cultural organizations

Since 2018 Stefanie Hiß explores cultural organizations from the perspective of organizational sociology. The research project aims to better understand the mechanisms of emergence and change of cultural organizations by using institutional theories. The various lobbying efforts and the struggle for interpretive approaches are focused. Which impulses are affecting them? How are these perceived and processed within the organization? How does the staff deal with their diverging experiences, backgrounds, believes and expectations? Which dynamics can be observed in the interaction between the many departments of the organization and what kind of interdependencies are there with the “outside” world? How did the institution change since its foundation and how can we explain this change?

A part of this research project looks at museums as an example for cultural organizations. With the assistance of Carolin Neumann, the role of sustainability in museums and their subordinate institutional structure is explored. What is currently happening regarding sustainability in museums? Who are the driving actors behind the chance and what motivates them? Which challenges do they face and how do they deal with them? How can the topic of sustainability be implemented into the structures of museums in a long term perspective?

To answer the above-mentioned research questions interviews are being conducted with relevant actors of various areas of this issue field. Additionally, documents, reports, organization charts are analyzed and participatory observations are performed.