Time and place: May 11-13, 2027, University of Turku
Learning goal and objectives: While the aim to make a theoretical contribution is what most academic articles and theses have in common, there is relatively little explicit guidance on theory and theorization within most PhD programs. To remedy this situation, our course offers tools, practices, and other useful resources for the theory development process. The course explains what theory and theory development are and gives a detailed overview of the various types of theoretical contributions. Additionally, the course provides students with templates and designs for the theorization and theory visualization processes. The course also gives guidance regarding positioning, problematizing, and framing of an article and/or thesis as these practices are an essential part of carving out the theoretical contribution and presenting it compellingly to the chosen field. The course is particularly aimed at students writing or interested in writing conceptual articles, but it will also benefit students working with empirical research that aims for theory development.
Intended learning outcomes: After completing the course, the student is expected to:
- have a thorough understanding of theory development as a scholarly practice
- be able to analyze different types of theoretical contributions and the associated theorization processes and apply these in their own research
- be able to explain the research design of the theorization process used in their own research
- be able to visualize theoretical ideas into frameworks and models
- understand ways to articulate a study’s theoretical contribution and research implications
- be aware of means to enhance a study’s impact potential.
Instructions and examination:
Format: Lectures and workshop (3 days) with preparatory work and readings
Assessment:
- Reflective learning diary (max 2000 words), graded Pass/Fail
- Active participation during the workshop discussions and group work
Credits: 4 ECTS. The workload comprises 24 h of in-class lectures and workshops, preparatory assignments, reading an article package, and writing a learning diary.
Grading: Passed/Failed
Prerequisites: The course is particularly aimed at students who write or are interested in writing conceptual articles, but it will also benefit students working on empirical research that aims to develop theory. The course is suitable for doctoral students at all stages, but students with 1-2 years of experience will be prioritized if selection is required. The course is targeted towards doctoral students in all fields of Management and Business Studies.
Admittance: 25 students are admitted to the course.
How to apply: Applicants are to enroll in the course through a Webropol form: https://link.webropolsurveys.com/S/B250EB585AA90E01
In addition, applicants should send a motivation letter via email to the course coordinator (elina.jaakkola@utu.fi) by March 24, 2027. The motivation letter should be a Word or PDF file of max 1 page that includes the applicant’s name and a short discussion of their motives for participating in the course.
A notification of acceptance will be sent by email by April 9th, 2027. The deadline for the post-assignment is May 23, 2027.
Instructors:
Dr. Elina Jaakkola is Professor of Marketing at Turku School of Economics, University of Turku, Finland. She specializes in service research, and her current projects focus on topics such as customer experience and journeys, customer/actor engagement, and circular economy. Her research has been published e.g. in Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Journal of Service Research, Journal of Product Innovation Management, Industrial Marketing Management, Journal of Business Research, and Journal of Service Management. She is a Co-Editor of Journal of Service Research and serves on the Editorial Review Board of seven prominent journals. She has won several international awards for her scholarly work and was named to Clarivate’s Highly Cited Researchers list in the business and economics discipline in 2021 and 2022.
Homepage: https://www.utu.fi/en/people/elina-jaakkola
Dr. Kaisa Koskela-Huotari is an Associate Professor at the Department of Marketing and Strategy of Stockholm School of Economics, Sweden. Kaisa’s research interests lie at the intersection of service-dominant logic, institutional theory, and systems thinking. She utilizes these perspectives to understand change in social systems and inform the understandings of innovation, service design and market evolution. Her articles have been published in esteemed journals such as the Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Journal of Service Research, Journal of Business Research, and Journal of Service Management, among others. Kaisa is an Associate Editor for the AMS Review, the sole marketing journal exclusively dedicated to conceptual articles, and serves on the Editorial Review Board of the Journal of Service Research, Journal of Business Research, and the Journal of Service Management. Her co-authored paper with Josina Vink was honored with the 2022 Journal of Service Research Best Article Award, and in 2023, she received the Mary Jo Bitner “Rising Star in Services” Award.
Homepage: https://www.hhs.se/en/persons/k/koskela-huotari-kaisa/
Course coordinator and contact information: Elina Jaakkola, elina.jaakkola@utu.fi; 044 510 9499