IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/inm/ororsc/v26y2015i2p622-631.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

PERSPECTIVE—Shrouded in Structure: Challenges and Opportunities for a Friction-Based View of Network Research

Author

Listed:
  • Anindya Ghosh

    (IESE Business School, University of Navarra, Barcelona, Spain 08034)

  • Lori Rosenkopf

    (The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104)

Abstract

Whereas network ideas and approaches have become prominent in both the managerial and sociological literatures, we contend that the increasing emphasis on network structures and their evolution has distracted us from the important issue of whether and when networks actually work in the ways that our theories assume. In particular, we explore the well-established assumption that knowledge flows over network paths, with special attention to the role of friction when the supposed information transfer spans multiple dyads. Our analysis shows that friction is omnipresent and has implications at both the system and subsystem levels. More specifically, we present a rich set of research opportunities that addresses implications of friction for the variation of knowledge flows for different network structures and also for the distribution of knowledge among the actors within a particular network.

Suggested Citation

  • Anindya Ghosh & Lori Rosenkopf, 2015. "PERSPECTIVE—Shrouded in Structure: Challenges and Opportunities for a Friction-Based View of Network Research," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 26(2), pages 622-631, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:inm:ororsc:v:26:y:2015:i:2:p:622-631
    DOI: 10.1287/orsc.2014.0922
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1287/orsc.2014.0922
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1287/orsc.2014.0922?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Corey C. Phelps & Ralph Heidl & Anu Wadhwa, 2012. "Networks, knowledge, and knowledge networks: A critical review and research agenda," Post-Print hal-00715591, HAL.
    2. Gautam Ahuja & Francisco Polidoro & Will Mitchell, 2009. "Structural homophily or social asymmetry? The formation of alliances by poorly embedded firms," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(9), pages 941-958, September.
    3. Lori Rosenkopf & Giovanna Padula, 2008. "Investigating the Microstructure of Network Evolution: Alliance Formation in the Mobile Communications Industry," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 19(5), pages 669-687, October.
    4. Stephen P. Borgatti & Rob Cross, 2003. "A Relational View of Information Seeking and Learning in Social Networks," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 49(4), pages 432-445, April.
    5. Ranjay Gulati & Maxim Sytch & Adam Tatarynowicz, 2012. "The Rise and Fall of Small Worlds: Exploring the Dynamics of Social Structure," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 23(2), pages 449-471, April.
    6. 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.
    7. Sims, Christopher A., 2003. "Implications of rational inattention," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 50(3), pages 665-690, April.
    8. 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.
    9. Richard C. Levin & Alvin K. Klevorick & Richard R. Nelson & Sidney G. Winter, 1987. "Appropriating the Returns from Industrial Research and Development," Brookings Papers on Economic Activity, Economic Studies Program, The Brookings Institution, vol. 18(3, Specia), pages 783-832.
    10. Joel A. C. Baum & Andrew V. Shipilov & Tim J. Rowley, 2003. "Where do small worlds come from?," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 12(4), pages 697-725, August.
    11. Ranjay Gulati, 1999. "Network location and learning: the influence of network resources and firm capabilities on alliance formation," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 20(5), pages 397-420, May.
    12. Jan W. Rivkin, 2001. "Reproducing Knowledge: Replication Without Imitation at Moderate Complexity," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 12(3), pages 274-293, June.
    13. Jasjit Singh, 2005. "Collaborative Networks as Determinants of Knowledge Diffusion Patterns," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 51(5), pages 756-770, May.
    14. Wesley M. Cohen & Richard R. Nelson & John P. Walsh, 2000. "Protecting Their Intellectual Assets: Appropriability Conditions and Why U.S. Manufacturing Firms Patent (or Not)," NBER Working Papers 7552, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    15. Nicholas S. Argyres & Brian S. Silverman, 2004. "R&D, organization structure, and the development of corporate technological knowledge," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 25(8‐9), pages 929-958, August.
    16. Jerker. Denrell & Christina. Fang & Daniel A. Levinthal, 2004. "From T-Mazes to Labyrinths: Learning from Model-Based Feedback," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 50(10), pages 1366-1378, October.
    17. Lori Rosenkopf & Paul Almeida, 2003. "Overcoming Local Search Through Alliances and Mobility," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 49(6), pages 751-766, June.
    18. Herbert A. Simon, 1991. "Bounded Rationality and Organizational Learning," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 2(1), pages 125-134, February.
    19. Aija Leiponen & Constance E. Helfat, 2010. "Innovation objectives, knowledge sources, and the benefits of breadth," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(2), pages 224-236, February.
    20. Lee Fleming & Charles King & Adam I. Juda, 2007. "Small Worlds and Regional Innovation," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 18(6), pages 938-954, December.
    21. Christopher A. Sims, 2006. "Rational Inattention: Beyond the Linear-Quadratic Case," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 96(2), pages 158-163, May.
    22. Radner, Roy, 1993. "The Organization of Decentralized Information Processing," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 61(5), pages 1109-1146, September.
    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. Asbaş Caner & Şenyuva Zühal & Tuzlukaya Şule, 2022. "New Organizations in Complex Networks: Survival and Success," Journal of Management and Business Administration. Central Europe, Sciendo, vol. 30(1), pages 11-39, March.
    2. Wenjing Wang & Yiwei Liu, 2022. "Does University-industry innovation community affect firms’ inventions? The mediating role of technology transfer," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 47(3), pages 906-935, June.
    3. Song, Le & Ma, Yinghong, 2022. "Evaluating tacit knowledge diffusion with algebra matrix algorithm based social networks," Applied Mathematics and Computation, Elsevier, vol. 428(C).
    4. Steffen Runge & Christian Schwens & Matthias Schulz, 2022. "The invention performance implications of coopetition: How technological, geographical, and product market overlaps shape learning and competitive tension in R&D alliances," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 43(2), pages 266-294, February.
    5. Jesse Shore & Ethan Bernstein & David Lazer, 2015. "Facts and Figuring: An Experimental Investigation of Network Structure and Performance in Information and Solution Spaces," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 26(5), pages 1432-1446, October.
    6. Jingbei Wang & Naiding Yang, 2019. "Dynamics of collaboration network community and exploratory innovation: the moderation of knowledge networks," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 121(2), pages 1067-1084, November.
    7. Abhinav Gupta & Adam J. Wowak & Warren Boeker, 2022. "Corporate directors as heterogeneous network pipes: How director political ideology affects the interorganizational diffusion of governance practices," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 43(8), pages 1469-1498, August.
    8. Phillips, Mark A. & Ritala, Paavo, 2019. "A complex adaptive systems agenda for ecosystem research methodology," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 148(C).
    9. Richard A. Bettis & Constance E. Helfat & J. Myles Shaver & Anindya Ghosh & Ram Ranganathan & Lori Rosenkopf, 2016. "The impact of context and model choice on the determinants of strategic alliance formation: Evidence from a staged replication study," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 37(11), pages 2204-2221, November.
    10. Susan K. Cohen & Sean T. Hsu & Kristina B. Dahlin, 2016. "With Whom Do Technology Sponsors Partner During Technology Battles? Social Networking Strategies for Unproven (and Proven) Technologies," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 27(4), pages 846-872, August.
    11. Kris Byron & Blaine Landis, 2020. "Relational Misperceptions in the Workplace: New Frontiers and Challenges," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 31(1), pages 223-242, January.

