Introduction and Research Focus

Abstract

We are living in a world of innovation. Under the pressure of technological advancement and global industries, economies and societies are changing rapidly (Gebhart, 2002). To stay in business, companies have to race to compete in respect to new products, features, better quality, more attractive styling, and communication (Henry, 2001; Janszen, 2000). This means firms need a sustainable flow of ideas to stay in the market (Boeddrich, 2004). The complex and fast-changing environment has generated new organizational forms based on more fluid and emergent organizational structures, such as networks (Hilthred & Kimble, 2004).