Event Management

5.1. KINDS OF BUSINESS ASSEMBLY
Meetings, conferences are different forms of participation of the organization personnel in consideration, discussion, the decision of any questions.
Researches testify that heads of different ranks use from 10 to 50% of the operable time on carrying out of meetings and sessions. A lot of time is spent and for their preparation. At meetings the head explains the position, convinces present, and prepares for correct perception of the decision.

CONFERENCES, MEETINGS, ASSEMBLY
Meetings and conferences are the most widespread methods of a management, methods of preparation and taking of management decisions, studying and forming of opinion of collective, an estimation of capabilities of subordinates.
Conference (совещание) is collaboration between the command group. This is one way of attracting the leaders of different levels of decision-making. It provides an opportunity to influence the top leaders of the whole team.

Meeting (заседание) is a form of organization of the permanent working group (committee, council, commission). In general, the meeting shall be held regular, according to the statute.
Assembly (собрание) is a common presence in a certain place a large number of people united by a specific purpose (a collective of employees, divisions, members of the community, etc.).
In the practice of management
the conference dominated.

+/-
Positive sides of business meeting concern: possibility operatively and in a short space of time to receive the necessary information, learn about various views on a problem and ways of its decision; decision-making.
To negative sides of business meeting belong: their high cost (usually participate in the meetings of high-paid workers takes them away from the main work); uncertainty of collective responsibility.

CONFERENCES CLASSIFICATION
On the purposes:
Educational (information, instructive). The meeting purpose is to impart to participants certain knowledge, or an exchange and generalization of the data on any problem;
Problem (the meeting purpose is decision-making and development of ways of task solving);
Coordination (the meeting purpose - coordination of departments action);
Operative (a task of such meeting - information reception about a state of affairs. In process of receipt of the information the head makes operative decisions directly at meeting.). Operative meeting differs from other a stable composition of participants, a constant place and carrying out times, absence of in advance prepared agenda, short duration (20-30 minutes).

2. On readiness: planned, off-schedule.
The off-schedule conducts in case of origin unforeseen, emergency situations for example, at receipt of the normative document which changes an operating procedure, etc.
3. Оn quantity of participants:
with a restricted composition of participants (to 5 persons);
the expanded (to 20 persons);
representative (from above 20 persons).
4. On a composition of participants:
- with a constant composition of participants;
- with the mixed composition of participants of participants;
- with a composition regulated by the normative act .

5. ON A TECHNOLOGY OF CARRYING OUT:
Dictatorial: the head has voting power only; he states the opinions, issues the order or the instructions. A feature of such meetings is fast realization of decisions;
Autocratic conference (meeting) is a version of dictatorial. Its course provides a question of the head and the answer of participants.
Debatable conference (meetings) is the most democratic method of the problem solving. Such conferences organized in case of need coordination of actions of employees or divisions. The quantity of participants is limited no more than 15 persons. Each participant of debatable meeting has possibility freely to state the thought.

SOME TYPES OF CONFERENCES
A "brainstorming" method.
The purpose is to concentrate attention of participants to the decision of one task, to make the decision. In such meeting take part no more than 10-12 persons. They are the workers most interested in a problem, and also professionals with high level intelligence.
On the substance of a problem each participant of meeting makes the constructive offer. It is supposed to make any offers, up to the paradoxical. The criticism of the brought offers is prohibited.
After a short break all offers systematize by some criteria. It can be cost, originality etc. As a rule, at discussion of 80 % of variants is rejected. Of the remained 20 % form decisions.

“THE CONFERENCE WITHOUT MEETING”
conducted in three stages:
1. The head formulates in written form a problem which demands collective decision;
2. Sources and problem statement distributed to meeting participants.
3. Each of participants should develop the point of view and in writing state it on the same form.
4. The chairman, the reviewer or one of participants collects proposals, aggregates information and makes the final decision.

TELECONFERENCES
The teleconference gives the chance to communicate to its participants, without gathering in one place. One necessary condition is the equipment.
Teleconference have a number of following advantages:
1. Economy of means. Heads or specialists do not leave the work places, and the enterprise does not bear hauling expenses.
2. High efficiency of the organization of a teleconference. Problem discussion can be оorganized almost immediately after its origin.
3. In a teleconference can take part more quantity of workers, than in usual conference.
4. Each participant of conference can use any materials - schedules, charts, schemes, posters, texts, etc.

5.2 TECHNOLOGY OF BUSINESS MEETING CARRYING OUT
I. Meeting Preparation:
1.1. Meeting planning
1.2. Report and draught decision preparation
1.3. Preparation of documents and places
II. Meeting Carrying out:
2.1. Opening of meeting and the report announcement;
2.2. The report
2.3. Answers to questions and discussion
III. Meeting summing up:
3.1. Decision making;
3.2. Signing of a protocol;
3.3. The control of accomplishment decision.

