CSR and Company Reputation - Case study of Nike

During the 21st century, we have seen an enormous increase in the popularity of CSR, in corporate level as well as in public media. Society’s consciousness on the effects of individual behaviour has risen with increased awareness on environmental and societal issues such as global warming and human rights. Corporate catastrophes, such as BP oil spill in Gulf of Mexico in 20101, which was the biggest oil spill in history of United States, has woken companies to protect their CSR reputation. According to study by Visser and Tolhurst (2010) one of the main drivers of increased CSR is growing globalisation which brings benefits and disadvantages to economic development throughout the world giving businesses even more decisive role across all levels of society. More opened global market has combined different cultures bringing problems with corruption and bribery as well as with different ethical conducts. Issues such as sustainable production, labour standards or cultural and societal implications of development do not have mutual norms but cannot be left to be decided solely in the market place (Visser and Tolhurst, 2010). Due to globalisation multinational corporations (MNCs) are conquering the global markets. MNCs are major actors in the society and together with their large supply chain channels they have a strong influence on what it is going on in the markets. Many MNCs have shown their interest towards environmentally and socially aware contributions, such as charity campaigns, introducing new codes of conducts to suppliers to nurture employee rights and improve environmental standard

The Wonder of fanaticism in football

Objectives: Current image of a fan is rather one-sided and stereotypical, focusing mainly on the negative and extreme forms of fanaticism. This study focuses on showing the multiplicity of forms that fanaticism really exists in, including a personal side that is not usually visible to other people. Methodology: The form of videography was chosen, as it gives the opportunity to show how fans look and act like in their everyday surroundings. Videography provides the most suitable tools in showing all different sides of the phenomenon without interfering too much to the interpretation process. Key findings: Fans have created rules for fanaticism, and this has led a high level of brand loyalty that cannot be found anywhere else. People narrate their lives through touching points that happen in their life. These moments must fit into the own life story and their "desired self". Being a fan constantly provides appropriate moments and touching points to fit to the desired life story. People want to associate with something bigger, but yet keep some distance and not get too attached to the phenomenon. This closeness experienced afar - phenomenon can take place, for instance, by being part of communities that are situated in a distance. Keeping distance may at times be seen as fans wanting to disassociate themselves from other fans, even those that are fans of the same team. Fans want to make difference between "real" fans and others who are not

From Material Ephemerality to Immaterial Permanency: The disCONNECT Exhibition and the Realms of Interactive Immersiveness

Peer reviewe

The Tipping Point for Alternatives in East Asian Arts

Non peer reviewe

Parodying Mao’s Image: Caricaturing in Contemporary Chinese Art

Although Chinese contemporary artists are often criticized for creating superficial works that parody Chairman Mao without any deeper meaning, the employment of parody is a far more complex phenomenon. Instead of being representatives of Jamesonian pastiche, many artists employ varying methods of trans-contextual parody to express their mixed and even controversial intentions and notions. With a detailed structural analysis of the art works, and taking into account the socio-cultural context and the artists’ own intentions, I will show that the common assumptions—that parodying Mao is equivalent to political pop or that political pop represents pastiche—are oversimplifications of this complex phenomenon, especially when caricaturing is used as a method to violate the visual norms.Čeprav kitajske sodobne umetnike velikokrat kritizirajo, da ustvarjajo površinska dela parodij predsednika Maota brez kakršnegakoli globljega pomena, pa je uporaba parodijeveliko kompleksnejši fenomen. Namesto, da bi bili predstavniki Jamesonove pastile, številni umetniki uporabljajo različne metode transkontekstualne parodije, da bi izrazili mešane in kontroverzne namene in ideje. Z natančno strukturalno analizo umetniških del in z upoštevanjem družbeno-kulturnega konteksta in avtorjevih namenov, bom prikazala, da so splošne domneve—da je parodija Maota ekvivalenta političnemu popu ali da politični pop predstavlja pastile—preveč poenostavljene ideje tega kompleksnega fenomena, predvsem, če se karikature uporabljajo kot metoda kršenja vizualnih norm

