Enhancement, Value and Viability of Cultural Heritage : Towards a Service-Based Systems Approach

Purpose: The paper analyzes the Italian approach to cultural heritage management, highlighting the limits of traditional “Goods-Dominant” Logic, excessively focused on technical-scientific conservation and the need for an inter-disciplinary systems approach. Methodology/Approach: The study is based on a Viable Systems Approach (VSA) integrated with the basic principles of Service-Dominant Logic (S-DL), Network Theory (NT, Many-to-many) and Service Science (SS). Findings: With a focus on trends favouring the intangible cultural heritage view and the opportunities offered by a new integrated approach, the paper clarifies the change in perspective from a reductionist, object-based to a systems, process-based approach, underpinning the shift from a G-D to a S-D management logic. The study highlights the false dilemma protection/enhancement in cultural heritage management, envisaging the cultural heritage from a service-based systems view. A framework model is devised representing the evolutionary pathway of the cultural heritage from a goods to product to service logic. Research implications: An innovative research approach for integrating interdisciplinary knowledge in the field of Service Science is proposed. Practical implications: It is suggested that policy makers can benefit from the conceptual framework provided to build a network organization for the effective and sustainable conservation and enhancement of the cultural heritage. Originality/value: A new conception of cultural value is proposed via an innovative service-based systems approach, that considers conservation, protection and enhancement a triple target for sustainable viability