Meanings and functions of modern headquarters' buildings
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Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
School of Business |
Master's thesis
Author
Date
2022
Department
Major/Subject
Mcode
Degree programme
Management and International Business (MIB)
Language
en
Pages
73
Series
Abstract
This study examines the functions and meanings of modern headquarters’ (HQ) buildings in the case of Supercell, a global game company. In particular, the study aims to uncover how design aspects of HQ buildings may foster organisational culture and support the management of organisational change. It poses the following research question: What meanings and functions do companies, and their stakeholders attach to HQ buildings in the post pandemic era of increased remote work? This interdisciplinary study is situated at the crossroads between two disciplinary areas: management studies, including international management, and architecture. Previous research on corporate HQ is extensive but fragmented. Much of this research concentrates on HQ’s characteristics, roles, and location. However, limited attention has been paid to the functions and meanings of modern HQ buildings themselves which is the focus of the present study. This case study provides several novel findings. Firstly, it highlights the importance of designing a multifunctional configurable office space which meets Supercell’s changing needs. Secondly, the office space in the new HQ building provides Supercell’s employees with a number of core services that meet their individual needs and facilitate their daily lives. Thirdly, Supercell’s new HQ building is a representation of the organisational culture and identity for its internal and external stakeholders. These findings were generated through a case study of Supercell’s new HQ building in the district called Wood City in Helsinki, which represents Finnish wooden architecture. The study draws on qualitative material consisting of personal interviews, newspaper articles and information available on the web. Two interviews were conducted with Supercell’s representative and the architect of the building. Insights from interview data were complemented with information gained from newspapers and the web. This Master’s thesis was conducted as part of a multi-year Headquarters’ Location research project in the International Business Unit at the Department of Management in Aalto University School of Business.Description
Thesis advisor
Piekkari, RebeccaRitvala, Tiina
Keywords
headquarters building, game company, organisational culture, architecture
