The Future of Opera Queensland Assessment 2 PDF

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Assessment 2 Strategic Recommendation The Future of Opera Queensland semester 2 the year 2021...

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The Future of Opera Queensland BSB105 THE FUTURE ENTERPRISE ASSESSMENT 2 STRATEGIC RECOMMENDATIONS PREPARED BY: Ethan Catley (N11075198), Brandon Lau (N10975195), Clyde Silvestre (N9828176), Randy Zhang (N11088362), Georgia Swan (N10479571) Due Date: October 31, 2021

Contents 1.0 Introduction.............................................................................................................. 2 2.0 Scenario for 2030...................................................................................................... 2 3.0 Strategic Response Recommendation.....................................................................3 3.1 recommendation a................................................................................................. 3 3.2 Recommendation B............................................................................................... 5 4.0 Conclusion................................................................................................................ 7 5.0 References................................................................................................................. 8 6.0 Appendix.................................................................................................................. 11 6.1 group contract....................................................................................................... 11 6.2 Graphs.................................................................................................................. 13 6.2.1 Graph A........................................................................................................... 13 6.2.2 Graph B.......................................................................................................... 13 6.2.3 Graph C.......................................................................................................... 14 6.3 evaluating DESIRABILITY FOR recommendation B.........................................14 6.4 Value proposition................................................................................................. 15 6.5 Customer journey Map........................................................................................ 15 6.6 Business model Canvas....................................................................................... 16

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1.0 Introduction Opera Queensland has the vision of growing a community connected by the transformative power of Opera (Opera Queensland, 2020). This vision is achievable due to the rapid development of technology that can connect Opera to a larger community and further the power of Opera to a larger audience. However, Opera Queensland has suffered in numbers over the years, earning a lower viewer count each period. To counter this problem, Opera Queensland must utilise the options available and adapt to the evolving society to draw in potential viewers and provide sustainability to the industry. For the benefit of OQ, the report is to provide two strategic responses in a plausible scenario OQ may face in 2030. The strategic responses will consider the current environment OQ operates in and how this will develop leading to 2030, allowing OQ to implement ways of preparing for 2030. The strategic response will consider the desirability, viability, and feasibility to evaluate the best procedures and infrastructure OQ can use to better its position in a scenario in 2030. By the end of the report, OQ can use the strategic recommendations to ensure diversity in the 2030 scenario. For the benefit of Opera Queensland, the report will evaluate and describe the possible scenario Opera Queensland may operate in 2030. By 2030, the world has developed substantially with significant technology advancements and ample government funding. During this universe, Opera Queensland needs to capitalise on the additional funding to advance their research and development within the industry to provide the audience with an enjoyable experience. Furthermore, Opera Queensland needs to utilise the ever-evolving technology and integrate it into its operations. As society will be relying on technology significantly, it is essential to capture the interest of a broad demographic.

2.0 Scenario for 2030 The scenario selected was based on Opera Queensland utilising the advancement of technology alongside increased government funding to attract new consumers, increasing diversity. Recently, the government had injected $2.13million into the industry over the four years (Dean, 2021). The funds intended to ensure that the industry would continually increase employment for upcoming talent, increasing show quality and assisting in sustaining the industry. According to an article written PAGE 2

by Lee Rainie, an expert in internet and technology research, technology is a crucial aspect of modern-day Opera. "Technology will help increase audiences, increasing access to arts will break the geographic constraints, makes the community more diverse" (Thomson, 2013). Therefore, OQ must utilise the evolving technology in 2030 and incorporate it into their shows and their operations to sustain and grow. The plausibility of this scenario occurring in 2030 is highly likely. OQ is currently adapting to the current technological trends to help increase their diversity and audience ranges. OQ is already staying up to date with the upcoming digital trends as they have recently grown their social media following by 39% (Opera Queensland, 2020). Proving OQ is already working towards being up to date in 2030. It was identified in an article written by Caitlin Vincent, a PhD researcher in performance and technology, that Opera's digital revolution has changed art. It has revolutionised consumers' perspectives on art, and this recent technological development has the potential to grow their consumer base dramatically (Vincent, 2018). OQ with an increase in government funding, seen in graph C, it will allow OQ to invest in the latest technologies and other programs to attract audiences.

