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Exploiting a unique setting of R&D technologists and managers in a large multinational who are “partnered-up” in their pursuit of innovation, this paper explores under what circumstances technologists and managers benefit from duplicating ties to the same groups in the organization as their partner, or from dividing the network with their partner by each interacting with different groups.

Introducing the concept of network duplication – the extent to which two individuals are tied to the same functional groups inside an organization – this paper aims to build and test a theory of the division versus duplication of networks. It advances our understanding of second-order social capital and its role in the interpretation and influencing aspects of the innovation process by shedding light on how network duplication affects technologists’ and managers’ innovation performance. It finds that the merits of a division or duplication-of-networks approach are contingent on the mutual interdependence of managers and technologists on each other.

The Nuffield Social Network Seminars are convened by Cohen R. Simpson & Laurin B. Weissinger. For further information, please email cohen.simpson@sociology.ox.ac.uk.