A long way to the rainbow country : understanding the foreign market expansion process of Finnish corporations into the Republic of South Africa between 1999 and 2005

De afrikanska ekonomierna v��xer med n��ra fyra procent per ��r och detta ��r en god indikation p�� kontinentens v��xande betydelse. Under kalla kriget hade afrikanska regeringar haft ett begr��nsat utrymme f��r opportunistisk k��psl��ende, och d��rmed ��ven en marginal att positionera sig strategiskt. Alltf��r ofta uppmuntrade och beskyddade stormakterna diktatorer och sm�� lokala eliter som fr��mst ville berika sig sj��lv. I och med att globaliseringen tog fart och USA allt mera kom att dominera globalt, b��rjade en ny era i fr��ga om f��r��ndringar. Trots dessa f��r��ndringar p�� den globala arenan, har Afrika som kontinent hamnat i bakgrunden och j��mf��rt med andra utvecklingsl��nder har Afrika attraherat ett f��tal utl��ndska investeringar. Fortfarande, speciellt i Norden, finns det lite kunskap om hur utl��ndska f��retag expanderar sin aff��rsverksamhet p�� den afrikanska kontinenten. Det r��der brist p�� empiriska unders��kningar om vilken inverkan afrikanska institutionella f��r��ndringar och lokala aff��rsmilj��er har p�� internationaliseringen och p�� de utl��ndska f��retagens aff��rsutvecklingsstrategier p�� den afrikanska kontinenten. Med denna avhandling vill jag lyfta fram ett exempel p�� ett land (Sydafrika), som har lyckat dra nytta av de f��r��ndringar som 1990-talet f��rde med sig. I denna avhandling har jag intervjuat olika personer i ledande positioner inom olika finl��ndska f��retag i Finland och i Sydafrika. Avhandlingen skapar en referensram f��r att ��ka f��rst��else och f��rdjupa analys av hur en kombination av olika interna och externa resurser ��kar f��retagens konkurrenskraft och p�� det s��ttet bidrar till en framg��ngsrik aff��rsutveckling i Afrika. De politiska och sociala akt��rerna samt akt��rerna inom aff��rslivet besitter resurser som ambiti��sa f��retag kan dra nytta av i sin str��van att er��vra de nya framg��ngsrika marknaderna i Afrika. Gradvis ��kar finl��ndska f��retag sina insatser p�� den afrikanska kontinenten i str��van att skapa merv��rde f��r sina kunder. Den v��rdeskapande processen g��r att parterna m��ste n��rma sig varandra utg��ende fr��n sina egna strategiska m��ls��ttningar. Hittills har finl��ndska f��retag varit intresserad att s��lja till Afrika men inte intresserad att k��pa d��rifr��n. F��rutom de praktiska r��den till olika f��retag, f��resl��r avhandlingen hur den finska staten och den sydafrikanska staten kunde agera tillsammans f��r att fr��mja ��msesidigt handelsutbyte.

The progress and obstacles of implementing and improving e-government in Islamic Republic of Iran

To improving efficiency and transparency of government services, government authorities may increase the frequency of interaction between citizens and government as well as improving the quality of the government services and trust. Electronic Government (E-Government) in definition is the delivery of government services to citizens, businesses, and government organizations through the use of internet, web based applications, and Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) is the solution to build more reliable and efficient contact with citizens. Like the developing and developed countries, Iran also has been processing the various aspects of ICT, IT, and e-Government. Though, in order to implement and improve e-Government; Iran has faced with some obstacles. Therefore, the purpose of this thesis is to study progress of e- Government and identify obstacles of implementing and improving e Government in Iran. In this thesis, based on the literature review, the progress of e-Government in Iran was studied and various obstacles were identified. Therefore, as a result, e- Government of Iran is said to be in the transactional stage of the United Nations��� e-Government maturity stages. In addition, establishing more reliable, efficient, and accurate e-Government initiatives, plans, guidelines, and strategies will extremely enhance e-Government status of Iran. On the other hand, the needs of the citizens should always be under consideration when implementing and improving e-Government services; because citizens are considered to be at the core of every e-Government services and the responsibilities of the authorities.

