INNOVATION SALES: Transformation of sales in new business models
05/2011 – 04/2013

“How do you sell when it’s all new, how? No markets, no benchmarks, no established buying processes, nothing. How am I supposed to know what to do?” Mikael Gummerus, CEO, Frosmo, Fall 2010

The main object is to increase selling-centered know-how and competitiveness among Finnish companies through conducting high quality international research and seeking branch-specific best practices in the field of new business models.

• To research and develop sales practices in international and about to become international companies and new growth companies. The main focus on industry-, technology- and growth companies
• To specifically focus on situations, where companies meet entirely new business models and -environments, which necessitate the reformation of current sales practices or the creation of a totally new procedure (or organization)
• To produce researched and well-tried practices and procedures for Finnish companies in said situations and to strengthen the experience sharing of the companies and professionals in new situations
• To strengthen the competence of selling in the Finnish university system
• To increase the attractiveness of selling among talented technical and commercial people, improve the completion of graduating M.Sc. Tech. and M.Sc. Econ. in selling and enhance the general valuation of selling in Finland

Selling is often narrowly and mistakenly understood as form of forcing or pushing (push marketing). In the Innovation Sales research project the concept of selling is understood as a value adding interactive business process, where the interaction between people and the ability to understand the most appropriate solution for the big picture is the key to a successful deal. This attitude towards selling is also seen as a basic requirement for getting into new market areas and as an international factor of success for Finnish entrepreneurship that doesn’t rely on competitive cost advantage. Selling is not conceptualized as a function of a separate sales organization but as an ability of the whole organizations commercial process to produce positive cash flows.

Innovation Sales research project aspires to offer answers to the above-mentioned challenges through high quality international academic research and best management practices. Regardless of extensive research in the fields of entrepreneurship, corporate venturing and startup business models, internationally there is no concentrated research that specifically focuses on sales and sales management efforts when launching a completely new product/service/business model. Therefore Aalto University has a chance to profile itself as the leader in this specific research area and at the same time apply research findings to companies belonging to Aalto University’s ecosystem.

Partner firms and funding

The Innovation Sales research project is funded by Finnish Funding Agency for Technology and Innovation (TEKES) and partner firms.  Tekes is the main public funding organization for research and development in Finland. Tekes funds industrial projects as well as projects in research organizations, and especially promotes innovative, risk-intensive projects. The partner firms of the project are shown below. Please click the logo in order to find more information about each firm.

ABB
ISS Services
Kone
Mandatum Life
Metso Paper
Outotec
STX
Teknologiateollisuus