The strategic role of communication in management and the contribution of corporate museums

Framing of the research: In today's hypercompetitive market scenario, where the relational dimension of strategies has become paramount for enterprises, corporate heritage has become an identity asset of highly distinctive effectiveness in communication processes, as it accredits the company in cultural and social terms and gives it a relevant competitive advantage over competitors. Purpose of the paper: The paper aims to highlight corporate museums’ potential as a tool for corporate communication and offers an overview of Italian corporate museums’ current performance in this regard. Methodology: The paper moves from the analysis of the main assumptions of the economic-managerial literature, with particular regard to the issue of the relational dimension of strategies and corporate communication on the one hand and corporate museums on the other. At the same time, it leverages an empirical survey conducted on Italian corporate museums. Findings: While corporate museum management is highly aware of the potential of these institutions to direct all stakeholders for the enterprise’s benefit, differences emerge regarding implementing the most effective strategies and tools to achieve all the value possible/optimise the value achievable. Research limits: The main limitation of the research is the national sample size under investigation. Practical implications: The paper aims to contribute to both the advancement of theoretical studies and managerial practice, including highlighting strategies and actions that can be implemented to improve the performance of corporate museums in terms of corporate communication. Originality of the paper: The paper focuses on corporate museums’ contribution to the strategic role of communication in management, approaching the topic from theoretical and empirical perspectives.