Anna Karhu
anna.karhu@utu.fi +358 29 450 4067 +358 50 505 7868 Rehtorinpellonkatu 3 Turku ORCID identifier: https://orcid.org/https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2205-0108 Kauppapolitiikka ja liiketoiminta geopoliittisessa maailmassa |
Trade policy, Institutional theory; Retail internationalisation; Pharmaceutical industry; Institutional logics; Institutional complexity, Collective agency
I am a Research Manager at Pan-European Institute. I am working to develop education and research that connects global trade policy changes and international business environments and opportunities. My research is mostly done in externally funded projects. The latest research themes have been the development of Finnish competitiveness, the impact of global megatrends on the international business environment, and the influence of blockchain technology on international business research. I am also engaged in teaching related to international business and policy interaction, and supervise master's theses.
My doctoral dissertation is focused on the institutional complexity development of the pharmaceutical industry. I have my Master’s degree from Lappeenranta University of Technology (Industrial Management) and my Bachelor’s degree from Turku University of Applied Sciences (Biotechnology).
My research focuses on the interaction of business and policy. My research focuses on understanding the changing international business environment and the different levels of dynamics at interplay. In addition to understanding the complexity of the business environment, I am interested in the ability and opportunities of multiple actors to jointly overcome complex challenges through collective agency. The wiser themes in my research are trade policy changes and influences on the business environment, pharmaceutical industry transformation, and the development of consumer society.
I am responsible for a trade policy-related course at the Master's level and a MOOC course. I also engage in other teaching. I coordinate a multidisciplinary minor focusing on trade policy and global trade development. In addition, I supervise Master's thesis groups and TSE exe programs' participants' final reports.
- Resilience, Business-Policy Interaction, and Collective Agency : Advancing Sustainability and Security in Europe (2026) Haaja, Eini; Karhu, Anna
(C1 Refereed scientific book) - Blockchain technology and the consequences for trust in international business relations (2025)
- European Journal of International Management
(A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal) - Internal Boundary Spanning in Translational Research Network : A Case of Mentoring in Cancer Research (2025) BAM 2025 Conference Karhu, Anna; Paalumäki, Anni
(Abstract) - The dynamics of enhancing sustainability and security in the Baltic Sea region
(Presentation at the 16th Conference on Baltic Studies in Europe (CBSE) 2025) (2025) Haaja, Eini; Karhu, Anna; Mäkinen, Hanna
(Other publication) - Trade Policy and International Business Dynamics at the Time of Increasing Geoeconomic Challenges in Geoeconomic Shifts and Strategic Business Responses (2025) Geoeconomic Shifts and Strategic Business Responses Karhu, Anna
(A3 Refereed book chapter or chapter in a compilation book) - Creating sustainability : Multi-level stakeholder engagement
(Presentation at the 12th Annual Responsible Business Research Conference on the 13th of March in Tampere, Finland) (2024) Karhu, Anna; Haaja, Eini
(Other publication) - From blocs to blocks : Blockchain-enhanced faceless trade (2024) Karhu, Anna; Pelto, Elina; Palmunen, Lauri-Matti
(Poster) - Generating Collective Agency in Cross-national Value Chains through Shared Opportunity Beliefs: Green Transition in Shipbuilding Industry
(Presentation at the European International Business Academy Annual Conference (EIBA) 2024) (2024) Haaja, Eini; Karhu, Anna; Paavilainen-Mäntymäki, Eriikka
(Other publication) - Kilpailukykyinen Suomi – tarinasta todeksi (2024)
- Kauppapolitiikka
(D1 Article in a professional journal) - Ristiinmentorointi translationaalisen yhteistyön kehittäjänä syöpätutkimuksessa - mentorointiohjelman pilotoinnin kokemuksia Läntisessä Syöpäkeskuksessa (2024)
- Solubiologi
(D1 Article in a professional journal) - Ristiinmentorointi verkostomaisen yhteistyön kehittäjänä : Tutkimushankkeen 2022-2024 loppuraportti (2024) Hiltunen, Riina; Karhu, Anna; Saarni, Jouni; Toriseva, Mervi; Vihinen, Pia; Siekkinen, Mervi; Paalumäki, Anni
(D4 Published development or research report or study ) - The competitiveness of Finnish firms in the changing business landscape (2024) Karhu, Anna; Haaja, Eini; Mäkinen, Hanna
(D4 Published development or research report or study ) - Visions of Sustainable Natural Resource Extraction – Talk, Action, and Alternative Futures (2024) Futures of Natural Resources : Book of Abstracts of the 24th Futures Conference, 4 June Online and 13-14 June 2024, Turku, Finland Karinen, Matti; Karhu, Anna
(Abstract) - Co-evolution of institutional complexity and multinational enterprise: Transformation of pharmaceutical industry (2023) Karhu Anna
(G5 Article dissertation ) - Creating collective institutional agency through imaginaries
(Presentation at the Futures Conference on the 14th of June in Turku, Finland) (2023) Karhu Anna, Haaja Eini
(Other publication) - Paraneeko tutkimalla? Johtaminen
(2023)- Johtaminen - quo vadis? -blogi
(E1 Popularised article) - Resilience through collective agency? Policymakers’ perspective on advancing sustainability and security together with businesses
(Presentation at the AIB-World Conference on the 7th of July in Warsaw, Poland) (2023)- Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the Academy of International Business
(Other publication) - Surviving the jungle or driving the change: international entrepreneurs as agents in institutional change (2023) A Research Agenda for International Entrepreneurship Haaja Eini, Karhu Anna, Paavilainen-Mäntymäki Eriikka
(A3 Refereed book chapter or chapter in a compilation book) - Transforming institutions and industry change – Sustainability-driven maritime industry
(Poster presentation at the 49th European International Business Academy Conference (EIBA), Lisbon, Portugal, 2023) (2023) Haaja Eini, Karhu Anna, Aro Elisa
(Poster) - Co-evolution of a MNE and institutional environment – focus on institutional logics change (2022)
- Business History
(A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal)



