{"id":228,"date":"2026-05-07T08:30:28","date_gmt":"2026-05-07T05:30:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.uef.fi\/dp-fobi\/?page_id=228"},"modified":"2026-06-10T15:10:14","modified_gmt":"2026-06-10T12:10:14","slug":"behavioural-biases","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/sites.uef.fi\/dp-fobi\/behavioural-biases\/","title":{"rendered":"Behavioural biases in the adoption of bio-based innovations in the forest sector"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"https:\/\/uef.varbi.com\/en\/what:job\/jobID:940997\/\"><button>APPLY FOR THIS PhD POSITION <\/button><\/a> <strong>Application period: 11 June \u2013 10 August, 2026<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Research project description<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The bioeconomy relies on the successful market adoption of bio-based products and processes with reduced environmental impacts. Despite their sustainability potential, many bio-based innovations face low or uneven acceptance by consumers and other end users, and the behavioural mechanisms behind this remain insufficiently understood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>This doctoral research examines how behavioural biases influence the adoption of bio-based innovations, including substitute products, new bio-based processes, new products, and innovations requiring new user behaviour.<\/strong> Building on behavioural economics and innovation adoption research, the project focuses on decision-making under novelty, where consumers rely on heuristics and behavioural biases that may hinder the evaluation and uptake of unfamiliar bio-based solutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The main objective is to identify key behavioural biases, such as status quo bias, loss aversion, ambiguity aversion, and familiarity bias, and to analyse how they differ across innovation types and user contexts. The research aims to generate insights that support firms and policymakers in designing effective communication strategies and interventions to promote the diffusion of bio-based innovations in the forest sector.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Academic background and skills of the applicant<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>An ideal candidate holds a <strong>master\u2019s degree in business administration, marketing, cognitive sciences, innovation studies, or a closely related field.<\/strong> The candidate is expected to have a strong interest in behavioural economics, consumer behaviour, sustainability transitions, and innovation studies, as well as a commitment to high-quality research with societal and industry relevance. The candidate should be willing to complement their existing expertise with knowledge in business studies, forest sciences, the bioeconomy, or other relevant research fields. An interdisciplinary or multidisciplinary research mindset is highly valued. The selected candidate must also fulfil the language skills requirements of the Doctoral Programme of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies at UEF (see the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uef.fi\/en\/degree-programme\/doctoral-programme-of-the-faculty-of-social-sciences-and-business-studies\">https:\/\/www.uef.fi\/en\/degree-programme\/doctoral-programme-of-the-faculty-of-social-sciences-and-business-studies<\/a> (Eligibility and admission criteria)).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The successful candidate demonstrates a proactive and collaborative attitude, enjoys working as part of a team, and is motivated to engage with industry representatives and other stakeholders in the bioeconomy sector. Willingness to participate in research popularisation activities is considered an advantage. The ability and willingness to undertake research periods abroad with international or non-academic partner organisations are also regarded as assets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Doctoral programme and research group<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Doctoral education in the University of Eastern Finland is arranged in seven discipline specific or thematic doctoral programmes. This research project will be located in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uef.fi\/en\/degree-programme\/doctoral-programme-in-science-forestry-and-technology\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uef.fi\/en\/degree-programme\/doctoral-programme-of-the-faculty-of-social-sciences-and-business-studies\">Doctoral Programme of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies<\/a>, and the submitting department is the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uef.fi\/en\/unit\/uef-business-school\">UEF Business School<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The doctoral candidate will join the <a href=\"https:\/\/uefconnect.uef.fi\/en\/marketing-and-consumer-behavior-research-group\/\">Marketing and Consumer Behavior Research Group<\/a> which examines consumer behavior and business success factors in the marketplace. The research themes cover issues arising from a range of factors including product and service innovations, sustainability, bioeconomy, e-commerce, digital technology, data analytics, sensory marketing, brands, international markets, and entrepreneurial behavior. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Partners \/ Secondments<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Wageningen University &amp; Research, hosted by Dr. Emiel Wubben<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Other interdisciplinary, international and\/or intersectoral collaboration<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Intersectoral and interdisciplinary collaboration is strengthened through DP-FOBI&#8217;s three  summer schools involving academic supervisors, non-academic partners, and other stakeholders, enabling hands-on interaction and knowledge exchange.