1.1. MEETING PLANNING INCLUDES:
1.Determination of the purpose of meeting and appointment of the chairman (the director, the associate director, the general accountant, etc.).
2.Carrying out Time (day of week and time of day).
3.The Venue.
4.Composition of participants.
To participate in the meeting distracted
usually senior employees with higher pay.
So, that decision making by the head,
without attraction of a wide range of
workers, demands considerably smaller
expenses. Attempts to change the decision
on one-man management basis, their
collective discussion are inadmissible.

Determining the meeting purpose, it is necessary to represent accurately expectation result (development of recommendations, belief of opponents, transfer of the new information, the coordination of actions, decision making, etc.).
The meeting agenda should contain optimum quantity of questions (usual 1-2), their formulation should be accurate and clear for all participants.
The first in the agenda include questions on which the fierce debate is not supposed. Then discuss most controversial problems discussion on which can be sharp and long.

Quantity of participants of meeting should be minimum; it is desirable no more than 20 persons.
The increase in number complicates management of a meeting course, extends debate, causes in present feelings of the displeasure, lost time. Sometimes believe that effect from meeting inversely proportional to quantity of its participants.
Date and time of carrying out of meeting establish according to the plan or under instructions of the head. In case of need with them agree with interested subsections and workers. Duration of conference should not exceed 1,5 h., and operative - 30-35 minutes.
The conference is reasonable for conducting in second half of day as the first is more productive for independent work. It is not recommended to hold more than one conference per day, especially with a constant composition of participants.

BEGINNING AND TERMINATION
Determining duration of meeting, it is possible to be guided by such calculations:
- opening speech – 5 minutes;
- report - 15-20 minutes;
- questions and answers – 5-10,
speeches – 5-10,
draught decision statement - 5,
- discussion and decision making - 5-10 minutes.
So, duration of discussion of one question should not exceed 40-45 mines.

As show researches, duration of meeting over 30-40 minutes results not only in time loss, and sharply reduces its efficiency:
on the end of the first hour the attention of participants is decreases,
to 70 minutes they is considerably weakened start to talk, often change a pose,
on 80 - the physical weariness develops,
on 90 - at some participants depression signs are observed,
on 100 - local conflicts between participants are not excluded,
for 110 minutes some participants are ready to make any decision.
The extreme weariness leads to
indifference, sharp decrease
in intellectual possibilities, conformist mood.

1.2. REPORT AND DRAUGHT DECISION PREPARATION
choice of the lecturer,
actually report preparation,
discussion and correcting.
At a choice of the lecturer consider such factors:
Value of a problem. Sometimes it is desirable that it was the head. Sometimes - the responsible employee.
Availability of the professional which knows this problem, to state a material and enjoys authority at colleagues;
Necessity in the course of meeting to lead polemic on highly specialized questions, i.e. competence in the field;
Oratorical capabilities, ability to hold audience;

QUESTION TEST
You must decide on complex and challenging project. You doubt the loyalty to the participants in this project and expect to objections. For a description of the project requires a professional technical knowledge. Spokesperson should be:
A) Director, as the issue is very important;
B) Good speaker, who has speaking skills and is able to convince;
С) High-class specialist, who can characterize the technical aspects of the project.
What are your suggestions?

THE REPORT PLAN SHOULD CONSIST OF SUCH POINTS:
1. Entering, problem statement;
2. The basic part of the report - results of the analysis executed on the substance of a problem;
3. Offers (recommendation), a conclusion.

The author of the report should consider a composition of participants and audience preparation, operate with the accessible and necessary facts.
It is reasonable to acquaint participants of meeting with the report in advance.
If the reporter assumes, that a number of report positions can cause sharp disagreement of some workers, it is reasonable to discuss these positions with them in advance. Probably that it will be possible to avoid discrepancies to meeting, to reach mutually acceptable decisions.
In some cases simultaneously with the report prepare the draught decision. The draught decision should be concrete, contain accurate and unequivocal formulations with instructions of contractors, terms of accomplishment, expected results, control forms.

1.3. PREPARATION OF DOCUMENTS AND ROOM
Preparation of documents for participants of meeting has the purposes:
To reduce time for a reading the report;
To be convinced that all are acquainted with positions and the facts which will be discussed at meeting;
To concentrate attention of participants to some questions..
Documents are being offered to participants must be collected into a folder. It is inadmissible to demand returning of documents after meeting.

