Event management is the application of the
managementManagement in all business and human organization activity is simply the act of getting people together to accomplish desired goals and objectives. Management comprises planning, organizing, staffing, leading, directing, facilitating and controlling or manipulating an organization or effort for...
practice of
project managementProject management is the discipline of planning, organizing, and managing resources to bring about the successful completion of specific project goals and objectives...
to the creation and development of
festivalA festival is an event, usually and ordinarily staged by a local community, which centers on some unique aspect of that community.Among many religions, a feast or festival is a set of celebrations in honour of God or gods. A feast and a festival are historically interchangeable...
s and events.
Event Management involves studying the intricacies of the
brandA brand is a name or trademark connected with a product or producer. Brands have become increasingly important components of culture and the economy, now being described as "cultural accessories and personal philosophies".-Concepts:...
, identifying the
target audienceIn marketing and advertising, a target audience, or target group is the primary group of people that something, usually an advertising campaign, is aimed at appealing to. A target audience can be people of a certain age group, gender, marital status, etc. A certain combination, like men from...
, devising the event
conceptThere are two prevailing theories in contemporary philosophy which attempt to explain the nature of concepts . The representational theory of mind proposes that concepts are mental representations, while the semantic theory of concepts holds that they are abstract objects...
, planning the
logisticsLogistics is the management of the flow of goods, information and other resources, including energy and people, between the point of origin and the point of consumption in order to meet the requirements of consumers...
and coordinating the
technicalTechnical may refer to:*Technical , a fighting vehicle based on a pickup truck*Technical analysis, a discipline for forecasting the future direction of prices through the study of past market data...
aspects before actually executing the modalities of the proposed event.
The recent growth of festivals and events as an industry around the world means that the management can no longer be
ad hoc.
Event management is the application of the
managementManagement in all business and human organization activity is simply the act of getting people together to accomplish desired goals and objectives. Management comprises planning, organizing, staffing, leading, directing, facilitating and controlling or manipulating an organization or effort for...
practice of
project managementProject management is the discipline of planning, organizing, and managing resources to bring about the successful completion of specific project goals and objectives...
to the creation and development of
festivalA festival is an event, usually and ordinarily staged by a local community, which centers on some unique aspect of that community.Among many religions, a feast or festival is a set of celebrations in honour of God or gods. A feast and a festival are historically interchangeable...
s and events.
Event Management involves studying the intricacies of the
brandA brand is a name or trademark connected with a product or producer. Brands have become increasingly important components of culture and the economy, now being described as "cultural accessories and personal philosophies".-Concepts:...
, identifying the
target audienceIn marketing and advertising, a target audience, or target group is the primary group of people that something, usually an advertising campaign, is aimed at appealing to. A target audience can be people of a certain age group, gender, marital status, etc. A certain combination, like men from...
, devising the event
conceptThere are two prevailing theories in contemporary philosophy which attempt to explain the nature of concepts . The representational theory of mind proposes that concepts are mental representations, while the semantic theory of concepts holds that they are abstract objects...
, planning the
logisticsLogistics is the management of the flow of goods, information and other resources, including energy and people, between the point of origin and the point of consumption in order to meet the requirements of consumers...
and coordinating the
technicalTechnical may refer to:*Technical , a fighting vehicle based on a pickup truck*Technical analysis, a discipline for forecasting the future direction of prices through the study of past market data...
aspects before actually executing the modalities of the proposed event.
The recent growth of festivals and events as an industry around the world means that the management can no longer be
ad hoc. Events and festivals, such as the
Asian GamesThe Asian Games, also called the Asiad, is a multi-sport event held every four years among athletes from all over Asia. The games are regulated by the Olympic Council of Asia under the supervision of the International Olympic Committee...
, have a large impact on their communities and, in some cases, the whole country.
The industry now includes events of all sizes from the Olympics down to a breakfast meeting for ten business people. Every
industryAn industry is the manufacturing of a good or service within a category. Although industry is a broad term for any kind of economic production, in economics and urban planning industry is a synonym for the secondary sector, which is a type of economic activity involved in the manufacturing of raw...
,
charityA charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . The term is relatively general and can technically refer to a public charity or a private foundation. It differs from other types of NPOs in that its focus is centered around goals of a general philanthropic nature A charitable...
,
societySociety or human society is the manner or condition in which the members of a community live together for their mutual benefit. By extension, society denotes the people of a region or country, sometimes even the world, taken as a whole....
and group will hold events of some type/size in order to market themselves, build business relationships, raise money or celebrate.
Marketing Tool
Event management is considered one of the strategic marketing and
communication Communication is a process of transferring information from one entity to another. Communication processes are sign-mediated interactions between at least two agents which share a repertoire of signs and semiotic rules. Communication is commonly defined as "the imparting or interchange of...
tools by companies of all sizes. From product launches to press conferences, companies create promotional events to help them communicate with clients and potential clients. They might target their audience by using the
news mediaThe news media refers to the section of the mass media that focuses on presenting current news to the public.These include print media ; broadcast media , and increasingly Internet-based media .The term news trade refers to the concept of the news media as a business...
, hoping to generate media coverage which will reach thousands or millions of people. They can also invite their audience to their events and reach them at the actual event..
Services of Event Management Company
Event management companies and organisations service a variety of areas including corporate events (product launches, press conferences, corporate meetings and conferences), marketing programs (road shows, grand opening events), and special
corporate hospitalityThe UK Corporate Hospitality Market Development defines Corporate Hospitality as “any event for the benefit of an organisation entertaining clients or staff, or prospective clients, at the organisation’s expense”....
events like concerts, award ceremonies, film premieres, launch/release parties, fashion shows, commercial events, private (personal) events such as weddings and bar mitzvahs.
