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Marketing and Consumption Research

About the research group

Marketing and Consumption Research Group has been traditionally known for its strong competence in consumer research. Today, this foundation is developed to encompass the multiplicity of different, but interrelated, marketplace actors operating in ecosystems consisting of both consumer and business partners.

The multiplicity in terms of research areas, methodologies, and focus of analysis constitute our key expertise. We combine profound market and consumer understanding within networked business knowledge to create novel insights and transformative marketing solutions that address strategic marketing and societal challenges from a systemic perspective. Thereby, our research shows how customers' mundane practices or decision-making rooted in socio-technical and historic frames are connected to offerings of variable business collaborators, and how this co-operation may induce value-creating outcomes. 

Our aim is to

  • Produce new marketing knowledge and refine the extant knowledge to customer value in co-creation with various stakeholders on the way towards a sustainable and prosperous society. 

The sustainability lens is a given starting point in our research providing an intersecting theme in the various research projects in transformative marketing. Our research group studies areas such as energy transition, food consumption, wood consumption and construction, retailing and tourism, as well as housing and living, fashion industry and higher education focusing both urban and rural contexts. The areas are approached with a view aiming at increasing well-being in all forms and levels of society. 

The paradigmatic and methodological variance is an important feature of our research group. Our research approaches comprise traditional surveys, experiments, case-studies, narratives, interviews, ethnographies and even more recently emergent areas such as priming studies, gamification, netnography, as well as practice theory. 

Accordingly, our research paradigms vary. Consumer studies are grounded on consumer psychology, evolutionary inspired theoratisation, Consumer Culture Theory, and Transformative Consumer/Service Research. The B2B (Business to Business) research stems from, besides Industrial Marketing Discipline, research approaches based on the IMP (Industrial Marketing and Purchasing), Business Relationships & Networks, and Innovation Management theories as ways to shape stakeholder value creation in business ecosystems. 

Regardless of the research topic related either to the business or consumer value creation or societal challenge at hand, we find ways to examine it.

We work in close collaboration with other academic schools at the University of Vaasa and with the university’s three research platforms (VEBIC, Digital Economy, and InnoLab). The different stakeholders including companies, cities, and municipalities as well as other non-profit organizations are our key partners.

The leader of our research group is Senior Researcher Henna Syrjälä. 

News and events

Research projects

Project Duration Actors
Sustainable and responsible food province - Marketing and Communication, Marketing and Consumption Research
Twin Revolution - Marketing and Communication, Marketing and Consumption Research
4everPack - Circular business from reusable packaking for fast moving consumer goods - Marketing and Consumption Research, Marketing and Communication
Citizens as agents of change in decarbonizing suburban and rural housing (DECARBON-HOME) - 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) - Marketing and Consumption Research, Marketing and Communication
FLEXIMAR, Novel marketplace for energy flexibility - Smart electric systems, VEBIC, Marketing and Consumption Research
SolarX – Maximizing PV integration capacity in energy and power systems - Smart electric systems, VEBIC, Marketing and Consumption Research, Technology and Innovations

Research group members

Leader of the research group: Henna Syrjälä
Head of subject: Hannu Makkonen
Programme manager: Hanna Leipämaa-Leskinen (M.Sc. programme in marketing)
Programme manager: Anu Norrgrann (B.Sc. programme in marketing)

Kuva
Henna Syrjälä

Henna Syrjälä

Senior Researcher
School of Marketing and Communication, Marketing
firstname.lastname@uwasa.fi
Puhelin
+358294498483
Toimisto
Ankkuri 1. floor
Open profile page
Kuva
Hannu Makkonen

Hannu Makkonen

Professor in Marketing
School of Marketing and Communication, Marketing
firstname.lastname@uwasa.fi
Puhelin
+358294498102
Toimisto
Ankkuri 1. floor
Open profile page
Kuva
Hanna Leipämaa-Leskinen

Hanna Leipämaa-Leskinen

Associate Professor (tenure track)
School of Marketing and Communication, Marketing
firstname.lastname@uwasa.fi
Puhelin
+358294498496
Toimisto
Ankkuri 1. floor
Open profile page
Kuva
Anu Norrgrann

