Cirque Du Soleil

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Dr.Sarita Kumari,

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Teaching Objectives

To analyze the operation of performer-centric organization and the challenges such an organization faced. To analyze an organization that successfully fostered and managed creativity. To explore cirques strategy. To understand the way cirques structure and process fostered its extraordinary performances
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Questions

What is cirques product and its strategy? How has cirque structured and supported its casts to deliver superior performances? What are the challenges to cirques continued growth and /or diversification?

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Dr.Sarita Kumari,

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Analyzing the Cirque Magic

Extreme Creativity:

Cirque had to tap: Deepest imagination of its performers and directors. Physical skill of its performers and directors. audience and

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Extreme creativity attracted served as recruiting and motivational tool for cirque.
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Analyzing the Cirque Magic Cont

Marketing the Magic:

-Marketing did not shape cirques shows. -Cirque insulated performers from marketing. -Cirques shows are inner-directed. -Cirque carefully searched locales with sufficient income levels to be able to pay high ticket prices. -The marketing department encouraged customer loyalty.
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Analyzing the Cirque Magic Cont

Paying for the Magic:

-To recover all the expenses cirque set very high ticket prices. Concerns:

High ticket prices limited the number of audience in a given locale, leading to possibility of market saturation. High prices made entertainment.
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Dr.Sarita Kumari,

Reinventing the Circus

To understand how cirques management created a social context to enhance the cast's capacity for collaboration, service, and growth. In his book Leading Teams, J.Richard Hackman identifies five conditions that foster the likelihood of team effectiveness.

1. Defining the team in such a way that work requires real team work.
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Reinventing the Circus Cont

Defining a Real Team: Has the cirques work designed in such a way as to require group members to work interdependently to achieve an identifiable collective outcome?(Cirque has integrated its various
acts into a single narrative, supported by a musical score that seamlessly moved the show from one act to another)

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Are the boundaries of the group clear?(Cirques

branding served to create clear boundaries and further integrate the cast).The touring life too also created a boundary around each cast)

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Dr.Sarita Kumari, 88 authority the group have the necessary

Reinventing the Circus Cont

Setting the Direction: Guy Laliberte, cirques founder and owner, played the key role in setting cirques direction.

General Views of Hackman:

Setting direction for a team always involves the exercise of authority. When a leader exercises authority, team members are likely to react in one of two ways:

1. They may view the leader as an omniscient figure on whom they depend. 2. They may consider the leader as an over
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Reinventing the Circus Cont

Setting the Direction Cont: appeared figure to than regard as a

-Cirques employees Laliberte more as a

benevolent, omniscient megalomaniacal director. -His history as a performer.

The keys to Laliberte authority were: -His consistent track record. With each success, he gained more authority. -His ownership of cirque. The man was making bets with his own 3/17/13 Dr.Sarita Kumari, 1010

Reinventing the Circus Cont

Instituting an Enabling Structure: Leaders should consider three key structural features when they create work teams: The design of the work(One of the most important outcome of successful work design is internal motivation. Individuals have internal motivation when they : Perceived their work to be meaningful, Feel personally responsible for outcomes, and Receive feedback as to their efforts.
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General Views of Hackman:

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Cirque has reflected all three conditions)

Reinventing the Circus Cont

Instituting an Enabling Structure Cont: The key norms of the team(Cirque has embraced ethos of artistic and bohemian life. A wide range of behaviour was tolerated and great deal of allowances were made for personal differences)

General Views of Hackman Cont:

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3. The composition of the team(Cirque was very careful in selecting candidates on the basis of technical skills and ability to be generous in performance by giving emphasis upon multiculturalism)
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Reinventing the Circus Cont

Supportive Context:

-Cirque supported its artists both on the road and off the road. -Management motivated staff by getting them to come and watch performances of the circus by understanding the importance and meaning of their own jobs. -Cirque invested in its internal communications 3/17/13 employee Dr.Sarita Kumari, 1313 through

Reinventing the Circus Cont

Expert Coaching:

-Cirque offered three types of coaching: The direction involved in directly improving a show. Educational efforts aimed at improving cast effectiveness(language training). Developmental efforts to increase1414 the general Dr.Sarita Kumari, skill level of performers through outside

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Challenges for Future

Keeping it fresh while keeping it real. Choosing wise routes for diversification. Leadership succession. Introducing greater planning and structure.

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Dr.Sarita Kumari,

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THANK YOU

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Dr.Sarita Kumari,

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