Unit 38 Business Events Management

Introduction

Aim

The aim of this unit is to provide learners with a knowledge and understanding of different administrative functions and roles and to provide them with the skills to organise events and activities.

Unit abstract

This unit allows learners to develop and practise their knowledge, understanding and skills as administrators or managers by examining the administrative functions within organisations. The unit is about preparing and coordinating operational plans and managing time effectively and developing self to meet the needs of an organisation. The unit investigates the roles and responsibilities of key people within the organisation helping to meet its objectives. Learners will find out to how to manage events or activities. They will have the opportunity to investigate and participate in the running of an event in which they will take a major role in managing a range of key resources. This is a practical unit which will prepare learners for a management role in any organisation whether large, medium or small.

Learning outcomes

1 Be able to plan an event or project

Identification of the event or project to be run: kind of event, key people involved, objectives and constraints, costs, likely problems, time required for event or project
Preparing: pre-planning meeting to discuss proposals, flexibility, contingency plans, allocating tasks and roles, critical path identification, estimating completion date
Monitoring: reviewing plans at appropriate times so that they can be updated to meet changes in the working environment or to the objectives
Documentation despatch, storage and retrieval: internal and external, letters, memos, notes, emails, advertising, agendas, reports and feedback, working notes, Data Protection Act
Resourcing: financial, human and physical, including refreshments, travel and accommodation

2 Be able to effectively administer an event or project

Setting-up tasks: responsibilities, coordination, negotiation, methods of communication
Estimating completion dates: available planning techniques and tools and how to choose those which are appropriate to the situation, importance of realistic schedules and how to identify them
Time management and prioritisation: planning- and time-management aids, how to deal with interruptions, how to identify and prioritise outcomes
Proactivity: how to take the initiative, the importance of delegation, how to delegate effectively Supporting: the importance of communicating clearly, and of involving other people and listening to their opinions and concerns
Supervising and monitoring: how to obtain valid and relevant information and assess whether it is sufficient to monitor a project or event accurately
Evaluating: the need to assess progress, the range of corrective actions which can be taken, and the importance of continuously seeking opportunities for improvements and how to do so.

3 Be able to organise teamwork when managing an event or project

Size of teams: optimum size needed for the task and method of working
Leadership: the importance of effective coordination and clear communication both orally and on paper, how to identify the actions and resources needed to achieve agreed outcomes
Prior knowledge and skills of team members: how to identify roles and responsibilities appropriately amongst relevant people
Group cohesion: ability to work together cohesively, team building
Conflict: how to diffuse anger, the importance of responding to criticism positively and how to do so Liaison with external teams or individual: methods and regularity of communication, team meetings

4 Be able to use a range of business communication systems in managing the event or project

Business documentation: letters, memos, reports, agendas, minutes
Information technology: internet, emails, video links, mobile phones, applications software
Producing information: method, type of production and regularity