社會網絡特性與創新績效之關係：網絡規模與網絡結構之影響

Characteristics of Social Networks and Innovation Performance: Influences of Network Size and Structure

本研究之目的在於檢測企業之社會網絡與創新績效之關係，特別著重於分析個別企業其所屬社會網絡之規模與結構的影響。以重視創新之電子產業公司為研究對象，並以連鎖董事劃分社會網絡邊界，蒐集樣本公司2006年至2008年三年期間的網絡連結與專利權資料進行實證分析，實證結果顯示：企業所鑲嵌之社會網絡密度與企業之創新績效呈現先上升後下降之倒U型的非線性關係，亦即，鑲嵌於較為緊密之社會網絡雖有助於企業創新績效的提升，但過度緊密之網絡結構反而對企業創新有不利之影響，故而，適度的網絡密度對於提升企業之創新績效具有最大的效益；至於網絡規模則對創新績效並無顯著之影響，顯示：社會網絡之價值主要取決於企業所鑲嵌之網絡結構，而非網絡規模。

This study examines the relationship between social networks and firms' innovation performance by analyzing the influences of network size and network structure. Using a sample of electronics manufacturing firms in Taiwan for the period 2006-2008, we find that the size of social networks does not have any impact on a firm's innovation performance, whereas the density of social networks has an inverted U-shaped relationship with innovation performance. These findings suggest that the value of social networks is determined by network structure rather than network size. The inverted U-shaped relationship between network density and innovation performance also indicates that a high network density may have a detrimental effect on a firm's innovation, while moderate levels of network density is associated with the highest levels of innovation performance. Overall, the findings indicate that having a moderately dense social network is highly beneficial to the innovation of firms.