Competencies and success of motion picture actors: a resource-based and competence-based empirical analysis

ABSTRACT

Motion picture actors (MPA) have to compete in a highly competitive, complex and dynamic environmental setting. However, only little knowledge concerning their success factors is available. The present study addresses this lack of research by using a structural equation model-driven approach, testing and using data from a survey with 566 MPAs. The aim of this approach is to provide insights concerning specific resources and competencies that increase the possibility of successful casting for MPAs. Therefore, we tested six hypotheses and identified significant positive effects on MPAs’ success from the following resources and competencies: personal network of contacts, talent agency's competence, actor's social competence, actor's media presence and actor's pricing competence. The empirical findings further illustrate the essential role of the personal network of contacts as a source of MPAs’ success and offer advice for MPAs to enable them to actively and strategically develop their careers. Since this is one of the first studies that analyses success factors of MPAs based on a large sample of primary data using a multivariate method, the empirical findings constitute an important theoretical contribution. Furthermore, several practical implications are provided to MPAs.

KEYWORDS:

• Competencies
• resources
• success factors
• motion picture actors
• structural equation modelling

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Bernd W. Wirtz holds the Chair for Information and Communication Management at the German University of Administrative Sciences Speyer. He has published widely on issues pertaining to electronic business, strategic management, media management and marketing.

Marina Mermann is an Associate at ArgentuM, a Monaco-based Legal, Business, Banking, Offshore, and Media Consultancy.

Peter Daiser is a doctoral student and research assistant at the German University of Administrative Sciences Speyer.

Notes

1. This study is part of an investigation that consists of two research projects. Both data sets of these research projects have been collected within one data enquiry. Therefore, the data collection approach is similar to the study of Wirtz, Mermann, and Daiser 2016.