Helinä Melkas
Biographic Data
| ID | 4155077 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Helinä Melkas |
| GIVEN NAMES | Helinä |
| FAMILY NAME | Melkas |
| SIGNATURE | MELKAS H |
| AFFILIATIONS | Lappeenranta-Lahti University of Technology |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-9455-819X |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 18 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 28 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 17 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 1 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2005 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2025 |
| H-INDEX | 3 |
Towards Technology Domestication in a Care Organization? Facilitating and Hindering Factors in Care Robot Use
Despite the growing interest in using robots in elderly care, there is still little experience with these robots in real care settings—particularly how technologies are integrated into services in a long-term perspective. This study analyses the use of the care robot Zora in public elderly care services in Finland. We use domestication theory as our conceptual framework for analyzing the processes when a care robot is used in a care organization.…
Assistant nurses and orientation to care robot use in three European countries
This study investigates assistant nurses’ views on and needs for orientation to care robot use in three European countries. The use of care robots is gradually being incorporated into welfare services. Orientation to care robot use (in short, introduction to the use of the care robot technology) has thus become a key issue for care services. A survey was sent to assistant nurses in Finland, Germany, and Sweden, to which 302 participants responded…
Decision-makers’ attitudes toward the use of care robots in welfare services
The purpose of this study was to investigate the attitudes of decision-makers toward the use of care robots in welfare services. We investigated their knowledge regarding the use of care robots in welfare services as well as their attitudes toward using robots in their own care and in the care of various user groups, for example, children, youths, and older people. We conducted an online survey with a range of Finnish decision-makers as responden…
Knowledge brokerage needs in building care robotics innovation ecosystems and networks
In the ecosystem and network perspectives on innovation, cooperation between various actors is seen as essential to innovation. Because of several factors known to hinder cooperation, the literature has pointed out the need for knowledge brokerage functions. This paper investigates knowledge brokerage needs in building care robotics innovation ecosystems and networks in Finland. The research questions are as follows: What are macro-, meso- and mi…
Information ecology in digitalising welfare services: A multi-level analysis
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine and reinterpret information ecology in the context of the changing environment of services, which has been strongly affected by digitalisation and increasing citizen engagement. Here, information ecology refers to the interaction and co-evolution of technologies, human beings and the social environment. Design/methodology/approach The data consist of 25 thematic interviews conducted in a public Finn…
Revealing social values in the context of peer-to-peer energy sharing: A methodological approach
Peer-to-peer (P2P) energy sharing models fundamentally thrive on the social interconnectedness among end-users, but the literature fails to provide fit-for-purpose methodologies that uncover their Social Sciences & Humanities aspects. Therefore, this paper devised the first overarching social values-based assessment framework that allows the identification of underlying social values associated with these models. Thence, this paper looks at wheth…
Care Robot Orientation: What, Who and How? Potential Users’ Perceptions
Exploring the specific field of care robot orientation generates many questions regarding the meaning, content and how it should be conducted. The issue is important due to the general digitalisation and implementation of welfare technology and care robots. The aim of the study was to explore perceptions of care robot orientation from the potential users’ perspective. Data were collected by focus group interviews in Finland, Germany and Sweden. I…
Social Enterprise: A Study of Its Prevalence, Role and Characteristics in Swedish‐Speaking Regions of Finland
An increasing literature has emerged to examine development of social enterprises (SEs) in varying national or regional contexts. This paper presents empirical research on SEs in Finland’s Swedish‐speaking regions. Differences between Finnish speakers and Swedish speakers have been identified in studies on, for instance, social capital and communality. Both groups have equal constitutional status. This study focuses on the prevalence, role and ch…
Embedding care robots into society and practice: Socio-technical considerations
Robots are not yet typical in daily use in elder care services, but recent studies suggest that they will soon be mainstream. In this study, we focus on the future of elder care, affected by the emergence of care robotics. We tackle the socio-technical transition—a multi-level change with a re-configuration of social and technological elements of the system—of elder care. The transition in the elder care system and the conditions of the embedding…
Can robots tackle late-life loneliness? Scanning of future opportunities and challenges in assisted living facilities
This future-oriented study examines the opportunities and challenges offered by social robots and communication technology when aiming to decrease emotional and social loneliness in older people residing in assisted living (AL). The paper draws on prior literature on loneliness, elder care and social robots. The aim is to scan the futures regarding technology support for the frail older people in future AL. The analytical frame was built on Rober…
Could robots strengthen the sense of autonomy of older people residing in assisted living facilities?—A future-oriented study
There is an urge to introduce high technology and robotics in care settings. Assisted living (AL) is the fastest growing form of older adults’ long-term care. Resident autonomy has become the watchword for good care. This article sheds light on the potential effects of care robotics on the sense of autonomy of older people in AL. Three aspects of the residents’ sense of autonomy are of particular interest: (a) interaction-based sense of autonomy,…
