How institutional conditions impact university–industry search strategies and networks

A wide range of research has studied interactions between academic and industrial organisations. Less research has combined institutional theory and the terminology of social networks in order to investigate how different institutional conditions across scientific fields impact university–industry search strategies and networks in various ways. Based on a comparative analysis of the institutional conditions in two different scientific fields, we argue that the UI search processes and network formations of a high-tech small firm are shaped by these different institutional conditions within which they are embedded. The study contributes to knowledge about how the significance of weak and strong ties is relative to varying institutional conditions in general high-tech vs. life sciences and why embeddedness in pre-existing ties is not necessarily the most effective means for firms to optimise UI search and network-formation strategies.     

Inter-firm networks and innovation: a survey of literature

This survey covers the recent literature on inter-firm networks as far as they have implications for innovation and technological change. The studies are classified according to the direction of causality in network studies. In the literature, some studies focus on the effect of networks, while others on the origins and formation of networks. These are represented as a circular flow diagram of network research. Circular diagram includes three themes of analysis as: (1) origins of networks, (2) firm performance, (3) network structure, and shows the relationship between these themes as observed in network research. The aim of this survey is to guide researchers working on inter-firm networks about the theoretical and empirical results obtained up to now in the field and to highlight those areas which need further work.     

Does ethnic diversity decrease economic interactions? Evidence from exchange networks in rural Gambia

Using a unique dataset collected in 59 rural Gambian villages, we study how ethnic heterogeneity is related to the structure of four economic exchange networks: land, labour, inputs and credit. We find that different measures of village‐level ethnic fragmentation are mostly uncorrelated with network structure. At a more disaggregated level, household heads belonging to ethnic minorities are not less central than those from the predominant ethnicity in any of the networks and, at the dyadic level, the fact that two households share ethnicity is not an economically significant predictor of link formation. Our results indicate that, in the particular setting of our study, the structure of the exchange networks is better defined by other variables than ethnicity and that ethnic heterogeneity is unlikely to be a driver for sub‐optimal economic exchanges.     

Perceptions and attitudes following a terrorist shock: Evidence from the UK

Transnational terrorism in Western countries has raised questions about security measures that constrain civil liberties. This is the first paper that uses a terrorist attack, that in the London 7/7/2005, as an exogenous source of variation to study the dynamics of risk perception and the effect on the readiness to trade off civil liberties for enhanced security. In this framework we show that willingness to trade off security for liberties is dramatically affected by changes in individual risk assessments due to a terrorist attack. We document the extent of persistence of changed attitudes.     

企业网络研究的知识结构与发展趋势

企业网络日益成为管理实践和理论研究的关注焦点。通过对1997-2016年Web of Science（WOS）数据库中与企业网络相关的563篇文献进行梳理,探寻企业网络研究的知识基础、核心议题和研究热点。采用引文共被引分析、聚类分析及突现性分析等计量分析方法,构建企业网络研究整合性框架,将企业网络知识基础分为网络治理、网络资源、创新网络和网络结构4个维度,并形成了新兴经济体企业网络、跨层次企业网络、董事网络、创业网络、网络能力、企业网络动态演化和节点异质性等七大研究热点。最后,提出改善研究思路与方法、关注特殊网络、注重跨层次研究和重视文化差异、关注网络“黑暗面”等企业网络研究建议。     

Strategic positioning of global manufacturing virtual networks in the aeronautical industry

The evolution of organisations that work in multinational environments has considerably altered their production strategies. One of the consequences has been the appearance of global manufacturing virtual networks (GMVNs), which include all kinds of production centres. These networks establish a new type of vertical and horizontal collaboration between independent companies or even competitors who launch occasional collaborations on projects they could not take on individually. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the main reasons that determine the formation of GMVNs as well as the strategy of the companies involved in these organizations and how GMVN will evolve in the future. For that purpose, a conceptual framework is proposed based on four network features: strategy, structure, communication systems and culture. This work will delve into the strategy network feature by applying a strategic positioning model to a practical case in the aeronautical industry to gain a better understanding of how GMVNs work, its effectiveness by clarifying and putting these organisations in perspective and how they may evolve in the future.     

Can innovation network projects result in efficient performance?

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.     

