Browsing by Issue Date, starting with "2012-07-05"
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- Knowledge networks in science-based start-ups : actors and strategiesPublication . Sousa, Cristina; Fontes, MargaridaThe paper investigates the strategic choices made by young science-based firms’ regarding the selection of knowledge sources. Drawing on two streams of research – on alliances and on social networks – two different dimensions of this strategy are considered: the activation of the entrepreneurs’ social capital and the intentional inclusion of new knowledge sources. The data collected for a subset of the Portuguese biotechnology sector are analysed with a view to answer to three research questions: i) To what do extent firms’ rely on entrepreneurs’ personal networks, activating their social capital to access scientific and technological knowledge at start-up; ii) To what extent are new actors added to knowledge networks at start-up; iii) Are there differences between existing and new ties in terms of strength and formalisation. The results obtained confirm the consideration of the strategies underlying network building is vital for an understanding of the configuration of young science-based firms’ knowledge networks. They reveal the existence of different knowledge network building strategies that often combine tie persistence with search for novelty. They also suggest that differences in the network building strategies may be the behind the somewhat contradictory results presented in the literature about the network configuration that is more favourable for innovation.
- The impact of long term scientific mobility on the creation of persistent knowledge networksPublication . Fontes, Margarida; Videira, Pedro; Calapez, TeresaInternational scientific mobility is a strategic element in the science policies of several countries, being often equated with the development of extensive knowledge networks that can be mobilised by the scientists (and their organisations) upon their return. The objective of this paper is to understand whether and in which conditions mobility leads to the development of knowledge links that are long lasting and effectively play a key role in scientists’ activities. In conceptual terms, the influence of mobility is explained through the opportunities it provides for temporary co-location in one organisation, and thus for the creation of social, cognitive and organisational proximity between scientists, which are critical for knowledge transmission and which can persist after the individuals draw apart. This conceptual framework supports an empirical analysis of the impact of two types of long term mobility - for training and professional purposes - on the creation of “persistent knowledge networks”, in the case of Portuguese scientists. The results show that mobile scientists are more likely to have foreign organisations in their core knowledge network. Even more importantly, they reveal a high incidence of organisations that were part of the scientists’ trajectory in these networks, providing some confirmation to the effects of colocation. However, these effects are not always present: the research also identifies some factors – related with personal characteristics, career situation, scientific field, time, geographical distance, motivations to move - that increase the likelihood of network persistence, which differ for the two types of mobility.