Showing papers by "Aalto University published in 1998"
TL;DR: In this article, a hierarchy of marketing resources, assets, and capabilities is proposed to achieve alternative competitive positions, and a research agenda is proposed for how these resources can be used to achieve competitive positions.
Abstract: Two apparently contradictory paradigms have come to dominate the strategic management literature over the last decade. The resource-based view (RBV) of the firm seeks to explain sustainable competitive advantage through the rent earning capability of internal scarce resources while the marketing paradigm stresses the need for external market orientation to achieve competitive success. This paper reconciles the two through the concepts of competitive positioning. It develops a hierarchy of marketing resources, assets and capabilities and discusses how these can be deployed to achieve alternative competitive positions. A research agenda is proposed.
303 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the spin asymmetries A1 and the spin structure functions g1 of the proton and the deuteron in the kinematic range 0.0008
Abstract: We present the final results of the spin asymmetries A1 and the spin structure functions g1 of the proton and the deuteron in the kinematic range 0.0008
250 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors studied efficiency differences among Finnish senior secondary schools by Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) and four model variants were used, and explained the degree of inefficiency by a statistical Tobit model.
248 citations
TL;DR: In this article, a measurement of semi-inclusive spin asymmetries for positively and negatively charged hadrons from deep inelastic scattering of polarised muons on polarised protons and deuterons in the range 0.003 x Q 2 >1 GeV 2 was presented.
130 citations
TL;DR: The empirical findings indicate that usually small businesses have used EDI in a way that was originally established by their principal, but they have not used the additional opportunities, and the model developed shows that small businesses could benefit in many ways from EDI through more extensive business integration with their own and their partners' value chains or an expanded customer base.
104 citations
91 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors show that the spillover of R&D can be endogenised in a sense that even without spillovers firms have an incentive to exchange the information after the investment costs are sunk.
49 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors employ questionnaire survey and financial accounting data to extend earlier empirical work on the foreign exchange exposure management practices of Finnish industrial firms and find that the extent to which firms hedge FX exposure depends on the type of exposure and the form that FX hedging policy takes.
Abstract: This study employs questionnaire survey and financial accounting data to extend earlier empirical work on the foreign exchange (FX) exposure management practices of Finnish industrial firms. The paper concentrates on: (i) the form that FX corporate hedging policy takes; (ii) the control of FX procedures and trading; and, (iii) our respondents' perceptions about their ability to predict FX rate changes for hedging decisions. Our results indicate that the extent to which firms hedge FX exposure depends on the type of exposure and the form that FX hedging policy takes. Also, a significant number of the firms pursue FX hedging strategies on the expectation of attaining trading profits and this strategy appears to be accommodated within their FX policies. This feature is not explicitly demonstrated in previous studies. Finnish firms hedge a much higher proportion of both transaction and translation exposures compared to economic exposure. We partly attribute this emphasis to the requirements of the Finnish Accounting Act, which came into effect in 1993. The organisational, historical and financial settings of the firms also have significant impacts on exposure management practices. The overall implication of those results is that firms respond to changes in the financial, economic and regulatory environments in which they operate.
46 citations
University of Cologne1, VU University Amsterdam2, Copenhagen Business School3, University of Exeter4, University of Minho5, University of Valencia6, University of Vienna7, London Business School8, University College Dublin9, Umeå University10, Aalto University11, University of Turin12, University of Bristol13, Erasmus University Rotterdam14, Stockholm School of Economics15
TL;DR: The psychology of the European Monetary Union (EMUEMU) project as discussed by the authors was the first attempt to conduct a cross-national survey of attitudes towards the euro. But it was conducted in each of the 15 member states of the EU in the summer of 1997.
44 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors present a lean supply model that combines the essence of learning and buyer-seller relationship literature, and discuss how the relationships represent coexistence of competition and co-operation.
Abstract: Examines organisational learning in a lean supply arrangement between a multinational buyer and its local suppliers. Looks at how organisations learn and unlearn. Reviews buyer‐seller relationships. Presents a lean supply model that combines the essence of learning and buyer‐seller relationship literature. Uses as a case study the buyer‐seller relationships between the Irish subsidiary Apple Computer and two of its local suppliers. Discusses how the relationships represent co‐existence of competition and co‐operation.
TL;DR: In this article, the dynamic relationship between R&D, investment and stock market value for 185 UK firms over 1984-1992 was analyzed, and the authors found that investment Granger-causes research and development but not vice versa.
TL;DR: In this article, the ordinal principal component is defined as a new ordinal variable which orders the sample observations in such a way that the sum of the squares of the rank correlation coefficients between the original variables and the principal components is maximal.
