Program Overview

Event Management: Economic, Social, and Environmental Impacts

The unit EMGT301, Event Management: Economic, Social, and Environmental Impacts, forms the capstone of the event management major. It brings together the skills learned throughout the major in a practical and applied unit where students develop their own event.

Unit Rationale, Description, and Aim

This unit explores the theory of the triple bottom line (economic, social, and environmental) in terms of managed events. Students learn the practical skills required to professionally and ethically manage an event and make a professional assessment of the event's outcomes in terms of the triple bottom line and towards a sustainable event future.

Learning Outcomes

To successfully complete this unit, students will be able to:

• Explain the key theories and concepts related to practical event planning, considering real-world situations.
• Examine the challenges involved in real-world event management in differing global/international, cultural, and industry contexts and provide solutions.
• Appraise the economic, ethical, social, and environmental impact of events in real-world situations.
• Demonstrate the ability to work both autonomously and collaboratively in an event planning team.
• Critically analyze the sustainability and regulatory issues in planning and managing events.

Unit Content

Topics include:

• Evaluating professional event coordination
• Creating the event plan
• The framework and structure of an event
• Building and working collaboratively in an event team people and processes
• Procurement considerations
• Professional practices: selection and management of food and beverages
• Professional practices: selection and management of a venue
• Professional practices: location, site planning, and venue selection, assessing accessibility (parking, traffic coordination, permits)
• Professional practices: promoting the event, communication with all stakeholders, and marketing plan
• Professional practices: pricing considerations, management of budget and revenue
• Managing the event experience for all
• Differing cultural and industry contexts
• Evaluation of economic, ethical, social, and environmental impact
• Future proofing the event for sustainability
• Regulatory issues in event planning

Assessment Strategy and Rationale

The assessment strategy for this unit allows students to demonstrate that they have taken the theory and models of event management and applied them in a real event management setting. Assessments include:

• Assessment Task 1: Portfolio of Engagement - Students actively participate in online discussion forums and online activities (30%).
• Assessment Task 2: Event Plan - A 12-15 minute verbal presentation (along with slides) that requires students to collaborate and work in groups/teams to evaluate and communicate how all elements of an event fit together in a single comprehensive plan (30%).
• Assessment Task 3: Evaluation Strategy - A 2000-word written evaluation strategy that requires students to undertake an objective evaluation of the extent to which an event meets the strategic objectives of the event plan with reference to the triple bottom line (40%).

Learning and Teaching Strategy and Rationale

This unit takes an active learning approach to guide students in the implementation of the knowledge and skills developed in the event management major. The applied event engagement is supplemented by workshops or equivalent designed to support students in their application of event management skills.

Representative Texts and References

• Bladen C., Kennell J., Abson E., Wilde N. 2018, Events Management: An Introduction, 2nd edn, Routledge, UK.
• Dowson, R., & Bassett, D. 2018 Event Planning and Management, 2nd edn, Kogan Page, UK.
• Fenich, G., 2014, Planning and Management of Meetings, Expositions, Events and Conventions, Global Edition, Pearson Higher Ed, USA.
• Getz, D., & Page, S. 2019 Event Studies: Theory, Research, and Policy for Planned Events, 4th edn, Routledge, UK.
• Holmes, K., Hughes, M., Mair, J., & Carlsen, J. 2015 Events and Sustainability, Routledge, UK.
• Jones, M., 2018, Sustainable Event Management: A Practical Guide, 3rd edn, Routledge, UK.
• Linton, T., 2019, Project Management Essentials, Cengage, Australia.
• Lunt, T., & Nicotra, E, 2018, Event Sponsorship and Fundraising: An Advanced Guide, Kogan Page, UK.
• Pielichaty, H., Els, G., Reed, I., & Mawer, V. 2017 Events Project Management, Routledge, UK.
• Quick, L., 2020, Managing Events: Real Challenges, Real Outcomes, Sage Publications Ltd, UK.
• Raj, R., Walters, P., & Rashid, T., 2017, Events Management: Principles and Practice, 3rd edn, Sage Publications Ltd, UK.
• Ryan, W.G., 2020 Managing International Events, Routledge, UK.
• Shone, A., & Parry, B. 2019 Successful Event Management, 5th edn, Cengage, UK.
• Van Der Wagen, L., & White, L., 2018 Event Management for Tourism, Cultural, Business and Sporting Events, 5th edn, Pearson, Australia.
• Wynn-Moylan, P., 2017 Risk and Hazard Management for Festivals and Events, Routledge, UK.

Locations and Credit Points

• Location: Online
• Credit Points: 10

Year

2026