Risto Rajala
Professor
T307 Dept. Industrial Engineering and Management
Professor
I am interested in management challenges related to technology firms’ service operations. My colleagues and I study the system-level changes linked with the transformation of technology industries toward service-based value creation.
Our current research focuses on services supporting the sustainability of industrial operations, management of complex service systems, digital transformation of technology industries, and business models of the circular economy.
Our past projects have investigated the management of product-service hybridity in the construction business, payor-provider integration of healthcare services, and the effects of modularity on industrial solution providers’ ambidextrous performance.
I hold a Ph.D. in Information Systems Science and I currently serve as a professor of Service Engineering and Management.
Specialties:
- Service Engineering and Management
- Information Systems
- Innovation Management
- Organizational and Strategic Change
- Technology Entrepreneurship
Full researcher profile
Phone number
+358403538140
Areas of expertise
Management of Service Systems, Development of Digital Services, Service Innovation and Business Models, Kiertotalous, 113 Computer and information sciences, 512 Business and management, 222 Other engineering and technologies, 119 Other natural sciences, Industrial management
Honors and awards
IJOPM 2020 Best Paper Award
International Journal of Operations and Production Management, Best Article of the Year 2020
Award or honor granted for a specific work
Department of Industrial Engineering and Management
Jul 2021
Award for a High-grade PhD Thesis
Given by the Strategic Management Society of Finland
Award or honor granted for a specific work
Department of Industrial Engineering and Management
Jan 2011
Dissertation of the Year Award
HSE Foundation
Award or honor granted for a specific work
Department of Industrial Engineering and Management
Jan 2010
The Best Research Team of Helsinki School of Economics
Researcher and team coordinator
Award or honor granted for a specific work
Department of Industrial Engineering and Management
Jan 2008
Yrjö and Senja Koivunen Award for a supervised Thesis
M.Sc. Thesis
Award or honor granted for a specific work
Department of Industrial Engineering and Management
Jan 2016
Best Academic Paper Award
Award winning paper: Powering sustainable innovations: Strategies for collaborating with deviant partners by Jouni Juntunen, Minna Halme, Angelina Korsunova and Risto Rajala
Award or honor granted for a specific work
Department of Industrial Engineering and Management
Jul 2016
Yrjö and Senja Koivunen Award for a supervised Thesis
B.Sc. Thesis
Award or honor granted for a specific work
School Common, BIZ
Jan 2015
Publications
Anu Vehkamäki, Inka Sylgren, Märt Vesinurm, Paulus Torkki, Risto Rajala
2025
Academy of Management Proceedings
Mikael Öhman, Müge Tetik, Risto Rajala, Jan Holmström
2023
Advances in Production Management Systems. Production Management Systems for Responsible Manufacturing, Service, and Logistics Futures
Ilmari Veijola, Esko Hakanen, Risto Rajala
2022
Proceedings of the 55th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences, January 3-7, 2022
Puneet Kaur, Amandeep Dhir, Sufen Chen, Risto Rajala
2021
Journal of Computer Information Systems
Anna Salonen, Harri Terho, Eva Böhm, Ari Virtanen, Risto Rajala
