Suchergebnisse

Abstract Nordic collaboration in issues of gender equality has a history spanning four decades. In recent years, the issue of gender equality in schools and preschools has received extensive attention. The reasons for this attention are one, that the development of Nordic societies has caused pressure to update gender equality laws to bring about equality and equity in schools; and two, that boys have begun to fall behind girls' achievements academically in many western countries, drawing attention again to gender issues. Changes in legislation create pressure for educational professionals to develop their practices. However, gender-equality promotion practices vary considerably between Nordic countries and between regions of single countries. In this project, funded by the Nordic Council of Ministers, participants gathered and compared data on current 'promising practices' relating to gender equality promotion at schools and kindergartens in each Nordic country. This project identified the following as the most promising practices for furthering gender equality in education: one; gender mainstreaming in education, both in teaching and learning; two, gender equality planning at schools (GEP); three, recruiting gender equality educators to municipalities; four, creating a national or a Nordic gender-equality certificate for educational institutions to acquire; five, promoting gender balance and diversity among educational staff; and six, gender equality work with the parents of students. Each practice is itself an influential activity; together, these six practices present a systematic approach to the development of the organisation of education, and a comprehensive strategy for promoting gender equality in education. This project report aims to contribute discussion on the issues, 'Can one speak of a 'Nordic equality model' in education?' and, 'How can Nordic countries benefit from a joint gender equality promotion?' and 'Can Nordic gender equality promotion be beneficial for non-European countries?'

Abstract This study scrutinises sexist harassment and the construction of gender equality policy at the University of Oulu, one of the largest universities in Finland. Furthermore, the study addresses policies that are intended to prevent gender and sexual harassment, the implementation of such policies, and their practical outcomes. Universities are a place of knowledge (re-)production, but research suggests that sexist harassment at least occasionally bothers, and may even call into question, the central tasks of the academy—the creation and maintenance of knowledge. Acker's theory of gendered organisation is used to frame the analysis of the study on three levels: structures, resources and processes. Lukes's and Olsen's views regarding power are used to locate and make visible blind spots of gender equality work related to sexual harassment. Nussbaum's capabilities approach is used to strengthen the individual agency perspective. Additionally, intersectionality is considered in the analyses. The method of research is a case study. Detailed and intensive knowledge is produced by using various complementary data, analysis methods, vantage points and perspectives. The research contributes to the conceptual-theoretical discussion of the development of gender equality work at organisations. Based on this study, I argue that it would be reasonable to use the term sexist harassment when individual harassment experiences and organisational harassment incidences are discussed. Additionally, the concepts of sexism and sexist discrimination should be considered, especially when the ideology behind the harassment is addressed. Nussbaum's capabilities approach complements Acker's theory of gendered organisations in a meaningful manner by providing concrete gender equality indicators for organisations' gender equality work. ; Tiivistelmä Tutkimus tarkastelee seksististä häirintää ja sukupuolten tasa-arvopolitiikan rakentumista Oulun yliopistossa, joka on yksi suurimmista yliopistoista Suomessa. Lisäksi tutkimus paikantuu toimenpiteisiin jotka on tarkoitettu sukupuolisen ja seksuaalisen häirinnän ehkäisemiseen, näiden toimenpiteiden toimeenpanoon ja niiden käytännöllisiin seurauksiin. Yliopistot ovat tiedon tuottamisen paikkoja, mutta tutkimuksen mukaan seksistinen häirintä vähintäänkin tilanteisesti haittaa ja voi jopa kyseenalaistaa akatemian keskeisten tehtävien — uuden tiedon tuottamisen ja ylläpitämisen – toteuttamista. Ackerin sukupuolistuneiden organisaatioiden teoriaa käytetään analyysin kehikkona kolmella tasolla: rakenteet, resurssit ja prosessit. Lukesin ja Olsenin valtakäsitteitä käytetään paikantamaan ja tekemään näkyväksi tasa-arvotyön katvealueita, jotka liittyvät seksuaalisen häirinnän eliminoimiseen. Nussbaumin inhimillisten kyvykkyyksien lähestymistapaa käytetään vahvistamaan yksittäisen toimijan perspektiiviä. Lisäksi analyysissa otetaan huomioon intersektionaalisuus. Tutkimusmenetelmänä on tapaustutkimus. Yksityiskohtaista ja intensiivistä tietoa tuotetaan käyttämällä vaihtelevia ja toisiaan täydentäviä aineistoja, analyysimenetelmiä, näkökulmia ja perspektiivejä. Tutkimus osallistuu käsitteellis-teoreettiseen keskusteluun sukupuolten tasa-arvotyön kehittämisestä organisaatiossa. Tutkimukseen perustuen esitän, että olisi perusteltua ottaa käyttöön käsite seksistinen häirintä, kun häirintää tarkastellaan häirittyjen näkökulmasta kokemuksen tasolla, ja käyttää käsitteitä seksismi ja seksistinen diskriminaatio viitattaessa häirinnän taustalla vaikuttavaan ideologiaan ja häiritsijän teon luonteeseen. Nussbaumin inhimillisten kyvykkyyksien lähestymistapa täydentää mielekkäällä tavalla Ackerin sukupuolistuneiden organisaatioiden teoriaa, koska se tarjoaa konkreettisia indikaattoreita organisaatioille niiden työssä tasa-arvon edistämiseksi.

