Governance Structures for Cross-Sector Innovation Networks
Other conference contribution, 2024

Innovating for societal problems calls for collaboration between heterogeneous actors—including firms, knowledge institutes, and governmental organizations. Such cross-sector innovation networks, however, face collective action challenges that require governance. To generate systematic insight into the effectiveness of possible governance structures, we leverage fifteen in-depth case studies of cross-sector innovation networks. We identify three types of innovation networks—knowledge networks, solution experimentation networks, and innovation implementation networks—that differ in search scope and interdependencies. These, we find, face distinct collective action challenges, which are effectively addressed by, respectively, network administrative organizations (NAO), lead organizations, and shared governance. We develop a dynamic understanding of governance that explains that as collective action challenges evolve across innovation trajectories, partially nested networks emerge and governance modes shift. Finally, our paper shows the potential of an innovative, collaborative methodology and open theorizing in qualitative research.

innovation networks

interorganizational collaboration

societal challenges

cross-sector partnerships

comparative case study

network governance

collective action

Collaborative innovation

Author

Eric Haynes

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Hans Berends

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Fleur Deken

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Katharina Cepa

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Marina Bos de Vos

Delft University of Technology

Damla Diriker

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Sharon Dolmans

Eindhoven University of Technology

Lukas Andreas Falcke

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Thomas Friedli

University of St Gallen

Susan Hilbolling

Aarhus University

Jasper Heeren

Jochem Hummel

Warwick Business School

Yvonne Kirkels

Maaike Kleinsmann

Delft University of Technology

Kristina Lauche

Radboud University

Johanna Mair

Luc van de Sande

Tilburg University

Ida Eyi Heathcote-Fumador

Entrepreneurship and Strategy 01

Other publications Research

Armand Smits

Radboud University

Bob Walrave

Eindhoven University of Technology

Amanda Porter

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Robin Teigland

Chalmers, Technology Management and Economics, Entrepreneurship and Strategy

Other publications Research

Daniel Werner

University of St Gallen

Philipp Tuertscher

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Steffi Menten

Tilburg University

Thomas Gegenhuber

40th EGOS Colloquium - European Group for Organizational Studies
Milan, Italy,

Driving Forces

Sustainable development

Innovation and entrepreneurship

Subject Categories (SSIF 2025)

Economics and Business

More information

Latest update

5/9/2025 7

Feedback and support

If you have questions, need help, find a bug or just want to give us feedback you may use this form, or contact us per e-mail research.lib@chalmers.se.

About

Research.chalmers.se contains research information from Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden. It includes information on projects, publications, research funders and collaborations.

More about coverage period and what is publicly available

Privacy and cookies

Accessibility

Citation Style Language
citeproc-js (Frank Bennett)

Links

Chalmers Library
Chalmers Research
Chalmers Student Theses

Chalmers University of Technology

SE-412 96 GOTHENBURG, SWEDEN
PHONE: +46 (0)31-772 10 00
WWW.CHALMERS.SE