Networks, Innovation and Knowledge Transfer in Tourism Industry: An Empirical Study of SMEs in Portugal

João M Lopes,Márcio Oliveira,Umer Zaman,Jorge Lopes

doi:10.3390/socsci10050159

Abstract

The present study aims to investigate how commercialisation and knowledge transfer between the SMEs of the tourism sector and the higher education institutions (HEIs) are made, as well as to find out whether the SMEs of the tourism sector are part of tourism networks, and what their motivations are. We used a qualitative methodology, applying the triangulation method to eight SMEs and one HEI. The results indicate that the commercialisation and knowledge transfer between the SMEs and the HEIs are not effective. SMEs are part of regional networks of business innovation; however, they do not participate in R&D activities with HEIs. Some suggestions were made to SMEs, HEIs, and regional governments to speed up commercialisation and knowledge transfer in the tourism sector. We adapted the Triple Helix Model to the tourism sector, thus creating the “Triple Helix in the Tourism Context”. Only a few studies have researched knowledge commercialisation in the tourism sector, a gap that this article aims to compensate.

Highlights

In today’s competitive world, which is rapidly and profoundly changing, and where innovation and creativity are crucial matters, organisations are becoming increasingly aware that their physical and financial assets are not capable of generating competitive advantage in time, understanding that only their intangible assets can provide value to their products and services (Lopes-Costa and Munoz-Canavate 2015; Trimarjoko et al 2021)
Through the various questions asked to the managers of the eight tourism small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), we will try to understand the current state of knowledge transfer and commercialisation in the Portuguese tourism sector
To assess what was previously mentioned, several themes were considered, such as the capital gains of the human resources trained in higher education institutions and their weaknesses; the creation of partnerships in the scope of Research and Development (R&D); the establishment of networks; the main difficulties found in the knowledge transfer in the sector; cooperation in research and development (R&D) projects with higher education institutions; barriers found in university–industry cooperation; and how the results derived from R&D in tourism can be commercialised

Summary

Introduction

In today’s competitive world, which is rapidly and profoundly changing, and where innovation and creativity are crucial matters, organisations are becoming increasingly aware that their physical and financial assets are not capable of generating competitive advantage in time, understanding that only their intangible assets can provide value to their products and services (Lopes-Costa and Munoz-Canavate 2015; Trimarjoko et al 2021). The knowledge basis of any organisation becomes an asset of rising importance, their leaders still have to face the difficulties related to its acknowledgement (Cooper 2006). This innovation can be understood as the process that includes the conception, development, or management of activities and that results in the commercialisation of new (or improved) products or in the first use of new (or improved) processes (Matsuo 2006). Despite being aware of their role in terms of knowledge, there is the general perception that universities are self-centred and are not related to practical daily realities and business practices (Hawkins 2006). The academic knowledge transfer to the industry should be an emergent concern to both academics and professionals (Cooper 2006; Walters et al 2015)

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion