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This paper argues that the economic upgrading of suppliers in global value chains (GVCs) is influenced by the prevailing governance structures in supplier-lead firm relationships. Using a novel governance index for Philippine and Thai manufacturers, this paper tests if tight effective control received by suppliers can be detrimental to higher-order GVC upgrading. The unique 2012 Survey on Adjustments of Establishments to Globalization was used to calculate the index for Philippine manufacturers, while the World Bank's Productivity and Investment Climate Study 2006–2007 was used for Thailand. The econometric results confirm that tight governance negatively affects upgrading in both countries. Specifically, the Philippine estimates show that tight governance has no impact on process upgrading given that: (1) all GVCs benefit from efficient suppliers, regardless of governance structures; and (2) process upgrading has relatively simpler technological requirements than higher-order upgrading. Tight governance significantly reduces the probability of achieving more sophisticated product, functional, and intersectoral upgrading, especially when this encroaches on the lead firm's core functions. But since governance and control are necessary for efficient GVC operations, suppliers must conscientiously build capabilities and networks to move up the upgrading ladder. For weak-capability suppliers, innovation networks are important external sources of technology and knowledge spillovers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Abstract Collaborative innovation addresses intricate, multifaceted problems of a systemic nature involving a multitude of actors with diverse and often unknown expectations. To facilitate this collaboration, innovation spaces—such as Makerspaces, Hackerspaces, Fablabs, among others—have emerged as arenas where networks of actors interconnect and solidify. Understanding the diverse nature of these innovation spaces poses a challenge, particularly in distinguishing their specific characteristics and assessing how each contributes to fostering innovative networks. This article aims to address the question: how can we classify innovation spaces based on the innovation networks they constitute? To tackle this query, we initially conducted an in-depth exploration of various innovation spaces through web content analysis, scrutinizing their individual value propositions. Subsequently, employing innovation network theory alongside domain analysis methodology, we proposed a taxonomy designed to classify the distinct types of innovation spaces under scrutiny. Our taxonomy reveals three types of spaces—learn-and-explore, partner-and impact, and transitory—as well as convergent and divergent spaces, showing the diversity and complexity of networks they constitute. The findings also show that while the majority of innovation spaces unite diverse actors to drive collaboration and innovation, many resulting networks have a medium level of formality and are project-centric. These networks tend to be synthetic in nature, seeking to apply existing knowledge, and represent exploration networks wherein the adaptability and diversity of initiatives foster learning, the acquisition of new knowledge, and the development of fresh capacities through interactions.

Countries differ in terms of the effectiveness of their innovation ecosystem. The Triple Helix Model (THM) is useful in describing and analyzing the impact of the key actors in the national innovation system on the innovation performance of the industrial firms. The impact of Triple-Helix relationship on the firms' innovativeness is measured using Ordinary Least Square (OLS) regression models. The results showed that industrial collaboration with every single actor as per the THM is weak and its impact on the ability of the industrial firms to innovate is not significant. However, this relationship becomes significant in the presence of the three key THM actors for all types of innovation except organizational innovation. In general, the sectors, the working environment, size of firms, and their ability to export are significant predictors of firms to innovate. Therefore, there is a need to promote trio relationships through an active government role. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Collaborative innovation addresses intricate, multifaceted problems of a systemic nature involving a multitude of actors with diverse and often unknown expectations. To facilitate this collaboration, innovation spaces—such as Makerspaces, Hackerspaces, Fablabs, among others—have emerged as arenas where networks of actors interconnect and solidify. Understanding the diverse nature of these innovation spaces poses a challenge, particularly in distinguishing their specific characteristics and assessing how each contributes to fostering innovative networks. This article aims to address the question: how can we classify innovation spaces based on the innovation networks they constitute? To tackle this query, we initially conducted an in-depth exploration of various innovation spaces through web content analysis, scrutinizing their individual value propositions. Subsequently, employing innovation network theory alongside domain analysis methodology, we proposed a taxonomy