Innovation performance and licensing: The effect of the compositional quality of direct and indirect network ties
研究了半导体行业中企业直接和间接网络关系的构成质量如何影响其许可背景下的创新绩效，发现高质量的直接和间接关系对创新有互补而非替代的促进作用。
Our research examines the effect of the compositional quality of firms’ direct and indirect network ties on their innovation performance in a licensing context. It addresses the theoretical and empirical puzzle of why firms that exhibit quite similar patterns in their direct and indirect ties with other firms may nonetheless exhibit heterogeneous innovation performance outcomes. Using licensing and patenting data of firms operating in the semiconductor industry, we find that the compositional quality of both direct and indirect ties, based on their relevant technological characteristics positively affect the innovation performance of firms (licensees). Moreover, combining the compositional quality of direct and indirect ties has a complementary, rather than a substitution effect on firms’ innovation performance.