Unraveling the dynamics and identifying the “superstars” of R&D alliances in IUR collaboration: a two-mode network analysis in China

The collaborations between industry, university, and research institutes have become more relevant with the trend of knowledge commercialization, while whether there exists a “superstar” in R&D alliance networks, who played a key role in the diffusion and transfer of technology and knowledge, remains unexplored. Based on R&D activities information of joint patents in China, this study applied two-mode network analysis to understand the R&D alliance network of the industry-university-research institute (IUR) collaboration. Three types of networks, collaboration networks, knowledge networks, and inter-organizational technology networks among IUR are developed, and their evolution process is analyzed at different levels, including overall structure, individual characteristics, and temporal evolution among IUR. The results show that no permanent superstar is being the dominant position. Distinct modes have been emerging in different periods: in the formation period, the mode is U-R, I-U, U, R, I; in the growth period, the mode is I-R, I-U, I-U-R; in the mature period, the mode is I-U-R. In addition, different technology classes were aggregated in different periods. This paper attempts to provide countermeasures and recommendations for enterprises, universities, and research institutions to enable the success of their collaborations.