Barriers for Renewable Energy Technologies Diffusion : Empirical Evidence from Finland and Poland

A harmful impact of climate change and global warming has concerned various sectors of the international community. Numerous energy policies aiming at climate change mitigation have been implemented on a national and global scale. Renewable energy technologies (RETs) play a critical role in enhancing sustainable solutions that significantly limit greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Such innovative technologies can facilitate energy transition through providing, e.g., energy security, sustainable development, and effective usage of indigenous resources. However, the commercialization of RETs is extremely challenging. The barriers can be of a different nature, although this study focused on socioeconomic and regulatory issues. There is ample evidence that energy policies play a central role in supporting adoption of renewables. It is also claimed that RETs require the whole ecosystem to support their successful diffusion. In this study, we explored multifarious barriers for widespread RET diffusion in two European Union countries, Finland and Poland, indicating the most common barriers existing in the literature as well as analyzing major bottlenecks from the viewpoint of renewable energy companies’ executives. We also present statistics of the most commonly used RETs in these countries in order to express the diffusion issues more appropriately. The research shows that inflexible, ineffective, and excessive regulatory frameworks; limited financing options; as well as an insufficient level of societal awareness have been seen as the main bottlenecks for RET diffusion in both countries. The outcomes of this study provide useful insights for the researchers in the energy transition field as well as practical managerial and regulatory implications aimed at overcoming these challenges.© 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).fi=vertaisarvioitu|en=peerReviewed

Colorado Literacy Tutor as a support in learning and improving reading in L2 (English) for Polish children

The article below is a short presentation of Colorado Literacy Tutor (CLT ) to Polish readers. CLT is a computer program built to help children in developing literacy skills in English. The main advantage of CLT is the deployment of animated highly interactive interface that enhances both human-computer interaction and the student’s learning performance. Designed to help American children, CLT is capable to serve as a learning tool for all children who need to practice reading in English. Since teaching English to Polish children is common in almost all elementary schools and some kindergartens, CLT provides an ideal test bed for research on how Polish children acquire reading abilities in English. The main components of CLT are presented and their impact on reading acquisition is explained. A short preliminary report on author’s pilot study is also given.The article below is a short presentation of Colorado Literacy Tutor (CLT) to Polish readers. CLT is a computer program built to help children in developing literacy skills in English. The main advantage of CLT is the deployment of animated highly interactive interface that enhances both human-computer interaction and the student’s learning performance. Designed to help American children, CLT is capable to serve as a learning tool for all children who need to practice reading in English. Since teaching English to Polish children is common in almost all elementary schools and some kindergartens, CLT provides an ideal test bed for research on how Polish children acquire reading abilities in English. The main components of CLT are presented and their impact on reading acquisition is explained. A short preliminary report on author’s pilot study is also given

Computer assisted reading tutoring in L2 using Colorado Literacy Tutor

Successful tutorship of reading depends on several conditions. Teaching to read require well prepared method with scientific foundations. Children expect entertaining exercises supported with motivational system and a patient tutor who helps in perfecting the skills related to reading. At last, the whole tutorship should be scalable, so large groups of children and whole schools can learn to read step by step. Their progress should be observable for teachers, parents and researchers. Computer assisted reading tutoring may fulfill all these conditions. Colorado Literacy Tutor is a program especially designed to meet these expectations and this article is to explore its possibilities. Short report on pioneer testing of CLT on Polish children is also given.Successful tutorship of reading depends on several conditions. Teaching to read require well prepared method with scientific foundations. Children expect entertaining exercises supported with motivational system and a patient tutor who helps in perfecting the skills related to reading. At last, the whole tutorship should be scalable, so large groups of children and whole schools can learn to read step by step. Their progress should be observable for teachers, parents and researchers. Computer assisted reading tutoring may fulfill all these conditions. Colorado Literacy Tutor is a program especially designed to meet these expectations and this article is to explore its possibilities. Short report on pioneer testing of CLT on Polish children is also given.

Joint attentional frames in computer assisted teaching of reading

This article is to explain how computer programs can teach children to read. The children-computer interaction is analyzed as a joint attentional frame. It is argued that children interact with computer and avatars (life-like characters) in educational programs because they treat them like other people (media equation) and act like in a joint attentional frame. The article consists of four parts. The first part is an introduction showing a broad background of this research. The second part presents current views on language acquisition in cognitive linguistics framework which is a Tomasello?s socio-pragmatic theory. The third part is an analysis of some educational programs in terms of joint attentional frame with emphasis on Colorado Literacy Tutor. The last part suggests that children do treat avatars as people because they perceive them like the self, which is a consequence of being brought up in a series of joint attentional frames.This article is to explain how computer programs can teach children to read. The children-computer interaction is analyzed as a joint attentional frame. It is argued that children interact with computer and avatars (life-like characters) in educational programs because they treat them like other people (media equation) and act like in a joint attentional frame. The article consists of four parts. The first part is an introduction showing a broad background of this research. The second part presents current views on language acquisition in cognitive linguistics framework which is a Tomasello?s socio-pragmatic theory. The third part is an analysis of some educational programs in terms of joint attentional frame with emphasis on Colorado Literacy Tutor. The last part suggests that children do treat avatars as people because they perceive them like the self, which is a consequence of being brought up in a series of joint attentional frames.

