TH1905

Laboratory Exercise
The Events Team
Objective:

At the end of the exercise, the students should be able to:

 Create vision and mission statements, goals, and objectives; and

 Form the events management team.

Materials:

 02 Laboratory Worksheet 1
 02 Laboratory Worksheet 2
 Pen and paper

Basic Principles:
Future Direction
The second step of the strategic planning process answers the question, “Where do we want to go?”
Determining the future direction of the organization involves clearly identifying the beliefs and values that
drive the culture and priorities of the organization. This direction serves as a framework for decision making by
organizational leaders and must be reflected in the goals and objectives of the organization’s planned events.
A vision statement outlines what the organization strives to be in an intended future state or an idealized view
of the world. It may be driven by emotion or inspiration, and it concentrates on a “perfect” future. This statement
may be very difficult—even impossible—to achieve.
The key to a good vision statement is that it must be tied to the organization’s core values and beliefs. Without
this connection, the vision becomes meaningless to the organization’s stakeholders, community, and society.
For example, STI’s vision statement is “To be the leader in innovative and relevant education that nurtures
individuals to become competent and responsible members of society.” This statement articulates the futurist
nature of the work this organization provides to students in preparing them to become contributors to society.
Below are some other examples of vision statements:
Imagik Events: To become a recognized leading events management firm, concept development and service
performance excellence.
Mastermind Events & Décor Pvt. Ltd.: We have a clear vision to ensure clients [sic] satisfaction and loyalty. As
every event has to be perfect social, technical and creative fit, we have a collaborative approach to all the
projects.
Vanshika Wedding Planner: “Vanshika Wedding Planner” visualizes itself as the first choice of every person
when it comes to the planning of their big day.
The mission statement defines the fundamental purpose of an organization, clearly describing why the
organization exists and what it does to achieve its vision. The mission outlines the purpose, values, standards,
and sometimes the competitive strategy of an organization. For an organization’s vision and mission to be
effective, these must become integrated into the organization’s culture. Using STI again as an example, its
mission states: “We are an institution committed to provide knowledge through the development and delivery of
superior learning systems. We strive to provide optimum value to all our stakeholders – our students, our faculty
members, our employees, our partners, our shareholders, and our community. We will pursue this mission with
utmost integrity, dedication, transparency, and creativity.”
Below are some examples of mission statements:
Imagik Events:
• Service-oriented in how we deal with our clients

02 Laboratory Exercise 1 *Property of STI

Page 1 of 8
 TH1905

• Focused, driven and with utmost care is how we execute each event
• Constantly challenging ourselves and what we can accomplish for others Working as a team for and
with our clients
• Applying the plus principle in everything we engage in – achieving with exactness what is required,
PLUS more
Mastermind Events & Décor PVT. LTD.:
To be the leading Event Management Company in India, by meeting and exceeding the expectations of our
clients through innovative ideas and the delivery of excellent service.
Vanshika Wedding Planner:
To serve the best to the clients with complete dedication and devotion working from scratch to create the unique
blue print [sic] for your entire wedding, making sure we have all the details you want to incorporate into the
program.
To deliver high-quality production and excellent services retain trust with clients over the long term. [sic]
Note: Sic is a Latin term meaning “thus.” It is used to indicate that something incorrectly written is intentionally being left as it was in the original. Sic is usually
italicized and always surrounded by brackets to indicate that it was not part of the original. Place [sic] right after the error.

