Uncovering network changes in the evolution of an innovation niche

IF 2.4 2区社会学 Q1 ANTHROPOLOGY

Social Networks Pub Date : 2025-09-08 DOI:10.1016/j.socnet.2025.08.005

Edgardo Sica , Pasquale Marcello Falcone , Antonio Lopolito

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

The present paper aims at unravelling the networking dynamics regarding the evolution of an innovation-niche, by looking at its network configuration over time. To this end, we investigate the actors’ role within the network as well as the network architecture. We employ the social network analysis (SNA) to four different but interrelated types of networks characterising the Italian biofuel industry. Each network was investigated in both its development and maturity phase. Our findings show that, over the niche evolution, actors established new relations, increasing networks’ density and making the networks more centralized. Furthermore, while two out of four networks confirmed their small world configuration over time, one (i.e. “communication” network) increased its small-world-ness, providing a larger number of information channels and more social reinforcement chances for niche actors to innovate. Overall, results suggest that policy makers should accompany and ease the innovation-niche evolution path by fostering the participation of the laggard behind and actors' clusterization, moderating any possible lock-in risk.

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揭示创新利基演变中的网络变化

本文旨在通过观察其网络配置随时间的变化，揭示关于创新利基演变的网络动态。为此，我们研究了参与者在网络中的角色以及网络架构。我们采用社会网络分析（SNA）对四种不同但相互关联的网络类型表征意大利生物燃料行业。每个网络都在其发展和成熟阶段进行了研究。研究发现，在生态位演化过程中，行动者建立了新的关系，增加了网络的密度，使网络更加集中。此外，随着时间的推移，四个网络中有两个确认了它们的小世界结构，一个（即“通信”网络）增加了它的小世界性，为利基参与者提供了更多的信息渠道和更多的社会强化机会。总体而言，研究结果表明，政策制定者应通过促进落后者的参与和参与者的聚集来陪伴和缓解创新-生态位演进路径，减缓可能出现的锁定风险。

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来源期刊

Social Networks Multiple-

CiteScore

5.90

自引率

12.90%

发文量

118

期刊介绍： Social Networks is an interdisciplinary and international quarterly. It provides a common forum for representatives of anthropology, sociology, history, social psychology, political science, human geography, biology, economics, communications science and other disciplines who share an interest in the study of the empirical structure of social relations and associations that may be expressed in network form. It publishes both theoretical and substantive papers. Critical reviews of major theoretical or methodological approaches using the notion of networks in the analysis of social behaviour are also included, as are reviews of recent books dealing with social networks and social structure.