Improving strategic decision-making with simulation based decision support systems

Combating climate change is one of the key tasks of humanity in the 21st century. One of the leading causes is carbon dioxide emissions due to usage of fossil fuels. Renewable energy sources should be used instead of relying on oil, gas, and coal. In Finland a significant amount of energy is produced using wood. The usage of wood chips is expected to increase in the future significantly, over 60 %. The aim of this research is to improve understanding over the costs of wood chip supply chains. This is conducted by utilizing simulation as the main research method. The simulation model utilizes both agent-based modelling and discrete event simulation to imitate the wood chip supply chain. This thesis concentrates on the usage of simulation based decision support systems in strategic decision-making. The simulation model is part of a decision support system, which connects the simulation model to databases but also provides a graphical user interface for the decisionmaker. The main analysis conducted with the decision support system concentrates on comparing a traditional supply chain to a supply chain utilizing specialized containers. According to the analysis, the container supply chain is able to have smaller costs than the traditional supply chain. Also, a container supply chain can be more easily scaled up due to faster emptying operations. Initially the container operations would only supply part of the fuel needs of a power plant and it would complement the current supply chain. The model can be expanded to include intermodal supply chains as due to increased demand in the future there is not enough wood chips located close to current and future power plants.

Towards a Strategic Sales Channel Partnership: A Case Study from the IT Services Industry

Strategic partnerships have become a key to competitive advantage and success in a dynamic, global business environment. Partnering provides a strategic response to complex offerings that need multiple sources of technology and knowledge, allowing companies to offer a wider range of services and solutions to meet their customers’ needs. Companies that collaborate with strategic partners in sales channels may significantly grow their business and improve their prospects of winning major contracts. As a consequence, companies are increasingly transforming their go-to-market strategies and sales channel structures to align with the need to create added value to customers together with a business partner. The research objective of this case study is to review and assess the success of an established sales channel partnership in IT services industry and to find ways how to develop it towards a strategic collaboration. The research consists of two main parts. The first part reviews the literature, concluding with the identification of the critical success factors for partnering. The second part sets out for the case findings, focusing on how the success of the established sales channel partnership is perceived by key executives within the partner organizations, and further what actions are required to make the sales channel partnership and joint go-to-market more strategic.

Sorption of metal ions to wood, pulp and bark materials

Ett huvudmål med denna avhandling var att erhålla ny information om växelverkan mellan metalljoner i vattenfas och träbaserade material såsom olika pappersmassor, ved och bark. Material av gran, tall och björk har studerats. En ny känslig kolonnkromatografisk metod utvecklades för bestämning av affinitetsordningar för 17 olika metalljoner. Av dessa bands trevärt järn och de mycket toxiska tungmetallerna bly, koppar och kadmium starkast till de studerade materialen. Växelverkan i dessa tvåfas system sker som jonbyte, huvudsakligen via komplexbildning av metalljoner till funktionella grupper i den fasta fasen. Vattenfasens pH är den viktigaste parametern som bestämmer totala halten av metalljoner som binds till materialen. Resultatet i denna avhandling kan delvis betraktas som grundforskning. En ny kunskap om metalljoners förekomst och kemiska reaktioner i dessa system är även av stor ekonomisk och ekologisk, betydelse, när man strävar till allt mera slutna system i moderna massafabriker. Avhandlingen visar också att trädbark har stor potential för biosorption av tungmetaller t.ex. från avfallsvatten. Trädbark har nästan lika stor bindningskapacitet som dyra syntetiska jonbytare.

