Department of Business Administration

Aki Harima is an Associate Professor in the Entrepreneurship and International Business Unit. From 2013 to 2024, Aki served as a research associate at the Chair of Small Business and Entrepreneurship at the Faculty of Business Studies and Economics at the University of Bremen in Germany. During this time, she co-initiated and organized the International Conference on Migration and Diaspora Entrepreneurship. Aki has been an active member of the Editorial Review Board of Entrepreneurship & Regional Development since 2023. Her primary research interests include investigating entrepreneurial ecosystems, transnational entrepreneurship, entrepreneurship support mechanisms, and entrepreneurship education. In recent years, Aki has focused her research on the entrepreneurial potential of refugees in various contexts, such as Syrian refugees in Europe, Ukrainian refugees in Eastern Europe, and Somali refugees in Western East Africa. Additionally, she has dedicated her efforts to examining the early evolution of regional ecosystems in different countries, including Chile, Namibia, and Estonia. Aki's international teaching experiences span across Germany, the UK, Namibia, South Africa, and Mexico. Notably, she was honoured with the Berninghausen Prize for Excellent Teaching and Innovation, Germany's oldest teaching prize.

Educational background

• Doctor's Degree, 2016, (sup) Prof.Dr. Jörg Freiling, Exploring Characteristics of Descending Diaspora Entrepreneurship, University of Bremen (Germany)
• Master's Degree, 2013, (sup) Prof.Dr Michael Woywode, Corporate Venturing für deutsche Automobilkonzerne am Beispiel von Mercedes-Benz Vans, University of Mannheim (Germany)
• Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Kobe University (Japan)

Teaching courses

Entrepreneurship Theories, MMJ9040, Ph.D

Research topics

Aki Harima's research consists of the following three domains:

1. transnational entrepreneurship (refugee and migrant entrepreneurship, refugee-camp entrepreneurship) 
2. entrepreneurial ecosystems (ecosystem evolution, and sustainable entrepreneurial ecosystems)  
3. student entrepreneurship/entrepreneurship education (university entrepreneurial ecosystem, entrepreneurship education from students’ perspectives) 

Recent publications

• Harima, A., & Harima, J. (2024). Unintended Dependence Creation? The Nesting Effect of University Entrepreneurial Ecosystems. Academy of Management Perspectives. 
• Harima, A., Harima, J., & Freiling, J. (2024). Ecosystem Orchestration: Unpacking the Leadership Capabilities of Anchor Organizations in Nascent Entrepreneurial Ecosystems. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice. 
• Harima, A. (2023). Reflection on Student Entrepreneurs’ Intention-Action Gap from Embeddedness Perspective. Revue de lEntrepreneuriat/Review of Entrepreneurship, 22(1), 24-28. 
• Yeshi, T., Harima, A., & Freiling, J. (2022). Resilience on an emotional rollercoaster: Refugee entrepreneurship under adversity. European Management Journal. 
• Harima, A. (2022). Theorizing disembedding and re-embedding: Resource mobilization in refugee entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurship & Regional Development, 34(3-4), 269-293.
• Harima, A. (2022). Transnational migration entrepreneurship during a crisis: Immediate response to challenges and opportunities emerging through the COVID‐19 pandemic. Business and Society Review, 127, 223-251. 
• Harima, A., Kroczak, A., & Repnik, M. (2021). Role ambiguity in entrepreneurship education: expectation gaps between educators and students in venture creation courses. Education+ Training, 63(9), 1309-1325. 
• Harima, A., Gießelmann, J., Göttsch, V., & Schlichting, L. (2021). Entrepreneurship? Let us do it later: procrastination in the intention–behavior gap of student entrepreneurship. International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research, 27(5), 1189-1213. 
• Harima, A., Periac, F., Murphy, T., & Picard, S. (2021). Entrepreneurial opportunities of refugees in Germany, France, and Ireland: Multiple embeddedness framework. International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, 17(2), 625-663. 
• Harima, A., Harima, J., & Freiling, J. (2021). The injection of resources by transnational entrepreneurs: Towards a model of the early evolution of an entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Projects