Goals and Objectives

Goals are typically broad statements that indicate an anticipated outcome and serve as a guide for tactical
action planning. An organization may have short-term goals (achieved fairly easily) and long-term goals (may
or may not be achievable). The goals of an events organization should reflect the goals of the marketing, finance,
and other administrative teams. Additionally, all of the goals of the organization must be aligned with its vision
and mission.
For instance, Gleaner’s Food Bank’s events division has several events that support the organization’s goals,
including a “PUTTing” an End to Hunger golf outing, “Ride Your Can Off!” motorcycle ride, and their annual
Harvest Moon Gala. The goal of each event is to raise money to support the food bank’s mission to feed the
hungry.
Objectives are detailed, measurement statements of overall desirable achievements and should be written
using the SMART principle (SMART stands for specific, measurable, achievable, relevant or realistic, and time-
bound). Clear objectives must be written for each event or MICE activity. These objectives can be categorized
as programmatic, logistical, financial, or others based on the organization’s structure or the nature of the event.
Below are some examples of objectives for each of Gleaner’s Food Bank signature events.
• “PUTTing” an End to Hunger Golf Outing
o Register ___ number of golfers for the event
o Secure ___ hole sponsors
o Limit expenses of the event to ₱_______
o Raise ___ percent more next year
o Sign up ___ volunteers to assist with the event
• “Ride Your Can Off” Motorcycle Ride
o Register ___ number of riders for the event
o Secure ___ sponsors for the event
o Limit expenses of the event to ₱_______
o Raise ___ percent more next year
o Sign up ___ volunteers to assist with the event
• Harvest Moon Gala
o Register ___ number of guests for the event
o Secure ___ silent auction items from sponsors
o Limit expenses of the event to ₱_______
o Raise ___ percent more next year
o Sign up ___ volunteers to assist with the event

02 Laboratory Exercise 1 *Property of STI

Page 2 of 8
 TH1905

Elements of an Event
Based on the characteristics and types of events (discussed in Week 1), basic questions can now be drawn out
upon organizing a particular event. The questions can be summarized as the 5W’s and 1H for easier recall.
The acronyms stand for:
• What event is being organized?
• Why is it being organized?
• Who are expected to attend and to organize the event? Provide the number of attendees and
organizers.
• Where is it going to be held?
• When is it going to be held?
• How much is it going to cost?
Therefore, the elements of an event that can be extracted from these questions are the following:
• Type and title of the event
• Purpose of holding the event (objectives/goals)
• Participants of the event and the roles they play (i.e., organizer, attendee, sponsor, etc.)
• Place or venue where the event is going to take place
• Date and time of the event
• Resources needed by the event.
Planning events properly can help achieve the event’s purpose and the organization’s vision and mission.
Proper event planning means paying attention to the details in the abovementioned elements through a concept
paper (see Table 1 for sample).
Elements Example
(What) Title and type of event Social event: Amethyst’s 18th Birthday Party
This is a once-in-a-lifetime event has been a family tradition to
(Why)
celebrate every member’s transition to adulthood. This party aims
Purpose: The owner or organizer of the event must have a good
to give Amethyst a fun and memorable celebration of this important
reason for wanting to hold an event.
day.

(Who) Amethyst’s immediate family members will organize the party with
Participants: The organizers, attendees, sponsors, etc., and the the help of an event planner. One hundred guests are expected to
roles they play attend, mostly family and friends. A guest list will be prepared.

The venue must be in Z City, accommodate 100 guests, and have

(Where) a stage and a dance floor.
Place: The size and availability of the event venue affect the
Options:
schedule and number of attendees. The venue can be selected
using a set of criteria. Room 1, X Restaurant, Y Avenue, Z City
Room A, B Restaurant, C Avenue, Z City
(When) May 30, 2023 (Tuesday) 7:00 p.m.
Date and Time of Event: Make sure that the date and time are (Note that it is important to indicate the month, day, year, and
identified early on. Setting the date affects the venue reservations starting time of the event. A program detailing the schedule of
and printing of collaterals to be included in the invitations. speeches and performances will be prepared at a later time.
(How much) ₱100,000 with the following breakdown:
Cost/Resources: A cost ceiling or limit may be indicated at the ₱500 x 110 pax (with 10% contingency) =
onset. The details of the budget can be prepared once the ₱55,000 for food and venue
quotations from suppliers (e.g., lights and sounds, catering, etc.) ₱45,000 for cake, sound system, invitation, photo and video
are gathered. coverage, etc.
Table 1. Framework of an Event Concept Paper
Source: Events Management, 2015. pp. 3–4

The Events Management Team

The organizational structure must be set first before doing any management function or activity. Scoping or
environmental scanning is the first step in every planning function not only in events management but in most
business organizations in general. This refers to the process of looking around and finding out what is available
and what is lacking.

