Browsing by Author "Linnainmaa, Timo"

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    Risk Management Strategies and Practises in Response to the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme
    (2006) Lappalainen, Eeva Maria; Linnainmaa, Timo; Tuotantotalouden osasto; Teknillinen korkeakoulu; Helsinki University of Technology; Pohjola, Tuula
    Human-induced climate change and its impacts are considered to be one of the most threatening phenomena to environmental, social, and economic wellbeing on Earth. These threats are currently well recognised and several international climate change mitigation efforts have taken place. Among these efforts is the Kyoto Protocol - a treaty that introduced legally-binding emission targets to major industrialised countries. To comply with its target, the European Union (EU) established an Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS) obliging some 11,500 emitting installations in the EU area to cover their yearly carbon dioxide emissions with tradable allowances (EU Allowances, EUAs). This thesis provides an in-depth understanding of companies' strategies and practises when managing the risks introduced by the EU ETS. First, an exhaustive insight into climate change regulatory framework, risks and risk management techniques, and market organisation was detailed in the literature review part of the thesis. The current risk management strategies and practises were then mapped through a web-based survey sent to 192 companies in the EU area. Data from the 47 approved responses were analysed with small-scale content analysis (qualitative data) and by forming shares and distributions of the quantitative data. The thesis results revealed a great degree of variety in the EU ETS risk management strategies and practises that companies were using. Generally, nearly all companies considered managing risks related to the EU ETS to be important; three quarters of the respondent companies had established an own EU ETS risk management strategy and one tenth used their general risk management strategy. The selected strategies usually contained the persons responsible for EU ETS affairs, and the nature of trading. The level of EU ETS risk management activities, though, differed between companies. Half of the companies supported their risk management by using portfolio analysis, or by constructing price or market models. Additionally, the use of financial instruments was generally more extensive in bigger companies. The risk management practises related to the EU ETS concentrated mainly on minimizing the impact that the EU ETS has on companies, and on following a few of the basic compliance strategies - EUA trading, internal abatement, and investments in emission reduction projects or carbon funds - available.
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    Utilizing Electronic Learning in Internal Product Training of Global Organizations
    (2002) Linnainmaa, Timo; Kaustell, Kim; Tuotantotalouden osasto; Teknillinen korkeakoulu; Helsinki University of Technology; Järvenpää, Eila
    The study deals with electronic learning in industry. The aims of the study are twofold: to introduce the present theory of electronic learning (e-learning) and to examine the applicability of e-learning to internal product training. Vaisala Group, a global technology company, was used as a case company. The case study focuses on one of the case company's sales channels. In the introduction section the definitions and basic concepts of present e-learning theory are presented. Also, the drivers behind the corporate uptake of e-learning are discussed as well as the business implications, success factors and obstacles of e-learning implementation. Just-in-time learning and the use of a modular knowledge structure were identified as important elements of modern e-learning. E-learning enables consistent, effective, customized, flexible and time and place independent learning. In the case study, an overall view of learning challenges at the case company was first identified. Second, the knowledge and learning needs of sales personnel at the case company were determined. Third, the present learning situation and present learning challenges of the sales personnel were identified and described. Then, the applicability of existing e-learning solutions to the learning needs and challenges of the sales personnel were analyzed. Finally, the results of the case study were compared with present e-learning theory and the applicability of the results for other similar situations was analyzed. The data were collected using in-depth interviews and a questionnaire survey. 22 employees, mainly sales managers and product managers, were interviewed. 6 product managers responded to the questionnaire survey. The learning and training challenges the case company is facing at the moment are an increasing number of products and employees, a scattered workforce, acquisitions, and the implementation of new processes, tools and technologies. All these lead to more information and knowledge that need to be managed. Also, an inequality of learning possibilities between different offices was identified. The product training challenges that the examined sales channel is currently facing are an absence of proper training material, a scattered nature of available product information, and a low amount of official product training events. The most important product related knowledge needs for sales personnel were offerings on a general and conceptual level, sales arguments, pricing structures and application knowledge. Three distinct learning situations were identified at the case company: employee orientation, product launch or update, and sales situation. For all of the learning situations the use of a modular knowledge structure was found feasible. The use of just-in-time learning in sales situations would considerably facilitate the sales process. The implementation of e-learning in internal product training would benefit many of the present challenges at the case company. E-learning, the just-in-time learning approach and the use of a modular knowledge structure were found very suitable for internal product training. Cost savings and a better quality of learning are among the implications of implementing e-learning in internal product training.