Center for Social Innovation

Circus Oz was Australia's premier, international circus. It was founded in 1977 on four principles: collective ownership and creation, gender equity, a uniquely Australian experience, and teamwork.

The A segment of the videocase mirrors the written case (SI69) in exploring the Australia Council's offer to fund a development officer position for two years, largely as a way of increasing income from corporate sponsorships and reducing reliance on government support.

The Australia Council had suggested a salary for this position that was considerably higher than even the highest Circus Oz salary. Hence, the organization’s leadership was concerned about the impact that deviating from their relatively flat wage structure would have on the company’s morale and culture.

The videocase also contains footage of Circus Oz performances, providing a window to the link between the organization’s culture and its aesthetic.

The B segment of the videocase covers the resolution of the dilemma around hiring the development director and the decision to hire the candidate, Paul McGill. In particular, it focuses on the shift in the conception of the position from development director to director of strategic partnerships and the implications of this for the relationship between Circus Oz and its corporate partners (rather than sponsors). The video showcases partnerships with consulting firm Empower and container shipping company P&O Nedlloyd. DVD, Total Run Time: 25:13 min.