Be a Manager

The event attended for this blog entry is The Marina Bay Singapore Countdown 2010/2011. The celebration and events related to the New Year are celebrated annually in Singapore; however, the Marina Bay Singapore Countdown 2010/2011 is a first - “With the landscape of the Marina Bay area constantly changing and the recent opening of the towering Marina Bay Sands, the countdown to 2011 will be the most spectacular ever.”

As quoted, the countdown is more than just a simple party, as it has become a tradition in modern Singapore. Thus, the objective of this event is to give Singaporeans and those in Singapore an opportunity to get together and unite with common aspirations, hopes and dreams for the year ahead. Many cities are famed for their New Year’s Eve celebrations, and Singapore has joined the likes of them in being able to throw a massive party, welcoming the New Year with dazzling fireworks and an all-round feeling of joy and positivity.

Hosted by popular local celebrities Gurmit Singh and Michelle Chia; the featured performances vary from celebrity guest stars to reality show contestants. There were various musical acts as well, that were played by prominent musicians and DJs. Some celebrities include home grown musical talents Jack and Rai, the latest Singapore Idol winner Sezairi Sezali, and Idol finalist Sylvia Ratonel. Other performers include the top talents from the reality show One Moment of Glory which showcased their amazing singing, dancing and acrobatic prowess to the crowd.

As advertised, the event lasts a full 7 hours starting from 7.30 pm all the way till 3 am next morning, with a full blown dance party that ensues immediately after the main countdown event. Popular guest DJs DJ Will and Dj Kennerve took over by playing dance hits for those who choose to stay and party some more.

With reference to how the event is planned and organized with its late night partying and vibrant cast of performers and performances, it would seem that the event is targeted at teenagers and youths. In my opinion however, this event is not only target at the youths or teens, but generally the young at heart and those who are looking to spend an exciting New Year’s.

While it is true that majority of the crowds present at the event were mostly teens and youth ranging from 16 to well over 20 years old, I do see some older looking participants at the event that looked well over their thirties and still partying and having a good time. Perhaps at my current location, due to the noisier atmosphere and rowdier crowd, it would thus be better suited to the younger crowd. However, it is to be noted that besides the main target focus, the event includes families and the elderly too.

Citing information given from the official website; free admission is given to children below 2 years and infants, and discounts for older children and senior citizens alike. This suggests that though the organizers of this event do have the main target audience and market of youth, they are not excluding secondary markets of families, children and the elderly. Thus, this event does not specifically nor overtly designate a target market, although it focuses on a particular segment, other potential market segments are not ignored.

The Marina Bay Singapore Countdown was an event that was widely publicized through the use of various forms of media, arguably, the event organizers may have used up most if not all forms of media advertising and publicity for this event.

Firstly, there is the string of television advertisements that was aired extensively about a month before the event itself. I can recall the advertisements being played at least two times within an hour of television viewing on Channel 5. Therefore, in terms of television advertising, the event was widely and frequently publicized not in just one channel, but in various other channels as well. (Channels 5,8, U and News-Asia, etc.) If anything, I can accord this to the organizers using just one media platform to drive the message across to its audiences with redundancy. In my opinion, the usage of television advertising for the event was very effective, as it definitely caught my attention to find out more.

The event was also publicized on the radio, with intensive radio advertisements regarding the countdown taking place especially during the week before the event itself. I first heard the radio advertisement on 98.7 FM, followed by a host of other radio stations. I heard the advertisement being played during the peak hours of 6-7 pm, a possible effort by the organizers to try to get the message across to as many listeners as possible.

Additionally, out-of-home advertising in the form of bus stop posters and banner advertisements on lamp posts has been used as well, stressing the extensive effort of the organizers to make use of nearly every media platform. Personally, I see the bus stop advertisement once out of an average of every 5-7 bus stops; the pervasiveness of the advertisement is thus effected almost everywhere, even being advertised on television screens in MRT stations.

Finally, the event makes use of the New Media, in various ways, and is perhaps the most extensive in terms of making use of any one particular media platform. The Marina Bay Countdown event was advertised on the popular social networking site Facebook, Mediacorp/Microsoft affiliated local website Xinmsn, online events and competitions set up where free tickets to the event are given to raise awareness, and last but not least the official website itself. Audiences using the new media can go to www.marinabaycountdown.com.sg to find out more about the event, and even order tickets online.

The event was reported in the media, with news reports from both print and television media covering it. For print, the event was covered in various newspapers within local news segments or lifestyle supplements. News reports can be found in both tabloid and broadsheet papers as well. In terms of television media reporting, the event was actually covered and reported live on Channel 5, a part of the event was thus broadcast live during the prime-time slots. Lastly, the event is also reported online, with various online sources covering the countdown.

An example of an online news report can be found here:

http://news.xin.msn.com/en/singapore/article.aspx?cp-documentid=4548737

As from the article, the media positions itself from an objective standpoint. Giving statistical facts and figures, trends and backgrounds related to the event, and interviewing key figures that are involved in the event itself, I would say that the media indeed portrays the report with an angle of objectivity.