designed to classify the distinct types of innovation spaces under scrutiny. Our taxonomy reveals three types of spaces—learn-and-explore, partner-and impact, and transitory—as well as convergent and divergent spaces, showing the diversity and complexity of networks they constitute. The findings also show that while the majority of innovation spaces unite diverse actors to drive collaboration and innovation, many resulting networks have a medium level of formality and are project-centric. These networks tend to be synthetic in nature, seeking to apply existing knowledge, and represent exploration networks wherein the adaptability and diversity of initiatives foster learning, the acquisition of new knowledge, and the development of fresh capacities through interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Geography & Geographic Information Science is the property of Geography & Geo-Information Science Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Previous empirical analyses have revealed the characteristics a university should possess to be associated with engagement in competitive international innovation programs. Within this context, this paper aimed to assess the importance of academic reputation in determining high-level participation in the most recently concluded European Union Framework Program (i.e., Horizon 2020). By considering three countries (i.e., Italy, Sweden, and the United Kingdom), and using qualitative comparative analysis (QCA), we showed that academic reputation is a key condition among high-scoring universities above a certain threshold (i.e., top 25% organizations). This finding should lead to further research and has policy implications. It is essential to integrate better those organizations considered less prestigious into targeted, highly competitive funding schemes to foster more widespread, even participation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Innovation networks help to create innovation ecosystems by strengthen interactions between government, academia, business, and special institutions. The purpose of the article is to identify the relationship between the local context, i.e., the conditions and environment in which the Local Government Unit operates and their participation in the innovation networks. The analysis is based on a survey of 184 local government authorities in Poland, Local Administrative Unit level 2. The present study examines the hypothesis that the more supportive the local context is in the Polish municipalities and cities on district rights, the greater the engagement of local government authorities in local or regional innovation networks. The supportive local context was defined by a set of institutional, economic, geographical, demographic, cultural, political, managerial, and administrative factors. The research findings indicate that the key factors that influence the engagement of local government in local or regional innovation networks are institutional factors.

In this study, we analyze new ways of conceptualizing improvements in firms’ innovation by implementing the “right-factors configuration,” illustrated through an analog of a recipe and its ingredients. Specifically, we research the multiple combinations of three ingredients (creativity, innovation networks, and resources) required to accomplish the innovation recipe. Using a sample of firms from a Spanish science and technology park, we apply qualitative comparative analysis (QCA)—specifically, fuzzy-set QCA (fsQCA)—to test the importance of each component in technological and non-technological innovation. First, the results suggest a map of combinations of innovative ingredients with eight possible patterns. Second, they show that the only ingredient needed is the combination of a creative climate and creative intensity. Finally, the methods of obtaining technological and non-technological innovations differ. The implications for management and policymakers are discussed, and directions for future research are highlighted.

Purpose – This paper investigates the roles and activities of the orchestrators of innovation networks constituted within cities. In this sense, the authors expected to contribute for research related to the roles and activities of the orchestrators of innovation networks constituted in the scope of cities given the large number and diversity of complex and multiple dimensions social actors (Castells & Borja, 1996; Reypens, Lievens & Blazevic, 2019). Design/methodology/approach – The authors conducted an exploratory research with a single case study in depth. The case chosen for the paper is the case of Pacto Alegre. The case selection criterion was the relevance of the Pacto Alegre Case in the construction of an innovation network in the city of Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The Pacto Alegre network was proposed by the Alliance for Innovation (composed of the three main Universities in the city: UFRGS, PUCRS and UNISINOS) and by the Municipality of Porto Alegre. In addition to these actors, the network counts on financial and development institutions as sponsors, with media partners, with design partners, with an advisory board (composed of five professionals considered references in different themes) and composed by more than 100 companies, associations and institutions from