About the group
The participants in APEC teach and conduct research on a wide range of topics. The main research focus is towards regulation of markets, transport economics, resource and environmental economics, health economic and efficiency analysis. The participants in the group are located in Bodø, Mo i Rana, Stjørdal and Steinkjer. We teach various courses related to economics, corporate management, transport economy, logistics and health economy. APEC has the main responsibility of 11 courses, of which six are mandatory for the degree program in business and administration at Nord University.
Research strategy
The group has followed a strategy with the overall goal of producing research leading to peer-reviewed scientific publications. These results are achieved by following two separate tracks. The first track consists of research based on ideas from members of the group and funded by internal resources. The second track involves tendered external projects being successfully acquired. This means that research problems of current interest are being addressed, and data is gathered keeping future publications in mind. An extensive number of non-academic partners, both public bodies (i.e. The Ministry of Transport and Communication) and private bodies (i.e. airport developers and aquaculture organizations), have funded these research projects during the last 10-15 years.
In selected projects, the next stage is development of theory and the methodological framework to prepare for academic publications. Then, the group encourages dissemination of the results by producing popular science articles (e.g. for Samferdsel and Norsk Sjømat), features articles in newspapers (Aftenposten, Dagens Næringsliv and Avisa Nordland) and gives interviews to the radio and TV (mainly NRK). Finally, the results are used as cases in courses taught at the bachelor and master level.
Recently published peer reviewed articles
Bardal, K. G. and Mathisen, T. A. (2019). Modelling the costs of unexpected traffic flow disruptions. Journal of Transport, Economics and Policy. 53 (4), pp. 299-322.
Bergland ,H., Pedersen, P. A. and Wyller, J. (2019). Accumulated Marine Pollution and Fishery Dynamics. Ecological Complexity, Vol. 38, April 2019, pp. 56-74.
Bergland, H. and Pedersen, P. A. (2019). Efficiency and Traffic Safety with Pay for Performance in Road Transportation. Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Vol. 130, Dec., pp. 21-35.
Grepperud, S. and Pedersen, P. A. (2020). Positioning and negotiations: The case of pharmaceutical pricing. European Journal of Political Economy, Vol. 62, March, pp. 1-13.
Hanssen, T-E. S., Jørgensen, F. and Larsen, B. (2019): Determinants affecting ferry users waiting time at ferry terminals. Transportation.
Hanssen, T-E. S. and Mathisen, T. A. (2018) Exploring the attractiveness of a Norwegian
rural higher education institution using importance – performance analysis. Scandinavian
Journal of Educational Research. 62 (1), pp. 68–87.
Jørgensen, F. and Hanssen, T-E. S. (2019): Implications for traffic safety from car drivers' secondary task engagement – an economist´s view. Economics of Transportation. Vol 20, pp. 1-8.
Jørgensen, F. and Solvoll, G. (2018). Determining optimal frequency at ferry crossings. Transport Policy, 63, pp. 200 – 208.
Solvoll, G. and Hanssen, T.-E. S. (2018). Importance of aviation in higher education. Journal of Air Transport Management, 72, pp 47-55.
PhD students
There are currently 4 PhD students where the main supervisor is a faculty member in APEC. The topics range from problems with the implementation of electric vehicles, effects of the research funding arrangement on innovations in enterprises, development and capacity building for the Northern Sea Route and the global impact on health from the economic development.