Stakeholder management in international projects

Today's international projects are implemented in institutionally demanding environments and executed by coalitions of stakeholders that have differing interests, objectives and socio-cultural backgrounds. Consequently, international projects are subject to the demands and pressures presented by external stakeholders such as community groups, local residents, landowners, environmentalists, regulatory agencies, and local and national governments. Despite the acknowledged importance of stakeholder management, project research still lacks both theoretical knowledge and empirical evidence concerning various project stakeholder related phenomena. The objective of this thesis is to contribute to project research by increasing the understanding of external project stakeholder behavior and a focal project's stakeholder management activities in international projects. The primary theoretical perspective used in this thesis is stakeholder theory, which is applied in the context of project stakeholder research. The thesis comprises of a summary and five publications that are based on five separate case study research settings. Publications I and II adopt the perspective of project stakeholders. Their empirical results are based on an in-depth study of a pulp mill project in Uruguay that faced extreme stakeholder related challenges. The key contribution of publication I is that it identifies and describes empirically eight different influence strategies that external project stakeholders may use to shape their salience. In publication II eight propositions concerning external project stakeholders' potential to take action and influence the project management's decision making during the different phases of the project lifecycle are developed. Publications III, IV and V adopt the perspective of a focal project and examine its activities with respect to external stakeholder influences. The key contribution of publication III is that it identifies and describes different response strategies that a focal project may enact as a response to external stakeholder pressures. By adopting an environmental interpretation perspective, publication IV describes the practices through which project management teams analyze and interpret the project's external stakeholder environment in four international case projects. Publication V adopts a stakeholder network perspective and illustrates how a focal project's local stakeholder relationships are associated with the emergence and management of unexpected events in three international case projects. The findings of this thesis highlight the importance of external stakeholder management in international projects. Through the application of the ideas of stakeholder theory, the results of this thesis provide new theoretical and empirical understanding of how external project stakeholders may influence the project management's decision making during the project lifecycle. The results of this thesis demonstrate how a focal project may analyze its external stakeholder environment and respond to external stakeholder pressures and unexpected events in the context of international projects. Ultimately, the new knowledge of external stakeholders' influence strategies and better understanding of how a focal project can deal with stakeholder influences, supports project managers in the development of effective project stakeholder management approaches

Challenges of adopting agile methods in a public organization

Agile development methods are widely used among business enterprises. Since the introduction of the Agile Manifesto in 2001, several agile methods have been implemented, first in single-team set-ups and later in larger multi-team set-ups for complex Information Technology (IT) system development. However, the adoption of agile methods has been slow in the public sector. This is also reflected in the academic literature, as there are only a few studies discussing agile adoption in public organizations. This paper contributes to research on the use of agile practices specifically in the context of public organizations, and sheds light on the challenges a public organization may face while adopting these practices. The aim of this paper is to identify and categorize the challenges that may hinder efficient adoption and use of agile methods in public IT projects that include private software vendors. This research is based on a case study of a large governmental office. As a result, this paper presents several categories of identified challenges, the root causes of these challenges, and a discussion of the characteristics of these challenges for the public sector

Challenges of adopting agile methods in a public organization

Agile development methods are widely used among business enterprises. Since the introduction of the Agile Manifesto in 2001, several agile methods have been implemented, first in single-team set-ups and later in larger multi-team set-ups for complex Information Technology (IT) system development. However, the adoption of agile methods has been slow in the public sector. This is also reflected in the academic literature, as there are only a few studies discussing agile adoption in public organizations. This paper contributes to research on the use of agile practices specifically in the context of public organizations, and sheds light on the challenges a public organization may face while adopting these practices. The aim of this paper is to identify and categorize the challenges that may hinder efficient adoption and use of agile methods in public IT projects that include private software vendors. This research is based on a case study of a large governmental office. As a result, this paper presents several categories of identified challenges, the root causes of these challenges, and a discussion of the characteristics of these challenges for the public sector

Navigating the challenges in the transfer between experiential and formal learning in entrepreneurship

