BA (Hons) Events Management

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://eresearch.qmu.ac.uk/handle/20.500.12289/7236

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Social Media, Social Enterprise and Event Marketing: A Comparative Study
(Queen Margaret University, 2015)
Purpose: The aim of the study is to explore social media uses in Social Enterprise. To support the delivery of the main aim of the dissertation there are three distinct objectives, which are: 1. To identify from the literature review the three most heavily used social media platforms in Social Enterprises and comparing them to the interview question results to see if there is a connection. 2. To explore the manner in which Social Enterprise use social media and whether they encourage comments and engagement. 3. To establish user perception of social media and what does this mean for event marketing in Social Enterprise for the future. Design, Methodology and Approach: This research follows a qualitative case study approach, comparing different organisations social media use in Social Enterprise. Furthermore, the three organisations discussed were not selected at random; the organisations were carefully selected to help explore the issue. The methods for gathering data to help develop the case studies for this research were interviewing, observation and document analysis. The data gathering for the three case studies involved questioning participants about relevant information on social media use, which brought out themes and conflicting issues on social media. Findings and Discussion: The themes which emerged from the research were: • Twitter - the most popular social media platform across all organisations interviewed; • Different social media platforms have different benefits and need to be checked and frequently updated on a daily basis; and • Social media will have a future role to play with Social Enterprises and a future role for event marketing. Event marketing for Social Enterprises can create an experience online before, during and after the event. Events can keep face-to-face interaction, while having the ability to share the event experience online. A conflicting issue from the research is that social media can be viewed as a gift but also as a curse for businesses. Findings highlighted that it is vitally important to be aware of the advantages and disadvantages for future social media use. Consequently, to prevent social media being a curse for businesses and allows protection for the organisation, policies and strategies need to be put in place. This action could help towards preventing damage to the organisations reputation on social media. Research Limitations: The researcher's data collection and the development of the case studies were only based on three organisations; therefore this small size can not account for every Social Enterprise or every organisation with Social Enterprise partnerships. Furthermore, although each of the questions was the same in the interviewing process each organisation had a different interviewing technique due to their busy work schedules: • One face-face interview, • One telephone interview and • One email interview This could arguably, affect some of the findings due to the fact that telephone interviewing and face-to-face interviewing could be more in-depth than email interviewing. Implications: Social media has changed the way of communication. It is important to be aware of the advantages and disadvantages for the future use of social media in Social Enterprise. It will have a massive role to play in the future of Social Enterprise, creating experiences and being involved in long-term strategies. However, popular social media platforms are constantly changing due to the development of technology. Therefore, it is important to be aware of technological changes and the importance of social media analytics in the development of longterm strategies. Social media analytics will allow the organisation to be aware of: • The current customer/ client base and their behavioural habits • Potential audience reach within specific geographical areas; and • Possible growth and trends in potiental developing markets through mass communications. Social media, including social media analytics in long-term strategies can help plan for the future.
An Exploratory Investigation of the Motivational Factors Impacting Attendance at Small, Young Music Festivals Within Scotland: Does the Music Matter?
(Queen Margaret University, 2015)
The music industry in the UK has been a rising trend in recent years and has a powerful draw of tourists from within and outwith the UK. Scotland's music festivals have increased by three times as much since 2006, which is down to the growth in small music festivals. It is important to understand why this growth has occurred. In other words, what drives and motivates attendance at small music festival in Scotland. If festival organisers understand what motivates their audience, it can benefit the design process of the event. A gap in literature was found, as there have been no previous studies directly related to the issues of motivation at small music festivals in Scotland. There have been similar studies with regards to large music festivals in England and other types of arts and cultural events therefore the research aims to resolve this gap. The research aim is to determine what motivates attendance at a variety of different music festivals and the benefits this information can provide event organisers. A variety of themes such as determining the different motives between locals and visitors were researched to gain as much information possible. It was predicted the best results would be achieved by taking a qualitative approach as more detailed and meaningful responses could be gathered. Data was collected through the procedures of interviewing a variety of people from the attendance and production side of music festivals. The study revealed that the musical line up does not drive attendance at small music festivals in Scotland. The most important factors to consumers are the atmosphere and socialising with friends and making new friends. It was agreed that the music is an important factor but for the majority would not be the deciding factor. It was also found that visitors are more likely to attend for the music over locals as visitors have more community involvement, support and excitement factors.
