New Professors’ Inaugural Lectures: Professor Jouni Juntunen explored the role of business analytics in the automotive and logistics sectors

Professor Jouni Juntunen of the Martti Ahtisaari Institute at Oulu Business School gave an inaugural lecture entitled Business Analytics in the Automotive Sector and Logistics. His research focuses particularly on the digitalisation and green transition of the automotive sector and on the new business opportunities enabled by emerging technologies.

Professor Juntunen described business analytics as a combination of information, statistics, information technology and business expertise that can be used to develop and optimise operations and support better business decisions.

The importance of business analytics has grown as the amount and timeliness of data available to companies have increased. Whereas decision-making previously relied largely on historical data, today analyses can increasingly draw on near real-time information. According to Professor Juntunen, the green transition, advances in data connectivity, artificial intelligence and autonomous systems will reshape both operating practices and entire business models.

In the automotive and logistics sectors, business analytics offers particularly significant opportunities in areas such as renewable energy sources for transport, balancing energy production and consumption, and optimising transport operations. Professor Juntunen is currently involved in research projects related to heavy-duty hydrogen vehicles and hydrogen refuelling in the Oulu region.

In his lecture, Professor Juntunen also highlighted different levels of business analytics. Descriptive and diagnostic analytics help us understand what has happened and why, predictive analytics helps assess what is likely to happen, and prescriptive analytics can identify data-driven alternatives for what should be done. Together, these approaches can help companies plan and optimise their operations, improve processes and strengthen both customer service and competitiveness.

Long-term collaboration with the automotive sector made the professorship possible

In his introduction, Dean of Oulu Business School, Professor Janne Järvinen, noted that establishing the professorship in Business Analytics continues the School’s long-term collaboration with the Finnish Central Organisation for Motor Trades and Repairs (AKL) and the Foundation for the Advancement of Automotive Vocational Education (AAKES). Representatives of the automotive sector were also consulted during the preparation of the professorship.

Oulu Business School warmly thanks the principal funders that made the professorship possible, AAKES and LähiTapiola General Mutual Insurance Company, as well as Autoliike KymppiPlus, the Finnish Taxi Owners Federation and the Finnish Road Association for their support.

Professor Järvinen also highlighted Professor Juntunen’s broad background and curiosity for new phenomena. Juntunen’s career combines business, technology and practical experience from the automotive and logistics sectors, which is also reflected in his current research on hydrogen transport and new mobility solutions.

The New Professors’ Inaugural Lectures were held at Oulu Central Library. The event was open to everyone, bringing university research into the heart of the city and closer to the people of Oulu.