different areas (Pacto Alegre, 2019). Data were collected from 09/20/2020 to 11/30/2020 through in-depth interviews, documentary research and non-participant observation. Findings – In this research, the authors highlighted the city as a community that involves and integrates various actors, such as citizens and companies, to collaborative innovation activities. For this, they proposed a framework on innovation networks and network orchestration. In this direction, seven dimensions of the “orchestration of innovation networks” were assumed as a result of the combination of previous studies by Dhanaraj and Parke (2006), Hurmelinna-Laukkanen et al. (2011) and da Silva and Bitencourt (2019). In the sequence, different roles of orchestrators associated with the literature were adopted based on the work by Pikkarainen et al. (2017) and Nielsen and Gausdal (2017). Research limitations/implications – The authors’ results advance in relation to other fields by promoting the expansion of the “orchestration of innovation networks” model with the combination of distinct elements from the literature in a coherent whole (agenda setting, mobilization, network stabilization, creation and transfer of knowledge, innovation appropriability, coordination and co-creation) and in the validation of its applicability in the context of the innovation network studied. In addition, when relating different roles of orchestrators to the seven dimensions studied, it was realized that there is no linear and objective relationship between the dimensions and roles of the orchestrator, as in each dimension there may be more than one role being played in the orchestration. Practical implications – Therefore, the findings suggest two theoretical contributions. First, the authors identified a role not discussed in the literature, here called the communicator. In the case analysis, the authors observed the communicator role through functions performed by a media partner of the innovation network and by a group of civil society engaged in the city's causes. Second, the authors indicated a new dimension of orchestration related to the management of communication in the innovation network and its externalities such as p. ex. civil and organized society, characteristic of an innovation network set up within a city. Originality/value – Although several studies have proposed advances in the understanding of the orchestration of innovation networks (Dhanaraj & Parkhe, 2006; Ritala, Armila & Blomqvist, 2009; Nambisan & Sawhney, 2011; Hurmelinna-Laukkanen et al., 2011), the discussion on the topic is still a black box (Nilsen & Gausdal, 2017). More specifically, the authors identified a gap in the literature about the role and activities of actors in the city level. Few studies connected the regional dimension with the roles and activities of the orchestrators (Hurmelinna-Laukkanen et al., 2011; Pikkarainen et al., 2017), raising several challenges and opportunities to be considered by academics and managers.

This article asks how antitrust can foster innovation by examining the development of infrastructure for data processing in the cloud. We contrast Amazon Web Services' centralized model with Google Cloud Platform's more decentralized, participatory ecosystem. We argue that rather than trying to reduce the power imbalance between platforms and independent database companies, antitrust should seek to channel platforms from the centralized model toward the decentralized ecosystem by (1) making partnership more attractive than mergers and (2) enlisting open-source foundations to help manage interoperability in the cloud. This requires breaking down the silos between competition, technology, and industrial policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we analyze new ways of conceptualizing improvements in firms' innovation by implementing the "right-factors configuration," illustrated through an analog of a recipe and its ingredients. Specifically, we research the multiple combinations of three ingredients (creativity, innovation networks, and resources) required to accomplish the innovation recipe. Using a sample of firms from a Spanish science and technology park, we apply qualitative comparative analysis (QCA)dspecifically, fuzzy-set QCA (fsQCA)dto test the importance of each component in technological and non-technological innovation. First, the results suggest a map of combinations of innovative ingredients with eight possible patterns. Second, they show that the only ingredient needed is the combination of a creative climate and creative intensity. Finally, the methods of obtaining technological and non-technological innovations differ. The implications for management and policymakers are discussed, and directions for future research are highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of International Business Studies is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Cooperation in innovation activities is a key building block in forming entrepreneurial innovation networks. However, the impact on innovation of different forms of cooperation among multiple stakeholders composing a firm's relational environment can be dramatically different, depending on whether the modalities of cooperation are tacit or explicit and the type of functional relations between the cooperating organizations. Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) facilitate cooperation and innovation outcomes. The main aim of this paper is to disentangle the effects of explicit vs. tacit and complementarity vs. competitive modalities of cooperation in innovation activities on innovation outputs. Based on pooled UK Microdata from 2004 to 2010, this paper's main finding is that tacit cooperation, emerging from R&D and ICTs spillovers, increases firms' likelihood to introduce process, product, and organizational innovations. We also find that a firm's functional relation with its cooperating peers determines the sign of the association with innovation outcomes: explicit cooperation among competitors lowers the level of innovations. In contrast, cooperation along the value chain brings more innovations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Innovation networks promote regional innovation and economic growth. Using the patent data of cooperative inventions and the panel data of socio-economic statistics for 2010–2019, this study quantitatively analyzes the spatial structure evolution of intra-city and inter-city innovation networks for 41 cities in the Yangtze River Delta and their influence on economic growth. This study shows that these networks are increasingly connected and have a highly similar Z-shaped spatial structure. City economic growth is generally high, relatively stable, and mainly positively influenced by inter-city innovation networks. Intra-city innovation networks have no significant effect on economic growth; however, they are complementary to the inter-city ones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper contributes to the growing literature on innovation networks exploring two understudied topics: the role of gatekeepers in innovation networks and the distinctive character of their linkages especially relating to their ability to overcome cognitive, institutional and geographical distances among network participants in the context of a developing country economy. We address two questions: (1) Which organizations play the regional gatekeeper role in innovation networks? (2) How are gatekeeper linkages affected by different kinds of proximity (geographical, institutional, cognitive and social)? The empirical analysis employs co-patenting data from Brazilian organizations. Universities and public research organizations are shown to be more likely to perform the regional gatekeeper role. Gatekeepers are able to overcome geographic and institutional distance. They also balance cognitive distance with other organizations when geographical or institutional proximities are present. Given their critical role in innovation networks, universities and other public research organizations deserve special attention in policies designed to foster technological upgrading and regional development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interaction of companies in the innovation process is the basis for successful innovative development, as it allows industrial companies to reduce the time to market new products, cut production costs, increase operating profit. At the same time, an optimal choice of key partners is necessary to succeed in achieving the overall goals of innovative development. Currently, there are no studies that would answer the questions: is the interaction of companies implementing different models of innovative behavior effective? Will innovative companies earn a positive return from interaction with imitation companies? What models of interaction can be optimal between innovative companies and imitation companies?The purpose of this study is to determine how the structure of the partnership, membership and characteristics influence the innovative performance of industrial companies. The study was conducted on a sample of 270 large Russian industrial companies. An econometric model based on the Cobb - Douglas production function was used for the analysis.

The relevance of the study is due to the poor knowledge of the problems of the formation of innovation networks in a closed-cycle economy. Against this background, the purpose of the study is determined – to develop provisions that develop the methodology of managing innovation networks in the context of a closed-loop economy and allow identifying patterns of formation of innovation networks. In this regard, attempts have been made to assess the patterns of development of network interactions within the framework of innovation activities of territories. Using the example of European countries, the interrelation of indicators of cooperation in the field of innovation and indicators of a cyclical economy is evaluated, as a result of which countries of advanced, transitional and catching-up types of development are identified. Based on the proposed author’s methodology, a matrix of positioning territories according to the degree of interconnection of innovation networks and closed-cycle economic indicators is constructed, 4 development trajectories are identified. The methodology for assessing the aggregate index differs by taking into account the reference proportions of cooperation, allows for a differentiated approach to the support of territories, is universal and can be applied by public authorities in the development and refinement of spatial development strategies.

