BOOST has focus on the following areas:
Business development. Business development topics cover a wide range of subject areas. Our members are engaged in empirical research in entrepreneurship, business economics, accounting and auditing, and marketing management.
Innovation. Innovation is a central element of the group's projects. Through interdisciplinary collaboration, international partnerships, and the application of new technologies, the group develops innovative solutions that support sustainable business development, governance, and societal transformation. The projects contribute to creating new knowledge, strengthening competitiveness, and addressing emerging global challenges.
Governance. We are also interested in research questions related to corporate governance, network governance, and institutional governance. Our members explore the coordination of companies with respect to the external business environment from a normative perspective.
Sustainability. The group is interested in research topics related to sustainability. Our members work both on course development in the field of sustainability and explore different research aspects in various fields where sustainability is in focus.
Technology. The group is interested in research topics related to technological trends, especially issues concerning digital technology and modern solutions that have a social impact. Our members cooperate with the business community in Norway (Telenor, Abelia, NHO, etc.) and abroad (members of the Lviv IT cluster).
Internationalization. The globalization of the world economy has brought increased attention to internationalization. Our members explore the impact of internationalization on business processes in organizations and companies (cross-border cooperation via the Chernivtsi border area, High North initiatives via Nord University, EU cooperation via the University of Economics in Katowice, etc.).
The research group has initiated the research iinitiative focus called DigiBest.
This initiative is not part of, the formal organizational structure of Hiof’s strategic priority “Digital Society” and is primarily based on the reserarch group research initiatives.
DigiBest (Digital Business, Economy, Business Society, Sustainability, Technology)
In 2020, the Business Development, Governance, Sustainability, Technology and Internationalization (BDGSTI) research group at Østfold University College, under the leadership of Associate Professor Irina Roddvik, began collaboration with faculty members from Lviv Polytechnic National University (LPNU)/Faculty of Economics, Chernivtsi National University, and the University of Economics in Katowice. The discussions centered around projects exploring the impact of regionalization on cross-border trade and the e-commerce phenomenon in various cultural contexts. Initial data collection began, but progress was hindered by COVID-19. The group resumed work on the project in 2024 and has now launched the research initiative “Cross-border Impact on Regional Development and Further Interaction in the Development of the European ‘DNA’.” The project builds on interdisciplinary methods to map economic, social, and institutional ties across borders and to identify policy levers that strengthen sustainable, inclusive growth.
As a result of the research group’s discussions and efforts, two cross-disciplinary projects were established: DigiBest and Cross-border Impact. DigiBest involves members from ØKAD and LPNU, attracting interest from researchers at ØKAD. The project aims to unite researchers within ØKAD and extend invitations to participants from the faculties of Computer Science, Engineering, and Economics.
DigiBest aims to engage national and international research and business communities, building connections with Norwegian MNCs, SMEs, and organizations like Abelia, NHO, and Innovation Norway. It has strong ties with the Lviv IT cluster. The project emphasizes the role of digitalization in business, finance, and the economy, and intends to incorporate research findings into academic programs.
DigiBest’s research covers four key areas:
1. DigiBusiness: Investment, accounting, management control, and marketing.
2. DigiEconomy: Micro- and macroeconomics, finance.
3. DigiSociety (Business Society): CSR, ethical business practices, governance.
4. DigiTechnology: Modern trends in digital technology.
The project utilizes qualitative, quantitative, and mixed research methods, exploring topics such as the digital economy, finance, public sector digitalization, e-commerce trust, and digital marketing.
The important initiatives within the framework of DigiBest are connected to:
Sustainable Leadership and Governance (a cooperation with two universities from Ukraine) and Cyber Exclusion (a project based on cooperation with the University of Economics in Katowice, Poland).
Digital Exclusion. Group members participated in AI HUB Østfold activities and presented an initiative titled “Cyber Exclusion,” sharing recent findings, raising awareness about digital exclusion risks in AI deployment, and engaging with the broader research community. The project is based on cooperation with the University of Economics in Katowice, Poland, and will focus on the Norwegian context.
The group is working on the research project Digital Campus (in cooperation with Lviv Polytechnic National University). Digital Campus (DC), as a research concept, is both timely and important to discuss, as it represents a forward-looking approach to education that combines technology and learning to create more accessible and flexible educational opportunities. In an increasingly digital world, DC gives both students and educators the ability to interact, share resources, and build global networks, regardless of geographical location.
Cross-Border Impact on Regional Development
The group initiated a research initiative focusing on the cross-border impact on regional development. The initiative aims to explore how cooperation across national borders influences economic growth, innovation, labor mobility, and social development in border regions. By bringing together researchers and stakeholders from different countries, the project seeks to identify opportunities and challenges associated with cross-border collaboration and to generate knowledge that supports sustainable regional development and stronger interconnected communities.
Collaboration with the research group Eurasia will include an application for funding to organize a research seminar marking the 250th anniversary of Adam Smith’s work “An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations.” The seminar will bring together researchers from economics, history, political science, educational science, and digitalization to discuss the work’s historical significance and its relevance to today’s challenges in economic governance, education reform, and digital transformations.
The research group has received funding for an ERASMUS project in Montenegro (University of Montenegro). Group members are going to travel to Montenegro and contribute to teaching activities (2026–2027). Student mobility activities will be arranged.The group is seeking cooperation partners in Montenegro for cross-border impact research on regional development, with tourism as one key area.
ELSE project (cooperation with the research group Eurasia) focuses on collaboration with Hebei GEO University, China (HK DIR Horizon funding), helping us maintain a strong focus on sustainability. The project has ended, but the ideas and commitment to working further with sustainability remain with us.
The cooperation originated from the SMALE student mobility project, financed by DIKU. In the 2021–2022 academic year, discussions continued, emphasizing LPNU’s collaboration with the Lviv IT cluster within the realm of Digital Society.
Collobaration with University of Motenegro focuses on Erasmus+ mobility and joint knowledge development in hospitality and tourism education, with a particular emphasis on opportunities and challenges in border regions.
Our research group has an active network of research collaborators in the Nordic countries, Ukraine, Poland, Denmark, the UK, Montenegro, Belguim, Sweden, Serbia, Croatia, Germany, and China. We also collaborate with business practitioners in Norway, especially in Østfold. Our members adopt research-based teaching approaches with active student involvement.
The group has been invited to join several European research consortia linked to several DigiBest initiatives, ranging from Digital exclusion to Digital nclusion to other research initiative DigiBest-related ideas, including Sustainable Agriculture (e.g., the Østfold area), Cross-boarder Impact on the regional development
The group is interested in participating in research-driven innovation initiatives that promote quality, efficiency, and renewal in the Norwegian public sector through interdisciplinary research, digital transformation, and sustainable solutions.