• Transnational Student Project in Namibia – Developing prototypes for a city incubator in Windhoek 
• Erasmus+ VIFRE (Virtual Incubator for Refugee Entrepreneurs)

Awards, press & membership

• Favourite lecturer of foreign students 2021 
• Interview to the Business newspaper Äripäev 2020 

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Educational background

• Doctor's Degree, 2018, (sup) Urve Venesaar; Paula Kristiina Kyrö, Defining metacompetencies for entrepreneurship education, Tallinn Univeristy of Technology.
• Master's Degree, 2011, (sup) Ülle Pihlak, Silicon Valley II - Lessons for Estonia, Estonian Business School (EBS) 
• Bachelor of Entrepreneurship and Business management, Estonian Business School (EBS) 
• Bachelor of Psychology, Tallinn University

Teaching courses

Sirje Ustav offers entrepreneurship courses primarily for master students in various disciplines both Estonian and international students. She has taught also introduction courses at the bachelor level.  

The list of courses: 

• Entrepreneurship and business planning, interdisciplinary, MATMJ3300
• Introduction to entrepreneurship, interdisciplinary BA, TMJ0130

Research topics

Sirje Ustav research focuses on entrepreneurial ecosystem studies mainly at the meso level including entrepreneurship education development. Focus on systematic enhancement of entrepreneurial and metacompetencies. She takes an active part of conferences and expert networks. 

Research topics: 

1. Entrepreneurship Education 
2. Metacompetencies 
3. Entrepreneurship ecosystem

Recent publications

• Demiankova, E., Ustav, S. (2022). Do Women have Potential as Entrepreneurs? Entrepreneurial Competencies of Female Business Students. In: Tiwari, Himanshi; Lämsä, Anna-Maija; Beinhauer, Rupert (Ed.). Women in Education and Work Life. (43−58). Bloomsbury. 
• Ustav, S.; Venesaar, U. (2018). Bridging metacompetencies and entrepreneurship education. Education + Training, 60 (7/8), 674−695. 
• Ustav, S. (2018). Exploring the Gaps of Metacompetencies Between Entrepreneurs and Students. Journal of Enterprising Culture, 26 (2),  155−183.

Projects

• UniTeD (Name, funder, total budget, 2023/2024, partner institutions)
• GEM, Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (Ministry of Economic Affairs, 2023/2024) 
• Analyse of the entrepreneurship and business administration curriculams, Ministry of Justice, 2020 

Awards, press & membership

• YKTT 2013, Entrepreneurship Education conference in Helsinki, 26th - 27th September. Honory Award for "The Assessment of stdents' metacompetencies in the context of entrepreneurship  courses".
• Best Moodle course 2015
• Lecturer of the Year 2023
• ESU Member (European University Network on Entrepreneurship)  

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Susanne Durst is a professor of management at the Institute of Business Administration. Scientifically, Susanne is interested in knowledge management and innovation from the perspective of small businesses. Recently, she has started working on the topic of sustainable digitalization to contribute to a balanced and transparent discussion on digitalization.

Educational background

• Master's Degree, 2011, (sup) Milvi Tepp, Research of Organizational Culture in School of Economics and Business Administration of TUT, Tallinn University of Technology

Teaching courses

Marianne Kallaste offers entrepreneurship courses primarily for master students in various disciplines.  She gives lectures in English and Estonian and in regular and distance learning. At the master's level, she is conducting the following courses: 

• Entrepreneurship and Business Planning (Est, only seminars), TMJ3300
• Personnel Development (Est, distance learning), MMP5620
• Social Entrepreneurship (Eng, elective course, e-course), MMJ5620

Research topics

• The evolutionary dynamics of regional entrepreneurial ecosystems
• The entrepreneurial potential of refugees in Europe etc.

