Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0
Author-Name: Roediger-Schluga, Thomas
Author-Email: rot@oekb.at
Author-Workplace-Name: Oesterreichische Kontrollbank
Author-Name: Barber, Michael J.
Author-Email: michael.barber@arcs.ac.at
Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Technology Policy, Austrian Research Centers
Title: R&D collaboration networks in the European FrameworkProgrammes: Data processing, 
	 network construction and selected results
Abstract: We describe the construction of a large and novel data set on R&D 
	 collaboration networks in the first five EU Framework Programmes (FPs), 
	 examine key features and provide economic interpretations for our 
	 findings. The data set is based on publicly available raw data that 
	 pre-sents numerous challenges. We critically examine the different 
	 problems and detail how we have dealt with them. We describe how we 
	 construct networks from the processed data. The resulting networks 
	 display properties typical for large complex networks, including 
	 scale-free degree distributions and the small-world property. The former 
	 indicates the presence of net-work hubs, which we identify. Theoretical 
	 work shows the latter to be beneficial for knowl-edge creation and 
	 diffusion. Structural features are remarkably similar across FPs, 
	 indicating similar network formation mechanisms despite changes in 
	 governance rules. Several findings point towards the existence of a 
	 stable core of interlinked actors since the early FPs with inte-gration 
	 increasing over time. This core consists mainly of universities and 
	 research organisa-tions. The paper concludes with an agenda for future 
	 research.     
Classification-JEL: L14, O38, Z13
Keywords: R&D collaboration, EU Framework Programmes, complex networks, 
	 small world effect, knowledge creation, knowledge diffusion, European 
	 Research Area
Series: UNU-MERIT Working Papers
Creation-Date: 2007
Number: 032
File-URL: http://www.merit.unu.edu/publications/wppdf/2007/wp2007-032.pdf
File-Format: application/pdf
File-Size: 275 Kb
Handle: RePEc:unm:unumer:2007032