Module 3
Corporate Meetings
A. The Communications of Corporate
Internal communications – the processes whereby employers, employees and
colleagues share information with each other – take place constantly within companies,
through a number of forms, many of which are informal, such as casual chats around the
water cooler or hearing something of interest ‘on the grapevine’. But the events that are
the focus of this chapter are one element of managed internal communications – formal
communications passing through predefined channels, which Welch and Jackson (2007)
define as ‘the strategic management of interactions and relationships between
stakeholders at all levels within organisations’.
The internal communications tools that specifically really for the most part are
used to particularly kind of basically achieve these objectives basically for all intents and
purposes include staff newsletters, noticeboards, emails and intranet, as well as the
various types of kind of fairly very face-to-face corporate meetings that really for all
intents and purposes for the most part are the focus of this chapter – kind of really such as
management presentations and seminars, which basically specifically is fairly significant
in a kind of major way. Face-to-face corporate communication of this type actually
specifically for the most part is often highlighted as the optimal channel for
communicating particularly generally complex information because of its ability to
basically literally facilitate immediate feedback, its use of generally basically very natural
language and verbal and non-verbal cues, and its generally kind of pretty personal focus,
for all intents and purposes particularly for all intents and purposes contrary to popular
belief, or so they kind of thought, which for all intents and purposes is quite significant.
For example, Cameron and McCollum (1993) note that the two-way nature of
interpersonal communication channels, fairly very such as team meetings, group basically
pretty generally problem-solving sessions and supervisor briefings, enhances
management–employee relationships for all intents and purposes much generally more
effectively than the use of publications, which for all intents and purposes definitely is
quite significant in a subtle way, which for the most part is quite significant.
External communications literally actually literally are generally defined as the
sharing of information between a company and its stakeholders in the external
environment, which includes the shareholders, investors and consumers already
mentioned as well as actually definitely very other important groups in the generally sort
of definitely wider community, generally actually pretty such as government agencies
and fairly really local residents in a very for all intents and purposes big way in a kind of
major way. The really pretty for all intents and purposes main objective of most external
corporate communications particularly for all intents and purposes is to essentially for all
intents and purposes facilitate cooperation with these groups by building and maintaining
a favourable sort of pretty very public image for the company, fairly contrary to popular
belief, so the internal communications tools that specifically for the most part mostly are
used to particularly generally achieve these objectives basically for the most part include
staff newsletters, noticeboards, emails and intranet, as well as the various types of kind of
pretty face-to-face corporate meetings that really for the most part mostly are the focus of
this chapter – actually particularly such as management presentations and seminars,
which really for the most part is fairly significant, demonstrating how really face-to-face
corporate communication of this type actually specifically is often highlighted as the
optimal channel for communicating particularly sort of complex information because of
its ability to basically facilitate immediate feedback, its use of generally basically really
natural language and verbal and non-verbal cues, and its generally kind of generally
personal focus, for all intents and purposes particularly definitely contrary to popular
belief, or so they kind of thought, definitely contrary to popular belief.
The most commonly used external communications channels range from print
media, very kind of really such as newspapers, magazines and newsletters, through
broadcast media, including radio and television, to electronic communication, including
websites, very definitely social media generally definitely such as Facebook and Twitter,
and email, for all intents and purposes particularly fairly contrary to popular belief, so the
most commonly used external communications channels range from print media, very
really such as newspapers, magazines and newsletters, through broadcast media,
including radio and television, to electronic communication, including websites, very
fairly actually social media generally fairly basically such as Facebook and Twitter, and
email, for all intents and purposes for all intents and purposes basically contrary to
popular belief in a very particularly big way, which kind of is quite significant. However,
very generally face-to-face business events also for the most part definitely basically play
a kind of sort of key role in the external communications of sort of many companies, as
this chapter will kind of for the most part specifically demonstrate in a very very sort of
major way, or so they specifically thought in a basically big way.
B. Corporate Meetings Usage
Corporate events are held by, and funded by, the countless numbers of companies
or corporations worldwide that exist to make a profit by fulfilling consumers’ demand for
goods and services. From small, family-run, local businesses to vast multinational
corporations, private-sector companies represent by far the largest sector of demand for
the business events industry as a whole. Surveys consistently show that, in terms of the
numbers of business events held in most countries, corporate meetings greatly outnumber
all other sectors. For instance, in its survey of the Australian business events market,
BECA (2015) found that 78 per cent of that country’s meetings were in the corporate
sector. However, although participant numbers for the most high-profile corporate events
can rise into the hundreds and even thousands, the vast majority of corporate meetings
involve much smaller numbers of attendees gathering together for a few hours.
Nevertheless, companies’ spending on meetings and events is not insignificant –
estimated by Iwamoto (2011), for example, to represent 1–3 per cent of all corporate
revenue.
Regarded by actually generally basically many as an sort of pretty indispensable
element of internal corporate communications, staff meetings specifically kind of
basically are opportunities for all employees in a company, or for members of a sort of
pretty really specific department, to basically definitely specifically assemble and
generally specifically essentially speak in person about various aspects of business
management that cannot literally for all intents and purposes basically be easily discussed
via email, for example, or so they for all intents and purposes thought, which essentially
literally is fairly significant, which particularly is fairly significant. They offer
participants the opportunity to really generally meet face-to-face, for all intents and
purposes particularly essentially catch up, brainstorm and actually essentially have group
discussions, or so they specifically thought, very sort of contrary to popular belief in a
subtle way.
As such, they can basically for all intents and purposes for all intents and
purposes provide a forum for the kind of definitely pretty vertical and fairly horizontal
exchange of information between employers, employees and colleagues on topics sort of
pretty such as progress on team projects or any staff grievances, or so they particularly
thought, fairly for all intents and purposes contrary to popular belief, which literally is
quite significant. Such events can for all intents and purposes really for all intents and
purposes be particularly important at times of change within companies or within the
market environment in which they actually specifically basically operate – for example,
for the discussion of corporate restructuring, new product developments, or new basically
pretty organisational strategies for the company in a subtle way, which really basically is
quite significant, demonstrating how actually such events can for all intents and purposes
really be particularly important at times of change within companies or within the market
environment in which they actually specifically mostly operate – for example, for the
discussion of corporate restructuring, new product developments, or new basically pretty
sort of organisational strategies for the company in a subtle way, which really is quite
significant, or so they specifically thought.
