IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v12y2020i16p6328-d395312.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Toward a more Efficient Knowledge Network in Innovation Ecosystems: A Simulated Study on Knowledge Management

Author

Listed:
  • Houxing Tang

    (School of Business Administration, Nanchang Institute of Technology, Nanchang 330099, China)

  • Zhenzhong Ma

    (Center for Israeli Studies of UESTC, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, China
    Odette School of Business, University of Windsor, Windsor, ON N9B 3P4, Canada)

  • Jiuling Xiao

    (School of Business, Nanjing Audit University, Nanjing 211815, China)

  • Lei Xiao

    (School of Economics and Management, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, China)

Abstract

Knowledge management has become increasingly important in the era of knowledge economy. This study explores what is an optimal knowledge network for more efficient knowledge diffusion among strategic partners in order to provide insights on sustainable enterprises and a more knowledge-efficient innovation ecosystem. Based on simulated analyses of the efficiency of knowledge network models, including regular network, random network, and small world network, this study shows that a random knowledge network is more efficient for knowledge diffusion when a mixture knowledge trade rule is used. This study thus helps identify which knowledge networks facilitate knowledge exchange among collaborative partners for sustainable knowledge management. Management practitioners and policymakers can use the findings to design more appropriate knowledge exchange networks to improve the efficiency of knowledge diffusion in an innovation ecosystem.

