Network evolution and the spatiotemporal dynamics of knowledge sourcing

Abstract

Knowledge accessing from external organisations is important to firms, especially entrepreneurial ones which often cannot generate internally all the knowledge necessary for innovation. There is, however, a lack of evidence concerning the association between the evolution of firms and the evolution of their networks. The aim of this paper is to begin to fill this gap by undertaking an exploratory analysis of the relationship between the vintage of firms and their knowledge sourcing networks. Drawing on an analysis of firms in the UK, the paper finds some evidence of a U-shaped relationship existing between firm age and the frequency of accessing knowledge from certain sources. Emerging entrepreneurial firms tend to be highly active with regard to accessing knowledge for a range of sources and geographic locations, with the rate of networking dropping somewhat during the period of peak firm growth. For instance, it is found that firms tend to less frequently access knowledge sources such as universities and research institutes in their own region during a stage of peak turnover growth. Overall, the results suggest a complex relationship between the lifecycle of the firm and its networking patterns. It is concluded that policymakers need to become more aware that network formation and utilisation by firms is likely to vary dependent upon their lifecycle position.

Publication DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/08985626.2015.1070538
Divisions: College of Business and Social Sciences > Aston Business School > Economics, Finance & Entrepreneurship
College of Business and Social Sciences > Aston Business School > Centre for Personal Financial Wellbeing
College of Business and Social Sciences > Aston Business School
Additional Information: This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Entrepreneurship and Regional Development on 5/10/15, available online: http://wwww.tandfonline.com/10.1080/08985626.2015.1070538
Uncontrolled Keywords: network evolution,knowledge sourcing,innovation,spatiotemporal,regions,entrepreneurship,Business and International Management,Economics and Econometrics
Publication ISSN: 1464-5114
Last Modified: 27 Feb 2024 08:10
Date Deposited: 27 Oct 2015 09:00
Full Text Link:
Related URLs: http://www.scop ... tnerID=8YFLogxK (Scopus URL)
http://www.tand ... 26.2015.1070538 (Publisher URL)
PURE Output Type: Special issue
Published Date: 2015
Published Online Date: 2015-10-05
Authors: Huggins, Robert
Izushi, Hiro (ORCID Profile 0000-0002-4090-4181)
Prokop, Daniel
Thompson, Piers

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