Vihreän kasvun mahdollisuudet

Raportissa etsitään vastausta kysymykseen siitä, millaisilla poliittisilla päätöksillä (askelmerkeillä) Suomessa voidaan luoda edellytyksiä vihreälle kasvulle. Ehdotetut askelmerkit pohjautuvat katsaukseen aiemmista tutkimuksista ja selvityksistä liittyen Suomen keskeisiin kulutus- ja tuotantojärjestelmiin (ruoka, asuminen, liikkuminen ja energia) ja eräisiin vihreän talouden edelläkävijämaihin (Alankomaat, Saksa, Ruotsi, Brasilia). Lisäksi tarkastellaan erilaisia malleja, joilla systeemistä muutosta kohti vihreää taloutta voidaan tukea. Raportissa nostetaan esiin myös onnistuneita esimerkkejä vihreästä liiketoiminnasta ja vihreää kasvua edistävistä toimista. Vihreällä kasvulla tarkoitetaan vähähiilisyyteen ja resurssitehokkuuteen perustuvaa, ekosysteemien toimintakyvyn turvaavaa taloudellista kasvua, joka edistää hyvinvointia ja sosiaalista oikeudenmukaisuutta. Vihreässä kasvussa nähdään maailmanlaajuisesti huomattavaa potentiaalia, joka tällä hetkellä ilmenee etenkin cleantechin kysynnän nopeana kasvuna. Tulevaisuuden menestyjät ovat kilpailijoitaan materiaali- ja energiatehokkaampia, ja ne pystyvät tuottamaan joustavasti vähähiilisiin yhteiskuntiin sopivia palveluita ja tuotteita. Vihreän kasvun mahdollisuuksia on kaikilla yhteiskunnan sektoreilla. Vihreä kasvu voi muodostua kokonaan uudenlaisesta liiketoiminnasta ja synnyttää uusia yrityksiä, mutta mahdollisuuksia on myös perinteisessä energia- ja resurssi-intensiivisessä teollisuudessamme. Kasvun avainasemassa ovat yritykset, mutta tuotannon ohella vihreän kasvun toteutuminen vaatii muutoksia myös kulutuksessa. Valtion-, alue- ja kuntahallinto toimii mahdollistajana luoden edellytyksiä vihreälle kasvulle. Raportissa esitettiin joukko politiikkatoimia ja prosesseja, joilla Suomi voi tukea vihreää kasvua. Ehdotukset vihreän kasvun askelmerkeiksi ovat: A. Luodaan vihreän kasvun edellytykset yhteisen tahtotilan ja poliittisen sitoutumisen avulla. B. Vauhditetaan yritysten vihreää kasvupotentiaalia ja vahvistetaan vihreää kysyntää. C. Mahdollistetaan vihreitä pilotteja ja kokeiluja koti- ja vientimarkkinoita varten. D. Synnytetään kansainvälisiä ja kotimaisia strategisia avauksia ja kumppanuuksia. E. Luodaan vihreälle kasvulle tilaa purkamalla tuhlaavia järjestelmiä. F. Vaalitaan jatkuvaa ja järjestelmällistä oppimista vihreän kasvun vauhdittajana

