During the past two decades, we have witnessed a change in the focus of theoretical and practical endeavors toward understanding and promoting innovations. This focus has moved from specific individuals, institutions, and their properties to their relations. However, despite the general acceptance of the positive relationship between innovation and networks, few studies offer empirical evidence for the linking of networks to innovations. In addition, with the advent of the era of ‘big data’ it is urgent to reflect upon certain key elements. We must examine what meanings social network data may reveal with regard to innovation and the roles played by different stakeholders. We must also find approaches for analyzing these meanings and for presenting interpretations persuasively. Thus this special issue of the Journal of Contemporary Eastern Asia (JCEA) can help us take some initial steps toward addressing how and why certain collaborations for innovations emerge and are sustained in certain ways by using various methodological approaches. While there are no simple answers for how best to optimize network connections for innovations, each of three papers in this issue begin to plot a path forward. The three papers are outstanding original works presented at the 2nd Annual Asian Hub Conference on Triple Helix and Network Sciences (DISC) held in South Korea in 2014. The theme of the conference was “Data as Social Culture: Networked Innovation and Government 3.0”, and the focus was on understanding how institutional arrangements and communication flows induce emergent knowledge-intensive clusters and networked innovations. The conference included competition for “The IMC Award.” The IMC (http://theimc.co.kr), which is specialized in marketing consulting and data-mining solutions, thankfully sponsored this award at the conference in order to promote participation. The competition for this award prompted more than 50 submissions. Papers were reviewed by the IMC award committee based on several criteria such as innovation, significance of the contribution, and professional quality and award announcements were made during the conference. The piece by Skoric, Ju, Fu, Sim and Park is a clear illustration of the type of study that can help us understand how to improve job-related information acquisition, job mobility and entrepreneurial opportunities through social network sites and mobile telephones. Using social capital as window to examine the social networking activities of 1,042 adult Singaporean citizens or permanent residents, the authors carefully examine critical issues like job mobility, job information and entrepreneurship. The authors’ findings are as novel as they are salient: while con-