Recent publications

• Antonelli, G., Venesaar, U., Riviezzo, A., Kallaste, M., Dorożyński, T., & Kłysik-Uryszek, A. (2024). Find your limits and break them! Nurturing students’ entrepreneurship competence through innovative teaching methods and self-assessment. Journal of Enterprising Communities: People and Places in the Global Economy, 18(1), 29-48.
• Venesaar, U., Antonelli, G., Dorożyński, T., Duarte, H., Kallaste, M., Riviezzo, A., ... & Santos, S. C. (2023). Entrepreneurship competence among students and employees: a comparative study in five European countries. In Annals of Entrepreneurship Education and Pedagogy (pp. 117-141). Edward Elgar Publishing Limited.

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Educational background

• Master of Arts in Social Sciences (marketing), cum laude, 2009, Tallinn University of Technology

Teaching courses

Katrin Arvola teaches mostly bachelor level courses- introduction to entrepreneurship. In addition to teaching in higher education, she conducts entrepreneurship workshops in Mektory for pupils and other interested people in Estonian and English.  

The list of courses: 

• Introduction to entrepreneurship (different study programs at bachelor level) 
• Entrepreneurship and business planning (session based format for master programmes)

Projects

• EuroTeQ Engineering University, funder: The EU is funding EuroTeQ as part of its European Universities program over three years with around five million euros through Erasmus+ and two million euros from Horizon 2020., total budget: about 7 mln Euros, project duration: 2020-2027, partner institutions: Technical University of Munich, Technical University of Denmark, Eindhoven University of Technology, Ecole Polytechnique, Czech Technical University in Prague, Tallinn University of Technology, HEC Paris, IESE Business School) 

Awards, press & membership

• Educational innovation of the year (2020)
• Best Programme Director in the School of Business and Governance (2022)
• Educational innovation of the year (2023) 
• Most youth-oriented lecturer in the School of Business and Governance (2023) awarded by the students.
• VIDEO: Ettevõtluspädevuse lõimimisest ja ettevõtlusõppest TalTechis
• VIDEO: TalTech: juhtimise ja turunduse magistriõppekavast
• ARTICLE: Katrin Arvola: kas ettevõtjaks saab õppida või peavad olema kaasasündinud eeldused?

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Educational background

• Master of Science in Economics and Entrepreneurship, Estonian University of Life Sciences

Teaching courses

Martin Toding offers entrepreneurship courses primarily for master's students in various disciplines.  

  The list of courses: 

• Entrepreneurship and Business Planning, TMJ3300
• Venture Creation, MMJ5250
• Technology Entrepreneurship, MMJ5280
• International Entrepreneurship, MMJ5290
• Master Thesis Seminar, MMJ5330

Research topics

• Entrepreneurship education 
• Entrepreneurial mindset 
• Supporting an entrepreneurial mindset 

Recent publications

• Täks, M., Tynjälä, P., Toding, M., Kukemelk, H., & Venesaar, U. (2014). Engineering students’ experiences of studying entrepreneurship. Journal of Engineering Education, 103(4), 573–598.

• Toding, M. (2017). University Teachers’ Conceptions of Entrepreneurial Learning within Engineering Education. Research in Economics and Business: Central and Eastern Europe, 9 (1), 5−22. 

• Toding, M., Venesaar, U. (2018). Discovering and developing conceptual understanding of teaching and learning in entrepreneurship lecturers. Education + Training, 60 (7/8), 696−718. 

• Toding, M., Mädamürk, K., Venesaar, U., Malleus, E. (2023). Teachers’ mindset and attitudes towards learners and learning environment to support students’ entrepreneurial attitudes in universities. The International Journal of Management Education, 21 (1), 1-10. 

Projects

Systematic development of entrepreneurial mind-set and entrepreneurship education at all educational levels (EETA) 01.01.2016 – 31.12.2018 

Awards, press & membership

• TalTech School of Business and Governance Program Director of the Year 2023

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Educational background

• Doctor's Degree, 1989, (sup) Väino Rajangu, Use, need and preparation of business specialist in Estonia, Estonian Academy of Sciences.

