Importance of Managerial Networking for Innovation in Governance Networks

Abstract

Although innovation has attracted increasing attention among scholars and governing bodies seeking to address growing levels of complexity and ongoing crises, little attention has been given to the role of managerial networking in facilitating innovation in networked arrangements. This article examines how and why various types of managerial networking might generate different types of innovation. It presents a two-dimensional networking design model that was verified empirically by comparing four different governance networks that coordinate the development and implementation of digital innovations. The findings demonstrate the significance of managerial networking, especially in facilitating the most advanced innovations, such as radical and architectural innovations.