Between Horizontality and Centralisation: Organisational Form and Practice in the Finns Party

This article provides the first comprehensive analysis of the Finns Party’s (Perussuomalaiset [PS]) formal organisation and how it operates in practice. Following the framework of this thematic issue, to what extent does the PS’s organisation follow the mass-party model and how centralised is the party in its internal decision-making? Analysis of party documents, association registries, and in-depth interviews with 24 party elite representatives reveal that the PS has developed a complex organisational structure and internal democracy since 2008. However, the power of members in regard to the party’s internal decision-making remains limited, despite the party’s leadership having facilitated a more horizontal and inclusionary organisational culture after 2017. The study reveals how the party combines radically democratic elements of its leadership selection and programme development with a very high level of centralisation of formal power in the party executive, and how the party organisationally relies on a vast and autonomous but heterogeneous network of municipal associations. The article also discusses how PS elites perceive the advantages of having a wide and active organisation characterised by low entry and participation requirements, and how party-adjacent online activism both complements and complicates the functioning of the formal party organisation.

The Museum of Me: Architecture and the Publicity of the Private

<p>Both architecture and privacy express ideals of personal, social, and cultural identity. From the development of virtual social environments has emerged new boundaries between the public and private. Consequently, this progression has shifted the historical normalities of privacy. While architecture appears to develop within its own conditions of creating material expressions, it has yet to show awareness of the reality and developments of our contemporary social environments. This thesis addresses the shifting boundary between public and private through an architectural enquiry. It proposes that the traditional boundary between public and private be re-evaluated in conjunction with contemporary social norms, focusing on the contemporary notion of publicity and control. This thesis explores the design of a public museum as a manifestation of contemporary society. It establishes an appropriate relationship between public and private situating itself as a mediator. It builds upon the influence of the theoretical and conceptual means through an architectural analysis and experimentation to find one architectural design solution that re-configures the public and private boundary. The outcome of this research reflects a new boundary between public and private; however it states that its spatial and organisational form needs to engage with contemporary society. It finds that online social environments offer new opportunities useful for the re-configuration of boundaries between public and private. This thesis concludes that the new mediation of virtual environments does not limit architecture, but rather presents a new space that mediates and reflects contemporary social interaction.</p>

The Museum of Me: Architecture and the Publicity of the Private

<p>Both architecture and privacy express ideals of personal, social, and cultural identity. From the development of virtual social environments has emerged new boundaries between the public and private. Consequently, this progression has shifted the historical normalities of privacy. While architecture appears to develop within its own conditions of creating material expressions, it has yet to show awareness of the reality and developments of our contemporary social environments. This thesis addresses the shifting boundary between public and private through an architectural enquiry. It proposes that the traditional boundary between public and private be re-evaluated in conjunction with contemporary social norms, focusing on the contemporary notion of publicity and control. This thesis explores the design of a public museum as a manifestation of contemporary society. It establishes an appropriate relationship between public and private situating itself as a mediator. It builds upon the influence of the theoretical and conceptual means through an architectural analysis and experimentation to find one architectural design solution that re-configures the public and private boundary. The outcome of this research reflects a new boundary between public and private; however it states that its spatial and organisational form needs to engage with contemporary society. It finds that online social environments offer new opportunities useful for the re-configuration of boundaries between public and private. This thesis concludes that the new mediation of virtual environments does not limit architecture, but rather presents a new space that mediates and reflects contemporary social interaction.</p>

Design for Smart Transport: An Integrated Multi-Modal Transport Interchange in Central Christchurch

<p>Transportation, an essential component of modern life, is responsible for one of the biggest growth areas of our greenhouse gas emissions which causes problem for our environment and the economy. New Zealand cities face the same issues as many other cities in the globalised world. This thesis analyses the integration of all the public transport systems to encourage people to get out of the car and reduce the traffic volume within the city centre to develop with the aim of developing a sustainable city towards the future. Drivers in New Zealand believe commuter stress could be significantly reduced by improving public transport. The design calls for a new central transport interchange for all the public transport systems within Christchurch city to form a spectacular gateway to the city. The aim of the design is to create a unified urban structure in which diverse infrastructural and public elements merge together to form one building. The outcome of this research identifies a strong future for a public transport interchange, but states that its physical and organisational form needs to be re-established. It finds that technology and architecture offer new opportunities useful for reinterpreting the typology. The thesis concludes that future public transport interchanges will become hybrids of activity, and places where the threads of urban life are joined together. The interchanges can become a major catalyst of urban regeneration - a focus for commerce and the flow of ideas as well as the movement of people.</p>

