Collaborative network of SMEs innovation projects: influence of scientific and technological institutions

Abstract

Public funding for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) innovation projects in collaboration with Scientific and Technological Institutions is still incipient in less developed Global South regions. Within the context mentioned above, our objective is to show a network analysis of Industry-University-Research Institute (IUR) interactions promoted by a government program, identifying its structure and dynamics and the influences played by these organisational actors. The results point out that the program presents effectiveness in establishing the IUR interaction network. Moreover, the network presents a scale-free structure, strong clustering and short distances between the actors. Universities lead as the most central actors, followed by research institutes. Despite the growth of the network with the significant entry of new SMEs, there is no evidence that this evolution contributes to improving its network metrics. The conclusions suggest that the network structure and dynamics may imply greater redundancy in the innovation process while allowing greater speed in the flow of knowledge and wider dissemination of knowledge among actors. The hubs (four central universities) in the network suggests an influence as generators and disseminators of knowledge and facilitators of interaction, but they can also limit the dynamics of the search for innovation in the network.