The Leadership of
America’s Choruses. A Study of Choral
Conductors. With Arthur Brooks. Forthcoming June 2005 from Chorus America,
Washington, DC.
Tsunami might have
ripple effect on other charity. Op-Ed,
The Morning Call, Allentown, PA, February 13, 2005, D-3. (pdf available)
OPERA
America Annual Field Report (2005). Washington, DC: Opera America. Trend analysis of
financial and operational activity in the opera field in Canada and the U.S.
Objective Outcomes. Nonprofits
as Economic Systems. Nonprofit
Times, Oct. 15, 2004, 21 (pdf
available)
with Thomas H. Pollak (2004). The Finances and Operations of
Nonprofit Performing Arts Organizations in 2001 and 2002. Highlights and
Executive Summary.
Published by and available on-line from the Performing Arts
Research Coalition.
with Debra Harrison (2004) OPERA America Annual Field
Report. Washington,
DC: Opera America This report summarizes financial and operational activity in
the opera field in Canada and the U.S. in fiscal 2002.
’Free
Help’. Calculating Your Volunteers’ Value. Nonprofit Times, (February 15, 2004) 17-19. Commissioned
by the National Center on Nonprofit
Enterprise and available on-line at kushnerFeb1504.pdf
Why
Program Evaluation is a Good Investment. Nonprofit Times, (August 15, 2003), 17-19. Commissioned by the National
Center on Nonprofit Enterprise and available on-line at kushner01.pdf
Understanding the
Links Between Performing Artists and Audiences Journal of Arts Management, Law, and Society 33(2),
(2003), 114-126.
Abstract: While an
audience’s attention is usually focused on the performer, artists are not the
only ones creating value. Intermediaries contribute important elements of value
in the artist-audience relationship, making markets more efficient and more
fluid. This paper describes and analyzes the market functions and roles of the
presenting organizations and booking agents who facilitate face-to-face
meetings between artists and audiences. Implications are drawn for enhanced
effectiveness of the performing arts market
Before 2003
Brooks, Arthur C. &
R. J. Kushner (2002) What Makes an Arts Capital? Quantifying a City’s
Cultural Environment, International Journal of Arts Management 5(1).
Abstract: Measuring the
quantity, quality, or health of a city’s arts and culture is a complicated
task. A number of comprehensive comparative arts measures have been developed
to do so, but they all lack detail, and as such, are of limited usefulness to
public administrators and arts managers. In this article, we define important
aspects to measure in a city’s arts economy, and suggest proxies for these
measures. We perform an example comparative analysis for 20 American cities on
the level of arts activity for visitors and residents, the financial health of
the arts sector, the quality of the arts, and the prospects for future growth.
We then synthesize the different measures, identify alternative ways of
conducting a similar measurement process, and provide suggestions for arts
managers.
Brooks, Arthur C. &
R. J. Kushner (2001) Cultural Districts and Urban
Development, International
Journal of Arts Management 3 (2) 4-15.
Abstract: A cultural
district is a designated area of a city in which arts and cultural facilities
serve as the primary attraction. This article describes how different
American cities have undertaken cultural district development with respect to
government involvement, types of district administration, development
intensity, and cultural programming. The authors conclude that successful
districts have several common characteristics, including effective public- and
private-sector leadership, diverse funding sources, and clear objectives.
The authors also provide several cautionary notes for cultural district
development. For example, the link between cultural districts and
economic growth is far from established, and the urban revitalization affected
by cultural districts may lead to a process of inner-city gentrification.
With Arthur Brooks (2000) The Arts Economy in 20 Cities: Where Does Atlanta Stand?
Atlanta,
GA: Research Atlanta, Inc.
From the
Executive Summary: ... The purpose of this study is to gain a better
understanding of the factors that might explain the condition of arts
organizations in the region. The study
compares Atlanta to nineteen of its peers in an attempt to determine where and
if Atlanta is falling short, and what can be learned from other communities ...
