Sanna Sintonen

Adoption of electronic invoicing in Finnish SMEs: two complementary perspectives

Electronic invoicing is one of the latest innovations in the field of electronic business solutions, and the Finnish Information Technology (IT) industry has expected all the Finnish SMEs to adopt it widely. However, the adoption of electronic invoicing seems to be in the slow lane. This study was carried out to find out the reasons for the slow adoption rate of electronic invoicing by SMEs and stop the conjecturing about the reasons. The behaviour of current and potential users was studied in a survey conducted in South Karelia in the spring of 2005. The main advantage that e-invoicing offers is its potential in decreasing the clerical work and costs of the invoicing process, but it is also seen as a source of new business opportunity. To find out the reasons for the slow adoption rate, the survey results were first analysed statistically, and then the analysis was extended by the Strategic Options Approach (SOA) for a closer view.

Effect of social networks and well‐being on acute care needs

The effect of social surroundings has been noted as an important component of the well-being of elderly people. A strong social network and strong and steady relationships are necessary for coping when illness or functional limitations occur in later life. Vulnerability can affect well-being and functioning particularly when sudden life changes occur. The objective of this study was to analyse how the determinants of social well-being affect individual acute care needs when sudden life changes occur. Empirical evidence was collected using a cross-sectional mail survey in Finland in January 2011 among individuals aged 55-79 years. The age-stratified random sample covered 3000 individuals, and the eventual response rate was 56% (1680). Complete responses were received from 1282 respondents (42.7%). The study focuses on the compactness of social networks, social disability, the stability of social relationships and the fear of loneliness as well as how these factors influence acute care needs. The measurement was based on a latent factor structure, and the key concepts were measured using two ordinal items. The results of the structural model suggest that the need for care is directly affected by social disability and the fear of loneliness. In addition, social disability is a determinant of the fear of loneliness and therefore plays an important role if sudden life changes occur. The compactness of social networks decreases social disability and partly diminishes the fear of loneliness and therefore has an indirect effect on the need for care. The stability of social relationships was influenced by the social networks and disability, but was an insignificant predictor of care needs. To conclude, social networks and well-being can decrease care needs, and supportive actions should be targeted to avoid loneliness and social isolation so that the informal network could be applied as an aspect of care-giving when acute life changes occur.

Evolution of technology perceptions over time

Purpose – As the information society further develops, electronic services are created and physical distribution networks become sparse, it is important to analyse the determinants that inhibit or facilitate the ability to use these services. By focusing on the perceived behavioural control of computers, the purpose of this paper is to analyse how perceived physical restrictions, computer anxiety and ease of use influence the perceptions of control. Design/methodology/approach – The authors examined older consumers (aged 60-79) in two cross-sectional studies conducted through mail surveys in 2004 and 2012. Randomized samples (n=1,000 in 2004 and n=3,000 in 2012) were drawn from the Finnish Population Register. The empirical research utilized structural equation modelling through multi-group analysis to explore the differences in the interrelationships between physical restrictions, computer anxiety, perceived ease of use and perceived behavioural control. Findings – The results indicate that perceived beh...

Citizens’ perceived value of locally-provided services

Purpose – Ageing and population movement from rural regions to regional centres have raised new questions regarding the value of locally available services. The purpose of this paper is to analyse the influence of individuals’ functioning status, housing arrangements and social context on services value. The authors approach the topic with the following research question: how do the personal capabilities and social spheres of rural residents influence demand for local services? Design/methodology/approach – Results are based on a postal survey conducted in southeast Finland. Data were collected using a random sample of 3,000 people from age 60 to 90 years in rural areas surrounding a regional centre. A total of 1,121 valid responses were received. Findings – The influence of individuals’ mobility on value depended on the travel distance between services and living arrangements. The authors find that subjective norms and social interactions influenced attitudes; meanwhile, the government indirectly influen...

Cross-country cross-survey design in international marketing research: The role of input data in multiple imputation

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to focus on the case where – by design – one needs to impute cross-country cross-survey (CCCS) data (situation typical for example among multinational firms who are confronted with the need to carry out comparative marketing surveys with respondents located in several countries). Importantly, while some work demonstrates approaches for single-item direct measures, no prior research has examined the common situation in international marketing where the researcher needs to use multi-item scales of latent constructs. The paper presents problem areas related to the choices international marketers have to make when doing cross-country/cross-survey research and provides guidance for future research. Design/methodology/approach – Multi-country sample of real data is used as an example of cross-sample imputation (292 New Zealand exporters and 302 Finnish ones) the international entrepreneurial orientation (IEO) data. Three variations of the input data are tested: first, impu...