Dual Networking

Technical Notes on Ter Wal, Criscuolo, McEvily, and Salter (2020)

Abstract

According to Ter Wal, Criscuolo, McEvily, and Salter (2020), innovation performance was higher when pairs of engineers and technology development managers had ties that overlapped at the group level but not at the individual level. They termed this situation “Dual Networking”. They proposed two reasons why Dual Networking works: dual interpretation and dual influencing. The former suggested that they could interpret same information from different perspectives. The latter proposed that they could complement each other’s influence. Dual Networking may be applicable not only to the context of R&D, but also to settings requiring creativity, such as advertising firms. Further discussion about refining the measurement of Dual Networking could advance our understanding of creativity and social network dynamics.