Innovation Networks

Greater understanding of what factors promote the formation of innovation networks and their successful performance would help policymakers improve the design of policy interventions aimed at funding R&D projects to be carried out by networks of innovators. In this paper, we focus on the organizations that can play the role of network intermediaries, facilitating the involvement of other participants and promoting communication and knowledge flows. Based on an original empirical dataset of organizations involved in five publicly-funded policy programmes in support of innovation networks, we identify different types of intermediaries based on an analysis of their positions within networks of relationships. We observe that agents that occupy broker positions -linking agents that are not connected to each other -are more likely to be found in technologically turbulent environments, while the agents that occupy intercohesive positions -bridging cohesive communities of network agents -operate in more stable contexts. Intermediaries in general are more likely to be local associations and governments. However, besides this, it is not possible to clearly identify types of organizations that are more likely to be either brokers or intercohesive agents: different innovation networks may require different organizations to mediate relationships between the other participants.

European Journal of Innovation Management, 2008

Purpose -The literature includes a vast amount of research on both innovation and business networks; however, the empirical knowledge of their intersection -innovation networks and their management -is still scarce. This empirical study aims at increasing the knowledge of management of innovation networks by mapping characteristics of management approaches of two case companies. These companies operate in the software business and develop their products in inter-organizational networks. Special attention is paid to differences in the management approaches between the case companies. Design/methodology/approach -The present empirical article is based on analysis of two case companies representing very different and contrasting approaches to management of innovation networks. The empirical study is conducted among SMEs in the software business. Findings -As a result of the analysis, several aspects of management of innovation networks are identified and their nature explained. These aspects are: duration of the network; rewards from the network; fundamental meaning of the network; the nature of the networked organization; planning, control, and trust; and hierarchies, authority, and coordination. These aspects are powerful in mapping and explaining the characteristics of innovation network management. Originality/value -Various management practices are suggested and discussed in the context of each of the identified aspects of innovation network management.

ABSTRACT A case study is provided that illustrates the problems associated with building a knowledge network designed to foster innovation and commercially beneficial outcomes. Despite the success of earlier networking among research groups from four separate organisations, the flow of information between these actors broke down along with the level of innovation following changes in leadership and strategic purpose.

2009

Henno Gous Thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Engineering Science at Stellenbosch University Using Knowledge Networks to support Innovation Study Leader: CSL Schutte March 2009 ? ...

Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 2012

Previous research has shown that formal networks can play a crucial role in the formation of technological innovation systems (TIS). Firms and other actors collaborate in formal networks not only to generate new knowledge but also to strategically create and shape supportive system resources such as technology specific R&D programs. This paper takes a closer look at the resources, which are developed and deployed by networks to facilitate the building up of a TIS. Networks rely not only on the organizational resources of their members but also on new resources developed at the network level including network governance structures, trust among network members, a common understanding of the strategic goals or a good reputation of the network. Our analysis shows that the capacity of networks to fulfill different tasks of system building especially depends on the network resources they are able to establish. With the differentiation of organizational, network and system resources we introduce a conceptual framework, which makes three important contributions. It highlights the strategic nature of (innovation) system building; it allows us comparing the contribution of different actors and formal networks in this regard; and it improves our understanding of how firm and system level processes are intertwined.

Journal of Information & Knowledge Management, 2012

Inter-organisational networks and communities of practice are two areas of inquiry of interest to knowledge management, especially when innovation is an important organisational goal. These two areas are separated by different foci, assumptions and approaches. For this reason they are often seen as opposing approaches to enabling innovation. The paper argues that whilst networks and communities are different structures, they have complementary roles to play in innovation and when combined could bring organisations closer to an optimal innovative structure. It is proposed that innovation networks are conducive to the exploration aspects and communities of practice support exploitation aspects of the innovation process. What is to be considered optimum will be dependent on the specific context determined by several network concepts, namely strength and density of ties, cognitive distance, and absorptive capacity.

Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 2012

This paper examines the effects that process, structure and governance dimensions of networks have on innovation performance. The main focus of the paper is the multidimensional aspect of innovation networks and how these dimensions affect network performance. Technology management, resource-based, transaction costs and social capital perspectives are applied in the construction of the model variables of each subsystem or dimension analyzed. With results drawn from a sample of 350 project managers identified in the European Union CORDIS database who are actively involved in European innovation networks, we argue that the performance of innovation networks is increased through the suitable design of process, structure and governance subsystems. Empirical findings also show that interactions between these subsystems have a complementary or synergic effect resulting in improved innovation performance.

International Journal of Technology Management, 2011

R&D networks have been studied and promoted by scholars and policy makers as a way to increase the performance of innovation systems. At the same time, limited attention has been devoted to evaluate their performances. This paper reviews the literature that studied R&D networks from different approaches and suggests a framework to help developing evaluation systems for R&D networks. The framework is based on a network model that highlights the main elements and characteristics of an R&D network, underlines the opportunity of three different perspectives of evaluation and has been applied and tested on three case studies.

Technological Forecasting Social Change, 2012

This paper examines the effect of process, structure and governance of networks on innovation performance. The main focus of the paper is on the multidimensional aspects that innovation networks entail and how these dimensions affect the network performance. Technology management, resource-based, transaction costs and social capital perspectives are applied in the construction of the model variables of each subsystem analysed. Based on a sample of 350 project managers identified in the CORDIS database of the European Union which take part actively in European innovation networks, we argue that innovation networks increase their performance through the suitable design of process, structure and governance subsystems. Empirical findings also show that interactions between these subsystems have a complementary or synergic effect on improving innovation performance.

Industrial Marketing Management, 2014