This study focuses on recognition of prior learning and the accreditation of learning demonstrated in some other manner, and investigates how university teachers accept, resist and negotiate transfer between experiential and formal learning in entrepreneurship. This is done in order to add new knowledge in this under-theorized area and to provide insight about recognition and accreditation of learning that still remain underutilized practices in entrepreneurship. Through discursive approach, the study analyzes personal and group interviews done in 2018-2019 with 56 teachers from 24 Finnish universities. According to the analysis, the teachers mobilise three main discourses when rationalizing the applicability of practices related to recognition and accreditation of learning in entrepreneurship: ‘good teacherhood’, ‘disciplinary’ and ‘university’ discourse. The findings highlight, that recognition and accreditation of learning are not merely assessment-based practi ces. Instead, they challenge the teachers’ ideas about learning, university’s role and the epistemic questions in entrepreneurship. Accordingly, universities should engage teachers in broader discussion about recognition and accreditation of learning, when aiding their adoption in universities. Keywords: recognition of prior learning, RPL, accreditation of learning, studification, entrepreneurship, higher education, discourse analysis, universities. <br /

Navigating the challenges in the transfer between experiential and formal learning in entrepreneurship

This study focuses on recognition of prior learning and the accreditation of learning demonstrated in some other manner, and investigates how university teachers accept, resist and negotiate transfer between experiential and formal learning in entrepreneurship. This is done in order to add new knowledge in this under-theorized area and to provide insight about recognition and accreditation of learning that still remain underutilized practices in entrepreneurship. Through discursive approach, the study analyzes personal and group interviews done in 2018-2019 with 56 teachers from 24 Finnish universities. According to the analysis, the teachers mobilise three main discourses when rationalizing the applicability of practices related to recognition and accreditation of learning in entrepreneurship: ‘good teacherhood’, ‘disciplinary’ and ‘university’ discourse. The findings highlight, that recognition and accreditation of learning are not merely assessment-based practices. Instead, they challenge the teachers’ ideas about learning, university’s role and the epistemic questions in entrepreneurship. Accordingly, universities should engage teachers in broader discussion about recognition and accreditation of learning, when aiding their adoptionin universities.Tämä tutkimus keskittyy aikaisemmin hankitun osaamisen tunnistamiseen ja tunnustamiseen (AHOT, hottaus) ja opinnollistamiseen, sekä tutkii, kuinka korkeakoulujen opettajat hyväksyvät, vastustavat ja neuvottelevat yrittäjyyteen liittyvän kokemuksellisen ja formaalin oppimisen välistä siirtoa. Yrittäjyyden ahotointi ja opinnollistaminen ovat tällä hetkellä sekä alitutkittuja että -hyödynnettyjä käytäntöjä korkea-asteella, mistä syystä tämä tutkimus tähtää uudenlaisen tiedon tuottamiseen niiden ymmärtämiseksi. Tutkimus hyödyntää diskursiivista lähestymistapaa analysoimalla vuosina 2018–2019 kerättyjä henkilö- ja ryhmähaastatteluja, joihin osallistui yhteensä 56 opettajaa 24 suomalaisesta korkeakoulusta. Analyysi osoittaa, että perustellessaan ahotoinnin ja opinnollistamisen käyttömahdollisuuksia ja rajoitteita, opettajat mobilisoivat kolme erilaista päädiskurssia: hyvä opettajuus-, oppiainekohtaisuus- sekä yliopistodiskurssit. Tulokset havainnollistavat, että ahotointi ja opinnollistaminen eivät ole pelkästään arviointipohjaisia menettelyjä. Ne haastavat opettajien käsitykset oppimisesta, yliopiston roolista ja yrittäjyyden episteemisistä kysymyksistä aiheuttaen erilaisia jännitteitä näiden diskurssien sisällä. Käytännön implikaationa todetaan, että mikäli korkeakoulut haluavat edistää ahotoinnin ja opinnollistamisen laajamittaisempaa käyttöönottoa yrittäjyydessä, tulisi niiden ottaa yksittäiset opettajat mukaan ahotoinnin ja opinnollistamisen laajempiin keskusteluihin yhteisen ymmärryksen muodostamiseksi