TL;DR: Ahmad et al. as discussed by the authors investigated the genre of a business fax: a Finnish case study and found that the fax genre was related to the culture and genre in American and Canadian direct marketing letters.
Abstract: Ahmad, U. K. (1997). Scientific Research Articles in Malay: A Situated Discourse Analysis. Ph.D. dissertation, University of Michigan. Andrews, D. C. (1988). Technical Communication in the Global Community. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. Graves, R. (1997). ’Dear Friend’ (?): Culture and genre in American and Canadian direct marketing letters. The Journal of Business Communication, 34 (3), 235-252. Hagen, P. (1998). Teaching American business writing in Russia: Crosscultures/cross-purposes. Journal of Business and Technical Communication, 12 (1), 109-126. Locker, K. O. (1998). The role of The Association for Business Communication in shaping business communication as an academic discipline. The Journal of Business Communication, 35 (1),14-49. Louhiala-Salminen, L. (July 1997). Investigating the genre of a business fax: A Finnish case study. The Journal of Business Communication 34 (3),316-333.
TL;DR: The extent of internationalization of certain countries is usually measured by trade and foreign direct investment (FDI), and as mentioned in this paper reviewed state-of-the-art measurement concepts of FDI.
Abstract: The extent of internationalization of certain countries is usually measured by trade and foreign direct investment (FDI). This article reviews state-of-the-art measurement concepts of FDI. In particular, the quality of FDI data as reported in conventional statistics is assessed and examples are given to show the limitations involved. Concepts of FDI, data sources, and measurement problems are discussed in detail. Several conclusions are drawn on related issues of improvements such as data collection, methodology and techniques, estimates versus evidence, the inclusion of new phenomena, international comparisons, and the validity of results. The difficult task is to compromise a careful analysis with innovative methodological approaches.
TL;DR: In this paper, three parallel pilot-scale biofilters were operated: one with phosphorus addition, one with a mixture of inorganic nutrients addition, and one as a reference.
Abstract: Effective biodegradation of organic compounds is one of the major objectives while optimizing biological drinking water treatment processes. Enhancing the biological activated carbon (BAC) filter performance with nutrient addition was studied using chemically pre-treated and ozonated lake water. Three parallel pilot-scale biofilters were operated: one with phosphorus addition, one with a mixture of inorganic nutrients addition, and one as a reference. The addition of nutrients had no statistically significant influence on the natural organic matter (NOM) removal when monitored by total organic carbon (TOC), UV absorbance, and assimilable organic carbon (AOC). However, the addition of nutrients significantly increased the heterotrophic plate count (HPC) bacteria of the filter effluent, while the adenosine triphosphate (ATP) analysis of the attached bacteria did not show any increase in BAC filters. It seemed that in BAC filters the bacterial growth was limited by phosphorus, but the increased bacteria could not attach themselves during the relatively short acclimatization period.
Der Einflus von Nahrstoffen auf die Entfernung naturlicher organischer Wasserinhaltsstoffe bei der biologischen Aktivkohlefiltration
Ein moglichst wirksamer biologischer Abbau organischer Wasserinhaltsstoffe ist eine der wichtigsten Zielgrosen bei der Optimierung biologischer Verfahren zur Trinkwasseraufbereitung. Untersucht wurde in dieser Arbeit, ob die Filterwirksamkeit bei der biologischen Aktivkohlefiltration durch die Zugabe von Nahrstoffen erhoht werden kann. Dabei wurde ein durch Aluminium-Flockung, Sandfiltration und Ozonung vorbehandeltes Seewasser eingesetzt. Dieses wurde aus der Aufbereitungsanlage in eine Pilotanlage aus drei parallel geschalteten Biofiltern geleitet, von denen einer unter Phosphorzugabe und einer unter Zugabe einer Mischung von Nahrstoffen betrieben wurde. Der dritte Biofilter diente als Referenzfilter. Die Zugabe der Nahrstoffe hatte keinen statistisch signifikanten Einflus auf die Entfernung der naturlichen organischen Wasserinhaltsstoffe, die anhand der Parameter TOC (gesamter organisch gebundener Kohlenstoff), UV-Absorbanz und AOC (assimilierbarer organisch gebundener Kohlenstoff) verfolgt wurde. Allerdings war aufgrund des Nahrstoffzusatzes ein signifikanter Anstieg der Koloniezahl der heterotrophen Bakterien im Filterabflus zu verzeichnen, wahrend die ATP-Bestimmung keinen Anhaltspunkt fur eine vermehrte Aktivitat der in den Filtern aufgewachsenen Mikroorganismen lieferte. Die Ergebnisse deuten auf eine Phosphorlimitierung beim Bakterienwachstum in den Filtern hin. Durch Zugabe von Nahrstoffen konnte zwar das Bakterienwachstum stimuliert werden, nicht jedoch die Besiedelung des Filtermaterials. Moglicherweise ist dies auf die Kurze der Akklimatisierungsphase zuruckzufuhren.