    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. Maxim Sytch & Adam Tatarynowicz & Ranjay Gulati, 2012. "Toward a Theory of Extended Contact: The Incentives and Opportunities for Bridging Across Network Communities," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 23(6), pages 1658-1681, December.
    2. Chongfeng Wang & Gupeng Zhang, 2019. "Examining the moderating effect of technology spillovers embedded in the intra- and inter-regional collaborative innovation networks of China," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 119(2), pages 561-593, May.
    3. Harpreet Singh & David Kryscynski & Xinxin Li & Ram Gopal, 2016. "Pipes, pools, and filters: How collaboration networks affect innovative performance," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 37(8), pages 1649-1666, August.
    4. Rajat Khanna & Isin Guler, 2022. "Degree assortativity in collaboration networks and invention performance," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 43(7), pages 1402-1430, July.
    5. Gergő Tóth & Balázs Lengyel, 2021. "Inter-firm inventor mobility and the role of co-inventor networks in producing high-impact innovation," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 46(1), pages 117-137, February.
    6. Joris Knoben & Leon A. G. Oerlemans & Annefleur R. Krijkamp & Keith G. Provan, 2018. "What Do They Know? The Antecedents of Information Accuracy Differentials in Interorganizational Networks," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 29(3), pages 471-488, June.
    7. 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.
    8. Christos Kolympiris & Sebastian Hoenen & Peter G. Klein, 2019. "Learning by Seconding: Evidence from National Science Foundation Rotators," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 30(3), pages 528-551, May.
    9. Ralph A. Heidl & H. Kevin Steensma & Corey Phelps, 2014. "Divisive Faultlines and the Unplanned Dissolutions of Multipartner Alliances," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 25(5), pages 1351-1371, October.
    10. Yuandi Wang & Jian Li & Lutao Ning & Deming Zeng & Xin Gu, 2014. "Dynamic patterns of technology collaboration: a case study of the Chinese automobile industry, 1985–2010," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 101(1), pages 663-683, October.
    11. Gilsing, Victor A. & Cloodt, Myriam & Bertrand–Cloodt, Danielle, 2016. "What makes you more central? Antecedents of changes in betweenness-centrality in technology-based alliance networks," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 111(C), pages 209-221.
    12. Vikas A. Aggarwal, 2020. "Resource congestion in alliance networks: How a firm's partners’ partners influence the benefits of collaboration," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 41(4), pages 627-655, April.
    13. Luyun Xu & Jian Li & Xin Zhou, 2019. "Exploring new knowledge through research collaboration: the moderation of the global and local cohesion of knowledge networks," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 44(3), pages 822-849, June.
    14. Melissa A. Schilling, 2015. "Technology Shocks, Technological Collaboration, and Innovation Outcomes," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 26(3), pages 668-686, June.
    15. Mario V. Tomasello & Mauro Napoletano & Antonios Garas & Frank Schweitzer, 2017. "The rise and fall of R&D networks," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 26(4), pages 617-646.
    16. Carayol, Nicolas & Bergé, Laurent & Cassi, Lorenzo & Roux, Pascale, 2019. "Unintended triadic closure in social networks: The strategic formation of research collaborations between French inventors," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 163(C), pages 218-238.
    17. Mahmoud Ibrahim Fallatah, 2021. "Innovating in the Desert: a Network Perspective on Knowledge Creation in Developing Countries," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 12(3), pages 1533-1551, September.
    18. Lee Fleming & Charles King & Adam I. Juda, 2007. "Small Worlds and Regional Innovation," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 18(6), pages 938-954, December.
    19. Hyo Kang & Wyatt Lee, 2022. "How innovating firms manage knowledge leakage: A natural experiment on the threat of worker departure," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 43(10), pages 1961-1982, October.
    20. Christina Fang & Jeho Lee & Melissa A. Schilling, 2010. "Balancing Exploration and Exploitation Through Structural Design: The Isolation of Subgroups and Organizational Learning," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 21(3), pages 625-642, June.

    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:inm:ororsc:v:26:y:2015:i:2:p:622-631. 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: Chris Asher (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/inforea.html .

    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.