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Article
Publication date: 8 October 2018

Markku Antero Laitinen

The purpose of this paper is to examine aspects of measuring the impact of new innovations in Finnish libraries.

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine aspects of measuring the impact of new innovations in Finnish libraries.

Design/methodology/approach

Along with the change of paradigm of libraries’ ways of action toward more networked and with the developing of new innovative services, new evaluation methods and indicators will be needed to show the value and impact of the operation of these services.

Findings

To measure the impact of services produced by the networking of several organizations and the added value perceived by the patrons, new methods of impact assessment are needed, as well as change in the way of thinking.

Originality/value

In the libraries, there is only a little if at all discussion about the need and means of showing the results, impact and value of the library services to their clientele, their frame organizations or the society. This is the first article to examine aspects of measuring the impact of new innovations in Finnish libraries.

Details

Library Management, vol. 40 no. 3/4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0143-5124

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 5 September 2018

Timo Laine and Markku Antero Laitinen

In the transformed information environment, the impact and value of the services are not adequately shown using the traditional library metrics. It needs to be supplemented with…

2532

Abstract

Purpose

In the transformed information environment, the impact and value of the services are not adequately shown using the traditional library metrics. It needs to be supplemented with user-centered ways of measurement. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is a case study of the new Finna service and the measurement challenges it presents.

Findings

The standards guiding the measurement and evaluation of libraries cannot offer a “cook-book” for the organizations to follow. The paper suggests that as a one possible response to this, the Net Promoter Score can be used as one indicator in measuring the impact of new services.

Research limitations/implications

The findings of the paper are preliminary, because so far there is not a wide experience of the use of NPS in libraries. This calls for further study. The results are encouraging, but more testing is needed with different services.

Originality/value

NPS has not been widely used in libraries before.

Details

Library Management, vol. 40 no. 1/2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0143-5124

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 14 March 2017

Jarmo Saarti, Markku Antero Laitinen and Pentti Vattulainen

The recent changes in the knowledge economy and scientific knowledge dissemination have put academic libraries in a new situation. The demand for open access of scientific…

1486

Abstract

Purpose

The recent changes in the knowledge economy and scientific knowledge dissemination have put academic libraries in a new situation. The demand for open access of scientific publications and the increasing amount of documents published need a new paradigm in the collection policies and collection building strategies of the academic libraries. At the same time the resources allocated to the academic institutions have been decreasing which has caused the need to reallocate the resources in the collection building and management as effectively as possible. The purpose of this paper is to analyse how the use of data compiled from different sources, such as statistics and assessing user experience, as a tool for analysing the effectiveness of the library’s economic resources and how this has effected on the use of the libraries.

Design/methodology/approach

Statistical and trend analysis based on Finnish academic library collections database.

Findings

The Finnish academic libraries have made a rapid transition to the digital dissemination of documents. At the same time the national services have enabled the long-time preservation of less used printed materials and have enabled the libraries to save premise costs.

Research limitations/implications

Modeling the findings to other countries maybe difficult because of the specific characteristics of the Finnish academic environment.

Practical implications

Gives examples on managing the shift from a printed to a digital library.

Originality/value

Evidence based tools for collection cost management.

Details

Library Management, vol. 38 no. 2/3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0143-5124

Keywords

Content available
Article
Publication date: 23 March 2010

Steve Thornton

438

Abstract

Details

Performance Measurement and Metrics, vol. 11 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1467-8047

Article
Publication date: 11 May 2012

Markku Laitinen and Jarmo Saarti

Quality management, and its associated evidence‐based ideology, have influenced library management from at least the beginning of the 1990s. Both concepts emphasize that decisions…

1286

Abstract

Purpose

Quality management, and its associated evidence‐based ideology, have influenced library management from at least the beginning of the 1990s. Both concepts emphasize that decisions have to be based on facts. Libraries have a long history of using statistics in data collection due to international agreements and standards. Although there is much data available in the libraries, perhaps this collected data have not been utilized as effectively as possible. This paper aims to discuss the possibilities of combining different types of statistical data in order to measure the efficiency of the work being done in libraries and what possible impact they can have in their parent organizations. It also aims to use the concept of data warehousing as a tool for joining different types of statistical data in the analysis.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper is a case study with statistical analysis of library data collected and a conceptual analysis of possibilities in the data warehousing of the library and library‐related data in order to improve its analysis.

