Mapping future through the study of the past and present: Estonian suburbia

One of the most visible features in Estonian settlement pattern has in the last decade been the emergence of residential developments, which are primarily situated amidst former agricultural landscapes. The planners and policy-makers often approach the urban sprawl as problematic and unprecedented in the history in this part of Europe and take the current situation as a baseline or Ground Zero in developing future scenarios. The objective of our research is to demonstrate that rapid change and adaptation have been the rule rather than an exception in Estonia (as elsewhere in the Western world) in the last century. Adopting a longer time perspective and advocating a relational rather than oppositional approach to rural and urban, nature and culture, as well as the insider and outsider perspectives and public and private spheres may be useful for understanding the spatial frame and historical context in drafting scenarios. Sketching personal narratives of place that have a focus on the choices made in the past and their physical expressions as indicated on the maps, future options and visions are illustrated. We explore the domestic entanglements of rural and urban in two specific locations in Estonia to find ways to loosen the hold of dualisms and outsider-insider perspectives and to construct a more relational approach. Shifting perspectives may help to demonstrate that the urban sprawl with its cultural and ecological consequences is a part of a continuing process not something negative or new. Mapping the personal and place history illustrates the variety and contributes to ceasing the possibilities instead of tackling the uncertainties as sustainability problems.     

Translation behaviour: An exploratory study within a service multinational

In this paper, we address the issue of translation behaviour in the context of a service multinational. Our case study of a Nordic bank shows that emergent translation needs may be handled by the organisation and the individual in various ways such as self-translation, technical translation tools, social networks, or the central translation department. The choice between these options is shaped by situational influences including growing language diversity, accuracy, response speed, cost considerations, confidentiality of the information and task criticality. A key finding is the importance of social networks as a coping mechanism for employees confronted with the need to provide timely translation solutions, including the resort to external social networks, even relatives. Rather than a seemingly mundane, peripheral activity, translation was found to play a role in service delivery, organisational functioning and hence company performance. We propose a multilevel theoretical model of the translation process and conclude that organisation's translation ability which consists of organisational and individual responses should be considered as a component of its language absorptive capacity.     

Cross-age peer tutoring in a technology-enhanced STEAM project at a lower secondary school

International Journal of Technology and Design Education - The present investigation examined cross-age peer tutoring in the context of organising a technology-enhanced STEAM project aimed at...     

Manufacturers' guarantees and EEC competition law

Sales contracts are often supplemented with guarantees formulated by manufacturers of the products. The sales promotion aspect of manufacturers' guarantees has been examined under European competition law. Objective application of qualitative criteria in the selection of distributors, such as willingness to provide a guarantee in the line of the manufacturer's guarantee, has been considered not to fall within the scope of Article 85(1) of the EEC Treaty. When the overall effect of a selective distribution system, based on other than qualitative criteria, is evaluated under Article 85(3) the benefit guarantees bring for consumers may be taken into consideration. The requirements guarantee terms themselves should fulfil in order not to infringe Article 85(1) were determined by the Commission in the Zanussi case. Such clauses in manufacturers' guarantees were considered prohibited which discriminated against products which had been purchased or used outside the territory of the distributor performing the guarantee service. These clauses were considered to promote insulation of markets within the Community.

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Herstellergarantien und europäisches Wettbewerbsrecht

