Event Management: The Graduation Party
The success of every event depends on the organization behind it, management of the activities that will take place, availability of funds, skills that the administration staffs have, and marketing of the event. This means that a live event will not fail if the event planner combines the different concept of event management to create an operation that will take place as a process supported by informative management ideas (Kose, Argan, & Argan, 2011). The objective of this paper is to show the dimensions that were applied while managing a successful special graduation event. A graduation party is one of the most enjoyable time, where graduates can commemorate their time in the University and celebrate their achievement together with their friends.
The purpose of the event was to bring different people together, create cohesiveness, and to make sure that graduates and any other person who was invited had an experience occasion. The graduation party as the event for this project was used to gather the target group people who participated in a meeting where a particular message was communicated to add an experiencing moment for the graduate. To plan the event in a proper manner, the event director focused on establishing a satisfactory budget, choosing the venue, planning for the invitation, picking for a convenient date and time, planning for food and drinks, decorations, and the number of the people who were to attend the event. From the details provided in this section, it is apparent that the event will be a success through a lot of planning and avoiding any activity that many make the event overwhelming if not organized appropriately.
The Event Research Process
Before executing the plan of an event, the event director knew that it is important for the event planners to know that the better the research, the better the event will be and the possibility of the event being a success. For this event, the research process is prepared to explain to explain several elements that took place relating to the graduation party. The event director used the research process to come up with findings on the people who will be involved in the occasion, time and date, the way the event will be conducted, and analysis of the internal and external environment as they associate with the event.
The first step that was used in the research process was identifying the need for the graduation party. In this context, the event director was determined to know if the student who has just graduated were interested in the party and if they believed that the graduation party is one of the most enjoyable time for the students who have just completed their learning courses. After determining why the graduate students were interested in the event, the planner then researched on the number of students who were willing to attend the party based on different reasons. The event planner engaged with a specific number of students by interviewing through social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter. With a convenient mode of communication, the party planner had gathered the right number of the people who will attend the party. Following the result of the research on who will be attending the party, the event planner carried out the invitation task, while trying to avoid too many unwelcomed guests attending the event.
The third step in the research process for this event involved carrying out a survey on when is the right to hold the event and the venue for the event. From the beginning of the research process, the event direct knew that the time and date for the event should be convenient to all the guests invited to the party. Thus, to determine the date and time for this party, the planners researched on the plans of the guests invited for a particular time so that the date and time of the event do not overlap with the schedule of the guests to attend the event. Before coming up with the time and date of the party, the planners considered that many people would hold their individual party two-week before graduation date or two weeks after the graduation ceremony. Therefore, the gathering was set to take place at the most convenient time, and date for all the people invited. On the other hand, the planner researched on the venue where the party will take place so that he can do reservation one to two month in advance. The venues that event director considered for the event included the public area in the school, community center, restaurant, hotel event space, and country club hall. In this context, the planner evaluated each venue so that he can make the decision on where the party will be taking place.
SWOT Analysis
The event planner carried a SWOT analysis to scan for the internal and external environment and the way the environment can be extremely delicate for the event. According to Goldblatt (2010), using a SWOT analysis in event planning helps ensure that the event is planned efficiently and the goals of the event are meet. Carrying out research on the strengths and weaknesses for the graduation event helped the event planner to spot important elements before the event starts. For the party planner to understand the strength and weaknesses of this event, observation on the focus group was made as well as interviewing the major guests who have been invited for this occasion. Table 1: Event Strengths and Weaknesses
| Strengths | Weaknesses |
| Good communication platforms | Poor use of communication platforms |
| Strong funding | Lack of enough funding to support the event |
| Qualified staffs | Poorly trained staffs |
| Excellent venue | The chosen site could not accommodate all the people invited |
| Good potential for sponsors | Lack of sponsorship, which made the event expensive |
On the other hand, opportunities and threats are two key elements that are likely to occur either during the event or after the event (Graham et al., 2001). Thus, the researcher needed to consider these factors seriously, as they may make the event to become a disaster. However, researching the opportunities was a vital step for the party planner, as the opportunities identified were meant to be used as beneficial elements for the event even without the investment for the event.
Table 2: Event Opportunities and Threats
| Opportunities | Threats |
| Celebrity appearance | Violence from the guests |
| Support of the event from the third parties | Students protesting on the issue of school |
| Attendance of the University chair | Lack of security |
| Positive feedback from the invited students | Any additional charges for the city police services |
The Designing Phase for the Event
This section provides a sketch of the way the party planner developed the ideas about the graduation party event. The models presented here form the basis of project management and in each stage; the ideas that the party planner employed to implement the event are explained. Bowdin et al. (2012) suggest that when an individual is developing an event, he or she should use approaches that describe the management of the event in a descriptive manner.
The Design Phase
The event planners developed an event system where the role and responsibility of each staff in event team would be used in the execution of the ideas behind the graduation party. In this step, the event director ensured that all materials, tools, and personnel needed for the event are available to ensure a successful event. For the event to be a success for everyone who was involved in the planning stage, it was ensured that all matters about the event are clear for the individuals to carry out event implementation. Upon implementation of the event ideas, the party planners did a documentation, where they tracked the event, the way everything that was planned will take place, and review whether the objective of the event would be achieved accordingly
Planning Phase
In this stage, the planners for this event carried out planning activities involving the different element of an event. The party planners made a list of components needed for the event by explaining how these things will fit together. Most of the activities that were conducted had something to do with the designing of the event budget, determining the number of guests, venue, and responsibilities that each staff member will take in the management of the event. For party planners to analyze different activities in this step, an organizational structure was formed, where each department was assigned to carry out a different role to the development of the event in the most appropriate manner.
