Integrated Marketing Communication in Connecting Buyer and Seller Prior to Selecting the Supplier of Industrial Capital Goods

Knowing preferred buyer information sources is of utmost importance to any marketer for planning marketing communication to make buyer and seller meet on the information arena prior to supplier selection. This applies also to industrial capital goods marketers focusing both on established and emerging markets. Thus understanding buyer behavior in search of information in multiple buying centers is critical for success. Studies concerning industrial buyer behavior in complex decision making are mainly from the time before the Internet, and studies on integrated marketing communication, IMC, have focused on a single market and mainly on consumer goods in Western countries. Also these have been studied separately. Integrating marketing communication and buyer behavior is important for the industrial capital goods seller in a global context. This study explores first the buyer information sources used by multiple buying centers in different market areas prior to supplier selection, and then the influence of these on IMC processes for industrial capital goods. To identify how buyer information sources and marketing communication channels interact prior to supplier selection and how multiple simultaneous buying centers in different market areas influence IMC development of the capital goods seller, a single case study was applied. Multiple methods, based on action research were used for data collection. The main finding of this research is that for an industrial capital goods seller there are multiple extended buying centers searching for information simultaneously, thus behavior of the members and the interactions within the members needs to be understood for developing integrated marketing communication. Another finding is that the selection of information sources used vary by numerous influences e.g. geography, information search target, market maturity, familiarity with solutions, product and supplier, culture, and issue in question. Three most preferred sources are the Internet in a broad context, word-of-mouth (WOM), and references, while advertising is almost neglected, and personal selling valued in established markets more than in emerging markets as an information source. Finally, findings of this research suggest that the buyer information sources equal marketing communication channels and thus the extended buying centers form the core for developing IMC for capital goods in a global context. The academic contribution of this research can be divided into IMC, capital goods purchasing process, and action research in marketing. This research increases our knowledge on IMC definition for industrial marketing. For capital goods, IMC is a constant, circular process taking into account strategies and stakeholders, and IMC programs are governed by multiple influences differing from one buying center to another. Thus it can be said that the buyer insight leads implementation of IMC. Capital goods purchasing process definition takes one step forward in this research. The role of external members is crucial especially in emerging markets and the need leading to the purchase of capital goods may originate from beyond the customer’s customer. Also the taxonomy of buyer information sources, due to the Internet has changed. For practitioners, this research gives guidelines on development and implementation of IMC in industrial capital goods industry, and in global context. And, as a consequence managers would be able to better justify and defend marketing communication activities and budget. Because references and WOM have been identified among the three most important information sources, managers also need to pay attention to brand building and relationship development. Finally, proper use of marketing communication channels support personal selling leading prospects into action. Socially, this research makes implications that political organizations and other decision makers should in order consider to generate more export for small and medium sized companies. This research being a single case study would be taken as pre-study for future studies on capital goods marketing and marketing communication in general and in a broad perspective. Defining IMC for industrial marketing involving different kinds of capital goods and their markets should be taken further, through research both on academic and practical levels. Also it would be beneficial to know more about the influences affecting the active information search in all emerging markets, the BRICS countries, and in all stages of the purchasing process. And finally, a suggested avenue for further research would be to study the overall importance of the Internet as buyer information source for capital and other industrial goods

Tavallisimmat emättimen mikrobiologiset tutkimukset - mitä, miksi ja milloin?

publishedVersionPeer reviewe

Tavallisimmat emättimen mikrobiologiset tutkimukset - mitä, miksi ja milloin?

Vertaisarvioitu.Peer reviewe

Integrated Marketing Communication in Connecting Buyer and Seller Prior to Selecting the Supplier of Industrial Capital Goods

