Does Diversity Create Innovation?

• In Event: 338 - Section on Communication and Information Technologies Roundtables (one-hour)
  In Paper Session: Table 09.

Abstract

Many research organizations are shifting to networked structures to foster the creation of innovation. However, the study of the network form of research organization is rare and the collaborative process in such networks is yet to be revealed. This study analyzes the relationship among networked structure, disciplinary diversity, and innovation. Using the social network, co-authorship data, and interview data collected from the GRAND NCE, a Canadian research network, this paper examines how researchers’ membership in multiple projects, the disciplinary diversities in the projects, and their motivations to be involved in such collaborations affect their cross-boundary interactions with other GRAND members and thus influence the production of innovative outcomes. Existing studies often use the number of publications as a measure to evaluate research collaborations. I use multidisciplinary co-authorship as an indicator of the innovation of the outcomes in order to assess collaborations. The findings show that network structure and motivations to participate in such collaborations influence disciplinary diversity in interactional networks, which in turn influence the innovative outcomes. Meanwhile, disciplinary diversity at the project level is unrelated to outcomes. Furthermore, the qualitative data show that collaborators would work together to identify common research topics, exchange advice, and help solve problems. Such activities are considered to be the activities that lead to cross-disciplinary outcomes.

Author

• Guang Ying Mo, University of Toronto