Managing edutainment and perceived authenticity of museum visitor experience: insights from qualitative study

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this paper is to better understand edutainment and perceived authenticity in the context of the cultural organizations, museums. It aims to discover and understand opinions of museum professionals towards edutainment (as one of the most significant trends) and three components of perceived authenticity of museum visitor experience. Results of the exploratory qualitative study show positive opinions towards edutainment. Three approaches to edutainment are identified: customized, selective and universal. Furthermore, if used correctly, edutainment can help to increase the perceived authenticity of museum visitor experience. However, museum professionals are divided in opinions about the importance of edutainment for the three components of perceived authenticity of museum visitor experience. Research findings provide valuable insights for museum marketing academics and professionals responsible for management of the customer perception of authenticity.

KEYWORDS:

• Edutainment
• perceived authenticity of museum visitor experience
• museum professionals
• qualitative research
• Croatia

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Tanja Komarac, Ph.D., is a Teaching and Research Assistant at the Marketing Department at Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Zagreb, Croatia. Her research interests include arts marketing, museum marketing and mobile marketing.

Durdana Ozretic-Dosen, Ph.D., is a full professor of marketing in the Marketing Department of the Faculty of Economics & Business at the University of Zagreb, Croatia. Her research interests include services marketing, product management, brand management, and international marketing. She has published books, contributions to books, numerous articles in national and international journals (e.g., Journal of Business Research, International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, Educational Studies) and papers in conference proceedings (e.g., European Marketing Academy – EMAC, EMAC Regional, etc.).

Vatroslav Skare, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor at Marketing Department at Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Zagreb, Croatia. His research interests include services marketing, digital marketing, brand management and mobile marketing.

ORCID

Tanja Komarac http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6282-3887