Corporate museums as heritage vehicles: A comparative analysis between family and non-family businesses

Titolo Rivista CORPORATE GOVERNANCE AND RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT STUDIES
Autori/Curatori Mara Cerquetti, Marta Maria Montella, Domenico Sardanelli
Anno di pubblicazione 2023 Fascicolo 2022/2
Lingua Inglese Numero pagine 22 P. 65-86 Dimensione file 0 KB
DOI 10.3280/cgrds2-2022oa13773
Il DOI è il codice a barre della proprietà intellettuale: per saperne di più clicca qui

FrancoAngeli è membro della Publishers International Linking Association, Inc (PILA)associazione indipendente e non profit per facilitare (attraverso i servizi tecnologici implementati da CrossRef.org) l’accesso degli studiosi ai contenuti digitali nelle pubblicazioni professionali e scientifiche

The heritage marketing strategy often calls for the employment of a corporate museum to represent the firm’s history in the eyes of internal and external observers. However, to date there has been no attempt to identify the distinctive values underlying the use of corporate museums by family firms - as opposed to non-family firms - for nurturing customers’ understanding and appreciation of the company and its products. This paper aims to address this gap and investigate the identity values that drive the establishment of corporate museums by family firms and non-family firms. Using a comparative case-study (CCS) approach, the paper examines the values underlying two examples of corporate museums promoted by two different firms, one with a high level and one with a low level of family control. The study reveals differing distinctive values between family and non-family corporate museums.

The heritage marketing strategy often calls for the employment of a corporate museum to represent the firm’s history in the eyes of internal and external observers. However, to date there has been no attempt to identify the distinctive values underlying the use of corporate museums by family firms – as opposed to non-family firms – for nurturing customers’ understanding and appreciation of the company and its products. This paper aims to address this gap and investigate the identity values that drive the establishment of corporate museums by family firms and non-family firms. Using a comparative case-study (CCS) approach, the paper examines the values underlying two examples of corporate museums promoted by two different firms, one with a high level and one with a low level of family control. The study reveals differing distinctive values between family and non-family corporate museums.

Parole chiave:; heritage marketing; corporate heritage; milieu; longevity; transgenerational outlook; family firms

