COLLEGIATE AND PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION

• Ph.D., 2007, Helsinki School of Economics, Finland
• M.Sc. 1991, Turku School of Economics, Finland
• University teacher’s pedagogical competence, 2011, University of Helsinki, Finland
• M.A.(Education), 2013, University of Helsinki

ACADEMIC EMPLOYMENT

• Professor of Practice, Aug 2015-continues, Aalto University School of Business, Department of Accounting
• Professor (acting), Aug 2014 - continues University of Tampere School of Management
• Adjunct Professor (International Accounting and Auditing), March 2018 - continues University of Eastern Finland
• Senior Lecturer, Aug 2014-Jul 2015 University of Tampere, School of Management
• Assistant professor /Post Doc, Jul 2011 - Jul 2015, Aalto University School of Economics, Department of Accounting
• Visiting researcher Jan 2011 – June 2011, Brunel Business School, London
• Assistant professor, Aug 2007 – Dec 2010 Helsinki School of Economics, Department of Accounting and Finance
• Research Fellow, Dec 2006 – Jul 2007, Helsinki School of Economics, Department of Accounting and Finance

PUBLICATIONS

In refereed Journals

• Alkhatib, E., Collis, J. & Ojala, H. (2019). Determinants of the voluntary adoption of digital reporting by small private companies to Companies House: Evidence from the UK. International Journal of Accounting Information Systems, forthcoming.
• Ojala, H., Kinnunen, J., Niemi, L., Troberg, P. & Collis, J. (2019). What Turns the Taxman On? Tax Aggressiveness, Financial Statement Audits and Tax Return Adjustments in Small Private Companies. The International Journal of Accounting, forthcoming.
• Kankaanpää, J., Laine, M. & Ojala, H. (2019). Tuloksenohjaus pienissä ja keskisuurissa yrityksissä: Empiirinen tutkimus yksityisen ja julkisen sektorin omistamien yritysten eroista. forthcoming in Focus Localis.

• Lepistö, V., Ojala, H. & Urpilainen M. (2018). Tilintarkastuksen ja tilitoimistotyön merkitys pienosakeyhtiöiden verovalvonnassa. Verotus Vol. 5, p. 561-571.
• Weik, A, Eierle, B. & Ojala, H. (2018). What Drives Voluntary Audit Adoption in Small German Companies? International Journal of Auditing, Vol. 22. p.503–521.
• Ojala, H, Penttinen, E & Collis, J. (2018). Design Principles for Standard Business Reporting Initiatives. Evidence from Finland. Nordic Journal of Business 67(1), p.4-26.
• Niemi, L., Knechel, R., Ojala, . & Collis, J. (2018). Responsiveness of Auditors to the Audit Risk Standards: Unique Evidence from Big4 Audit Firms, Accounting in Europe 15(1), p. 33-54.
• Saastamoinen, J., Ojala, H., Pajunen, K. & Troberg, P. (2018). Analyst characteristics and the level of critical perception of goodwill accounting, Australian Accounting Review 28(4), p. 538-555.
• Ojala, H., Leppänen, P. & Koskela, A.-M. (2017). Pienten ja keskisuurten yritysten toiminnan jatkuvuus ja tilintarkastuskertomuksen mukauttaminen, Tilintarkastuksen ja arvioinnin symposium, painossa (ISBN 97-4-9762-9). Tampereen yliopistopaino - Juvenes Print.
• Leppänen, P., Ojala, H., Oulasvirta, L. & Saastamoinen, J. (2017). Suomalaisten kuntien kosmeettisen tuloksenohjauksen ja tilintarkastuksen laadun välinen yhteys. Tilintarkastuksen ja arvioinnin symposium, painossa (ISBN 978-95-44-9762-9, Tampereen yliopistopaino - Juvenes Print.
• Ojala, H.,Collis, J., Niemi, L. and Troberg P. (2016). The demand for voluntary audit in mio-companies, International Journal of Auditing, forthcoming.
• Johansson, T., Lahtinen, A.M. and Ojala, H. (2015). A pedagogy of connection and boundary crossing (in Finnish), Finnish Journal of Music Education, Vol. 18, Issue 1, p. 8-19
• Ojala, H., Niskanen, M. Collis, J. Pajunen, K.(2014) Audit quality and decision-making in small companies, Managerial Auditing Journal, Vol. 29 Issue 1, p. 800-817.
• Eierle, B., Ojala,H., and Penttinen, E. (2014). XBRL to enhance extenal financial reporting: Should we implemenent or not? Case company X, Journal of Accounting Education, Vol. 32, Issue 2, p. 160-170.
• Niemi, L., Ojala, H. and Seppälä, T. (2013). Valuation of takeover targets and auditor quality, Business Administration Review, Vol. 4; 245-263.
• Niemi, L. and Ojala, H. (2013). Book review of 'Auditing and assurance services: an applied approach, Iris C. Stuart, 2012, first edition, McGraw-Hill, New York', in the International Journal of Accounting, forthcoming.
• Ojala, H., ' Value of the financial statements of small entities to creditors in Finland', in Collis, J., Jarvis, R. and Page, M., Value of the financial statements of small entities to creditors, ACCA Research Report, forthcoming.
• Niemi, L., Kinnunen, J. Ojala, H, Troberg, P. (2012) Drivers of Voluntary Audit in Finland: To Be or Not to Be Audited? Accounting and Business Research, Vol. 42, issue 2, p. 169-196.
• Ojala, H. (2007). The value relevance of accounting goodwill - does the abandonment of systematic amortization make sense to investors? The Finnish Journal of Business Economics, 2007, Issue 1, p. 9-34.