Teaching courses

• Introduction to Entrepreneurship, TMJ0110
• Introduction to Entrepreneurship, TMJ0140
• Entrepreneurship, TMJ0310
• Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management, TMJ3380
• Business Growth Management, MMJ5260

Juhan Teder has supervised internships, research papers and theses and participated in the defense committees of bachelor's and master's theses.

Research topics

Juhan Teder's research area focuses on business development, entrepreneurs and business policy

Recent publications

• Kallaste, M.; Toding, M.; Teder, J. (2018). Student Career Choice Orientation and How This Relates to Autonomous and Controlled Motivation. Research in Economics and Business: Central and Eastern Europe, 10 (1),  74−99.

• Teder, J. (2016). Entrepreneurship Policy Development in Estonia as a European Union Member Country. Entrepreneurship, Innovation and regional development: Entrepreneurship, Innovation and regional development (EIRD2016).  Tallinn June 28-29, 2016.  Ed. Venesaar, U., Küttim, M. Tallinn: Tallinna Tehnikaülikooli Kirjastus, 139−155.

Projects

Juhan has been one of the contributors to the project IN15031 "Systematic development of entrepreneurial mindset and entrepreneurship education at all educational levels (EETA)(1.01.2016-31.12.2018), including the development of four modules (Basic module at Bachelor level, Basic module at Master level, Technology Entrepreneurship, Growth and Internationalization).

Awards, press & membership

• Member of the Council of the Institute of Business Administration, TUT (2012-2013)

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Educational background

• Doctor of Economics and Social Science from the University of Bremen, Germany
• M.Sc. in Business Administration from the University of Bremen, Germany
• B.Sc. in Business Administration from the WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management, Germany

Research topics

• Entrepreneurial Ecosystems
• Entrepreneurship Support Organizations
• Entrepreneurship Education    

Recent publications

• Harima, A., & Harima, J. (2024). Unintended Dependence Creation? The Nesting Effect of University Entrepreneurial Ecosystems. Academy of Management Perspectives.
• Harima, A., Harima, J., & Freiling, J. (2024). Ecosystem orchestration: Unpacking the leadership capabilities of anchor organizations in nascent entrepreneurial ecosystems. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 10422587241241824.
• Harima, A., Harima, J., & Freiling, J. (2021). The injection of resources by transnational entrepreneurs: Towards a model of the early evolution of an entrepreneurial ecosystem. In The Dynamics of Entrepreneurial Ecosystems (pp. 102-129). Routledge.

Projects

• ETAG Adaption Grant KOHTO7 – „Building a Resilient Entrepreneurial Ecosystem: Unpacking Resource Recycling Mechanisms 

Awards, press & membership

Awards:

1. ERD acknowledged paper as Highly Commended in the 2021 Best Paper Award
2. Berninghausen Prize for excellence in teaching 2021
3. Best Paper Award 6th Asian SME Conference 2018

Membership:

• Academy of Management
• European Council for Small Business and Entrepreneurship

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Educational background

• Master's Degree, Cum Laude, 2022, Self-directed learning design in digital channels. Tallinn University of Technology

Teaching courses

• Entrepreneurship and Business Planning
• Creativity and Innovation

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Educational background

• Master's Degree, 2003, (sup) Urpo Kivikari, Export Orientation and Cooperation Possibilities of Estonian Fish Processors, Turku School of Economics and Business Administration.

Teaching courses

Olev has worked as a lecturer at Audentes University from 2003 to 2005, at TTÜ Tallinn College from 2005 to 2012, and at Kuressaare College from 2013 to 2024. He has primarily taught courses in marketing, entrepreneurship, and logistics. He has supervised theses in marketing, management, entrepreneurship, and logistics.

