Dual-core Innovation Networks Stability: Antecedents and Moderating Factors

This paper concerns innovation networks with two distinct sub-networks including knowledge and industrial sections, named dual core networks. While industrial network consists of firms involving in manufacturing and commercialization; universities, research institutes and knowledge-based SMEs are incorporated into knowledge network. Each section has its own hub which plays the role of coordinator and/or orchestrator. The stability of dual-core networks is greatly depends on the cooperation between two hubs. This research aims to identify the factors affecting the sustainability of dual-core innovation networks. For this purpose, two case studies regarding wind-turbine and thermal water desalination are analyzed as representatives of different degree of cooperation between knowledge and industrial hubs. Based on thematic analysis, the main factors and antecedents influencing networks stability have been identified and clustered in two dimensions of trust and power gap. It is also discussed that the effective role of brokers could moderate the impact of trust and power gap on the network stability. As a result, five scientific propositions are developed and explained which along with the proposed conceptual framework could be considered as starting points for further research.