Event
Management Body of Knowledge Project
26 October 2003
This project presents a knowledge domain
structure as a captured and therefore explicit starting point for a
multi-national and multi-disciplinary discussion on a global Event Management
Body of Knowledge (EMBOK).
What Is EMBOK?
Simply
put, EMBOK is a framework illustrating and encompassing the facets of events
management that is flexible according to the needs of its user.
EMBOK
Facets and Applications
Event
management is the process by which an event is planned, prepared, and produced.
As with any other form of management, it encompasses the assessment, definition,
acquisition, allocation, direction, control, and analysis of time, finances,
people, products, services, and other resources to achieve objectives. An event
manager’s job is to oversee
and arrange every aspect of an event, including researching, planning, organizing,
implementing, controlling, and evaluating an event’s design, activities, and
production.
Event
Management Process
Event management has been described as an
“emerging profession” due to the fact that no academic, government-issued
licensing, or private occupational certification credentials are required to
practice this complex and responsibility-laden enterprise. Without such
credentials, “professional” status is suspect and subject to degradation by
the actions of untrained and inexperienced practitioners who are simply not
aware of the scope of what needs to be learned in order to be qualified to work
in this profession, as well as the scope of the legal and ethical responsibilities associated
with such endeavors.
Profession
or Occupation?
Event management encompasses a multitude
of types of events. Although the industry has delineated itself into various
categories, all represent the planning and production of an event that brings
people together at a particular time, in a particular place, for a particular
purpose. The event genres that may
be considered as falling within the event management profession for the purposes
of this project are illustrated in Table 1.
Table
1
|
Business
& Corporate Events
|
Any
event that supports business objectives, including management functions,
corporate communications, training, marketing, incentives, employee relations, and customer
relations, scheduled alone or in conjunction with other events.
|
|
Cause-Related
& Fundraising Events
|
An
event created by or for a charitable or cause-related group for the purpose of
attracting revenue, support, and/or awareness, scheduled alone or in
conjunction with other events.
|
|
Exhibitions,
Expositions & Fairs
|
An
event bringing buyers and sellers and interested persons together to
view and/or sell products, services, and other resources to a specific
industry or the general public, scheduled alone or in conjunction with
other events.
|
|
Entertainment
& Leisure Events
|
A
one-time or periodic, free or ticketed performance or exhibition event
created for entertainment purposes, scheduled alone or in conjunction
with other events.
|
|
Festivals
|
A
cultural celebration, either secular or religious, created by and/or for
the public, scheduled alone or in conjunction with other events. (Many
festivals include bringing buyer and seller together in a festive
atmosphere.)
|
|
Government
& Civic Events
|
An
event comprised of or created by or for political parties, communities, or
municipal or national government entities, scheduled alone or in
conjunction with other events.
|
|
Marketing
Events
|
A
commerce-oriented event to facilitate bringing buyer and seller together
or to create awareness of a commercial product or service, scheduled
alone or in conjunction with other events.
|
|
Meeting
& Convention Events
|
The
assembly of people for the purpose of exchanging information, debate or
discussion, consensus or decisions, education, and relationship
building, scheduled alone or in conjunction with other events.
|
|
Social/Life-Cycle
Events
|
A
private event, by invitation only, celebrating or commemorating a
cultural, religious, communal, societal, or life-cycle occasion,
scheduled alone or in conjunction with other events.
|
|
Sports
Events
|
A
spectator or participatory event involving recreational or competitive
sport activities, scheduled alone or in conjunction with other events.
|
Event
Contexts
Professional knowledge, which consists of
technical knowledge, specialized skills, and ethical standards used to function
within a professional jurisdiction, must be transformed into formal knowledge
systems combined with experiential or situational knowledge systems. The
proposed knowledge domain structure (Figure 1) captures and makes explicit the
scope of this knowledge system, and provides a taxonomy (Tables 2 through 5) for
incorporating additional expertise, experience, and transferred knowledge and
applications. Note that the Units and Topics are in simple alphabetical order.