Anu Norrgrann

University Teacher
School of Marketing and Communication, Marketing
firstname.lastname@uwasa.fi
Puhelin
+358294498745
Toimisto
Ankkuri 1. floor
Open profile page

Other research group members

Kuva
Hanna Ahtosalo

Hanna Ahtosalo

Doctoral Researcher
School of Marketing and Communication, Marketing
firstname.lastname@uwasa.fi
Puhelin
+358294498759
Open profile page
Kuva
Waleed Akhtar

Waleed Akhtar

Postdoctoral Researcher
School of Marketing and Communication, Marketing
firstname.lastname@uwasa.fi
Puhelin
+358294498409
Open profile page
Kuva
Anne-Kristiina Arvola

Anne-Kristiina Arvola

Project Researcher
School of Marketing and Communication, Marketing
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Kuva
Angelos Balatsas Lekkas

Angelos Balatsas Lekkas

Postdoctoral Researcher
School of Marketing and Communication, Marketing
Puhelin
+358294498692
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Kuva
Anu Bask

Anu Bask

Professor
School of Marketing and Communication, Marketing
firstname.lastname@uwasa.fi
Puhelin
+358294498360
Open profile page
Kuva
Petra Berg

Petra Berg

Postdoctoral Researcher
School of Marketing and Communication, Marketing
firstname.lastname@uwasa.fi
Puhelin
+358294498600
Toimisto
Ankkuri 1. floor
Open profile page
Kuva
Mona Enell-Nilsson

Mona Enell-Nilsson

Senior Researcher
School of Marketing and Communication, Marketing
firstname.lastname@uwasa.fi
Puhelin
+358294498400
Toimisto
Tritonia T605
Open profile page
Kuva
Elsi Eronen

Elsi Eronen

School of Marketing and Communication, Marketing
firstname.lastname@uwasa.fi
Puhelin
+358294498711
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Kuva
Shahid Hafeez

Shahid Hafeez

Project Researcher
School of Marketing and Communication, Marketing
firstname.lastname@uwasa.fi
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Kuva
Eero Halmelinna

Eero Halmelinna

Project Researcher
School of Marketing and Communication, Marketing
firstname.lastname@uwasa.fi
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Kuva
Ari Huuhka

Ari Huuhka

University Lecturer
School of Marketing and Communication, Marketing
firstname.lastname@uwasa.fi
Puhelin
+358294498479
Toimisto
Ankkuri 1. floor
Open profile page
Kuva
Ilona Huuskonen

Ilona Huuskonen

Teaching Assistant
School of Marketing and Communication, Marketing
firstname.lastname@uwasa.fi
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Kuva
Essi Häyhänen

Essi Häyhänen

School of Marketing and Communication, Marketing
firstname.lastname@uwasa.fi
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Kuva
Minna-Maarit Jaskari

Minna-Maarit Jaskari

University Lecturer
School of Marketing and Communication, Marketing
Puhelin
+358294498437
Toimisto
Ankkuri 1. floor
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Kuva
Maija Kantola

Maija Kantola

Doctoral Researcher
School of Marketing and Communication, Marketing
firstname.lastname@uwasa.fi
Puhelin
+358294498566
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Kuva
Sami Karhu

Sami Karhu

Professor of Practise, Cooperative business models
School of Marketing and Communication, Marketing
firstname.lastname@uwasa.fi
Puhelin
+358400545989
Toimisto
Ankkuri 1. floor
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Kuva
Suzi Kimura

Suzi Kimura

Project Researcher
School of Marketing and Communication, Marketing
firstname.lastname@uwasa.fi
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Kuva
Niklas Kurki

Niklas Kurki

Grant-Funded Researcher
School of Marketing and Communication, Marketing
firstname.lastname@uwasa.fi
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Kuva
Pirjo Laaksonen

Pirjo Laaksonen

Professor Emerita
School of Marketing and Communication, Marketing
firstname.lastname@uwasa.fi
Toimisto
Tervahovi B310
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Kuva
Eero Lehti

Eero Lehti

Teacher
School of Marketing and Communication, Marketing
firstname.lastname@uwasa.fi
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Kuva
Harri Luomala

Harri Luomala

Professor
School of Marketing and Communication, Marketing
firstname.lastname@uwasa.fi
Puhelin
+358294498461
Toimisto
Ankkuri 1. floor
Open profile page
Kuva
Roosa-Maaria Malila

