Esa Hiltunen
University Lecturer
I work as a Senior Lecturer in Innovation Management at UEF Business School and I am an expert of...
Business School, Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies
[email protected] | +358 40 355 3367
I work as a Senior Lecturer in Innovation Management at UEF Business School and I am an expert of organizational change in the health sector. Another research interest focuses on retail sector and participatory innovation. I also supervise theses in master and doctoral programs.
I have a special competence in qualitative research in organizations, particularly observation-based ethnography, which I have applied in research that is based on Bourdieu’s field theory. I have a wide collaboration network in different research fields, both business studies and sociology.
Research groups
Publications
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Artificial Intelligence in Finnish and Swedish Workflows: A Comparative Survey of Micro- and Large-Scale Enterprises
Aho, Markus; Niittymaa, Jukka; Heilmann, Pia; Nikolakopoulos, George; Koval, Anton; Hiltunen, Esa, 2025, Maglogiannis, Ilias; Iliadis, Lazaros; Andreou, Andreas; Papaleonidas, Antonios, AIAI 2025: Artificial Intelligence Applications and Innovations. 21st IFIP WG 12.5 International Conference, AIAI 2025, Limassol, Cyprus, June 26–29, 2025, Proceedings, Part III, 28-42, . A4 Conference proceedings -
Employee-driven innovation
Hiltunen, Esa, 2025, Eriksson, Päivi; Montonen, Tero; Laine, Pikka-Maaria; Hannula, Anna, Elgar Encyclopedia of Innovation Management, 31-33. A3 Book section, Chapters in research books -
From outsider to insider: A Western SME’s journey to inclusive innovation in a base-of-the-pyramid market
Mortazavi, Sina; Raatikainen, Markus; Hiltunen, Esa; Teplov, Roman; Väätänen, Juha; Gabrielsson, Mika, 2024, Journal of business research, 2025; 186, 115042. A1 Journal article (refereed), original research -
Navigating Sustainability: The Impact of Gender Diversity in Leadership on Corporate Sustainability Performance
Li, Kang; Holopainen, Riika; Hiltunen, Esa, 2024, Itä-Suomen yliopisto. Abstract -
Employee-Driven Innovation (EDI) in Finland
Hiltunen, Esa, 2023, Tan, Justina; On Lee, Wing, Making Employee-Driven Innovation Achievable : Approaches and Practices for Workplace Learning, 126-145. A3 Book section, Chapters in research books -
Promoting Circular Economy from the Perspective of Appreciative Inquiry in the Real Estate and Construction Industry
Hiltunen, Esa; Taira, Aku, 2023, Mishra, Shreya, Case Studies on Sustainability and Innovations Across Entrepreneurial and Other Contexts, 5-15, . A4 Conference proceedings -
Sustainability reporting related to the profitability of healthcare companies in Asia, Europe, and the United States
Holopainen, Riikka; Li, Kang; Hiltunen, Esa; Rissanen, Sari, 2023, Itä-Suomen yliopisto. Abstract -
The study of sustainability report disclosure and its influence on firm performance: evidence from Finnish listed companies.
Li, Kang; Holopainen, Riikka; Hiltunen, Esa, 2022, . Abstract -
“It’s Time to Focus on Humanity”: Millennial Business Students’ Perceptions of Competencies Needed by Future Leaders
Koponen, Jonna; Heikkilä, Essi; Karhapää, Sari-Johanna; Ikonen, Mirjami; Hiltunen, Esa, 2022, Nordic journal of business, 71, 2, 102-125, . A1 Journal article (refereed), original research -
Appreciative Work Engagement
Hiltunen, Esa; Leppänen, Hanna, 2021, Dey, Ajoy K; Piispanen, Ville-Veikko; Mishra, Shreya, Sustainable Entrepreneurship: Innovation and Transformation, 104-115. A3 Book section, Chapters in research books