New directions in the use of network analysis in research and product development evaluation

In recent years, the use of social network analysis (SNA) has received increased attention in R&D evaluation. While SNA provides insights into communication and knowledge flows, its efficacy in evaluation methodology remains unclear. As Rogers et al (2001) discuss, the applicability of SNA in the evaluation of R&D is marked by several shortcomings, such as the weakness of understanding the content of ties and the inability to identify a generalizable concept of network effectiveness. This paper explores these issues through a discussion of two recent studies of social networks in R&D and concludes with an assessment of the results of these studies using the challenges outlined by Rogers et al.