Service innovation in cultural heritages management and valorization

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to study service innovation applied to archaeological sites' management, in terms of enrichment of primary cultural product with auxiliary products (cultural activities). Design/methodology/approach The research design is based on the application of the main issues in strategic management, with particular reference to resource‐based theory and service‐dominant logic, to cultural archaeological sites' management. The empirical part concerns a case study analysis conducted on some cases in the Mediterranean area: Hercolaneum (Italy), Masada (Israel) and Petra (Giordania). Findings By the cases' study, it comes out a clear awareness of the need to bring innovative forms to archaeological sites' management, both through the use of information and communication technology techniques and to the enrichment of “integrated and complex” offers that go far beyond the archaeological core product. Research limitations/implications The analysis provides a foundation for further development in the field of service innovation applied to archaeological sites' management. The paper proposes an analytical model and a positioning matrix, according to some variables, that could be applied to other cases for a more relevant analysis. Practical implications The paper provides policy makers, private and public actors a possible approach for developing and applying strategic management concepts to cultural offer in an innovative way. Originality/value The paper gives some first important hints to innovate cultural service in archaeological sites. It is not just an attempt to apply a managerial optic in this business: an interdisciplinary approach is adopted, even consulting scholars in culture and archeology, trying to enrich the contents of managerial approach.