Innovation and network multiplexity: R&D and the concurrent effects of two collaboration networks in an emerging economy

This study focuses on the multiplexity of firm R&D networks, and it investigates two types of boundary-spanning networks: the bipartite network between firms and government-sponsored institutions (GSIs), and the traditional firm–firm network. We apply a social network perspective to examine the effects that these kinds of networks have on firm innovativeness, in relation to the effects of the firm’s internal R&D efforts. We define the firm-GSI network as bipartite, and we investigate how the structural characteristics of this network (cohesion and centrality) affect innovativeness. We then decompose the innovational effects of firm–firm networks into two categories (intra- and inter-sector) to distinguish the effects of these collaboration networks. Furthermore, we investigate how these various external collaborative networks interact with a firm’s internal R&D efforts for driving innovativeness. Our empirical study of 420 manufacturing firms in Mexico evaluates evidence from surveys and secondary data. The findings indicate that the structural properties of both firm–GSI and firm–firm networks have positive effects on innovativeness, but firm–GSI network cohesion has a stronger negative interaction with R&D in influencing firm innovativeness. Moreover, intra-sector centrality in a firm–firm network has a stronger negative interaction with R&D than inter-sector centrality does in driving firm innovativeness. We contribute to the literature by integrating insights from the perspectives of network multiplexity, social embeddedness, and resource complementarity in regard to inter-organizational behavior. Our study also provides meaningful guidelines for both managers and policy makers. The study’s findings are robust to concerns of common method bias and alternative model specifications.     

Multinational subsidiary knowledge protection—Do mandates and clusters matter?

International knowledge spillovers, especially through multinational companies (MNCs), have recently been a major topic of academic and management debate. However, most studies treat MNC subsidiaries as relatively passive actors. We challenge this assumption by investigating the drivers of knowledge protection intensity of MNC subsidiaries. We argue that knowledge protection intensity is determined by MNC subsidiary mandates and by opportunities and risks originating from the host region. We hypothesize that not just competence-creating but also competence-exploiting mandates increase knowledge protection intensity. In addition, technological cluster regions in the host country can be expected to provide opportunities for knowledge sourcing and MNC subsidiaries may be willing to protect knowledge less intensively to participate in cluster networks. We test our hypotheses using a dataset of 694 observations of 631 MNC subsidiaries in Germany and develop recommendations for research, managers and policy makers.     

中国科技政策主体合作网络演化研究

 运用社会网络分析方法,绘制不同发展阶段中国科技政策制定主体合作网络图谱,提炼网络结构演化的模式特征;通过合作“广度—强度”二维矩阵分析政策主体在网络中的角色演变,并识别网络中的核心节点;在此基础上,探讨了不同核心主体在科技政策主体合作网络生成与演化过程中的功能演变及其对网络运行的影响。结果表明,在中国科技政策主体合作网络演化过程中,整体结构优化与主体功能提升相互促进,并呈现出同步演化特征;中国科技政策主体合作网络演化具有体制改革推动和科技发展需求拉动的双重驱动特征。     

不确定环境下本地与跨区域网络对集群企业创新影响研究

不确定环境下本地和跨区域双重学习网络的动态平衡对集群企业创新具有积极影响。通过对浙江省温州市184家集群企业的问卷调查和实证检验,研究发现:本地和跨区域学习网络显著正向影响集群企业创新,两种网络存在显著的替代效应,且两者动态平衡能够增强双重网络的创新贡献,实现创新效应最大化;行业环境负向调节本地网络和集群企业创新,而政策环境呈现正向调节,且调节的边际效应趋于减弱。研究建议,集群企业创新需要动态平衡构建本地和跨区域学习网络,政府政策支持需适度,且需重视行业要素建设以降低行业环境不确定性,从而促进集群企业创新。     

关系治理与集群企业知识共享关系研究--集群创新网络的中介作用

本文整合关系治理、社会网络和知识管理相关理论,利用德阳装备制造业集群中的205家企业的问卷数据,采用结构方程模型,探讨了关系治理、集群创新网络与集群企业知识共享之间的相互关系与作用机制。研究发现,关系治理下的三个维度--共同愿景、联合行动和资源依赖对集群企业知识共享均有正向影响;共同愿景、资源依赖正向影响集群创新网络的结构嵌入与关系嵌入,而联合行动只对集群创新网络的结构嵌入有正向影响;集群创新网络在关系治理与集群企业知识共享关系中起中介作用,但在不同维度的关系治理与知识共享关系中的中介作用存在显著差异。通过构建“关系治理--集群创新网络—集群知识共享”的理论模型和分析框架,本文丰富了关系治理、社会网络和知识管理领域的研究成果,为集群企业合理运用关系治理行为来构建创新网络并促进彼此间的知识共享提供了理论参考。     

