Purchasing Events Management

Managing this chain will normally involve dealing directly with purchasing and supply and inventory management. The feedback that flows backwards is essential because it allows the event manager to see how well received the products, supplies and services were, and whether there should be any changes... 

The event manager should question the number of suppliers with whom the organization is involved. Does one supplier provide a one-stop shop where many of the resources required can be purchased, or are there are a great many suppliers providing a range of different services for the same event If the latter is the case, then there are consequently more supply chains to be managed. Often... 

O Toole and Mikolaitis (2002) see the contract as central to the correct procedure for project planning and implementation. Much is written about contracts in engineering, building and software industries, and event manager can take advantage of lessons learned from successes and failures in these other industries in their use of project management. Each contract specifies who will do what, when and how. It can contain many details, or be simple letter of agreement or a purchase order. 

The final stage is a review. Did the purchased product or service deliver as expected and as required The review will inform the next set of decisions about a similar service/product. Review after the event, when successes and problems are still fresh in the mind, is essential. Consider and note what went right, what went wrong and what would we do differently next time It is advisable to record contact names and addresses on file for future reference. Each event should be better managed than the last one. There is always room for improvement. Event managers should ask staff and subcontractors what they think could be done better, and their opinions should be taken seriously. 

Describe a supply chain management approach in managing a major event like an international book fair. Explain the nine-stage purchasing chain of decision in the event management. 

The suppliers were asked to communicate the status of their parts through the event management tool by providing planned and actual dates for the following events on all part numbers on which they had open purchase orders with the company ... 

If any particular vendor, contractor/subcontractor or event falls outside of the preceding descriptions, then a judgment must be made by the purchasing manager as to contractor/subcontractor status. 

As discussed in Chapter 1, nonessential personnel, including secretarial, laboratory, and engineering and management work groups, are sometimes located near process areas. Buildings that support other activities, such as maintenance shops, instrument and electrical shops, and purchasing and stores, may also be located close enough to the process units to be possibly affected by an event of concern. 

First, no buyer will purchase a water treatment program unless he or she is convinced that the water treatment company (usually in the form of the field representative and perhaps local management as well) fully understands not only the current operational conditions but also the potentially dire consequences resulting from some unexpected event. Further, the buyer will need to see that the vendor has a viable water management program and a planned course of action for all eventualities. If sufficient background work has not been done, it is unlikely that a sale will take place. 

As discussed in Chapter 2, a combination of both active and latent errors creates potential loss-producing events. The potential for error is not just at the line employee level but involves all members of the organization. A decision made by a member of senior leadership team can directly impact the acceptance of risk. A purchasing manager may receive praise for reducing expenses but that saving be lost as cost of injuries and maintenance increase. 

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