For a successful transformation towards a sustainable bioeconomy, cooperative knowledge creation leading to innovations through research at the company and academic level are important. Urban regions are the centre of economic and research activities. The example of the region of Stuttgart, which aims to complement its mature industrial structure with new opportunities related to the knowledge-based bioeconomy, is an interesting case for the application of social network analysis to shed light on the dynamics of innovation networks to support the transformation of urban regions. As with smaller spatial levels of observation connectivity in network decreases, we find a scale-free network structure for the supra-regional network and a star-like network structure for the regional network, with two universities and one transfer-oriented research institutes at the core. While research collaborations beyond regional borders and across different industries foster knowledge co-creation, the central actors can be recognized as gatekeepers who dominantly influence knowledge flows. To potentially strengthen the resilience of the network, policy and industry associations serving as network facilitators can foster collaboration between periphery actors. The case of the Stuttgart region impressively illustrates the opportunities of the knowledge-based bioeconomy for urban regions and the complementary role traditional manufacturing sectors can take in the transformation towards higher degrees of sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lead trade associations of the bio-pharma and semiconductor industries have differed systematically in their roles in facilitating the development of innovation networks between Shanghai and Shenzhen, two prominent high-tech metropolises in China. Divergent associational roles stem from variations in the regional state policy regime that has exerted differential shaping influence on the structure of social cleavages and strength of reciprocity norms among member firms and on their willingness to actively and cooperatively engage in association-led networking activities. The bio-pharma and semiconductor associations whose network-building roles have been structured differently through varied state policy regimes have displayed dissimilar abilities to reduce network failures and promote the innovation competences of their member firms between the two metropolises. The empirical findings of the article carry important implications for understanding the causes and consequences of varied associational roles in the process of technology development in China, other emerging markets, and beyond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the transformation of traditional domain specific products to smart, connected and interdisciplinary products that are increasingly developed within value creation networks, an exchange of innovation-relevant knowledge in early engineering phases is required, covering interdependencies of several technical systems. Knowledge-based collaboration within a value creation network could enable an acceleration during the innovation development of smart products. Discipline- and stakeholder-specific knowledge, e.g. semiconductor research and production knowledge along the product lifecycle must be prepared for the usage within innovation development. This paper introduces a conceptual approach of a knowledge base to support the collaboration during innovation processes within value creation networks for smart products. The main focus is the sharing of relevant knowledge from different stakeholders within the innovation value creation network. Through knowledge networking, decentrally collected initial knowledge is centralized, made explorable and realized through a three-stage tagging architecture similar to an ontology. The collaboration of different stakeholders is enabled through mutual knowledge interests and automated suggestions independent from their respective IT ecosystems. The presented approach is instantiated and validated by considering the function to charge mobile phones wirelessly while car driving. Prerequisites for the presented approach are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Organizational and managerial models for corporate merger based on partnership, mutual benefit and synergy can become a "window of opportunity" for enterprises that need to simultaneously solve the problems of economic survival, technological independence and compliance with the principles of sustainable development. Despite the increased interest of the academic community in this problem, it should be recognized that the issues of operationalizing these models in practice and identifying the key factors underlying the complex interactions that form these models should be recognized as insufficiently developed. Materials and methods. The theoretical and methodological basis of the study are the works of domestic and foreign scientists devoted to the problem of integration of enterprises at the sectoral and intersectoral levels, including works related to the study of the ecosystem approach in the economy. The study was conducted using general scientific methods, including methods of observation, description, analysis, synthesis, induction, comparison, classification, as well as special methods: expert survey, economic analysis, statistical and others. Results. The authors identified stages of the evolution of inter-organizational relations (coordination, integration, cooperation and collaboration) and correlated them with various models of horizontal association of enterprises (from industry unions to innovative industrial ecosystems). It is substantiated that the level of their collaborative maturity should be considered as a criterion for combining enterprises into innovative industrial ecosystems. This article proposes an approach to analyzing the potentials of enterprises in terms of collaboration maturity and evaluation thereof for the potential formation of industrial innovation ecosystems. The authors’ proposals have been tested when assessing collaboration maturity of the participants in the industrial symbiosis for phosphogypsum recycling, as well as when assessing collaboration maturity of the actors in Safer Phosphates industrial innovation ecosystem. Conclusions. The horizontal integration of industrial enterprises develops evolutionarily based on an increase in the level of collaborative maturity of each of the actors.