Other academic publications

• Johansson,T, Lahtinen, A.-M. and Ojala, H. (2015). Art-based business learning in higher education,Encatscholar, Issue 4, Teaching notes.
• Niemi, L. and Ojala, H. (2013). Book review of "Auditing and assurance services: an applied approach", Iris C. Stuart, 2012, first edition, McGraw-Hill, New York, in the International Journal of Accounting, 48, p. 135-143.
• Ojala H. Chapter "Finland" in Collis, J., Jarvis, R. and Page, M., SMEs, Financial Reporting and Trade Credit: An International Study, ACCA research report.
• Niemi, L, Ojala, H. and Seppälä, T. (2008). Misvaluation of takeover targets and auditor quality, working paper series, Helsinki School of Economics. ISSN 1235-5674.
• Ojala, H. (2007). Essays on the Value Relevance of Goodwill Accounting, - Lectio praecursoria, The Finnish Journal of Business Economics, 2007, Issue. 3, p: 366-367.
• Ojala, H. (2007). Essays on the Value Relevance of Goodwill Accounting’ Doctoral Dissertation, 2007. Publications of Helsinki School of Economics. A-304.
• Niemi, L. and Ojala, H (2010) Kyllä vai ei vapaaehtoiselle tilintarkastukselle, Tilintarkastus, 6, pp. 26-29.
• Niemi, L., Ojala, H. ja Seppälä, T. (2008). Misvaluation of takeover targets and auditor quality, Working paper series, Helsinki School of Economics. ISSN 1235-5674.

Publications in professional press

• Ojala, H. (2017). Startel haastattelu. Kuinka IFRS 16 standardi muuttaa listayhtiöiden raportointia.
• Ojala, H. (2015). Tilitoimistojen asiantuntemus koetaan tärkeäksi, Tilisanomat, 5, p. 36.
• Niemi, L., Ojala, H. ja Seppälä, T. (2008). Tilintarkastus ja yrityskaupat – onko koolla merkitystä, Viisas raha, 3, p. 33.

CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS (selected)

• Huikku, J., Myllymäki, E.-R. and Ojala, H. (2019). Gender differences in achievement goals for introductory accounting course. Annual conference of European Accounting Association, Pafos, Cyprus.
• Ojala, H. Paananen, M. and Renders A. (2012). The Effects of the Extended Disclosure Requirements under IFRS 7: Timeliness and value relevance. International Accounting mid-year meeting of the American Accounting Association, Phoenix, US, January 2012.
• Niemi, L., Ojala, H, Jokipii, A. (2012) Internal Control Quality and External Audit Effort. Audit section mid-year meeting of the American Accounting Association, US, January 2012.
• Ojala, H., Penttinen, E., Virtanen, T. (2012) The Critical Success Factors in the National Innovation Process of XBRL and their fit to actor network theory, Information systems mid-year meeting, Scottsdale, US, January 2012.
• Ojala, H., Collis, J., Niemi, L. and Kinnunen, J. (2011). Capital structure, voluntary audit and earnings quality of small companies, 7th Annual Workshop on European Financial Reporting, hosted by the University of Bamberg, Germany, September, 2011.
• Niemi, L., Ojala, H., and Seppälä T.. (2011). Valuation of takeover targets and auditor quality, Annual meeting of the American Accounting Association, Denver, August 2011.
• Niemi, L., Ojala, H., and Seppälä T.. (2011). Valuation of takeover targets and auditor quality, Accounting Symposium of Brunel University, London, June, 2011
• Niemi, L., Ojala, H., and Seppälä T.. (2011). Valuation of takeover targets and auditor quality, Annual meeting of the European Accounting Association, Rome, April, 2011.
• Niemi, L., Ojala, H. and Seppälä, T. (2009). Valuation of takeover targets and auditor quality, the American Accounting Association’s Annual Conference, New York, August 2009 and in the European Accounting Association’s Annual Conference, Tampere, 2009.
• Niemi, L., Ojala, H. and Jokipii, A (2009). Internal Control Quality and External Audit Effort Empirical Evidence from a Less Regulated Environment with a Low Litigation Risk,. Annual meeting of the American Accounting Association, New York, August 2009
• Niemi, L., Ojala, H. and Jokipii, A (2009). Internal Control Quality and External Audit Effort Empirical Evidence from a Less Regulated Environment with a Low Litigation Risk,. Annual meeting of the European Accounting Association, Tampere, May, 2009
• Niemi, L., Ojala, H. and Jokipii, A (2008). Internal Control Quality and External Audit Effort Empirical Evidence from a Less Regulated Environment with a Low Litigation Risk,. the 2nd workshop on audit quality in Milan, Italy, 2008.
• Niemi, L. Kinnunen, J., Ojala, H. and Troberg, P.,(2009). To audit or not to audit –Further evidence on the drivers of demand for audits among SMEs under non-mandatory auditing, the 5th Annual Workshop on Accounting in Europe, hosted by the University of Catania, Catania, Italy, 2009.
• Ikäheimo, S. Ojala, H. Riistama, V., Stenig, E. (2009). IFRS for SMEs - Do we need it? Expert based study in Finland, paper the European Accounting Association, Tampere, 2009.
• Ojala, H., Kykkänen T. and Baldi, F. (2009). Is income from discontinued operations forecasting relevant for European listed firms? the European Accounting Association,Tampere, 2009.
• Ikäheimo, S. Ojala, H. Riistama, V., Stenig, E. (2008). IFRS for SMEs - Do we need it? Expert based study in Finland, the 5th Annual Workshop on Accounting in Europe, hosted by the University of Lund, Sweden, 2008.
• Ojala, H. (2007). Does the reporting of goodwill impairment lag behind the economic impairment of goodwill under the impairment-only accounting approach?”, the European Accounting Association, Lisbon, April 2007.
• Ojala, H. (2007) Does the reporting of goodwill impairment lag behind the economic impairment of goodwill under the impairment-only accounting approach?”, 3RD Workshop on Visualizing, Measuring, and Managing Intangibles & Intellectual Capital, Ferrara, Italy, October , 2007.
• Niemi, L., Ojala, H. and Seppälä, T. (2007). Misvaluation of takeover targets and audit quality, the European Accounting Association, Lisbon, April, 2007.
• Ojala, H. (2006). Does the impairment expense outperform the systematic amortization of goodwill in value relevance?”, the 2nd Workshop on Visualizing, Measuring and Managing Intangibles and Intellectual Capital, Maastricht, October, 2006.
• Ojala, H. (2006). The Value Relevance of Accounting Goodwill – Does the Abandonment of Goodwill Amortization Make Sense to Investors?, the European Accounting Association, Dublin, March 2006.
• Ojala, H. (2004). The Value Relevance of Goodwill – Evidence from the UK and the US, the European Accounting Association’s Annual Conference, Praque, April 2004.

