Corporate Finance and Labor Markets PhD Course
Description
This is the course information page for "26087 Corporate Finance and Labor Markets," to be held in November 2025 at Hanken in Helsinki (the course is also scheduled to be held in 2026). This course explores the relationship between corporate financial decisions and labor markets, integrating insights from corporate finance and labor economics. It is structured around 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: Booms and busts.
Designed for advanced master’s and PhD students in economics or finance, this course is particularly relevant for those interested in corporate strategy, labor markets, and financial decision-making. It provides essential analytical tools for students pursuing careers in finance, consulting, policy analysis, or academia, helping them understand how corporate policies interact with labor markets. It also offers valuable insights for students seeking a deeper understanding of how firms’ financial decisions impact their own careers and wages.
The course is targeted at PhD students in Economics interested in exploring firm and worker dynamics, as well as for PhD students in Finance seeking to understand how corporate financial policies interact with labor markets. It is particularly useful for PhD students interested in working on these topics with Nordic administrative datasets.
Schedule
The course in 2025 will be held in person at Hanken (Arkadiankatu 22, Helsinki) from Monday November 10th starting at 12.30 to Friday November 14th ending at 11.45. There is a mandatory online introductory lecture on the 27th of October at 12.30 to 14.00 Helsinki time. 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.
Important Deadlines
27.10.2025: Attend the online introductory lecture. This is mandatory for course participation.31.10.2025: Deadline for signing up for a student paper presentation.
07.11.2025: Student paper presentation submission deadline.
14.11.2025: Deadline for team and topic description for course assignment.
05.12.2025: Course assignment deadline.
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.