3.0 Strategic Response Recommendation Our recommendations are based on the principle of increasing the diversity OQ using the trends of digitalisation and government funding to support this effort. Our recommendations aim to increase the range of generations accessing OQ, as Australia is experiencing an aging population. The National Opera Review stated, younger people need to be encouraged to attend performances for the success of significant opera companies like OQ (Department of Communications and the Arts, 2016). Generation Z, 9-24 years old, have been raised to favour technology (Annie E. Casey Foundation, 2021). Therefore, OQ can, by incorporating the trend of digitalisation and government funding, attract a new audience to increase diversity. 3.1 RECOMMENDATION A The first recommendation identified for this scenario is the use of augmented reality, live streaming, and other similar technologies, with the help of government funding, to diversify Opera Queensland’s community and increase audience interaction. The focus of this recommendation is to create participatory/community Opera, as used in Ancient Greece. This recommendation holds many benefits for OQ, such as increased interaction, participation, and audience engagement, further increasing diversity within the audience. To PAGE 3

understand the benefits of this recommendation, the scenario’s desirability, feasibility, and viability were taken into account. Research shows this recommendation is sustainable for Opera Queensland in both short term and long-term scenarios. It allows a diverse range of audiences to access the content in a diverse range of ways. This is particularly beneficial for OQ as the issue they are currently facing is to do with a lack of diversity, particularly when looking at the age of audiences. (Edwards et al., 2019) States that performative art was considered a participatory activity (way back in Ancient Greece), though it has since become less interactive. This research further states that participatory Opera benefits include more complex stories, greater audience appreciation, higher engagement, and increased discussion rates. There are many ways in which OQ can incorporate audience participation, something as simple as live streaming their performances, making them interactive via audience selection of certain elements, or even creating different apps or devices audiences can connect through. Although these ideas pose difficulties, research shows it would be beneficial in solving some of OQ’s primary concerns and issues, making it highly desirable for both the business and the audience. Moreover, the feasibility of this recommendation must be considered by examining the ethical and technological scale of the project. Research shows that there are many benefits and challenges to participatory design, as stated above. When looking at the challenges, a more complex list is considered, such as funding, lack of research/understanding and strict arrangement in Opera. However, (Clements, 2016) states that the challenges of community Opera have not stopped producers from seeking a way to involve the community in their art. Challenges often revolve around Opera performances that are more complex and longer, as it is harder to incorporate communities into the strict arrangements of the show. Solutions may include focusing on smaller shows and changes, so the audiences are engaged and impacted at higher rates, without too much of the show being changed or sacrificed (Harlow, Alfieri, Dalton & Field, 2011). (Figure 1) Shows numerous ways in which changes can be made to performances such as Opera, specifically with technology. These include ideas stated above, such as interactive performances, online platforms, and recordings. This source also recommends new ideas, such as community choirs and voting. These ideas would be highly beneficial for OQ as it would allow them to expand their audience, specifically to youth, and allow them to meet their goals. Overall, research shows that positive outcomes of community arts are gathered from anecdotal evidence rather than a comparative framework. However, literature provides a range of positive outcomes that do exist, making participatory Opera extremely effective, especially with the use of technology and PAGE 4