02 Laboratory Exercise 1 *Property of STI

Page 3 of 8
 TH1905

In environmental scanning, the first thing to do is to look inward. The organization must first understand who the
members of the organization are, along with their strengths and weaknesses, and what resources are available.
There are three (3) things to consider in scoping:
• Man. Human resource is the most difficult to utilize yet the most valuable resource of an events organization.
Employment in events management can be classified into three (3) types:
o Permanent employees – These are the strategic human resources of the company. This group requires
an intensive selection process, a well-thought-out compensation package, and a skills development
plan. These employees are valuable assets of the company because they hold institutional knowledge
and contacts.
o Volunteers – These include on-the-job trainees (OJTs) from schools and universities and other non-
paid staff who provide free assistance to satisfy personal objectives.
o Temporary staff – This includes those who are hired on a contractual or per-project basis directly or
through a manpower employment agency. It is essential to have a carefully planned strategy for the
orientation and training of volunteers and temporary staff in order to integrate them into the organization
as quickly as possible.
• Money and Machine. A feasibility study looks into whether an idea can be done or not given the current
situation and available resources. It does not need to be long as long as it contains all the necessary
information to make a sound decision. This will also help in supporting one’s claims when an event proposal
or concept paper is presented to approving authorities, such as the program head, academic head,
suppliers, or the clients.
The following parts serve as the framework in coming up with a feasibility study:
Parts of an Event Feasibility Study
I. Data Collection
a. Demand information
Guide questions: Is the event needed or attractive to potential audiences? Who are the potential
sponsors, partners, and participants?
b. Supply information
Guide questions: If the event will be staged, who will provide the logistical requirements? Will
there be support from school, contacts from the industry, and others? Are suitable venues
available?
c. Competition information
Guide questions: Are there similar events that have been staged in the past or that will be
happening soon? Is there indirect competition? Are there alternative activities? How will these
affect or enhance the event?
d. School rules
Guide questions: What types of activities are allowed or not allowed in school? What forms
need to be submitted? What is the procedure to process all the requirements?
II. Financial Analysis with Rough Estimates of Cost and Revenues
a. Financial resources
Guide questions: How much money is needed to stage the event? What are the expense items
and costs? Where will the funds come from – ticket sales, sponsorships, etc.?
b. Other resources
Guide questions: Will the class have access to a free or sponsored sound system, venue,
printer, and other event requirements? What other resources and equipment are needed?
III. SWOT Analysis
a. Strengths c. Opportunities
b. Weaknesses d. Threats
IV. Conclusion and Recommendations – This question must be answered: “Is the event feasible or not?”

02 Laboratory Exercise 1 *Property of STI

Page 4 of 8
 TH1905

Forming the Events Team

From a class perspective, the first thing to do in events management is to create an organizational structure by
electing the overall chairperson, the chairman, or the event head, and creating the executive and working
committees. In most cases, the organizational structure already exists at the beginning of an event or project.
Nonetheless, additional units, departments, or committees may be created, additional manpower may be
employed, or volunteers may be recruited if the project is bigger than what the present organization can handle.
Organizational structures for MICE may vary also depending on the number of target audience. Small-scale
events only cater to approximately 200 pax or less. In contrast, large-scale events accommodate more than 200
participants or guests.
• Pax – This is a business term used as a unit pertaining to the number of persons or individuals who are
involved or are participating in a particular activity or event. For example, 200 pax means 200 guests.
Figure 1 shows an example of an organizational structure particular for small-scale events like business
meetings, product launches, masterclasses, seminars, family reunions, etc., while Figure 2 displays a different
organizational structure intended for large-scale events like conferences, trade shows, university colloquiums,
and the like. As mentioned, additional units or committees may be created to fit what the project or event
requires. These are just guides for forming the events team or organization.

