Innovazione e intermediazione di conoscenza nel sistema moda

The paper analyses the relationship between market knowledge and fashion design, a key value driver for fashion firms. Knowledge creation and transfer processes are studied, with particular concern to the role played by retailers as sources for product innovation. The paper is based on an explorative analysis conducted through case studies with the aim to formulate a model for management of market knowledge processes. Results confirm the importance of knowledge from stores for product innovation in the fashion system. The role of specific management practices enabling knowledge transfer from market to design is then analysed. When source and receiver are cognitively distant and the value of the knowledge transferred is time-specific, the importance of knowledge translators and other cognitive intermediaries strongly emerges within the organisation.

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