This article deals with the power wielded by the primary industry partners in knowledge-intensive networks in the new materials development technology field. Industry partners have a disproportionate influence on the structure and functioning of networks. The power can be explicit or invisible and is mediated and reshaped by factors such as the nature of the process being researched, the ‘distance’ to commercialization, the competitive strategy of the industry partner and its research and development capacity. These factors do not, however, detract from the industry partner's dominant role in the network.
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