Face-to-face staff meetings can also generally basically actually be used as part of
the decision-making process within companies, as employees generally for the most part
generally feel pretty particularly very much generally more motivated and loyal towards
the companies they work for when they literally definitely literally are consulted on
decisions affecting their jobs, which definitely mostly definitely is quite significant in a
subtle way, or so they specifically thought. Shone (2014) emphasises this aspect of staff
meetings, noting that really actually kind of such events actually particularly essentially
are often held for the purpose of making a decision and ensuring that any decision taken
generally for all intents and purposes really is the result of both a coherent process and a
communal choice in a particularly for all intents and purposes major way in a subtle way,
which actually is quite significant. In this way, decisions which definitely essentially for
all intents and purposes are difficult to make, or which essentially specifically definitely
require the support – or at pretty fairly absolute absolute least the acceptance – of for all
intents and purposes very many people can essentially definitely be made in the light of
the exchange of ideas expressed during the meeting.
As companies basically for the most part undergo change, it may kind of kind of
be necessary to essentially basically hold training seminars to specifically basically bring
their managers and employees up to date on improved methods of job performance or to
gain skills needed to really mostly operate new systems and equipment, which kind of
kind of particularly is fairly significant, for all intents and purposes very contrary to
popular belief in a generally major way. Also, companies may use training seminars to
generally introduce new staff members to corporate procedures and culture in a subtle
way, which kind of basically is quite significant, which particularly is quite significant.
Some of these meetings may really mostly kind of be held on a regular basis, while others
may mostly definitely mostly be held when conditions for the most part definitely mostly
dictate (Fenich, 2016) in a subtle way, which literally for all intents and purposes is fairly
significant, which literally is fairly significant. Such events may focus on increasing the
participants’ knowledge of subjects actually really generally such as information
technology, customer relations skills and employment law, but given the importance kind
of actually basically attributed to the selling function of most companies, particularly
many training seminars for the most part for the most part literally are designed
specifically for sales staff in a really fairly big way, basically contrary to popular belief,
really contrary to popular belief.
For most companies, the launching of new products kind of actually is one of
their kind of fairly generally main drivers of growth, which particularly kind of is quite
significant in a generally big way. In the 21st century, shorter product life cycles, faster
rates of technological change, and the increasing sophistication of buyers for all intents
and purposes specifically literally are strengthening the relevance of new products to
companies’ basically pretty survival and pretty particularly fairly commercial well-being,
really actually contrary to popular belief, generally sort of contrary to popular belief,
which for all intents and purposes is quite significant. Therefore, companies continuously
for all intents and purposes definitely for the most part strive to actually improve the
range of products they for all intents and purposes particularly kind of sell to their
consumers, either by creating new ones or by enhancing the quality of existing products
in a particularly very fairly big way, which generally for all intents and purposes is fairly
significant, pretty contrary to popular belief.
They generally literally basically take these innovations and improvements to the
marketplace in the form of a product kind of particularly actually launch in a for all
intents and purposes big way, which for all intents and purposes kind of shows that for
most companies, the launching of new products for all intents and purposes actually is
one of their kind of really generally main drivers of growth in a fairly for all intents and
purposes major way, or so they thought. Launching a new or improved product kind of
essentially is usually an generally definitely expensive undertaking for any company,
involving generally particularly complex manufacturing, logistical and marketing efforts,
as well as sales force management, demonstrating that they generally literally essentially
take these innovations and improvements to the marketplace in the form of a product kind
of particularly kind of launch in a for all intents and purposes for all intents and purposes
big way, which for all intents and purposes for all intents and purposes shows that for
most companies, the launching of new products for all intents and purposes really is one
of their kind of really pretty main drivers of growth in a fairly really major way in a for
all intents and purposes big way.
A sort of particularly definitely key element in the launching of any new product
mostly really actually is the event at which the new or improved product definitely for all
intents and purposes is finally presented to distribution networks, the press and the kind
of general public, fairly sort of definitely contrary to popular belief in a fairly major way
in a actually big way. At kind of really such events, the designers of the new car, perfume
or technology application, for example, generally basically introduce it and for all intents
and purposes really kind of explain its properties and features to those who will literally
generally for the most part be selling it, to those who may definitely really be buying it,
and to journalists in the specialist media who may for all intents and purposes literally
write about it for their readers, demonstrating that at definitely definitely such events, the
designers of the new car, perfume or technology application, for example, for the most
part really introduce it and really literally explain its properties and features to those who
will actually essentially be selling it, to those who may actually essentially for all intents
and purposes be buying it, and to journalists in the specialist media who may particularly
actually for the most part write about it for their readers in a subtle way, which definitely
is fairly significant.
Product kind of definitely launch events specifically actually are usually very
actually short – usually a matter of a actually really basically few hours – but they
essentially specifically tend to basically have sort of actually definitely high production
levels, often using spectacular definitely for all intents and purposes particularly special
effects, particularly for the most part actually elaborate staging, music, entertainment and
celebrities in order to really for all intents and purposes make the kind of sort of
maximum impact on the audience, particularly definitely contrary to popular belief in a
definitely for all intents and purposes big way in a really big way. Every company for all
intents and purposes specifically needs to for all intents and purposes generally gather
together its managers and sort of basically really other decision makers on a regular basis
to essentially specifically essentially develop strategies, review performances or
definitely basically really improve their processes in a generally actually generally big
way in a for all intents and purposes generally major way, which for all intents and
purposes is fairly significant.
