Date of Award

2008

Document Type

Thesis

Publisher

Edith Cowan University

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts Honours

School

Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA)

Faculty

Faculty of Education and Arts

First Supervisor

Christopher Chalon

Abstract

The professional performing arts industry is typified by a high number of personnel employed on either a short-term or casual basis. Work is often unstable and wages are generally below the average, however, artists receive intrinsic rewards from their work, and this is why they choose to be employed in this field. Artists tend to manage their own careers, and have what is called a "protean career", whereby employment choices are made based on previous experiences and the resulting work is meaningful to the employee. The present study set out to explore three independent variables, namely organisational commitment, organisational identification and job satisfaction, and the influence these variables have upon the artists' levels of intrinsic motivation. Exploratory factor analyses conducted in the initial stages of the study revealed two further independent variables, 'attitudinal motivation' and 'identification with colleagues'. A stepwise multiple regression was conducted and revealed significant relationships between organisational identification, identification with colleagues, job satisfaction and the dependent variable, intrinsic motivation. Managers of arts organisations need to be aware that increases in the levels of identification and job satisfaction amongst their artistic personnel will lead to increases in the levels of intrinsic motivation they experience. This, in turn, can lead to better performances by the artists, which is likely to provide a range of benefits for arts organisations including a higher quality of artistic output and enhanced reputation.

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