Abstract Nowadays, the locus of innovations is in research and development (R&D) networks formed by companies, research agencies, universities, and governmental agencies. Innovation is seen as a source of success of corporations, nations and communities, and therefore there is a long tradition for R&D research and innovation research. Networking is the answer for the changed environment caused by globalisation, fragmentation of the knowledge base and specification of the research into several fields that cause increased financial resource and capability demand for the actors developing new offerings. Collaboration in R&D networks is necessary because resources, expertise, and capabilities are not possessed and capable of being managed by single actors. R&D networks may emerge from among willing actors or intentionally by active actors or based on existing social or strategic relationships of actors. This study focuses on intentional R&D nets and managing in these R&D nets. This study describes and understands, firstly how managing in net is conducted during R&D net formation and collaboration, secondly what benefits are achieved, and thirdly what challenges are noted in relation to managing in R&D nets. Managing in R&D nets is seen to consist of managerial processes and roles for managing. Managing in R&D nets is studied in two phases, firstly empirically in four (4) peer-reviewed papers. The papers stem from a single longitudinal case study of managing in an R&D net. The case study includes both a historical and a follow-up time perspective. Secondly, as the studies have been published between 2005 and 2008, their results needed to be compared to more novel and contemporary findings to show the contribution. Hence, in the second phase, a systematic literature review covering studies on R&D and innovation network management published between 2004–14 is conducted. Thereafter and based on the comparison to contemporary research, the findings of this study that are supported, contradicted and/or still novel are discussed. The novel findings of this study are the following. Firstly, this study extends the time frame of managing in R&D nets. Secondly, it proposes a process model for understanding R&D net formation and collaboration, based on overlapping, simultaneous and iterative activities in R&D net. Thirdly, as a novel finding, this study creates a conceptual framework for depicting and typologising roles for managing in R&D nets. Finally, this study extends the understanding of benefits and challenges of managing in R&D nets. This study provides recommendations both for managers as well as for research of managing in R&D nets. ; Tiivistelmä Innovaatiot syntyvät yritysten, yliopistojen, tutkimuslaitosten ja julkisten toimijoiden