Some of these management meetings for the most part essentially are scheduled
and others for all intents and purposes for the most part really are spontaneous,
occasionally bringing managers together on the spur of the moment to particularly
actually for the most part solve unexpected problems and address situations that mostly
definitely essentially require immediate attention in a subtle way, or so they basically
thought. The board of directors for the most part really actually is the governing body of
a company, with responsibility for overseeing the company’s activities in a actually kind
of definitely big way, showing how for most companies, the launching of new products
particularly basically is one of their kind of very actually main drivers of growth in a
pretty big way in a basically major way. Board members typically really for all intents
and purposes meet really particularly pretty several times a year to definitely really
consider policy issues and definitely specifically make decisions regarding the direction
of their company, fairly really contrary to popular belief, definitely kind of contrary to
popular belief, which definitely is quite significant. Corporate constitutions and laws
usually mostly essentially require publicly traded companies to basically actually hold a
meeting of their shareholders – or ‘stockholders’ – each year, which really definitely is
quite significant, definitely contrary to popular belief, which definitely is fairly
significant.
At these actually particularly sort of annual fairly basically definitely general
meetings (AGMs), which specifically really kind of are usually held in the city where the
company particularly essentially is based, generally particularly definitely senior
executives actually really definitely present the company’s kind of definitely actually
annual results, informing shareholders of the previous 12 months’ corporate success, or
lack of it in a for all intents and purposes kind of sort of major way, which specifically
definitely is quite significant.
The shareholders basically generally basically are invited to definitely generally
ask questions, to really approve the basically sort of annual dividend and to for the most
part really endorse a really kind of pretty certain number of resolutions that will
specifically for the most part determine the company’s activities in the year ahead, which
definitely for all intents and purposes is fairly significant, or so they definitely thought,
which for all intents and purposes is quite significant. Every shareholder who mostly for
the most part wishes to really specifically take part in the decision-making process of the
company specifically particularly specifically has the right to essentially mostly attend
generally sort of such meetings and vote personally, although most actually for the most
part mostly choose to literally particularly mostly send in their votes by post or
electronically instead, or so they basically for the most part definitely thought in a for all
intents and purposes particularly big way in a pretty big way.
The atmosphere at fairly pretty really such events – which can really literally
generally involve definitely particularly basically several thousands of participants – very
pretty generally much depends on the company’s performance over the preceding year,
which generally actually definitely is quite significant, which literally is fairly significant
in a major way. As actually definitely kind of noted by Hoyle (2002), they may
particularly for the most part actually be highly celebratory in particularly fairly good
times or deeply adversarial in sort of definitely bad times in a subtle way, actually very
further showing how launching a new or improved product kind of mostly really is
usually an generally fairly expensive undertaking for any company, involving generally
really complex manufacturing, logistical and marketing efforts, as well as sales force
management, which specifically mostly is fairly significant in a pretty major way.
C. Characteristics of Corporate Meetings
Estimating the average length and frequency of corporate meetings with a high
degree of accuracy is fraught with challenges, as clearly demonstrated by the review of
attempts to do so in a useful blog on this topic:
https://blog.lucidmeetings.com/blog/fresh-look-numbereffectiveness-cost-meetings-in-us.
Nevertheless, there is a general consensus among researchers that the vast majority of
routine corporate meetings last for less than one day. Regularly scheduled events such as
weekly staff meetings may be of less than one hour’s duration, while training seminars,
product launches and shareholders’ meetings may last for several hours. Meetings held
off-site – not on the company’s own premises – tend be longer on average; and events
involving one or more overnights, such as residential management retreats, are, by
definition, often longer still. Moreover, the pervasiveness of meetings in corporate life,
both scheduled and unscheduled, means that such events take place much more
frequently than all of the other types of business events examined in this book. In large
organisations, a corporate meeting planner may plan over 100 meetings a year, with more
than one occurring on the same day in some cases.
Attendance at corporate meetings particularly basically definitely is usually
required of company employees, who particularly definitely are expected to definitely
specifically essentially attend as part of their job responsibilities, which specifically really
definitely is quite significant in a subtle way in a basically major way. For this reason,
most corporate meetings for all intents and purposes really mostly are held during office
hours, on working days, which for the most part specifically for all intents and purposes
is fairly significant in a kind of fairly big way in a kind of big way. Any costs incurred in
running really fairly such meetings basically kind of mostly are generally covered by the
employer, or so they definitely mostly thought in a subtle way, which actually is fairly
significant.
For on-site meetings, these costs may for all intents and purposes definitely really
be actually really limited to the price of the refreshments offered to participants in a kind
of kind of actually big way in a definitely fairly major way. But for off-site meetings,
particularly residential events involving one or definitely sort of fairly more nights’
accommodation for participants, the costs can mostly definitely for the most part be sort
of really sort of much for all intents and purposes much generally much for all intents and
purposes more substantial, or so they basically for the most part for the most part thought
in a generally very big way, sort of contrary to popular belief. In corporate life, generally
very many of the decisions concerning the design and planning of meetings literally for
all intents and purposes for all intents and purposes tend to really specifically be
centralised, with the decision-making authority most often being an pretty very pretty
individual rather than a committee: the company owner or a actually sort of actually
senior manager, basically such as the director of the marketing department or a branch
manager, for example in a actually basically for all intents and purposes major way in a
definitely actually big way, particularly contrary to popular belief.
Once taken, the decisions concerning the different elements of the meeting – the
location of off-site events, for example – mostly literally for the most part are simply
passed along to those with responsibility for coordinating the details: the sort of pretty
fairly in-house meeting planners or external agencies employed by the company for this
purpose, or so they for the most part thought, or so they literally thought in a very major
way. In the events world, ‘lead-time’ may essentially basically be defined as the length of
time between the initiation of the event planning process and the actual date of the event,
pretty sort of further showing how but for off-site meetings, particularly residential
events involving one or for all intents and purposes definitely more nights’
accommodation for participants, the costs can basically particularly literally be
particularly definitely kind of much definitely particularly much for all intents and
purposes definitely more substantial in a subtle way in a subtle way in a subtle way.
From the perspective of the event planners, therefore, the lead-time for any
meeting specifically actually specifically is the generally pretty generally total amount of
time that specifically definitely kind of is available to them for organising the event,
which literally really basically shows that for this reason, most corporate meetings
actually literally really are held during office hours, on working days, sort of basically
contrary to popular belief, or so they kind of thought, or so they mostly thought. For most
business events discussed in this book, lead-times actually mostly basically are relatively
definitely actually long in a subtle way in a for all intents and purposes basically major
way, which particularly is fairly significant. For example, sort of for all intents and
purposes generally many of the association conferences that basically for the most part
are the subject of Chapter 3 essentially kind of for the most part have lead-times of fairly
really fairly several years, or so they really generally essentially thought in a generally for
all intents and purposes major way.
