1. Specialisation Objectives
Our four-year specialisation in innovation and entrepreneurship is created to support willing and capable candidates to obtain a high quality research education that qualifies for academic careers at leading research institutions or as advanced specialists elsewhere. The programme focuses on developing the candidates’ theoretical and methodological capabilities and skills through careful research practice as well as theoretical studies required to become capable of disciplined and creative new theory creation.
The programme seeks highly qualified candidates with background in disciplines that are relevant to studies of innovation and entrepreneurship. We require that all candidates have a sufficient knowledge of business management subjects to enter the programme. However, we also recognize and appreciate the relevancy and fertility of different academic disciplines to this area of research such as economics, finance, industrial organization, economic history, economic sociology and –anthropology, in addition to business management, science- and technology studies etc. This various theoretical and disciplinary approaches are reflected in the programme as well as among our faculty members. The programme will provide a basis for a mature and critical attitude through emphasis on in-dept empirical and theoretical studies.
The doctoral programme is highly important to the department’s research agenda within areas of knowledge production that steadily has emerged as absolutely crucial to the modern world of business and society.
2. The Department
The Department of Innovation and Economic Organisation is committed to research and teaching in topics related to entrepreneurship, innovation management, economic organization and industrial dynamics. The research covers a broad range of industries and businesses such as energy, environmental technologies, shipping, biotech, food, services, tourism and experience industries, insurance, banking, telecom, logistics, etc. It consists of 42 faculty members, including eight professors, five associate professors, seven adjunct professors and six senior researchers.
Within its overall pluralistic approach, the faculty tends to favour process-, network- and institutionally oriented approaches to studying and understanding business, economy and society, based on research approaches that are rooted in sociological, anthropological, historical and evolutionary economic perspectives and methodologies.
The faculty publishes its research in international academic journals, monographs and anthologies.
The department contains the following research centres and faculty research groups:
- Faculty group for innovation and entrepreneurship studies
- Faculty group for business and economic history
- Faculty group for tourism and experience economy
- Centre for Business History
- Centre for Energy and Environment
- Centre for Cooperative Studies
- Centre for Social and Corporate Responsibility
Recent (2007-2009) notable publications include:
- Prenkert, Frans, Enrico Baraldi, Håkan Håkansson and Alexandra Waluszewski (2009): Use of Science and Technology in Business. Employing the Impact of Using Activity for Systems, Organizations, and People, Emerald Group Publishing
- Håkansson, Håkon and Alexandra Waluszewski (2007): Knowledge and Innovation in Business and Industry. The importance of using others. Routledge
- Huse, Morten (2009): “The Value Creating Board: Corporate Governance and Organizational Behaviour”, Routledge, Oxford
- Bakken, Tore and Tor Hernes (2007) Autopoietic Organization Theory. In The SAGE Dictionary of Qualitative Management Research. London: Sage
- Feldmann, Susanna, Martin Iversen, Hans Sjøgren, Lars Thue (2008): Creating Nordic Capitalism. The Development of a Competitive Periphery. Palgrave Macmillan
3. Areas of Research
- Innovation processes in various industries
- Studies of innovative economies and industries
- Entrepreneurial finance, Venture Capital and Private Equity Industry
- History of innovative enterprises and industrial dynamics
- Governance and management of innovative enterprises
4. Distinguishing Features of the Specialisation
The program emphasises both qualitative and quantitative research methods. The majority of completed doctoral thesis has concentrated on various kinds of detailed case studies that may also include substantial elements of quantitative analysis.
All doctoral candidates are expected to participate actively in research activities within the department.