verkostoissa. Innovaatiot ovat yritysten, yhteisöjen ja kansojen menestyksen lähde, joten niiden tutkimuksella on pitkät perinteet. Verkostomaisella tuotekehitystoiminnalla uusien innovaatioiden: tuotteiden ja palveluiden kehittäjät vastaavat markkinoiden globalisaation, tutkimuksen erikoistumisen ja tiedon fragmentoitumisen aiheuttamaan tiedollisten ja taloudellisten resurssien vaatimusten kasvuun. Yhteistyö tutkimus- ja kehitysverkostoissa (T&K) on välttämätöntä, koska tarvittavat resurssit, osaaminen ja kyvykkyydet eivät ole yksittäisten toimijoiden hallussa tai hallittavissa. T&K-verkot voivat olla toimijoiden tarkoituksellisesti kokoamia, muodistua vapaasti toimijoiden havaitessa yhteiset intressit tai muodostua aikaisemmista verkostossa toimineiden toimijoiden sulautuessa tutkimaan ja kehittämään yhdessä. Tämä tutkimus keskittyy tarkoituksellisesti koottujen T&K-verkkojen tutkimus- ja kehitysverkkojen johtamiseen. Tämän tutkimuksen tavoitteena on kuvata, ymmärtää ja käsitteellistää: ensiksi, miten tutkimus- ja kehitysverkoissa johdetaan verkon muodostumisen ja varsinaisen tutkimus- ja kehitystoiminnan aikana, toiseksi mitä etuja tutkimus- ja kehitysverkon johtamisella on verkon toimijoille ja kolmanneksi, mitä haasteita tutkimus- ja kehitysverkon johtamisessa on ja kolmanneksi, T&K-verkkojen johtaminen kattaa tässä tutkimuksessa johtamisen prosessit ja johtamisen rooli. T&K-verkkojen johtamista tutkitaan kahdessa vaiheessa, ensiksi empiirisesti neljän (4) vertaisarvioidun tutkimuspaperin avulla. Tutkimuspaperit perustuvat yhden tapauksen pitkittäistutkimukseen T&K-verkoissa johtamisesta. Tapaustutkimuksessa tarkastellaan tapausta seuranta- ja historiatutkimuksen aikaperspektiivistä. Toiseksi, koska tutkimuspaperien julkaiseminen on ajoittunut vuosille 2005-2008, tulee niiden tuloksista johdettava kontribuutio verrata uudemman aikalaiskirjallisuuden kanssa. Tästä johtuen tutkimuksen toisessa vaiheessa on toteutettu järjestelmällinen kirjallisuuskatsaus vuosien 2004–2014 verkostojen johtamisen kirjallisuudesta. Sen jälkeen ja systemaattisen kirjallisuuskatsauksen vertailuun perustuen, keskustellaan tämän tutkimuksen tuloksista, jotka tukevat, kiistävät ja/tai esittävät yhä uusia tutkimustuloksia. Uusina tuloksia tämä tutkimus esittää T&K-verkkojen muodostumisen ja tuotekehitysyhteistyön johtamisen prosessin tarkastelujakson muutoksia. Toiseksi tutkimus esittää mallin T&K-verkkojen muodostumisen ja tuotekehitysyhteistyön aikaisen johtamisen mallin. Kolmanneksi tutkimus esittää T&K-verkkojen johtamisen roolien tyypittely ja analysointimallin. Lopuksi tutkimus esittää tutkimuksessa havaittuja T&K-verkkojen johtamisen etuja ja haittoja. Tämä tutkimus antaa suosituksia liikkeenjohtajille sekä tulevalle T&K-verkoissa tapahtuvan johtamisen tutkimukselle.