Understanding frugal innovation: A case study of university professionals in developed countries
Frugal innovation will likely play an important part in the future of innovation management. In developed countries like Finland, it has attracted only meagre research attention thus far, but global interest in the concept is increasing quite rapidly. The study focuses on how frugal innovation is understood among developed countries’ professionals and nascent professionals in a technical university setting. The study aims to contribute to an impr…
Robots do not replace a nurse with a beating heart: The publicity around a robotic innovation in elderly care
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the publicity around the implementation of the Zora robot in elderly-care services in Lahti, Finland. The aim is to discover opinions concerning the use of robots in elderly care as well as the arguments and justifications behind those opinions. Zora is a humanoid robot intended to promote mobility and rehabilitation. The Lahti pilot was the first Zora pilot in Finland in public elderly-care ser…
Do Finnish work integration enterprises benefit the community
This study explores Finnish work integration social enterprises through social enterprise criteria identified in previous research, notably the aim to benefit the community. Previous research has identified positive motivations in social enterprises, but whether these are played out in practice is less examined. This study makes a contribution by exploring the situation in Finland, where social enterprises are still a relatively new phenomenon as…
Facilitating future-oriented collaborative knowledge creation by using artistic organizational innovation methods: Experiences from a Finnish wood-processing company
Practice-Based Innovation: Insights, Applications and Policy Implications
Quality of data, information and knowledge in regional foresight processes
Incorporating futures research into regional knowledge creation and management
Incorporating futures research into regional knowledge creation and management
Robots do not replace a nurse with a beating heart: The publicity around a robotic innovation in elderly care
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the publicity around the implementation of the Zora robot in elderly-care services in Lahti, Finland. The aim is to discover opinions concerning the use of robots in elderly care as well as the arguments and justifications behind those opinions. Zora is a humanoid robot intended to promote mobility and rehabilitation. The Lahti pilot was the first Zora pilot in Finland in public elderly-care ser…
Embedding care robots into society and practice: Socio-technical considerations
Robots are not yet typical in daily use in elder care services, but recent studies suggest that they will soon be mainstream. In this study, we focus on the future of elder care, affected by the emergence of care robotics. We tackle the socio-technical transition—a multi-level change with a re-configuration of social and technological elements of the system—of elder care. The transition in the elder care system and the conditions of the embedding…
Facilitating future-oriented collaborative knowledge creation by using artistic organizational innovation methods: Experiences from a Finnish wood-processing company
Can robots tackle late-life loneliness? Scanning of future opportunities and challenges in assisted living facilities
This future-oriented study examines the opportunities and challenges offered by social robots and communication technology when aiming to decrease emotional and social loneliness in older people residing in assisted living (AL). The paper draws on prior literature on loneliness, elder care and social robots. The aim is to scan the futures regarding technology support for the frail older people in future AL. The analytical frame was built on Rober…
Could robots strengthen the sense of autonomy of older people residing in assisted living facilities?—A future-oriented study
There is an urge to introduce high technology and robotics in care settings. Assisted living (AL) is the fastest growing form of older adults’ long-term care. Resident autonomy has become the watchword for good care. This article sheds light on the potential effects of care robotics on the sense of autonomy of older people in AL. Three aspects of the residents’ sense of autonomy are of particular interest: (a) interaction-based sense of autonomy,…
Incorporating futures research into regional knowledge creation and management
Quality of data, information and knowledge in regional foresight processes
Practice-Based Innovation: Insights, Applications and Policy Implications
Facilitating future-oriented collaborative knowledge creation by using artistic organizational innovation methods: Experiences from a Finnish wood-processing company
Do Finnish work integration enterprises benefit the community
This study explores Finnish work integration social enterprises through social enterprise criteria identified in previous research, notably the aim to benefit the community. Previous research has identified positive motivations in social enterprises, but whether these are played out in practice is less examined. This study makes a contribution by exploring the situation in Finland, where social enterprises are still a relatively new phenomenon as…
Understanding frugal innovation: A case study of university professionals in developed countries
Frugal innovation will likely play an important part in the future of innovation management. In developed countries like Finland, it has attracted only meagre research attention thus far, but global interest in the concept is increasing quite rapidly. The study focuses on how frugal innovation is understood among developed countries’ professionals and nascent professionals in a technical university setting. The study aims to contribute to an impr…
Robots do not replace a nurse with a beating heart: The publicity around a robotic innovation in elderly care
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the publicity around the implementation of the Zora robot in elderly-care services in Lahti, Finland. The aim is to discover opinions concerning the use of robots in elderly care as well as the arguments and justifications behind those opinions. Zora is a humanoid robot intended to promote mobility and rehabilitation. The Lahti pilot was the first Zora pilot in Finland in public elderly-care ser…
