University promotes companies’ networking
The goal of the whole project “Swarm intelligence, networks and the power of interaction” is to identify aspects of collective action useful for expanding the understanding of network organization. In particular, the concept of swarm intelligence is studied as a potential source for novel solutions to the challenges of networked business. At the University of Vaasa, the project combines ideas from management and communication.
In practice, the project looks at how companies form networks, what are the obstacles and the boosters, and how companies best can find suitable partners in different situations. The leader of the Vaasa part of the project is Professor Jukka Vesalainen from the Faculty of Business, whereas Professor Merja Koskela answers for the input in the project by Communication Studies.
– For Finland as a small country, networked logic is more beneficial than market competition logic. Therefore, the project strives at abolishing the obstacles for effective and fast networking, points out Professor Vesalainen.
– Some of the problems hindering deeper interaction between companies are communication problems, and we intend to study how such problems can be overcome, says Professor Koskela.
What is unique with the project is that it combines theories and concepts concerning networking from many disciplines. In this way, new ways of thinking about networking and networked economy can be found.
The project is a multidisciplinary co-operation between Turku and Vaasa Universities and VTT (The Technical Research Centre of Finland). The disciplines involved include biology, law, business studies and communication studies. The project is funded by TEKES, the Finnish Funding Agency for Technology and Innovation, for the period of 2013–2014. The budget of the whole project is about 580 000 €of which the university of Vaasa’s part is 280 000 €.
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