Inter-organizational relationships, both formal and/or informal, are established to access resources
and knowledge, influencing firms' innovative capacity. Inter-organizational networks, intended as
groups of actors sharing one or more kind of ties, are more and more connected to innovation, with
possible implications at the firm and the network level. Inter-organizational networks can be identified
with reference both to geographic and or institutional spaces (e.g. geographical clusters,
technological park and professional communities), and even transcend them (e.g. project networks,
platform and ecosystems). Key issues of this track are knowledge exchange, cooperation, trust,
network structures and their impact on innovation. Institutions –i.e. shared values, culture and rules,
are also appreciated due to their relationship with interorganizational relations and networks
boundaries and dynamics, including in turbulent environments. The topics of interest include:
Multiple perspectives: With the majority of studies adopting a static perspective on the relationship
between network and innovation, we are particularly, even if not exclusively, welcoming papers
adopting a dynamic perspective. There are many opportunities to incorporate existing research on
networks evolution, to better appreciate how it impacts on innovation.Networks can be changed with
recent events associated to COVID-19 , and papers with this theme are welcome.
Different methodologies: Conceptual as well as qualitative and quantitative empirical contributions
are welcome. We invite research from several disciplines such as innovation studies, networks
studies, strategy, geography, international business, and entrepreneurship, among others. We are
interested in network churns, both in structure and content, and their implications on
entrepreneurship and innovation.
Different inter-organizational relationships and networks: Recent decades have registered an
increasing adoption of particularly challenging interorganizational relationships, such as the crosssector
partnerships and incumbents-start-up partnerships, and of interorganizational networks that
firms and other organizations use to foster their innovation capabilities, such as ecosystems,
platforms and technological parks. We particularly welcome papers addressing more recent and less
investigated network architectural forms and relationships.
From creation to dissolution of ties: With a large part of the research focused on the creation of
ties and on the use of ties to foster innovation, we are particularly soliciting research investigating
different condition of ties, such as dormant ties, transformation of ties and dissolution of ties and
their impact on organizations' innovative capability.
The role of institutions: considering the strong influence of institutions on economic development,
we ask for contributions dealing with the effect of institutions, local or national, on the regional Innovation systems