Working Paper #2007-032
R&D collaboration networks in the European Framework Programmes: Data processing, network construction and selected results
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.
- Keywords
-
- R&D collaboration
- EU Framework Programmes
- complex networks
- small world effect
- knowledge creation
- knowledge diffusion
- European Research Area UNU-MERIT Working Papers ISSN 1871-9872
- JEL codes
-
- L14
- O38
- Z13
Cite this as
APA 7th ed.Roediger-Schluga, T., & Barber, M. J. (2007). R&D collaboration networks in the European Framework Programmes: Data processing, network construction and selected results (UNU-MERIT Working Paper No. 2007-032). UNU-MERIT. https://unu-merit.nl/publications/working-papers/abstract/?id=3006