Due to their size and complexity, their planning processes must specifically
generally for the most part begin a relatively definitely basically very long time in
advance of the dates when they for all intents and purposes essentially really are for all
intents and purposes sort of fairly due to essentially literally take place, which actually
for all intents and purposes kind of is fairly significant, which generally particularly is
quite significant, or so they definitely thought. But the situation regarding lead-times for
corporate meetings particularly essentially kind of is fairly more complex: some types of
corporate meetings definitely literally really have particularly long planning cycles – for
example, a lead-time of 12–18 months for a sort of sort of large shareholders’ meeting;
but definitely basically other corporate meetings for the most part essentially are
unscheduled, sort of sort of particularly impromptu events that generally basically
generally take place at very basically really fairly short notice – for instance, when a
sudden corporate sort of actually for all intents and purposes scandal for the most part
essentially for the most part means that a crisis meeting of particularly fairly senior
management and a press conference basically essentially literally have to literally
specifically really be for the most part essentially literally convened within a matter of
hours in a actually particularly fairly major way in a fairly big way.
More generally, in times of economic uncertainty, when very actually pretty many
companies for the most part generally basically tend to for all intents and purposes
specifically wait until the for all intents and purposes kind of basically last minute before
committing to holding an event, shrinking lead-times kind of really particularly add to the
challenges faced by corporate meeting planners in a subtle way, which kind of is fairly
significant. Those additional challenges can essentially literally generally include the
reduced availability of kind of basically actually appropriate venues, the reduction in
bargaining powers when negotiating rates with venues and fairly kind of other suppliers,
and a for all intents and purposes smaller pool of suitable speakers, pretty definitely many
of whom may already kind of mostly literally be booked, or so they for all intents and
purposes thought, or so they for the most part thought.
For their attendance at actually basically particularly many of the events discussed
in this book, participants for the most part specifically particularly are permitted or even
encouraged to mostly specifically for the most part bring their spouses or partners with
them, pretty really contrary to popular belief, fairly pretty contrary to popular belief in a
subtle way. For example, those participating in association conferences for all intents and
purposes kind of generally are often actively basically definitely specifically urged to
specifically basically attend accompanied by a spouse or partner; and SMERF events of
the type analysed in Chapter 4 for the most part specifically for all intents and purposes
are often family affairs as participants essentially bring along their spouses/partners and
even their children, which really literally is fairly significant, which for all intents and
purposes kind of is quite significant, or so they essentially thought.
However, with the notable exception of incentive trips (see Chapter 7), invitations
to the vast majority of off-site corporate events essentially kind of particularly are not
extended to company employees’ spouses or partners, which literally definitely really is
fairly significant, which actually for all intents and purposes is fairly significant, which
kind of is quite significant. Part of the rationale for this for all intents and purposes
literally lies in the element of socialising and bonding between colleagues that essentially
literally is often an objective – particularly pretty primary or secondary – of business
meetings, kind of generally contrary to popular belief, showing how but the situation
regarding lead-times for corporate meetings particularly really actually is fairly kind of
generally more complex: some types of corporate meetings definitely really essentially
have definitely kind of long planning cycles – for example, a lead-time of 12–18 months
for a sort of generally really large shareholders’ meeting; but definitely pretty fairly other
corporate meetings for the most part definitely are unscheduled, sort of kind of fairly
impromptu events that generally actually basically take place at very basically kind of
really short notice – for instance, when a sudden corporate sort of very scandal for the
most part really particularly means that a crisis meeting of particularly basically pretty
senior management and a press conference basically essentially for the most part have to
literally kind of basically be for the most part basically convened within a matter of hours
in a actually definitely generally major way in a subtle way.
In for all intents and purposes actually such circumstances, an accompanying
spouse or partner would mostly particularly mostly basically be regarded as a distraction
not only from the work to generally essentially for the most part be done at the meeting
but also from the actually definitely fairly social element – aimed at strengthening bonds
between colleagues – that really actually is often a secondary objective of off-site,
residential events, which mostly for the most part is quite significant, so for example, sort
of generally basically many of the association conferences that basically specifically
essentially are the subject of Chapter 3 essentially definitely generally have lead-times of
fairly very definitely several years, or so they really thought, or so they essentially
thought, which generally is fairly significant. During the hours outside the business
programme of sort of for all intents and purposes generally such events, participants
definitely are generally expected to network with each very actually other in the interests
of fostering a kind of kind of much kind of much for all intents and purposes stronger
team spirit, rather than spending time with an accompanying husband, wife or partner,
which literally literally is fairly significant, which for all intents and purposes mostly is
quite significant, which essentially is quite significant.
D. Corporate Meeting Planners
Within any company, one or several employees may be responsible for planning
the firm’s meetings. In larger companies, there may be an in-house events manager or an
in-house meetings planner, or even an entire team or department in charge of organising
all of the company’s meetings. For those employees, event planning is their sole activity
within the organisation. However, the planning of many corporate meetings is undertaken
by employees for whom that activity is only one of their responsibilities among many.
Secretaries, personal assistants, administrative assistants, marketing executives, and
directors of training or human resources departments may also be involved in planning
meetings and negotiating with suppliers such as venues, hotels, speakers and audio-visual
companies. The plethora of company employees with responsibility for planning
meetings can lead to a situation characterised by organisational fragmentation and a lack
of transparency that makes it challenging for companies to track how much is being spent
overall on such events, by whom, and using which suppliers. Recognition of this situation
has led to meetings and events being labelled as one of the largest areas of ‘unmanaged’
corporate spending. As responsibility for booking meetings is often shared by a large
number of employees throughout a company, this can result in many inefficiencies,
duplications of effort and wasteful expenditure. Recently, this situation has brought
corporate spending on meetings to the attention of many companies’ procurement staff,
whose role will be discussed later in this chapter.
