Spotlight: Meet Dr Ville Takala

Could you tell us a bit about your background?

I am a sociologist by background, and my primary research interest is the practical application of challenge-driven/mission-oriented innovation policies in the context of Finland and the UK. I also study public sector digital transformation, particularly attempts to utilise new kinds of evidence, such as the transactional data that now increasingly accumulates in the private sector, to better support decision-making.

What excites you about working at the IGP?

I identify strongly with IGP’s vision to redesign prosperity for the 21st century. It implies not only developing new ways of theorising prosperity, but also working with policymakers to test the feasibility of new theories and conceptual frameworks in practice. Innovative small countries such as Finland (which is where I’m from originally), should in principle be well-placed to lead policy experimentation, however, there is much that could be improved upon. The work of scholars such as Henrietta Moore, and institutes such as IGP is crucial to supporting and enabling meaningful and sustainable transformation.

What does prosperity mean to you?

Prosperity to me means sufficient income, enjoyable work, enough free time, and healthy relationships. 

Could you tell us about one of the current projects you are working on?

Between 2021–24, I was Postdoctoral Researcher and PI in the Business Finland funded project "Towards an entrepreneurial welfare state? The practices of challenge-driven innovation policies" at the Hanken School of Economics. The recent turn towards challenge-driven innovation policy has emphasised that rather than restricting themselves to a reactive role, governments must proactively shape and co-create market and innovation processes to address the grand challenges. There is however a big gap in our understanding of the practical application of challenge-driven innovation in different contexts at the moment. Focusing on leading Finnish applications, we identified and analysed a number of important tensions and trade-offs that policymakers must navigate when designing, implementing, evaluating, and funding, ambitious challenge-driven policies. Our practical aim was to encourage policymakers to discuss and make explicit the ways that they manage the trade-offs, so that stronger “directionality” of innovation policy could be achieved in the future.

What professional achievement or initiative are you proud of?

In addition to my research, I am proud of the teaching and academic supervision that I have done over the past few years at Goldsmiths, University of London, UCL IIPP and IGP, and Hanken School of Economics. With the students we have been able to facilitate and engage in a meaningful, and solution-focused conversation about complex socio-economic topics and issues.

Who is influential to you and why?

My primary influences at the moment are my academic supervisors, my colleagues, my students, and the innovation practitioners and social entrepreneurs whose work I study and write about in my research.

Do you have a recent book, film or podcast that you would recommend?

Tony Judt’s Ill Fares the Land is a book that I return to regularly. Outside of work, I enjoy reading fantasy, such as The Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones, which I also return to regularly.