  1. Napolitano M.R., Riviezzo A., Garofano A. (2018). Heritage Marketing. Come aprire lo scrigno e trovare un tesoro. Napoli: Editoriale Scientifica.
  2. Audretsch D.B., Keilbach M. (2008). Resolving the knowledge paradox: knowledge-spillover entrepreneurship and economic growth. Research Policy, 37(10): 1697-1705. DOI: 10.1016/j.respol.2008.08.008
  3. Balmer J.M.T. (2013). Corporate heritage, corporate heritage marketing, and total corporate heritage communications. What are they? What of them?. Corporate Communications: An International Journal, 18(3): 290-326. DOI: 10.1108/ccij-05-2013-0031
  4. Balmer J.M.T. (2017). Advances in corporate brand, corporate heritage, corporate identity and corporate marketing scholarship. European Journal of Marketing, 51(9-10): 1462-1471. DOI: 10.1108/ejm-07-2017-0447
  5. Balmer J.M.T., Burghausen M. (2019). Marketing, the past and corporate heritage. Marketing Theory, 19(2): 217-227. DOI: 10.1177/1470593118790636
  6. Balmer J.M.T., Chen W. (2017). Corporate heritage brands, augmented role identity and customer satisfaction. European Journal of Marketing, 51(9/10): 1510-1521. DOI: 10.1108/EJM-07-2017-0449
  7. Balmer J.M.T., Greyser S.A., Urde S. (2006). The crown as a corporate brand: insights from monarchies. Journal of Brand Management, 14(1-2): 137-161. DOI: 10.1057/palgrave.bm.2550031
  8. Becattini G. (1999). La fioritura della piccola impresa e il ritorno dei distretti industriali. Economia e Politica Industriale, 103: 5-16.
  9. Bernardi A., Cantù C.L., Cedrola E. (2021). Heritage marketing e valorizzazione del territorio: il percorso verso l’innovazione sostenibile nel settore tessile e moda. Corporate Governance and Research & Development Studies, 1: 11-30. DOI: 10.3280/cgrds1-2021oa10566
  10. Berrone P., Cruz C., Gomez-Mejia L.R. (2012). Socioemotional wealth in family firms: Theoretical dimensions, assessment approaches, and agenda for future research. Family business review, 25(3): 258-279. DOI: 10.1177/0894486511435355
  11. Bertoli G., Busacca B., Ostillio M.C., Di Vito S. (2016). Corporate museums and brand authenticity: Explorative research of the Gucci Museo. Journal of Global Fashion Marketing, 7(3): 181-195. DOI: 10.1080/20932685.2016.1166716
  12. Bertoli G., Resciniti R. (2013). Made in Italy e country of origin effect. Mercati e Competitività, 2: 13-36. DOI: 10.3280/MC2013-002002
  13. Bonti M. (2014). The corporate museums and their social function: some evidence from Italy. European Scientific Journal, November, Special Edition, 1: 141-150.
  14. Brunninge O., Hartmann B.J. (2019). Inventing a past: Corporate heritage as dia-lectical relationships of past and present. Marketing Theory, 19(2): 229-234. DOI: 10.1177/1470593118790625
  15. Burghausen M., Balmer J.M.T. (2014). Corporate heritage identity management and the multimodal implementation of a corporate heritage identity. Journal of Business Research, 67: 2311-2323. DOI: 10.1016/j.jbusres.2014.06.019
  16. Carù A., Ostillio M.C., Leone G. (2017). Corporate museums to enhance brand authenticity in luxury goods companies: The case of Salvatore Ferragamo. International Journal of Arts Management, 19(2): 32-45. https://www.jstor.org/stable/44989691.
  17. Claver-Cortés E., Marco-Lajara B., Seva-Larrosa P., Ruiz-Fernández L. (2019). Competitive advantage and industrial district: A review of the empirical evidence about the district effect. Competitiveness Review: An International Business Journal, 29(3): 211-235. DOI: 10.1108/CR-08-2018-0048
  18. Coleman L.V. (1943). Company Museum, American Association of Museums. Washington DC: The American Association of Museums.
  19. Cooke P. (1999). The co-operative advantage of regions. In: T. Barnes and M. Gertler, eds., The new industrial geography: Regions, regulation, and institutions. London: Routledge.
  20. Council of Europe (2005). Council of Europe Framework Convention on the Value of Cultural Heritage for Society (CETS No. 199). Faro, 27.X.2005.
  21. Danilov V.J. (1991). Corporate Museums, Galleries, and Visitor Centers: A Directory. New York: Greenwood Press.
  22. De Massis A., Kotlar J. (2014). The case study method in family business research: Guidelines for qualitative scholarship. Journal of Family Business Strategy, 5(1): 15-29. DOI: 10.1016/j.jfbs.2014.01.007
  23. Deephouse D.L., Jaskiewicz P. (2013). Do family firms have better reputations than non‐family firms? An integration of socioemotional wealth and social identity theories. Journal of management Studies, 50(3): 337-360. DOI: 10.1111/joms.12015
