Arts and cultural organizations (ACOs), like all organizations, are regularly required to make strategic decisions in order to deal with the challenges of their sector. To make the most informed decisions possible, ACO managers must have excellent knowledge of models of strategic thinking. But thinking strategically does not mean that managers should adopt a purely rationalist approach and ignore their intuition. In fact, ACO managers, who are often artists, are more inclined to follow their intuition than theoretical models that provide only a partial view of reality. The aim of this book is to encourage ACO managers to reflect on the exercise of strategic thinking. Just as artists must master the technical skills of their art in order to move the audience, ACO managers must master the methods of strategic thinking in order to feel comfortable and confident in their decision making. In this process, managers will eventually think strategically by blending a rational approach with their intuition. This way of thinking can be acquired or reinforced through the repeated application of the strategic tools presented in this book. Understanding one’s organization in terms of its environment, its competitors, its stakeholders’ expectations and its resources and competencies, while adopting the most suitable governance structure, are essential steps in a strategic process that will lead to more effective management and a better capacity to anticipate the future. The strategic decisions emerging from this process will have a greater likelihood of ensuring the long-term sustainability of the ACO. The authors’ aim is to facilitate the reflection on the strategic diagnosis for arts and cultural organizations, notably through an understanding of the internal and external environment. Governance and stakeholder issues are also taken into account. This book will help practitioners:

• develop a better understanding of how analytical tools can contribute to strategic management;
• carry out a strategic diagnosis;
• make strategic decisions that are consistent with the diagnosis;
• ensure the successful implementation of their decisions.

Serge Poisson-de Haro, Ph.D., MBA, has been a professor at HEC Montréal since 2006. His research and teaching interests are focused in the area of strategy. He has served on the Board of Directors of the Canadian Opera Company and the DAREarts Foundation for Children. He is a regular contributor to the International Journal of Arts Management and a frequent speaker at the International Conference on Arts and Cultural Management (AIMAC). He has written numerous case studies on institutions in the arts and cultural sector.

Sylvain Menot, Sylvain Menot, an engineer by training, completed his MBA with Honours at HEC Montréal in September 2008. One of his main fields of interest is strategic management. He has co-authored two case studies on the strategic issues facing arts organizations that were published in the International Journal of Case Studies in Management. He has several years of experience as a project manager. He currently holds a position with the world leader in contract research organizations for the pharmaceutical industry.