What is it about?
Cooperation between universities, companies, public organizations, and non-governmental organizations for innovation purposes creates synergy. The innovation networks are a form of self-organization, and they can consist of organizations from different regions and geographical levels. The driver of a change in a relationship between two actors is caused by expectations, which may be confirmed and strengthened, or frustrated. High expectations may lead to large frustration High expectations and good experiences may lead to strong and stable long-term relations, where partners recognize each other as important.
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Why is it important?
The article presents a new method to measure the structure and dynamics of the innovation networks. It is based on micro-level interview data. The respondents of 10 regional cases (in 8 countries) in the Baltic Sea Region evaluated the importance of their innovation partners, as well as their expectations on and experience of the cooperation with the partners. The cases were sectors, clusters, or value chains selected for the regional smart specialization strategies like bio-economy, circular economy, energy technology, metal industry, robotics. 167 informants were interviewed. The analysis presents how different networks of innovation are formed by different combinations of expectations, experiences and gaps.
Perspectives
Universities and public organizations allow themselves big gaps (between experience and expectation) in important innovation relations. This can be interpreted as a move towards knowledge-based society. Universities and public organizations are less restricted by structures. The companies focus on efficiency and predictability, hence a high positive correlation between expectations and the importance of the partners. This means that in order to integrate companies within innovation networks the networks need to be predictable and able to provide the right kinds of interaction with companies, satisfying high expectations. Companies are not likely to attach importance to unstable partners. At the regional level, we found 1) innovation networks dominated by companies with strong networks (important relations between organisations) and small gaps. 2) Public sector dominated networks with strong networks and big gaps. 3) Networks with weak or no synergies, in which the innovation network is regarded as less important. Innovation is taking place inside organizations.
Seija Vrkkala
University of Vaasa
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Networks of Innovation: Measuring Structure and Dynamics between and within Helices, Regions and Spatial Levels. Empirical Evidence from the Baltic Sea Region, Triple Helix Journal, August 2021, De Gruyter,
DOI: 10.1163/21971927-bja10019.
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