Technology Motivators and Usage in Non-Profit Arts Organizations

Carnegie Mellon - Systems Synthesis Project Technology Motivators and Usage in Not-For-Profit Arts Organizations

Technology Motivators and Usage in Nonprofit Arts Organizations

Americans for the Arts Annual ConventionSunday, June 3, 2007Las Vegas, NV

Technology Motivators and Usage in Nonprofit Arts OrganizationsAmericans for the Arts, June 2007

Presentation Overview

Project description and goals Methodology Results Insights and recommendations Q&A


Project Description

To investigate the motivations behind the information technology decisions within arts organizations.

-- Why do some arts organizations excel at using information technologies to support institutional objectives? --


Project Goals

To provide a baseline understanding of: environmental and institutional factors

affecting motivation to adopt (or not to adopt) new technology

technology decision-making processes in the nonprofit arts sector


Definition of “Technology”

Information & Communication Technologies Computer software Computer hardware Database systems Email Internet-based tools Telephone systems


Project Structure

Systems Synthesis project at Carnegie Mellon’s Heinz School of Public Policy and Management

13 Masters of Arts Management graduate students working together on a 16 week project

“Real world” research environment with a client, a faculty advisor and an advisory committee


2006

Project Timeline

Jul SepAug Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun

2007

Conversations with GPAC

begin

Final paper

Final paper

First presentation

Interim presentation

AFTA presentation

Final presentation

Data Collection

DataAnalysis

Project structure

AdvisoryBoard


Research Partner Organizations

Organization Type

Budget Size

<$1 million $1-10 million >$10 million

Visual Arts

Performing Arts

Visual & Performing

Arts


Technologies in Use

Artist Image

Resource

August Wilson Center

City Theatre

Children’s Museum

Silver Eye Center for

Photography

Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra

Formalized Technology Plan Dedicated IT Staff Percentage of Technology Expenses in Total Spending

7.0% 1.9% 0.04% 0.31% 2.7% 0.01%

Software programs in use 9 10 10 20 10 13

Communications tools in use 4 4 7 4 4 5

eNewsletter Online Tool Subscriptions Podcast Online Communities / Social Networking

Blog


Project Methodology

Literature ReviewInternal Documents

Initial QuestionnaireInterviewsSite ObservationsStaff Survey

Methodologies included two types of data setsconsisting of several research techniques

PrimaryPrimary SecondarySecondary


Methodology: Initial Questionnaire Objectives:

Staff understanding of organization’s usage of information technology

Provide context for interviews with specific organizational information

Themes Covered: Staff Structure Information and Communication Technology Inventory Technology Planning protocol Internet usage


Methodology: Interviews Objectives:

Gather narratives to deepen understanding of technology decision-making process

Develop comparable & contrasting information across organizations

Interview Structure: Introductory Questions Major Technology Purchase(s) Organizational Culture Technology Support and Maintenance Technology Planning


Methodology: Observation Objectives:

Internal communication behavior Perceived value of technology

Criteria Observed: Physical Office Organization Office Communication Technology Completeness of the interviewee’s answer Non-verbal cues


Methodology: Staff Survey Objectives:

Identify behaviors and attitudes of staff members Identify disconnects between interviewees’ perceptions

and those of other staff members

Themes Covered: Demographics Attitudes Toward Technology Planning, Policies, and Procedures Technology Support and Training Personal Technology usage Organizational culture and values


Methodology: Document Review Objectives:

Analyze internal documents to determine if and how technology decisions are planned

Provide initial understanding of organizational culture and values

Documents Reviewed (if available) : IRS Form 990 and full budgets Organizational Chart Strategic Plan Marketing Plan Technology Plan


Methodology: Literature Review Objectives:

Develop comprehensive understanding of technology usage and adoption

Baseline understanding of decision-making theory

Topics Reviewed: Technology adoption, implementation, and adaptation Usage of internet technologies Decision-making theory Acquisition trends in the nonprofit sector


