Lim Sei cK

 Events are large-scale activities put on by an Committee, Volunteers or contracted professional which require much larger-than-usual amounts of planning and money.  It may include: (a) Fundraiser for a specific reason (i.e.: fundraising to purchase new equipment or for a special project)  (b) Conference  (c) Festival or special presentation over a series of days

 When events are major pieces of work undertaken over an extended period of time, it is important to manage them carefully.  In many cases, managing a event means co- ordinating a number of different resources, including people from different departments or even from outside of the business.

 Event Management is all about managing these resources in order that the project is delivered  To specification  On time, and  Within budget

 Damaged reputation which may hamper the ability to gain further work  Dissatisfied customers  Cost over-runs that lead to loss of profit  Financial penalties paid to the customer  Damaged relationships with sub- contractors and other business partners

 Good event management starts with good planning - the objectives of a project should be clear and would conform to the SMART model:  Specific  Measurable  Agreed  Realistic, and  Time-based

 Events do not always go according to plan and it is generally the case that when this happens, work takes more, rather than less time, than expected.  Good event management recognizes the internal and external factors that might throw a event off schedule.  Monitoring progress carefully will help identify the likely impact of any delays so that action can be taken to get the project back on track.

 Uniqueness  Perishability  Ambience and service  Labour-intensive  Fixed timescale  Intangible  Personal interactions

 Each one will be different.  All are different because different people are involved, the choice of location, the invited guests, the timing, and so on.  The format or structure may be same, but the participants and the subject will be different.

 It cannot be repeatedly in exactly the same way.  Even where a reasonable level of standardization is possible, each will be different and will be very time dependent.

 With events, the activity is more or less intangible.  If you attend an event, you will experience the activities, join in, enjoy and remember it, but there are only a few tangible things that you might have got from it.

 An event with the right ambience can be a huge success.  There can be a wonderful environment, expensive themed décor, large amounts of excellent food and drink and the event can still be a flop.

 People attending events are frequently themselves part of the process.  A room decorated for a party may look nice, but will not come to life until it is full of guests.

 The more complex and the more unique an event is, the more likely it is to be more labour-intensive, both in terms of organization and of operation.  No two events are likely to require the same number of staff, except in so far as events that have an element of routine, such as banquets and conferences, will require a known number of staff.

 Events, rather like building projects, run to a fixed timescale, unlike routine activities which can carry on indefinitely.  The timescale could be very short, or very long.  Many events are composed of a sequence of short bursts of activity, with pauses or breaks in between.

 1. Define the term, ‘event’.  2. What events did you join before, list at least five.  3. Have you organized an event before? If yes, was it a successful one?  4. What makes an event successful?  5. Do you think planning is important for event management? Why or why not?