Management Control and the Museums

For many years French museums have been undergoing numerous changes, both evolutionary and environmental. They now face an increasing need for more rigorous management whereby managers are given the means to establish new relations, to evolve and to adapt to their new environment, as well as the tools to function in their expanded role – in short, whatever resources are required to achieve their objectives. Management control is one means of responding to this necessary repositioning with all its attendant opportunities and constraints. This article presents the results of an investigation into the current situation in France and the management practices within French museums. Using a semi-structured interview method, the author researched several typical cases in order to understand how management control might be introduced into museums in France.