Bridge and redundant ties in networks: the impact on innovation in food SMEs
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to study the impact of networks diversity on innovation activity of firms. It aims to review the structural issue in innovation networks and to distinguish different structures of networks for product and process innovation through an empirical research.
Design/methodology/approach
Using a data set of 348 European agri-food firms, the authors study the impact of bridge and redundant ties on product and process innovation of firms. This is an empirical research based on an online survey in five European countries.
Findings
The finding shows that bridge ties (measured by the number of heterogeneous networks in which firm participate) always facilitate product innovation in firms. The authors found also that a high number of heterogeneous ties in term of partners (simultaneous presence of redundant and non-redundant ties) motivate both product and process innovation in firms. Furthermore, the authors found a positive impact of network competence on process innovation.
Research limitations/implications
The measures of bridge ties and redundant ties are indirect measures. This choice is a willing choice. Direct measurement of bridge and redundant ties always requires in-depth interviews with firms managers and thereby are limited by the number of observations.
Originality/value
Research on innovations networks are dominated by case studies and researches with limited number of observations. Studying the networking behaviour, particularly the tie selection, of a wide range of firms brings additional knowledge in this field of research.
Keywords
Citation
Shiri, G., Sauvée, L. and Abdirahman, Z.-Z. (2015), "Bridge and redundant ties in networks: the impact on innovation in food SMEs", European Journal of Innovation Management, Vol. 18 No. 3, pp. 355-379. https://doi.org/10.1108/EJIM-04-2014-0049
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2015, Emerald Group Publishing Limited