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The impact of business mentoring on companies' growth and profitability
No full textYritysmentoroinnilla tuetaan etenkin pieniä yrityksiä monissa eri yrityselämän tilanteissa. Mentoroinnilla on tärkeä rooli näiden yritysten tukena, sillä pienet yritykset kohtaavat monia eri haasteita toiminnassaan. Pienten yritysten toiminnan tukeminen on tärkeää, sillä mikro- ja pienyritykset edustavat suurinta osaa kaikista yrityksistä. Niillä on merkittävä yhteiskunnallinen vaikutus niin työllisyyden kuin talouden kannalta. Lisäksi vain harva mikro- tai pienyritys kasvaa, vaikka se olisi talouden kannalta toivottavaa. Tässä työssä tutkitaan yritysmentoroinnin vaikutusta yritysten kasvun ja kannattavuuden kehitykseen.
Työ koostuu kahdesta osasta. Ensin yritysmentorointiin ja sen vaikutuksiin perehdyttiin teoriakirjallisuuden sekä aikaisempien tutkimusten avulla. Tämän jälkeen työssä toteutettiin kyselytutkimus yritysmentorointia hyödyntäneille yrityksille. Vastaukset analysoitiin yleistasolla sekä tilastollisia menetelmiä hyödyntäen. Vastausten avulla selvitettiin, miten ja kuinka paljon mentorointi on vaikuttanut yritysten kasvun ja kannattavuuden kehitykseen.
Yritysmentoroinnilla vaikuttaa olevan selkeä vaikutus yritysten kasvun ja kannattavuuden kehityksessä. Noin kolmasosa vastaajista kertoi mentoroinnilla olleen vaikutus liikevaihdon kehitykseen ja noin neljäsosa kertoi mentoroinnin vaikuttaneen kannattavuuden kehitykseen. Tutkimukseen vastanneiden yritysten liikevaihto, voitto sekä henkilöstömäärä kasvoivat huomattavasti mentoroinnin aikana. Vaikutustapoja tarkasteltaessa mentorin rooli tukijana korostui, mikä on linjassa aikaisempien tutkimusten kanssa.Business mentoring supports especially smaller enterprises in many different business situations. Mentoring has an important role in supporting these companies, as smaller companies face many different challenges in their operations. Supporting the smaller companies is important, since micro and small enterprises represent the majority of all companies. They have a significant societal impact both in terms of employment and the economy. In addition, only a few micro or small enterprises grow, even though it would be desirable from the economic perspective. This work studies the impact of business mentoring on the development of companies’ growth and profitability.
The thesis consists of two parts. First, business mentoring and its effects were examined through theoretical literature and previous studies. Thereafter, a survey was conducted among companies that had utilized business mentoring. The responses were analysed both at a general level and by applying statistical methods. The answers were used to determine how, and to what extent, mentoring has affected the development of companies’ growth and profitability.
Business mentoring appears to have a clear impact on the development of companies’ growth and profitability. About one-third of the respondents reported that mentoring had affected the development of their turnover, and about one-fourth stated that mentoring had influenced the development of their profitability. The turnover, profit, and number of employees of the companies that responded to the survey increased significantly during the period of mentoring. When examining the ways in which the impact occurred, the mentor’s role as a supporter was highlighted, which is consistent with previous research
Improving of quality management and quality services in a subcontracting company within the technology industry
No full textLaatu on merkittävä tekijä teknologiateollisuudessa toimivissa yrityksissä. Yrityksien kilpailukyky perustuu kykyyn toimittaa asiakkailleen tuotteita sekä palveluita, joista he ovat valmiita maksamaan. Kilpailu on kovaa kyseisellä sektorilla, joten menestystä tavoittelevien yritysten on pyrittävä jatkuvasti kehittämään toimintaansa.
Tämän diplomityön teema rakentui laadun parantamiseen tähtäävissä kehitystoimissa tuotannossa sekä asiakkaalle tuotettavan laatupalvelukokonaisuuden kehittämiseen haastavissa olosuhteissa. Laadunhallinnan kehittäminen reklamaatiotoiminnan osalta on myös olennainen osa diplomityön rakennetta.