Analysis of the interplay between knowledge and performance management in industrial clusters

The concept of industrial clustering has been studied in-depth by policy makers and researchers from many fields, mainly due to the competitive advantages it may bring to regional economies. Companies often take part in collaborative initiatives with local partners while also taking advantage of knowledge spillovers to benefit from locating in a cluster. Thus, Knowledge Management (KM) and Performance Management (PM) have become relevant topics for policy makers and cluster associations when undertaking collaborative initiatives. Taking this into account, this paper aims to explore the interplay between both topics using a case study conducted in a collaborative network formed within a cluster. The results show that KM should be acknowledged as a formal area of cluster management so that PM practices can support knowledge-oriented initiatives and therefore make better use of the new knowledge created. Furthermore, tacit and explicit knowledge resulting from PM practices needs to be stored and disseminated throughout the cluster as a way of improving managerial practices and regional strategic direction.     

Creating value in ecosystems: Crossing the chasm between knowledge and business ecosystems

Policy makers take initiatives to stimulate knowledge ecosystems in technology hotspots. It is implicitly assumed that these ecosystems will lead to value networks through which the participating companies can realize a competitive advantage. Value networks refer to business ecosystems where the value proposition is offered by a group of companies which are mutually complementary. The strategy literature suggests that business ecosystems lead to competitive advantages for each of the partners in the ecosystem. Based on a unique hand-collected database of 138 innovative start-ups in the region of Flanders, we analyze the knowledge and business ecosystem and the financial support network. We find that the knowledge ecosystem is well structured and concentrated around a number of central actors while the business ecosystem is almost non-existent at the local level. Further, we find that the financial support network is almost 100% publicly backed and fails to bridge the knowledge and business ecosystem. The implications for policy makers who tend to focus on the development of local ecosystems are discussed.     

信息服务业集群内企业与机构间知识扩散研究

根据2000-2009年长三角地区信息服务产业集群的相关二手数据,基于隶属网络构建了以企业为节点的集群核心网络和以机构为节点的集群支撑网络,并基于企业-机构间的知识扩散关系构建两网间的联系。重点分析了长三角地区信息服务业集群内企业-机构间的知识扩散。结论表明:长三角信息服务产业集群形成了以沪宁杭为领跑者,苏锡常甬为追随者的发展结构;不同城市企业-机构间的知识扩散逐阶段发生在跨地区范围内,知识由中心城市扩散到周边城市。     

Networks of inventors and the role of academia: an exploration of Italian patent data

This paper proposes a quantitative analysis of social distance between Open Science and Proprietary Technology. A few general properties of social networks within both realms are discussed, as they emerge from the new economics of science and recent applied work on “small worlds”. A new data-set on patent inventors is explored, in order to show that social networks within Proprietary Technology are much more fragmented than Open Science ones, except for science-based technologies. Two propositions are then put forward on the “open” behaviour expected from academic inventors, namely university scientists getting involved in Proprietary Technology networks by signing patents. Both propositions are confirmed by data, which show academic inventors to be more central and better connected than non-academic ones. The database and methodology produced for this paper are suggested to be relevant for the more general debate on the role of geographical and cognitive distance in university-industry technology transfer.     

Network resource,regional cluster,and technical position

Inter-firm social links are always helpful to establish mutual trust for further cooperation, and inter-firm knowledge exchange stresses the relative importance in a technological field. This study first examines the differences and relationships among the networks that are constructed by different exchanged resources, and further explores how a firm’s embedded local cluster resources and the brokerages’ roles in different inter-firm networks shape a firm’s leading position in the technical knowledge field. To construct inter-firm networks, we survey all members in the Taiwan Fastener Industry Association, collecting 87 valid samples for a 67% response rate. We use QAP (Quadratic Assignment Procedure) regressions to examine the relationships among networks, including social network (SN), information network (IN), and knowledge network (KN). We execute a negative binomial regression to investigate the importance of cluster resources and cross-regional brokering roles in SN and IN for gaining a higher position in technical KN. The results first show that the ties in SN and IN help establish cooperative partnerships in exchanging technical knowledge. Second, local cluster resources play a critical role in driving firms to gain a higher position in KN. Third, to have a leading role in KN, the brokerage roles in IN seem to be more important than the brokerages in SN. In particular, cross-regional brokerage roles (e.g., liaison) in IN strengthen their position in KN.     