An exploratory study of the sustainable legacy created by the London 2012 Olympic Games in the host community, Stratford.
(Queen Margaret University, 2015)
London 2012 Olympic Games (LOG2012) brought investment and innumerable benefits to the host community, Stratford. A stated objective of LOG2012 was that these benefits could be sustained and bring long-term socio economic development in Stratford. This study utilises Elkington's (1997) triple bottom line approach to sustaining development and explores whether or not engaged stakeholders believe these three criteria (social, economic and environmental conditions) were met through the sporting mega event. Gathering data through a series of interviews, supported by qualitative content analysis, the researcher gained an understanding of what benefits LOG2012 has bought to Stratford, and whether stakeholders perceive these may be sustained. The study found that stakeholders thought LOG2012 had a positive impact on the local area with the majority expecting that these benefits could be sustained into the future. All respondents were aware of the social benefits of, improved transport, job opportunities and social cohesion. There was not, however, a general awareness amongst stakeholders about the economic and environmental improvements in the area that would, in accordance with the triple bottom line paradigm, enable the benefits from LOG2012 to be sustained. This suggests that despite benefitting Stratford, LOG2012 has not sufficiently developed the green and economic infrastructure of the community to support sustained growth therefore failing to achieve the desired Olympic legacy. As people's perspectives are inherently social, further analyses are required to understand to what extent the economic and environmental impacts are recognised socially. This would provide a greater insight to the success of LOG2012 in creating a sustainable legacy in Stratford.
How the past influences the present: An analysis and evaluation of issues which have shaped the contemporary dance music movement from the 1980's to the current day
(Queen Margaret University, 2015)
This study advances our understanding of contemporary dance music movements by identifying key developments in dance music from the emergence of rave in the late 80's through to the current day. Motivational influences of dance music attendees were explored. These influences include political and economic factors, social and personal identities and varying forms of music. Previous studies within this area highlighted core themes such as postmodernism, identity, youth culture and McDonaldization. These themes were used as a foundation to formulate an appropriate methodology. A qualitative approach through semi-structured interviews and open-ended questionnaires were used to conduct the study. 6 participants contributed by completing4 interviews and 2 questionnaires. In order to identify key findings within the data, a thematic, constant comparative analysis was used. The data was analysed individually, against other data and with a relevant literature review. The study illuminated contemporary issues within dance music such as segregation between movement audiences, identity concepts, commercialization and the associated recreational drug culture. Key developments such as the commercialization of Deep House music, the emergence of the Electronic Dance Music (EDM) movement and technological advancements were identified. Future movement predictions were explored with participants and provide scope for dance event managers to anticipate and predict future trends. This will allow future events to be moulded around the desires of attendees.
An investigation into the motivations and trends affecting festivals: A case study on Glastonbury Festival
(Queen Margaret University, 2015)
The aim of the study is to investigate the motivations and trends of festival attendees, the effect these are having on the atmosphere and the way the festival is produced. Furthermore, it will investigate if the current trends in the UK are having an impact on festivals, the type of people they now attract, and if that audience has changed over recent years. The study will focus specifically on Glastonbury Festival, looking at the changing culture of its audience, and the strategy that the festival is using to cope with such changes. The events industry has regularly carried out extensive research within visitor motivations for events, and more recently, there has been an increase in the research being done specifically on music festivals. The number of festivals occurring year on year is increasing, which is making it one of the fastest growing areas of the leisure industry (Nicholson and Pearce 2001). However, there is a noticeable gap in the qualitative area of the research; therefore, for this study, qualitative data was collected through semi structured interviews and online questionnaires. Two research methods were chosen in order to collect data from both the organizers and the attendees of Glastonbury Festival. From the research, it was found that music was the key motivation for attending a festival. However, the majority of questionnaire respondents had more than one reason for their motivation to attend. The majority of attendees also agreed that Glastonbury Festival offered something different to most other festivals, through its wide range of music and activities, appealing to all ages and all musical tastes. As a result, a very different atmosphere is created at Glastonbury Festival, showing that the motivations relate to a specific festival. This indicates that, more in-depth research, by individual festivals, would benefit the industry to reveal the variance in motivations between one festival and another. The research showed that trends are affecting festivals more than before, with the introduction of social media, technology and more identifiable social classes, although from the results it was found that the attendees have recognized these changes more than the organizers. The organizers may wish to carry out further research to find out how important maintaining the original ethos of the festival is, in retaining its devoted audience. Moreover, both sample groups agreed that the culture of the festival has changed since the festival's inception. The audience has become more diverse, moving the festival away from its initial hippy and green image into something that appeals to all generations, but also noticeably more towards middle class, because of the rising ticket prices and trends such as 'glamping'. Finally, the Festival aims to stay ahead of the trends in order to maintain their current position at the top of the UK festival market. Glastonbury needs to control the size of the festival, but also needs to have an awareness of the motivations of its clientele, so that any change accommodates its faithful attendees, whilst also attracting a new audience.