Suomi the republic farthest north

kuv., 12 x 19 cm

Republic-kuorma-autot

kuv., 18 x 12 cm

Collective redundancies in the State of California of the United States and in the Republic of Finland. Procedures and Provisions

Video games industry has recently bonded California and Finland in a new way and where the employers are recruiting they also need to be aware of the provisions and procedures related to terminations. In general, collective dismissals are on a relatively high level both in Finland and in California. In California, collective redundancies are regulated under the WARN law. The WARN obligates employers with 75 or more employees to give a 60-day notice prior to a mass lay off and some other similar events. Employers with less than 75 employees are free to administer the terminations without the WARN notice period. Generally, the California at-will presumption allows employment relationship to be terminated any day with or without reason and without notice period if conditions of collective agreements or employment contract do not limit this right. Termination cannot anyhow be in violation of the anti-discrimination law. In Finland the termination related provisions are part of the Employment Contracts Act and the Act on Co-operation within Undertakings. Collective redundancies are allowed under financial and production related grounds. Small employers with less than 20 employees follow the termination provisions of the Employment Contracts Act and are obligated to inform the employee to be terminated on the details of the termination itself and also the services of the Employment and Economic Development Office. Employers with 20 or more employees are to initiate co-operation procedure under the Act on Co-operation within Undertakings when reducing personnel. The co- operation negotiations are to inform employees on the employer���s plans and financial situation as well as to involve them in the decision making regarding the terminations. The employer���s duty to inform the employees of the services of Employment and Economic Development Office needs to be fulfilled also in terminations under the co-operation procedure. Discrimination is prohibited in Finland in terminations of employment. As an alternative for terminations, employees can for example be transferred to another position or be temporarily laid off. Employer���s duties related to search of alternatives for layoff are broader in Finland than in California. The recent development of the labor laws in Finland and in California suggests that the labor law is not static in either one of these environments but changes can be expected as the needs of the business life so require.

Globalization of pharmaceutical R&D. Pharmaceutical R&D governance forms in People's Republic of China

Yrityksen selviytyminen ja menestyminen ovat riippuvaisia sen kyvyst�� innovoida, luoda tietoa ja hy��dynt���� tiet��myst�� ja keksint��j�� (Dunk ja Kilgore 2001). Yrityksen menestyminen erityisesti korkean teknologian alalla on siten suoraan riippuvainen sen T&T:st��, johon tehdyt investoinnit tuovat merkitt��vi�� taloudellisia etuja yritykselle uusien tuotteiden, palveluiden ja prosessien muodossa (McEvily ja Chakravarthy 1999). Teknologinen etumatka ja sen tuotteistaminen innovatiivisiksi tarjoamiksi mahdollistaa monopolististen etujen saavuttamisen yrityksen kansainv��lisess�� kilpailussa (Lall 1977). T��m�� kaltainen kilpailuetu voidaan saavuttaa yrityksen kyvyll�� yhdist���� maantieteellisesti hajautettu T&T:ns�� tehokkaaksi verkostoksi (Porter 1986). Boehen (2008) mukaan T&T:n globalisoitumista voidaan johtaa eri hallint��muodoilla: T&T:n kansainv��listymisell��, T&T:n ulkomaille sijoittamisella ja T&T ulkomaille ulkoistamisella. T&T:n globalisoituminen on osa 2000-luvun taloudellista muutosta, ja sille on esitetty useita vaikuttavia tekij��it��, kuten kustannuserot, ty��voimaresurssit, erityisosaamiskeskukset, paikallinen teknologia osaaminen ja kohdemarkkinoiden potentiaali (bardhan 2006; Norwood, ym. 2006; von Zedtwitz ja Gassmann 2002). Tutkimuksen on osoitettu eroavan tuotekehityksest�� ja eri tekij��iden on osoitettu vaikuttavan niihin (von Zedtwitz ja Gassmann 2002; Leifer ja Triscari 1987). Samoin T&T on osoitettu olevan jatkumo perustavanlaatuisesta soveltavaan ja l����kekehityksen muodostavan vastaavan T&T jatkumon (Lall 1980; Iansiti 1993), jonka yksitt��iset osat vaikuttavat sen hallintomuotoon. Tutkimus esitt���� eri tekij��it�� voivan hy��dynt���� hallintomuodosta riippuen. T��t�� tutkimusta varten tutkija haastatteli l����keteollisuuden johtajia Kiinassa vahvistaakseen tai hyl��t��kseen eri tekij��it�� ja niiden suhdetta l����keteollisen T&T:n hallintomuotoihin. Markkinoiden todettiin olevan ensisijainen tekij�� mutta my��s kustannuserojen, insentiivien, ty��voimaresurssien ja erityisosaamiskeskusten merkitys T&T:n globalisoitumiseen vaikuttavina tekij��in�� vahvistettiin yhdess�� perusvaatimusten ja riskitekij��iden kanssa. Tutkimuksessa vahvistetaan my��s l����keteollisen T&T-jatkumon vaikutus ja esitet����n viitekehys hallintomuodoille.

