Multifaceted aspects of strategic innovation in cultural firms

Objectives. For years, cultural firms have not been considered in business management studies. The aim of this paper is to analyse the meanings and contents of strategic innovation in the cultural sector and its role for the competitiveness of firms. Methodology. Through a complex and integrated framework, we try to understand what are the main strategic factors for cultural firms in order to manage the different dimensions of innovation in a smart approach. We use multiple case study analysis to verify our research propositions, studying the degree of innovation in a selected group of museums and innovative sites. Findings. Empirical results show that strategic innovation can be source of competitive advantage in a new business-oriented managerial optic. Research limits. The limits of this research lie in the restricted number of analysed cases that do not allow coming to generalized results, but it represents a starting point in order to study the issue of innovation in cultural sector. Practical implications. The paper provides an interesting approach that can be useful for decision makers, opening the horizons for cultural organizations and favouring a multidisciplinary but strategic approach in the process of valorisation and promotion of resources. This work also shows how business orientation in this sector does not require denying the goals of preservation and protection. Originality of the study. The analysis stresses the attention on the distinctive resources and competences that can lead cultural organizations to gain competitive advantage through innovation. Such view has never been conceived for cultural firms.