An identification and analysis of the event consumer's behaviour: needs and motivations plus the resulting link to levels of satisfaction experienced. A case of Edinburgh Hogmanay, in which locals and tourists are contrasted.
(Queen Margaret University, 2015)
The aim of the research is to develop a contextualised understanding of the event consumer's behaviour by testing the relationship between needs, motivations and satisfaction of Edinburgh's Hogmanay attendees. A quantitative research methodology is employed to satisfy the aim of the investigation through numerical data analysis (Holt 1998). The method chosen was online surveys using Google Forms to create, distribute and analyse the questionnaires in two phases: pre-event and post-event. The cross referencing of questions will be used to analyse and discuss the significant findings of the research. Plus, Microsoft Excel is used to conduct more detailed data analysis such as Regress Analysis on the dependent variable of satisfaction. A gap in the literature was found which provided an interesting area for exploration between motivation and satisfaction. It was recognised that many research projects have focused on event attendee motivation alone (Crompton and McKay 1997; Pearce and Lee 2005; Chang 2006; Mackellar 2006; Gelder and Robinson 2009). Meanwhile, it emerged from the literature review that motivation is a precursor of satisfaction; thus, it seemed interesting to add the component of satisfaction to the research project in order to analyse this relationship. Lastly, an additional aspect of the research question is the contrast of local attendees (Scottish) and tourist attendees to portray if differences in results occur. The results of the study generally conform with previous studies on event attendee motivations (Crompton and McKay 1979). The highest motivation domains are revealed to be the same when questions are cross referenced, while also confirming previous research findings.
An exploratory study of philanthropy through festivals and events: The Edinburgh International Magic Festival case
(Queen Margaret University, 2015)
Using the Edinburgh International Magic Festival (EIMF) as a case study this dissertation will explore how philanthropy, revenue and attendance may be generated through cinema broadcast of emerging festivals and events, in order to link philanthropy and festivals for mutual benefit. Previous research regarding philanthropy discusses the corporate environment, in relation to corporate social responsibility and cause-related marketing. There is an abundance of literature on festivals and events, charitable giving and technology; literature which explores how philanthropy may be generated through festivals and events, however, is limited or non-existent. Increasing advances in technology have allowed festival and event managers to market their events in new ways, and as a result a new phenomenon known as live cinema broadcasting is being administered by organisations to transmit their programmes in high definition to a wider global audience in their local cinemas. In order to generate new theory, qualitative research was the appropriate research method. Seven participants, who were managing directors of festivals and charitable organisations, took part in a one-to-one semi-structured interview to provide significant insight into this phenomenon. The results revealed that festival directors may benefit from collaborating with a charity in order to generate philanthropy, which may also increase awareness and attendance at the event. Benefit-led systems such as introducing early-bird offers, discounted tickets online or alternative promotions may encourage attendance at the festival or, additionally, celebrity endorsements could assist in increasing awareness of the festival and be an effective technique in raising money for charitable causes.
What graduate recruiters are looking for - the graduate's perspective.