Diplomityön tutkimusten tarkoituksena oli löytää realistisesti toteutettavissa olevia kehitystoimia tutkimuksissa ilmenneisiin ongelmiin. Konkreettiset toimet ja selkeästi luettavissa olevat tulokset ovat olennainen osa tekniikan alan kehitysprosesseja. Tässä työssä tutkimustuloksia kuvataan graafisilla kuvaajilla ja numeerisilla määreillä. Asiakkaan näkemykset ovat lisäksi olennainen osa tutkimuksien analyyttistä arviointia.
Tulokset osoittivat, että tutkimuksien kautta kerätyn tiedon ja niiden analysoinnin kautta johdetut kehitystoimet ovat vieneet toimeksiantajayritystä oikeaan suuntaan. Toiminnan järjestelmällisyys sekä systemaattisuus on parantunut, reklamaatioita ja hukkatuotantoa on saatu vähennettyä, sekä laatuvirheisiin johtaneiden juurisyiden tunnistaminen on vähentänyt virheiden esiintyvyyttä.Quality is a crucial factor for companies operating in the technology industry. Their competitiveness relies on the ability to deliver products and services that customers perceive as valuable and are willing to pay for. Given the intense competition in this sector, companies aiming for success must continuously develop and improve their operations.
The theme of this Master’s thesis is built around development initiatives aimed improving quality in production, as well as enhancing the overall quality service package delivered to the customer under challenging conditions. The development of quality management in relation to the handling of customer complaints also forms an essential part of the structure of this thesis.
The purpose of the research in this Master`s thesis was to identify feasible development measures to address the problems revealed in the studies. Concrete actions and clearly measurable results are an essential part of development processes in the field of engineering. In this thesis, the research results are presented using graphical illustrations and numerical indicators. In addition, the client`s perspectives form an essential part of the analytical evaluation of the research.
The results indicated that the knowledge gathered through research, together with the development measures derived from their analysis, have guided the company in the right direction. The systematic organization of operations has improved, complaints and waste production have been reduced, and the identification of root causes leading to quality defects has decreased the occurrence of defects
Going further, looking ahead, and with others : how context shapes sustainability-oriented outcomes in start-ups and SMEs
Get PDFSustainable entrepreneurship has emerged in response to the intersecting crises of environmental degradation, social inequality, and economic instability. Nevertheless, entrepreneurs working to create more sustainable businesses do not act in isolation. Their efforts are shaped by the contexts in which they operate: where, when, and with whom. This dissertation examines how spatial, temporal, and social contexts, as generative structures, influence sustainability-oriented outcomes for start-ups and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). It comprises four studies that examine how context has been empirically conceptualised in the sustainable entrepreneurship literature; how organisational temporal context enables or constrains the implementation of sustainability practices; how geographical distance influences the realisation of impact investments; and how different ways of engaging with stakeholders affect firms’ environmental performance.
The dissertation theorises the role of context by drawing on transaction cost theory, construal level theory, the attention-based view of the firm, and stakeholder theory. It employs a systematic review, matched-sample logistic regression, and structural equation modelling, using original datasets from established SMEs and venture capital deals involving impact investors and start-ups. The findings reveal that context generates various outcomes through distinct mechanisms such as transaction costs economising, construal level effects, attentional orientation, attentional governance, and unidirectional and bidirectional engagement. By theorising context, this dissertation provides a foundation for future research on the dynamic interplay between context and sustainability. It also offers strategic guidance for entrepreneurs, investors, and policymakers. They can design interventions and strategies that not only adapt to context but actively shape it by understanding how context works through specific mechanisms. This shift from reacting to context as a constraint to mobilising it as a resource enables more effective and transformational responses to complex socio-environmental challenges.ei tietoa saavutettavuudest
Bridgeless rotor synchronous reluctance machine design evaluation
Get PDFThis study presents a bridgeless rotor (BLR) design for a synchronous reluctance machine (SynRM) as a magnet-free alternative for electric vehicles (EVs). Unlike conventional SynRMs that require radial and tangential bridges for mechanical stability, the BLR-SynRM eliminates these structures and instead uses non-magnetic backplates. This modification addresses a significant performance limitation, resulting in a higher torque density and improved power factor.In this research, the proposed BLR-SynRM design is evaluated in several stages. First, the performance is analyzed, considering that flux guides are spot welded into the backplates to maintain the rotor’s integrity. Next, an electromagnetic design is conducted based on an optimized structure to achieve a substantial increase in both torque and power factor. Finally, the rotordynamics of the system are examined across a full speed range of up to 10,000 rpm.Post-print / Final draf
Cell-free massive multiple antenna systems : estimation techniques, scalability challenges, and aerial access point deployments
Get PDFCell-free (CF) massive multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) networks are envisioned as promising technologies for next-generation wireless networks. These networks stand out for their high spectral efficiency, lower susceptibility to blocking and shadowing, and uniform performance among users. As the CF massive MIMO scenario spreads a large number of access points (APs) over a large area serving a much smaller number of user equipment (UE) devices, problems related to power control, signal precoding, resources, decoding strategies, and interference management will be key issues. Furthermore, to achieve a scalable and efficient CF massive MIMO system, a user-centric (UC) approach is used to define the subset of APs serving each UE device, such that the complexity and resource requirements of each AP must remain finite when the number of UE devices is infinite.
