The 7thIEEE International Conference on Intelligent Data Acquisition and Advanced Computing Systems: Technology and Applications

12-14September 2013, Berlin, Germany

Event Management – a Special Kind of

Project Management
Peter J. A. Reusch, Pascal Reusch
Fachhochschule Dortmund, University of Applied Sciences and Arts,
Emil-Figge-Straße 44, 44227 Dortmund, Germany,
peter.reusch@fh-dortmund.de, reuschp@gmail.com

Abstract—Event management is a strong and fast

growing profession with a rather low level of
standardization. Often we take event management as a part
of project management, but we have to consider that event
management has very specific concepts and issues, and needs
further developed methods and tools.
We classify events, we compare project management and
event management, we reconsider standards in both areas,
and discuss perspectives for a stronger standardization of
event management in the future.

Keywords—event management; event management Body

of Knowledge; standards; project management

I. INTRODUCTION Figure 2. Types of Events 2

There are many kinds of events – marketing events to Like in other professions specialists try to develop
promote new products or services, sports events, concerts, standards – standards that are recognized by
festivals, conferences, summits, weddings, etc. Events are international organizations like ISO©[3], IPMA© [4],
different in size and duration. A product promotion may PMI©[5] or others. Standards often compose a “Body of
take an hour, Olympic Games last weeks. Some events Knowledge” for a profession – like PMBOK© of PMI©.
are based upon concepts that are well established and For event management there are similar initiatives to
applied thousands of time – like in the marketing sector develop an “Event Management Body of Knowledge”
and often in sports [1]. For other kinds of events concepts [6], [7]. But that´s still behind others like the “Project
must be developed, and clusters of events must be Management Body of Knowledge – PMBOK©”. There
established like for European Capitals of Culture. [2] are ISO standards in project management like the old
In following figures we classify events from different ISO 10006 or the younger ISO 21500. For event
perspectives. There are even more perspectives to management there is the young ISO 20121 [8] on “Event
consider. Table 1 below goes deeper in that kind of Sustainability Management Systems” – linked to ISO
classification. 14000 on Environmental Protection and further
standards. That´s much less than what ISO contributed
to project management so far.
The development of an “Event Management Body of
Knowledge - EMBOK” is difficult because of the broad
variety of events – from simple product presentations to
mega events like Olympic Games. The development of
an EMBOK separate from a PMBOK© is difficult,
because there are many overlapping concepts, methods,
and tools in project management and event management
– and in many aspects event management is a subarea of
project management.
On the other side event management has its own
issues and problems. A book like Julia Rutherford
Silvers book on “Risk Management for Meetings and
Figure 1. Types of Events 1
Events” can contribute much more to risk management

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for events than typical books on risk management in In fact this is only a first step. In many cases events
projects can do for events. Event management does not combine several kinds of approaches. A business event
need all parts of project management in a fully may focus in parallel on the
developed way – and in some areas event management  development of communication in the
will not find enough support in a “Project Management organization
Body of Knowledge”.  celebration of an anniversary of the organization
There is a need to shape standards dedicated for  choice for entertainment or sports.
event management, because we have to harmonize event Therefore we introduced compasses to describe the
management – especially international event profile of events [12], [13]. The next figure shows
management. Software systems for event management possible dimensions of business or company events –
are developed like Aminado [11] – with well-established including celebrations, corporate communication,
standards for event management they would be stronger. training, incentives, culture, entertainment, sport, and
exhibitions. Figures 4 and 5 show similar diagrams for
II. CLASSIFICATION OF EVENTS – COMPASSES FOR
public or community events and for conferences.
EVENTS
According to Julia Rutherford Silvers [9] we can
classify events according to the following table.

TABLE I. CLASSIFICATION OF EVENTS

Business & Any event that supports business objectives, includingmanagement functions, corporate
Corporate Events communications, training, marketing, incentives, employee relations, and
customerrelations, scheduled alone or in conjunction with other events.

Cause-Related & An event created by or for a charitable or cause-related groupfor the purpose of
Fundraising attracting revenue, support, and/orawareness, scheduled alone or in conjunction with
Events other events.

Exhibitions, An event bringing buyers and sellers and interested personstogether to view and/or sell
Expositions & products, services, and otherresources to a specific industry or the general public,
Fairs scheduledalone or in conjunction with other events.

Entertainment & A one-time or periodic, free or ticketed performance orexhibition event created for
Leisure Events entertainment purposes, scheduledalone or in conjunction with other events.

Festivals A cultural celebration, either secular or religious, created byand/or for the public,
scheduled alone or in conjunction withother events. (Many festivals include bringing
buyer and sellertogether in a festive atmosphere.)

Government & An event comprised of or created by or for political parties,communities, or municipal

Civic Events or national government entities,scheduled alone or in conjunction with other events.

Marketing Events A commerce-oriented event to facilitate bringing buyer andseller together or to create
awareness of a commercial productor service, scheduled alone or in conjunction with
other events.

Conferences, The assembly of people for the purpose of exchanginginformation, debate or discussion,
Workshops, consensus or decisions,education, and relationship building, scheduled alone or
Meetings, inconjunction with other events.
Convention Events

Social/Life-Cycle A private event, by invitation only, celebrating orcommemorating a cultural, religious,

Events communal, societal, or lifecycleoccasion, scheduled alone or in conjunction with
otherevents.

Sports Events A spectator or participatory event involving recreational orcompetitive sport activities,
scheduled alone or in conjunctionwith other events.

