Showing papers by "Aalto University published in 1995"
TL;DR: The main rhetorical elements for all attempts to generalize in accounting research are statistical, contextual, and constructive generalization as mentioned in this paper, which are the three main rhetorics used in accounting studies: statistical generalization rhetoric relies on formal arguments brought from a mathematical theory, contextual generalization is based on understanding of the historical and institutional context, and the diffusion of innovation.
Abstract: Generalization in accounting research is always suspect as the social context and institutions of accounting change over time and space. However, exactly for this reason, there are a number of different ways to reach pragmatic and somewhat generalizable results. No research programme or approach has an absolute upper hand in understanding the true dynamics of economic development. The genuine puzzle of inductive reasoning creates a rhetorical element for all attempts to generalize in accounting research. The main rhetorics used in accounting studies are statistical, contextual, and constructive generalization. To put it in broad terms, statistical generalization rhetoric relies on formal arguments brought from a mathematical theory, contextual generalization rhetoric is based on understanding of the historical and institutional context, and constructive generalization relies on the diffusion of innovation. Combining the often silenced opportunities of contextual or constructive generalization rhetorics in...
324 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the spin-dependent structure function g 1 d of the deuteron was measured in deep inelastic scattering of 190 GeV polarised muons on polarised deuterons, in the kinematic range 0.003 x 2 Q 2 2.
129 citations
TL;DR: The results of this study show that investment in information systems is not necessarily related to superior financial performance of the firm in the short term, however, investment in Information systems is associated with the maturity of information systems, which in turn is related to improved performance.
119 citations
TL;DR: In this article, a normative model, called service process analysis (SPA), is proposed to distinguish the concept of service from the specification of the delivery channel so as to facilitate the analysis of repositioning strategies.
Abstract: The restructuring of service channels, driven by deregulation, intensifying global competition and emerging information technology, is forcing every company to re‐evaluate the adequacy of current customer services. Introduces a normative model, called service process analysis (SPA), that properly differentiates the concept of service from the specification of the delivery channel so as to facilitate the analysis of repositioning strategies. In SPA, efficient matching of services and channels is determined on the basis of the trade‐off between production costs and transaction costs involved. Compares the SPA model with some well‐known frameworks and measurement schemes and illustrates its implications for the repositioning of service strategies in selected industries.
104 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors present a framework relating traditional management marketing information systems (MkIS) to other organizational IS, based on marketing management processes which facilitate the search for new applications and opportunities for redesigning marketing and other management processes in a more innovative way using modern information technology.
Abstract: Analyses traditional management marketing information systems (MkIS) as well as the more operational day‐to‐day sales and marketing process‐oriented MkIS, by the type of use and organizational position of users. Presents a framework relating MkIS to other organizational IS, based on marketing management processes which facilitate the search for new applications and opportunities for redesigning marketing and other management processes in a more innovative way using modern information technology. Describes in more depth the functionality and information content of MkIS sub‐systems and marketing– and management‐related organizational IS in order to make the framework useful and applicable for practitioners.
101 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, three perspectives to business process redesign prevailing in recent literature are recognized: information technology as enabler, improving the operative efficiency of processes; the potential of business processes in the redesign of organization; and the least emphasized perspective, calls for business processes as units of strategic planning and therefore acknowledges the need to define them as carriers of strategic capabilities.
Abstract: Several world‐class companies have re‐designed or re‐engineered – their business processes with considerable success. However, failure rates of some 70 per cent have been reported in BPR projects. This may be due to focusing on operational and implementation issues, bypassing strategic aspects. Recognizes three perspectives to business process redesign prevailing in recent literature. The first sees information technology as enabler, improving the operative efficiency of processes. The second observes the potential of business processes in the redesign of organization. The third, and least emphasized perspective, calls for business processes as units of strategic planning and therefore acknowledges the need to define them as carriers of strategic capabilities. Illustrates these three perspectives with a case of redesigned industrial delivery processes. Finally, discusses the impacts of the strategic perspective on the successful implementation of BPR.
81 citations
01 Jan 1995
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors present a dynamic game theory model for an international environmental negotiation problem that may arise in the context of global climate change, based on the fact that the countries differ in their vulnerability to the global warming and that two coalitions will possibly be formed.
