International Knowledge Networks Research Articles

When does international knowledge connectivity of global cities attract R&D investments? The role of concentrated ownership through organizational pipelines

We argue that the degree of concentrated ownership of international knowledge connections of a city in the hands of a small number of MNEs reduces the potential for knowledge spillovers and has a negative influence on the attractiveness of a city for new R&D investments. Ownership concentration in international knowledge connections reduces the positive influence of two complementary characteristics of international knowledge connectivity: the international connectedness (“depth”) and the geographical diversity (“breadth”) of the cities' international knowledge networks. Our analysis of the location decisions for 3235 new cross-border R&D investments made by 1599 firms distributed across 71 global cities (2003–2016) provides support for these hypotheses.

International connection, local disconnection: The (heterogeneous) role of global cities in local and global innovation networks

Global cities function as important international innovation hubs and are key nodes in international business networks. Yet this focus on international knowledge networks may render it less likely that global cities establish and maintain intensive local innovation linkages with their surrounding areas. We argue that while the relationship between the global network orientation of global cities and their local linkages with their surrounding areas is negative, the strength of this relationship depends global city and surrounding regions' knowledge base and the ease of local linkage formation. Global linkages are expected to be more detrimental to the establishment of local linkages if the global city is a global technology leader, but less so if the surrounding region has a greater innovation strength and is more proximate to the global city. We find partial support for these hypotheses in an analysis of the collaborative innovation linkages of 21 U.S. global cities with 310 surrounding counties, 2001–2015.

Scanning resources to build an international nursing knowledge network

This paper reports the gathered information from an international environmental scan of university-baseline information for the creation of a Nursing Knowledge Network. An online environment scan of organizational context (February to October 2021) explored the identification of research areas, existing resources, expected benefits, innovations in teaching research, barriers to knowledge dissemination, and prospective contributions of the Network. Target informants were 200 nursing faculty affiliated with 63 universities located in 13 countries, as well as nursing networks in the Ibero-American context. One informant per university was asked to respond to the questionnaire. The participation rate was nearly 70% (42/63). The informants’ universities per country included Brazil (n = 21), Canada (n = 4), Portugal and Spain (n = 3 each), Colombia, Mexico, Peru and USA (n = 2 each), Chile, Italy and Paraguay (n = 1 each). Nursing faculty provided rich information and shared knowledge confirming a strong commitment to global co-creation of innovations and research partnership capacities through collaboration, cooperation, and knowledge exchange among nursing higher education institutions. Seldom researched areas are a potential focus for the Network to generate appropriate evidence to inform local scientific practices. The gathered information will inform further review of nursing and governmental policies and programs related to the application and dissemination of nursing evidence across local, regional, and global levels.

Cooperative Network Embedding, Knowledge Network Structure and Technological Catch-Up of Latecomers: A Technical Standards Alliance Perspective

Taking the technical standards alliance (TSA) of strategic emerging industries as the sample, including China’s new energy vehicles, new-generation information technology, new materials, and high-end equipment manufacturing, the article empirically verified the impact of the external cooperation network and internal knowledge network of late-developing enterprises on their dual catch-up. The results showed that the appropriate centrality of the cooperative network promotes the exploitative catch-up and exploratory catch-up of late-developing enterprises. However, the excessive centrality blocked its exploratory catch-up. The structural hole of the cooperation network was conducive to the exploratory catch-up of late-developing enterprises, but not to their exploitative catch-up. The comprehensive cohesiveness of the knowledge network strengthened the positive impact of the centrality of the cooperation network on exploitative catch-up of late-developing enterprises, damaging the negative impact of the structural hole of the cooperation network on exploitative catch-up. The partial cohesiveness of the knowledge network positively adjusted the centrality of the cooperative network, the relationship between the structural hole and exploratory catch-up, and negatively adjusted the relationship between the centrality of the network and exploitative catch-up. By analyzing the differential impact of the dual network on two types of technology catch-up strategies of late-developing enterprises, the article deepened the theory of organizational duality. Meanwhile, the article contained innovation activities of late-developing enterprises in the TSA, which provided a new theoretical perspective and empirical basis for the combination of standardization of cooperation and innovation management theory.

