Dynamics of Brokerage Positions in Clusters: Evidence from the Spanish Foodstuffs Industry
<p>Proposed model.</p> "> Figure 2
<p>Graphic representations of the 2005 and 2010 knowledge networks.</p> "> Figure 3
<p>Moderating effect of Status on the relationship between ABE and Innovation in the Coordinator role.</p> "> Figure 4
<p>Moderating effect of Extra-Cluster Linkages on the relationship between ABE and Innovation in the Coordinator role.</p> ">
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Theoretical Development
2.1. Networks, Structural Holes and Brokerage Positions
- Coordinator: all firms belong to the same group.
- Itinerant: “a” and “c” belong to the same group, while “b” belongs to a different one.
- Gatekeeper: “a” and “b” belong to the same group, while “c” belongs to a different one.
- Representative: “b” and “c” belong to the same group, while “a” belongs to a different one.
- Liaison: all firms belong to different groups.
2.2. The Dynamics of Brokerage Positions
2.2.1. H1: Former Bridging Position Favors Firm’s Subsequent Brokerage Activities
2.2.2. H2: Social Status Negatively Moderates the Effect of Former Bridging Positions on a Firm’s Subsequent Brokerage Activities
2.2.3. H3: Extra-Cluster Connections Negatively Moderate the Effect of Former Bridging Positions on a Firm’s Subsequent Brokerage Activities
3. The Study Setting
3.1. The Foodstuffs Cluster in Xixona
3.2. Data Collection and Sample Issues
3.3. Variables
3.3.1. Dependent Variable
3.3.2. Independent Variables
3.4. Econometrics
- ○
- Model 1: Brokerage_Dynamics = β1ABE + β2STAT + β3Ext_Clust + β4AGE + β5Ent_Systems
- ○
- Model 2: Brokerage_Dynamics = β1ABE + β2STAT + β3Ext_Clust + β4ABE × STAT + β5AGE + β6Ent_Systems
- ○
- Model 3: Brokerage_Dynamics = β1ABE + β2STAT + β3Ext_Clust + β4ABE × Ext_Clust Linkages + β5AGE + β6Ent_Systems
4. Empirical Analysis and Results
Regression Models
5. Discussion and Conclusions
Acknowledgments
Author Contributions
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Characteristics | Numbers of Firms (%) |
---|---|
Employees | |
≤10 | 10 (27.8) |
10 < X ≤ 25 | 7 (19.4) |
25 < X ≤ 50 | 10 (27.8) |
50 < X ≤ 100 | 6 (16.7) |
100< | 3 (8.3) |
Sales (thousands of Euros) | |
≤1000 | 10 (27.9) |
1000 < X ≤ 3000 | 12 (33.3) |
3000 < X ≤ 6000 | 7 (19.4) |
6000< | 7 (19.4) |
Year of creation | |
Up to the 1970’s | 15 (41.7) |
1980’s | 4 (11.1) |
1990’s | 10 (27.8) |
2000’s | 7 (19.4) |
Business activities | |
Manufacturers | 24 (66.7) |
Suppliers | 12 (33.3) |
City | |
Xixona | 36 (100) |
Knowledge Network 2005 | Knowledge Network 2010 | |
---|---|---|
Density | 0.483 | 0.494 |
Reciprocity | 0.503 | 0.527 |
Transitivity | 0.669 | 0.668 |
Centralixation (degree) | 0.305 | 0.339 |
Coordinator | Itinerant | Gatekeeper | Representative | Liaison | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Z | −1.949 ** | −0.440 | −1.194 | −0.299 | −0.503 |
Variables | Mean | S.D. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
(1) Brokerage Experience (ABE) | −1.54 | 1.83 | 1 | ||||
(2) Status (STAT) | 2.23 | 2.52 | −0.588 ** | 1 | |||
(3) Extra-Cluster Linkages (Ext_Clust) | 0.11 | 0.31 | −0.111 | 0.237 | 1 | ||
(4) Age (AGE) | 0.54 | 2.34 | 0.090 | 0.063 | −0.088 | 1 | |
(5) Enterprise Systems (Ent_Systems) | 0.43 | 0.40 | 0.048 | 0.016 | 0.064 | 0.019 | 1 |
Dependent Variable: Brokerage_Dynamics | |||
---|---|---|---|
M1 | M2 | M3 | |
ABE | 0.174 * (0.093) | 0.266 *** (0.097) | 0.204 ** (0.088) |
STAT | 0.128 * (0.072) | −0.533 (0.309) | 0.096 (0.069) |
Ext_Clust | 0.530 (0.457) | 0.645 (0.434) | −0.699 (0.663) |
ABE x STAT | −0.193 ** (0.088) | ||
ABE x Ext_Clust | −0.638 ** (−0.264) | ||
Control (AGE) | −0.002 (0.031) | 0.065 (0.043) | 0.015 (0.030) |
Control (Ent_Systems) | 0.321 ** (0.147) | 0.321 ** (0.139) | 0.235 (0.141) |
Model F | 2.463 ** | 3.110 ** | 3.345 ** |
R2 | 0.284 | 0.383 | 0.401 |
Adjusted R2 | 0.169 | 0.260 | 0.281 |
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Belso-Martínez, J.A.; Expósito-Langa, M.; Mas-Verdú, F.; Molina-Morales, F.X. Dynamics of Brokerage Positions in Clusters: Evidence from the Spanish Foodstuffs Industry. Sustainability 2017, 9, 290. https://doi.org/10.3390/su9020290
Belso-Martínez JA, Expósito-Langa M, Mas-Verdú F, Molina-Morales FX. Dynamics of Brokerage Positions in Clusters: Evidence from the Spanish Foodstuffs Industry. Sustainability. 2017; 9(2):290. https://doi.org/10.3390/su9020290
Chicago/Turabian StyleBelso-Martínez, José Antonio, Manuel Expósito-Langa, Francisco Mas-Verdú, and F. Xavier Molina-Morales. 2017. "Dynamics of Brokerage Positions in Clusters: Evidence from the Spanish Foodstuffs Industry" Sustainability 9, no. 2: 290. https://doi.org/10.3390/su9020290