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 Theses compasses are not fixed. We tested dozens
[11], [12]. Important is to fix a compass with given
dimensions to compare events of similar type.
The compass can also help for a review of an event –
to detect strengths and weaknesses. The compass can also
help to develop events.
This characterization of events is specific for event
management and goes beyond the scope of project
management in general.
III. KNOWLEDGE AREAS AND PROCESS GROUPS FOR
FOR EVENT MANAGEMENT
Even management and project management are
organized according to knowledge areas and process
Figure 3. Event Compass: Business/Company Events groups – in PMBOK for projects and in EMBOK for
events. Although events can be regarded as a special kind
of projects in event management knowledge areas and
process groups have been rearranged compared to
PMBOK. The table below compares the process group
according to PMBOK and EMBOK.

TABLE II. PROCESS GROUPS

Process Groups in Process Groups in

Project Management Event Management
Initiating Initiating
Planning Planning
Executing Implementing
Executing
Monitoring and Monitoring and
Controlling Controlling
Figure 4. Event Compass: Public/Community Event Closing Closing

The executing processes are subdivided for event

management, because the implementation of an event, the
preparation and installation of an exhibition or a concert
are really different from the processes to run an exhibition
or a concert for example.
For knowledge areas there are major differences. In [6]
and [7] Julia Silver introduces 23 knowledge areas –
subdivided into 7 domains for administration, 7 domains
for design, 7 domains for marketing, 7 domains for
operations, and 7 domains for risks. This approach
introduces a domain for marketing – not available in
PMBOK, but really important for events.
But this approach is not balanced – stakeholder
Figure 5. Event Compass: Scientific Conference with embedded management is only part of the knowledge domain on
IAACS Profile administration, quality management is missing at this
level, and especially the important aspect of integration got
In the figure above we have an octagon with 8 possible lost here. We need this knowledge area of integration
dimensions of a conference. On the radius to an edge we management to manage and control the processes of the
describe the level of that dimension in this case. So other knowledge areas. In the table below there is our
IDAACS is strongly based on universities as venues and proposal for the main knowledge areas of event
academics from universities as chairs and organizers. Most management, with an additional area on marketing and the
important are scientific contributions based upon reviewed integration management and quality management as in
papers. Social events are embedded but are less important. PMBOK.

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 TABLE III. KNOWLEDGE DOMAINS OF EVENT MANAGEMENT The design of knowledge areas and process groups in
Knowledge project management is shaped by the fact that besides the
Functional Units guides for project management like PMBOK there are the
Domain
Financial Management additional guides for program and portfolio management
Human Resource Management for example. Financial issues for example are more
Information Management discussed in the program guide than in the project guide of
Administration Procurement Management PMI. For event management there is not such a well-
Stakeholder Management developed multi-level approach with portfolios, programs,
Systems Management and events.
Time Management
Catering Management IV. RISK MANAGEMENT FOR EVENTS
Content Management Risk management for events has to take into account
Entertainment Management special risks of selected stakeholders like spectators or
Design Environment Management volunteers that are not so important in many other kinds of
Production Management projects. Crowd crushes, conflicts among spectators,
Program Management terrorists threats are issues. Alcohol consumption is a risk
Theme Management in many cases.
Marketing Plan Emergency plans and safeguards are very important.
Materials Management Julia Rutherford Silvers gives a broad overview on risk
Merchandising management for meetings and events [9]. That leads to a
Marketing Promotions Management special kind of risk management – and extends project risk
Public Relations Management management to support event management.
Sales Management
Sponsorship Management V. SUSTAINABLE EVENT MANAGEMENT
Attendees Management ISO 20121 on “Event Sustainability Management
Communications Management Systems” was introduced 2012 – 5 years after ISO 26000,
Infrastructure Management the “Guidance on Social Responsibility” [3], – and 9 years
Operations Logistics Management after ISO 10006 the “Guidelines for Quality Management
Participants Management
in Projects” [3], the first ISO Standard on Project
Site Management
Management. The young ISO 20121 Standard combines
Technical Management
the perspectives of event management and social
Compliance Management
responsibility and shapes event management. ISO 20121
Decision Management
has a list of stakeholders in events and discusses the issues
Emergency Management
of stakeholders from the perspectives of event
Risk Healthy and Safety Management
management and project management.
Insurance Management
Rao Aamir Khan worked on developing a new
Legal Management
knowledge area of “Project Social Responsibility
Security Management
Management” within the context of PMBOK [10]. That
will give better guidance and support to project managers
to perform the tasks while considering the well being of
TABLE IV. KNOWLEDGE AREAS OF PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND
EVENT MANAGEMENT stakeholders and of the society. In this knowledge area 6
processes have been developed which are:
Knowledge Areas in Knowledge Areas in Event 1. Identify Existing Social Responsibility
Project Management Management
Management Strategies
Integration Integration
Scope Scope 2. Identify Relevant Social Issues
Time Time 3. Develop Social Responsibility Plan
Cost Cost and Finance 4. Perform Social Responsibility Management
Quality Quality 5. Monitor & Control Social Issues
Human Resources Human Resources 6. Review Social Responsibility Management &
Communication Communication, Information, Lesson Learned
Systems Such contributions will be linked to the new young
Risk Risk standards like ISO 20121.
Procurement Procurement, Infrastructure,
Logistics VI. FURTHER STEPS
Stakeholder Stakeholder Event management should be developed and
Marketing standardized. That should be done by using concepts,
methods, and tools for project management.

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