Due to increasing changes in industry, technology and customers' demand, it is very essential to consider the development of new products in order to gain an advantage over other competitors. Since the companies always seek to capture more market shares, development of new products can help them to come to this objective. Companies are able to use internal and external ideas to develop their products. The formation of collaborative innovation networks can be regarded as a platform to facilitate the transfer, acquisition and sharing of knowledge which can be an important factor in the development of a new product. In this study, 56 knowledge-based companies in Qazvin Science and Technology Park are considered so as to investigate the impact of collaborative innovation networks on the performance of development of new products with respect to the mediating role of innovation capacity and ambidexterity. This research is a practical one with survey strategy that employs the structural equation method in order to analyze the data. The obtained results indicate the positive and significant effect of collaborative innovation networks on innovation capability and the positive and significant effect of innovation capability on the performance of development of new products, also the mediating role of innovation capability and the moderating role of ambidexterity were confirmed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The network spillover effect of knowledge has been playing an increasingly significant role in the development of industrial innovation. The urban cooperation matrix of China's new energy automobile industry is built based on new energy automobile patent data, and the structure and evolution process of China's new energy automobile industry are depicted. On this basis, the spatial Dubin model (SDM) is used to calculate the network spillover effect, and its results are compared with the results of spillover effect based on the relationship of spatial contiguity and distance of cities. The results show that the innovation activities of China's new energy automobile industry have begun to take shape, and a certain scale of innovation network has been formed. However, the innovation cooperation among cities and enterprises is not close. The innovation activities of new energy automobile industry are mainly concentrated in large cities, and from such cities, the innovation activities have strongly radiation to surrounding regions. The R&D investment of enterprises plays the key role in promoting the innovation and development of the local new energy automobile industry, but it has not produced significant spillover effect on the countrywide scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of inventor networks is characterized by the addition of a significant number of new inventors, while a considerable number of incumbent inventors discontinue. We estimated the persistence of knowledge in the inventor networks of nine German regions using alternative assumptions about knowledge transfer. Based on these estimates, we analyzed how the size and structure of a network may influence knowledge persistence over time. In a final step, we assessed how persistent knowledge as well as the knowledge of new inventors affect the performance of regional innovation systems (RIS). The results suggest that the knowledge of new inventors is much more important for RIS performance than old knowledge that persists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social innovation, in the context of public innovation, has gained increased attention in the literature, and is approached relative to the third sector, to social enterprises, or as practices initiated by the public sector. However, the interplay among these actors in enabling social innovation is still underexplored. Therefore, the article investigates the role of social entrepreneurs from outside the public sector in enabling public sector innovation networks. Since social innovation is inherently relational, four cases demonstrating how social entrepreneurs have pushed the boundaries of public sector services, and hence expanded public innovation networks, are analysed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Distant search has evolved from the open innovation literature as an efficient mechanism to access external knowledge from heterogeneous fields of expertise. Despite its popularity and proven benefits, companies face multiple barriers to benefitting from distant search. In this study, we explore a local open innovation approach in which the spatial distance between solution-seeking firms and problem solvers was deliberately reduced to combine the benefits of distant search with those of spatial proximity. We studied eight local open innovation events and found that spatial proximity supports the implementation of open innovation, overcoming challenges of initiating organisational change towards openness, establishing trusting relationships for knowledge exchange, and successfully applying the external knowledge. By identifying social capital as the key success factor in local open innovation, our study contributes to the theoretical foundations of open innovation by showing how the dimensions of social capital enable key actions in each process phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Outras Fronteiras is the property of Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Outras Fronteiras and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Innovation networks promote regional innovation and economic growth. Using the patent data of cooperative inventions and the panel data of socio-economic statistics for 2010–2019, this study quantitatively analyzes the spatial structure evolution of intra-city and inter-city innovation networks for 41 cities in the Yangtze River Delta and their influence on economic growth. This study shows that these networks are increasingly connected and have a highly similar Z-shaped spatial structure. City economic growth is generally high, relatively stable, and mainly positively influenced by inter-city innovation networks. Intra-city innovation networks have no significant effect on economic growth; however, they are complementary to the inter-city ones.

