Industrial Engineering and Management

Operations and Supply Chain Management (O&SCM) research group focuses on the industry transformation related to sustainable development and digitalization. The research themes include

• sustainable circular economy (CE) and production,
• value chains and supply networks,
• business ecosystems and models,
• Industry 4.0,
• data-driven decision-making,
• quality management, and
• information and knowledge management.

Group has many research initiatives related to sustainable development and digitalization. An example of sustainability and CE research is the cross-disciplinary InStreams Hub. Another key theme in O&SCM research is industry digitalization. For example, Reboot IoT Factory project involves seven large Finnish manufacturer companies and four research organizations. O&SCM group leads the cognitive supply network research in Reboot project. PASS project, in turn, is an example of ecosystem development research. It combines Oulu region’s expertise in printed technology and electronics with battery, and battery chemistry value chains.

Project Business group’s research focuses on the management of complex projects and project-based organizations. Contemporary research themes include

• the governance of inter-organizational projects,
• integrated project deliveries and project alliances,
• collaboration in inter-organizational projects,
• project sustainability management,
• data-driven project management,
• stakeholder integration and engagement in complex projects,
• gamification of project-based education,
• project networks and ecosystems, and
• renewal of project-based industries.

Project Business research is internationally recognized, and the research results of the group are regularly published in the leading journals of project and operations management. The group participates in different types of research initiatives and also in international, cross-disciplinary projects. Project business research themes and initiatives are developed so that they are both theoretically and practically relevant, enabling strong connections with project-based companies as well as influential scientific contributions. For example, a finalized MILL project focused on developing and implementing novel collaborative project delivery models to increase value creation in industrial projects, the solutions were developed in real-life pilot projects. Research and teaching are closely integrated and the group has invested in the development of research-based digital educational games to facilitate PM education.

Product management (PM) is a national profiling area of IEM Oulu. PM focuses on developing and managing products and services throughout their life cycle. PM has specific interests including positioning of early product development, and division of activities into new product development, rapid product development and productization. The research analyses product development processes and relevant stakeholders at business case, business model, and business ecosystem levels. The focus areas also include active product portfolio management over product life cycle, product data management, master data management, related processes, tools, and governance models.

Well-being at work and productivity (W-BWP) research group focuses on holistic human-centered design and management. Human is seen in this context as an active stakeholder utilizing different technological solutions at various kinds of work environments. Especial focus is paid on human factors at individual, organisational and interorganizational levels. Research covers both the subjective and objective aspects of well-being at work and outside working hours. In addition, attention is paid to organisation level activities and performance. Holistic understanding about the individual level well-being and organisational aspects enable rising to the synergistic challenges of human well-being, corporate social responsibility and holistic sustainability.

The research group has studied the effects of integrated management systems in Finnish process and energy production industries. In particular, the focus has been on a specific HSEQ cluster constituting of 13 large industrial buyers. The cluster has for fifteen years collaborated on supplier development through creating and utilizing a standardized HSEQ assessment procedure. IEM has been a research partner to the cluster for the whole time.

In addition, research group is a key partner to the Finnish Safety Training Park (STP) network. STPs are physical learning environments that are constructed in collaboration with the construction industry stakeholders. Research includes studying the effects of the STP trainings and network collaboration. In addition, W-BWP group takes part in two large national collaboration projects that develop tools for managing well-being at work and studies sustainable gig work with the aim to develop tools for managing such new forms of work.