The emerging leadership shift in nonprofits and its effects on the management of three opera companies

This thesis explores the question of what occurs when a person with business training and for-profit experience is hired into a top managerial position in a non-profit opera company. To answer this question, multi-year case study analyses of three non profit opera companies that have hired for-profit trained managers were completed, examining changes that occurred during the tenure of the manager in financing, artistic programs, mission, vision and goals, and organizational structure. Each analysis compares the organization prior to the tenure of the business-manger to the present day. Interviews were also conducted with each manager to see what challenges they faced and their views on management. Findings indicate that the situations at two of the three opera companies dramatically improved with the tenure of a business-trained manager. Additionally, findings indicate that the third company will follow this trend, but not enough substantial evidence was found to support this conclusion.