Research PolicyPub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2025-11-29DOI: 10.1016/j.respol.2025.105384
Lukas Vogelgsang , Markus Baer , Martin Hoegl
{"title":"Network centrality and creativity in the board game industry: Crowdfunding as a contingency","authors":"Lukas Vogelgsang , Markus Baer , Martin Hoegl","doi":"10.1016/j.respol.2025.105384","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.respol.2025.105384","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Positions of intermediate network centrality have been found to be advantageous for creativity. Extending this line of work, we suggest that the potential benefits of positions of varying degrees of network centrality depend on the underlying approach to innovation. Using qualitative data from the board game industry, we first contrast the properties of two innovation approaches, a traditional, firm-internal approach versus a crowdfunding approach. Adopting an opportunity realization logic, we advance the idea that positions of intermediate network centrality enhance creativity when accompanied by a more traditional approach to innovation, but that positions at either the core or the periphery of the network aid creativity when creators employ a crowdfunding approach to innovation. We test our arguments in a sample of 6863 board games that were developed and realized either in the traditional way or using crowdfunding. Our results confirm that the value of network positions hinges upon the underlying innovation approach and highlight the implications of crowdfunding for creativity.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48466,"journal":{"name":"Research Policy","volume":"55 2","pages":"Article 105384"},"PeriodicalIF":8.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145624264","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Research PolicyPub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2025-12-24DOI: 10.1016/j.respol.2025.105407
Nhat Strøm-Andersen , Julia Szulecka , Markus M. Bugge , Ellen-Marie Forsberg
{"title":"Navigating sustainability paradoxes: Unveiling the dynamics of transformative change in the food industry","authors":"Nhat Strøm-Andersen , Julia Szulecka , Markus M. Bugge , Ellen-Marie Forsberg","doi":"10.1016/j.respol.2025.105407","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.respol.2025.105407","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The sustainability transitions literature suggests that individual firms struggle to move toward sustainability unless the broader socio-economic system also evolves. Despite firms' willingness to change, existing systemic challenges often impede their progress. This paper employs paradox theory to address this struggle and examines how firms balance economic and societal concerns in their transition from business thinking to sustainability thinking. Based on a qualitative case study of the food industry's collaboration initiatives on food waste reduction and prevention in Norway, the study identifies the systemic challenges and sustainability paradoxes that the industry faces. We find that the firms' efforts to reduce food waste collide with established food industry agreements, standards, business strategies, regulations, and agricultural policies, impeding a systemic and structural transformation of the industry. The paper discusses how the food industry may navigate these challenges collectively and draws implications for the sustainability transitions literature. Primarily, the conclusions signal a need for governance and incentive structures at the system level beyond the action space of individual firms, and secondarily, illustrate how such governance approaches to sustainability transitions are sector-specific and geographically embedded.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48466,"journal":{"name":"Research Policy","volume":"55 2","pages":"Article 105407"},"PeriodicalIF":8.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145840250","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Research PolicyPub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2025-11-27DOI: 10.1016/j.respol.2025.105383
Aurora A.C. Teixeira , Alexandre Pinto
{"title":"Scientific and industrial specialisation, structural change and economic growth: Global evidence","authors":"Aurora A.C. Teixeira , Alexandre Pinto","doi":"10.1016/j.respol.2025.105383","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.respol.2025.105383","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Understanding how structural change drives long-run growth requires jointly considering the dynamics of productive and scientific specialisations, and science–industry alignment. This paper develops and tests a unified framework that integrates evolutionary, structuralist, complexity, and innovation-systems perspectives to assess how productive and scientific specialisations, science-industry alignment, diversification, and global value chain integration shape economic performance. To operationalize this framework, we construct new indicators, including a Science–Industry Matching (SIM) index, measures of dynamic entry and relatedness density, and specialisation-based diversity indices, and apply them to a panel of up to 142 countries over 2000–2018/2023. Estimation relies on country fixed effects with Driscoll–Kraay standard errors to address heteroskedasticity, autocorrelation, and cross-sectional dependence. The results reveal that persistent specialisation in high- and medium-high-tech industries fosters growth, while low-tech dependence constrains it. Scientific specialisation in enabling fields such as mathematics, physics, chemistry, and energy/environmental sciences supports growth, but excessive concentration risks lock-in. Science–industry alignment enhances growth in advanced economies with strong absorptive capacity but penalises weaker systems. Industrial diversification often dilutes resources, whereas scientific diversification consistently promotes growth by broadening the knowledge base for recombination. Finally, integration into global value chains is growth-enhancing in developing economies, while advanced economies can sustain higher domestic value added without significant penalties.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48466,"journal":{"name":"Research Policy","volume":"55 2","pages":"Article 105383"},"PeriodicalIF":8.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145624196","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Research PolicyPub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2025-11-24DOI: 10.1016/j.respol.2025.105375
