管理工程学报2018，Vol.32Issue(2)：59-66,8.DOI:10.13587/j.cnki.jieem.2018.02.008
中间人及其联系人特征对结构洞填充的影响研究
The influence of brokers' and alters' attributes on the closing of structural holes
摘要
Abstract
Structure holes have received a lot of attention recently,and most of these studies are carried out in the light of static networks,concentrating on discussing the effect of non-redundant knowledge on innovation combinations.However,there are few empirical investigations about the formation and evolution of structure holes.In this vein,some recent works have tried to explore different dimensions.For example,Burt has studied how the bridges of structure holes decay.However,the extant research has not revealed the factors impacting the closing of structure holes.Thus,filling this gap will make significant contributions to the literature.First,it is conducive to fully understand the evolution mechanism of structure holes,and the relationship between the variation of network distribution of knowledge and network dynamism.Second,the value of network closure will last for a while,but the advantage of structure holes is temporary.The research on closing structure holes will confirm whether the dynamism can bring actors a longer interest.Finally,research on closing structure hole can reveal how brokers manipulate information,and migrate among different network structure to acquire higher innovation performance.Past structure hole researches basically emphasize a simple triad structure,i.e.a broker and its two otherwise disconnected nodes.This study expands the triad structure to a more complex structure including a broker and two disconnected groups.Based on the patent data from 46 Chinese new and high technology enterprises,the relogit model analysis reveals brokers' and alters' characteristics of network embedding and the influence of brokers' past performance on the closing of structural holes.We find that brokers who occupy structural fold have a positive effect on closure of structural holes.There is an inverted U-shape relationship between the number of peers who have similar or same knowledge with broker and the probability of closing structural holes.The size difference between alters also significantly increases the probability of closure of structural holes.However,we find that probability of closing structural holes decreases when the performance in past increases.This study contributes to the network studies on several aspects.First,we put forward systematically the theoretic framework of structure hole evolution based on both broker and its contact,and analyze the process of dynamic evolution of structure holes,and make better understanding of the role played by brokerage structure.Second,though some scholars have claimed that closing structure holes will bring higher innovation performance in Chinese corporate culture,we are among the first to examine this process and find that the closing of structure holes are influenced by a series of the characteristic of related nodes (brokers and its direct contacts) even under the background that is in favor of closing structure holes.Third,this paper highlights the importance and necessity of examining network evolutions with both network structure and network content.关键词
结构洞/动态/中间人/联系人/创新Key words
Structural hole/Network dynamics/Broker/Alters/Innovation分类
管理科学引用本文复制引用
孙笑明,崔文田,王巍,刘斌,裴云龙..中间人及其联系人特征对结构洞填充的影响研究[J].管理工程学报,2018,32(2):59-66,8.基金项目
国家青年科学基金资助项目(71402132) （71402132）
第55批博士后基金一等资助项目(2014M550506) （2014M550506）
国家自然科学基金资助项目(71472146) （71472146）
国家自然科学基金资助项目(71402135). （71402135）