Strategic alliances as an international entry strategy: Finnish cleantech SMEs and the Indian market

The demand for environmental technologies, also called cleantech, is growing globally but the need is especially high in emerging markets such as India where the rising economy and rapid industrialisation have led to increasing energy needs and environmental degradation. The market is of great potential also for the Finnish cleantech cluster that represents advanced expertise in several fields of environmental technologies. However, most of the Finnish companies in the field are SMEs that face challenges in their internationalisation due to their limited resources. The objective of this study was to estimate, whether strategic alliances could be an efficient entry strategy for Finnish cleantech SMEs entering the Indian market. This was done by studying what are the key factors influencing the international entry mode decision of Finnish cleantech SMEs, what are the major factors affecting the entry of Finnish cleantech SMEs to the Indian market and how do Finnish cleantech SMEs use strategic alliances in their internationalisation process. The study was realised as a qualitative multi-case study through theme interviews of Finnish cleantech SME representatives. The results indicated that Finnish cleantech SMEs prefer to enter international markets through non-equity and collaborative modes of entry. These entry modes are chosen because of the small size and limited resources of companies, but also because they want to protect their innovative technologies from property rights violations. India is an attracting market for Finnish cleantech SMEs mainly because of its size and growth, but insufficient environmental regulation and high import tariffs have hindered entry to the market. Finnish cleantech SMEs commonly use strategic alliances in their internationalisation process but the use is rather one-sided. Most of the formed strategic alliances are low-commitment, international contractual agreement in sales and distribution. Alliance partner selection receives less attention. In the future, providing Finnish cleantech SMEs with international experience and training could help in diversifying the use of strategic alliances and increase their benefits to SME internationalisation.

Strategic outsourcing of R&D: The location-specific advantages of India to the pharmaceutical industry

Companies are increasingly under pressure to be more efficient both in terms of costs and overall performance and thus, they seek new ways to develop their products and innovate. For pharmaceutical industry it can take several decades to launch a new drug to the markets. Since pharmaceutical industry is one of the most research-intensive industries, is outsourcing one way to enhance the R&D processes of such companies. It is said that outsourcing to offshore locations is vastly more challenging and complicated than any other exporting activity or inter-company relationship that has evoked a lot of discussion. By outsourcing strategically, companies must also thoroughly focus on transaction costs and core competences. Today, the suppliers are looked for beyond national boundaries and furthermore, the location of the outsourcing activity must also be thoroughly considered. Consequently, the purpose of this study is to analyze what is known of strategic outsourcing of pharmaceutical R&D to India. In order to meet the purpose of the study, this study tries to answer three sub-questions set to it: first, what is strategic outsourcing, second, why pharmaceutical companies utilize strategic outsourcing of R&D and last, why pharmaceutical companies select India as the location for outsourcing their R&D. The study is a qualitative study. The purpose of the study was approached by a literature review with systematic elements and sub-questions were analyzed through different relevant theories, such as theory of transaction costs, core competences and location advantages. Applicable academic journal articles were comprehensively included in the study. The data was collected from electronic journal article databases using key words and almost only peer-reviewed, as new as possible articles were included. Also both the reference list of the included articles and article recommendations from professionals generated more articles for inclusion. The data was analyzed through thematization that resulted in themes that illuminate the purpose of the study and sub-questions. As an outcome of the analysis, each of the theory chapters in the study represents one sub-question. The literature used in this study revealed that strategic outsourcing of R&D is increasingly used in pharmaceutical industry and the major motives to practice it has to do with lowering costs, accessing skilled labor, resources and knowledge and enhancing their quality while speeding up the introduction of new drugs. Mainly for the above-mentioned motives India is frequently chosen as the target location for pharma outsourcers. Still, the literature is somewhat incomplete in this complex phenomenon and more research is needed.

Developing a Brand Positioning Model for International Strategic Marketing

The target of this thesis is to develop a brand positioning process model for the case company’s international operations. The model will make the process more effective and decrease the risk of relevant aspects being forgotten. The focus is on the international operations although generally the brand positioning can be seen as a standardized subject and, thus, there is no need to distinguish market areas. Constructive research approach is chosen as a research method. Internal interviews are done in order to give the much needed insight about the case company’s current processes and circumstances. Based on theory, interviews as well as internal and external material the model is built. The most difficult part in building the model is to determine the order of each phase. Also, deciding the number of each phase can be problematic. The model should be brief and assertive in order to reduce the risk of misunderstanding between employees from different units. Based on the analysis of the interviews and the theory the brand positioning process model is presented with indication of the order of each phase. The model is divided to three main groups: Analyzing the Environment, Determining the Brand Position, and Documenting the BPS. The benefits of the model are that overlapping work can be reduced, too similar brands can be noticed and it is easier to train new employees.

