Heterogeneity, Brokerage, and Innovative Performance: Endogenous Formation of Collaborative Inventor Networks
研究美国生物技术发明人合作网络，发现过去绩效好的发明人更易形成增强中介性的合作连接，而控制个体异质性后中介位置与绩效的正相关消失，说明绩效历史等个体差异驱动了中介性不对称。
In this study, I examine how past performance influences the relative positions of actors in a network and how the actor-level heterogeneity in quality mediates the often-demonstrated association between brokerage and performance. On the collaboration network of U.S. biotech inventors during 1976–1995, I find that inventors with superior track records are more apt to form collaboration ties that enhance brokerage, thereby occupying positions that allow them to broker across network boundaries. Controlling for past performance significantly weakens the positive relationship between brokering position and innovative performance. Furthermore, when inventor-level heterogeneity is controlled for through inventor fixed effects, the position-performance correlation disappears. These findings suggest that, at least for collaborative inventors, actor-level heterogeneity such as performance history largely drives the asymmetry in brokerage, explaining most of the position–performance association.