Towards a network model of innovation in sport – the case of product innovation in nautical sport clusters

Abstract

Sport and sport equipment are permanently subject to innovation. The current research on innovation sources in sport industries has focused on user innovation and firm-internal sources of innovation. This paper uses the network approach to analyze external links as sources of product innovation in nautical sport clusters. It addresses the question: how can sport organizations effectively use interorganizational links for innovation? An empirical study identifies and compares innovation practices in the Auckland sailing cluster in New Zealand with the Victorian surfing cluster in Australia. In total 52 firms, non-profit-organizations, and governing bodies were interviewed. In spite of much existing research focusing on internal firm resources and end users as sources of innovation in the sport sector, interorganizational linkages provide rich sources of innovation for organizations located in clustered sport industries. This research identifies 11 practices that can be imitated by other organizations located in sport clusters or similar settings. Eight practices occur in both clusters while three only occur in one of both. This paper contributes to knowledge on mechanisms for information and knowledge transfer that leverage innovation via interorganizational linkages.