(Queen Margaret University, 2015)
This study explores the differences that may exist between the literature on perspectives of graduate recruiters and the opinions of the graduates themselves. The research looked at the opinions of graduates after attending university on the process of recruitment that they have personally experienced. There was an investigation into what the graduates perceive to be their most important aspect to depict within the application forms at the beginning of the recruitment process. Graduate participants were interviewed in a semi-formal manner to allow expansion of the participants' answers fully. Seven participants were interviewed through the research, all who had graduated within the last eight years over a wide selection of disciplines. Throughout this study, it has been seen that in some respects the literature is similar to the responses of the graduates, however in the respect of e-recruitment and graduate attributes, there are some inconsistencies within this area. Furthermore, the decisions graduates make when deciding which organisations to seek employment with shows that, in the majority of the responses from the participants of this research, there was no reasoning behind the decision other than the need for employment. The emergent conclusions have shown that there are interesting areas within this field of study regarding the consistencies between the literature that is available and the responses of the participants. It would seem that Universities have to take responsibility by providing direction and education for graduates. This would in turn mean a coalition between graduate recruiters and universities in developing strategies to do so.
A critical investigation into the relationship between socio-economic status and cultural preferences
(Queen Margaret University, 2015)
This research was undertaken to explore the relationship between consumers' socioeconomic status and their preferences in the cultural sector, with a particular focus on classical cultural events. The objectives of the research were to understand what extent a consumer is influenced by their social class and, therefore, how this motivates their tastes in culture. The research aimed to identify if there were any social barriers that stopped people attending certain types of events and if there was a way to lower these barriers. The research is important as it will help identify the areas of the cultural sector that are not accessible to all and question why this is the case, therefore, helping tackle social exclusion in culture. A literature review was conducted as a way to develop the theoretical frameworks of the investigation. The main theories and theme discussed by the literature was how if a consumer belonged to a certain socio-economic group, that social group had a particular set of cultural preferences. This was the idea supported by Gans (1974; 1999) and Bourdieu (1984; 1992) which highlighted the elitist nature of the cultural industry. This, therefore, allowed for the study to build a framework to conduct the research to meet the aims and objectives. A mixed methods approach of both quantitative and qualitative data was adopted; this was a way of ensuring that both the audiences and the venues had a chance to answer questions about the topic. The study focused on Edinburgh. Selfcompletion questionnaires were issued over social media for the consumers and semistructured interviews were conducted with marketing managers at three different venues. The main findings of the research were that consumers had habits of sticking with the culture that was perceived to be for their socio-economic group. Pricing of an event, regardless of the culture, was identified as a barrier for attendance and therefore, was identified as a factor of social exclusion. However, it was noted that not everyone sticks with the stereotype for their group, as there can be exceptions based on factors such as age and circumstance. The venues do not believe that they contribute to social exclusion; however, it was noted that there is a clear difference between funded and non-funded venues and the way the market to all audience types.
An Investigation into the Funding of Scottish Listed Buildings: Comparing the Financial Benefits of Tourism and Hosting Events in Historical Properties
(Queen Margaret University, 2015)
Scottish listed buildings have a variety of benefits for the country; whether it is through input to the economy or creating a destination image and national identity, their importance is evident. As there are in place a number of regulations to preserve these buildings the cost and time factors implicated with their maintenance and conservation can prove prohibitive. The researcher identified the need for a study into the most beneficial way of supporting the maintenance of these buildings; in particular through the use of tourism and hosting events. This would analyse the benefit and constraints of both income streams and evaluate which would be most constructive over a variety of properties. The aim of the research was to investigate how Scottish listed buildings currently make an income and establish whether events are a viable option to conserve and maintain historic buildings economically. Three objectives were developed to ensure this was answered, they were : • to investigate and present grants and funds currently available to Scottish listed buildings, • conduct an investigation with regard to how Scottish listed buildings currently fund themselves, • to identify the benefits of events and tourism as avenues for income to present as a comparison which is most profitable for listed buildings. After evaluating possible research designs it was concluded that a qualitative approach was to be taken in the form of semi-structured interviews. These were conducted with either proprietors or managers of Scottish listed buildings to gain an insight to their perspectives and attitudes on both events and tourism. The data collected through the interviews was then correlated to the literature to identify any recurring themes. One of the most significant themes was the use of listed buildings as a motivation for events and tourism, which was highlighted through both the literature review and the findings. Secondly the limitations placed on listed buildings were highlighted and in addition to this the lack of funding they received from governing bodies. The way in which Scottish listed buildings are currently fund themselves was examined which also presented a number of unsuccessful income streams. Lastly a comparison was made between the benefits of both hosting events and tourism to surmise how each would be applicable to a range of buildings and circumstances. This demonstrated the advantages and restrictions each different property had in developing into either avenue and highlighted that an ultimate solution to whether events or tourism was the most successful was unlikely.
