In this article we examine the career paths of top-level managers in the arts. By analysing the training and work history of 23 managers in a variety of arts organisations we evaluate the utility of several existing theories for understanding careers that are characterised by low levels of initial knowledge, the absence of a clear method of entry and the influence of a central interest in artistic activity. Our findings show that while both boundaryless and protean models shed some light on the career trajectories of arts managers, theories based on personality and identity have a large part to play in explaining their choices. The factors describing patterns of movement exhibited by arts managers are likely to be applicable to other groups emerging into a less structured, rapidly changing employment context.

Despite the growing economic and cultural importance of artistic institutions, relatively little is known about how aesthetic concerns and the demands of artistic production influence administrative roles. In this article, we investigate the strategic decision-making process in a varied sample of Canadian arts organizations, concentrating on the issues that emerge as crucial for the organization and the individuals and groups that participate in the decision-making process.

Voluntary associations are an integral fonn of social capital in democratic societies. These associations make vital contributions to community life. Many associations are successful in meeting the needs of their constituency and thrive over many decades. These long serving associations are not static vehicles, like all organisations, they are subject to internal and external pressures for change. It is a significant challenge for volunteer associations to maintain 'a watch' on the external environment whilst responding to the needs of their stakeholders. Previously vibrant associations may experience a decline in membership and social standing as a result of significant changes in society and technology. We track a nonprofit voluntary association from its inception in the 1960s through it responses to major environmental turbulence during the late 1980s, 1990s, and early 2000s when the survival of the organisation was in doubt. We outline the changes that took place from 2003 that reorientated, revitalised and reshaped the association including a major shift in focus from services to members to services to the community. This study provides academics and practitioners with an appreciation of the forces of organisational decline and a case study of successful change in a voluntary association.

Click to increase image sizeClick to decrease image sizeKeywords: arts managementarts organizationsdecision-making processleadership styles

Despite the large amount of research into leadership available in academic journals, little relates to the roles leaders play in arts organizations, particularly the many small arts organizations which provide major contributions to arts performance, exhibition and education in Australia today. This paper explores leadership in small arts organizations, using in-depth interviews with four executives to discover who leads these organizations, and what style of leadership is considered appropriate. Our findings suggest that these organizations are usually led by more than one person with leadership often shared between an artistic director and an arts administrator. We also found that the dominant leadership style in these organizations appears to be transformational. This paper is a work in progress. Material in the paper cannot be used without permission of the author. DEPARTMENT OF MANAGEMENT WORKING PAPER SERIES I S S N 1 3 2 7 – 5 2 1 6

Managers in arts organizations making strategic decisions face many of the same factors as their counterparts in other industries. Added to concerns about expenditures, personnel and performance, aesthetic concerns often play an important role in such decisions. In this paper we compare a strategic decision from each of four arts institutions with models of strategic decision making taken from the literature. While the decisions do, in general, conform to the theoretical models, aesthetic considerations do play an important role in both the content and process of strategic decisions.

The experiences of two Australian non-profit member-benefit associations as they attempt to develop strategic plans are explored, with emphasis on the influence of the many stakeholders in this process. We conclude that corporate strategic planning is a complex, conflict-ridden, and largely unsuccessful process in non-profit member-benefit associations because of the number and commitment of stakeholders. Therefore we suggest that future research should focus on clarifying whether such corporate management techniques are actually appropriate for all non-profit organisations, and, if they are, how non-profit organisations can best manage the process, taking into account the values and needs of stakeholders.

Abstract

This paper explores the experiences of two Australian nonprofit member benefit associations as they attempt to strategically plan and emphasises the influence of their many stakeholders in this process. We discuss strategic planning and the influence of stakeholders in nonprofit organizations. We suggest a typology of stakeholders that may be of use in analysing their salience and contribution to the effectiveness of strategic planning. Overall, we conclude that strategic planning was a complex, conflict-ridden, and largely unsuccessful process for these two nonprofit associations because of the number and commitment of their stakeholders. Therefore we suggest that future research should focus on clarifying if such corporate management techniques as strategic planning are actually appropriate for all nonprofit organizations. Rather than drawing from for profit ideas, we advocate specific research in nonprofits to identify how best they can be managed taking into account the needs and commitment of their stakeholders. This paper is a work in progress. Material in the paper cannot be used without permission of the author. COMPLEXITY AND CONFLICT – THE INFLUENCE OF STAKEHOLDERS IN STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESSES IN NONPROFIT VOLUNTARY ASSOCIATIONS Loretta Inglis and Stella Minahan Working Paper 50/04 October 2004 COMPLEXITY AND CONFLICT – THE INFLUENCE OF STAKEHOLDERS IN STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESSES IN NONPROFIT VOLUNTARY ASSOCIATIONS

Nonprofit organizations have slowly adopted strategic planning processes, often at the behest of their major stakeholders, and encouraged by academics and consultants, in order to be seen as professionally managed. Although there is a significant amount of research on strategic planning in business organizations, comparatively little data addresses the role of strategic planning in nonprofit organizations, and what exists suggests problems. This paper focuses on identifying the effectiveness of strategic planning in nonprofit voluntary associations in Australia and whether such processes are useful.