The list of courses:

• Entrepreneurship and Business Planning, TMJ3300
• Introduction to Entrepreneurship, TMJ0130
• Logistics and Inventory Management, MMK3010, TMJ0230
• Green Logistics, MMK5340

Research topics

The impact of infrastructure investments (such as Rail Baltic) on business activity

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Educational background

• Master's Degree, 2013, (sup) Arvi Kuura, The Development and Growth of Creative Entrepreneurs in the South-West of Estonia, University of Tartu.

Teaching courses

Airi Noppel offers entrepreneurship courses primarily for bachelor students in various disciplines. She teaches also business planning at the master's level. She has supervised several bachelor and master theses.

The list of courses:

• Basics of entrepreneurship
• Entrepreneurship and business planning

Research topics

Airi Noppel research topic is developing the entrepreneurial approach of teaching in higher education. She has 10 years of experience in university teaching and good experience using innovative teaching models, particularly in entrepreneurship courses.

Research topics:

• Entrepreneurial competence
• Entrepreneurial approach to teaching

Recent publications

• Saks, Katrin; Ilves, Helen; Noppel, Airi (2021). The Impact of Procedural Knowledge on the Formation of Declarative Knowledge: How Accomplishing Activities Designed for Developing Learning Skills Impacts Teachers’ Knowledge of Learning Skills. Education Sciences, 11 (10),  598. 

• Saks, Katrin; Noppel, Airi; Ilves, Helen (2020). Teachers’ Awareness And Practical Activities When Facilitating Learners’ Learning Skills. European Proceedings of International Conference on Education and Educational Psychology EpICEEPSY: ICEEPSY 2020.  Ed. P. Besedová, N Heinrichová, & J. Ondráková. European Publisher, 199−209. (European Proceedings of Social and Behavioural Sciences).

• Noppel, A. (2018). The Relationship Between Entrepreneurship Competence in Engineering Educators and Engineering Pedagogy Competences. Research in Economics and Business: Central and Eastern Europe, 10 (1),  55−73.

Awards, press & membership

• Most Innovative Lecturer 2023, Taltech School of Engineering
• Hero of the Foreign Students 2020, Taltech Department of Business Administration

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Educational background

• MBA, Aston University, UK (2014) 

Research topics

• Entrepreneurship education: Adopts a competency-based approach to investigate the application of active and experiential methods across the education and training providers 

• Entrepreneurship ecosystem: Examines the synergies, macro level factors, and prevalent narratives in entrepreneurship education and support ecosystems 

• AI in entrepreneurship: Explores the impact of AI, including Generative AI, on the entrepreneurial processes and lifecycle 

• Marginalized & contemporary entrepreneurship: Aims at understanding the nature, challenges, and (potential) coping mechanisms of under researched phenomena and groups, including veterans, ethnic minorities, women, influencers and political entrepreneurship 

• Bridging research & practice: Applies a frame-setting, inclusive approach to analyzing and addressing the increasing decoupling of academia, industry, and policymaking 

Recent publications

• Hammoda, Basel; Durst, Susanne (2024). Contemporary Entrepreneurship: Global Perspectives and Cases. Routledge. 

• Hammoda, Basel (2024). Please "bridge" the Gap! Conceptualizing "Practicality" as a Field of Inquiry. The International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation. 

• Hammoda, Basel (2023). Extracurricular activities for entrepreneurial learning: A typology embedded in learning theories. In:  USASBE doctoral consortium, Online, 05.05.2023.

• Winkler, C., Hammoda, B., Noyes, E., & Van Gelderen, M. (2023). Entrepreneurship Education at the Dawn of Generative Artificial Intelligence. Entrepreneurship Education and Pedagogy, 6(4).

Projects

Global Entrepreneurship Monitor 2023 Estonia study 10/04/2023 – 31/05/2024. Funder: Estonian Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communication. Funding: 94 300. 