How do theme parks use events to attract new and returning visitors?
(Queen Margaret University, 2015)
The aim of this research is to identify how theme parks use events to attract new and returning visitors. This research will also investigate how the events establish consumer satisfaction, how important the theming of an event at a theme park is and what motivates people to visit these events. The topic of events and theme parks is a very broad area, but it lacks academic literature so the researcher decided to use a broad spectrum of literature in order to create background to the research. The key literature that will be discussed within the literature review are; Disneyization (Bryman, 2004), The Overspent American: Why We Want What We Don't Need (Schor, 1999),Value- Driven Marketing: From products to resources and competencies (Grönroos 1997), Customer advocacy and brand development (Knox and Lawer, 2006) and Marketing (Blythe, 2006). The research methods chosen by the researcher to collect the data are; online and paper questionnaires which were administered face-to-face and shared through online platforms such as Facebook and other fan sites of the events. From analysing the data it was concluded that theming is a very important factor in determining whether an individual will attend an event. The data also revealed that many respondents felt that there were a lot of factors that motivate them to attend an event. It was also concluded that the main advertising used by theme parks were online adverts and through word of mouth.
An exploratory study on the increasing influence of social media on consumer's perception and event motivation.
(Queen Margaret University, 2015)
This research was undertaken to explore the effects that the rapid growth of social media has had in the last decade and what influence this has on the consumer's decision-making process. Focusing primarily on the impact this has on attendance at festivals in the UK. The research sought to identify the motivation for attending music events in the UK and if the motives have changed since the first Glastonbury festival in 1970. It also explores the benefits and flaws of an organisation using social media, in order to communicate and advertise to consumers. A literature review was undertaken to highlight what past research has shown and areas requiring further development. Secondly, primary research was conducted in the form of mixed method as this was deemed most appropriate for the study. A questionnaire was used to gather information from social media users and two interviews were carried out to achieve a more in-depth analysis. The main findings found that organisers should be using social media as a way of communicating and advertising to past and potential future attendees, as the younger generation (Generation Y) use social media as their main communication process. However, organisers should also spend time understanding the negative effects of consumers being able to openly communicate with each other. One of their main hurdles is being able to dilute the perception of what others read online. Throughout the study it was made apparent that social media is not a trend and instead many see it as the biggest shift since the industrial revolution. Social media has gained great success it such a short period of time and will only continue to develop, therefore festival organisers in the UK need to analyse this and learn to use it to their advantage.
An exploratory study examining the characteristics, motivations and experiences of Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games Clydesider volunteers.
(Queen Margaret University, 2015)
In recent years the need for volunteers at mega and major events has increased dramatically and without them such events would not be economically viable. Identifying the personal characteristics, motivations and experiences of volunteers at specific events is becoming increasingly important in order to be able to recruit and retain high quality volunteers. The purpose of this study is to identify the characteristics and motivations of people who volunteered at the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games (Clydesiders), and to evaluate their experiences of volunteering as well as assessing their future volunteering intentions. A deductive quantitative approach was used to gather cross-sectional survey data from Clydesiders. A 23 item questionnaire was developed on Survey Monkey and sent electronically to the members of three Clydesider Facebook groups to which the researcher had direct access. 126 questionnaires were completed (42% response rate). 72.8% of participants were female, the most common age group was 54-65 years (30.2%), 31.4% earn less than £10,000 a year and 62.9% have a degree or higher degree. The most popular reason given for applying to be a Clydesider was "To contribute to the success of the Games" with 86.5% of respondents selecting that response. 97% stated they would volunteer at future global sporting events. The majority of respondents strongly agreed or agreed that: their expectations of volunteering as a Clydesider were met; the level of free transport provided was adequate, the training they received prepared them sufficiently for their Clydesider role and that they had accurately estimated how much volunteering would cost them. There is a known connection between motivation and recruitment and satisfaction and retention. This study has generated valuable new evidence on volunteers' characteristics, motivation and experience from the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.