Single access laparoscopic cholecystectomy: technique without the need for special materials and with better ergonomics

The authors describe a surgical technique which allows, without increasing costs, to perform laparoscopic cholecystectomy with a single incision, without using specific materials and with better surgical ergonomics. The technique consists of a longitudinal umbilical incision, navel detachment, use of a permanent 10mm trocar and two clamps directly and bilaterally through the aponeurosis without the use of 5mm trocars, transcutaneous gallbladder repair with straight needle cotton suture, ligation with unabsorbable suture and umbilical incision for the specimen extraction. The presented technique enables the procedure with conventional and permanent materials, improving surgical ergonomics, with safety and aesthetic advantages.

Measuring effects of strategic utilization of social media in business-to-business marketing: Case Greenlux Finland Oy

Utilization of social media is increasingly common in B2B marketing. Social media is an efficient and cheap marketing and communication channel available for everyone, and thus extremely attractive marketing medium. The more companies get involved in social media the more failures are reported. It is not enough for a company to just be present in social media. Succeeding on it requires hard work, investing time and money, and ability to measure and to monitor performance. With an increasing number of companies failing in utilizing social media, together with lack of research on strategic utilization of social media focusing on B2B marketing, measuring, and monitoring create a purpose for this research. The aim of this research is to discover methods for measuring and monitoring effects of strategic utilization of social media in B2B marketing. Most relevant financial and non-financial indicators are discussed, and the methods by which these can be monitored and measured. In addition, effects of strategic utilization of social media on the case company are measured and analyzed. The research methodology used in this research is a participatory action research, which includes elements of both qualitative and quantitative research methods. The case company examined in the research provides a unique opportunity to follow through all phases of strategic utilization of social media for B2B marketing purposes concluding real effects of social media to the case company, and thus gain a deep understanding about this new marketing medium in the perspective of B2B marketing. Duration of the research period is seven months. During this time, information is collected, measured, and analyzed. Case company does not have any other marketing activities simultaneously which makes it possible to examine social media apart from effects of other visible marketing activities. Effects of strategic utilization of social media can be monitored and measured in many ways. Methods that should be used depend on goals set for social media. Fundamental nature of social media requires multidimensional assessment, and thus effects should be measured, and monitored considering both financial and non-financial indicators. The results implicates that effects of strategic utilization of social media are relatively wide ranged. According to the findings, social media affects positively on brand, number of web page visitors, visitor behavior, and on distribution of awareness. According to investment calculations social media is a legitimate investment for case company. Results also implicate that by using social media case company gains conversation, arouses interest, gets attention, and creates interactivity. In addition and as a side note, winter holiday season appears to have a great effect on social media activity of B2B companies’ representatives.

Strategic external deployment of intellectual assets

Globalization, pervasiveness of technology and ICT, and the buildup of information societies and policies have lead to a growing abundance of knowledge and highly educated labour supply that is distributed widely. These changes have shifted the foundation of competitiveness to valuable knowledge resources which are now distributed widely across the globe, across actors in the value chain and across educated individuals in multiple organizations. Against this backdrop, the paradigm of open innovation (OI) has emerged as a new response to managing the increased amount of boundary-spanning knowledge flows in and out of the innovation process. The outbound mode of open innovation, that is to say the external exploitation of knowledge assets outside of the firm’s own products and services, has been the less-researched aspect of the concept and so far typically seen as concerning the outlicensing of unused technological assets to generate additional revenue. Given that open innovation is essentially a framework for the holistic structuring and management of crossboundary knowledge flows to improve a firm’s innovative performance, a close integration to corporate strategy seems imperative in order to fully benefit from it. Integrating open innovation to strategy leads to elevating its role from a fringe activity to a central innovation management issue that needs to be systematically managed. Building a structure that allows effective management necessitates linking open innovation activities to each phase of the innovation process. Previously, the connection between outbound OI and the earlier stages of innovation has not been studied. The thesis finds that connecting outbound OI to the entire innovation process of the firm, including the fuzzy front end of innovation, is critical for attaining strategic objectives and to the successful implementation and management of the activity. The practical purpose for the research is to enable companies to fully utilize their potential for outbound open innovation and to be able to implement and manage it from a strategic standpoint.

