Title: Optimal design of information flow in innovation networks

Authors: Avi Messica

Addresses: School of Business Administration, The College of Management, 7 Yitzhak Rabin Blvd. P.O. B 2503, Rishon Lezion, 75190 Israel

Abstract: Governments and regional organisations spend significant amounts of money in order to stimulate sustainable knowledge spillover and diffusion via innovation networks. Using metrics borrowed from graph theory and a newly defined metric, this paper sets up the taxonomy and provides a quantitative analysis of innovation networks in their broadest sense, topology-wise, as well as their efficiency from information flow perspective. I argue that decision makers should apply holistic approach to innovation and decide upon a balanced mix of different types of networks in order to maximise the innovation efficiency/intensity versus costs.

Keywords: innovation networks; clusters; strategic management; knowledge spillover; sustainable knowledge; knowledge diffusion; optimal design; information flow; graph theory; innovation intensity; costs; innovation efficiency.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSSM.2009.030514

International Journal of Sustainable Strategic Management, 2009 Vol.1 No.4, pp.402 - 416

Published online: 20 Dec 2009 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article