WORK IN PROGRESS

• What turns the taxman on? Audit opinion and tax return adjustments in voluntary audit environment, with Kinnunen, J. Niemi, L., Troberg, P. and Collis, J.
• What drives voluntary audit in small German companies, with Weik. A. and Eierle, B.

AWARDS AND HONORS

• Best paper award, “Value Relevance of Goodwill Accounting – Evidence from the UK and the US”, The auditing and financial accounting research workshop in Vaasa, Finland, 2003

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

• Aalto University School of Economics:
  • Financial Statement Analysis, Fall 2007
  • Introduction to Accounting, Fall 2008 - Fall 2011
  • Laskentatoimen perusteet, Fall 2008 - Fall 2011
  • Bachelor thesis instructor, Fall 2008 – Spring 2010
  • Masters’ thesis (International Accounting), Fall 2012 –
  • International Accounting, Fall 2012 -
• Aalto Executive Education
• MBA thesis instructor, Spring 2008 – continues
• Sibelius Academy (Arts Management Program)
  • Financial Accounting, Spring 2012 - continues
• The Executive Education Program of the University of Tampere
  • eMBA thesis instructor, Spring 2009 – Fall 2010

DOCTRAL AND LICENTIATE THESIS EXAMINATION

• Pre-examiner of doctoral thesis of Jenni Laininen, University of Eastern Finland in Spring 2018.
• Pre-examiner of doctoral thesis od Jimi Siekkinen, Hanken School of Economics in Spring 2016.
• Opponent of the doctoral thesis of Jussi Karjalainen, University of Eastern Finland in August 2015.
• External exiner of the Doctoral thesis of Hany Elbardan, Brunel University, London, August 2013.
• The licentiate thesis of KTM, KHT Hilkka Ahjos “Tilintarkastuksen hyöty pk-yritykselle yrityksen päätöksentekijän näkökulmasta”, Helsinki School of Economics in March 2010.

SERVICE

• Member of Examination of Board of Insurance Mathematics of the Social and Health Ministry of Finland
• Member of Academic Advisory Board of European Federation of European Federation of Accountants and Auditors for SMEs (EFAA) February 2013 - continues
• Alternate Member of Auditing Board February 2013 - continues
• Member of Finnish Business Reporting Board, 2010 - continues
• Steering Group Member of Cut50 Program (Service Factory / Real time economy), Jan 2012 – continues
• Steering Group Member of Fully Integrated Accounting Program (Service Factory / Real time economy), Jan 2009 - Dec 2011

PROFESSIONAL (NON-ACADEMIC) EXPERIENCE

• Senior Manager, Finance and Control, 2004-2006 Nokia Enterprise Solutions
• Venturing Business Controller, 2002-2003 Nokia Venturing Organization
• Application Manager, 2000-2001 Nokia Business Infrastructure
• Senior Controller, 1999-1999 Cultor Plc.
• Vice-President, Finance, 1995-1998 Cultor Chile Ltda.
• Financial Controller, 1993-1994 Sweeting Division of Cultor Plc.
• Financial Manager, 1992-1992 Kasten-Hovik Ltd.
• Assistant controller in the Corporate HQ,1991-1991 Cultor Plc.
• Accounting Manager, 1989-1990 Salmon Research Ltd / Finnfeeds Ltd.