  24. Dunning J.H. (2015). The eclectic paradigm of international production: a restatement and some possible extensions. Journal of International Business Studies, 19(1): 1-32. DOI: 10.1057/palgrave.jibs.8490372
  25. Esposito De Falco S., Vollero A. (2015). Sustainability, longevity and transgenerational value in family firms. The case of Amarelli. Sinergie Italian Journal of Management, 33(97): 291-309. DOI: 10.7433/s97.2015.18
  26. Fontana A. (2013). Manuale di Storytelling: raccontare con efficacia prodotti, marchi e identità d’impresa. Milano: Etas Libri.
  27. Garofano A., Riviezzo A., Napolitano M.R. (2020). Una storia, tanti modi di rac-contarla. Una nuova proposta di definizione dell’heritage marketing mix. Il capitale culturale. Studies on the Value of Cultural Heritage, Supplementi, 10: 125-146. DOI: 10.13138/2039-2362/2460
  28. Giaretta E. (2004). Vitalità e longevità d’impresa: l’esperienza delle aziende ultracentenarie. Torino: Giappichelli.
  29. Golinelli G.M., ed. (2015). Cultural Heritage and Value Creation. Towards New Pathways. Cham: Springer.
  30. Gomez-Mejia L.R., Cruz C., Berrone P., De Castro J. (2011). The bind that ties: Socioemotional wealth preservation in family firms. Academy of Management annals, 5(1): 653-707. DOI: 10.5465/19416520.2011.593320
  31. Goulding C. (2000). The Commodification of the Past, Postmodern Pastiche, and the Search for Authentic Experiences at Contemporary Heritage Attractions. European Journal of Marketing, 34(7): 835-853. DOI: 10.1108/03090560010331298
  32. Greffe X. (2009). Heritage conservation as a driving force for development. In: Heritage and beyond. Strasbourg: Council of Europe Publishing.
  33. Iannone F. (2016). Quando il museo comunica l’impresa: identità organizzativa e sensemaking nel museo Salvatore Ferragamo. Il capitale culturale. Studies on the Value of Cultural Heritage, 13: 525-553. DOI: 10.13138/2039-2362/1358
  34. Iraldo F. (2002). Ambiente, impresa e distretti industriali. Milano: FrancoAngeli.
  35. Kaarbo J., Beasley R.K. (1999). A practical guide to the comparative case study method in political psychology. Political Psychology, 20(2): 369-391. DOI: 10.1111/0162-895X.00149
  36. Lehman K.F., Byrom J.W. (2006). The corporate museum as branding tool. In: International Colloquium of the Academy of Marketing’s Brand and Corporate Reputation Special Interest Group, 7-8 September, Manchester, UK.
  37. Macario G., Santovito S. (2016). Le strategie di marketing internazionale attraverso il connubio tra il genius loci e i prodotti Made in Italy. In: Napolitano M.R. and V. Marino, eds., Cultural Heritage e Made in Italy. Casi ed esperienze di marketing internazionale. Napoli: Editoriale Scientifica.
  38. Martino V. (2013). Dalle storie alla storia d’impresa. Memoria, comunicazione, heritage. Roma: Bonanno.
  39. Miller D., Le Breton-Miller I. (2005). Managing for the Long Run: Lessons in Competitive Advantage from Great Family Businesses. Boston: Harvard Business School Press.
  40. Montella M. (2009). Valore e valorizzazione del patrimonio culturale storico. Milano: Mondadori Electa.
  41. Montella M.M. (2014). Nuovi strumenti di internal marketing e knowledge management: i musei d’impresa. Sviluppo & Organizzazione, 260: 66-74.
  42. Montella M.M. (2018). I Musei d’impresa. Heritage e total relationship marketing. Roma: Editrice Minerva Bancaria.
  43. Montella M.M., Cerquetti M. (2016). Il ruolo dei musei aziendali nel marketing del made in Italy: tipologie e posizionamento strategico. In: Marino V. and M.R. Napolitano, eds., Cultural heritage e made in Italy. Casi ed esperienze di marketing internazionale. Napoli: Editoriale Scientifica.
  44. Montella M.M., Silvestrelli P. (2020). Heritage e relationship marketing per le imprese agroalimentari italiane. Micro & Macro Marketing, 29(1): 71-92. DOI: 10.1431/96399
  45. Montemaggi M. (2020). Company lands. La cultura industriale come valore per il territorio. Firenze: Edifir.
  46. Montemaggi M., Severino F. (2007). Heritage marketing. La storia dell’impresa italiana come vantaggio competitivo. Milano: FrancoAngeli.
  47. Moussa A., de Barnier V. (2021). How can corporate heritage identity stewardship lead to brand ambidexterity?. Journal of Strategic Marketing, 29(8): 706-721. DOI 10.1080/0965254X.2020.1786845.
