Projectification and Conflicting Temporalities in Academic Knowledge Production

The project format has become a standard and self-evident way to organize research work in today's accelerated university context, leading to the projectification of science. This paper argues that the project format is not a mere technical organizational tool, but that it challenges and reshapes research practices and ideals. The project format is embedded in a specific temporality which is called project time. The key characteristics of project time are scrutinized by distinguishing it from process time, which refers to the internal organizational logic of research. In addition, project time is examined through Barbara Adam's theorizing on the commodification, control, compression and colonization of clock time. In the last part of the paper, temporal conflicts in project-based research are examined empirically by drawing upon interview material with Finnish academics working in the social sciences

Organising logic: Project time versus process time in the accelerated academy

There are two contrasting temporal logics in academia that shape the ways in which research is understood: project time and process time. Oili-Helena Ylijoki explores the differences between the two. On one hand, there is the tightly scheduled, linear, decontextualized, predictable and compressed project time, and on the other, there is the unbounded, multi-directional, context-dependent, emergent and timeless process time. Due to the uneven distribution of power in academia, the dominance of project time sharpens the stratification of academic research and researchers

Nuorten johtaminen ja onnistunut esimiestyö : Asenteisiin ja motivaatioon vaikuttaminen

Opinnäytetyön toimeksiantajana toimi Sijaishaltija Oy. Yritys tarjoaa asiakkailleen ohjelmistoja sijaisten hankintaan, henkilöstövuokrausta sekä asiantuntijapalveluita. Henkilöstövuokrauksessa se on erikoistunut nuorten ja alaikäisten työllistämiseen ja esimerkiksi kesällä 2016 se työllisti Kesäduuni- kampanjan kautta yhteensä lähes 600 nuorta. Sijaishaltija Oy on kuitenkin huomannut, että nuorten motivaatio ja asenteet työtä kohtaan vaihtelevat. Opinnäytetyön tarkoituksena oli selvittää nuorten työntekijöiden motivaatioon ja asenteisiin vaikuttavia tekijöitä. Tavoitteena oli lisätä toimeksiantajan ymmärrystä nuorten ajatuksista asenteista ja motivaatiosta, miten niihin voi vaikuttaa ja miten nuoret haluavat tulla johdetuksi. Haastattelujen ja teoreettisen viitekehyksen pohjalta toimeksiantajayritys saa ajankohtaista tietoa, jonka avulla se pystyy kehittämään toimintaansa. Lisäksi näiden tietojen pohjalta luotiin toimeksiantajayritykselle käytännönläheinen työkalu, jonka avulla toimiminen nuorten kanssa ja heidän työnantajanaan helpottuu. Opinnäytetyömme teoreettinen viitekehys koostuu neljästä pääteemasta, joita ovat motivaatio, asenne, nuoret ja johtaminen. Viitekehys rakentuu useista teemoja käsittelevistä kansainvälisistä teoksista ja tutkimuksista, internet-lähteistä, laeista sekä artikkeleista. Olemme laatineet opinnäytetyön empiirisen osan laajaan tietoperustaan pohjautuen. Opinnäytetyön empiirisessä osassa on laadullinen tutkimus, joka toteutettiin puolistrukturoituna ryhmähaastatteluna internet-pohjaisella Padlet-alustalla. Opinnäytetyön tuloksista nähdään, että nuorten motivaatio ja asenne työtä kohtaan on yksilöllistä. Nuorten mukaan asenteiden muodostuminen alkaa lapsesta asti ja jatkuu läpi elämän. Suurimpina vaikuttimina asenteiden muodostumisessa ovat perhe, kaverit, koulu ja ympäristö. Tutkimuksen perusteella voidaan todeta, että nuoret kokevat syväjohtamisen ja epäjohtamisen piirteiden olevan heille mieluinen tapa tulla johdetuksi. Nuoret haluavat inhimillistä ja yksilöllistä johtamista. Myös joustavuus ja omaehtoisuuden tunteen säilyminen työssä ovat haastattelun perusteella nuorille tärkeää. Teoreettisen viitekehyksen ja tutkimustulosten pohjalta suunnittelimme toimeksiantajayritykselle kokonaisvaltaisen mobiilisovelluksen, joka koostuu useasta toiminnosta. Työkalua käyttämällä työntekijän jokapäiväinen toiminta helpottuu ja työnantaja pystyy tarjoamaan työntekijöille yksilöllisempää johtamista, vaikka työntekijät ovat vuokrattuna asiakasyrityksiin. Opinnäytetyössä kehitetty työkalu on salainen, eikä sitä julkaista opinnäytetyön liitteenä.The thesis was commissioned by Sijaishaltija Ltd. assignment. The company provides software for finding substitutes, staffing services and specialist services. In staffing services, Sijaishaltija Ltd. is specialised in employing adolescents and under-aged people. For instance, in the summer of 2016 Sijaishaltija Ltd. employed almost 600 young people in its Kesäduuni (Summerjob) campaign. However, Sijaishaltija Ltd. has noticed that young people’s motivation and attitudes towards working life varies. The aim of the thesis was to study which factors affect young people’s motivation and attitude. The goal of the thesis was to increase the client’s understanding of young people's thinking, attitudes and motivation, how to influence them and how young people would like to be managed. Based on interviews and the theoretical framework the client company will receive current information that helps develop company operations. In addition, based on the results of the study, practical tools were created in order to facilitate employment and working with young people. The theoretical framework of the thesis was based on four main themes which were motivation, attitude, young people and leadership. The framework was consisted of several international literary sources, studies, internet sources, laws and articles on these themes. The empirical part of the thesis was a qualitative research which was implemented as a half-structured group interview on an internet based Padlet platform. The results of the study show that the motivation and attitudes of the young people towards working life varies individually. According to young people, formation of one’s attitudes is a lifelong process beginning in childhood. Family, friends, school and environment are the main factors in forming up one’s attitude. Furthermore, the results indicate that young people like to be managed according to the principles of deep leadership and non-leadership. Young people prefer humane and individual leadership and guidance. Flexibility and maintaining the sense of spontaneity were also considered important according to the results of the interview. Finally, based on the theoretical framework and the results of the study, a comprehensive mobile application was designed for the client. The application has several functions. By using the tool everyday work of the employee will be easier and the employer can manage employees more individually, even if they are hired as temporary agency workers