Overall, the data present a picture of a metropolitan Atlanta arts market that
is not especiallly vigorous when compared with similar activities and assets in
other cities ... The recommendations in this report suggest possible modes of
action that may be appropriate responses by the arts and public policy
communities of Atlanta.
Brooks,
Arthur C. & R. J. Kushner (2000) A Cultural District for Downtown Atlanta Atlanta, GA: Research Atlanta, Inc.
From the Executive
Summary: ... Many U.S. cities have
developed cultural districts not only to enrich the cultural experience of
residents but also to stimulate economic growth and urban revitalization,
increase the attractiveness and safety of the downtown area, and attract
tourism ... Research Atlanta studied the experiences of cities comparable to
Atlanta to determine the critical ingredients for a successful cultural
district initiative. This report explores those ingredients, then
assembles them into a blueprint for action should the community choose to
create a cultural district in downtown Atlanta ... The key issues for
developing a cultural district are the purpose; the location; the organizing
authority; the content or attractions; the management or level of control over
the district; and the funding. The most pragmatic and marketable approach
for a cultural district in downtown Atlanta is to provide an enriching cultural
experience that increases the quality of life for Atlantans ... revitalization
and economic development merit discussion as secondary benefits, not motivating
factors.
Curriculum as Strategy: The Scope
and Organization of Business Education in Liberal Arts Colleges. Journal of Higher Education 70 (4) (1999),
413-440.
Abstract: Although
liberal arts colleges are reputed not to offer business education, a study of
one hundred eighty-two nationally known colleges found that most offer business
majors. Apart from economics, these programs may operate outside
disciplinary mainstreams. Five structures for business education are
identified. Although business education varies negatively with some
performance measures, it is a common adaptive strategy for liberal arts
colleges.
with Susan Y, McGorry
(1998)Vendor Location
as An Influence on Purchaser Choice, Kalmbach Report No. 10. Bethlehem, PA: Lehigh
University.
Abstract: Previous
research on purchasing decisions suggests that they are influenced by the
characteristics of a good or service, the organizations involved in the
transaction, and the buying and selling processes themselves. However, the
majority of research dedicated to this topic does not address the issue of
location, in particular the question of whether some purchase decisions are
made in a company's region for reasons of economy or sentiment. This
study attempts to empirically investigate the theoretical underpinnings of
purchasing decisions and what role location may play in these decisions.
Results show a relationship between local expenditures and the nature of the
product, while the size of the firm (indicated by number of employees and
sales) does not predict local expenditures. Finally, firms' expenditures
within a locale tend to increase with loyalty, while a firm willing to
investigate additional or alternative purchasing avenues does not appear to be
more likely to purchase within a locale
Book Review of Tschirhart, Mary. (1996) Artful
Leadership. Managing Stakeholder Problems in Nonprofit Arts Organizations
Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press., Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly 27(3),
(1998)
Nations Of The Caucasus Suffer Poverty, Chaos In Post-Soviet Era. The Morning Call, Allentown, PA, (July 16, 1998), A-16 (pdf available)
with P. P. Poole, Structure-Effectiveness
Relationships in Nonprofit Arts Organizations Nonprofit Management & Leadership 7(2), (1996).
Abstract: We examined 19
nonprofit performing arts organizations, investigating how influence was
distributed among organizational members, how volunteers and staff were grouped
in organizational structures, and how effective the organizations were.
The organizations' effectiveness was assessed using multiple performance
indicators. The analysis revealed five groupings or configurations of
influence, and related the configurations to the organizations exhibiting the
highest and lowest levels of organizational effectiveness. The principle
conclusions are 1) a variety of structures are associated with good performance
but structural dysfunctions are associated with organizational failure, and 2)
member commitment to an organization's structure is an important element of
success.
This
dissertation reports on exploratory research into strategy, structure, and
organizational effectiveness in nonprofit organizations. The underlying
thesis is that matches between strategy and structure contribute to
organizational effectiveness.
Strategy refers to decisions and processes associated with comprehensive
relationships between organization and environment. Structure refers to
division of labor and the means adopted to coordinate labor.
