A Strategy to Reinforce the Textile and Clothing Sector Cluster in Portugal

摘要

The need for open innovation emerged from worldwide organizational competitiveness, as well as from the demand for constant improvement and innovation. Companies today must possess a competitive edge and be sustainable. Organizational assets within the house are often insufficient; yet, they constitute a precious key in the joining of efforts with external players and in achieving better performance. The present paper was conducted in the Clothing and Textile industry in Portugal, one of the most relevant activity sectors in the country's performance. The study aims to contribute to the reflexion of conceiving and maintaining a harmonious dynamic balance between the different features of open innovation. By interviewing some of the top authority players from the textile sector in Portugal, the paper's findings suggest that open innovation constitutes a combined model which involves Government, Universities, Research Centres, Associations and Enterprises. This paper concludes that open innovation requires action and will produce a greater impact if all the players adopt a cluster approach, even if this is undertaken at different levels and by means of varied tactics.