Haku

Opinnäytetyön aiheena on palvelumuotoilu ja innovatiiviset menetelmät. Tavoitteena oli tutkia, millainen on palvelumuotoilun prosessi, missä sen vaiheissa innovatiivisia menetelmiä voitaisiin käyttää ja mitkä menetelmät olisivat sopivia...
Co-creation, understanding and synthesizing - innovative research methods in service design The topics of this study are Service Design (SD) and innovative research methods. The objective of this research project was to define the SD process and to determine in which phases of the SD process innovative methods could be used, and which methods would be feasible in developing the service. Another aim was to create a visual or written representation of the creative process. This study used a qualitative approach. The used research methods were thematic interviews and visualization. The target group of the study was made up of design and business communities and specialists in the field of SD. The questions were not overly detailed, and the subjects were encouraged to talk freely at the thematic interviews. The recordings of the interviews were transcribed and the resulting data was coded with the Atlas.ti data analysis software. The results of the analysis were presented in writing, metaphors and pictures. One of the findings of this study was that an innovative method is a very personal concept. For a researcher, a method is innovative if it brings out the voice of the user or if it benefits the project. Innovative methods are often not scientific research as such, but their purpose is to act as an inspiration to the researcher. This study revealed that the SD process can be divided in various ways. In practice, the different stages of the process are often combined. It is essential to perceive in which stage the method in question brings the best result. The findings show that it is not easy to describe the SD process because it never proceeds linearly. A result of the study was a metaphor of the SD process, which could help to create a common understanding across different fields of science. The key objective of the process metaphor is to distribute the information about SD in various training occasions. This research also produced two new concepts for discourse: product service hybrids having to do with consumer goods, and agile innovative methods needed in order to save time and to sell the project. The findings also showed that the researcher does not always participate in the whole SD process because the company often continues on its own after the starting phase. Furthermore, it is challenging to sell innovative methods to businesses. As today's business life tends to demand quick results, it is difficult to justify the somewhat long duration of these types of projects. At the moment, innovative methods are used merely to complement traditional and adaptive methods in SD projects. The range of methods is wide and dependent on the context and resources. Today, SD is still a developing field of science in Finland. The conclusion of this study is that innovative methods are quite suitable for improving the SD process, because the method can be modified according to the need. The view that innovative methods are used across different fields of science and that they produce valuable information was supported by this research. The methods make SD more concrete, for example, by using modeling and prototypes. Students who are familiarizing themselves with SD and user-centered design will benefit the most from this study....

Tämän tutkimuksellisen opinnäytetyön tarkoituksena oli selvittää ja löytää tärkeimmät kehityskohteet aktiivisen myyntityön, sen suunnittelun ja seurannan kehittämiseksi Suomen Messut Osuuskunnan näyttelytoimintayksikössä, joka toimi opinnäytetyön...
The Development of Proactive Sales, Sales Planning and Follow-Up at the Exhibitions Unit of the Finnish Fair Corporation The purpose of this study and development project was to investigate and identify the most important ways of developing proactive sales, sales planning and follow-up at the Exhibitions Unit of the Finnish Fair Corporation, which was the background organization. The theoretical context of the study was derived from literature and articles on marketing and especially concerning different perspectives on sales. The study is carried out mainly as a case study, with a mixture of qualitative supported by quantitative research methods. The research data was collected from the sales managers and exhibition group managers through a questionnaire. The following areas where studied: how the respondents experienced the targets of the sales meetings; the quality and focus of the sales meetings; how a more proactive sales style affects the sales results; how the current tools support proactive sales work; sales follow-up and sales planning; how the managers support the sales employees to achieve their sales targets; how the communications officers and exhibition coordinators support or could improve the support of proactive sales; and how the Exhibition Unit and the sales in the Exhibition Unit should be developed. The collected data was analyzed through content analysis. Based on these results a development plan for the Exhibition Unit´s proactive sales, sales planning and follow-up development was formed. The following development actions where suggested: to clarify job descriptions of the sales employees; to develop the information technology systems to support the sales work; to develop the follow-up of the sales work; and to improve available managerial support for the sales subordinates in order to achieve the set sales targets. According to this research the sales employees, the sales managers and exhibition group managers in active sales work considered the development of a more proactive sales method to be important. The active approach also increases knowledge about customer´s business and future marketing plans. The thesis will contribute to the development of proactive sales work at the Exhibitions Unit of the Finnish Fair Corporation. As a topic for further research an examination of the implications of the proactive sales approach from customer´s perspective is presented....