Strategic Innovation Management Based on Three Dimensions

This thesis examines innovation development needs of firms in a remote rural region. The perspective of the study is in strategic innovation management and three dimensions of innovation development: innovation environment, value delivery and innovation capability. The framework is studied with a theoretical and methodological approach in the context of the development of a regional innovation system and the defining of innovation development needs. The thesis is based on existing innovation management literature, expanding it by examining the features of the three dimensions. The empirical data of the study comprise 50 purposefully selected firms within the region of Pielinen Karelia located in Eastern Finland. Most of the firms (70%) included in the study represent manufacturing firms, and over 90% are small and medium-sized enterprises. The research data consist of two questionnaires and an interview, which were done during 2011 in the connection of a regional development project. The point of view of the research is in regional development and harnessing the innovation capability of the firms within the region. The principal research approach applies soft systems methodology. The study explores the means to foster the innovativeness of firms from the viewpoints of innovation environment, innovation capability and value delivery. In closer detail, the study examines relations between the innovation capability factors, differences in innovation development needs within the value delivery system, between sectors and between firm size categories. The thesis offers three major contributions. First, the study extends earlier research on strategic innovation management by connecting the frameworks of innovation capability, innovation environment and value delivery process to the defining of innovation development needs at the regional level. The results deepen knowledge especially concerning practice-based innovation, peripheral regions and smaller firms. Second, the empirical work, based on a case study, confirms the existence of a structural connection integrating five factors of innovation capability. Statistical evidence is provided especially for the positive impacts of the improvement of absorption capability, marketing capability and networking capability, which are the main weaknesses of firms according to the study. Third, the research provides a methodological contribution by applying the innovation matrix in the defining of the innovation development needs of firms. The study demonstrates how the matrix improves possibility to target policy instruments and innovation services more efficiently through indicating significant differences between the innovation support needs regarding various time horizons and phases of innovation process.

Actively crafting customer value or merely representing a solution? Linking value-based selling to salesperson performance

Value-based selling is a salesperson behavioral mode which concentrates on generating superior customer value. Although service dominant logic emphasizes customer value as a central tenet for achieving strategic objectives, sales management literature has predominantly circumvented the subject matter of customer value. The purpose of this thesis is to demonstrate the distinctiveness and positive sales performance outcomes of value-based selling. Additionally, performance outcomes of value-based selling are contrasted with other key sales behaviors, selling skills and motivational orientations. As a part of this thesis, large-scale survey of 730 respondents was collected. The survey was tailored for the needs of a value-based selling research group led by Ph.D. Harri Terho. The research group used convenience sampling to select the salespeople of 25 medium- and large-scale companies in Finland which currently either practice value-based selling or consider developing these activities. This thesis contains three key findings: value-based selling is established as a distinct sales behavior, it relates directly and positively to salesperson performance and it explains the link between customer-oriented selling and salesperson performance. Value-based selling relates to salesperson performance especially in the following GICS-sectors: energy, industrials and materials. However, relationship selling relates to performance strongest in the energy sector and adaptive selling in industrials sector. In sum, it is evident that actively crafting customer value is a successful sales behavior in many business-to-business marketing environments while other sales behaviors, excluding customer-oriented selling, still uphold their significance.

