EVT4207

Some brief information …

Learning Outcomes
Knowledge and Understanding
1. Apply theoretical frameworks that underpin research
2. Examine the different disciplines and critical lenses which can be applied to
analyze contemporary events in different ways to further our understanding
3. Critically analyze current issues and research themes within the events industry

Skills and Attributes

4. Analyze events using different theoretical frameworks
5. Present both positive and negative aspects of a research theme or phenomenon
and apply critical discourse to come to valid conclusions
6. Present their work and defend their findings through a professional research
presentation
100% Coursework
Breakdown of the EVT4207 Assessments
Semester Assessments Percentage
August 2022 Individual Assignment: 75% (Due W14: Monday)
Individual Literature Review
(Written, 3000 words)

Group Assignment (Presentation) 25% (Due W10)

4 to 5 members in the group
(15 minutes face-to-face presentation, 10
minutes for Q&A, 8 slides for content)

Heavy on the individual assignment.

Decide on your group now
and register!
Preview: EVT4207 Individual Assessment
Preview: EVT4207 Group Assessment
Some of my thoughts towards this paper
 Chapter 1
Introduction to Research: Another perspective
These are some SPECIAL EVENTS …
Possible
characteristics of
Special Events?
 takes place within short time span

expensive to stage

These are some SPECIAL EVENTS …

“once in a lifetime” experience financial/security risk

requires long and careful planning

Question

How would you define “special events”?

 Definition of Special Events

A unique moment in time celebrated with ceremony and

ritual to satisfy specific needs.
Goldblatt (1997)

During these events, guests get the chance to go through leisure, social /
cultural experience outside the normal (daily) range of choices …
(Geetz, 2005 cited in Shone and Parry, 2019)
 Definition of Special Events

A unique moment in time celebrated with ceremony and

ritual to satisfy specific needs.
Goldblatt (1997)

During these events, guests get the chance to go through leisure, social /
cultural experience outside the normal (daily) range of choices …
(Geetz, 2005 cited in Shone and Parry, 2019)
Does not fit (business) organizational events
Seminars Sales meetings

Trade fairs Staff training

Question

Types / classifications of events?

Ways to Classify Events
Size of the events: Origin of participants:
Mega Local
Macro Regional
Micro National
International
Ways to Classify Events
Types of events:
Sporting
Entertainment, arts, culture
Business: commercial marketing,
promotional events, meetings and
exhibitions
Festivals
Family
Fundraising
Others
Ways to Classify Events
Types of events: Objectives of the events:
Sporting
Entertainment, arts, culture Leisure objectives
Business: commercial marketing,
promotional events, meetings and Personal objectives
exhibitions
Festivals Cultural objectives
Family
Fundraising Organizational
Others
Uses complexity Vs
uncertainty scale.
Ways to Classify Events
Types of events:
Place / mobile events
Multi-site / single site
Standardized / creative events
Virtual / physical on-site (live) / hybrid
Ways to Classify Events

There is no comprehensive way to

classify events …
Size of the
industry
Event Industry

USD886.99 bn (2020)
Event Industry

RM3.9 bn / RM9.2 bn
Event Industry: Wedding Market (UK)
Event Industry: Wedding Market (UK)
Size of the
industry
Event Industry: Some changes …
Event Aspect From (1980s) .. To recent years
Event organization Primarily originated from other fields Highly professional and technologically
(catering, floral design, entertainment, savvy
rentals)
Event guests Younger, monocultural, less Older, multicultural, more sophisticated,
sophisticated and less demanding and more demanding

Event markets Locally based Globally accessible

Event evaluation Narrow and simplistic measures Comprehensive, complex (includes

impact studies)
Event Industry: Some changes …
Event Aspect From (1980s) .. To recent years
Event organization Primarily originated from other fields
(catering, floral design, entertainment,
rentals)
Event guests Younger, monocultural, less
sophisticated and less demanding

Event markets Locally based

Event evaluation Narrow and simplistic measures

Event Industry: Some changes …
Event Aspect From (1980s) .. To recent years
Event organization Primarily originated from other fields Highly professional and technologically
(catering, floral design, entertainment, savvy
rentals)
Event guests Younger, monocultural, less Older, multicultural, more sophisticated,
sophisticated and less demanding and more demanding

Event markets Locally based Globally accessible

Event evaluation Narrow and simplistic measures Comprehensive, complex (includes

impact studies)

Others?
What is ….
RESEARCH?
What is research?

The aim, as far as I can see, is the same in all sciences. Put
simply and cursorily, the aim is to make known something
previously unknown to human beings. It is to advance
human knowledge, to make it more certain or better fitting
… The aim is … discovery.
Elias (1986)
Events Mgmt +
Research
Is it possible?
Descriptive, Explanatory and Evaluative
Types of research

Descriptive research Explanatory research Evaluative research

…. Used to find out / …. Used to explain the reasons …. Used to evaluate

describe what is behind certain phenomena, policies / programs
patterns or trends
 Let’s WATCH
a video together.