Lab tarkoittaa, mitkä ovat sen tavoitteet, mitkä ovat toimintamallin pääperiaatteet ja millaisella prosessilla Living Labeissa työskennellään. Opinnäytetyö tehtiin tapaustutkimuksena tutkimalla yhtä suomalaista Living Lab projektia ja vertaamalla sitä...
The Suitability of Living Lab Approach to Development of Web Services The purpose of this thesis is to show how the Living Lab approach suits development of web services. In the beginning of this report is described what Open Innovation means and how it affects business. In the theory section the focus is on explaining what Living Lab is, what the purposes of Living Labs are, what the key principles of the Living Lab method are and what process is used in Living Labs. This study is made as a case study by researching a Finnish Living Lab project and by comparing the case project to the Living Labs process. The purpose of the case project was to develop web services for a company which acts in the grocery business. The material of this study was collected by interviewing all of the partners who took part in the project. The results and conclusions are found by theory-based content analysis. The main context in the analysis and argumentation was the FormIT method which is created for Living Labs. Open Innovation takes the end-users into the development process as an active partner. In the development process there is accepted that new ideas can come into the project from outside the organization. Living Lab represents Open Innovation methods, where end-users’ role and user needs in a real-life environment are highlighted. There are many different participants who take part in Living Lab. Living Lab consists of different components, which makes it possible to create user-based solutions in an open community. The FormIT process is developed in Living Labs. It is a cyclical and iterative process which supports working in Living Labs. FormIT consists of three cycles and in the cycles there are three phases which happen in all the three cycles. This method takes care that the created solutions are suitable for end-users’ needs. The cycles of this process are Concept Design, Prototype Design and Final Systems Design. The phases in the cycles are Appreciate Opportunities, Design and Evaluation. Outside of the cycles there are two additional phases. Before the process would be planning and after the cycles would be commercialization. When working in Living Labs there are five key principles, which make it possible to gain results. The key principles are continuity, openness, realism, user empowerment and spontaneity. The most important conclusion of this study is that Living Lab is suitable for development of web services. The best results will be reached if the development process is carried out as a whole including all the three cycles. In that case end-users co-create needs for services, need in services and finally evaluate usability of the final systems and suitability to their needs. When evaluating the case project it was seen that two of the key principles can make the development process and the results better. These two principles are continuity and openness. It was also found that the iterative process is a natural approach for Living Labs....

Tämän opinnäytetyön tarkoituksena oli selvittää, saavatko maahanmuuttajat kotoutumiskoulutuksesta tarpeeksi valmiuksia selviytyäkseen uudessa ympäristössä, pystyäkseen toimimaan työelämässä ja hakeutuakseen jatko-opintoihin. Opinnäytteen tavoitteena...
Social integration of immigrant customers and the effects of the social integration training in the Northern Uusimaa Employment and Economic Development Office in 2008 and 2009 The purpose of this final project was to determine whether the social integration training provided immigrants with sufficient skills and information to cope in the new environment, function in working life and apply for postgraduate studies. The purpose of the final project was to determine what kind of skills and information the immigrants acquired during the social integration training and what kind of development needs the training presented. The theoretical background consisted of topics concerning the social integration of immigrants. The data was based on literature on immigration, social integration, social integration training, development of customer service in public administration, customer service, inter-cultural encounters and networking, as well as network cooperation. The study was conducted as a case study. Data was gathered via a quantitative questionnaire given to immigrants and a qualitative theme interview with trainers and job coaches. Based on the research results, the contents of the social integration training was mostly good and it provided the immigrants with sufficient skills and information to survive in the new environment. However, the training was not enough to allow immigrants to work or apply for postgraduate studies. Nevertheless, when discussing the ability to function in working life, the nature of the work must be taken into consideration; not all tasks provide the same level of skills in Finnish. Development suggestions included the founding of their own immigrant groups seeking work, increasing the focus on working life in social integration training, efficient measuring of feedback on social integration training and improving multicultural awareness in the customer service of the Employment and Economic Development Office. The subject could be studied further by examining the modeling of network cooperation to support and develop the social integration of immigrants. In addition, the placement of those having completed the social integration training into working life could be studied on a longer term basis. Key words: immigration, customer service, inter-cultural encounter, network cooperation....

Opinnäytetyöni tarkoituksena on selvittää, mitä vaikutuksia sähköisen varaosaluettelon käyttöönotosta on ollut yrityksen liiketoiminnalle. Miten mahdollinen kasvu on jakautunut eri asiakasryhmien kesken? Tutkimuksessa ...

Laurea-ammattikorkeakoulu Tiivistelmä Laurea Lohja Yrittäjyyden ja liiketoimintaosaamisen koulutusohjelma Teollinen palveluliiketoiminta Tradenomi (ylempi AMK) Taru Laitinen Hankintatoimen ulkoistaminen Yritys Oyj:ssä Vuosi 2010 Sivumäärä 87...
Laurea University of Applied Sciences Abstract Laurea Lohja Degree Programme in Entrepreneurship and Business, Industrial Service Operations Master of Business Administration Taru Laitinen Outsourcing Procurement in Corporation X Year 2010...

