The paper presents a conceptual framework which faces clusters, or
localized networks, in the life-science domains. Amongst the various lenses, it
focuses on the relationship -if any- interlacing structural settings (clusters) and
innovation by referring to the broader field of network theory approach. The final
aim of the paper is to contribute to the extant literature by creating a theoretical
framework able to describe the effects of intra-cluster and inter-cluster structural
and nodal network characteristics upon the clusters' innovative performance. The
work sheds light on the factors influencing different innovative performance
across different domains in the life-science field

Chiara, D'Alise

Giustiniano, Luca

Luca, Giustiniano

Archivio della ricerca- LUISS Libera Università Internazionale degli Studi Sociali Guido Carli di Roma

Clusters and Innovation in the Life Sciences

The paper investigates the impact of clusters - aggregations of industrial, academic and institutional players in a localized network - on innovation in the life-science setting and aims to enrich the line of inquiry into cluster-based innovation by applying social network analysis (SNA) approach and methods. 
The cluster concept has been defined in ambiguous ways, it is rather flexible, corresponding to a large variety of spatial and organizational concrete configurations. Trying to understand which of them drives to a higher cluster’s innovative outcome is the paper general aim. The addressed research question is: What is the impact of intra-cluster and inter-cluster network characteristics on the cluster’s innovative performance in the life-science sector

CHIARA D'ALISE

GIUSTINIANO, LUCA

Clusters and Innovation in the life-science sector  The paper investigates the impact of clusters - aggregations of industrial, academic and institutional players in a localized network - on innovation in the life-science setting and aims to enrich the line of inquiry into cluster-based innovation by applying social network analysis (SNA) approach and methods.  The cluster concept has been defined in ambiguous ways, it is rather flexible, corresponding to a large variety of spatial and organizational concrete configurations. Trying to understand which of them drives to a higher cluster’s innovative outcome is the paper general aim. The addressed research question is: What is the impact of intra-cluster and inter-cluster network characteristics on the cluster’s innovative performance in the life-science sector? More specifically we analyze what structural and nodal characteristics are best suited to maximize the likelihood of clusters' innovation, from an intra-cluster and an inter-cluster perspective: we focus on network size and density/spanning of structural holes as main explanatory variables; on nodal vertical heterogeneity, industrial and geographical distance among the nodes, as contingency factors.  Quantitative methods are applied to relational and nodal data, using SNA and a regression model. The paper can make a theoretical and empirical contribution, filling some gaps: the absence of significant contributions analyzing clusters of clusters and inter-cluster dynamics; the lack of agreement on the network structure most beneficial for innovation; the scarce attention to the network’s overall performance as a dependent, aggregated variable; the only occasional use of constructs and concepts derived from social network analysis in clusters’ actual operationalization.   

Clusters and Innovation in the Life-science Sector

The paper presents a conceptual framework which faces clusters, or
localized networks, in the life-science domains. Amongst the various lenses, it
focuses on the relationship -if any- interlacing structural settings (clusters) and
innovation by referring to the broader field of network theory approach. The final
aim of the paper is to contribute to the extant literature by creating a theoretical
framework able to describe the effects of intra-cluster and inter-cluster structural
and nodal network characteristics upon the clusters' innovative performance. The
work sheds light on the factors influencing different innovative performance
across different domains in the life-science field

Clusters and Innovation in the Life Sciences

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Archivio della ricerca- LUISS Libera Università Internazionale degli Studi Sociali Guido Carli di Roma

Archivio della ricerca- LUISS Libera Università Internazionale degli Studi Sociali Guido Carli di Roma

Archivio della ricerca- LUISS Libera Università Internazionale degli Studi Sociali Guido Carli di Roma