Technology Motivators and Usage in Non-Profit Arts Organizations

Technology Motivators and Usage in Nonprofit Arts Organizations Americans for the Arts Annual Convention Sunday, June 3, 2007 Las Vegas, NV

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

Project Timeline 2006 Jul Sep Aug Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun 2007 Final paper Conversations with GPAC begin First presentation Interim presentation AFTA presentation Final presentation Data Collection Data Analysis Project structure Advisory Board

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  

Methodology
Results
Q&A

Project Methodology
Literature Review
Internal Documents
Initial Questionnaire
Interviews
Site Observations
Staff Survey
Methodologies included two types of data sets consisting of several research techniques Primary Secondary

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

Framework: Decision-Making Model
Crisis
Problem
Opportunity
Project
Strategy
Plan
2 Issue
Pre-Process
Mid-Process
Post-Process
1 Identification 3 Process

Framework: Decision-Making Model 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

Framework: Decision-Making Model External Motivators Internal Motivators Financial Mandates Social Mandates Facility Mandates Resource & Time Constraints Awareness & Knowledge Sentiments and Satisfaction Attitudes About Technology Balancing Art and Administration Institutional Culture, Priorities & Values

Decision-Making Model: External Motivators
Financial Mandates
Social Mandates
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
Awareness and Knowledge
Resource and Time Constraints
Institutional Culture, Priorities and Values
Balancing Art and Administration
Attitudes about Technology
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

Methodology
Results
Q&A

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
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.” Resources Skill Support Efficacy Purposes of Use Human Capital Social Capital

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

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

by CAMT on May 18, 2008

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