Knowing preferred buyer information sources is of utmost importance to any marketer for planning marketing communication to make buyer and seller meet on the information arena prior to supplier selection. This applies also to industrial capital goods marketers focusing both on established and emerging markets. Thus understanding buyer behavior in search of information in multiple buying centers is critical for success. Studies concerning industrial buyer behavior in complex decision making are mainly from the time before the Internet, and studies on integrated marketing communication, IMC, have focused on a single market and mainly on consumer goods in Western countries. Also these have been studied separately. Integrating marketing communication and buyer behavior is important for the industrial capital goods seller in a global context. This study explores first the buyer information sources used by multiple buying centers in different market areas prior to supplier selection, and then the influence of these on IMC processes for industrial capital goods. To identify how buyer information sources and marketing communication channels interact prior to supplier selection and how multiple simultaneous buying centers in different market areas influence IMC development of the capital goods seller, a single case study was applied. Multiple methods, based on action research were used for data collection. The main finding of this research is that for an industrial capital goods seller there are multiple extended buying centers searching for information simultaneously, thus behavior of the members and the interactions within the members needs to be understood for developing integrated marketing communication. Another finding is that the selection of information sources used vary by numerous influences e.g. geography, information search target, market maturity, familiarity with solutions, product and supplier, culture, and issue in question. Three most preferred sources are the Internet in a broad context, word-of-mouth (WOM), and references, while advertising is almost neglected, and personal selling valued in established markets more than in emerging markets as an information source. Finally, findings of this research suggest that the buyer information sources equal marketing communication channels and thus the extended buying centers form the core for developing IMC for capital goods in a global context. The academic contribution of this research can be divided into IMC, capital goods purchasing process, and action research in marketing. This research increases our knowledge on IMC definition for industrial marketing. For capital goods, IMC is a constant, circular process taking into account strategies and stakeholders, and IMC programs are governed by multiple influences differing from one buying center to another. Thus it can be said that the buyer insight leads implementation of IMC. Capital goods purchasing process definition takes one step forward in this research. The role of external members is crucial especially in emerging markets and the need leading to the purchase of capital goods may originate from beyond the customer’s customer. Also the taxonomy of buyer information sources, due to the Internet has changed. For practitioners, this research gives guidelines on development and implementation of IMC in industrial capital goods industry, and in global context. And, as a consequence managers would be able to better justify and defend marketing communication activities and budget. Because references and WOM have been identified among the three most important information sources, managers also need to pay attention to brand building and relationship development. Finally, proper use of marketing communication channels support personal selling leading prospects into action. Socially, this research makes implications that political organizations and other decision makers should in order consider to generate more export for small and medium sized companies. This research being a single case study would be taken as pre-study for future studies on capital goods marketing and marketing communication in general and in a broad perspective. Defining IMC for industrial marketing involving different kinds of capital goods and their markets should be taken further, through research both on academic and practical levels. Also it would be beneficial to know more about the influences affecting the active information search in all emerging markets, the BRICS countries, and in all stages of the purchasing process. And finally, a suggested avenue for further research would be to study the overall importance of the Internet as buyer information source for capital and other industrial goods

Personality and work stress : purposefulness and responsibility protect teachers from work stress

Objectives. The purpose of this study was to examine the associations between the character traits of Cloninger's psychobiological model of personality and effort-reward imbalance and its components among primary school teachers. Occupational stress is a common fenomenom in worklife, and it is also very costly for organisations and for the society. Long-term occupational stress is associated with increased risk of adverse health effects. Previous studies have noted that teaching is a high strain profession. In previous research personality has been associated with occupational stress. There is little research done on the associations of personality and occupational stress among teachers. The aim of this study was to examine the association of character traits and occupational stress among primary school teachers. Methods. The data used in this pilot study was collected by random sample from primary school class teachers in Helsinki metropolitan area during the spring 2013. There were 55 participants out of which 49 (89%) were women and 6 (11%) were men. The average age of participants was 44 years. Occupational stress was measured using Siegrist's effort-reward –imbalance (ERI) model. Character traits were measured with Cloninger's Temperament and Character Inventory. Three separate linear regression models were done to measure the association between the character traits and effort-reward imbalance. The first model measured the direct effect of a character trait, in the second model age and number of years of education were controlled and in the third model also the other character traits were controlled. Results and conclusions. Character traits seem to be related to the occupational stress among primary school teachers. Responsibility and purposefulness, two subscales of self-directedness were associated with effort-reward imbalance at work. Higher responsibility and purposefulness predicted lower effort-reward imbalance at work. High purposefulness was associated with lower efforts. Two subscales of cooperativeness, empathy and pure-hearted conscience, were associated with higher rewards. Self-trancendence was not associated with effort-reward imbalance nor its components. These results add further evidence to the idea that certain personality traits may predispose to and protect from the occupational stress among teachers. This knowledge could be used for developing teachers' stress management skills and occupational well-being.Tavoitteet. Tutkimuksessa tarkasteltiin Cloningerin psykobiologisen persoonallisuusteorian luonteenpiirteiden sekä niiden alapiirteiden yhteyttä luokanopettajien työstressiin ja sen osatekijöihin. Työstressi on yleinen ja kallis ilmiö organisaatioille ja yhteiskunnalle. Työstressi on tutkimusten mukaan terveysriski yksilölle. Eri ammattiryhmien välisessä vertailussa opettajien on todettu kärsivän työstressistä keskimääräistä enemmän. Aiempien tutkimusten mukaan persoonallisuus on yhteydessä työstressiin. Opettajien kohdalla persoonallisuuden ja työstressin yhteyttä on tutkittu melko vähän. Tämän tutkimuksen tavoitteena oli tuottaa uutta tietoa luonteenpiirteiden yhteydestä luokanopettajien kokemaan työstressiin. Menetelmät. Tutkimuksessa käytettiin pilottiaineistoa, joka ryhdyttiin keräämään keväällä 2013 pääkaupunkiseudun satunnaisotannalla valikoituneiden peruskoulujen 1.-6. luokan luokanopettajilta kyselytutkimuksella. Tutkimukseen osallistui 55 opettajaa, joista 49 (89%) oli naisia ja 6 (11%) miehiä. Opettajien ikä oli keskimäärin 44 vuotta. Työstressiä mitattiin Siegristin ponnistelujen ja palkkioiden epäsuhta – mallin (ERI) avulla. Luonteenpiirteitä mitattiin Cloningerin temperamentti- ja luonteenpiirrekyselyllä (The Temperament and Character Inventory). Luonteenpiirteiden yhteyttä työstressiin tarkasteltiin lineaarisella regressessioanalyysillä kolmen eri mallin avulla, joista ensimmäisessä tarkasteltiin luonteenpiirteen suoraa yhteyttä työstressiin, toisessa kontrolloitiin tutkittavien ikä ja koulutusvuodet sekä kolmannessa edellisten lisäksi vielä muut luonteenpiirteet. Tulokset ja johtopäätökset. Luokanopettajien luonteenpiirteillä näyttäisi olevan yhteys koettuun työstressiin. Itseohjautuvuuden alapiirteet vastuullisuus ja tavoitteellisuus olivat yhteydessä matalampaan työstressiin. Korkea tavoitteellisuus oli yhteydessä vähäisempiin työn vaatimiin ponnisteluihin. Yhteistyön alapiirteet empaattisuus ja vilpittömyys olivat yhteydessä työstä saataviin palkkioihin. Henkisyys ei ennustanut työstressiä tai sen osatekijöitä palkkioita ja ponnisteluja. Nämä tutkimustulokset vahvistavat käsitystä, että on persoonallisuuspiirteitä, jotka voivat suojata yksilöä työstressiltä. Tämän tutkimuksen tuloksia voitaisiin hyödyntää interventioissa, joissa pyritään kehittämään opettajien stressinhallintataitoja ja lisäämään opettajien työhyvinvointia