In this regard, this doctoral dissertation aims to present scalable methodologies suitable for efficiently implementing UC CF massive MIMO networks. Specifically, radio resource allocation, pilot assignment methods, downlink (DL) pilot-based, and blind effective channel estimation schemes are developed. Furthermore, a dynamic strategy is proposed to choose the best channel estimation method for each UE device. The results show that the proposed solutions can improve the spectral efficiency of the 50%-likely UE devices by up to 91% compared with the solutions presented in the literature.
This doctoral dissertation also investigates how to implement a massive UC CF network MIMO enabled by aerial APs, which are useful to improve wireless connectivity in ultradense environments or flexibly extend coverage in more isolated areas. For this purpose, a trajectory optimization of a swarm of cooperative unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) is proposed. The results show that it is possible to optimize UAV deployment and trajectory without knowledge of the UE locations, reaching up to a 47% increase in average spectral efficiency.
Finally, this doctoral dissertation investigates UC CF massive MIMO systems with a limited processing capability. More specifically, AP cluster adjustment methods are proposed to guarantee that the computational complexity (CC) of signal processing does not increase with the number of APs. The results show that it is possible to reduce the CC by up to 96% while maintaining spectral efficiency with minimal degradation.As redes cell-free (CF) massive multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) são apontadas como uma das tecnologias promissoras para redes sem fio de próxima geração. Estas redes se destacam pela alta eficiência espectral, menor suscetibilidade a bloqueios e sombreamento, e desempenho uniforme entre os usuários. Como o cenário CF massive MIMO espalha um grande número de pontos de acesso (APs - access points) em uma grande área atendendo a um número muito menor de equipamentos dos usuários (UE - user equipment), problemas relacionadas ao controle de energia, pré-codificação de sinal, alocação de recursos, estratégias decodificação e gerenciamento de interferência serão questões-chave. Além disso, para obter um sistema CF massive MIMO escalável e eficiente, usa-se uma abordagem centrada nos usuários (UC - user-centric) para definir o subconjunto de APs que servem a cada UE, de modo que a complexidade e os requisites de recursos para cada AP devem permanecer finitos quando o número de UE tende ao infinito.
Nesse sentido, esta tese de doutorado objetiva apresentar metodologias escaláveis adequadas para alcançar uma implementação eficiente de redes UC CF massive MIMO. Especificamente, são desenvolvidos métodos de alocação de recursos de rádio e atribuição piloto, e esquemas de estimação de canal efetivo de DL cega e baseada em pilotos de DL. Também propõe-se uma estratégia dinâmica e adaptável às condições dos UE para escolher o melhor método de estimação de canal para cada um. Os resultados mostram que as soluções propostas podem melhorar a eficiência espectral dos 50%-likely UE em até 91% comparado com as soluções da literatura.
Nesta tese de doutorado, também apresenta-se propostas de avanços relacionados à implantação de uma rede CF massive MIMO habilitado através de APs aéreos, que são úteis para melhorar a conectividade sem fio em ambientes ultra-densos ou para estender a cobertura em áreas mais isolados de uma maneira flexível. Para isto, é proposto uma otimização de trajetória de um enxame de veículos aéreos não tripulados (VANTs) cooperativos. Os resultados mostram que é possível otimizar a localização e trajetória dos VANTs sem a necessidade do conhecimento das posições do UE, alcançando um aumento de até 47% na média da eficiência espectral.