Coevolution of post-merger integration and dual knowledge networks reconstruction: evidence from Chinese overseas acquisitions

PurposePost-merger integration (PMI) is driven by coevolving processes. By integrating the literature on acquisitions with that of knowledge networks, this paper highlights different reconstruction mechanisms for dual knowledge networks during PMI – namely, internal knowledge network coupling and external knowledge network embeddedness. This paper aims to examine their coevolutionary relationships with PMI.Design/methodology/approachA coevolutionary framework is tested using a latent growth model and cross-lagged models. The analysis is based on longitudinal data collected from 116 Chinese technology-sourcing overseas merger and acquisition firms.FindingsThis paper unearths a novel idea that variations in post-merger reconstruction of dual knowledge networks can explain why some acquirers increase the degree of integration faster than the others. The results show that the internal knowledge network coupling leads to more knowledge similarity and, in turn, causes a higher degree of integration. The external knowledge network embeddedness also causes higher relative network status of the acquirer, which consequently leads to a higher degree of integration. Furthermore, results from cross-lagged models confirm that an increase in the degree of integration positively influences subsequent changes in the internal knowledge network coupling and external knowledge network embeddedness, thus forming a coevolutionary relationship over time.Originality/valueThis paper responds to recent calls for more insights into the dynamics of PMI. By highlighting different reconstruction mechanisms for internal and external knowledge networks during PMI, this paper explains why it is important to understand PMI dynamics from a dual knowledge network perspective. This paper is the first to adopt a coevolutionary perspective and provide a more comprehensive dynamic framework between PMI and reconstruction of dual knowledge networks. Besides, this paper contributes to the research on emerging market multinational corporations’ cross-border merger and acquisition integration from a dynamic perspective, revealing the time effects of traditionally favored light-touch integration.

The attraction of talent through international student mobility patterns and triple helix system: evidence from OECD countries for triple helix system

In the new century of the knowledge economy, highly trained human capital is anticipated to stimulate economic growth, becoming one of the grounds for competition – the “war for talent.” The business sector, higher education and talent are all crucially connected. Integration into international knowledge networks may be enhanced by the country’s domestic triple helix. International knowledge transfer, national innovation systems and national triple helix systems draw international talent flows because of their economic benefits. To examine a nation’s ability to draw talent, we utilise a two-stage error correction (EC2SLS) panel model for OECD countries between the years 2013 and 2017. We assume that it is influenced by several innovative and technological aspects, including the triple helix, international student mobility and other factors. Results indicate that when we compare low-middle-income nations with high-income countries, the attraction of talent may alter when taking into account university–industry relationships. It has been observed that low-middle-income countries need to exert more effort in university–industry collaborations than high-income ones to recruit more talent. Evidence suggests that nations seeking to recruit talent should target international students. In addition, nations may focus on public institutions, the labour market and innovation. Governments and companies should be proactive in the competition for international talent, the results show. These results add clarity to the debate over how international student mobility affects knowledge creation and emphasise the significance of university–industry collaboration in luring talent to nations with disparate income levels.

Research Structure and Development Trend of International Knowledge Network

Research Structure and Development Trend of International Knowledge Network

Internal knowledge networks and employees' performance in a collaborative context: an empirical study of Japanese universities

The effect of cohesive networks on employees' performance has led to a protracted dispute among researchers. This study investigated the relationships between the internal knowledge network and employees' performance in a collaborative context. Using questionnaire survey data, we examined the ego networks of 274 research managers and administrators from Japanese universities and research organisations. The results of logistic regression analysis showed that a cohesive network structure has a significant positive relationship with the perceived performance of individuals and the workplace. External knowledge search activity of networks also had a positive relationship with individual and workplace performance. Our findings clarify the positive relationship of a cohesive internal network with employees' performance in a collaborative context where multiple, specialised tasks have to be cooperatively performed. Our results can be of benefit in extending the practice of university research management.

