Evidence shows that knowledge transfer from research institutions and/or from universities contributes
to local innovation processes in a variety of ways. Several studies have emphasized that the extent of
innovation diffusion is strongly affected by the structure of the network over which the innovation
processes take place. Most of these studies have taken a simplified view of relationships among actors
by focusing on a single type of ties. However, organizations interact via many links within more complex
relations.
This contribution is aimed to identify the complex structure of relationships that are at the base of
knowledge and innovation diffusion among organizations (innovative firms, academic and research
institutions) on a given context. A multiplex approach will be proposed to account for multiple ties among
members and multiple roles of members within the structure of the knowledge network. Two forms of
knowledge and innovation production will be considered: co-authorship and co-inventions.
A case study of the Trieste area (in the North-East part of Italy), characterized by a very high
concentration of research organizations and by the emerging of a lively sector of firms in R&D activities,
is presented. The embedding of actors in a hierarchical structure (individual researchers, research
teams/organizations and company) will be also considered.
The case study is designed to show how this approach could capture the complexity of interaction
among actors as well as the different roles that actors play within the multiple network structure.