Findings

The authors suggest that in order to improve the analysis of the library statistical data towards the actual effects the library has, for example, to the learning and research done within university, one must start to develop statistical data systems that enable the combination of different types of statistical data. This needs co‐operation between different vendors and government officials in defining the statistical data collected.

Research limitations/implications

The paper is based on Finnish experiences and the data warehousing model should be tested empirically and developed further due to the challenges in the conformity of the data collected.

Practical implications

The paper presents ideas and possibilities to evolve the library statistical data analysis.

Social implications

The paper presents ideas for national and international bodies in how to develop statistical data systems and their interoperability.

Originality/value

The paper promotes the idea of combining library and other statistical data collected in order to provide better tools for library management.

Details

Library Management, vol. 33 no. 4/5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0143-5124

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 1 July 2019

Marco van Veller

This paper aims to the identification of journal articles that probably report on interdisciplinary research at Wageningen University & Research (WUR).

2187

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to the identification of journal articles that probably report on interdisciplinary research at Wageningen University & Research (WUR).

Design/methodology/approach

For identification of interdisciplinary research, an analysis is performed on journals from which articles have been cited in articles (co-)authored by WUR staff. The journals with cited articles are inventoried from the reference lists of the WUR articles. For each WUR article, a mean dissimilarity is calculated between the journal in which it has been published and the journals inventoried from the reference lists. Dissimilarities are derived from a large matrix with similarity values between journals, calculated from co-occurrence of these journals in the WUR articles’ reference lists.

Findings

For 21,191 WUR articles published between 2006 and 2015 in 2,535 journals mean dissimilarities have been calculated. The analysis shows that WUR articles with high mean dissimilarities often are published in multidisciplinary journals. Also, WUR articles with high mean dissimilarities are found in non-multidisciplinary (research field-specific) journals. For these articles (with high mean dissimilarities), this paper shows that citations are often made to more various research fields than for articles with lower mean dissimilarities.

Originality/value

Identification of articles reporting on interdisciplinary research may be important to WUR policy for strategic purposes or for the evaluation of researchers or groups. Also, this analysis enables to identify journals with high mean dissimilarities (due to WUR articles citing more various research fields). Identification of these journals with a more interdisciplinary scope can be important for collection management by the library.

Details

Collection and Curation, vol. 38 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2514-9326

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 6 March 2017

Lili-Anne Kihn and Salme Näsi

Several scholars have recently highlighted the narrowness of accounting research regarding it as a threat to scholarly developments in the field. The aim of this study was to…

1269

Abstract

Purpose

Several scholars have recently highlighted the narrowness of accounting research regarding it as a threat to scholarly developments in the field. The aim of this study was to chart progress in management accounting research using a sample of doctoral dissertations published in Finland. In particular, the study examines the range and diversity of research strategic choices in Finnish dissertations over time, including the topics and methodological and theoretical approaches chosen. The authors also briefly compare findings over time and with other progress studies.

Design/methodology/approach

A longitudinal historical investigation was selected. All of the 80 management accounting doctoral dissertations published in Finnish business schools and departments during 1945-2015 were analysed.

Findings

The findings reveal that an expansion of doctoral education has led to an increasing diversity of research strategic choices in Finland. Different issues have been of interest at different times; so, it has been possible to cover a wide range of cost, management accounting and other topics and to use different methodological and theoretical approaches over time. Consequently, management accounting has become a rich and multifaceted field of scientific research.

Research limitations/implications

While this analysis is limited to doctoral research in Finland, the results should be relevant in advancing the understanding of the development of management accounting research.

Practical implications

Overall, the findings support the view that there have been, and continue to be, many ways to conduct innovative research in the field of management accounting.

Social implications

Dissertation research in this field has been extensive and vital enough to educate new generations of academics, guarantee continuity of the subject as an academic discipline and make management accounting a significant academic field of research.

Originality/value

The paper contributes to current research on management accounting change by an analysis of a sample of doctoral dissertations.

Details

Journal of Accounting & Organizational Change, vol. 13 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1832-5912

Keywords

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