Browsing by Author "Savolainen, Riikka"

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    Essays on Empirical Political Economics
    (Aalto University, 2015) Savolainen, Riikka; Sarvimäki, Matti, Research Fellow, Aalto University, Department of Economics, Finland; Välimäki, Juuso, Prof., Aalto University, Department of Economics, Finland; Taloustieteen laitos; Department of Economics; Kauppakorkeakoulu; School of Business; Bagues, Manuel, Assistant Prof., Aalto University, Department of Economics, Finland
    This dissertation consists of three empirical essays each focusing on a different aspect of political behavior in Finnish municipalities. The second and the third essay utilize a novel data set, namely the voting advice application data from the municipal elections. In the first paper, I investigate whether establishing an asylum center for refugees in a municipality is associated with voting result changes. My contribution is to document political reactions at immigrants at a very early stage of an immigration process. With the caveat that the statistical power is low due to the small number of asylum centers, the tentative conclusion is that there seems to be no impact on voting shares of the anti-immigration party on the municipality level or on the sub-municipality level. The results for the pro-immigrant party are less conclusive. I do not find evidence on the heterogeneous effects related to the cultural homogeneity. In the second paper, I study whether a change in the local unemployment rate is associated with changes in candidate positioning in Finnish municipal elections. I find that when the unemployment rate is higher, politicians become more willing to prioritize employment over environmental protection, which is consistent with the existence of an environmental business cycle. The results are robust to different definitions of unemployment and are not driven by any single party. In the third paper, I investigate whether there is an incumbency effect with respect to policy positions regarding the degree of redistribution or the public sector size in an regression discontinuity design set-up. I also study if tenure makes politicians choose more moderate policy positions or approach national party position averages, general regional position averages or regional party position averages. The results suggest that being in office does not change politicians' policy positions.
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    Interior architecture meets material innovation: Designer’s role in creating a sustainable future through exploring applications for Woamy’s bio-based foam.
    (2023) Savolainen, Riikka; Rygalik, Tomek; Jannuzzi, Luisa; ark; Taiteiden ja suunnittelun korkeakoulu; School of Arts, Design and Architecture; Rygalik, Tomek
    Questions and concerns related to sustainability are increasingly topical in the field of design, where designers create new things for this world. To solve problems related to the fast consumption of interiors, both designers and consumers must adopt new ways of thinking. This work explores how a multidisciplinary collaboration between designers and technical researchers can combine innovations into applications and bring alternatives to traditional options. This thesis aims to bring up the possibilities of collaborations similar to this and encourage designers to explore applications to new material innovations. The thesis is completed in collaboration with an Aalto University spin- off, Woamy. Woamy’s bio-based, recyclable and biodegradable foam aims to replace harmful conventional plastic foams. The aim of this thesis is to explore the potential uses of this foam in interiors and furniture, in applications that could benefit from the materials lightness, strength or insulation properties. The Master’s thesis is carried out as a collaborative work, where in the first part Riikka Savolainen focuses on conducting a literature research and mapping the backgrounds, while in the second part Susanna Partanen carries out an artistic material-based production on the topic. At the end, Savolainen and Partanen analyse and reflect on the results of both researches together. The methodology includes Design-Driven Material Innovation, Research- through Design, Material Driven design, and Life cycle approaches, carried out in the practical material research and prototyping completed in a laboratory. The experimentation resulted in foam as a structure inside airplane plywood to form a sandwich structure or foam as a structural element by itself, which both have potential in final interior applications. Biomaterials take into account the product’s whole life cycle, including the source of materials and recycling possibilities. The resulting products could be used for short-term applications, like exhibitions, without wasting resources.
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    Pikahuonekalu ja ilmiön tarkastelu estetiikan näkökulmasta
    (2020) Savolainen, Riikka; Relander, Martin; Taiteiden ja suunnittelun korkeakoulu; School of Arts, Design and Architecture; Pirinen, Antti
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    Sidosaineiden ja raekokojen vaikutus munankuorikomposiitin kestävyyteen
    (Aalto University, 2020) Savolainen, Riikka; Muotoilun laitos; Department of Design; Taiteiden ja suunnittelun korkeakoulu; School of Arts, Design and Architecture
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    Suomen työmarkkinaneuvottelut murroksessa. Mikä selittää suomalaista neuvottelurakennetta.
    (2008) Savolainen, Riikka; Kansantaloustieteen laitos; Department of Economics; Kauppakorkeakoulu; School of Business