Network characteristics and cluster innovative performance

The chapter investigates the impact of some network characteristics – cluster density and bridging ties between clusters – on clusters’ innovative performance and applies a contingency approach. In particular, it explores how contingencies, such as nodes' heterogeneity and geographical distance, moderate the main relation between network characteristics and clusters’ innovation. The analysis is carried out in the context of the U.S. life science clusters. The work tries to contribute to the bonding vs. bridging debate (Tan et al. 2015) by introducing contingency factors and to identify network configurations that maximize the clusters' innovative outcomes.