A Resource-Oriented Approach to Performing Arts Organizations: An Ethnographic Study of Dance Companies

Abstract

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.

Philanthropy patterns in major Australian performing arts organizations

“…However, this is against a background of rising neoliberalism which creates pressures and complexities in handling different types of resource acquisition, and the introduction of new models of management and governance. We offer insights into how organizations deploy and develop resources to realize artistic achievement through philanthropic income (Labaronne, 2019 ).…”

“…The following discussion relates the findings to engagement with findings on structure, and clusters them into four categories in order to disentangle the effect of different donor engagement approaches and organizational structures on philanthropic income. The four clusters result from the intersection of the RBV (Labaronne, 2019 ) and RDT linking both to philanthropy. According to RDT, not only board members (Pfeffer & Slancik, 1978) but also the different types of engagement, acknowledge the needs of multiple stakeholders, an important factor of organizational success (Moldavanova, 2016 ).…”

“…The increased competition for limited revenue sources has resulted in two different scenarios: (1) PAOs trying to increase production of goods and services with a more commercial orientation; and (2) PAOs relying more on philanthropic funding (Ecer et al, 2017 ). In order to ensure mission delivery and not fall back into commercialization of their activities (McCaskill & Harrington, 2017 ), PAOs have spent considerable time and money in accessing, acquiring or developing resources which can be strategic (Knockaert et al, 2013 ) in attracting private funds to realize artistic achievement (Labaronne, 2019 ). Philanthropy is thus an important source of revenue for the non-profit sector, both for ongoing activity and in times of crisis (Rubio-Arostegui & Villarroya, 2021 ), as it is seen to be less restrictive than government funding which usually connects with specific projects (Phillips & Jung, 2016 ).…”

Resource Development in Refugee Arts Organizations: The Case of the Malaika Theater

“…According to Labaronne (2019), resource-based thinking can add analytical value to arts management because it offers a more holistic view of organizations that does not reduce complexity to a logic of metrics, nor the imperatives of rational thinking, linearity and standardization, as many management models do (TRÖNDLE/STAHL 2019). The RBV has been also used as an alternative to mainstream management approaches to offer a more holistic yet differentiated insight into how arts and cultural organizations create and sustain artistic achievement by exploring the disposition and development of human resources (artists) (LABARONNE 2019). Further work has applied resource-based thinking to better understand resource transformation for strategic development in arts and cultural organizations (LABARONNE/TRÖNDLE 2020) and communication of excellence in arts management executive programs (TRÖNDLE/SCHINDLER 2021).…”

Evaluating a Cultural Policy in the Dance Sector. Does Efficiency Always Mean Achieving Goals?

“…Segers et al (2010) and Heredia-Carroza et al (2019) also find artist vulnerability in this sector as well as problems concerning their work vis-à-vis being valued as talented performers. Finally, Labaronne (2019) explores the organizational practices of large European dance companies and Smith (2003) shows how public grants attract private fundraising in non-profit dance companies in the USA. Studies evaluating efficiency in the dance sector are relatively scarce (Del Barrio-Tellado et al 2020) although there are several works aimed at evaluating theatres, as the main venues where performing arts are carried out.…”