Roadmap for Renewable Energy Technologies Diffusion : A comparative study of Socioeconomic, Regulatory, and Technological issues in Finland and Poland

Energy is a fundamental resource required for the functioning and prosperity of societies across the globe. However, due to e.g. industrialization, digitalization, overpopulation, and growing shares of the global middle and middle-high class, the energy demand levels are expeditiously increasing. Considering climate change and global warming issues, there is a need to significantly limit the utilization of fossil fuels for energy generation purposes. Renewable energy technologies (RETs) can support the global energy transition by providing more clean, sustainable, and environmentally-friendly solutions. The expanding technological innovation advancement generates the capacity of renewables to enhance, inter alia, energy efficiency and security, sustainable development, proficient use of native resources, independence from energy imports, and escalating cost competitiveness. Regrettably, the share of renewables in global energy mixes remains relatively modest and inadequate. This doctoral dissertation aims to explore the major factors influencing the diffusion of renewable energy technologies. Particular emphasis has been put on key regulatory, socioeconomic, and technological aspects of RETs diffusion in two European Union member states, Finland and Poland. By applying a problem-solving approach, this study initially detects the most hampering factors of RETs diffusion in order to address them and suggest effective improvement measures. The outcomes of this research highlight the importance of regulatory regimes and inter-sectoral collaborative networks to uphold the diffusion of environmentally-friendly solutions and propose circular economy, venture capital, and blockchain technology as possible incubators for RETs diffusion. Qualitative research methodology, strengthened with the philosophical approach of critical realism has helped to thoroughly investigate the phenomenon of RETs diffusion based on selected case studies from the RETs industry. A cross-country comparative analysis reveals novel insights on major similarities and differences in various predicaments for developing RETs in both investigated countries. The collective outcomes of the analyses served to develop a “Roadmap for RETs diffusion”, which suggests practical mechanisms, actions, and measures to facilitate the adoption of renewables in Finland and Poland. This study is a vital information source for the policymakers, practitioners, and other stakeholders and interest groups devoted to the widespread diffusion of RETs.Energia on yhteiskuntien toiminnan ja hyvinvoinnin kannalta keskeinen perusresurssi kaikkialla maailmassa. Energian kysyntä kasvaa kuitenkin nopeasti johtuen muun muassa teollistumisesta, digitalisaatiosta ja ylikansoituksesta. Ilmaston lämpenemisen hillitsemiseksi fossiilisten polttoaineiden käyttöä energiantuotantotarkoituksiin on merkittävästi rajoitettava. Uusiutuvan energian teknologiat (RET) voivat tukea maailmanlaajuista energiasiirtymää tarjoamalla puhtaampia, kestävämpiä ja ympäristöystävällisempiä ratkaisuja. Uusiin energialähteisiin liittyvät teknologiset innovaatiot parantavat energiatehokkuutta ja turval¬lisuutta, kestävää kehitystä, luonnonvarojen asiantuntevaa käyttöä, riippu¬mattomuutta energian tuonnista sekä kansallista kustannuskilpailukykyä. Uusiutuvien energialähteiden osuus maailman energiantuotannosta on kuitenkin edelleen suhteellisen vaatimaton. Tämän väitöskirjan tavoitteena on selvittää uusiutuvan energian teknologioiden leviämiseen vaikuttavia keskeisiä tekijöitä. Uusiutuvan energian teknologioiden leviämisen keskeisiä tekijöitä sääntelyn sekä sosioekonomisten ja teknologisten näkökohtien kannalta on tarkasteltu erityisesti kahdessa Euroopan unionin jäsenvaltiossa, Suomessa ja Puolassa. Tutkimuksessa on tunnistettu teknologioiden leviämistä vaikeuttavia tekijöitä ja niihin liittyviä parannuksia. Tutkimuksen tulokset korostavat sääntelyjärjestelmien välisten yhteistyöverkostojen merkitystä ympäristöystävällisten ratkaisujen edistämisessä, ja ehdottavat kierto¬taloutta, riskipääomaa ja lohkoketjuteknologiaa mahdollisiksi ratkaisuiksi uusiutuvan energian teknologioiden leviämiselle. Tutkimus noudattaa kriittiseen realismiin pohjautuvaa laadullista tutkimusmetodologiaa. Uusiutuvan energian teknologioiden leviämistä tutkitaan tapaustutkimuksia käyttäen. Maiden välinen vertaileva analyysi tuo esiin havaintoja merkittävistä yhtäläisyyksistä ja eroista erilaisissa uusiutuvan energian teknologioiden kehityksen haasteissa molemmissa tutkituissa maissa. Analyysien tulosten pohjalta työssä on kehitetty tiekartta, joka ehdottaa käytännön mekanismeja, toimia ja toimenpiteitä uusiutuvien energialähteiden käyttöönoton helpotta¬miseksi Suomessa ja Puolassa. Tämä tutkimus toimii tietolähteenä poliittisille päättäjille, toimijoille ja muille sidosryhmille uusiutuvan energian teknologisen kehityksen alueella.fi=vertaisarvioitu|en=peerReviewed