Zusammenfassung Kaufverträge werden häufig von Herstellergarantien begleitet. Durch solche Garantien versuchen die Hersteller, den Absatz ihrer Produkte zu fördern, aber auch ihre eigene Haftung und die der Weiterverkäufer zu beschränken oder weiterzugeben. Die Wettbewerbsregeln des EWG-Vertrages finden nur auf den erstgenannten Zweck von Herstellergarantien Anwendung. Die Gültigkeit von Gewährleistungsausschlußklauseln bestimmt sich dagegen wegen der langsamen Entwicklung einer gemeinschaftlichen Verbraucherpolitik ausschließlich nach dem Recht der Mitgliedstaaten.Entsprechend der Entscheidungspraxis der Kommission und der Rechtsprechung des Gerichtshofes fällt die Anwendung objektiver Qualitätskriterien bei der Selektion von Weiterverkäufern in der Vertriebskette des Herstellers nicht unter den Verbotstatbestand des Art. 85 Abs. 1 des EWG-Vertrages. Dazu gehört die Bereitschaft der Wiederverkäufer, die Garantie des Herstellers einzulösen. Der Vorteil, den ein Garantiedienst für den Verbraucher bringt, findet weiterhin dann Berücksichtigung, wenn andere als objektive Kriterien für die Rechtfertigung eines selektiven Vertriebssystems herangezogen werden und damit der Freistellungstatbestand des Art. 85 Abs. 3 gegeben sein kann. Die Anforderungen an die Vereinbarkeit einer Herstellergarantie gem. Art. 85 Abs. 1 sind von der Kommission in dem Zanussi-Fall entwickelt worden. Eine solche Garantie darf nicht zur Marktaufteilung innerhalb der EG führen. Deshalb sind Klauseln in den selektiven Vertriebssystemen unwirksam, die solche Produkte benachteiligen, die außerhalb des räumlichen Zuständigkeitsbereiches des Wiederverkäufers oder Importeurs erworben worden sind. Da jedoch die Zanussi-Entscheidung ausschließlich nach wettbewerbsrechtlichen Kriterien ergangen ist, kann sie nicht alle Fragen für die Zulässigkeit einzelner Klauseln in Herstellergarantien beantworten. Die mitgliedstaatlichen Verbraucherschutzgesetze — ggf. auch Kartellgesetze, die andere Ziele als die Wettbewerbsregeln des EWG-Vertrages verfolgen, können deshalb Garantieklauseln auch dann angreifbar machen, wenn sie den Standards der Zanussi-Entscheidung nach Art. 85 Abs. 1 entsprechen.

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Tiina Astola is a Legal Counsel at the Finnish Foreign Trade Association. Her address is Perämiehenkatu 15 B 26, 00150 Helsinki 15, Finland.     

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.     

The politics of cutback management in thirteen European countries: statistical evidence on causes and effects

The politics of fiscal consolidation in thirteen European countries are statistically analysed. Based on the political economy literature, political factors are identified that explain for the consolidation. Variables are selected representing strength of government and political orientation, and fiscal consolidation is distinguished into spending cuts and cuts in administration. The statistical analysis of political explanations for cutbacks hardly yields significant results and nor does the analysis of fiscal and economic effects of consolidation. The analysis of political effects of consolidation does lead to significant results. Some earlier political economic findings are not supported for our sample of thirteen European countries.     

A Field Study of the Emerging Practice of Beyond Budgeting in Industrial Companies: An Institutional Perspective

The accounting literature differentiates between key functions of budgeting, such as planning, control, and evaluation, and mostly assumes that firms carry out an annual budgeting exercise. The purpose of this paper is to explore how an institutionalised practice, such as budgeting, changes and to examine the implications of such change for the functions of budgeting. We conduct a field study of five industrial companies that recently either abandoned their annual budgeting system or radically simplified it. Our findings suggest that although new management accounting tools replace the budgeting system, the planning, control, and evaluation functions remain. We observe two approaches for the emerging practice of Beyond Budgeting. In the first approach, firms differentiate between target setting and forecasting. This differentiation appears to be a driver for budget abandonment. In the second approach, target setting and forecasting remain interlinked and many characteristics of traditional annual budgeting remain, albeit in a simplified form.     

Beyond Prototypes: Drivers of Market Categorization in Functional Foods and Nanotechnology

We develop a nuanced understanding of what drives producers’ and audiences’ categorization activities throughout market category development. Prior research on market categories assumes prototypical similarity to be the main or even only driver of categorization. Drawing on a comparative, longitudinal case study of the market categories ‘functional foods’ and ‘nanotechnology’ in Finland, we find that evolving perceptions, knowledge, and goals also impact categorization. Furthermore, our analysis uncovers that goal‐based categorization is characteristic for vital market categories, and the lack thereof may mark a waning interest and category decline. Overall, while previous research stresses the role of clear boundaries and knowledge bases for a viable category, we find that overly strict boundaries may constrain category vitality and renewal.