我国创新网络研究现状与趋势分析

    在知识经济时代,加强创新网络研究对指导企业创新具有重要意义。本文围绕我国创新网络研究现状与趋势这一主题,以中国知网（CNKI）和中国社会科学引文索引（CSSCI）数据库作为文献来源,通过样本文献回顾梳理并运用知识图谱分析、突现词分析等文献计量学方法,对发文量趋势、核心作者等研究现状,创新网络类型、理论基础等研究内容以及研究趋势进行分析。研究结论如下：（1）国内创新网络研究起步早、成果丰硕,发文量逐年增加,形成了实力较强的核心研究团队;（2）技术创新网络、区域创新网络、企业创新网络等七种创新网络是国内学者最为关注的研究领域,而协同合作创新、创新网络演化、网络知识资源等则是学者们关注的研究主题;从学术取向上看,国内学者多以网络理论、资源依赖理论、资源基础理论、结构洞理论等为基础进行应用型研究,而理论创新成果少;（3）通过突现词分析发现,近年来出现的知识权力、协同创新研究反映了知识经济时代创新活动的新特征,是该领域新的研究趋势。     

发明者网络社群动态配置及对创新能力的影响

   鉴于发明者在创新活动中的“抱团”研发现象,采用GN算法,识别可再生能源行业发明者合作创新网络的社群结构,根据社群内部成员和社群经纪人网络位点的不同,通过相邻期社群动态追踪,划分社群结构动态配置,实证社群配置与社群创新能力间的关系。结果表明：发明者合作创新网络存在明显的社群划分,不同类型的社群动态配置对社群发明者创新影响显著不同。总体为,动态与静态相协调的社群配置优于双动或双静的社群配置,具体为,“动荡”社群创新能力最弱,“纽带”社群创新能力最强,“独立”及“固化”社群介于两者间。以促进发明者创新,政策应该有利于创新网络动态及稳定的折中。     

International research networks: Determinants of country embeddedness

Research activities are increasingly global so that embeddedness in international knowledge networks is decisive for inventive and innovative performance. We analyze determinants of countries’ embeddedness in the global photovoltaics knowledge network for the period 1980–2015 and argue that positions in this network are determined by the structure and functionality of national research systems and by instruments within the policy-mix for renewable energies. We show that cohesion and connectedness of the national research system positively affect international embeddedness, whereas centralized systems are detrimental to embeddedness. This indicates that a diffusion oriented research system allows better access to international knowledge flows. Policy instruments, especially demand side instruments, show a positive effect on embeddedness.     

Competing Standard-Setting Organizations: A Choice Experiment

Standard-setting organizations (SSOs) establish goal-directed networks for innovators to jointly shape technology and markets through standards. The degree to which this can succeed depends to a large extent on network characteristics, which may differ substantially between SSOs. Many technological fields face intense competition between SSOs. Choosing the right one is thus a key strategic decision for innovators. Simultaneously, SSOs must reflect members’ preferences in their network set-ups and governance. Yet, little is known about these preferences. Based on extant literature, we derive hypotheses about how three themes of network attributes (membership base, rules, transaction costs) and contextual factors drive decision makers’ preferences. We conduct a comprehensive choice experiment with 141 standardization professionals in the Internet of Things field. Based on our data, we provide a more realistic indication of what firms value in SSOs than has been previously available. We also discuss our results’ implications for studying networks in other contexts.     

Location, collocation and R&D alliances in the European ICT industry

This paper argues that spatial proximity plays a role in determining the propensity of firms to engage in R&D alliances. Drawing from economic geography, network theory and innovation theory, we discuss how prior collocation can affect the propensity to engage in R&D alliances, arguing that alliances can act both as a substitute and as a complement to collocation. Using a novel dataset matching alliances and patent data for the European ICT industry, we show that alliances are complementary to prior collocation (at both national and sub-national regional level) of firm’s R&D labs. In such an intra-industry, oligopolistic scenario, firms strategically use R&D alliances as a means to limit knowledge flows and protect competences, rather than to promote knowledge flows. Furthermore, while a common institutional context is important to promote collaboration, because of the high level of R&D internationalisation as well as the complex social networks within an oligopolistic industry, national institutional contexts are less relevant.     