Por fim, também foram investigados sistemas UC CF massive MIMO com capacidade de processamento limitada. Mais especificamente, são propostos métodos para ajustar o grupos de APs de forma que a complexidade computacional (CC) para processamento de sinais não aumente com o número de APs. Os resultados mostram que é possível reduzir a CC em 96% sem causar grandes degradações na eficiência espectral.ei tietoa saavutettavuudest
Merkityslähtöinen brändäys TikTokissa : kuluttajien käsitykset vaikutushierarkiamallin näkökulmasta
No full textIn recent years, purpose branding has emerged as a central theme in marketing, as consumers increasingly expect brands to demonstrate authentic commitments to CSR issues. While earlier research has explored outcomes such as purchase intentions and brand equity, less is known about how consumers perceive purpose-driven branding on newer platforms such as TikTok.
The purpose of this study is to examine how consumers perceive purpose-driven branding on TikTok through the stages of the hierarchy of effects model, focusing on all, cognitive, affective, and conative stages. In doing so, the study also explores why consumers recall and recognize brands, what kinds of emotions, associations, and attitudes they hold, and how exposure to TikTok content shapes their perceptions of purpose-driven branding and its authenticity.
The study employed a qualitative exploratory design with semi-structured interviews, utilizing also a video elicitation with purpose-driven CPG brand content. The collected primary data was analysed through inductive content analysis. The findings show that sustained CSR commitment, authenticity, and transparency are essential to credible purpose branding. Consumers evaluated authenticity through operational practices and product-level cues, often assessing CSR impact via product quality and durability. The study also identified a phenomenon of cause overshadow, where participants remembered either the cause but not the brand, or the brand without the cause. The study highlights the importance of aligning brand, message, and platform to build strong associations and enhance credibility on TikTok.Viime vuosina merkityslähtöinen brändäys on noussut keskeiseksi ilmiöksi markkinoinnissa, kun kuluttajat odottavat brändeiltä yhä aidompaa sitoutumista vastuullisuuteen. Aiemmin on tutkittu merkityksellisen markkinoinnin vaikutuksia ostoaikeisiin ja brändipääomaan, mutta kuluttajien käsityksiä merkityslähtöisestä brändäyksestä TikTokissa ei juurikaan tunneta.
Tämän pro gradu-tutkielman tarkoituksena on tarkastella, miten kuluttajat havaitsevat tarkoitusperäisen brändäyksen TikTokissa vaikutushierarkiamallin mukaan. Tutkielma keskittyy kaikkiin mallin vaiheisiin: kognitiiviseen, affektiiviseen ja konatiiviseen. Samalla tutkimus selvittää, miksi kuluttajat muistavat ja tunnistavat brändejä, millaisia tunteita, assosiaatioita ja asenteita kuluttajilla on, sekä miten altistuminen TikTok-sisällölle muokkaa kuluttajien käsityksiä merkityslähtöisestä brändäyksestä ja sen aitoudesta.
Eksploratiivinen, laadullinen tutkimus toteutettiin käyttämällä puolistrukturoituja haastatteluja, joiden ohessa osallistujille näytettiin merkityslähtöisten kuluttajatuotebrändien videosisältöjä keskustelun herättämiseksi. Kerättyä primääridataa analysoitiin induktiivisen sisällönanalyysin avulla. Tulokset osoittavat, että jatkuva yritysvastuuseen sitoutuminen, aitous ja läpinäkyvyys vahvistavat merkityslähtöisen brändäyksen uskottavuutta, ja kuluttajat arvioivat aitoutta erityisesti tuotteen laadun ja kestävyyden kautta. Lisäksi havaittiin ilmiö, jossa merkitys ja brändi muistettiin usein erillään. Brändin, viestin ja alustan selkeä yhteensopivuus on keskeistä vahvojen mielleyhtymien ja uskottavuuden rakentamisessa TikTokissa
Exploring the potential for local energy ecosystems: A multi-criteria site identification and assessment process
Get PDFTo meet stringent climate goals, regions in the EU need tools to facilitate the sustainable energy transition. Localized energy systems offer a promising solution. Although concepts such as energy communities have been promoted, there remains a gap in the literature and practice regarding systematic approaches to locate and evaluate sites for local energy ecosystems. We introduce a process that evaluates these ecosystem sites using four technical factors: energy consumption volume, wind and solar energy potential, and energy infrastructure availability. The process utilizes the multi-criteria decision analysis methods Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) and analytic hierarchy process. We applied this approach in the region of Päijät-Häme, Finland, identifying seven potential sites, with Kujala and Nastola standing out as the alternatives having highest potential. Higher energy consumption density or solar energy availability did not always correlate with better synergy potential. Instead, the results showed that energy ecosystem potential is formed from a combination of factors, of which energy infrastructure is the most important one in the regional case. These outcomes align with prior research and indicate that the proposed factors can effectively capture energy ecosystem potential. The study provides an applicable approach for regional energy planning.Publishers versio
Tavoitteisiin ja avaintuloksiin perustuva strateginen tavoiteasettelu : tapaustutkimus globaalista valmistavasta yrityksestä
No full textOrganisations have increasingly adopted new goal-setting frameworks in order to improve strategy execution and business performance. One of these frameworks has been objectives and key Results (OKR), which has become widely used in technology companies. This master’s thesis examined how the OKR framework can be used to drive strategic priorities and improve business performance in a global matrix-structured manufacturing company. The research aimed to identify strengths, challenges, and improvement opportunities in the case company’s current OKR model.
