Spread the Voice! Digital Social Platforms as Conveyors of Innovation of Cultural Heritage in Europe

Mauro Baioni,Paola Demartini,Lucia Marchegiani,Flavia Marucci,Michela Marchiori,Federico Ceschel

doi:10.3390/su132212455

Abstract

Digital social platforms (DSPs) are increasingly used to boost participation while giving a space for collaboration to wider audiences and marginalized groups of stakeholders. Considering that in the cultural heritage (CH) sector they are used as a possible booster of stakeholders’ participation and to foster innovation in practices related to CH management, the object of this study is to assess the stakeholder engagement strategies adopted by DSPs for CH from a network engagement perspective. The study takes stock of the main DSPs for CH in Europe and analyzes them through four key dimensions that distinguish different stakeholder engagement strategies (diffusion, accessibility, interactivity, and influence) to identify the alternative approaches to sustainable development based on social innovations adopted via these platforms. Following an exploratory approach, the research also delves into a specific case study (SoPHIA DSP), to deepen the understanding of if and how DSPs foster knowledge sharing among the different actors involved in a cultural project. Ultimately, this research provides a snapshot of the state of the arts on the literature and practices on DSPs, and outlines directions for future research, requesting for a longitudinal perspective to the framework and a vertical focus for consolidating the engagement strategies variables.

Highlights

In order to analyze Digital social platforms (DSPs) as viable means to convey participation towards knowledge sharing in the assessment of cultural interventions, the authors adopted a qualitative approach in both phases of the study, which are presented below
Our research was aimed at understanding whether digital social platforms (DSPs) in the specific context of cultural heritage are effective tools to pursue stakeholders’ network engagement strategies, boost participation, and give space to collaboration to wider audiences and groups of stakeholders
This piece of research is rooted in the most recent theoretical streams that link broader participation and engagement in cultural heritage management to improved awareness of social problems, more effective practices, wider social inclusion, and well-being. We complement these streams by considering the recent theoretical debate on digital technologies and the digital social platforms as instrumental to the virtuous process of engagement

Summary

Introduction

Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. In any business context, public or private, the advantages of more directly involved stakeholders (customers, clients, suppliers, or partners) using digital platforms and creating value by identifying their needs and providing effective solutions are widely recognized [1,2]. The cultural and creative industries make no exception. Have digital culture and digital arts proliferated, but digital technologies are instrumental in fostering broader participation, innovation, and a more inclusive governance of cultural initiatives

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