1. Health Scientist as an In-betweener: A Sensemaking Story
Tero Montonen, Päivi Eriksson and Eeva Aromaa
University of Eastern Finland
ICMC2017

2. The case study F
How university scientists make sense of their career paths?
Context: Current changes in Finnish universities
Emphasis on societal impact, entrepreneurial universities, new public management
Changing faculty careers
Tenure track system, search for alternative career paths
Success stories in prior research: Non-tenured faculty, who are willing to become academic entrepreneurs
Presenter professor Päivi Eriksson ICMC2017

3. Theoretical frame: Critical Sensemaking
Interviews
Career stories
Sensemaking properties
Identity
Rules
Formative context
Power
Critical
sensemaking
analysis
Narrative
interviews
Observations,
field diary
Presenter professor Päivi Eriksson ICMC2017

4. One health scientist as the case
Then years after finishing a PhD, there is no career advancement in sight
Strong researcher identity
Has developed a new method that could easily be commercialized
Way out: Establishing a spin-off company with the help of the new business advisor hired by the university
Critical sensemaking based on two different career scenarios
Image size 100 x 64 mm
Presenter professor Päivi Eriksson ICMC2017

5. The Worst Career Scenario
“The spin-off will go bankrupt and I would stay here [at the university] and continue like this.”
Has published a lot, brough in considerable funding – yet no quarantee of a tenture track position or any other permanent job
Department unwilling to make a decision on tenure track position until the spin-off is in full operation
Uncertainty about the success of the spin-off success prevails
Image size 68 x 90 mm
Presenter professor Päivi Eriksson ICMC2017

6. The Best Career Scenario
”I would work at the university and lead the spin-off on the side.”
There is still hope to get a tenure-track position and, eventually, full professorship at the home department
The university business advisor provides support for commercialization - despite some disagreements between the advisor and the scientist
Presenter professor Päivi Eriksson ICMC2017

7. Findings: Building the in-betweener identity
Power issues
Between the scientist and university/department
Between the scientist and business the advisor
Positive in-betweener identity
actively challenges what is offered by the university and the department
science and entrepreneurship becomes combined in unconventional ways, which break organizational rules
Presenter professor Päivi Eriksson ICMC2017

8. Conclusions The case illustrates how
Scientists can develop a positive in-betweener identity with strong agency by challenging what universities offer them in the context of uncertainty
Strong agency of faculty might actually be what entrepreneurial universities should strive for and support?
Strong agency at the heart of academic entrepreneurial action?
Presenter professor Päivi Eriksson ICMC2017

9. Thank you!
Web site: uef.fi/ace
uef.fi