This research analyses the extent to which sustainability at a festival can be managed and how desirable behaviour can be communicated and established.
With decreasing profits through record sales, artists increasingly depend on live performances and touring. As it is common knowledge that big music festivals often harm the environment, visitors expect event organizers to comply with sustainable measures. Festival managers are, however, restricted in their implementation of eco-friendly practices, as an event is dependent on the interaction of many stakeholders. Music festivals offer a unique opportunity for event managers to attempt to influence attendee’s behaviour to be more sustainable through their diversity and playfulness. By creating the appropriate framework, festival creators can shift a festival towards sustainability. To do that, they must understand their stakeholders’ values, motivators, drivers, and barriers of greening an outdoor music festival.
This paper is based on data derived from existing research and literature in the fields of event management, sustainability, sociology and behavioural research. It illustrates basic greening approaches along with the operational limits of event organizers.
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
2 Sustainability
2.1 Definition
2.2 Relevance of the Topic
2.3 Focus
3 Stakeholder Analysis
3.1 Stakeholder Theory
3.2 Concepts of Stakeholder Classification
3.3 Internal Stakeholders
3.4 External Stakeholders
3.5 Stakeholders’ Influence on Sustainable Development
4 Measures for a Greener Festival
4.1 Power Sources
4.1.1 Diesel-Fuelled Generators
4.1.2 Biodiesel and Hybrid Power Generators
4.1.3 Solar and Wind Power
4.2 Waste Management
4.2.1 Waste Reduction
4.2.2 Waste Management and Recycling
4.3 Travel Emissions
4.3.1 Audience Travel
4.3.2 Production and On-Site Transport; Artist and Crew Travel
4.4 Existing Regulations and Best Practice
5 Strategies to Reduce an Audience’s Negative Impact on Sustainability
5.1 Social Marketing
5.1.1 Audience Behaviour
5.1.2 Social Marketing Mix
5.2 Consumer Value
5.3 Manager’s Drivers and Barriers towards Greening: The Mair & Jago Model
5.4 Communicating Sustainable Objectives
5.4.1 Incentives and Rewards
5.4.2 Penalties
5.4.3 Increasing Awareness through Information and Participation
6 Conclusion
Research Objectives and Core Themes
This thesis examines the socio-economic challenges inherent in organizing sustainable, eco-friendly outdoor music festivals. It explores how festival managers can navigate stakeholder relationships, implement environmental measures, and use social marketing strategies to influence attendee behavior toward more sustainable practices.
- Stakeholder influence on environmental sustainability in the events sector.
- Technical approaches to waste reduction and renewable power generation.
- Social marketing strategies for shifting audience behavior.
- The role of "eco-champions" and personal commitment in festival management.
- Balancing operational feasibility with ambitious green goals.
Excerpt from the Book
4.1.1 Diesel-Fuelled Generators
The most commonly used source of temporary power are diesel-fuelled generators. Simplified, these are typically consisting of a diesel engine and a power generator, transforming mechanical energy, the rotation of the shaft, into electricity. The generator is connected to a tank that is consistently providing a certain amount of fuel (see Advanced Diesel Engineering LTD 2020, Web). Diesel generators are considered as a very reliable source of energy, as they do not require a high level of expertise or setup time and secure the power demand of the site as the tanks are regularly filled up. Nevertheless, this type of mineral diesel generator is responsible for the highest output of carbon emissions of all common temporary power types, emitting on average 2.69kg CO2e per litre (see UK Government 2019, Web). CO2e describes different greenhouse gases (GHG) that are converted into a common unit, representing the equivalent global warming impact of CO2.
To understand these figures, the negative impacts of CO2 and the use of fossil fuels need to be explained. Over the last century, human activity of burning fossil fuels has been changing the earth’s natural greenhouse effect. Since the beginning of the industrial revolution, the atmospheric concentration of CO2 has increased by more than a third (NASA 2020). Gases like CO2, methane, nitrous oxide among others block heat from escaping the atmosphere and force global warming. By burning carbon-based fuel, carbon is converted to carbon dioxide and released in the atmosphere (Forest Research 2020, Web). An equilibrium can be created by vegetation, as help regulating the climate when absorbing CO2 from the atmosphere.
Summary of Chapters
1 Introduction: Provides an overview of the live music industry's growth and its significant environmental footprint, outlining the research aim to determine efficient greening approaches.
2 Sustainability: Defines sustainability through its social, economic, and environmental pillars and establishes the relevance of the topic within the outdoor festival context.
3 Stakeholder Analysis: Analyzes the complex network of internal and external stakeholders and their crucial influence on the successful implementation of sustainable developments.
4 Measures for a Greener Festival: Discusses technical and operational measures, including power sources, waste management, and travel emissions, that festivals can adopt to improve their ecological performance.
5 Strategies to Reduce an Audience’s Negative Impact on Sustainability: Investigates the application of social marketing, consumer value models, and communication strategies to foster pro-environmental behavior among attendees.
6 Conclusion: Synthesizes the findings, affirming that while management tools for sustainability exist, success depends on stakeholder cooperation and personal commitment from leadership.
Keywords
Sustainable Event Management, Music Festivals, Stakeholder Analysis, Social Marketing, Waste Management, Renewable Energy, Carbon Footprint, Audience Behavior, Eco-Champion, Circularity, Environmental Sustainability, Green Practices, Stakeholder Theory, Consumer Value, Event Management
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental purpose of this thesis?
The thesis analyzes the socio-economic challenges faced by music festival organizers when attempting to implement sustainable practices and identifies effective strategies to mitigate the environmental impact of these events.
What are the primary thematic areas covered?
The core themes include stakeholder management, technical environmental solutions (such as energy and waste), and behavioral science strategies like social marketing to influence attendee choices.
What is the main research objective?
The goal is to determine the most efficient approaches for reducing emissions and to analyze how festival managers can communicate green values to influence decision-makers and the audience.
Which scientific methodology is utilized?
This paper relies on an analysis of existing literature, industry studies, and established theoretical frameworks from the fields of event management, sociology, and behavioral research.
What does the main body focus on?
The main body explores the identification of stakeholders, practical technical measures for greening, and strategies—specifically social marketing—to change audience behavior.
How are the key themes characterized?
Key themes are characterized by the interplay between technical feasibility, the power of leadership (eco-champions), and the psychological drivers behind consumer sustainability choices.
How does the Mair & Jago model apply to music festivals?
The model is adapted to identify specific internal and external drivers and barriers to greening, highlighting that personal commitment is often the strongest catalyst for change.
What role do attendees play in the festival's sustainability?
Attendees represent a critical stakeholder group. Since audience travel and on-site behavior account for a large portion of an event's carbon footprint, their engagement and cooperation are essential for a successful green strategy.
Why is circularity important in this context?
Circularity represents the most advanced form of waste policy, where all resource flows are tracked and managed to prevent waste, as demonstrated by the case study of the DGTL Festival.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Paul Schäfer (Autor:in), 2020, Sustainable Event Management. The Socio-Economic Challenges of Hosting an Eco-Friendly Music Festival, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/915606