Presentation of the main conclusions of the self-assessment at the W-STEM International Leadership Summit, held in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia on November 25-26th, 2019. This was made within the W-STEM ERASMUS + Capacity-building in Higher Education European Project (Ref. 598923-EPP-1-2018-1-ES-EPPKA2-CBHE-JP). ; W-STEM (Building the future of Latin America: engaging women into STEM) is a project funded under European Union ERASMUS + Capacity-building in Higher Education Programme (598923-EPP-1-2018-1-ES-EPPKA2-CBHE-JP). The European Commission support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the contents which reflects the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsi­ble for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

Abstract This paper presents the impact of sector aggregation bias in Environmentally Extended Input Output (EEIO) models, focusing on raw material flows. Finnish industries are aggregated in different ways and causes of bias are studied. The results show that industries with high raw material use deserve special attention in EEIO models. For Finland, particularly problematic is the aggregation of biomass extractive sectors, since the relative importance of forestry causes noticeable deviations. Sources and strategies to prevent errors are described separately for biomass and mineral raw materials. A brief comparison between raw material flows and greenhouse gas emissions is also made. It is shown that aggregation of extractive sectors biases more in material flow analyses. This issue might be of significance in the near future, owing to the foreseeable changes in the European Union accounting framework.

Completed and attempted suicide are major public health problems in most western countries. The importance of suicidal behavior as a health problem, particularly among adolescents and young adults, has been emphasized by the European Union, the WHO (Europe), as well as the Finnish authorities. Due to the exceptionally high suicide mortality, suicide prevention has been one of the main targets of Finnish health policy since the late 1980s. However, to develop feasible strategies for suicide prevention, better knowledge of the phenomenon of self-destruction is necessary. The Department of Mental Health of the National Public Health Institute has been actively involved in suicide research and the development of suicide strategies both in Finland and western Europe since 1986. The success is based on a long tradition of suicide research in Finland, the representative and reliable suicide data, a highly motivated research group, and also the necessary economic support by both the National Public Health Institute and the Finnish Academy. This article outlines our groups research plan for the next few years.

Executive summary We are witnessing an emerging digital revolution. For the past 25–30 years, at an increasing pace, digital technologies—especially the internet, mobile phones and smartphones—have transformed the everyday lives of human beings. The pace of change will increase, and new digital technologies will become even more tightly entangled in human everyday lives. Artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), 6G wireless solutions, virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), mixed reality (XR), robots and various platforms for remote and hybrid communication will become embedded in our lives at home, work and school. Digitalisation has been identified as a megatrend, for example, by the OECD (2016; 2019). While digitalisation processes permeate all aspects of life, special attention has been paid to its impact on the ageing population, everyday communication practices, education and learning and working life. For example, it has been argued that digital solutions and technologies have the potential to improve quality of life, speed up processes and increase efficiency. At the same time, digitalisation is likely to bring with it unexpected trends and challenges. For example, AI and robots will doubtlessly speed up or take over many routine-based work tasks from humans, leading to the disappearance of certain occupations and the need for re-education. This, in turn, will lead to an increased demand for skills that are unique to humans and that technologies are not able to master. Thus, developing human competences in the emerging digital era will require not only the mastering of new technical skills, but also the advancement of interpersonal, emotional, literacy and problem-solving skills. It is important to identify and describe the digitalisation phenomena—pertaining to individuals and societies—and seek human-centric answers and solutions that advance the benefits of and mitigate the possible adverse effects of digitalisation (e.g. inequality, divisions, vulnerability and unemployment). This requires directing the focus on strengthening the human skills and competences that will be needed for a sustainable digital future. Digital technologies should be seen as possibilities, not as necessities. There is a need to call attention to the co-evolutionary processes between humans and emerging digital technologies—that is, the ways in which humans grow up with and live their lives alongside digital technologies. It is imperative to gain in-depth knowledge about the natural ways in which digital technologies are embedded in human everyday lives—for example, how people learn, interact and communicate in remote and hybrid settings or with artificial intelligence; how new digital technologies could be used to support continuous learning and understand learning processes better and how health and well-being can be promoted with the help of new digital solutions. Another significant consideration revolves around the co-creation of our digital futures. Important questions to be asked are as follows: Who are the ones to co-create digital solutions for the future? How can humans and human sciences better contribute to digitalisation and define how emerging technologies shape society and the future? Although academic and business actors have recently fostered inclusion and diversity in their co-creation processes, more must be done. The empowerment of ordinary people to start acting as active makers and shapers of our digital futures is required, as is giving voice to those who have traditionally been silenced or marginalised in the development of digital technology. In the emerging co-creation processes, emphasis should be placed on social sustainability and contextual sensitivity. Such processes are always value-laden and political and intimately intertwined with ethical issues. Constant and accelerating change characterises contemporary human systems, our everyday lives and the environment. Resilience thinking has become one of the major conceptual tools for understanding and dealing with change. It is a multi-scalar idea referring to the capacity of individuals and human systems to absorb disturbances and reorganise their functionality while undergoing a change. Based on the evolving new digital technologies, there is a pressing need to understand how these technologies could be utilised for human well-being, sustainable lifestyles and a better environment. This calls for analysing different scales and types of resilience in order to develop better technology-based solutions for human-centred development in the new digital era. This white paper is a collaborative effort by researchers from six faculties and groups working on questions related to digitalisation at the University of Oulu, Finland. We have identified questions and challenges related to the emerging digital era and suggest directions that will make possible a human-centric digital future and strengthen the competences of humans and humanity in this era.