9,416 research outputs found

    General government fiscal plan for 2024–2027

    Get PDF
    The purpose of the General Government Fiscal Plan is to support decision-making related to general government finances as well as compliance with the Medium-Term Objective set for the structural budgetary position of general government finances. The plan contains sections related to central government finances, wellbeing services county finances, local government finances, statutory earnings-related pension funds and other social security funds. The Government prepares the General Government Fiscal Plan for the parliamentary term and revises it annually for the following four years by the end of April. The General Government Fiscal Plan also includes Finland’s Stability Programme, and it meets the EU’s requirement for a medium-term fiscal plan. The General Government Fiscal Plan for 2024–2027 does not propose any new policy definitions. It is based on current legislation and takes into account the impact of the decisions previously made by Prime Minister Marin’s Government on the expenditure and revenue levels in the coming years. This General Government Fiscal Plan does not set any budgetary position targets. The first General Government Fiscal Plan of the Government to be appointed after the parliamentary election in spring 2023 will be drawn up in autumn 2023, and this will include a Stability Programme. The General Government Fiscal Plan also includes the central government spending limits decision, but it does not specify a parliamentary term expenditure ceiling

    A Decision Support System for Economic Viability and Environmental Impact Assessment of Vertical Farms

    Get PDF
    Vertical farming (VF) is the practice of growing crops or animals using the vertical dimension via multi-tier racks or vertically inclined surfaces. In this thesis, I focus on the emerging industry of plant-specific VF. Vertical plant farming (VPF) is a promising and relatively novel practice that can be conducted in buildings with environmental control and artificial lighting. However, the nascent sector has experienced challenges in economic viability, standardisation, and environmental sustainability. Practitioners and academics call for a comprehensive financial analysis of VPF, but efforts are stifled by a lack of valid and available data. A review of economic estimation and horticultural software identifies a need for a decision support system (DSS) that facilitates risk-empowered business planning for vertical farmers. This thesis proposes an open-source DSS framework to evaluate business sustainability through financial risk and environmental impact assessments. Data from the literature, alongside lessons learned from industry practitioners, would be centralised in the proposed DSS using imprecise data techniques. These techniques have been applied in engineering but are seldom used in financial forecasting. This could benefit complex sectors which only have scarce data to predict business viability. To begin the execution of the DSS framework, VPF practitioners were interviewed using a mixed-methods approach. Learnings from over 19 shuttered and operational VPF projects provide insights into the barriers inhibiting scalability and identifying risks to form a risk taxonomy. Labour was the most commonly reported top challenge. Therefore, research was conducted to explore lean principles to improve productivity. A probabilistic model representing a spectrum of variables and their associated uncertainty was built according to the DSS framework to evaluate the financial risk for VF projects. This enabled flexible computation without precise production or financial data to improve economic estimation accuracy. The model assessed two VPF cases (one in the UK and another in Japan), demonstrating the first risk and uncertainty quantification of VPF business models in the literature. The results highlighted measures to improve economic viability and the viability of the UK and Japan case. The environmental impact assessment model was developed, allowing VPF operators to evaluate their carbon footprint compared to traditional agriculture using life-cycle assessment. I explore strategies for net-zero carbon production through sensitivity analysis. Renewable energies, especially solar, geothermal, and tidal power, show promise for reducing the carbon emissions of indoor VPF. Results show that renewably-powered VPF can reduce carbon emissions compared to field-based agriculture when considering the land-use change. The drivers for DSS adoption have been researched, showing a pathway of compliance and design thinking to overcome the ‘problem of implementation’ and enable commercialisation. Further work is suggested to standardise VF equipment, collect benchmarking data, and characterise risks. This work will reduce risk and uncertainty and accelerate the sector’s emergence

    The determinants of value addition: a crtitical analysis of global software engineering industry in Sri Lanka