2021
Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science
Wenting Zou, Saara Brax, Risto Rajala
2021
Technology Innovation Management Review
Amandeep Dhir, Puneet Kaur, Risto Rajala
2020
Social Science Computer Review
Shan Gao, Esko Hakanen, Risto Rajala
2020
Proceedings of the 53rd Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences
Antti Peltokorpi, Juri Matinheikki, Jere Lehtinen, Risto Rajala
2020
International Journal of Operations & Production Management
Jaakko Siltaloppi, Risto Rajala, Henri Hietala
2020
Journal of Business Ethics
Yassine Talaoui, Marko Kohtamäki, Risto Rajala
2020
Technology Innovation Management Review
Amandeep Dhir, Ashraf Khalil, Puneet Kaur, Risto Rajala
2019
Social Science Computer Review
Shan Gao, Esko Hakanen, Pekka Töytäri, Risto Rajala
2019
Proceedings of the 52nd Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences (HICSS)
Diane A. Isabelle, Mika Westerlund, Risto Rajala, Seppo Leminen
2019
International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business
Jouni Juntunen, Minna Halme, Angelina Korsunova-Tsaruk, Risto Rajala
2019
Journal of Product Innovation Management
Jere Lehtinen, Kirsi Aaltonen, Risto Rajala
2019
Industrial Marketing Management
Hannu Makkonen, Mervi Saarikorpi, Risto Rajala
2019
Industrial Marketing Management
Saswat Mohalik, Mika Westerlund, Risto Rajala, Hanna Timonen
2019
Proceedings of ISPIM Connects Ottawa, Innovation for Local and Global Impact - 7-10 April 2019 - Ottawa, Canada
Risto Rajala, Saara A. Brax, Ari Virtanen, Anna Salonen
2019
International Journal of Operations and Production Management
Timo Seppälä, Juri Mattila, Risto Rajala
2019
Wenting Zou, Saara Brax, Mervi Vuori, Risto Rajala
2019
International Journal of Operations and Production Management
Ilari Alen, Mikael Öhman, Riikka Kaipia, Risto Rajala
2018
Amandeep Dhir, Puneet Kaur, Risto Rajala
2018
International Journal of Information Management
Esko Hakanen, Risto Rajala
2018
Journal of Business and Industrial Marketing
Puneet Kaur, Amandeep Dhir, Risto Rajala, Yogesh Dwivedi
2018
Online Information Review
Giulia Nardelli, Risto Rajala
2018
Journal of Facilities Management
Darius Pacauskas, Risto Rajala, Mika Westerlund, Matti Mäntymäki
2018
International Journal of Information Management
Antti Peltokorpi, Juri Matinheikki, Risto Rajala, Jere Lehtinen, Tomi Malmström
2018
Risto Rajala, Esko Hakanen, Juri Mattila, Timo Seppälä, Mika Westerlund
2018
California Management Review
Anna Salonen, Harri Terho, Eva Böhm, Risto Rajala, Ari Virtanen
2018
Anna Salonen, Risto Rajala, Ari Virtanen
2018
Industrial Marketing Management
Müge Tetik, Mikael Öhman, Risto Rajala, Jan Holmström
2018
4th International Conference on Higher Education Advances (HEAd’18)
Pekka Töytäri, Taija Turunen, Maximilian Klein, Ville Eloranta, Sebastian Biehl, Risto Rajala
2018
Journal of Product Innovation Management
Wenting Zou, Saara Brax, Risto Rajala
2018
Proceedings of the Spring Servitization Conference
Wenting Zou, Saara A. Brax, Risto Rajala
2018
Procedia CIRP
Karlos Artto, Juri Matinheikki, Virpi Turkulainen, Jere Lehtinen, Risto Rajala
2017
The 8th International Project Business Workshop, June 8 – 10, Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, NJ.
Karlos Artto, Jere Lehtinen, Juri Matinheikki, Antti Peltokorpi, Risto Rajala
2017
The 8th International Project Business Workshop, June 8 – 10, Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, NJ.
