Research in industrial engineering and management

Research on industrial engineering and management concerns industrial and knowledge-intensive operations and their persistent development in organizations and organizational networks.  

The following research projects are now active: 

  • Resilient and accessible power system with large shares of solar energy (REalSolar) 

  • Data-Driven Sustainability Management (DDSM), 2023-2025

  • From Dust to value: Circular bio-based residues (D2V), 2023-2026

  • Circular Economy and Sustainability of a Shipyard, 2023-2025

  • Circular Economy Localization in Finland: Innovating Industrial Symbiosis in South Western Finland (CELFI), 2024-2026 

We prepare new research topics and projects continuously. We engage in research cooperation with companies and other organizations in R&D projects (for example through projects funded by Business Finland, Research Council of Finland, EU, etc.) and in smaller-scale, company-specific problem-solving, analysis and development projects. Short research activities can be included also in teaching (e.g., group assignments, thesis projects).  

Examples of research topics

Research on circular economy business

  • Sustainability and lifecycle assessment (LCA)

  • Modeling systems and processes

  • Techno-economic evaluation

  • Managing circular economy business

  • Industrial symbiosis  

Research on process and change management

Our research focuses on strategic decision making, organizing, and designing organizational processes and structures. For example: 

  • Strategy as practice

  • Sociomateriality in decision making

  • Organizational dynamics and sustainable transformation of organizational systems 

  • Responsibility strategies and their leadership

  • Corporate boards; responsibility in board operations

  • Cognitive and emotional factors in decision making

  • Organizing for sustainable development (e.g., quality and environmental management)

  • Organizing responsible leadership in relation to the operating environment

  • Leading responsibility teams

  • Resolving tensions stemming from responsible leadership in stakeholder relations

  • Responsible process management  

Research on innovation and project management

We conduct research on innovations concerning products, services, business models, and processes and efficient project operations and management of project business. For example: 

  • Strategic change programs and their management (in companies and organizational networks)

  • Selection and steering of development project portfolios and programs; decision making in innovation processes

  • Managing innovation-related processes and operations in organizations (innovation governance)

  • Front end of innovations and its management

  • Systemic innovations and their management in organizational networks

  • Identifying and defining sustainability value as part of innovation projects and programs

  • Manufacturing innovations, especially additive manufacturing and process innovations

  • Supply chain innovations, promoting innovations in organizational networks

  • Personnel’s perceptions of technological innovations: technology readiness, innovation adoption, innovation implementation 

Other research topics

We may carry out research also in some other topics, depending on the competence profiles and interest areas of our personnel. For example: 

  • Organizing production; organizing, managing, and developing industrial operations

  • Technology management, new technology-based business

  • Industrial service business, servitization of manufacturing, service business development

  • Etc.