Such a form of coverage is very important. The main focus of the article upon including vital information that is directly related towards the event is in my opinion, extremely helpful towards anybody that is interested in finding out more. By not just portraying the viewpoint of how attractive the event is in terms of performances or celebrities as most other news articles do, the angle that this report takes provides readers with intricate and immaculate detail of the entire event as a work in progress. As from the article, it even includes the angle of safety and security, covering how due to the increased numbers attending the event, the security will thus be tightened. The report also gave helpful suggestions to readers to take the public transport due to increased congestion on the roads as a result of road closure. The impact of this news report is thus reflected in the reader’s ability to further understand what the event is about, how it will proceed, and what to look forward to.

In my opinion, this media report is very useful. As mentioned, it provides readers with a new and refreshing look on the event. The report was very detailed in its description and inclusion of information related to the countdown, as it provides a very structured list of the people involved and not just main events, but various other highlights as well. I would think that such reports will impact readers more in the long run, as although it may not be as catchy as more condensed or summarized versions, this will actually give a lot of depth to the reader and thus allow him or her to understand and remember more about the event itself. This can thus create an impression, and an impact that lasts longer.

As a manager of this project, I would say that the event was successful to a large extent. However, there are definitely certain aspects of the event that can be improved on to make it even better, and more successful throughout.

Judging from the turnout of the crowd and how the resulting MRT stations at Marina Bay were packed to its extremities (more on this later as well), in terms of ticket sales and the overall turnout, it was a definite success in this context.

With the understanding that profit and publicity would definitely play vital roles in determining an event’s success, I am confident in believing that the profit made from this event was substantial, and that the extensive coverage of the event gave very credible proof to substantiate its public awareness and popularity.

Observing the audience’s reaction towards the various performances and overall content of the event, I would say that that too, is a considerable success. The audience thoroughly enjoyed themselves and maintained a positive and overall upbeat disposition throughout the night, cheering and supporting each and every performance and presentation and not showing any signs of tiredness or boredom.

Hence, because of the wide variety of content presented with good use of lighting and effects to further draw the crowd in, the content segment that was presented was also very successful. It especially pleased the crowds that for this countdown, celebrity DJs were invited and the party was extended till the next morning. The itinerary was literally packed from dusk till dawn.

In terms of customers getting their bang for buck, I would also classify it as a definitive success. With reference to the abovementioned content filled event, I am confident that the audiences did not feel cheated of their money in terms of value, and I am sure that most of them felt that they definitely had every dollar they paid used to the full. This is extremely important, as with any successful event, you would want to have audiences come back the next time it is organized again. Therefore, if the participants of this year’s countdown not only had a good time but felt that they had their money’s worth, it thus meets and exceeds customer expectations.

Some aspects of the event however, could definitely be handled better so as to make it a total success.

Firstly, taking into consideration that most events of such a scale would really be a logistical nightmare, I would say that the Marina Bay Countdown definitely suffered from the same problem that ails most if not all of events on such a proportion. In terms of amenities, there was food and drinks provided at quite a costly price, but bigger problem would be getting the food in the midst of all the crowds. With all the partying and moshing, thirsty audiences proved to be the bigger problem during the event, as those who did not bring their own water thus had to fight through the crowds to get a drink and back.

What can be done to solve this issue can be the very simple task of including a bottle of water with every ticket purchased. Taking references to how the goodie bags given during National Day Parades to the audiences can thus be copied to good use. I would thus provide each ticket holder with something similar, but just the basic necessities.

One other logistical problem would be as mentioned, the coming and going of so many people concentrated in such a small area. Singapore is a small country, but to have thousands of people squeezing for the last bus or train at the same place can be quite unnerving. As a manager, I recognize this as a very prevalent problem not just in this particular event, but regardless of any events on such a scale. Efforts were made to mitigate the situation with security trying to control the crowds and extended public transport hours, but it was minimal at best in its efforts to stem the tide of people massing at the same place.

Solving this problem immediately is definitely no mean feat, however, what I would do as the event manager to better mitigate the situation is to liaise with various private bus companies to provide shuttle services, be it free or at a cost, to ferry people out of the vicinity. This, in addition to the crowd control and public transport, can greatly help in a short term in at least clearing out the most crowded areas.

One other major cause for concern is the directional issues. As far as the participants of the event were concerned, there was practically no use for whatever directional input that was given or instructed. The fact of the matter was that, the crowd was so immense and concentrated, that pointing people towards the right direction would ultimately result in wading neck deep in a sea of people and eventually losing your way or going wayward. There were also issues during the point of entry, by which the designated ticked collection counter was not clear, resulting in a lot of detours and re-routing. Such administrative and logistical issues might seem trivial, however, when thousands of people are concerned, one delay will result in another and cause a massive jam.

Therefore, if I was the manager of the event, I would take into serious consideration that although the area may be able to hold all these people, it may not be logistically feasible. I would rather reduce the amount of tickets being sold and people involved so as to provide them with a more pleasant experience, than try and get as many people to buy the tickets and have them squeeze tighter than a pack of sardines. As a manager, I would value customer satisfaction and expectation more than profit, and I will not hesitate to reduce the number of tickets sold for a better overall experience.

