ABSTRACT
Event management – it sounds finite. It sounds like a discrete point in time. Indeed, it has a beginning and an end point, but event management is certainly not static. It is best to view events as dynamic, complex and ever-changing entities. No two events are the same; what worked in one situation may not necessarily work in a different but similar situation. That is why this text does not provide you with a series of prescribed checklists that you can simply mark off as you go along. While checklists are helpful, they are static and do not – cannot – take into account every contingency that you will have to deal with. We have spent some time introducing you to some theories that support the notions of change, contingency and complexity. We suggest that you do some further reading in that area. A sound theoretical framework will provide you with an anticipatory set that will help you deal with deviation and the inevitable unforeseen issues. In fact, a message that we have delivered is the need for anticipation in the short term and anticipation in the long term. As a critical element in the dynamic system of event management, you should now understand that anything you do has the potential to affect many other things. Some of those outcomes will be positive, others will create unforeseen outcomes.
