The Impact of External Networks on Product Innovation in Social Purpose Organizations: An Empirical Research on Japanese Museums

This study aims to explore the sources of knowledge related to the adoption of advanced technology for exhibits and services, a necessary product innovation for museums to thrive as social purpose organizations (SPOs). The study also intends to demonstrate how collaboration with external organizations influences the knowledge characteristics of museums as SPOs and the resulting impact on product innovation. Using a negative binomial distribution model for 1,416 organizations, including 103 museums in the Chubu and Kinki regions of Japan, network analysis and multiple regression analysis revealed that the fewer tourism resources an area has, the more collaboration occurs between museums and other organizations. Furthermore, the study demonstrated the positive impact of collaboration with mass media and private companies on knowledge acquisition from other communities and the marginal and interaction effects of such collaborations. The study also found a positive impact of collaboration with the mass media on product innovation. By visualizing the regional networks of museums in Japan, the study highlights the importance of collaboration among organizations with diverse areas of knowledge and strengths in generating innovation. The theoretical contributions of the study lie in organizational behavior theory, innovation theory, and museum management theory.