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Breathing Shoes And Complementarities: Strategic Innovation In A Mature Industry

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  • ARNALDO CAMUFFO

    (Department of Management-IOSI, Bocconi University, Viale Isonzo, 23, Milan, Italy)

  • ANDREA FURLAN

    (Department of Economics, University of Padova, Via del Santo 33, 35123, Padova, Italy)

  • PIETRO ROMANO

    (Department of Electrical, Managerial and Mechanical Engineering, University of Udine, Via delle Scienze 208, 33100, Udine, Italy)

  • ANDREA VINELLI

    (Department of Management and Engineering, University of Padova, Strad. S. Nicola 3, 36100, Vicenza, Italy)

Abstract

This paper tells the story of Geox, an Italian footwear manufacturer that, in less than a decade, has become one of the world's largest shoe manufacturers. Applying the related notions of complementarity and performance landscape to study strategic positioning in the footwear industry, we show that, though grounded on product innovation (the original Geox breathes®patented system which allows ventilation in waterproof rubber sole), Geox's competitive advantage has not grown out of operational excellence in single activities in the business, but, rather, derives from a unique and consistent configuration of complementary activities. Such configuration represents an innovative strategic position and corresponds to a peak in the footwear industry performance landscape. The case study offers anecdotal evidence in support of complementarity based economic theory. It confirms that, in the presence of complementarities, rivals find strategy imitation and reverse engineering difficult due to the unique nature of the relationships among complementary variables.

Suggested Citation

  • Arnaldo Camuffo & Andrea Furlan & Pietro Romano & Andrea Vinelli, 2008. "Breathing Shoes And Complementarities: Strategic Innovation In A Mature Industry," International Journal of Innovation Management (ijim), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 12(02), pages 139-160.
    • Handle: RePEc:wsi:ijimxx:v:12:y:2008:i:02:n:s1363919608001947
    DOI: 10.1142/S1363919608001947
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Coyne, Kevin P., 1986. "Sustainable competitive advantage--What it is, what it isn't," Business Horizons, Elsevier, vol. 29(1), pages 54-61.
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    Cited by:

    1. Mary Beth Rousseau & Blake D. Mathias & Laura T. Madden & T. Russell Crook, 2016. "Innovation, Firm Performance, And Appropriation: A Meta-Analysis," International Journal of Innovation Management (ijim), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 20(03), pages 1-29, April.
    2. Massimiliano Pellegrini & Cristiano Ciappei, 2015. "Ethical Judgment and Radical Business Changes: The Role of Entrepreneurial Perspicacity," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 128(4), pages 769-788, June.
    3. Che-Wei Chang, 2022. "Supply chain movement risk in the sneaker industry: an empirical study," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 56(3), pages 1073-1092, June.

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