Internal knowledge networks and employees' performance in a collaborative context: an empirical study of Japanese universities

Internal knowledge networks and employees' performance in a collaborative context: an empirical study of Japanese universities

Global knowledge centrality: co-inventor collaboration with China

PurposeThis paper examines the role of co-inventor collaboration with China and/or the USA on a country's increase in centrality in global knowledge networks. It also explores the role of specific institutional factors – corruption and intellectual property rights (IPR) protection – on this relationship.Design/methodology/approachIn the study, co-inventor data from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) applications have been used to construct networks of technological knowledge collaboration at the country level over the years 2002–2015. Using eigenvector centrality as the dependent variable, the study uses fixed effect regression analyses on a panel of 171 countries, contributing to recent debates on knowledge networks and international cooperation.FindingsBuilding on research in economic development, innovation and social network theory, this research finds that co-patenting with Chinese inventors is positively related to a country's centrality in global knowledge networks and that this relationship is negatively moderated by collaboration with the current most central knowledge network – namely that of the USA – suggesting a substitution effect. It also finds a partial substitution between institutional factors, IPRs protection and transparency, and collaboration with China on a country's knowledge centrality.Practical implicationsRegarding policymakers, the findings can be used to encourage international collaboration for increased access to new sources of knowledge that fosters innovation while keeping a close eye on local institutions, especially emerging economies that want to increase their international knowledge network centrality.Originality/valueThis study creates a unique panel data set and extends the social networks approach in international business literature, focusing on institutional characteristics related to participation in knowledge networks.

Does participation in knowledge networks facilitate market access in global innovation systems? The case of offshore wind

This article explores how knowledge networks function as structural couplings in global innovation systems (GIS). Based on a unique dataset we investigate the effects of Norwegian offshore wind firms' participation in different knowledge networks on international market access. The results show that international knowledge networks facilitate access to market resources in a GIS under certain conditions. First, participating in pilot and demonstration projects positively affects firms’ access to international markets. Second, participation in R&D projects has only a positive effect on international market access when R&D collaboration involves international partners. This effect is stronger when collaborators come from countries with a domestic market. Our results show that knowledge networks can function as one type of structural coupling (between a country and the GIS), which can facilitate another type of coupling (between knowledge and markets). The extent of coupling depends on the innovation mode and geographic scale of the knowledge networks. An implication for policy is that knowledge resources can be leveraged through incentives for international collaboration, and support for pilot and demonstration activities.

Agency, new technological path creation and long waves of local economic growth in Oxfordshire

In this article it is argued that long-term economic growth can be secured by the continual re-invention of the technological and consequential economic bases of local economies. Starting from the perspective of evolutionary path dependence in the development histories of new technologies, the roles of innovators in the creation of new technological pathways are theorised. Historical case study evidence is then presented of the contributions of pioneering innovators to the ongoing long-term production and employment growth in the local economy of Oxfordshire over the last two centuries. Oxfordshire provides an empirical example of one of the more successful local economies in the UK. It is concluded that much of this success has been based on the activities of a small number of innovators who have used national and international knowledge networks to import cutting edge technologies of their time into the local economy in order to start world leading industries in the County. These have formed the bases of its long-term economic performance.

