SMEs’ decision-making at the pre-internationalization phase : The interplay of causation and effectuation

The internationalization of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) has been of increas-ing interest to the research community. This is due to the important role of SMEs in national economies as well as in the global marketplace. SMEs are key players in creating jobs, boost-ing digital transformation, and helping societies to achieve Sustainable Development Goals. The SME internationalization research has two popular approaches: the traditional stages models and new phenomena, such as born globals and international new ventures. The stages models, most notably the Uppsala model, involve a pre-internationalization phase. Regardless of some models created to illustrate SMEs’ activities during this phase, it remains an understudied topic. Especially the decision-making during the pre-internationalization phase has not been researched enough. This thesis aims to study how SMEs are using the two decision-making logics – causation and effectuation - when they prepare to expand op-erations to foreign markets. The theoretical framework of this thesis consists of three chapters on major theories of in-ternationalization, the pre-internationalization phase, and SME decision making. This frame-work provides the theoretical viewpoints for conducting the research and analyzing the find-ings. Specifically, the theoretical part of this thesis introduces three major theories of inter-nationalization concerning SMEs: the Uppsala model, the network theory, and the Interna-tional new ventures theory. Further, it examines the concept of pre-internationalization and what SMEs are experiencing before the expansion to foreign markets. Lastly, it discusses SME decision making concentrating on the two different but complementary logics: causation and effectuation. The research methodology selected for conducting this study is a qualita-tive, single-case study since it offers the best tool for identifying the logic behind the case firm’s decisions. This study shows that SMEs use both logics – causation, and effectuation – during the pre-internationalization phase. However, the dominant logic behind the decisions related to the upcoming internationalization is effectuation. This study proposes which of the two logics SMEs tend to emphasize in their decisions depending on the field of operations. The author identifies four categories: target markets, product and competitors, networks, and re-sources. This study shows that decisions concerning product and competitors, networks, and resources follow effectual logic. Decisions concerning target markets follow causal logic. SMEs combine the two logics in such a way that they create synergy. The managerial implications of this study are aimed especially at the decision-makers in internationalizing SMEs who have no prior experience of international operations. Besides, the findings of this study are interest-ing for scholars studying internationalization or SME decision-making

Decline of the boreal willow grouse (Lagopus lagopus) has been accelerated by more frequent snow-free springs

Climate change has influenced a range of species across the globe. Yet, to state a noted decline in the abundance of a given species as a consequence of a specific environmental change, for instance, spatially explicit long-term data are a prerequisite. This study assessed the extent to which prolonged snow-free periods in autumn and spring have contributed to the decline of the willow grouse, the only forest grouse changing into a white winter plumage. Time-series data of willow grouse numbers from summer surveys across the study area were integrated with local data on weather (snow cover), mammalian predator abundance and hunting intensity. Modelling was conducted with a hierarchical Bayesian Poisson model, acknowledging year-, area- and location-specific variability. The results show that while willow grouse numbers had decreased continuously across the study landscapes, the decrease was accelerated at the sites where, and during the years when the preceding April was the most snow-free. This indicates a mismatch between the change into a white winter plumage and the presence of snow, turning the bird into an ill-camouflaged prey. The results thus also confirm past hypotheses where local declines of the species have been attributed to prolonged snow-free periods. Across our study area, autumns and springs have become more snow-free, and the trend has been predicted to continue. Thus, in addition to conservation actions, the future of a species such as the willow grouse is also dependent on its ability to adapt to the changed environmental conditions.202

Suggestions to Improve Lean Construction Planning

The Last Planner System® has been one of the most popular lean construction tools that offers a solution to tackle the problems of production management on construction sites. Since its inception almost 20 years ago, construction companies across the world have implemented Last Planner with reported success. However, even as Last Planner was originally designed to address some shortcomings of the CPM method, a particular shortcoming – namely task continuity was not addressed directly. Also, excepting PPC and Reasons for Non Completion charts, there are no explicit visual tools offered by the Last Planner system. On the other hand, Line of Balance based approaches intrinsically support the consideration of task continuity, and offer a basic visual management approach in schedule representation. With some exceptions, Line of Balance is seen as a special technique applicable only in linear or repetitive work based schedules. The authors suggest that i) there is a need for a robust theory of planning and scheduling and ii) there is a need for a more suitable approach that addresses critical aspects of planning and scheduling function for example by integrating Line of Balance and Last Planner to provide a more robust support for construction scheduling

