ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the underlying political aspects of event bidding and hosting. Managing and mitigating the political aspects of events is a key skill for an event manager. It would be ideal if I could tell you how to manage each type of political situation. Because of the complexity of place, people and scenarios, however, this is not possible. To become a skilled political manager of events, you must develop knowledge and experience concerning where to expect political manoeuvres and how they could come into play, and then devise personalized management strategies based on personal knowledge and experience. To aid you in acquiring the foundational knowledge necessary to gain this skill, this chapter defines “politics”; applies the definition to bidding and event-hosting experiences; explains the role that politics plays through the event continuum in three distinct phases, including bidding, transition and review, and event hosting; examines scenarios; and offers some (hopefully) insightful ways in which the political effect can be mitigated. A case study in event bidding is included to guide the reader in developing personal insights concerning politics, and a series of questions are posted to encourage the reader to contemplate how they might choose to navigate the complex world of politics in event bidding and hosting.
