Proceedings of 8th European Assembly on telework (Telework2001)

234Klaudia Smolag gave her article a very self-explanatory name “Distance Learning in Poland”.Despite clear advantages, distance learning is not yet so much in use as it should and could be.Many teachers feel that computer-network –based education would necessitate very high computingskills. The paper reports too results from a survey conducted by the author in several Polishuniversities.Barbara Steward and Wendy Spinks contributed the paper “Telework and Health Management:UK and Japanese Research”. The paper discusses occupational health outcomes <strong>of</strong> telework. Bothsimilarities and differences between UK and Japan are found. The paper shows that telework willmake necessary a totally new approach to and definition <strong>of</strong> “sickness” and “absence” in workingrelations.Wolfgang Appelt and Konrad Klöckner presented the paper “Tele-cooperation with the BSCWShared Workspace System”. The acronym comes from the words “Basic Support for Co-operativeWork”. This system, partly developed by EU Finance, is already in wide use in Europe, anddescribed in great detail in the paper. Teleworking relationships are one natural application areafor this system.Wolfgang Heilmann, in his paper “Theses and Objectives on the Management <strong>of</strong> Tele-Processes”discusses the wide array <strong>of</strong> application <strong>of</strong> telecommunication in our society. He calls for newmanagement and leadership practices to take advantage <strong>of</strong> these new teleprocesses.Timo Kultanen too named his paper “Emotional Intelligence in Superior Knowledge Work” in aself-explanatory way. The paper stresses the importance <strong>of</strong> emotional intelligence in knowledgework, and focuses especially on the emotional intelligence skills <strong>of</strong> managers in teleworkrelationships.Pasi Pyöriä, with the paper “The Problems and Possibilities <strong>of</strong> Telework: a Critical Assessment”brings to discussion the fact that relatively few Finns actually engage themselves in traditionalwork-contract based telework. He recommends telework contracts to be made explicit and formal,and organizations to start with part-time telework.Hannu Salmela contributed the paper “From Generalists to Specialists: Managing Knowledge in aDistributed Service Organization”. The paper discusses the simultaneous challenges <strong>of</strong> providingservice close to customers, but at the same time maintaining organizational learning and sharedknowledge.Matti Vartiainen discussed “The Functionality <strong>of</strong> Virtual Organizations”. The paper studies thefunctions <strong>of</strong> virtual organizations from several conceptual viewpoints, and documents throughthree cases the frameworks in practice.Mikko Tarkiainen, in the paper “Mobile Tools for e-working in Geographically DistributedTeams - Cases: Electrolux Zanussi and Nokia Corporation”, presents results around an EU project“Motion”, which is to provide conceptual architectures and later concrete products to supportmobile workers.Lars Tollet, with the paper “Towards a More Sustainable Economy in Suburbia?”, provided adetailed case study <strong>of</strong> a Finnish cooperative enterprise, Taitoverkko. The case is discussed fromthe viewpoint that such cooperations could save rural areas from decline.