Innovation networks may accelerate and improve the innovation process, while institutional pathologies may hamper it. This study employs the Kruskal-Wallis H test and regression analysis to determine if the relationship between institutions and innovation networks does exist among the investigated variables. The purpose of the study was to find out whether cooperation with special local institutions influences the innovative behaviour of local governments manifested by participation in innovation networks or innovation networks based on formal institutions limit institutional pathologies better than informal ones. Current paper presents results of an empirical study conducted through survey among all local governments in Poland. The findings show that previous cooperation with special local institutions influences the innovation behaviour of local governments or innovation networks based on formal rules limit the institutional pathologies of innovation networks better than those based on sanctions, common values, codes of ethics, governance codes or culture. The investigated problem is significant, as properly functioning innovation networks may generate incremental innovations, which may help to solve the contemporary challenges. The practical implications for national regulatory bodies highlight the need for an enforcement mechanism which may support the formalisation of innovation networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the impact of strategic technological alliances and environmental regulation, and their interaction, on the generation of green technologies. The empirical analysis is carried out on a newly constructed dataset of European firms over the period 2005–2011 and it is articulated in two steps. Firstly, we test the existence of a relationship between the environmental regulation, as measured by the OECD Environmental Policy Stringency index, and GTs, proxied by patent applications. We then employ a dynamic network analysis model to explore the dual role of GTs both as the determinant of the collaboration network and as the outcome of firms' collaboration strategies. We find that, even though there exists a strong and positive relationship, the regulatory framework has not a direct effect on GTs but rather it stimulates firms to search for new and qualified collaborations. Then, it is the nature and the structure of these collaborations that encourages firms to generate new green technological knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to technological advancements, all types of businesses confront new opportunities. In the contemporary era of technology, innovation performs a key role in successful commercial landscape operations. Therefore, this research was conducted to examine the effect of the innovation network (IN) on organizational innovativeness (OI). Moreover, the mediating effects of frugal innovation (FI) and the moderating role of organizational readiness (OR) have also been examined. Data collection through a cross-sectional method was conducted for this study from SMEs. Some 442 managers and owners provided correct responses, which were used for further analysis. SEM was used for testing the hypotheses of the current study. The results showed that the innovation network positively affects organizational innovativeness. Furthermore, the outcomes also validated that frugal innovation plays a mediating role between the innovation network and the organizational innovativeness link. The SMEs working in the circular economy are mainly dependent on their innovative activities/actions. In the current dynamic scenario, the survival of SMEs is linked to continuous organizational innovativeness in their products/services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How underdeveloped localities or subnational regions build the capabilities to realise and spread the benefits of innovation is a longstanding puzzle in innovation studies. To address this puzzle, this study explores the prospects of innovation networking among state and non-state actors in Frances Baard District Municipality, South Africa. In-depth analysis of extensive interviews with key informants across local industry sectors reveals insights about the properties of innovation networks, such as composition and structure, as well as options of network adaptation and combining sectoral networks operating in the same locality. Non-formal networking was far more prevalent across well-established and newer industry clusters, which is similar to examples from elsewhere in the Global South. Networks established to coordinate institutional governance without an explicit innovation intent could trigger learning, adaption and serendipitous innovations. Further research could extend our findings through deeper investigations on network adaption and coordination for the promotion of innovation in aspiring subnational regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public funding for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) innovation projects in collaboration with Scientific and Technological Institutions is still incipient in less developed Global South regions. Within the context mentioned above, our objective is to show a network analysis of Industry-University-Research Institute (IUR) interactions promoted by a government program, identifying its structure and dynamics and the influences played by these organisational actors. The results point out that the program presents effectiveness in establishing the IUR interaction network. Moreover, the network presents a scale-free structure, strong clustering and short distances between the actors. Universities lead as the most central actors, followed by research institutes. Despite the growth of the network with the significant entry of new SMEs, there is no evidence that this evolution contributes to improving its network metrics. The conclusions suggest that the network structure and dynamics may imply greater redundancy in the innovation process while allowing greater speed in the flow of knowledge and wider dissemination of knowledge among actors. The hubs (four central universities) in the network suggests an influence as generators and disseminators of knowledge and facilitators of interaction, but they can also limit the dynamics of the search for innovation in the network.