PREPARATION OF DOCUMENTS AND ROOM
The room chosen according to the number of participants, that everyone could see and listen to the reporter well.
As a rule, it is the office of the head or halls (room) for meetings. If there is a possibility, meeting was not recommended in the office of the head, where some of participants can feel pressure is underlined official conditions.

The room can be equipped by the display, a demonstration board, means for demonstration of slides. For participants it is necessary to create comfortable conditions
(convenient
armchairs or
chairs, writing-
materials,
mineral
water, etc.).

2 STAGE: CONFERENCE CARRYING OUT
Conference carrying out includes:
opening of conference and the report announcement;
the report;
answers to questions and discussion.
Opening the conference, the head, as a rule, declares short introductory speech. He reports a composition of participants, names all or some of them. There should not be unknown persons.
Then declare the agenda of conference and rules of procedure.
Duration of introductory speech, as a rule, constitutes 5-7 minutes

THE REPORT
It bears repeating, that report text should consist of such points:
Entering, problem statement;
The basic part of the report - results of the analysis executed on the substance of a problem;
Offers (recommendation), a conclusion.
The report text should contain specific proposals which will be a point of issue, LOGICALLY and COMPETENTLY STATED.
In the report there should not be infringements of formal logic!

ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
Answering a question, it is necessary to adhere to such recommendations:
1. If questions are asked in writing, you first need to learn about their content. First, you must answer the simple questions. Secondly - the problematic issues. Complete the following questions, which is the most reasoned response.
2. If questions set in writing it is necessary to read them completely. You can not change the text of the question.
3. It is unethical to estimate a question and the more so its author.
4. It is not necessary to contrast itself with audience; to search for the answer to a question it is possible together with audience.
5. Answering a question, it is necessary to lean against knowledge which listeners have. The new information is reasonable for submitting only in case of need.

REPORT DISCUSSION
During discussion of the report reveals the strengths and weaknesses of the ideas formulated in different views, new ideas, approaches and methods.
Polemic should occur in business, constructive and benevolent conditions. To act at meeting its each participant should have the right. Arguments of type “At us are not present time”, “I know, about what you will speak” degrade advantage of employees and do not add authority to the head. It is especially inadmissible to limit performances of what position and the argument do not coincide with the view of the head.

REPORT DISCUSSION
If the meeting has educational (information, instructive) character, the head can limit quantity of participants of discussion.
This raises the question: is it possible to interrupt the speaker, if it exceeds the allotted time? It is believed that the interrupt is not allowed. However, if the speech exceeded twice, should be reminded of the rules of procedure.
It is necessary to thank each orator for speech; all messages to do standing, except for short comments.

3 STAGE:
CONFERENCE SUMMING UP
3.1. Decision making;
3.2. Signing of a protocol;
3.3. The control of
accomplishment
decision.

METHODS OF PREPARATION OF THE DRAUGHT DECISION AND VARIANTS OF ITS ACCEPTING:
1. The head (its assistants or initiative group) prepare the draught decision for the beginning of meeting. The project is awarded to participants in the meeting were discussed and adopted with changes and additions;
2. The project prepare for the meeting beginning, but participants to it do not acquaint. During the meeting, authors of the draft make amendments and additions. Then offer it for discussion and accepting;
3. The draught decision prepare during meeting on the basis of the brought offers; such draught may be several solution;
4. The draught decision is prepared by the head, project is either accepted or rejected.

As the practice, decisions are most effective in the first and last cases. In the first case, the decision is based on democratic principles. In the latter case it is autocratic. The second and third cases, unfortunately, often end in the absence of solutions.
The head (the leader of meeting) obliged in due time to sign the protocol, and the technical secretary (reviewer) is responsible for finishing of agreed conclusions to interested persons, and also for the control of its (decision) accomplishment.

RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE ORATOR:
1. The text, theses or the performance plan unconditionally is useful. However the text of report during meeting can with are essentially corrected. Thus, the text should be only a basis for a report. Lively conversation is better than reading.
2. The basic idea should be brought to listeners regardless of their reaction.
3. Expressing the point of view opposite
to the participant (orator, reporter), at first
it is necessary to note points on which your
opinions coincide, and then to discuss
points on which opinions are various.

4. During report it is necessary to address to all audience, instead of to the separate participant or opponent. It assists business and quiet discussion.
5. It is necessary to accurately substantiate the reasons for their opposition to the opponent. Thus to be respectful to it, without supposing transition to persons. The argument should be directed against idea, a principle, a method, instead of their carrier.
6. A speech basis should be the meeting purpose, essence of a question. A typical error of many participants of polemic is substitution of agenda question consideration by own problems and requirements.
7. Every speech must end specific proposals. If they are not, speak is inexpedient.