Unveiling the Texture of a European Research Area: Emergence of Oligarchic Networks under EU Framework Programmes

Stefano Breschi () and Lucia Cusmano

No 130, KITeS Working Papers from KITeS, Centre for Knowledge, Internationalization and Technology Studies, Universita' Bocconi, Milano, Italy

Abstract: The paper provides a contribution to the recent debate about targets and effectivenessof network policies at the EU level, by presenting a detailed analysis of the large R&D network that has emerged over Framework Programmes. Social network analysis and graph theory are employed to describe structural properties and dynamics of the emerging network, which appears to be rather dense and pervasive, branching around a large "oligarchic core", whose centrality and connectivity strengthened over programmes. The paper discusses the degree to which this network structure may respond to EU broad policy objectives of competitiveness and cohesion and its implications for recent programmes aimed at shaping a European Research Area. In particular, attention is placed on the late focus by European institutions on networking centres of excellence. Since future initiatives are to build on the existing fabric of science and technology in Europe, we argue that understanding how networks formed and evolved following previous stimuli is of great relevance for implementing and assessing the impact of the newly defined network approach.

Keywords: R&D network; technology alliances; European Framework Programmes (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O32 O38 O52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 35 pages
Date: 2002-07, Revised 2002-07
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-eec and nep-net
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (47)

Downloads: (external link)
ftp://ftp.unibocconi.it/pub/RePEc/cri/papers/wp130.pdf (application/pdf)
Our link check indicates that this URL is bad, the error code is: 500 Failed to connect to FTP server ftp.unibocconi.it: No such host is known.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:cri:cespri:wp130

Ordering information: This working paper can be ordered from
E G E A - via R. Sarfatti, 25 - 20136 Milano -Italy

Access Statistics for this paper

More papers in KITeS Working Papers from KITeS, Centre for Knowledge, Internationalization and Technology Studies, Universita' Bocconi, Milano, Italy via Sarfatti, 25 - 20136 Milano - Italy.
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Valerio Sterzi ( this e-mail address is bad, please contact ).