Suggested Citation

  • Houxing Tang & Zhenzhong Ma & Jiuling Xiao & Lei Xiao, 2020. "Toward a more Efficient Knowledge Network in Innovation Ecosystems: A Simulated Study on Knowledge Management," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(16), pages 1-18, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:16:p:6328-:d:395312
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/12/16/6328/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/12/16/6328/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Rodolfo Baggio & Chris Cooper, 2009. "Knowledge transfer in a tourism destination: the effects of a network structure," The Service Industries Journal, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 30(10), pages 1757-1771, November.
    2. Balaji R. Koka & John E. Prescott, 2008. "Designing alliance networks: the influence of network position, environmental change, and strategy on firm performance," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(6), pages 639-661, June.
    3. Sharique Hasan & Surendrakumar Bagde, 2015. "Peers and Network Growth: Evidence from a Natural Experiment," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 61(10), pages 2536-2547, October.
    4. Mike Wright & Xiaohui Liu & Trevor Buck & Igor Filatotchev, 2008. "Returnee Entrepreneurs, Science Park Location Choice and Performance: An Analysis of High–Technology SMEs in China," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 32(1), pages 131-155, January.
    5. Cowan, Robin & Jonard, Nicolas, 2004. "Network structure and the diffusion of knowledge," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 28(8), pages 1557-1575, June.
    6. Lai, Yung-Lung & Hsu, Maw-Shin & Lin, Feng-Jyh & Chen, Yi-Min & Lin, Yi-Hsin, 2014. "The effects of industry cluster knowledge management on innovation performance," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 67(5), pages 734-739.
    7. Sebastiano A. Delre & Wander Jager & Marco A. Janssen, 2007. "Diffusion dynamics in small-world networks with heterogeneous consumers," Computational and Mathematical Organization Theory, Springer, vol. 13(2), pages 185-202, June.
    8. Roman Martin, 2013. "Differentiated Knowledge Bases and the Nature of Innovation Networks," European Planning Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 21(9), pages 1418-1436, September.
    9. Antonio Capaldo, 2007. "Network structure and innovation: The leveraging of a dual network as a distinctive relational capability," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(6), pages 585-608, June.
    10. Robin Cowan & Nicolas Jonard, 2007. "Network architecture, barter exchange and the diffusion of ideas," International Journal of Agricultural Resources, Governance and Ecology, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 6(2), pages 165-178.
    11. Peter Moran, 2005. "Structural vs. relational embeddedness: social capital and managerial performance," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(12), pages 1129-1151, December.
    12. Luca Iandoli & Cristina Ponsiglione & Elio Marchione & Giuseppe Zollo, 2012. "Knowledge exchange processes in Industrial Districts and the emergence of networks," Central European Journal of Operations Research, Springer;Slovak Society for Operations Research;Hungarian Operational Research Society;Czech Society for Operations Research;Österr. Gesellschaft für Operations Research (ÖGOR);Slovenian Society Informatika - Section for Operational Research;Croatian Operational Research Society, vol. 20(2), pages 231-250, June.
    13. Udo Zander & Bruce Kogut, 1995. "Knowledge and the Speed of the Transfer and Imitation of Organizational Capabilities: An Empirical Test," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 6(1), pages 76-92, February.
    14. Thorsten Koch & Josef Windsperger, 2017. "Seeing through the network: Competitive advantage in the digital economy," Journal of Organization Design, Springer;Organizational Design Community, vol. 6(1), pages 1-30, December.
    15. Jasjit Singh & Morten T. Hansen & Joel M. Podolny, 2010. "The World Is Not Small for Everyone: Inequity in Searching for Knowledge in Organizations," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 56(9), pages 1415-1438, September.
    16. Matthias Mueller & Kristina Bogner & Tobias Buchmann & Muhamed Kudic, 2017. "The effect of structural disparities on knowledge diffusion in networks: an agent-based simulation model," Journal of Economic Interaction and Coordination, Springer;Society for Economic Science with Heterogeneous Interacting Agents, vol. 12(3), pages 613-634, October.
    17. Nowacki, Robert & Bachnik, Katarzyna, 2016. "Innovations within knowledge management," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 69(5), pages 1577-1581.
    18. Cristina Ponsiglione & Ivana Quinto & Giuseppe Zollo, 2018. "Regional Innovation Systems as Complex Adaptive Systems: The Case of Lagging European Regions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(8), pages 1-19, August.
    19. Zhenzhong Ma & Quan Jin, 2019. "Success Factors for Product Innovation in China’s Manufacturing Sector: Strategic Choice and Environment Constraints," International Studies of Management & Organization, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 49(2), pages 213-231, April.
    20. Chris van Egeraat & Declan Curran, 2014. "Social Networks and Actual Knowledge Flow in the Irish Biotech Industry," European Planning Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 22(6), pages 1109-1126, June.
    21. Christian Henning & Volker Saggau, 2013. "Networks, Knowledge Spillovers And Technological Progress Of Firms: Simulations In An Evolutionary Framework," International Journal of Innovation and Technology Management (IJITM), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 10(05), pages 1-32.
    22. Gay, Brigitte & Dousset, Bernard, 2005. "Innovation and network structural dynamics: Study of the alliance network of a major sector of the biotechnology industry," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 34(10), pages 1457-1475, December.
    23. Haiyun Yu & Yanjie Shang & Nan Wang & Zhenzhong Ma, 2019. "The Mediating Effect of Decision Quality on Knowledge Management and Firm Performance for Chinese Entrepreneurs: An Empirical Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(13), pages 1-15, July.
    24. Piergiuseppe Morone & Richard Taylor, 2004. "Knowledge diffusion dynamics and network properties of face-to-face interactions," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 14(3), pages 327-351, July.
