ABSTRACT
The paper is aimed to recognise how operating in a research network facilitates commercialisation processes at research organisations. The authors analyse the state of the art, by studying publications in the Web of Science database, and present a longitudinal case study. Based on the state of the art analysis, measures used (also at network organisations) to assess the effectiveness of commercialisation endeavours are reviewed and compared with measures used at the analysed entity, i.e. the Łukasiewicz Research Network (the “Network”). Then, commercialisation effectiveness at this organisation operating in a research network (the “research network organisation”) is compared with the commercialisation success rate of its affiliates (research institutes) prior to the establishment of the Network. The results of the analyses show that operating in a research network improves commercialisation effectiveness. While the effectiveness of commercialisation processes at the biggest acclaimed research networks in Europe is widely discussed and confirmed in the literature, the success of commercialisation at institutes before and after inclusion in a research network is rarely compared. This article contributes to the analysis of this issue. Future studies will focus on the analysis of drivers of and impediments to effective commercialisation at network organisations.
