Research group

Sales and B2B Business

Modern sales are about finding a solution and producing value. Digitalization has changed and will continue to change sales and business. Currently, significant themes affecting sales include artificial intelligence and big data. However, digitalization and online sales do not eliminate the need for face-to-face sales expertise. Both are needed in the future.

In the sales and B2B business research group, we develop interaction and negotiation skills in sales and purchasing processes, the profitability of B2B companies, and business innovations in both close and remote interaction situations. In addition, we support the integration of RDI activities, teaching and business.

With the help of digitalisation and biometrics, we gain new competitive advantages for business:

With the digitalization of sales, we utilize customer profiles, personal offerings and dynamic pricing, enhance bid-order processes and business processes, such as providing information and disseminating product information in business.

Utilizing biometrics offers a new kind of quantitative research perspective for examining interaction and negotiation skills. Biometric research equipment can be used to collect quantitative data on, among other things, gaze targeting and the emotional effects of a negotiation situation when measuring facial expressions and skin conductivity.

Sales interaction and negotiation skills are developed in annual sales coaching and competitions. We organize three sales competitions each year.

Our experts

The research group includes experts in sales and negotiation skills, business, entrepreneurship, communication and pedagogy.

  • Timo Holopainen

    Principal Lecturer, Research Group Leader
    +358 50 598 5786
    timo.holopainen@turkuamk.fi
  • Taru Kankaanpää

    Senior Lecturer
    +358 40 355 0169
    taru.kankaanpaa@turkuamk.fi
  • Pinja Palm

    Senior Lecturer
    +358 44 907 5491
    pinja.palm@turkuamk.fi
  • Kai Schleutker

    Senior Lecturer, Project Manager
    +358 40 355 0943
    kai.schleutker@turkuamk.fi
  • Jaana Kallio-Gerlander

    Head of Education and Research
    +358 44 907 4981
    jaana.kallio-gerlander@turkuamk.fi
  • Harri Lappalainen

    Senior Lecturer, Project Manager
    +358 40 355 0915
    harri.lappalainen@turkuamk.fi
  • Arto Kuuluvainen

    Senior Lecturer, Advisor
    +358 50 430 6953
    arto.kuuluvainen@turkuamk.fi

We publish around 15 articles every year in Finnish and English.
See our latest work published in English.

Education

Our research group works in close cooperation with degree programmes. We teach, produce content and strengthen students’ working life connections. We support the integration of research and development activities into teaching.

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  • Sales Academy

    We provide support for your business to develop sales and marketing.

    Sales and marketing student projects

The Academic Association of Sales Engineering (AASE) is a European network of experts promoting the education, research and visibility of sales engineers.

The European Sales Competition Association (ESCA) is the European network of universities that enables the organisation and continuation of European sales competition.

The Best Seller Competition is a sales competition open to all Finnish universities, with the aim of raising the profile of professional sales work and developing it.

Sales Education Foundation (SEF) is an international organisation that promotes the benefits of university-level sales education.

The Global Sales Science Institute (GSSI) is an international organisation that brings together research, teaching and implementation of sales and sales management.

The Turku University of Applied Sciences Project Office offers support and guidance throughout the life cycle of an RDI project. Our project experts have years of experience and strong expertise in national and international funding programmes. We have more than 200 projects running every year, and our RDI activities have received more than €10 million in external funding.