21st Century Meeting and Event Technologies

Seungwon "Shawn" Lee, PhD, is currently assistant professor at the Center for Sport Management, Tourism and Events Management, at George Mason University in Manassas, Virginia. Professor Lee's professional work and research focuses on meeting/event management and the impact of technology on site selection and meeting management. He has a very unique combination of education and work experience that leads to his current research and teaching specialty with a BS in computer science engineering, an MTA in tourism and hospitality management, and a PhD in tourism and hospitality management. He spent five years as a computer programmer and assistant manager of technology professional development and IT strategy planning team for SAMSUNG in South Korea. He worked as a convention/meeting coordinator for the Association of Science and Technology Centers and director of special events for Korean-American Centennial National Gala in Washington, D.C. He also worked as a meeting technology research specialist for Continuing and Professional Education at Virginia Tech.He has published his research in the areas of meeting/convention/event management and impacts of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) on the meeting/event industry in the Journal of Convention and Event Tourism (JCET), the Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Technology (JHTT), Event Management (EM), Tourism Review International (TRI), Current Issues in Tourism (CIT), and the International Journal of Event and Festival Management (IJEFM). He also presented his research at the International Council on Hotel, Restaurant and Institution Education (I-CHRIE), International Special Event Society (ISES) Annual Professional Development Conference, International Hospitality and Convention Expo, and the Educational Technology Leadership Conference.Dr. Lee is the recipient of the 2013 GMU Teaching Excellence "Teacher of Distinction" for his dedication and highly effective teaching and was also nominated for the 2012 Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) Educator of the Year award.Dessislava Boshnakova, PhD, is senior assistant professor of International Activities and Public Relations at New Bulgarian University, Sofia, Bulgaria, and owner and managing director of ROI Communication, a public relations firm. She has been engaged in public relations theory and practice since 1998 and has consulted and trained in over 100 companies and organizations. She is a speaker at many events in the PR industry in Bulgaria and abroad.Dr. Joe Goldblatt, FRSA, is the executive director of the International Centre for the Study of Planned Events at Queen Margaret University in Edinburgh, United Kingdom. He is the author and editor of 20 books in the field of event management and marketing. Dr. Goldblatt has conducted event management consultancies in Scotland, United Kingdom, Israel, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Palestine, the Philippines, and Thailand for organizations such as the US Agency for International Development (US AID). In addition, he has conducted assessment and evaluation programs for a wide range of government and commercial clients throughout the world.

"If you are looking for well-rounded coverage of a wide range of events technology issues with lots of specific ideas for adoption, selection and implementation, I highly recommend this book. . . . It covers a broad range of events technology issues with thoughtful insight. This book fills a substantial need for meeting professionals to make sense of the rapidly changing plethora of choices available. Starting with the history of event technology, this important work covers the strategic use of technology. It progresses through an analysis of several technology product categories, It covers many important marketing issues and then looks to the future. I heartily commend the efforts of Drs. Lee, Boshnakova, and Goldbatt in putting together this important academic work that will be highly useful for both students and the meeting professionals wishing to advance their career."—From the Foreword by Corbin Ball, CMP, CSP, DES, Meetings Technology Analyst, Corbin Ball & Co."The importance of this topic cannot be overestimated. It is crucial for both students and current industry professionals worldwide to understand the concept of evolving technology for the events field, as introduced in this book. Dr. Joe Goldblatt is a pioneer in the events industry, and by collaborating with two of his former students who are in the ‘digital’ generation, the perspectives are comprehensive and varied. "—Patti J. Shock, CPCE, CHT, Academic Consultant, The International School of Hospitality and Professor Emeritus, University of Nevada, Las Vegas

• Foreword by Corbin Ball. Preface. Introduction. Part I: The Traditions and Trajectory of Meeting and Event Technology. 1. The History of Meeting and Event Technology. 2. Using the Right Technology for the Right Purpose . 3. Meeting and Event Search Engine Optimization. 4. Venue and Suppliers Search Technology. Part II: Meeting and Event Technology for Design, Planning, and Evaluation. 5. Meeting and Event Design Technology. 6. Meeting and Event Administration Technology Solutions (Intranet and other internal solutions) . 7. Virtual Meeting and Events. 8. Evaluation of Meeting and Event Technology. Part III: Successful Marketing of Meetings and Events through Technology. 9. Marketing with Wikis, Websites, Blogs and Podcasts. 10. Meeting and Event Social Media and Network Technology Solutions. 11. Mobile Applications for Meeting and Event Marketing. 12. Guest-Generated Content. 13. Registration and Transaction Systems. 14. Crowdsourcing for Events. Part IV: The Future of Meeting and Events Technology: Case Studies and Additional Resources. 15. Futuristic tech trends that will influence our events. Meeting and Event Technology: Case Studies.