Figure 1. Organizational structure (small-scale events)

Roles and Responsibilities

• Event head – This individual oversees the whole organization, project, and/or event. S/He presides all
meetings and has the final say or decision on critical matters regarding the event. S/He also makes
sure that everything is anchored or aligned to the organization’s mission and vision, as well as the
intended objectives and goals of a particular event being organized. Moreover, the event head signs all
communications.
The following serves as the working committees for a small-scale event, which may include staff or a
few members or simply headed by just an individual. Committee heads report directly to the event head.
• Secretariat – This committee serves as the organization’s secretary that creates all the letters or
proposals needed for the project or event. It spearheads the registration process of the event and
works hand-in-hand with the finance committee in terms of payments and contracts. It is also in
charge of the attendee kit, which usually comprises an ID, lace or tag, a handout, a copy of the
program schedule, and a certificate of attendance or participation.
• Finance – This committee is in charge of every financial activity of the event. It works closely with
the secretariat and accomplishes liquidation and reimbursements from other committees.
• Logistics – This committee is in charge of the venue and equipment requirements of the event. It
conducts site inspections or ocular visits to possible venues and sets specifications regarding
space, availability of materials and equipment, layout, ingress and egress procedures, and other
matters of the event’s physical needs. This committee is mostly manned by male staff as it demands
a lot of physical work like carrying, building, or fixing things needed in the event. An in-depth
discussion regarding logistics will be tackled later on.
• Marketing – This committee focuses on creating marketing materials to promote the event, such
as flyers, posters, and tarpaulins to increase the reach of the planned event. It spearheads
concessions and sponsorships to companies and other organizations that might show interest in
supporting the event. An in-depth discussion regarding marketing will be tackled later on.

02 Laboratory Exercise 1 *Property of STI

Page 5 of 8
 TH1905

• General Services – This committee promotes the safety of the event and the welfare of all
attendees, staff, concessionaires, etc. It provides medical assistance and security throughout the
event and maintains cleanliness and orderliness of the event venue.
• Food – This committee creates the menu for the event. It coordinates with food or catering
providers, makes a deal, and settles the food and beverage expenses with the finance committee.
It provides food and beverages for the attendees, events team, and other contractors or suppliers.
An in-depth discussion regarding food selection and menu planning will be tackled later on.
• Program – This committee brings the project to life by running the event, especially on D-day, a
term referring to “the day” of the event. This committee is in charge of all the production needs:
stage management; lights, audio, and video playbacks; performers; speaker materials; and
dynamics like games, activities, sequences, breaks, etc. An event program committee needs more
human resources compared to the other committee, most especially on D-day. An in-depth
discussion regarding the committee will be tackled later on.

Figure 2. Organizational structure (large-scale events)

Roles and Responsibilities

• Executive Committee – This serves as the core unit of the events team, headed by the overall chairperson
or event head, together with the event secretariat, treasurer, auditor, organizing committee heads, and
creative lead. These individuals decide on major tasks at hand.
o Overall Chairperson – This person leads the executive committee and the entire events team. S/He
shares a similar description/role of an event head as discussed from the previous page. S/He can also
be addressed as the Chairman.
o Event Secretariat – This individual serves as the organization’s secretary who creates all the letters or
proposals needed for the project or event. S/He does not handle finances as compared to the
secretariat’s role on a small-scale event.
o Treasurer – This person is in charge of payment collections. S/He keeps the event fund or money for
safety and creates and keeps a document or logbook to record and monitor the cash flow. S/He does
not release money without the signatories of the auditor and the overall chairperson.
o Auditor – This person works closely with the treasurer regarding payments and contracts and
accomplishes liquidation and reimbursements of the working committees.

