Keijo Räsänen

The Bitter and the Sweet

This paper focuses on the processes by which different manager groups can influence product mix changes. The paper analyses three different types of process ‐ dominance, compromise and integration ‐ through which the extensiveness and renewal of a product mix was shaped by groups of marketing and production managers, general managers and owner‐managers. Each of the groups developed their own understanding, or “logic of action”, about the most desirable product mix. It is shown that these logics of action play an important role in product mix changes, not as isolated elements but in interaction with one another and the industry context. This paper provides a detailed empirical analysis of a product mix pattern over a long duration by illustrating the three different forms of managerial interaction by which the product mix was achieved. The contribution of the study is twofold. First, the study shows that historical and contextual studies are required in order to understand the role and relevance of marketing activities and marketing based actors in business firms. Second, the study gives evidence for the usefulness of inter‐disciplinary research and discussion within the field of marketing studies.

Supporting Doctoral Students in Their Professional Identity Projects.

Doctoral programmes and education do not necessarily pay enough attention to the professional development of the student. Doctoral students may struggle with an unclear conception of who they can and want to become as a result of their doctoral studies. This paper describes an event that aimed to provide doctoral students with opportunities to reflect collectively upon and resource their identity projects. In this course academic work was approached as ‘practical activity’ that can be discussed in terms of its tactics, politics, morals and subjects. After identifying the specific features of the course design, the authors assess its usability beyond the local context.

Understanding Academic Work as Practical Activity--and Preparing (Business-School) Academics for Praxis?.

This text suggests a way of framing academic work and outlines a design for a preparatory event based on this understanding. It conceives academic work as practical activity and potential praxis in emergence by focusing on four issues: how can I do this work (tactical stance), what can I accomplish and achieve in it (political), why are my means and goals justified (moral), and who am I becoming when engaging in this work (personal)? Practitioner accounts of academic work can be generated, shared, and reflected on, in a way that acknowledges also the mundane and non‐heroic aspects of academic life. Cet article propose une façon d’envisager le travail académique et met en lumière la structure d’une activité préparatoire qui s’inspire de cette conception. Le travail académique est envisagé comme une activité pratique et une praxis potentielle en émergence en se concentrant sur quatre dimensions: comment puis‐je effectuer ce travail (posture tactique), que puis‐je accomplir et réaliser dans le cadre de ce travail (politique), en quoi mes moyens et objectifs sont justifiés (moral), qu’est‐ce que je deviens quand j’entreprends ce travail (personnel)? L’expérience de praticiens de leur travail académique peut être obtenue, partagée et étudiée de façon à tenir compte des aspects plus courant et « non‐héroïques » de la vie académique. Tämä artikkeli esittää yhden tavan käsitteellistää akateeminen työ sekä tähän kehykseen perustuvan konseptin tähän työhön perehdyttävälle kurssille. Akateeminen työ ymmärretään käytännöllisenä toimintana ja potentiaalisena, kehkeytyvänä praksiksena, jossa kohdataan seuraavat, ratkaisuja vaativat kysymykset: kuinka voin tehdä tätä työtä (taktinen kysymys), mitä voin siinä saada aikaan ja saavuttaa (poliittinen), miksi keinoni ja tavoitteeni ovat arvokkaita tai oikeutettuja (moraalinen), ja kuka minusta on tulossa tehdessäni tätä työtä (henkilökohtainen)? Näin voidaan generoida, jakaa ja reflektoida osallistujien omia selontekoja työstään, ja tavalla joka tunnistaa ja tunnustaa myös akateemisen elämän arkiset ja vähemmän sankarilliset puolet.

Business communities in the European confectionery sector: A U.K.-Finland comparison

This paper is based on the early stages of an international collaborative project investigating the structural changes of the confectionery sectors in Finland and the U.K. over the past two decades. An institutional perspective is used to extend conventional understandings of industries via the development of the sector concept. The network and community constructs are shown to be important devices for understanding the institutional character of a sector. Accordingly, the paper reveals the similarities and differences between the two national examples. An explanation is offered of the way domestic networks persist in both countries while contrasting community profiles are apparent.

Autonomous renewal of gendered practices : interventions and their pre-conditions at an academic workplace

In this chapter we will discuss the autonomous renewal of gendered practices at an academic workplace in Finland.1 Thereby we will provide readers with a case to consider the possibilities and limits of local, incremental, and autonomous strategies in dealing with unjust gendering practices. Our story suggests that local initiatives at workplaces can in certain circumstances produce favourable outcomes. The questions are what these conditions could be and and how to go about with the initiatives.