Knowledge, networking and innovation: Developing the process perspective

The need for innovation is frequently cited as a major reason for the emergence of network forms of organisation. However, little research has addressed the diverse roles played by networks and networking alike in processes of innovation. This paper draws on a historically grounded analysis of the development, diffusion and implementation of Computer Aided Production Management (CAPM) technology to develop an exploratory framework which links networking activities and knowledge flows to episodes in the innovation process. Although schematic, the framework allows a comparison of different episodes of the innovation process in terms of networking, networks and knowledge transmission. By reviewing the whole circuit of innovation from development and diffusion to implementation, the paper is able to explore the interactions between the different types of network and networking implicated in the innovation process.