Event Management

Abstract

This paper will take a comprehensive look at the field of event management, creating a profile of the growth of the event management industry as well as the outlook. It will also review some of the wide range of event types such as meetings, seminars, receptions, and conventions. In the process, it will present an illustration of the strategies employed in the development of these types of events.

Overview

In 1969, four young men decided to invest one of the men's wealth into the creation of a recording studio and musician's retreat in upstate New York. Over time, that idea evolved into presenting a concert whose ticket proceeds would generate money for their institution. The notion was originally for a venue for about 50,000. While the idea seemed reasonable on the surface, the event quickly spiraled out of control. The towns in which the organizers sought to hold the event declined (and even banned) the concert planners the opportunity to host it within their town limits. The organizers had constant issues with vendors and other aspects of the event. Furthermore, the 50,000 expected attendees quickly spiraled into nearly 500,000. The concert festival went on, and at the end, the organizers were faced with 70 lawsuits and over a million dollars in debt. Yet, the Woodstock music festival became etched in American history (Rosenberg, 2009).

A look at Woodstock provides a glimpse into the complex and challenging industry known as event management. The creation, organization, and implementation of any major event are an intricate undertaking, requiring the interconnection of a myriad of moving parts. In the modern twenty-first century business marketplace, however, it is also a vital component to a company's ability to project itself among its clients, employees, and the general public.

This paper will take a comprehensive look at the field of event management, creating a profile of the growth of the event management industry as well as the outlook. It will also review some of the wide range of event types such as meetings, seminars, receptions, and conventions. In the process, it will present an illustration of the strategies employed in the development of these types of events.

Planning Business Events. The development of such events as meetings, conventions, receptions, and similar events requires a great deal of strategic planning. At the very base of the process is a simple question: In what way does the organization wish to convey a message or make an impression? Companies and corporations have certain goals as well as codes of professional behavior that project a certain image. Meeting planners will need to converse with the group to understand the manner in which the company wishes to present the program (as well as the budget used to meet this framework). Doing so assists the planner in proceeding according to a set of general guidelines.

This foundation helps the event planner choose the appropriate venue and build the program. At the next level, the event planner will locate the proper site for the event to take place. The venue may be a hotel, reception room, convention hall, conference room, or private room at a restaurant or a similar location. Understanding the event parameters will also enable the planner to determine the type of facilities that will be necessary for the event to proceed successfully; such as booth space, audio/visual technologies, computer capabilities and transportation resources.

The next phase in the planning of the event is the communications step. The planner will coordinate a public relations outreach about the event, in order to entice attendee participation. Although formal, paper invitations are also sent out to potential participants, email invitations often represent an optimal vehicle for quick information distribution to a wide audience. This important step may also help the planner gauge the number of participants that plan to attend. As a result, the event planning process, including the date of the reception or meeting as well as the venue, may be altered to account for any change in numbers.

Concurrent with the communications are the logistical planning elements. In this arena, the planner will determine the application of relevant technology and lighting, room setup, staffing and labor, food and/or cocktail menus, vendors, check-in tables and booth configuration. The event planner will, at this stage, work consistently as a communications hub for the client and the venue staff to ensure that each detail is given attention and, where necessary, altered to meet the needs of the client. The planner will also work with the client to ensure that contracts are developed and signed so that there are no disruptions in the event's development phases.

Finally, the event itself demands careful management. The planner and the client will work to ensure that there are no last-minute issues with vendors or food, that the equipment is operating properly and all audio-visual presentation materials are prepared for the program, that signs and decorations are appropriately posted, that attendees are seated in the proper seats and that transportation to and from the event for guests is operating smoothly. The execution of the event is often just as complex as the event planning stages. In fact, given the heightened atmosphere and the fact that there is no more time to revise the program, it is arguably the most intense and emotionally draining stage of the event management process.

As demonstrated above, the field of event management requires that those who work within it manifest a number of important personal and professional qualifications. For example, an event manager must be able to handle multiple tasks in often intense environments. He or she must also demonstrate exceptional diplomatic skills, which are called into service when dealing with higher-level clients during both the development and implementation phases. Event managers must also be able to quickly comprehend the client's corporate philosophy, since the event will be a reflection of that ideology.

