Operational, economic and mission elements in not-for-profit organizations: the case of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra

The term not-for-profit often brings to mind the idea of an altruistic organization serving society. The reality is that the not-for-profit is a far more complex organization that is responsible to diverse groups of stakeholders. Unlike for-profit organizations, not-for-profit (NFP) organizations have to focus on dual, and often conflicting, goals relating to fulfilling their overall mission while also generating enough revenue to maintain their operating structures. In order to better understand the nature of the dual orientation of the NFP organization, the behavior of Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO) patrons using the CSO website is viewed. Specifically, this study examines data for individuals purchasing CSO concert tickets on-line during an 8-month period in 2000–2001. MANOVA and ANOVA statistical procedures are used to analyze the effects of both the economic and mission related orientations operationalized through the e-service encounter. Further, we view data from the on-line ticketing function relative to the labor costs of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.