Essays on network antecedents in a knowledge production context

This dissertation examines the impact of social networks on knowledge production and performance, with particular attention to the antecedents that shape how these networks evolve. A large body of work from multiple disciplines emphasizes the abnormal returns to both individuals and firms in superior positions. In three essays, I not only explore how social positions arise, but also how networks evolve over time and shape performance outcomes. The first two essays delve into how relational structure shapes the fluid boundary between private and public sectors in the scientific knowledge economy. A third paper builds upon ecological theory to explore how individual and environmental factors act in concert to shape communication networks at a biopharmaceutical firm. Taken together, these essays give a greater understanding of the factors underlying network positions and may be of interest to theorists, empiricists and managers alike.