Tämä työelämälähtöinen opinnäytetyö toteutettiin toiminnallisena kehittämishankkeena. Toimeksiantajana ja kohdeorganisaationa hankkeessa oli Omnian aikuisopisto. Kehittämishankkeen tarkoituksena oli määrittää kohdeorganisaation asiakkuusstrategia...
Customer leadership and development in the Adult Education Centre Omnia This work-life based thesis was carried out as a development project based on research. The applicant and target organisation in this study was the Adult Education Centre of Omnia. The purpose of this development project was to determine the target organisation’s customer strategy, approach to the customer relationship management system, customer care programmes and criteria for segmentation. The objective of the development project was to describe the customer leadership model for the Adult Education Centre of Omnia and put forward development proposals for future customer work. The theoretical context was based on a customer-focused business model and around various areas of customer leadership. The theoretical context emphasized customer strategy, customer care programmes and segmentation. The sources for the theoretical context were domestic and foreign literature and internet sources. The study is carried out as an action research. The information was gathered via the author’s own observation on the progress of the study and related material. In addition research data was gathered using open interviews. The subjects of the interviews were the management and personnel doing customer work in the Adult Education Centre of Omnia. In addition personnel managing similar projects in other academy organisations were interviewed. The study continued for nearly four years and the acquisition of the CRM system, pilot project and the actual introduction project were completed during it. At the same time customer strategy, customer leadership models, areas and responsibilities were developed. The customer base was analysed, segments were defined and customer-care programmes were developed. Own-care programmes were formed for customer groups. The objectives of the project were accomplished. The results were the customer strategy and customer leadership model for the Adult Education Centre of Omnia. The criterion for segmentation was defined and an approach model for the CRM system was created. The main development proposals for the target organisation were to include personal customers in customer relationship management, more efficient control of project networks and incorporating the internal customers. The results proved that customer relationship management and customer leadership were challenging but possible to carry out in the academy organisation and they can be executed successfully in this environment. The report was presented to the project’s control group and management together with results and development proposals. The development project was evaluated as reliable, truly work-life based, valuable and useful in the practical functions of the target organisation. Suggested future research projects were the implementation of customer leadership models and customer strategy in academy organisations and research on the process of academy organisations changing towards more traditional corporations....

Tämän opinnäytetyön tarkoituksena oli suunnitella ja toteuttaa Itella -konsernin Konserni ICT – yksikön ‎henkilöstölle osaamiskartoitus. Tutkimuksen päätutkimusongelmana oli selvittää, millainen on yksikön ‎henkilöstön osaamisen nykytila...
The purpose of this thesis was to design and carry out the competence mapping in the Corporate ICT Unit ‎of Itella Corporation. The purpose and the main research problem of this study was to clarify the present ‎competence status in the unit with regards to the chosen competence areas. This was performed in order ‎to discover how the competencies should be developed so that the unit could function effectively and ‎support other corporate functions and business units. The objective of the study was to discover the ‎nature, level and location of competencies existing in the ICT Unit. On the other hand, the objective was ‎also to discover which competencies are missing in the unit and therefore identify possible targets for ‎competence development. Competence development targets were suggested after the identification of ‎the competence development targets.‎ The theoretical framework of the study consisted of learning and competence acquired by learning, ‎competence management and development. The research method of this development project was a ‎Case Study and the applied research methods were qualitative theme interviews with key persons in the ‎organization and quantitative competence mapping for the ICT Unit employees. The qualitative research ‎material was analyzed according to themes and the quantitative research material was collected and ‎analyzed using Digium System and Microsoft Excel Program. Based on the study results conclusions and ‎development proposals were composed for the management of the Corporate ICT Unit.‎ The results showed that the employees of the ICT Unit possessed competence on every selected ‎competence area as well as on every single competence. Therefore it can be stated that the competence ‎mapping contained all correct areas. With the help of the competence mapping survey the competence ‎strengths, weaknesses, some new competence areas and individual competences which can be added to ‎the survey were found.‎ The following development actions were suggested: obtaining of the missing competence survey ‎responses, defining of competence target levels and task related competence profiles for individuals and ‎groups, compressing and further updating of current competence survey and saving competence map ‎areas including individual competencies and the results of the recent competence survey into the HR ‎System of Itella Corporation. In addition, conducting a new competence survey during the next year as ‎well as comparison of the results between different surveys were suggested as development actions.‎ The following ideas were presented as further research themes: how interested the employees of the ‎ICT Unit would be about self-development, what suggestions they might have regarding competence ‎development actions, how they could be motivated to learn and what learning obstructions can be ‎identified in the unit. ‎...

