Dynamic Capabilities and their role for Innovation in the Tourism Industry

The aim of this research is to gain a deeper understanding of which factors drive innovation in tourism firms. In this research, the investigation of internally and externally influenced dynamic capabilities is linked with regional innovation systems to more fully account for networked environments in tourism. This research proposes to investigate dynamic capabilities and innovation in tourism from three different perspectives, related to organizational, relational and destination-level aspects. Provided by the prevalent mid- to long-term challenges of the tourism industry (e.g., shortage of skilled labor, climate change), recognizing which human capabilities, internal processes, and external collaborations encourage innovation is crucial to ensure business longevity. The results of this study may be used to support companies in their strategic de-sign and structuring of further education programs and competence training, and hiring processes, to strengthen their innovative capacity in the long term. In-sights generated in this research will also provide information on whether structural, industry-specific organizational weaknesses (e.g., scarcity of resources, small company size) may be compensated by appropriate interfirm connections and shared dynamic capabilities on the tourism region level. In addition, understanding the sources and patterns of the innovation activity in tourism is also key for re-evaluating whether innovation policies adequately cover the needs of tourism companies, and for developing better policies to strengthen the international competitiveness of the Austrian tourism industry.