Globalization of pharmaceutical R&D Pharmaceutical R&D governance forms in People's Republic of China

Firm's survival and success, which are dependent on its ability to innovate, to create knowledge and to capitalize on inventions and know-how, is in essence directly linked to its R&D process (Dunk and Kilgore 2001). Especially in technology driven industries, such as the pharmaceuticals, there are signi���cant positive returns to R&D investments through introduction of new or improved products and services (McEvily and Chakravarthy 1999). Technological lead and its transformation to innovative products as fruits of corporate R&D can be seen as monopolistic advantage that helps enterprises to compete in today���s market (Lall 1977). This competitive advantage can be derived from corporation's ability to integrate its activities across geographic locations (Porter 1986). According to Boehe (2008) globalization of R&D can executed with different governance forms: R&D internationalization, R&D offshoring or R&D offshore outsourcing. Globalization of R&D is intervened with the changes in global economy of the 21st century. Some studies argue for its influencing factors to be access to vast skilled labor pools and centers of excellence (Bardhan 2006). Other studies indicate the R&D cost differentials between countries to be the major expected benefit (Norwood et al. 2006). Von Zedtwitz and Gassmann (2002) presented benefits as divided to accessing markets and customers or to accessing local science and technology. This study proposes that based on governance form distinct factor derived benefits can be capitalized. To corroborate or refute factors and their relations on R&D globalization governance forms, an empirical study based on expert interviews of pharmaceutical directors was conducted in the People's Republic of China. The market was found to be the major influencing factor. Local requirements and adaptation were corroborated as factors connected with markets. Furthermore, influencing factors, such as labour, centers of excellence, cost, financial incentives were corroborated together with conditional and risk factors. Furthermore this research argues that the globalization of pharmaceutical R&D is dependent on the financial, scientific and operational requirements of the drug discovery stage. And thus establishes the influence of drug discovery's stages continuum on pharmaceutical R&D globalization. Finally, a R&D globalization governance form decision framework is proposed based on the frameworks presented in literature and author's corroborated empirical findings.

National energy policies of the Federal Republic of Germany and Canada in the 1970s and 1980s: are economic and/or environmental concerns responsible for change?

