Center for Activity Theory and Developmental Work Research

Merja Helle, Lic.Soc.Sci, Researcher

Email: merja.helle@helsinki.fi
Tel.: +358 (0)9 1914844
Mobile: +358 (0)50 4485 111

Postal address:
IADE/Taik
Hämeentie 153 B
00560 Helsinki
Finland

Current Activities

Head of Research at Mediaconcept Laboratory at
IADE/University of Art and Design Helsinki

Short Biography

Masters in Political science and Political history from the University of Helsinki in 1970.
Lic.Soc.Sci (mass comm.) from University of Tampere 2004.
Full time journalist, news editor etc until 1995. Doctoral studet 1995-1998.
1999-2004 part time journalist and part time researcher.
My dissertation data was gathered in 1996-1997 in a large Finnish newspaper and a Change Laboratory intervention there.
In 1998-99 I worked as a researcher for the Office of Occupational Health in a project dealing with work related well-being of journalists. During the project I arranged three developmental interventions in three media organizations.
2004-2005 I worked as a researcher in a project called Life as Learning funded by the Finnish Academy of Science. We researched an emerging new form of work - co-configuration. Our research sites included a bank, a new health care center and a high-tech company where I conducted the field work until the end of 2005. My research focused on developig strategic thinking and strategy implementation.
Since 2006 I have been employed by the University of Art and Design/IADE as head of research in the Mediaconcept Laboratory. We have developed the Change Laboratory method into a Mediaconcept Laboratory for media organizations and newsrooms.
My current research interest are changing media concepts and journalistic work processes, media technology and transformation of journalistic identity, management of change and sustainability of change.