The thesis was conducted as a qualitative case. It combined a literature review with semi-structured interviews of case company employees that engage in OKR usage. The findings highlighted key enablers and barriers to effective OKR use, including transparency, incentive structures, and alignment across organisational levels. While OKRs were found to support strategic focus their effectiveness was influenced by variations in adoption consistency, the extent to which they were linked to incentives, and how ambition was balanced with realistic goal setting. Based on the findings of the thesis, practical recommendations were presented for refining the OKR process to better fit the realities of the global manufacturing company with a matrix structure.Organisaatiot ovat yhä enemmän ottaneet käyttöön uusia tavoiteasettelun viitekehyksiä parantaakseen strategian toimeenpanoa ja liiketoiminnan suorituskykyä. Yksi näistä viitekehyksistä on Objectives and Key Results (OKR), josta on tullut laajasti käytetty erityisesti teknologiayrityksissä. Tämä diplomityö tarkasteli, miten OKR-viitekehystä voidaan hyödyntää strategisten tavoitteiden edistämisessä ja liiketoiminnan suorituskyvyn parantamisessa globaalissa matriisirakenteisessa valmistavassa yrityksessä. Tutkimuksen tavoitteena oli tunnistaa vahvuudet, haasteet ja kehitysmahdollisuudet case-yrityksen nykyisessä OKR-mallissa.
Tutkimus toteutettiin kvalitatiivisena tapaustutkimuksena. Se yhdistää kirjallisuuskatsauksen ja puolistrukturoidut haastattelut, joita tehtiin case-yrityksen työntekijöille, jotka käyttävät OKR-mallia työssään. Tulokset tuovat esiin keskeiset mahdollisuudet ja esteet OKR-mallin tehokkaalle käytölle, kuten läpinäkyvyys, kannustinjärjestelmät ja organisaatiotasoja yhdistävä linjakkuus. Vaikka OKR-mallin havaittiin tukevan strategista fokusta, sen hyödynnettävyyteen vaikuttivat muun muassa erot käyttöönoton johdonmukaisuudessa, mallin kytkentä kannustimiin, sekä kunnianhimon ja realistisen tavoiteasetannan tasapaino. Tutkimuksen tulosten pohjalta esitettiin käytännön suosituksia OKR-prosessin kehittämiseksi niin, että se vastaisi paremmin globaalin matriisirakenteisen valmistavan yrityksen toimintaympäristön tarpeita
Havupuukeiton sulfiditeetin vaikutus saostetun ligniinin rikkipitoisuuteen ja laatuun
No full textThis thesis studies how changes in sulfidity of white liquor in softwood cooking influence sulfur content and lignin quality. Prepared lignin samples were characterized, and the results were compared with previous internal studies and literature values.
The aim was to produce four different lignin samples using four types of black liquor. One lignin sample was produced from soda cooked black liquor, while the remaining three were precipitated from kraft cooked black liquors. Precipitation was carried out following the Lignoboost® method. The precipitated and filtered alkaline lignins were then purified with sulfuric acid. Finally, the filtrated cakes were neutralized, dried, and analyzed.
Filter press, manufactured by Autemi, was tested as a part of this thesis with the goal of evaluating its potential for filtering and washing lignin at laboratory scale. Alkaline filtration was done using the filter press whereas the acidic slurries were filtrated and neutralized using bühner-funnel instead of filter press.