Awards, press & membership

• AOM (Academy of Management): Entrepreneurship (ENT) and Management Education (MED) divisions

• USASBE (United States Association of Small Business and Entrepreneurship) 

• ECSB (European Council of Small Business and Entrepreneurship) 

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Educational background

• Master's Degree, 2020, (sup) Sirje Ustav, The impact of the university pre-incubator programs on the Estonian startup ecosystem (on the example of Edu & Tegu Starter program), Tallinn University of Technology School of Business and Governance, Department of Business Administration
• Master’s in international law (Saint-Petersburg University of Law) 

Teaching courses

Ekaterina Demiankova offers entrepreneurship courses for both bachelor's and master's students in various disciplines. 

• Introduction to Entrepreneurship, TMJ0140
• Entrepreneurship Basics, TMJ0130,
• Entrepreneurship and Business Planning, TMJ3300

Research topics

Ekaterina Demiankova’s research focuses on female entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial ecosystem and sustainable entrepreneurship.   

Research topics: 

• The internalization of sustainable role models within SEE
• The transition from EE to SEE  

Recent publications

• Demiankova, Ekaterina; Ustav, Sirje (2022). Do Women Have Potential as Entrepreneurs? Entrepreneurial Competencies of Female Business Students. In: Tiwari, Himanshi; Lämsä, Anna-Maija; Beinhauer, Rupert (Ed.).  Women in Education and Work Life. (43−58).  Bloomsbury.

Projects

EUROTEQ 2023-2027

Awards, press & membership

• Favorite lecturer of foreign students 2021, TalTech
• Interview with the Business newspaper, Äripäev 2020 

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Educational background

• Master of Business Administration, Boston University, Questrom School of Business
• Bachelor of Business Adminisration, Major in Accounting, Plytechnic University of Puerto Rico

Research topics

Jaime's doctoral research examines the impact of digitalization on the evolution of entrepreneurial ecosystems. Passionate about technology for social good, his research explores how digital tools can simultaneously enhance access to entrepreneurship opportunities and address environmental challenges.

Research topics: 

• The underlying assumptions and conflicting logics of digitalization
• The role of social imaginaries in shaping digital entrepreneurial ecosystems
• The interplay between digitalization, entrepreneurship and sustainability 

Awards, press & membership

• European Council of Small Business and Entrepreneurship (ECSB)
• International Society for Professional Innovation Management (ISPIM)
• International Society of Service Innovation Professionals (ISSIP)

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Educational background

• MBA in Business Management (University of Gävle)
• MBA in Accounting & Information Systems (University of Dhaka)

Research topics

Building resilience: Impact of political instability on the evolution of sustainable entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Recent publications

• Rahi, A. F., Akter, R., & Johansson, J. (2021). Do sustainability practices influence financial performance? Evidence from the Nordic financial industry. Accounting Research Journal, 35(2), 292-314.

• Akter, R., Rathnayaka, S., & Ahmadi, Z. (2023). The effect of leadership and organisational culture on organisational innovation. International Journal of Services Technology and Management, 28(5-6), 360-388.

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Educational background

Master's Degree, 2021, (sup) Kaire Kollom, Suitability of the Teachers’ Self Assessment Questionnaire of the Digital Competence Model Based on DigCompEdu for Youth Workers, Tallinn University 

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Educational background

Master's Degree, 2023, Water and Environmental Engineering, Tallinn University of Technology

Research topics

Sustainable entrepreneurial ecosystems and sustainable startup dynamics in Estonia and Bangladesh.

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• The evolution of entrepreneurial ecosystems 
• Ecosystem leadership 
• Sustainable entrepreneurial ecosystems 
• Digitalization & entrepreneurial ecosystems  

• Student perspectives on entrepreneurship education 
• University entrepreneurial ecosystem  
• Entrepreneurial competence 
• Metacompetencies 

• The entrepreneurial potential of refugees and migrants
• Ukrainian refugee entrepreneurs in Europe 
• Entrepreneurial support for refugees 
• The role of transnational entrepreneurs in EEs 

• Entrepreneurial management

• Microdegree in business administration (Estonian)
• Microdegree in business processes in the digital society (Estonian)