    25. Jason Owen-Smith & Walter W. Powell, 2004. "Knowledge Networks as Channels and Conduits: The Effects of Spillovers in the Boston Biotechnology Community," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 15(1), pages 5-21, February.
    26. Melissa A. Schilling & Corey C. Phelps, 2007. "Interfirm Collaboration Networks: The Impact of Large-Scale Network Structure on Firm Innovation," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 53(7), pages 1113-1126, July.
    27. William S. Lovejoy & Amitabh Sinha, 2010. "Efficient Structures for Innovative Social Networks," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 56(7), pages 1127-1145, July.
    28. Eric Abrahamson & Lori Rosenkopf, 1997. "Social Network Effects on the Extent of Innovation Diffusion: A Computer Simulation," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 8(3), pages 289-309, June.
    29. Wang, Chun-Chieh & Sung, Hui-Yun & Chen, Dar-Zen & Huang, Mu-Hsuan, 2017. "Strong ties and weak ties of the knowledge spillover network in the semiconductor industry," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 118(C), pages 114-127.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Robertson, Jeandri & Caruana, Albert & Ferreira, Caitlin, 2023. "Innovation performance: The effect of knowledge-based dynamic capabilities in cross-country innovation ecosystems," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 32(2).
    2. Aftab Alam, Muhammad & Rooney, David & Taylor, Murray, 2022. "Measuring Inter-Firm Openness in Innovation Ecosystems," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 138(C), pages 436-456.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Houxing Tang & Zhenzhong Ma & Lei Jing, 2024. "Interfirm Network Structure and Innovation Creation: a Simulation Study," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 15(2), pages 7622-7646, June.
    2. Ivan Savin, 2021. "On optimal regimes of knowledge exchange: a model of recombinant growth and firm networks," Journal of Economic Interaction and Coordination, Springer;Society for Economic Science with Heterogeneous Interacting Agents, vol. 16(3), pages 497-527, July.
    3. Jarrahi, Mohammad Hossein & Sawyer, Steve, 2019. "Networks of innovation: the sociotechnical assemblage of tabletop computing," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(S).
    4. Mueller, Matthias & Bogner, Kristina & Buchmann, Tobias & Kudic, Muhamed, 2015. "Simulating knowledge diffusion in four structurally distinct networks: An agent-based simulation model," Hohenheim Discussion Papers in Business, Economics and Social Sciences 05-2015, University of Hohenheim, Faculty of Business, Economics and Social Sciences.
    5. Cantner, Uwe & Graf, Holger, 2006. "The network of innovators in Jena: An application of social network analysis," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(4), pages 463-480, May.
    6. Lee Fleming & Charles King & Adam I. Juda, 2007. "Small Worlds and Regional Innovation," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 18(6), pages 938-954, December.
    7. Lei Xu & Ronggui Ding & Lei Wang, 2022. "How to facilitate knowledge diffusion in collaborative innovation projects by adjusting network density and project roles," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 127(3), pages 1353-1379, March.
    8. Hongjuan Zhang & Liang Wang & Rong Han, 2019. "The China-West divide on social capital: A meta-analysis," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 36(3), pages 745-772, September.
    9. Gay, Brigitte, 2008. "Firm dynamic governance of global innovation by means of flexible networks of connections," MPRA Paper 12525, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    10. Giovanni Pegoretti & Francesco Rentocchini & Giuseppe Vittucci Marzetti, 2012. "An agent-based model of innovation diffusion: network structure and coexistence under different information regimes," Journal of Economic Interaction and Coordination, Springer;Society for Economic Science with Heterogeneous Interacting Agents, vol. 7(2), pages 145-165, October.
    11. Savin, Ivan & Egbetokun, Abiodun, 2016. "Emergence of innovation networks from R&D cooperation with endogenous absorptive capacity," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 82-103.
    12. Abbasiharofteh, Milad & Kogler, Dieter F. & Lengyel, Balázs, 2023. "Atypical combinations of technologies in regional co-inventor networks," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 52(10), pages 1-1.
    13. Michael Fritsch & Moritz Zoellner, 2020. "The fluidity of inventor networks," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 45(4), pages 1063-1087, August.
    14. Uwe Cantner & Holger Graf, 2011. "Innovation Networks: Formation, Performance and Dynamics," Chapters, in: Cristiano Antonelli (ed.), Handbook on the Economic Complexity of Technological Change, chapter 15, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    15. Justin Tan & Hongjuan Zhang & Liang Wang, 2015. "Network Closure or Structural Hole? The Conditioning Effects of Network–Level Social Capital on Innovation Performance," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 39(5), pages 1189-1212, September.
    16. Dorsa Tajaddod Alizadeh & Andrea Schiffauerova, 2018. "Evaluation Of Effects Of Collaborative Patterns On The Efficiency Of Scientific Networks Using Simulation," International Journal of Innovation Management (ijim), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 22(04), pages 1-28, May.
    17. Mao, Chongfeng & Yu, Xianyun & Zhou, Qing & Harms, Rainer & Fang, Gang, 2020. "Knowledge growth in university-industry innovation networks – Results from a simulation study," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 151(C).
    18. Jacob, Jojo & Duysters, Geert, 2017. "Alliance network configurations and the co-evolution of firms' technology profiles: An analysis of the biopharmaceutical industry," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 120(C), pages 90-102.
    19. Ernest Miguélez & Rosina Moreno, 2013. "Skilled labour mobility, networks and knowledge creation in regions: a panel data approach," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 51(1), pages 191-212, August.
    20. Michael P. Schlaile & Johannes Zeman & Matthias Mueller, 2021. "It’s a Match! Simulating Compatibility-based Learning in a Network of Networks," Economic Complexity and Evolution, in: Michael P. Schlaile (ed.), Memetics and Evolutionary Economics, chapter 0, pages 99-140, Springer.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:16:p:6328-:d:395312. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.