I am an Associate Professor (Docent) in Ethics and Business Ethics, with a specialization in care ethics theories applied to various organizational and business contexts. I also work as the Equity Lecturer at the Philosophical Faculty.
My research focuses on ethical issues related to gender equality, equity, diversity and inclusion, digitalization, sustainability, AI development, and environmental concerns. I have conducted several empirical research projects examining ethics in digitalization, leadership, sustainable urban planning, and equity, diversity, and inclusion strategies.
Maintaining a multidisciplinary approach in organizational research
Central to my research philosophy is a multidisciplinary approach. This approach equips me with a broad theoretical frame to investigate critical issues within organizational and business practices, such as gender bias, inequality, discrimination and ethical dilemmas in management, technology development, leadership, and business ethics that pose threats to sustainable business and organizational development.
Following this tenet, the essence of my research strategy revolves around incorporating organizational theories, sociological theories, feminist and ethics theories. They form the bedrock of my in-depth analyses of various aspects of business and organizational behaviors, including leadership, management, technological advancements (such as digitalization, AI development and implementation), diversity management and organizational change. By integrating these theories, I gain comprehensive understanding of the complex issues that underlie contemporary business and organizational practices.
Guided by this research principle, I have contributed to knowledge production through leading several empirical research projects funded by FORMAS, Vinnova and Riksbankensjubileumsfond. I have published a monograph (doctoral dissertation), numerous peer-reviewed articles in prestigious international academic journals, research reports, book reviews, and numerous conference contributions.
Care Ethics and Organizational Research – Gender Equality, Collaboration, and Sustainable Business
My research focuses on developing and applying theories of care ethics in organizational contexts, addressing issues such as gender equality, socially sustainable practices, and ethical business behavior. For example, I have used care ethics as a critical lens to evaluate ethical leadership, including an analysis of a "sporty CEO" whose leadership promoted health and activity as moral values (Johansson & Edwards, 2021).
In the Flexit project, my co-author and I explored how sharing vulnerable experiences generates emotional resources, enriching caring imagination and embodied knowledge, ultimately evoking ethical responsibility through empathy and compassion. This work is featured in Journal of Business Ethics under the title "Constructing a 'Different' Strength: A Feminist Exploration of Vulnerability, Ethical Agency, and Care."
I have also introduced care ethics as a research methodology, exemplified by a collaborative writing process with three co-authors (Johansson et al., 2024). Additionally, I continue to develop theories exploring ethics in environmental issues, AI development, and the organization of work.
