Enabling IC in European Capitals of Culture. The case of Matera2019

Purpose. The main purpose of this study is to identify the characteristics of the Intellectual Capital (IC) that can be included in IC studies applied to territorial realities and cities alike. The aim of this study is to analyse the concept of IC and its application to cities, specifically the assessment of IC enabling factors of European capitals of culture (ECoC). Hence, this study explores whether and how IC approach can be applied to study the ECoCs related phenomena from a managerial point of view. Amongst those which have succeeded throughout the years, there is one, in particular, that is represented by the City of Matera, former ECoC 2019. Considering the novelty of this topic, neither the approaches nor the impact evaluation related to the appointment as ECoC are known, yet. The city of Matera was designated in 2014 as ECoC, also because of a gradual process of cultural, economic and tourism development in the decade before. Results show that IC dynamics related to a city with a capital status demonstrate relevant factors and characteristics referring to the traditional dimensions of IC (structural capital, human capital and organisational capital) which are generated before and after the title of ECoC. Theoretical background. There is a common acknowledgement that, so far, theories on IC have primarily concerned companies and firms and have analysed factors enabling visualisation, management, measurement, reporting and disclosure of intangible resources. Some scholars (Dumay 2013; Edvinsson 2013) have called for the need to extend the analysis of the role of IC in different contexts. To this regard, in recent years research work has been much promising on the role of IC for countries (Edvinsson and Stenfelt, 1999), cities (Carrillo, 2004), public sector (Huggins and Weir, 2007; Schiuma et al., 2008; Schneider and Samkin, 2008; Dumay et al., 2015), non-profit (Kong, 2007; Donato, 2008) and for communities (Chatzkel, 2006; Bounfour and Edvinsson, 2005). All that said, in the literature there not much focus on the analysis of implications of being a “Capital City” from an IC perspective. One of the most interesting cases is given by the role played by European Capital of Cultural (ECoC) in contributing to developing the city designed as capital and its surroundings (Burnham, 2009; Campbell, 2011; Garcia et al., 2009; 2010) as well as their reputation at the international level. Methodology. As far as this study is concerned, the research methodology is based upon a single case-analysis. This method is particularly well suited to the research in question, as it is very effective for the analysis of complex phenomena which constitute a new field of research (Eisenhardt, 1989). This study, therefore, aims to show compatibility between ECoCs and IC approach through the presentation of the case of the city of Matera as ECoC 2019. The case-study shows an analysis that focuses on the relevant factors of IC before and after the recognition of the title of capital. Originality. We aim to fill the gap in the existing literature about the IC determining factors of a Capital of Culture. With its results, this study has the ambition to become an effective supporting tool for policy makers, scholars, and practitioners willing to conduct policies of territorial development as connected to a capital. Moreover, this work can contribute to all those who would commit and embark on projects of recognition of their own city as a temporary capital, such as the appointment as ECoC and use IC to development of cultural attractiveness of the city, strategic planning and urban governance, which leads to local and urban.