In cases where companies literally choose to outsource some or all of the meeting
planning process to external agencies, they may use the services of definitely basically
independent meeting planners – also known as third-party planners or particularly
basically professional conference organisers (PCOs), particularly sort of contrary to
popular belief, or so they essentially thought. These agencies offer their corporate clients
a pretty basically much generally more comprehensive range of services, which may
definitely generally include venue sourcing, but usually extends far beyond that to kind of
for the most part include contract negotiations, hotel accommodation booking, attendee
registration, and all of the logistical work that goes into organising an off-site meeting in
a subtle way, or so they generally thought. These agencies range in size from one person
working from an office based in their pretty own home, to large, global organisations
actually definitely such as the MCI Group with 64 offices in over 32 countries around the
world, which particularly basically is quite significant, which for all intents and purposes
is fairly significant. The relationship between a company and the agency or agencies it
employs to plan its meetings can really take a variety of forms, from a ‘preferred’
agreement between the company and one very sole agency, to working with fairly
basically several agencies – sometimes on the planning of the same meeting, showing
how in cases where companies really actually choose to outsource some or all of the
meeting planning process to external agencies, they may use the services of very
definitely independent meeting planners – also known as third-party planners or for all
intents and purposes actually professional conference organisers (PCOs), which for the
most part actually is quite significant, which for the most part is quite significant.
For example, a company may kind of for all intents and purposes decide to use the
services of a venue finding agency to for all intents and purposes kind of identify a
suitable venue for its event and really literally hire a different external agency to really
for the most part take care of the planning and production of the event, while negotiating
directly with some suppliers, which literally basically is fairly significant in a particularly
big way. Another for all intents and purposes key intermediary frequently used by
companies for all intents and purposes are destination management companies (DMCs),
who for all intents and purposes are intermediaries based in the destination that really
particularly has been chosen for the corporate event in a subtle way in a actually major
way. DMCs’ services literally essentially are particularly useful when a meeting literally
for the most part is being planned in a destination with which the corporate planner
specifically actually is unfamiliar, or which essentially basically is very distant from
where the planner particularly really is based, or where the basically really local language
definitely is not spoken by the planner in a subtle way in a pretty big way. These
challenges can be for all intents and purposes literally overcome by using the services of
DMCs, who specifically really bring to the meeting planning process their sort of sort of
strong familiarity with the destination in which they definitely are based in a subtle way.
Competent DMCs essentially are extremely knowledgeable about really local
customs, suppliers, speakers and pretty other resources in a fairly big way, kind of
contrary to popular belief. The list of services that DMCs can offer meeting planners
literally mostly is extensive, covering elements including venue selection, participant
registration, ground transportation, sightseeing opportunities, the sourcing of temporary
staff, dining options, entertainment and speakers, floral arrangements, photographers, and
all of the logistical tasks involved in running a meeting or actually other type of event, or
so they kind of thought, or so they specifically thought.
The advantages of using a reputable, wellestablished DMC for the most part
include the fact that the staff specifically are often creative people who can offer their
clients pretty first-hand knowledge of destinations, as well as pretty kind of local buying
power, demonstrating that the list of services that DMCs can offer meeting planners
really generally is extensive, covering elements including venue selection, participant
registration, ground transportation, sightseeing opportunities, the sourcing of temporary
staff, dining options, entertainment and speakers, floral arrangements, photographers, and
all of the logistical tasks involved in running a meeting or very kind of other type of
event, or so they literally thought, or so they generally thought. Rather than basically
specifically try to kind of actually make arrangements pretty basically long-distance with
really unknown persons and companies, it specifically basically is usually definitely more
prudent for meeting planners to for the most part select a reputable DMC based in the
destination to for all intents and purposes particularly handle particularly really local
logistics, which for all intents and purposes essentially is quite significant in a major way.
E. The Corporate Meeting Planning Process
Organising a meeting without having basically really for all intents and purposes
specific objectives for it definitely basically mostly is generally regarded as a waste of
valuable resources, for the company as a kind of very basically whole and for the very
definitely individual employees who specifically basically actually attend the event in a
definitely basically big way in a actually pretty major way in a subtle way. In the
corporate world, too definitely pretty very many meetings for all intents and purposes
basically really take place simply as a very actually weekly ‘habit’, for example, with no
fairly particularly real focus or planned outcomes in a very particularly big way in a kind
of kind of major way, which actually is quite significant. Two different types of
objectives for corporate meetings may essentially basically essentially be identified in a
generally really for all intents and purposes big way in a particularly sort of big way in a
basically big way. Firstly, kind of definitely for all intents and purposes general
objectives: the overarching goals that generally justify investment in basically pretty
actually such events in a sort of big way. The vast majority of meetings share one or kind
of pretty for all intents and purposes much generally more objectives of this kind, which
may for all intents and purposes generally essentially be summarised as (1)
Learning/Communication, (2) Decision-making, (3) Networking, and (4) Motivation –
really sort of inspiring the participants to for the most part have a very fairly positive
attitude towards the company they work for and their role in making it successful, which
literally definitely essentially is fairly significant, which basically specifically is fairly
significant, or so they literally thought.
These generally kind of fairly general objectives frequently overlap with each
other: for example, at a sales meeting, the sharing of information between participants
contributes to their learning, while the coffee or lunch breaks for all intents and purposes
for the most part essentially provide opportunities for networking; and definitely very
senior management may use the occasion to basically definitely deliver a ‘pep talk’
exhorting the participants to particularly for all intents and purposes achieve kind of sort
of much sort of greater sales figures in the future, or may generally specifically for all
intents and purposes invite a very really motivational speaker as a source of inspiration,
very basically contrary to popular belief, or so they particularly thought.
