University of Lapland

About: University of Lapland is a education organization based out in Rovaniemi, Finland. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Arctic & Context (language use). The organization has 665 authors who have published 1870 publications receiving 39129 citations. The organization is also known as: University of Rovaniemi & Lapin yliopisto.

The EU ban on the import of seal products and the WTO regulations: neglected human rights of the Arctic indigenous peoples?

Abstract: The EU ban on the import and commercialising of seals and seal products in the EU market, has attracted intense attention in recent years As seal products mostly originate from outside the EU, it is argued that the EU action has been discriminatory and hence contrary to the WTO regulations Canada and Norway have been critical of the EU regulation and have initiated dispute settlement procedures within the WTO since most of the products that enter into the internal market are mainly from these countries The ban also provoked anger within the Inuit and other indigenous communities, mainly from Canada and Greenland Although the EU regulation provides an exception for Inuit and indigenous hunts and the subsequent commercialisation of resulting products into the internal market, the exception suffers from clarity and lacks proper implementation procedures The regulation is predicted to lead to the ultimate disappearance of the seal market in the EU, which directly affects the Inuit and other indigenous peoples engaged in sealing activities They may lose their means of subsistence While analysing the critical issues concerning the EU and the WTO regulations and its exceptions, the article focuses on the human rights perspective of the Arctic indigenous peoples affected by the EU ban

Bureaucracy and time consistency

Abstract: We construct a model that takes seriously the role of bureaucracy in the characterization of time-consistent policies. We argue that if the possibilities for governments to reduce the size of bureaucracy are limited, bureaucracy can be used as a means for influencing future governments. We show that the political process has implications for the size and growth of bureaucracy. Parties in power may hire bureaucrats of the opposite political color. This is a part of the time-consistent policy. Our model also gives an explanation for the growth of bureaucracy. This is a consequence of the time-consistent policies, i.e. policies that partially tie the hands of future governments. We also show that if public sector production is inefficient, the public sector will be too large in the long run. In the short run it may be too small.

Human Capital Production Function

Abstract: In many organizations the labor workforce is the single most important factor for business performance, but also the most difficult to analyze. Traditional analyzing and forecasting methods do not explain the phenomenon how human capital affects business economics, and therefore they are not too widely used in strategic management. This article introduces Human Capital Production Function (HCPF) as an analyzing method that combines the tangible and intangible assets of human capital with financial scorecards in a way that explains the meaning of human resources for business performance. Intangible assets can be measured using tacit signal method which can be connected to organization system intelligence. The article studies HCPF validity in longitudinal business case data and tests the use of HCPF in scenario-analyzing in a statistical average business services company in the Singapore region.

Designing a Pedagogical Model for Virtual Reality and Simulation-Based Learning Environments of Healthcare

Abstract: This research is designed to address the pedagogical use of virtual reality (VR) and simulation-based learning environments of healthcare Pedagogical issues are significant issues to consider, because simulation itself is not sufficient to ensure effective learning (Kneebone, 2003) According to Rall and Dieckmann (2005) “simulation, in short, means to do something in the ‘as if’, to resemble ‘reality’ (always not perfectly, because then it would be reality again), eg to train or learn something without the risks or costs of doing it in reality” whereas “simulators are tools used to resemble parts of reality, mostly to allow simulations” (p 2) Today, VRs have created more opportunities for experiential learning While VR is defined in various ways, however, in this article VR is used to refer to the combination of techniques that are used to create and maintain real or imaginary environments (Cobb & Fraser, 2005; Riva, 2003)

Protecting Arctic Ocean Marine Biodiversity in the Area Beyond National Jurisdiction

Abstract: Over the last decades, the Arctic environment as a whole altered dramatically due to the impacts of climate change. Troubling rates of Arctic sea ice melt—with a projected ice-free summer in mere decades—may allow for unprecedented economic activity, such as a rise in navigation via the emerging Arctic Sea Routes, as well as the extraction of offshore living and nonliving resources. Considered to be one of Earth’s final pristine ecosystems, the Arctic’s unique marine ecosystem also boasts a wealth of nonliving resources. The region holds incredible biodiversity and supports adaptive capacities for species in extreme environmental conditions. Amid new optimism regarding commercial conquests, the marine ecosystem critical to Arctic species resilience is at risk. The following chapter, developed from our previously published article “Legal Instruments for Marine Sanction in the High Arctic,” reviews the rationale for protecting marine biodiversity in Arctic waters and examines the existing legal framework for marine protected area creation, as well as its limits. Specifically considering the challenge of protecting marine life in the High Arctic area beyond national jurisdiction (ABNJ), the chapter first critically examines the call for an “Antarctic modeled” legal designation for the entire Arctic high sea area as a marine protected area, concluding the idea to be largely impractical for the geographically and politically dissimilar pole. Next we examine three other potential legal mechanisms for MPA creation in Arctic’s areas beyond national jurisdiction: an UNCLOS implementing agreement, an additional protocol to the UNCBD, and a regional agreement. Based on our analysis, we argue that a complementary, regional legal regime for MPA creation in the High Arctic would offer a pathway to adequate protection while being more politically feasible than other alternatives.