologiaa, sekä metodologista ja teoreettista tutkimusta. Muuta Eurooppaa ja muita maanosia koskevaa tutkimusta kartutetaan tällä hetkellä monografioiden suhteen lähinnä perusteosten osalta, mutta jatkuvien julkaisujen kautta kokoelma karttuu myös näiltä osin laajemmin. Kotimaisen arkeologian suhteen kokoelma on ajantasainen, n. 45 % on julkaistu 1990- ja 2000-luvuilla, kun taas lähialueiden osalta samalta tarkastelujaksolta luvut vaihtelevat 20–30 %. Koko kokoelman osalta uusinta aineistoa on 17 %. Kokoelmaa on kartutettu pitkällä aikavälillä, se on ajallisesti laaja ja sisältää myös tieteenalalle edelleen tärkeää vanhempaa tutkimusta. Ennen vuotta 1900 julkaistu kirjallisuus on siirretty ei-lainattavaan kokoelmaan (runsas 300 nimekettä). Koko arkeologian kokoelmasta suurin osa on julkaistu englannin, saksan ja venäjän kielillä (n. 20 % kutakin). Ruotsinkielisiä julkaisuja on 9 %, ranskankielisiä 6 % ja suomen- ja tanskankielisiä 4 % kokoelmista. Julkaisuvaihdon kautta sarjoja saadaan laajalta kielialueelta, näin kokoelma karttuu myös harvinaisempien kielten osalta. Lainattavaa kokoelmaa täydentävät Arkeologian käsikirjasto, Meriarkeologian käsikirjasto sekä Rakennushistorian käsikirjasto historiallisen arkeologian osalta. Lisäksi Konservoinnin ja Rahakammion käsikirjastoihin on sijoitettu erityisesti esinetutkimukseen liittyvää kirjallisuutta.

Knowledge Sharing in a Virtual Learning Community

The focus of this Master’s Thesis is on knowledge sharing in a virtual Learning community. The theoretical part of this study aims at presenting the theory of knowledge sharing, competence development and learning in virtual teams. The features of successful learning organizations as well as enablers of effective knowledge sharing in virtual communities are also introduced to the reader in the theoretical framework. The empirical research for this study was realized in a global ICT company, specifically in its Human Resources business unit. The research consisted of two rounds of online questionnaires, which were conducted among all the members of the virtual Learning community. The research aim was to find shared opinions concerning the features of a successful virtual Learning community. The analysis of the data in this study was conducted using a qualitative research methodology. The empirical research showed that the main important features of a successful virtual Learning community are members’ passion towards the community way of working as well as the relevance of the content in the virtual community. In general, it was found that knowledge sharing and competence development are important matters in dynamic organizations as well as virtual communities as method and tool for sharing knowledge and hence increasing both individual and organizational knowledge. This is proved by theoretical and by empirical research in this study.

Calculation of the carbon footprint of Finnish barley products - methodology and possible applications

The purpose of this thesis was to define how product carbon footprint analysis and its results can be used in company's internal development as well as in customer and interest group guidance, and how these factors are related to corporate social responsibility. From-cradle-to-gate carbon footprint was calculated for three products; Torino Whole grain barley, Torino Pearl barley, and Elovena Barley grit & oat bran, all of them made of Finnish barley. The carbon footprint of the Elovena product was used to determine carbon footprints for industrial kitchen cooked porridge portions. The basic calculation data was collected from several sources. Most of the data originated from Raisio Group's contractual farmers and Raisio Group's cultivation, processing and packaging specialists. Data from national and European literature and database sources was also used. The electricity consumption for porridge portions' carbon footprint calculations was determined with practical measurements. The carbon footprint calculations were conducted according to the ISO 14044 standard, and the PAS 2050 guide was also applied. A consequential functional unit was applied in porridge portions' carbon footprint calculations. Most of the emissions from barley products' life cycle originate from primary production. The nitrous oxide emissions from cultivated soil and the use and production of nitrogenous fertilisers contribute over 50% of products' carbon footprint. Torino Pearl barley has the highest carbon footprint due to the lowest processing output. The reductions in products' carbon footprint can be achieved with developments in cultivation and grain processing. The carbon footprint of porridge portion can be reduced by using domestically produced plant-based ingredients and by making the best possible use of the kettle. Carbon footprint calculation can be used to determine possible improvement points related to corporate environmental responsibility. Several improvement actions are related to economical and social responsibility through better raw material utilization and expense reductions.