Figure
1
Event
Management Body of Knowledge Domain Structure
Updated
Structure
Table
2
The
Taxonomy of the
Administration
Knowledge Domain
|
|
TOPICS
|
|
Financial Management
|
Accounting
/ Auditing
Asset
Management
Bid
Preparation
Budget
Development
Business
Plans
Cash
Flow
Cash
Handling Procedures
Change
Controls
|
Cost/Benefit
Analysis
Cost
Controls
Cost
Estimating
Credit
Policies
Economic
Impact
Financial
Reporting
Fixed
/ Variable Costs
Foreign
Currency
|
Inventory
Control
Investments
Payables
& Receivables
Pricing
Structures
Profit
Objectives
Purchasing
Controls
Rate
Negotiation
Resource
Definition
|
|
Human Resources Management
|
Behavior
Policies
Benefits
Management
Conflict
Resolution
Discipline
Employment
Regulations
Hiring
/ Induction
Job
Analysis
Job
Descriptions
Labor
Relations
Leadership
|
Motivation
Organizational
Structure
Orientation
Paid
Staff / Employees
Payroll
Management
Performance
Evaluation
Professional
Development
Recognition
Programs
Recruitment
Seasonal
Staffing
|
Succession
Planning
Supervision
Team
Building
Temporary
/ Casual Labor
Temporary
Staffing
Termination
Training
Uniforms
Union
Labor
Volunteers
|
|
Information Management
|
Briefings
/ Debriefings
Communication
Equipment
Communication
Planning
Communication
Protocols
Confidentiality
Agreements
Database
Management
Documentation
Procedures
|
Document
Design
Evaluation
/ Analysis
Feedback
Systems
Information
Acquisition
Information
Asset Protection
Information
Distribution
Intelligence
Gathering
|
Lead
Retrieval Systems
Library
/ Archives
Monitoring
& Reporting
Presentations
Photography
/ Videography
Privacy
Policies
Record
Keeping Procedures
|
|
Procurement Management
|
Bid
Solicitation
Change
Controls
Contract
Management
Performance
Evaluation
|
Procurement
Policies
Purchasing
Procedures
Quality
Control
Reimbursement
Policies
|
RFPs
/ Briefs
Specifications
Definition
Source
Definition
Source
Selection
|
|
Systems Management
|
Bookkeeping
Systems
Change
Control Systems
Communication
Systems
Database
Systems
Decision
Making Systems
|
Document
Generation
Governance
Integration
Management
Inventory
Systems
Knowledge
Management
|
Maintenance
Systems
Procedural
Manuals
Purchasing
Systems
Reservation
/ Booking Systems
Routing
Systems
Security
Systems
|
|
Technology Management
|
Computers
Digital
Electronics
Email
& Voice Mail
|
Internet
/ Intranets
Office
Equipment
Telecommunications
|
Video
Web-based
Wireless
|
|
Time Management
|
Activity
Definition
Activity
Sequencing
Change
Controls
Critical
Path Analysis
Deadline
Definitions
|
Duration
Estimation
Gantt
Charts
Planning
Tempo
Production
Schedules
Program
Agendas
|
Running
Order
Schedule
Control
Schedule
Development
Time
Lines
|
Table
3
The
Taxonomy of the
Operations
Knowledge Domain
|
|
TOPICS
|
|
Audience Management
|
Access
Controls
Admission
Controls
Admission
Systems
Arrival
/ Departure Modes
Credentialing
Systems
Crowd
Management
|
Group
Movements
Guest
Relations
Housing
Systems
Manifests
Pedestrian
Traffic Flow
Protocol
Requirements
|
Queue
Management
Registration
Systems
Seating
Systems
Ticketing
System
Ushering
Systems
|
|
Communications Management
|
Announcement
Protocols
Briefings
/ Debriefings
Channel
Distribution
Command
& Control
Communication
Equipment
Contact
Lists
|
Delegation
Event
Orders
External
Connectivity
Guiding
/ Coaching
Interpreter
Services
Notifications
|
On-site
Communications
Production
Book
Public
Address Systems
Scoring
Systems
Translation
Services
Verification
Documentation
|
|
Infrastructure Management
|
Emergency
Services
Gas
Services
Handicap
Services
Housekeeping
/ Maintenance
HVAC
Systems
Lighting
Systems
Medical
Services
|
Parking
Participant
Equipment
Power
Services
Power
Distribution
Recycling
Seating
Sewage
Services
|
Shipping
Services
Telecommunications
Traffic
Transportation
Utilities
Usage Fees
Waste
Management
Water
|
|
Logistics Management
|
Action
Plans
Ceremonial
Protocol
Checklists
Contractor
Coordination
Dismantling
Installation
Loading
Dock Management
|
Move-in
Move-out
Precedence
Order
Replenishing
Requirements
Definition
Running
Order
Scope
Definition
|
Staging
/ Marshalling
Task
Analysis
Task
Assignment
Task
Identification
Task
Interdependence
Task
Monitoring
Terminology
Agreement
|
|
Program Design Management
|
Activities
Alcohol
Management
Ancillary
Tours
Celebrities
/ Performers
Certification
Requirements
Children’s
Programs
|
Companion
Programs
Competitions
Educational
Objectives
Entertainment
Management
Event
Components
Exhibits
Feasibility
Analysis
|
Gap
Analysis
Learning
Environments
Needs
Assessment
Speakers
/ Participants
Sport/Recreational
Activities
SWOT
Analysis
Theme
Development
|
|
Site Management
|
Ceremonial
Equipment
Décor
Environmental
Controls
Equipment
Rentals
Furnishings
Maps
|
Mobile
Facilities
Perimeter
Controls
Signage
Site
Development
Site
Inspection Criteria
Site
Plans / Diagrams
|
Site
Selection Criteria
Site
Selection / Contracting
Staging
Equipment
Storage
Temporary
Structures
Tenting
|
|
Stakeholder Management
|
Accountability
Authenticity
Client
Management
Committees
Constituents
Cultural
Differences
|
Economic
Objectives
Facility
Personnel
Government
Host
Community
Media
Military
|
Officials
& Authorities
Participants
Political
Objectives
Prioritized
Objectives
Protocol
Management
Tourism
/ Convention Bureaus
|
|
Technical
&
Production Management
|
Audiovisual
Services
Entertainment
Equipment
Equipment
Rentals
Lighting
Equipment
Multi-Media
|
Performer
Equipment
Projection
Systems
Pyrotechnics
Sound
Distribution
Sound
Equipment
|
Special
Effects
Stage
Configurations
Staging
Requirements
Technical
Producers
Technical
Rehearsals
Technicians
/ Engineers
|
Table
4
The
Taxonomy of the
Marketing
Knowledge Domain
|
|
TOPICS
|
|
Hospitality Management
|
Catering
Ceremonial
Equipment
Client
Entertainment
Dressing
Rooms
|
Guest
Services
Gifts
/ Amenities
| |