Diáspora brasileira de ciência, tecnologia e inovação

O Brasil é um dos países com a maior taxa de imigrantes altamente qualificados vivendo na região da OCDE. Esta migração, mais recentemente chamada de diáspora, pode ter efeitos no desenvolvimento do país. Este trabalho foca em uma parte específica desta diáspora, os talentos na área de Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovação (CT&I) nos Estados Unidos e Reino Unido, e busca analisar seu volume, iniciativas auto-organizadas e políticas de engajamento do governo brasileiro. A utilização do termo diáspora para migração de pessoas altamente qualificadas evoluiu ao longo do tempo, indo da postura de brain drain para a percepção dos efeitos positivos da inserção dos talentos em redes de conhecimento internacionais. Os materiais utilizados foram: revisão da literatura especializada; análise de base de dados secundários (principalmente de censos demográficos); realização de entrevistas semiestruturadas com profissionais do Observatório das Migrações Internacionais e a realização de dois workshops com diasporados nos Estados Unidos e Reino Unido, junto com as Embaixadas em Washington e Londres, respectivamente. Há limitações para estimar o número de talentos da diáspora brasileira de CT&I, agravadas pela exclusão das questões sobre migração internacional do Censo 2020. As políticas mobilizadas pelo governo brasileiro são ainda embrionárias, ainda voltadas para mapeamento e engajamento genérico. As iniciativas da diáspora mapeadas possuem um grau relativo de organização, mas faltam mecanismos concretos para organizar e canalizar esse potencial da diáspora para políticas com um desenho de “alta resolução”, articulando a cooperação e o engajamento em torno de problemas nacionais específicos.

UOC scholarly journals

Inspired by the DORA Declaration's recommendations regarding the transparency and contextualization of research output's impact data, we have created a poster displaying the complete set of data and indicators for all academic journals published, coedited or sponsored by the UOC. This visual representation is also intended as a way of presenting evidence of scholarly journals' capacity to create and build an international knowledge network. In the process, this helps to publicise and position the prestige of universities and their academic staff and quality values within the framework of scholarly communication.
 The figures are grouped into four categories:
 
 The first data group provides a description of the academic staff network involved in the journals' publication (authors, reviewers and members of the editorial boards). The figures show the number of people for each type of academic post and staff distribution by gender and by country.
 The second group is a geomap that combines data from two different dimensions: number of site visits per country and number of academic staff members per country.
 The third group of data shows the academic impact figures. They are basically the total number of citations reported in Web of Science, Scopus and Google Scholar, and the main indexing achievements.
 The fourth group provides information on the journals' general engagement capacity based on data gathered from social media networks and web traffic.
 
 In summary, the aim of this type of information graphic is to demonstrate scholarly journals' capacity to boost prestige, knowledge and research dissemination within a quality-controlled framework.

“M@dNotes Project”. Giving colour to Grey Literature

Sharing the results of research and scientific production is crucial for the survival and development of all disciplines. Health information is becoming uncertain and powerful economic interests disrupting medical information has triggered a loss of credibility. M@dNotes project (in Spanish NotasL@cas), is the by-product of nonprofit collaborative international knowledge network with participation of students, general practitioners, family physicians, and healthcare workers. One of the aims of this network is to discuss the validity of the information available on sensitive subjects and build a knowledge exchange network inside a community of practice. It has been created to share different materials excluded from traditional academic publishing and commercial distribution channels: monographic reports, commented articles, files with references searches. These materials product of learning process are qualified with an appropriate level because there were submitted to a peer review or judged by a scientific committee to get an approval. Includes an indexing method (Q Codes and ICPC) to manage and retrieve the materials received. The project provides a particular folder to upload and share the documents. A web blog is the dissemination friendly tool or interface to share and retrieve the documents available in the network. Through a facility in the cloud, it is possible to access an excel file with all the materials shared, codes assigned and the hyperlink to get a pdf file of each material.