    Get PDF
    It was evident through the literature that the perceived value delivery of the global software engineering industry is low due to various facts. Therefore, this research concerns global software product companies in Sri Lanka to explore the software engineering methods and practices in increasing the value addition. The overall aim of the study is to identify the key determinants for value addition in the global software engineering industry and critically evaluate the impact of them for the software product companies to help maximise the value addition to ultimately assure the sustainability of the industry. An exploratory research approach was used initially since findings would emerge while the study unfolds. Mixed method was employed as the literature itself was inadequate to investigate the problem effectively to formulate the research framework. Twenty-three face-to-face online interviews were conducted with the subject matter experts covering all the disciplines from the targeted organisations which was combined with the literature findings as well as the outcomes of the market research outcomes conducted by both government and nongovernment institutes. Data from the interviews were analysed using NVivo 12. The findings of the existing literature were verified through the exploratory study and the outcomes were used to formulate the questionnaire for the public survey. 371 responses were considered after cleansing the total responses received for the data analysis through SPSS 21 with alpha level 0.05. Internal consistency test was done before the descriptive analysis. After assuring the reliability of the dataset, the correlation test, multiple regression test and analysis of variance (ANOVA) test were carried out to fulfil the requirements of meeting the research objectives. Five determinants for value addition were identified along with the key themes for each area. They are staffing, delivery process, use of tools, governance, and technology infrastructure. The cross-functional and self-organised teams built around the value streams, employing a properly interconnected software delivery process with the right governance in the delivery pipelines, selection of tools and providing the right infrastructure increases the value delivery. Moreover, the constraints for value addition are poor interconnection in the internal processes, rigid functional hierarchies, inaccurate selections and uses of tools, inflexible team arrangements and inadequate focus for the technology infrastructure. The findings add to the existing body of knowledge on increasing the value addition by employing effective processes, practices and tools and the impacts of inaccurate applications the same in the global software engineering industry

    A Comparative Study on Students’ Learning Expectations of Entrepreneurship Education in the UK and China

    Get PDF
    Entrepreneurship education has become a critical subject in academic research and educational policy design, occupying a central role in contemporary education globally. However, a review of the literature indicates that research on entrepreneurship education is still in a relatively early stage. Little is known about how entrepreneurship education learning is affected by the environmental context to date. Therefore, combining the institutional context and focusing on students’ learning expectations as a novel perspective, the main aim of the thesis is to address the knowledge gap by developing an original conceptual framework to advance understanding of the dynamic learning process of entrepreneurship education through the lens of self-determination theory, thereby providing a basis for advancing understanding of entrepreneurship education. The author adopted an epistemological positivism philosophy and a deductive approach. This study gathered 247 valid questionnaires from the UK (84) and China (163). It requested students to recall their learning expectations before attending their entrepreneurship courses and to assess their perceptions of learning outcomes after taking the entrepreneurship courses. It was found that entrepreneurship education policy is an antecedent that influences students' learning expectations, which is represented in the difference in student autonomy. British students in active learning under a voluntary education policy have higher autonomy than Chinese students in passive learning under a compulsory education policy, thus having higher learning expectations, leading to higher satisfaction. The positive relationship between autonomy and learning expectations is established, which adds a new dimension to self-determination theory. Furthermore, it is also revealed that the change in students’ entrepreneurial intentions before and after their entrepreneurship courses is explained by understanding the process of a business start-up (positive), hands-on business start-up opportunities (positive), students’ actual input (positive) and tutors’ academic qualification (negative). The thesis makes contributions to both theory and practice. The findings have far reaching implications for different parties, including policymakers, educators, practitioners and researchers. Understanding and shaping students' learning expectations is a critical first step in optimising entrepreneurship education teaching and learning. On the one hand, understanding students' learning expectations of entrepreneurship and entrepreneurship education can help the government with educational interventions and policy reform, as well as improving the quality and delivery of university-based entrepreneurship education. On the other hand, entrepreneurship education can assist students in establishing correct and realistic learning expectations and entrepreneurial conceptions, which will benefit their future entrepreneurial activities and/or employment. An important implication is that this study connects multiple stakeholders by bridging the national-level institutional context, organisational-level university entrepreneurship education, and individual level entrepreneurial learning to promote student autonomy based on an understanding of students' learning expectations. This can help develop graduates with their ability for autonomous learning and autonomous entrepreneurial behaviour. The results of this study help to remind students that it is them, the learners, their expectations and input that can make the difference between the success or failure of their study. This would not only apply to entrepreneurship education but also to other fields of study. One key message from this study is that education can be encouraged and supported but cannot be “forced”. Mandatory entrepreneurship education is not a quick fix for the lack of university students’ innovation and entrepreneurship. More resources must be invested in enhancing the enterprise culture, thus making entrepreneurship education desirable for students

    Karttatypografia: luettavuuden parantaminen kirjainmuotoilun keinoin topografisissa kartoissa