Abstract: Atmospheric concentrations of the greenhouse gases (e.g., CO2) are increasing rapidly due to human economic and industrial activity. The thermal balance of the earth is changed resulting in overall climate warming referred to as the “greenhouse effect”. The greenhouse effect is a global issue. Reducing damages caused by climatic changes requires major international efforts. Many countries bear the view that the joint efforts should be undertaken under international agreements. We present a dynamic game theory model for an international environmental negotiation problem that may arise in the context of global climate change. Our game theory setting is based on the fact that the countries differ in their vulnerability to the global warming and that two coalitions will possibly be formed. One coalition may include countries that do not suffer from global warming, or where the damages are minor, and in the other coalition we may have countries that suffer from the global warming. The greenhouse problem is modelled as an economic infinite-horizon differential game. The players negotiate an agreement among Pareto efficient programs. Since the costs of one player will be reduced in cooperation while the costs of the other will increase, transfer payments may be used in negotiating an agreement. Transfer payment programs are designed such that it is possible at any stage of the agreement to punish violations against cooperation and to discourage the other player from selfishly polluting the atmosphere. The use of memory strategies in designing self-enforcing agreements is discussed. The main conclusion is that the incentives for international cooperative control of global warming will become stronger with an accelerating speed.
59 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, a negotiation support system, RAMONA, is proposed for use in a negotiation involving agricultural income policy in Finland, where the negotiating parties are the Finnish Government and the Central Union of Agricultural Producers.
48 citations
TL;DR: Results revealed that subjective features, such as pitch, are formed from objective stimulus parameters (i.e. the spectral contents of a sound) before storing acoustic information in memory.
Abstract: Magnetic brain responses to infrequent changes in the pitch of complex sounds were recorded. The composition of the test sounds required that pitch-deviant stimuli elicited the mismatch response only if perceived pitch was represented in auditory sensory memory. Results revealed that subjective features, such as pitch, are formed from objective stimulus parameters (i.e. the spectral contents of a sound) before storing acoustic information in memory. The origin of the magnetic response to pitch change showed that pitch deviation was detected in the auditory cortex. Pitch memory might also be located in the auditory cortex, as previous evidence suggests that storage for an auditory feature lies in the vicinity of the neuronal elements activated by deviations in that feature.
41 citations
TL;DR: Saxenian et al. as mentioned in this paper discuss the culture and competition in Silicon Valley and Route 128 by AnnaLee Saxenian and discuss the discussion of regional advantage and cultural differences.
Abstract: (1995). Discussion of Regional Advantage: Culture and Competition in Silicon Valley and Route 128 by AnnaLee Saxenian. Economic Geography: Vol. 71, No. 2, pp. 199-207.
41 citations
TL;DR: Several world-class companies have redesigned or reengineered their business processes with considerable success as mentioned in this paper, with the emphasis being on operational and implementation issues, as well as on radical use of information technology to enable streamlining of processes to a previously unseen extent.
Abstract: Several world‐class companies have redesigned – or reengineered – their business processes with considerable success. This enthusiasm for business process redesign has been propelled by the claims of these companies to have achieved up to 80 per cent savings on time and costs by restructuring business processes and organizations. The emphasis seems to have been on operational and implementation issues, as well as on radical use of information technology to enable streamlining of processes to a previously unseen extent.
TL;DR: In this article, a reference direction/reference point approach is proposed to solve integer linear programming problems, where the reference direction is determined by the aspiration levels for the criteria that the decision-maker wants to improve.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors describe the state-of-the-art of human resource management in Finland in the mid-1990s as the Finnish economy recovers from its deepest and longest post-war recession.
Abstract: Describes the state‐of‐the‐art of human resource management in Finland in the mid‐1990s as the Finnish economy recovers from its deepest and longest post‐war recession. Typical to the Finnish system has been the mix of social, political and employers′ interests in the collective bargaining system; Finnish HRM cannot be understood without knowing its context, the main trends of which are: survival from rationalization and related labour reductions, increasing cost‐effectiveness and line responsibility, the flexible use of labour and utilization of the labour force. The implications of EU membership on the Finnish HRM are mainly seen to be related to free mobility of employees and changes in social security and labour relations.
TL;DR: In this paper, the effects of doping on point defect concentrations in GaAs layers were investigated by studying samples containing shallow acceptors (Be) or shallow donors (Si) in concentrations of ∼1019 cm−3.
Abstract: A range of experimental techniques has been used to measure point defect concentrations in GaAs layers grown at low temperatures (250 °C) by molecular‐beam epitaxy (LT‐GaAs). The effects of doping on these concentrations has been investigated by studying samples containing shallow acceptors (Be) or shallow donors (Si) in concentrations of ∼1019 cm−3. Material grown under As‐rich conditions and doped with Be was completely compensated and the simultaneous detection of As0Ga by near‐band‐edge infrared absorption and As+Ga by electron paramagnetic resonance confirmed that the Fermi level was near the midgap position and that compensation was partly related to AsGa defects. There was no evidence for the incorporation of VGa in this layer from positron annihilation measurements. For LT‐GaAs grown under As‐rich conditions and doped with Si, more than 80% of the donors were compensated and the detection of SiGa–VGa pairs by infrared localized vibrational mode (LVM) spectroscopy indicated that compensating VGa de...