Design for Smart Transport: An Integrated Multi-Modal Transport Interchange in Central Christchurch

<p>Transportation, an essential component of modern life, is responsible for one of the biggest growth areas of our greenhouse gas emissions which causes problem for our environment and the economy. New Zealand cities face the same issues as many other cities in the globalised world. This thesis analyses the integration of all the public transport systems to encourage people to get out of the car and reduce the traffic volume within the city centre to develop with the aim of developing a sustainable city towards the future. Drivers in New Zealand believe commuter stress could be significantly reduced by improving public transport. The design calls for a new central transport interchange for all the public transport systems within Christchurch city to form a spectacular gateway to the city. The aim of the design is to create a unified urban structure in which diverse infrastructural and public elements merge together to form one building. The outcome of this research identifies a strong future for a public transport interchange, but states that its physical and organisational form needs to be re-established. It finds that technology and architecture offer new opportunities useful for reinterpreting the typology. The thesis concludes that future public transport interchanges will become hybrids of activity, and places where the threads of urban life are joined together. The interchanges can become a major catalyst of urban regeneration - a focus for commerce and the flow of ideas as well as the movement of people.</p>

Further Reading: An Analysis of the Public Library and the Implications of Technological Innovation on Architecture

<p>The past two decades has seen an explosion of electronic media that has changed the way society is structured, and the way in which people interact with one-another. This technological change is forcing the library to question its functional role in society. Books are currently the predominant form of information and entertainment media represented. If this continues the library will struggle to assert its relevance in the future. This thesis analyses the public library, establishing an appropriate distinction between the formalities of the traditional library space and that suitable for a library in the information age. It acknowledges historical influence, and the library user’s role in establishing a truly public enterprise. It builds upon these influences through architectural analysis and experimentation to find one architectural design solution that re-establishes the public library typology. The outcome of this research identifies a strong future for the public library, but states that its physical and organisational form needs to be re-established. It finds that technology and architecture offer new opportunities useful for reinterpreting the typology. The thesis concludes that the implications of digital representation do not limit the public library to virtual space, but rather it can become a space that mediates the new emerging boundaries between digital and analogue by acknowledging the interaction between people.</p>

Further Reading: An Analysis of the Public Library and the Implications of Technological Innovation on Architecture

<p>The past two decades has seen an explosion of electronic media that has changed the way society is structured, and the way in which people interact with one-another. This technological change is forcing the library to question its functional role in society. Books are currently the predominant form of information and entertainment media represented. If this continues the library will struggle to assert its relevance in the future. This thesis analyses the public library, establishing an appropriate distinction between the formalities of the traditional library space and that suitable for a library in the information age. It acknowledges historical influence, and the library user’s role in establishing a truly public enterprise. It builds upon these influences through architectural analysis and experimentation to find one architectural design solution that re-establishes the public library typology. The outcome of this research identifies a strong future for the public library, but states that its physical and organisational form needs to be re-established. It finds that technology and architecture offer new opportunities useful for reinterpreting the typology. The thesis concludes that the implications of digital representation do not limit the public library to virtual space, but rather it can become a space that mediates the new emerging boundaries between digital and analogue by acknowledging the interaction between people.</p>

Organisational form and performance in fashion retailing

PurposeThis research seeks to discover how the organisational form (franchising vs vertical integration) of 384 fashion stores belonging to a Spanish franchise chain influences unit-level performance measured through three key indicators commonly used in the retail literature: sales per square metre, sales per employee and service quality scores.Design/methodology/approachThe authors have analysed this research question using bivariate and multivariate analyses, with a panel dataset that includes quarterly establishment-level data covering the period from January 2018 to December 2019.FindingsThe aggregated data initially reveal weaker outcomes among franchised establishments. However, after controlling for other variables related to the fashion stores and their local markets, the authors have found that franchised establishments record higher sales both per square metre and per employee than vertically integrated stores. The findings also reveal that franchised establishments record lower service quality scores than their company-owned counterparts.Originality/valueNothing has been published on the differences between franchising and company ownership in terms of establishment-level performance in fashion retailing.