    Get PDF
    This thesis examines the legibility of type on maps and aims to find out ways to improve it through type design. As type often is an integral part of maps – something that helps the map user navigate, understand, and perceive a wide range of information in an effective way – type design and legibility must be regarded as important design elements. However, even though cartography and typography have extensive theoretical bases, the subject of legibility has not been comprehensively researched in cartographic context. Thus, by combining type design theory and scientific legibility studies with cartographic theory, the legibility of type on maps could be improved. The topic is first studied by an extensive literature review to cover existing concepts and theories of cartography, cartographic typography, and typography. After a competent knowledge basis of these concepts and theories is acquired, the findings are utilised in the design component. The design component is a type family designed specifically to be used with topographic maps: it consists of two elements, a project description that follows the design process of the type family, relating design choices to the theoretical findings and perspectives presented in the literary review, and the finished type family. In conclusion of the design component, several visual studies are made both to compare the design component (type family) to other relevant typefaces, and to validate the possible functionality of the design component in the chosen cartographic application (topographic map). A broad understanding of the topics of the literature review was formed. Cartographic theory observed the overall nature of maps and specified the various map elements and their intended uses. Cartographic typography deepened the understanding of type on maps – it highlighted the specific needs that must be taken into consideration, demonstrated the diversity of typographic situations that might occur, and presented a large set of guidelines to help the mapmaker to achieve better results. Typography and type design focused on the micro-level of type: how the minor design choices affect the whole, and furthermore, through legibility studies, validated certain views and brought new topics into consideration. By combining theoretical literature from these domains, this thesis helped to form a foundation for an improved framework for type de-sign for (topographic) maps. Furthermore, the domains of cartographic typography and typography and type design gave clear suggestions on how the legibility of type on topographic maps can be improved: legibility of type in this context constitutes from multiple components that must be both taken into consideration and be applied to processes of mapmaking and type design.TĂ€ssĂ€ opinnĂ€ytetyössĂ€ tutkitaan karttatypografiaa ja pyritÀÀn löytĂ€mÀÀn keinoja parantaa luettavuutta kirjainmuotoilun keinoin. Teksti on usein elimellinen osa karttoja: se helpottaa kartan kĂ€yttĂ€jÀÀ navigoimaan ja sisĂ€istĂ€mÀÀn suuren mÀÀrĂ€n informaatiota tehokkaasti. SiispĂ€ kirjainmuotoilua ja luettavuutta tulee pitÀÀ tĂ€rkeinĂ€ karttasuunnittelun työkaluina. Vaikka sekĂ€ kartografiassa ettĂ€ typografiassa on olemassa laajat teoreettiset perustat, luettavuutta ei ole kattavasti tutkittu kartografisessa kontekstissa. YhdistĂ€mĂ€llĂ€ kirjainmuotoilun ja tieteelliset luettavuustutkimukset kartografiseen teoriaan, karttatekstien luettavuutta voidaan parantaa. Aluksi tutustutaan olemassa oleviin konsepteihin ja kartografisiin teorioihin kattavan kirjallisuuskatsauksen avulla. Kun tarpeellinen tietopohja on rakennettu, saavutettua tietĂ€mystĂ€ hyödynnetÀÀn opinnĂ€ytetyön projektiosassa, joka tĂ€ssĂ€ tapauksessa on topografisten karttojen yhteydessĂ€ kĂ€ytettĂ€vĂ€ kirjainperhe. Projektiosio on kaksijakoinen ja pitÀÀ sisĂ€llÀÀn sekĂ€ valmiin kirjainperheen, ettĂ€ projektikuvauksen. Projektikuvaus seuraa suunnitteluprosessia ja peilaa tehtyjĂ€ valintoja kirjallisuuskatsauksessa esiteltyihin löydöksiin. Projektiosion pÀÀtelmĂ€ssĂ€ tutkitaan visuaalisesti kirjainperheen toimintaa ja kĂ€yttökelpoisuutta topografisessa karttaympĂ€ristössĂ€, sekĂ€ verrataan kirjainperheen toimivuutta suhteessa muihin kirjaintyyppeihin. Tutkimuksen perusteella muodostuu laaja ymmĂ€rrys aiheesta. Kartografinen teoria valottaa yleisesti karttojen olemusta ja toimintaa, sekĂ€ esittelee erilaisia karttalementtejĂ€ ja niiden toimintatapoja. Karttatypografian teoria syventÀÀ ymmĂ€rrystĂ€ tekstin kĂ€yttĂ€ytymisestĂ€ karttaympĂ€ristössĂ€, esittelee karttatypografian erityispiirteitĂ€, ja tarjoaa laajan karttatypografisen ohjeiston. Typografian ja kirjainmuotoilun teoria keskittyy mikrotason aiheisiin: kuinka vĂ€hĂ€pĂ€töisiltĂ€ vaikuttavat suunnitteluvalinnat vaikuttavat kokonaisuuteen, ja kuinka luettavuustutkimukset auttavat nĂ€kemÀÀn asioita uudessa valossa. TĂ€mĂ€ opinnĂ€ytetyö auttaa parantamaan kirjainmuotoilua (topografisessa) karttaympĂ€ristössĂ€ yhdistĂ€mĂ€llĂ€ edellĂ€ mainittujen alojen teorioita keskenÀÀn ja pohjustamalla paranneltuja suunniteluvalintoja. Yhdistetty teoria viittaa selkeĂ€sti siihen, ettĂ€ luettavuus karttaympĂ€ristössĂ€ koostuu lukuisista osatekijöistĂ€ – nĂ€mĂ€ osatekijĂ€t tulee ymmĂ€rtÀÀ, ottaa huomioon, ja soveltaa sekĂ€ karttojen ettĂ€ niille suunniteltujen kirjaintyyppien suunnitteluprosesseissa

