Labor and Finance Course

Description

This is the course information page for "26087 Labor and Finance," to be held in November 2025 at Hanken in Helsinki (the course is also scheduled to be held in 2026). This advanced course introduces students to the intersection of labor economics and corporate finance, focusing on how corporate decisions and structures affect human capital/talent within firms and the careers of employees. The course comprises five modules:

• Module 1: Mergers and acquisitions.
• Module 2: Corporate ownership forms (family firms, private equity, state-owned, etc.).
• Module 3: Firm investments in new technologies.
• Module 4: Capital structure and bankruptcy.
• Module 5: Financial market booms and busts.

The course is suitable for PhD in Economics interested in exploring firm and worker dynamics from a corporate finance standpoint, as well as for PhD students in Finance seeking to understand labor-related issues. It is particularly useful for PhD students interested in working on these topics with Nordic administrative datasets. Ambitious Master's students can also attend the course.

Why take this course?

This course is an investment in your future career success. Taking this course will equip you with analytical skills and an understanding of how corporate policies impact careers over the long term. This includes your own career. As future managers, analysts, or policymakers, particularly in industries where human capital is crucial, you’ll benefit from the knowledge gained here in managing and analyzing human capital inside firms. Additionally, the overview of the research field and the skills you develop through reading the academic articles we cover will be helpful for your thesis, whether at the MSc or PhD level. You will also have the opportunity to network with other students who share your interests in labor and finance.

Schedule

The course will be held in person in Helsinki at Hanken (Arkadiankatu 22) in November 2025. There is a mandatory online introductory lecture in October. The invitation to the introductory lecture will be sent to your Hanken assigned email.

Evaluation

The grade consists of in-class participation (20%), a paper presentation (20%), and a course assignment (60%). PhD students must also submit three referee reports on labor and finance papers of their choice.

Registration

Students from Helsinki GSE (Hanken, Aalto, and the University of Helsinki) can register through SISU. Other students should apply for a study right to complete the course. Detailed information on applying and registering can be found here. Once registered, keep an eye out on you Hanken assigned email for the invitation to the introductory lecture and to Moodle.

Course Material

The course material will be available on Moodle. You can find the material for the 2024 edition of the course here.

Questions?

Send an e-mail to joacim.tag@hanken.fi.