Skills of Socializing and Communication - Research Paper Example

Conference & Event Management   Table of Contents Introduction 3 Overview of the Event Proposed 4 Strategic Planning of the Event 5 Strengths and Weaknesses 6 Conclusion and Recommendations 8 References 9 Introduction Event management can be referred as the systematic execution process of a few developed strategies with the intention to organize a certain program. These events can be recreational as well as these programs can be based on social, political, environmental and/or economic concerns. In the modern day context, these kinds of events are often to be organized by a group of professionals with adequate knowledge of planning and its proper execution. It is in this context that an event should be focused on a particular objective so as to derive a direction for the execution of the process. Moreover, expertise in the field of event management and adequate understanding of the purpose for the event to be conducted is also quite necessary for its successful completion (Tassiopoulos & Damster, 2005). Based on these notions of event management, this paper will intend to provide an overview of the event organised for the students who have completed their first year in the college. The discussion will further intend to analyse the strengths and weaknesses of the event and the strategic process adopted for its completion which in turn would assist to develop a few recommendations for the betterment of such initiatives. Overview of the Event Proposed The event which has been titled as the “Big Day Out” emphasises on a full day recreational program for the first year students in the college. As the foremost concern of the event is to provide the students with recreational tour, the event will be organised in a renowned park located in UK, the Thorpe Park. Notably, the program will continue for the entire day with the view to entertain the students and also to give them an opportunity to socialise with the other students as well as with the tourists and the employees in the park. This will not only facilitate the confidence level of the students but also assist them to enhance their communication skills by a large extent. Concerning the four W’s of the event, i.e. ‘Why’, ‘Who’, ‘When’ and ‘Where’, it must be noted that the event has been organised to provide the students with an opportunity to refresh their minds and to enjoy with friends and socialise with other community members. The event will be hosted by a group of five people, namely, Kyaw Sein, Katherine Delgado, Matab Ahmed and Katherine Bur Bur Burrachi with their leader as Moiz Khan making use of their innovative ideas and creativity along with their inspiration thought. With the mission to ensure exceptional results and the vision of creating a long-lasting memory amid the students, this program will be held on 31st May 2012. With due regards to the third W, i.e. ‘Where’, the event will be organised in the Thorpe Park of UK. Notably, the content of the event will be emphasised on lots of entertainments. Strategic Planning of the Event At the beginning phase of an event management, it is quite essential to identify the target group for whom the event will be held. It is necessary to define the target group for the event organised as this would assist in defining the efficiency of the program by rendering a clear idea regarding the satisfactory attributes which can create a strong impression on the participants and thus influence the successful completion of the event. It is in this context that event organisers should also emphasise on the variation of mentality of the group for whom the event will be organised. This can be regarded as a crucial phase as the information collected in this phase can ensure the efficiency of the strategies developed by a large extent (Thomas & et. al., 2008). While planning for an event the aspect should always be taken into concern as a prime factor in order to execute the process in an organised framework. If an event does not follow a well-planned time schedule, the organizers might have to face severe problems in terms of lack of timing or improper time management hazards (Thomas & et. al., 2008). Apart from the identification of the time and the targeted audiences, another thing which is essential for the event organizer is to determine the location or the place where the event is intended to be held, especially in the case of a recreational event. As the preferences of the audiences may vary significantly according to their age and seniority, the place determined for the event can have a significant impression on the satisfaction level of the target group (Thomas & et. al., 2008). With reference to the event planned in this case, it can be further noted that because the target group comprises of young generation people, the selection of Thorpe Park can reward better satisfaction to the target audiences. However, this could have been unsuitable for older generation people as target groups. Hence, based on the group preferences the event should be held at such place which is suitable to render the utmost satisfaction to the targeted group. Thus, place determination can be witnessed as a vital facet of event management (Thomas & et. al., 2008). Event managers should also consider the pricing strategies with due significance while planning for an event. It is due to the fact that the expenses to be incurred for the organisation of the event should be well-planned in order to lessen the burden of the target group or the cost bearers. When the planning is completed the event manager should also emphasise on developing a few rules or norms which every participant has to maintain so as to avoid any hurdle or confusion in the ultimate execution of the program (Thomas & et. al., 2008). It can be said in this context that the “Big Day Out” has been planned with due consideration to all these aspects. Strengths and Weaknesses One of the major strengths of any event organising team can be regarded as its innovative thinking and creativity as well as determination to render utmost satisfaction to the target audiences. The major strength of the organising group in this case is that they are self-motivated and strictly committed group of young people who also understand the virtue of working in an organised manner. With due consideration to the major aspect of event management, such as time management, determination of the place and budgetary planning, the event processes have been framed which also enhance its efficiency. The other strength of the event is that the organised team also intend to make the program informative as well as entertaining at the same time for the students or the targeted group. The major objective of this event is to have fun and give fun to the targeted audiences, i.e. the first year students in the college and simultaneously enhance their socialising skills which can certainly assist them for their better career growth. However, the emphasis is primarily on providing the students with a scope to enjoy and get themselves entertained to the highest possible extent. It is worth mentioning that the event proposed to be organised in Thorpe Park have also focused on attaining the assistance of the park officials which will further help in executing the developed event management strategies in a smoother way. However, the event management process for the “Big Day Out” also comprises of certain weaknesses. For instance, the major weakness possessed by the event proposed is that the organising team has developed a detailed presentation, but it is not quite effective in rendering complete information e.g. about the time allotted for the entire day programme. It should have also been communicated to all the participants so that it could have been easier for them to cooperate. The team also lacks in specifying the codes or rules which need to be followed by the students participating in the event. Moreover, the objective of the event at times can be observed to be confusing as two diverse aims of the project have been mentioned, one relating with only entertainment and the other focused on skill enhancement of the participants. However, the most vital weakness of the process can be identified as the lacuna of experience and professional understanding of the organising team. It is in this context that if the team had better knowledge regarding the process of event management, it would have been beneficial to execute the process in a more professional and competitive manner. Conclusion and Recommendations The “Big Day Out” is a proposed event that has been planned by a group of students for their peer students from the first year of the educational batch in the college. The major objective of the planning is to deliver an opportunity to the students to have fun and get entertained in the Thorpe Park, which in the determined event destination, for an entire day. However, the secondary objective of the event is to enhance their skills of socialising and communication by giving them a vital chance to meet and interact with other community members including the tourists and the park officials. Notably, the process emphasised for the organisation of this event comprises of various strengths and weaknesses. Where on one hand, the event has been planned in a systematic and organised manner, on the other hand it lacks in terms of the professional understanding of the organisers. Hence, it can be suggested that the organisers should consult with a professional having adequate proficiency in dealing with such programmes which in turn is most likely to assist them with suitable suggestions towards the successful attainment of the determined event objectives. References Tassiopoulos, D. & Damster, G., 2005. Event Management: A Professional and Developmental Approach. Juta and Company Ltd. Thomas, O. & et. al., 2008. Reference Model-Based Event Management. International Journal of Event Management Research, Vol. 4 (1): pp. 38-57. Read More