Acoustic environments in change. Five village soundscapes

Five village soundscapes toim./ed. R. M. Schafer. kirjan liitteinä olevista CD-levyistä kaksi liittyy teokseen Acoustic environments in change ja kaksi teokseen Five village soundscapes. Five villages soundscapes. 1st ed. Vancouver : A.R.C. Publications, cop. 1977.

Space–Time Block Codes and the Complexity of Sphere Decoding

In wireless communications the transmitted signals may be affected by noise. The receiver must decode the received message, which can be mathematically modelled as a search for the closest lattice point to a given vector. This problem is known to be NP-hard in general, but for communications applications there exist algorithms that, for a certain range of system parameters, offer polynomial expected complexity. The purpose of the thesis is to study the sphere decoding algorithm introduced in the article On Maximum-Likelihood Detection and the Search for the Closest Lattice Point, which was published by M.O. Damen, H. El Gamal and G. Caire in 2003. We concentrate especially on its computational complexity when used in space–time coding. Computer simulations are used to study how different system parameters affect the computational complexity of the algorithm. The aim is to find ways to improve the algorithm from the complexity point of view. The main contribution of the thesis is the construction of two new modifications to the sphere decoding algorithm, which are shown to perform faster than the original algorithm within a range of system parameters.

Asiakaskannattavuusanalyysi ja sen tuottaman tiedon hyödyntäminen

Asiakaskannattavuusanalyysi on johdon laskentatoimen menetelmä, jonka avulla voidaan selvittää asiakkaan todelliset kustannukset yritykselle. Analyysi toteutetaan usein toimintolaskennan avulla, jolloin laskennassa käytettävä tieto on rahamääräistä ja menneisyyteen pohjaavaa. Laskennan toteuttamisen tuloksena saadaan yksityiskohtaista tietoa kannattavuuden jakautumisesta yksittäisten asiakkaiden ja asiakassegmenttien kesken, mutta pelkän laskennan toteuttamisen lisäksi asiakaskannattavuusanalyysiin tuloksia pitää pystyä myös käsittelemään ja analysoimaan. Tätä kautta yrityksessä voidaan jäljittää kannattavuuden ja kannattamattomuuden lähteitä, sekä taustalla olevia tekijöitä. Asiakaskannattavuusanalyysin pohjalta saatuja tietoja hyödynnetään usein muun muassa hinnoittelussa, asiakkaiden segmentoinnissa, sekä palvelu- ja markkinointiresurssien allokoinnissa. Analyysin tulokset voivat vaikuttaa myös yrityksen strategiaan, sillä saatujen tulosten valossa kaikkien nykyisten asiakkaiden säilyttäminen ei välttämättä ole yritykselle kannattavaa. Asiakaskannattavuusanalyysistä saadaan siis yritykselle paljon uutta ja arvokasta tietoa, mutta menetelmällä on myös heikkoutensa: laskennalla saadut tulokset ovat menneisyyden tietoa, kun taas kaikki laskennan pohjalta tehtävä päätöksenteko on tulevaisuuteen suuntautuvaa. Pelkkä asiakaskannattavuusanalyysistä saatu tieto ei näin ollen yleensä riitä päätöksenteon pohjaksi esimerkiksi asiakkaiden liittyvässä strategisessa päätöksenteossa.

Kertomuksia kohtaamisista ja kohtaamisen vaikeuksista

Kirjallisuusarvostelu

Lestadiolaispappi ja kokoomuslainen poliitikko

Kirjallisuusarvostelu

Kirjallisuutta

Kirjallisuusarvostelu