Abstract:
Event management is an industry that has a wide range of sub-categories made up of different
requirements. Creative and knowledgeable employees are essential to survive in the event
management sector. Numbers of developing countries and developed countries have upgraded their
national skills and competencies standard system to cater to tourism and events. Purpose of this study
was to understand the concept of competency and to determine the need for an innovative
competency model for the Sri Lankan event and exhibition industry. The objectives of the study were
to identify existing awareness of the event and exhibition industry professionals on the need of
innovative competencies and to identify the key competencies which are currently practiced by the
event professionals. Primary data collected through semi-structured interviews from eleven event and
exhibition industry professionals representing eleven organizations out of twenty-eight event
management organizations in Sri Lanka with the membership of Sri Lanka Association of
Professional Conference, Exhibition and Event Organizers (SLAPCEO). This study utilized content
analysis in the analysis and the findings of the study reveal that industry professionals have an
average level of knowledge regarding the benefits of innovative competencies. But they are using
some general competencies in their existing working environment and the researchers could identify
five main competencies among them and they can be named as time management, human resource
management, marketing skills, work under pressure, and creativity. And four main innovative
competency categories emerged from the analysis namely operation management, entrepreneurial
skills, and personal characteristics and communication competencies. Based on those four main
categories the researcher listed all the identified competencies that were included in the gathered data
and developed a competency model. Interpretation and commentary assist event and exhibition
industry professionals in Sri Lanka to determine the importance of innovative competencies and the
competitive advantage of using them to intelligently capture the opportunities.
Keywords: Events and exhibition industry; Innovative competencies; Industry professionals; Event
competency model