TL;DR: In this article, international trade can lead to regional concentration of economic activities within a single country, which can be welfare reducing if there are several monopolistically competitive industries competing for scarce resources.
University of Santiago de Compostela1, Istanbul Technical University2, Uppsala University3, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich4, French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission5, University of Trieste6, Ruhr University Bochum7, University of Mainz8, University of Virginia9, Delft University of Technology10, University of California, Los Angeles11, Yale University12, University of Bonn13, Bielefeld University14, Fermilab15, Northwestern University16, University of Wisconsin-Madison17, University of Houston18, University of Freiburg19, Stanford University20, Nagoya University21, University of Miyazaki22, Paul Scherrer Institute23, CERN24, University of California, Santa Cruz25, Joint Institute for Nuclear Research26, Aalto University27, Tel Aviv University28, Warsaw University of Technology29, University of Oslo30, University of Mons31
11 Dec 1998-Nuclear Instruments & Methods in Physics Research Section A-accelerators Spectrometers Detectors and Associated Equipment
TL;DR: In this article, a line shape for spin-1 systems with large quadrupolar broadening was developed which allowed the nitrogen polarization in the ammonia to be determined with a 10% relative error.
Abstract: The 1996 data taking of the SMC experiment used polarized protons to measure the spin-dependent structure function g(1) of the proton. Three liters of solid granular ammonia were irradiated at the Bonn electron linac in order to create the paramagnetic radicals which are needed for polarizing the protons. Proton polarizations of +/- (90 +/- 2.5)% were routinely reached. An analysis based on a theoretical line shape for spin-1. systems with large quadrupolar broadening was developed which allowed the nitrogen polarization in the ammonia to be determined with a 10% relative error. The measured quadrupolar coupling constant of N-14 agrees well with earlier extrapolated values. The polarization of the nitrogen nuclei was measured as a function of the proton polarization in order to provide a test of the equal spin temperature (EST) hypothesis. It was found to be closely valid under the dynamic nuclear polarization conditions with which the protons are polarized. Large deviations from EST could be induced by cross relaxing the proton and nitrogen spin systems at low fields. Nitrogen polarizations up to 40% were reached by these means. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors examine how technology policy in the form of R&D subsidies and encouragement of research joint ventures (RJVs) affects the investment incentives of firms in various types of imperfectly competitive markets.
Abstract: In this study we examine how technology policy in the form of R&D subsidies and encouragement of research joint ventures (RJVs) affects the investment incentives of firms in various types of imperfectly competitive markets. We find that joint ventures yield lower research intensities in the absence of subsidies. In the presence of optimal subsidy policy higher expected welfare is obtained with RJVs, but the optimal policy may also involve a more costly subsidy program. The analysis also identifies possible difficulties in implementing socially optimal policies arising from private incentives conflicting with the public interest.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors discuss the relationships between the private and professional life of male managers, with special emphasis on the meaning of fatherhood in this relationship, and point out that managerial personality issues are closely related to the questions of gender and to the reconstruction of masculinity as a social trend.
Abstract: In this study, we discuss the relationships between the private and professional life of male managers, with special emphasis on the meaning of fatherhood in this relationship. By presenting and studying the symbolics of an adventure movie, Hook, we aim to show how the personality of a male manager named Peter Banning is changed when he grows closer to his children through recalling his earlier life as Peter Pan, a boy with a rich fantasy life and the ability to fly. The key concepts in our interpretation are drawn from clinical approaches toward management, narcissism in particular. Moreover, we aim to point out that managerial personality issues are closely related to the questions of gender and to the reconstruction of masculinity as a social trend. Until now this aspect has not been considered in management studies applying the clinical approach.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors investigate the evaluation of IT projects to determine when firms evaluate IT and what the effects are on decisions made about the projects, and investigate the use of procedures that are explicitly designed to evaluate IT projects and whether such procedures are associated with evaluation follow-through over the life of the project.
Abstract: Here we investigate the evaluation of information technology (IT) projects to determine when firms evaluate IT and what the effects are on decisions made about the projects. We study evaluation over the IT project life cycle among a sample of the largest firms in Finland from a variety of industries. We also investigate the use of procedures that are explicitly designed to evaluate IT projects and whether such procedures are associated with evaluation follow-through over the life of the project, managerial decision making, and perceptions of evaluation quality. Firms in the sample seldom evaluate IT investments after the initial project proposal and when they do the evaluation seldom results in substantial system modifications or abandonment. Explicit IT evaluation methods are associated with higher levels of evaluation follow-through during development, with a greater likelihood that managers will make a decision to abandon a project, and with higher levels of some measures of perceived evaluation quality.