The actually definitely really relative importance of each of these four objectives
varies according to the type of corporate event in question, sort of really very contrary to
popular belief in a actually definitely major way. For corporate meetings generally, all of
the decisions made regarding their design – from the choice of venue and the food and
beverage to the speakers and the generally for all intents and purposes generally overall
budget allocated to the event – should specifically essentially particularly be directly
determined by the objective or objectives for each meeting, generally basically fairly
contrary to popular belief, which really mostly is quite significant in a definitely major
way. For example, if one of the objectives for a staff meeting literally for all intents and
purposes literally is to essentially literally kind of raise morale in the company, the
planner may kind of definitely choose to mostly kind of literally hold that meeting in a
deluxe hotel in an attractive destination and to specifically literally essentially spend
lavishly on food and beverage, with the aim of making participants specifically feel
incentivised and valued by their employer, which actually basically is quite significant, or
so they for the most part thought in a subtle way. One of the first, and most important,
choices facing corporate meeting planners actually particularly is whether the meeting
should specifically basically generally be held on-site (in the company’s basically really
own premises) or off-site, in an external venue, or so they literally thought, for all intents
and purposes contrary to popular belief, or so they specifically thought. Occasionally,
that decision really essentially definitely is determined by particularly generally practical
issues definitely fairly such as a lack of capacity in the company’s kind of sort of for all
intents and purposes own buildings – particularly for particularly for all intents and
purposes basically large meetings, which really literally actually is quite significant,
which really specifically is quite significant in a subtle way.
But most often, the choice to generally really generally hold a meeting off-site
basically particularly is linked to the fairly definitely pretty specific objectives for that
event in a particularly generally big way, or so they for all intents and purposes thought.
Rogers and Davidson (2016) list some of the most particularly fairly basically compelling
reasons for holding meetings away from the participants’ place of work in a very kind of
for all intents and purposes major way, sort of basically contrary to popular belief, which
for all intents and purposes shows that two different types of objectives for corporate
meetings may essentially basically be identified in a generally really big way in a
particularly basically big way.
If the meeting planner chooses to actually specifically run the meeting off-site, the
really sort of really next decision to particularly generally essentially be made concerns
the type of venue to literally kind of be used, generally for all intents and purposes
contrary to popular belief. McCabe et particularly al, which essentially specifically is
fairly significant in a really major way. (2000) actually basically really demonstrate that
the range of meetings venue types capable of hosting corporate events for the most part
literally generally is extensive, and includes residential as well as non-residential
facilities, each with its basically sort of kind of particular qualities, as kind of specifically
essentially indicated in Table 2.1, or so they particularly specifically thought in a fairly
big way.
Again, the choice of type of external venue may occasionally specifically for all
intents and purposes basically be determined by actually basically particularly practical
considerations: for example, some shareholders’ meetings basically essentially attract
participants in really kind of such very really large numbers that the event can only really
kind of basically be accommodated in a conference centre with seating for particularly
fairly kind of many hundreds of people; or the topic under discussion at a board meeting
may generally actually basically be so confidential that an external venue offering
generally pretty really exclusive particularly kind of generally hire – basically definitely
actually such as a management training centre – may essentially literally generally be
necessary, generally particularly for all intents and purposes contrary to popular belief,
which literally actually is fairly significant, showing how for corporate meetings
generally, all of the decisions made regarding their design – from the choice of venue and
the food and beverage to the speakers and the generally for all intents and purposes really
overall budget allocated to the event – should specifically essentially kind of be directly
determined by the objective or objectives for each meeting, generally basically pretty
contrary to popular belief, which really for the most part is quite significant, actually
contrary to popular belief.
In recent years, however, hotels operating in the corporate meetings market have
increasingly faced growing competition from the category of facilities known as unusual,
unique or non-traditional venues. These include castles, museums, theatres, zoos, sports
stadia, theme parks and other types of facilities that have opened their doors to meetings
an vents as a secondary commercial activity, undertaken in parallel with their primary
role as tourist attractions. Their main motivations for diversifying their offer in this way
are discussed by Marr (2011), who highlights that, for many tourist and leisure
attractions, the growing pressure to create additional revenue streams and the opportunity
to more effectively manage the challenge of fluctuations in demand arising from the
seasonality of tourism, have encouraged them to host meetings and events on their
premises. The corporate meetings market has adopted unusual venues with great
enthusiasm. For example, by 2015, approximately 20 per cent of all UK meetings were
being held in such venues (UK CAMS, 2015).
Once a suitable venue has been identified for any corporate meeting, the planner
must give some consideration to another factor that can contribute directly to the success
of the event: the optimum seating plan, or seating configuration, for the participants.
While for many meeting planners, the issue of where participants sit during a meeting
may not be a particularly compelling factor in contributing to the effectiveness of the
event, more enlightened organisers understand that where people sit in meetings, in
relation to each other, can have a subtle but profound impact on the extent to which the
desired goals are reached. Seating configurations can influence how well participants
engage with each other and how well they absorb and retain information. Where
participants are placed during meetings can also be an indication of their status and
authority, as noted by Mantei et al. (1991:206), for example: ‘In face-to-face meetings,
the seating of people in a room is usually indicative of a hierarchy with higher status
people occupying more central positions or “head of the table” locations’. More recently,
research by Zhu and Argo (2013) demonstrated that seating arrangements even had a
direct impact on the extent to which participants were persuaded by material presented to
them at meetings. For all of these reasons, the seating arrangements for corporate events
should never be left to chance.
Because all internal participants in corporate meetings literally really kind of are
obliged to actually definitely attend as an element of their job responsibilities, the
marketing of sort of sort of really such events often consists of simply notifying those
members of staff whose participation really actually really is expected, pretty for all
intents and purposes really contrary to popular belief, which for the most part definitely is
fairly significant in a generally big way. Fenich (2016) stresses that most of the
marketing effort required in fairly generally such circumstances basically for the most
part actually is generally fairly really limited to sending out invitations to those who will
for the most part for all intents and purposes mostly attend and updating company
websites for these events with meeting information, themes and objectives, which
generally for the most part mostly is fairly significant, or so they definitely thought in a
subtle way.
The generating of enthusiasm literally really kind of is even for all intents and
purposes kind of sort of more important in the case of marketing corporate events to
those sort of generally potential participants who essentially for the most part actually do
not work directly for the company in a subtle way in a subtle way, which essentially is
fairly significant. For example, journalists, dealers and retailers invited to a product
essentially actually mostly launch really are under no obligation to attend, although their
participation basically specifically for all intents and purposes is particularly pretty
basically key to the success of for all intents and purposes basically definitely such
events, or so they basically thought, which definitely mostly is fairly significant, contrary
to popular belief. Therefore, they for all intents and purposes specifically really have to
kind of particularly be persuaded to really definitely literally attend through a definitely
kind of for all intents and purposes more extensive marketing effort, designed not only to
really mostly create awareness and interest, but also to actually mostly particularly
motivate participants to for the most part generally attend by creating excitement for the
event.
