Björn Schmeisser on rethinking international business
Our associate professor for strategy and organization at NHH, explores three different research problems from an international business perspective.
Insights from Therese Egeland on AI, aging and collaboration
How will AI change the way we collaborate, and how can we rethink work in an aging society? Researcher Therese Egeland shares her perspectives on the future of teamwork, the value of human interaction, and why demographic shifts could be an opportunity rather than a challenge.
With a background in organizational psychology, Egeland joined NHH in 2007 to pursue a PhD. Since then, she has been part of the Department of Strategy and Management and served as NHH’s vice-rector for innovation and development from 2017 to 2021. This has given her the opportunity to experience NHH from multiple perspectives.
Human behavior and interaction have been Egeland’s main motivations throughout her career. Her academic work often centers on the social dynamics that shape how people work together, from team formation and leadership to the psychological factors that influence group performance.
“I’ve always been interested in people and in understanding why we sometimes misunderstand each other, why some things are difficult, why some things go well. I find collaboration particularly fascinating.”
“After all, teamwork is essential in every workplace. Yet we also see that collaboration often comes with significant challenges. Being able to research and dive deep into these issues, is something I find truly exciting,” she adds.
AI and teamwork
One emerging research interest for Egeland is how artificial intelligence might shape collaboration in the future. She mainly sees two different directions. On one hand, AI could become a kind of extra team member, helping us generate ideas, review content, and provide feedback.
But there’s also a risk: if AI becomes our perfect sparring partner, we may stop engaging with our colleagues as much. That could weaken the unique creativity that comes from human interaction. While the research is still in its early stages, Egeland points to recent studies suggesting that human teams and individuals using AI outperform teams that do not use AI (in creativity tasks).
“There are pros and cons to both scenarios, but the real challenge arises if we stop interacting with other people and rely solely on artificial intelligence. I believe the idea generation that happens through human interaction is something truly unique — it can’t be fully replicated by AI,” Egeland states.
Ageing society
Working together on seniors in the workforce
DIG and the Knowledge Center for Longer Working Lives will collaborate on research on how the workforce can facilitate employees staying longer in work, thereby helping to address societal challenges with an aging population.
Another area where Egeland sees great potential is the future of work in an ageing society. This is a topic she and her colleagues are beginning to explore through student projects and partnerships.
“This is something we haven’t done much research on yet, but we want to position ourselves to contribute. We’re looking at how we can frame aging not just as a burden, but as an opportunity.”
Currently, three master’s theses are addressing questions related to extended working lives and age diversity in the workplace. Egeland hopes this research can contribute to a broader shift in how society understands aging.
“Of course, there are challenges, such as increased healthcare costs and pressure on public services, but if we rethink how older employees engage with work, we can also unlock new possibilities. Not everyone needs to work full-time toward the end of their careers. But continuing to contribute in some form can provide purpose, reduce loneliness, and benefit both individuals and society,” Egeland explains.
A practical approach
One of Egeland’s main motivations is that her research contributes to practical changes in working life. One such example is “Start Smart,” a tool for starting and developing teams and groups. Egeland explains that it all started with comprehensive research.
“We worked on a research project for a long time, where we saw that we could develop a tool that would help people to collaborate in a better way. Since we put it out on the website, we have had over 27 000 downloads, so it has made some impact.”
In relation to this, Egeland highlights the close collaboration with practitioners throughout her research. Through initiatives like DIG, she has worked directly with businesses and public sector organizations, either by holding workshops or conducting research within partner companies. This close connection to working life, she believes, makes it easier to bridge the gap between theory and practice.