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Academic interests
Dr. Gunnar Andersson received his PhD in Enterprise Development and WOrklife Research in 2011 at the Norwegian University of science and Technology (NTNU). He continued at Østfold University College as associated professor and coordinator of the Innovation and project management program at the Institute of Engineering.
He has conducted research on innovation processes and value creation in collaboration with regional public and private businesses for more than 10 years. He is author of the book The Assembly of Lean Production ISBN 978-82-471-2894-7 and partaker in The book of innovation – the art of renewal (No: Innovasjonsboka – Fornyelsens kunst) ISBN 978-82-690362-5-1.
Both the PhD and later research are embedded within a line of regional innovation programs funded by the Research Council of Norway (RCN), including Value Creation 2010 and Regional R&D and Innovation 2007-2017.
More recently, he explores circular economy and industrial symbiosis and the effects on organizing work. He was in 2016-2018 reference group member in the Redesign QR project on circular economy funded by Oslofjordfondet (RFFOFF) and PhD Evaluation Committee member for Lucia Mortensen’s thesis on Industrial Symbiosis Emergence at Aalborg University 2020. He now supervises PhD-candidate Mirielle Torgersen at Aarhus University and the Interreg Greenbizz project om circular economy and green business model innovation. Other related activities include the FORREGION project on reuse and redesign of inventory with Fredrikstad municipality spring 2023, and the Klimasats project with the GG-group on industrial symbiosis spring 2023.
Presently, his research explores innovation processes and the effects on organizing work inside the green shift, with digitalization understood as an actor in more sustainable business models (the digital society). He is from fall 2022 researcher in the EU Interreg-funded research project FREIIA on developing a design thinking-based & practice-oriented framework for sustainable development. FREIIA's objective is to create skills, resources, competences, capabilities & structures that support the public sector in becoming effective and successful in transformative policies & in building resilience, with a focus on the GSCs/ SDGs.
Dr Andersson is Head of the Innovation Research Group. He has supervised PhD-candidates Frode Ramstad Johansen and Matthew Lynch that defended their thesis’ at Aalborg University (AaU) and the NTNU. He now supervises PhD-candidate Mirielle Torgersen at Aarhus University. His supervising mindset is about positioning the PhD-candidates within international research projects, with intensive supervision both local and embedded in the research community, enabling the candidates to conclude relevant research and complete on time.
Dr. Andersson is a regular reviewer in international peer reviewed journals including Operations Management Research, Systemic Practice and Action Research and Production Planning & Control. He is regular assessment committee member for academic positions at NTNU (2019, 2020) and AaU (2016). He is also co-founder of the yearly Strømtangen Lighthouse sustainability project in collaboration with Visit Fredrikstad & Hvaler, Friends of the earth Fredrikstad and Hvaler and the NGO Miljøstiftelsen elv og hav.
Courses taught
- IRI23020 Organisasjonsutvikling (10 Studiepoeng)
- IRI31522 Ledelsesutvikling (10 studiepooeng)
- IRI36022 Internship (10 studiepoeng)
- IRI37519 Bacheloroppgave med vitenskapsteori og metode (30 Studiepoeng)
- IRMGR44018 Master Thesis (30 studiepoeng)
Awards
- Academic Writing Scholarship 2018 (Publiseringssstipend 2018)
- Nominated for best lecturer in Morgenbladets National Contest 2016
- Supporting Funding 2016 (Småforsk-midler 2016)
- Academic Writing Scholarship 2015 (Publiseringssstipend 2015)
- Supporting Funding 2015 (Småforsk-midler 2015)
- Supporting Funding 2012 (Småforsk-midler 2012)
- Academic Writing Scholarship 2012 (Publiseringssstipend 2012)
- Academic Scholarship (Stipend for Professorkvalifisering 2013)
Positions held
- Head of Innovation Research Group (IRG)
- Secretary of Lean forum Østfold
- Former Board member Lean forum Østfold
- Former Head of board and member of board at Institute of Engineering
- Former member of board at Østfold University College
Partners
- Supervisor PhD candidate Mirielle Torgersen with Professor Peter Lindgren Aarhus Universitet
- Supervisor PhD candidate Frode Ramstad Johansen with Professor Søren Kerndrup Aalborg Universitet
- Supervisor PhD candidate Matthew Lynch with Professor Martin Steinert NTNU
- Reference group in Redesign QR research project with Østfold research