In light of the nature of the work performed in the field of event management, it is useful to next analyze the industry itself and how it operates.

Further Insights

The Event Management Industry. Event management spans across a broad range of industries and therefore, each manifestation is distinct. In many cases, the event management aspect of a company's activities is handled internally, either by an on-site event manager or by personnel who handle other tasks in addition to organizing such meetings. Then again, the event management industry continues to thrive in industrialized nations around the world.

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), there were 116,700 meeting, convention, and event planners in the United States in 2016. The BLS forecasts an 11 percent increase in the workforce in this industry over a ten-year period, a significant growth in comparison to other industries (US Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2018). The salaries for those employees were above the national average as well—by May 2016, the BLS reported that personnel in this field earned a median salary of about $47,350, while some earned close to $83,000 per year (US Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2017).

Coinciding with the growth of the event management industry is the increased development of event management associations. These organizations are trade associations; networks comprised of member representatives of a given industry. Event management associations provide a number of benefits to their membership, including vendor services, government lobbying, and networking opportunities. In many cases, event management associations seek common ground among seemingly disparate event planning companies. In a growing number of these trade associations, event management networks are seeking to establish common codes of industry professional conduct and standards. One study revealed that of 152 professional event management associations, nearly 40 percent of them had stated codes of ethical behavior and professional conduct. Such codes center around themes like effective business practices, reputation, respect, and personal conduct and communications (Arcodia & Reid, 2008).

Event management professionals undergo a great deal of diverse training. A growing number of them are college-educated, receiving degrees in business, communications, hospitality, or event management. These professionals may also have academic training in industry-specific categories, such as health care, finance and education. Such training helps them develop knowledge of the industries for which they will be developing event programs.

Academic training is important, but many experts in the field of event management believe that "real world practical and applied experience" is the true hallmark of an accomplished planner. In one study, students in event management courses were required to plan, market, manage, and evaluate an actual event. The analysis of this program revealed that participatory training in this manner was an effective educational tool for giving students a true taste of the intricacies and pressures of event planning (Moscardo & Norris, 2004).

Event management is a complex industry spanning across a wide range of other industries. In order to further illustrate the scope of this industry and its presence in the twenty-first century economy, it is useful to better understand the types of events being managed.

Types of Business Events. From small meetings involving fewer than ten people to conventions whose participants require the resources of nearly an entire metropolitan area, business events are manifest in a wide range of forms. As such, the industry of event management must also show diversity in organizing and executing them.

Meetings. On the smaller end of business events are meetings. These types of gatherings may only involve a few individuals. Meetings require venues, either in-house or off-site locations like hotels or restaurants. In many cases, food and beverage services (such as continental breakfast, lunch and coffee stations) will also be utilized. Depending on the size of the meeting, audio-visual hardware such as microphones, computer monitors, laptop projectors, and screens may be used for presentations. Smaller meetings of this nature may not necessarily require the efforts of a professional meeting or event planner—they are often assembled by administrative professionals who, in addition to coordinating the meeting development, are also charged with ensuring the proper information is disseminated to participants.

Seminars. Some smaller events are educational in nature rather than internal meetings of business executives and personnel. Seminars, for example, are informal meetings designed for participants to share information about an important issue, system, or program. Seminars are similar to formal classes, although in this case, they are brief presentations of topics of importance to a company or its personnel. Managing the development of a seminar entails not just selection of a venue but also the selection of speakers and materials that will effectively communicate the subject matter to participants. Business seminars may be stand-alone in nature, but are often part of a larger conference or meeting program. Seminars are typically used for training purposes; in fact, many companies and associations hold seminars on event management so that corporate personnel may receive training in this field and, as a result, minimize the need for a company to employ an external event planning vendor for its own meetings and gatherings (Kovaleski, 2003).

