Introduction
As a student pursuing a degree in Hotel Management, I recently participated in organising a live Folk and Rock Music Event as part of an event management module. This group project aimed to apply collaborative planning and management practices to deliver a successful university event. In this reflective essay, I critically evaluate my experiences in planning and delivering the event, drawing on personal contributions and challenges encountered. Utilising Gibbs’ (1988) reflective cycle, which structures reflection through description, feelings, evaluation, analysis, conclusion, and action plan, and Kolb’s (1984) experiential learning theory, which emphasises learning through concrete experience, reflective observation, abstract conceptualisation, and active experimentation, I link my personal involvement to academic theories. This approach allows me to analyse both individual and group performance, connecting them to concepts from Tuckman’s (1965) team development model, Belbin’s (2010) team roles, Fayol’s (1949) management principles, and Goldblatt’s (2014) event planning frameworks. The essay reflects on event planning, group collaboration, delivery, issues, what worked well, and offers recommendations for future events.
Event Planning and Personal Contribution
Reflecting on the planning phase using Gibbs’ (1988) cycle, I begin with a description of my role in the decorations team, responsible for designing and installing elements in the entrance and tunnel areas. From 6 January, when group roles were introduced, to mid-February, I contributed to tasks such as preparing DIY decorations, creating music-themed visuals like 3D instruments and hanging notes, and following a Gantt chart for scheduling. For instance, on 5 February, I crafted a 3D piano decoration, and by 10 February, we measured the tunnel area, realising we needed around 400 music note cut-outs. My feelings during this period were a mix of excitement and apprehension, as the creative aspects aligned with hotel management’s emphasis on aesthetic guest experiences, but budget constraints and tight deadlines induced stress.
Evaluating this, my personal contribution to decoration planning was effective in fostering creativity, yet budget planning for our area revealed shortcomings. We discussed budgeting on 7 January and prepared plans by 11 January, but underestimations led to last-minute purchases on 16 February. Analysing this through Kolb’s (1984) lens, the concrete experience of material collection on 4 February transitioned into reflective observation, where I recognised the need for better forecasting. This connects to Fayol’s (1949) planning principles, which stress anticipating resources; our group’s adherence was inconsistent, as vendor communications for lighting and setup were handled by leaders, but coordination between teams, like decorations and logistics, faltered. Tuckman’s (1965) forming stage was evident early on, with role divisions on 11 January promoting structure, but storming emerged in communication gaps, such as delayed vendor updates affecting our timelines.
Group Collaboration and Communication
Group collaboration was pivotal, and reflecting analytically, task division worked well initially, with members assigned to sub-groups like entrance decorations. However, communication issues arose, particularly in coordinating with other teams. For example, while I focused on painting music notes on 9 February, some members cleaned the venue on 16 February without full group awareness, leading to inefficiencies. From Belbin’s (2010) team role theory, I identified myself as a ‘completer-finisher’, meticulous in detailing decorations, but the group lacked a strong ‘coordinator’ to unify efforts, resulting in siloed work. This evaluation highlights a strength in cooperation during hands-on tasks, like collective silhouette cutting, but weaknesses in overarching communication, as per Getz’s (2012) emphasis on stakeholder integration in event studies.
Using Schön’s (1983) reflection-in-action, I adapted by assisting in cookie wrapping on 6 January, demonstrating flexibility. Nonetheless, the Gantt chart, while followed for decoration work starting 5 February, was not rigidly adhered to across teams, echoing Van der Wagen’s (2010) critique of scheduling in event management for tourism and cultural events. In hotel management contexts, such collaboration mirrors coordinating multi-departmental teams for banquets, where poor communication can undermine guest satisfaction.
Event Delivery and Adaptability
Shifting to delivery on 18-19 February, installation involved transporting DIY items, setting up with vendors, and making final adjustments. I helped install entrance and tunnel decorations, including 3D props and photobooths, under time pressure. On event day, my role shifted to parking and security, managing crowds and vehicles. Feelings of pressure were high, but the adaptability required aligned with Kolb’s (1984) active experimentation phase, where I applied planning knowledge to real-time problem-solving.
Critically, working with vendors was smooth, as per Goldblatt’s (2014) principles of sustaining event celebration through reliable partnerships, but time constraints tested our preparedness. The audience reacted positively to the tunnel decorations and photo areas, enhancing the overall folk and rock atmosphere, which evaluation shows boosted engagement. However, issues like lost materials during wrap-up—tablecloths, banners, ladders, and decorations—exposed post-event disorganisation. Analysing this via Gibbs’ (1988) evaluation stage, the lack of inventory tracking was a key weakness, linking to Allen et al.’s (2011) festival management framework, which advocates systematic logistics to prevent such losses.
Issues, Challenges, and What Worked Well
Challenges included weak post-event organisation and role changes, demanding adaptability. For instance, switching to security required quick learning, reflecting experiential learning (Kolb, 1984), but highlighted underplanning in contingency roles. What worked well was the DIY creativity, with visual designs transforming the venue, and team collaboration in installation, progressing to Tuckman’s (1965) performing stage. The event’s atmosphere, praised in feedback for its immersive music theme, aligned with hotel management’s focus on experiential environments.
Conclusion and Recommendations
In conclusion, this reflection, guided by Gibbs’ (1988) cycle and Kolb’s (1984) theory, evaluates the Folk and Rock Music Event as a valuable learning experience in hotel management, revealing strengths in creative planning and collaboration but weaknesses in communication, budgeting, and post-event logistics. Linking to theories like Tuckman (1965), Belbin (2010), Fayol (1949), and Goldblatt (2014), my experiences underscore the importance of integrated management. For future events, I recommend creating an inventory checklist for materials to track items systematically, reducing losses as seen in our wrap-up (Allen et al., 2011). Additionally, assigning a dedicated logistics coordinator would improve equipment tracking and inter-team communication, enhancing overall efficiency (Van der Wagen, 2010). These actions, derived from reflective analysis, would foster better event outcomes.
(Word count: 1,048 including references)
References
- Allen, J., O’Toole, W., Harris, R. and McDonnell, I. (2011) Festival and Special Event Management. 5th ed. Brisbane: Wiley.
- Belbin, R. (2010) Team Roles at Work. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann.
- Fayol, H. (1949) General and Industrial Management. London: Pitman.
- Getz, D. (2012) Event Studies: Theory, Research and Policy for Planned Events. 2nd ed. Oxford: Routledge.
- Gibbs, G. (1988) Learning by Doing: A Guide to Teaching and Learning Methods. London: FEU.
- Goldblatt, J. (2014) Special Events: Creating and Sustaining a New World for Celebration. 7th ed. Hoboken: Wiley.
- Kolb, D. (1984) Experiential Learning: Experience as the Source of Learning and Development. New Jersey: Prentice Hall.
- Schön, D. (1983) The Reflective Practitioner. New York: Basic Books.
- Tuckman, B. (1965) ‘Developmental sequence in small groups’, Psychological Bulletin, 63(6), pp. 384–399.
- Van der Wagen, L. (2010) Event Management for Tourism, Cultural, Business and Sporting Events. 4th ed. Australia: Pearson.
