Economics Research Group

The current research topics of the Economics Research Group are

• Competence: innovation and intangible capital in companies and the economy
• Financial literacy and financial education
• Firm-level energy and environmental economics issues
• Banking and macroeconomic stability
• Connections and interactions between financial markets and the real world

The research group emphasizes the importance of competence. The most important factors in productivity growth are investment in education, economic literacy, research, innovation and digitalisation, which can be influenced both directly and indirectly by economic and environmental policies.

The projects address issues such as the accumulation and dissemination of knowledge and the link to sustainable growth, the development of digital teaching methods in economics education and the assessment of their impact, environmental innovations by companies and the assessment of the Vaasa energy ecosystem as part of the global value chain.

The projects of the research program have been funded by the Academy of Finland, the European Commission's Horizon 2020 program, the European Regional Development Fund, the National Board of Education and Tekes (current Business Finland).

The research group's projects have a strong societal impact. Project leaders will take part in current discussions related to, among other things, innovation policy and the development of economics education.

The research group is coordinated by Professor Hannu Piekkola.