  48. Napolitano M.R., De Nisco A. (2017). Cultural heritage: the missing “link” in the place marketing literature “chain”. Place Branding and Public Diplomacy, 13: 101-106. DOI: 10.1057/s41254-017-0057-7
  49. Napolitano M.R., Marino V., eds. (2016). Cultural Heritage e Made in Italy. Casi ed esperienze di marketing internazionale. Napoli: Editoriale Scientifica.
  50. Nissley N., Casey A. (2002). The politics of the exhibition: Viewing corporate museums through the paradigmatic lens of organizational memory. British Journal of Management, 13(S2): S35-S45. DOI: 10.1111/1467-8551.13.s2.4
  51. Porter M.E. (1985). Competitive Advantage. New York: The Free Press.
  52. Porter M.E. (2000). Location, competition, and economic development: Local clusters in a global economy. Economic development quarterly, 14(1): 15-34. DOI: 10.1177/089124240001400105
  53. Pulh M., Mencarelli R., Chaney D. (2019). The consequences of the heritage experience in brand museums on the consumer-brand relationship. European Journal of Marketing, 53(10): 2193-2212. DOI: 10.1108/EJM-03-2017-0233
  54. Rindell A., Santos F.P., de Lima A.P. (2015). Two sides of a coin: Connecting corporate brand heritage to consumers’ corporate image heritage. Journal of Brand Management, 22(5): 467-484. DOI: 10.1057/bm.2015.20
  55. Riviezzo A., Garofano A., Napolitano M.R. (2016). “Il tempo è lo specchio dell’eternità”. Strategie e strumenti di heritage marketing nelle imprese longeve italiane. Il capitale culturale. Studies on the Value of Cultural Heritage, 13: 497-523. DOI: 10.13138/2039-2362/1360
  56. Riviezzo A., Garofano A., Napolitano M.R. (2021). Corporate Heritage Market-ing. Using the Past as a Strategic Asset. London: Routledge.
  57. Rose G. (2007). Visual methodologies: An introduction to the interpretation of visual materials (2nd edition). London: Sage.
  58. Seligson J. (2010). Corporate, culture? One part education, one part sales: This is the corporate museum. Museum, 89(6): 34-41.
  59. Spielmann N., Cruz A.D., Tyler B.B., Beukel K. (2019). Place as a nexus for corporate heritage identity: An international study of family-owned wineries. Journal of Business Research, 129(C): 826-837. DOI: 10.1016/j.jbusres.2019.05.024
  60. Stake R.E. (2008). Qualitative case studies. In: N.K. Denzin and Y.S. Lincoln , eds., Strategies of qualitative inquiry (3rd ed). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
  61. Swab R.G., Sherlock C., Markin E., Dibrell C. (2020). “SEW” What do we know and where do we go? A review of socioemotional wealth and a way forward. Family Business Review, 33(4): 424-445. DOI: 10.1177/0894486520961938
  62. Tallman S., Jenkins M., Henry N., Pinch, S. (2004). Knowledge, clusters, and com-petitive advantage. Academy of management review, 29(2): 258-271. DOI: 10.5465/amr.2004.12736089
  63. Teal E.J., Upton N., Seaman S.L. (2003). A comparative analysis of strategic marketing practices of high-growth US family and non-family firms. Journal of developmental entrepreneurship, 8(2): 177-195.
  64. Urde M., Greyser S.A., Balmer J.M.T. (2007). Corporate brands with a heritage. Brand Management, 15(1): 4-19. DOI: 10.1057/palgrave.bm.2550106
  65. Wilson R.T. (2018). Transforming history into heritage: applying corporate heritage to the marketing of places. Journal of Brand Management, 25: 351-369. DOI: 10.1057/s41262-017-0087-8
  66. Zellweger T.M., Nason R.S., Nordqvist M. (2012). From Longevity of Firms to Transgenerational Entrepreneurship of Families: Introducing Family Entrepre-neurial Orientation. Family Business Review, 25(2): 136-155. DOI: 10.1177/0894486511423531

  • Core functions, visitor friendliness and digitalisation: a comparative analysis of corporate museums’ performance Chiara Dalle Nogare, Monika Murzyn-Kupisz, in Journal of Cultural Economics /2024 pp.405
    DOI: 10.1007/s10824-024-09515-z
  • Branding public memory in the Walmart Museum Joe Edward Hatfield, in Memory Studies 17506980241255075/2024
    DOI: 10.1177/17506980241255075
  • Fashioning cultural entrepreneurship. The role of heritage in dissemination, didactic and research activities among stakeholders Federica Vacca, Angelica Vandi, in European Journal of Cultural Management and Policy 13577/2025
    DOI: 10.3389/ejcmp.2024.13577

Mara Cerquetti, Marta Maria Montella, Domenico Sardanelli, Corporate museums as heritage vehicles: A comparative analysis between family and non-family businesses in "CORPORATE GOVERNANCE AND RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT STUDIES" 2/2022, pp 65-86, DOI: 10.3280/cgrds2-2022oa13773