The Role of Communication in Event Management: Students’ perspective on communication between Nordic Business Forum and Haaga-Helia students.

Abstract

This thesis explores the role of communication in event management with a focus on the collaboration between Nordic Business Forum and Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences. The aim is to understand how the students of Haaga-Helia experience and perceive the communication between themselves and the organisers of the Nordic Business Forum. The results will offer insights into the students’ perspective of the communication process and offer Nordic Business Forum the opportunity to improve their communication process and the collaboration between them and the students of Haaga-Helia.

The theoretical framework of this thesis looks at one framework often used in event management and explores the role of communication through this approach. This framework divides the event planning process into five phases: initiation, planning, implementation, event, and closure. The role of communication in event management is explored by investigating its key activities and objectives in each of these phases. The theoretical framework also creates a link between the theory of the thesis and the research topic by analysing how communication between Nordic Business Forum and Haaga-Helia students is structured and executed in each phase.

This study used a qualitative research approach to collect the research data. The data was collected through semi-structured interviews conducted between April and May 2025. In total, eight interviews were carried out with Haaga-Helia students who had previously participated in the Nordic Business Forum, ensuring the relevance of the data. The data was then analysed using thematic analysis, enabling the identification of patterns and themes across participants’ experiences.

The results of the study revealed that the students’ experiences were mostly positive and the communication during the event was highly complimented. The organisers of Nordic Business Forum managed to create a positive and encouraging atmosphere through their communication, which positively affected the students’ satisfaction with the event. While the feedback was mostly positive, the participants of the study also identified areas of improvement. Instances where communication gaps and unclear expectations occurred caused confusion among the students and negatively affected their experience in the event. The participants provided some practical ideas that could improve the communication process, for example, the possibility for the returning students to attend the first informative training sessions online to avoid repetition.