Guest article by Kaisa Koskela-Huotari for our My Academic Role Model series.

When I first sat down to consider the question of my academic role models, I was surprised by how challenging it was to choose only a limited number of people to write about. Over the years, countless brilliant individuals and communities have contributed to and profoundly shaped the scholar and person I am today. Ultimately, I narrowed my list to three individuals: Stephen L. Vargo, a brilliant conceptual thinker who is the reason I became an academic scholar, and Elina Jaakkola and Suvi Nenonen, two remarkable academics with whom I have the privilege to work closely and from whom I continue to learn as I take the next steps in my academic career.

Steve and I first met over a decade ago, and I have him to thank for the direction my life has taken since. In all honesty, although I had done some research before we met, I don’t think I truly understood what proper academic research entailed—especially how to conduct it—until I spent a year having weekly meetings with Steve at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. He would kindly, and repeatedly, listen to my research ideas and read my drafts, only to ask, “Kaisa, this is all very interesting, but what is the problem you are solving?” Through these conversations, Steve gave me not only a deep appreciation for the rigor of theoretical inquiry but also the confidence to tackle big conceptual questions that matter to other scholars—something I once thought was beyond my reach as a girl from a relatively small Finnish town and an ordinary middle-class family. By involving me in the editorial team of the AMS Review, Steve has also provided me with invaluable insight into writing and publishing conceptual papers—a wealth of knowledge I draw on in my own work and strive to pass on to others. Steve has been instrumental in helping me discover, refine, and share my academic gifts, and for that, I am deeply grateful.

From the moment I met Elina, I felt a profound sense of kinship with her. I am constantly in awe of her ability to identify patterns and articulate her ideas with breathtaking clarity. At the same time, she is kind, caring, and deeply committed to her work—making her an ideal academic collaborator. All these are qualities that I admire and aspire to embody as a scholar, and Elina serves as an exceptional role model from whom I can learn. For this reason, I feel incredibly fortunate that our paths have led us to co-teach workshops and PhD courses on conceptual research. These sessions rarely feel like work at all; instead, they are engaging, stimulating conversations that I deeply enjoy!

When Suvi enters a room, something shifts—she has a presence that I truly admire. Her professionalism, unwavering focus on both relevance and rigor in academic research, and thoughtful demeanor inspire me every day. Suvi is a colleague who always has your back, fostering a supportive environment where junior academics feel safe stepping outside their comfort zones and spreading their wings. I aspire to follow her approach when it becomes my turn to mentor and support emerging scholars on their journeys. For this reason, I feel incredibly fortunate to work closely with her at the Stockholm School of Economics, learning something new from her every day.

Thank you, Martina, for passing the torch to me and giving me the opportunity to reflect on the scholars I admire and the academic qualities I aim to cultivate moving forward. On my part, I would like to extend this opportunity to Matthew Alexander (University of Strathclyde) and Lorena Blasco-Arcas (ESCP Business School), two members of the service community whose company I have always enjoyed and whose academic role models I am eager to learn more about.


Kaisa Koskela-Huotari
Associate Professor of Marketing
Stockholm School of Economics





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