The reflection of offline activities on users’ online social behavior: An observational study

The ever increasing presence of online social networks in users’ daily lives has led to the interplay between users’ online and offline activities. There have already been several works that have studied the impact of users’ online activities on their offline behavior, e.g., the impact of interaction with friends on an exercise social network on the number of daily steps. In this paper, we consider the inverse to what has already been studied and report on our extensive study that explores the potential causal effects of users’ offline activities on their online social behavior. The objective of our work is to understand whether the activities that users are involved with in their real daily life, which place them within or away from social situations, have any direct causal impact on their behavior in online social networks. Our work is motivated by the theory of normative social influence, which argues that individuals may show behaviors or express opinions that conform to those of the community for the sake of being accepted or from fear of rejection or isolation. We have collected data from two online social networks, namely Twitter and Foursquare, and systematically aligned user content on both social networks. On this basis, we have performed a natural experiment that took the form of an interrupted time series with a comparison group design to study whether users’ socially situated offline activities exhibited through their Foursquare check-ins impact their online behavior captured through the content they share on Twitter. Our main findings can be summarised as follows (1) a change in users’ offline behavior that affects the level of users’ exposure to social situations, e.g., starting to go to the gym or discontinuing frequenting bars, can have a causal impact on users’ online topical interests and sentiment; and (2) the causal relations between users’ socially situated offline activities and their online social behavior can be used to build effective predictive models of users’ online topical interests and sentiments.     

Protecting knowledge: How legal requirements to reveal information affect the importance of secrecy

Most firms use secrecy to protect their knowledge from potential imitators. However, the theoretical foundations for secrecy have not been well explored. We extend knowledge protection literature and propose theoretical mechanisms explaining how information visibility influences the importance of secrecy as a knowledge protection instrument. Building on mechanisms from information economics and signaling theory, we postulate that secrecy is more important for protecting knowledge for firms that have legal requirements to reveal information to shareholders. Furthermore, we argue that this effect is contingent on the location in a technological cluster, on a firm’s investment in fixed assets and on a firm’s past innovation performance. We test our hypotheses using a representative sample of 683 firms in Germany between 2005 and 2013. Our results support the moderation effect of a technological cluster and a firm’s investment in fixed assets. Our findings inform both academics and managers on how firms balance information disclosure requirements with the use of secrecy as a knowledge protection instrument.     

Connecting others: Does a tertius iungens orientation shape the relationship between research networks and innovation?

Research on social networks and innovation emphasizes that individuals spanning structural holes and crossing institutional boundaries have more opportunities for knowledge recombination and innovation involvement. However, transforming the potential knowledge and resources available through personal networks to attain innovation can be difficult for the focal individual. Using an ego-network approach, this study examines whether and to what extent an individual strategic orientation to cooperation (i.e. tertius iungens) contributes to strengthening the relation between two personal network properties (structural and institutional separation) and involvement in innovation. Our analysis is conducted in the context of biomedicine, where research networks are particularly relevant for science and innovation achievements. Our findings advance social network theory by decoupling social network mechanisms from individual strategic networking behavior as factors influencing knowledge generation processes. Results also provide original evidence on an overlooked phenomenon: the moderating role of a tertius iungens orientation in the relationship between multiple social network properties and innovation. Finally, our research sheds new light on the distinct sources of knowledge recombination in networks and the role of individual networking strategies to facilitate mobilization of resources for innovation.     

The effect of internal social capital on knowledge sharing

On the basis of the Chinese schema, we propose that internal social capital manifests itself in the form of ‘guanxi’, trust, and norms. We discuss the concept of interpersonal relationships within the context of Chinese culture by embedding the guanxi concept into a model to investigate the relationships among the three dimensions. We used a survey-based methodology to collect data from 230 employees of the top 100 high-technology firms in Taiwan and structural equation modelling (SEM) with LISREL 8.54 to examine the hypotheses model. The results indicated that at the individual level, guanxi is positively related to both trust and norms, which are also positively related to knowledge sharing. The mediating effects of trust and norms were also found to be significant. Trust directly influences knowledge sharing, and plays a mediating role between knowledge sharing and guanxi. This suggests that knowledge sharing is likely to occur when trust exists among employees. The results further indicate that norms mediate the relationship between guanxi and knowledge sharing. Guanxi among members influences knowledge sharing; therefore, organizations require a feasible solution using the relational norms mechanism. Previous studies have either emphasized the direct influence of social capital or regarded all variables to be of similar importance for knowledge sharing; however, no clear explanations have been provided explaining its influence on knowledge sharing. We advance understanding of why social capital enhances knowledge sharing among employees and the means by which this occurs.     

集群情景下企业知识网络演化的关键影响因素——基于扎根理论的一项探索性研究

集群情景下企业知识网络演化问题日益受到来自各领域学者和实践者的关注.其中,知识网络演化的影响因素问题日益突出.通过深度访谈,本文应用扎根理论提炼了知识网络演化的关键影响因素模型,发现网络共享性资源、企业适应性行为、企业网络化能力和集群政策性情景4个主范畴的影响路径并不一致.在此基础上,结合杭州软件产业集群进一步阐释了模型的核心范畴和主范畴.