Organizational effectiveness is modeled as a consequence of components --
constituency satisfaction, resource acquisition, internal process, and goal
attainment -- which contribute directly and indirectly to overall effectiveness.
Strategy, structure, and effectiveness were studied in nonprofit organizations
because financial and volunteer donations present nonprofits with a unique
decision environment. Arts organizations were chosen as data sites
because they appear to compete simultaneously in markets for ticket sales and
donations.
An inductive, exploratory grounded theory research method combined qualitative
and quantitative analyses. Data were collected from 19 nonprofit arts
organizations in two Northeast states using executive interviews, observation
of organization programs, and archival data. The principle results of
this study are:
1)
nonprofit
strategy can be classified using the character of benefits provided to the
public. Arts Benefit, Community Benefit, and Private Benefit types were
proposed.
2)
The
program margin ratio of earned income to program expenditure appears to
indicate some aspects of strategic character.
3)
two
dimensions of nonprofit structure are focus/diffusion of influence and whether
key influencers are volunteers or employees. Combining these two
dichotomies leads to Grassroots (volunteer-diffused), Coordinating
(employee-diffused), Directorial (employee- focused), and Institutional
(volunteer-focused) structures. Evolution between structure types is
motivated by specialization, coordination, and assertion of control by
volunteers. Cases where organizations cannot decide how to configure
influence display some disfunctions.
4)
Effectiveness
evaluation used subjective measures and within-sample ranking of financial
strength to operationalize components of the effectiveness model. Both
measures appeared to discriminate between most and least successful
organizations in the sample.
5)
Strategy decisions appear to contribute to organizational survival
and/or impact. In two cases, structure has a significant impact on
effectiveness, but this may be mediated by member commitment. In most of
the sample, there is no consistent relationship between structural
configurations and performance
Tourism in the Lehigh Valley: An Economic
Perspective Kalmbach Report No. 6. Bethlehem, PA: Lehigh University
(1996).
This research
project examined different ways in which tourism affects the Lehigh Valley
economy. The principal findings included the following:
1)
Travel
to the Lehigh Valley is motivated by business, family, and recreation purposes;
2)
Local
suppliers respond to that demand through convention activity, retail, higher
education, recreational facilities, spectator sports, and cultural programs;
3)
Over
2.1 million visits to the Lehigh Valley can be fully or partially attributed to
tourism;
4)
An
unknown number of other visits can be attributed to regular work assignments,
transitional migration, and family visits;
5)
The
attendance claimed by large-scale events without gates should be carefully
examined;
6)
Direct
economic spending, using estimated attendance combined with average spending
derived from state-wide figures, can be roughly estimated at $214 million; and
7)
Analysis
of future development and investment should take into account the quality of
employment that is generated in projecting the effects of new projects
CONFERENCE
PROCEEDINGS AND PRESENTATIONS
Action Research Validation of an
Inventory of Effectiveness Measures, Presented to the Association for Research on Nonprofit
Organizations and Voluntary Action, Miami, FL, 2001 and to the Conference,
Nonprofit Organizational Effectiveness and Performance, Kansas City, MO,
2002. (pdf available)
Abstract: In a systems
model of organization function, resources are consumed and transformed,
creating outputs, which dynamically affect the next iteration of resource
use. In a closed systems model, no exogenous effects disturb the system;
in an open systems model, environmental factors affect all elements of the
system. This paper presents an inventory of performance measures based on
an open systems model of organizational effectiveness. In this model,
performance is examined by looking at the effects of five separate components:
satisfying constituents, mobilizing resources, effectively using these resources,
setting and attaining goals, and adapting to environmental change. Each
component has an independent effect on overall organizational performance and
each one is necessary for an integrated concept of effectiveness, but none by
itself is sufficient. The paper addresses the issues of validity and the
ability of managers to appropriately use a measurement model in environments
where measures are frequently challenged. Its key contribution is a
performance measurement inventory developed to operationalize the systems model
of effectiveness in a manner that fits into schemas and scripts of managers.
