Digital transformation has the potential to reform sales management, says Jonna Koponen, the University of Eastern Finland’s newly appointed Professor of Marketing. Her professorship is specifically focused on digital transformation.
Jonna Koponen, a scholar of sales management and communication, believes that digital transformation requires sales executives to engage in continuous competence development, while also placing a greater emphasis on the management of people and communication.
“Digital transformation offers an opportunity to deepen our understanding of where genuine, value-creating human interaction is needed, both now and in the future,” Koponen emphasises.
According to her, future leaders will need a stronger grasp of digital communication platforms, as well as the ability to interpret emotions and show empathy.
“Digital transformation also demands technological competence and data literacy, as well as courage to address and resolve ethical issues,” she adds.
Digital communication has long been at the core of Koponen’s research. She has studied, for example, social presence in online chats, remote video meetings and the communication competence required of sales managers in international B2B sales.
“I’m fascinated by communication because it is the foundation of all activity between people – both in business and in life more broadly.”
Currently, Koponen is investigating e-leadership with digital communication in international IT companies in Finland and Japan, as part of an international project funded by the Research Council of Finland.
Digital transformation also demands technological competence and data literacy, as well as courage to address and resolve ethical issues.
Jonna Koponen
Professor of Marketing
Growing demand for skilled e-leadership
Koponen notes that increasingly international workplaces, together with the rapid pace of digitalisation, have made leadership increasingly complex.
“Leadership is being reshaped by the transformation of work, initially accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Remote and hybrid models of work are increasingly prevalent, resulting in a growing need for skilled e-leadership. Leadership is also being shaped by the rapid development of artificial intelligence.”
Koponen points out that traditional views on leadership are insufficient for understanding the impacts of digital transformation.
“New knowledge is needed, for example, on the competencies required for remote sales management, how to lead younger employees remotely, what constitutes compelling managerial presence across digital platforms, and how to manage remote meetings effectively and with purpose.”
Sales managers in the financial sector perceive AI as beneficial
Koponen is currently also exploring the impact of artificial intelligence on management. Together with her research team, she collected more than five years of data from a major Nordic financial services company to examine how AI is reshaping the role of sales managers.
Sales managers felt that integrating AI into their work was beneficial, as it helped replace routine tasks, accelerate work processes and boost productivity. Thanks to AI, more time could be allocated to development, which increased the perceived meaningfulness of their work.
“However, as more time was freed up for complex tasks, their work became more demanding. Earlier routine tasks have been replaced by new routine tasks that add cognitive load, such as checking the output generated by AI.”
The study also found that sales managers’ interaction skills significantly influenced team dynamics and tasks, such as building trust, maintaining a sense of community, supporting employee engagement and enhancing job satisfaction.
Jonna Koponen
- Professor of Marketing, especially digital transformation, University of Eastern Finland, 1 March 2025–
- KTT, 2021, University of Eastern Finland
- PhD, 2012, Tampere University
- Title of Docent in Communications, Tampere University, 2021–
Key roles
- Academy Research Fellow, Research Council of Finland, 2021–2026
- Associate Professor, 2021–2025, University of Eastern Finland
- Associate Professor, 2021, LUT University
- University Lecturer 2013–, University of Eastern Finland
- Lecturer in Speech Communication, 2005–2016, University of Eastern Finland
- Early-Stage Researcher, 2007–2008, 2010–2012, Tampere University
- Cultural Producer, 2004–2005, City of Oulu
- Teaching roles at several educational institutions, 2003–