Marco S. Giarratana, Martina Pasquini, Markus Simeth
{"title":"Nourishing sustainability innovation: Scientific trajectories in industrial protein research","authors":"Marco S. Giarratana, Martina Pasquini, Markus Simeth","doi":"10.1016/j.respol.2025.105375","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.respol.2025.105375","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This paper investigates how distinct scientific trajectories inform sustainability-oriented innovation in the protein production sector. Focusing on USPTO patents in subclass A23J (1990–2015), we apply a two-step text analysis that links topic modeling of academic publications to the classification of patent texts. This method identifies four trajectories and evaluates their influence on follow-on innovation, with particular attention to citations from sustainability-related patents. The results reveal substantial heterogeneity: some trajectories, such as those centered on cellular and bioprocessing mechanisms, consistently generate sustainability spillovers, while others, such as protein chemistry, exhibit limited diffusion. These findings contribute to a view of science as a cognitive map that structures industrial research by making more explicit the underlying causal mechanisms that govern each trajectory, thereby shaping which domains are more likely to yield impactful and sustainability-aligned innovations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48466,"journal":{"name":"Research Policy","volume":"55 2","pages":"Article 105375"},"PeriodicalIF":8.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145624831","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Research PolicyPub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2025-12-29DOI: 10.1016/j.respol.2025.105400
Renée B. Adams , Jing Xu
{"title":"Sex, science, and society","authors":"Renée B. Adams , Jing Xu","doi":"10.1016/j.respol.2025.105400","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.respol.2025.105400","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>We show that culture affects individuals’ participation in science. Using Scopus data on 3.7 million scientists worldwide, we document that women’s representation in science varies across fields and across countries, even within a field. Women’s representation in both STEM and Non-STEM fields is higher in more gender-equal countries and countries with greater academic freedom. Women’s representation is higher in fields with more inclusive cultures. We provide evidence for two channels through which culture affects representation: migration and productivity. For example, female scientists’ location choices appear to be more sensitive to country culture than those of male scientists. Our results highlight that individuals’ careers in science depend on social factors. Thus, a country’s capacity to engage in scientific research — critical for innovation and economic growth — also hinges on social factors.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48466,"journal":{"name":"Research Policy","volume":"55 2","pages":"Article 105400"},"PeriodicalIF":8.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145883538","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Research PolicyPub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2025-11-26DOI: 10.1016/j.respol.2025.105381
Marina Chugunova , Dietmar Harhoff , Katharina Hölzle , Verena Kaschub , Sonal Malagimani , Ulrike Morgalla , Robert Rose
{"title":"Who uses AI in research, and for what? Large-scale survey evidence from Germany","authors":"Marina Chugunova , Dietmar Harhoff , Katharina Hölzle , Verena Kaschub , Sonal Malagimani , Ulrike Morgalla , Robert Rose","doi":"10.1016/j.respol.2025.105381","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.respol.2025.105381","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The integration of AI into scientific work holds significant potential to accelerate innovation. We surveyed researchers in two leading German research organizations to examine AI adoption, barriers, and perceived impact on research. Researchers are widely using AI tools – often for primary and creative tasks – and many expect the technology to be transformative for research. Effective use appears linked to both hands-on experience and engagement with learning resources. A persistent gender gap in AI use is closely associated with differences in familiarity, suggesting a potential focus for organizational efforts. Legal uncertainty and privacy concerns also emerge as major barriers, with researchers calling for clear, high-level regulatory guidance. Overall, our findings suggest directions where institutional actions might be explored to promote more equitable and effective AI adoption.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48466,"journal":{"name":"Research Policy","volume":"55 2","pages":"Article 105381"},"PeriodicalIF":8.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145624193","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Research PolicyPub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2025-12-08DOI: 10.1016/j.respol.2025.105391
Bernard Nijstad , Goran Calic , Pedro de Faria , Christoph Grimpe , Olli-Pekka Kauppila
