This thesis is a study of Korean municipal orchestras which focuses on both the internal
and external environment in order to examine and better understand arguments that
they face 'challenges' that are not to be solved simply through 'efficiency' or 'better
organisation', but are part of wider socio-cultural change that previous studies have
failed to take adequately into consideration. This study, therefore, examines diverse
aspects of the difficulties faced by contemporary Korean municipal orchestras while
addressing five research questions concerning Korean cultural policy, the
socio-economic context in which orchestras operate, job satisfaction, interpersonal
conflict, and diminishing local government funding. In pursuit of this investigation, a
triangulation methodology is adopted, which includes the scrutiny of documentation
along with qualitative in-depth interviews (with orchestral players, administrative staff,
and civil servants) and a quantitative questionnaire survey (with 128 players and 10
administrative staff).
The research findings are given in detail in relevant chapters, but the key findings may
be summarised here as follows: Political, economic, historic, and socio-cultural factors
have greatly influenced the cultural policy of the Korean central government, but Korean
municipal orchestras are influenced more by policies of local governments who provide
them with a source of funding. Players in Korean municipal orchestras are highly
satisfied with their work but dissatisfied with present pay, lack of authority, and the
hierarchical structure. Orchestral administrative staff are dissatisfied with lack of
autonomy and promotion. Male players have higher perception of intrapersonal conflict
and intergroup conflict compared to female players, and male players have a greater
preference for using integrating and compromising styles when managing interpersonal
conflict with peers. Korean municipal orchestras, having a public service role, have
been used to receiving relatively stable financial aid from local governments, but this
has created a lack of commercial awareness about what is required to bolster their
legitimacy in the face of potential financial cuts and small audiences. The 'civilizing
mission' of the arts is no longer accepted as automatic justification. Although a complete
governance change is considered a key factor for the success of municipal orchestras,
such change is inadequate in itself: the real challenge for a brighter future lies with
players, administrative staff, and the cities and their cooperation