The action research is a multi-year process of iteratively applying and
improving the measurement model and its tools. The paper proceeds as
follows: first, the issue of validity is framed in terms that connect research
and practice; the model of organizational effectiveness is presented; this is
then mapped onto an inventory of measures; the process of validating the
inventory and its tools is described; measurement techniques are presented that
can be used in organizational assessment and organizational development
situations; and lessons are presented for research and practice in the
measurement process.
with Luke Greeves. How Organizational Development Practice is Evolving in the
International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. Presented to the Association for
Research on Nonprofit Organizations and Voluntary Action, Miami, FL, 2001
Abstract: As interest in
nonprofit management and the scope of voluntary action has increased, there has
been growing interest in scholarly circles in international voluntary action to
improve the situation of the poor and vulnerable in the developing world.
Since the late 1980s, accelerated by the end of the Cold War, alternative international
development strategies for poverty alleviation and capacity building have
emerged and entered into industry debate and practice. It is increasingly
that non-governmental organizations (NGOs) with established structures, relying
on local participation to design and administer community-based programs, have
roles of growing importance in reaching the poor and vulnerable who often
remain out of reach of assistance. Long-term, strengthening of local
capacity, more than developing short-lived one-off projects, is increasingly
accepted in promoting sustainability and supporting a programme's relevance and
impact.
A broad industry, mostly made up of nonprofit organizations, serves to
facilitate the development of local capacity in numerous contexts of evolving
civil society around the world. The purpose of this paper is to examine
organizational development (OD) evolution in the international humanitarian
industry, and to learn how OD assistance is offered to nonprofit organizations
in developing countries. This is done through the lens of an
international non-governmental organization (INGO), the International Red Cross
and Red Crescent Movement, combining external and internal perspectives on the
Movement and the American Red Cross, one of its member organizations.
The
Shape of Effectiveness: An Evolving Conceptual Model of Organizational
Performance.
Presented to the
Association for Research on Nonprofit Organizations and Voluntary Action,
Arlington, VA, 1999
Abstract: In the context
of the panel presentation, the purpose of this paper is to provide further
integration of issues in organization theory with the current desires of
organization practitioners and scholars to improve their knowledge of
organizational performance. The paper will expand on the following
themes:
The conceptual approaches
(modeling, linking, applying, extending) are portrayed in several nonprofit
organization settings. Theoretical implications are drawn regarding the
validity of the model and its links to evolving theories about organizational
performance Additional implications for practice are drawn from a current
research project in which the author is assisting the American Red Cross.
The intent of the research is to help the Red Cross understand and manage
organizational performance issues as they apply to Red Cross and Red Crescent
organizations in the nations with vulnerable populations; the policy issue that
emerges from this asks how can the American Red Cross help improve
organizational performance in these other organizations with targeted
organizational and institutional development assistance.
Brooks,
Arthur C. & R. J. Kushner Cultural Districts
and Urban Development, Presented to the Association for Research on Nonprofit Organizations and
Voluntary Action, Arlington, VA, 1999
Abstract: A cultural
district is a designated area of a city in which arts and cultura facilities
serve as the primary attraction. Development of these districts around
the country has been based on the belief that they arts can function as a tool
in urban revitalization. In addition to improving the cultural life of
the city, they may also aid in achieving a more livable downtown area and
promote economic growth. This article describes how different American
cities have undertaken cultural district development with respect to government
involvement, types of district administration, development intensity, and
cultural programming. We conclude that successful districts have several
common characteristics, including effective public- and private-sector
leadership, diverse funding sources, clear objectives, and awareness of
consumer demand.
with Thomas
G. Baker, Never the Twain Shall Meet: Cross-cultural
Evaluation of Organizational Performance, Presented to the Association
for Research on Nonprofit Organizations and Voluntary Action, Seattle, WA,
1998.