A Critical Evaluation of the Social Capital Benefits from Community Festivals Taking Place at the 2013 City of Culture, Londonderry.
(Queen Margaret University, 2015)
The aim of this research project is to conduct a critical evaluation of the social capital benefits of community festivals taking place at the 2013 City of Culture, Londonderry. It is recognised that extensive research has been carried out on community festivals and events. There is, however, an apparent paucity of research on the views and opinions of local audiences regarding community festivals and their engagement with them, therefore there is a gap in existing literature. An extensive literature review was carried out in order to explore the theoretical framework on which this research project is based. Key themes emerged through exploring the main concepts of the subject. These included the positive and negative outcomes of community festivals, the growing importance of social capital and understanding visitor motivations to achieve engagement. It was decided that a qualitative approach would be most appropriate for this research project as this provided the researcher with greater in-depth knowledge and information. Six semi structured interviews were conducted with various individuals from Londonderry. Each interview was conducted and transcribed verbatim. Thematic analysis was used to interpret the findings from the transcriptions and email responses. The whole process was ongoing and iterative. The results show that exploring the increasing demand of local audiences is crucial in order to increase engagement with community festivals and events. It is clear to see that the City of Culture provided a platform for community engagement and allowed for the development of social capital benefits within Londonderry. Better strategies are needed to fulfil legacy plans of the event as many of the respondents failed to recognise what these were.
An exploratory study on the increasing influence of social media on consumer's perception and event motivation.
(Queen Margaret University, 2015)
This research was undertaken to explore the effects that the rapid growth of social media has had in the last decade and what influence this has on the consumer's decision-making process. Focusing primarily on the impact this has on attendance at festivals in the UK. The research sought to identify the motivation for attending music events in the UK and if the motives have changed since the first Glastonbury festival in 1970. It also explores the benefits and flaws of an organisation using social media, in order to communicate and advertise to consumers. A literature review was undertaken to highlight what past research has shown and areas requiring further development. Secondly, primary research was conducted in the form of mixed method as this was deemed most appropriate for the study. A questionnaire was used to gather information from social media users and two interviews were carried out to achieve a more in-depth analysis. The main findings found that organisers should be using social media as a way of communicating and advertising to past and potential future attendees, as the younger generation (Generation Y) use social media as their main communication process. However, organisers should also spend time understanding the negative effects of consumers being able to openly communicate with each other. One of their main hurdles is being able to dilute the perception of what others read online. Throughout the study it was made apparent that social media is not a trend and instead many see it as the biggest shift since the industrial revolution. Social media has gained great success it such a short period of time and will only continue to develop, therefore festival organisers in the UK need to analyse this and learn to use it to their advantage.
What is the impact of graduate fairs in Scotland on its target audience? Critical study exploring the purpose of graduate fairs and their contribution towards employability with a case study of Queen Margaret University
(Queen Margaret University, 2015)
Purpose The purpose of this study was to explore the impacts graduate fairs have on their target audience in relation to motivations and employability. Students' perceptions about these events are generally under-researched; therefore, findings coming from this study enhance the understanding of the graduate fairs impacts. Design/Methodology The researcher used mixed-approached methods in order to survey 73 students through online surveys. The population was majorly from QMU; however, some respondents were from other universities in Edinburgh. In order to balance the quantitative part of the research, qualitative semi-structure interview was conducted with a career officer from QMU. Findings The researcher found out that organisers and the target audience generally share the same expectations but the service satisfaction is considered as unsatisfactory. On the other hand, students believe that these events are useful and have positive impact on their employability. The issues that were identified as unsatisfactory were related to the number and variety of employers. Lastly, the QMU case study showed that students prefer to be involved in the organisation of these events. Limitations The main limitation of this study was identified to be the possible generalisability of the findings. As the study was conducted mainly with QMU population, the possible implication of the findings to other universities in Edinburgh and in Scotland is limited.