Exploring the Recurrent Problems in the Last Planner Implementation on Construction Projects

Traditionally, production control on construction sites has been a challenging area, where the ad-hoc production control methods foster uncertainty - one of the biggest enemies of efficiency and smooth production flow. The Last Planner System® has been one of the most popular lean construction tools that offers a solution to tackle the problems of production management on construction sites. Since its inception almost 20 years ago, construction companies across the world have implemented Last Planner with reported success. However, there have also been reports of challenges in a number of areas whilst implementing the Last Planner. These challenge areas limit the effectiveness of Last Planner if not tackled properly. Some of the biggest challenges appear to be partial implementation of Last Planner; lack of standardised flow of reporting between shorter planning functions such as weekly and daily planning to long range plans (i.e. Phase and Master plans); lack of attention to long range plans; inability to deploy the collaborative aspects and lack of recognition of information systems. In this paper some of these challenges are explored through review of past literature and also through direct observation of Last Planner implementations. The challenges are categorised in two major areas and potential solution candidates are presented.Peer reviewe

Optimizing high-dimensional stochastic forestry via reinforcement learning

In proceeding beyond the generic optimal rotation model, forest economic research has applied various specifications that aim to circumvent the problems of high dimensional-ity. We specify an age-and size-structured mixed-species optimal harvesting model with binary variables for harvest timing, stochastic stand growth, and stochastic prices. Rein-forcement learning allows solving this high-dimensional model without simplifications. In addition to presenting new features in reservation price schedules and effects of stochas-ticity, our setup allows evaluating the simplifications in the existing research. We find that one-or two-dimensional models lose a high fraction of attainable economic output while the commonly applied size-structured matrix model overestimates economic profitability, yields deviations in harvest timing, including optimal rotation, and dilutes the effects of stochasticity. Reinforcement learning is found to be an efficient and promising method for detailed age-and size-structured optimization models in resource economics. (c) 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY license ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ )Peer reviewe

The Effect of Fabrication Method on Passive UHF RFID Tag Performance

In passive Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), transponders or tags are used to label objects to be identified. In this study passive tag antennas were produced using etching, screen-printing, and gravure printing methods. The threshold and backscattered signal strengths of the tags were measured to determine the effect of different manufacturing methods on the tags' performance. Conductivity, skin depth, thickness, and the quality of the conducting layer have a major effect on tag performance. Each manufacturing method sets its own boundary conditions on the processibility of the high quality conduction layer and such conditions need to be considered in tag design. Tag design also affects the manufacturing parameters used in the different techniques. The results of the study show that each of the studied fabrication methods can be used to manufacture reliable RFID tags

Occupational class and the changing patterns of hospitalization for affective and neurotic disorders : a nationwide register-based study of the Finnish working-age population, 1976–2010

This study aimed to examine the long-term changes and socioeconomic disparities in hospitalization for affective and neurotic disorders among the Finnish working-age population from 1976 to 2010. Register-based study, consisting of a 5-year follow-up of 3,223,624 Finnish working-age (18-64-year old) individuals in seven consecutive cohorts. We calculated the hazard ratios of psychiatric hospitalization for different occupational classes using Cox regression models. The risk of hospitalization for affective and neurotic disorders increased in all occupational classes after the economic recession in the 1990s, and then decreased in the 2000s. Before the 2000s, the risk was the highest among manual workers. In the 2000s the disparities between upper-level non-manual employees and other occupational classes increased. Hospitalization rates remained high among female manual workers and non-manual lower-level employees. This study revealed important similarities and differences between occupational classes in terms of long-term changes in hospitalization for affective and neurotic disorders. The results suggest that the labor market changes and healthcare reforms during the 1990s and 2000s in Finland have been more beneficial for higher than for lower occupational classes.Peer reviewe