Väitös (kansainvälinen liiketoiminta): KTM Kaisamaija Välimäki

KTM Kaisamaija Välimäki esittää väitöskirjansa ”Navigating the Effectiveness Agenda in the Aid Sector. Focus on United Nations Field Practitioners” julkisesti tarkastettavaksi Turun yliopistossa perjantaina 31.10.2025 klo 12.15 (Turun yliopisto, Turun kauppakorkeakoulu, LähiTapiola-sali, Rehtorinpellonkatu 3, Turku).

Vastaväittäjänä toimii professori Gyöngyi Kovács (Svenska handelshögskolan, Suomi) ja kustoksena professori Niina Nummela (Turun yliopisto). Tilaisuus on englanninkielinen. Väitöksen alana on kansainvälinen liiketoiminta.

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Summary of the Doctoral Dissertation:

The effectiveness of international aid and development efforts continues to be challenged. My dissertation explores how United Nations staff working in the field deal with the increasing pressures to be more effective. As such, this research shines light on individual workers within large international organisations – an aspect that has received little attention.

My findings suggest that when it comes to effective work, mindset is more important than academic degrees or staff diversity factors. Workers need to be able to handle uncertainty, take responsibility, and make tough choices – even dare bend the rules when needed, “to do the right thing”. Instead of fitting the image of a selfless “do-gooder,” field workers of this study appear to be pragmatic professionals. They focus on whether their work really makes a difference and adds value.

I introduce the ideas of “savvy bureaucracy” and “bureaucratic hustle” to get work done. This hustle, pushing things forward, is fuelled by deep motivation, acceptance of difficult realities, and a belief in one’s own agency and ability to act. Interestingly, it appears that effectiveness may not necessarily be realised because of organisational processes but in spite of them. That means that to a degree, being effective is a personal choice.

My research suggests strategies for managing a diverse workforce in international operations, from recruitment practices to approaches advancing gender parity. Fit-for-purpose leadership competencies are also emphasised: the results show that while staff, even in the most difficult and dangerous of settings, can feel motivated and get a sense that their effort matters, this is closely linked with competent support and leadership. Most importantly, we learn that small, everyday actions can make a difference – even when the mission is to tackle the world’s grand problems. This is good news, a welcome message of hope, at these turbulent and uncertain times.