Dissertation: How is synergy created? - Researcher developed a new framework for synergy research

The creation and utilization of synergy has decade-long traditions in the practical working life. In enterprise management and decision-making functions, several calculation and estimation methods, as well as software, have been created to support the maximization of synergies.

"However, in the area of academic research, the synergy subject has lagged significantly behind the practical achievements. The research and theory building for the synergy phenomenon faces considerable challenges, not least due to the fact that in many aspects, it requires deep cross-disciplinary research between the different fields of academia", says Simo Keskinen.

In Keskinen’s pioneering thesis, different cases of synergy have been selected for synergy mapping and analysis, both in terms of the type and level of synergy. These research cases have been selected from the extensive and multi-dimensional energy industry, as well as from those industrial enterprises, which are spearheading the utilization of synergies in everyday management and development activities.

"The core of this thesis is a new definition of synergy as a group of phenomena, the outcome of which are different synergy benefits and value-adds."

According to Keskinen, the main results of the thesis are a new framework to manage the concept of synergy, including its core dimensions and a mapping of the most common synergy type groupings together with their definition basis. Furthermore, as a vision for the future, a steering model for synergy research has also been drafted.

"The most demanding research areas of this thesis has been both the parallel and consecutive cumulative multiple synergies. As a representative example of this phenomenon, the different synergy types identifiable within a local energy cluster have been described in the thesis."

Further information

Simo Keskinen, tel. +358 44 546 0053, slkeskinen(ät)gmail.com

Keskinen, Simo (2017) Synergiailmiöiden tutkimuksellinen perusta – tutkimuskenttänä energia-ala ja teolliset yritykset. Acta Wasaensia 388, University of Vaasa

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Public Defense

The public examination of Lic.Sc. (Econ.)  Simo Keskinen’s dissertation in the field of Industrial Management ”Synergiailmiöiden tutkimuksellinen perusta – tutkimuskenttänä energia-ala ja teolliset yritykset” will be held on Friday, 27^th October 2017  at 12 o’clock in Auditorium Nissi (Tritonia). Docent Tapio Katko ( Tampere University of Technology) will act as an opponent and professor emeritus Erkki Antila as a custos.