Sustainable innovation networks: an empirical study on interorganisational networks in industrial ecology
by Alexander I. Walter, Roland W. Scholz
Progress in Industrial Ecology, An International Journal (PIE), Vol. 3, No. 5, 2006

Abstract: This paper focuses on interorganisational cooperation and innovation processes in the context of industrial ecology. The authors attempt to connect industrial ecology research to social sciences, in particular, to organisational and management research. Critical Success Conditions (CSCs) for the network structure of innovation processes in interorganisational, multi-actor networks are identified. These 'sustainable innovation networks' are local, transient cooperations among a small, but diverse set of agents from a wide range of organisations, bringing forward a sociotechnical breakthrough innovation. A literature review reveals that the corresponding theoretical aspects of social network analysis and evolutionary economics are rarely mentioned in peer-reviewed industrial ecology literature. Accordingly, three specific CSCs are proposed, namely, (1) network diversity, (2) network density and (3) use of knowledge integration methods, to be included in industrial ecosystem analysis. Testing performed in five case studies shows that all three CSCs show some correlation to the performance of the cases.

Online publication date: Fri, 02-Feb-2007

The full text of this article is only available to individual subscribers or to users at subscribing institutions.

 
Existing subscribers:
Go to Inderscience Online Journals to access the Full Text of this article.

Pay per view:
If you are not a subscriber and you just want to read the full contents of this article, buy online access here.

Complimentary Subscribers, Editors or Members of the Editorial Board of the Progress in Industrial Ecology, An International Journal (PIE):
Login with your Inderscience username and password:

Username:        Password:          Forgotten your password?

Want to subscribe?
A subscription gives you complete access to all articles in the current issue, as well as to all articles in the previous three years (where applicable). See our Orders page to subscribe.

If you still need assistance, please email subs@inderscience.com