Title: The social network of a science park: a study of heterogeneity

Authors: Angel Meseguer-Martinez; Maria Jose Ruiz-Ortega; Gloria Parra-Requena

Addresses: Business Department, Catholic University of Murcia, Av. Jerónimos, 135, 30107, Guadalupe, Murcia, Spain ' Department of Business Administration, University of Castilla-La Mancha, Campus Universitario s/n, 02071. Albacete, Spain ' Department of Business Administration, University of Castilla-La Mancha, Campus Universitario s/n, 02071. Albacete, Spain

Abstract: The study analyses whether heterogeneity exists in the social network of a young Spanish science park. In this sense, we check the existence of business and innovation networks and analyse how the member firms are located within (central and peripheral positions). Furthermore, we analyse the differences in the network position depending on the type of firm, their access to resources for innovation and the sector. By means of social network analysis, we analyse those aspects related to heterogeneity within the social network of the science park. Results show that stand-alone companies tend to position themselves centrally, whereas corporate companies take peripheral positions. Differences in access to external resources for innovation between the central and peripheral subnetworks are observed in the innovation network, but not in the business network. Moreover, firms in the ICT industry tend to occupy central positions whereas firms in other sectors tend to occupy peripheral positions.

Keywords: science parks; social networks; social network analysis; heterogeneity; business and innovation networks.

DOI: 10.1504/EJIM.2020.110560

European Journal of International Management, 2020 Vol.14 No.6, pp.1095 - 1118

Received: 19 Feb 2018
Accepted: 24 Jul 2018
Published online: 26 Oct 2020 *

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