Topic outline

  • Course description

    Overview

    This course has two major purposes. One is to provide an overview of the fundamental themes in research on strategy, venturing, operations, and organizations, and introduce contemporary topics within these areas. The other purpose is to expose the participants to the various methodological and research practice approaches (conducting research, synthesizing, and setting up manuscripts) in this domain. Overall, after the course, the students should have a broad understanding of the research areas in strategy, venturing, operations, and organizations and what is required for publishing research in top-tier journals in these areas.

    More specifically, after the course, the participant should (1) know the most important articles in the area of strategy, venturing, organizations, and operations (2) understand how the different streams of research have evolved over time and how they are connected to each other, and (3) be able to project the future development of the research from the perspective of one's own doctoral work. The course will further provide a setting for developing a variety of skills in research on strategy, venturing, and organizations, such as synthesizing research, research designs, and what constitutes a theoretical contribution in the various domains of strategy, venturing, operations, and organizations.

    Target audience

    The course is designed for doctoral students in strategy, venturing, operations, and organizations, and students planning to pursue related research. 

    Course format

    The course will consist of independent reading of selected articles and ten (9) seminar sessions (3 hours each). In the course, we share responsibility for discussing the readings and raising issues. For each seminar session, the student is required to read all articles (4–6) in advance and prepare a preliminary assignment. Students are also given the task of presenting the articles they have read to the class. All students are expected to be prepared to discuss.

    Dates and rooms

    The seminar will run during terms IV and V from 27.2.2024–7.5.2024.

    Teaching takes place on Tuesdays in classroom Kide (Noether 1572), Konemiehentie 1, from 1:15 pm to 4:00 pm. Please note that changes are possible.

    Enrolment

    Aalto University doctoral students register for the course through the Aalto SISU enrolment system by the latest 19.2.2024. Please also note that the first assignment is due the evening before the introduction session (DL 26.2.2024 at 16:00).