An Impact Evaluation Framework: Local Government Community Festivals

Abstract

This article brings together the author's previous research and consultancy along with a review of literature from several disciplines to develop a framework that summarizes the concepts, methods, and processes required to successfully evaluate the impacts of local government community festivals. Events and festivals are a relatively underresearched area but have experienced a growing amount of public sector expenditure. The framework developed and presented here is in response to the need to encourage greater evaluation of this activity and in doing so recognize the complexity of the process. The impacts of many such festivals are diverse (economic, social, environmental), far reaching (local, national, international), and long term. The evaluation of these impacts, therefore, requires an understanding of the concepts involved and the development of a range of tools and methods. The proposed framework is informed by the empirical research, theory, and practice in the areas of information systems, marketing communications, event studies, and public sector evaluation. Bringing together these distinct but related fi elds of study has enabled the development of a comprehensive and novel approach to event impact evaluation.

Evaluative event frameworks: A learning destination perspective

“…Defined by Yin (, p. 13) as an “investigation of a contemporary phenomenon within its real‐life context, especially when the boundaries between phenomenon and context are not clearly evident, and that relies on multiple sources of evidence, with data needing to converge in a triangulating fashion,” the case study approach is one that, although not immune from criticism, has gained credibility in recent years in the field of tourism (Beeton, ). More specifically, Dredge (, p. 271) argues that it serves as an “ideal approach for exploring the dynamics, role and influence of destination networks.” This is also a stance adopted by Wood (, p. 7) in her acceptance that “research in the ‘real’ social world needs to be flexible and inventive and, in order to have any validity, needs to be triangulated and supported through techniques that are at times composite, iterative, or longitudinal in nature.” That being said, although Wood (, p. 8) proposes a “standardized framework for developing, administering, and using impact evaluation,” this study moves beyond “impact” to real decision making in the context of events at tourist destinations.…”

“…Lacking in both the professional sector and academia, however, are more rounded, holistic, and multidimensional frameworks that, rather than measuring and monitoring impact, actually facilitate decision making as to what events should take place in a destination, when, where, and with what overriding purpose (Wood, ). As such, this study does not seek to measure impact but to identify a suitably robust and inclusive process to facilitate decision making at the destination level and so avoid the “unchecked growth” omnipresent in so many destinations whereby events are developed with “insufficient planning, strategy and forethought” (Wood, , p .3). The complexity of destinations adds to the degree of difficulty in achieving such an ideal with isolation of decision making and the often limited sharing of information and resources hindering the collaborative sharing of knowledge upon which to base real decision making.…”

Evaluating publicly supported periodic events: the design of credible, usable and effective evaluation

“…This emphasizes the need for carefully prepared evaluations taking into account all key stakeholders (e.g., local residents, local entrepreneurs, attendees and others). A multi-stakeholder approach is also recommended if valuing (worth or merit) is the objective (Brown et al, 2015;Wood, 2009).…”

“…To event organizations planning and operating periodic events and festivals, evaluation is used to improve management practice and performance while providing the means of effectively communicating event outcomes to external stakeholders (Bowdin, Allen, O'Toole, Harris, & McDonnell, 2012). To local governments investing in a periodic event, evaluation is of increased interest as a mechanism of confidently demonstrating a return in the use of those public funds (Wood, 2009).…”

Traditional and alternative methods of tourist event evaluation: case study of the Czech Republic

“…Finding a universal evaluation model for acquiring a full and precise results about a particular event s outputs and effects is impossible. Wood (2009) states that despite their popularity, statistical methods of working with objective data are not very suitable in case of events with many social, cultural and other intangible effects.…”