KNOWLEDGE SHARING AND BUSINESS TOURISM PRODUCTS : CASE OF INDUSTRIAL TRADE FAIRS

Abstract

Due to the complexity of the needs of the business tourist that determine the character of the offered product, networking is an inherent part of the business tourism sector. Organizations enter multiple networks of relations in order to gain access to knowledge, which is important in creating innovation in tourism. The article aims to show the role of business networks in developing new products. The research was conducted on a network centered around a trade fair organizer. The research discovered a variety of knowledge sharing activities between the network actors. The relations between the actors determine the character of the activities. Exchange of knowledge leads to two types of innovations: network-driven innovation and network-supported innovation.