Knowledge Networks and the Role of Family Firms: The Case of an Italian Regional Cluster

Riccardo De Vita,Bodo Steiner,Alessandro Sinatra,Stefano Ghinoi

doi:10.3390/joitmc7030193

Abstract

Studies on open innovation (OI) have highlighted the importance of inter-organizational knowledge networks. However, little is known about OI networks established by family firms, and their roles in such knowledge networks. By focusing on one of the most important Italian footwear clusters, this paper applies Social Network Analysis to investigate the role of family firms in exchanging knowledge according to their intra-cluster position and extra-cluster openness. Our results provide novel evidence on the role of family firms in OI networks, as they suggest that family firms mainly operate as gatekeepers in the technological and managerial networks, while they act as external stars in the market and managerial networks.

Highlights

In the last few decades, the research emphasis on inter-organizational knowledge exchange and knowledge networks has increased in importance for organizational and business studies, in parallel with the global shift from a manufacturing-based toward a more knowledge-based economy [1,2]
Our study contributes to the literature on open innovation (OI) by concentrating on the cognitive roles of family firms in a traditional OI ecosystem—A manufacturing regional cluster
Our results suggest that family firms differ from non-family firms in their cognitive roles, and that the diversity of knowledge networks with regard to knowledge types is an important and largely neglected aspect of knowledge transfer among family businesses

Summary

Introduction

In the last few decades, the research emphasis on inter-organizational knowledge exchange and knowledge networks has increased in importance for organizational and business studies, in parallel with the global shift from a manufacturing-based toward a more knowledge-based economy [1,2]. 311) demonstrate that organizational relations are influenced by “the profile of the knowledge base, absorptive capacity or prestige of the actors involved”, while for Zaheer and Bell [8], resources can be embedded in inter-organizational relationships through accumulated network experience and repeated exchange relationships. In this vein, as described by Enkel et al [9], open innovation (OI) has been embraced by organizations to access external knowledge and to use internally developed knowledge as an asset to be shared with others, in order to develop innovative products, processes, or services and improve business performance. This approach assumes that collaborations and long-term agreements are key to the development of new products, processes, or services, and receiving feedback from other parties is vital for the innovation process

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