Global innovation networks for Chinese high-tech small and medium enterprises: the supportive role of highly skilled migrants and returnees

Literature investigating highly skilled Chinese migrants has so far focused on their role as drivers of new entrepreneurship as well as innovation in firms and regions, although their role in supporting small and medium enterprises' (SMEs) engagement in global innovation networks (GINs) is still underexplored. The participation in GINs is a key for high-tech SMEs, which rely on sophisticated knowledge but may not have the same absorptive capacity of large firms and multinational corporations. Based on primary data from a case study on 19 SMEs in the IT and new media industry in Beijing, this paper investigates the role of returnees and highly skilled migrants in supporting the engagement of Chinese high-tech SMEs in GINs. The results reveal the important role of those individuals in bringing SMEs in former international knowledge networks and establishing new linkages for sourcing key knowledge.

Global innovation networks for Chinese high-tech small and medium enterprises: the supportive role of highly skilled migrants and returnees

Literature investigating highly skilled Chinese migrants has so far focused on their role as drivers of new entrepreneurship as well as innovation in firms and regions, although their role in supporting small and medium enterprises (SMEs) engagement in global innovation networks (GINs) is still underexplored. The participation in GINs is key for high tech SMEs, which rely on sophisticated knowledge but may not have the same absorptive capacity of large firms and multinational corporations. Based on primary data from a case study on 19 SMEs in the IT and new media industry in Beijing, this paper investigates the role of returnees and highly skilled migrants in supporting the engagement of Chinese high-tech SMEs in GINs. The results reveal the important role of those individuals in bringing SMEs in former international knowledge networks and establishing new linkages for sourcing key knowledge.

Geopolíticas del Conocimiento Psicológico y Riesgos Psicosociales: Reproduciendo la Subordinación por Medio de las Tesis de Grado y Postgrado

This article presents the results of a study on the geopolitical relationships of psychology. One hundred and eight undergraduate and graduate theses on the topic of psychosocial risks were examined. They were produced by students of 7 of the main universities of Bogotá, Colombia, between 1991 and 2014. The following aspects were analyzed: the years when the theses were submitted, the academic institution where they were produced, the specific program to which they belonged, the title assigned to each research project, and the design used. In addition, the present study also identified the references consulted, the language in which they had been published, and their type of authorship: national, international, independent researchers, and labor regulation agencies. Results reveal the channels through which psychological knowledge about psychosocial risks circulates, the fading of disciplinary boundaries of psychology, and the emulation that takes place in the local construction of psychology, as well as its consequent subordination to international knowledge networks

Comparing the Technology Trajectories of Solar PV and Solar Water Heaters in China: Using a Patent Lens

China invests more in renewable energy than any other countries, such as in solar energy. The traditional literature maintains that these government-supported industries are more innovative than grassroots industries such as solar or thermal, which leads to debate. This study uses mixed methods, combining qualitative and quantitative approaches to compare the technology trajectories of leading solar water heater (SWH) and solar photovoltaic (PV) firms in China. It concentrates on the following three aspects: trajectories of key technologies, patent citation network, and type of collaboration. Our analyses show that technology trajectories differ significantly between leading SWH firms and PV firms in China. We find that the Chinese SWH firms are core to international knowledge networks, and are following a market-driven innovation mode. In contrast, Chinese PV firms are close to the center of the network and government-driven. Research suggests that grassroots innovation, by doing, using, and interaction (DUI), can create short-term market development models relying on China’s traditional industry model, but cannot create a long-term international leading innovation model; only integrated science, technology, innovation modes (STI), and DUI innovation modes tend to result in international leadership in innovation.

The Development of Global Higher Education in a World of Transformation

Globalization has forced higher education into a new world, a world of change, instability and ambiguity, shaped by an increasingly integrated world economy, technology, an international knowledge network, and other forces beyond the control of higher education institutions. Futurists predict that the education systems of tomorrow will be drastically different from those of today. They forecast innovative approaches to teaching and learning will proliferate and will be used more effectively because of technology and telecommunications. Traditional universities historically have been producers of knowledge in the form of human capital, research, and scholarship and are now challenged to tap into the expanding need for lifelong learning. The need and desire for higher education are growing, but higher education is challenged to make significant changes driven by globalization and technology.