Esko Hakanen, Ville Eloranta, Pekka Töytäri, Risto Rajala, Taija Turunen
2017
Proceedings of the 50th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences
Riikka Kaipia, Jan Holmström, Johanna Småros, Risto Rajala
2017
Journal of Operations Management
Jere Lehtinen, Kirsi Aaltonen, Risto Rajala
2017
15th Engineering Project Organization Conference with 5th International Megaprojects Workshop, Stanford Sierra Camp, California, June 5-7, 2017
Jere Lehtinen, Kirsi Aaltonen, Risto Rajala
2017
The International Research Network on Organising by Projects (IRNOP) conference, Boston, MA, 11-14 June, 2017
Juri Matinheikki, Risto Rajala, Antti Peltokorpi
2017
Journal of Cleaner Production
Darius Pacauskas, Risto Rajala
2017
Information Technology and People
Antti Peltokorpi, Jere Lehtinen, Karlos Artto, Risto Rajala
2017
15th Engineering Project Organization Conference with 5th International Megaprojects Workshop, Stanford Sierra Camp, California, June 5-7, 2017
Antti Peltokorpi, Jere Lehtinen, Karlos Artto, Risto Rajala
2017
The International Research Network on Organising by Projects (IRNOP) conference, Boston, MA, 11-14 June, 2017
Jaakko Siltaloppi, Risto Rajala
2017
European Group of Organization Studies (EGOS) conference, 2017, Copenhagen
Pekka Töytäri, Joona Keränen, Risto Rajala
2017
Journal of Business Research
Pekka Töytäri, Taija Turunen, Maximillian Klein, Ville Eloranta, Sebastian Biehl, Risto Rajala
2017
Academy of Management Proceedings
Mika Westerlund, Risto Rajala, Seppo Leminen, Diane A. Isabelle
2017
International Journal of Technoentrepreneurship
Mika Westerlund, Diane A. Isabelle, Risto Rajala, Seppo Leminen
2017
International Journal of Business and Globalisation
Karlos Artto, Juri Matinheikki, Jere Lehtinen, Risto Rajala
2016
Jouni Juntunen, Minna Halme, Angelina Korsunova-Tsaruk, Risto Rajala
2016
Puneet Kaur, Amandeep Dhir, Risto Rajala
2016
Computers in Human Behavior
Puneet Kaur, Amandeep Dhir, Sufen Chen, Risto Rajala
2016
Computers in Human Behavior
Puneet Kaur, Amandeep Dhir, Sufen Chen, Risto Rajala
2016
Computers in Human Behavior
Marko Kohtamäki, Risto Rajala
2016
Industrial Marketing Management
Juri Matinheikki, Karlos Artto, Antti Peltokorpi, Risto Rajala
2016
International Journal of Project Management
Risto Rajala, Mika Westerlund, Tommi Lampikoski
2016
Journal of Cleaner Production
Risto Rajala, Faïz Gallouj, Marja Toivonen
2016
Service Science
Pekka Töytäri, Risto Rajala
2016
Value First then Price: Quantifying value in Business to Business markets from the perspective of both buyers and sellers
Mika Westerlund, Diane A. Isabelle, Risto Rajala, Seppo Leminen
2016
International Journal of Globalisation and Small Business
Wenting Zou, Saara Brax, Mervi Vuori, Risto Rajala
2016
Wenting Zou, Saara Brax, Mervi Vuori, Risto Rajala, Kari Tanskanen, Esa Viitamo
2016
Annual Industrial Marketing and Purchasing Group Conference
O-P. Kauppila, R. Rajala, Mika Westerlund, S. Kajalo
2015
Academy of Marketing Science Annual Conference (AMS), Baltimore, USA, May 20-23, 2009
Juri Matinheikki, Karlos Artto, Antti Peltokorpi, Risto Rajala
2015
The 12th Engineering Project Organization Conference (EPOC), Edinburgh, UK, June 24-26 2015
Chris McPhee, Stephen L. Vargo, Marja Toivonen, Risto Rajala
2015
Technology Innovation Management Review
K. Muita, M. Westerlund, R. Rajala
2015
IFAC-PapersOnLine
Risto Rajala, Pekka Töytäri, Tuomas Hervonen
