This study analyzes the performance measurement and evaluation literature in (nonprofit) arts management by conducting a meta-synthesis, which is both a process and a product of explorative scientific enquiry. Meta-syntheses go beyond the well-known procedure of literature reviews, often used to summarize the current state of knowledge in a particular field, in that they produce formal integrations that offer novel understandings of the reviewed literature. This article presents, in the results section, the consolidated understandings under four thought-provoking titles: First, 'Third time's a charm?' describes the development phases identified in the body of performance measurement and evaluation literature. Second, 'A paradigm on the move?' refers to the dominance of the positivist research tradition and signals the quest for alternative approaches. Third, 'Pride and Prejudice' illustrates that the international literature tends to emphasize the benefits and learnings of performance measurement and evaluation practices (pride) while a rather prejudicial attitude is observed among the German-written literature. Fourth, 'Good Cop, Bad Cop' takes the debate to a higher level by thematizing the interplay between arts management research and cultural policy. The conclusion discusses the four titles through the lens of system theoretical discourse.

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A resource-oriented approach to performing arts organizations: An ethnographic study of dance companies This article explores the organizational practices of large dance companies in Europe. To capture intangible and intrinsic aspects, a multi-sited ethnographic study at the Vienna State Ballet and Berlin State Ballet was conducted. By putting artistic processes at the core of the inquiry, the resource-oriented approach to the organization of such work comes to the fore. Following a resource-oriented understanding of organizations, the categories of reconfiguring, coordinating, co-creating, coaching, and preserving are induced. These five categories are understood as capabilities to deploy and develop resources, offering new insights about how such organizations create and sustain artistic achievement.

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While current pricing strategies in public theaters are mostly based on static schemes, this paper analyzes the potential of dynamic pricing. Subsidized performing arts organizations face the challenge of selling a fixed capacity (available seats of a venue) to a broad and varied audience. Based on the literature and on empirical evidence from a survey among Swiss theaters, we discuss whether and to what extent yield management and uniform‐price auctions—two widespread dynamic pricing mechanisms in the Internet age—can be applied to public theaters in view of the particular goals and targets imposed by their source of funding and by subsidy contracts. Our analysis suggests that although the application of yield management may not be advantageous in the current environment, the introduction of dynamic elements (including auctions) to prevailing pricing strategies can help public theaters respond to temporal demand fluctuations and fill up performances with a varied audience. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.