Date: 4th of June 2018
Level: Bachelor thesis in Business Administration, 15 cr
Institution: School of Business, Society and Engineering, Mälardalens University
Authors: Lydia Marie Bar-Sawme Stephanie Ternelius
(89/03/24) (94/07/26)
Title: Alumni Impact on Organizational Identity
Supervisor: Konstantin Lampou
Keywords: Alumni, Network, Communication, Relationship, Engagement,
Embeddedness, Organizational Identity
Research
Questions: How does communication and engagement with stakeholders affect the
relationship and organizational identity of an institution?
Purpose: The purpose of this thesis is to investigate the alumni network through a
stakeholder perspective, specifically to understand how to enhance
communication.
Method: This study used a mixed method approach in order to give more understanding and in-depth knowledge and answer the research question. Primary data was collected by semi-structured interviews and a survey with both opened ended and closed ended questions. Two tables were made in order to explain the connections between the interview and survey questions with the theoretical background.
Conclusion: It was concluded that MDH and the alumni want a continued relationship with engagement and embeddedness. At the moment this is difficult since the communication is very limited and one way. To help improve this, stakeholders need to be identified sooner. The idea is that the more stakeholders that are informed while still studying at MDH, the more likely they will be to continue the relationship. A key factor for this to happen is for the communication to be more grounded. When communication is flowing and two way, where the relationship builds on engagement and forms into embeddedness, the organizational identity can then be realized.
2018.