Innovation and heterogeneous knowledge in managerial contact networks

Simon Rodan · 2002 · Journal of Knowledge Management

Summary. Managers innovate more effectively when they interact with colleagues who possess diverse knowledge, but only when their local networks are sparse. The study of 106 high-tech managers shows that knowledge diversity alone doesn't guarantee innovation—managers need both exposure to heterogeneous knowledge and enough local autonomy to synthesize new ideas. Sparse networks provide the independence required to develop and implement innovations.

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Rodan, S.. (2002). Innovation and heterogeneous knowledge in managerial contact networks. Journal of Knowledge Management. https://doi.org/10.1108/13673270210424675

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  title   = {Innovation and heterogeneous knowledge in managerial contact networks},
  author  = {Simon Rodan},
  journal = {Journal of Knowledge Management},
  year    = {2002},
  doi     = {10.1108/13673270210424675},
  url     = {https://doi.org/10.1108/13673270210424675}
}

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Details

DOI: 10.1108/13673270210424675
Countries: United States
Regions: North America
Categories: innovation-theory, innovation-networks, general-innovation
Added: 2026-04-28