The thesis presents a comparison of the national energy policies of the Federal Republic of Germany and Canada from 1973 until the late 1980s. The purpose of this paper is to analyze whether economic and/or environmental concerns were responsible for changes in the�� West-German and Canadian national energy policies. Furthermore, the feasibility of implementing a soft energy path in West-Germany and Canada is examined. For better comprehension of the policy-making process and implemented changes in the national energy policies of the two states, the West-German and Canadian parliamentary systems and the political cultures were compared. For the analysis, several events with international impact were taken as guidelines. Furthermore, based on statistical data, the West-German and Canadian energy production and consumption were analyzed. With reference to these results the degree of the de facto changes in the national energy policies were analyzed. In addition, the thesis discusses the possibilities which a soft energy path offers to both national governments to renounce themselves from the dependencies on a few energy resources. The thesis reveals that changes in the West-German and Canadian national energy policies, in their energy production and consumption are correlated to various world events. In particular, governmental reponses security of energy supply by the two international oil crises of 1973 and 1979/1980 demonstrate that changes in the West-German and Canadian national energy policies were implemented in reaction to economic concerns than environmental ones. With the policies "away from oil" and "off oil", the West-German and Canadian government implemented the i i substitution of oil through various diverse energy supply resources. However, energy savings concepts and policies were initiated through the first oil crisis in 1973. The world recessions in 1975 and 1982 had no 'profound impacts on the agenda of West-German and Canadian energy policies. As a consequence of the stagnation or the negative growth of the world economic market, changes in their energy production and consumption can be perceived. However, the West-German and Canadian energy production and consumption intensified with the augmentation of the world economy. During the period of study, environmental concerns were taken into account in the energy policy agendas of the Federal Republic of Germany and Canada but they were not of primary concern. wi thin the decade of. the 1980s notably more environmental considerations were taken into account in the energy policies of the two states. The two nuclear reactor accidents in 1979 and 1986 sharpened to various degrees West-German and Canadian public discourse of present energy supply mix and attitude towards energy production and consumption. The statistical data reflects yet no changes in the energy policies in regard to the position of nuclear power. However, in the next several years possible changes can be observed through statistical data, because the planning, the construction and possible phase out of nuclear power requires several years. Finally, the thesis reveals that the implementation of a soft energy path requires profound changes in the consumer behaviour. As several studies indicate, a soft energy path is technological and economically feasible for the Federal Republic of Germany and Canada, its implementation remains to be a political decision.

The People's Republic of China and her relations with the countries of the association of Southeast Asian nations : 1969-1975

Phe Ihesis examines the evolution of the -policies of the People fs Jtenublie of China towards J?hail��nd, PTal ysia, Singapore, Iidonesia pad the Philip-pines, organised in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations from 1969 to 1975��� 2ze first central point of this study is an *ir sumption that the foreign relations of The People's Tepublic of Chi la Towards Southeast ^sia have been motivated by a dynamic interplay of t^o main factors: (1) Farxist-Leninist ideology and ICao J^e-tung Ph^ught, which dictate to China to behave as a revolutionary Dover vhich must assist the insurgent movements in the area in their strug fle to overthrow the local governments; (2) national interest, vhich demands of China to safeguard the southern flank of her territory bordering on Southerst 'sia through Friendly relations, trade and ot*��er conventional inrtniments of diplomacy. hile the tvo main motive factors are nuTually antagonistic and exclusivet the Chinere leaders are nevertheless at te mi ting to oring them iirco a coherent policy under Mao's theory of tve {hniity of op-nosites," vhich believes that it is -possible to reconcile these co-posing tendencies into a dynamic enuibrium through vhich both opnosites could be promoted at the same time although not to the same extent* la other words, the Chinese leaders conceive the dynamic equilibrium as a continuum between them in a mix in which one or the other orientation predominates in different ���periods* Bins we might see China1 s conduct motivated in one period by mostly ideological considerations at the expense of the staire-to-state relations, then ve might see her policy in the middle of the continuum and suf ering from immo bill sine and just muddling through, or finally ?fe might see her emphasising friendly ties at the expense of support of revolutionary movements at the other extreme -point of the spectrum* !fhe mechanism vhich enables Peking to move from one pole to the other of the spectrum is activated by the following elementsJ (1) the result of an internal power struggle within the leadership in Peking between ideologically radical and moderate elements, which enables the victorious faction to initiate nev policies; (2) Peking's assessment of the changing intentions and capabilities of the major powers in the area; (3) internal changes within the countries of the area and the changing attitudes of their governments towards China; (4) changing fortunes of revolutionary movements operating in the area* 'Phe second major point of this study is an assertion that while China's conduct toward Southeast *lsia after her foundation in 1949 was primarily based upon ideological considerations, the beginning of the seventies saw the national interest reasserting itself as the leading motive factor* Thus China talks with her neighbours in Southeast asia in terms of relevance of fllong historical ties," casting herself into the role of a benevolent "older brother11 who is entitled to reopect and deference in exchange for patronage and protection* Hence the traditional echoes of the past are emerging ever stronger and influencing her postures towards the region, while the open support to revolutionary moevments is underplayed at the moment.

Battles of Mexico : Containing an authentic account of all the Battles fought in that Republic : including the treaty of peace : with list of the killed and wounded, toger with a Brief Sketch of the Lives of Generals Scott and Taylor.

UANL