In a message dated 01-10-04 13:38:18 EDT, Indigo Nights wrote:

<< The other problem I've seen with the outside
 candidates--especially in this era of the MBA
 President (and I'm thinking of the Smithsonian as an
 example here)--is the frustration in putting a
 business only mindset in a field that is a lot more
 complex than just numbers.  How does one attach a
 value to an exhibit that is beyond monetary? >>

Indigo, you contrast such "outside" people with "inside" folks who know the
"intricate details" of their profession and try to micromanage as the result
of this insider's experience.  But you don't need to be an insider to have a
micromanagement mentality.  Some of the "outside" types with a business
background also are capable of micromanaging, precisely because they think
manipulating purse strings will produce their desired results, without
knowledge of or regard for the real needs of the staff and programs they
supervise, and their value to the institution.  I have heard a top
administrator with a business background, for example, summarily dismiss the
efforts of technicians and conservators to provide proper storage for objects
in their care on the grounds that the objects do not have a high enough
marketplace value to justify the time devoted to the procedures.  He never
asked about the cultural or historical significance of the objects, but was
concerned only about assumed monetary value (a peculiarly myopic view, even
from a "business" standpoint, since today's $100 artifact may become
tomorrow's $10,000 treasure).

If I had to choose my museum micromanagers, I'd much prefer one who is at
least knowledgeable about some museum specialty over one from a business
background who has the arrogance to think that managing a museum is identical
to managing a profit-making business and that everything is just a matter of
"common sense" which can be implemented at all levels.  I think the latter
can be very dangerous.  Certainly any museum administrator needs good
business sense (and should have some hard-nosed business advisors), but I
like to see museum managers and directors who have paid their dues in the
museum profession and, through interchange and association with colleagues in
other disciplines, have a healthy respect (not necessarily intimate
knowledge) for all the staff, programs, activities, and collections under
their jurisdiction.

David Haberstich

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