Survey of selected tick-borne diseases in dogs in Finland

Peer reviewe

Turvetuotannon ympäristönsuojeluopas

Opas on tarkoitettu turvetuottajien ja viranomaisten käyttöön. Opas antaa yleistä tietoa toimintaan liittyvistä ympäristönsuojelukysymyksistä sekä vaatimuksista. Oppaan tavoitteena on muun muassa opastaa hyvien lupahakemusten laadintaan sekä käytännön toimintaan, jossa on huomioitu viimeisimmät ympäristönsuojeluvaatimukset. Opas käsittelee ympäristönsuojelun kansallisia ja kansainvälisiä tavoitteita, turvetuotantotoimintaa sekä toiminnan tulevaisuuden näkymiä. Oppaassa kuvataan turvetuotannon ympäristövaikutuksia sekä ympäristönsuojelutoimia. Oppaassa selvitetään myös ympäristölupamenettelyä sekä valvontaa.Turvetuotannon ympäristönsuojeluopas on päivitetty versio ympäristöministeriön 19.9.2003 vahvistamasta Turvetuotannon ympäristönsuojeluohjeesta. Sen on laatinut Turvetuotannon ympäristön- ja luonnonsuojelun kansallisen koordinoinnin yhteistyöryhmän nimeämä työryhmä

The role of governmental stakeholder engagement in the sustainability of industrial engineering projects

Abstract Purpose The aim of this research was to understand how governmental stakeholder engagement facilitates the sustainability of industrial engineering (IE) projects. A model for governmental stakeholder engagement activities is presented. Design/methodology/approach The authors relied on a single-case study of a mining project in Northern Europe, where a novel collaboration and engagement approach with governmental stakeholders was piloted in the project's front-end phase. The analysis focused on the collaborative practices through which the IE project investor engaged governmental stakeholders during the project's front-end phase and how the engagement contributed to solving challenges in the early planning and permitting process and achieving project plans that balanced economic, social and environmental aspects. Findings The findings show how four collaborative engagement practices reduced uncertainty and equivocality related to the legal sustainability requirements, enabled the development of sustainable design solutions and overall accelerated the permitting process without compromising the quality of final project plans. Practical implications The findings can be used to plan governmental stakeholder engagement and understand related challenges that need to be overcome. The study highlights the need to develop established practices and guidelines for governmental stakeholder engagement. Originality/value This study complements prior research on stakeholder engagement and project sustainability by developing an understanding of how governmental stakeholder engagement can be a key mechanism enabling the sustainability of IE project's end product. This research contributes to stakeholder theory by elaborating on a new stakeholder role, intermediary stakeholder.publishedVersionPeer reviewe

Co-circulation of highly diverse Aleutian mink disease virus strains in Finland

Aleutian mink disease virus (AMDV) is the causative agent of Aleutian disease (AD), which affects mink of all genotypes and also infects other mustelids such as ferrets, martens and badgers. Previous studies have investigated diversity in Finnish AMDV strains, but these studies have been restricted to small parts of the virus genome, and mostly from newly infected farms and free-ranging mustelids. Here, we investigated the diversity and evolution of Finnish AMDV strains by sequencing the complete coding sequences of 31 strains from mink originating from farms differing in their virus history, as well as from free-ranging mink. The data set was supplemented with partial genomes obtained from 26 strains. The sequences demonstrate that the Finnish AMDV strains have considerable diversity, and that the virus has been introduced to Finland in multiple events. Frequent recombination events were observed, as well as variation in the evolutionary rate in different parts of the genome and between different branches of the phylogenetic tree. Mink in the wild carry viruses with high intra-host diversity and are occasionally even co-infected by two different strains, suggesting that free-ranging mink tolerate chronic infections for extended periods of time. These findings highlight the need for further sampling to understand the mechanisms playing a role in the evolution and pathogenesis of AMDV.Peer reviewe