Event Planning: The Strategic Planning Function

Event concept needs to be subjected to:
a range of planning processes if it is to successfully meet the expectations of its various share holder groups.

shareholders of events include:
attendees, community, sponsors, and event 'owner'

strategic event planning process begins with...
the development of an event concept or intent to bid an ends with event shutdown, evaluation and reporting

strategic planning is:
identifying where and organization is, where it should be positioned in marketplace and creating strategies and tactics to achieve that

concept or intent to bid
preliminary stage

feasibility study
formal analysis of the event's potential crucial for public funding

decision to proceed or cease
directly determined by feasibility study

concept or intent to bid:
-define purpose of event
-analyze the desires/demands/assumptions/constraints involved to determine product/materials..
-every event has the purpose, scope and content

establishment of an organizational structures:
-simple structures
-functional structures
-program based matrix structures
-multi organizational or network structures

strategic plans include..
purpose, vision, and mission statements

vision:
long term, motivational in nature

mission:
describes the tasks that the event organization has set for itself

goals and objectives:
-economic
-attendance/participation
-quality
-awareness/knowledge/attitudes
-human resources

SMART objectives:
-Specific: focused on achieving an event goal or, if no goals have been developed, its purpose
-Measurable: expressed in a way that is quantifiable
-Agreeable: agreed on by those responsible for achieving them
-Realistic: in terms of the event organisation having the human, financial and physical resources to achieve them
-Time specific: to be achieved by a particular time

situational analysis: internal environment
SWOT
Strengths
Weaknesses
Opportunities
Threats

situational analysis: external environment
PESTLE
Political/legal
Economic
Social/cultural
Technological
Demographic
Physical/environmental
Competitive

strategy options:
Growth strategy
Consolidation or stability strategy
Retrenchment strategy
Combination strategy

strategy evaluation:
Consistency with mission and objectives
Suitability
Validity
Feasibility of options: organizational culture, constraints, lack of commitment from management and employees
Business risk
Attractiveness to stakeholders

operational planning:
series of operational plans to support the strategy

control systems
-Performance benchmarks
-Ticket sales
-Budget
-Meetings and reports

evaluation and shut down
Reports
Returning the site/venue to its original condition
Paying suppliers
Thanking government agencies (police)
Capturing the systems and processes