China FestivalRisk Management Analysis

刘师雯

湖州师范学院 浙江省湖州市 313000

1.0 Description of China festival

China festival, a Chinese traditional cultural outdoor event with exhibitions and activities, will be held on June 5^th 2021 in University Square in Coventry. There are nine themes of Chinese traditional festivals are created to give participants different experience. The main stage of China festival will be surrounded by nine booths to enable participants to watch shows and visit booths at same time.

2.0 Analysis of the environmental context

Environment consists of a series of layers, while the macro-environment is in terms of broad environmental factors which could have greater or lesser impact on organisations or industries. However, three difficulties of deciding the connection between the organisations and its environment are also discovered which included: the prescriptive against argument, the uncertainty, the extent of influences. Therefore, in order to know the potentially external risks, using the PESTLE to explore the macro-environment of China festival is an essential process.

2.1 PESTLE

This essay mainly analyses economic and environmental aspects which affects China festival.

The macro-environment is affected by macro-economic factors as well, such as exchange rate, business cycles and recession; in addition, ‘Brexit’ will have an huge impact on macro-economy of United Kingdom which could cause recession and unstable exchange rate. In addition, the unsteady exchange rate could cause the increase in the budget of China festival organisation. On the other hand, European Union has not explained the solution to deal with the visa of Europeans after Brexit, it would lead China festival organisation overestimate the number of participants in the process of event planning.

In the PESTEL model, environmental factors such as pollution which need environmental regulations to control, it charges extra costs but can be regarded as opportunities; therefore, China festival needs to consider the pollution problem to the environment in order to leave the positive legacy to the key stakeholder. However, with increasing temperature due to global warming, the changeable climate probably influences the outdoor events, so it is important for China festival to deliberate how to give participants’ good experience even if weather condition is not expected.

3.0 Risk management process

Risk management process contains consecutive five steps: Identify, assess, plan, implement, and communicate review and update. In this essay will mainly discuss on ‘identify, assess and implement’.

4.0 Key Hazards and Risks

4.1 Alcohol

Identify the hazard

Providing alcohol to participants in the event could lead to injuries and criminal acts, especially young people; in addition, many events are cancelled and fined due to this risk (Bladen et al 2012).

Who might be harmed and how

Since alcohol are from China, most participants do not know the degree of alcohol which may cause poisoned due to excessive drinking. In addition, the other risk is that drunken people may involves fighting and get hurt, which can also affect the event. Because of the wide range of people involved, the incidence is at almost certain level, but the impact is at medium level which would leave negative impression of participants.

Recommendation

Compare the traditional Chinese alcoholic beverages with the local alcoholic beverages in the U.K, and display charts in order to remind the purchasers to notice the degree of the alcohol will make it more intuitive and understandable.

4.2 Crowd

Identify the hazards

With the growing popularity of city of culture, the number of participants is also increasing (Abbott and Geddie, 2001). However, poor quality of crowd management could cause loss of lives, health, property and menstruation which event managers should pay attention to this hazard (Berlonghi 1995).

Who might be harmed and how

There are two types of people get nervous easily, included vulnerable people and emaciated people, the former can be easily tripped and trampled due to excessive tension, and the latter could be compressed due to lack of resistance, leading to organ compression and lack of oxygen. Therefore, the crowd problem could cause huge influence on the events; at the same time, it occurs regularly.

Recommendation

It is recommended to use isolation belt to isolate the crowd, pide the passage and protect the facilities. Because it is scalable, event managers have the flexibility to change the isolation zone to control crowds.

4.3 Food

Identify the hazards

Catering is regarded as an important element in events (Silvers 2011:250). Therefore, food is easily to become a risk when food is polluted by bacteria and eaten by allergic people.

Decide who might be harmed and how

The likelihood of occurrence about food poisoning is unlikely because China festival will serve food with manufactured packages and buy from qualified food supplier; however, the impacts of this risk happen is at high level because the negative impacts of poisoning food not only affects participants but the event organisations or sponsors. For people, they will suffer from diarrhea, vomiting even bacterial infection, while for event organisations, food poisoning in event would cause a heavy damage in reputation and brand image (Piekarz et al 2015: 133-135).

Recommendation

1. Cooperate with 1-2 reputable food suppliers to reduce time on checking qualification, license and contract of food suppliers.

2. Food storage and transportation can be contracted by professional organisations.

5.0 Conclusion

In order to make China festival go smoothly, the event organisation has responsibilities for ensuring participants and staff's safety. Therefore, event manager need to put a lot budget of security personnel and infrastructure. Even though it cost much, it is essential part to give participant and staff a good experience. On the other hand, it is an opportunity to enhance the reputation of the event organisation.

作者简介：刘师雯（1997-07-07），女，汉族，籍贯：上海，当前职务：学生，学历：大学，研究方向：活动策划