Performing on boards: the link between governance and corporate reputation in nonprofit arts boards

This paper is built on the hypothesis that good governance and reputation are inextricably linked. It takes the governance of performing arts organizations in Queensland, Australia as a case study, and focuses on the role of the nonprofit arts board and its practices of governance and measures of effectiveness. Because of the financial constraints under which arts companies operate, their sustainability relies on audiences and on government or corporate support. The reputation of the company flows from the board's capacity to manage finances, stakeholders and mission. In-depth interviews with board chairs and general managers revealed that strong management systems and rigorous financial reporting are the drivers of good governance. Innovation in product development and artistic excellence are secondary in reputation to these measures. The paper proposes a model of good governance for arts boards.

Gender and ethnic diversity on boards and corporate responsibility : the case of the arts sector

This study provides insights on sector-specific characteristics, challenges and issues that affect corporate responsibility (CR) in relation to ethnicity and gender on arts boards. Using stakeholder theory, the study explores how arts board composition (e.g. gender and ethnicity) sets the scene for dynamics that affect CR. Data analysis is based on interviews with 92 board members and stakeholders sitting on 66 arts boards in Australia. Results suggest that the dynamism of gender and ethnic diversity on arts boards makes them responsive to CR; however, their presence does not always lead to CR. For diverse boards to lead to CR, our findings indicate the significance of board member attributes of passion, skill and capability of developing networks, irrespective of gender and ethnicity. The article advances understanding of the implications and relevance of ethnic and gender diversity on non-profit boards and contributes to an important yet under-researched body of literature.

Arts governance - marching Western models to Asia

Corporate failures and fraud have turned attention to company governance. While much of the literature is on for-profit governance, there is a steadily increasing non-profit literature arguing for industry specific governance studies, such as this one. Researching arts organisation governance in Asia, where profitability or sustainability are not the only measures for performance, provides a better understanding of theses cultures and economies. Here, a comparative review of arts governance is undertaken in order to inform debate in a discipline and in countries less frequently included in analysis. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) and Singapore are included in this brief review of Asian governance. What constitutes good governance and the unique cultural variables in each region are considered.

Mission fulfilment : the role of the non-profit arts board

This research explores the complexity of establishing mission fulfilment through the performance of non-profit arts boards (NP AB). Since the early 1990s, the non-profit literature has only sporadically focussed on the concept of how board performance contributes to mission fulfilment in the broader non-profit sector. Consequently, in both the empirical and normative literatures there is a dearth of understanding of how the nonprofit arts board performance fulfils the organisation's mission. The lack of exploration is problematic for theory development in contextualising non-profit arts board performance contribution to mission fulfilment. Although research has been undertaken in various areas-such as effective and ineffective board performance practices of non-profit organisations, board performance measurement indicators within the arts sector, and mission fulfilment as a result of non-profit organisational effectiveness-research from an extensive literature search did not reveal empirical evidence of the relationship between board performance and mission fulfilment of non-profit arts boards. Against this background, the research issue for the thesis is: How does board performance contribute to mission fulfilment by the non-profit arts organisation?

Arts governance: people, passion, performance

Since the crisis in governance which led to a shortage of capable board members, recent years have seen the emergence of the enterprising arts organisation - a development which has led to the need for new types of board members who have a greater understanding of 'mission, money and merit' within a cultural construct. This innovative book explores the world of the arts board member from the unique perspective of the cultural and creative industries. Using a wide range of research techniques including interviews with board members and stakeholders, board observations and case studies this book provides a rich and deep analysis from inside the boardroom. It provides in-depth insight into the changing pressures on arts boards after the financial crisis, and focuses uniquely on the role of passion on arts boards. Part of the Routledge Research in Creative and Cultural Industries Management series, written specifically for people seeking to develop their careers in cultural and creative management, this book is also for people working in and with arts organisations, in government and non-profit arts organisations. It will also be of interest to academics and researchers working in the wider corporate governance field.

Size does matter : the impact of size on governance in arts organizations

This paper documents governance conformance and performance in small to medium sized arts organizations in Australia, where artistic development, innovation and stakeholder relationships inform the governance activity central to achieving their mission. The key question of this study is whether the governance of large and small arts organizations differs as they balance competing needs
in order to achieve their artistic vision. The results of the study provide evidence that size is a critical factor in how boards govern arts organizations. Using material from indepth interviews and surveys, the paper argues that governance conformance and performance are in a state of constant tension with artistic development, and governance processes are dependent on organizational size and resources.

The entrepreneurial arts leader : cultural policy, change and reinvention

"The Entrepreneurial Arts Leader is grounded in an understanding of cultural policy, management, art history, entrepreneurship and creativity, and is cross-disciplinary. It features a comprehensive bibliography and models of entrepreneurial arts leaders, and will be of seminal importance to arts managers, administrators, cultural policy makers and students."--BOOK JACKET

Cause related marketing: can the arts afford not to participate?

Cause related marketing is a new way for for-profit organizations to increase their sales while appearing to enhance their focus on social responsibility. The key for private-sector organizations is to build partnerships with a worthy, notable cause and for them to promote that cause in a carefully structured commercial venture designed to enhance both organizations' financial viability. Over the last 2 decades the focus has shifted from the worthy cause of the arts, to issues of health and social need. The answer proposed in this paper is to broaden the definition of worthy cause to include needy non-profit arts and thus, return cause related marketing to its roots. This paper identifies the direction of rapid change in attitudes to arts marketing in just over 2 decades and indicates the possibilities of participating in cause related marketing activities as a result of this change.

Museum and performing arts marketing: the age of discovery

Trends in museum and performing arts marketing from 1975 to 1994 were analyzed and suggested that a third period was emerging; the data in this article confirm that claim. Among the latest arts marketing articles, there is a significantly greater focus on marketing strategy than on the other two categories--marketing as culture and marketing as tactics.

Ethical behaviour: the means for creating and maintaining better reputations in arts organisations

Arts organisations, unsure of the level of continued government funding available and confronted with the need ever to improve, are seeking new ideas upon which they can focus. At a time when leadership and governance in arts organisations have changed in line with cultural expectations, how is their ethical stance assessed? How does their ethical stance impact on reputation? The challenge to build a good reputation starts at the top of the organisation; however, traditionally, one type of arts organisation, art museums, has focused on the activities level. In an age of globalisation, economic restructuring and technological change, museums therefore may be seen as a contradiction. Traditionally seen as temples for the muses, today’s museums are being challenged to be ethical for society and to build their reputation. As a solution, proposes a cooperative model of cultural organisational ethics that attempts to provide a framework by which arts organisations can put in place ethical artefacts that enhance organisational reputation, rather than detract from it.

Stakeholder representation on the boards of Australian initial public offerings

This paper analyses the board composition of Australian initial public offerings (IPOs) over the period 1994 to 1997. The recent management literature identifies a wide range of stakeholders beyond the traditional shareholders. Evan and Freeman, and Jones and Goldberg suggest that the importance of stakeholders should be reflected in board representation. Luoma and Goodstein provide evidence of increased stakeholder representation on the boards of American companies. This paper studies Australian IPOs and finds that this is not the case. This suggests that capital raising by new lists in the Australian equity market does not require stakeholder representation on the board.