Network dynamics and field evolution : The growth of interorganizational collaboration in the life sciences

A recursive analysis of network & institutional evolution is offered to account for the decentralized structure of the commercial field of the life sciences. Four alternative logics of attachment -- accumulative advantage, homophily, follow-the-trend, & multiconnectivity -- are tested to explain the structure & dynamics of interorganizational collaboration in biotechnology. Using multiple novel methods, the authors demonstrate how different rules for affiliation shape network evolution. Commercialization strategies pursued by early corporate entrants are supplanted by universities, research institutes, venture capital, & small firms. As organizations increase their collaborative activities & diversify their ties to others, cohesive subnetworks form, characterized by multiple, independent pathways. These structural components, in turn, condition the choices & opportunities available to members of a field, thereby reinforcing an attachment logic based on differential connections to diverse partners. 7 Tables, 9 Figures, 2 Appendixes, 95 References. Adapted from the source document.