Informal Network Research

The network approach is not new. It dates back to the 1930s in organizational studies but also owes much to its founding disciplines and conceptual origins, namely sociology, anthropology and role theory. The network concept has captured a special position in the scientific literature of business, organization, entrepreneurship and management. The purpose of this paper is to present a systematic review of research linking the networking of firms with their innovation and specify the different dimensions of previous research on the subject and identify the gaps. This is one of the important factors that lead to improvement of business performance (Li W. C., Mediating Effect of Information between Entrepreneurial Networks and Performance: Evidence

There is no distinct body of literature on informal networks. (Isett et al., 2011, p. i165). There is a growing body of research on inter-organizational networks that has extended the study of interpersonal networks to an organizational level. The use of inter-organizational networks as a strategy for public sector management and the study of these networks by a diversity of scholars have grown rapidly in the past fifteen to twenty years. Future research and evaluation must bridge these perspectives if it is to capture the complexity inherent in cross-sect oral

But, there is not a clear and widely accepted definition of this concept mainly because this term has a metaphorical origin and also different disciplines have used it frequently in their research approaches (Borgatti et al., 2009). This is one of the important factors that lead to improvement of business performance (Li, Cui & Li, 2008). Networks provide access to resources like capital (Aldrich H E, Martinez M A, (2000)) , power and influence (al, 2008). Organizations need different relations to gain access to knowledge and information about innovations, investors and markets (Aldrich H E, Martinez M A, (2000)). The term network is not always used to describe the inter-organizational relations. Many who study business, community, and other organizational networks use terms partnerships, strategic alliances, inter-organizational relationships, coalitions, cooperative arrangements, or collaborative agreements (Provan K, Fish A., 2007) (Borgatti S P, Mehra A, Brass D and Labianca G., 2009). In inter-organizational research, “networks” can refer to as different phenomena such as whole networks, interlocks and strictly dyadic relations (Borgatti S P, Mehra A, Brass D and Labianca G., 2009). Literature defines networks as “a set of nodes (e.g. persons, organizations) linked by a set of social relationships (e.g. Friendships,