2015
Service Science
Risto Rajala, Pekka Töytäri
2015
Industrial Marketing Management
Pekka Töytäri, Risto Rajala, Thomas Brashear Alejandro
2015
Industrial Marketing Management
Pekka Töytäri, Risto Rajala
2015
Industrial Marketing Management
Pekka Töytäri, Risto Rajala
2015
Pricing and the Sales Force
Mika Westerlund, Risto Rajala, Hamidreza Kavandi, Mervi Rajahonka, Seppo Leminen
2015
Proceedings of the Fifteenth International Conference on Electronic Business "Internet of Things", ICEB 2015
Laura Kanto, Risto Rajala, Jussi Pihlajamaa
2014
15th International CINet Conference, Operating Innovation - Innovating Operations, Budapest, Hungary, 7-9 September 2014
Tommi Lampikoski, Mika Westerlund, Risto Rajala, Kristian Möller
2014
California Management Review
Heikki Lempinen, Risto Rajala
2014
Journal of Information Technology
Chris McPhee, Risto Rajala, Marja Toivonen, Mika Westerlund
2014
Technology Innovation Management Review
Matti Mäntymäki, Jani Merikivi, Tibert Verhagen, Frans Feldberg, Risto Rajala
2014
International Journal of Information Management
Heli Nissilä, Mari Holopainen, Risto Rajala
2014
30th European Group for Organizational Studies Colloquium (EGOS), Rotterdam, the Netherlands, 3-5 July, 2014
Pekka Töytäri, Risto Rajala, Taija Turunen
2014
Teollisen palveluliiketoiminnan uudistaminen
Mika Westerlund, Risto Rajala
2014
Technology Innovation Management Review
Tommi Lampikoski, Mika Westerlund, Risto Rajala
2013
International Conference on Corporate Sustainability and Eco-innovations, Warsaw, Poland, November 18-19, 2013
Risto Rajala, Marja Toivonen, Johanna Bragge, Mika Westerlund
2013
XXIII European Association for Research on Services Conference (RESER), Aix en Provence, France, September 18-21, 2013
Risto Rajala, Mika Westerlund, Mervi Vuori, Jukka-Pekka Hares
2013
Technology Innovation Management Review
Jaakko Aspara, Risto Rajala, Virpi Kristiina Tuunainen
2012
Juho Lindman, Risto Rajala
2012
Technology Innovation Management Review
Risto Rajala, Mika Westerlund, Kristian Möller
2012
European Journal of Marketing
Risto Rajala, Mika Westerlund
2012
45th Annual Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences (HICSS), Maui, Hawaii, USA, January 4-7, 2012
Annika Wiklund-Engblom, Seppo Leminen, Mika Westerlund, Simon Staffans, Michaela Esch, Risto Rajala
2012
Crossmedia innovations : texts, markets, institutions
Olli-Pekka Kauppila, Risto Rajala, Annukka Jyrämä
2011
Management Learning
Mika Westerlund, Risto Rajala, Arto Rajala
2011
International Academy of Management and Business Conference (IAMB), San Francisco, USA, November 7-9, 2011
Mika Westerlund, Risto Rajala, Seppo Leminen
2011
Mika Westerlund, Risto Rajala
2011
Economics, Finance & International Business Research Conference, Miami, USA, December 8-11, 2011
Mika Westerlund, Risto Rajala
2011
The Business Review, Cambridge
Mika Westerlund, Risto Rajala, Arto Rajala
2011
European Journal of Management
Mika Westerlund, Risto Rajala, Arto Rajala
2011
International Academy of Business and Economics Annual Conference (IABE) 2011, Las Vegas, USA, October 16-18, 2011
Reeta Hammarén, Arto Kangas, Anna Multanen, Mervi Murtonen, Arto Rajala, Risto Rajala, Mika Westerlund
2010
Proceedings of the Conference "Security in Futures - Security in Change", 3-4 June 2010, Turku, Finland
O-P. Kauppila, R. Rajala, A. Jyrämä
2010
Industrial Marketing Management
