The influence of the structure of technological knowledge on inter-firm R&D collaboration and knowledge discovery: An agent-based simulation approach

This paper studies the impact of the structure of technological knowledge on the collaborative knowledge discovery process. We employ a complex adaptive systems perspective and develop an agent-based model in which firms seek to discover new knowledge by combining previously discovered knowledge. Firms may collaborate with other firms to access a more diverse knowledge base. We experimentally vary the structural properties of the technological knowledge landscape and firm characteristics to study the rate of discovery, propensity to collaborate, and emerging structure of the network of firms. Conceptual interpretations of the simulation results underline the significance of inter-firm R&D collaboration, particularly for specialized firms. We also find that varying the research scope of a firm reveals a trade-off between an individual and the collective perspective, pointing at a systemic failure. Finally, our results provide a complementary explanation for the theoretically desirable cognitive distance between economic actors.