Erityispedagogiset sisällöt ammatillisten opettajankoulutusten pedagogisissa opinnoissa

The article aims to identify the special education contents of the pedagogical studies of vocational teacher education based on the curriculum texts of the universities of appliedsciences. According to the decree on universities of applied sciences (1129/2014), the goal of vocational teacher education is to give the graduates of the program the skills to guide the learning of all students and develop their respective field while taking into account the development of professions and working life. The research data consisted of curriculum texts of 60-credit pedagogical studies of vocational teacher education of five universities of applied sciences from the academic year 2021–2022. The data was analyzed using theory-based content analysis by examining the number and content of compulsory courses containing special education. The curricula of all five teacher education universities included courses that were either fully or partially special educational. Special education studies were placed in professional pedagogic studies and training. Special educational content focused on identifying the need for special support and supporting learners in need of special support. Co-operation between teacher education institutions in curriculum work would decrease variation in special education contents of curriculums.Artikkelissa tarkastellaan ammattikorkeakoulujen opetussuunnitelmateksteihin perustuen ammatillisten opettajankoulutusten pedagogisten opintojen erityispedagogisia sisältöjä. Ammattikorkeakouluista annetun asetuksen (1129/2014) mukaan ammatillisen opettajankoulutuksen tavoitteena on, että koulutuksesta valmistuneilla on valmiudet ohjata kaikkien opiskelijoiden oppimista ja kehittää opetusalaansa ottaen huomioon työelämän ja ammattien kehittymisen. Tutkimuksen aineisto koostui viiden ammattikorkeakoulun 60 opintopisteen laajuisten ammatillisen opettajankoulutuksen opettajan pedagogisten opintojen opetussuunnitelmateksteistä lukuvuodelta 2021–2022. Tutkimusaineisto analysoitiin teoriaohjaavalla sisällönanalyysillä tarkastellen erityispedagogiikkaa sisältävien pakollisten opintojaksojen määrää ja sisältöä. Kaikkien viiden opettajakorkeakoulun opetussuunnitelmissa oli opintojaksoja, jotka olivat joko kokonaan tai osittain erityispedagogisia. Erityispedagogiset sisällöt sijoittuivat ammattipedagogisiin opintoihin ja harjoitteluun. Erityispedagogiset sisällöt painottuivat erityisen tuen tarpeen tunnistamiseen ja erityistä tukea tarvitsevien opiskelijoiden tukemiseen. Erityispedagogisten sisältöjen tasalaatuisuuden lisääminen opettajankoulutusten opetussuunnitelmissa edellyttäisi koulutusten järjestäjien välistä opetussuunnitelmayhteistyötä

Evidence of a causal effect of genetic tendency to gain muscle mass on uterine leiomyomata

Uterine leiomyomata (UL) are the most common tumours of the female genital tract and the primary cause of surgical removal of the uterus. Genetic factors contribute to UL susceptibility. To add understanding to the heritable genetic risk factors, we conduct a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of UL in up to 426,558 European women from FinnGen and a previous UL meta-GWAS. In addition to the 50 known UL loci, we identify 22 loci that have not been associated with UL in prior studies. UL-associated loci harbour genes enriched for development, growth, and cellular senescence. Of particular interest are the smooth muscle cell differentiation and proliferation-regulating genes functioning on the myocardin-cyclin dependent kinase inhibitor 1A pathway. Our results further suggest that genetic predisposition to increased fat-free mass may be causally related to higher UL risk, underscoring the involvement of altered muscle tissue biology in UL pathophysiology. Overall, our findings add to the understanding of the genetic pathways underlying UL, which may aid in developing novel therapeutics.Peer reviewe