The organizational structure that was involved in planning for this event had seven departments where different personnel was assigned to different responsibilities and roles concerning the event.
| Event Director |
Figure 1: The Organizational Struture that Managed the Event
The roles of each department in the organization structure presented above
- Program Coordinator
- Plan on entries
- The ceremony
- Publishing
- Tabulation of results
2) Venue Coordinator
- Venue booking
- Setup team
3) Environment control
- Promotion Coordinator
- Publicity
- Advertisement
4) Equipment Coordinator
- Sound equipment
- Plan on equipment maintenance
5) Officials Coordinator
- Plan on who will be the master of the ceremonies
- Plan on security
6) Hospitality Coordinator
- Plan on food and drinks
- Receptions
- Receive visitors coming in the event
7) Merchandising Coordinator
- Plan on sales team
- Plan on volunteering and outfit for them
The Budget for the Event
For this event, the party planners and event director discussed the budget issues of which the director played the role of financial planning. The budget was designed to provide the planners with the money for renting the venue, catering service, security, decoration, and any other expenses that are set to make the event successful.
The budget for the event was not to exceed $6,000.
Table 3: The Event Budget as Proposed by the Event Planners
| Quantity Description | Amount ($) |
| Invitation | 240.00 |
| Thank you note | 35.00 |
| Decoration | 45.00 |
| Food | 500.00 |
| Beverages | 85.00 |
| Flowers and balloons | 35.00 |
| Equipment | 65.00 |
| Entertainment band | 500.00 |
| Gifts for the graduates | 3,000.00 |
| Venue | 580.00 |
| Wine | 750.00 |
| Total | 5,835.00 |
The Event Timeline
The event timeline was one month in which the party planners conducted various activities within the one-month timeline. In this one month, the party planners sent invitation and request for response a week before the event. When the party is three weeks to time, the planners reviewed the food, drinks, and venue as the major situation that would influence the success of the party. In two weeks’ time to the event planners finalized on the acquisition of food, drinks, and music equipment. When the event was one week before the actual time, the team planning for the party arranged for food delivery, wines, and beverages. In one to two days before the event, the planners ensured that staffs are aware of their duties on the event day; the space for the event is clean and communicated with the venue owners on the matter relating to security and police services.
Coordination Phase
In this phase, the planners integrated different activities, responsibilities, and the organizational structure, so that the resources relating to this event were used efficiently to achieve the event goals and objectives (Greenwell, Danzey-Bussell, & Shonk, 2014). Some of the activities that transpired in this phase included identifying the prospective vendors, contracting vendors, and creating and implementing production schedules.
Vendor Agreement
In this event, vendor agreement and relationship was a major factor in the management of the event activities and outcome. The party planners worked with marketing and advertising vendors, where the vendors and the party planners agreed to cultivate their relationship for this event. When both sides agreed to cooperate and form a good relationship, the vendor granted to provide higher quality services.
Production Schedule
The event production schedule was set to be a list of everything that will happen on the day of the party. The list was created to be used as a remainder, showing the work of every individual, as well presenting the staffs with careful timing so that everything is done in an orderly manner.
Table 4: Event Production Schedule
University Graduation Class
Event Production Schedule
| Name of Event: Graduation Party | |
| Date/Time | Detail |
| Thursday, May 30 | |
| 7:30 am – 3: 00 pm | 7:30 am – Event director and security arrive and perform a venue review 8:30 am- Arrival of Guests 9:00-10:00 am- Entertainment 11:00 am- Speeches 12:00 pm- Awarding of Certificates and Degrees 1:00pm – Prayers 1:30pm- Lunch 3:00pm- Guests leave at their own convenience |
Evaluation Phase
As the final phase of the planning and management of this event, the party planners carried an evaluation to determine whether the goal and objective of the event have been met through evaluation of all stages that were involved in developing this event. Here, the event planner reviewed the researcher phase every step that was done before initiating the idea for the event and monitored the implementation of the event. For the planners to perform an evaluation process that was effective and based on the research, design, planning, and coordination phase, both qualitative and quantitative information was used. This was essential as the party planners were in the better position to gather the event outcomes relating to the people and guests attending the event reflect the initial plan and ideas
Recommendation
Finally, it is recommended that if the party planners find out that the party was a success and it happened as arranged, it may be a good idea to schedule an after party event as a way of motivating and rewarding every person who helped with the event. In addition, it is also recommended after the party is over, the party planners should extend a thank you note to the individuals who participated in the party, and staffs who carried out their responsibilities of ensuring that the party has been a success. Lastly, to show appreciation to the sponsors who will play an important role in the success of this event, the event director is recommended to contact the volunteers and sponsors who attended the party so that they can give a different perspective on the planning of a similar event.
References
Bowdin, G., Allen, J., Harris, R., McDonnell, I., & O’Toole, W. (2012). Events Management. Hoboken: Taylor and Francis.
Goldblatt, J. J. (2010). Special events: A new generation and the next frontier. Hoboken, N.J: Wiley.
Graham, S., Goldblatt, J. J., Neirotti, L. D., & Graham, S. (2001). The ultimate guide to sports marketing. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Greenwell, T. C., Danzey-Bussell, L. A., & Shonk, D. J. (2014). Managing sport events. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
Kose, H., Argan, M. T., & Argan, M. (2011). Special event management and event marketing: A case study of TKBL all star 2011 in Turkey. Journal of Management and Marketing Research, 8, 1-11