O-P. Kauppila, R. Rajala, A. Jyrämä
2010
Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management (AOM), Montréal, Canada, August 6-10, 2010
J. Lindman, R. Rajala, M. Rossi
2010
International Conference on Software Business (ICSOB), Jyväskylä, Finland, June 21-23, 2010
R. Rajala, Mika Westerlund
2010
43rd Annual Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences (HICSS), Kauai, Hawaii, USA, January 5-8, 2010
Mika Westerlund, R. Rajala
2010
Journal of Business and Industrial Marketing
Annukka Jyrämä, Olli-Pekka Kauppila, Risto Rajala
2009
IMP 25th Conference, Marseille, France, September 35, 2009
Annukka Jyrämä, Olli-Pekka Kauppila, Risto Rajala
2009
International Conference on Organizational Learning, Knowledge and Capabilities, Amsterdam, the Netherlands, April 26-28, 2009
O-P. Kauppila, Mika Westerlund, R. Rajala, S. Kajalo
2009
AOM Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management, Chicago, USA, August 7-11, 2009
Risto Rajala
2009
R. Rajala, Mika Westerlund, H. Sorjonen, M. Tuomisto
2009
AIMAC 10th International Conference on Arts and Cultural Management, Dallas, US, June 28-July 1, 2009
Risto Rajala, Mika Westerlund
2009
Verkostot liiketoiminnan kehittämisessä
Mika Westerlund, R. Rajala, O-P. Kauppila
2009
CBIM Academic Workshop, Atlanta, Georgia, USA, January 16-19, 2009
Mika Westerlund, R. Rajala, M. Anttila, S. Leminen
2009
EMAC European Marketing Academy 38th Annual Conference, Nantes, France, May 26-29, 2009
Mika Westerlund, R. Rajala, T. Tuunanen, J. Salo
2009
International Journal of e-Services and Mobile Applications
Mika Westerlund, Risto Rajala, Katri Nykänen, Timo Järvensivu
2009
IMP 25th Conference, Marseille, France, 3-5 September, 2009
S. Kajalo, R. Rajala, M. Westerlund
2008
Global Marketing Conference 2008, Shanghai, P. R. China, March 20-23, 2008
O.-P. Kauppila, R. Rajala, S. Kajalo
2008
AMA Educators, San Diego, USA, August 8-11, 2008
S. Leminen, M. Westerlund, R. Rajala
2008
15th Nordic Conference on Small Business Research, Tallinn, Estonia, May 21-23, 2008
K. Möller, R. Rajala, Mika Westerlund
2008
California Management Review
J. Partanen, K. Möller, Mika Westerlund, R. Rajala, A. Rajala
2008
Industrial Marketing Management
R. Rajala, M. Westerlund
2008
International Journal of Business Innovation and Research
R. Rajala, M. Rossi, V. Tuunainen, J. Vihinen
2008
Intelligent information technologies: Concepts, methodologies, tools, and applications
R. Rajala, M. Westerlund, A. Rajala, S. Leminen
2008
International Journal of Technology Management
M. Westerlund, R. Rajala
2008
Fishing with business nets - keeping thoughts on the horizon, Helsingin kauppakorkeakoulun julkaisuja B-90
M. Westerlund, R. Rajala, S. Leminen
2008
International Journal of Globalisation and Small Business
S. Kajalo, R. Rajala, M. Westerlund
2007
Journal of Systems and Information Technology
Kristian Möller, Jukka Partanen, Risto Rajala, Mika Westerlund
2007
IMP 23rd Conference, Manchester, UK, August 30 - September 1, 2007
K. Möller, R. Rajala, Mika Westerlund
2007
Innovation in Services: Challenges and opportunities for economies, industries and firms, The Berkeley-Tekes Service Innovation Conference, Berkely, California, USA, 27-28 April, 2007
R. Rajala, M. Westerlund
2007
International Journal of Technoentrepreneurship
R. Rajala, M. Westerlund
2007
International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation
R. Rajala, M. Westerlund
2007
INFORMS Annual Meeting, Seattle, Washington, USA, November 4-7, 2007
R. Rajala, M. Rossi, V.K. Tuunainen, J. Vihinen
2007
Journal of Theoretical and Applied Electronic Commerce Research
R. Rajala, J. Nissilä, M. Westerlund
2007
Handbook of Research on Open Source Software: Technological, Economic, and Social Perspectives
M. Westerlund, A. Rajala, K. Möller, R. Rajala
2007
AMA Frontiers in Service Conference, San Francisco, USA, October 4-7, 2007
M. Westerlund, R. Rajala, S. Leminen
2007
IMP Third Meeting of the IMP Group in Asia, Phuket, Thailand, December 9-13, 2007
M. Westerlund, R. Rajala, S. Svahn
2007
The Business Review, Cambridge
R. Rajala, Mika Westerlund
2006
GCBE 6th Global Conference on Business and Economics, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA, October 15-17, 2006
R. Rajala, J. Nissilä
2006
ECIS 14th European Conference on Information Systems, Gothenburg, Sweden, June 12-14, 2006
M. Westerlund, R. Rajala
2006
From Small Firms to Multinationals: Industrial, Entrepreneurial, Managerial, Financial, Fiscal, Transaction Cost and Consumer Perspectives in the Era of Globalisation
M. Westerlund, R. Rajala
2006
Innovative Marketing
Mika Westerlund, R. Rajala, S. Svahn
2006
Economics and International Business Research Conference, Miami, Florida, USA, December 13-16, 2006
M-K. Forssén, M. Heikkonen, J. Hietala, O. Hänninen, J. Kontio, R. Rajala, M. Westerlund, A. Rajala, S. Leminen, K. Möller, M. Rajahonka
2005
Final report of the KISA-SWC Finland Project (Step3).OECD Research Project
Kristian Möller, Jukka Partanen, Arto Rajala, Mika Westerlund, Risto Rajala, Senja Svahn
2005
IMP 21st Conference, Rotterdam, the Netherlands, 1-3 September, 2005
K. Möller, J. Partanen, M. Westerlund, A. Rajala, R. Rajala, S. Svahn
2005
IMP Second Meeting of the IMP Group in Asia, Phuket, Thailand, December 11-14, 2005
R. Rajala, M. Westerlund
2005
18th Bled eConference, Bled, Slovenia, June 6-8, 2005
R. Rajala, M. Rossi, V. Tuunainen, J. Vihinen
2005
Managing Business in a Multi-Channel World.Success Factors for E-Business
R. Rajala, Mika Westerlund, J. Nissilä
2005
GCBE 5th Global Conference on Business and Economics, Cambridge, UK, July 6-8, 2006
R. Rajala, V. Nyman, L. Pekkilä, S. Sierla, A. Vuorio
2005
M. Westerlund, R. Rajala
2005
3rd International Conference on Business, Economics, Management and Marketing, Athens, Greece, June 16-18, 2005
Mika Westerlund, Risto Rajala, Kristian Möller
2005
IMP 21st Conference, Rotterdam, the Netherlands, 1-3 September, 2005
E. Penttinen, R. Rajala
2004
8th International Research Seminar in Service Management, La Londe, France, June 8-11, 2004
E. Penttinen, R. Rajala
2004
ECIS 12th European Conference on Information Systems, Turku, Finland, June 14-17, 2004
Risto Rajala, Mika Westerlund
2004
IMP 20th Conference, Copenhagen, Denmark, September 2-4, 2004
R. Rajala, M. Westerlund, A. Rajala, S. Leminen
2004
R. Rajala, M. Rossi, V. Tuunainen
2003
ECIS European Conference on Information Systems, Naples, Italy, June 18-22, 2003
R. Rajala, M. Rossi, V. Tuunainen
2003
Ohjelmistoliiketoiminta
R. Rajala, M. Rossi, V. Tuunainen, J. Vihinen
2003
ICMB Second International Conference on Mobile Business, Vienna, Austria, June 23-24, 2003
R. Rajala, M. Rossi, V. Tuunainen
2003
Annals of Cases on Information Technology
Risto Rajala, Matti Rossi, Virpi Kristiina Tuunainen, Santeri Korri
2001