Event Management (MSEM1-GC)

The course reviews the event industry with the objective of introducing students to major areas of knowledge required for career success. Topics covered include: the nature of events; the range, type and characteristics of events; the main buyers and suppliers for events, and the role events play in society.

This course is to study financial structuring, reporting and analysis in the event industry to understand decision making and performance related to ownership, investment, management, development, transactions and capital expenditures. Topics include the time value of money, analysis of financial statements, capital budgeting, operations and financial budgeting and forecasting, debt and equity, project and acquisition financing, investment strategies, working capital analysis, and financial modeling. Appropriate software will be used in the class.

This class will cover technical features of an event as well as the people, services and elements that support the event’s objectives. It reviews the planning strategies, production realities, and technology involved in staging a variety of events or meetings. Topics to be covered include: event needs assessment, budgeting, planning and coordinating, design and preparation, staffing, equipment management, video and film production, and vendor negotiating and contracting.

All types of events—whether a small meeting or a large conference—involve contracts and risks, which can come in many forms. From financial, ethical, and legal matters to compliance and governmental regulations, event managers need to be knowledgeable and accountable to ensure that all scenarios can be dealt with in the most appropriate manner. Topics in this course include health, safety, and security considerations; insurance requirements; licenses and permits (e.g., alcohol); intellectual property protections; and the Americans with Disabilities Act. By the end of this course, have the skills to develop a comprehensive risk assessment and risk control plan for your events.

This course addresses event marketing management processes and trends impacting marketing environment, consumer and organizational buyer behavior. The course introduces students to customer and competitor analyses, market research, customer satisfaction and loyalty, segmentation, targeting, positioning, branding, and sales. It covers event hospitality marketing mix topics including new product and service development, internal marketing, pricing, distribution, PR, sales promotion, and advertising. The course highlights the importance of digital, mobile, and online marketing as well as social media for generating revenue. Students will develop a sales and marketing plan for an event with recommendations.

This course presents a managerial as well as technical perspective to research. Research design includes the overall structure for gathering data, analyzing them, and drawing conclusions supported by a coherent and comprehensive review of the published literature in the field. Students will learn how to conduct a literature review as well as design a coherent applied research proposal. In this course, the subjects to be examined include: quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods of research; analysis of scholarly and industry research; data gathering techniques and methods of analysis; sample selection and analysis; and application of findings.

This course provides an introduction to some of the statistical tools most commonly used to process, analyze, and visualize data. Topics include t-tests, linear regression, and statistical significance. Students will learn how to use data analysis software in interactive workshops, and will apply their skills in a final presentation.

This course will examine the challenges and opportunities associated with starting a new event business venture. Emphasis will be on planning and developing an event business as either a private or not-for-profit venture. Topics include fundamentals of entrepreneurship, business planning and development strategies, tax policies, legal forms of ownership, sales techniques and marketing strategies. Case studies will be used throughout the semester. The final class project will be the development of an entrepreneurial business plan.

This course provides students with limited industry experience an opportunity to work in an event management enterprise. Building a career requires appropriate industry work experience to strengthen the student’s knowledge and skill formed in the classroom. Students are expected to complete a minimum of one hundred and fifty hours (150) of work experience approved by the Tisch Center.

Project management is an essential part of many business management roles, and a vital skill for professionals in the events sector. Event planning requires the careful management of people, time and resources throughout the project cycle. This class aims to help students acquire a good understanding of project management concepts, and to develop the ability to plan and manage a small to medium sized project to its successful conclusion. It will focus on the application of the project management framework to initiate, plan, execute, and manage events, and address business challenges.

This course investigates the management of the human asset and volunteers in event organizations by examining the implementation of the strategies, plans and programs required to attract, motivate, develop, reward and retain the right people to meet the organizational goals and operational objectives of the enterprise. Topics include workforce/workplace value system analysis, human resource skill inventories, needs analysis, job analysis, description and specification; orientation and socialization; encouraging performance; uses and abuses of performance appraisals; recruitment, training, and development; compensation and benefits; discipline and motivation techniques.

This course examines the mix of traditional and digital marketing for the purpose of maximizing event revenue. The course topics include: digital marketing principles, budgeting and planning, content management and website development, smart and big data marketing, search marketing, mobile marketing, video marketing, social media marketing, management of third party distribution platforms, supplier digital strategies, customer relationship management, digital marketing and distribution analytics and ROI, and emerging digital technologies in events. Students will develop a digital marketing strategy for an event.

The event industry is abound with small businesses and entrepreneurial activity. This class deepens your understanding of managing your own event business, after you have completed the Entrepreneurship and Business Plan Development class. Topics include: finding your niche, financing your start-up, building customer relationships, governmental regulation and taxation, promotional planning, and managing growth.

From sports arenas to concert halls, amphitheaters, convention centers, and stadiums, venues vary greatly in purpose, in size, and in the challenges they face when hosting successful events. This class will review the events industry from the perspective of one of its key suppliers: public assembly venues. Topics covered include the history of public venues as well as business management and finance, ticketing, safety and security, and booking. Examples of invoices, rental agreements, and financial statements illustrate the financial realities of operating event venues.