Employee well-being : the role of perceived competence

Publisher Copyright: © 2023, Emerald Publishing Limited.Purpose: The purpose of this study is to gain more understanding of how competence might matter from the perspective of well-being at work. The authors explore how perceived competence is connected to perceived work-related well-being among Baby Boomer, Generation X and Generation Y employees. Design/methodology/approach: The authors explore how perceived competence is connected to perceived work-related well-being among Baby Boomer, Generation X and Generation Y employees. The frames of reference of the study are based on literature on employee well-being (measured with work engagement and overcommitment) and competence, as well as on generational discussions. The quantitative, questionnaire-based study was conducted in 88 companies in Finland, with the total number of respondents being 4,418. Findings: The main finding was that perceived competence related to current duties is statistically significantly connected to employee well-being. The results indicate that high competence results in high employee well-being in all generational groups. Further, Generation Y estimated their work well-being, both in terms of work engagement and overcommitment, lower than Baby Boomers or Generation X. The results suggest that developing competence of employees in organizations seems to be an important means to also support work well-being. It is especially important to pay attention to that among Generation Y, who take their first steps in working life. Competence is a meaningful factor for coping in working life in continually changing work environments. Incompetence is not just a factor for poor performance but also a potential threat to employee well-being. Originality/value: Most of the competence/workplace learning results research concentrates on cognitive competence and skills, often from the employers’ benefit viewpoint (useful skills, productivity increase). This study starts from the finding that new generations of workers rather look for a meaningful work life, and thus, a feeling of having the necessary competences directly improves their well-being and, thus, life quality. Furthermore, the study is based on an original questionnaire-based study conducted in 88 companies in Finland, with the total number of respondents being 4,418.Peer reviewe

The Role of National Culture and Environmental Awareness in Recovery and Utilization of Recycled Paper

This paper explores how national culture and environmental awareness affect the recovery and utilization of recovered paper on country level. We extent models of previous studies by including a wide array of “softer” country level factors, e.g. Hofstede’s cultural dimensions and diffusion of ISO 14001 certificates. Our models are tested on panel data from 22 leading paperproducing countries in 1995-2008. Our empirical results further confirm the roles of geographical, demographic and essentially economic determinants but we are also able to empirically demonstrate that cultural characteristics and concern for the environment play a significant role

An online tool for analyzing written student feedback

Collecting student feedback is commonplace in universities. Feedback surveys usually have both open-ended questions and Likert-type questions, but the answers to open questions tend not to be analysed further than simply reading them. This paper presents a tool for analyzing written student feedback using topic modeling and emotion analysis. We demonstrate the utility of this tool using course survey responses from a software engineering (SE) programme

The patterns and determinants of sustainability disclosure in the global forest industry

Literature assessing the quantity and quality of voluntary social and environmental reporting has shown critical reflections regarding the quality and reliability, the (largely) qualitative nature of disclosure with lack of measurability, credibility or comparability, and information being biased and self-laudatory in nature with minimal disclosure of negative information. Among environmentally-sensitive sectors, forest-based industry has a crucial role in global sustainable development, not only because of its unique raw material basis, but also because of the ongoing industry globalization in the emerging and developing countries. The contribution of this study is important in at least two dimensions: first, providing empirical quantitative insight regarding the current patterns in responsibility disclosure of the forest-based sector at a global level; and second, by taking a quantitative approach in investigating determinants of the disclosure. Changing patterns in the economic, environmental and social performance of the forest-based industry were analyzed using the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) framework, which represents an international cooperative effort to establish sustainability reporting guidelines for voluntary use by organizations worldwide. We seek to shed more light on what are the key responsibility or sustainability issues the global forest companies address, and which of the firm and industry level determinants are significant on the quality of disclosure? Sustainability disclosure of 66 top forest industry companies is first content analyzed based on the GRI framework, after which significance of industry and firm characteristics, including geographic location, business line and financial performance, will be used as testing the determinants influencing the quality and level of disclosure. Based on the content analysis, more emphasis was found to be placed on the environmental and economic responsibility in contrast to areas concerning human rights, labour practices, social and product responsibility in the forestry sector. Main findings from the regression modeling include a significant positive effect from company size on the quality and extent of CR reporting practices in the forest industry; no effect from the financial performance; little regional variation; and illustration of difference in disclosure orientation between integrated forest industry companies and those with more narrowly focused business. From the managerial perspective, in the future, business leaders in the forest industry are expected to adopt a more proactive role not only in reducing the environmental footprint or promoting sustainable forest management, but also in furthering social goals

The patterns and determinants of sustainability disclosure in the global forest industry