Receptions. Receptions are less business-oriented and more celebratory events. They vary in size, scope, and substance, depending on the purpose of the event and the corporate profile and philosophy. For example, some receptions are small-scale, formal cocktail hours, with drinks and hors d'oeuvres and low-volume music. This form of reception is typically held off-site in a hotel ballroom, private room at a restaurant, or similar venue. They may honor one or two individuals or simply be designed to facilitate networking (meeting new business contacts and company representatives) among potential business partners. On a larger scale, receptions are more theatrical events, often including live music and/or performers, video presentations, and other forms of entertainment as well as greater quantities of food and drinks. These events may be simple celebrations while others may be designed to give a portion of the proceeds to charity. As is the case for smaller receptions, these types of events are designed according to the tastes of the client and thus vary in terms of size and spectacle.

The largest of business events is the convention. Conventions are large-scale, formal gatherings of one or more groups and corporations with a given industry. They are typically multifaceted, with seminars, guest speakers, marketplaces (spaces filled with booths and kiosks managed by vendors), and other activities. Similar to (and often interchangeable with) trade shows, conventions may last more than one day and have specific programs of events that are designed to ensure that participants (many of whom travel great distances to take part) are given a full complement of activities from which to choose during their stay. Some conventions are called "city-wides," as they draw so many participants to a given convention center and municipal area that it directly impacts hotel room occupancy, transportation services, restaurant business, and other commercial sectors. For this reason, conventions are considered invaluable economic contributors for cities and regions that have the resources to support them.

Event management pertaining to each of these types of events entails a specific type of approach. Some events may take a few days to organize and take shape, while conventions may take months. Event planners must work closely with the clients to ensure that the meeting, reception, or convention satisfies their needs.

Conclusions. In 1969, a storeowner in Kauneonga Lake, New York saw a significant uptick in sales of nails and cold cut meats, as construction workers descended on a nearby farm to build the stage for the Woodstock festival. The shopkeeper, Art Vassmer, later reflected on his dismay at the volume of sales his store saw thanks to these workers: "They told me, 'Mr. Vassmer, you ain't seen nothing yet,' and by golly, they were right" (Tiber, 1994). In truth, no one expected Woodstock to be a venue at which 500,000 people would descend at one of the most iconic sights of the era. Even the festival's organizers did not anticipate the concert to grow into the event it would eventually become—the debt and lawsuits they saw afterward served as a testament to that naïveté.

The Woodstock example provides evidence of the reasons the event management industry has flourished in the modern economy. Events of all shapes and sizes remain as critical for business in the twenty-first century as they were in the twentieth century. Events, after all, provide a venue for the exchange of ideas, networking, and information dissemination. Event management was born of the need to ensure that such programs avoid budget overruns, are executed with minimal technical glitches and, perhaps most importantly, that the goals of the meetings are met without being clouded by mishaps and errors.

This industry remains diverse, due in no small part to the breadth of meeting types and industry environments in which they take place. Planners must be as experienced in the field of events they are organizing as well as the industries that sponsor them. Some are employed by professional event management organizations, while others are in-house event planners.

Event planners and managers are also becoming increasingly inventive regarding methods to ensure the success and effectiveness of a meeting or convention. In some cases, these strategies include choosing less traditional venues for the event, encouraging interactive aspects, and designing the meeting or convention in such a way that the audience will generally have more input and control over the event (Doyle, 2018). Advanced technologies such as videoconferencing also allow organizers to include speakers from all over the world.

From the small board meeting to the citywide convention, business-oriented events are continuing to evolve to meet the needs of the ever-diversifying corporate characters of twenty-first century businesses. This field will, according to forecasts, continue to grow as part of the twenty-first century business environment due to the continued demand for successful networking and presentation venues.

Terms & Concepts

Citywide: Event that is so large in terms of participants that it requires an above-average use of municipal areas such as hotel rooms, transportation and other tourist services.

Conventions: Large-scale, formal gatherings of one or more groups and corporations with a given industry.

Event Planner: A professional organizer and operator of meetings, receptions and corporate events. May be an individual or a corporate agency.

Networking: The practice of exchanging information between business partners and potential clients for future relationships or contacts.

Reception: Special event providing recognition of individuals other successful ventures.