Clients hire event management companies to handle a specific scope of services for the given event, which at its maximum may include all creative, technical and logistical elements of the event. (Or just a subset of these, depending on the client's needs, expertise and budget).
Event Manager
The Event Manager is the person who plans and executes the event. Event managers and their teams are often behind-the-scenes running the event. Event managers may also be involved in more than just the planning and execution of the event, but also brand building, marketing and communication strategy. The event manager is an expert at the creative, technical and logistical elements that help an event succeed. This includes event design,
audio-visualThe term audio-visual may refer to works with both a sound and a visual component, the production or use of such works, or the equipment involved in presenting such works. Movies and television shows are examples of audio-visual presentations....
production, scriptwriting,
logisticsLogistics is the management of the flow of goods, information and other resources, including energy and people, between the point of origin and the point of consumption in order to meet the requirements of consumers...
, budgeting, negotiation and, of course, client service. It is a multi-dimensional profession.
The Event Manager may become involved at the early initiation stages of the event. If the Event Manager has budget responsibilities at this early stage they maybe termed an Event or Production Executive. The early stages include:
Site surveying,
Client Service,
Brief clarification,
Budget drafting,
Cash flow management,
Supply chain identification,
Procurement,
Scheduling,
Site design,
Technical design,
Health & Safety,
An Event Manager who becomes involved closer to the event will often have a more limited brief. The key disciplines closer to the event are:
Health & Safety including crowd management,
Logistics,
Rigging,
Sound,
Light,
Video,
Detailed scheduling,
Security,'
Event Management as an Industry
Event Management is a multi-million dollar industry, growing rapidly, with mega shows and events hosted regularly. Surprisingly, there is no formalized research conducted to assess the growth of this industry. The industry includes fields such as the MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Events), exhibitions, conferences and seminars as well as live music and sporting events.
The logistics side of the industry is paid less than the sales/sponsorship side, though some may say that these are two different industries.
Technology & Event Management
Software companies service
event plannersEvent planning is the process of planning a festival, ceremony, competition, party, or convention.Event planning includes budgeting, establishing dates and alternate dates, selecting and reserving the event site, acquiring permits, and coordinating transportation and parking.Event planning also...
with a complete solution including Online Event Registration, Event Marketing Tool, Hotel Booking Tool, Travel Booking Tool, Budgeting Tool etc
Education
There are an increasing number of universities which offer Graduate Degree/Diploma in Event Management, especially in the UK where they have been quick to catch on to the new interest and many are now offering
certificateA certificate is an official document affirming some fact. For example, a birth certificate or death certificate testifies to basic facts regarding a person's birth or death. A certificate may also certify that a person has received specific education or has passed a test or series of tests...
,
diplomaA diploma is a certificate or deed issued by an educational institution, such as a university, that testifies that the recipient has successfully completed a particular course of study, or confers an academic degree...
,
degreeA degree is any of a wide range of status levels conferred by institutions of higher education, such as universities, normally as the result of successfully completing a program of study.- History :...
and masters degree coursework.
In addition to these academic courses, there are many associations and societies that provide courses on the various aspects of the
industryAn industry is the manufacturing of a good or service within a category. Although industry is a broad term for any kind of economic production, in economics and urban planning industry is a synonym for the secondary sector, which is a type of economic activity involved in the manufacturing of raw...
. These courses though not official, are still useful additions to your
resumeA résumé is a document that contains a summary of relevant job experience and education. The résumé is typically the first item that a potential employer encounters regarding the job seeker and is typically used to screen applicants, often followed by an interview, when seeking employment...
.
Study includes organizational skills, technical knowledge, P.R., marketing, advertising, catering, logistics, decor, glamor identity, human relations, study of law and licenses, risk management, budgeting, study of allied industries like television, other media and several other areas.
In a first for the industry, a National Student Events Conference is being held in 2008 with the aim of improving links between students and industry. Topics covered will include the Olympics, health & safety, incentive travel and networking. The NSEC will take place on 18 April 2008 at the University of Derby's Keddleston Road campus.
- Career opportunities are in the following Industries :
- Event Management
- Event Management Consultancy
- Hotel, travel and hospitality Industries
- Advertising Agencies
- Public Relations Firms
- Corporations
- News Media
- Non-profit organization
A nonprofit organization is an organization that does not distribute its surplus funds to owners or shareholders, but instead uses them to help pursue its goals . Examples of NPOs include charities , trade unions, and public arts organizations...
- Integrated Marketing & Communications
- Event Budgeting and Accounting
Categories of Events
Events can be classified into four broad categories based on their purpose and objective:
- Leisure events e.g. leisure sport, music, recreation.
- Cultural events e.g. ceremonial, religious, art, heritage, and folklore.
- Personal events e.g. weddings, birthdays, anniversaries.
- Organizational events e.g. commercial, political, charitable, sales, product launch.
Further reading
- ISBN 0-471-39687-7 Twenty-First Century Global Event Management(The Wiley Event Management Series) by Joe Goldblatt
Dr. Joe Goldblatt, CSEP is the executive director of the International Centre for the Study of Planned Events and a professor at Queen Margaret University in Edinburgh, Scotland in the Tourism, Hospitality and Events Group . Dr...
- ISBN 0-7506-6533-5 Events Management (Events Management S.) by Glenn Bowdin, Johnny Allen, William O'Toole, Rob Harris, Ian McDonnell.