Bridging local and global networks: middle-ground association affiliation and stakeholder embeddedness in regional innovation ecosystems

This study explores the relationship between affiliation with middle-ground associations and stakeholders’ network embeddedness in the regional innovation ecosystem. Based on a two-mode stakeholder–event network of the BioQuébec pharmaceutical cluster in Canada, we discover that affiliates of middle-ground associations are more likely to establish direct ties with partners and to occupy pivotal positions. Foreign affiliates often appear at the network core, while foreign non-affiliates tend to connect with peripheral communities. In contrast, domestic affiliates show a higher risk of remaining isolated. Policymakers should leverage the intermediation roles of middle-ground associations in enhancing cross-border collaborations in the regional innovation ecosystems.