02 Laboratory Exercise 1 *Property of STI

Page 6 of 8
 TH1905

o Organizing Committee Heads (1 and 2) – They oversee all the working committees and ensure that
they coordinate and work well together. They get updates from the working committee heads and report
these to the executive committee meetings. The appointed Organizing Committee Head 1 serves as
second-in-command to the overall chairperson.
Ideally, working committees under each of the organizing committee heads are arranged according to
the similarity of the nature of work or to the expertise of the Organizing Committee Heads. Figure 2
shows the default setup of how working committees are arranged.
o Creative Lead – This person can create his/her own team composed of visual specialists. They are the
ones tasked to create design-related requirements for the working committees such as the following:
 Registration – attendee IDs, kits, certificates, newsletters, etc.
 Program – PowerPoint slides, moving logo, etc.
 Marketing – posters, flyers, tarps, etc.
• Working Committees – These are the committees in-charge of all the legworks (preparations or groundwork)
of the event. Each committee is led by a committee head who reports directly to the organizing committee
heads to which they are assigned.
o Physical Arrangement and Technical Support (PATS) – Also known as logistics, this committee is
in charge of the physical setup of the entire event. It coordinates with suppliers for lights, sounds,
decorators, and the like. The members of this committee are responsible for the arrangement of tables,
chairs, stage, screens or projectors, sound system, lighting, Wi-Fi, and other equipment needed for the
event. They share similar roles as described in the logistics committee of a small-scale event.
o Exhibit and Workshops – This committee works hand-in-hand with PATS. Although the members of
this committee are more focused on exhibits and workshops, they also provide human resources
support to PATS. They take care of exhibit requirements like space dimensions for booths, layouts, and
design concepts or themes. Moreover, they ensure that all workshop requirements, such as venue/s,
sound system, and projectors are functioning, and workshop handouts and supplies, are provided.
o Personnel – This committee takes care of Very Important Persons (VIPs), keynote speakers, and guest
performers. The members serve as ushers or marshals of the event. They also conceptualize the event
team’s uniform, coordinate it to the Creative Lead for final design, and give it to the approved garment
supplier/s for the actual making of the attire.
o Catering – Also referred to as “food committee,” this is in charge of the banquet component of the event
in coordination with the PATS committee. The committee comprises a menu planner, chefs or cooks,
stewards, and waitstaff and runs the actual service of the event. (Another option is to coordinate with
catering or food suppliers and secure a contract for the event.) This committee provides all food and
beverage provisions for attendees, events team, VIPs, guest performers, speakers, etc.
o Registration and Accommodations – Similar to the secretariat team of a small-scale event, this
committee spearheads the registration process of the event. The committee head works hand-in-hand
with the treasurer regarding payments and its safekeeping. The committee prepares the attendee kits,
including accommodation materials particularly for a “stay-in” event (an event where attendees are
boarded in a lodging facility throughout the event). As such, the committee must coordinate with the
approved lodging facility for room reservations, menu options, and transfer services. The committee
name may drop the term accommodations when the event does not require a lodging component.
o Safety and Security – This committee shares the same functions as the general services committee
of a small-scale event. This committee must be positioned across all venues, especially if a big event
will be held simultaneously on different facilities.
o Marketing – This committee shares the same functions as the marketing committee of a small-scale
event.
o Program – This committee shares the same functions as the program committee of a small-scale event.

References:
Fenich, G. (2015). Planning and management of meetings, expositions, events, and conventions. Essex, UK: Pearson Education Limited.
Romero, E. (2015). Events management (2nd Ed.). Quezon City: Rex Book Store, Inc.

02 Laboratory Exercise 1 *Property of STI

Page 7 of 8
 TH1905

Procedures:
Individual Activity
1. Wait for your instructor to hand you a copy of 02 Laboratory Worksheet 1.
2. You will be given 20 minutes to accomplish the activity.
3. Submit your output after the allotted time.

Class Activity
1. The class must elect the overall chairperson, chairman, or event head for this course, especially for the
upcoming events throughout the semester.
2. The elected overall chairperson will take over the election process of the other committee heads.
3. The elected committee heads, together with the overall chairperson (executive committee), will plan the
selection of the human resources per committee.
Note: You may volunteer on specific committees you want to be part of, and where you could excel or
contribute more, provided all committees are filled according to the needs of any upcoming event.
Committee assignments are permanent throughout the semester to avoid confusion of tasks.
4. Wait for your instructor to hand you a copy of 02 Laboratory Worksheet 2. Once done, submit the
activity to your instructor.
5. Finalize the class’ events management company or organization name, and its vision and mission
statements.
6. The class will be given 60 minutes (one [1] hour) to accomplish Steps 1–5 of this activity.
7. The elected Event Secretariat will submit the following in a sheet of yellow paper before the session
ends:
• The events management company name and vision and mission statements
• Illustration of the organizational structure of the class’ events management company, including
its members or staff.

02 Laboratory Exercise 1 *Property of STI

Page 8 of 8