2004-08-15

Corporate commitment to culture – an integral part of their strategy?

What strategic aims do companies in Germany, Austria and Switzerland pursue through their cultural commitment? Does cultural commitment generate competitive advantage? What do companies commit themselves to, and who makes the decisions here? These are the questions that a survey by the Swiss Institute for Art Research (SIAR) and Roland Berger Strategy Consultants considers.

It found that cultural commitment is motivated mostly by a sense of social responsibility. It is not normally part of a company's strategy, and is rarely used consciously to achieve competitive advantage. And cultural commitment is usually the preserve of top management too. The survey also found there are three kinds of culturally committed companies (commercial, paternalistic and "good citizens"), and that proportions vary from one country and industry to another.

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A survey by the Swiss Institute for Art Research and Roland Berger Strategy Consultants