Faculty of Business: Leisure, Sport and Tourism
Credit points: 6 cp

Subject level: Postgraduate

Result Type: Grade and marks

Handbook description

This subject provides an overview of the events sector, along with the functions and impacts that events have from the perspective of various groups and organisations within a society. Additionally, it examines the various external environments that impact upon, or are impacted by, events. Key tools that can be employed in assessing event impacts (such as cost-benefit analysis) are also reviewed. Issues associated with public policy and events, and the linkage between events and regional/urban development, and sustainable development are examined, often through case studies.

Subject objectives/outcomes

On successful completion of this subject students should be able to:

1. Identify and describe the full range of public and corporate event types.
2. Describe the range of public and private organisations involved in the event field and discuss the trends and forces that are currently serving to shape the events field.
3. Describe and discuss the functions that events play from the perspective of various public and private organisations within a society and describe the full range of potential impacts (both positive and negative) that events have on communities.
4. Understand approaches that can be employed to assess economic and non-economic impacts of events on host communities.
5. Discuss the role of events in the sustainable development of communities.

Contribution to graduate profile

This subject is a core subject for students in the Master of Management in Event Management and acts to provide foundation knowledge that will be drawn upon in subsequent units. It is also relevant to students in postgraduate programs in leisure, sport and tourism management. The subject is designed to provide students with a broad perspective on, and an understanding of, the events sector, and the functions and impacts of events from the perspective of various groups and organizations within a society. Additionally, it seeks to introduce students to approaches to the measurement of event impacts, as well as the potential role some forms of events can play in progressing sustainable development goals within communities.

Teaching and learning strategies

This subject involves a variety of teaching and learning activities, which may include: lectures, case study presentations; expert panel discussions; student presentations; and directed readings. Content for this subject will be supported by UTSOnline.

Content

• Event forms and their characteristics
• Public and private organisations involved in the event sector
• Functions performed by events from the perspective of selected groups and organisations within a society
• Economic, political, social, cultural and technological forces impacting on the event area
• Economic and non-economic impacts of events
• Tools for the measurement of event impacts
• Public policy and events
• Events and their relationship to regional and urban development/redevelopment
• The role of events in the sustainable development of communities

Assessment

Essay based on key concepts or issues (Individual)	60%
This addresses objectives 1-3.
Exam (Individual)	40%
This addresses objectives 1-5.

The individual essay will be secure through a combination of continual revising of topics across semesters and multiple topic choice within each semester. Individuals are required to submit reference lists for their own work for each assessment task, which reduces the possibility for plagiarism. The examination will be conducted under University examination conditions, and hence thoroughly address concerns regarding secure assessment. The examination involves randomised selection from a large item bank each semester, and the re-ordering of responses for questions that are re-used.

Recommended text(s)

Student Reader to be prepared each semester.

Indicative references

Allen, J., O'Toole, W., McDonnell, I. & Harris, R. (2002), Festival and Special Event Management. Brisbane: Wiley.

Arcodia, C., & Whitford, M. 2001 'Festival Attendance and the Development of Social Capital', Proceedings of the Eleventh Tourism and Hospitality Research Conference, Council for Australian University Tourism and Hospitality Education (CAUTHE), eds J. Molloy & J. Davies. Canberra: Bureau of Tourism Research, pp. 10-15.

Arthur, D. & Andrew, J. (1996), 'Incorporating community involvement in the management of sporting mega-events: an Australian case study', Festival Management and Event Tourism, 4(1/2): 21-27.

Dwyer, L., Mistilis, N., Mellor, R. & Mules, T. (1999), A Framework for Forecasting the Economic Impacts of Events by Type and by Location: A Study for Tourism New South Wales. University of Western Sydney, Macarthur: Centre for Tourism Research.

Faulkner, B., Chalip, L., Brown, G., Jago, L., March, R. & Woodside, A. (2001), 'Monitoring the Tourism Impacts of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games', Event Management, 6(4): 221-212.