Abstract: This paper
examines how international relief and development programs are designed,
implemented, and, how they evaluated in the local development agency
setting. We adopt a systems framework to present a model of
organizational effectiveness that incorporates constituency satisfaction,
resource acquisition, internal process effectiveness, and goal attainment as
linked components. This model framed our assessment of organizational
development processes at work in indigenous relief organizations in the
Caucasus region. Based on this and other experiences and reading in
international relief, we identify five areas of conflict between and among
participants in the relief process: between disciplines, among donors, between
donors and recipients, between evaluators and managers, and between relief and
development priorities. Each of these is explored. We conclude with
some suggestions for principles that span the various conflicts.
The Strategic Analytics of Nonprofit
Arts Decision-Making, Presented to the Association for Research on Nonprofit Organizations
and Voluntary Action, Seattle, 1998.
Abstract: Nonprofit live
performing arts organizations present experiences to their audiences that
combine time, place, and performance. This paper explores the process by which
these events are organized from a strategic management point of view. Strategy
is described here as an organizational-level, goal- directed response to
environment, and particularly the competitive environment. Nonprofit
strategy is based on four domains of strategic choice: the range of benefits
provided, financing, labor force, and capital intensity of production.
Three alternative strategic approaches are proposed to categorize nonprofit
performing arts behavior, based primarily on their benefit approach.
Alternative approaches used by space owners and renters are suggested. The
process of designing live performing arts events is outlined, showing a
sequential series of considerations and decisions. Implications are drawn
for practice, and suggestions are made for follow-on research.
Using
Structure to Improve Performance, Presented
to the Executive Leadership Summit of Cornell Cooperative Extention,
Canandaigua, NY, 2004.
Organizational Effectiveness.
Models and Applications to Strategic Management Problems in Nonprofit
Organizations, Presented
to the Department of Public Administration, Georgia State University, Atlanta,
GA, April 1999, and to the LaSalle University Nonprofit Management Forum,
Philadelphia, PA, May, 1999.
Program Evaluation
Methods for the Community Service Society
of New York, 2003.
CSSNY is a nonprofit
agency offering service in eight different program areas in New York City, from
research to advocacy to direct social service. The goal of the project
was to develop tools for evaluating the performance of the programs
individually and collectively.
The Finances and Operations of Performing Arts
Organizations with
Tom Pollak. Presented by Urban Institute to American Symphony Orchestra League,
Association of Performing Arts Presenters, Dance/USA, Opera America, and
Theatre Communications Group, 2003.
This report was the
first time that data from these sources was combined to present a picture of
finances and operations across the artistic disciplines.
Shareowner Value 101. An employee education program for the intranet site of PPL
Corporation. 2001.
The intent of this
project was to help PPL educate and inform its employees regarding the
importance of shareholder value.
Facilitators
Guide For Assessing Organizational Effectiveness In National Societies. A
Resource for Organizational Development Facilitators in the International Red
Cross / Red Crescent Movement Washington, DC: American Red Cross International
Services
This was a
comprehensive approach, using the open systems model of organizational
effectiveness. It is used world-wide by the American Red Cross and its
partners in the Red Cross / Red Crescent Movement. (2000)
Institutional
Development Practices for the American Red Cross: A Methodology for
Examining National Society Effectiveness. Report to the International Services Department,
American Red Cross, Washington, DC, (1999)
Institutional
Development Practices for the American Red Cross. Current Practice and Recommendations for the Future. Report to the International
Services Department, American Red Cross, Washington, DC., (1999)
With Thomas G. Baker
& Karin Håkansson (1998) The Caucasus Capacity
Building Project: A Work in Progress. Report to the American Red Cross,
International Services Department (Washington, DC), International Federation of
Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (Geneva, Switzerland), U. S. State
Department Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (Washington, DC)
City of Bethlehem Landfill. Options
for Management or Divestiture Report to the City of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, 1997
Last modified on March 25,
2005. All papers and publications in this page are © Roland J. Kushner or other
copyright owners. Click below for abstracts, summaries, and links.
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Roland J.
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