Enrico Cori
Fabio Fraticelli
Department of Management, Università Politecnica delle Marche, piazzale Martelli 8, 60121 Ancona (Italy)
DOI: https://doi.org/10.31410/ITEMA.2018.65
2nd International Scientific Conference on Recent Advances in Information Technology, Tourism, Economics, Management and Agriculture – ITEMA 2018 – Graz, Austria, November 8, 2018, CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS published by the Association of Economists and Managers of the Balkans, Belgrade, Serbia; ISBN 978-86-80194-13-4
2nd International Scientific Conference on Recent Advances in Information Technology, Tourism, Economics, Management and Agriculture – ITEMA 2018 – Graz, Austria, November 8, 2018, CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS published by the Association of Economists and Managers of the Balkans, Belgrade, Serbia; ISBN 978-86-80194-13-4
Abstract
This paper aims to shed light on the link between digitization processes and competitive strategies in Italian museums. It is also addressed to understand how digital skills, held by the museum, do affect the organization’s capability to match technological innovation and strategy.
In line with the exploratory nature of research, we have adopted the multi-case study approach. Three of the main Italian museums, selected through a convenient sampling, which considers the historical-architectural importance of the site and the collections housed in it, have been investigated through semi-structured interviews and document analysis.
Cases show how digitization processes are mainly driven by museums’ accessibility to technical skills, as well as by the novelty character of digital innovations available. This often brings to underestimate the required alignment between digital contents, digital skills held by the cultural organizations, and types of users.
We believe that our research can contribute to a clear acknowledgement of issues concerning the digitization process by managers of the Italian museums, hence leading to adoption choices that keep into account strategic and organizational aspects, besides the technical ones.
In line with the exploratory nature of research, we have adopted the multi-case study approach. Three of the main Italian museums, selected through a convenient sampling, which considers the historical-architectural importance of the site and the collections housed in it, have been investigated through semi-structured interviews and document analysis.
Cases show how digitization processes are mainly driven by museums’ accessibility to technical skills, as well as by the novelty character of digital innovations available. This often brings to underestimate the required alignment between digital contents, digital skills held by the cultural organizations, and types of users.
We believe that our research can contribute to a clear acknowledgement of issues concerning the digitization process by managers of the Italian museums, hence leading to adoption choices that keep into account strategic and organizational aspects, besides the technical ones.
Key words
Digitization, digital skills, cultural heritage, alignment technology-strategy
References
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[3] Solima, L., & Minguzzi, A. (2015). “Innovare il rapporto tra musei, visitatori ed utenti attraverso le relazioni digitali”. Economia e diritto del terziario, n. 1, pp. 41-61.
[4] Gombault, A., Allal-Chérif, O., & Décamps, A. (2016). “ICT adoption in heritage organizations: Crossing the chasm”. Journal of Business Research, vol. 69, n. 11, pp. 5135-5140.
[5] Dewdney, A. (2018). “What Is the current fascination with VR on the part of museums and art galleries?” Contemporary Art Society Annual Conference: The Virtual in Museums: Hot Medium?
[6] Parry, R., Eikhof, D. R., Barnes, S. A., & Kispeter, E. (2018). “Development, supply, deployment, demand: Balancing the museum digital skills ecosystem”. First findings of the ‘One by One’ national digital literacy project. Museums and the Web. https://mw18.mwconf.org/paper/development-supply-deployment-demand-balancing-the-museum-digital-skills-ecosystem-first-findings-of-the-one-by-one-national-digital-literacy-project/.
[7] Eisenhardt, K. M. (1989). “Building theories from case study research”, Academy of Management Review, vol. 14, n. 4, pp. 532-550.
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[9] Yin, R. K. (2009). Case Study Research. Design and Methods, Second Edition, Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
[10] Kotler, N. G., Kotler, P., & Kotler, W. I. (2008). Museum marketing and strategy: designing missions, building audiences, generating revenue and resources. John Wiley & Sons.
[11] Bakhshi, H. & Throsby, D. (2012). “New technologies in cultural institutions: theory, evidence and policy implications”, International Journal of Cultural Policy, vol. 18, n. 2, pp. 205-222.
[12] Styliani, S., Fotis, L., Kostas, K., & Petros, P. (2009). “Virtual museums, a survey and some issues for consideration”. Journal of cultural Heritage, vol. 10, n. 4, pp. 520-528.
[13] Bonacini, E. (2011). Nuove tecnologie per la fruizione e valorizzazione del patrimonio culturale. Roma, Aracne.
[14] AICA & Assintel (2017). Osservatorio delle competenze digitali. https://www.agid.gov.it/sites/default/files/repository_files/osservatorio_competenze_digitali_2017.pdf.
[2] Kane, G. C., Palmer, D., Phillips, A. N., Kiron, D., & Buckley, N. (2015). “Strategy, not technology, drives digital transformation”. MIT Sloan Management Review and Deloitte University Press, vol. 14, pp. 1-25.
[3] Solima, L., & Minguzzi, A. (2015). “Innovare il rapporto tra musei, visitatori ed utenti attraverso le relazioni digitali”. Economia e diritto del terziario, n. 1, pp. 41-61.
[4] Gombault, A., Allal-Chérif, O., & Décamps, A. (2016). “ICT adoption in heritage organizations: Crossing the chasm”. Journal of Business Research, vol. 69, n. 11, pp. 5135-5140.
[5] Dewdney, A. (2018). “What Is the current fascination with VR on the part of museums and art galleries?” Contemporary Art Society Annual Conference: The Virtual in Museums: Hot Medium?
[6] Parry, R., Eikhof, D. R., Barnes, S. A., & Kispeter, E. (2018). “Development, supply, deployment, demand: Balancing the museum digital skills ecosystem”. First findings of the ‘One by One’ national digital literacy project. Museums and the Web. https://mw18.mwconf.org/paper/development-supply-deployment-demand-balancing-the-museum-digital-skills-ecosystem-first-findings-of-the-one-by-one-national-digital-literacy-project/.
[7] Eisenhardt, K. M. (1989). “Building theories from case study research”, Academy of Management Review, vol. 14, n. 4, pp. 532-550.
[8] Eisenhardt, K.M., & Graebner, M.E. (2007). “Theory Building from Cases: Opportunities and Challenges”, Academy of Management Journal, vol. 50, n. 1, pp. 25-32.
[9] Yin, R. K. (2009). Case Study Research. Design and Methods, Second Edition, Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
[10] Kotler, N. G., Kotler, P., & Kotler, W. I. (2008). Museum marketing and strategy: designing missions, building audiences, generating revenue and resources. John Wiley & Sons.
[11] Bakhshi, H. & Throsby, D. (2012). “New technologies in cultural institutions: theory, evidence and policy implications”, International Journal of Cultural Policy, vol. 18, n. 2, pp. 205-222.
[12] Styliani, S., Fotis, L., Kostas, K., & Petros, P. (2009). “Virtual museums, a survey and some issues for consideration”. Journal of cultural Heritage, vol. 10, n. 4, pp. 520-528.
[13] Bonacini, E. (2011). Nuove tecnologie per la fruizione e valorizzazione del patrimonio culturale. Roma, Aracne.
[14] AICA & Assintel (2017). Osservatorio delle competenze digitali. https://www.agid.gov.it/sites/default/files/repository_files/osservatorio_competenze_digitali_2017.pdf.
