BUSN2000
EVENT
MANAGEMENT
SEMESTER 2, 2025
ULO. 1. Demonstrate your ability to critically evaluate an event
idea;
ULO. 2. Develop a realistic business plan;
BUSN2000
UNIT ULO. 3. Describe how to manage personnel (especially volunteers);
LEARNING
OUTCOMES ULO. 4. Demonstrate knowledge in the areas of risk management
related to legal/financial/insurance/social/media issues;
ULO. 5. Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the event
management concepts, analysis and planning process.
UNIT
OVERVIEW
The prime objective of this course is to
provide students with a detailed
understanding of the processes and
practices involved in events management,
from the genesis of an idea, to conducting
the event. Subsidiary objectives include
providing students with skills in: critically
analysing an event idea in relation to
organisational/project objectives;
developing a realistic event management
plan; managing personnel (especially
volunteers); risk management in areas of
legal/ financial/ insurance/ social/ media;
and event analysis and evaluation.
4
WEEKLY TOPICS
01 02 03
Strategic
04 05
Project
06
Introduction Hybrid events Event Event
To event And the event Concepts and management proposals
management experience planning and design of events
economy feasibility
07 08
Marketing and
09
Event
10 11
Sustainable
12
Event evaluations Human resource Building sound
sponsorship communications management event business
and budgets management relationships
and regulations
MODULE 1:
INTRODUCTION
TO EVENT
MANAGEMENT
7
LESSON OVERVIEW
•What is an event? •What is involved in
creating an event •Impact of events
•Stakeholders & Team management
• Classification of events
• Event information systems
• Governing bodies and associations
• Future of events
• What do we do if something goes wrong?
THE NATURE OF EVENTS
• They are often ‘once in a lifetime’ or a unique experiences for the
participants
• They are generally expensive to stage
• They usually take place over a short time span
• They require long and careful planning
• They generally take place once only or annually
• They carry a high level of risk, including financial and safety risk
• There is often a lot at stake for those involved
EXAMPLES OF
EVENTS
Olympic Games Grand New Year’s Eve Adelaide
Prix Sydney Festival Festival Melbourne Cup
Cooly Rocks On Birdsville Races
Australian Open Mudgee Wine &
Mardi Gras Food
Australia Day Blediscloe Cup
Byron Bay Cannes Film Festival
Australian Fashion Week
Bluesfest
America’s Cup Detroit Auto Show
Vivid Sydney
WHAT DO EVENT MANAGERS DO?
Planning and coordination: Developing event concepts and themes; creating detailed event plans and timelines;
coordinating with clients to understand their needs and objectives.
Budget management: Preparing and managing event budgets; negotiating with vendors and suppliers to get
the best rates; tracking expenses and ensuring the event stays within budget.
Venue selection and management: Researching and selecting appropriate venues; negotiating contracts with
venue managers; overseeing venue setup and breakdown.
Logistics and operations: Coordinating transportation and accommodation for attendees; managing event
registration and ticketing; ensuring all necessary permits and insurance are obtained.
Vendor coordination: Hiring and managing vendors for catering, audiovisual equipment, decorations, and
other event services; ensuring vendors deliver on their promises and meet event standards.
Marketing and promotion: Developing marketing strategies to promote the event; managing social media,
advertising, and other promotional activities; coordinating with media and public relations teams.
Attendee experience: Designing the event layout and flow to enhance attendee experience; organising
activities, entertainment, and speakers; ensuring attendee safety and satisfaction.
WHAT DO EVENT MANAGERS DO?
On-site management: Overseeing event setup and execution; troubleshooting any issues that arise during the
event; managing event staff and volunteers.
Post-event activities: Conducting post-event evaluations to assess success and areas for improvement;
managing event tear-down and cleanup; preparing reports and summaries for clients or stakeholders.
Event managers must be: Highly organized, Detail-oriented, Possess strong communication, Problem solvers
Their goal is to ensure that events run smoothly, meet objectives, and create memorable experiences for
attendees.
CONNECTION
EVENTS ARE TRULY ABOUT…
CONNECTION
HISTORY OF EVENTS
Ancient times:
Religious and cultural festivals: Early event management can be seen
in the organisation of religious ceremonies, festivals, and public
gatherings in ancient civilisations like Egypt, Greece, and Rome.
