Basic Income in the Finnish Context

The goal of the Finnish experiment that started this year is to try to get some evidence on how a new social policy instrument mimicking a basic income would work and what kind of behavioural consequences it would have. At this point, there are many strong arguments being made both in favour of and opposed to basic income. Unfortunately, there are not enough facts yet. The Finnish experiment hopes to change that.     

A Local Perspective on Cross‐Border Tourism. Russian Second Home Ownership in Eastern Finland

Russian purchase of second home properties in Finland has been the subject of heated national and local debate in the Finnish media. This study examines the attitudes of permanent and second home residents to Russian second homeowners in Savonlinna, Eastern Finland (N = 494). Three separate attitude groups were identified in relation to the effect of Russian second home owners in property prices; the Russians as an economic opportunity; and, the Russians as a threat. Negative attitudes were common, and it is possible that the relations between the Russian second homeowners and local residents will become more contested over time. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Pharmaceutical marketing through the customer portfolio: Institutional influence and adaptation

This paper discusses the dilemma of managing marketing in institutionalized business contexts. On the basis of a study of pharmaceutical marketing practices it is argued that business aspirations are dependent on understanding institutional influence and adaptation mechanisms on the customer-portfolio level. As relationships are perceived as such mechanisms, understanding network dynamics, institutional co-evolution and actor cognitions are key managerial issues. Furthermore, it is suggested that institutional discontinuities leverage institutional entrepreneurship to a critical extent.     

Benzodiazepines and falling injuries in the elderly

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the use of benzodiazepines (BD) in relation to the risk of falling injuries in an elderly population (65 yrs. or older)

Design: An unmatched case-control study. Setting: The town of Pori, Finland

Participants: 380 subjects aged 65 years or over, who presented for medical treatment due to a fall during the 12 months from Sept. 1987 to Aug. 1988, and 342 controls, 65 years or older, selected from the population register. The control subjects were examined according to a schedule that corresponded in time (time of day, day of the week and month) to the time-distribution of falls in an earlier study

Outcome measure: All falls leading to medical treatment. BD use was determined from the serum, and the type of BD was determined by interviews and controlled from patient records

Results: We found a tendency toward a dose-response relationship between the serum BD concentration and the occurrence of falling injury. The risk of faling injury related to short-acting BDs was increased 5-fold and that for other BDs 2-fold compared to the risk among those without any BD in the serum. Conclusion: The results indicate that BD use is associated with falls in the elderly, and that short-acting BDs seem to be associated with falls more often. The results suggest caution in the use of BDs in the elderly.     

Customer‐oriented thinking within the Finnish Lutheran Church

This study analyses what preconditions are necessary for customer orientation within the church, and to what extent these preconditions are in place in the case of the Finnish Lutheran Church. A proper intelligence base and organisational preconditions are needed. Within the Church, there is mostly a positive attitude towards customer orientation but defects exist, for example in the intelligence base system, the coordination of congregational operations, and in cooperation with laymen. Copyright © 2000 Henry Stewart Publications.     

Traditional Sushi for Modern Consumers: A Comparison Between Sushi Consumption Behavior in Japan and Norway

This study focused on differences between uses and users of sushi and sashimi in Norway and Japan. The study was based on a consumer survey that was completed by a representative sample of 902 participants from Norway and 897 participants from Japan. The survey included questions about food consumption frequency, ways of sourcing sushi and sashimi and situational factors related to consumption. Participants also reported their knowledge about, attitudes toward, and ambivalence related to sushi and sashimi, social acceptability of sushi and sashimi consumption, domain-specific innovativeness, and social and demographic characteristics. Differences in sushi consumption behavior between Japanese and Norwegian consumers considering the situational parameters surrounding sushi and sashimi consumption were revealed. Considerations for future research and implications on export strategy development were discussed.     

Differences and Similarities between Impulse Buying and Variety Seeking: A Personality‐based Perspective

Although personality is a key determinant of consumer purchasing decision making, the role of personality traits in impulse buying and variety seeking is not conclusive. This research uses a personality perspective to determine the unique associations among impulse buying tendency (IBT), variety seeking tendency (VST), and the Big Five personality traits within one integrated framework. Based on data from a nationally representative sample of 1644 Norwegian adults, the results show that while IBT and VST might be correlated, they differ significantly with respect to two major personality aspects: “neuroticism” and “openness to experience.” Specifically, the present study indicates that neuroticism predicted IBT positively and VST negatively, while openness was a strong predictor of VST and unrelated to IBT.     

Foreword

Journal of Consumer Policy -     

Understanding Attitudes Towards Genetically Modified Food: The Role of Values and Attitude Strength

Summary This study was aimed at gaining a better understanding of the nature of negative attitudes towards genetically modified (GM) food. A sample of 250 students at the University of Tromsø responded to a questionnaire measuring attitudes towards GM food, attitude strength, intention to buy such food, and their personal values. Values and attitude strength proved to be important constructs when explaining the attitudes. A structural model was estimated, confirming that the negative attitudes towards GM food were embedded in universalism and hedonism values, and also predicted behavioural intention to buy such food. Attitude centrality was found to moderate the value-attitude relationship. Central attitudes mediated the relation between values and behavioural intention, while for the less central attitudes there was no relation between values and attitudes. Rather, both were independent predictors of intention. The study showed that some individuals hold weak attitudes and therefore may be more likely to change their attitude than those whose attitude is embedded in values.