The Relationship of Yield Management and Hotel Occupancy Levels with the Provision of Events during Off-Peak Seasons with a Case Study on Inverness Hotels
(Queen Margaret University, 2015)
The purpose of this study is to address the central aim and objectives and conclude with a robust answer to the research question; The Relationship of Yield Management and Hotel Occupancy Levels with the Provision of Events during Off- Peak Seasons with a case study on Inverness Hotels. The aim of the research is to explore the strategic relationship between yield management and accommodation occupancy levels by holding events during off-peak seasons. The objectives are the following: • Determine what yield management is and the parameters used by hotels to implement this on a regular basis. • Examine the advantages and disadvantages of using yield management in hotels. • Explore the relationship between the hotel business cycle and event cycle patterns. • Investigate whether hotels should use events to maximise profits. Firstly, existing literatures on yield management (YM) were analysed and discussed to obtain in-depth understanding of the topic area being researched. However, due to the lack of literature on YM in relation to events, the researcher discussed dynamic pricing which is currently being used by professional sports and the box office. In the literature review emerging themes were identified, these will be further discussed and analysed together with themes arising post data collection. Next, a mixed-method approach of quantitative and qualitative was used as this would provide data which could be collected in numerical form as well as data involving people's own experiences. The two methods used to collect data were: Survey questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. The survey questionnaires were sent to 22 hotels who are members of the Inverness Hotel Association. These surveys were to be completed by either General Managers or Revenue Managers as they would have fruitful knowledge on the research topic. Also, five hotel General Managers were interviewed in Inverness at their workplace. Afterwards the quantitative and qualitative data were gathered, analysed and coded accordingly into themes which emerged previously within the literature review as well as new findings from the survey questionnaires and interviews. The findings showed that events can be used to maximise profits in hotels; however, they cannot be used to increase occupancy levels due to the geographical location of the hotels, Inverness as well as the size of the city itself. In spite of this, local events organised within the local area increases the potential of increase in accommodation occupancy levels.
Social Media: The New Frontier of Event Marketing and Consumer Profiling
(Queen Margaret University, 2015)
Social media has been growing in importance and public consciousness over the years. The title of this research is 'Social Media: The New Frontier of Event Marketing and Consumer Profiling'. This research aims to prove how important social media has become to the events industry and how universal its use actually is. The aim central to this dissertation was to discover what extent social media has affected the event marketing process through enabling direct personalised communication with the consumer. As such the objectives have been designed to fully investigate all aspects of this aim and the objectives are as follows... 1. Show how social media is not just for the young anymore- it has become a phenomenon spanning the generations 2. Link social media to the evolution in consumer behaviour with how important it is in affecting consumers buying habits. 3. Discover how social media can be the driving force behind an event brand- by giving the 'event' a voice and a personality 4. Link social media marketing to consumer behaviour to profile attendees and their motivations more effectively First, a literature review was undertaken, investigating the current state of research of the key areas of this study; mainly social media, consumer behaviour and finally attendance motivations. During this literature review, the researcher also tried to uncover any research that had already attempted to link these areas together, however, this was found to be lacking, and the only example found was between social media and festivals. Next, the decision was made to undertake qualitative research this topic because it is an area that the research really needs to mirror the experience and opinions of the event managers working within the industry. The researcher undertook six semi-structured interviews, with event managers working in Edinburgh and Glasgow. The researcher, then carried out data analysis and identified key themes from the interviews, some surprising and some predictable. The dominate theme was the growth and the universality of social media and the fall in readership of newspapers in the UK. The next theme that was discovered was that social media can develop brand awareness and a personality through fun interaction with followers. Another theme born out of this one is that is social media could be directly linked to being a catalyst in consumer behaviour theory. Furthermore, another finding of the research is that social media can affect consumer buying habits. The only objective that this study does not fully answer is if social media can be used to gather information to help profile attendees on attendance motivations. A surprising conclusion that was found was that the business events sector respondent almost always answers differently to all the other respondents. The main recommendation of this study is to repeat it with a larger sample size to increase the rigor, reliability and generalisability of results.