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors presented the most probable counterpart of GRO J0957+65 is the BL Lacertae object 0954+658, and the spectra, time variability, and positions of the two sources were also presented.
Abstract: EGRET detected an unidentified source, GRO J0744+54, at a significance of 6.5 sigma, during its observations from 1993 June 28 to July 12. The source was seen again in the following 2 week viewing period and was weakly evident in the earlier phase 1 of the EGRET observations. Considering the variability of its gamma-ray flux, and its location at high Galactic latitude, GRO J0744+54 is likely to be a previously undetected blazar. Its most likely identification is with the radio source 87GB 073840.5+545138. A second source, GRO J0957+65, was seen by EGRET during the same two viewing periods at a combined significance of 5.7 sigma. The most probable counterpart of GRO J0957+65 is the BL Lacertae object 0954+658. The spectra, time variability, and positions of the two sources are presented. Multiwavelength observations of 0954+658 are also presented.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examined whether a biased starting position impacts the outcome of negotiations using a single Negotiating Text (SNT) (Raiffa 1982) type, two-party mediation.
Abstract: This article examines whether a biased starting position impacts the outcome of negotiations using a Single Negotiating Text (SNT) (Raiffa 1982) type, two-party mediation. Two separate experiments were conducted, one in Helsinki and one in New Mexico, that systematically tested this issue and related questions. The article argues that, if a biased starting point is not compensated for by the path taken in subsequent steps, the bias will have considerable impact on the final outcome of the negotiations. In both experiments, the mediator played a very insignificant role, since the bias was incorporated into the text prior to the initiation of the exercise. In actuality, the experimenter played the role of the mediator, but only facilitated an exchange of information between the parties. The results of our experiments strongly support the hypothesis that such bias has a significant impact on the outcome of the negotiations. The article concludes by presenting suggestions for developing starting SNTs.
TL;DR: In this article, the problem of when firms should switch from exporting to producing at an onshore plant which will cater to a local market was studied, and equilibrium timing patterns where there is a leader and a follower (diffusion equilibria) to be most typical.
TL;DR: In this paper, a control volume based finite element method with vorticity-stream function formulation is used (as a test method) to solve the natural convection caused by combined heat and mass transfer from a vertical surface situated in a binary mixture.
Abstract: The phenomenon of natural convection caused by combined heat and mass transfer from a vertical surface situated in a binary mixture is numerically studied. A control volume based finite element method with vorticity-stream function formulation is used (as a test method) to solve the transport equations. Excellent consistency is obtained between the results available in the literature and the present numerical solutions. A range of values is considered for thermal Grashof number, buoyancy and concentration ratios, and Prandtl and Schmidt numbers. Both aiding and opposing flows are investigated. The results indicate that for a concentration ratio Cr » 1, the average Nusselt and Sherwood numbers at the vertical surface are independent of Cr, and the complex trends of the transport are profoundly influenced by the buoyancy ratio and the Prandtl and Schmidt numbers. The applicability of Ackermann's classical theory is pointed out, and comprehensive results of the average Nusselt and Sherwood numbers are presented.
Posted Content•
TL;DR: In this article, the authors find that the reported earnings depend on the dividend-based target earnings even after controlling for the economic performance, and support the existence of a dividend based earnings management behavior in Finland.
Abstract: In bank-dominated capital markets with blocked ownership firms are expected to pay out a smooth stream of dividends for the large institutional equity holders. This forces companies to report earnings high enough to pay out the dividends. On the other hand taxation may create an economic motive to report as low earnings as possible. Our empirical evidence gives support for the existence of dividend-based earnings management behavior in Finland. In particular we find that the reported earnings depend on the dividend-based target earnings even after controlling for the economic performance.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors provide an update on the state-of-the-art of Operations Research and its practice in Finland and discuss the careers of Helsinki School of Economics OR/MS-graduates and their views on the usefulness of OR-education in Finland.
TL;DR: This article shows how to solve system dynamics models when some level variables have predetermined terminal conditions, and it is possible to determine consistently the initial states of the level variables given the terminal state conditions.
Abstract: When developing system dynamics models, particularly in economics and finance, we have repeatedly encountered requirements to analyze terminal conditions. We believe that this holds more generally for modeling social problems, too. In this article, we show how to solve system dynamics models when some level variables have predetermined terminal conditions. With the method presented, it is possible to determine consistently the initial states of the level variables given the terminal state conditions.