Olympic Games: The ancient Olympic Games in
Greece, starting in 776 BCE, are among the earliest
examples of large-scale event management.
Middle ages:
Royal Events and Feasts: During the medieval period, event
management was evident in the elaborate planning of royal feasts,
tournaments, and public celebrations.
Trade Fairs: Medieval Europe saw the rise of trade fairs, requiring
coordination and organisation.
HISTORY OF EVENTS
• Renaissance to 19th Century:
Cultural and social events: The Renaissance brought a
surge in cultural events, including operas, ballets, and
theatre performances, demanding organised
management.
World’s Fairs and Exhibition: The 19th century saw the
advent of world’s fairs and expositions, like the Great
Exhibition of 1851 in London, showcasing industrial
achievements and requiring meticulous planning.
• 20th Century:
Corporate events and conferences: The rise of the
corporate sector led to an increase in business meetings,
conferences, and trade shows.
Sports Events: The modern Olympic Games, starting in
1896, and other international sports events became
significant, with complex organisational needs. 15
An event is part of the
organisation’s marketing and/or
communication activities
WHAT An opportunity for an
IS AN organisation to forge stronger
bonds with their stakeholders
EVENT?
A way of producing measurable
business outcomes
WHAT ABOUT
SPECIAL
EVENTS?
Rituals, presentations, performances,
Celebrations that are specially planned to achieve
particular social, cultural or corporate goal.
Usually one-time (or occur infrequently)
Outside attendees’ normal range of experiences
Often characterised by size/scale
E.g. World Cup, Olympics, Commonwealth Games
TO:
Build relationships
WHY Elevate brands
Improve image
HOLD Promote products
AN Celebrate achievements
Milestone marker (anniversaries, birthdays,
expansion, wins, etc)
EVENT? Make reparations (1st National Sorry Day
1998)
Create a sense of community (Australia Day)
Develop inclusiveness
To raise money
POSITIV
•EShared experience
•Revitalising traditions
BALANCING •Building pride
•Validation of community groups
THE IMPACT •Increased participation
•Introducing new ideas
OF EVENTS: •Expanding perspectives
SOCIAL AND NEGATIV
CULTURAL •ECommunity alienation
•Manipulation of community
IMPACTS •Negative image
•Bad behaviour
•Substance abuse
•Social dislocation
•Loss of amenity
19
POSITIV
•EInternational prestige
•Improved profile
BALANCING •Promotion of investment
•Social cohesion
THE IMPACT •Development of administrative skills
OF EVENTS:
POLITICAL NEGATIV
IMPACTS •Risk
E of event failure
•Misallocation of funds
•Lack of accountability
• Propaganda
•Loss of community ownership and control
20
POSITIV
•EShowcasing of the environment
BALANCING •Providing best practice models
•Increasing awareness
THE IMPACT OF •Infrastructure legacy
•Improved transport and communication
EVENTS: •Urban renewal
ENVIRON- NEGATIV
MENTAL
•Environmental damage
IMPACTS E
• Pollution
•Destruction of heritage
•Noise disturbance
•Traffic congestion
POSITIV
•EDestination promotion and increased tourist visits
BALANCING •Extended length of stay
THE IMPACT OF •Increased tax revenue
•Business opportunities
EVENTS: •Commercial activity
•Job creation
TOURISM AND NEGATIV
ECONOMICAL •Community resistance to tourism
IMPACTS E
•Damage to reputation
• Exploitation
•Inflated prices
•Opportunity costs
•Financial mismanagement and loss
WHO’S
INVOLVED IN
AN EVENT?
q Event producer q Cleaning/waste
q Event coordinator management
q Stage managers q Ticketing
q Graphic designer
q AV/lighting and
sound technicians q Printer
q Decorator/florist And then…
q PRs q Customers
q Speakers q Volunteers
q Entertainers q Police
q Security q Govts (local, state)
q Catering q Industry
q Rental/event supply associations
(tourism)
… and many others
CONSIDERATIONS PRE-
EVENT
• The organisational goal to be achieved (internal or for your client if
external)
• How that fits within their organisational strategy
• How it fits into the marketing/comms mix
• Understanding your key stakeholders
• Marketplace competitors
• Issues on the horizon or that might crop up (terrorism, pandemics?)
