Event Planning Ethics and Etiquette
By Judy Allen; 234 pages; published by John Wiley & Sons Canada
There is no question that event planning is big business, something that
author and event planner Judy Allen addressed in her previous book The
Business of Event Planning. Much like that publication, her latest
offering is filled with expert advice and insider tips for professional event
planners or anyone interested in the subject of business ethics and etiquette.
The first part of the book focuses on the ethical cost of doing business and
maintaining ethical boundaries - a particularly hot topic in the aftermath
of Enron and other corporate scandals. Allen offers suggestions on how to
handle on-site meetings, business meals, and other industry functions, as
well as how to properly deal with proposals and quotes, and the importance
of confidentiality in all matters. She then looks at business etiquette and
the fine balance that event planners must strive for when working with clients
and suppliers, whether it's at their office, in a restaurant, at home, or
at another event. The last section of the book is dedicated to codes of conduct,
with entire chapters on crisis management, event planning dos and don'ts,
and developing ethics and etiquette policies. Lists of important questions
to ask, sample crisis management plans, and plenty of insider tips round out
the package.
Although not focused specifically on nonprofit event planning, this book contains invaluable information for anyone who handles events for their organization. A host of real world stories from the field - the good, the bad, and the ugly - serve as examples of codes of conduct (or lack thereof) as well as cautionary tales of what can happen when ethics and etiquette fall to the wayside. Allen thoroughly examines many scenarios and provides practical advice that any planner would be foolish not to heed. Those who read this book will be well prepared to deal with the many ethical dilemmas that arise in the event planning industry, while those who do not might be in for a rude awakening.
Buy the book:
Canada: buy through Amazon.ca: CDN$31.47
International: buy through Amazon.com: US$20.97