A Role of Critical Questions in Preparing a Scientific Article

The article discusses a hermeneutical analysis of academic texts related to the methodological criticism of individual elements of the structure of designed quantitative research, published in the form of articles, chapters in collective works and monographs. Dilemmas of researchers constructing research projects, asking themselves critical questions at each stage of a research procedure, will be described, critical situations for the correctness of a research process, and also general methodological requirements of scientific publications will be indicated. Besides the description of a critical approach of chosen researchers, the work also includes the author’s reflections on carrying out empirical research

The Impact of Blockchain on Future Business Models within the Renewable Energy Sector

Blockchains, or distributed ledgers, are innovative information and communication technology (ICT) solutions that are emerging within various sectors and industries across the globe. This distributed ledger technology (DLT) is already widespread in certain sectors, mainly in the banking industry, often through corresponding banking, or syndicating and peer-to-peer (P2P) loans. Outstandingly, blockchain technology has the capability to enhance the transparency and authenticity of transactional processes throughout the whole supply chain. Another significant benefit that Blockchain technology provides, mainly coming from its transparent and decentralized nature, is the capability to decrease the information asymmetries among the collaborating partners. Through e.g. the digitalization of transactional mechanisms, decentralization of authority, Internet of Things (IoT) and asset management enabling as well as smart contracting, the improvement of the business's day-to-day operations is firmly forecasted. Importantly, the digitalization of the energy and other sectors will cause major alterations in current structures, and thus, it will require business model innovation. It is claimed that the decentralized nature of blockchain, mainly due to a reduction of middlemen could revolutionize current market structures and supply chains.Importantly, blockchain application is systematically growing across different industries, for instance in healthcare, voting systems, manufacturing, supply chain management, or luxury goods. It has also gained the attention of the energy industry, where digitalization is already visible in solutions such as smart meters and smart grids, electric e-mobility, vehicle-to-grid (V2G), energy cryptocurrencies and tokens, etc. This has resulted in the introduction of a novel concept of the Internet of Energy (IoE) in the academic literature. This literature analysis serves to determine the impact of blockchain on the imminent business models based on the renewable energy sector. The outcomes of this curiosity study provide numerous theoretical and managerial implications that can foster the widespread blockchain technology diffusion in global energy systems.© 2023. Published by AHFE Open Access. All rights reserved.fi=vertaisarvioitu|en=peerReviewed

How do they do it? On the mechanisms of setting coopetition strategy among cultural institutions

Only few studies consider characterizing the coopetition formation stage, especially from the perspective of cultural institutions. A review of the literature, as well as observation of the functioning of cultural institutions in economic practice, allows us to notice the dichotomy of coopetition strategies, expressed in the simultaneous establishment of coopetition relationships by a given institution in both an emerging and intentional way. This article focuses on mechanisms of setting the intentional and emergent coopetition strategy on the example of cultural institutions (the coopetition strategy is considered here at the interorganizational level). Mechanisms are understood in this paper as causal pathways to the emergence of motivation to coopetition. The article is conceptual in nature and is based on a narrative approach to the literature review within strategic management. As its main contribution, this paper offers conceptualization of the mechanisms of setting the intentional and emergent coopetition strategy on the example of cultural institutions, which are examples of public and non-profit organizations

Between order and anarchy : exploring utopianism in the political novels of Joseph Conrad

In this paper I discuss the three political novels of Joseph Conrad - Nostromo, Under Western Eyes and The Secret Agent - along with one novel written together with Ford Madox Ford - The Inheritors. As well as analysing their literary structure, I examine the social and political visions that emerge from these novels. In my opinion, several elements in these texts show similarities to classical utopias such as Thomas More’s Utopia, Francis Bacon’s New Atlantis or Tommaso Campanella’s City of the Sun. It would seem that the fi ctional reality which is presented in Conrad’s novels can be understood as being a symbolic reference to utopian worlds, together with their geography, history and principle characters. However, this is not to say that the meaning of Conrad’s novels is simply a continuation of utopian texts. To begin with, as none of these novels can be taken completely at face value - given Conrad’s irony and narratorial distance - a defi nitive identifi cation of the social and political ideas which are to be found in them is no easy task. Moreover, some elements in these novels display a convergence of anti-utopian or dystopian visions, though the vogue for negative utopias only really began in the second decade of the twentieth century. To conclude, we may say that - read in this context - Conrad’s political novels can be interpreted as being both a positive and a negative vision of social development. They may also have had an infl uence on some later utopian or dystopian texts