Hacking Hong Kong : Urban Creativity as Dissidence and Participation

Non peer reviewe

Päivähoidon ja lastensuojelun yhteistyö Mikkelissä päivähoidon näkökulmasta

Opinnäytetyön tarkoituksena on selvittää Mikkelin kaupungin päivähoidon ja lastensuojelun yhteistyötä päivähoidon näkökulmasta, kun lapsi on päivähoidossa lastensuojelun avohuollon tukitoimena. Opinnäytetyön avulla haettiin vastauksia seuraaviin kysymyksiin: 1) millaista yhteistyötä päivähoidossa tehdään lastensuojelun kanssa? 2) kuinka yhteistyö toimii päivähoidon ja lastensuojelun välillä? 3) millaisia kehittämiskohteita yhteistyössä ilmenee? Aiheesta ei löytynyt aiempaa tutkimusta, joka olisi kohdistunut Mikkelin päivähoidon ja lastensuojelun väliseen yhteistyöhön. Muualla Suomessa aiheesta on tehty joitakin tutkimuksia. Opinnäytetyö on luonteeltaan kvalitatiivinen eli laadullinen. Tiedonkeruumenetelmänä käytettiin ryhmähaastatteluja ja aineisto analysoitiin teemoittelun avulla. Haastateltavina oli 16 Mikkelin kaupungin päivähoidon ammattilaista, joilla oli konkreettista kokemusta yhteistyöstä lastensuojelun kanssa. Tulokset esitetään tutkimustehtävittäin. Tulosten perusteella voidaan todeta, että yhteistyö ja sen toimivuus nähtiin tärkeänä ja niiden kehittämisen koettiin tukevan kaikkia osapuolia. Opinnäytetyö antaa informaatiota erityisesti Mikkelin kaupungin päivähoidolle ja lastensuojelulle niiden yhteistyön toimivuudesta. Saatujen tulosten perusteella kaupungilla on mahdollisuudet lähteä tekemään lisäselvityksiä yhteistyöstä sekä kehittää sitä. Tulokset mahdollistavat myös oman työn pohdinnan ja sen kehittämisen yhteistyön parantamiseksi niin päivähoidossa kuin muussa asiakastyössä omalla alalla.The purpose of this study was to examine co-operation of the day care and child welfare in the city of Mikkeli from the day care point of view when the child is placed in day care as a support measure in open care of child welfare. This study aims at answering the following questions: 1) what kind of co-operation the day care does with child welfare 2) how co-operation works between the day care and child welfare 3) what kind of improvement issues arise from the co-operation. There has not been research of this issue which would have been directed to co-operation between the day care and child welfare in the city of Mikkeli. Although some similar studies have been made elsewhere in Finland. The method of this study is qualitative and the data was collected by group interview. The data was analysed by dividing it up according to themes which arouse from the data. The target group of the study was formed from 16 professionals from the day care of the city of Mikkeli who had concrete experience of co-operation with child welfare. On the basis of the results of this study can be said that the co-operation and functionality of the co-operation is important and improving both of those supports both parties. This study gives information in particular to the day care and child welfare of the city of Mikkeli on functionality of their co-operation. The results of the study enable the city to do additional research about the co-operation or improve it. The findings can also be reflected to one’s own work to improve co-operation in the day care as in any other customer work in one’s own profession

"Työ on mulle huippu ykkönen" : kehitysvammaisten työelämän kokemuksia Turussa

Jokaisella on oikeus työhön ja siitä saatavaan kohtuulliseen palkkaan. Heikossa työmarkkina-asemassa olevia ovat muun muassa kehitysvammaiset. Tämän tutkimuksen tarkoitus on selvittää ja kuvata Turussa asuvien lievästi kehitysvammaisten työpolkuja osallisuuden näkökulmasta. Lisäksi pohdimme, miten edistää työllistymistä ja mitkä ovat työllistymisen esteitä. Työ vahvistaa yhteiskuntaan liittymistä ja osaltaan keskeisesti ehkäisee syrjäytymistä. Todellisessa osallisuudessa ihminen kokee olevansa arvokas, yhdenvertainen yhteisönsä jäsen. Sosiaalihuolto- ja kehitysvammalailla pyritään lisäämään työllistymistä tukevia toimia ja osallisuutta yhteiskuntaan. Tutkimuksemme on laadullinen, jonka aineisto on kerätty teemahaastattelemalla. Haastattelimme kymmentä Turussa asuvaa työikäistä kehitysvammaista henkilöä. Heistä kaksi työskentelee tuetussa työssä (palkkatyösuhde) ja kahdeksan tuetussa työtoiminnassa. Tutkimuksen aineistokeruu on suoritettu tammi-helmikuussa vuonna 2014. Tuloksista selvisi, että lievästi kehitysvammaisten työllistyminen tavallisiin työpaikkoihin on vaikeaa. Työllistymisen onnistumiseksi tarvitaan moniammatillista yhteistyötä. Tavoitteena tuetulla työtoiminnalla tulisi olla tuettu työ (palkkatyösuhde). Haastatelluista yhtä lukuun ottamatta haaveena on pysyä palkkatyössä tai saada sellainen. Aiempien tutkimusten perusteella on jo olemassa onnistuneita toimintamalleja kehitysvammaisten työllistymisen edistämiseksi, kuten tuetun työllistymisen malli (support employment). Tuloksista selvisi, että suurimmalle osalle haastateltavista tarve työhönvalmentajan tukeen työllistämisen edistämisessä on ollut tai on suuri.Every human being has the right to look for a job and get the acceptable compensation of it. When talking about the labor in open market peoples with disabilities are in the weakest position. This study aims to examine and then describe the work path for peoples with disabilities who live in Turku city, from the point of view of inclusion. In addition our reflection goes to how to promote their employment and we are considering what barriers there is for their employment. Employment is a solid way to connect into the society and the key issue to prevent social exclu-sion. Inclusion is completed fully when the person feels to be respected and treated as equal member of his community. The Social Welfare’s program and laws aim to create and provide employment for people equally and to increase support of participation and inclusion into the society. This study is qualitative and the method used is theme interview (half structured interview). We interviewed ten peoples with mildly disabilities who are in working age and live in Turku city. Two of them had paid work (supported and ordinary employment). Other eight were in supported work activities but not get paid yet. The study data was collected out in January-February 2014. The study results showed that employment of peoples with mildly disabilities is difficult in the open labor market. To succeed there is a need of the multi-professional co-operation work. Additionally there should be a vision which enables moving to paid work (supported employment) from the supported work activities. The study results showed that interviewees’ dream is to stay on wage employment or to gain one. As previous studies have showed there is a successful work model to promote employment of peoples with disabilities, such as supported employment model. This study’s results showed that to promote successfully the supported employment model having a job coach is the most significant factor. Importance of job coach was also pointed out by most of the interviewed people

A SYSTEM FOR THE MEASUREMENT OF IMPACT FORCE IN FOOTWEAR

The purpose of the research was to develop a mechanical device to measure the Effectiveness of f the Energy (J) absorption in materials used for the construction of the soles of athletic footwear. Mean Ground Reaction Force curves were used to calculate energy during impact loading in the materials used for the soles of six different brand-name running shoes. Results indicated a range of variability in energy absorption in the soles of the shoes and the relationship to shoe quality assessed on retail cost. The measurement system provided a reliable and alternate measure of performance in shoe materials and demonstrates a need for the provision of more accurate and alternative test measures for the consumer