    Full stack development toward a trapped ion logical qubit

    Get PDF
    Quantum error correction is a key step toward the construction of a large-scale quantum computer, by preventing small infidelities in quantum gates from accumulating over the course of an algorithm. Detecting and correcting errors is achieved by using multiple physical qubits to form a smaller number of robust logical qubits. The physical implementation of a logical qubit requires multiple qubits, on which high fidelity gates can be performed. The project aims to realize a logical qubit based on ions confined on a microfabricated surface trap. Each physical qubit will be a microwave dressed state qubit based on 171Yb+ ions. Gates are intended to be realized through RF and microwave radiation in combination with magnetic field gradients. The project vertically integrates software down to hardware compilation layers in order to deliver, in the near future, a fully functional small device demonstrator. This thesis presents novel results on multiple layers of a full stack quantum computer model. On the hardware level a robust quantum gate is studied and ion displacement over the X-junction geometry is demonstrated. The experimental organization is optimized through automation and compressed waveform data transmission. A new quantum assembly language purely dedicated to trapped ion quantum computers is introduced. The demonstrator is aimed at testing implementation of quantum error correction codes while preparing for larger scale iterations.Open Acces

    Managing global virtual teams in the London FinTech industry

    Get PDF
    Today, the number of organisations that are adopting virtual working arrangements has exploded, and the London FinTech industry is no exception. During recent years, FinTech companies have increasingly developed virtual teams as a means of connecting and engaging geographically dispersed workers, lowering costs, and enabling greater speed and adaptability. As the first study in the United Kingdom regarding global virtual team management in the FinTech industry, this DBA research seeks answers to the question, “What makes for the successful management of a global virtual team in the London FinTech industry?”. Straussian grounded-theory method was chosen as this qualitative approach lets participants have their own voice and offers some flexibility. It also allows the researcher to have preconceived ideas about the research undertaking. The research work makes the case for appreciating the voice of people with lived experiences. Ten London-based FinTech Managers with considerable experience running virtual teams agreed to take part in this study. These Managers had spent time working at large, household-name firms with significant global reach, and one had recently become founder and CEO of his own firm, taking on clients and hiring contract staff from around the world. At least eight of the other participants were senior ‘Heads’ of various technology teams and one was a Managing Director working at a ‘Big Four’ consultancy. They had all (and many still did) spent years running geographically distributed teams with members as far away as Pacific Asia and they were all keen to discuss that breadth of experience and the challenges they faced. Results from these in-depth interviews suggested that there are myriad reasons for a global virtual team, from providing 24 hour, follow-the-sun service to locating the most cost-effective resources with the highest skills. It also confirmed that there are unique challenges to virtual management and new techniques are required to help navigate virtual managers through them. Managing a global virtual team requires much more than the traditional management competencies. Based on discussion with the respondents, a set of practical recommendations for global virtual team management was developed and covered a wide range of issues related to recruitment and selection, team building, developing standard operating procedures, communication, motivation, performance management, and building trust
    • 

    corecore