Networks,Clusters and Technological Innovation

Firms often struggle and falter in their innovation efforts. However, past research has paid little systematic attention on why firms struggle in their innovation efforts. In this book, using a longitudinal research design the author examines how the characteristics of a firm's ego network and of its cluster independently and jointly impact its technological innovation. This research provides a framework showing how networks and clusters may work in tandem in helping a firm overcome innovation barriers. The empirical evidence indicates that the efficacy of cluster resources increases in the presence of network ties within the cluster. It also shows that firms can mobilize resources of distant clusters using their network ties. The study further demonstrates that resource-rich firms leverage networks resources more effectively than the resource-deficient firms do while resource-deficient firms leverage cluster resources more effectively than the resource-rich firms do. The book makes important theoretical and empirical contributions to alliance, network,cluster, and innovation literatures. The research findings also have important managerial implications.

Autorentext

Manish K. Srivastava ,Ph.D.,is an Assistant Professor of Strategic Management at the School of Business and Economics of Michigan Technological University. His research focuses on how companies generate important technological innovations and achieve competitive advantage leveraging their strategic alliances, networks and geographic locations.