A Study on Issues Deriving from the Outsourcing of Exhibitions by Taiwan’s Public Museums

• Main Author: 符惠敏
• Other Authors: 葉貴玉
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2005
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/84264336372195001756

碩士 === 臺南藝術學院 === 博物館學研究所 === 93 === Outsourcing exhibitions is currently very common in Taiwan’s museums, and the government is promoting the development of the exhibition industry at an unprecedented pace. Museums in Taiwan have worked with the exhibition industry for almost two decades. There has, however, not yet been a professional cooperative pattern, let alone in-depth research on the problems and issues related to exhibition outsourcing. In this case, we will explore the issues as follows: 1) What are the types of exhibition outsourcing by the museums in Taiwan? 2) What are the difficulties contractors might face? 3) Can the museums and the outsource companies establish an ideal cooperative pattern? This study adopts qualitative research methodologies, which include action research used in case study and in-depth interviewing as well as participation observation, to understand the interaction between both parties. The study’s results are listed below. 1. There are three types of exhibition outsourcing used by the museums in Taiwan: 1) total outsourcing; 2) outsourcing detail design and making; 3) outsourcing detail design and marketing to respective outsource companies. 2. The difficulties that might be faced by the contractors can be concluded as: 1) Problems related to different concepts, invention and application of new technology, and recruitment and cultivation of professionals emerge before collaboration. 2) When bidding, how can companies provide quality and reputation guarantee? 3) During the process of outsourcing, there are misunderstandings between both parties, and the staff in charge might lack experience. 4) There might also be problems concerning inspection and guaranteed maintenance before, after, and during the opening ceremony. As a result, museums and companies in the exhibition industry have to make preparations and improvements beforehand in order to form a pleasant cooperative relationship. For example, museums can: 1) recruit professionals; 2) carefully select reviewers; 3) gather detailed information about outsource companies; 4) draft contracts; 5) reinforce and educate contractors and control quality. As for companies in the exhibition industry, there are things that they should work on: 1) building professionalism; 2) cultivating professionals such as project organizers; 3) establish a cooperation network. Finally, both museums and the contractors need to create a smooth communication channel in order to together face and tackle problems immediately. If both parties can reach consensus, acknowledge each other’s responsibilities, and develop a good mutual communication when working together, they will then be able to prevent problems from happening, overcome unexpected obstacles, and hence, reach a pleasant partnership and have a win-win situation. Keywords: Exhibition; Exhibition outsourcing; Museums.