An exploratory study of the perception of employment generated from the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games by Local Residents.
(Queen Margaret University, 2016)
This dissertation project was undertaken to assess the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games (GCWG) effect on employment in the City of Glasgow (COG) and how it was perceived by the local residents (LR). The process began by examining studies carried out by the Glasgow City Council, the Scottish Government and other official games partners. Within these studies were the results found from their original research to conclude the impact to employment. Their results were compared to gain a general consensus. However, the main aim for this study was to discover how LR felt employment was impacted. As this research has not been carried out before a comparison of literature on previous mega event impacts to local communities was conducted. The researcher widen the literature review to include social and environmental impacts, along with the economic impact to gain a general view on the effect mega events have on host cities. With this knowledge the researcher then conducted their own primary study. A series of interviews were carried out with business leaders directly involved in the GCWG. The aim for these interviews was to distinguish the impact to the economic stance of the organisation and how it effected employment within their specific organization. This was then compared to the questionnaires completed by LR on how they felt employment was impacted. The study concludes that the officials involved felt very positively about the GCWG and its effect on Glasgow. Not only do they believe it resulted in higher levels of employment for the city but also classed the Commonwealth Games (CG) as a valuable learning experience. The LR were also supportive of the CG and drew to an overall conclusion that the GCWG had a positive impact on employment in the COG. However, the matter of sustainability received a split vote from LR.
An analysis of consumer behaviour and purchase motivators in the consumption of weddings among Edinburgh residents.
(Queen Margaret University, 2016)
Weddings are an event used to mark a milestone between two individuals' when entering a sacred union (Bernstein 2006). However, this symbolic practice has become overshadowed due to the extravagant consumption of 'invented traditions' (Howard 2003). The increase in consumptive practices by the modern day couple can be moderately explained through the rise in mass media (Boden 2003). With modern society spending countless hours following the lives of celebrities through traditional and social media, it is questioned if these celebrity weddings have an effect on consumptive patterns (Boden 2003; Callinan 2007; Daniels and Loveless 2014). This study explored the importance of varied commodities to individuals' when making purchases for their wedding day. Additionally, the study conducts an analysis on the purchase motivations of individuals,' whilst investigating how celebrity weddings in traditional media and social media influence wedding consumption behaviours. The theoretical framework of this study focused largely on Boden (2001; 2003), Otnes and Pleck (2003), Winch and Webster (2012) and Daniels and Loveless (2014) with regards to wedding consumption and Ingraham (2008) in relation to the influence of celebrity weddings in traditional media and social media. This study employed a mixed method approach, achieving 79 completed questionnaires and 8 interviews. This approach was chosen to allow for in-depth descriptive data, whilst also reaching larger populations quantitatively (Bryman and Bell 2011; Creswell 2013). This study sampled men and women currently planning their wedding day, as residents of Edinburgh. Each semi-structured interview lasted around 15-30 minutes. Questionnaires were distributed in two ways. Face-to-face whilst attending The Edinburgh Wedding Exhibition held at Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh on the 30th January 2016, before then distributing these through online social media platforms on bridal discussion forums. The results demonstrated that whilst purchases of individuals' were partially motivated by celebrity groups in the mass media, financial stability and starting a family was of higher importance. Based on the average British wedding costing £24,000 (Andrew 2015), the researcher was surprised to find substantially lower budgets amongst participants of the study. However, the results revealed a level of materialism amongst responses regarding commodities such as the wedding gown. The Majority of participants explained this commodity as the most important dress of a women's life. The results presented here will facilitate improvements in the ways in which the findings of the study are applicable, and the methodologies employed. Key Words: Wedding, Consumption, Motivation, Celebrity Weddings, Materialism, Traditional Media, Social Media, Mass Media, Budget.