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Thomas Bentivegna
Innovation Network
Functionality
The Identifi cation and Categorization
of Multiple Innovation Networks
Foreword by Prof. Dr. Frank Bau
Th omas Bentivegna
Chur, Switzerland
ISBN 978-3-658-04578-4 ISBN 978-3-658-04579-1 (eBook)
DOI 10.1007/978-3-658-04579-1
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v
Foreword
Networks have always been used in any context. Politicians and careerists build their
personal networks of power, students cultivate their Facebook network, and entrepreneurs
build networks to find investors and customers as well as employees. In the last 20 years,
formally structured and administered networks, cluster organizations, and the like have been
established for many contexts. Regional developers and network administrators are proud of
having the largest number of registered network participants and clicks on their internet
platform. However, what ultimately counts are the real business contacts that lead to
additional sales, sustainable supplier-relationships, or to innovation projects leading to
sustainable competitive advantages for companies and regions. This still occurs through ad-
hoc networks, i.e. networks that are informal and arise ad-hoc.
Thomas Bentivegna focuses in his Master Thesis on these ad-hoc networks, which are
poorly represented in existing network and innovation literature. His work capitalizes on a
collection of in-depth interviews conducted by a project team of the KARIM project, which is
an INTERREG IV B project for the region of North West Europe run by the European
Community. KARIM stands for Knowledge Acceleration Responsible Innovation
Metanetwork. One of the actions taken in the project is to visualize ad-hoc innovation
networks in an interactive tool allowing regional developers and SME managers to identify
new approaches in running innovation projects and to learn from other companies and
innovation support agencies in different regions. In his work, Mr. Bentivegna develops a
methodology to cluster the qualitative interview data to finally identify seven types of ad-hoc
innovation networks.
Prof. Dr. Frank Bau
vii
Acknowlegements
I would like to begin this Master Thesis by thanking the people who aided in the design,
preparation, and execution of my research. Without their help, none of this would have been
possible.
At the very top of this list is my advisor and three-time professor, Dr. Frank Bau. His
motivation, support, and constructive feedback is the foundation upon which this work is built.
Any success which this Thesis generates can be traced back to the efforts of Dr. Bau.
Additionally, several other professor at the HTW Chur contributed valuable information which
helped guide the research. Professor Dr. Ivan Nikitin gave helpful input concerning the
methodology, while Professor Dr. Franz Kronthaler provided crucial support in designing
some of the analysis methods contained herein.
A special thanks goes to Michael Forster for being my point-man in all things concerning
KARIM and the data collected.
The firms which generously gave their time to the interviews and the KARIM interviewers
must also be thanked, for without their effort there would have been no data to spend hours
breaking down.
Finally, I would like to thank my wife for allowing me the freedom and space to work on this
very time consuming, yet satisfying Master Thesis. By being by my side the whole time, her
efforts played as large a role as any other in supporting this work.
Thomas Bentivegna
ix
Table of Contents
1 Introduction ..................................................................................... 1
1.1 Starting Position .................................................................................................................... 1
1.2 KARIM .................................................................................................................................... 2
1.3 Research Problem ................................................................................................................ 3
1.4 Research Objectives ............................................................................................................ 3
1.5 Research Purpose ................................................................................................................ 3
1.6 Research Questions ............................................................................................................. 3
1.7 Research Scope ................................................................................................................... 4
1.8 Research Structure ............................................................................................................... 4
2 Literature Review ............................................................................. 6
2.1 Innovation Networks ............................................................................................................. 6
2.2 Knowledge Transfer ........................................................................................................... 15
2.3 Literature Gap ..................................................................................................................... 24
3 Methodology .................................................................................. 25
3.1 Research Design ................................................................................................................ 26
3.2 Approach .............................................................................................................................. 27
3.3 Data Collection .................................................................................................................... 28
3.3.1 Sampling Process ....................................................................................................... 28
3.3.2 Data Collection Methods............................................................................................ 28
3.4 Data Analysis ....................................................................................................................... 31
3.4.1 Data Matrix ................................................................................................................... 31
3.4.2 Cluster Analysis .......................................................................................................... 31
3.4.3 Frequency Analysis .................................................................................................... 32
3.4.4 Pattern Matching ......................................................................................................... 32
4 Research Process ......................................................................... 33
4.1 Reliability .............................................................................................................................. 33
4.2 Validity .................................................................................................................................. 34
4.3 General Limitations ............................................................................................................. 36
4.4 Delimitations ........................................................................................................................ 37
4.5 Ethical Considerations ....................................................................................................... 37
5 Results Perspective One : Network Perspective ......................... 39
5.1 Proposition One: Network Perspective ............................................................................ 39
x
5.2 Cluster Analysis .................................................................................................................. 43
5.3 Innovation Networks ........................................................................................................... 46
5.3.1 Network Type 1 : Knowledge and Learning ............................................................ 47
5.3.2 Network Type 2 : Financial Procurement ................................................................ 50
5.3.3 Network Type 3 : Public-Private Cooperation ........................................................ 53
5.3.4 Network Type 4 : Vertical Integration ...................................................................... 56
5.3.5 Network Type 5 : Regional Clusters ........................................................................ 59
5.3.6 Network Type 6 : International Scope ..................................................................... 62
5.3.7 Network Type 7 : Isolated Islands ............................................................................ 65
6 Results Perspective Two : Firm Perspective ............................... 68
6.1 Proposition Two: Firm Perspective .................................................................................. 68
6.2 Frequency Analysis ............................................................................................................ 71
6.3 Firm Profile........................................................................................................................... 71
6.3.1 Firm Profile 1 : Knowledge and Learning ................................................................ 72
6.3.2 Firm Profile 2 : Financial Procurement .................................................................... 74
6.3.3 Firm Profile 3 : Public-Private Cooperation............................................................. 76
6.3.4 Firm Profile 4 : Vertical Integration ........................................................................... 78
6.3.5 Firm Profile 5 : Regional Clusters ............................................................................ 80
6.3.6 Firm Profile 6 : International Scope .......................................................................... 82
6.3.7 Firm Profile 7 : Isolated Islands ................................................................................ 84
7 Implications and Conclusion ........................................................ 86
7.1 Summary .............................................................................................................................. 86
7.2 Theoretical Implications ..................................................................................................... 86
7.3 Practical Implications ......................................................................................................... 87
7.4 Further Research Recommendations .............................................................................. 90
xi
List of References ............................................................................... 91
Appendix.............................................................................................. 97
A1 Innovation Actors Mentioned ............................................................................................ 97
A2 Data Matrix : Network Profile ............................................................................................ 99
A3 Innovation Networks ......................................................................................................... 104
A3.1 Innovation Network: Knowledge and Learning..................................................... 105
A3.2 Innovation Networks: Financial Procurement ....................................................... 110
A3.3 Innovation Networks: Public-Private Cooperation ............................................... 116
A3.4 Innovation Networks: Vertical Integration ............................................................. 121
A3.5 Innovation Networks: Regional Clusters ............................................................... 126
A3.6 Innovation Networks: International Scope ............................................................ 130
A3.7 Innovation Networks: Isolated Islands ................................................................... 132
A4 Data Matrix : Firm Profile ................................................................................................. 134
A5 Interview Guide ................................................................................................................. 147