Could robots strengthen the sense of autonomy of older people residing in assisted living facilities?—A future-oriented study
There is an urge to introduce high technology and robotics in care settings. Assisted living (AL) is the fastest growing form of older adults’ long-term care. Resident autonomy has become the watchword for good care. This article sheds light on the potential effects of care robotics on the sense of autonomy of older people in AL. Three aspects of the residents’ sense of autonomy are of particular interest: (a) interaction-based sense of autonomy,…
Care Robot Orientation: What, Who and How? Potential Users’ Perceptions
Exploring the specific field of care robot orientation generates many questions regarding the meaning, content and how it should be conducted. The issue is important due to the general digitalisation and implementation of welfare technology and care robots. The aim of the study was to explore perceptions of care robot orientation from the potential users’ perspective. Data were collected by focus group interviews in Finland, Germany and Sweden. I…
Social Enterprise: A Study of Its Prevalence, Role and Characteristics in Swedish‐Speaking Regions of Finland
An increasing literature has emerged to examine development of social enterprises (SEs) in varying national or regional contexts. This paper presents empirical research on SEs in Finland’s Swedish‐speaking regions. Differences between Finnish speakers and Swedish speakers have been identified in studies on, for instance, social capital and communality. Both groups have equal constitutional status. This study focuses on the prevalence, role and ch…
Embedding care robots into society and practice: Socio-technical considerations
Robots are not yet typical in daily use in elder care services, but recent studies suggest that they will soon be mainstream. In this study, we focus on the future of elder care, affected by the emergence of care robotics. We tackle the socio-technical transition—a multi-level change with a re-configuration of social and technological elements of the system—of elder care. The transition in the elder care system and the conditions of the embedding…
Can robots tackle late-life loneliness? Scanning of future opportunities and challenges in assisted living facilities
This future-oriented study examines the opportunities and challenges offered by social robots and communication technology when aiming to decrease emotional and social loneliness in older people residing in assisted living (AL). The paper draws on prior literature on loneliness, elder care and social robots. The aim is to scan the futures regarding technology support for the frail older people in future AL. The analytical frame was built on Rober…
Information ecology in digitalising welfare services: A multi-level analysis
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine and reinterpret information ecology in the context of the changing environment of services, which has been strongly affected by digitalisation and increasing citizen engagement. Here, information ecology refers to the interaction and co-evolution of technologies, human beings and the social environment. Design/methodology/approach The data consist of 25 thematic interviews conducted in a public Finn…
Revealing social values in the context of peer-to-peer energy sharing: A methodological approach
Peer-to-peer (P2P) energy sharing models fundamentally thrive on the social interconnectedness among end-users, but the literature fails to provide fit-for-purpose methodologies that uncover their Social Sciences & Humanities aspects. Therefore, this paper devised the first overarching social values-based assessment framework that allows the identification of underlying social values associated with these models. Thence, this paper looks at wheth…
Knowledge brokerage needs in building care robotics innovation ecosystems and networks
In the ecosystem and network perspectives on innovation, cooperation between various actors is seen as essential to innovation. Because of several factors known to hinder cooperation, the literature has pointed out the need for knowledge brokerage functions. This paper investigates knowledge brokerage needs in building care robotics innovation ecosystems and networks in Finland. The research questions are as follows: What are macro-, meso- and mi…
Assistant nurses and orientation to care robot use in three European countries
This study investigates assistant nurses’ views on and needs for orientation to care robot use in three European countries. The use of care robots is gradually being incorporated into welfare services. Orientation to care robot use (in short, introduction to the use of the care robot technology) has thus become a key issue for care services. A survey was sent to assistant nurses in Finland, Germany, and Sweden, to which 302 participants responded…
Decision-makers’ attitudes toward the use of care robots in welfare services
The purpose of this study was to investigate the attitudes of decision-makers toward the use of care robots in welfare services. We investigated their knowledge regarding the use of care robots in welfare services as well as their attitudes toward using robots in their own care and in the care of various user groups, for example, children, youths, and older people. We conducted an online survey with a range of Finnish decision-makers as responden…
Towards Technology Domestication in a Care Organization? Facilitating and Hindering Factors in Care Robot Use
Despite the growing interest in using robots in elderly care, there is still little experience with these robots in real care settings—particularly how technologies are integrated into services in a long-term perspective. This study analyses the use of the care robot Zora in public elderly care services in Finland. We use domestication theory as our conceptual framework for analyzing the processes when a care robot is used in a care organization.…
Computer Science (16 works) · Business (11 works) · Knowledge management (11 works) · Political science (11 works) · Psychology (11 works) · Artificial Intelligence (9 works) · Robot (8 works) · Marketing (7 works) · Sociology (7 works) · Technology Use by Older Adults (7 works)