What is Slush Magic?
Storozhenko, Kateryna (2022)
Storozhenko, Kateryna
2022
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2022062319098
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2022062319098
Tiivistelmä
The research question is how to create a massive event from year to year driven mostly by volunteers. The Slush event is used as a case study. The aims of this work are to identify the main factors that motivate volunteers to participate at Slush and to develop an understanding of how this motivation benefits the event itself. It was conducted 71 interviews with volunteers and 3 interviews with Slush management. An ethnographic study was carried out on site. All used methods are qualitative. As supporting material, I refer to the Slush Code of Conduct, info-emails, and the Slush website itself. In the theory part, I present motivational theories, such as Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, Three Needs Theory: Power, Achievement, Affiliation, and Expectancy Theory. All presented theories are applicable to Slush volunteers. The results of the study showed that 75% of volunteers' motives are “social motives” and only 25% are “professional motives” and there are six main motives that volunteers have. Moreover, the understanding of Slush management on what motivates people to become volunteers at Slush coincides with volunteers’ motives. The answer to what is Slush magic: a well-functioning relationship between volunteers and management. Volunteers feel appreciated, and their expectations are met.