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Supervisors and related research<\/h2>\n\n\n\t<div id=\"accordion-block_1b3ecfc928b2c4c0706acdf3354f4af3\" class=\"accordions\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"accordion accordion-js\">\n\t\t\t\t<button class=\"accordion__button\" aria-controls=\"content-1458\" aria-expanded=\"false\" id=\"accordion-control-1458\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"accordion__heading\" >\n\t\t\t\t\t\tHelen Reijonen\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t<\/button>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"accordion__content\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"accordion-control-1458\" aria-hidden=\"true\" id=\"content-1458\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"py-1 whitespace-normal break-words\">Dr <a href=\"https:\/\/uefconnect.uef.fi\/en\/helen.reijonen\/\">Helen Reijonen<\/a> is an experienced researcher in marketing, entrepreneurship, and consumer behaviour, with a strong international publication record. Her research focuses on strategic orientations, SME performance, innovation, and sustainability-related consumption. She has published in leading international journals, including Industrial Marketing Management, International Marketing Review, Technovation, Journal of Small Business Management, and Waste Management.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"py-1 whitespace-normal break-words\">Dr Reijonen has substantial experience in thesis supervision and interdisciplinary research and is actively involved in international bioeconomy networks and European projects. Her expertise provides a strong foundation for doctoral research on strategic orientations, behavioural factors, and innovation adoption in the forest-based bioeconomy and forest-sector SMEs.<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"accordion accordion-js\">\n\t\t\t\t<button class=\"accordion__button\" aria-controls=\"content-9746\" aria-expanded=\"false\" id=\"accordion-control-9746\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"accordion__heading\" >\n\t\t\t\t\t\tJani Saastamoinen\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t<\/button>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"accordion__content\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"accordion-control-9746\" aria-hidden=\"true\" id=\"content-9746\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"py-1 whitespace-normal break-words\">Professor <a href=\"https:\/\/uefconnect.uef.fi\/en\/jani.saastamoinen\/\">Jani Saastamoinen<\/a> is an interdisciplinary researcher whose work examines how individuals and firms make decisions under risk and uncertainty. Drawing on insights from accounting, economics, finance, marketing, supply management, and strategic management, his research focuses on the behavioural foundations of managerial judgment, market behaviour, and firms\u2019 strategic orientations.<\/div>\n<div class=\"py-1 whitespace-normal break-words\">His recent work has increasingly addressed the role of behavioural biases, cognitive ability, and personality traits in economic and organizational decision-making. He has also examined how strategic orientations, such as market orientation and entrepreneurial orientation, shape decision processes, innovation activities, competitive behaviour, and firm performance.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"py-1 whitespace-normal break-words\">Saastamoinen has published in highly regarded international journals, including Management Science, Journal of Behavioral Decision Making, Journal of Business Finance and Accounting, Technovation, and Economics Letters. His expertise provides a strong foundation for doctoral research on behavioural and strategic perspectives in economic, managerial, and innovation-related decision-making<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"accordion accordion-js\">\n\t\t\t\t<button class=\"accordion__button\" aria-controls=\"content-3357\" aria-expanded=\"false\" id=\"accordion-control-3357\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"accordion__heading\" >\n\t\t\t\t\t\tRelated articles\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t<\/button>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"accordion__content\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"accordion-control-3357\" aria-hidden=\"true\" id=\"content-3357\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<p>Palom\u00e4ki, J., Laakasuo, M., Castr\u00e9n, S., Kainulainen, T., Saastamoinen, J., &amp; Suhonen, N. (2025). Intelligence, conscientiousness and extraversion moderate the house money effect in real-life financial decision-making. <em>Journal of Research in Personality<\/em>, 104669.<\/p>\n<p>Suhonen, N., &amp; Saastamoinen, J. (2018). How do prior gains and losses affect subsequent risk taking? New evidence from individual-level horse race bets. <em>Management Science<\/em>, <em>64<\/em>(6), 2797-2808.<\/p>\n<p>Kokkonen, H., &amp; Reijonen, H. (2024). Testaajakotitaloudet uutta lajittelutuotetta kehitt\u00e4m\u00e4ss\u00e4: osallistumismotiivit ja tuotteeseen liitetyt kulutusarvot. Kulutustutkimus. Nyt, 18(1-2), 30-47. <a href=\"https:\/\/journal.fi\/kulutustutkimus\/article\/view\/146497\">English abstract: Households engaging in the development of a new waste sorting product: Motivation to participate and consumption values related to the product\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>APPLY FOR THIS PhD POSITION Application period: 11 June \u2013 10 August, 2026 Research project description The bioeconomy relies on the successful market adoption of bio-based products and processes with reduced environmental impacts. Despite their sustainability potential, many bio-based innovations face low or uneven acceptance by consumers and other end users, and the behavioural mechanisms [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1364,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-228","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Behavioural biases in the adoption of bio-based innovations in the forest sector - Doctoral Programme for Advancing Forest-Based Bioeconomy (DP-FOBI)<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/sites.uef.fi\/dp-fobi\/behavioural-biases\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Behavioural biases in the adoption of bio-based innovations in the forest sector - Doctoral Programme for Advancing Forest-Based Bioeconomy (DP-FOBI)\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"APPLY FOR THIS PhD POSITION Application period: 11 June \u2013 10 August, 2026 Research project description The bioeconomy relies on the successful market adoption of bio-based products and processes with reduced environmental impacts. 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