This course examines the evolution of the global, multi-billion dollar sports industry in for-profit, non-profit, and government sectors. It includes the review of a variety of sports businesses, organizations, and political entities that work within and affect the sports industry. Students will analyze the role and organizational structure of governing bodies; professional leagues; individual franchises; conferences; broadcast entities; sporting goods manufacturers; sports agencies; and marketing firms.

This class will provide students with a thorough and current understanding of the convention and exhibition sector from the demand and the supply side perspective. The class will analyze the stakeholders involved, the market trends and patterns of provision, the role of conventions and exhibitions in the wider business events industry, the organizational aspects of conferences and exhibitions, and the customer’s experience at these events. The role of the event venue will also be investigated. Consideration will be given to the impact of new technologies and sustainability issues. Strategies used for the successful management of conferences and exhibitions will be appraised via a range of international case studies.

This class examines what makes some festivals and social events truly special, and how their unique ambience can powerfully motivate travel, animate otherwise static attractions, create positive images of destinations and act as a catalyst for development. Examining events ranging from food festivals and carnivals to weddings, students will analyze the role of marketing and communication, environmental planning, and the increasing role of governments through the creation of event strategies. Trends in social events will be reviewed, and the key differences between social events and other event types will be explored through a range of case study examples.

Technology is constantly evolving in both the applications and challenges it presents for today’s meeting and conference professionals. Understanding the appropriate technological tools, new platforms, and uses as they apply to catering, audio/visual programming, and event logistics is essential. From mobile apps and desktop tools to search engine marketing and advancements in legacy software, learn how technology connects with the business travel and meetings industries in this thorough examination of technologies as applied to face-to-face, hybrid, video-conferencing, and blended events.

The aim of this class is to provide students with an overview of the types of permits and licenses that are necessary for hosting indoor and outdoor events, and the processes commonly used to obtain them. Students will learn how to comply with appropriate legislation and regulations, and will examine event scenarios where permitting is of importance. Different aspects of compliance management will be reviewed, including: public assembly; sale and serving of alcohol and foods; fireworks, entertainment and special effects; street closures and traffic restrictions; music licensing; fundraising permits.

This class provides a critical examination of the key issues of importance within the context of international events management. While recognizing that these key issues might change in keeping with a dynamic global environment, the class intends to discuss topics that have relevance for events management and contemporary trends that might affect the future development of this industry. The content of this class will be tailored to a specific theme that is topical at the time of teaching, and that is not covered in other classes. The theme of the class will be announced at the time of registration.

The aim of this class is to develop students’ ethical framework within the context of the event industry. Issues such as corporate social responsibility, global reporting, ethical consumption, to name but a few, are becoming increasingly central to business practice. This module will offer students the opportunity to reflect upon their own understanding of ethics. It will introduce them to a range of theoretical approaches to understanding ethics and ethical responses to business situations, as well as provide the opportunity for in-depth reflection and critique on ‘real life’ scenarios.

The independent study class provides students with the opportunity to work one-on-one with an instructor on a particular topic. Approved topics should be extensions of existing courses previously taken or knowledge areas in which no courses are offered. Independent research is intended to extend the student’s knowledge in an area in which his or her interest is more specialized than the norm. A written paper is required at the end of the project. Prior approval by an academic advisor as to the number of credits for which the student may register and the topic of the research is required. The number of credits is determined by the amount of work to be completed and should be comparable to that of a classroom course.

This course will adopt a scholarly approach to understand the roles and responsibilities of internal and external consultants. By examining approaches, conceptual frameworks, analytical models, engagement structuring, scope of work, deliverables, qualifications, professional standards and best practices of consulting professionals, internal specialists and project managers, students will understand the process for conducting a consulting or consulting-like project. Topics to be covered include: diagnosing the issues, developing a scope of work, preparing a proposal, contracting with a client, managing client relationships and communications, understanding client personnel reactions to consultants, identifying sources of direct and proxy data, including sources of external data used by leading consultants and conducting literature reviews, understanding data reliability and validity, assessing and accessing resources, changes in scope, preparing deliverables, monitoring progress, reporting results, achieving engagement closure and extensions of services. The specialized nature of consulting research will be addressed including competitive research, benchmarking, sector analysis, correlations such as with economic and demographic trends, success attributes, operating and financial leverage and regulation and licensing. Additional topics will include professional organizations, consulting ethics and professional terms. Students will work in teams to conduct significant consulting projects, from contracting to presentation of results, with appropriate clients under the guidance of a faculty member and advisor.

The individual thesis is designed to allow students to undertake an original piece of research; demonstrate an ability to select and define and focus upon an issue at an appropriate level; develop and apply relevant and sound methodologies; analyze the issue; develop recommendations and logical conclusions; be aware of the limitations of research work. The students will also be expected to demonstrate an awareness of any ethical dilemmas that arise in their research.