Roosa-Maaria Malila

Doctoral Researcher
School of Marketing and Communication, Marketing
firstname.lastname@uwasa.fi
Puhelin
+358294498510
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Kuva
Erwan Mouazan

Erwan Mouazan

Postdoctoral Researcher
School of Marketing and Communication, Marketing
Toimisto
Ankkuri 1. floor
Open profile page
Kuva
Evianna Pehkonen

Evianna Pehkonen

Project Researcher
School of Marketing and Communication, Marketing
firstname.lastname@uwasa.fi
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Kuva
Kyösti Pennanen

Kyösti Pennanen

Senior Researcher
School of Marketing and Communication, Marketing
firstname.lastname@uwasa.fi
Puhelin
+358294498713
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Kuva
Nayeem Rahman

Nayeem Rahman

Doctoral Researcher
School of Marketing and Communication, Marketing
firstname.lastname@uwasa.fi
Puhelin
+358294498432
Toimisto
Vaasan Yliopisto Helsingin toimipiste
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Kuva
Asta Salmi

Asta Salmi

Docent
School of Marketing and Communication, International Business
firstname.lastname@uwasa.fi
Puhelin
+358294498452
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Kuva
Joni Salminen

Joni Salminen

Associate Professor (tenure track)
School of Marketing and Communication, Marketing
firstname.lastname@uwasa.fi
Puhelin
+358294498675
Toimisto
Ankkuri 1. floor
Open profile page
Kuva
Shah Shakeel

Shah Shakeel

Postdoctoral Researcher
School of Marketing and Communication, Marketing
Puhelin
+358294498477
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Kuva
Ekaterina Sofroneeva

Ekaterina Sofroneeva

Doctoral Student
School of Marketing and Communication, Marketing
firstname.lastname@uwasa.fi
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Kuva
Katariina Sorvari

Katariina Sorvari

Doctoral Researcher
School of Marketing and Communication, Marketing
firstname.lastname@uwasa.fi
Puhelin
+358294498731
Open profile page
Kuva
Elina Tikkanen

Elina Tikkanen

Project Researcher
School of Marketing and Communication, Marketing
firstname.lastname@uwasa.fi
Puhelin
+358294498393
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Kuva
Jack Tillotson

Jack Tillotson

Assistant Professor (tenure track)
School of Marketing and Communication, Marketing
firstname.lastname@uwasa.fi
Puhelin
+358294498541
Toimisto
Ankkuri
Open profile page
Kuva
Linda Turtola

Linda Turtola

Research Assistant
School of Marketing and Communication, Marketing
firstname.lastname@uwasa.fi
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Kuva
Essi Vesterinen

Essi Vesterinen

Teacher
School of Marketing and Communication, Marketing
firstname.lastname@uwasa.fi
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Kuva
Catharina von Koskull

Catharina von Koskull

Associate Professor (tenure track)
School of Marketing and Communication, Marketing
Puhelin
+358294498113
Toimisto
Vaasan Yliopisto Helsingin toimipiste H408
Open profile page
Kuva
Tiia Vuorinen

Tiia Vuorinen

Project Researcher
School of Marketing and Communication, Marketing
firstname.lastname@uwasa.fi
Puhelin
+358294498343
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Kuva
Mujde Yuksel

Mujde Yuksel

School of Marketing and Communication, Marketing
firstname.lastname@uwasa.fi
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Doctoral researchers

  • Hanna Ahtosalo
  • Tiia Alkkiomäki
  • Ann-Sofi Backgren
  • Päivi Borisov
  • Laura Forsman
  • Nicoleta Dudau (Szakali)
  • Mika Hakosalo
  • Audur Hermannsdóttir
  • Maija Kantola
  • Suzi Kimura
  • Heidi Kock
  • Niklas Kurki
  • Lena Lindholm
  • Roosa-Maaria Malila
  • Krista Niemi
  • Salla Niskanen
  • Nayeem Rahman
  • Anna-Mari Rimppi
  • Ekaterina Sofroneeva
  • Katariina Sorvari
  • Iina Vartia
  • Essi Vesterinen
  • Leena Viitaharju