Applying social network analysis in economic geography: framing some key analytic issues |
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Authors: | Anne L J Ter Wal Ron A Boschma |
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Affiliation: | (1) Department of Economic Geography, Utrecht University, PO Box 80 115, 3508 TC Utrecht, The Netherlands |
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Abstract: | Social network analysis attracts increasing attention in economic geography. We claim social network analysis is a promising
tool for empirically investigating the structure and evolution of inter-organizational interaction and knowledge flows within
and across regions. However, the potential of the application of network methodology to regional issues is far from exhausted.
The aim of our paper is twofold. The first objective is to shed light on the untapped potential of social network analysis
techniques in economic geography: we set out some theoretical challenges concerning the static and dynamic analysis of networks
in geography. Basically, we claim that network analysis has a huge potential to enrich the literature on clusters, regional
innovation systems and knowledge spillovers. The second objective is to describe how these challenges can be met through the
application of network analysis techniques, using primary (survey) and secondary (patent) data. We argue that the choice between
these two types of data has strong implications for the type of research questions that can be dealt with in economic geography,
such as the feasibility of dynamic network analysis. |
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Keywords: | JEL Classification" target="_blank">JEL Classification D85 O31 R11 |
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