This old piece of economic wisdom—most famously popularized by economist Milton Friedman—is more relevant than ever. At its core is a simple, often forgotten truth: nothing is truly free. If you aren’t paying, someone else is. And even when no money changes hands, time, effort, labor, or other resources surely have. Yet we live in … Read more
The composition of the boards of municipally owned companies is a topic that inevitably resurfaces after local elections. Who gets a seat at the boardroom table? These positions can be filled based on political representation, administrative leadership, or external expertise — and each approach brings both justification and risk. Appointing elected officials to municipal company … Read more
When catching up with friends from different parts of the world, it quickly becomes clear how differently people view global events depending on where they live. Here in Europe, conversations often revolve around Russia’s war of aggression and the security concerns it has brought to our doorstep. But elsewhere, people might be focused on entirely … Read more
Digitalization, rapidly evolving job roles, and a shortage of skilled workers are pushing companies to rethink how they recruit and organize work. In many workplaces, the day-to-day reality is fragmentation: tasks pile up on individual employees to the point where efficiency is lost in the rush. At the same time, vocational special education schools are … Read more
Let’s set aside the popular topic of change management for a moment and focus on the current challenges of leadership and supervisory work amidst ongoing changes. How can leaders navigate rapidly evolving work environments? Leadership has always been a cornerstone of success in businesses and organizations. However, the significance and methods of leadership and supervisory … Read more
Local elections are the closest form of democracy we have, where citizens have the opportunity to influence matters at the local level in their own municipalities. Unfortunately, too many people approach voting with passivity or even negativity – which is why it’s crucial to recognize the impact of not voting. In municipal politics, many decisions … Read more
How do you know an election is coming up? You don’t need to follow the news or scroll through social media. Just head to the town square or pop into your local grocery store for some milk. That’s where you’ll find them — candidates lined up, big smiles on their faces, coffee thermoses ready. These … Read more
In recent years, electric vehicles have gained an increasingly strong foothold, with massive investments fueling their development. But what if the same level of investment had been directed toward making the traditional internal combustion engines more sustainable? Could traditional engine technology still have a future—one that is greener and more viable? The biggest challenge facing … Read more
We live in a world where the pace of life has accelerated, and constant busyness has become the new standard. We are expected to be always accessible, respond instantly, and juggle multiple tasks at once. In the workplace—and often in our personal lives as well—there is an expectation that we reply messages and answer all … Read more
When I was a kid, we were in the middle of the Cold War. Michael Jackson was still black, every school wall in Finland proudly displayed a black-and-white portrait of president Urho Kaleva Kekkonen, the infamous Tiitinen list of Finnish politicians was still in Stasi’s hands, Berlin was divided by a wall, Nelson Mandela was … Read more