Mia Salo profile picture

Mia
Salo

Doctoral Researcher, Management and Organisation
Doctor in spe in BIODIFUL research project

Contact

Links

ORCID

Areas of expertise

Logotheory/logotherapy
meaningfulness
experience of meaningfulness
meaningful work and life
axiological knowledge and knowing

Biography

I am an organisational scholar studying meaningfulness and specialized in Viktor E. Frankl's logotheory, that is, a normative theory of meaning and values connected to a distinct philosophy of man. Currently, I work in BIODIFUL (Biodiversity Respectful Leadership) research project funded by The Strategic Research Council (SRC) in the Academy of Finland. I defended my dissertation The Existential Nature of Meaningfulness. Advancing Theorising on Meaningfulness and Research on Meaningful Work through Viktor Frankl's Logotheory in January 2026.

I have studied and/or taught logotheory since 2008. Through this, I became aware of the necessity of the academic research on logotheory in the field of management and organization. Based on both literature and my own experience, I know that meaningfulness matters to well-being – and beyond.

At TSE, in management and organization, I have taught / teach in different courses.

Teaching

Organization science, University of Turku, School of Economics

  • JO3 Perspectives on Organizations, 2-4 ECTS, 2022 & 2023. Responsible teacher
  • JO1 Leadership, Performance and Wellbeing at Work. Lecture on 'Meaningful work' 2021-2025
  • JO1 Leadership, Performance and Wellbeing at Work, 6 ECTS, 2026. Responsible teacher with E. Honkasalo
  • JO022204 Business and Nature. Lecture on 'Meaningfulness and nature-respectful leadership practices' 2024-2025
  • JOY Introduction to management and organization. Workshop & revising exams 2024
  • PYJO3036 PJOS19 Critical Perspectives to Leadership and to the Development of a Humane Working Life. Lecture on Nature-respectful leadership 2/2025 and 10/2025


Logotheory, The Finnish Institute of Logotherapy

  • Basic Studies in Logotherapy LTI®, 25 ECTS; 08/2015-05/2016; 01-12/2017; 09/2018–06/2019
  • Advanced Studies in Logotherapy LTI®, 30 ECTS; 08/2016-05/2017; 09/19–06/2020
  • Logotheory lectures for work advisors; a 3-day logotheory section once a year 2011-2014


Music business & entrepreneurship, The Sibelius Academy Educational Center

  • Music Entrepreneur and Music Business -course, director and principal teacher 20 credits, 2004-2005
  • Music Entrepreneur and Music Business -course, one of the principal teachers, 20 credits, 1997


    Research

    I work as a postdoctoral researcher in the BIODIFUL research project aiming to develop biodiversity-respectful leadership. 

    My research topic is meaningfulness. In my doctoral dissertation, I pieced together the meta-level theoretical framework of Viktor E. Frankl's logotherapy, that is, logotheory, and used it to study the existential facet of meaningfulness and meaningful work. The theoretical contributions contain, for example, a value-based typology of meaningfulness and a future research agenda for meaningful work. The dissertation generates novel theoretical insights into three research areas: meaningful work, meaningful life, and logotherapy.

    My research builds on my prior career as a practitioner.

    Publications

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    BIODIFUL Politiikkasuositus : Luonnon köyhtyminen vaarantaa turvallisuutemme (2024)

    Sääksjärvi, Ilari; Unkila, Milla; Puustinen, Sari; Quarshie, Anne; Teerikangas, Satu; Räikkönen, Juulia; Oksanen, Hanna; Salo, Matti; Salo,Mia; Uusitalo Outi; Onkila, Tiina; Uusitalo, Ville; Pecoraro Maria; Mäkelä, Marileena; Tyrväinen, Liisa; Hopia, Anu; Rouhiainen, Henna; Svels, Stina; Grenman, Miia; Kuhmonen, Irene; Ahvenharju, Sanna; Lauttamäki, Ville; Järviö, Natasha; Tuomasjukka, Saska; Turunen, Marja; Veijalainen, Anu; Sorakunnas, Esko; Lappalainen, Otto; Walhsten, Aliisa
    (D4 Julkaistu kehittämis- tai tutkimusraportti tai -selvitys )

    Addressing the biodiversity crisis via leadership – An interdisciplinary review, concept development & research agenda (Presentation at the Corporate Responsibility Research Conference (CRRC) 2023) (2023)

    Corporate Responsibility Research Conference
    Teerikangas Satu, Sääksjärvi Ilari, Räikkönen Juulia, Salo Matti, Uusitalo Outi, Pecoraro Maria, Onkila Tiina, Puustinen Sari, Uusitalo Ville, Mäkelä Marileena, Unkila Milla, Salo Mia, Tyrväinen Liisa, Hopia Anu, Rouhiainen Henna, Svels Stina, Grenman Miia, Kuhmonen Irene, Ahvenharju Sanna, Lauttamäki Ville, Järviö Natasha, Tuomasjukka Saska, Turunen Marja, Veijalainen Anu, Sorakunnas Esko, Lappalainen Roni, Lappalainen Otto, Walhsten Aliisa, Luoma Tommi, Hakulinen Anna, Oksanen Hanna, Möksy Juulia, Kervinen Ville, Lehtovaara Katri
    (O2 Muu julkaisu )
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