The results showed that increasing sulfidity in kraft softwood cooking led to a higher sulfur content in washed lignin. An increase in the sulfidity of white liquor from 15 % to 30 %, nearly doubled the sulfur content in lignin samples from 1.7 % to 3.2 %. The higher amount of sulfur in kraft lignins was also found to lower the glass transition temperature.
The resulting lignin cake contained significant carryovers, which caused residual sulfuric acid concentration in the lignin during drying. This led to elevated sulfur contents in the final products. These findings suggest that more efficient dewatering could reduce impurities. The utilization of the filter press is recommended for further filtration studies of precipitated lignin.Ligniiniä voidaan valmistaa selluteollisuuden sivutuotteena mustalipeästä. Diplomityön tavoitteena oli selvittää, vaikuttaako sulfiditeetin muutos havupuukeitoissa mustalipeästä saostetun ligniinin rikkipitoisuuteen ja laatuun. Ligniinit analysoitiin ja tuloksia vertailtiin aiempiin sisäisiin tuloksiin sekä kirjallisuusarvoihin.
Kokeellisessa osassa valmistettiin neljä erilaista mustalipeää, joista saostettiin ligniiniä. Ligniinin valmistuksessa laboratorio-olosuhteissa, pyrittiin seuraamaan LignoBoost®-prosessia. Yksi ligniineistä saostettiin rikittömästä soodakeiton mustalipeästä, loput kolme ligniiniä valmistettiin havupuulle tyypillisestä kraft-keiton mustalipeästä. Saostetut alkaliset ligniinit puhdistettiin rikkihapolla ja viimeisteltiin syrjäytyspesuilla.
Työssä testattiin suodinpuristimen soveltuvuutta laboratoriossa saostetun ligniinin suodattamiseen. Alkalisen lietteen suodatus tehtiin suodinpuristimella. Puhdistusvaiheessa happaman lietteen sakeutukseen ja syrjäytyspesuihin käytettiin bühner-suppiloa.
Mustalipeistä saostettu ligniini kuivattiin ja karakterisoitiin Ruotsissa. Tuloksista havaittiin, että keiton aikana rikki siirtyi mustalipeään ja siitä edelleen saostettuun ligniiniin. Kun valkolipeän sulfiditeetti tuplattiin 15 %:sta 30 %:iin, lopputuotteen rikkipitoisuus nousi 1.7 %:sta 3.2 %:iin.
Rikkipitoisuudet ligniineissä oli oletettua korkeammat. Korkeat rikkipitoisuudet ligniinissä kertoivat pesun tehottomuudesta. Uudelleen saostettu, puhdistettu ligniini tulisi ehdottomasti puristaa, jotta epäpuhtauksien siirtymä pesuvaiheesta toiseen vähenisi. Epäpuhtauksien suurten määrän vuoksi ligniinin ominaisuudet heikkenivät aiempiin sisäisiin tutkimuksiin verraten. Suodinpuristinta suositellaan vastaaviin, suurempien näytemäärien suodatuskokeisiin
Implementing big data for strategic marketing decisions : understanding the social consumer’s behaviour
Get PDFThis research investigates how companies implement big data to understand their social consumer’s behaviour and leverage these insights to take strategic decisions. The academic literature showed that big data can be a very powerful asset for marketers. However, academic articles about this topic are not numerous, mostly focus on just one aspect of big data and are quite old. Thus, there is a gap existing between theory and real-life practices. This research aims to bridge this gap via a qualitative approach based on semi-structured interviews with data and marketing professionals from different industries, marketing positions and company-sizes. The findings from both sources were cross-analysed and highlight that big data is perceived as essential for marketers with large companies using it as the foundation of their marketing strategies, while SMEs use it in a more ad hoc manner. But big data also comes with requirements like having a data maturity level assessment, investing in powerful software and hiring skilled professionals. Some similar challenges were also identified like the need for data centralization and the importance of data reliability. But real-life practices showed some aspects that are yet to be explored by academics like the time-consuming aspect of big data, the adoption barriers which are now limited compared to 10 years ago, or the lack of GDPR issues recognition. Finally, the results highlighted a data quantity paradox faced by marketers. Overall, this research offers a comprehensive understanding of big data implementation, identifying it gains and costs via actionable final recommendations for marketers and highlighting needs for future research for academics