Business Innovation and Competitiveness in the Tourism Sector of Cartagena de Indias: An Analysis from the Perspective of Dynamic Capabilities.
Abstract
This study examines the relationship between business innovation and competitiveness in the
tourism sector of Cartagena de Indias, Colombia, during the period 2022–2024. Based on the
dynamic capabilities framework proposed by Teece, Pisano, and Shuen (1997), it analyzes
how companies in Cartagena's hotel and restaurant sector articulate processes of opportunity
identification, resource allocation, and organizational reconfiguration to sustain competitive
advantages in a highly volatile environment. The research adopted a sequential mixed
methods design: in the quantitative phase, a 42-item instrument was administered to a sample
of 187 companies in the sector, and in the qualitative phase, 18 semi-structured interviews
were conducted with managers and executives. The results reveal that 68% of companies
with high innovation capacity exhibit higher levels of profitability and brand positioning
compared to organizations with low innovation orientation. Furthermore, three distinct
innovation profiles were identified: incremental-operational, disruptive-digital, and social
territorial. It is concluded that business innovation is a determining factor of regional
competitiveness, with public policy implications for the promotion of the entrepreneurial
ecosystem in the city.
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