Museums and marketing in an electronic age

Transcription

1 Museums and marketing in an electronic age Kim Lehman, BA (TSIT), BLitt (Hons) (Deakin) Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy University of Tasmania July 2008

2 We have all heard that a million monkeys banging on a million typewriters will eventually reproduce the entire works of Shakespeare. Now, thanks to the Internet, we know this is not true. Robert Wilensky (b. 1951) ii

3 Declaration of originality This thesis does not contain any material which has been accepted for a degree or diploma by the University of Tasmania or any other institution, except by way of background information and duly acknowledged in the thesis, or to the best of the candidate s knowledge and belief, any material previously published or written by another person except where due acknowledgement is made in the text of the thesis Kim Lehman Date iii

4 Authority of access This thesis may be available for loan. Copying any part is prohibited for two years from the date this statement was signed. After that time limited copying is permitted in accordance with the Copyright Act 1968 and subsequent amendments Kim Lehman Date iv

5 Abstract It is widely acknowledged that the days of museums solely being places of contemplation for the educated, with a concentration on collecting, conservation and research, have now passed. The challenge for the modern museum is that, in addition to these traditional roles which still remain, they are now also expected to inform, educate and entertain, and to provide a value museum experience within a competitive marketplace. Central to this challenge is the changing nature of the public, and how their expectations as informed and technologically aware consumers can shape museum activities. There are, then, significant social, economic and cultural changes that have affected the way museums need to operate and how they see themselves and their audiences. One response to this can be seen in the rise of marketing as a vital component of museum management. Such a marketing emphasis means museums actively seek to communicate with their publics. In order to do this, given the changes in the dynamics of the museums marketplace, there is now the necessity to use electronic media within integrated marketing communication strategies. This use of electronic marketing as a strategy within the museum sector has received little attention in the academic literature. The position taken here is that the developments seen in the museum sector are best viewed by adopting a narrative approach to the structure of the thesis. Each chapter builds on the preceding, but each then carries the narrative forward, from the genesis of the modern museum, to the subsequent analysis of Australia s state museums. Within this context, this study takes a qualitative and interpretivist approach to the overall research aim, which is to investigate the factors that influence the extent to which the Australian state museums incorporate electronic marketing strategies into their overall marketing activities. It uses a multi-case method, with data drawn from interviews with operational- and strategic-level staff, extensive field visits and analysis of annual reports, marketing collateral and websites from the six Australian state museums. The thesis subsequently analyses the case study museums from a marketing perspective, using secondary data to compare and contrast each v

6 museum s strategies. It also seeks to reveal a museum perspective by reporting and critically analysing the data drawn from interviews with staff from the Australian state museums. These perspectives are synthesised in a concluding chapter which also considers the research questions in light of the findings. In addition, this chapter addresses the extent to which the research has provided insight into the overall research aim. The thesis makes a significant contribution to museum marketing research by suggesting likely relationships between the use of electronic marketing in Australia s state museums, and the various internal factors and external forces evident both in the literature and in the findings presented here. vi

7 Acknowledgements Firstly, I would like to gratefully acknowledge the substantial role my supervisors played in the production of this research. Dr Rob Hecker took me on as a candidate, I suspect, not certain if I could string two words together. I hope I subsequently proved I could, but also hope that I was not one of those troublesome candidates that went their own way despite better advice. There were times when I thought I knew best, and took some time to realise that I did not. Rob certainly exhibited patience on these occasions and provided sound, strategic advice and guidance. Dr John Byrom came later to the supervisory team, and with an office near mine, was subjected to more of a candidate s angst than he deserved. Nonetheless, John exhibited considerable resolve, and provided a clarity of thought that I certainly valued, particularly through the later stages. To both, my heartfelt thanks I would also like to extend a vote of thanks to supportive colleagues from within the University of Tasmania, and without, as well as to the Faculty of Business and the School of Management generally. Two persons, in particular, have generously shared the fruits of their own labours: Linda Hall and Dr Melina Parker. My greatest thanks go to my wife, Fiona. There is no doubt that surviving PhD candidature with my psyche intact would have been much harder without her. Why? There is support, and then there is that certain something else. At the risk of being overly philosophical, it is probably love vii

8 List of tables Table 2.1 Establishment dates for selected Australian and international museums Table 2.2 The museum sector s competitors from different types of leisure activities Table 3.1 State, Commonwealth and local government grants as a percentage of total revenue Table 3.2 A resource conversion model of museum s publics Table 5.1 Australian state museum staff interviewed viii

9 List of figures Figure 5.1 Hierarchical theme structure within NVivo Figure 5.2 Summary theme structure within NVivo ix

10 Table of contents Page Declaration of originality... iii Authority of access...iv Abstract... v Acknowledgements...vii List of tables...viii List of figures...ix Chapter 1 Overview of the thesis... 1 Background to the research... 1 Research problem and methodology... 5 Methodology... 7 Significance and implications of the research... 7 Structure of the thesis... 8 Conclusion Chapter 2 Museum history and development Introduction The museum sector: Definitions and context A brief history of museums The Australian setting The changing role of the general public Conclusion Chapter 3 Museum management and marketing Introduction The rise of a business philosophy Museums as not for profit organisations Professionalism in the sector Managers vs curators New museum income models The development of the marketing function Marketing management orientations The orientations evolution Marketing to the museums publics Conclusion x

11 Chapter 4 Marketing communications and electronic media Introduction An integrated approach to marketing communications The status of IMC Developing a definition of IMC Marketing communications and branding in the museum context Communicating to museums publics Integrating communication tools in the museum sector Branding and branding museums Electronic marketing Defining electronic marketing Public use of the Internet Museums and electronic media Museum Internet activities Conclusion Chapter 5 Research methodology and design Introduction Research philosophy Qualitative research Rationale for the research design Unit of analysis The case study as a research approach Multiple cases Data collection within the case study approach Interviews Field visits Secondary sources Data analysis methods Computer assisted data analysis Analysis of secondary sources Limitations Ethical considerations Conclusion Chapter 6 The case study museums: Marketing perspectives Introduction Australian Museum History and governance xi

12 Vision and aims Look and feel Summary Museum Victoria History and governance Vision and aims Look and feel Summary Queensland Museum History and governance Vision and aims Look and feel Summary South Australian Museum History and governance Vision and aims Look and feel Summary Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery History and governance Vision and aims Look and feel Summary Western Australian Museum History and governance Vision and aims Look and feel Summary Summary analysis Conclusion Chapter 7 Findings and discussion: Museum perspectives Introduction Drivers of change A business focus Competition for visitors The changing public Summary The role of marketing xii

13 Marketing activities Organisational structures The significance of marketing Summary Electronic marketing as a strategy Electronic media and their use Responsibilities and direction The significance of electronic marketing Summary Summary analysis External forces Internal factors Museum responses Conclusion Chapter 8 Conclusion and implications Introduction Synthesis of perspectives Research question Research question Research question Research question Research question The overall research aim Implications Theory Practice Future research Concluding statement References Appendices Appendix A: Publications drawn from the research for this thesis Appendix B: Interview schedule Appendix C: Colour plates: Case study museum fieldwork visits Appendix D: Ethics Committee documents xiii