Managing an Art Temple in the Light of Empirical Studies

Abstract

The aim of this article is to propose a pioneering model of effective theatre management. In the light of the goal, the following thesis has been formulated: Effective management of a temple of art consists in the managing team consciously impacting the key theatre subsystems, taking into account its peculiarity and complexity. The goal and thesis led to the formulation of an explication-verification procedure of empirical studies with the following stages distinguished: selecting research techniques, carrying out pilot study, carrying out basic research, carrying out analysis of the empirical material obtained, and proposing a pioneering model of theatre management. The research procedure specified the scope-the research sample comprised six theatres which constituted the basis of inference, timing-study was conducted in the period from II quarter 2011 till end of 2013, space-territory of four provinces (mazowieckie, małopolskie, wielkopolskie, and dolnośląskie), and the subject matter. It comprised the diagnosis of the following subsystems: the management team's role and efficiency, quality management, work organization, and teamwork management. The pilot results induced the authors to analyze one more area-the organizational culture. In respective theatres, the following employees participated in the research: artistic team (directors, choreographer, stage designers, actors, soloists, and dancers) and administrative team (individuals responsible for performance production and stage attendants-sound engineers, gaffers, stage managers, prompters, and publicity, marketing, finance and personnel staff etc.). In order to get a careful and versatile description of the research question, the methodological triangulation rule was applied according to which the following research techniques were used: surveys, free interviews, individual and group interviews, participant observation, and organizational documents analysis. As final conclusions, the authors create an attempt of a pioneering model of effective management of a temple of art referring to empirical and theoretical parts of the text. The considerations presented in the study are of theoretical-empirical character based on management related literature and empirical studies. The study used a questionnaire, individual and group interviews.