Building ingenuity in tourism organizations during crises

Abstract

Tourism organizations inevitably encounter adversities, which impose numerous constraints that demand innovation. Building organizational ingenuity—the ability to develop innovative solutions within constraints using limited resources—has emerged as a core strategic issue in crisis management. This research employed a multi-case study design, using the COVID-19 crisis as the research context to examine the process of developing organizational ingenuity under severe environmental stress. Drawing on the dynamic capabilities view, we propose a processual ingenuity-building model that illustrates how travel agencies address crisis-induced constraints by leveraging dynamic capabilities of sensing, seizing, and transforming. This study sheds light on the development of organizational ingenuity during crises, offering a new perspective on the relationship between crisis and innovation. Moreover, it provides insights into how dynamic capabilities can facilitate innovation in crisis management. It also offers theoretical guidelines, along with specific ingenious practices, to help tourism organizations adapt to change and gain competitive advantages in extreme circumstances.