Authors: Na Liu Jiancheng Guan
Publish Date: 2014/12/23
Volume: 102, Issue: 3, Pages: 1895-1919
Abstract
In organizations knowledge creation activities are embedded in collaborative networks and are influenced by their partners Therefore we examine how entire networks change over time in this study as well as the reasoning behind the structures of ego networks based on unique scientific research discoveries published in the emerging crossdisciplinary field of nanoenergy These data were extracted from Science Citation Index Expanded Specifically we mainly focus on two dimensions of ego network changes network growth and diversity Results demonstrate the recent remarkable growth of interorganizational collaborative networks in the nanoenergy field and empirically prove that the subsequent growth and diversity of ego networks are caused by three coexisting driving forces collaborative capacity network status position and cohesion that act collectively Our study is conducted at the organizational level because we investigate the universities research institutes and firms that participate in nanoenergy scientific research and the collaborative networks formed through coauthorships among these institutions in knowledge creation processes Moreover our study has significant implications for the scientific research conducted by organizations in developing countries and emerging fields
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