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Unintended triadic closure in social networks: The strategic formation of research collaborations between French inventors

Author

Listed:
  • Nicolas Carayol

    (GREThA - Groupe de Recherche en Economie Théorique et Appliquée - UB - Université de Bordeaux - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)

  • Laurent Bergé

    (CREA - Center for Research in Economic Analysis - uni.lu - Université du Luxembourg = University of Luxembourg = Universität Luxemburg)

  • Lorenzo Cassi

    (CES - Centre d'économie de la Sorbonne - UP1 - Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, PSE - Paris School of Economics - UP1 - Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne - ENS-PSL - École normale supérieure - Paris - PSL - Université Paris Sciences et Lettres - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - ENPC - École des Ponts ParisTech - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement)

  • Pascale Roux

    (GREThA - Groupe de Recherche en Economie Théorique et Appliquée - UB - Université de Bordeaux - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)

Abstract

Observing that most social networks are clustered, the literature often argues that agents are more willing to form links that close triangles. We challenge this idea by proposing a simple model of new collaboration formation that shows why network clustering may arise even though agents do not "like" network closure. We address empirically this question on the longitudinal evolution of the French co-invention network, and find that two inventors are less likely to form a first research collaboration when they have common partners. Our findings further reveal the preferences of inventors towards forming non-redundant connections.

Suggested Citation

  • Nicolas Carayol & Laurent Bergé & Lorenzo Cassi & Pascale Roux, 2019. "Unintended triadic closure in social networks: The strategic formation of research collaborations between French inventors," PSE-Ecole d'économie de Paris (Postprint) halshs-02301605, HAL.
  • Handle: RePEc:hal:pseptp:halshs-02301605
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jebo.2018.10.009
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    Cited by:

    1. Bergé, Laurent & Carayol, Nicolas & Roux, Pascale, 2018. "How do inventor networks affect urban invention?," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 71(C), pages 137-162.
    2. Moritz Müller & Robin Cowan & Helena Barnard, 2023. "The role of local colleagues in establishing international scientific collaboration: Social capital in emerging science systems," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 32(5), pages 1077-1108.
    3. Pierre Cotterlaz, 2021. "Three essays on spatial frictions [Trois essais sur les frictions spatiales]," SciencePo Working papers tel-03436173, HAL.
    4. Nicolas Carayol & Elodie Carpentier, 2022. "The spread of academic invention: a nationwide case study on French data (1995–2012)," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 47(5), pages 1395-1421, October.
    5. Laurent R. Bergé, 2017. "Network proximity in the geography of research collaboration," Papers in Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 96(4), pages 785-815, November.
    6. He, Chaocheng & Liu, Fuzhen & Dong, Ke & Wu, Jiang & Zhang, Qingpeng, 2023. "Research on the formation mechanism of research leadership relations: An exponential random graph model analysis approach," Journal of Informetrics, Elsevier, vol. 17(2).
    7. Sidorov, Sergei & Mironov, Sergei, 2021. "Growth network models with random number of attached links," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 576(C).
    8. Pierre Cotterlaz, 2021. "Three essays on spatial frictions [Trois essais sur les frictions spatiales]," SciencePo Working papers Main tel-03436173, HAL.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Patents; Social networks; Monte Carlo simulations; Closure; Conditional logit; Link formation;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D85 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Network Formation
    • O31 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Innovation and Invention: Processes and Incentives

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