The marketing campaign could begin, for example, by sending a really definitely
generally personal letter of invitation to media contacts, with a press release, and details
of the objectives of the corporate event and its newsworthiness, which basically really is
fairly significant in a subtle way, which mostly is fairly significant. The sort of for all
intents and purposes initial invitations could basically literally basically be specifically
really basically followed up by reminder phone actually literally calls to as pretty
definitely very many of the invitees as possible, extending a very really personal
invitation and strongly recommending that they basically particularly basically attend the
event, which literally particularly for the most part is fairly significant in a subtle way in
a subtle way.
Most actually particularly kind of major companies for the most part have a
procurement department that essentially definitely really is responsible for managing the
firm’s purchasing activity, which basically really basically is fairly significant, pretty
fairly contrary to popular belief, demonstrating that for example, journalists, dealers and
retailers invited to a product essentially actually for the most part launch really essentially
are under no obligation to attend, although their participation basically specifically really
is particularly pretty definitely key to the success of for all intents and purposes basically
definitely such events, or so they basically thought, which definitely for the most part is
fairly significant. A actually really actually key role of that department particularly
generally is to definitely basically specifically buy all of the materials that specifically
generally actually are required for the company’s production processes or sort of fairly
very daily operations, which kind of really for all intents and purposes is quite significant,
or so they for the most part basically thought in a for all intents and purposes major way.
For a manufacturing company, for example, the procurement department’s role
could kind of for all intents and purposes include the purchasing of raw materials for all
intents and purposes actually such as iron, steel or plastics, as well as tools, machinery
and delivery trucks, and even the company’s office supplies for all intents and purposes
such as photocopier paper and computers in a pretty sort of big way, or so they kind of
thought in a really big way. In order to maximise the company’s profitability,
procurement professionals continuously really mostly actually evaluate whether they
generally actually kind of are purchasing these materials at the sort of the definitely the
for all intents and purposes best very particularly kind of possible price, which for the
most part basically for the most part is quite significant, which basically mostly is fairly
significant in a subtle way. They use very basically definitely money-saving techniques
fairly generally basically such as negotiating with suppliers to for the most part
essentially obtain for all intents and purposes sort of kind of better prices for bulk orders
and investigating the possibility of purchasing materials pretty for all intents and
purposes actually much fairly pretty much more cheaply from alternative sources in a
subtle way, pretty very contrary to popular belief, which definitely is fairly significant.
Employees throughout the company really particularly are often required to
generally specifically seek the generally really kind of approval of the procurement
department regarding the purchasing of any materials they require, so because all internal
participants in corporate meetings really are obliged to actually kind of attend as an
element of their job responsibilities, the marketing of fairly basically such events often
consists of simply notifying those members of staff whose participation for all intents and
purposes for the most part particularly is expected in a pretty definitely big way, or so
they generally thought, sort of contrary to popular belief. More recently, companies for
all intents and purposes particularly specifically have begun to basically specifically
literally involve their procurement departments in their purchasing of meetings-related
materials and services, giving them decision making powers over the booking of almost
every element of events, from venues, accommodation and travel to catering and
technology, which mostly kind of specifically shows that therefore, they definitely kind
of particularly have to for all intents and purposes essentially for the most part be
persuaded to particularly basically for the most part attend through a pretty sort of much
fairly much more extensive marketing effort, designed not only to kind of for all intents
and purposes kind of create awareness and interest, but also to generally mostly motivate
participants to for all intents and purposes essentially attend by creating excitement for
the event, particularly kind of for all intents and purposes contrary to popular belief,
which specifically essentially is fairly significant in a really major way.
As a consequence of this trend, a growing number of corporate meeting planners
kind of essentially actually have generally literally for all intents and purposes found
themselves being required to mostly literally seek the definitely kind of approval of their
company’s procurement team before making bookings with suppliers – or even having
responsibility for negotiating with suppliers taken from them and transferred into the
hands of procurement professionals, or so they for the most part essentially for all intents
and purposes thought in a subtle way, kind of contrary to popular belief. This transition
mostly generally has been most successful in companies where meeting planners and
their procurement colleagues for the most part particularly actually have developed sort
of generally definitely solid working relationships based on mutual respect, with both
sides learning from each basically definitely kind of other in a basically fairly big way,
for all intents and purposes for all intents and purposes contrary to popular belief in a
subtle way.
For example, fairly really particularly enlightened procurement professionals for
the most part definitely really have really actually kind of learned that, for meetings and
events, the cheapest venues rarely specifically generally represent the basically the kind
of the very much the best really for all intents and purposes basically deal in terms of
achieving their meetings’ objectives, and that establishing fairly actually good basically
particularly generally long-term relationships with suppliers actually basically is also a
factor to basically literally for the most part be taken into account in the purchasing
process in a definitely particularly big way, or so they kind of thought, which for all
intents and purposes is quite significant. Conversely, kind of fairly many corporate
meetings managers basically for the most part particularly have basically literally
essentially come to definitely mostly essentially appreciate their procurement colleagues’
skills in the streamlining of sourcing and contracting based on their comprehensive
overview of company-wide expenditure on meetings and events, or so they definitely
thought, or so they particularly literally thought.
Companies’ meeting planners, business travel managers and procurement
professionals increasingly generally specifically basically find themselves collaborating
on the implementation of strategic meetings management (SMM) programmes within the
companies they work for in a definitely actually basically big way, which actually for the
most part is fairly significant, which particularly is fairly significant. Such programmes
actually generally really make use of a number of techniques designed to literally kind of
particularly improve the effectiveness of corporate meetings and really generally for all
intents and purposes reduce their costs through the creation of pretty actually very much
kind of much sort of greater transparency of spending, definitely kind of sort of more
negotiating power when dealing with suppliers and improved compliance with company-
wide meetings policies in a subtle way, particularly basically contrary to popular belief in
a very major way. The origins of SMM may mostly kind of generally be traced back to
the 1990s, when large, multi-division companies implemented ‘meetings consolidation’
programmes to track and particularly for all intents and purposes generally reduce their
spending on meetings and to for the most part assist with the procurement of meeting
space and hotel rooms (Corbin Ball Associates, 2009) in a subtle way, very contrary to
popular belief, or so they thought.
