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The open innovation journey along heterogeneous modes of knowledge-intensive marketing collaborations: a cross-sectional study of innovative firms in Europe

Armando Papa (Faculty of Communication Sciences, University of Teramo, Teramo, Italy) (HSE University, Moscow, Russia)
Alice Mazzucchelli (Department of Business and Law, University of Milan–Bicocca, Milan, Italy)
Luca Vincenzo Ballestra (Department of Statistical Sciences “Paolo Fortunati”, Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy)
Antonio Usai (Department of Economics and Business, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy)

International Marketing Review

ISSN: 0265-1335

Article publication date: 4 October 2021

Issue publication date: 1 June 2022

754

Abstract

Purpose

Previous research focused on open innovation (OI) suggests that enterprises benefit from adopting the journey; however, the relationship among OI, marketing journey and knowledge-intensive innovation marketing activities (KIIMA) remains unclear. The present study proposes a conceptual model of the marketing journey linking heterogeneous modes of marketing collaboration to knowledge-intensive activities.

Design/methodology/approach

The conceptual model was tested via ordinary least squares (OLS) linear regression based on a sample of data drawn from the Eurostat database.

Findings

The results indicate that strategies are a robust proxy for evaluating KIIMA, and partnerships, heterogeneous sources of knowledge and different marketing modes for collaboration among European knowledge-intensive firms are core antecedents of KIIMA, such as new-product development and marketing innovation, as well as firms' sustainable competitive advantage.

Originality/value

This study fills the gap by tracking the role of the journey within marketing collaborations on KIIMA, and it intervenes in the debate about interactive marketing innovation mechanisms. The study contributes to OI, knowledge management and the marketing literature by identifying the heterogeneous modes for marketing collaborations under which the marketing journey enhances knowledge-intensive activities such as those for marketing innovation.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

The article is based on the study funded by the Basic Research Program of the HSE University.

Citation

Papa, A., Mazzucchelli, A., Ballestra, L.V. and Usai, A. (2022), "The open innovation journey along heterogeneous modes of knowledge-intensive marketing collaborations: a cross-sectional study of innovative firms in Europe", International Marketing Review, Vol. 39 No. 3, pp. 602-625. https://doi.org/10.1108/IMR-03-2021-0109

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2021, Emerald Publishing Limited

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