Diversified visitors’ participation roles as an innovation factor: a case study of the ‘Seoul Museum of Art Group’

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study analyses the managerial innovation process from 2019 to 2021 of the Seoul Museum of Art Group (SeMA Group), composed of seven museums. The SeMA Group changed its policy based on theoretical interest in visitor participation in 2019, and we see the museum transformation as a compelling case that raised the group's structure and active engagement of visitors. To achieve this, we quantify programs across exhibitions, education, and other areas to review the substantive changes since 2019 and conducted a case study to analyze visitor participation and their roles. The SeMA Main Building delegates its roles to affiliated museums. It allows each affiliated museum to grant diversified roles to visitors as active participants, enabling their involvement throughout the communication process, from planning to message implementation and promotion. These changes expand the SeMA Group's new role in managing visitors in diversified museum sectors, making close relationships between the SeMA Group and visitors and enhancing interaction among visitors. This new attempt provides visitors with a better understanding of the museum's identity and contributes to expanded social discourse and social value creation, ultimately increasing the SeMA Group's operational efficiency.