Impact of network density on the efficiency of innovation networks: An agent-based simulation study

Network density is an important attribute that affects the efficiency of innovation networks. However, the understanding of how network density affects the innovation efficiency of innovation networks is still unclear and even controversial. This paper uses a multiagent simulation method to study this problem. First, an innovation simulation model is established to describe the generation process of innovations in the context of network innovation, and a classical random network model is used to generate a test set of structures with different network densities. Then, the innovation model is run on the test set of networks to obtain the innovation efficiency of the structures with different network densities. The result shows that for explorative innovation, high network density is more conducive to improving innovation efficiency, and for exploitative innovation, low network density is more conducive to improving innovation efficiency. However, when network density is small enough to destroy network connectivity, it will lead to a large risk of innovation failure. Finally, the reasons for the results are further analyzed, and the theoretical and practical significance of the conclusions are discussed.