A commentary by Kenneth Wardrop on “Explicating inter organizational linkages of a host community’s events network”

Citation

(2010), "A commentary by Kenneth Wardrop on “Explicating inter organizational linkages of a host community’s events network”", International Journal of Event and Festival Management, Vol. 1 No. 2. https://doi.org/10.1108/ijefm.2010.43401baa.004

A commentary by Kenneth Wardrop on “Explicating inter organizational linkages of a host community’s events network”

Article Type: Commentaries From: International Journal of Event and Festival Management, Volume 1, Issue 2

by Vassilios Ziakas and Carla A Costa

This paper is helpful in reinforcing the importance for event and festival practitioners in understanding the importance and awareness of networks, linkages and relationships between collaborative partners in securing financial and other support. It also highlights the importance of community capacity building. The essential element of trust in collaborations is also recognised. For me it confirmed the importance of networks as a mechanism that makes collaborations especially effective.

The paper suggests to me that an early analysis of levels of “trust and moral obligation” could be a vital litmus test or tool for practitioners to help them establish the likely success or otherwise of collaborative partnerships.

The scope of the analysis of this paper is very tightly drawn with reference to the small community of Fort Stockton, Texas making me question the application of the findings on a wider basis. As a practitioner I also found the paper very technical and theoretical. The paper would have been strengthened in my view from more exploration of the insights and perspectives from the events and their organisers identified in the case study. As the authors identify a wider analysis of events networks in different locations (scale and culture) would help establish how applicable the analysis and learning points could be on a more general basis. An unanswered question for me is: “Do the same rules and learning points apply for larger scale events at a national or country level basis for example?”

There is a hint in the paper about the importance of leadership and the draw backs or downsides of collaborations. Greater investigation of those aspects of collaboration would be of interest. There is also a sense that despite inconsistencies in the relations and links in networks there was no suggestion that in events where this was the case for the events audience or consumer there was any decline in the quality of the experience.

A question unanswered for me was the challenges of tight networks with respect of group think and as a block to new entrants from groups not represented in these networks. Youth or “indie” events come to mind.

In conclusion as a practitioner I found some of the analysis made me think about the importance of networks in successful collaborations but overall I found the paper too technical and theoretical and tightly drawn on one communities experience to be convinced of the general applicability of the findings presented. Nevertheless, an interesting area of research worthy of greater exploration for those of us working in the industry and immersed in collaborations.

13 April 2010