{"title":"Connecting creativity and innovation research: Building bridges to cross divides","authors":"Bernard Nijstad , Goran Calic , Pedro de Faria , Christoph Grimpe , Olli-Pekka Kauppila","doi":"10.1016/j.respol.2025.105391","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.respol.2025.105391","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Creativity and innovation, while closely related, are concepts often studied within separate academic traditions. Creativity, rooted in psychology, focuses on micro-level processes, whereas innovation, grounded in economics, management science, and organization theory emphasizes macro-level dynamics. This separation has resulted in limited cross-disciplinary dialogue and a fragmented understanding of their interdependencies. In this paper, we advocate for building metaphorical bridges between creativity and innovation research to foster a more integrated understanding of the production of “the novel and useful” knowledge in organizations. We begin by providing a historical overview of both fields, highlighting their origins, key insights, and methodological approaches. Using a framework that maps four research domains in a two (creativity-innovation) by two (micro-macro) table, we identify existing connections and propose pathways for a more integrated theoretical perspective. We underscore the importance of sustaining these bridges, arguing that such integration is crucial for the continued evolution of both fields. By promoting the integration of separate research streams, we aim to enhance conceptual clarity and address complex challenges that require a holistic approach. This paper introduces the special issue “Connecting Creativity and Innovation Research”, outlining future research directions and showcasing contributions that exemplify and advance this integrative effort.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48466,"journal":{"name":"Research Policy","volume":"55 2","pages":"Article 105391"},"PeriodicalIF":8.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145747401","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Research PolicyPub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2025-12-15DOI: 10.1016/j.respol.2025.105392
Lingling Qin , Sunny Li Sun
{"title":"Knowledge dependence in global value chains","authors":"Lingling Qin , Sunny Li Sun","doi":"10.1016/j.respol.2025.105392","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.respol.2025.105392","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>How can suppliers leverage global value chains (GVCs) to enhance innovation impact and capture value? We conceptualize GVCs as distributed innovation systems (DIS) that facilitate the dispersion and flow of knowledge among diverse actors within the chain. This dynamic fosters knowledge dependence among GVC actors, reshaping the innovation process and influencing both innovation outcomes and value capture. By examining suppliers' knowledge dependence on a lead firm such as Apple, and on other suppliers, we identify a positive relationship between knowledge dependence and suppliers' innovation impact. Additionally, we introduce the moderating role of the ease of knowledge combination, demonstrating how it interacts with knowledge dependence to influence innovation outcomes. Our findings reveal that focal suppliers achieve greater innovation impact when they develop knowledge dependence on a lead firm or other GVC suppliers. We uncover an inverted U-shaped relationship between knowledge dependence on a lead firm and focal suppliers' value capture, indicating that optimal outcomes occur when suppliers maintain a balanced level of dependence. However, we find no evidence of a positive relationship between focal suppliers' value capture and their knowledge dependence on other suppliers. These findings advance understanding of knowledge dependence, distributed innovation, and value appropriation within GVCs.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48466,"journal":{"name":"Research Policy","volume":"55 2","pages":"Article 105392"},"PeriodicalIF":8.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145796614","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Robots and the regionalization of global value chains","authors":"Roberto Antonietti , Chiara Burlina , Chiara Franco","doi":"10.1016/j.respol.2025.105373","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.respol.2025.105373","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":48466,"journal":{"name":"Research Policy","volume":"55 2","pages":"Article 105373"},"PeriodicalIF":8.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145747398","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Research PolicyPub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2025-12-13DOI: 10.1016/j.respol.2025.105377
Yang Su , Chris Brooks , Brian Lucey , Andrew Urquhart
{"title":"Journal ratings changes: Implications for author diversity and research characteristics","authors":"Yang Su , Chris Brooks , Brian Lucey , Andrew Urquhart","doi":"10.1016/j.respol.2025.105377","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.respol.2025.105377","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Concerns have been raised in the business and management literature regarding the role of journal rating lists. Rather than simply reflecting journal performance, these lists may influence the nature of scholarly work produced and published. This study investigates the impact of upgrades and downgrades and inclusions and removals, respectively, to two widely used journal rating sources – the Academic Journal Guide and the Financial Times List – on author and paper characteristics. We analyse a large sample of articles, spanning all sub-fields in business and management, published over a 12-year period. Our analysis indicates that female authors publish significantly more in journals that experience downgrades or removal from these lists compared to journals that maintain or improve their ratings. We also observe that authors affiliated with African universities are less represented in journals that have newly entered or been upgraded on these lists. However, our findings do not show a significant effect of journal list recompositions on the most commonly employed research methods. We observe that list entry and rating upgrades are associated with significantly improved article readability. Overall, our results contribute to the ongoing discussion regarding the effects of journal lists on publication outcomes, particularly for groups that are already underrepresented in academic publishing.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48466,"journal":{"name":"Research Policy","volume":"55 2","pages":"Article 105377"},"PeriodicalIF":8.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145747399","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}