module specification

Seeks to equip students with the theoretical and practical skills necessary to evaluate events in leisure, cultural and tourism settings.  Individually students will undertake a 'live' case study. They will receive a brief from an event management company, conduct a consultancy project which will involve designing a small scale research project aimed at evaluating an event. Students will prepare and give a poster presentation of how they intend to research the event given in the case study and then write up their findings in an individual report.

1. To equip students with the knowledge and skills necessary to research and evaluate a range of event types in the exhibition and corporate sectors
2. To enable students to apply a range of consultancy skills within the event industry context
3. To encourage students confidence in the use of appropriate learning, analytical, discursive skills in business contexts
4. To develop students ability to apply key marketing theories in real world contexts

• Application of Knowledge and Presenting Data
• Communicating/presenting – orally and in writing.
• Problem Solving and Decision Making
• Self/Time management, including self-efficacy
• Interpersonal, including. collaborating / working with others, cross cultural awareness, having a  positive attitude, negotiation and persuasion
• Numeracy/quantitative
• Enterprise skills, including taking initiative, being creative, leadership, completing tasks and projects, taking calculated risks
• Commercial Awareness, including vision, corporate social responsibility and governance

This module seeks to allow students to acquire an in-depth understanding of several or all of the below with reference to event management:

1. The Event Experience
- Experiential event theories
- Event design

2. Experiential marketing management
- Market research for events
- Consumer behaviour theories and concepts

3. The role of the event manager & the nature of consultancy
- Developing client relationships/networking
- The consultancy project phases
- Research skills

This module will combine lectures and seminars with online activities. From the outset students are expected to work both individually and collaboratively with each other, their tutors and industry professionals both face to face and in a variety of online fora. Throughout the module students are asked to reflect on what they have learnt and how their learning relates to the theory and practice of event management.

On completion of this module students should be able to:

1. Understand the dynamics of a productive and creative client relationship so that, through discussions with the client, the student can critically evaluate the brief, conduct research and present advice
2. Apply experiential marketing theory appropriately in an event management context
3. Design a small scale research project that will use appropriate data collection methods in an event context
4. Prepare and present confidently face to face and through high quality business evaluation reports that respond to a particular brief

The individual poster presentation delivered in week 6 will require students to prepare a poster and present in an informal setting to peers, academics and event managers (Learning Outcomes 1-4)

The individual report delivered in week 12 requires students to write up their small scale research project (Learning Outcomes 1-4)

Armstrong, G. & Kotler, P. (2009) Marketing an Introduction. 9th Ed. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson Prentice Hall.
Berridge G. (2007) Events Design & Experience, Oxford: Butterworth Heinemann.
Bowdin G et al (2011) Events Management. 3rd Ed. Oxford: Butterworth Heinemann.
Getz D. (2007) Event Studies, Oxford: Butterworth Heinemann.
Morgan, M., Lugosi, P. & Brent Ritchie, J. (eds.) (2010) The Tourism and Leisure Experience: Consumer and Managerial Perspectives, Bristol: Channel View Publications.
Malouf, L. (1999), Behind the Scenes at Special Events. New York: John Wiley & Sons
Nijs D (2003) Imagineering: Engineering for the Imagination in the Emotion Economy in Creating a Fascinating World. NHTV. Breda University
Pine J & Gilmore J (1999) The Experience Economy: Work is Theatre and Every Business is a Stage. HBS
Schiffman L. Kanuk L. Hansen L. (2012) Consumer Behaviour: A European Outlook. 2 Ed. Harlow. Pearson.

Useful websites
Association of Event Organisers    http://www.aeo.org.uk/
Eventia                                                 http://www.eventia.org.uk/