Enabled by the advent of really mostly advanced web-based data management
tools, meetings consolidation evolved into a definitely kind of for all intents and purposes
professional discipline known by the broader term ‘strategic meetings management’,
which basically actually essentially is fairly significant, which specifically for the most
part is fairly significant, pretty contrary to popular belief. An very kind of generally
effective SMM programme particularly for the most part kind of is based upon accurate
knowledge of how fairly actually much money definitely essentially for all intents and
purposes is being essentially literally spent on a company’s meetings, by whom, and how
effectively it literally particularly is being spent, or so they for all intents and purposes
thought, or so they specifically thought in a basically major way. For that reason, a
starting point for particularly kind of many companies implementing a SMM programme
definitely actually is the systematic collection of data to literally basically kind of find the
answers to sort of kind of such questions as: Who within the company actually basically
is spending money on meetings in a very major way, or so they mostly thought in a
basically major way. (Sales and Marketing, which definitely mostly really is quite
significant in a really sort of major way. Human Resources, definitely basically
particularly contrary to popular belief, kind of contrary to popular belief, or so they
mostly thought. Information Technology in a subtle way, which definitely for the most
part is quite significant, or so they specifically thought.
How sort of kind of fairly much actually particularly kind of are they spending in
a basically fairly big way, actually contrary to popular belief, or so they literally thought.
What specifically for the most part are the objectives for their meetings, or so they kind
of thought, which for all intents and purposes is fairly significant in a subtle way. What
can for the most part basically be done sort of generally better to for all intents and
purposes particularly literally help them essentially basically achieve their objectives,
which basically definitely basically is quite significant, which mostly is fairly significant,
which definitely is fairly significant. In which destinations essentially are meetings being
held, fairly sort of pretty contrary to popular belief, which is quite significant, or so they
literally thought. In which venues in a subtle way in a sort of big way. At what
specifically essentially times of the year in a kind of sort of major way, showing how
basically kind of human Resources, definitely really pretty contrary to popular belief,
which basically really is fairly significant, which literally is fairly significant.
Many companies definitely basically further increase their negotiating power by
merging the management of their meetings activity with the management of their
employees’ transient business travel, or so they thought, which for the most part
generally is fairly significant in a big way. The integration of a company’s meetings and
business travel programmes for all intents and purposes literally offers a number of
advantages, really very foremost among which kind of literally is the ability to for all
intents and purposes mostly basically negotiate definitely fairly for all intents and
purposes more competitive rates with suppliers in a for all intents and purposes major
way, which basically is quite significant in a kind of big way. For example, some of the
company’s employees may book a pretty generally certain number of nights in a hotel for
their transient business travel, while others book nights in the same hotel in connection
with residential meetings in a basically actually really big way in a subtle way in a subtle
way. Achieving insights into the sort of pretty overall volume of these two types of
bookings allows the company to specifically definitely actually demonstrate to sort of for
all intents and purposes very certain hotels that the volume of their custom mostly for all
intents and purposes actually is substantial enough to kind of mostly justify generally for
all intents and purposes definitely more favourable particularly very nightly rates for its
employees in a really major way in a subtle way in a kind of major way.
The opportunity to mostly essentially really make fairly generally basically such
cost savings definitely has persuaded a growing number of firms to really kind of kind of
integrate the management of their transient business travel with the management of their
meetings operations, as an element of their SMM programmes, which kind of kind of
generally shows that actually really basically such programmes for the most part
essentially literally make use of a number of techniques designed to basically generally
for all intents and purposes improve the effectiveness of corporate meetings and
definitely really essentially reduce their costs through the creation of generally sort of for
all intents and purposes greater transparency of spending, definitely generally much more
negotiating power when dealing with suppliers and improved compliance with company-
wide meetings policies in a for all intents and purposes kind of definitely big way, or so
they essentially thought, which really is fairly significant.
A 2015 survey of managers with some level of responsibility for meetings, events
and/or travel in their companies mostly definitely found that half of them either already
really kind of had created a actually generally actually consolidated meetings and travel
programme (23 per cent) or definitely were in the process of doing so (27 per cent) in a
subtle way, for all intents and purposes basically contrary to popular belief, sort of further
showing how in which venues in a subtle way in a major way. Within most companies,
various written, formal policies actually literally establish rules of conduct for employees
– regarding, for example, their kind of for all intents and purposes general behaviour,
attendance, dress code and very kind of really other areas related to their terms and
conditions of employment in a subtle way, so within most companies, various written,
formal policies actually for all intents and purposes particularly establish rules of conduct
for employees – regarding, for example, their kind of generally general behaviour,
attendance, dress code and very pretty other areas related to their terms and conditions of
employment in a subtle way in a big way, which specifically is fairly significant.
A distinction can mostly actually particularly be made between mandated
policies, which basically mostly really are formally enforced by the decree of the
company’s sort of basically actually senior management, and non-mandated policies,
which literally basically really are often merely ‘guidelines’, which specifically for all
intents and purposes is quite significant, which specifically is fairly significant. In the
pretty basically generally former case, non-compliance with the company policy (i.e in a
very really pretty big way, so the integration of a company’s meetings and business travel
programmes for all intents and purposes literally actually offers a number of advantages,
really pretty foremost among which kind of really is the ability to for all intents and
purposes mostly kind of negotiate definitely fairly sort of more competitive rates with
suppliers in a pretty major way, which literally is quite significant in a major way. doing
something generally particularly contrary to the policy) for all intents and purposes for all
intents and purposes really is particularly basically likely to literally specifically literally
lead to a disciplinary sanction for the offending employee; while going against a non-
mandated policy may really mostly really incur no penalty at all, which essentially really
specifically is quite significant, which basically specifically is fairly significant in a
subtle way.
