Abstract
This study identifies the relationship structure of an ego-centered network by examining a transnational organization in the telecommunications sector that is oriented toward innovation. The study considers the dimensions of density, centrality, structural equivalence, and relationship content. Following the literature, we correlate the underlying concepts of network innovation substantiated through the technique of network analysis as a research method. The results suggest that the position of organizations in relation to the distance and pathways to other organizations in the network can influence the network’s capacity for innovation, conditioned by the strategic positioning of the focal company. This does not seem to be the case with the company considered by this study, as the strategic positioning of the matrix considers only innovative products with a worldwide scope, and not those with a more limited, local, or regional interest. The main contribution of this study is the identification of the relationship structure of a transnational, ego-centered, and innovation-oriented network with the aid of a statistical tool.
Highlights
Networks can be analyzed from the perspective of their structural or morphological characteristics and can be treated either comprehensively—according to the totality of the network—or by separating the connections between actors, as in the analysis of pairs in this study
The network analysis used in this study is not fundamentally a research strategy but rather a set of techniques typically used in the treatment of relational data at different levels
The capacity for innovation with global perspectives seems to be a crucial factor for telecommunications companies, which are immersed in an extremely connected context, in terms of their strategies and their impact on other sectors of the global economy due to their inherently transformative nature
Summary
Networks can be analyzed from the perspective of their structural or morphological characteristics and can be treated either comprehensively—according to the totality of the network—or by separating the connections between actors, as in the analysis of pairs (dyads) in this study. The network analysis used in this study is not fundamentally a research strategy but rather a set of techniques typically used in the treatment of relational data (variables of ties between social actors) at different levels. These techniques can be used with several designs (Reinert & Maciel, 2012). In addition to the focal organization, the network includes 18 companies considered strategic and fundamental in the development of its activities, selected based on the technique of snowballing (Biernacki & Waldorf, 1981) These include eight subsidiaries located in six different countries: Argentina, Singapore, Colombia, Mexico, China, and Brazil. Afterwards, the research results are discussed and final considerations are presented, along with a discussion of the limitations and recommendations of the research
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