Kehittämishankkeen tarkoituksena oli selvittää kohdeyrityksen kansainvälistymismahdollisuuksia Baltian alueella. Tavoitteena oli saada markkinainformaatiota halutusta kohdemarkkina-alueesta eli Baltian maista Virosta, Latviasta ja Liettuasta. Markkinatutkimuskyselyn- ja teoreettisen tietopohjan perusteella kohdeyritystä varten laadittiin kansainvälistymissuunnitelma. Tutkimuksen kohteena toimi FSM Oy. Tutkimuksen teoreettinen viitekehys rakennettiin kirjallisuuden pohjalta pk-yrityksen kansainvälistymisestä, erityisesti kansainvälistymisen edellytysten selvittämisestä, kansainvälistymisen suunnittelusta ja toteutuksesta. Tutkimuksellinen kehittämishanke toteutettiin toimintatutkimuksena. Se sisälsi ensimmäisessä vaiheessa sähköpostikyselynä tehdyn markkinatutkimuksen kohdealueella sijaitseviin alan yrityksiin. Toisessa vaiheessa tehtiin kirjoituspöytätutkimuksena kohdemarkkinaselvitys Virosta, Latviasta ja Liettuasta. Tutkimusten, asiantuntijahaastattelujen sekä teoreettisen viitekehyksen pohjalta tehtiin yritykselle kansainvälistymissuunnitelma. Hankkeen tuotoksena saatiin yrityksen käyttöön teoreettinen tietopohja kansainvälistymisestä yrityksen päätöksentekoa varten, kohdemarkkinaselvitys, kyselytutkimuksen yrityshaastatteluaineisto sekä tutkijan laatima kansainvälistymissuunnitelma toimenpide-ehdotuksineen. Yritys pystyy tuotoksen pohjalta tekemään helpommin kansainvälistymispäätöksiään. Hanke oli kvalitatiiviselta osuudeltaan luotettava ja hyödyllinen ja hankkeen tulokset olivat käyttökelpoisia yrityksen käyttöön. Kehittämisehdotuksena on kvantitatiivisen osuuden osoitteiston ja tutkimuksen lähetyskanavan muuttaminen siten, että tuloksena saataisiin kattavampi aineisto. Jatkotutkimusaiheena ehdotettiin rahoituspuolen syvällisempää tutkimusta kohdeyrityksen osalta. Jatkotutkimisen aiheena on myös täydellisen kansainvälistymissuunnitelman laatiminen yrityksen käyttöön. Lisäksi tarvitaan mittaristo kansainvälistymisen seurantaan ja kenttätutkimusta paikallisten olosuhteiden arviointiin. Jos markkinatutkimuksesta halutaan yleistettävää tietoa, se suositellaan tehtäväksi uudelleen kirjepostituksena....
received theoretical knowledge on internationalisation and a report on the Baltic market area. Furthermore, the company involved received the data from the business survey as well as the actual internationalisation plan developed in the thesis. The plan...

Tutkimus ja kehittämishankkeen tarkoituksena oli analysoida, kuvata ja kehittää kohdeorganisaation, Valon Kone Oy:n, tilaus-toimitusprosessia liiketoimintaprosessien näkökulmasta. Tarkoituksena oli myös kohdeyrityksen nykyisen tilaus...
Developing the order-delivery process of modular products in the manufacturing industrial SM enterprise Valon Kone limited. The purpose of the research and exploratory development project was to analyze, describe and develop the order-delivery process of Valon Kone limited. The perspective of the project was business processes. The purpose was also to determine the current order-delivery process and it’s problems. The aim for Valon Kone limited has been to develop an order-delivery process which operates, is organized, systematic and reacts to changes rapidly and flexibly. The requirement for the final renewal of the order-delivery process is the finalizing of the modular product structure and updating of the product management functions. The theoretical context of the study includes those issues which are related relevantly to the development of the order-delivery process of Valon Kone limited. These issues are process management, development of the business processes, order-delivery process, product modulation and product data management. The study of this research and exploratory development project was a qualitative study and the research method was a case study. Research material was collected based on the document analyzes, theme interviews and observation. The conclusion of the exploratory development project was that the renewal of the current order-delivery process and the developing of the support functions which are needed to renew the process are extremely important projects to Valon Kone limited. This is because they support the functionality of many functions. Also, the modeling of the order-delivery process helps personnel to understand a process as an entirety which goes through the organization and crosses the borders of the different departments. The final result of the exploratory development project was a target diagram of the order-delivery process of Valon Kone limited. As a follow-up research study it was suggested that there should be an examination of the functionality of the new order-delivery process and after the results the modeling of the order-delivery processes again. Also, it was suggested that the tasks and the responsibilities of persons who are working in the process should be defined in relation to the process. As a new development idea it was suggested to obtain a new enterprise resource planning system and also a new physical arrangement of the departments of the company if possible....