According to Kivivirta's study, international project work shapes the participant's identity and also provides skills to work in the domestic settings. However, public sector workers often cannot exploit the possibilities offered by international activities. Especially, arranging repatriation after an international assignment and using international experiences in human resources development are identified as areas that should be addressed more thoroughly.

From the viewpoint of administration and the participating individuals, international projects are often wearing and resource-intensive. Many feel that international project activities have not always been integrated into the other operations of the public sector.

An international project assignment simply starts, ends, and disappears.


Theory lagging behind as well

Kivivirta's work brings new insights into research taking place in administrative science. The author notes that the organisation of international activities has not been studied much in the public sector from the perspective of individual participation.

"The organisation of international activities considerably affects the participants’ everyday life and is an important part of research on private sector management. Especially today, it is essential to understand what happens when one’s work and life become international and project-oriented. Unfortunately, also researchers have all too often avoided these topics because they are not safe or familiar", says Kivivirta dryly.

According to the study, research on international project work in the public sector also requires a more critical approach toward existing theories that quite often derive from a different environment. More research should be focused on operating in between diverse administrative cultures in new work settings. In addition, the topic requires a more multidisciplinary approach.


Information on the public examination of the dissertation:

MSocSc Ville Kivivirta's dissertation People, International Projects and Public Administration: Interpreting the International Human Resource Management Frame will be publically examined in the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Lapland on Friday 30 May at 12 noon in Lecture Hall 3, Yliopistonkatu 8, Rovaniemi. The opponent is Professor Pertti Ahonen (University of Helsinki) and the custos is Professor Antti Syväjärvi (University of Lapland).
 
 
Information on the doctoral candidate:

Ville Kivivirta (born 1982 in Helsinki) graduated as a Master of Social Sciences from the University of Lapland and as a Master of Arts from Newcastle University. During his career Kivivirta has worked as an HR consultant and in recent years as a university lecturer of administrative science.


Further information:

Ville Kivivirta
Tel. +358 44 972 9226
ville.kivivirta (at) ulapland.fi

The press release copies of the dissertation are available at the Lapland University Press, tel. +358 40 821 4242, publications (at) ulapland.fi


Information on the publication:

Ville Kivivirta: People, International Projects and Public Administration: Interpreting the International Human Resource Management Frame. Acta Universitatis Lapponiensis 279. University of Lapland: Rovaniemi. 2014. ISBN (vol.) 978-952-484-731-5. ISSN 0788-7604. Pdf: Acta Electronica Universitatis Lapponiensis 146. ISBN (pdf) 978-952-484-732-2. ISSN (pdf) 1796-6310.


Sale of the publication:

Academic and Art Bookshop Tila (University of Lapland Library at Yliopistonkatu 8, Rovaniemi), tel. +358 40 821 4242, publications (at) ulapland.fi, ordering via the Internet: www.ulapland.fi/lup


ULapland/Communications/TN