Understanding service experience in non-profit performing arts: Implications for operations and service management

Recent research in the non-profit performing arts has shown that marketing efforts designed to increase revenue from ticket sales are not achieving the results required to sustain the performing arts. This paper applies operations management analytical techniques to the non-profit performing arts to increase understanding of operational issues and inform service management strategy. The paper takes a two-study idiographic approach. Implementing a modified version of service transaction analysis (STA), Study One describes a performing arts service from provider and customer perspectives, identifies service gaps and develops an elaborated service description incorporating both perspectives. In Study Two, building on the elaborated service description and extant research, in-depth interviews are conducted to gather thick descriptions of predictors of satisfaction, value and service quality as they relate to repurchase intention (RI). Technical, functional and critical factors required to improve organizational performance are identified. Implications for operational strategy, service design and service management theory for this context are discussed. (c) 2005 Published by Elsevier B.V.

Understanding consumer evaluation criteria for repurchase in a performing arts context

The purpose of this paper is to examine consumers' experience of a performing arts service to identify the predictors of audience behaviour especially as related to positive repurchase intention. Experiential service settings such as the performing arts have been cited in recent research as service contexts that may challenge current theory that repurchase intention is driven by service quality and customer satisfaction. It is posited that consumer emotions and the hedonic nature of the consumption experience may complicate the evaluation process to repurchase intention in a setting such as the performing arts. Qualitative semi-structured indepth interviews were undertaken of twenty-six performing arts consumers using a pool of questions and prompts developed from a review of the extant literature. Transcribed field notes were examined for key words and phrases and data was divided into the main emergent themes related to each of the questions and also coded for confirmation and is-confirmation of the extant literature constructs and relationships. The dimensions of service experience,price, service quality, target goal-directed emotions and non-target appraisal emotions were identified as driving repurchase intention in a performing arts setting. Customer satisfaction in this setting appears to result from emotional factors rather than expectancy dis-confirmation. This research supports the notion that an experiential consumption experience such as the performing arts will challenge the current theory of the drivers of repurchase intention and suggests that a more thorough large scale examination of these dimensions in this service setting is warranted.

Sport psychology and indigenous performing artists

A group of students from the Aboriginal Centre for the Performing Arts participated in a mental skills training program that focused on goal setting, self-confidence development, and team building. There were 13 two-hour sessions held over a 20-week period. The participants, cultural issues, and the basic structure of the program are described. The author's observations regarding competition, displays of affection, collective values, and the importance of family and nature are provided. The participants qualitatively evaluated the program. Conclusions related to group process, program structure, and diversity are presented. These conclusions should be of value in terms of shaping future group mental skills training programs.