Innovation networks may accelerate and improve the innovation process, while institutional pathologies may hamper it. This study employs the Kruskal-Wallis H test and regression analysis to determine if the relationship between institutions and innovation networks does exist among the investigated variables. The purpose of the study was to find out whether cooperation with special local institutions influences the innovative behaviour of local governments manifested by participation in innovation networks or innovation networks based on formal institutions limit institutional pathologies better than informal ones. Current paper presents results of an empirical study conducted through survey among all local governments in Poland. The findings show that previous cooperation with special local institutions influences the innovation behaviour of local governments or innovation networks based on formal rules limit the institutional pathologies of innovation networks better than those based on sanctions, common values, codes of ethics, governance codes or culture. The investigated problem is significant, as properly functioning innovation networks may generate incremental innovations, which may help to solve the contemporary challenges. The practical implications for national regulatory bodies highlight the need for an enforcement mechanism which may support the formalisation of innovation networks.

For a successful transformation towards a sustainable bioeconomy, cooperative knowledge creation leading to innovations through research at the company and academic level are important. Urban regions are the centre of economic and research activities. The example of the region of Stuttgart, which aims to complement its mature industrial structure with new opportunities related to the knowledge-based bioeconomy, is an interesting case for the application of social network analysis to shed light on the dynamics of innovation networks to support the transformation of urban regions. As with smaller spatial levels of observation connectivity in network decreases, we find a scale-free network structure for the supra-regional network and a star-like network structure for the regional network, with two universities and one transfer-oriented research institutes at the core. While research collaborations beyond regional borders and across different industries foster knowledge co-creation, the central actors can be recognized as gatekeepers who dominantly influence knowledge flows. To potentially strengthen the resilience of the network, policy and industry associations serving as network facilitators can foster collaboration between periphery actors. The case of the Stuttgart region impressively illustrates the opportunities of the knowledge-based bioeconomy for urban regions and the complementary role traditional manufacturing sectors can take in the transformation towards higher degrees of sustainability.

The innovation contribution by the users is crucial for the success of the online innovation networks. Therefore, it becomes critical to explore the impact of innovation networks' structural characteristics on the user innovation contribution. For this purpose, we use observational data from online innovation knowledge sharing platform, Stackoverflow.com and studied the user contribution of 253779 users answering approximately 2 Million questions during the one-year period of 2017. Our results provide empirical support that the user embedded at the maximum k-core of the innovation network has higher innovation contribution as compared to the user embedded at the lower k-cores. Our study has implications for online innovation network communities and various managerial and commercial enterprises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We develop a model of R&D networks in which firms can choose to invest in R&D or to establish network links with other firms to absorb R&D spillovers in innovation networks. We characterize the network structure of firms' strategic R&D decisions in different types of spatial equilibrium. We further extend the theoretical framework to address empirical implications for the industry structure under cooperative R&D, firms' location choice, spatial agglomeration, and social capital allocation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The importance of innovation in all disciplines and sectors in the current economic dynamic is unquestionable. For several decades, it has been considered as the major force behind the promotion of economic expansion and development. However, the economic models are characterized by their constant change, transformation, and complexity, regarding relationships and interactions, as well as regarding agents and actors involved in such processes. In this regard, the objective of this analysis was to enhance the understanding about the performance of innovation agents and to clearly identify their characteristics, roles, and functions, in order to facilitate the design of strategies that enable the acceleration of the innovations diffusion within the agri-food sector. The definition of agent and its relationship with the territory are discussed as an important element, because the territory is the geographic space in which the innovation process takes place. Regarding the characteristics, roles, and functions, a summary about the identified innovation agents is carried out, along with an analysis of how their interactions enable innovation. Consequently, a characterization of the agents that develop, use, manage, and diffuse innovation allows the integration of clearer and more appropriate studies on the innovation processes that are being developed in the agri-food sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]