多重网络嵌入对集群企业创新能力的作用

以集群企业作为研究对象,将企业规模和网络客体对象的差异作为情景变量,考察了多重网络嵌入：集群内外商业网络和技术网络关系嵌入强度对其创新能力的作用。通过实证分析后发现,集群内外商业网络和技术网络的关系强度,对集群内大企业和中小企业的探索性和利用性创新的作用具有显著差异,在作用方向和程度上都具有明显区别,同时,这种作用还受到强关系对象中是否具有较多大企业的调节。     

Radical changes in inter-organizational network structures: The longitudinal gap

The main goal of the research presented in this paper is to provide an overview of the available insights concerning radical changes in inter-organizational network structures. The following research question has been formulated: what is known about the way organizations in networks deal with, and are affected by, radical changes in inter-organizational network structures?In order to answer this question, a review of the most relevant literature dealing with changes in network structure over time is presented. The literature reviewed has been analyzed by comparing the role of change in the analysis (independent vs. dependent variable) as well as the manner in which change is conceptualized (incremental vs. radical change and dyadic vs. network change).It is found that studies that observe networks changing over time are scarce. Nevertheless, the available studies provide some interesting insights concerning the formation, evolution and termination of dyadic ties, network evolution, and the effects of (radical) changes in network structure. However, more research on several specific topics seems necessary. These topics are: the link between dyadic change and change at the network level, the evolution of network structures, the processes through which critical events lead to changes in network structures, and the effects of radical changes in network structures.     

Rating of Network-Integrated Corporations

While conventional rating systems are still focused on individual companies, in reality stand-alone business of a single enterprise respectively debtor is more likely the exception than the rule. Joint business activities of two or more companies (organizational networks) are becoming ubiquitous and have a critical influence on each partners’ success. In order to avoid that rating that turns into some rather useless ritual, network characteristics, such as network assets, network capital, network securities, network management competency, network business opportunities and network structure have to be taken into account when evaluating solvency of a network-embedded corporation. Using primary credit cooperatives as an illustrative object, this paper gives an overview on those new rating criteria becoming relevant in conjunction with network-embeddedness, so that workable opportunities can be shown to improve the reliability of ratings.      

RESEARCH NETWORKS AS INFRASTRUCTURE FOR KNOWLEDGE DIFFUSION IN EUROPEAN REGIONS

This paper concentrates on the role of research network infrastructure in fostering the dissemination of innovation-related knowledge. It examines the structure of collaborative networks and of knowledge transfer between research, innovation and deployment activities in the field of information and communication technology for the European Union as a whole and for several European regions. Research networks complement diffusion networks by providing additional links and by increasing the number of the organisations involved in sharing and exchanging knowledge. Two types of actors are key players in these networks: hubs and gatekeepers. Hubs maintain the bulk of ties in the networks also helping the smaller and more isolated members remain connected. Gatekeepers bridge research and diffusion networks. Such organisations naturally offer greater policy leverage in establishing a European knowledge infrastructure. Moreover, strengthened inter-network connectivity among research and diffusion activities (deployment) would raise the effectiveness of European research in terms of accelerating innovation.     

The impact of dual network structure on firm performance: the moderating effect of innovation strategy

ABSTRACT

Firm innovation is embedded in a collaboration network among researchers and a knowledge network composed of knowledge elements; the two networks are decoupled. Guided by social network theory, this study puts forward the definition and the classification of firm dual network structure, probes into the influence of dual network structure on firm performance, and explores the alignment between innovation strategy and firm dual network structure. We conduct an empirical study of 183 listed companies in China from 2004 to 2018. It is found that the four types of dual network structure all have positive impacts on firm performance, and the impact of a collaboration network is slightly higher than that of a knowledge network. Besides, innovation strategy plays a positive moderating role in the relationship between dual network structure and firm performance. Our findings provide new ideas for firms to identify and optimise knowledge and collaboration network structures and match them with innovation strategy to improve performance.     

The dynamic of innovation networks: a switching model on technological change

In this paper, we introduce an agent-based model where heterogeneous firms compare and modify their innovation strategies, so generating an evolving network structure. By implementing dynamic behavioral switching via a fitness mechanism based on agents’ performance, companies can endogenously modify their tactics for technological change and switch among three groups: stand-alone innovators, collaborative innovators and imitators. On the one hand, we study the properties of the emerging networks and we show that they reproduce the stylized facts of innovation networks. Moreover, we focus the analysis on the impact of these three innovation categories on the macro economic aggregate, finding that collaborative companies are those having the highest positive impact on the economic system. On the other hand, we use the model to study the effect of different economic innovation policies in increasing macroeconomic performance.     

Network architecture, salience and coordination

This paper reports the results of an experimental investigation of dynamic games in networks. In each period, the subjects simultaneously choose whether or not to make an irreversible contribution to the provision of an indivisible public good. Subjects observe the past actions of other subjects if and only if they are connected by the network. Networks may be incomplete so subjects are asymmetrically informed about the actions of other subjects in the same network, which is typically an obstacle to the attainment of an efficient outcome. For all networks, the game has a large set of (possibly inefficient) equilibrium outcomes. Nonetheless, the network architecture makes certain strategies salient and this in turn facilitates coordination on efficient outcomes. In particular, asymmetries in the network architecture encourage two salient behaviors, strategic delay and strategic commitment. By contrast, we find that symmetries in the network architecture can lead to mis-coordination and inefficient outcomes.     

