Developments and activities

The Research Group developed initially from three developments:

  • First, the Academy of Finland funding for the 5-person project 'Women's Entrepreneurship - Crisis Management and Survival Strategies', member of research team directed by Professor Guje Sevón, Hanken, funded by the Academy of Finland in 1999.
  • The Ministry of Education funded a 5 year Professorship in Women's Studies, with special relevance to Management and Organization Studies, Hanken, in Department of Management and Organization. This was held by Professor Anne Kovalainen.
  • The University's linked foundation, Hanken Stiftelsen, funded a distinguished visiting fellowship for Professor Jeff Hearn on 'Gender Relations in Transnational Organisational Top Managements: Comparative Nordic-UK Sectoral and Case Study Project' (1999-2000), and The Academy of Finland Academy Fellowship to Hearn on 'Men, Gender Relations and Transnational Organising, Organisations and Management' (2000-2005).

From these developments, the Research Group was launched at the International Conference on Gender, Entrepreneurship and Change, Hanken School of Economics, October 2000.

It was initially co-convened by Professors Hearn, Kovalainen and Sevón.

With the departure of Kovalainen and Sevón, Dr Minna Hiillos and Dr Marjut Jyrkinen became co-convenors. The Group is currently co-convened by Hearn and Jyrkinen.

The Group has since expanded to over 20 members, and includes researchers in Management and Organization, Marketing, Supply Chain Management and Corporate Geography, in Hanken, as well as a small number of members based in other universities.

There have been a number of further funding developments for the Research Group:

  • Teaching course "Gender, management and organization", since 2000.
  • 'The Social Problem of Men: the Social Problem and Societal Problematisation of Men and Masculinities' Co-coordination/ Principal Contractor EU FP5 Thematic Network, The European Research Network on Men in Europe (2000-2003).
  • 'Sexualised Violence, Global Linkages and Policy Discourses' Hearn and Jyrkinen, Svenska handelshögskolan, Helsinki, funded by Academy of Finland (2000-2003).
  • Co-leadership with Prof Suvi Ronkainen, University of Tampere/Lapland, Sexualised Violence Research Consortium, Academy of Finland (2000-2004).
  • Lead partnership in NorFa-funded 5 Centre UK-Nordic Research Network 'Violences, Agency Practices and Social Change' (2001-2004).
  • Grants from Jenny ja Antti Wihurin rahasto, Kaute-säätiö and Wallenbergs stiftelse to the Gender Research Group.
  • Grant from Academy of Finland grant on behalf of the University for European EU Conference.
  • Consultancy for the Council of Europe.
  • Institutional partner in the Nordic Research School in Interdisciplinary Gender Research, NorFa-funded (2004-2008).
  • Institutional partner in Framework 6 Concerted Action on Human Rights Violation (2004-2007).
  • Professor Rebecca Piekkari was awarded a Senior Research Fellowship, and worked on gender and diversity research from 2003.
  • Professor Linda McKie has been a regular Visiting Professor to Hanken and to the Group from Scotland, and has developed several linked researches on gender, well-being, carescapes and policy. She has been elected as Academician to the UK Society of Social Science and Allied Learned Societies.
  • The Research Group co-organised with the Gender Research Group on Gender and Economy, Helsinki School of Economics, Helsinki, the First National Conference, on Gender and Organisations, 'Gender and Power: Organisations in Flux?' Conference, Helsinki, May 2003. This has led to the production of a collaborative book of the same name, published by Hanken, 2004.
  • The European Academy of Management stream on Gender and Management has been co-convened for three years by Hearn.
  • Academy of Finland Postdoctoral fellowships to members of the Group:

Denise Salin: 'Organisational Measures against Workplace Bullying: Attitudes, Prevention and Intervention' (2005-2008)

Marjut Jyrkinen: ' Age, Gender and Diversity: Women Managers and Policies in Organisations' (2008-2010)

  • 'Television-Internet Media Companies', Policies and Practices, Young People and Pornographisation', Hearn and Jyrkinen, NIKK (2005-2007).
  • NASTA: Women's Leadership: A Research and Education Development Project, Ministry of Education, Finland, with Dr Liisa Husu (project manager; formerly Dr Minna Hiillos), Hearn, Jyrkinen, Charlotta Niemistö (Hanken), Professor Anna-Maija Lämsä (University of Jyväsklylä), Professor Sinikka Vanhala (Helsinki School of Economics) (2005-2009), hosted by Hanken, with the University of Jyväsklylä and the Helsinki School of Economics, funded by Ministry of Education on Women in Management and Leadership. This project has several sub-projects, including:

i. web-based teaching and outreach resources;

ii. teaching survey on gender in the three universities;

iii. review of Finnish research and publications on this area; and

iv. various research projects, e.g. women's careers and career anchors.

  • Dr. Liisa Husu's activities include additionally: European Commission (DG Research) expert group on Gender and Excellence (on research funding) 2007-2008, Rapporteur; WHEM network, International research network on gender dynamics and women in higher education management. Participating countries: Australia, Finland, Ireland, New Zealand, Portugal, South Africa, Sweden, Turkey, UK; EU FP6 funded research and development projects PROMETEA (2005-2007) on promoting women's research careers in technological research; ADVANCE on mentoring women scientists (2006-2008). International Sociological Association (ISA), Research Committee 32 (Women in Society), member of the board 2006-2010.
  • Dr Gyöngyi Kovács is a key partner in ' Gender Mainstreaming in Humanitarian Logistics' research project between the Women's Institute for Supply-Chain Excellence (WISE), Cranfield University and Hanken. The project investigates the interrelations between gender, logistics skills, and logistics performance
  • Editing of special issues of Women in Management Review and British Journal of Management on gender and management.
  • Many books, articles, chapters and other publications.

International visitors to the Group include:

Emerita Professor Joan Acker, University of Oregon, USA
Dr Helge Hoel, The University of Manchester, UK
Dr Charlotte Holgersson, Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), Stockholm, Sweden Dr
Richard Howson, University of Wollongong//, Australia
Dr Hana Marikova, The Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic
Research Professor Linda McKie, Glasgow Caledonian University, UK
Professor Albert J. Mills, St Mary's University, Halifax, Canada
Professor Jean Helm Mills, St Mary's University, Halifax, Canada
Professor Louise Morley, University of London, UK
Professor Ursula Müller, Bielefeld University, Germany
Dr Collette Oseen, University of Alberta and Athabasca University, Canada

Modified 8.1.2009
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