Seminar: Educational presentations of topics of importance to a company or its personnel.

Bibliography

Arcodia, C. & Reid, S. (2008). Professional standards: The current state of event management associations. Journal of Convention and Event Tourism, 9, 60-80. Retrieved September 16, 2009 from EBSCO Online Database Academic Search Complete. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=33918576&site=ehost-live.

Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2017). Occupational employment and wages, May 2016: 13-1121 meeting, convention, and event planners. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved from https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes131121.htm#(1)

Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2018). Occupational outlook handbook: Meeting, convention, and event planners. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved from https://www.bls.gov/ooh/business-and-financial/meeting-convention-and-event-planners.htm

Dakle, S. (2013). Event management: A study of problems and prospects. Global Conference on Business & Finance Proceedings, 8, 202-207. Retrieved November 15, 2013, from EBSCO Online Database Business Source Complete. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=89496816&site=ehost-live

Douglas, M-R. & Gregory, S. (2009). Not all politics are local: Exploring the role of meetings and events coordinators in the political arena. Journal of Convention & Event Tourism, 10, 134-145. Retrieved September 18, 2009 from EBSCO Online Database Academic Search Complete. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=40627973&site=ehost-live.

Doyle, A. (2018). 30 ways to disrupt your next meeting: From having participants drive content to placing "plants" in your audience, disruptions make meetings memorable. Successful Meetings, 67(2), 18–23. Retrieved February 14, 2018 from EBSCO Online Database Business Source Ultimate. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bsu&AN=127834345&site=ehost-live&scope=site

Kovaleski, D. (2003). New tool for event management. Association Meetings, 15, 19. Retrieved September 17, 2009 from EBSCO Online Database Business Source Premier. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=buh&AN=12444005&site=ehost-live.

Ledger, A. (2013). The big debate event management degrees: Are they a waste of time?. Conference & Incentive Travel, 14. Retrieved November 15, 2013, from EBSCO Online Database Business Source Complete. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=91598237&site=ehost-live

Moscardo, G. & Norris, A. (2004). Bridging the academic practitioner gap in conference and events management: Running events with students. Journal of Convention and Event Tourism, 6, 47–62. Retrieved September 16, 2009 from EBSCO Online Database Academic Search Complete. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=16571140&sit e=ehost-live.

Thomas, J. (2013). Develop your own best practice set. Conference & Incentive Travel, 16. Retrieved November 15, 2013, from EBSCO Online Database Business Source Complete. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=91598239&site=ehost-live

Tiber, E. (1994). How Woodstock happened. The Times Herald-Record. Retrieved September 17, 2009 from http://www.discoverynet.com/~barnes/wsrprnt1.htm.

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2009). Meeting and convention planners. Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2008-09 Edition. Retrieved September 14, 2009 from http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos298.htm.

Suggested Reading

Arcodia, C. & Reid, S. (2003). Goals and objectives of event management associations. Journal of Convention and Exhibition Management, 5, 57. Retrieved September 18, 2009 from EBSCO Online Database Academic Search Complete. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=11856551&site=ehost-live.

Landey, J. & Silvers, J. (2004). The miracle of training in event management. The Journal of Convention & Event Tourism, 6, 21–46. Retrieved September 18, 2009 from EBSCO Online Database Academic Search Complete. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=16571139&site=ehost-live.

Phelan, K., Kavanaugh, R., Mills, J. & SooChong, J. (2009). Current convention course offerings at the top 25 ranked hospitality management undergraduate programs. Journal of Teaching and Travel in Tourism, 9(1/2), 37–62.

Raj, R., Walters, P., & Rashid, T. (2017). Events management: Principles and practice (3rd ed.). Los Angeles: SAGE.

Scofidio, B. (Ed). (2007). All about events. Corporate Meetings and Incentives, 26, 33. Retrieved September 18, 2009 from EBSCO Online Database Business Source Premier. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=buh&AN=24419579&site=ehost-live.

Tassiopoulos, D. (2005). Event management: A professional and developmental approach — 2nd edition. Juta & Co.