Finding a way to leverage your event tool (take extra bites of the
cherry)
• Creating engagement and two-way conversations with your
stakeholders
UNDERSTANDING
STAKEHOLDERS
Who are they? Where are they? What’s their
understanding/experience with the
brand/country/celebration, etc?
What’s their objective for taking part?
How do you need to do to satisfy
that?
What do they need to know?
How might you reach out to them?
EVENT VARIABLES
The ‘why’ (i.e; the motivation – both real and hidden)
Size and scale (affects propensity to lose a LOT of money)
Event type – special, sport, conference, exhibition, education,
sales
Its purpose – sales, entertainment, relationship/community
/brand building, revenue generation
SIZE AND SCALE OF EVENTS
Mega-events E.g. Superbowl, Olympics,
FIFA World Cup
Hallmark events E.g. Edinburgh Festival, Tamworth Country Music
Festival, Fashion week
Major events
E.g. Ariana Grande concert, Blues and Roots Festival, World Cardiology Congress
Minor events E.g. Annual Cherry Auction, Food and Wine Festivals, Mudgee Wines by the Sea, Chinese New
Year Festival (St George Council), Sydney Writers’ Festival
Micro events E.g. MapExpo, a media relations get journalist together for British Telecom, art gallery
opening, OzPod
QUESTIONS TO ASK
• What’s the objective? What’s the budget?
What’s delivery date? What sort of events
might fit with the corporate strategy?
• Is on time/on budget delivery actually feasible?
• What other resources do we need?
• How will we evaluate our success?
EVENT MANAGEMENT
CHALLENGES
Concept creation
Expectation management
Risk reduction
Issues management and contingency planning
Cost control
Stakeholder wrangling
Deadline management
Customer service recovery
CASE STUDY: • Venue selection and preparation
• Competition management
ATHLETICS AT TH E• Coordination with stakeholders
• Volunteer workforce
MELBOURN E 2 006 • Transportation Accomodation
• Medical and anti-doping
COMMON WEALTH • Security
• Branding and sponsorship
GAMES • Community engagement
• Evaluation and feedback
THE ROLE OF
INFORMATION
SYSTEMS
Project planning software
Venue booking systems
Audience reservations
Ticketing systems
Registration systems
EVENT AND CONFERENCE ASSOCIATIONS
q ABEA – Australian Business Events Association www.abea.org.au The leading industry body responsible for
representing and supporting the prosperity of the organisations
and people that work in, or benefit from the Australian business events sector.
AEIA – Australian Entertainment Agents Association
q www.aeaa.com.au
Since forming in 1984, the AEAA has been a leading force in establishing working guidelines and a self-
regulating Code of Ethics for professional entertainment agents operating within Australia.
q EEAA – Exhibitions & Events Association of Australia
www.eeaa.com.au
Primarily focuses on trade and consumer expos and events. IFEA – International Festivals & Events
q Association
www.ifea.com
EVENT AND CONFERENCE ASSOCIATIONS
q International Live Events Association Represents the interests of event producers, managers and suppliers
working primarily in the corporate sector.
ILEA – The International Live Events Association
q www.ileahub.com
ILEA, is aglobal communityof thousands of creative event professionals whose skills, expertise and
experience power some of the most recognised and respected live events around the world. ILEA
provideseducation and collaborative networking opportunitiesthat achieve creative event experiences. MIAA –
The Meetings Industry Association of Australia
q www.meetingsevents.com.au
MIAA is a national, independent not for profit organisation dedicated to servicing the needs of the meetings
and events industry and promoting professionalism and excellence in all aspects of meetings and event
management. It also promotes the value and effectiveness of meetings and events as an important high-yield
sector of business travel and tourism.
VMA – Venue Management Association
q www.vma.org.au
ILEA CODE OF
ETHICS
The International Special EventsSociety
has the following code of ethics:
Promote and encourage the highest level
of ethics within the profession of the
special events industry while maintaining
the highest standards of professional
conduct. Strive for excellence in all
aspects of our
profession by performing consistently at
or above acceptable industry standards.
(Allen 2008; p.19)
THE COST OF https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2022/jul/27/splendour-in-the-
GETTING IT grass-2022-music-festival-fiasco-byron-bay-shire-parklands-
WRONG foreseeable-and-dangerous-local-councillors-say
Individually or in pairs, complete the tutorial
activity under Week 1 in Blackboard.
ACTIVIT
Write the answers to your questions and be
Y prepared to share your responses with the class.
36