•Crisis•Problem •Opportunity

1 Identification

•Project•Strategy•Plan

2 Issue

Framework: Decision-Making Model

3 Process

•Pre-Process•Mid-Process •Post-Process


3.2 mid-process

•implementation•actions taken

3.1 pre-process

•research and planning•personnel involvement•training and education

3.3 post-process

•evaluation•feedback

1 Identification 2 Issue


3 Process


External Motivators


Financial Mandates

Social Mandates

Facility Mandates

Internal Motivators

Resource & Time Constraints

Awareness & Knowledge

Sentiments and Satisfaction

Attitudes About Technology

Balancing Art and Administration

Institutional Culture, Priorities & Values


Decision-Making Model: External Motivators

1. Financial Mandates

2. Social Mandates

3. Facility Mandates


External Motivators:Financial Mandates

Funding climate Restricted donations Economic environment


External Motivators:Social Mandates

National Nonprofit Technology Trends Legal Regulations

Local Influence of peer organizations Perceived audience needs


External Motivators:Facility Mandates Administrative space limitations Hardware/network infrastructure capacity

“This building for the most part is a Microsoft Exchange environment. It’s been a challenge, frankly… because what’s happening is that Entourage is not designed to work [with] Exchange. So [the vice president] and his assistant can’t share calendars, they can’t share contacts. It’s been quite a challenge- that was one of those little learning experiences- it was a good experience, it was a good thing to know, but it has caused some difficulties.”

- August Wilson Center


Decision-Making Model: Internal Motivators

1. Awareness and Knowledge

2. Resource and Time Constraints

3. Institutional Culture, Priorities and Values

4. Balancing Art and Administration

5. Attitudes about Technology

6. Sentiments and Satisfaction


Internal Motivators: Awareness and Knowledge

Awareness: a set of known options

Knowledge: in-depth familiarity with specific options


Shoestring budgets Staffing limitations

"I am not even clear… whether the volume of use that the [printer] gets is… financially beneficial for us or whether it is costing us money. What I do know is that the opportunities… that it has opened up [are] significant. I don't know that we can afford to subsidize those opportunities for everybody… How are we going to support this place? …How do we get paid?”

-Artists Image Resource

Internal Motivators: Resource and Time Constraints


Internal Motivators:Institutional Culture, Priorities,

and Values Spending

Staff hierarchy

Planning processes

Self-defined identity


Internal Motivators:Balancing Art and Administration

Investment in artistic product and administrative technologies

“We produce new plays and we want to extract as much quality out of the resources that are available to us and there is an inherent tension in that. We are really pushing to maximize the resources that we have.”

- City Theatre


Internal Motivators:

Attitudes about Technology

Difficult to alter

Previous experience or understanding

Highly dependent on education and self-efficacy

3.1 pre-process 3.2 mid-process 3.3 post-process


Internal Motivators:Sentiments and Satisfaction

Informal reflections

Formal evaluations

3.1 pre-process 3.2 mid-process 3.3 post-process


Key insights and recommendations

Communication Structure

Information


Awareness Imitative Decision Making

Influenced by choices of peer organizations Data-driven Decision Making

Influenced by research, planning, and data analysis Evaluation

Reflection and analysis on the success (or failure) of each part of the decision-making process

Results will influence subsequent decisions

Information: Awareness and Evaluation

Recommendation: Gather information to expand available options and increase success


Communication: Leadership and Satisfaction When leadership communicates technology objectives,

staff feel more capable to take on new technology challenges

When staff are satisfied with technical support, they are less likely to see knowledge as a barrier to technology adoption

Recommendation:

Increase two-way communication between management and employees to increase satisfaction and empower staff.


Structure: Empowerment and Formalized Roles

ResourcesSkill

Support

EfficacyPurposes of Use

Human CapitalSocial Capital

Recommendation: Formalizing technology roles can help to empower staff and positively influence attitudes about technology

DiMaggio, Paul, Eszter Hargittai. “From the ‘Digital Divide’ to ‘Digital Inequality:’ Studying Internet Use as Penetration Increases.”


Key insights and recommendations

Facilitate Communication Formalize Structure

Increase Information


Avenues for Future Research Test findings with larger sample

Compare technology adoption trends in the arts to other nonprofit sectors

Quantify efficacy of technology usage and training

Explore the role demographics play in technology adoption

Investigate the relationship between arts nonprofits and consultants


Q & A


Additional Resources

http://camt.artsnet.org/techmotivators.aspx

Notes: No WWW All lower case Include “.aspx” in URL

Technology Motivators and Usage in Non-Profit Arts Organizations

Economy & Finance

Transcript of Technology Motivators and Usage in Non-Profit Arts Organizations