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NL2cA-rDzno
Descriptive, Explanatory and Evaluative
Descriptive Explanatory Evaluative

What is the What are the Has the new

demographic factors affecting the promotional
profile of foreign attendance of the campaign helped to
tourists attending foreign tourists in raise the foreign
the Chingay event? the Chingay event? tourists’ intention
to attend the
event?
Activity
Categorize the following research topics as descriptive, explanatory or
evaluative.
• What is the relative importance of distance and travel time in affecting
Penangites’ participation in festivals?
• How successful was the hosting of Chingay in maintaining the cultural identify
of the Penangites?
• What satisfaction do people obtain from engaging in cultural events?
Let’s elaborate a bit more
Descriptive, Explanatory and Evaluative
Some additional information

Why is descriptive research needed?

“Things change”
Descriptive, Explanatory and Evaluative
Some additional information
The field of arts/events is constantly changing over time:
• the popularity of different art forms or events changes;
• the cultural preferences of different social groups (for example, young people or women)
change;
• new arts forms or events are introduced, such as the advent of hip-hop or ‘installation’
art;
• new technologies are introduced, for example, online live streaming of events
performances or the advent of 3D media;
• new/additional facilities are provided in local communities;
• new policy initiatives are taken, for example in marketing or in training of artists.
Veal and Burton, 2014
Descriptive, Explanatory and Evaluative
Some additional information

Why is explanatory research needed?

“Reasons for the Change”

Descriptive, Explanatory and Evaluative
Some additional information

Evaluative research
Illustrating the possible uses of evaluative research during
exhibition development
Evaluate the design/mock-ups Evaluate the concept/theme
Evaluate the changes made
Journal Review

Journal Article:

Event management research: The focus today and in the future

Backman (2018)
Back in the old days …

Approximately 30 years ago …

journals dedicated to events and event management
did not exist
Mega events sparked interests
Olympics

World Cup
Other enablers

Higher
participation
in events
 Present
30 years ago

TWO main areas of research

Economic
Impacts/Benefits
of Events
Economic Impacts/Benefits of Events
Economic Impacts/Benefits of Events

• Relocation
• Pollution
• Crowding
• Crime
Economic Impacts/Benefits of Events

Some 1.5 million residents of Beijing will be

displaced by the time it hosts the 2008 Olympics,
many of them evicted against their will, a rights group
said on Tuesday, prompting a sharp denial by China.
Beck (2007)

Article: Beijing to evict 1.5 million for Olympics: group, reported in Reuters News
Social Impacts of Mega Events

Journal Article:

Social impacts of mega events: a systematic narrative review and

research agenda
Mair et al. (2021)
Would you wish that Malaysia host
the Olympics one day?
Where is the place hosting
2024 Olympics?
The next host
 Bided for the
Hamburg event but
withdrew
because the
residents
opposed!

Triggered by
Budapest failures of the
past event hosts
How are social impacts of mega
events measured?
Social Impacts of Mega Events

Measuring social impacts of mega events:

• The extent of volunteering & continued volunteering (social
impact)
• Upskilling
• Social cohesion, civic pride and social capital
• Inclusion and diversity
Visitors
Research Related to Visitors

• Motivators
• Needs/wants
• Expectations
 Research Related to Visitors
Motivators Needs Wants

Visitor satisfaction studies Event loyalty studies

Quality of service
Present

areas of research for the FUTURE

Future research areas for event
management

EXPERIENCE
SAFETY
Future research areas for event
management
Areas of research under safety:
• how do events provide the same level and quality of experiences and
still ensure the visitors will be safe and secure

Areas of research under experience:

• the event experiences that visitors are looking for;
• what are new measures of satisfaction for event experience
Future research areas for event
management

SOC. MEDIA

GREEN
Future research areas for event
management
Areas of research under social media:
• how is social media best utilized to manage the events

Areas of research under green events:

• are green events the same as sustainable events
• how can event managers translate people’s interests in green
products to the events
Summary:
different areas of
event + research
Areas that can be researched
Knowledge and Understanding of Events
Inter-discipline: hospitality, leisure, sports, arts, theatre, cultural studies
 Events Mgmt +
Research
Research in events management may also involve
the following disciplines.
Sociology + Economics + Geography + Psychology +
History + Political Science (Policy)
Activity
• What is the size of the events industry in Penang?
• How effective have joint public-private partnerships been in events
development?
• How does humor affect the attendees’ experience in an event?
• What are the costs and benefits of hosting Comic Fiesta in Kuala Lumpur?
Descriptive, Explanatory and Evaluative
Descriptive Explanatory Evaluative
EVT + Sociology
What is the size of What is the relative How successful was
the events industry importance of the hosting of
in Penang? distance and travel Chingay in
time in affecting maintaining the
Penangites’ cultural identify of
EVT + Economics participation in the Penangites?
festivals?

EVT + Geography
Descriptive, Explanatory and Evaluative
Descriptive Explanatory Evaluative
EVT + Psychology
What satisfaction How does humor How effective have
do people obtain affect the joint public-private
from engaging in attendees’ partnerships been
cultural events? experience in an in events
event? development?

EVT + Psychology EVT + Political

Science
Areas that can be researched
Knowledge and Understanding of Events
Inter-discipline: hospitality, leisure, sports, arts, theatre, cultural studies
Experience of the events
Meanings attached to events
Antecedents and decision making
Planning, design and management
Outcomes and the impacted
Patterns, processes and external influence
Why Study Research?

To understand research reports

To conduct academic research

As a management tool
Evaluation
Policy making

Planning Management