A study conducted by the City of Heinola, Finland and NayaDaya Inc. reveals the emotions, behavior, and engagement toward the city of Heinola by two important groups: the actual Heinola citizens and those who live elsewhere.
The three most common emotions expressed toward Heinola among those who live in the city, are pride, contentment, and pleasure. Among those who live elsewhere, the top two emotions expressed are joy and interest – compassion and pleasure sharing the third place.
The behavioral impacts of these named emotions are positive in both groups. Among those who live elsewhere, positive and engaged behavior toward the city of Heinola is as high as 80 %. The portion of negative and disengaged impacts among those who live in the city is 15 %.
”The results reflect the attributes of Heinola and the efficiency in its development measures. Over eight out of ten experience positive emotions related to their hometown Heinola – the respective result is close to a hundred percent among those who live elsewhere. Social activity and wellbeing of the people are a direct consequence of these emotions and behavior. Even migration is developing positively – when compared to the surrounding cities, in proportion, the net move to Heinola was among the best in September”, says Heikki Mäkilä, Director of Economic Development at the City of Heinola.
Heinola has been investing in resident originating participation in various ways so the idea about researching emotions and engagement levels was a natural next step. "The results enhance the image we have obtained through our development efforts on how the locals experience their own hometown", says Noora Kumpulainen, Human-Centered Urban Designer at the City of Heinola.
The EVI value (Emotional Value Index) of Heinola, which expresses positive, engaged, and prosocial behavior, is 62/100 among those who live in Heinola and 75/100 among those who live elsewhere. These results can be compared to a broad brand study conducted in Spring 2020, where two other cities were studied. Among all Finns, City of Lahti’s EVI value was 54/100 and City of Vantaa scored respectively 52/100.
”Noticeably, the most common emotion the Heinola citizens expressed toward their own hometown is pride, which has a positive impact on loyalty, involvement, and interaction. Also love, which shows strong connection and affection, stood up from the study. Moreover, the top emotions such as joy and interest, expressed by those who live elsewhere, clearly indicate common aspirations between the respondents and the city of Heinola”, states Timo Järvinen, CEO at NayaDaya Inc., an empathy analytics company behind the study.
In this study, conducted in August-September, people living both in and outside of the city of Heinola, were asked about their emotions toward the city. Almost two hundred people took part in the study. The group from elsewhere comprised of visitors, away movers, vacation inhabitants, work commuters, and some who had never even visited Heinola.
The respondents were engaged in the study through an open questionnaire available on social media. The results were analyzed using the empathy analytics, a method developed by NayaDaya Inc. The method and the algorithm are based on a scientific research conducted by the University of Geneva, Switzerland.
Further Information:
Heikki Mäkilä, Director of Economic Development, City of Heinola, tel. +358 44 769 4141, heikki.makila@heinola.fi
Timo Järvinen, CEO, NayaDaya Inc., tel. +358 40 505 7745, timo@nayadaya.com
Heinola is located in Southern Finland, in the Päijät-Häme region, amidst waters, ridges and forests. Heinola has great connections: it takes just over an hour to drive to Helsinki along the highway and less than half an hour to drive to Lahti. Heinola is a good place to grow up. The people living among the waterways, forests and ridges make this city in Eastern Häme a story that is worth experiencing even from far away. Home is the most important place for a person, for large and small alike. A home in Heinola means space and security, rest and fun things to do. Heinola also offers excellent opportunities for various hobbies, such as culture, sports, boating, fishing and other outdoor activities. Further information: www.heinola.fi
NayaDaya Inc. is an empathy analytics company that reveals the way emotions and behavior interact with phenomena and brands. Through data, insight, empathy, and impact, we empower organizations, authorities, brands, and leaders to strive for a sustainable change. If you respect science, empathy, and data, we would love to discuss with you. News and further information: www.nayadaya.com