Mansikan fosforilannoituksen tarkentaminen sienijuuren avulla

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Towards a breakthrough in nutrient recycling : State-of-the-art and recommendations for developing policy instruments in Finland

The report has been complemented on 11.9.2018This report describes the state-of-the-art in phosphorus and nitrogen recycling in Finland and looks at basic data on the volumes and geographical distribution of biomasses and their nutrients. Based on this data, the report makes proposals for measures aiming to promote nutrient recycling. This report was prepared collaboratively by experts at the institutions making up the Finnish Partnership for Research on Natural Resources and the Environment (LYNET) to underpin a national action plan on nutrient recycling. Of all sectors in Finland, agriculture is the largest user and recycler of phosphorus and nitrogen. Different biomasses contain an annual total of approximately 26,000 t of recyclable phosphorus, which exceeds the fertilisation needs of grasslands and cereal crops in the entire area of Finland. The volume of nitrogen contained in biomasses is approximately 95,000 t. Still, approx. 11,000 t of phosphorus and 152,000 t of nitrogen are annually used in Finland as conventional inorganic fertilisers. There is a regional imbalance between manure production and crop nutrient requirements. The breakthrough in nutrient recycling means increased implementation of manure processing, thus making manure nutrients easier to transport and reducing the use of conventional inorganic fertilisers. At minimum 20% of the entire volume of manure generated in Finland will require advanced processing to enable long-distance transport of the manure phosphorus to areas in need of it. This requires separation of water. The highest demand for advanced processing is experienced in the regions of Ostrobothnia (approx. 60% at minimum), South Ostrobothnia and Satakunta (approx. 30 %) and Southwest Finland (13%). In the agricultural sector, fertilisation is currently guided by a wide array of different policy instruments, which make up an incoherent and unstructured whole. The instruments cause considerable amounts of regulatory burden, but appear to do little to promote sustainable nutrient recycling. This report proposes a total reform of the policy instruments to boost the recycling of nutrients. All legal standards related to fertilisation should be merged into a single statute, for example by developing the Nitrate Decree. At the same time, the current policy that controls nutrient use via the EU agri-environmental scheme should be abandoned, and the role of the environmental permit for livestock installations and its relationship with general regulatory instruments be clarified. A field plot specific nutrient database should be created to support guidance. The knowledge base of nutrient recycling should be developed by creating and maintaining a comprehensive data system on the quantities, properties and locations of nutrient-rich biomasses and ashes and their current processing methods. The report also proposes setting regional processing targets for livestock manure. Key objectives should include reducing excessive fertilisation in crop production. The goal of normative guidance should be nutrient use according to the crop needs.201

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Big Data – Towards Data-driven Business

This research stems from the disruptive phenomenon known as digital transformation, i.e. the pervasive use of digital technologies in order to add value in business. As a side effect of digital transformation, vast amounts of various types of data are generated at a fast pace. This data is known as big data. The data is the root source of added value that businesses look for. Big data represents first and foremost a major paradigm shift, a new way to view businesses, enabled by related technology. However, the paradigm shift towards data-oriented business models and processes is challenging to incumbent enterprises. The aim of this research is to help incumbents to move towards datadriven business models and processes. This dissertation is based on articles published in scientific journals. The articles are presented in the Publications section of this dissertation. Each of the articles applied different research methods, which is justified by the fact that big data is an emerging concept. The approaches included a literature review, a survey and a case study, as well as algorithmic approaches. Together the articles explore the big data landscape from several angles, both from the theoretical and practical viewpoints. The results can be viewed as a high-level framework that addresses the primary research question – understanding and utilising big data in the transformation process towards big data driven business – by explaining the phenomenon as well as the value creation processes and connecting theoretical aspects to practice. The theoretical foundations of this dissertation combine strategic management, data-driven innovations and big data in a way that helps to understand the digital transformation process. This dissertation explains, how big data value creation mechanisms work. It helps to understand the nature of the big data phenomenon and provides building blocks and guidance for practitioners. The results suggest that big data must be seen as a business initiative instead of technological matter and strengthen the perception that big data in general and data-driven innovation in particular are potential sources of added value

User involvement in software development

Siirretty Doriast

Sociology, my love

Sociologists' tales : contemporary narratives on sociological thought and practice / edited by Katherine Twamley, Mark Doidge, Andrea Scott. Bristol : Policy Press, 2015