funding (Clements, 2016). It is recommended that this be done by using further market research to identify their audiences and what they want and using further research to understand how this can be done (Harlow, Alfieri, Dalton & Field, 2011). To gauge the viability of this recommendation, it is essential to consider the longterm sustainability and profitability (Murray, 2020). Research regarding Opera in New York found that live streaming their events generated 9.5% of their income, at the cost of only 5.9% of their outgoings (The Conversation, 2018). Research shows that the business sees a significant increase in profits with less investment by incorporating live shows. Similar research states that another approach is to have performances live-streamed for free on specific social media platforms and to have paid advertisements/collaborations that cover Actors’ costs and more (Dow, 2020). This shows that there are multiple approaches to this recommendation, but they are all viable and can be done. Overall, this recommendation is desirable, feasible and viable for various reasons, supported by different sources and further research. The main point noted is that though the research is primarily anecdotal, not comparative, there are still clear advantages to this recommendation. It is recommended that OQ focus on the feasibility aspect of this recommendation, as though there are benefits, there are also challenges. 3.2 RECOMMENDATION B The second recommendation is a focus on building a new audience using government funding. The government funding will aid in more programs, performances and advertising that increases reach to various ages, especially those from 16 to 24 years old. The recommendation will be about using government funding to connect the audience and OQ, creating an enjoyable and memorable experience. The issue for the target customers in this recommendation, 16-24; the current business model of Opera is marketed at the average attending audience member, 60-70 (Pham, 2021). A study done at Queensland University of Technology (QUT) demonstrates that 84% of 275 students have never been to the Opera, seen in Graph A. Majority of those who attended were invited by friends or family, seen in Graph B. The problem with OQ’s new customers is their lack of interest in Opera. The focus should be on providing a solution creating interest within the audience to increase the audiences age range, seen in appendix 6.3. Currently, OQ runs specific operas for children and has programs presented to schools, leaving those between 16 and 24 out (OQ, 2021). Without a specific structure providing a process to

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introduce young adults to Opera, OQ lacks diversity. This recommendation provides a solution for the gap; by creating student nights and expanding advertising for 16-24 via social media, it creates an entry into Opera. It would be on par with industry operators who are projected to increasingly use social media to reach new target audiences (Dean, 2021). Student nights will create an exciting environment and provide new attendees, people to go with, which is a significant concern for 16-24, seen in appendix 6.4. The solution would be to create a customer journey, as seen in appendix 6.5, desirable to 16-24. It would be an exciting and interesting experience, enjoyable with both friends and strangers, focused on alleviating the worry of expense and focusing on the Opera. The feasibility of this recommendation will be discussed by considering factors like technology and social aspects in conjunction with key activities and resources. As stated in the Value Proposition, the main activity OQ should focus on is developing and facilitating events designed for 16-24. To achieve this, the event could consist of numerous “pop-up” performances of miniaturised Operas aimed at 16-24. Activities to create interest in 16-24 could be group activities, as data from the survey indicated people were interested in socialising. These small events and activities could be paired amongst cheap food vans and alcohol vendors, similar to Eat Street Northshore, whose success is shown by over a million people visiting annually (Queensland Government, 2021). As stated, advertising the student nights to the demographic is needed. This could be achieved through social media as 95% of 1624 have a social media profile, a trend expected to continue; thus, they would be susceptible to advertising on these platforms (Ofcom, 2020). This distribution channel is not currently established, but it is possible due to the trend of digitalisation. Resources needed to be successful, seen in appendix 6.6, advertisements, artists, shortened operas, and employees explaining Opera and access to alcohol and food trucks. Key partners include food van companies and outdoor entrainment groups, alleviating some costs and bettering the experience (see appendix 6.6). An issue is the sale of alcohol; selling alcohol requires an application for a licensing permit which will require checks to ensure no underage drinking as some participants may be underage. A solution to this is security, checking ids and possibly separate drinking areas as seen in similar events like festivals, concerts, and live sport. The selling of alcohol in the presence of underage people may be perceived as unethical; however, it will be ethically acceptable if managed effectively. Analysis of viability is necessary to ensure OQ is in a position to fulfil this recommendation. The costs of this solution will include fixed costs such as the hiring of vans, paying employees and hiring a venue to host it; see appendix 6 for PAGE 6