In retrospect, the event can definitely be viewed as a success from certain perspectives. However, if I was the manager, I would thus use simple and easy solutions to ultimately make it a bigger, better and more successful event. All in all, I believe that simplicity and elegance are the best ways to solve managerial problems, no matter how big or small. The simpler the solution, the more effective it would be.

Here are some pictures from the event:

The Manager

The Manager

Name: Mr Chua Chian Kiat

Age: 57

Designation: Quantity Surveyor

Company: JIA Quantity Surveyors and Project Managers Pte Ltd.

Mr Chua Chian Kiat, 57, is a quantity surveyor working at JIA Quantity Surveyors & Project Managers Pte Ltd. Having worked in this company for twenty years since 1990, he has since been promoted to the position of Director of the company.

Part of his job scope involves managing and providing consultancy services for various building construction projects, and giving accurate measurements of building component quantities. Also, he manages and gives advice on building contractual laws and the preparation of tender and contract documentation for the building project. He is also responsible for settling project costs and accounts as well.

Pertaining towards his job responsibilities as a manager; being the Director of his company, his responsibilities include managing various project teams of quantity surveyors to accomplish the abovementioned services. He also monitors and reviews staff performance and looks after the welfare of his employees.

Mr Chua’s management style is an amalgamation of various approaches, however, he sums it up in a few words; “Basically I take a more personal approach towards my employees.” Mr Chua explains broadly the importance of first building up a strong rapport between the managers and their employees. This aspect thus closely relates with one of Henri Fayol’s 14 principles of management; whereby building up strong Esprit De Corps promotes harmony and unity within the organization. Mr Chua explains that as most of his work requires working as a project team, nothing is more important than first getting the team dynamics right, to get off to a good start.

Mr Chua stresses on the importance of giving due recognition and accreditation towards those who deserve it, yet at the same time approaching those who are lacking in their work to see what the problem is as well. Part of his managerial style thus involves an understanding of the Human relations school of management, where Maslow’s hierarchy of needs come into play. By giving recognition in terms of praise or public accreditation, it would help fulfil an employee’s level of Esteem, whereby the need to be thus appropriately recognized is achieved. “Nothing is quite as motivating as being publicly recognized and praised by your superiors for your good work and effort.” Mr Chua adds.

However, as mentioned, there is a need to properly address those who are lacking or underperforming as well. As Mr Chua stresses the importance of personal relations between the manager and the employee, he would often personally and privately meet up and/or counsel his employees that are not up to par. “I would find time to privately meet and discuss with my employees any problems that they have that is causing a lapse in their work, as I believe that everyone makes mistakes. However, if they still continue providing slipshod work, I will be very firm with my decision to penalize or even terminate them if the case is serious enough.” Mr Chua’s style of management in this aspect closely reflects Theory Z of Human relations management. Indeed, interpersonal relations between managers and workers are explicitly stressed. However, a strong sense of authority is maintained as well in the form of being firm with his constantly underperforming employees, to be in control.

Additionally, it is also in Mr Chua’s style to “provide employees who have no confidence in their projects with guidelines and the necessary assistance so as to help persuade the employee to push on.” Mr Chua explains that it is important to understand and take into account the needs of his employees, as it directly affects their work as well. To quote as an example, he elaborates the point of new employees having a tendency to be lost or confused in their work due to their inexperience, and thus steps should be taken to ensure that they are not left to fend for themselves.

Thus, this managerial process can be closely linked to “Theory X and Y” of Human Relations as well; where managers indeed integrate the needs of the workers and those of the organization. Also, by providing employees with assistance, it can be seen as a Theory X style of employing coercion to motivate them.

Some difficulties that Mr Chua faces as a manager includes the fact that many of their new employees may possess the technical qualifications or certifications, but do not possess the work or industrial experience to work well. “Even if you graduate with first-class honours in bachelor of engineering or construction, it does not mean much if you do not know a thing about Quantity Surveying.” Mr Chua adds.

This is coupled and closely tied to the second problem that he faces as a manager: “The most recent trend in many workplaces and industries is that we are facing a higher and higher turnover rate, which is extremely bad for any company. The young and fresh graduates who step into the working society are becoming less and less tolerant of staying in any line of work for long and they switch companies or jobs like they change clothes.”

Mr Chua explains that whilst employee inexperience is an expected norm, the high turnover rate makes it such that no one stays long enough to “learn the ropes”, and this poses a great problem to his company. Part of his effort to mitigate this problem thus involves providing additional motivations and incentives. “Salary increases or adjustments to personal welfare can be made towards potential employees to persuade them to stay.” Mr Chua adds. “However, this is dependent on the financial health of the company.” Herzberg’s Hygiene and Motivation Factors can be applied here, in his effort to mitigate the problem, giving due recognition of his employee’s work thus pertains to the Motivational Factors and the salary and welfare adjustments to the Hygiene Factors.

When asked if there was any additional points that factors into the making of a good manager, Mr Chua replies, “Towards all the points I have listed out, if you are even able to meet the abovementioned points & criteria and keep it in balance constantly, you will already be a very good manager, and go far in your career.”