01 Jan 1998
TL;DR: An index based method for estimating the effect of process configuration on inherent safety has been presented, and CBR was employed for determining the value of safe process structure subindex.
Abstract: An index based method for estimating the effect of process configuration on inherent safety has been presented. Process configuration means which operations are involved in the process and how they are connected together. An inherently safe process structure is not possible to define by explicit rules, but one has to rely on standards, recommendations and accident reports. When problem solving is based on experience it is possible to use case-based reasoning. Therefore CBR was employed for determining the value of safe process structure subindex. For this purpose a casebase of accident cases and recommended designs was created. A case can be retrieved on five levels of aggregation (from process to detail) from the casebase to ensure the relevancy of retrieved information in various phases of preliminary process design.
TL;DR: Grocery Shopping for the Elderly And Disabled: Finnish EC Experiments Jukka Heikkilä, Jukkas Kallio, Timo Saarinen & Virpi Kristiina Tuunajnen.
Abstract: (1998). Grocery Shopping for the Elderly And Disabled: Finnish EC Experiments. Electronic Markets: Vol. 8, No. 2, pp. 17-19.
TL;DR: This paper considers the computation of objective function values when a nondominated frontier is searched in multiple objective quadratic-linear programming (MOQLP) and introduces the indirect method, and makes theoretical and empirical comparisons between the methods.
TL;DR: The RAMONA-program as discussed by the authors is a user-friendly interactive Negotiation Support System, and it can support the different interest groups involved in intra-company negotiations for the overall benefit of the firm.
Abstract: A key issue within manufacturing organizations is how to induce the different departments and/or interest groups to work most effectively for the common good of the company. In almost every company daily conflicts exist between different interests and/or interest groups. For example in a typical manufacturing company, production management and marketing management perspectives can contain different goals with respect to the terms of sales with resultant inefficiencies. This paper describes 1) in detail the RAMONA-program a user-friendly interactive Negotiation Support System, and 2) how RAMONA can support the different interest groups involved in intra-company negotiations for the overall benefit of the firm.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors compare mail return rates of the 1996 American Community Survey (ACS) to the 1990 mail return rate of the census long form for tracts in the test site and find that overall return rates are virtually the same--69 percent.
Abstract: Under the auspices of the American Community Survey (ACS) Multnomah County Oregon was selected as a test site in 1996 for the `Continuous Measurement (CM) option being considered for Census 2000 and beyond.... This paper is part of the initiation of an empirically-based discussion of CMs capability to provide small area data comparable in quality to that provided by the census long form the current gold standard for detailed small area data. We compare mail return rates of the 1996 ACS to the 1990 mail return rates of the census long form for tracts in the test site and find that overall return rates are virtually the same--69 percent. However ACS return rates are higher than those of the 1990 long form in that quartile of the tracts were the return rates for the long form were the lowest and lower in that quartile of the tracts where the long form rates were the highest. (EXCERPT)
TL;DR: Digital Archeology as discussed by the authors is a design/research discipline being developed at the Media Laboratory of the University of Art and Design, Helsinki, Finland, which stresses the critical contribution of the artist to the development of information environments intended to reconstruct and make previously inaccessible cultural artifacts available to as wide an audience as possible.
Abstract: The author describes Digital Archeology, a design/research discipline being developed at the Media Laboratory of the University of Art and Design, Helsinki, Finland. Digital Archeology stresses the critical contribution of the artist to the development of information environments intended to reconstruct and make previously inaccessible cultural artifacts available to as wide an audience as possible. Issues of access and preservation, research and intellectual inquiry, and the metaphoric nature of technology are presented as the cornerstones of this endeavor.
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TL;DR: This work proposes a systematic approach to analyzing academic research performance at universities and research institutes based on a set of criteria which are relevant from the decision maker's point of view and enables a university to allocate resources more efficiently for its research units.
Abstract: We propose a systematic approach to analyzing academic research performance at universities and research institutes. The analysis of research performance based on a set of (abstract) criteria which are relevant from the decision maker's point of view. The scales for these criteria are defined by means of concrete indicators. All indicators, are, however, not necessarily quantitative. Qualitative information is quantified using appropriate analytical tools. Once the criteria and indicators have been agreed upon and quantified, data on the research units is collected and a Value Efficiency Analysis is performed. The efficiency of research units is defined in the spirit of Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA), complemented with a decision makers (Rector in the European university system) preference information. This information is obtained by asking the decision maker to locate a point on the efficient frontier having the most preferred input and output values. Our approach and the accompanying Decision Support System enables a university to allocate resources more efficiently for its research units. Using data from the Helsinki School of Economics, we describe how our approach can be used.