Applying social network analysis to validate mass collaboration innovation drivers: An empirical study of NASA's International Space Apps Challenge

The authors model the user innovation networks of NASA's International Space Apps Challenges and use social network analysis to empirically investigate the existence and impact of three drivers of innovation. These drivers are competition, social interaction, and network vitality. We empirically prove that competitive intensity exists as a driver of innovation in our networks, and is an indicator of innovation success, while the drivers of social interaction intensity and network vitality do not.