Development of Finns’ price knowledge after the changeover to the euro

This longitudinal study examines the 2002 changeover to the euro in Finland in order to find out how long it takes consumers to learn grocery prices in the new currency. We are especially interested in the influence of age on the process. We used price estimate data and market price data, with six data-collection points over 5 years, the first one just before the changeover and the last one 5 years after it. As expected, consumer price knowledge was clearly weaker immediately after the changeover than during the era of national currency. However, it has not improved significantly in 5 years. The probable reasons for the decreased price knowledge are the diminution of nominal values brought by the changeover (1 euro equals approximately 6 Finnish marks) and general indifference to prices, especially low ones, brought by the increasing standard of living.     

Mobility in different generations of older persons: The development of daily travel in different cohorts in Denmark,Norway and Sweden

In the Scandinavian countries Denmark, Norway and Sweden, the proportion of older people in the total population is expected to reach about 25% in 2060. The ageing of the population has a variety of social implications. One aspect of population ageing that has relatively little attention in the Scandinavian countries is the question of everyday mobility. The purpose of this paper is to get a better understanding of the activity and travel patterns of different groups of older people, examine how travel- and activity patterns are developing during the life course, study the changes over time and how the “new” generations of older people behave compared to the older ones. The method used is cohort analysis of National Travel Surveys from the three countries in a 20 years perspective. Results show a significant period effect in car ownership and use among older people in Denmark, Norway and Sweden with a clear increase during the past 20 years. This is especially true for women. The increase in the number of driver’s licence-holders and car availability is reflected in travel mode choice among older people: both men and women maintain their car-use habits at old age. Another clear finding is that older people today travel more than the comparable age groups 20–25 years ago: everyday trip rates are higher and activities outside home are more common. While commuting and work-related trips decline after retirement, shopping and leisure trips do not start to decline before high age. From the cohort analysis we see that leisure and shopping trips are maintained in the period after retirement, and the car is important to reach shopping malls, health service, leisure activities, visit relatives and other social company.     

Trade Imbalances and Inventory Effects in Long-term S&P 500 Index Options

This article investigates how trade imbalances affect prices in the S&P 500 Long‐term Equity Anticipation Securities (LEAPS) market. From 1994 to 1996, put volume was 30 times higher than call volume, and public purchases of puts vastly outnumbered sales. We find that LEAPS put quotes are revised following trade imbalances by more than can be explained by information effects, suggesting that put prices are subject to price pressure or inventory effects. The results suggest market frictions are important in the pricing of options, at least in settings in which arbitrage is particularly costly and public demand leans toward one type of order.     

Is the transport system becoming ubiquitous? Socio-technical roadmapping as a tool for integrating the development of transport policies and intelligent transport systems and services in Finland

This paper examines the main development characteristics within the transport system as we are approaching the ubiquitous phase of the information society. Particularly the challenges in designing transport policies on a rapidly evolving technological frontier are emphasised. The theoretical background of the paper stems from policy assessment as well as futures studies, especially from technology roadmapping. The paper presents a socio-technical roadmapping method as a tool to integrate the technology developments better with societal developments and transport policy design. The method is tested with a Finnish case study, which provides three thematic, complementary roadmaps of the potential transport system technology services of the future. The roadmaps illustrate what kind of technologies, services, actors and related policy relevant knowledge is needed in satisfying the demands of transport policy development in the future's ubiquitous society. The case study reveals several changes in the transport system: pluralised number of actor roles and actor networks in the system, emergence of a new kind of business and service layer because of the new dynamic inter-linkages between the actors, and further, possibility to capture the service layer with the concept of “technology service”. The changes require also re-conceptualisation of knowledge production to support transport policies. In conclusion, the socio-technical roadmapping holds great potentials as a tool for aligning technology development with transport policy development.     

Gendered reading of the body in the bed

Abstract

This study contributes to studies on domestic material culture and gender. In studying object–person relations, prior scholars have given priority to materialising the ‘object’, paying less attention to the material aspects of the ‘person’. To redress this gap, we draw on recent feminist materialist and affective turns and conceptualise the object–person relation as inherently gendered, embodied and affective. We develop this conceptualisation by analysing the way in which the gendered body interacts with the bed – a domestic material object that is fruitful for a gender analysis. As a result, we offer an extended view of the gendered body that interacts with the material world: one that is biological and cultural, sleeping and waking, and has the capacity to affect and be affected. Our study thereby contributes to gender studies in marketing and consumer research by taking a step forward in materialising both the object and the body.     

Rethinking of Social Space: Generational and Ethnic Differences in Estonia

This article analyses the changes in social space, based on perceptions of individuals in a transition country, Estonia. The Marxist approach to social space is used as a theoretical framework. The article originates from the premise that the changes in individuals' conceptual ‘apparatus’ are needed for keeping up with spatial developments related to capitalism. Analysis of empirical data collected in 2008 focuses on patterns of spatial perceptions of three generations of the two main ethno-linguistic groups in Estonia, the Estonian ethnic majority and the Russian-speaking minority. The results show perception of space is significantly correlated with indices of everyday social and cultural practices and individual wealth and reveal the geographical and ideological division of the world as seen by the inhabitants of a transition country. The article suggests transition has caused spatial disruption particularly amongst the ethnic minority. Increasing ethnic differences from one generation to another infers increasing societal inequality. The quid pro quo relationship between geopolitical changes and economic transition at the individual level is consequently more clearly defined.     

Personal interviews in cultural consumer research – post‐structuralist challenges

This paper takes a post‐structuralist perspective on consumer research and discusses the role of personal interviews in cultural analysis. It problematizes the use of the phenomenological interview in cultural consumer research, arguing that the underlying research paradigm, existential‐phenomenology, is not necessarily adequate for cultural analysis because it focuses attention primarily on the individual and the first‐person experience. Such a paradigmatic perspective is problematic because it tends to sustain a view of human agency that is highly individualistic and thus fails to account for the cultural complexity of social action. Overall, the paper contributes to the further development of the post‐structuralist approaches to postmodern marketing thought. Post‐structuralist ideas and assumptions challenge the central principles of modern marketing and consumer research in many ways and it is the aim of the paper to contribute to a better understanding of the methodological implications that they entail.     

Pre-migration adaptation of highly skilled self-initiated foreign employees: the case of an EU agency

This study analyzes pre-migration adaptation among highly skilled self-initiated foreign employees (SFEs) of the EU Chemicals Agency in Finland (N = 95). Organizational, expatriate and acculturation perspectives were integrated to develop a model of factors predicting SFEs' psychological, socio-psychological and work adaptation in the pre-migration stage. Previous international work experience, perceived organizational prestige, satisfaction with the time, information and assistance to prepare for the relocation and quality of contact with Finns during recruitment positively predicted SFEs' pre-migration adaptation. European identification, self-esteem and relocation stress acted as mediators. The study emphasized the importance of a multidimensional approach to SFE adaptation prior to relocation.     

Legal,Ethical, or Responsible Food

The article discusses the concepts of legal, ethical, and responsible food in international food business. Food rules are divided into 3 categories: rules you follow because you have to (law), rules you follow because it is right (ethics), and rules you follow because it gives you a competitive advantage (responsibility). Food issues that need to be addressed include consumer rights (safety, nutrition, marketing), environmental issues (climate, eutrophication, biodiversity), employee policies, animal welfare, and fair trade practices. The laws of various countries often leave room for ethics and responsibility. This room varies between countries and elements of responsibility. In the European Union, United States, and China, market focus is on somewhat different food issues. Retailers and consumers drive food companies toward change, and the level of effort required is defined through combining food company values and stakeholder views.