cost structure. However, if the event becomes big enough, OQ can partner with food and alcohol vans, which could turn into revenue. These costs will be alleviated by government funding, which is seen to be increasing, see graph C. Additionally, if the event is successful, tickets sales and future sponsorships caused by the success may also provide additional revenue that can be used to pay for the event and enable more programs and events. Thus, this solution can be viable depending upon the relative success of the first event. Conclusively, the recommendation is desirable to an untapped audience. It is within the ability of OQ for it to be feasible and based on the current and future situation of OQ, it is financially viable. This recommendation has clear benefits to increasing the diversity of OQ’s audience without sacrificing any producing an unethical business as long as the sale of alcohol is dealt with appropriately, and all guidelines are met.

4.0 Conclusion In conclusion OQ must utilise the upcoming technological trends and incorporate it into their operations and performances alongside with utilising the increased government funds effectively. In the scenario of 2030 with OQ receiving increased funds it will increase employment for talented young performances which will in return increase performance quality. Incorporating technology into their operations and performances will provide a more interactive experience with the audiences which will attract the younger consumers. Therefore, the course of action that OQ are required to undertake is to invest most of their funds into keeping up with the upcoming advancement of technology. Technology is constantly evolving and no doubt in 2030 technology will be a huge aspect in modern society. So therefore, investing in technology will no doubt improve their performances which will help create a more diverse audience but also improve the speed and standards of their operations.

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5.0 References Annie E. Casey Foundation. (2021, April 14). What are the Core Characteristics of Generation Z? Retrieved from The Annie E. Casey Foundation: https://www.aecf.org/blog/what-are-the-core-characteristics-of-generation-z Australian Government: Department of Education, Skills and Employment. (2021, Februaru 10). Arts, Culture, Entertainment and Desgin. Retrieved from Australian Industry and SKills Committe: https://nationalindustryinsights.aisc.net.au/industries/arts-culture-entertainmentand-design Dean, R. (2021, June). Music Theatres Production in Australia. Retrieved from Ibis World: https://my-ibisworldcom.ezp01.library.qut.edu.au/au/en/industry/r9001/key-statistics Department of Communications and the Arts. (2016). Demographic. Retrieved from National Opera Review: https://www.arts.gov.au/sites/default/files/national_opera_review_final_report.pdf Ofcom. (2020, June 24). Adult's Media Use & Attitudes Report 2020. Retrieved from Ofcom: https://www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0031/196375/adultsmedia-use-and-attitudes-2020-report.pdf Opera Queensland. (2020). About Us. Retrieved from Opera Queensland: https://www.oq.com.au/about-opera-queensland/ Opera Queensland. (2020). Annual Report 2020. Retrieved from Opera Queensland: https://www.oq.com.au/wpcontent/uploads/2021/04/AnnualReport_2020_Spreads_forWeb.pdf OQ. (2021). This is Opera. Retrieved from Opera Queensland: https://www.oq.com.au/this-is-opera/ Pham, V. (2021, August 23). Opera Australia and the Expense of Orientalist Spectacle. Retrieved from Opera Australia: https://www.decolonialhacker.org/article/opera-australia-and-the-expense-oforientalist-spectacle Queensland Government. (2021). Precinct Partner - Eat Street Northshore. Retrieved from Queensland Government - Northshore: PAGE 8

https://northshorebrisbane.com.au/case-study/precinct-partner-eat-streetnorthshore/ Yanov, V. (2021, August 5). 37+ Live Streaming Statistics Every Marketer Should Keep in Mind in 2021. Retrieved from techjury: https://techjury.net/blog/live-streamingstatistics/#gref Thomson, K., Purchell, K., Rainie, L,. (2013), Overall impact of Technology on the Arts, Arts Organizations and Digital Technologies, https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2013/01/04/section-6-overall-impact-oftechnology-on-the-arts/ Opera Queensl...