Meta synthesis of factors influencing strengthening the relationships among the members of S&T collaborative networks from the perspective of social capital theory

A major indicator of networks’ success is developing stable relationships and collaboration among the members. In fact, collaboration is the key to successful performance of members and the entire network. However, collaboration among the members of a network is a complex phenomenon requiring a comprehensive approach. A theory that can explain the relationships among the members of a network is Social Capital Theory. This research aims to develop a framework to analyze the relationships among the members of the formal collaborative networks of science and technology through the lens of Social Capital Theory. Using systematic review, 44 valid documents retrieved from WOS database, were selected, reviewed and codified using meta-synthesis approach. In the synthesis process, three main dimensions of relational, cognitive and structural and 24 sub-dimensions were revealed.