欠发达农区产业集群的网络组织结构及其区域效应分析

基于河南农区三个不同网络类型集群129家企业的调查,运用社会网络分析法,通过对比三个集群中的衍生网络、情感网络、咨询网络以及合作网络的网络特性,鉴别出欠发达农区集群网络中的核心节点、重要关系及不同网络组织类型的区域效应.研究发现:先导企业是集群衍生的孵化器,亲属或厂属关系是区域产业繁衍的关键渠道;大企业是技术创新和扩散的中心,供需关系和技术工人流动是区域学习的重要路径;中等企业是情谊联系的活跃点,长期合作关系能培养区域信任;中介组织与服务机构、"生产组织者"是企业间合作的"桥梁",上下游的经济联系对区域合作影响巨大.从集群的网络组织类型来看,混合性的转包网络和互补性的垂直网络比竞争性的水平网络对区域内的网络学习、信任培养、合作行动以及区域发展能带来更好的效果.     

Development Economics from a Chicago Perspective

The interlocking board directorships among corporations. as well as between corporations and social organizations, is important for defining the modern political economy. This article finds the networks of those interlocks for Koch Industries Inc. and TD Ameritrade Holding Corporation. Moreover, the article extends the networks to describe and analyze the accompanying political network of contributions to Nebraska political campaigns. For corporate and social networks, we utilize conventional theoretical structures to find the new database of those networks for Koch Industries and TD Ameritrade. The new theoretical structure and database concern the campaign contributions of the board of directors in the corporate and social networks, as we trace them to campaigns for federal offices. The new political campaign finance structure we uncover here includes thousands of interconnected campaign finance conduits, through which money flows to political campaigns.     

双层网络嵌入下结构洞对企业二元创新的影响研究

网络结构特征影响企业知识转移与知识组合效果,进而对创新绩效产生复杂作用。利用我国165家上市企业2007—2018年专利面板数据,实证检验企业知识与协同双层网络嵌入对二元创新绩效的影响,并分析战略柔性和开放度对上述关系的调节作用。研究结果表明,企业知识网络结构洞正向影响利用式创新绩效,负向影响探索式创新绩效;协同网络结构洞与二元创新均存在负相关关系。同时,战略柔性和开放度调节双层网络结构洞与二元创新的关系,且变量间存在有效匹配关系：知识网络结构洞—开放度促进利用式创新绩效提升,而协同网络结构洞—战略柔性促进探索式创新绩效提升。研究结论为解决结构洞与企业创新关系的分歧带来新思路,同时为企业创新绩效提升提供理论借鉴。     

社会网络的四种功能框架及其测量

通过对文献的系统归纳,本文将社会网络的主要功能归纳为四种,信息获取、互惠合作、结构支持和资源获取。这样的分类框架避免了之前研究中仅测量企业拥有的社会网络而忽视企业动用的社会网络的问题。本文开发了测量社会网络四种功能的量表,并应用验证性因子分析验证了量表的效度。然后在Miles和Snow战略选择框架下,通过305个样本对本文的假设进行了实证验证。     

孵化网络治理机制、网络负效应对网络绩效的影响

孵化网络是资源整合与创新增值的重要载体,但是孵化网络绩效方面的研究相对缺乏。鉴于此,主要关注孵化网络不同治理机制与网络负效应对网络绩效的差异性影响,以西安等地孵化网络为对象进行问卷调研,运用逐层回归方法进行实证检验。结果表明：契约治理机制对孵化网络绩效具有倒U型影响,关系治理机制对孵化网络绩效具有正向影响。进一步实证发现,两类网络负效应（结构与行为）在抑制孵化网络绩效的同时呈现出不同的中介作用。     

Revisiting electricity liberalization and quality of service: empirical evidence from New Zealand

What effect does the firm structure have on the quality of service delivered by networks and infrastructure industries? We answer this question by empirically assessing the impacts of complete vertical separation, such as ownership unbundling, on the quality of service delivered by a liberalized network industry. Electricity distribution utilities in New Zealand are considered for this purpose and are analysed using panel-data econometrics. The results show robust evidence that ownership unbundling contributed to a fall in the duration and frequency of supply interruptions in electricity distribution. However, the results also show that unbundling has no effect on reducing distribution network losses. These results, overall, highlight the nonsimple impacts of ownership unbundling on the quality of electricity distribution. We suggest that the quality of service may largely improve when considered in the economic regulation of electricity networks than completely relying on specific reform measures such as ownership unbundling.