Kathryn E. Jacob

Business Management in an Ever-Changing World: Leading with Ethics and Vision 

ONE: What Exactly is Museum Business and Management?

I believe when most people think of museums, their only thoughts swirl around the objects displayed. But behind every well-planned exhibition lies an intricate system of planning, strategy, and stewardship. Museum business and management isn’t just about balancing the books or board meetings. It’s about maintaining the public’s trust and helping guide cultural institutions through a rapidly changing world and politics.

The business and management of a museum is defined as the strategic, financial, operational, and ethical stewardship of the institution. These responsibilities aren’t just boring bureaucratic tasks but the mechanisms by which cultural institutions stay relevant, equitable, and resilient. Museum managers are not just administrators; they are leaders in the museum that are accountable not only to their staff and community but also to the larger cultural narrative. It’s an interdisciplinary field that brings together budgeting, governance, human resources, strategic planning, innovation, fundraising, and risk management-often all at once.

As Půček, Plaček, and Ochrana (2021) put it, “Managing a museum in today’s world requires a combination of entrepreneurial thinking, social responsibility, and resilience.” (p. 40) That idea really resonates. I’m drawn to the way museum management exists at the intersection of strategy and social ethics. As Graham Black aptly states, management is “the beating heart of institutional responsiveness.” (2021, p. 2)

TWO: Who Works in Museum Management & What Do They Do?

Museum management covers a wide range of roles, from executive directors to chief operating officers, department heads, strategic planning officers, and financial officers. These roles are given the job of steering the cultural institution through both calm and turbulent times. At its core, museum management is about sustaining the organization’s mission while ensuring its future.

One of the most crucial responsibilities is strategic financial planning, which entails the hard job of balancing generating income and being in service to the public. To be financially successful is not enough, but the way the money is earned and spent must reflect the institution’s values and commitments. As Mason et al. (2017) explain, “Museum managers must make financial decisions that reflect both mission-driven and market-driven concerns.” (p. 138) This responsibility becomes more complicated by the need to manage what Jaleesa Renee Wells (2024) calls “soft assets like community trust and labor equity.” (p. 42) It’s not just about sustainability—it’s about sustaining the right things.

THREE: The Role of Technology in Museum Management

In today’s world, it is impossible to talk about museum operations without discussing technology. From e-commerce and digital fundraising to audience engagement tools, CRM systems, and remote work infrastructure, tech has worked it’s way into every layer of museum business. During COVID-19, that fact became all too glaringly clear.

Technology also plays a key role in scenario planning and institutional dexterity, two traits that are essential for future leadership. As Půček et al. (2021) note, “Museums which were technologically agile were better equipped to navigate the pandemic’s disruption.” (p. 45) And as Mathew (2021) puts it, “Digital transformation is no longer optional—it is essential to sustainability and relevance.” (p. 175) Whether museums like it or not, adapting to new technologies is part of the work of management and part of the ethical work of accessibility, inclusion, and transparency.

FOUR: Equity & Accountability in Museum Practices

One of the most important shifts in museum business practice is the increasing recognition that budgeting is a moral act. Who gets hired, what gets funded, and which partnerships are prioritized-these are decisions with deep implications. DEAI isn’t an “add-on” to museum management; it is the work.

As Wells (2024) argues, “Social accounting challenges museums to track not only dollars but their sociocultural impacts and labor practices” (p. 40). Budgeting, contracting, and resource allocation must reflect a commitment to justice. Mathew (2021) reminds us that “business models must evolve to meet ethical and inclusive objectives, not just financial ones.” (p. 174) That means interrogating whose voices are supported by institutional structures—and whose are left out. Scott (2024) captures this shift toward what he calls “value-driven leadership” rooted in ethics and DEI. (p. 14) That’s where the future lies.

FIVE: My Personal & Professional Connection

I care about this area of museum work because I see it as the space where vision meets practice. I’m deeply interested in how institutions align their missions with their methods, especially when those methods are constrained by limited funding, political pressures, or internal resistance to change.

One of the most powerful observations I’ve taken from my studies is that museum leadership is changing- out of necessity. In her 2023 article, Robin Pogrebin discusses how shifts in leadership roles and priorities signal a sector in flux, one where the demands of transparency, accountability, and inclusivity are becoming impossible to ignore. That kind of flux is where I find the most compelling questions: How do we lead with integrity? How do we make change from within?

To me, museum management is exciting because it’s messy, dynamic, and real. It’s where institutional values are tested. It’s where decisions have ripple effects on staff wellbeing, community relationships, and the meaning-making power of the museum itself.

SIX: Looking Forward

Business and management in museums are not boring and static- they are living, breathing practices that require innovation, courage, and care. They are about building institutions that not only survive but serve. To secure their future, museums must become both mission-focused and future-facing. (Black, 2021, p. 4) That means investing in leadership that can navigate complexity, embrace equity, and drive toward relevance.

We are in a moment of reckoning and reinvention. And museum managers- whether they work in finance, operations, or executive leadership- have an enormous role to play in shaping what comes next.

References
Black, G. (2021). Museums and the challenge of change: Old institutions in a new world. Routledge.
Mathew, A. (2021). Business and ethics in museums. In J. Thompson (Ed.), Museum innovation and social change (pp. 167–178). Routledge.
Mason, R., Whitehead, C., & Graham, H. (2017). Museums and the pursuit of relevance. Manchester University Press.
Půček, M. J., Plaček, M., & Ochrana, F. (2021). Museum management: Opportunities and threats for successful museums. Springer.
Scott, J. (2024). Leading for equity: Ethical frameworks for cultural institutions. Museum Leadership Press.
Wells, J. R. (2024). Social accounting for museum progress. In B. Johnson et al. (Eds.), Reimagining museum futures (pp. 35–45). Routledge.
Pogrebin, R. (2023, July 24). Art seizures at the Met caused concern. His job is to address it. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/24/arts/design/met-museum-art-seizures-repatriation.html