Literature assessing the quantity and quality of voluntary social and environmental reporting has shown critical reflections regarding the quality and reliability, the (largely) qualitative nature of disclosure with lack of measurability, credibility or comparability, and information being biased and self-laudatory in nature with minimal disclosure of negative information. Among environmentally-sensitive sectors, forest-based industry has a crucial role in global sustainable development, not only because of its unique raw material basis, but also because of the ongoing industry globalization in the emerging and developing countries. The contribution of this study is important in at least two dimensions: first, providing empirical quantitative insight regarding the current patterns in responsibility disclosure of the forest-based sector at a global level; and second, by taking a quantitative approach in investigating determinants of the disclosure. Changing patterns in the economic, environmental and social performance of the forest-based industry were analyzed using the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) framework, which represents an international cooperative effort to establish sustainability reporting guidelines for voluntary use by organizations worldwide. We seek to shed more light on what are the key responsibility or sustainability issues the global forest companies address, and which of the firm and industry level determinants are significant on the quality of disclosure? Sustainability disclosure of 66 top forest industry companies is first content analyzed based on the GRI framework, after which significance of industry and firm characteristics, including geographic location, business line and financial performance, will be used as testing the determinants influencing the quality and level of disclosure. Based on the content analysis, more emphasis was found to be placed on the environmental and economic responsibility in contrast to areas concerning human rights, labour practices, social and product responsibility in the forestry sector. Main findings from the regression modeling include a significant positive effect from company size on the quality and extent of CR reporting practices in the forest industry; no effect from the financial performance; little regional variation; and illustration of difference in disclosure orientation between integrated forest industry companies and those with more narrowly focused business. From the managerial perspective, in the future, business leaders in the forest industry are expected to adopt a more proactive role not only in reducing the environmental footprint or promoting sustainable forest management, but also in furthering social goals

The effect of thermal drying on the contents of condensed tannins and stilbenes in Norway spruce (Picea abies [L.] Karst.) sawmill bark

Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) bark contains marked amounts of polyphenolic compounds. Condensed tannins (CTs) and stilbenes show commercial potential as antioxidants, antimicrobials, preservatives in food and cosmetic applications, technochemical products, and pharmaceuticals. Storing of bark before the conversion process leads to substantial losses of extractives compounds. In the present study, the potential of thermal drying for maintaining extractives content was assessed based on an experiment in which bark samples were dried in convection kilns at 40, 50, 60, and 70 °C temperatures. The development of CTs and stilbene contents and CT degradation were followed for 28–34 h. CTs were analysed from bark samples with thiolysis. Quantities of stilbene glycosides and stilbene aglycones in water-acetone extracts were analysed applying gas chromatography with flame-ionization detection (GC-FID). Multilevel regression analysis was used to analyse the statistical differences in moisture content and extractives composition between the drying schemes. The initial CT content of 35–36 mg g−1 in dry bark material declined to 25–31 mg g-1 in 28–34 h. The average degree of polymerisation (DP) decreased slightly, and the relative proportion of prodelphinidins in CTs increased significantly in the 60 and 70 °C schemes. The proportion of A-type linkages slightly increased with the increase in drying temperature. The initial mean stilbene contents varied from 19 mg g−1 to 22 mg g−1 in dry bark mass. Isorhapontin was the major stilbene constituent, with a proportion of 45–49 % of the total stilbenes. Stilbene losses of up to 60 % were detected during the drying processes. In 10 h, for example, 36–43 % of total stilbenes were lost. Degradation activities by enzymes released from the bark and oxidative reactions after crushing at the debarking phase were concluded to be the primary mode of degradation. The results indicate that bark CT content can be preserved at a moderate temperature not exceeding 50 °C, but the degradation of CTs may affect their suitability for various applications. Sufficient stilbene content for industrial processes is unlikely to be maintainable through thermal drying. The permanence of the post-drying extractives content should be assessed based on a practical-scale storage experiment using bark dried to varying moisture contents.peerReviewe