Marketing and Consumption Research

About the research group

We are an ambitious, dynamic and supportive community of marketing and consumption research scholars united by our commitment to excellence and diversity. Our strength lies in our multifaceted approaches, embracing various research areas, methodologies, and analytical perspectives to address today's most pressing marketing challenges.

Our mission is to promote long-term business success while creating positive social and environmental sustainability through innovative cutting edge marketing research that benefits consumers, businesses, and society at large.

Latest updates

News 04.05.2026

Consumers want to know what they eat – Local food networks support sustainable consumption

Nainen lajittelemassa vaatteita kierrätykseen

Media release 03.02.2026

VTT, the University of Vaasa and Finnish companies are developing a new user-friendly collection solution for used clothing

Olohuone, jossa on puisia huonekaluja ja harmaa nojatuoli

News 09.12.2025

University of Vaasa involved in developing circular solutions for the European furniture industry

Show more news

Research projects

Project	Duration	Actors
Sustainable and responsible food province	09/2023 - 08/2025	Marketing and Communication, Marketing and Consumption Research
Organizing REKO	08/2023 - 07/2026	Marketing and Consumption Research, Marketing and Communication
Twin Revolution	04/2022 - 07/2024	Marketing and Communication, Marketing and Consumption Research
4everPack - Circular business from reusable packaking for fast moving consumer goods	08/2021 - 07/2023	Marketing and Consumption Research, Marketing and Communication
Citizens as agents of change in decarbonizing suburban and rural housing (DECARBON-HOME)	10/2020 - 09/2026	Marketing and Communication, Marketing and Consumption Research, Communication studies
Co-development of healthier reformulated successful food products in South-Ostrobothnia (orig. Terveellisemmäksi reformuloitujen menestysruokatuotteiden yhteiskehittäminen Etelä-Pohjanmaalla)	04/2020 - 03/2022	Marketing and Consumption Research, Marketing and Communication
FLEXIMAR, Novel marketplace for energy flexibility	04/2019 - 12/2020	Smart electric systems, VEBIC, Marketing and Consumption Research
SolarX – Maximizing PV integration capacity in energy and power systems	01/2019 - 04/2022	Smart electric systems, VEBIC, Marketing and Consumption Research, Technology and Innovations

Publications

Publication year	Publication	Authors
2026	Special Issue: Power in business relationships: a systems thinking perspective	Siemieniako, Dariusz; Makkonen, Hannu; Mitręga, Maciej
2026	(Un)doing Markets: Inter-Field Dynamics, Collective Action and the Emergence of Music Streaming	Yngfalk, Carl; Fyrberg Yngfalk, Anna; Skålén, Per
2026	From proposed to realized narrative: tracing the application of service-dominant logic’s foundational premises as theory travelling	Makkonen, Hannu; Mäntymäki, Matti; Aspara, Jaakko; Kaartemo, Valtteri
2026	A systems perspective on power in business relationships and networks under geopolitical, technological, and ESG pressures: Editorial for the special issue	Siemieniako, Dariusz; Makkonen, Hannu; Mitręga, Maciej
2026	Advancing conceptual clarity in marketing science: Delineating process and systems perspectives on value co-creation	Makkonen, Hannu; Aspara, Jaakko; Grönroos, Christian; Mäntymäki, Matti
2026	Animals for Assistance to Humans	Rimppi, Anna-Mari; Syrjälä, Henna; Wünderlich, Nancy V.; Rötzmeier-Keuper, Julia
2026	Theorizing goods and services as practices: How they interrelate and cocreate and codestroy value	Sahhar, Yasin; Skålén, Per
2026	What Is the Role of Personas in Environmental Sustainability Studies? A Systematic Review of 36 Research Articles	Patil, Rajat; Salminen, Joni; Akhtar, Waleed; Shakeel, Shah Rukh; Jansen, Bernard J.
2026	AI-driven digital transformation in SMEs: pathways to resilience, value co-creation, and sustainable performance	Sohu, Jan Muhammad; Shaikh, Sonia Najam; Makhdoom, Quswah; Shakeel, Shah Rukh; Kherazi, Fatima Zahra
2026	Understanding Spatiotemporal-Aware Multimodal Conversational Search in the Outdoor Urban Space	Xu, Jiangnan; Seo, Suyeon; Salminen, Joni; Saker, Michael; Shin, Joongi; Chamberlain, Alan; Papangelis, Konstantinos; Kim, Dae Hyun

Research group leaders