Shaping spaces of innovation communities - The role of promoters in German-Japanese networks

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K01167
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 04020:Human geography-related
• Research Institution: Ritsumeikan University
• Principal Investigator: Schlunze Rolf Dieter 立命館大学, 経営学部, 教授 (70319599)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: Management geography / Proximity / Boundary spanning / Mixed method / Cultural synergy / Innovation community / Intercultural networks

Outline of Final Research Achievements

From a Management Geography perspective, this project surveyed how proximity affects managerial networking for intercultural synergy creation. The main hypothesis was that the closer the proximity of the promotor, the better the performance of the intercultural team. A questionnaire survey was conducted with members listed by German Japanese Business Association DJW. A mixed methods approach combining data from online questionnaire, transcripts from interviews and participative observation was applied. Embedded multiple case studies showed that agile members’ intercultural communication in networks had an important role in transforming the association towards an innovative community. Intercultural competence development is crucial for the success of an intercultural innovation community. This research provided better understanding of the role of interculturally competent boundary spanners in the creation of innovative platforms promoting intercultural understanding.

Free Research Field

Management Geography

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究は、シナジー効果の創出と革新的なコミュニティ形成の分析に関し、経営地理学分野における新たな理論的発展を促進した。今後、本研究で得られた結果を国際経営および地理学分野の主要な学術誌で公表することで、2007年に日本地理学会で発足した国際経済経営地理学研究グループへの注目が高まるとともに、経営地理学という新しい分野の確立と発展につながることが期待できる。
また日独双方の実務家向けに公表することにより、自発的あるいは経営的な交流を通じ、日独間のさらなる相乗的発展を促進することになるだろう。