With a staff of 15-20 researchers TaSTI conducts multidisciplinary research on the functioning of science, technology and innovation environments and the processes of generating knowledge and innovations. The research interests of the group cover 1) science, technology and innovation systems and policy, 2) activity and development of universities and other research communities and 3) innovation activities and environments of firms, including (especially knowledge intensive business) services.

The group has a long-term experience on international comparative studies (e.g. in EU Framework Programmes) as well as on national research activities in academic studies funded e.g. by the Finnish Academy or in more policy-oriented analyses funded by ministries and central government agencies such as Tekes.

Track record on (spatial) service research dates back to 1998. Since that, the group has been involved in most of the major national research programmes focusing on service research, the most recent being the ongoing Innovative Services Technology Programme (Serve) of the Finnish Funding Agency for Technology and Innovation (Tekes).

• KIBS and KISAs as Channels Between Global and Local (2006-2008), funded by the Finnish Funding Agency for Technology and Innovation (Innovative Services Technology Programme)
• Internationalization and Regionalization of Innovation Services (2004-2005), funded by the Finnish Ministry of Trade and Industry (the Research Programme for Advanced Technology Policy ProACT)
• Finnish Polytechnics and Private Service Sectors in Growth (2005-2006), funded by the Finnish Ministry of Education.
• Knowledge-Intensive Business Services in Helsinki Region (2004), funded by Culminatum Ltd./Helsinki Region Centre of Expertise Programme
• Industrial Innovation and Region (2001-2002), funded by the Academy of Finland in a research programme “Finnish Companies and the Challenges of Globalisation”
• Knowledge-intensive Business Services in Innovation System of Tampere Region (1998), funded by the City of Tampere and the Tampere Region Centre of Expertise Programme.

• KIBS and KISAs as Channels Between Global and Local (2006-2008), funded by the Finnish Funding Agency for Technology and Innovation (Innovative Services Technology Programme)
• Internationalization and Regionalization of Innovation Services (2004-2005), funded by the Finnish Ministry of Trade and Industry (the Research Programme for Advanced Technology Policy ProACT)
• Finnish Polytechnics and Private Service Sectors in Growth (2005-2006), funded by the Finnish Ministry of Education.
• Knowledge-Intensive Business Services in Helsinki Region (2004), funded by Culminatum Ltd./Helsinki Region Centre of Expertise Programme
• Industrial Innovation and Region (2001-2002), funded by the Academy of Finland in a research programme “Finnish Companies and the Challenges of Globalisation”
• Knowledge-intensive Business Services in Innovation System of Tampere Region (1998), funded by the City of Tampere and the Tampere Region Centre of Expertise Programme.

Hyypiä, M. & Kautonen, M. (2006). Suomi liike-elämän palvelujen kansainvälistymisessä ja keskittymisessä [in English: Finland’s International Position in Internationalization and Concentration of the Business Services Industries]. Finnish Ministry of Trade and Industry, Research Publications Series 4/2006. Edita Publishing Oy, Helsinki.

Kautonen, M. & Hyypiä, M. (2006) Statistical Comparison of Business Services Sectors in European Countries and the Case of Finland. Conference Proceedings of the XVI International RESER Conference on "Services governance: regulation and public policies" September 28-30, 2006 Lisbon, Portugal, Vol. 1, pp. 613-638.
Kautonen, M. (2006). Regional Innovation System Bottom-up: A Finnish Perspective. A Firm-Level Study with Theoretical and Methodological Reflections. Acta Universitatis Tamperensis 1167. Tampere University Press, Tampere.

Hyypiä, M. & Kautonen, M. (2005). Expertise, Proximity and KIBS-Client Relationships. Conference Proceedings of the International RESER Conference on “Growth, Employment and Location of Services”, September 22-24 2005 Granada, Spain. Vol. 1, pp. 125-148.

Kautonen, M., Hyypiä, M. & Kuusisto, J. (2005). Asiantuntijapalvelujen kysynnän ja tarjonnan kohtaaminen Uudenmaan osaamiskeskusohjelman osaamisaloilla [in English: A Match Between Supply and Demand of Expertise Services in the Industries of the Helsinki Region Centre of Expertise Programme]. In Lith, P. Kautonen, M., Hyypiä, M. & Kuusisto, J. (Eds.) Uusimaa osaamisintensiivisten liike-elämän palvelujen keskittymänä. Culminatum Ltd. & Helsinki Region Centre of Expertise. Espoo.

Kautonen, M., Hyypiä, M., Mulari, R. & Penttilä, L. (2004). Tietointensiivisten liike-elämän palvelujen ennakointi Pirkanmaalla: FORE-KIBS [in English: Cluster Foresight of Knowledge-Intensive Business Services in Tampere Region]. Pirkanmaan TE-keskuksen julkaisuja 4/2004. Tampere.

O’Gorman, C. & Kautonen, M. (2004). Policies Promoting New Knowledge Intensive Agglomerations. Entrepreneurship & Regional Development Vol. 16, No. 6, pp.459-479.

Kautonen, M., Koski, P. & Schienstock, G. (2004). From the National Industrial Heartland Towards a Node in Global Knowledge Economy. In Schienstock, G. (Ed.) Catching up and forging ahead. The Finnish success story. Edward Elgar, London.

Schienstock, G., Kautonen, M. & Koski, P. (2004). Escaping Path Dependency: The Case of Tampere Region, Finland. In Cooke, P. & Heidenreich, M. (Eds.) Regional Innovation Systems. 2nd Edition. UCL Press, London.

Kautonen, M. (1999). Osaamisintensiiviset yrityspalvelut kasvusektorina Suomessa [in English: Knowledge-intensive Business Services as a Growth Sector in Finland. A Report for the Future Committee of the Parliament of Finland]. In Tiihonen, P. (ed.) Työ tulevaisuudessa. Eduskunnan tulevaisuusvaliokunta. Helsinki.

Mika Kautonen
Research Group for Science, Technology and Innovation Studies
Research Institute for Social Sciences
33014-University of Tampere
FINLAND

Tel. +358 3551 7138
E-mail:Mika.Kautonen@uta.fi
url : http://www.uta.fi/laitokset/yty/tasti/english.html