Do systemic innovation intermediaries broaden horizons? A proximity perspective on R&D partnership formation

Abstract

As systemic innovation intermediaries (SII) orchestrate interactions between innovative actors, they might alleviate the constraints of proximity effects on R&D partnership formation. We test this for existing and new R&D projects established under the Dutch Topconsortia for Knowledge and Innovation. Regression results show that partnerships between firms belonging to the same SII are less sensitive to cognitive proximity, suggesting that the intermediaries facilitate uncommon distant collaboration. At the same time, we find that SII may strengthen social proximity among partners. The influence of organisational proximity seems independent of SII, while geographic proximity loses relevance after the introduction of the intermediaries. SII thus seem to create bridges between distant firms that otherwise may not have collaborated together, while also enhancing the risk of excessive in-group thinking. We conclude with research and policy implications.Abbreviation: Research and development (R&D)

Knowledge recombination for emerging technological innovations: The case of green shipping

“…However, research results indicate that other non-spatial forms of proximity may facilitate collaboration between cognitively distant partners (Werker et al, 2019). Janssen et al (2019) find that shared organizational membership facilitates collaboration between firms with large cognitive distances. Hence, alongside geographical proximity, we expect institutional and organizational types of proximity will affect the formation of the emerging technological field.…”

The Roles of Knowledge Intermediaries in Sustainability Transitions and Digitalization: Academia-Driven Fostering of Socio-Technical Transitions?

“…Following the definition of Kivimaa et al (2019aKivimaa et al ( , p. 1072) transition intermediaries are "actors and platforms that positively influence sustainability transition processes by linking actors and activities, and their related skills and resources, or by connecting transition visions and demands of networks of actors with existing regimes in order to create momentum for socio-technical system change". In the context of transitions, key functions of intermediaries have been discussed, such as strategy development (Cramer 2020;Hamann and April 2013;Hodson and Marvin 2012), vision building (Kivimaa 2014;van Lente et al 2003;van Boxstael et al 2020), knowledge brokering (Barnes 2018;Janssen et al 2020;Kanda et al 2019;van Lente et al 2020) and networking (Fischer and Newig 2016;Gliedt et al 2018;Kanda et al 2020;Loorbach et al 2020), exchanging knowledge (Frantzeskaki et al 2019;Kemp et al 1998), fostering knowledge dissemination (Fischer and Newig 2016;Hyysalo et al 2018;Sovacool et al 2020;Hyysalo et al 2013), and building institutions (Bush et al 2017;Horne and Dalton 2014;Kivimaa et al 2019b). Table 1 sums up the differences between knowledge and transition intermediaries (based on dimensions for intermediary differentiation suggested by Mignon and Kanda 2018).…”

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“…Social proximity is approximated by two measures that cover the degree to which companies have established common relationships [71]. One is whether the two subjects have cooperated before [42].…”