Diversify your ability to innovate by leveraging on your emotional social and cognitive competencies: the case of Italian luxury footwear industry

The open innovation literature has recently drawn attention to the intangible elements of human capital, in terms of soft skills or behavioural competencies necessary for absorbing new ideas from outside as well as promoting and implementing innovation through the frequent interactions with a broad range of sources. However, to date there is a limited empirical evidence on the relationship between Emotional, Social and Cognitive (ESC) competencies and the ability to attain innovation. This paper addresses this gap analysing the behavioural competencies necessary to pursue different types of innovations (product, process, marketing and organizational). The study has been carried out in a sample of managers performing key roles in the innovation process in companies operating in the luxury high-fashion footwear industry. The paper investigates, on the one hand, the behavioral competencies that are associated with the achievement of particular types of innovations, and, on the other hand, the implications of the possession of a broader portfolio of behavioural competencies on the implementation of innovation. Findings provide managerial implications in terms of competencies development in order to favour specific types of innovation.