Mapping industrial networks as an approach to identify inter-organisational collaborative potential in new product development

Increased industrial complexity and specialization is pushing organizations to participate more proactively in collaborative networks. These networks enable them to create new products and services requiring a pool of knowledge and capabilities going beyond the traditional organizational boundaries. Consequently, identifying and selecting potential partners to establish collaboration agreements can be a key activity in the new product development process. This paper explores the implications of mapping industrial networks with the purpose of identifying inter-organisational collaborative potential. The analysis is contextualized mapping the Danish Cleantech industry and depict the uses of the visualization and analysis of industrial networks in the selection of co-developing partners.