Strategic communication : practice, ideology and dissonance

This dissertation approaches the manifestations of ideology in U.S. Strategic Communication. The discussion approaches Strategic Communication by relating it to the Enlightenment narratives and suggesting these narratives maintain similar social and political functions. This dissertation aims to address the key contents and mechanisms of Strategic Communication by covering the perspectives of (i) communication as leadership as well as (ii) communication as discourse , i.e. practice and contents. Throughout the empirical part of the dissertation, the communication theoretical discussion is supported by a methodological framework that bridges Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) and functional language theory. According to the principles of CDA, Strategic Communication is treated as ideological, hegemonic discourse that impacts social order. The primary method of analysis is transitivity analysis, which is concerned with how language and its patterns construe reality. This analysis is complemented with a discussion on the rituals of production and interpretation, which can be treated as visual extensions of textual transitivity. The concept of agency is the key object of analysis. From the perspective of leadership, Strategic Communication is essentially a leadership model through which the organization defines itself, its aims and legitimacy. This dissertation arrives to the conclusion that Strategic Communication is used not only as a concept for managing Public Relations and information operations. It is an esse ntial asset in the inter-organization management of its members. The current developments indicate that the concept is developing towards even heavier measures of control. From the perspective of language and discourse, the key narratives of Strategic Communication are advocated with the intrinsic values of democracy and technological progress as the prerequisites of ethics and justice. The transitivity patterns reveal highly polarized agency. The agency of the Self is typically outsourced to technology. Further, the transitivity pa tterns demonstrate how the effects-centric paradigm of warfare has created a lexicon that is ideologically exclusive. It has led to the development of two mutually exclusive sets of vocabulary, where the desc riptions of legitimate ac tion exclude Others by default. These ideological discourses have become naturalized in the official vocabulary of strategic planning and le adership. Finally, the analysis of the images of the captures and deaths of Saddam Hussein, Osama bin Laden and Muammar Gaddafi bring the discussion back to the themes of the Enlightenment by demonstrating how democracy is framed to serve political purposes. The images of democracy are essentially images of violence. Contrary to the official, instrumental and humanitari an narratives of Strategic Communication, it is the grammar of expressive, violent rituals that serve as the instrument of unity.

Biodegradable packaging materials in 2013 and their feasibility in chocolate industry

The development of biopolymers has been rapid in recent years and the range of available bioplastics is increasing continuously, driven by a growing demand for sustainable solutions. There are several key drivers behind this growth. The oil reservoirs are decreasing which is causing a price increase for the traditional plastic materials and therefore the gap to bioplastics’ price is getting smaller. In addition, other environmental topics, such as waste disposal and green production, have become more and more important factors for institutes, companies and consumers. Legislation and directives have to be taken into account as well in decision making concerning different packaging materials. The new environmental law with waste disposal responsibility will also have an effect on the packaging business. Therefore a need has risen to study closer the current offering closer of bio-based materials that could be used in chocolate packaging. In this Master’s Thesis the bioplastics’, and especially biodegradable materials’ technical properties and their development, availability, possible existing products in the markets, waste disposal possibilities and consumers attitude towards environmental friendly packaging is studied. This is a case study where the offering of biodegradable materials was investigated during March 2013 for Fazer Confectionary.

Electric field control of magnetism in hydrid ferromagnetic / ferroelectric materials

Väisälän palkinnon 2012 saaja.

Flows of Bingham Materials Through Ideal Porous Media: an Experimental and Theoretical Study

The flow of Bingham liquids through porous media has been studied. Experiments have been performed to determine the flow rate / pressure drop relationship for the flow of a grease of Binghamian rheological behavior through an array of rods of circular cross section. The yield stress and plastic viscosity of the grease have been determined with the aid of a controlled stress rotational rheometer. To investigate a wider range of the flow parameters, the mass and momentum conservation equations have been solved numerically, in conjunction with the generalized Newtonian constitutive law and the bi-viscosity model. The finite volume method has been employed to obtain the numerical solution. These numerical results also yielded a flow rate / pressure drop relationship, which is in very good agreement with the experimental results. A capillaric theory has been developed to determine an analytical relationship between the flow rate and pressure drop for flows of Bingham liquids through porous media. It is shown that the predictions of this theory are in good agreement with the experimental and numerical results.