Visual Management Affordances in Event Industry
Hirvonen, Ella (2025)
2025
Kauppatieteiden maisteriohjelma - Master's Programme in Business Studies
Johtamisen ja talouden tiedekunta - Faculty of Management and Business
Hyväksymispäivämäärä
2025-09-11
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:tuni-202509109159
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:tuni-202509109159
Tiivistelmä
Visual Management is a rather new management technique derived from Lean ideology. Visual Management means the visualization of work-related information to increase efficiency, workflow and quicker decision-making. The topic has been studied previously in the industries of manufacturing and healthcare and provided findings of many different benefits, including increased engagement, collaboration, knowledge sharing, and innovation. As studies in other industries are called for, this thesis explores the affordances of Visual Management in Finnish event industry, where no previous studies could be found.
The theoretical framework of this study presents an up-to-date literature review on Visual Management, while also bringing some new perspectives to the topic. In previous literature it is agreed that a unifying theory for Visual Management is missing and thus a new Visual Management theory is designed and presented. The new theory combines elements of previous literature and the theories that have been linked with Visual Management in the past: Situation Awareness theory, Affordance theory, and Visual Rhetoric theory.
The object of this thesis is to gain understanding on what Visual Management practices and devices are used in the Finnish event industry and how the use of Visual Management affects the work of employees in these organizations. By answering these questions, the affordances of Visual Management in the Finnish event industry can be found. The research data was collected with the qualitative diary-interview method and analyzed with deductive content analysis to test if the previous findings of Visual Management are present in a new context.
The findings illustrate that most of the organizations use a digital project management software, that includes many visual elements, in their daily project work. Other information visualization use was also found, especially in offers, reports, and instructions. All interviewees perceived Visual Management as positive and helpful. The found benefits include the clarification of information, quicker understanding, better focus, and reminding of important information. Performance management, included in the new Visual Management theory, was found to be low, which the employees preferred. The possible problematics of Visual Management related to the amount of performance measurement, varying technological skills of staff, and the use of multiple different software.
Concluding, this study found that most of the findings were similar compared to the previous literature. The elements of a good Visual Management device, such as use of color and structured layout, and the benefits of Visual Management were found to be similar in both this study and previous literature. Some new findings, not mentioned previously, were the digitality of used Visual Management devices and the effects of remote working on Visual Management. The affordances of Visual Management found are aiding in project management, increasing efficiency and the comprehensibility of information, and providing data for performance management.
The theoretical framework of this study presents an up-to-date literature review on Visual Management, while also bringing some new perspectives to the topic. In previous literature it is agreed that a unifying theory for Visual Management is missing and thus a new Visual Management theory is designed and presented. The new theory combines elements of previous literature and the theories that have been linked with Visual Management in the past: Situation Awareness theory, Affordance theory, and Visual Rhetoric theory.
The object of this thesis is to gain understanding on what Visual Management practices and devices are used in the Finnish event industry and how the use of Visual Management affects the work of employees in these organizations. By answering these questions, the affordances of Visual Management in the Finnish event industry can be found. The research data was collected with the qualitative diary-interview method and analyzed with deductive content analysis to test if the previous findings of Visual Management are present in a new context.
The findings illustrate that most of the organizations use a digital project management software, that includes many visual elements, in their daily project work. Other information visualization use was also found, especially in offers, reports, and instructions. All interviewees perceived Visual Management as positive and helpful. The found benefits include the clarification of information, quicker understanding, better focus, and reminding of important information. Performance management, included in the new Visual Management theory, was found to be low, which the employees preferred. The possible problematics of Visual Management related to the amount of performance measurement, varying technological skills of staff, and the use of multiple different software.
Concluding, this study found that most of the findings were similar compared to the previous literature. The elements of a good Visual Management device, such as use of color and structured layout, and the benefits of Visual Management were found to be similar in both this study and previous literature. Some new findings, not mentioned previously, were the digitality of used Visual Management devices and the effects of remote working on Visual Management. The affordances of Visual Management found are aiding in project management, increasing efficiency and the comprehensibility of information, and providing data for performance management.