The doctoral dissertation in the field of Tourism Marketing and Management will be examined at the Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies at Joensuu Campus and online.
What is the topic of your doctoral research? Why is it important to study the topic?
This dissertation examines retention among skilled seasonal tourism professionals through a case study of ski instructors. Traditional retention theories assume permanent, organisation-bound employment and cannot capture seasonal careers. The topic matters because tourism faces a growing workforce crisis, climate change shortens seasons, and COVID-19 demonstrated the sector's vulnerability. Skilled seasonal professionals have received limited research attention.
This research stems from my own career as a ski instructor in New Zealand and Switzerland. The question "are you gonna come back next year?" – asked every season – became the starting point for examining what keeps skilled professionals in careers academia has largely overlooked. The dissertation challenges the stereotype of seasonal tourism workers as low-skilled and transient, revealing committed professionals navigating complex career decisions.
What are the key findings or observations of your doctoral research?
Retention among ski instructors operates across four interdependent dimensions: organisational, professional, temporal, and social. Psychological capital functions as a cross-cutting resource. Intrinsic motivation — particularly meaningful work — sustains careers despite structural challenges. Notably, seasonality caused more career exits than dissatisfaction with work itself. The findings challenge the stereotype of seasonal tourism workers as low-skilled and transient, revealing committed professionals with strong identities. The novel contribution is a holistic, worker-centred framework challenging organisation-bound retention theories.
How can the results of your doctoral research be utilised in practice?
Organisations should treat skilled seasonal professionals as experts, not temporary workers, by supporting certification, development and meaningful work. Retention strategies must address all four dimensions and support psychological capital–not only on the organizational but also on the industry level. Seasonal professionals are not homogeneous: their motivations and needs differ, requiring tailored approaches.
What are the key research methods and materials used in your doctoral research?
The dissertation is a qualitative case study comprising three interconnected empirical investigations. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with ski instructors across thirteen countries, ranging from 4 to 49 seasons of experience. The first dataset (16 interviews) was analysed using thematic analysis and composite narrative methodology. The second dataset (11 interviews) examined crisis experiences during COVID-19 using abductive analysis.
The doctoral dissertation of Nelli Heiskanen, M.Sc.Econ., entitled The Whole Mountain. A Holistic Understanding of Retention Among Skilled Seasonal Tourism Professionals – Ski Instructors will be examined at the Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies. The opponent will be Professor Tara Duncan (Thompson Rivers University), and the custos will be Associate Professor Henna Konu, University of Eastern Finland.
For further information, please contact:
Nelli Heiskanen, nelli.heiskanen(at)uef.fi